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F1 – Leclerc beats Verstappen to Australian Grand Prix pole position.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc beat Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen by almost three tenths of a second to take his second pole position of the season in an Australian Grand Prix qualifying session that was disrupted by two red flag periods.
09.04.22
FIA
Q1 began with both Ferraris heading out on track soon after the pit lane opened and Leclerc immediately moved to P1 with a lap of 1:19.391. McLaren’s Lando Norris slotted into second just under four tenths off the Ferrari driver.
In Q2 Verstappen was first out on track, with Pérez not far behind. Verstppen crossed the line in 1:18.611, marginally off his Q1 best, to take top spot, with his team-mate second. Alonso then split the Red Bulls as Leclerc made his way to fourth ahead of Norris.
Verstappen was again on track early in Q3 but the Dutchman’s opening run featured a small lock up in the penultimate corner and he crossed the line in 1:18.399. Pérez then took top spot just 0.001s behind his team-mate. Leclerc was running quickly though and his 1:18.239 was good enough for provisional pole.
‘Pole Position’;
https://www.fia.com/news/f1-leclerc-...-pole-position
Leclerc keeps Australian GP pole after F1 stewards investigation
09/04/2022, 13:48
By Scott Mitchell
Ferrari Formula 1 driver Charles Leclerc has kept his Australian Grand Prix pole after the stewards deemed no further action was necessary over him allegedly driving unnecessarily slowly in qualifying.
Leclerc took his second pole of the season after defeating early championship rival Max Verstappen in Melbourne. However, on Saturday evening he and his Ferrari team were called to the stewards at 20:55 local time.
Leclerc has allegedly breached Article 33.4 of the sporting regulations and the race director’s notes by “driving unnecessarily slowly on an inlap” in Q1.
‘Leclerc On Pole’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/lecle...investigation/
Perez in the clear after yellow flag investigation
2022 Australian Grand Prix
Posted on
9th April 2022, 13:24 | Written by Will Wood
After investigating the incident, the stewards cleared the Red Bull driver of failing to respect the yellow flag. “As [Perez] approached turn 11, a single yellow flag was displayed for a car in the escape road,” the stewards explained.
“[Perez] was warned by his team on the radio at the same time the signals were displayed at the corner. Compared to his previous lap, he lifted 70 meters earlier, braked 50 meters earlier, and carried 14kph less speed into the corner.”
“As a result of these actions, the stewards conclude that [Perez] acted appropriately to the situation and take no further action.”
‘Lifted in the Clear’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/04/09/...investigation/
Fantastic Ferrari, marvellous McLaren and awful Aston: Aus GP qualifying analysis
Riccardo to start in top 10! | 01:39
Michael Lamonato from Fox Sports
April 9th, 2022 8:55 pm
Charles Leclerc has capitalised on difficult weekend for Max Verstappen to seize pole position for the first Australian Grand Prix in three years.
It was a disjointed session that Ferrari found easiest to master, its super-usable car doing the business when Red Bull Racing couldn’t and delivering Leclerc his second pole of the season.
But McLaren stole headlines with its unexpectedly powerful performance around Albert Park. Lando Norris was a fabulous fourth, and though a scruffy last lap left Daniel Ricciardo seventh, even the home hero was optimistic about his race.
‘Top 10 Ricciardo’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...ddac8d944bee78
Hamilton: I’m going to be battling as hard as I can for a podium
Paul Velasco
9 April, 2022
There is a sniff of a podium for Lewis Hamilton after he qualified fifth fastest for the 2022 Australian Grand Prix, but it is clear that the Mercedes W13 is proving to be an unlucky number for the World Champion team.
“I think we did a decent job to get to where we are because we had a bigger deficit yesterday,” Hamilton told Sky F1, with reference to Friday practice.
“My last lap, I felt like I there was more in it, so I had this unexpected step of grip and didn’t get to maximise it, but I am still naturally happy with it,” added the seven-time F1 World Champion.
‘Unlucky Number’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/04...ying-mercedes/
‘Angry’ Sainz reveals what led to disaster qualifying at 2022 Australian GP
Charles Leclerc qualified on pole for the 2022 Australian Grand Prix in the other Ferrari.
by Rob Kershaw
9 April 20229 April 2022
Sainz’s first lap in Q3 was set to be good enough to at least put him in the top five before a crash for Fernando Alonso, who had set a purple first sector, brought out the red flag.
Sadly for Alonso’s compatriot, the subsequent red flag was deployed just as he was about to cross the finish line, putting pay to his run.
‘Red Flag’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/angry-sai...australian-gp/
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Leclerc dominates down under as Verstappen fails to finish.
Australian Grand Prix – Charles Leclerc took a pole to lights victory in Melbourne while an issue for Max Verstappen saw him retire.
by Emer Hedderman
10th April 2022
As the lights went out for the first Australian Grand Prix since 2019, it was an ideal start for polesitter Charles Leclerc, who held station at the front and pulled out over half a second on Max Verstappen over the first lap. Behind the top two,it was Lewis Hamilton, the Mercedes driver moving up from P5 while the big losers of the top 10 were Lando Norris, who got swamped and fell from P4 to P6, and Sainz who dropped to P14.
By lap 12 Verstappen was four seconds behind the leader, with the gap only widening, and was struggling with his tyres. The Dutchman telling his team “my left front is completely grained”. Lap 39 saw Verstappen told to “stop the car” and the reigning champion pulled his Red Bull off the track just after T2. He told his team he could “smell some weird fluid” and fire extinguishers were required when the car stopped. That meant Perez moved to P2 while the Mercedes cars of Russell and Hamilton were into P3 and P4. The Mexican was told not to worry about his teammate’s issue as it wasn’t relevant for his car.
Hamilton was also sending messages to his team, his “you guys put me in a really difficult position” was quite strange as it was Vettel’s accident and subsequent Safety Car which allowed Russell to be ahead of his teammate and in the final podium position.
‘Charles Leclerc Domination’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/leclerc-do...o-finish-78709
Ferrari fans in raptures as Leclerc dominates Australian Grand Prix
By Michael Lynch
April 10, 2022 — 4.41pm
Charles Leclerc proved himself the class of the Australian Grand Prix field, winning a dramatic race in which his main challenger Max Verstappen’s hopes went up in smoke when his engine failed.
Ferrari fans were in raptures at Albert Park as Leclerc was imperious all race. The Monegasque driver qualified his Ferrari on pole position and made every post a winning one as he got off the line first and was never headed to win easily and increase his lead in the drivers’ championship. Leclerc also set the fastest lap.
Second home was Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez, whose car proved more durable than that of the reigning world champion, with young British driver George Russell third for Mercedes.
‘Ferrari, Scuderia, Tifosi In Raptures’;
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/motorsp...10-p5acf1.html
Charles Leclerc extends championship lead with Australian GP win.
Charles Leclerc extended his championship lead on Sunday at the Australian Grand Prix as he took victory in Melbourne, with both Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz retiring.
By George Dagless
Published: 10 Apr 2022, 07:43
Leclerc had his Ferrari on pole and controlled the race for the majority of the Grand Prix, with his two closest rivals losing serious ground over the course of the race. Carlos Sainz, already on the backfoot after a P9 in qualifying, found himself in the gravel trap and retiring early on, before more technical woes for Max Verstappen.
Indeed, we’ve already seen mechanical issues for Verstappen this season with him retiring in Bahrain and, after this further issue in Melbourne, it does appear as though the Red Bull is a quick but fragile car.
Saying that, Sergio Perez at least managed to bring his RB18 home as he finished in second place behind Leclerc, though the Monegasque was in a league of his own come the end of the race, whilst George Russell was on hand in the Mercedes to pick up third.
‘Championship Lead Extended.’;
https://www.givemesport.com/87993839...tralian-gp-win
What happened to Max Verstappen to cause F1 Australian GP retirement?
10/04/2022, 07:54
HITC
Verstappen retired from the Australian Grand Prix on Lap 39, but what happened to the Red Bull driver? Did it affect Sergio Perez?
The title defence of Max Verstappen has been hit or miss so far in 2022.
A fuel pick-up problem in Bahrain was followed up with victory in Saudi Arabia.
However, he could (NOT) add another win in Australia, conking out in the second half of the race at Albert Park. But what happened to Max Verstappen to cause his Australian Grand Prix DNF and retirement?
‘Questions’;
https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/F1.../Australian+GP
‘UNACCEPTABLE’ ISSUE LEAVES VERSTAPPEN DOWNCAST OVER F1 TITLE
10/04/2022, 08:15
By Josh Suttill
Max Verstappen branded his retirement from the Australian Grand Prix “frustrating and unacceptable” and says he doesn’t “even want to think about the championship fight” after his second DNF in three Formula 1 races.
“We’re already miles behind, I don’t even want to think about the championship fight at the moment, I think it’s more important to finish races,” Verstappen said when asked by Sky how it affects his title hopes. Today in general was just a bad day again, not really having the pace. Just managing my tyres and trying to bring it to the end.”
“Quite an easy P2 and I knew I could not fight Charles so was no point trying to put pressure on him. We didn’t even finish the race, so pretty frustrating and unacceptable. “These kinds of things, if you want to fight for the title, cannot happen,” he admitted. “I don’t know [what the problem was] I had to stop the car. They have to get the car back home and investigate.”
‘Frustration’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/verst...table-problem/
Martin Brundle's awkward Marco Materazzi encounter on Australian Grand Prix grid-walk
MARTIN BRUNDLE bumped into Italian football legend Marco Materazzi on the Australian Grand Prix grid.
By MIKAEL MCKENZIE
06:05, Sun, Apr 10, 2022
Firstly Brundle strolled up to the 48-year-old and asked "are you Marco Mariachi?", completely butchering Materazzi's surname.
He then proceeded to ask the ex-footballer which team he played for and how he felt about Italy not making it to this year's World Cup in Qatar after their shock loss to North Macedonia.
"We are speaking about Formula 1," an annoyed Materazzi replied. Brundle got the sense that the former defender was in no mood to talk and quickly ended the conversation while muttering "well that didn't go well" to the camera.
‘‘Formula 1 Speak’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...ian-Grand-Prix
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Leclerc: Chances for the Championship, make me smile.
Leclerc will leave Melbourne leading the Formula 1 Championship with 71 points, as his reliability-inflicted rival, Max Verstappen languishes down in sixth place 46 points down, after failing to finish yet again in Australia.
Jad Mallak
10 April, 2022
It was a perfect weekend for the Monegasque, with pole, race win, and the point from the fastest lap all to his name, as the he seemed imperious at the wheel of the rapid F1-75, his lead never threatened during the 58-lap race. The Ferrari star said after the race: “It’s the first one where we’ve controlled the gap and what a car today. Of course, I did a good job all weekend, but it’s not possible without the car.”
“Especially this weekend with the race pace, we were extremely strong,” he reveled. “Obviously we are only at the third race, so it is difficult to think about the championship. But we’ve got a very strong car, a very reliable car too and for now we’ve always been there.”
“I hope it continues like this and if it does then we probably have chances for the championship, which makes me smile,” the four-time Grand Prix winner added.
‘Smiling Championship Chances’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/04...akes-me-smile/
‘It feels incredible’ - Charles Leclerc wins Australian Grand Prix
Max Verstappen forced into second retirement in three races; Lewis Hamilton fourth
10th April 2022, 12:23
Irish Times.
Australian Grand Prix winner Charles Leclerc hailed his team for producing a fast car after Ferrari stormed to the most dominant win of the Formula One season at Albert Park on Sunday.
Starting from pole, the 24-year-old from Monaco crossed the finish line more than 20 seconds ahead of Red Bull’s runner-up Sergio Perez to claim his fourth career win in style.
Having gone winless in the last two years as Ferrari struggled, Leclerc has now won two of the last three races, including the season-opener in Bahrain, to emerge as the early championship favourite. “It feels incredible . . . because now I know underneath me I’ve got a car that is capable of winning,” Leclerc told reporters.
‘Winning Car Beneath Me’;
https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/oth...prix-1.4849242
Charles Leclerc: "Difficult" to talk about world title after Australia win
By Darren Plant, Senior Reporter
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc has suggested that he will not get carried away with his excellent start to the new Formula 1 campaign.
Commenting after his victory at Albert Park, Leclerc said: ""We are only in the third race so it is difficult to think about the championship, but we have a very strong car, a very reliable car too, so I hope it continues like this and, if it does, we will have chances for the championship.
"That makes me smile after the last two years, which have been difficult for the team and myself so it is great to be back in this position."
‘Great To Be Back’;
https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/formula...8.html?newsnow
Formula 1: Charles Leclerc eyeing feat no one has pulled off since 2015
10/04/2022, 11:01
by Asher Fair
In the first three races of the 2022 Formula 1 season, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc has already doubled his career win total, winning the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix at Bahrain International Circuit and then adding another dominant win in Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park Circuit.
Drivers can only score a maximum of 26 points in each race, so Leclerc is guaranteed to be the points leader after the next race in Imola.
Additionally, even with second place finishes in the next four races, Leclerc would not fall from the lead — even if Russell, or any other driver, were to win all four races and do so with the fastest lap.
Doubling Career Win Total’;
https://beyondtheflag.com/2022/04/10...e-pulled-2015/
Binotto left with mixed emotions after split fortunes for Ferrari
10/04/2022, 10:30
Author Anna Francis
Whilst it was a successful day for Charles Leclerc at the Australian Grand Prix, Carlos Sainz's race ended in disaster. Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto has given his take on the event.
"Today was great," the team boss told Sky Sports F1. "I think today [has been] a great satisfaction, but we know that each single race can be different. But at least, let's enjoy [it] for today. Charles had to get up to speed, but I think [he] worked well through the weekend. He made the pole, the fastest lap in the race, and [took] a fantastic win."
On the other side of the garage, Sainz was left feeling frustrated after a challenging day. "He's certainly pretty disappointed today," Binotto explained. "I think we understand his disappointment. I think it was important for him to prove that he was fast again coming here [to] Australia, but he has been very fast on Friday, fast on Saturday morning.”
‘Mixed Emotions’;
https://racingnews365.com/binotto-le...es-for-ferrari
Sainz reveals what caused early-race problems and retirement
10th April 2022.
Author Thomas Maher
Carlos Sainz has shed some light on why he struggled so much in the early stages of the Australian Grand Prix, before making a driver error that forced him out of the race.
A disconsolate Sainz later explained that he felt he was starting the race on the back foot due to a change of steering wheel moments before the lights went out. We had another problem with the steering wheel with some switches not working," Sainz told Viaplay after the race.
"We had to change the steering wheel, but the steering wheel was not well-positioned for the start and it caused me [to go into] anti-stall twice because of this."
‘Early Race Problems’;
https://racingnews365.com/sainz-reve...and-retirement
Sainz airs concern with Ferrari 'imperfections'
Ewan Gale
Sunday 10 April 2022 09:45
Addressing his scrappy race, Sainz explained: "We had a problem with the steering wheel, a similar problem to yesterday which was a few buttons that were not working. We had to change the steering wheel and it meant the steering wheel was not well-positioned at the start and we got anti-stall at both starts because of the clutch and the torque.”
On his frustration at missing out on points, Sainz said: "This car, the worst possible scenario was a top four with a good comeback. Without the issues of yesterday and the issues of today, we should have been fighting for the win.”
"So to go away with zero points is very disappointing. We need to be more perfect as a team and this weekend we clearly haven't been."
‘Ferrari Imperfections’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/79...imperfections/
Leclerc stays calm as Ferrari fever grows ahead of return to Italy
Issued on: 10/04/2022 - 10:42
France24
Level-headed Charles Leclerc claimed his second grand prix win of the season Sunday but insisted it was too early to talk about winning the drivers' championship as the circuit prepares to move to Ferrari home territory in two weeks' time.
"It's good to be in the championship lead -- 34 points is always good to take wherever you are in the calendar, but I don't want to focus too much on the championship now. "Italy will be incredible but we need to approach it as we do every race weekend," he added.
"It's extremely important not to put extra pressure on ourselves and try to overdo things. "We are working as a team extremely well since the beginning of the season and we just need to keep doing our job like we did in the first three weekends."
‘Stay Calm, Ferrari Fever Grows’;
https://www.france24.com/en/live-new...eturn-to-italy
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Marko warns of 'difficult times ahead' for Red Bull.
"It leaked petrol, but we don't know where and how," Marko told Sky Sport Germany, revealing that the issue is not a direct repeat of the fuel system error that occurred in Bahrain.
10/04/2022, 09:30
Author Thomas Maher
Red Bull's Helmut Marko says his team are facing a "difficult balancing act" as they attempt to get on top of their reliability and weight issues. The Red Bull advisor spoke about the problem that meant Verstappen was already on the sidelines as the race concluded.
"It just leaked a lot of petrol. That's why we said he should stop immediately – preferably where there is a fire extinguisher. We don't just have these reliability problems, which are actually largely unknown to us – we don't know that at all," he commented.
"Difficult times are ahead of us. We were surprised at how fast Ferrari was today." Marko was full of praise for Ferrari's performance, adding: "They had to pay much less attention to the tyres than we did. Ferrari was in a class of its own and, unfortunately, we were clearly behind, even though [Sergio] Perez drove a great race."
‘Difficult Times Ahead’;
https://racingnews365.com/marko-warn...d-for-red-bull
Horner suggests cause of Verstappen’s ‘unacceptable’ DNF in Melbourne
Max Verstappen has retired from two of the opening three rounds of the 2022 season due to reliability issues.
by Rob Kershaw
10 April 202210 April 2022
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has indicated that there might have been another fuel problem for Max Verstappen as he was forced to retire for the second time in three races at the 2022 Australian Grand Prix.
Horner sympathises with the reigning world champion, and is as yet unsure of exactly took his car out of the race. “[It’s] definitely frustrating, I think as Max said we didn’t have the pace to race Charles today, they were in a league of their own but [it’s] frustrating not to be bagging those points.”
“I’d rather fix a fast car than try and make a reliable, slow one fast,” he maintained. “We need to get on top of it, we can’t accept DNFs but we need to understand what the issue is and we need to address it.”
‘Fixing The Fast Car’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/horner-su...-in-melbourne/
Video: How Verstappen’s F1 title defence is going wrong
10/04/2022, 21:28
The Race
Max Verstappen’s retirement from second place in the Australian Grand Prix leaves him, in his words, “already miles behind” Charles Leclerc in the fight for the 2022 Formula 1 world championship. It’s Verstappen’s second retirement in three races, so despite winning the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix he’s now 46 points off the world championship lead.
With 20 races to go, there’s plenty of time for Verstappen and Red Bull to catch up, but that’s only possible with a reliable car. To add to those reliability concerns, Verstappen and Red Bull were outpaced both in qualifying and the race in Australia while Leclerc and Ferrari won after leading every lap from pole position.
So what’s the problem and how big a threat are Red Bull’s current struggles to Verstappen’s hopes of defending the world championship? Our new video examines what’s going on.
‘VIDEO Analysis’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/video...s-going-wrong/
Verstappen anger with Red Bull as Leclerc eyes F1 title - GPFans F1 Recap
Sam Hall
Sunday 10 April 2022 23:30
Max Verstappen has labelled a second Red Bull retirement in the opening three races as "unacceptable" after ending the Australian Grand Prix in flames.
"We are already miles behind," he told Sky Sports F1. "I don't even want to think about the championship fight at the moment, I think it is more important to finish races.
"Of course, today in general was a bad day again. Just not really having the pace, just managing my tyres to try bring it to the end because it felt like an easy P2 and I knew I could not fight Charles so there was no point trying. But we didn't even finish the race so it is pretty frustrating and unacceptable."
‘Frustration’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/79...-quot-failure/
Perez: Lost Red Bull points will be ‘very costly’
Date published: April 10 2022 - Henry Valantine
Sergio Perez admitted the points Red Bull have lost from the first few races could well prove to be “very costly” later in the season. Max Verstappen retired from second place in Australia on Sunday for his second retirement in three races and, coupled with Perez’s own DNF in Bahrain, Red Bull find themselves well behind Ferrari and Charles Leclerc in both championships – despite having a car to compete with them at the front.
“We’ve been so unlucky for these first few races,” he told Sky Sports F1 after the race. “It’s nice to be back on the podium, but I think the race didn’t go as planned. We had a bit too much degradation on the tyres. I have a pretty good idea at the moment on the things we did wrong, but there’s a good analysis to be made.”
“We were quite far from the Ferrari today. It’s only race three of the season, so it’s a long way to go. It’s a shame that we lost Max today for the team.”
‘Points Lost Costly’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/sergio...y-points-loss/
Perez concerned by Red Bull failures but “sure we will turn things around”
RaceFans Round-up
Posted on
11th April 2022, 0:0110th April 2022, 22:44 | Written by Will Wood
Retirements costing us a lot of points – Perez. Max Verstappen’s retirement from yesterday’s Australian Grand Prix was the third time one of the two Red Bull cars has dropped out of a race with a technical problem over the first six races.
“It’s certainly a concern,” admitted his team mate Perez, who finished second. “We’ve lost a lot of points already in these first three races that in the end can make a huge difference in the championship. So we are obviously aware of it.”
“All the team back home in Milton Keynes, here, are working flat out to try to come up with solutions. We don’t know exactly the issue on Max’s today. We will see. I’m sure we will turn things around and hopefully we can start again from zero when we go back to Europe.”
‘Working Flat Out’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/04/11/...nd-up-11-04-5/
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Hamilton calls for immediate improvement amid dwindling title hopes.
Seven-time champion is already 43 points adrift of Ferrari’s leader Charles Leclerc.
11/04/2022, 09:45
Giles Richards
Lewis Hamilton has demanded more from his Mercedes team if he is to keep any hope of competing for this year’s Formula One world championship alive.
“I have got to keep that encouragement and energy high. I will be on Zoom calls with our bosses, really trying to rally them up. It is about making sure we leave no stone unturned, that the hunger is there and we are maximising every moment. I will be chasing the people in the wind tunnel, the aerodynamic guys, and just looking at every single area.”
‘Chasing People’;
https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/oth...opes-1.4849791
Russell doesn’t ‘care who’s in front’ when it’s P5 at stake
Date published: April 11 2022 - Michelle Foster
rge Russell does not care which of the Mercedes team-mates is in front when it comes to fifth and sixth places. Given a shot at a podium finish in Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix, the Mercedes team-mates were elevated up the order when Max Verstappen retired, Russell running just ahead of his team-mate Lewis Hamilton.
Russell was asked about the situation, telling F1-Insider.com that while a driver always wants to beat their team-mate, helping Mercedes to improve the W13 is the most important task right now – especially when fighting for fifth or sixth. “Of course you always want to be in front of your team-mate,” he said. “But for us it’s crucial we make the car faster.”
“When it comes to fifth and sixth place between me and Lewis, I don’t care who’s in front.” Sunday’s result means despite their troubles, Mercedes are second in the Drivers’ standings and the Constructors’.
‘Mercedes F1, 2nd Drivers and 2nd Constructors Standing’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/george...e-in-front-p5/
We need more speed NOW, warns Lewis Hamilton... Brit urges Mercedes to 'leave no stone unturned' in search of improvements to keep his title hopes alive after finishing fourth at Australian Grand Prix
By Jonathan McEvoy for the Daily Mail
Published: 22:30, 10 April 2022
It was an all-encompassing cry of frustration from Lewis Hamilton’s cockpit. ‘You guys put me in a really difficult position,’ he protested as he finished the Australian Grand Prix fourth best.
‘I will be making a lot of calls,’ he said. ‘I am flying to KL (Kuala Lumpur) tonight for a work event with Petronas. I will be on Zoom calls with sponsors and our bosses and really trying to rally them. We have got some improvements that we need to make and we need everyone’s support in doing so.
‘It is about making sure we leave no stone unturned, that the hunger is there and we are maximising every moment. On the Zoom calls, I will be chasing the people in the wind tunnel, the aero guys, just looking at every single area. There is performance to be gained in all areas and we need it now, not in two or three races. I have to keep that encouragement and energy high. I will be going on the simulator.’
‘Speed NOW’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...rand-Prix.html
Russell: ‘Pretty crazy’ to be second in F1 championship standings
10 April 2022, 15:36
by Fergal Walsh
Russell has finished fourth, fifth and third respectively through the first trio of grands prix, leaving him second in the standings behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. “I think it’s credit to the team back at Brackley and Brixworth because obviously we want more performance,” Russell said.
“We are a step behind Ferrari and Red Bull in terms of pace, but you’ve got to be there at the end if you want to pick up the points, and that’s what we’ve done on a number of occasions now.”
“I mean, this weekend we were the fifth fastest team behind these two guys and obviously McLaren and Alpine. And currently standing P3 on the podium and P2 in the Championship is pretty crazy.”
‘Crazy Second In Standings’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/...hip-standings/
Wolff offers a glimmer of hope for Mercedes
Date published: April 10 2022 - Jamie Woodhouse
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff confirmed that the Silver Arrows do leave Australia in a better state and with a fantastic team spirit.
“We are leaving Melbourne in a better state than when we arrived- more lessons learned, more data to analyse and more points on the board,” Wolff said. “Clearly we haven’t got the pace yet to challenge Ferrari and Red Bull but we know where we need to seek performance.”
“One factor that leaves me very optimistic for the future is the mindset and strength of the team. Everyone in the UK, in Stuttgart and in the travelling race team is pulling together every ounce of effort we have to tackle the performance gaps with determination and a deep hunger. Seeing Lewis and George perform at an exceptionally high level today with a tool that is clearly not on the pace of the leaders is another example of the spirit of this team.”
‘Glimmers Of Hope’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-w...mercedes-hope/
Wolff not concerned by risk of Hamilton retirement amid Mercedes’ woes
Toto Wolff has no concerns about Sir Lewis Hamilton's commitment to the cause after a tough start to the season.
by James Clifford
11 April 202211 April 2022
“You can only walk away if you don’t like what you do any more but Lewis loves doing this,” he said, as quoted by The Sun.
“Lewis is in fantastic shape, his lifestyle is hugely disciplined and he has many, many years to go.
“And isn’t it a great challenge for him? He was at McLaren, then went to Mercedes when it wasn’t great and has won six titles. The team has got it wrong now, but he can be a part of the rise again.”
‘No Walking Away’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/wolff-not...mercedes-woes/
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A £1.50 part and a strategy misstep – Alonso’s lost weekend.
The problem was everything that the team tried to make up for its qualifying misfortune ultimately made matters worse. That probable podium became a last-placed finish.
12/04/2022, 08:25
By Matt Beer and Mark Hughes
Whether Alonso’s suggestion of pole, team principal Otmar Szafnauer’s prediction of second on the grid or technical chief Pat Fry’s belief it would’ve been row two (which The Race’s own assessment concurs with), the lap Alonso was on when a hydraulic failure caused him to crash in Q3 would’ve put him ahead of the Mercedes on the grid.
And that would’ve left him ideally placed to capitalise when Max Verstappen retired. Taking the third position George Russell inherited was surely on the cards. Perhaps holding Sergio Perez’s Red Bull off for second place would’ve been too given how hard Perez had to fight the Mercedes.
“The podium today would have been easy with Max out. With George on the podium, I think we were a lot faster than the Mercedes on this circuit. So we lost an opportunity.” Szafnauer said the failure that sent Alonso into the barriers was down to a part that The Race estimates probably cost about £1.50. “It was an o-ring on an oil seal,” Szafnauer replied when asked by The Race if Alpine had identified the exact issue.
‘£1.50 O-Ring on an Oil Seal’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/a-1-5...-lost-weekend/
Melbourne bad luck leaves Alonso "speechless".
But for a technical failure which caused him to crash on Saturday afternoon, few doubt that Fernando Alonso could have put his Alpine on the front row for Sunday's race.
NEWS STORY
11/04/2022
Starting the race from tenth, the Spaniard opted for the hard tyre while those ahead of him all went for the medium. His long opening stint strategy appeared to be working out for him, until Sebastian Vettel’s encounter with the barriers brought out the safety car, thereby allowing his rivals to take advantage and pit.
However, now running fourth, Alonso didn't follow suit and though he was able to hold on to fourth for a few more laps he slowly began to drop down the order, and by the time he finally stopped in lap 39 he was effectively out of the picture. "I'm speechless, to be honest," said the Spaniard at race end. "It's hard to accept that everything is going in the wrong way at the moment.
"But it's only three races in the championship, still twenty to go," he added. "Luck, I guess, is going to compensate sooner or later in the 23 races and we will be in other occasions lucky. I guess so.
‘Luck To Compensate Sooner Or Later’;
https://www.pitpass.com/72254/Melbou...nso-speechless
Fernando Alonso makes podium claim after unlucky Australian Grand Prix
By George Dagless
Published: 10 Apr 2022, 16:30
“We were looking for P6 or P7, starting on the hard tyre on the reverse [strategy], which was good, starting in tenth. [It was] the Safety Car in the wrong moment of the race that was our killer, so I’m a little bit speechless because I think today, we could have been on the podium, to be honest.”
“If we qualified third or fourth yesterday, with Max [Verstappen] out, George in the podium – I think we’ve been a little bit faster than the Mercedes this weekend.”
“So we lost that opportunity here, also in Jeddah where we were doing a very good race. So this is the way it is at the moment, a little bit unlucky. Twenty races to go, in some of them I will be super lucky, I guess.”
‘Will Be Super Lucky’;
https://www.givemesport.com/87993886...ian-grand-prix
‘Alpine flattered to deceive with Melbourne pace’
Date published: April 11 2022 - Jon Wilde
Martin Brundle thinks Alpine “flattered to deceive” with their pace at the Australian Grand Prix, which promised them far more than it delivered. There were suggestions Fernando Alonso could have been on pole position in Melbourne but for a crash caused by a hydraulic failure while on a very promising lap in Q3.
His team-mate Esteban Ocon, meanwhile, started eighth and finished one place higher, essentially because of Max Verstappen’s retirement while running second behind pole-sitter and eventual winner Charles Leclerc.
“Alpine flattered to deceive on pace,” wrote Brundle in his post-race column for Sky Sports. “Esteban Ocon came home seventh, 62 seconds off the lead.”
Flattered To Deceive’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/martin...ttered-aus-gp/
Alonso: Hard to accept everything going wrong
Jad Mallak
Fernando Alonso was left ruing his luck after finishing last at the 2022 Australian Grand Prix, admitting it was hard to accept how everything is currently going wrong.
On race day, Alonso was doing well, but the timing of the Safety Car during the race hurt his strategy, as he ended up finishing the race dead last.
Asked about his race down under, the Spaniard said: “Speechless, to be honest.
‘Speechless’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/04...g-going-wrong/
P7 Esteban Ocon thinks 'top five could have been possible' in Australian GP
10 Apr 2022
Formula 1.
Esteban Ocon is pleased with his P7 finish in the 2022 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix, but thinks "top five could have been possible" at the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit.
‘Top Five Possible’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...011600762.html
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Ricciardo and Norris extracted "everything possible" in Australian GP.
McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl believes Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo extracted "everything possible" from the MCL36 at the Australian Grand Prix.
Ewan Gale
Monday 11 April 2022 09:30
The team-mates finished fifth and sixth to collect 18 points and promote McLaren to fourth in F1's constructors' standings, finishing behind only Charles Leclerc, Sergio Perez and Mercedes duo George Russell and Lewis Hamilton.
The result marks a turnaround for the Woking-based team after only a single points finish from a possible four in the opening two rounds of the season.
‘Maximum Extraction’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/79...australian-gp/
Norris: McLaren performance 'better than it looked' in Melbourne
10 April 13:30
Author Anna Francis
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Lando Norris finished the Australian Grand Prix in P5, with a sizeable gap to the Mercedes cars ahead. However, the McLaren driver is feeling positive about what the Woking-based squad were able to achieve.
Lando Norris feels that McLaren were better than they looked in the Australian Grand Prix, with the Briton and teammate Daniel Ricciardo finishing in fifth and sixth respectively.
Ahead of the event, Norris had predicted that the team would enjoy a battle with the Mercedes cars in the race. However, this fight did not quite materialise. George Russell and Lewis Hamilton ended the day in P3 and P4, with Hamilton nearly 25 seconds ahead of Norris on track by the end of the Grand Prix.
Fight Didn’t Materialise’;
https://racingnews365.com/norris-mcl...d-in-melbourne
Brundle expects McLaren to 'edge forward' in pecking order
12/04/2022, 12:50
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Martin Brundle has predicted that McLaren will continue to move forwards after the team looked to have made significant progress at the Australian Grand Prix.
"McLaren are clearly beginning to return their car to a sensible aero base after the hurriedly butchered brake cooling changes in Bahrain," Brundle wrote in his column for Sky Sports F1.
"I would expect them to edge forward from there. Norris and home boy Ricciardo were equally matched in a solid and reliable car."
‘Sensible Aero Base Return’;
https://racingnews365.com/brundle-ex...-pecking-order
Ricciardo relieved to avoid another 'painful home race' as he delivers P6 in front of Aussie fans
11 April 2022
Formula 1.
Daniel Ricciardo was relieved to score his first points of the season and, moreover, accomplish that in front of his home fans at Albert Park given a rocky start to the season for McLaren.
“All weekend it’s just been a step in the right direction,” said Ricciardo. “A few weeks ago in Bahrain, many home fans were thinking, ‘oh no, this is maybe going to be a painful home race for Daniel’, but it was really nice to have such a quick turnaround.”
“The team certainly found a bit in the last few weeks and that’s been really nice and encouraging, so steps, big steps in the right direction. We will keep at it, keep chipping away. As always, still things to improve.”
‘Right Steps, Keep Chipping’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...yNMxyLniu.html
Ricciardo hails 'big step forward' for McLaren after tough start
11/04/2022, 09:30
Author Mike Seymour
Co-author Dieter Rencken
"Obviously [it was a] much better weekend – positives, for sure," Ricciardo told media, including RacingNews365.com.
"I thought at the start of the race it looked like we could hold the pace of Mercedes, but then they started to pull away a bit and they just had more pace than us.”
"We were a little bit lonely at the end of the race, but in any case, for the team, this weekend has been a big step forward. [It's] our first points of the year and a good weekend for both of us."
‘Positives For Sure’;
https://racingnews365.com/ricciardo-...er-tough-start
Aus GP result as ‘good as it gets’ for McLaren
Date published: April 12 2022 - Jamie Woodhouse
Lando Norris believes that the Australian Grand Prix could be the best performance that McLaren deliver for a while. “We are still optimising everything and there’s still a lot of things we’ve had to work on,” he said, quoted by RACER.
“But realistically, the car’s just worked well from the off. The car’s just been good from FP1 and throughout the whole weekend.
“It shows there’s strengths in the car and we just need to keep working on our weaknesses if we want to be here more often, because not all tracks are as smooth and as quick as this.
‘Optimisation’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/lando-...ked-australia/
Has McLaren got its mojo back?
21/04/2022, 14:20
by Fergal Walsh
It was a shock to everybody, including McLaren, to see where in the field the once-great F1 titan was competing during the opening two rounds of the 2022 Formula 1 season. Just last year, the Woking squad ended their nine-year victory drought with a spectacular 1-2 in Monza.
This past weekend in Melbourne, things took a genuine turn for the better. Lando Norris qualified in fourth place, ahead of everyone bar the Red Bulls of Checo Perez and Max Verstappen and Ferrari pole sitter Charles Leclerc. Even in the race the car looked comfortable throughout and in the early stages, it appeared that it had the speed to challenge Mercedes, but that started to fizzle out as the laps ticked down.
Despite that, McLaren remains one of the sport’s most marketable teams, and Formula 1 doesn’t need McLaren to be competing outside the points, never mind any lower. Although its successful history doesn’t entitle it to a spot at the front in the modern era, it only seems right to want to watch it compete for success.
‘F1 Titan Mojo’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/...its-mojo-back/
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Bottas commends Alfa Romeo performance after P8 finish in Melbourne.
After a DNF in Jeddah cost him a top-10 finish, Valtteri Bottas was happy to leave Melbourne with a good haul of points as he commended the work done by his Alfa Romeo team over the weekend.
11 April 2022
Formula 1
Despite an “unlucky” Safety Car, and a battle with Lance Stroll that saw the Aston Martin driver penalised for weaving on the straight – while the Canadian also pushed Bottas wide at Turn 3 at one point – the Finn finished in P8 after passing Pierre Gasly in the closing laps. And while Bottas was happy with the points, he felt a higher finish could have been on the cards.
“Overall, I think it was a good race, good strategy. A bit unlucky with the Safety Car because we stopped before it but other than that it was okay,” said Bottas.
“It was a good performance with close racing and battles from beginning to end. Of course, the most important thing is that we brought home some points, and that is due to a good job done by everyone in the team; I am happy with the calls that were made and how we raced.”
‘Good Haul Of Points’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...Du2GxntW1.html
Bottas takes issue with Stroll’s racing tactics
Date published: April 10 2022 - Jamie Woodhouse
Valtteri Bottas felt that Lance Stroll’s driving went beyond acceptable defence at the Australian Grand Prix.
Bottas’ Alfa Romeo team were not quite able to deliver the kind of pace which they had shown at the opening rounds in Bahrain or Saudi Arabia, but nonetheless, Bottas was very much a contender for points as the race entered its closing stages.
However, as he came across Aston Martin’s Stroll, who was trying to nurse his tyres to the end and snatch a point or two having gone long, the stewards look issue with his driving. The Canadian racer would receive a five-second time penalty and a point for his superlicence for weaving down the straight.
‘Stroll Weaving’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/valtte...troll-tactics/
Stroll calls Australian GP weaving penalty 'funny decision'
Phillip van Osten
11/04/2022 at 17:44
Lance Stroll says he "doesn't get" the Australian Grand Prix stewards' decision to hand him a five-second penalty for weaving during his battle with Valtteri Bottas.
"I don't get it," he said. "It was two guys weaving all the time, it's just the last move really. You can weave down the straight as long as you don't weave when the guy's approaching very close behind you.”
"I'm weaving to try and break the slipstream, not to try and defend, and then they penalise me for it. I don't get it. I guess a lot of funny decisions going on right now."
‘Funny Decisions’;
https://f1i.com/news/438263-stroll-c...-decision.html
‘I don’t think that’s how you should race’ – Bottas slams Aston Martin driver
Valtteri Bottas was involved in two incidents with Lance Stroll during the 2022 Australian Grand Prix.
by Rob Kershaw
11 April 202211 April 2022
Alfa Romeo driver Valtteri Bottas has taken issue with Lance Stroll’s defensive tactics during the 2022 Australian Grand Prix. Stroll incurred the wrath of the stewards twice over the course of last weekend’s Australian Grand Prix, colliding with compatriot Nicholas Latifi during qualifying before contravening the sporting regulations during his defence of his position from Bottas.
“Stroll moved to the right to defend against a potential overtake from Bottas,” read the stewards’ ruling. “Stroll returned to the racing line and then moved to the right for a second time to defend from another move by Bottas.”
“The second move breaches the regulation which prohibits more than one change of direction to defend a position.”
‘Stroll Rule Breach’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/i-dont-th...martin-driver/
2022 Australian Grand Prix - Sunday
April 10th, 2022
Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN
Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN claimed four important points at the Australian Grand Prix, as Valtteri Bottas finished eighth at the end of a thrilling race. Team-mate, Zhou Guanyu, went close to making it a double-points finish as he pulled off a remarkable comeback to finish P11, just over two seconds away from the top ten.
Frédéric Vasseur, Team Principal: “Bringing home four points with another top ten finish is really good, especially to bounce back after the off-race in Jeddah. The team did a good job in difficult circumstances today: the timing of the first Safety Car wasn’t ideal and it cost us track position, especially with Zhou; we also got stuck in a couple of DRS trains that made progress hard, so we had to earn our place the difficult way. That we did, and we went so close to having two cars in the points again, is proof that we are going in the right direction. The whole team did well today, now we can focus on the race in Imola to continue our battle for a good position in the constructors’ championship.”
‘Bringing Home Four Points’;
https://www.sauber-group.com/motorsp...d-prix-sunday/
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Gasly went through 'all the emotions' to conquer points in Melbourne.
Pierre Gasly earned both his AlphaTauri wage and his points in the Australian Grand Prix as he overcame an ill-timed safety car and won a fierce on-track battle with Lance Stroll.
12/04/2022 at 16:52
Michael Delaney
"I had a really good start, managed to pass two cars in the first lap, was running in a good position in P9, boxed and then we got slapped by the Safety Car like in Saudi," Gasly explained.
"Pretty upset – we dropped to P14 – but yes, we stayed focused and managed to finish in P9. Clearly, we had to fight hard for it, especially with Lance," he recounted.
"I must say I enjoyed the battle, it was the most entertaining moment of the race. I went through all the emotions. It was pretty intense on a track like this, but in the end, I got the best of him."
‘Conquering All Emotions’;
https://f1i.com/news/438311-gasly-we...melbourne.html
Gasly hanging Imola hopes on AlphaTauri updates
Date published: April 11 2022 - Henry Valantine
Having appeared less competitive in 2022 so far, Pierre Gasly is looking to AlphaTauri’s planned upgrades at Imola to kick-start their season.
AlphaTauri only have 10 points to their name after three races this season, which leaves them down in P8 in the Constructors’ Championship – a far cry from Gasly’s 2021 performances that saw him regularly battling at the head of the midfield.
“It’s a positive start to the season, but we will continue to develop the car over the next few weeks,” Gasly told reporters after the race, quoted by Motorsport.com Germany. “I’m really looking forward to the update at Imola. Hopefully it will bring us the performance we expect from it.”
‘Updates For Improvement’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/pierre...imola-updates/
Gasly pleased with points after getting 'pretty mad' during race
22/04/2022, 09:30
Author Anna Francis
The AlphaTauri driver started from 11th on the grid, and managed to gain places in the opening laps. However, the timing of his pit-stop did not coincide well with a Safety Car period, resulting in him losing places.
Gasly was left angry by this, but kept his focus in order to work his way back up into the points-paying position of ninth. "I'll take those two points today!" the Frenchman said after the event.
"It's been quite an unfortunate race for me. I managed to pass two cars at the start, but then I got unlucky pitting right before the Safety Car and dropped to P14.
‘Two Points? That Will Do Nicely!’;
https://racingnews365.com/gasly-plea...ad-during-race
Gasly invites FIA to check genitals amidst underwear clampdown.
AlphaTauri driver Pierre Gasly has invited the FIA to check his genitals in reaction to the furore surrounding the governing body's clampdown on non-fireproof underwear.
Ewan Gale
Saturday 9 April 2022
On the same weekend a reminder was given about drivers wearing jewellery, race director Niels Wittich has raised the concerns surrounding the safety of underwear that is not fire retardant.
But addressing how the FIA would police the matter, an unhappy Gasly said: "I won't comment on that.
"If they want to check my arse, feel free, I've got nothing to hide. My cock, everything. If that makes them happy, feel free."
“Feel Free’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/79...ear-clampdown/
Gasly jokes FIA can check ‘everything’ in light of underwear rule
Date published: April 10 2022 - Michelle Foster
Pierre Gasly has joked, at least we hope, about the FIA checking his “everything” at race weekends after the drivers were reminded that they need to wear fire retardant underwear.
“It’s been the rule forever, since I’ve been here it’s been the rule, so nothing new. I’m just going to come with more jewellery next week,” said Hamilton. “Well I’ve got certain piercings that I really just can’t take out, that not many people know of… Nah I’m kidding!” Verstappen replied: “I would be too heavy if I wore jewellery, so it’s not possible.”
Racing at home this weekend, Daniel Riccardo said, “This was the first time I’d heard about the fireproof underwear. Obviously we wear the leggings if you want to call it that, but we don’t have actual underwear-underwear that’s fireproof, so that was just more of a surprise. I’d never heard of it.”
‘Check Everything!’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/pierre...is-everything/
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Villeneuve reminds Stroll that F1 team isn't 'a clothing brand'.
Jacques Villeneuve says fellow Canadian and Aston Martin team owner Lawrence Stroll is learning the hard way that running an F1 outfit isn't like managing "a clothing brand".
12/04/2022 at 15:33
Michael Delaney
"Running a team takes more than just money as Lawrence Stroll is now finding out with Aston Martin," Villeneuve told Formule1.nl.
"It is not a clothing chain or a watch brand, because it is much more complicated, especially if you’re running a team for your son. Finding solutions becomes all the more complicated."
"Looking at this weekend you saw that Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll kept getting into trouble," said the 1997 F1 world champion. "Stroll’s incident with Latifi in qualifying was just embarrassing. He also once blamed the track for the crash, which was perhaps the strangest explanation for a crash ever. And in the race we saw that Stroll really does use his mirrors given his weaving tactics."
‘Aston Martin Complicated Solutions’;
https://f1i.com/news/438305-villeneu...ing-brand.html
Aston Martin becoming F1’s biggest disaster since McLaren Honda.
Lawrence Stroll described bringing Aston Martin back to F1 as a dream come true, but their return is quickly becoming a nightmare.
Date published: April 13 2022 - Finley Crebolder
Lawrence Stroll described bringing Aston Martin back to F1 as a dream come true, but their return is quickly becoming a nightmare.
The Canadian has invested in a huge brand in Aston Martin to bring them to the grid, has signed one of the biggest names – and highest earners – in the sport in Sebastian Vettel, has vastly increased the number of staff, and has forked out £200million on a new factory.
There’s little doubt that, when it comes to spending power and facilities, he has moved them firmly towards the top of the pack. And so far, what does he have to show it? Well, nothing. Quite literally.
‘Nightmare Comes True Instead’;
https://www.planetf1.com/features/as...ming-disaster/
Villeneuve slams Aston Martin's disastrous 2022
11th April 2022, 09:26
By GMM F1
Aston Martin's 2022 season so far has been disastrous in almost every way imaginable. From Sebastian Vettel's covid to the new Aston Martin safety car being called a "turtle" by world champion Max Verstappen, team owner Lawrence Stroll is "finding out that Formula 1 takes more than just money".
Even before Australia, however, some were speculating that the dire situation could push Vettel into early retirement. "It was so bad here that you almost feel sorry for him," fellow German Ralf Schumacher told Sky Deutschland.
Villeneuve, meanwhile, told the Dutch publication Formule 1: "Stroll's incident with Latifi in qualifying was just embarrassing, but I think Vettel would rather be at home. He also made mistakes at Ferrari, but his mistakes this weekend were something else. They were not big hits, but sponsors don't like that. It also costs money because of the lost points let alone the damage," he said.
‘From Disaster to Disaster, Goes Aston Martin F1’;
https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/formula...3.html?newsnow
Aston Martin repairs may take up F1 development capacity
13/04/2022, 10:11
By Scott Mitchell and Edd Straw
Aston Martin’s development progress could be impaired by the need to manufacture new Formula 1 components to replace the ones that were lost in the four crashes it suffered during the Australian Grand Prix weekend.
While the design and development work itself won’t be impacted, Aston Martin will need to focus more of its short-term manufacturing capacity than anticipated on producing the parts. This means production of any new-specification components in the pipeline could be delayed.
“Now we need to really collect all the bits that we have,” said (Mike) Krack when asked if development could be affected by the need to rebuild its stock of parts. “We start to run low on spares. So it’s something that we need to address. I am quite sure you have counted the amount of incidents and the amount of wings and front suspensions that we have damaged. So you can calculate quickly how many we will need to go to Imola.”
Repairs, More Repairs, Further Repairs’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/aston...ment-capacity/
Villeneuve: Stroll learning it takes more than money to run an F1 team
Jad Mallak
11 April, 2022
After a miserable Australian Grand Prix weekend for Aston Martin, ex-Formula 1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve has questioned Lawrence Stroll’s credentials to run a team at the pinnacle of the sport.
The reality is that the Canadian billionaire is finding out the hard and very expensive way that running and F1 team is not quite the same as a massive clothing chain or watch brand. Referring to the massive success Stroll achieved in the fashion business that has made him worth $3-billion according to Forbes, Villeneuve warned that it won’t be the same in F1. And it hasn’t so far.
No one smiling as the Aston Martin factory. “The question now is, what does the big boss Lawrence Stroll do? If he deals with his drivers the way he does business, these are not nice conversations,” he predicted. “The atmosphere in the factory must also be to die for, there you are currently not welcomed with a smile.”
‘Credentials Questioned’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/04...un-an-f1-team/
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Haas believe they know where early-season pace has gone.
Mick Schumacher says Haas "have an idea why" their car was down on performance during the Australian Grand Prix weekend.
Author Tom Leach
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Mick Schumacher says Haas "have an idea why" their car was down on performance during the Australian Grand Prix weekend.
The American outfit are confident in their race pace at high-speed circuits, and will have more time to make progress through the field in race conditions thanks to the event being a Sprint weekend.
"I'm sure that we'll be, hopefully, back in the position where we were supposed to be," Schumacher continued. "There were a lot of things that we learned, a lot of positives, and things we need to improve."
‘Having An Idea’;
https://racingnews365.com/haas-belie...-pace-has-gone
British journalist gives verdict on Ferrari ‘threatening’ Haas, turning down their engine
For the first time in 2022, Haas failed to score points at last weekend's Australian Grand Prix.
by Rob Kershaw
13 April 202213 April 2022
Sky Sports F1 reporter Ted Kravitz has dismissed any conspiracy theories suggesting that Ferrari attempted to put a halt to Haas’ momentum at the 2022 Australian Grand Prix.
Having spent the entirety of 2021 developing for the all-new technical regulations this season, Haas have cemented themselves in the early going in 2022 as contenders for the top four in the Constructors’ Championship.
Kevin Magnussen returned to the team to replace the sacked Nikita Mazepin, and he managed points finishes in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia to declare that he has not lost any pace in his year away from the pinnacle of motorsport, and that the American outfit are ready to consistently compete for points again.
‘Turning Engine Power Down Dismissed’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/british-j...-their-engine/
Kravitz rubbishes Ferrari v Haas paddock rumour
Date published: April 11 2022 - Henry Valantine
Sky Sports’ Ted Kravitz has quickly shut down a rumour in the paddock that Ferrari may have been “threatening” Haas to turn down their customer engine, with their strong performances in Bahrain and Jeddah raising eyebrows.
“From scoring points in the first couple of races with Kevin Magnussen to finishing P13 and P14 in Australia is very, very odd. There have been some suggestions among the rumour-mongers that maybe Ferrari are thinking Haas are doing a little bit too well and threatening them. Of course, that’s rubbish. Ferrari are never going to threaten Haas to turn down their own engine.”
“But that’s the rumour out there and you know I like to keep you across all these rumours in F1. I think the truth is, really, that they arrived here with the wrong set-up and never got it back. When you essentially write off Friday because you don’t have the right set-up, it’s very difficult to get it back.”
‘Rubbish Rumours’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/ted-kr...-haas-rumours/
Magnussen highlights reason behind Haas' recent struggles
10 April 17:15
Author Anna Francis
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Kevin Magnussen believes that Haas' change in fortunes at the Australian Grand Prix was down to the track not suiting their car, and thus remains hopeful that the team can bounce back.
"[It was] good fun, [and a] nice track," the Danish driver said after the Grand Prix. "[I'm disappointed] not to get points today. We made a small gamble, I would say, with the Hard tyre, because we felt like we were faster than our opposition, which we were.”
"But, again, [the] Safety Car came and ruined completely the strategy. We know that's the gamble, but it's happened two times now [having happened at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix], so it's a bummer. We'll take them next time!"
‘Small Gamble’;
https://racingnews365.com/magnussen-...cent-struggles
K-Mag ‘on eggs’, but Haas trouble ‘an outlier’
Date published: April 11 2022 - Jon Wilde
Kevin Magnussen said he was “on eggs” at the Australian Grand Prix – but it had nothing to do with his diet. After having to miss his Friday morning media commitments due to feeling nauseous, it would have been understandable if the Dane was watching what he ate in Melbourne.
Haas were generally a little bit off the form they had produced in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, where Magnussen enjoyed race results of fifth and ninth respectively to collect 12 points after a blank 2021 campaign for the team.
Adopting the reverse strategy to the majority of the field at Albert Park, with hard tyres from 16th on the grid, the 29-year-old duelled with his team-mate Mick Schumacher and both started and finished one place behind the German, 13th and 14th.
‘Haas Woes’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/kevin-...-haas-outlier/
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Williams point “just as sweet” as Red Bull podiums – Albon.
Alex Albon feels his points finish for Williams in the Australian Grand Prix was “just as sweet” as the podiums he scored for Red Bull during his time at the sharp end of F1.
Will Gray
Tuesday 12 April 2022 13:35
Albon revealed: “To be honest, I was guided by them [the team]. I was surprised we were never boxing under the VCSs or the safety cars. I thought ‘Okay, well they know something I don’t'.
“I thought that one of the Haas’ boxed in front of me and that’s the point when I thought ‘Okay, it’s going to be a tricky race now’ because that DRS was saving me from being overtaken by the pack behind.”
“But once we got clear air we just went and we were on much older tyres than the guys around us, keeping pace more or less with the McLarens and at the very end pulling away from the Alpines.”
‘They Know Something I Don’t’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/79...podiums-albon/
PALMER: How Albon pulled off a blinding strategy call to take Williams' first point of the season
13 April 2022
Special contributor
Jolyon Palmer
Williams must have been concerned that there would be a void at the team following George Russell’s move to Mercedes this year...
Starting from plumb last, after his car was disqualified for having too little fuel in it at the end of qualifying, it looked like it would be another tough afternoon. It ended up being a fairytale for the team with a perfectly executed strategy jumping them into the top 10 and earning a coveted first point.
Williams kept Albon out and it worked perfectly. After the event both Haas and Alpine will have looked at Williams’ strategy and rued a missed chance.
‘Blinding Strategy’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...sk9Jx702X.html
Albon feeling like a 'team leader' at Williams
Phillip van Osten
13/04/2022 at 15:18
Williams recruit Alex Albon says he's feeling like a genuine "team leader" at the British squad for which he scored its first championship point of the 2022 season last weekend in Melbourne.
But Albon had to work hard to earn his and his outfit's solitary point, as there was little to separate Williams' FW43 from the machines of fellow midfield rivals Alfa Romeo and Haas in the first half of the 58-lap event.
Albon said that he actually enjoyed his battle around Albert Park with his Alfa and Haas adversaries "It was nice to mix it [with them] and when I was in that group of cars, I guess part of me was mostly looking in my rearview mirrors. But then, very quickly, I was losing them and I was pulling away from them," he said. "And I was like: 'Oh, okay, here we go. We're gapping them!'. It was really good."
‘Pulling Away From Alfa and Haas’;
https://f1i.com/news/438357-albon-fe...-williams.html
Albon’s 10-place rise ‘is what racing is all about’
Date published: April 11 2022 - Jamie Woodhouse
Williams team boss Jost Capito says Alex Albon’s rise to claim a point in Australia after starting from P20 was what racing is all about.
“I would say this is racing and this is what racing is all about,” said Capito in a Williams social media video. “Coming from P20, last car on the grid and getting a point.”
“Alex did an outstanding job – the race pace was extraordinary. The strategy, I would say, was a bit risky – but no risk, no fun – and at the end, it worked out perfectly.”
‘No Risk, No Fun’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/willia...australia-p10/
Alex Albon Needed a Series of Qualifying Laps to Secure Unexpected First Point in 2022
13 Apr 2022, 09:14 UTC ·
by Sergiu Tudose
Williams’ Alex Albon came to Albert Park while nursing a three-place grid penalty following a contact with Lance Stroll at Jeddah. Ultimately, the Anglo-Thai driver started the race from the back of the grid and managed a monster 57-lap stint on his original hard tires.
“It just got better and better and by the end of it, it felt like qualifying laps for the last 25 laps of the race,” said Albon in an interview with Motorsport. “Obviously it’s completely unexpected, but it really highlights all the work that’s been done at the factory and here at the track.”
“That’s what determination and motivation – that's where it gets you. It’s been an amazing day and I’m glad I could get this result for the team.”
’25 Qualifying Laps’;
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/a...22-186288.html
The full story of Albon’s against-all-odds Melbourne point
Apr 11 2022
By Edd Straw
PART 1 (Lap 1-3) Albon made little progress early on, with wheelspin at the start preventing him from attacking the cars in front then a cautious approach in bringing the tyres in to ensure longevity. He chased the Aston Martin of Lance Stroll, with the only position gained thanks to Carlos Sainz understeering off the track at Turn 9 and then spinning into the Turn 10 gravel.
PART 2 (Lap 7-23) Albon remained in 18th place at the restart at the start of lap seven and settled into chasing team-mate Nicholas Latifi, who slipped back from the cars ahead.
PART 3 (Lap 28-39) Albon reported during the safety car period that he struggled with the front end when behind another car. He also said he was struggling with over-rotation in the medium and high-speed corners, describing it as “the pendulum effect”. He also reported “a bit” of graining but said it was nothing to worry about, indicating he wasn’t having the same troubles Latifi was.
‘PART 4 (Lap 40-52), PART 5 – ENDGAME (Lap 53-58)’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/the-f...lbourne-point/
How Albon's pace in Australia surprised a rival team boss
Author Michael Butterworth
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Alpine Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer says he was surprised at the pace of Alex Albon in Melbourne, with the Williams driver finishing 10th after running all but one lap of the race on the Hard compound tyre.
Speaking after the race, Szafnauer noted that he hadn't expected Albon to be able to lap so consistently on one set of tyres for such a long period of time.
"I wasn't surprised that they scored a point; I was surprised at their pace on a 57 lap-old Hard tyre, so there's things to learn from it," Szafnauer told media including RacingNews365.com.
‘Alex Albon Pace Surpriser!’;
https://racingnews365.com/how-albons...sed-rival-boss
Points finishes ‘unimaginable’ for Williams after Saturday DSQ – Albon
A stupendous opening stint for Alex Albon helped him score a point at the 2022 Australian Grand Prix.
by Rob Kershaw
10 April 202210 April 2022
His pace was nothing short of magnificent on old hard rubber, and he was told by Paul di Resta that he almost wiped out one or two people in the pit lane during his visit to the pits.
“Oh did I? Oh okay, we’ll ignore that,” he replied with a chuckle.
“It was good, it was a hard one. We fought hard and it was like qualifying for 30 laps for us,” he told Sky Sports. “I don’t know what it is about that tyre, but that Hard tyre suits us every time we put it on, and of course P10 seems unimaginable to us.
‘Stupendous’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/points-fi...day-dsq-albon/
Tenth an “unimaginable” result for Albon after strategist predicted 19th
2022 Australian Grand Prix
Posted on
10th April 2022, 12:4411th April 2022, 7:48 | Written by Will Wood
“I know for a fact we went into the race, the strategist tells you, ‘OK, this is our best performance, this is what we have to do to get the best outcome’ and it was 19th and 20th and it wasn’t pretty. It didn’t look great behind P18, either. And to come out P10 – it’s completely unimaginable. It’s a very special moment.”
‘From a Predicted 19th, to an Unimaginable 10th’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/04/10/...redicted-19th/
-
Ferrari extends Rory Byrne's F1 contract.
Former F1 driver Marc Surer also sees the hand of great Ferrari
designer Rory Byrne, whose consultancy contract has just been
extended.
Marc Surer: "The extension of the contract sounds like a huge thank
you," Surer told Auto Bild. "Byrne seems to have done a super job in
his role. The Ferrari this year has similar characteristics to the
Schumacher Ferraris - fast everywhere and in all conditions, great
traction and always getting the best from the tyres. "That is clearly
Byrne's signature," he added.
F1 legend Gerhard Berger thinks Byrne's influence may have helped
Ferrari to minimise the downsides of the ground effect 'porpoising'
that has caught out many other teams.
"In his own way, Byrne is just as much a genius as Newey," he said.
"Even in the 80s we had big problems with the so-called bouncing, the
extreme hopping of the cars on the straight.”
‘Rory Byrne Genius Rewarded’;
https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/formula...3.html?newsnow
Leclerc warns against adding ‘extra pressure ahead of Imola
Date published: April 14 2022 - Michelle Foster
Heading into the first of Ferrari’s two home races leading the
championship, Charles Leclerc says Ferrari must not “overdo it” nor
put undue pressure on their shoulders.
But, having won two of this year’s opening three races, Ferrari’s
tifosi are expecting more from Leclerc, they want a win on home soil
such as the one he managed in 2019 at Monza.
“Italy will be incredible, but we need to approach the race weekend,
just like we approached the first three weekends. I think it’s
extremely important not to put on ourselves extra pressure and not try
to overdo things. Because we are working, I think, as a team
extremely well since the beginning of the season and yeah, we just
need to keep doing our job, just like we did in the first three
weekends.”
‘Imola Pressure’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/charle...ressure-imola/
Di Montezemolo hails ‘united, determined’ Ferrari
Date published: April 13 2022 - Jon Wilde
Luca di Montezemolo has congratulated Ferrari on their brilliant start
to the season – and singled out Mattia Binotto and Charles Leclerc for
praise. “Leclerc has been able to prove he is a driver of the highest
level. The season is long, the rivals won’t sleep, but we couldn’t
have started better than this. Onwards like this.”
Di Montezemolo was the president of Ferrari from 1991-2014, so he
knows all about success having overseen the golden era at the start of
this century when the team won six consecutive Constructors’ titles
and five successive Drivers’ crowns through Michael Schumacher.
The 74-year-old naturally hopes the team managed by Binotto will
continue as they have started and go on to land their first
championship since 2008 when Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen’s
combined efforts left them 21 points ahead of McLaren.
‘Ferrari Hailed’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrar...zemolo-praise/
Binotto reveals why Ferrari won’t bring any upgrades to Imola
Ferrari were anticipated to introduce an upgrade at Imola that would
help them save weight.
by Rob Kershaw
14 April 202214 April 2022
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has said that his team will not
be bringing anything major to the fourth round of the season in Imola
due to the lack of practice time the teams will have.
An hour-long practice session will be followed by Friday qualifying as
Formula 1 embarks on the first of three sprint events next weekend, so
the teams will be extremely restricted in their ability to trial new
parts.
Ferrari were anticipated to introduce an upgrade that would help them
save weight and, while one or two aspects of the car may be different,
Binotto has stressed that Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz will need
to prioritise qualifying preparation over testing new parts.
‘Qualifying Preparation Prioritised’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/binotto-r...ades-to-imola/
Elkann: Delighted Ferrari competing at the highest level
Reuters
13 April, 2022
Ferrari Chairman John Elkann is delighted the Scuderia are competing
at the highest level in the 2022 Formula 1 season, the team heading
both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships so far.
“We said two years ago that we had to work hard to get back to being
competitive and the 2022 championship has got off to a truly thrilling
start,” Elkann said at Ferrari’s annual shareholders’ meeting.
“Like all our tifosi (fans) around the world, I am delighted we are
competing at the highest level,” said Elkann. “That said, we know the
season has just begun and in Formula 1 you are always surrounded by
fierce competitors. We must work tirelessly as a team to optimize
every aspect of our performance. That is the spirit and approach I
look forward to seeing at Imola and as the season progresses.”
‘Working Tirelessly’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/04...highest-level/
Ferrari chairman buoyed by early success, but 'season has just begun'
Phillip van Osten
14/04/2022 at 17:09
Ferrari chairman John Elkann says the Scuderia's early success in 2022
is a validation of the team's hard work, but the executive warned
there's a long road ahead for the Italian outfit this season.
After years of underperformance, Ferrari took advantage of the
introduction of F1's new technical rules to regroup in Maranello and
to rekindle its strengths to design and develop a winning package for
2022.
Leclerc's success and lead in the championship will ensure the
Monegasque receives overwhelming support in next week's Emilia Romagna
Grand Prix, a home race of sorts for the Scuderia. "Oh yeah, I can
imagine it," said Leclerc after his win last weekend in Australia.
"But I don't want to think about it too much because it's still very
early in the season.”
‘Season Has Just Begun’;
https://f1i.com/news/438409-ferrari-...ust-begun.html
Ferrari boss warns Leclerc and Sainz could suffer reliability-induced
DNFs like Verstappen
Mattia Binotto maintains that Ferrari must keep a keen eye on
reliability if they are to sustain a title challenge this year.
by Rob Kershaw
13 April 202213 April 2022
Following three reliability-induced retirements for Red Bull in the
early going of the season, Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has
emphasised the importance of having a reliable car.
Binotto is therefore acutely aware of the significance of sustaining
performance while also enduring that both cars consistently make it to
the end of races. “Reliability is part of the performance I think to
finish first, first you need to finish,” he said, quoted by GPFans.
“The reliability is a key element of the performance itself and I
think that as a team, we put a priority on it. We know it may be that
it will happen to ourselves as well, not to finish races, and that is
part of the job, of the game, but it is something we are keeping a
very high priority on,” he explained.”
‘Reliability part of the Game’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/ferrari-b...ke-verstappen/
-
Red Bull playing catch-up ‘from encouraging position’ – Horner.
Red Bull boss Christian Horner believes the squad has “a very good
direction” for development of its RB18 and says its current position
is encouraging.
15th April 2022, 06:44
by Phillip Horton
Despite its in-race failures in Bahrain and Australia it had the
second-fastest package, behind Ferrari, albeit sizeably so at the most
recent of those events. “I think they started this project a lot
earlier than we did,” said Horner on Ferrari.
“So to a degree, we’re playing catch up. But the fact that we’re
playing catch up from the second fastest position is encouraging.
We’re starting to understand some of the issues that we have.”
“I think it’s all part of the development and evolution of these cars.
As we learn more about the tyres and how the car’s performing, that
gives you a development direction. Over the first few races we’ve got
some very good direction for the development vein for the rest of the
season.”
‘Very Good Direction For Development And Catch Up’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/...sition-horner/
Horner reveals how happy Red Bull are with Perez's early-season performance.
16th April 2022, 13:40
Author Thomas Maher
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Christian Horner has offered an update on how satisfied Red Bull are
with Sergio Perez's performances so far in 2022. Red Bull team boss
Christian Horner has heaped praise on Sergio Perez, with the Mexican
driver appearing to have found another gear for his second season at
the team.
While fortune hasn't been on his side so far, such as when an
unfortunately-timed Safety Car spoiled his chances of victory in Saudi
Arabia after dominating from pole position, his slightly better
reliability than the sister car means that Perez leads Verstappen in
the Drivers' Championship.
"It's always gonna be easier for Checo [Perez] coming into his second
season," Horner told media, including RacingNews365.com. "He knows
the team, he knows the infrastructure. We've also had a reset in terms
of regulations, so the car has been a complete reset. I think he's
driven very well so far. I think that the gap between him and Max has
converged.”
‘We've been delighted with his performance so far.’;
https://racingnews365.com/horner-rev...on-performance
‘Very complex’ issue led to Max’s Australian fuel leak
Date published: April 14 2022 - Michelle Foster
Helmut Marko says Red Bull have discovered the cause of Max
Verstappen’s latest retirement but refused to go into details. For
the second time this season the Red Bull driver suffered a fuel
pressure problem, his RB18 slowing before stopping on the side of the
track.
Marko, Red Bull’s motorsport advisor, has now revealed that it was a
fuel leak that led to the driver’s DNF. “We were able to clarify the
cause of the fuel leak in Max’s car,” he told Speedweek.
The Austrian, though, would not go into details as to what led to the
leak. “The matter is very complex,” he said, adding that “the problem
is absolutely different from that of Bahrain.”
‘Very Complex Fuel Leak’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/comple...australia-dnf/
The set-up mistake that helped Ferrari dominate Red Bull in Australia
14 April 14:30
Author Tom Leach
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Charles Leclerc crossed the line 20 seconds ahead of his nearest rival
as he claimed victory at the Australian Grand Prix, marking his second
win of the 2022 F1 season. Christian Horner has set out one potential
reason as to why Red Bull were lacking pace against Ferrari during the
Australian Grand Prix weekend.
"I think what we saw on Friday [meant] that we thought the race was
going to be rear-limited, as we'd seen quite a lot of graining on rear
tyres," Horner explained, speaking to select members of the media,
including RacingNews365.com.
"I think a combination of perhaps the surface rubbering in, and
particularly the temperature, it then was almost an inverse problem.
And having tried to counter the issues that we expected, we ended up
with a car that was very front-limited. That was why, I believe, we
were out of the balance window with our car, so that's why we had a
lot of graining, particularly on the Medium tyre. On the Hard tyre it
was actually not too bad."
‘Red Bull Set-up Mistakes’;
https://racingnews365.com/the-set-up...l-in-australia
Red Bull's Marko critical of Verstappen, praises Perez after Australian GP
Ben Issatt
14 April 2022
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko had some rare criticism of his star
driver Max Verstappen following the Australian Grand Prix. “He goes
over the limit, he wants too much,” Marko said via formula1news.co.uk.
“That didn’t work out here in the last sector.”
“We thought that with the World Championship title there would be some
calmness from him, but he probably needs another title so that he
doesn’t go into qualifying with so much pressure.”
In contrast, the Red Bull chief was happy with Verstappen's teammate
Sergio Perez, who finished second after Max's retirement. “Checo
drove a great race, he was on par with Max,” Marko was quoted by
SpeedWeek.
‘Verstappen Critical, Perez Praise’;
https://www.insideracing.com/formula...-australian-gp
‘Upgrades are coming’: Marko fires warning at Ferrari, says RB18 is
‘way too heavy’
Max Verstappen suffered a second reliability-induced retirement in
three races at last weekend's Australian Grand Prix.
by Rob Kershaw
14 April 202214 April 2022
Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko has revealed that his team’s car is
an astonishing 10 kilograms heavier than Ferrari’s 2022 challenger.
“Our car is way too heavy,” he told de Telegraaf. “The RB18 finished
late, as we were in the title race right through to the end last year.
Updates are coming for the upcoming race at Imola and the Grand Prix’s
after. Hopefully we can get closer to Ferrari then.”
“We are currently more than ten kilos heavier than Ferrari. In terms
of lap time you are already talking about a loss of three tenths,” he
affirmed.
‘10Kg overweight, a Loss of 3/10ths’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/upgrades-...way-too-heavy/
-
DC doubts Mercedes can take ‘massive step forward’.
David Coulthard is sceptical whether Mercedes can make the strides
they need with the W13 to challenge Ferrari and Red Bull this season.
Date published: April 14 2022 - Jon Wilde
Coulthard does not see Mercedes making the big leap required to
transform their fortunes between now and the end of the campaign in
November – especially as they will not be the only team figuring out
how to make improvements.
“I think what’s happened is there has been a number of changes to the
rules and regulations, fuel has also changed, it seems like the
Mercedes package hasn’t actually responded to that as well as Ferrari,
Honda, Renault, and of course Ferrari are right out front,” said the
Scot on Channel 4. “But I think this will be a long, hard season for
them.”
“I totally accept they’ve got a different group of people there that
can help develop that car but nobody else stands still, that’s the
problem they have. So they have to take not baby steps, they need to
take a massive step forward, and in my experience that never happens
during a season.”
‘Long Hard Season for the Mercedes Package’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/david-...rcedes-doubts/
‘Sulking’ Hamilton may be ‘thinking of switching teams’
Date published: April 17 2022 - Jon Wilde
Mika Hakkinen has remarkably suggested that a “sulking” Lewis Hamilton
may now be thinking about a move away from Mercedes.
“It’s a tough spot for Lewis, it’s obvious,” said the two-time former
World Champion. “The last race in Australia was a tough spot for
Lewis – really tough. They got a good result – not the result they
hoped for but still good points for the team.”
“But I’m sure Lewis is still annoyed by the situation. It’s hard to be
beaten by George. I’m afraid this will be a really difficult season
for Lewis. It’s already difficult for Mercedes but especially for
Lewis.”
‘Switching Teams’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-...kinen-sulking/
Wolff: Solving bouncing issue won’t completely fix Mercedes’ pace
16th April 2022.
by Fergal Walsh
Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff says solving the team’s porpoising
issues won’t completely eradicate its pace deficit to the front of the
Formula 1 grid.
“When you look at the overlay in sector one [in Australia] we are very
competitive, sector two we are competitive and then in sector three,
through Turns 9, 10 and 12 we are losing all our margin. It’s almost
like a second through a couple of corners. So is curing the bouncing
going to miraculously unlock a second within the car? No, for sure
not.”
“But there are many other little improvements we can make on weight
and other things we can optimise and we just need to chip away the
small gains while understanding the car. “I’m optimistic that
eventually we will get there, whether it is two races or five, we need
to stay humble.”
‘Mercedes Staying Humble’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/...mercedes-pace/
The 'enormous' work Mercedes are doing ahead of Imola
16 April 11:10
Author Tom Leach
Mercedes will undergo an "enormous" amount of work ahead of the
Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix as they look to keep pace with Ferrari and
Red Bull.
"I think often people see the race team on TV and think that's the
entire team. It's not. We are fortunate to have a base in Brackley,
and in Brixworth, with hundreds of people working every hour they
possibly can to make this racing car fast, competitive and a
championship winner," Mercedes' Chief Strategist, James Vowles,
explained.
"The work that goes on between races is enormous. There is a
turnaround of components, there are upgrades, there is an
understanding of problems that we have and how do we move the
performance forward both on the PU side and also on the chassis side."
‘Working Every Hour’;
https://racingnews365.com/the-enormo...ahead-of-imola
Wolff reveals why Mercedes are keeping faith with the W13
16 April 16:10
Author Thomas Maher
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Toto Wolff has revealed some of his thoughts on the current state of
competitiveness of Mercedes' W13, after a troubled start to life for
the car.
"I've been in this situation before in life, and you just need to be
humble about it," he told media, including RacingNews365.com, during
the Australian Grand Prix weekend. "When I said last year with the
new regulations, how things were set up, that we could have a
different pecking order – this is exactly what's happened. “
"The midfield is very, very compressed and we're just not quick
enough, full stop. There are so many areas where we know we can
improve, and others where we don't comprehend the car yet.”
‘Different Pecking Order’;
https://racingnews365.com/wolff-reve...h-with-the-w13
Hamilton calls for instant Mercedes improvements.
Ian Parkes & Sam Hall
Friday 15 April 2022 07:00
Lewis Hamilton has called on Mercedes to make improvements "now, not
in two or three races" after a difficult start to the F1 season.
Hamilton, who travelled to Kuala Lumpur on Sunday night after the race
to speak with fuel supplier Petronas, explained: "I'll be just making
sure we leave no stone unturned, making sure the hunger is really
there and we're maximising absolutely every moment.
"So I'll have a lot of Zooms, chasing the people who are in the wind
tunnel, the aero guys, just looking at absolutely every single area.
There's performance to be gained in areas that we know and we need it
now, not in two or three races, as we all know as a team.”
"I've just got to keep that encouragement, keep that energy high.
I'll also be on the simulator prepping for the next race."
‘Leaving No Stone Unturned’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/80...-improvements/
Hamilton issues Russell report card as he laughs off Villeneuve theory
16 April 17:50
Author Tom Leach
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Lewis Hamilton says George Russell has settled in well as Valtteri
Bottas' replacement at Mercedes during his impressive first three
races with the team.
Speaking ahead of the Australian GP, 1997 World Champion Jacques
Villeneuve suggested that Russell was "coping better" with the
struggling Mercedes W13, with Hamilton having previously driven only
"perfect" cars.
"I find it amusing, some of the things that come out of his mouth,"
said Hamilton, in response. I remember my first go-kart was
fifth-hand. I've driven lots of different cars and found myself
relatively adaptable, so I should be good."
Hamilton Laughs Off Villeneuve Theory’;
https://racingnews365.com/hamilton-i...leneuve-theory
-
Szafnauer pledges to give Alonso 'the car he needs'.
Alpine F1's new team principal Otmar Szafnauer says that the rapid
pace shown by Fernando Alonso in Melbourne was 'real' even though the
former world champion went on to finish the race in last place.
Andrew Lewin
17/04/2022 at 16:04
"It's real, it can't be unreal," he said when asked whether the pace
shown by Alonso last week was a genuine reflection of the car's
current level of overall performance.
"Our car is strong in some areas," said Szafnauer, after the car
matched the speed of Ferrari and Red Bull rivals in sector 2 at Albert
Park. "It's not weak in anything, but it's less strong in others."
Asked if the speed shown in Melbourne would carry over to other
circuits in 2022, Szafnauer replied: "It has characteristics that
other circuits have too, so we will be quick in other places.
‘Strong Car Real’;
https://f1i.com/news/438549-szafnaue...-he-needs.html
Szafnauer: ‘We will give Fernando the car he needs’
Date published: April 16 2022 - Henry Valantine
Otmar Szafnauer says he is confident Alpine can give Fernando Alonso
the machinery required to compete towards the sharp end of the field
this season.
“Because he is 40 years old? I hope so,” Szafnauer responded when
asked by AS if the team can produce a fast car quickly enough for
Alonso to get the most out of it. I remember when I was 40 and I
didn’t get tired. Now I’m 57 and I do get tired. This year, what we
have to do with Fernando, and also with Esteban [Ocon], is to improve
the car more than the others.”
“If we do that, what we learn this year we can apply it next year. At
the end of the year we will be able to see how our learning has been,
compared to the rest.”
‘Machinery Required Will Be Provided’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/alpine...mpetitive-car/
Alpine's plan to carry mighty Alonso pace into Imola.
17/04/2022, 07:00
Author Tom Leach
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Alpine boss Otmar Szafnauer says the pace shown by Fernando Alonso in
Australia was "real" and will be replicated elsewhere, in a warning to
his team's midfield rivals. Imola will also mark the beginning of
F1's development race, with upgrades tipped by some to be more
important than ever this season, given the dramatic change in
regulations.
Alpine will be looking to keep pace with their rivals by bringing
modifications of their own. "I wouldn't be surprised if everyone
brings upgrades to Imola," continued Szafnauer.
"It seems, in my 25 years of doing this, for whatever reason, the
first European races [are] where everyone finds upgrades. It used to
be Barcelona, now it's Imola. It's our fourth race as well, so around
the fourth or fifth race everyone brings upgrades. So, we too will be
bringing upgrades."
‘Upgrades For Imola’;
https://racingnews365.com/alpines-pl...ace-into-imola
ALPINE: “NICE UPGRADE” TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN IMOLA
16th April 2022, 12:13
Dalila Zanardo
Alpine Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer announced to Motorsport.com that
the French team is preparing news for the Emila-Romagna Grand Prix:
“We’re going to bring some upgrades to Imola, that’s for sure.”
However, Szafnauer’s predictions might be tweaked by the sprint race
format coming up in Imola. As a matter of fact, both Ferrari and Red
Bull already announced they will not bring any upgrades in Italy due
to the lack of practice time, while Mercedes also agreed with the lack
of updates as Brackley wants to continue understanding and analyzing
its car for the moment.
‘Upgrades For Sure’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/f1.../?nowprocket=1
“It’s a good sign that we’re not satisfied” – Alpine’s Laurent Rossi
By Nick Golding
April 14, 2022
The BWT Alpine F1 Team where left with mixed-emotions following the
recent Australian Grand Prix, with Esteban Ocon finishing inside the
points in seventh but with Fernando Alonso ending up towards the back,
despite electric pace at the Albert Park Circuit.
It left Alpine CEO, Laurent Rossi, disappointed with the team’s
weekend after only managing a seventh and seventeenth place finish
with both drivers.
“We are generally disappointed with today’s result, however, it’s a
good sign that we’re not satisfied as it underlines how far we have
progressed as a team. We know that we had the speed, and the
potential, for a much better result with both cars today but the race
weekend just didn’t quite unfold in our direction. The track proved
very difficult for overtaking, especially in comparison to the
previous two races, and we knew that Saturday’s qualifying result
would play a huge part in the outcome of Sunday’s race.”
‘Good Signs’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...laurent-rossi/
-
Seidl confident McLaren have made another big step forward.
"I think we have a package which is able to fight for top 10 positions at every race," said Seidl, speaking on the F1 Nation podcast.
17 April 09:30
Author Tom Leach
Co-author Anna Francis
Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo finished fifth and sixth in Australia, their best results of the season so far, as McLaren grow in confidence.
Just as he did during his debut season at McLaren, Ricciardo has found himself playing catch-up to Norris during the early rounds.
The young Briton has managed to build an eight-point advantage over his experienced Australian teammate.
‘McLaren Big Steps’;
https://racingnews365.com/seidl-conf...g-step-forward
McLaren must 'execute clear plan' - Seidl
Ewan Gale
Saturday 16 April 2022 17:15
McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl has insisted the team now has a "clear plan to execute" after overcoming a difficult start to the season with a double points finish in Australia.
Brake issues plagued McLaren in pre-season testing and the rushed compromise to ensure the car would be reliable enough to reach the end meant the performance of the MCL36 was not where the team expected.
Sndrea Seidl: "It was obviously important that after realising we were lacking performance that we did, as quickly as possible, analysis, study, to work out how we can improve performance as quickly as possible. I am very happy saying we have a clear plan in place now of what we need to do with the car in terms of making steps in terms of performance.”
‘Clear Plan Executed’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/80...ar-plan-seidl/
Norris shakes off "empty" feeling
Ewan Gale
Sunday 17 April 2022 16:00
Lando Norris has revealed his relief at shaking off his "empty" feeling of missing out on points after ending a tough start to the new F1 season.
“The atmosphere obviously was great," said Norris. "I guess as a driver you always enjoy it a little bit more when you’re closer to the front. You’re fighting for the points, you feel like you’re bringing something back to the team.
“When you don’t have any points, it feels like you’re just empty and you’ve missed out. When you do get points, it’s a lot more rewarding for myself and for the team.”
‘Shaking Off Empty Feeling’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/80...empty-feeling/
Ricciardo wants two wins this season ‘or more’
Date published: April 15 2022 - Jon Wilde
Daniel Ricciardo is keen to double his 2021 victory tally for McLaren this season – at the very least. The Australian endured a tough first year with the Woking-based team, being outperformed for most of the campaign by Lando Norris.
But there was one particularly big exception in that scenario, when Ricciardo revelled in the team’s highlight of the season as he led home a one-two finish ahead of Norris to take Italian Grand Prix victory.
“Hopefully it will be two victories this year. Or more,” said Ricciardo, quoted by Sport Bild. “But I’ll take it as it comes. I’ve already set goals in my head. But above all, I don’t want to go through another difficult season like 2021. “Despite the success at Monza, it wasn’t an easy year. Looking at the results, I have to say there is still room for improvement in qualifying. That didn’t go well.”
‘’Two Wins Or More’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/daniel...ants-two-wins/
Ricciardo didn’t want to ‘force’ friendship with Norris
Daniel Ricciardo has opened up on his relationship with Lando Norris after its skewed portrayal by Netflix.
16 April 2022
by Rob Kershaw
McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo has revealed that he did not want to “force” a friendship with Lando Norris after the anticipation of their relationship as team-mates.
Having enjoyed frequent jokes with each other in 2020 and famously, in the British Grand Prix press conference in 2021, Norris and Ricciardo were confirmed as McLaren’s driver line-up for the 2021 season, sparking jubilation among fans.
The Australian endured a difficult season though and, perhaps conversely to what many were expecting, he was out-qualified 15-7 by the 22-year-old, finding himself out-raced by the same score.
’15-7 Qualification Result’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/ricciardo...p-with-norris/
-
Valtteri Bottas: “I am happy with the calls that were made and how we raced”.
Valtteri Bottas may have seen his run of Q3 appearances end on Saturday at Albert Park, but the Finn responded from that disappointment by taking eighth place for his second top ten finish of 2022.
By Paul Hensby
April 15, 2022
The Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN driver admitted to enjoying his race in the first Australian Grand Prix since 2019, and he felt the C42-Ferrari was a much better car on the long runs than it had been in Qualifying where he was eliminated in Q2, which ended his run of one hundred and three appearances in the top ten shootout.
He believed the choice to run a thinner wing hindered him in Qualifying, but it all came together on race day, and he was able to move up through the field from twelfth on the grid.
“I really enjoyed the race today, it was a good performance with close racing and battles from beginning to end,” said Bottas.
‘Happy with the Calls’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...-how-we-raced/
Bottas ‘couldn’t have same role’ at Mercedes as he does at Alfa
Date published: April 18 2022 - Michelle Foster
Valtteri Bottas says he feels like he is more than just a driver with the Alfa Romeo team, the Finn finally in a position of “proper authority”. After five years racing for Mercedes, Bottas joined Alfa Romeo ahead of this year’s championship.
The 32-year-old has not only found himself in a very different environment, but also in a different position as he is firmly entrenched as Alfa Romeo’s lead driver.
No longer carrying the tag of “wingman” as he was once called by Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff, his new team boss Fred Vasseur has made it clear that Bottas is the team leader, the one in the position to drive the team forward.
‘Team Leader’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/valtte...es-alfa-romeo/
‘If I ask for something, it happens’ – Bottas’s new authority
Apr 17 2022
By Scott Mitchell
Valtteri Bottas is experiencing something for the first time in Formula 1. After nine seasons, almost 200 races and 10 grand prix victories, he is finally top dog.
Just a few races in, Bottas has already noticed a big difference. “I really feel a big part of the team,” Bottas tells The Race. “And it’s been really nice to have proper authority on things. If I ask for something it happens, and everyone really listens. And I’ve been able to motivate some people.”
“It’s just a really motivated and good feeling in the team now, everyone is really trying hard. That’s exactly what I’ve been trying to do but of course, the results, like at first race, scoring those points, you could see how uplifting it was for people, and that helps.”
‘Motivated and Good Team Feeling’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/if-i-...new-authority/
Alfa Romeo praises 'calm, motivational' Bottas
Andrew Lewin
18/04/2022 at 07:42
Alfa Romeo sporting director Beat Zehnder has praised Valtteri Bottas for the way that the Finn has handled his move to the team after five seasons at Mercedes. Zehnder said that the 32-year-old deserved praise for the way he'd come in and led from the front.
“He is always motivating,” he told Sky Sports. “We’ve had other drivers who would have freaked out, but Valtteri says: ‘Guys, I have faith in you, we’ll get this done’. He is calm in himself, and that also helps us a lot."
“He came to us with an enormous amount of experience from Mercedes, and that helps us enormously. So far he is doing a great job," he continued. "In the way he gives the development direction, the right way to improve the car and improve the team in every detail."
Valtteri Bottas calm, motivational, with development direction’;
https://f1i.com/news/438551-alfa-rom...al-bottas.html
Bottas impresses Alfa: ‘Others would have freaked out’
Date published: April 17 2022 - Henry Valantine
Alfa Romeo sporting director Beat Zehnder has praised Valtteri Bottas for how he has acclimatised with the team, staying calm in situations where others would have “freaked out”.
Team principal Fred Vasseur has also offered similar praise of his new driver, saying that despite Lewis Hamilton being the dominant force at Mercedes his pace has been strong throughout – he just had the misfortune of partnering the seven-time former World Champion at the peak of his powers.
Vasseur admitted the team’s improved form has galvanised his staff in their quest to stay in the chasing pack behind Red Bull and Ferrari, and they are continuing to search for every small improvement they can – with Bottas himself wanting to battle with his former team as a result.
‘Alfa Romeo Staff Galvanised’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/valtte...omeo-calmness/
Alfa Romeo to kick off tyre testing at Imola
Date published: April 15 2022 - Jamie Woodhouse
Alfa Romeo will be on duty after the Emila Romagna Grand Prix as Pirelli begin testing work for their 2023 compounds.
According to Motorsport.com’s Italian arm, Alfa Romeo, using their 2022 challenger, the C42, shall remain at Imola after the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix to carry out the first two testing days of Pirelli’s schedule on Tuesday April 26 and Wednesday April 27.
The report states that these are the first two days of what is expected to be 25 allocated to Pirelli by the FIA, but there is a catch with that plan. With a record 23-race season still planned for 2022, Motorsport.com report that Pirelli are having a difficult time trying to find where they will fit in 25 days of tyre testing with the teams.
‘Alfa Romeo tyre testing’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/alfa-r...lli-tyre-test/
Alfa Romeo’s Frédéric Vasseur: “The team did a good job in difficult circumstances”
By Paul Hensby
April 15, 2022
Frédéric Vasseur, the Team Principal of Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN, says the fact they got both cars into the top eleven in last Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix proves the Hinwil-based outfit after heading in the right direction with their C42-Ferrari in 2022.
Valtteri Bottas scored four points at Albert Park after taking eighth place, while Zhou Guanyu only just missed out on the top ten, ending the day in eleventh after seeing Alexander Albon use an unusual pit strategy to claim the final point on offer.
It means Alfa Romeo have already equalled their points tally from 2021 in just three races, and Vasseur feels there is a lot more still to come heading into the first European round, the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, later this month.
‘Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN equal 2021 Points Tally in three races’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...circumstances/
Imola tipped to start 'interesting' new chapter in F1 battle.
16 April 10:20
Author Tom Leach
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Alfa Romeo Trackside Engineer Xevi Pujolar has tipped the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix to start an "interesting" new chapter in the 2022 F1 season. And with Imola laying claim to the first Sprint event of 2022, Alfa Romeo see the upcoming race weekend as a golden chance to score big points.
"The Sprint quali format, if anything, will be good for us. We'll have to see all the updates and everything that people will bring to Imola, but we hope to have both cars fighting for the points," Pujolar continued.
"Obviously, you can see that, for Zhou, this type of format is even better as well, because it's giving him a chance. I think he's a very good racer, so in the Sprint he can gain some further positions."
‘New Chapter’;
https://racingnews365.com/imola-tipp...r-in-f1-battle
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Gasly hopeful Imola upgrades will propel AlphaTauri up F1’s pecking order.
AlphaTauri have perhaps slightly fallen back this season, and the lack of reliability in the back of the car from the Honda-manufactured Red Bull engine has not been helping matters.
16 April 2022
by Rob Kershaw
Pierre Gasly scored a ninth-placed finish in both Jeddah and Melbourne, but his performances might have yielded a little more had he been more fortunate.
AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly is hoping that the new upgrades his team are planning to implement in the coming races will have the desired effect, and stresses the importance of maintaining good development throughout this season.
And in an ever-fluctuating midfield battle in which the teams are within extremely close proximity regarding performance, Gasly recognises that the AlphaTauri is not as slow as one might have perceived in the opening few races. “We should have a couple of new parts on the car,” he told RacingNews365.com.
‘Up the Pecking Order for AlphaTauri’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/gasly-hop...pecking-order/
The major AlphaTauri upgrade Gasly’s ‘big time’ excited for.
AlphaTauri will run its first major update of 2022 in this weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, a development Pierre Gasly has big hopes for.
Apr 19 2022
By Scott Mitchell
Red Bull’s sister team finds itself in the heart of the midfield battle after a middling start to the season fighting for the lower points positions.
Without a late MGU-K failure in the season opener in Bahrain, Gasly would have finished in the points in all three races – although a best grid position of ninth and best result of eighth indicates AlphaTauri does not have the peak performance it enjoyed in 2021.
Gasly says “it’s not like we’re dead slow” but admits AlphaTauri is lacking something compared to the top midfield teams.
‘Exciting Upgrade’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/the-m...e-excited-for/
Red Bull can ‘count on’ engine problems being solved
Date published: April 18 2022 - Henry Valantine
Helmut Marko has said Red Bull can assume their engine problems will have been fixed by the time they head to Imola, if Honda are to be believed.
Red Bull now race under the Red Bull Powertrains moniker, but previous engine supplier Honda are still involved in the assembly and maintenance of their power units as the team transition to becoming a manufacturer in their own right.
But the team have suffered three retirements in the first three races with reliability issues, with Max Verstappen having dropped out from second place on two occasions, while Sergio Perez made it a double DNF for the team at the season opener in Bahrain.
‘Solving Red Bull Powertrains’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/red-bu...oblems-solved/
AlphaTauri’s Jody Egginton: “We have a lot of work to do ahead of the next race”
By Paul Hensby
April 15, 2022
Jody Egginton said the Australian Grand Prix was far from straight-forward for Scuderia AlphaTauri, with the team able to score only two points thanks to Pierre Gasly’s ninth place at Albert Park.
“Today’s race was not straight forward with, similar to the last race, Pierre losing track position with the safety car, meaning he had a lot to do to recover into a points-scoring position,” said Egginton. “These battles took a lot out of his front left tyre and, unfortunately, a small mistake meant we lost a position to Bottas in the closing laps, finishing P9.”
“Yuki has had a tough day struggling for pace on both compounds, so we need to understand the factors behind this as he was reasonably happy with his car during the Friday and Saturday sessions. We have a lot of work to do ahead of the next race, but at the same time we are looking forward to the challenge.”
‘Work to Do’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...the-next-race/
AlphaTauri ‘don’t need to find much’ to fight rivals
Date published: April 20 2022 - Sam Cooper
Pierre Gasly has said AlphaTauri “don’t need to find much” before they are ready to fight their rivals after a tough start to the season. Three races down and Gasly and his team-mate Yuki Tsunoda have a combined 10 points having suffered from similar reliability issues as sister team Red Bull.
“We know we still have work to do, we must bring more performance to the package and that’s the plan for Imola this week,” Gasly said.
“Then, looking at the other teams [in Australia], we saw that McLaren and Alpine were very quick so that with the three top teams out in front, we found ourselves 11th in Qualifying. It’s very close in the midfield, but we don’t need to find much performance to be able to improve.”
‘Very Close Midfield’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/pierre...-rivals-imola/
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Haas’ Guenther Steiner: “What I take to Imola is that the car is still performing”.
“I think it is a good thing for the championship to have these sprint races and I really look forward to it.”
By Paul Hensby
April 19, 2022
Imola hosts the fourth round of the 2022 Formula 1 season, and after Kevin Magnussen scored points in both the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, neither the Dane nor team-mate Mick Schumacher were able to break into the top ten in Australia.
Steiner admits it will be more a challenging weekend at Imola with the sprint Qualifying format having its first outing of the season, particularly as there is only one hour of free practice time before they go Qualifying on Friday afternoon.
But despite this, he feels the team are up for the challenge, and he is hopeful of a points-filled weekend for the Haas team in Italy. “For sure it will be challenging because we’ve only got one free practice session to find a good set-up,” he said. “With the difficulties of these cars and the inexperience we have got with it, it won’t be easy but it’s the same for everybody and who is better prepared will have a better car so we will be trying our best like everybody else.”
‘Haas Car is still Performing’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...ll-performing/
Haas F1 boss hits back at accusations the team are ‘copying’ Ferrari
20 Apr 2022 6:26 pm
Callum McAvoy
German publication Auto Motor und Sport have reported that three Formula 1 teams have called on the sport’s governing body, the FIA, to look into the legality of the Haas VF-22, with the accusers claiming that it shares too many similarities with Ferrari’s F1-75 car.
Haas boss Guenther Steiner says his team have done nothing wrong after it was reported that several rivals want the American team investigated for ‘copying’ Ferrari’s car.
‘Haas took a huge leap forward from last place. It’s an interesting step,’ said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff. ‘It’s a learning curve for us because as an organization of 2,000 people that has been successful in the past, we’re now struggling with teams that are much smaller. They must have done a great job.’
‘Haas have done nothing wrong’;
https://metro.co.uk/2022/04/20/haas-...o=newsnow-feed
Teams ask FIA for white Ferrari clarity
APRIL 19, 2022
Gunther Steiner has dismissed claims that Haas' 2022 car is effectively a 'white Ferrari'. The small American team, despite the pre-season controversy about the Mazepins and ousted title sponsor Mazepin, has leapt up the grid with its all-new car for the new regulations.
"That came as a bit of a surprise," Alpine boss Otmar Szafnauer admits to Auto Motor und Sport. "I didn't expect the balance of power to change with such a big rule change because it favours the teams with more know-how and better infrastructure.
"But I'm sure the FIA will investigate and come to the right conclusions about how similar these two cars are."
‘White Ferrari Clarity’;
https://www.grandprix.com/news/teams...i-clarity.html
Steiner outlines Haas ambitions for Imola weekend
19 April 13:40
Author Thomas Maher
Guenther Steiner is hopeful Haas will be in a position to return to the form they showed in the first two races of the year when Formula 1 heads to Imola this weekend. "It's a very competitive championship this year and you need to be perfect to get points," he commented. "What I take to Imola is that the car is still performing, and we will perform as we go on. I hope we get to Imola having fewer unfortunate instances."
With Haas seemingly going in the wrong direction with their set-up for Australia, Steiner admitted there's an extra layer of challenge awaiting in Imola. This is due to F1 using the Sprint qualifying format for the first time this season, with the cars being put into parc ferme conditions from the start of Friday qualifying.
"For sure, it will be challenging, because we've only got one free practice session to find a good set-up," Steiner stated. "With the difficulties of these cars and the inexperience we have got with it, it won't be easy, but it's the same for everybody, and who is better prepared will have a better car, so we will be trying our best like everybody else.”
‘Haas Ambitions At Imola’;
https://racingnews365.com/steiner-ou...-imola-weekend
Haas refuses to hand back $13m Uralkali funds
APRIL 19, 2022
Haas' reported refusal to return $13 million in sponsorship to ousted title sponsor Uralkali has been slammed by Russian F1 commentator Alexey Popov. "I understand that they were under pressure and it was impossible not to break the contract with Nikita," the Match TV broadcaster admitted.
"But after they cooperated for a year, they survived last year with Uralkali's money and built a good car this year. "So it was possible for them to behave differently than this," Popov added. In fact, Popov says he is in "total shock" about the latest reports about Haas. "Remember how the Mazepins begged for a new chassis and paid more than the sponsorship contract to build it," he said.
"I've heard stories that Haas employees left because their salaries were too low and Dmitry Mazepin paid them personally to stay. "And now, it's not just 'we took the money and we won't give it back', but also 'you need for pay us extra even through your driver is no longer in the car'," Popov added.
‘Total Shock’;
https://www.grandprix.com/news/haas-...ali-funds.html
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Aston Martin’s porpoising “does not allow us to exploit the progress the guys have made”.
They are the only team yet to score a point in 2022. Like several of their rivals, Aston Martin has been troubled by their car bouncing at speed as it loses and regains downforce, which undermines their drivers’ confidence in its’ handling.
2022 Australian Grand Prix
Posted on
19th April 2022, 12:54 | Written by Keith Collantine
Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack admits there is a sense of frustration at the team on how their progress is being constrained by the problems they have experienced with ‘porpoising’.
“This is the thing that does not allow us to move forward,” Krack admitted. “We make progress but to exploit it we go through to this barrier of porpoising which does not allow us to exploit the progress that the guys have made. So it’s quite frustrating, also, that you know you have progress down the line but you cannot exploit it on track,” he added.
‘Aston Martin Zero Points’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/04/19/...uys-have-made/
Video: How Aston Martin's mechanics dealt with a nightmare weekend
18 April 12:50
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Aston Martin drivers Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll gave their mechanics plenty of work to do in Australia during an incident-packed event.
Aston Martin endured a disastrous Australian Grand Prix, with incidents, accidents and penalties featuring from start to finish.
While all of this drama unfolded, the team were busy capturing behind-the-scenes action from both sides of the garage, placing a particular emphasis on the duties of Lance Stroll's No. 1 Mechanic, Scott Taggart.
‘Nightmare Weekend’;
https://racingnews365.com/video-how-...htmare-weekend
Marko on Aston Martin: ‘It’s no use just poaching people’
Date published: April 20 2022 - Mark Scott
Dr Helmut Marko has suggested Aston Martin’s current struggles are a result of the team still trying to find its spirit and cohesiveness as a unit.
Throughout the gradual transition from Racing Point to Aston Martin, there has been a strong recruitment drive as team owner Lawrence Stroll tries to launch the team into the upper echelons of the Formula 1 grid and compete for World Championships.
“My long-distance observation [on Aston Martin] is that it’s still a team sport,” Marko said in an interview with F1-Insider. “You need team spirit and cohesion. That’s why we were able to keep our key people on board for a very long time, despite many attempts to poach them. Even though some attempts by Aston Martin to poach us were successful.”
‘Team Cohesion’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/helmut...rtin-troubles/
Aston needs Sebastian Vettel, four-time world champion, to stand up
OPINIONS
April 20th 2022
Author
Chris Medland
Aston Martin is currently rooted to the back of the F1 grid. Now, more than ever, it needs Sebastian Vettel to guide (and drive) it to strong results but there's no sign the four-time champion can play that role, says Chris Medland
After he stopped in FP1 with a power unit issue, Vettel got fined for entering the track on a scooter without permission (although if he had known how much more his cult hero status was going to be cemented then he might well have been OK with the punishment) and then missed the second practice session as the power unit change took too long to complete.
I’m told the ever-gracious Vettel did approach each and every one of his mechanics to apologise for the additional work he had given them before qualifying, but despite their Herculean efforts to repair the car in time to get out on track after a red flag – ironically caused by Lance Stroll in the sister car that had also required rebuilding – Vettel was clearly on a hiding to nothing after his earlier issues and he ended up second slowest of those to set a time.
‘Stand Up’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a...n-to-stand-up#
Aston Martin job 'would have been easy to run away from'
Ian Parkes
Wednesday 20 April 2022 09:30
Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack has revealed it would have been easy for him to have shunned his new role upon learning the gravity of the organisation's situation.
"I had a lot of questions when I was approached for this position. When I got the answers to these questions I knew this was going to be a big challenge. But it would have been easy to have run away from it, so I never expected it was going to be easy, and I have to say the first three races have really not been easy.”
"At the end of the day, Formula 1 is Formula 1. It's hard. You have to have a quick car, you have to make no mistakes, you have to have good drivers. The whole thing is not together at the moment, so we have to really work hard to get there. There's no magic at the end of the day."
‘No magic, to run away from’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/80...run-away-from/
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Williams Racing FW44 possibilities for improvement?
The team has come away with several issues to address from the weight of the car through to the issue affecting quite a few teams that of the porpoising of the car which affects the level of ground effect that the car generates on certain parts of the track.
April 18 2022
By Andrew Hooper
In a recent interview with Motorsport-Total.com team driver Alex Albon spoke of the main areas of weakness of the FW44. He said: "Our weakness at the moment is above all the slow. The top teams seem to be in a much better position than everyone else. And that's what we have to focus on, because so far we have had to fight in slow places, especially on the brakes."
Alex added: "Purely from the GPS data, we are on average, I would say. Our car is also quite efficient in terms of air resistance. We are fast on the straights, which also helps."
At the recent Saudi Arabian GP Alex commented on the FW44: “It is tricky. When it is in the window, it’s fine, it’s actually a good car to drive. We’ve had moments of that so far, even at the end of the race we were pretty quick, it’s just trying to get it more consistent and predictable really.”
‘FW44 Improvement Possibilities’;
https://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s107/st203179.htm
“I’m looking forward to the slightly different approach to the weekend” – Alex Albon
By Nick Golding
April 20, 2022
Alex Albon goes into this weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, on the back of an amazing Grand Prix in Australia where the Thai-driver scored his, and the Williams F1 Team’s first points of the season.
Albon is looking forward to experiencing the different weekend format, and is determined to make the most of any opportunities it presents.
“It’s my first time competing in the Sprint event format, so I’m looking forward to the slightly different approach to the weekend and both the challenges and opportunities it will bring. Historically the team have gone quite well at Imola, so we’ll get our heads down and see what we can do. We had a great race out in Melbourne and the team did an incredible job with the strategy, so hopefully we can use that momentum to keep pushing this weekend.”
‘Different Approach’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...nd-alex-albon/
How Albon plans to build on Williams' first point of the season at Imola
19 April 11:10
Author Thomas Maher
Alex Albon has joked he'd like Williams to solely use the Hard compound tyres to go racing, revealing that he can feel the potential of the car when running the more durable tyres.
Having completed 57 of the 58 laps in Melbourne on one set of tyres, Albon explained that it felt bizarre behind the wheel. "It's weird because the car was just getting better and better!" he laughed. "Honestly, I don't know what it is, but we are really good on that tyre. It happened in Jeddah, it happened a little bit in Bahrain.”
Alex Albon has said Williams have plenty of work to do to understand how best to unlock the potential of the FW44, after scoring their first point of the 2022 season last time out in Australia.
‘Hard Tyres for Williams F1’;
https://racingnews365.com/how-albon-...eason-at-imola
Albon looking forward to 'challenges' of his first-ever Sprint event
21/04/2022, 10:20
Author Anna Francis
Whilst most of the 2022 F1 grid are familiar with the Sprint format, there are a small number for whom it will be a new experience. Alex Albon is amongst those taking part for the first time.
He is now hoping that the momentum can be carried through to Imola. "Historically the team have gone quite well at Imola, so we'll get our heads down and see what we can do," Albon commented.
"We had a great race out in Melbourne and the team did an incredible job with the strategy, so hopefully we can use that momentum to keep pushing this weekend."
‘Using the Momentum’;
https://racingnews365.com/albon-look...r-sprint-event
Emilia Romagna GP: Williams Racing Grand Prix Preview
By Williams Racing
April 20 2022
Dave Robson, Head of Vehicle Performance: “We have enjoyed our recent trips to this great circuit for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, and we are looking forward to another good weekend this year, especially off the back of an encouraging result in Melbourne. The unusual two-day format here in 2020 gives us some understanding of how the Sprint event will work this weekend; getting the setup right in a single free practice session before going straight into Qualifying is not easy, but it is a great challenge and opportunity.”
Nicholas Latifi: “I'm super excited to hit the track in Imola. It's the first Sprint Event of the year so I'm looking forward to that format and the opportunities it offers”
Alex Albon: “It's my first time competing in the Sprint event format, so I'm looking forward to the slightly different approach to the weekend and both the challenges and opportunities it will bring.”
‘Getting the Set Up Right’;
https://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s107/st203187.htm
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Can Ferrari delight the Tifosi at Imola, or will Verstappen stop the rot?
The dominant nature of Leclerc's Australia win means the Tifosi will expect nothing less this weekend. If there's one thing Ferrari have been exemplary at in recent years, it's their ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
21/04/2022, 17:50
This weekend's race also hosts the first Sprint event of the season, even if Imola does seem like an unusual choice to hold the format. While the revised layout of the pit straight has opened up some overtaking opportunities, the circuit's narrow nature means it's never witnessed a deluge of passes.
Leclerc's points lead could grow to a record-breaking number after four Grands Prix, should he win both the Sprint and the main race. But, equally, his entire lead could also be wiped out this weekend. The Sprint now awards eight points to the winner, meaning that, in theory, George Russell could draw level should he take victory in everything with Leclerc failing to score.
‘Tifosi Delight at Imola’;
https://racingnews365.com/can-ferrar...n-stop-the-rot
Can Anyone Spoil Ferrari's Party? - Emilia Romagna GP Weekend Preview
April 21, 2022
By: Flip Jacobsen
Three races in, and it is hard to avoid the Ferrari hype for 2022. The F1-75 has been the class of the field so far, dominating at Bahrain and Australia while rounding out the podium for Max Verstappen’s win at Jeddah.
The question then is: can anyone stop the Scuderia train this weekend? The Sprint on Saturday could certainly throw a spanner in the works, but if their current form holds, we might see the first true post-race scenes of bedlam since the pandemic started.
And, crucially, the Imola layout should reward a car that can accelerate well and has better performance in slow corners. In 2022, that is certainly not the RB18 that Verstappen and Sergio Pérez drive, but Leclerc and Sainz’s F1-75. Obviously, the weather could play spoil-sport, and anything untoward that happens to either Scuderia driver in the Sprint will also impact the pre-race prognostics.
‘F1-75, the Tifosi Favourite’;
https://missedapexpodcast.com/articl.../imola-preview
Ferrari's raucous homecoming as Red Bull overcome failures - What to expect at the Emilia Romagna GP.
Ewan Gale
Thursday 21 April 2022 14:10
For the first time since 2019, Ferrari arrives at an Italian race track with a strong chance of a favourable result. The Scuderia is the team to beat in F1's new era having gone through a bleak two years where podiums were celebrated with surprise.
Leclerc has been only just shy of perfect so far this year and with Ferrari entering the race weekend as the favourite, the party at the side of the track with a jubilant Tifosi will be a site to behold.
Imola is the spiritual home of Ferrari and bears the name of the team's founder and his son, Enzo and Dino. A win for Leclerc or Carlos Sainz would be symbolic of the change in fortunes for the team.
‘Symbolic Win, Change in Fortunes’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/80...ia-romagna-gp/
Finding watch thieves ‘won’t be as smooth as what I’ve read’ – Leclerc
2022 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
Posted on 21st April 2022, 17:03
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
Charles Leclerc expects it will be difficult for police to locate the thieves who robbed him of a watch in Italy three days ago. His watch was taken after the Ferrari driver was asked for a photograph in Viareggio on Monday. “I won’t go too much into details, it hasn’t been a great experience,” he told media in Imola today. “I cannot say much more than that.”
The local police are looking into the matter but Leclerc is not optimistic the perpetrators will be found. “Obviously everything is going on with the police and they are trying to find them. It hasn’t been as smooth as what I’ve read. But overall I am fine, fully focussed for the weekend. It won’t hurt me for this weekend.”
‘Leclerc focused’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/04/21/...-read-leclerc/
Sainz was “laughing at home” at reports his Ferrari future was in doubt
2022 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
Posted on
21st April 2022, 15:01
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
After confirming a new two-year deal to drive for Ferrari today, Carlos Sainz Jnr said he was amused by reports published elsewhere earlier this week which suggested his future at the team was in doubt.
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto said in late March the team was “extremely close” to finalising a new contract with Sainz, who joined them in 2020. Nonetheless some publications claimed two days ago Sainz and the team were at odds over a new deal.
“You can imagine how much I was laughing at home when people started writing these things because I had everything pretty much done and we were just waiting for Imola to announce,” said Sainz at the circuit today. “Funny times like always in Formula 1 with the gossip and all that.”
‘Laughing at Funny F1 Gossip’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/04/21/...-was-in-doubt/
How to watch the 2022 Emilia Romagna GP: start time, TV schedule and live streams
April 21st 2022
Author: Dominic Tobin
It’s Ferrari’s home race, 55 miles down the road from its Maranello factory, and it’s a certainty that the tifosi will be euphoric as the Scuderia targets a third win in four races to cement its position as this year’s leading team.
But Ferrari’s long-term fans will know that nothing can be taken for granted, and especially not this weekend. Each of its main rivals are likely to bring major upgrades to the race: Red Bull will be looking to edge ahead of the red cars, while McLaren and Mercedes aim to close the sizeable gap to the front of the grid.
With unpredictable performance and the prospect of more contenders joining the battle for victory, it’s a fitting weekend for more on-track competition in the first sprint race of the year.
‘Tifosi Home Grand Prix’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a...-live-streams#
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(FP1) First Practice Results – 2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
Imola, Emilia-Romagna
by Emer Hedderman
22nd April 2022
Results (Classification):
1. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari -1:29.402
2. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.877
3. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +1.465
4. Kevin Magnussen Haas +3.037
5. Mick Schumacher Haas +3.586
6. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +3.610
7. Fernando Alonso Alpine +3.758
8. Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin +3.963
9. Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri +4.209
10. George Russell Mercedes +4.860
11. Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo +5.213
12. Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri +5.702
13. Esteban Ocon Alpine +6.018
14. Lando Norris McLaren +6.100
15. Daniel Ricciardo McLaren +6.223
16. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +6.631
17. Alex Albon Williams Racing +7.059
18. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +7.062
19. Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo +8.048
20. Nicholas Latifi Williams Racing +10.296
https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp1-first-...and-prix-78775
P1: Ferrari in a league of their own at a wet Imola
Date published: April 22 2022 - Michelle Foster
Never mind a day for the ducks, it was a day for the tifosi as their beloved Ferrari took to the Imola circuit for the opening practice session leading both championships, and – at least in dry weather – the favourites to take the win come Sunday.
Leclerc bounced back from his spin to go faster and then faster still, and Sainz hit back with a 1:30.803. Leclerc’s attempt to retake P1 saw him cutting the grass at the Variante Alta. Verstappen improved to third place but was still 1.8s down on Sainz, make that 2.7s down on Leclerc who laid down a 1:29.402 to leapfrog Sainz for P1. Verstappen upped his pace but stayed P3 with Norris briefly bringing out the reds as he put his McLaren into the gravel at Acque Minerali.
Topping FP1 ahead of Verstappen, Ferrari will go into Friday evening’s qualifying hoping for rain as will Haas with Magnussen P4 ahead of Mick Schumacher.
Perez, Fernando Alonso, Vettel, Yuki Tsunoda and George Russell completed the top ten with Hamilton down in 17th place.
‘League of their own’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/2022-e...gp-fp1-report/
Everything that happened in wet first Imola F1 practice
22/04/2022, 13:47
By Jack Cozens
Key moments
– Leclerc fastest despite multiple spins
– Verstappen best non-Ferrari but 1.4s down in third
– Brief red flag as Norris spins at Acque Minerali
– Bottas crashes at same corner after chequered flag
The season’s clear top two teams so far, Red Bull and Ferrari, largely dominated the hour-long session, with Sergio Perez’s 1m35.476s on full wet tyres standing as the benchmark time until the final 20 minutes.
Leclerc beat this team on his first flying lap by 0.094s, as he and Sainz traded fastest times from that point – despite another half-spin on the kink between the first corner and Tamburello for Leclerc. He ended up 0.877s up on his team-mate with a best time of 1m29.402s, with Max Verstappen third for Red Bull but more than 1.4s off the benchmark time.
Haas pair Kevin Magnussen and Mick Schumacher were fourth and fifth, both more than three seconds behind Leclerc, ahead of Perez and the lead Alpine of Fernando Alonso.
‘Tough time for Mercedes’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/every...a-f1-practice/
Leclerc leads one-two for flying Ferraris in wet first practice at Imola
2022 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix first practice
Posted on
22nd April 2022, 13:48
Written by Will Wood
The leading Ferrari was almost a second and a half faster than Max Verstappen’s Red Bull, with the two Haas cars of Kevin Magnussen and Mick Schumacher three seconds off Leclerc’s pace in fourth and fifth.
In fourth and fifth, a further 1.5s slower than Verstappen, were the two Haas cars of Kevin Magnussen and Mick Schumacher, with Perez sixth in the second Red Bull.
As the session concluded, Valtteri Bottas spun his Alfa Romeo at Acque Minerale, skidding into the gravel trap and making the slightest of contact with the outer tyre barrier. While Bottas attempted to reverse out of the gravel much as Norris had successfully managed earlier, he was not able to do so and was forced to abandon the car.
‘Tifosi Delight’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/04/22/...tice-at-imola/
2022 Emilia Romagna GP FP1: Verstappen held up by Latifi in practice
22 Apr 2022
Red Bull's Max Verstappen shows his frustration as Nicholas Latifi holds up his progress during Friday's practice session ahead of the 2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola.
‘Hold Up’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...409558732.html
What time is qualifying for the Emilia Romagna GP?
22/04/2022, 13:50
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Formula 1's Sprint format has returned for this weekend's Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, with qualifying taking place on Friday afternoon.
Date Event Time (BST) Time (Local)
Friday 22 April Qualifying 16:00-17:00 17:00-18:00
Saturday 23 April Practice 2 11:30-12:30 12:30-13:30
Saturday 23 April Sprint 15:30-16:30 16:30-17:30
Sunday 24 April Race 14:00 15:00
https://racingnews365.com/what-time-...lia-romagna-gp
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“Hectic, long qualifying” leaves Verstappen pleased, Leclerc frustrated.
Verstappen headed qualifying for the first time this year in a session made complicated by occasional rain and a series of incidents involving other drivers.
2022 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
Posted on
22nd April 2022, 18:19
Written by Keith Collantine
“It was tricky out there with the rain, and dry,” said Verstappen. “It was very slippery to also get the tyre temps to work. It was hectic, long qualifying.”
“We’re very happy to be here, it’s an amazing track. It also really punishes you if you make a mistake you can go in the wall. That’s what we like to make it really hard and difficult.
“I’m very pleased with pole position. I know of course tomorrow and Sunday will be a bit different in terms of weather conditions but at least it is a good start to the weekend.”
‘Max Pleased With Pole’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/04/22/...rc-frustrated/
Qualifying Results – 2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
Imola, Emilia-Romagna
by Emer Hedderman
22nd April 2022
Q3
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +1:27.999
2. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.779
3. Lando Norris McLaren +1.132
4. Kevin Magnussen Haas +1.165
5. Fernando Alonso Alpine +1.203
6. Daniel Ricciardo McLaren +1.743
7. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +1.809
8. Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo +2.440
9. Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin +3.063
10. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari NC
‘Q2, Q1 and Qualifying Report’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/qualifying...and-prix-78786
Imola GP: Verstappen claims Sprint pole in disrupted qualifying
22 April 2022
Ben Issatt
Max Verstappen claimed pole position for the Sprint after a crazy qualifying at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
In changeable conditions, the session at Imola set a new record for most red flags with five, three of which came during Q3.
The reigning champion though set his best time at just the right moment to secure P1 on the grid for Saturday's 21-lap dash.
‘Crazy Qualifying’;
https://www.insideracing.com/formula...ted-qualifying
Verstappen takes pole ahead of Imola GP Sprint Race
01:30, 23-Apr-2022
CGTN
Red Bull's Max Verstappen secured pole position on Friday ahead of Saturday's F1 Sprint Race of the Imola GP. The Dutch driver clocked a best time of 1:27.999 under wet conditions ahead of Ferrari's Charles Lecrec, who set a time of +0.779.
McLaren's Lando Norris will start in third place after clocking the third-best time in qualifying.
Verstappen expressed his satisfaction with the pole position, noting that it was a good way to bounce back after his DNF in the Australian GP.
‘Bounce Back’;
https://newsaf.cgtn.com/news/2022-04...Mg8/index.html
2022 Emilia Romagna GP Qualifying: Max Verstappen seals pole for Saturday Sprint
22 Apr 2022
Formula 1.
Red Bull's Max Verstappen reacts after securing pole for Saturday's Sprint in an incident-filled qualifying session on Friday for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari.
‘Max Reacts’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...696894914.html
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Hamilton quizzed on tense Imola exchange with Wolff.
The 37-year-old Briton climbed out of the car and stopped to talk to team principal Wolff as he walked past him. The cameras caught a seemingly tense exchange between the duo, with the Austrian talking earnestly to the driver.
Date published: April 22 2022 - Jon Wilde
Lewis Hamilton refused to reveal what had been said when asked about a heated-looking conversation with Toto Wolff at Imola.
Asked about the incident in his post-qualifying interview, Hamilton said: “That’s all internal stuff, so I won’t share that. But we’ll just keep working. It is what it is, it’s kind of….(shrugs). We’ll just keep working hard. Each weekend’s a rescue.”
“You come here with optimism and everyone’s working really hard at the factory and then things don’t come together, it’s disappointing.
‘All Internal Stuff’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-...ense-exchange/
Imola GP: Hamilton refuses to divulge what was said in heated discussion with Wolff
Sir Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were both eliminated in the second phase of qualifying ahead of the sprint race in Imola.
by Rob Kershaw
22 April 202222 April 2022
It was the first time since the 2012 Japanese Grand Prix that neither Mercedes has been able to reach the third and final qualifying session.
It was a sobering day for the team that had been hoping for progress after some auspicious aerodynamic upgrades, and the seven-time world champion was visibly downcast as he faced the media while the other drivers were contesting Q3.
After he had clambered out of the car, Hamilton was seen exchanging some words with team principal Toto Wolff, but he did not wish to divulge exactly what was said.
‘Had Some Words’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/imola-gp-...on-with-wolff/
Mercedes' misery continues as they fail to make it to Q3 for the first time in TEN YEARS with Lewis Hamilton starting from 13th for Saturday's Emilia Romagna Grand Prix sprint race - with fierce rival Max Verstappen on pole.
Mercedes failed to make it to Q3 for the first time since the 2012 Japanese Grand Prix
By Philip Duncan, Press Association Sport
Published: 17:27, 22 April 2022
The newly-damp track meant Hamilton could not improve on his sole lap, leaving him with a woeful grid slot for Saturday's 21-lap dash around Imola - the finishing order of which determines the grid for Sunday's Grand Prix.
Hamilton is already 43 points behind Charles Leclerc in the championship standings and looks set to lose, perhaps irreparable ground this weekend, with points also awarded to the top eight for Saturday's Sprint.
These are unchartered waters and troublesome times for the Silver Arrows, winners of the past eight constructors' championships.
‘Unchartered Waters’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...-10-years.html
Hamilton says Mercedes “underperformed as a team” after qualifying 13th
2022 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
Posted on
22nd April 2022, 17:31 | Written by Keith Collantine
Lewis Hamilton says Mercedes “underperformed as a team” after neither of the team’s cars made it into the top 10.
The seven-times champion will start tomorrow’s sprint race from 13th on the grid. He and team mate George Russell were both eliminated during Q2.
“It wasn’t a great session,” said Hamilton after qualifying. “Naturally it’s disappointing.
‘W13 Qualifies 13th’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/04/22/...alifying-13th/
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Leclerc left frustrated after missing out on Imola pole by 0.8s.
Charles Leclerc finished second in qualifying by 0.779s to Max Verstappen, and Ferrari’s championship leader was left ruing a lost chance at pole position on an incident-packed Friday evening at Imola.
22 April 2022
Formula 1.
“Yes, I’m not happy,” he said. “Obviously I think we had the pace – we were very strong all session. Q1, Q2 was all about trying to put a lap together to go to Q3 and then push a bit more, but it was a very tricky session overall, and then in… Q3 it was all about putting everything together.
“This is why it is frustrating for me, because when it [counted], in Q3, I made the wrong choice, but it’s life: we will learn from it, and at the end P2 is not a disaster. Everything to play for tomorrow and after, and tomorrow and we will give everything,” said the Monegasque.
‘Tifosi Frustration’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...qSWqGK975.html
Frustrated Leclerc admits 'wrong choice' in Imola qualifying
Andrew Lewin
22/04/2022 at 20:17
"Qualifying didn’t end exactly as I wanted it to," he acknowledged. "But starting the race from P2 isn’t too bad. It was very tricky, especially on the slicks," he told the media in parc fermne after the end of a rain-hit qualifying. "There were quite a lot of wet patches.”
This is why it’s even more frustrating for me, because when it counted in Q3 I did the wrong choice," he admitted. "But it’s life. It’s a shame, but everything is still possible. We’ve been competitive in all sessions so far and have the potential to fight for the win tomorrow.”
"At the end, P2 is not a disaster. [There is still] everything to play for tomorrow - and after tomorrow - and we’ll give everything.
‘Ferrari wil give everything’;
https://f1i.com/news/439004-frustrat...ualifying.html
Leclerc Secures Front Row Start at Imola but Sainz Crash Mars Ferrari’s Day
By Paul Hensby
April 22, 2022
Leclerc aborted one lap in Q3 and was set to go again when red flags flew again, meaning he was unable to take the battle to Verstappen for pole. However, he feels he does have the pace in the F1-75 to fight for the Sprint race win on Saturday.
“Qualifying didn’t end exactly as I wanted it to, but starting the race from P2 isn’t too bad,” said Leclerc. “It was a tricky one. Q1 and Q2 were all about making it through to Q3 – and then pushing hard.
Whereas Leclerc was relatively happy with his grid spot, the same could not be said for team-mate Carlos Sainz Jr. after the Spaniard crashed towards the end of Q2. “This is a very tough one to take and there is little to say other than sorry to the entire team and every fan out there,” said Sainz. “I wasn’t even pushing that hard, as we had more than enough pace to make it into Q3 comfortably.”
‘Ferrari Ups and Downs’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...-ferraris-day/
Sainz stunned by crash 'not on the limit'
Ewan Gale
Friday 22 April 2022 19:10
Asked what happened to cause the incident, Sainz replied: "It is difficult for me to tell you because honestly, I did a mistake that I wasn't even expecting at all.
"It was a lap where I wasn't even pushing that hard, I just knew that I needed to put a banker in to react to the rain that was coming, but it was not a lap that was properly on the limit at all. It was a lap that was okay, just to put a banker in, without being near the limit and unfortunately I lost the car.”
"For some reason, I had no warning I was going to lose it and it just went. Tricky conditions for sure but not ideal."
‘Unexpected Mistake’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/80...-on-the-limit/
Mystified Sainz had ‘no warning’ before Q2 crash
Date published: April 22 2022 - Henry Valantine
Carlos Sainz said his spin out of qualifying at Imola was something he was “not expecting at all” given how he was driving at the time.
The Ferrari driver went off track after losing the rear of his car heading into the final left-hander at Imola, Rivazza 2, as he wound up for a flying lap – explaining he “wasn’t pushing” into the corner but he spun and skidded into the barrier nevertheless during Q2.
The 27-year-old spoke of his annoyance at being eliminated early. “It’s frustrating. The target was to put a banker lap in knowing the rain would come,” Sainz told reporters afterwards.”
‘Mystified Banker Lap Disaster’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/carlos...mola-q2-crash/
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‘You can win from P4!’ says Magnussen, as he secures Haas’s best ever qualifying at Imola.
An emotional rollercoaster for Haas in Q3 of qualifying at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix saw Kevin Magnussen cause a red flag but then produce an impressive recovery to stay in the fight and secure the team’s best-ever qualifying result of fourth.
22 April 2022
Formula 1.
“I ran out of talent!” Magnussen laughed. “I did [think qualifying was over]. I touched the white line and then it was gone, and I thought I was going to hit the wall. I then went into the gravel and slowed down quite a lot so I realised – I saw the anti-stall, pulled the clutch while I was still backwards, and then went onto the throttle just enough to get onto that escape road. Yeah, lucky!”
“I’m super-pleased,” he added. “It's another unbelievable result for us. The car was just great, so fast and a joy to drive – so proud of the team.”
Haas have started fifth on seven occasions, but fourth is a new record for the team, and Magnussen is hopeful he can hold onto a strong starting position for the Grand Prix on Sunday as he predicts overtaking will be tough in the Sprint.
‘Haas Talent’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...ui5TaVv7G.html
Haas’ Guenther Steiner: “After Australia we really needed this, and we bounced back”
By Paul Hensby
April 22, 2022
Guenther Steiner says Friday at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari was just the pick-me-up that the Haas F1 Team needed on the back of their underwhelming Australian Grand Prix, with Kevin Magnussen securing the team’s best ever Qualifying result.
Team-mate Mick Schumacher was unable to make it into Q3, the German still waiting for his first top ten appearance of his Formula 1 career after a mistake on what turned out to be his one and only attempt in Q2 left him only twelfth.
“A very good day today,” said Steiner. “They were very challenging weather conditions and I know that is the same for everyone but after Australia we really needed this, and we bounced back.”
‘Haas Bounce Back’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...-bounced-back/
Kevin Magnussen: “The car was just phenomenal, and I can’t believe we’re fourth”
By Paul Hensby
April 22, 2022
When the session resumed, Magnussen was able to put his VF-22 onto the second row of the grid, the best Qualifying performance ever for Haas, and he feels it puts him in a good position for the rest of the weekend as he looks to score points for a third time in four events.
“First of all, what a result,” said Magnussen. “It’s great, it feels amazing, I can’t really believe it – it’s that close to top-three.”
“P4 is the best qualifying for Haas ever, so I’m really proud of that and the team. I went off, lost the car and went all the way through the gravel. I managed to just keep it going and do a bit of a four-point turn and get back on track.”
‘Car Just Phenomenal’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...lieve-were-p4/
K-Mag ‘thought it was over’ before stunning P4
Date published: April 22 2022 - Jon Wilde
Kevin Magnussen admitted he thought his Imola qualifying was all over – before going on to claim Haas’ best ever grid position.
Haas, so much improved this year under the new F1 regulations, had shown further promise when both of their cars finished a wet FP1 session for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in the top five.
And although Mick Schumacher was unable to unleash that potential in qualifying, booking P12 on the grid for the sprint, Magnussen delivered again in superb style.
‘’Thought it was over’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/kevin-...ualy-reaction/
Proud Magnussen hails 'unbelievable result' in Imola Q3
22/04/2022 at 19:32
Phillip van Osten
Kevin Magnussen qualified a sensational P4 for Saturday's Sprint event at Imola, the Dane hailing the "unbelievable result", the best ever for Haas in a F1 qualifying session.
Magnussen successfully navigated his way to Q3 in a session disrupted by a collection of red flags, including one triggered early on in the segment by the Haas charger himself after a spin at Acque Minerale.
Magnussen's car was spared any damage and the Dane managed to reverse himself out of the gravel trap and make his way back to the pits.
‘Unbelievable Result’;
https://f1i.com/news/438937-proud-ma...-imola-q3.html
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Mercedes pace makes you "want to strangle yourself" – Wolff.
Toto Wolff: "Obviously, it is painful whilst you are in the moment. Certainly, when I see our car pounding around five seconds off the pace you want to strangle yourself.”
Saturday 23 April 2022 09:00
Ewan Gale
On adapting to the format, Wolff explained: "Considering our situation, where we are with the car, that [the lack of practice] makes it worse. There is nothing you can really try, you can't bring any upgrades because it is too short.”
"We have taken some weight out, we don't know if taking the weight out actually increases the porpoising so it is literally exploring on the job. Not at all how we have done Formula 1 before but it is our own doing."
"As a matter of fact, I enjoy the challenge and I enjoy being bad because over the long run in these regulations we will be good."
‘Mixed Messaging, “enjoy the challenge”, “want to strangle yourself”!’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/80...ourself-wolff/
Imola GP: Lewis Hamilton & Toto Wolff caught having heated discussion
By Daniel Hepburn
Published: 23 Apr 2022, 09:26
Hamilton just managed to scrape out of Q1 by four thousandths of a second and then was affected by the weather in Q2. His Mercedes teammate George Russell was also unable to snatch a top 10 spot after finishing in 11th. The red flag and the treacherous conditions meant he failed to improve on his Q2 lap.
Wolff and Hamilton have been spotted in a frank discussion after the Mercedes star failed to make it out of Q2 on Friday.
It was difficult to make out what was being said and the footage was not clear enough to make sense of the conversation, but the perception was that it was a testy exchange.
‘Heated Discussions about the W13’;
https://www.givemesport.com/87998960-87998960
Shovlin: Mercedes 'very much in the midfield' on one-lap pace
23/04/2022 at 08:17
Michael Delaney
Mercedes is among F1's midfield contenders based on its one-lap pace, says the team's trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin.
Both George Russell and Lewis Hamilton failed to make the final stage of qualifying on Friday afternoon at Imola, a first for the Mercedes squad since Japan 2012.
"We’ve struggled with tyre warm up with this car to be honest, we’ve not got to the bottom of it," said Shovlin. "Today was a painful example of that, where we couldn’t get the runs in that were long enough to build temperature to get the cars into the right window.”
"We’ve seen it at all the races – at Bahrain it doesn’t really cost you. At all the other tracks it’s actually been a difficulty in qualifying."
‘Tyre Warm Up Struggles’;
https://f1i.com/news/439010-shovlin-...-lap-pace.html
Mark Hughes: Why Mercedes fell so low in Imola qualifying
22 April 2022, 20:13
By Mark Hughes
Downforce was the answer in even bigger letters than usual around a cool and damp Imola qualifying. So Red Bull and Ferrari’s advantage over Mercedes was amplified. Add in some circumstantial unfortunate timings and there was no Mercedes in Q3 for the first time in almost a decade in Emilia Romagna Grand Prix qualifying.
“We still need to understand why we can’t match some of the mid-grid teams even,” added Shovlin of Mercedes’ tyre warm-up plight.
“We know Red Bull and Ferrari have got more downforce right now but we should be able to perform in the same position that we’re racing, which is realistically the third-quickest team.”
‘So Low! Down Force And Position!’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/mark-...la-qualifying/
Rosberg astonished by Mercedes' "unbelievable" struggles
Saturday 23 April 2022 07:00
Ewan Gale
Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Rosberg said: "It is unbelievable to see how Mercedes is struggling. "It just doesn't seem to work at all, that car. You see the jumping with George Russell, that seriously gives you back and headaches just watching that. It is unbelievable.”
"You get to the end of the straight and you need to slam the brakes in that condition. You have no confidence at all to attack the car when it is bouncing like that. Really fighting with that incredibly. “
"They can't get to seem to understand what to do to sort it out aerodynamically. Incredible to see them back there."
‘Astonishing, Unbelievable, Incredible’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/80...ble-struggles/
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Emilia Romagna Grand Prix Free practice 2 – Results.
Full results from Free Practice 2 for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola, round 4 of the 2022 Formula 1 World Championship
23/04/2022 at 12:45
Michael Delaney
Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps
1 George Russell Mercedes 1:19.457s 32
2 Sergio Pérez Red Bull 1:19.538s + 0.081s 33
3 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:19.740s + 0.283s 35
4 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:19.992s + 0.535s 34
5 Fernando Alonso Alpine 1:20.174s + 0.717s 29
6 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:20.258s + 0.801s 31
7 Max Verstappen Red Bull 1:20.371s + 0.914s 36
8 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri 1:20.381s + 0.924s 35
9 Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri 1:20.439s + 0.982s 37
10 Guanyu Zhou Alfa Romeo 1:20.498s + 1.041s 32
11 Alexander Albon Williams 1:20.591s + 1.134s 34
12 Kevin Magnussen Haas 1:20.740s + 1.283s 30
13 Mick Schumacher Haas 1:20.977s + 1.520s 29
14 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 1:21.149s + 1.692s 38
15 Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin 1:21.155s + 1.698s 38
16 Esteban Ocon Alpine 1:21.179s + 1.722s 30
17 Nicholas Latifi Williams 1:21.263s + 1.806s 31
18 Lando Norris McLaren 1:23.821s + 4.364s 6
‘FP2’;
https://f1i.com/news/439039-emilia-r...2-results.html
FP2 Highlights: Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
23 Apr 2022
Formula 1.
All the action from Saturday's FP2 at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, as Mercedes' George Russell takes the fastest time during the 2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix weekend.
‘FP2 Action’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...185678907.html
F1 - 2022 FIA Formula 1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix - Saturday Press Conference Transcript
23.04.22
PART ONE
TEAM REPRESENTATIVES: Franz TOST (AlphaTauri), Mario ISOLA (Pirelli), Mattia BINOTTO (Ferrari)
‘Conference Transcription’;
https://www.fia.com/news/f1-2022-fia...nce-transcript
Emilia Romagna GP: FIA Team Principals Press Conference
NEWS STORY
23/04/2022
Today's team principals press conference with Franz Tost, Mario Isola, Mattia Binotto, Guenther Steiner, Jost Capito and Mike Krack.
‘Conference Call’;
https://www.pitpass.com/72317/Emilia...ess-Conference
F1 teams peel off paint in bid to reduce weight
2022 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
Posted on
23rd April 2022, 13:47 | Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
Formula 1 teams are increasingly leaving large parts of their cars unpainted as they strive to reduce weight and improve performance.
While there has been a trend towards teams cutting back on the painted areas of their cars in recent years, this has increased noticeably since the start of the 2022 season. One of the most striking examples can be seen on Williams’ car, which appeared at this weekend’s Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix with far fewer painted panels than it ran with in pre-season testing.
Aston Martin began the year with a painted rear wing… …but soon switched to a blank one
‘Paint Peeling Off’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/04/23/...reduce-weight/
Emilia Romagna Grand Prix sprint grid with penalties applied
Ian Parkes
Saturday 23 April 2022 14:30 - Updated: 14:44
The return of F1's sprint race has thrown up a mouthwatering front row following a qualifying session on Friday that was hit by five red flags.
Red Bull's Max Verstappen survived the session and the wet weather to take pole position ahead of championship pacesetter Charles Leclerc in his Ferrari.
Behind the leading duo, Lando Norris starts third in his McLaren, alongside Kevin Magnussen for Haas, the Dane securing his team's best grid slot and equalling his best performance. Norris' team-mate Daniel Ricciardo lines up sixth but on the backfoot after missing all of second practice with an issue the team has yet to fully explain.
‘Mouthwatering Race Ahead’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/80...lties-applied/
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Max Verstappen WINS the Sprint race and will start on pole for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix after overtaking title rival Charles Leclerc on the penultimate lap... while Lewis Hamilton fails to improve on 14th.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won the sprint race in Imola with a dramatic penultimate-lap pass – while Lewis Hamilton suffered another ignominious day by finishing a lowly 14th.
By Jonathan Mcevoy For The Mail On Sunday
Published: 14:30, 23 April 2022
Hamilton is 51 points adrift of the Monegasque, a horror story after just three-and-a-half rounds of the season. Hamilton, he started 13th and then lost two places in the opening lap, to Yuki Tsunoda of AlphaTauri and Lance Stroll of Aston Martin. Although he made one place back, repassing Stroll, it was an awful day on an awful weekend for the seven-time world conqueror.
Defending champion Verstappen made his decisive move on the 20th of 21 laps, a clean overtaking manoeuvre on more durable tyres than Leclerc coming off the main straight.
Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez finished third. Carlos Sainz drove from 10th to finish fourth and become Leclerc ‘s nearest championship purser. In other words, Ferrari are first and second in the standings.
‘Decisive Moves’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/li...ve-Result.html
2022 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix sprint race championship points
2022 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
Posted on
23rd April 2022, 16:08 | Written by Keith Collantine
Charles Leclerc leads the drivers championship standings ahead of team mate Carlos Sainz Jnr after the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix Sprint Race.
F1 Championship Standings’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/04/23/...onship-points/
2022 Emilia Romagna GP Sprint: Leclerc snatches lead at Imola start
23 Apr 2022
Formula 1.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc snatches the lead from polesitter Max Verstappen during a dramatic start to Saturday's Sprint at Imola, with points on offer and the result determining the grid for Sunday's Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
‘Charles Leclerc Snatches the Lead’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...787126269.html
2022 Emilia Romagna GP Sprint: Zhou Guanyu crashes out after contact with Gasly
23 Apr 2022
Formula 1.
Alfa Romeo's Zhou Guanyu comes off second best after contact with AlphaTauri's Pierre Gasly, bringing out a safety car in the opening laps of Saturday's Sprint at Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari.
‘Contact & Crashes’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...708779355.html
2022 Emilia Romagna GP Sprint: Magnussen and Ricciardo tangle at Imola start
23 Apr 2022
Formula 1.
Haas driver Kevin Magnussen and McLaren's Daniel Ricciardo survive contact during the opening laps of Saturday's Sprint at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari.
‘Surviving the Tangling’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...870858241.html
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Lewis Hamilton gives up on F1 title as Mercedes' misery continues in dire Imola sprint.
Lewis Hamilton: "We're obviously not fighting for this championship but we're fighting to understand the car and progress through the year."
By LUKE CHILLINGSWORTH
16:46, Sat, Apr 23, 2022
Lewis Hamilton believes his chances of securing an eighth F1 crown has gone as Mercedes problems worsened at Imola. The Briton claimed the team as ‘obviously not fighting for the championship’ as they failed to reach the top 10 during Saturday's sprint race.
He said: “Ultimately, we haven't got it right this year but everyone is working as hard as they can to correct it. This is the situation that we are faced with but everyone has their heads down and everyone is working as hard as they can.”
‘Championship Gone’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...magna-imola-gp
Rosberg: Wolff/Hamilton tense exchange sign of 'stress' at Mercedes.
Nico Rosberg weighed in on the clearly tense exchange that took place in Q2 on Friday at Imola between Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff and Lewis Hamilton.
23/04/2022 at 15:11
Phillip van Osten
Commentating the scene inside the Mercedes garage for Sky F1, Rosberg speculated on the content of the brief but animated conversation. "It’s very difficult to know what was said," Rosberg commented. "If I had to speculate now, it looked to me like Toto was annoyed about something that Lewis had done, which might be understandable.”
"Lewis could’ve been frustrated on the external Mercedes garage radio, that they didn’t follow his thoughts on what they should’ve done with strategy, complaining about the car or something.”
"Lewis also got out of the car before Q2 over. There might be still a one per cent chance that the track is still in a good shape towards the end of qualifying, maybe Toto was angry about that."
‘Signs Of Stress’;
https://f1i.com/news/439062-rosberg-...-mercedes.html
Nico Rosberg spots cracks forming in Mercedes at Imola
April 23, 2022
by Hugh Farrell
Is Mercedes’ lack of progress damaging team relations? Toto Wolff has never been one to hide his emotions but his apparent frustration at Imola ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix showed just how annoyed the Mercedes team are getting.
Nico Rosberg tried to figure out what could have been the specific cause of Wolff’s frustrations but there doesn’t seem to be a shortage of possibilities. “If I had to speculate, it seems to me that Toto was annoyed about something that Lewis had done,” said Rosberg on Sky Sports F1.
“It might be very understandable that Lewis could be frustrated on the internal Mercedes garage radio or something, complaining that he didn’t follow his thoughts on what they could have done on strategy or complaining about the car.
‘Mercedes Cracking’;
https://punditarena.com/other-sports...ercedes-imola/
‘Hell is breaking loose’ after verbal confrontation between Hamilton and Wolff
Sir Lewis Hamilton was seen engaging in a slightly tense conversation with Toto Wolff after he was eliminated from Q2 on Friday.
by Rob Kershaw
23 April 202223 April 2022
It started raining during the red flag period initiated by Sainz’s accident, meaning that Mercedes had no chance of escaping Q2, so they called it a day as Hamilton hopped out of his Mercedes.
Having been complaining of a lack of grip on the radio, the 37-year-old encountered Wolff on his way out of the garage, and there appeared to be a fairly heated discussion between the pair.
“Toto not happy with Lewis???” tweeted one user, sharing a video of the brief exchange. “For Toto to be shouting at Lewis. Hell is breaking loose right now,” said another, fearing a capitulation at Mercedes as a result of their problems this year.
‘Verbal Confrontation’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/hell-is-b...ton-and-wolff/
Wolff admits he and Hamilton ‘vented’ at each other
Date published: April 23 2022 - Frank Parker
Wolff has insisted there was no argument at all, rather a shared anger about the team’s current situation. It has been something of a fall from grace for the reigning World Champions, who find themselves languishing in the midfield having been unable to challenge for wins.
The Mercedes boss admitted to Sky F1 the pair were “venting” at each other. “There was no disagreement at all,” said Wolff. “It doesn’t go any closer like the two of us are. We were just so angry about the session overall, him and I, and he vented at me, I vented at him but it was absolutely about the same thing.”
“It’s just a degree of frustration that we are not able to generate the grip on the first lap and yesterday was all about first lap. Then it red-flagged and we weren’t able to make it into Q3 and it’s so frustrating.”
‘Venting Frustration’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-w...ilton-venting/
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‘Unrealistic’ to think Mercedes can fight for 2022 F1 title – Wolff.
“It would be a pretty unrealistic to claim we have a slot among the frontrunners fighting for the championship.” Toto Wolff.
23rd April 2022, 15:20
by Fergal Walsh
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has all but ruled Mercedes out of contention for the 2022 Formula 1 Championship following Saturday’s F1 Sprint in Imola.
Speaking after Saturday’s action from Imola, Wolff said: “We are four races in and today marks the low of the first four races. It is obvious that we are not anywhere near the fight at the front.”
“I think what we saw today is that we haven’t got a car with enough performance differential to some of the midfield cars to overtake them,” Wolff said.
‘Performance Differential Lacking’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/...1-title-wolff/
Wolff and Hamilton unite on Mercedes' "unrealistic" title hopes
Saturday 23 April 2022 18:45
Sam Hall
Toto Wolff has bluntly agreed with Lewis Hamilton's damning assessment of Mercedes' fading prospects for the season by claiming thoughts of championship success to be "unrealistic".
Explaining the mood within the garage, Wolff added: “Nobody in the team is anywhere near enjoying the ride at the moment.
"This team, we have done it in the past and we just need to dig ourselves out of that hole.”
‘Unjoyable Ride’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/80...c-title-hopes/
Wolff - Imola "a complete write-off" for Mercedes
Sunday 24 April 2022 04:00
Sam Hall
Toto Wolff has labelled the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix weekend "a complete write-off" for Mercedes after the team's lacklustre season hit a new low.
“You can say that we are trying to learn but we weren’t great with tyre warm-up and that is why there is not a lot that we can really…there is no miracle that you can expect at the race start. “
“And because the overtaking is so difficult…we can make up positions, we showed it on Saturday, but not quickly enough and therefore beyond the fact that we are learning, it is another humbling experience.”
‘Humbling Experiences’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/80...-for-mercedes/
Wolff issues worrying assessment as Mercedes' struggles get worse
23rd April 2022, 19:10
Author Mike Seymour
Co-author Dieter Rencken
With Mercedes' weekend - and season - only getting worse, Wolff did not hold back when speaking to the media. "I think points scoring needs to be the minimum, but this is not where we set our expectations, and therefore this weekend is a complete write-off," Wolff told members of the press, including RacingNews365.com.
"You can say, 'Well, we're trying to learn', but we weren't great at tyre warm-up, that's why there's not a lot that can be [done]. "There's no miracle that you can expect at the race start, because overtaking is so difficult. We can make up positions, we've shown it today, but not quickly enough.”
Wolff agrees with Hamilton over title chances. Hamilton conceded after the Sprint that he and Mercedes are likely out of the fight for this year's world titles, despite there being 19 more race weekends. Wolff, having himself put Mercedes' championship chances at around 20 per cent heading to Imola, agreed with his driver's comments.
‘Championship Write Off’;
https://racingnews365.com/wolff-issu...gles-get-worse
What Mercedes can salvage from ‘complete write-off’ Imola weekend
23/04/2022, 20:18
By Edd Straw
“Points scoring needs to be the minimum, but this is not where we set our expectations and therefore this weekend is a complete write-off,” said Wolff.
Wolff believes that the Mercedes W13 is broadly as competitive as it was during the opening three race weekends, when it had the third-fastest car in race conditions.
But the qualifying struggles and being stuck in traffic without a performance advantage big enough to make relatively quick and easy passes on midfield rivals means it is difficult to show it.
‘W13 Salvage Operation’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/what-...imola-weekend/
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Verstappen leads Red Bull 1-2 as Ferrari suffer nightmare home race.
Sergio Perez finished second in the other Red Bull, taking the team's first 1-2 finish since the 2016 Malaysian Grand Prix.
24/042022, 15:36
It was a terrible start to the race for Ferrari. With Red Bull assuming the top two positions, Carlos Sainz's race came to an end after just a few metres, as he and McLaren's Daniel Ricciardo made contact going through the Tamburello chicane on the opening lap.
Leclerc and Ferrari then attempted an aggressive strategy to pit at the end of Lap 49 to take on a fresh set of Softs, forcing Perez and Verstappen to respond to do the same, as Red Bull hauled their drivers in on Lap 50 and 51 respectively.
However, he made an error at the Variante Alta as he lost control of the car after going too aggressively over the kerbs. As a result, Leclerc flew off into the barriers as he desperately tried to avoid hitting anything too hard.
‘Tifosi Nightmare’;
https://racingnews365.com/verstappen...aris-home-soil
Perez overjoyed to secure Red Bull 1-2: It wasn't easy!
24/04/2022, 16:10
Author Thomas Maher
Red Bull's Sergio Perez was thrilled to help give his team their first 1-2 finish in six years, as the Mexican driver came home second to teammate Max Verstappen at Imola.
"Yeah, it was a really intense fight since pretty much halfway through the race," Perez said after the chequered flag. It was all under control, but then [Ferrari] started chasing us with the stop, and then it was a fight trying to warm up the tyres.”
"I think the most important thing today was not making mistakes because, with these conditions, it was so tricky out there. To get a 1-2 in these conditions, I think it's a great result for the team."
‘Overjoyed 1-2’;
https://racingnews365.com/perez-over...-it-wasnt-easy
Verstappen and Red Bull embarrass Ferrari at Imola
By Associated Press
Published: 16:12, 24 April 2022
IMOLA, Italy (AP) - Formula One champion Max Verstappen dominated Sunday in a Red Bull rout of Ferrari at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. "Lovely Sunday," Verstappen radioed his Red Bull team. The Dutchman also won the sprint qualifying race on Saturday and earned maximum points on the weekend.
Verstappen won from the pole, logged the fastest lap and picked up his second win of the season while leading teammate Sergio Pérez to the first one-two Red Bull finish since Malaysia in 2016.
It was a disastrous race for Ferrari, racing on its home soil and hoping to celebrate a return to F1 dominance. Charles LeClerc came into Sunday as the championship leader with two wins in the first three races and Carlos Sainz Jr. celebrated a two-year contract extension this weekend in Italy. But LeClerc couldn't get the jump on Verstappen at the start and never contended. Sainz spun off course on the opening lap to ruin his race, and LeClerc's bid to salvage the day for Ferrari ended when he spun racing Perez for second.
‘Lovely Sunday’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap...ari-Imola.html
F1 – Verstappen wins in Imola ahead of Pérez as Leclerc spins to sixth place
24.04.22
FIA
Starting from pole position, Verstappen delivered a flawless performance to claim the second grand chelem of his career with pole position, fastest lap and race victory after leading every lap of the factory. In addition, the world champion claimed victory in Saturday’s Sprint to ensure he left Imola with a maximum weekend haul of 34 points.
And after 63 laps Verstappen crossed the line to take his 22nd career win and a maximum points haul of 34 points. Pérez took the flag 15 seconds later to seal Red Bull’s first one-two finish since the 2016 Malaysian Grand Prix and Norris took his sixth podium finish with third place.
Championship leader Charles Leclerc finished in sixth place following a late-race spin and Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz the race in a first-lap collision. Lando Norris took the final podium position for McLaren.
‘Flawless Performance’;
https://www.fia.com/news/f1-verstapp...ns-sixth-place
Leclerc frustrated with himself after costly mistake: I was too greedy
24/04/2022, 16:30
Author Thomas Maher
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc has explained the late-race error that cost him a podium place at Imola, and could have resulted in a retirement. "It wasn't great," Leclerc mournfully told Viaplay after crossing the line.
"I've had a season where I haven't done many mistakes until now, but today was one big one. The championship leader explained he'd been pushing hard to try keeping pressure up on Perez.”
"Realistically, we didn't have the pace of the Red Bull; they were too quick today for us in all the conditions," he said. "I tried to put a bit more speed in Turn 14 and 15 to be closer to Checo [Perez] to try and overtake him into Turn 2, because I saw that this was one of the only opportunities of the race, and I pushed too much."
‘Too Greedy’;
https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-fr...was-too-greedy
Norris praises McLaren turnaround after shock podium
Sunday 24 April 2022 16:35
Ewan Gale
Lando Norris has praised the turnaround of McLaren after taking his first podium of the season at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Speaking on team radio on his cool-down lap, Norris said: "We just got another podium, who would have thought? Awesome work everyone, nice to see how much we have turned it around. Proud of you all well done." Asked if it was a surprise to be on the podium, Norris replied: "Yeah of course.”
"An amazing race, an amazing weekend to be honest. To beat Ferrari is much better than we were expecting always so I am happy. The team deserve it. From where we were in race one to now a podium, they all deserve it so top job to the team."
‘Awesome McLaren Podium’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/81...-shock-podium/
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Nico Rosberg feels Toto Wolff is hiding the 'truth' with Lewis Hamilton apology at Imola.
"Here, Toto was playing the mental game which is very smart on his behalf again, taking the blame themselves and really trying to support Lewis mentally," Rosberg said on Sky Sports. "Lifting him up and saying that it wasn't Lewis' doing, it's on us.”
By STUART BALLARD
16:43, Sun, Apr 24, 2022
Wolff jumped on team radio to apologise to Hamilton after the race, but Rosberg believes Russell's performance in finishing fourth paints a much bigger picture for Mercedes.
"It's very smart because it's not quite the truth and let's not forget that Russell is in P4 with that same car. So Lewis definitely had a big role to play in that poor result this weekend."
Russell is already 19 points ahead of Hamilton in the championship with the new Mercedes driver enjoying an impressive start. The 24-year-old has been consistent in each of the opening four races, finishing fourth, fifth, third and fourth so far. He's managed to beat Hamilton in three consecutive races with the 37-year-old conceding after the race that his chances of winning the championship are already over.
‘Taking the blame, to support Lewis Hamilton’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...gna-GP-F1-news
Lewis Hamilton 'very angry' as Nico Rosberg details rising tensions in Mercedes garage
By STUART BALLARD
13:28, Sun, Apr 24, 2022
Lewis Hamilton will be "very angry" at starting another race behind George Russell, according to Nico Rosberg. The F1 2022 season has not gone to plan for Mercedes so far with the W13 nowhere near close to challenging Red Bull and Ferrari.
Rosberg knows better than most how Hamilton deals with pressure having been the only man at Mercedes to beat the Brit in a full season. And the 2016 F1 champion knows Hamilton will be "very angry" at the current situation with Russell starting ahead of him for Sunday's race.
"Let's not forget, Lewis hates ending up behind his team-mate," he said on Sky Sports. "Even if you're 11th and 13th. He really, really, passionately hates coming in behind his team-mate. It makes him very angry and that also happened in qualifying and the race this weekend so far.”
‘Very Angry’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...des-Toto-Wolff
Hamilton insists title hopes are over after 'weekend to forget'
24/04/2022, 16:50
AuthorMike Seymour
Lewis Hamilton says there's now "no question" that he's out of the running for the world title this season, following a tough weekend at Imola.
The predicament prompted Mercedes boss Toto Wolff to apologise to Hamilton over the radio on the lap back to the pits. "Sorry for what you have needed to drive today. I know this is undriveable and not what we deserve to score as a result," said Wolff. "We'll move from there, but this was a terrible race. We will come out of this." Hamilton responded: "Yeah, no worries, Toto. Let's keep working hard."
Asked again about his hopes of fighting for the title, Hamilton issued a clear response. "I mean, I'm out of the championship, there's no question about that," he added. "I'll still keep working as hard as I can and try and somehow put it back together."
‘Title Hopes Over’;
https://racingnews365.com/hamilton-i...kend-to-forget
Hamilton apologises after finishing nine places behind Russell
2022 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
Posted on
24th April 2022, 16:56
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
“It’s been difficult, but I don’t really know what to say,” Hamilton commented in response to a questioned from RaceFans after the race. “It’s definitely not easy and we all feel it as a team.”
“At least George got some points today for the team, so my apologies to everyone I wasn’t able to do the same.”
Russell jumped up to sixth place at the start while Hamilton found himself in a queue of other cars which he couldn’t pass. “I didn’t really find it frustrating, I just wasn’t moving forwards” he said. “I don’t really know [why], I just wasn’t fast enough to overtake. I was just a bit of a sitting duck today,” he added.
‘Sitting Duck’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/04/24/...ehind-russell/
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Binotto reacts to disastrous race for Ferrari on home soil.
Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto has urged his team to "keep smiling" after they endured a painful race on home soil at Imola.
24/04/2022, 18:00
Author Mike Seymour
"Obviously, we are a bit unhappy for the results of today," Binotto told Sky Sports F1 as he digested proceedings. "I think we need to keep [our] heads up. It's part of racing; some races may go wrong and it has been [that way] today. "But I think we've still got a competitive package, [so] I think we need to keep the smile on and look forward to the next races."
Binotto then explained why Ferrari opted to pit for the Soft tyre stint that proved to be Leclerc's undoing. "It was was not necessary for tyres and we didn't do that for the fastest lap [bonus point]," Binotto made clear.”
"We simply did that because we thought it was the best option for us, to try to have some opportunity.”
‘Keep Smiling’;
https://racingnews365.com/binotto-re...i-on-home-soil
Our verdict on Leclerc and Ferrari’s Imola disaster
24/04/2022, 17:00
The Race
Ferrari came to its first home grand prix of the 2022 Formula 1 season looking serenely in control, and then had its worst weekend of the campaign so far at Imola.
SILLY ERROR, BUT LECLERC HAD TO STAY AGGRESSIVE
GLENN FREEMAN
FERRARI STRATEGY CREATED UNNECESSARY JEOPARDY
SCOTT MITCHELL
LECLERC HASN’T CUT THE ERRORS – BUT HE MIGHT NOW
EDD STRAW
VERSTAPPEN AND RED BULL JUST DID A MUCH BETTER JOB
MARK HUGHES
FERRARI MUST LEARN FROM THIS AND NOT WASTE ITS START
GARY ANDERSON
NEEDLESSLY JUMPY
MATT BEER
‘The Verdicts’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/our-v...mola-disaster/
'I gave it my all but went over the limit': Charles Leclerc apologises to Ferrari fans after his costly late spin helped championship rival Max Verstappen to win at Imola and saw him finish sixth - but he vows 'we'll come back stronger'
By Jonathan McEvoy for the Daily Mail
Published: 22:31, 24 April 2022
• Championship leader Charles Leclerc pushed his Ferrari to the limit at Imola
• However, in front of his home fans, he over-extended and spun off the track
• His costly error saw him finish sixth, with Max Verstappen clinching the win
• Leclerc apologised to his team's fans but vowed they will 'come back stronger'
'I gave it my all,' said the Monegasque, 'but went over the limit at the end. Sorry to the team and to all the tifosi who support us. We'll come back stronger.'
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...ing-sixth.html
Video: How Leclerc’s first error reignites F1 2022 title fight
25/04/2022
The Race
Charles Leclerc’s first major mistake of the 2022 season helped reignite the Formula 1 title battle in a dramatic end to the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Just as Ferrari looked like it was taking control of the season and all the pressure was on Red Bull, Max Verstappen has taken 19 points out of Leclerc’s championship lead in one weekend.
Our video delves into the circumstances of Leclerc’s messy Imola weekend and Verstappen and Red Bull’s flawless one, what the title rivals and their teams are saying about it.
F1 2022 Title Fight Re-ignition’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/video...2-title-fight/
Podcast: What Imola F1 defeat means for Ferrari and Leclerc
Apr 25 2022
The Race
Ferrari wasn’t just clearly outperformed by Red Bull for the first time in the 2022 Formula 1 season at Imola, it also lost a load more points thanks to Charles Leclerc’s error.
Edd Straw, Mark Hughes and Scott Mitchell look at what Ferrari’s troubled weekend and Red Bull and Max Verstappen’s flawless one means for the title fight in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix episode of The Race F1 Podcast.
They examine all the factors that led to Ferrari’s strong run being interrupted and the significance of Leclerc’s mistake.
‘Ferrari Outperformed With Mistakes’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/podca...i-and-leclerc/
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Emilia Romagna GP: Lando Norris hails McLaren's teamwork after P3 finish in Imola.
"In Lando, I think we're seeing a future world champion in his drives," Rosberg said on Sky Sports F1.
Last Updated: 24/04/22 6:48pm
By Emma Thurston
Brown, who labelled Norris' performance in Imola as a "mega drive", continues to be extremely happy with the 22-year-old's work and progression. "He's doing a great job; he's very consistent, very fast and doesn't make mistakes," McLaren's CEO said. "Hopefully, we can give him a car to win a race sometime so because he's certainly ready for it."
Nico Rosberg, the 2016 world champion, is another who has been taken by Norris' development since his arrival in Formula 1. "In Lando, I think we're seeing a future world champion in his drives," Rosberg said on Sky Sports F1.
"Phenomenal stuff, there are no mistakes. It's really impressive and a great job by McLaren to secure his services for so many years. McLaren in the first race they were 15th, how an earth have they turned it around so much? I think Toto [Wolff] needs to give Zak Brown a call for some tips there. It's really impressive."
‘Lando Norris, Future World Champion’;
https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12...inish-in-imola
Norris: McLaren’s hard work deserved ‘amazing weekend’.
Lando Norris revelled in his podium finish at Imola, adding that his McLaren team “deserve” their success after a tricky start to the year.
Date published: April 24 2022 - Henry Valantine
Having been rooted towards the back end of the midfield at the season opener in Bahrain, McLaren have steadily got themselves back towards those around them – and Norris rewarded the team by taking a surprise podium finish in tricky conditions on Sunday.
Having seen the work behind the scenes at McLaren, the 22-year-old added he was happy to see how well the team had performed – although he admitted the small upgrades they had brought to Imola were not enough for him to believe they would make the jump in performance they eventually managed.
‘Behind The Scenes Hard Work’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/lando-...-imola-podium/
Norris ‘didn’t expect podium all season after Bahrain’
25/04/2022
by Phillip Horton
Lando Norris says neither he nor McLaren could have envisaged claiming a podium finish so soon after its awful start to the 2022 Formula 1 season.
“Surprised I guess to be here, but feels amazing,” said Norris. “So, from where we were, what, three weeks ago, four weeks ago, a month, in Bahrain to be on a podium, I genuinely didn’t think we would be on the podium all year after Bahrain. So it’s quite a shock.”
“It’s hard to ever imagine yourself on the podium and a great result would have been P5. But a few good things throughout this race, you know, an amazing start to be ahead of the Ferraris, to stay out of the chaos which happened behind, just I guess a lonely but a great race.”
‘Lonely Great Race’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/...after-bahrain/
Norris on P3: nice to see the hard work paying off
Imola, Emilia Romagna
24th April 2022
by Emer Hedderman
Norris had qualified P3 on Friday but lost out to Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz in the Sprint and started the Grand Prix in P5. With neither Ferrari getting off the grid too well, and a good start for the McLaren driver, he was back into P3 before they had reached the first corner.
“An amazing start to be ahead of the Ferraris,” Norris said, “to stay out of the chaos which happened behind, just I guess a lonely but a great race. Just managing the gap to George, looking after the tyres for the whole stint.
“Everything just went well all weekend to be honest, not just the race today, but qualifying P3 already was a pretty good achievement for us. So, great weekend. Nice to see the improvements we’ve been bringing and to reward everyone with a podium is even better.”
‘Great Weekend’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/norris-on-...ying-off-78850
McLaren “deserve” surprise podium after “amazing weekend” – Norris
2022 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
Posted on
24th April 2022, 16:55
Written by Will Wood
“[It was] an amazing race, an amazing weekend to be honest,” said Norris. “To beat one Red Bull [in qualifying] and one Ferrari is much better than we were expecting, so I’m happy.”
“The team deserve it from where we were in race one to now scoring a podium. They all deserve it, so top job to the team.” McLaren had suffered a challenging start to the season, discovering a problem with their MCL36 in pre-season testing that led to the team struggling towards the back of the field during the opening race in Bahrain
Asked where the improvement in form had come from, Norris credited the team for the turnaround in performance. “The boring answer is just hard work,” Norris said. “A lot of time and effort everyone’s putting in back in the factory and everyone here.
‘Just Hard Work’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/04/24/...eekend-norris/
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Mercedes’ George Russell Struggling with Back and Chest Pains Because of Porpoising
26 Apr 2022, 12:46 UTC ·
by Sergiu Tudose
Aside from compromising the car from a competitive standpoint, porpoising, it seems, is also hurting Mercedes-AMG F1 driver George Russell physically, reports Motorsport.
“When the car is in the right window and the tires are in the right window, the car – except for the bouncing – feels really good to drive,” stated the British driver while describing what it’s like to drive the W13. “But the bouncing, it really takes your breath away. It’s the most extreme I’ve ever felt it. I really hope we find a solution and I hope every team struggling with the bouncing finds a solution, because it’s not sustainable for the drivers to continue.”
He then went on to add: “This is the first weekend I’ve truly been struggling with my back, and almost like chest pains from the severity of the bouncing. It’s just what we have to do to go and do the fastest laps.”
‘Back and Chest Pains’;
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/m...ng-187339.html
Why Lewis Hamilton is struggling with his 'unacceptable' Mercedes but George Russell is not.
For all of Hamilton’s recent success, he has rarely required the skills Russell developed at Williams and never recently. Imola was a weekend to forget for Hamilton, who wrote off his championship chances already – but Russell showed what the car can do
By Luke Slater 25 April 2022 • 2:12pm
The performance gaps have not been enormous in every race, but the situation that Hamilton is in now is almost alien. The points gap being as large as it is and being beaten by his team-mate in three consecutive races has not happened since Nico Rosberg was his team-mate in 2016.
Before his promotion to Mercedes, Russell spent three seasons at a struggling Williams team. In 2021 he managed to catch headlines with some impressive qualifying performances – especially in the wet at Spa and in Sochi – which earned him the nickname Mr Saturday, for being able to wring every last hundredth of a second out of sub-standard machinery over one lap. This year he has translated those skills across the whole weekend.
In 2019 and 2020, though, the Williams was the worst car in the field. Although it would have surely been frustrating to be at the back, he says the experience was useful in developing skills that he would not have been able to do going straight into a front-running team.
‘’Imola 2022, a weekend to forget’;
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/formula-...eorge-russell/
Transcript: “I need more power” – Hamilton and Russell’s contrasting fortunes at Imola
2022 Emilia-Romagna GP team radio transcript
Posted on 26th April 2022, 13:37
Written by Keith Collantine
Their conversations with their race engineers throughout the afternoon reveal how their races unfolded, and also their contrasting styles on the radio. Russell had an almost continuous back-and-forth with his race engineer, Riccardo Musconi.
In contrast Hamilton’s exchanges with Pete Bonnington were much briefer. This reflects the difference between Hamilton in his 10th season as a Mercedes driver and Russell only in his fourth race for the team. The newcomer often prompted Musconi to confirm whether he was managing his car the way the team wanted him to.
‘Team Radio Conversations’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/04/26/...unes-at-imola/
Our verdict on Russell outracing Hamilton in F1 2022 so far
26/04/2022, 11:02
The Race
Four grands prix into Lewis Hamilton and George Russell’s time as Mercedes Formula 1 team-mates, and Russell has finished ahead in 75% of the races and leads his seven-time world champion team-mate by 21 points and three places in the standings.
Hamilton’s consequently getting a hard time from the faction of his critics who’ve always argued that he would struggle when he didn’t have the ‘best’ car – and an equally firm response from those who think that theory is simply wrong and the current results don’t show the real picture. Here’s where our writers stand on the Russell vs Hamilton situation:
‘The Verdicts’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/our-v...1-2022-so-far/
JONATHAN MCEVOY: Pitiful Lewis Hamilton is on the road to nowhere and running out of options... he has struggled to recover from last season's title battle with Max Verstappen and is being eclipsed by George Russell
By Jonathan McEvoy for the Daily Mail
Published: 22:31, 25 April 2022
We have showered many words on Lewis Hamilton over his brilliant 16 seasons in Formula One. Brave, daring, quick, relentless, magnanimous, sore, impetuous, crusading and unprecedented. But until now we have never resorted to 'pitiful'.
Having finished 13th, a lap behind winner Max Verstappen and a minute adrift of Mercedes team-mate George Russell, who was fourth in the same hard-bouncing, sub-standard car, Hamilton spoke quietly and solemnly as he conducted post-race interviews that carried the desperate air of an inquest.
My mind thinks back to a comment one high-placed Mercedes insider shared with me a few days after a mixture of Verstappen's brilliance and highly controversial race direction deprived the Brit of an eighth world title in Abu Dhabi. 'I don't know if Lewis will ever get over it,' said the observer, who was working on a potential legal challenge that was never launched. Or as Red Bull's motorsport adviser Helmut Marko said, with undisguised relish: 'Maybe he is thinking he should have stopped last year.'
‘Road To Nowhere’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...nce-Italy.html
Rosberg praised for calling out ‘Mercedes PR’ tactic after Hamilton’s miserable Imola GP
Sir Lewis Hamilton ended the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in P13, while George Russell managed an impressive P4.
by Rob Kershaw
25 April 202225 April 2022
Nico Rosberg has received praise on social media for providing his honest opinion on Toto Wolff’s radio message to Sir Lewis Hamilton at the end of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Wolff apologised to Hamilton after the race, sympathising with the fact that the 37-year-old was faced with an “undriveable” Mercedes last weekend, and Rosberg saw this as a tactic to try and lift Hamilton’s spirits.
“Toto was playing the mental game which was very smart on his behalf,” the 2016 Formula 1 champion said. “[Mercedes were] taking the blame themselves, really trying to support Lewis mentally, lifting him up and saying ‘hey Lewis, none of your doing, it’s really on us,’ so that’s very smart because it’s not quite the truth.
‘Nico Rosberg Insight Praised’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/rosberg-p...able-imola-gp/
Hamilton may quit Mercedes mid-season - Villeneuve
26/04/2022, 08:31
By GMM F1
While his fans suffer with him amid a rare personal slump, not everyone is unhappy that Lewis Hamilton is struggling in 2022. "To be honest, I liked it when Max lapped him," world champion Max Verstappen's father Jos admitted after Imola.
But it wasn't just a one-off for the seven time world champion - he is struggling even more than his new teammate George Russell with the woeful 2022 Mercedes. "He has to wonder why Russell is so much faster than him," former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher told Sky Deutschland
As he didn't quit, though, pundits are now wondering if the 37-year-old will be able to cope with a full season of pain in the badly-'porpoising' silver car. "It's a question that will be raised," 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve told the Dutch publication Formule 1. We've been surprised in the past," Villeneuve concluded. "It has happened before that champions sometimes say they've just had enough."
‘Enough To Quit’;
https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/formula...0.html?newsnow
Lewis Hamilton 'doesn't want George Russell in front ever again' after Imola horrorshow
LEWIS HAMILTON came 13th in the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix on Sunday.
By WILL LANCASTER
06:30, Tue, Apr 26, 2022
Lewis Hamilton will be motivated by finishing behind Mercedes team-mate George Russell at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix on Sunday, according to Nico Rosberg - with the seven-time Drivers' Championship winner wanting to 'keep the fire on' by never finishing second to the youngster again this season.
“And with George performing so well, that could be the biggest motivator for Lewis to keep going and keep going because he does not want to see George in front of him ever again. I think that will keep the fire on.”
Hamilton currently sits seventh in the Drivers' Championship, already 58 points behind Charles Leclerc in first. It is a far cry from previous seasons, where the Brit has been in the top two every year since 2013. And with rumours that he was set to retire in the off-season, this could well be Hamilton's last in Formula One before retirement.
'Doesn't want George Russell in front ever again';
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...ne-latest-news
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Bottas calls Russell battle ‘really good fun’ as he claims P5 in Emilia Romagna.
Valtteri Bottas managed a season-best P5 finish in Sunday’s Grand Prix after taking yet more points with P7 in the Sprint – with the Finn leaving Imola praising the pace of his Alfa Romeo.
25 April 2022
Formula 1.
“Yes, it was a good race,” said Bottas, who also got caught up in the Lap 1 crash between Carlos Sainz and Daniel Ricciardo (see below). “I mean, even with a bit of contact in Turn 2 – luckily there was not damage. The pit stop for sure compromised the race a bit. After that we had really good pace, I could push flat-out all through the race. I was catching the Mercedes pretty well, and unfortunately didn’t quite have the pace towards the end to overtake them – but good points.”
Asked if he’d enjoyed having the pace to battle with his former Mercedes team, meanwhile, Bottas replied: “Yes – really enjoying it. It’s really good fun. The upgrades we had this weekend definitely made the car even stronger, so it’s a good feeling.”
‘P7 in the Sprint, P5 in Emilia Romagna’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...xGB4S8B1f.html
“It’s nice to see the upgrades we brought to the track worked” – Valtteri Bottas
By Nick Golding
April 26, 2022
Valtteri Bottas signing for Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN, continues to look like the best driver transfer for this season, after the Finnish driver crossed the line in an impressive fifth-place at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Considering his race could’ve ended within the first twenty-seconds, fifth was a stellar job by Bottas who was pleased to see the upgrades the team brought to the weekend working well.
“It was a fun race for me today! It’s always good to get points, we had a strong race in a car that felt really good. I am happy with how everything went, even though we lost a bit of time in the pit-stop, but we bring home ten points today so we’ll take it. I had a bit of a scare at the beginning of the race, when I couldn’t avoid Ricciardo when he tangled with Sainz, but luckily we didn’t have any damage.”
‘Upgrades Working’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...ltteri-bottas/
Bottas explains how he used Russell and Mercedes as motivation
25 April 07:45
Author Mike Seymour
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Valtteri Bottas secured a third points finish in four races as his and Alfa Romeo's encouraging start to the 2022 season continued at Imola.
Valtteri Bottas has revealed how George Russell and Mercedes served as his motivation to keep pushing throughout the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Alfa Romeo driver Bottas finished on the tail of Russell - who replaced him at the Silver Arrows for 2022 - in Sunday's wet-dry race at Imola, having recovered from a delayed pit-stop earlier in the afternoon.
‘Motivation’;
https://racingnews365.com/bottas-exp...-as-motivation
“There are so many positives we can take away” – Alfa Romeo’s Frédéric Vasseur
April 26, 2022
By Nick Golding
The Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN took home an impressive twelve points from the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, all courtesy of Valtteri Bottas who performed brilliantly in both the Sprint race on Saturday and the main race on Sunday, at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari Circuit.
Alfa Romeo Team Principal, Frédéric Vasseur, was very happy with the team’s overall performance but was especially pleased to see the upgrades they brought to the weekend working well.
“It has been a strong weekend from the team and to bring home 12 points between yesterday and today is a deserved reward. We delivered upgrades that worked well, a brilliant job by the team at home, and the crew were incredible both on Friday and Saturday night, with two rebuild jobs they undertook with strong spirit.”
‘So Many Positives’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...deric-vasseur/
Two moments cost Bottas an Imola F1 podium shot
26th Feb 2022, 14:15
By Edd Straw
Valtteri Bottas’s fifth place in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was Alfa Romeo’s best result in two-and-a-half years. But it’s possible the team could have ended its near decade-long absence from the podium, had two key moments in the race not gone against it.
Given Bottas lost the place to Russell on the first lap only as a result of hitting the back of Daniel Ricciardo’s McLaren after it collided with Carlos Sainz Ferrari, then lost around nine seconds to a problem in the pitstop, it’s reasonable to ask whether he really could have beaten Norris.
Despite the strong result, Bottas’s misfortune started during qualifying. Having reached Q3 easily, he suffered an exhaust problem that not only forced him to pull over but also led to the team rebuilding the car around the spare chassis. That was a big task given the spare wasn’t ‘dressed’ with suspension components in advance and it led to Bottas missing FP2.
‘A P3 Podium Possibility’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/two-m...1-podium-shot/
Bottas surprised by how much Hamilton and Mercedes are struggling
26th April 2022, 17:50
Author Michael Butterworth
Co-author Dieter Rencken
After finishing narrowly behind Mercedes' George Russell and well ahead of Lewis Hamilton at Imola, Valtteri Bottas expressed his surprise at his former team's struggles so far in 2022.
Bottas now sits just four points behind former Mercedes teammate Hamilton in the 2022 Drivers' Championship standings, and said he was at a loss to explain the Silver Arrows' poor start to the season.
"I don't know the reasons why they're struggling. I don't know the technical details," Bottas commented. I didn't see what happened in the race. I would imagine [Hamilton] was stuck behind other cars, and if there's a DRS train, it's not easy [to pass].”
‘Loss To Explain’;
https://racingnews365.com/bottas-sur...are-struggling
2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix - Sunday
April 24th, 2022
Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN
Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN delivered a strong performance as the team capped off a successful weekend with a fine fifth place by Valtteri Bottas. Team-mate, Zhou Guanyu, fought well to recover from a pitlane start after yesterday’s retirement, and finished in 15th place.
The ten points added to our tally, in conjunction with the two from yesterday’s Sprint, lift the team to a total of 25 and fifth place in the constructors’ championship.
Frédéric Vasseur, Team Principal: “It has been a strong weekend from the team and to bring home 12 points between yesterday and today is a deserved reward. We delivered upgrades that worked well, a brilliant job by the team at home, and the crew were incredible both on Friday and Saturday night, with two rebuild jobs they undertook with strong spirit. Our race today was positive: Valtteri had really good pace and was able to fight for P4 until the final lap; Zhou always had a difficult job on his hands after yesterday’s crash, but did well to recover from a pitlane start to finish 15th with some good overtakes on the way. There are so many positives we can take away from this weekend, not just in terms of the result but also in the way we went about our business, and we can definitely aspire to do even better in the next few races.”
https://www.sauber-group.com/motorsp...d-prix-sunday/
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Tsunoda 'just trusted' AlphaTauri pace to score impressive P7.
Yuki Tsunoda delivered a solid drive for AlphaTauri in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, the Japanese charger steering clear of trouble and "just trusting" his car's pace to finish an impressive P7.
25/04/2022 at 14:37
Michael Delaney
Tsunoda qualified a lowly 16th for Saturday's sprint event, but a productive effort in the 21-lap dash ensured a start on Sunday from 12th on the grid.
The 21-year-old held his own during a frantic opening lap but took advantage of several retirements in the first half of the field to settle into ninth place from where he managed most of his race.
But in the final stages of the 62-lap event, Tsunoda upped the pace and overhauled both Haas' Kevin Magnussen and Aston Martin's Sebastian Vettel to claim sixth.
‘Yuki Tsunoda Impressive P7’;
https://f1i.com/news/439509-tsunoda-...essive-p7.html
Yuki Tsunoda satisfied to reward 'home' support with P7 at Imola.
24 Apr 2022
Formula 1
Yuki Tsunoda believes his P7 in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix is an appropriate 'thank you' for all the hard work of the AlphaTauri team, based just down the road from Imola.
‘Home Support’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...542494765.html
Yuki Tsunoda praises AlphaTauri team as sterling drive earns him points in Imola.
AlphaTauri driver Yuki Tsunoda credited the hard work of his team as they celebrated a 7th place finish at their home race at Imola on Sunday afternoon.
Published: 25 Apr 2022, 11:32
By George Dagless
The Japanese driver may well have been concerned about how his weekend was going to unfold after a tough qualifying session on Friday, which saw him and team-mate Pierre Gasly eliminated at the end of Q1.
However, that only served to drive Tsunoda on over the course of the weekend, with him working his way up to 12th at the end of Sprint on Saturday, and then into the points with a 7th place finish in the Grand Prix on Sunday.
“I’m super happy we were able to score points, especially at [the team’s] home track with a lot of people watching from the factory,” Tsunoda said to Give Me Sport’s George Dagless among the media after the chequered flag at Imola. “The amount of work they’ve done last year and this year has been so huge so to score points I’m super happy for this one.”
‘SUPER Happy For The AlphaTauri Team’;
https://www.givemesport.com/87999559...oints-in-imola
Yuki Tsunoda is repaying Red Bull's faith in F1 2022 - Alex Brundle
F1
Connor McDonagh
28 Apr 2022, 05:31
Tsunoda starred in tricky conditions at Imola as he out-qualified and out-raced highly-rated teammate Pierre Gasly en route to finishing seventh. His race included late overtakes on Kevin Magnussen and Sebastian Vettel as his points haul helped AlphaTauri move ahead of Haas in the constructors’ championship.
Speaking in the latest episode of Crash.net’s F1 podcast, Brundle was impressed by Tsunoda’s rate of improvement since last year. “He’s worked on it, hasn’t he? He’s still full beans in the cockpit,” Brundle said. “The radio message when he made the pass late in the race: ‘Let’s go!’ - it’s something I absolutely love about him and I want to see him succeed.
“I find myself watching him really wanting to see him succeed because he’s a human in the car, you can tell that as opposed to some other drivers that just come across and it’s no detriment to the character, in fact, it’s probably beneficial in the circumstances that they come across as a machine. Yuki definitely doesn’t, it’s something I really like about him. The incidents are fading out aren’t they and they are believing in him and the performances are coming back in.”
‘Still Full Of Beans In The Cockpit’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/100165...1-2022-brundle
AlphaTauri Need to “Fine Tune” Imola Upgrades For Consistent Points – AlphaTauri’s Franz Tost
By Joe McCormick
April 27, 2022
Franz Tost, Team Principal of Scuderia AlphaTauri believes the 2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix saw good progress for the team, with the upgrades that were added to the car. Tost believes that with only a few more minor changes, both Yuki Tsunoda and Pierre Gasly will start scoring points consistently.
Speaking on the successes and failures of the weekend, Tost firstly congratulated AlphaTauri’s sister team on their one-two result on Sunday. “It was a very exciting race today. I would like to congratulate Oracle Red Bull Racing for their well-deserved one-two. Max and Checo controlled the pace for the entire race, they did a really fantastic job.”
“As for us, we also had a successful race. Yuki started in 12th position and after the first lap was already up to 10th. He drove a really strong race, overtaking many cars, to finish in seventh place. Yuki has been competitive immediately, from Friday onwards, so I think he now has a good basis for the upcoming races.”
‘AlphaTauri Fine Tuning’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...is-franz-tost/
Tsunoda P7 rewarded AlphaTauri’s ‘insane’ work
Date published: April 26 2022 - Jon Wilde
The Japanese driver was one of the outstanding performers in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix as he worked his way up five places from his grid position to add some valuable points to both his and the team’s tally.
Although at one point he was at the front of a DRS train, being challenged by Lance Stroll, Tsunoda found extra pace and passed both Kevin Magnussen’s Haas and then Sebastian Vettel in the other Aston Martin – the first of those moves eliciting a cry of “let’s go” from the 21-year-old over the team radio.
It was a rare weekend when Tsunoda outperformed his more experienced team-mate, Pierre Gasly – and he now has four more points than the Frenchman in this year’s championship.
‘Insane Work At AlphaTauri Rewarded’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/yuki-t...i-insane-work/
Tsunoda promises more to come after mighty Imola result
25 April 12:15
Author Tom Leach
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Yuki Tsunoda has climbed above teammate Pierre Gasly in the World Championship standings after an impressive, overtake-packed Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
"To be honest, I didn't expect [this result]. I mean, I didn't try to expect it, because this kind of difficult condition is really hard to predict," he said, speaking to select members of the media, including RacingNews365.com.
"I was just focusing to stay on the track first and just trusting my car's pace, [and] I'm super happy to be able to score points, especially at a home track."
‘Just Focused To Stay On The Track’;
https://racingnews365.com/tsunoda-pr...y-imola-result
Boss wants Alpha Tauri to find 'solution'
26/04/2022, 08:51
By GMM F1
Franz Tost admits Alpha Tauri needs to up its game. The second Red Bull-owned team is just seventh overall in the constructors' standings, but boss Tost says the problem isn't the drivers. "(Pierre) Gasly is on the way to becoming one of the best drivers," the Austrian told Sport1.
"If we give him a suitable car, he can win races. Unfortunately, our car is currently not able to do this. Our engineers have to find a solution." Tost is also happy with Yuki Tsunoda's start to his second year on the grid, with the Japanese actually a few points ahead of Gasly so far.
"He is in his second year and we are very happy with him," he said. "I always say that it takes a driver three years in Formula 1 to fully settle in. There's still a lot of potential that Tsunoda can exploit."
‘Alpha Tauri needs to up its game’;
https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/formula...1.html?newsnow
Tsunoda ‘didn’t expect’ AlphaTauri pace during Imola GP
25th April 2022, 15:47
by Fergal Walsh
Yuki Tsunoda admits he wasn’t expecting to have such a competitive AlphaTauri car underneath him at the Emilia Grand Prix on Sunday. “The car was really good. We didn’t expect it to be that good, especially compared to Australia,” he said.
“We made really good progress through the weekend and I’m happy with what I did today. That was my main goal, that I try to achieve points in front of the people who came from the factory.”
“Also the people watching at the factory, the amount of work they’ve done since the beginning of the season. I’m happy that I said thank you with the driving, and [hopefully] we keep it like this.”
‘Main goal to achieve points, in front of and for the AlphaTauri employees’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/...ring-imola-gp/
