2022 - A Look Ahead

[Fortitude]

Routine race or “chaos” in Catalunya? Leclerc faces stiff competition in Spain.
There are several factors which indicate Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix could be one of the more eventful for many years.
2022 Spanish Grand Prix pre-race analysis
Posted on 21st May 2022, 22:53
Written by Will Wood

The Spanish Grand Prix has a reputation for producing some of the most consistently insipid, unremarkable races of any circuit on the Formula 1 calendar. A combination of long, sustained corners and an awkward chicane leading onto the main straight proved a major hindrance to racing in Formula 1’s heavily aero-sensitive cars affected by dirty air. With drivers so familiar with the course through countless laps in testing, the event has become known as the ‘Noah’s Ark’ race, where the ranking roughly reflects the field’s performance order from the fastest cars at the front to the slowest car occupying the back row.

Abnormally high temperatures across the weekend – even by southern Spain’s standards – mean tyres are going to be punished around the already abrasive and demanding circuit. Drivers are fully aware of the challenge that is awaiting them tomorrow. “I think it’s going to be a chaotic race tomorrow,” Mercedes’ George Russell predicted after qualifying. “There’s going to be a number of stops, I believe, for everybody.”

“Well, [the start] can be important but, on the other hand, also not really,” Verstappen said. “For example, last year I took the lead in the start, I still didn’t win the race. “You need, overall, just good pace during the race. You need good tyre management around here. It’s really hard on tyres with the high-speed cornering. So of course, if there is an opportunity you go for it. If it’s not, you don’t. You just settle and try to wait for the opportunity and hope that of course the package you have tomorrow in the race is competitive enough to fight for the win.”

‘Routine or chaos’;

https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/21/...tion-in-spain/


The battle into Turn 1, and Mercedes back in the mix – What To Watch For in the Spanish GP
21 May 2022
Special contributor
Chris Medland

From the top two in the championship on the front row to the potential for different strategies; and from a clearer picture of Mercedes’ progress to Fernando Alonso with it all to do, we pick out some of the key areas to keep an eye on in Sunday’s Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya…

1. Title rivals into Turn 1
2. The strategy battle between Ferrari and Red Bull
3. Mercedes’ pace
4. Alonso with a mountain to climb
5. Feeling the heat

‘What to watch for’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...7DWYUZepF.html


Spanish GP: Post Qualifying press conference
21/05/2022
NEWS STORY

Today's post-qualifying press conference with Charles Leclerc, Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz.
Grid Interviews - Conducted by Naomi Schiff

Charles, congratulations. Fantastic atmosphere we have here in Barcelona, and you're on pole position here for the first time. How do you feel?
Charles Leclerc: I feel good. It was a very, very difficult session. I mean, especially in Q3 because I did a mistake in the first run of Q3 and then obviously, I only had one lap. But it went extremely well. I had a bit of moments on my lap, but at the end, I made it stick and very, very happy with pole position. It was a it was a very good lap, and the car was amazing, too. So yeah, very happy.

Max, congratulations. It's not the result you would have wanted. We heard that you struggled with some power issues. Did that cost you the pole position today?
Max Verstappen: I mean, it's always difficult to tell. But I couldn't do my final run. Either the DRS didn't open or I just lost power. So it's a bit of a shame but I think, overall, you know, to be on the front row for us here, looking at the whole weekend so far, I think was a good achievement. But of course, I would have liked to go for that final run.

Carlos, the crowd making a lot of noise for you here. Congratulations, third today, in front of your home crowd. How do you feel?
Carlos Sainz: Yeah, it's been a tough weekend so far. The conditions haven't been the easiest with the heat. with a wind. But today we managed to put a decent lap that allows us to fight from there tomorrow. I think the key will be the start, the tyre management, see if we can get a good start and go from there. But it's a decent position to start.

‘Post Qualifying press conference’;

https://www.pitpass.com/72553/Spanis...ess-conference


Russell says Mercedes ‘could have been third’ on grid with updated car
2022 Spanish Grand Prix
Posted on 21st May 2022, 18:49
Written by Will Wood and Claire Cottingham

George Russell says that Mercedes secured their “best result we’ve had as a team” after securing fourth on the grid for the Spanish Grand Prix. Russell hailed the team’s best performance of the year, but claimed it was achieved despite not optimising their soft tyre temperatures throughout the lap.

“I think obviously it’s all based on results and that was the best result we’ve had as a team all season,” Russell said. “I think it offers optimism because, to be honest, I think we didn’t have the tyres in the right window whatsoever. It was always quickest in sector one and we were always struggling in sector three and we just couldn’t find that right balance to be honest.”

Starting from the second row on the grid, Russell believes Mercedes are likely to be even stronger on Sunday compared to Saturday.

‘Optimization’;

https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/21/...h-updated-car/


Mercedes: Until it’s mathematically over, it’s not over
22 May, 2022
Reuters

Mercedes are bullish after their improvement at the 2022 Spanish Grand Prix weekend, and insist their Title defense is not over yet, not until it’s mathematically over. Mercedes have not given up on defending their Formula 1 Constructors’ Title despite a difficult start to the season, the team’s technical director Mike Elliott said on Saturday.

The team, who have won the last eight World Championships, are third overall after five races and 63 points adrift of leaders Ferrari, with Red Bull second and 57 points ahead of Mercedes. “Of course. We wouldn’t be here otherwise,” Elliott said when asked at the Spanish Grand Prix whether Mercedes believed they could still win the 2022 championship.

“Until it’s mathematically over, it’s not over. We’re not a huge distance behind. If we can get the car to a position where we’re competitive and hopefully out in front then there’s every chance.”

‘Mathematically not over’;

https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/05...-its-not-over/


Mercedes gained “a chunk of downforce” from Spanish GP update
2022 Spanish Grand Prix
Posted on 21st May 2022, 13:16
Written by Keith Collantine

The team brought a package of changes largely focused on the car’s floor this weekend. The W13 appeared to porpoise much less than before in Friday practice, where Lewis Hamilton and George Russell posted competitive lap times.

The team brought a package of changes largely focused on the car’s floor this weekend. The W13 appeared to porpoise much less than before in Friday practice, where Lewis Hamilton and George Russell posted competitive lap times. The pair praised the improvements made by their team after the session. “I’m glad they’re confident,” said the team’s technical director Mike Elliott.

Elliott said the team is still evaluating which is the better concept for their car. “It’s still a little bit too early to say. “I think we’ve changed the car so much for this weekend we need to work out how we get the best out of it. We need to work out what more lap time there is in that and then do the assessment as to whether we think overall this is a better direction to develop in.”

‘Gaining a chunk of downforce’;

https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/21/...ish-gp-update/

[Fortitude]

Spanish Grand Prix: Verstappen wins despite error, pain for Leclerc.
In the end, it is an emphatic Red Bull one-two at the Barcelona venue where a precocious young Max won his first Grand Prix in 2016, in 2022 history repeats itself for an equally important victory his second in Spain.
22 May, 2022
Paul Velasco

Despite an off-track excursion, Max Verstappen won a drama-packed 2022 Spanish Grand Prix that will go down as one of the most entertaining seen in Barcelona in a long time, while his title rival Charles Leclerc did not finish the race.

The 19 points lead Leclerc before Spain, has vanished as the reigning F1 World Champion now leads the drivers’ standings after round six on 110 points by six points. Red Bull overcame Ferrari in the F1 constructors’ championship and now lead by 26 points. What a race! Where to start?

Hamilton simply gobbled Sainz’s Ferrari with the end in sight to take P4. Until, with a couple of laps to go they got marginal on fuel, giving the local hero fourth. Whatever the case, Mercedes are by far the most improved package seen in Barcelona this weekend. The amount of race pace they found since Miami has been impressive, the W13 is now drivable, finally.

‘Emphatic Red Bull one-two’;

https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/05...n-for-leclerc/


Race Results – 2022 Spanish Grand Prix
Barcelona, Spain
22nd May 2022
by Emer Hedderman

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing – 66 laps
2. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +13.072
3. George Russell Mercedes +32.927
4. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +45.208
5. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +54.534
6. Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo +59.976
7. Esteban Ocon Alpine +75.397
8. Lando Norris McLaren +83.235
9. Fernando Alonso Alpine +1 lap
10. Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri +1 lap

The complete results from the 2022 F1 World Championship race around the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

https://formulaspy.com/f1/race-resul...and-prix-79106


“We can’t afford this to happen too many times” says Leclerc after retiring from lead
2022 Spanish Grand Prix
Posted on 22nd May 2022, 15:58
Written by Keith Collantine

The Ferrari driver led the race from pole position until a suspected power unit problem put him out shortly before half-distance.

“I don’t know anything more than what happened, basically,” Leclerc told Sky while the race continued. “I had no indication before and it just broke and then lost the power completely. It’s a shame.”

Despite the retirement, which cost him the lead of the championship to eventual winner Max Verstappen, Leclerc said Ferrari can be satisfied by the performance of their car. “In those moments I believe that there’s nothing else I can do apart from looking at the positives,” he said. “And there are plenty this weekend.

‘Can’t afford more repeats of failure’;

https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/22/...ing-from-lead/


Charles Leclerc: 'Disappointed' with DNF but 'plenty of positives' from Spanish GP
22 May 2022
Formula 1.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc laments the power unit issue that saw the Monegasque driver retire from the race lead at the Spanish Grand Prix, admitting that it "hurts" to lose so many points to their rivals.

‘Plenty of positives’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...913976255.html


What happened to Charles Leclerc? How race leader’s Ferrari ‘lost power’ to limp out of Spanish Grand Prix
Leclerc was in P1 when his power suddenly failed and he was forced to pull out
May 22, 2022 3:13 pm
By Katherine Lucas

Charles Leclerc was forced to retire while leading the 2022 Spanish Grand Prix as a power failure derailed the Ferrari driver’s hopes of extending his lead at the top of the championship.

Leclerc had finished no lower than second in all but one race this season but he had to be consoled by team principal Mattia Binotto after becoming the first to withdraw in Catalonia. “No, no!” Leclerc said. “What’s happened? I’ve got no power!”

The 24-year-old was not the only driver to be plagued by problems in the baking Barcelona heat, Max Verstappen left furious at issues with his Drag Reduction System as it repeatedly opened and closed.

‘Losing power, limping out’;

https://inews.co.uk/sport/formula-on...19?ITO=newsnow


Hamilton asks to retire after Spanish GP lap-one Magnussen 'ramping' incident
Sunday 22 May 2022 14:18
Sam Hall

Lewis Hamilton asked to retire after being involved in a lap-one incident at the Spanish Grand Prix that relegated both drivers to the back of the pack.

After both Hamilton and Magnussen were forced to pit, the Mercedes driver informed his team: "I would save this engine guys if I was you. Sorry" Not ready to give up on the race, engineer Peter Bonnington replied: Lewis, we still feel we can achieve points here today. P8 maybe better."

The incident was quickly looked at by the stewards for causing a collision although they felt no investigation was necessary despite Magnussen's comments as the Haas driver said: "Lewis knew what he was doing. He ramped me."

‘lap-one Magnussen 'ramping' incident’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/83...ping-incident/

[Fortitude]

Hamilton suggested retiring because he thought points finish was “impossible”.
Lewis Hamilton suggested his Mercedes team retire him from the Spanish Grand Prix because he thought he had no chance of finishing in the points after suffering a puncture on the first lap.
2022 Spanish Grand Prix
Posted on 22nd May 2022, 17:36
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham

“Obviously I was hoping for a smoother race without the issue at the beginning,” he said in response to a question from RaceFans. “I was 30 seconds, at one stage, behind last.

“I was 30 seconds behind so I’m like, if I’m going to use the whole engine to drive around in last or out of the top 15 and at some point we might have to take a penalty or something like that,” he explained. “I don’t know if reliability is an issue, we’ve already seen today at the end there was something. But I was like, we might as well just save the engine so we live to fight another day.”

“But I’m glad we didn’t and it just shows that you never stop and never give up and that’s what I did.”

‘Impossible points, possible’;

https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/22/...as-impossible/


Hamilton “looked like he had a world championship-winning car” in Spain
2022 Spanish Grand Prix
Posted on 22nd May 2022, 17:56
Written by Hazel Southwell

After his experience in Jeddah, where he started 15th and only finished 10th, Hamilton feared he would be unable to score points again in Spain, and suggested it might be better to save the engine. Wolff said his climb into the points was a morale-boosting result.

Team Principal Toto Wolff: “The dynamic between the driver and team is something that is so important that it’s clear,” he said. “Having an accident at the early stage of the race and you’re saying to yourself, ‘not again’ and you’re not featuring because I think he was 38 seconds or so behind the last cars after his stop and that’s basically game over.

“That looked like a world championship-winning race car that he was driving, that would have not been possible in the previous races. That reminded me of last year and the years before when our car is really on the top of its game. And the driver.”

‘World Championship winning W13’;

https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/22/...-car-in-spain/


Norris showed “great fighting spirit” to take eighth despite tonsillitis – Seidl
2022 Spanish Grand Prix
Posted on 22nd May 2022, 17:46
Written by Will Wood and Claire Cottingham

McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl praised Lando Norris’s “fighting spirit” after he finished eighth in the Spanish Grand Prix while suffering the effects of tonsillitis.

Norris had been dealing with the physical effects of the illness all weekend, Seidl revealed after the race. The McLaren driver felt so ill prior to the start of the race he missed the podium ceremony while being attended to.

Despite feeling so unwell, Norris drove a strong race to finish eighth and claim four points at the chequered flag. Seidl praised his driver’s efforts to claim a points finish despite his illness and the intense heat.

‘Great Fighting Spirit’;

https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/22/...illitis-seidl/


Perez ruffled by 'unfair' Red Bull team order in Spanish GP
22/05/2022 at 17:09
Phillip van Osten

A frustrated Sergio Perez will seek clarity from Red Bull on why the team ordered him to stand down while in the lead in the closing stages of the Spanish GP and not fight teammate Max Verstappen.

The Mexican driver was leading the race with 18 laps to go when the Red Bull pitwall told him not to defend his leading position against Verstappen.

"I'm happy for the team, but we need to speak later," Perez told his crew on the cool-down lap. "I think it was close," he said after the race, adopting a diplomatic stance. "But at the end it is a great team result. I'm happy for that."

Adopting a diplomatic stance’;

https://f1i.com/news/442133-perez-ru...panish-gp.html


Stroll hopes Aston Martin ‘missed something’ after radical upgrades seem ineffective
Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll will start the Spanish Grand Prix down in P16 and P18 respectively after a disappointing qualifying.
by Rob Kershaw
22 May 202222 May 2022

Lance Stroll hopes his Aston Martin team can get to the bottom of why their upgrades proved so ineffective during qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix.

Stroll and team-mate Sebastian Vettel have managed just six points between them heading into the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend, and they introduced a B-spec car in a bid to improve their fortunes.

When the car appeared in the pit lane on Thursday though, it was immediately noticed that their sidepods looked incredibly similar to those of Red Bull, and team principal Christian Horner warned that the Silverstone team have committed a “criminal offence” if it transpires that they took intellectual property from his side.

‘Missed something in the upgrades’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/stroll-ho...m-ineffective/


Carlos Sainz reveals damage after Spanish GP spin
Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc both endured a miserable day at the Spanish Grand Prix as Red Bull claimed a one-two.
22 May 2022
by Rob Kershaw

Carlos Sainz has confirmed that a “gust of wind” caused him to lose the rear of his Ferrari going into Turn Four in Spain, and the trip through the gravel cause significant damage to his car.

Eventually, the 27-year-old was able to recover and beat Sir Lewis Hamilton to fourth, but his eventful day coupled with a reliability failure for team-mate Charles Leclerc made for a difficult day for Ferrari.

“[It was a] long, tough race for us,” Sainz told Sky Sports. “After the gust of wind and the spin I tried to recover but the car was not the same after that. I picked up quite a lot of damage and I was sliding all around trying to get back into the podium, but in the end [I finished] fourth.”

‘Gust of wind’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/carlos-sa...anish-gp-spin/


Yuki Tsunoda: Hard day but 'happy with what we've done' at Spanish GP
22 May 2022
Formula 1.

AlphaTauri's Yuki Tsunoda expresses happiness but tiredness after a "really tough race" at the 2022 Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.

‘Hard day, but happy’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...401979176.html

[Fortitude]

Formula One: Ferrari rush failed engine back to Italy as distraught Charles Leclerc tries to stay positive.
Leclerc was trying to keep a brave face as he looked for an instant fix with his home race in Monte Carlo looming this weekend.
10:02, May 23 2022
Stuff sports reporters

Ferrari are rushing Charles Leclerc’s failed power unit back to Italy for investigations after the distraught driver was forced out of the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.

It remains to be seen if the engine will be able to be kept in Leclerc’s pool for the season. Only three engines are permitted for the season, and losing an engine at this early stage of the championship could trigger engine grid penalties for Leclerc as the year progresses.

Binotto said there as still plenty to play out this season and tried to play down any concerns as Verstappen scored his third win in a row and Red Bull Racing began to look ominous after their own early struggles when Ferrari’s strong start included Leclerc winning two of the first three races. “I think that the season is still very, very long, and it’s only six races,” Binotto said.

‘Ferrari rush failed engine back to Italy’;

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/motors...-stay-positive


Ferrari begin investigation into Leclerc engine failure
Date published: May 22 2022
Editor

Ferrari will send Charles Leclerc’s failed power unit back to Maranello for extensive investigations after the Monegasque retired from the Spanish Grand Prix. Asked whether there’s been any indication as to what the problem was, Binotto said it’s unclear at this point.

“No, not yet,” he told Sky Sports F1. “Obviously, there’s been a sudden power unit issue. Certainly a serious reliability issue, but the power unit will be [sent] back to Maranello, [it] will travel during the night and, tomorrow morning, we’ll disassemble it.”

But Binotto denied that there’s any concerns creeping in at the Scuderia. “I think that the season is still very, very long and it’s only six races,” he explained.

‘Ferrari PU night travel, disassembled Monday morning’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrar...ngine-failure/


Ferrari: No explanation yet for Leclerc's 'sudden issue'
22/05/2022 at 19:16
Michael Delaney

Leclerc reckoned that the update gains delivered to the Scuderia's F1-75 in Barcelona, including improvements in the car's tyre wear, would have allowed him to hold his own at the front of the field against Red Bull's duo of Verstappen and Perez.

On lap 27 of 66, Leclerc suffered a sudden loss of power that surprised the Monegasque as much as it did his team, as telemetry data had indicated no warning of a developing problem. "It was a sudden issue," said Scuderia boss Mattia Binotto. "I think we learned it first from Charles, first going on to the radio, and then from the engineers looking at the data. So it was really sudden.

"With the laps I had done, honestly, everything was going really, really well," said Leclerc. "I think it would have been difficult for them to catch back because obviously there was already quite a bit of a gap, and we had a very good degradation also on the soft tyre. "We could do quite a few more laps compared to them. So yeah, overall, I think we had the race under control."

‘Sudden Issue, Really Sudden’;

https://f1i.com/news/442269-ferrari-...den-issue.html


Ferrari rescued its weekend then lost anyway
The Race 23/05/2022, 06:39
Mark Hughes:

It was another Max Verstappen Red Bull victory – but not a dominant one like the last two. The Spanish Grand Prix was a win inherited from Charles Leclerc’s power unit failure when the Ferrari was leading by over 12s.

Prior to either the Ferrari power unit failure or the Verstappen spin, it was looking an extremely closely-matched contest between the red car and the blue and it would be difficult to call how it might have played out in the extreme tyre-melting heat of a Spanish heatwave.

Verstappen leads this year’s championship for the first time, Ferrari can at least take solace that it was well on the way to victory before the engine died. But perhaps the most significant news is that Mercedes looks on the way back – and is sure there’s lot more to come.

‘Ferrari rescue, then lost’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/mark-...n-lost-anyway/


Podcast: Ferrari agony, Red Bull angst and Mercedes progress
May 23 2022, 06:49
The Race

Max Verstappen and Red Bull lead the 2022 Formula 1 world championships for the first time after winning the Spanish Grand Prix.

Edd Straw, Scott Mitchell and Mark Hughes debate every aspect of the Spanish GP and answer questions from The Race Members’ Club in The Race F1 Podcast.

Carlos Sainz’s continued troubles, whether Sergio Perez was justified in his apparent irritation over Red Bull team orders and Mercedes’ progress and a big change in tone from Lewis Hamilton are among the topics tackled.

‘Agony, Angst, Progress’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/podca...edes-progress/


Ferrari frazzled in Barcelona heat, as Verstappen takes F1 title lead: 2022 Spanish GP report
F1
May 22nd 2022
Author Chris Medland

Charles Leclerc’s stunning pole position lap had left him with the early advantage, and his decision to save a set of new soft tyres for the start of the race proved a smart one. Only Lewis Hamilton in fifth started on mediums, with the rest of the field committing to at least two stops by starting on softs.

With Leclerc opening up a 14-second lead only to suddenly lose power out of Turn 9 and be forced into retirement, watching what had seemed a certain victory slip through his fingers. “Everything was going really, really well, so I think it would have been difficult for them to catch back up because there was already quite a bit of a gap and we had very good degradation,”

Leclerc said. “On the soft tyre we could do quite a few more laps compared to them. So overall I think we had this race under control.” Suddenly the race was there for Red Bull’s taking if it could clear Russell, who was proving a worthy adversary.

‘Ferrari Frazzled’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a...ish-gp-report#


Sainz reveals what held him back in Spanish GP recovery drive
23/05/2022, ‎19‎:‎40
Author Luke Murphy

Carlos Sainz was left frustrated by a fourth-place finish at his home event in Spain, despite recovering from errors at the start of the race. The Ferrari driver's podium chances were dealt a blow after a poor start and a spin at Turn 4 in the opening stages sent him out of the points positions.

Despite the off, Sainz was able to recover to fourth place and pick up valuable points on a disappointing day for Ferrari. Speaking after the race, Sainz explained that car damage sustained in the spin hampered his recovery.

"It was a long, tough race for us," Sainz told Sky Sports F1. "After the gust of wind and the spin, I tried to recover, but the car was not the same after that. I picked up quite a lot of damage, and I was sliding all around trying to get back onto the podium.”

‘Gust of wind, spin, recover to fourth’;

https://racingnews365.com/sainz-reve...recovery-drive


Sainz admits risk of ‘favouritism’ at Ferrari as Leclerc looks to become number 1 driver
Carlos Sainz is fifth in the Drivers' Championship after the first five rounds of the season, with team-mate Charles Leclerc leading the way.
22 May 2022
by Rob Kershaw

Carlos Sainz has conceded that his adaptation to the F1-75 under the new technical regulations has been a difficult one, but maintained that there is no lead driver at Ferrari. Sainz has been out-qualified and out-raced by Charles Leclerc in all five races so far in 2022, and his campaign has not been helped by major mistakes in Australia, Imola and Miami.

There has been plenty of speculation, however, that the Scuderia will eventually begin to prioritise the 24-year-old given that he now leads his team-mate by 51 points having won two races.

“In the past I have adapted well to all the cars, but this one is costing me a lot. It is more difficult than expected,” he told La Marca, quoted by grandprix.com. “It’s just part of a driver’s career – some cars that go very well for you and others that are more difficult. It’s not much, not much at all, but that little bit hurts because it’s what doesn’t allow me to get pole positions and victories so far.”

‘No lead driver at Ferrari’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/sainz-adm...mber-1-driver/

[Fortitude]

Perez team orders anger understandable says Marko.
"It's totally understandable that he doesn't say right away 'I'll wave my teammates past'. That way, he wouldn't be a real racing driver," Marko said.
MAY 23, 2022

Red Bull top official Dr Helmut Marko said the team orders were only made because both Verstappen and Perez were on "two different strategies". "It was clear that Checo couldn't have finished with his set of tyres," he told ORF. "And with that it was very clear that Max was the faster one.

"But I can understand that he was upset - he saw victory in front of his eyes. Sergio didn't understand that at the time but it was the best and safest option for us to get that one-two," Marko added.

Some believe Marko immediately consoled Perez by informing the 32-year-old that the 2023 contract he is lobbying for will indeed be offered.

‘Anger understandable’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/perez...ays-marko.html


Perez: Red Bull said they would reverse first position swap with Verstappen
2022 Spanish Grand Prix
Posted on 22nd May 2022, 19:0223rd May 2022, 10:45
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham

Sergio Perez says Red Bull told him he would get his place back after letting Max Verstappen overtake him early in the Spanish Grand Prix. It proved to be the first of two occasions on which Perez was instructed to let Verstappen overtake him.

“On the first stint when I let Max by I was told that I was going to get it back and we knew we were on different strategies,” Perez said after the race. After Perez made several attempts to pass Russell, his race engineer Hugh Bird told him: “Okay Checo let Max have a shot. Let him through before four.” Perez asked for “one more lap” but was told: “Let’s give him a shot now. We’ll pay it back later.”

Verstappen was unable to pass Russell at first due to an intermittent problem with his DRS. Red Bull therefore moved him onto a three-stop strategy while Perez, who was later able to pass Russell, pitted twice. That put Perez back in front of Verstappen, who closed rapidly after his third pit stop. Perez was again told to give up the lead of the race to Verstappen, who went on to win.

‘We’ll pay back later’;

https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/22/...th-verstappen/


Perez reveals broken Red Bull promise
Monday 23 May 2022 06:00
Ewan Gale

After Verstappen had switched to a three-stop strategy and Perez had taken the lead after Charles Leclerc's Ferrari retired, the two-time race winner was ordered not to put up a fight against his team-mate, an order he described as "very unfair".

Speaking post-race, Perez said: "I think what was clear was that the three-stop was a better race, race time, and the various strategies, so I think if I went in that direction, I would have won the race. "And it worked out for Max. I think that was something we discussed. It was good because we didn't know at the time which strategy was going to be the best one."

But revealing he was told the places would be reversed at the first swap, Perez added: "I only felt that in the first stint, when I gave the position to Max, that I was told that I was going to get it back.

‘Red Bull broken promise’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/83...-bull-promise/


Diplomatic but disgruntled Perez sent Red Bull a warning
23/05/2022, 13:57
By Matt Beer

Was this going to be the moment Sergio Perez stopped being a dutiful Red Bull number two? The tone of voice in his post-race “I’m happy for the team. But we need to speak later” radio message, and even the slight but weighty pause before the ‘but’, hinted that the 2022 Spanish Grand Prix would be where Perez joined the long list of Formula 1 ‘wingmen’ who felt too much had been asked of them.

But the lingering niggle that had prompted Perez’s “that’s really unfair, but OK” reply when asked to let Verstappen through for the second time in the race was still present every time he repeated variations of “we just have to discuss a few things internally”. And that’s something we haven’t seen from Perez before.

“To me what’s most interesting is not really whether Perez had a case or not – because drivers always think that they’ve got the wrong end of these situations with team orders and strategies – but it’s interesting that he’s actually sort of pushed back on it,” said Scott Mitchell on The Race F1 Podcast.

‘A warning’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/diplo...ull-a-warning/

Horner reveals post-race chat with Perez over team orders drama
23/05/2022, ‎07‎:‎00
Author Mike Seymour
Co-author Dieter Rencken

Horner revealed a post-race conversation that gave the Mexican some extra insight. "I spoke with him when he got out of the car," began Horner, speaking to media, including RacingNews365.com.

"The problem for any driver is that they don't have a clear overview of the strategy or a race plot in front of them. "It's always going to be emotive to give up a lead, but he played very much the team game.”

"I think he understood clearly it wasn't a like-for-like fight, because the pace delta between the strategies was so great."

‘Post-race chat’;

https://racingnews365.com/horner-rev...m-orders-drama


Perez elaborates on ‘frustration’ after moving aside for Max
Date published: May 23 2022 - Editor

Red Bull’s Sergio Perez has said he wants to have internal discussions with his team for clarity, after moving aside for Max Verstappen early in the race.

The Mexican said he plans to sit down to have a chat with his team as a result.

“It’s a bit frustrating from my side at the moment but, at the end of the day, it’s a great team result,” he said, on a weekend where he wasn’t given the same weight-saving updates as Verstappen.

‘Weight-saving updates unavailable for Sergio Perez’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/sergio...n-team-orders/


Kravitz tells Perez: That’s the real world of the No.2 driver
Date published: May 23 2022 - Michelle Foster

Unhappy at being told to move over for Max Verstappen, Ted Kravitz says Sergio Perez is probably the “last person on God’s green earth” who doesn’t know he’s Red Bull’s number two driver. That Perez doesn’t realise he is Red Bull’s number two was a surprise for Sky Sports F1 reporter Kravitz.

He said in his post-race notebook: “Perez, they wouldn’t let him pass Max Verstappen to try and get George Russell, and Perez proved that he was able to get George Russell by in fact getting George Russell when Max Verstappen had his spin, so Perez was right on that one. “And then Perez not happy in the end about being treated essentially as a number two driver, but it’s the real world isn’t it Checo?”

“And while it may say something Checo in your contract, then I think everyone else knows and [it] was clearly demonstrated today that there is only one number one in that Red Bull garage, and it’s not the one with one one [11] on his car, it’s the one with one on its car.”

‘The real world according to Ted’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ted-kr...rez-no2-spain/


Red Bull need to ‘get on top of’ Max’s ‘road rage’
Date published: May 23 2022 - Michelle Foster

A mistake at Turn 4 as a gust of wind caught him out meant he dropped behind George Russell, but recovering to P2 was not an easy task as his DRS, which cost him a shot at pole position on Saturday, was only working intermittently.

Verstappen was furious, raging over the radio: “We can’t even make the f***ing DRS work, unbelievable!”

With the DRS working and then not working for a few laps, Red Bull also pointed out to their reigning World Champion that he was also opening and then closing it himself.
He told them that’s what happens when he has to press it “50 times” to try get it to work.

‘F***ing DRS, press it “50 times”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/red-bu...pen-road-rage/

[Fortitude]

Lewis Hamilton comments show Mercedes are not dead yet.
They couldn’t, could they? Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff’s comments after the Spanish Grand Prix show Mercedes are not dead yet, at least not according to them.
May 23, 2022
by Rudi Kinsella

Mercedes had a wild race on Sunday, with George Russell placing in third place, while Hamilton managed to finish in fifth. Hamilton was in last place after an unfortunate incident just seconds into the race, but he ended up finishing fifth thanks to an excellent effort throughout the race.

Lewis Hamilton on Mercedes’ F1 chances. Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: “We’ve made a lot of improvements with the car. “The race pace is much, much better… the car is much nicer in the race. This is a great sign we’re going in the right direction. Without [my start], I would have been fighting the Red Bulls. That gives me great hope that at some stage we’ll be fighting for the win.”

Meanwhile, Mercedes team boss Wolff went a step further and said that he has reasons to believe Mercedes can win it all. “Can we fight for a world championship? You bet we can,” added Wolff. “We have reasons to believe we can get there.”

‘Not Dead Yet’;

https://punditarena.com/other-sports...ewis-hamilton/


This is why Hamilton was 30kph faster than Leclerc in Barcelona
Sir Lewis Hamilton topped the speed trap in both qualifying and the race at the Spanish Grand Prix last weekend.
23 May 2022
by James Clifford

Sir Lewis Hamilton was significantly clear of the pace of Charles Leclerc during the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday, but why was that? Partly, it is to do with setup. There is less disparity between the four engine manufacturers – Mercedes, Ferrari, Honda and Renault – this season due to the new technical regulations that were intended to close the pack up and create an environment in which more teams could succeed.

It puts a lot more emphasis on the design of the chassis, which is something that Red Bull designer Adrian Newey tends to thrive on, and making the car quick in the corners and indeed in a straight line now becomes more about having a good design than it was previously.

This season, Mercedes have looked very good in slow corners and long straights, meaning that they have good acceleration and traction out of corners as well as a good car in a straight line.

‘Qualifying and Race Speed Trap, Mercedes Top’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/this-is-w...-in-barcelona/


Hill warns title rivals that Mercedes are back in business
Date published: May 23 2022
Sam Cooper

Damon Hill has warned Red Bull and Ferrari that Mercedes are back in the title fight after an encouraging performance in the Spanish Grand Prix. After a tumultuous start to the season, Mercedes seemed to have turned their season around with a podium for George Russell and a tremendous drive from Lewis Hamilton that saw him rise from the near the back of the grid to P5 following an opening-lap collision with Kevin Magnussen.

The message coming from 1996 World Champion Hill who warned the two teams up front that Mercedes were not to be counted out. “It’s the Hamilton emotional rollercoaster isn’t it,” he said of the seven-time World Champion’s drive. It’s just amazing how he just thinks ‘oh no it’s no good’. But that was a stunning performance and it was a champion’s drive right through from nowhere. They gave him the equipment to do it as well. I thought it was stunning.”

George Russell: “I think we have probably halved the gap to those front runners, compared to the rest of the season. And I think we know there’s probably more performance to find. It’s been a season of problem solving as opposed to trying to find more performance and bring more performance to the car. And I think we’ve now finally solved our issue. And we can now focus on bringing more performance. So yeah, we’re six races behind but there’s no reason why we can’t claw this back.”

‘Back In Business’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/damon-...-bull-ferrari/


Wolff excited about the future for Hamilton and Mercedes
Sunday, May 22, 2022

MERCEDES boss Toto Wolff believes Lewis Hamilton’s new car could fire him into world championship contention. Hamilton delivered his best performance of the season at Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix after fighting back from an opening-lap collision with Kevin Magnussen to finish fifth.

With 416 points still on the table and Mercedes suddenly back in the groove, Wolff is hopeful Hamilton can get back into the title hunt. “That looked like a world championship-winning race car that Lewis was driving,” said Wolff.

“His race pace was stunning and [without the first-lap incident] he would have challenged for the win. It reminded me of last year and the years before, when a car and driver are really on the top of their game. The race was so important for his morale and our morale, too.”

‘416 points still on the table’;

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/arti...n-and-mercedes


Mercedes are 'back in the game', concedes Christian Horner.
Horner insisted Max Verstappen is far from unbeatable with Ferrari just as quick as Red Bull and Mercedes closing fast
23 May 2022 • 2:35pm
By Tom Cary, SENIOR SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says Mercedes are “back in the game” as far as this year’s championship is concerned, predicting it will now be a three-way battle for the title.

“I think Mercedes have certainly made a step forward,” Horner said. “We still beat them by however many seconds it was today [Russell finished 32 seconds behind Verstappen]. And both of our cars managed to pass the lead Mercedes today. But for sure, I think I’ve said all season it’s only a matter of time that they join that battle. They’ve made a big step towards that by the looks of things.”

Team principal Toto Wolff claimed on Sunday that he had “low expectations” for the famously low-speed street circuit, given Mercedes’s struggles in Barcelona’s similar slow speed sector 3. But Mercedes’ trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin has now revealed the team have further upgrades “in the pipeline” which could help them in the Principality.

‘Monaco: Further Upgrades’;

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/formula-...istian-horner/


‘Bono is a good babysitter’: Hamilton ridiculed after asking Mercedes to give up
Sir Lewis Hamilton has faced backlash on social media following the Spanish Grand Prix after asking to retire from the race.
23 May 2022
by Nick Golding

The Mercedes driver was ridiculed on social media by viewers for asking to retire from the race. “Bono is a good babysitter,” one Twitter user posted, referring to Bonnington calming Hamilton down and informing him that not all was lost.

Fans were left surprised that Hamilton asked to retire, despite being well-known for saying “I don’t give up”.

“But why, he keeps saying… I don’t give up. He wanted to retire the car at lap 1 in P19,” another commented. “That’s something I didn’t expect from him about retiring his car, not from a champion, and certainly not from 7-time champion, the car was still fine, it was just a puncture, or else he wouldn’t have finished 5th for sure,” a third posted.

‘Social Media Backlash’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/bono-is-a...es-to-give-up/


Lewis Hamilton silenced critics with stunning recovery drive to fifth from 19th, only the wind can stop Max Verstappen and Ferrari's season is in danger of unravelling after Charles Leclerc DNF...
Catalunya also saw Mercedes hit back, with Lewis Hamilton starring again.
Published: 20:00, 23 May 2022
By Dan Ripley for MailOnline

Lewis Hamilton can still produce the unthinkable. Luck has not been with Lewis Hamilton this season and it certainly wasn't with him again at the Spanish Grand Prix. Qualifying sixth, the Brit made a decent enough start at Catalunya, before he was tagged on the opening lap by Kevin Magnussen's Haas.

While the seven-time champion managed to initially maintain his position on the track, the collision led to him picking up a left front puncture, forcing him to tour most of the lap slowly before pitting. The lost time saw him not just drop to 19th, only ahead of Magnussen who had taken to the gravel after their collision, but well off the tail of the pack as he put on a new set of tyres.

Having then complained to the team that it was pointless carrying on, his team insisted for him to continue as there was still a chance of minor points for eighth. But what followed was one of arguably the Brit's best drives.

‘The Unthinkable’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...ery-drive.html

[Fortitude]

F1 wants Monaco Grand Prix to modernise or face the axe over its narrow track and cramped pits.
F1 believes the Monaco Grand Prix must accept change or face losing its place on the calendar.
May 24, 2022 6:08 pm
By Kevin Garside
Chief Sports Correspondent

With the iconic grand prix’s contract coming to an end, F1 owners Liberty Media want Monaco to make overtaking easier, renovate its pit complex and overhaul broadcasting and sponsor arrangements

At the height of Michael Schumacher’s record-breaking career, a point that coincided with the great expansion of F1 across new territories, the sport’s modern architect Bernie Ecclestone maintained three elements were sacred, Schumi himself, the team for which he raced, Ferrari, and Monaco.

That was at the turn of the century. This is the era of fake marinas in Miami, of manufactured controversy on Netflix. Las Vegas promises to bend convention further out of shape. Max Verstappen is arguably the new Schumi, Ferrari remain central, but Monaco, with its anachronistic circuit where none can overtake, complete with claustrophobic pits and paddock, is no longer untouchable in the eyes of F1’s American owners Liberty Media.

‘Monaco Sacred with Bernie Ecclestone’;

https://inews.co.uk/sport/formula-on...33?ITO=newsnow


Monaco Grand Prix: Should F1's traditional jewel be replaced?
Wednesday 25 May 2022 06:00
Ewan Gale

F1 returns to Monaco for the traditional jewel in the crown of the calendar after weeks of speculation regarding the future of the event.

The sport's advances into America with Miami's blockbuster debut providing an insight into a new direction of interest, as well as a statement race in Las Vegas next year have led to questions as to whether Monaco deserves its place on the schedule.

‘Questions!’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/83...l-be-replaced/


F1 bosses and Monaco in talks as iconic Grand Prix at real risk of being axed
THE MONACO GRAND PRIX has been a staple on the F1 calendar since 1954.
06:41, Wed, May 25, 2022
By STUART BALLARD

ACM president Michel Boeri offered a "guarantee" last month that Monaco will continue to hold its place on the F1 calendar moving forward. But F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali has already warned that historic circuits aren't assured of keeping their race weekend.

Negotiations are ongoing with no final outcome decided for Monaco's place on next year's calendar. While fans often complain about the lack of overtaking opportunities there, drivers still see the Monaco Grand Prix as a flagship race.

Only Monza has held more Grands Prix than Monaco and not having F1's blue riband event would undoubtedly cause mixed reaction. But it appears as though the Monaco Grand Prix is at real risk of being axed from the calendar.

‘Monaco GP Blue Riband Event’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...li-Formula-One


Monaco GP: Mick Schumacher calls for 'historic' race to remain on F1 calendar
Published: 24 May 2022, 17:59
By George Dagless

Mick Schumacher has said that it would be a shame to lose the ‘historic’ Monaco Grand Prix from the Formula 1 calendar, with him comparing it to the status of the Indy 500 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

This weekend the F1 paddock heads to Monte-Carlo for one of the most iconic events in all of sport; the Monaco Grand Prix. It’s arguably the most recognisable race of the year given the unique, glamorous setting but, perhaps for the first time in its history, it is facing question marks over its future on the F1 calendar.

Ultimately, though, it remains one of the best examinations of a driver and their skills behind the wheel as one mistake spells catastrophe, and that surely still has a place at the pinnacle of motorsport.

‘Best Examination of Driver Skill’;

https://www.givemesport.com/88012436...on-f1-calendar


Are Mercedes back in the fight? Five talking points for the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix
2022 Monaco Grand Prix
Posted on 25th May 2022 22:27
Written by Will Wood

Are Mercedes truly back in the fight? When Russell joined seven-time world champion Hamilton at Mercedes, few would have predicted that Russell would finish ahead of Hamilton in five consecutive races from their first six starts together. But with an impressive drive to third last weekend, that is exactly what Russell has achieved – albeit with some fortunate Safety Car interventions along the way.

Russell’s battle against the Red Bulls and ability to out-qualify and out-race the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz Jnr may have been promising enough for Mercedes’ heavily upgraded W13 in Barcelona, but Hamilton’s race pace during his recovery from 19th at the end of the opening lap will have done wonders for morale back in Brackley. Only a late water leak stopped Hamilton from crossing the line one place behind his team mate in fourth.

While Mercedes’ gains may not be enough to immediately propel them back into contention for race victories just yet, they may mark an important first step towards them playing a much larger part in the action at the front of the field. If Russell and Hamilton can be in the mix with Ferrari and Red Bull this weekend, then Mercedes may have truly turned a corner with their new upgrade package.

‘Five talking points’;

https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/25/...co-grand-prix/

[Fortitude]

CHARLES LECLERC MUST OVERCOME HIS MONACO GP CURSE TO REIGNITE ANY F1 TITLE BID.
CHARLES LECLERC MONACO CURSE. Charles Leclerc needs to reset his Formula 1 title ambitions – and could do with a strong result at his home Monaco Grand Prix this weekend – unfortunately for him, he has something of a curse there…
25/052022, 13:48
Jake Nichol

For the Ferrari team leader, his home race has proven to be something of a nightmare in his F1 career. Just how many things have gone wrong for Charles Leclerc in Monaco to warrant it being known as a curse?

While every driver dreams of winning their home grand prix and the Monaco GP, Leclerc is in the unique situation of Monaco being his home race.

He was born in Monte Carlo – but while others dream of winning it – he simply dreams of finishing – or sometimes even starting it. In three races in the Principality he has two DNFs and one DNS.

‘The Curse of Monaco’;

https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/05/2...naco-curse-f1/


Hamilton set for FIA showdown over jewellery: 2022 Monaco GP – what to watch for.
Formula 1 heads to Monaco with a Hamilton-FIA row, intense title battle and questions about the race's future lingering in the air.
May 25th 2022
Author Edward Hardy

This weekend Formula 1 returns to one of its most famous theatres, the Monaco Grand Prix, with a title fight increasing in intensity with every race.

However, it’s matters away from the track which could dominate the headlines early on, with Lewis Hamilton set for Round 2 of his argument with the FIA over body piercings. The row first reared its head in Miami and, as detailed below, the two-race exemption for Hamilton ends when F1 reaches the principality.

When Autosport asked if he was actually planning to remove his nose piercings in time for Monaco, Hamilton replied: “No. I got an exemption here, I’ll get an exemption the rest of the year – wedding rings are allowed.” Expect this to be a story that rumbles on once F1 reaches the principality.

‘Exemption the rest of the year’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a...-to-watch-for#


Why Verstappen expects chaotic weekend in Monaco.
25/05/2022, ‎17‎:‎00
Author Tom Leach

Verstappen ready for 'pretty crazy' race. Verstappen knows that qualifying will be "critical" in Monaco, having only claimed one pole position so far in 2022. Leclerc, meanwhile, has started at the front four times in six races.

"Monaco is always a hectic but special weekend. Qualifying is critical, the track is very old school and narrow, your heart rate goes so high, it’s insane," he said.

"We have to constantly be on the edge, it’s a pretty crazy track with Formula One cars. My Monaco race history was not so good but I finally won there last year and there was a massive relief once I crossed the line, I was very happy to win that race."

‘Chaotic Monaco GP Expected’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen...kend-in-monaco


Monaco “really puts the drivers to the test” – McLaren’s Andreas Seidl
By Nick Golding
May 25, 2022

McLaren Team Principal Andreas Seidl, is very much looking forward to Monaco, where he’s interested to see how the new cars will get along with the bumpy venue.

“I’m looking forward to this weekend! Monaco is such a historic race and one the drivers and the team love so it’s shaping up to be a good weekend. Our upgrades worked as expected in Spain and the team at track and back at the factory continue to work incredibly hard to optimise the car. It will be interesting to see how the new regulation cars run on the tight streets.

“The circuit really puts the drivers to the test with very little margin of error so the likelihood of safety cars is a lot higher, meaning there are lots of different strategy options we can look at for qualifying and the race. Let’s get out there and give everything we’ve got!”

‘Monaco GP Driver Test’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...andreas-seidl/


Parc Ferme: From exciting “Bore”celona to Monaco dreaming
Sean Stevens
25 May, 2022

This weekend’s venue. A few weeks ago, the blasphemer – Zak Brown suggested that F1 didn’t need the Monaco Grand Prix! A quick inquisition by knowledgeable parties in FOM revealed that he was probably suffering from a mild cognitive impairment and was not fully aware of what he was saying.

The only competition is qualifying. Once that’s settled, you’re left with a procession of the most expensive race cars in the world. Parading around the streets of the tiny principality for a couple of hours to no effect.

The only contest to be had is between the billionaire yachts in the harbour seeing who can down the most bottles of Dom Pérignon before the end of the ‘race’.

‘Billionaire Yachts Competition’;

https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/05...naco-dreaming/


Circuit de Monaco “a track with so much history” – Nicholas Latifi
By Nick Golding
May 25, 2022

Latifi is excited for his second visit to Monaco in Formula 1, a venue which “has such a special feeling”. “It’s always exciting to go back to Monaco. It’s a track with so much history and has such a special feeling, more so than any other street circuit we race at. It’ll be my second-year racing there in a Formula One car, and I’m expecting it to be more of a challenge in these new regulation cars. I’m looking forward to that challenge though, so hopefully we’ll have a good weekend.”

Albon is upbeat though ahead of this weekend at Monaco, which is almost a home event for him. The Williams Racing driver lives just three-minutes away from the paddock, making the “special” race even more worthwhile for him.

“Monaco is one of the biggest races of the year. It’s a really cool circuit and I live about a three-minute walk from the paddock, so it’s an easy morning commute for me. The track itself is a proper street-circuit with a great atmosphere which means it’s always special. We’ll be pushing hard and hoping to finish off the double-header well.”

‘Circuit de Monaco Special Feeling’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...cholas-latifi/


“Monaco is obviously a classic” – Haas’ Guenther Steiner
By Nick Golding
May 25, 2022

This weekend at the Monaco Grand Prix, an event Steiner refers to as a “classic”

“Monaco is obviously a classic, and it has been there forever. It’s one where we enjoy going to as well but there are a lot of events that are going in different directions. I always say, different directions are better because then fans can look forward to different specialties. Monaco is one of those specialties in the calendar.”

‘Classical Monaco’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...nther-steiner/


“Every driver has special memories of Monaco” – Sebastian Vettel
By Nick Golding
May 25, 2022

Vettel is expecting a physical affair, where endurance will play a key part.

“Every driver has special memories of Monaco and wants to create more, and we all know that some of the most famous moments in Formula One history happened here. I think this will be a physical Grand Prix where drivers will hustle the cars that bit more than they have in the past, so there will be an element of endurance too.”

‘Monaco GP Hustle’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...astian-vettel/

[Fortitude]

The data that hints of an Alfa Romeo F1 surprise in Monaco.
Alfa Romeo’s progress in Formula 1 this year has made it a Q3 regular – and occasional thorn in the side of Mercedes.
May 24, 2022, 12:03 PM
By: Jonathan Noble
Co-author: Oleg Karpov

As Valtteri Bottas remarked after some of the high-speed sections of Barcelona exposed the Alfa Romeo against its rivals: "I think, next week is quite suitable for our car.

"It's mainly slow speed corners, and our car is really good in slow speed corners."

The data from Barcelona certainly seems to back up Bottas's claims of its strengths being in the lower speed sections.

‘Alfa Romeo F1 surprise’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/a...naco/10309811/


Bottas hopes to secure ‘special’ Monaco result for Alfa Romeo.
Valtteri Bottas says he aims to walk away from the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend with a “special” result for Alfa Romeo.
26/05/2022, 18:44
by Fergal Walsh

Previewing the weekend ahead, Bottas says that Formula 1 could be in for “something spectacular” if drivers are able to race closer together with the new-for-2022 cars.

“I am looking forward to this weekend’s race,” Bottas said. “Monaco is always an interesting weekend, it’s a home weekend for a lot of the drivers and it definitely has a feeling that you don’t get from any other round in the calendar.”

“I am confident approaching the weekend,” he said. “We have been fighting with the top guys for two races in a row and I don’t see any reason why we won’t be able to do it again this time around. Of course, most of the weekend hinges on having a clean Friday and a good Saturday: if we’re high up on the grid, we can potentially bring home a special result.”

‘Special Result Confidence’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/...monaco-result/


“We proved that the pace is there” – Esteban Ocon
May 24, 2022
By Nick Golding

Esteban Ocon recovered well from a disappointing Qualifying at the Spanish Grand Prix, to finish seventh-place at a scorching hot Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Team-mate Fernando Alonso drove an incredible race to make up eleven places.

Ocon proved that Alpine do have a good race car, the Frenchman made an excellent start to the race and made up a number of places early on. The A522 appeared an almost completely different car on Sunday, following the team’s disappointment on Saturday.

‘Alpine F1 pace’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...-esteban-ocon/


Ocon urges Alpine F1 team to "bring more stuff" to improve car
Esteban Ocon says his Alpine Formula 1 team is going in the right direction with its latest upgrade package, but cautioned that it still has to “bring more stuff”.
May 25, 2022, 7:01 PM
By: Adam Cooper

Ocon was pleased with the progress that the team made over the course of the weekend with the upgrades.

“But we definitely need to bring more stuff, because P7 is good, but we're not where we want to be. And we need to push harder to catch on the Alfas which are in front of us, and the other ones.”

Regarding the value of the data gathered in the race he added: “We completed everything, basically. And there was a difference between the strategies as well, because Fernando had new tyres in the end. So we can also compare that. It's all good stuff."

‘Bring more ‘stuff’, it is all good ‘stuff’ ’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/o...-car/10310262/


Yuki Tsunoda eyeing stronger Monaco performance despite point in Spain last time out
Published: 25 May 2022, 21:08
By George Dagless

AlphaTauri driver Yuki Tsunoda has said that he is eyeing a stronger performance in Monaco this weekend than at the Spanish Grand Prix.

The Japanese driver is having a positive season so far, with him bringing an extra level of consistency to his performances and making less mistakes than he did during his rookie campaign last year.

That’s perhaps to be expected, though, and he is showing that he can now bring more control to his driving as well as the phenomenal pace it was clear he always had.

‘Stronger Monaco Performance’;

https://www.givemesport.com/88013100...-last-time-out


Juan Pablo Montoya suggests Mercedes are 'four races' behind Red Bull and Ferrari
Published: 25 May 2022, 20:56
By George Dagless

Juan Pablo Montoya has suggested that Mercedes are about four races behind Red Bull and Ferrari in the development stakes.

The W13 has been a problem child this season for the Mercedes team, with them struggling to really extract the full potential they feel the car has thanks to porpoising.

A positive sign for Merc, then, and Montoya believes it’s now about layering up the updates and building on the foundation, with them probably about, in his mind, four races behind Red Bull and Ferrari in the developmental stakes at the moment.

‘Now ‘3’ Races Behind’;

https://www.givemesport.com/88013098...ll-and-ferrari


Juan Pablo Montoya: Ferrari are quicker than Red Bull right now
Published: 25 May 2022, 21:03
By George Dagless

Juan Pablo Montoya is of the belief that Ferrari have a quicker car than Red Bull at the moment and that is putting pressure on Max Verstappen. Verstappen took victory at the Spanish Grand Prix last time out but perhaps only did so because Charles Leclerc had to retire with a power unit issue.

Indeed, the Monegasque was looking untouchable in Barcelona with him topping every practice session, taking pole in qualifying, and then booting it off down the road in his Ferrari to leave the rest to fight it out for second place in the Grand Prix.

Montoya believes the Dutchman is feeling pressure in the title fight, then, as he aims to get as many points as possible in the face of what the Colombian believes is a quicker car that Ferrari possess compared to the Red Bull right now: “I think that a lot of pressure comes from the fact that the Ferrari has a quicker car at the moment. You know, they should’ve won the race. Leclerc should have won the race by a mile,” he said to Vegas Insider.

‘Ferrari Quicker, Verstappen Pressure’;

https://www.givemesport.com/88013099...bull-right-now


Ricciardo under pressure after McLaren CEO says he hasn't met expectations.
Daniel Ricciardo says he will do all he can for a successful Monaco Grand Prix
26/05/2022
ABC Online04:10
By Michael Doyle

Daniel Ricciardo has said he is hoping to "make a mark" at Monaco this year after a horror start to the Formula 1 season. The Australian has just 11 points from six races, finishing only once in the top-10 of a race — round three in Melbourne. He also scored points in the sprint qualifying race at Imola but then failed to score any in the grand prix.

McLaren CEO Zak Brown told the UK's Sky Sports F1 this week they were wanting more from their driver. "Daniel is just not comfortable yet with the car, we're trying everything we can. Again [Spain] was a disappointing weekend," Brown said.

Ricciardo struggled at Monaco last year, being lapped by Norris who went on to finish third. But he does have a past race win around the famed streets of Monte Carlo and a further three podium finishes. He is hoping that his experience around Monaco will reignite his stint with the team.

‘Do All He Can’;

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-...prix/101100058

[Fortitude]

Lewis Hamilton may cause 'chaos' by not racing at Monaco Grand Prix over jewellery ban.
LEWIS HAMILTON and the FIA are set to come to blows this weekend over jewellery as the Mercedes star's two-race exemption ends.
By LUKE CHILLINGSWORTH
14:46, Thu, May 26, 2022

Lewis Hamilton could cause ‘chaos’ at the Monaco Grand Prix by threatening to not race over the FIA's jewellery ban, warns former Channel 4 commentator Ben Edwards. He claims the seven-time champion could cause a ‘huge shock’ and refuse to race on Sunday if he is forced to remove his necklaces, rings and earrings.

“The FIA, if they’re declaring something hard they can’t be seen, really, to suddenly back off. It's an interesting thing they’ve decided to do but they’ve decided to do it. If they now back off it rather puts them in a tricky position. I'm a bit intrigued by the whole situation as to how it will work out and how they will manage to come to a compromise.”

“If not it could cause chaos if Lewis suddenly says ‘well I'm not racing’, that would be a huge shock to the whole world of Formula 1. I'm intrigued to know whether they can come to some sort of compromise on this. It’s such an odd thing to have such a hardball moment about.”

‘Monaco Chaos’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...aco-grand-prix



FIA set to face big Lewis Hamilton question ahead of Monaco Grand Prix
LEWIS HAMILTON faces Judgement Day in Monaco this weekend.
By ALEX TURK
07:00, Thu, May 26, 2022

The FIA's resolve is set to be tested this weekend as the 2022 F1 calendar lands in Monaco. Lewis Hamilton had been given until the Monaco Grand Prix to abide by the governing body's tightened jewellery ban whilst in the cockpit, but they will face a defining question if he doesn't.

A retreat would be all the more surprising given Ben Sulayem's comments in a recent interview. He insisted fines would apply if regulations weren't followed. He added: "It's like if someone speeds on the roads — you can't stop them doing it, but they get fined, even if it was accidental."

All eyes will be on Hamilton's decisions and the FIA's actions on what should be a decisive weekend in this long-running saga. There is unsurprisingly mass intrigue as to how far the governing body will go on the matter with the issue still unresolved despite talks taking place with drivers over how to move forward.

‘Big Question’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...-jewellery-ban


FIA set to face big Lewis Hamilton question ahead of Monaco Grand Prix
LEWIS HAMILTON faces Judgement Day in Monaco this weekend.
By ALEX TURK
07:00, Thu, May 26, 2022

The FIA's resolve is set to be tested this weekend as the 2022 F1 calendar lands in Monaco. Lewis Hamilton had been given until the Monaco Grand Prix to abide by the governing body's tightened jewellery ban whilst in the cockpit, but they will face a defining question if he doesn't.

Earlier this season, the FIA's new president Mohammed ben Sulayem announced they were clamping down on regulations about jewellery and underwear in F1. But Hamilton, along with other drivers, has fought the stance with public showcases of defiance.

‘Defiance to the FIA’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...-jewellery-ban


Wolff lowers Monaco expectations with ‘elephant’ car
Date published: May 26 2022 - Henry Valantine

Toto Wolff’s expectations of Mercedes in the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend are the lowest they’ve been all season, but hopes to use it as a learning experience at least.

Although Mercedes appeared to claw back a chunk of their deficit to Red Bull and Ferrari at last weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, Wolff is not expecting miracles for the team in Monte Carlo.

“I wouldn’t say so because we were particularly off the pace in the slow corners in the last sector due to overheating [but] that might be different in Monaco,” Wolff said in Spain, as per GPFans.

‘Elephant Car Miracles’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-w...naco-elephant/


Max Verstappen backed for Monaco win by Juan Pablo Montoya
Juan Pablo Montoya is backing Max Verstappen to keep his run of wins going and take victory at the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend.
Published: 26 May 2022, 15:40
By George Dagless

Speaking to Vegas Insider, the 2003 winner of the Monaco Grand Prix had this to say: “My money is on Max.
“If I were to say who’s going to be better there, I would guess that probably Max would be better than Charles. Especially in the race. “Maybe on a one lap Ferrari could put a lap together, but on the race, my money would be on Max to win it.”
“You know, it would be nice for Charles and for the F1 championship to get closer with a Ferrari win. But you got to say that Red Bull is more complete as a team. They execute better, they do a better job with everything.”

‘JPM: Money On ‘;Max

https://www.givemesport.com/88013641...-pablo-montoya


Monte Carlo or bust: Crazy bets and odds for the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix
Thursday 26 May 2022 13:57
OddsCritic

Predictably, it is very tight out front for the win, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc edging favouritism at 11/10 while reigning champion Max Verstappen is only second best at 6/4 despite his run of three straight wins.

The ‘Request A Bet’ craze sweeping the UK;

500/1 Hamilton to win, Alonso podium & Vettel points finish

13/2 Leclerc fastest qualifier but NOT complete the race

9/4 Verstappen podium, and George Russell, Lewis Hamilton, Leclerc and Carlos Sainz to all finish in the points

‘Crazy Odds or Bust’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/83...co-grand-prix/