2024 Formula 1 Preview & Review.

[Fortitude]

Verstappen 'happy' with Belgian Grand Prix after pipping Norris.
"All in all, it was quite a positive day for me, considering we started 11th," said Verstappen. "We finished in front of Lando who is my main rival for the championship.”
28 Jul 2024
Yahoo! Sport

Three-time world champion and series leader Max Verstappen made light of failing to win for a fourth consecutive race and declared himself "happy" at finishing fourth for Red Bull in Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix.

"I think we did everything right with the strategy today and I had a good clean start. I was in the DRS (drag resistance system) train and it was difficult to pass, but I think strategy-wise we did everything we could to the limit. It was tough to make it with two mediums and a hard tyre but we did a good job and maximised our result. It wasn't realistic to start 11th and then fly to the front so I am overall happy with our performance," he added.

The next race on the calendar is the Dutch Grand Prix on August 25, after Formula One's mid-season interval. We are looking forward to the summer break and having a bit of time to relax," he added. "But at the same time, we're committed to being faster and better and trying to find solutions as we go into the rest of the season. We had a great start to the season, but our last few races have been a bit more difficult," he added.

“In front of Lando”;

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/ver...181445169.html


Report: What Max Verstappen did that could have helped Sergio Perez keep his Red Bull seat
30 July 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Red Bull Racing entered the summer break after the Belgian Grand Prix knowing all eyes were on the future of their driver line-up. Max Verstappen doesn’t appear to be going anywhere despite interest from Mercedes and his long-term deal isn’t under any threat. However, Sergio Perez was in a much more precarious position after the race at Spa.

Max Verstappen may have played a part in saving Sergio Perez’s Red Bull seat. Christian Horner, Helmut Marko and other senior Red Bull personnel were tasked with deciding whether Perez was the best driver to help them secure both titles this season. Their lead in the Constructors’ Championship is slowly slipping away with McLaren and Mercedes now regularly outperforming them during race weekends.

The report from AMuS suggests that Perez ‘may have been helped’ by the fact that Verstappen publicly supported him after the race in Belgium. Speaking after the race, via GPBlog, Verstappen said: “I think our main concern is the car. That’s what we should focus on mainly. I think if you look at Checo’s weekend, it was very positive. Of course, in the race, it just shows that we have difficulties with the tyres. I think still, the tyre life. That should be our main priority.”

“I think if you look at Checo’s weekend, it was very positive”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/wha...red-bull-seat/


‘We have work to do’ – Verstappen acknowledges dominant days are 'behind' Red Bull despite 'positive' Belgian GP
28 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Max Verstappen has conceded Red Bull's days of dominance are "behind" them as he was unable to challenge for Belgian Grand Prix victory after starting P11 due to his grid penalty.

Instead, the Red Bull man came home fifth but crucially finished ahead of championship rival Lando Norris – with those two both inheriting a further place post-race following George Russell’s disqualification. That meant Verstappen’s championship lead actually increased, with the Dutchman now 80 points ahead of Norris as F1 enters its traditional mid-season break.

But while Verstappen was pleased with some parts of his day, he sounded slightly more melancholic as he rued days gone by, when recovering from lowly grid slots was an easier prospect. “The race itself was not too bad, it was just very difficult to pass,” Verstappen said afterwards.

“Work to do”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...aHaHgD8BcpYSLu


Verstappen: Race pace win-worthy at Spa with higher start
28/07/2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Despite the strong performance, Verstappen admitted that traffic and tyre management had weighed on his progress. “We were just not faster than the cars around us, and then you just get stuck in that DRS train,” he said. “As a team, we maximised the performance today. Naturally, if you start P1 with the pace that we had, I think you're fighting for the win, regardless.”

“But starting P11, I knew that it was always going to be a damage-limitation race. “Of course, looking at the championship it was still a positive day – I extended my lead, where it could have also easily been calculating losses. So, from that side of course, it's a positive day.”

Verstappen suggested that a different tyre allocation could have yielded a better result, with Red Bull opting for two sets of mediums and one set of hards compared to the rival strategies. “I think today an [extra] hard tyre would have helped,” he said.

“Damage-limitation race”;

https://f1i.com/news/515404-verstapp...her-start.html


Horner after Belgian Grand Prix: 'Tough race today'
28 July 2024
Coen Versteeg
Verstappen.nl

Oracle Red Bull Racing had a mixed Belgian Grand Prix. Max Verstappen drove from an 11th starting spot to P5 and teammate Sergio Perez finished eighth. After the race, George Russell was disqualified, causing both to move up to fourth and seventh in the final standings.

"It was a tough race today. We finished 7 seconds behind the leader and over all we struggled. There were some positives though, Max has extended his lead over Lando and Checo brought home fastest lap. But it was a really tight race today. We didn’t have a big offset of pace today over the others. We have a lot to reflect on as we go into the summer break.”

“We continue to lead in both the Constructors and Drivers Championships but convergence within the field means the gap is ever closing. We will regroup on Monday, as we always do before a break and look at how we can come back fighting for the second half of the season."

'Tough race today';

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5554/


Successful damage limitation for Verstappen in Belgium
29 Jul 2024
Toby Lock

The Dutchman took a grid penalty but managed to extend his championship lead. Max Verstappen salvaged a fourth place finish at the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday after taking a grid penalty at Spa-Francorchamps.

The world championship leader extended his lead over Lando Norris heading into the summer shut-down to 78 points after finishing ahead of the McLaren man, with the pair promoted one position each post race after George Russell’s disqualification.

With varying strategies, Verstappen would emerge in the battle on the road for fourth place, allowed past by team-mate Sergio Perez to attack Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc while fending off Norris’ fast-catching McLaren. Unable to pass the Ferrari though, Verstappen finished fifth on the road, but an unweight winner Russell would be disqualified, promoting the Red Bull man.

‘Unable to pass the Ferrari’;

https://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/sport...elgium-4720078


Verstappen: Red Bull F1 had pace to win in Spa without grid drop
29 Jul 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Verstappen denied that he could have executed the one-stop race that Russell managed, but he admitted that Red Bull was compromised without two new Hard sets. “I think also naturally, we were on two Mediums and a Hard. I think today a Hard tyre would have helped,” he acknowledged.

“Of course, George won the race on a one-stop. But I don’t think we had the tyre wear or tyre life to do that anyway. So, yeah, also there are a few things to analyse.”

“But as a team today, we did a good job. We definitely did the right thing with the strategy to try and be a bit aggressive initially. To try and get ahead of a few and made my race a little bit better. But then too many cars where we got stuck with.”

“Hard tyre would have helped”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...out-grid-drop/


F1 team boss drops Max Verstappen to Mercedes hint after Carlos Sainz decision
Max Verstappen is being targeted by Mercedes as the ideal replacement for Lewis Hamilton at the end of the 2024 F1 season.
Jul 31, 2024
Charlie Malam
Daily and Sunday Express

Speaking at the Belgian Grand Prix where he went on to finish P4, Verstappen explained: "For sure, I said this already with the team, we are working and focusing also on next year to try and be competitive again. "I've got a long contract with the team, I'm very happy where I'm at and, like I said before, we are focusing already on next year with things that we can implement on the car. I guess that should say enough of where I'm driving next year."

Williams team principal James Vowles has suggested Max Verstappen is still a target for his old team Mercedes despite the Dutchman publicly committing himself to Red Bull. And Vowles has now said: "Mercedes have more info than I do. It's more than likely that they are very confident in the direction they will be travelling in. Whether that will be Max or Kimi, I'm unsure - but they're not fools."

‘Targeted by Mercedes’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...s-Carlos-Sainz

[Fortitude]

Norris: Running wide at Turn 1 ‘ruined my chances’.
Lando Norris ran wide at the very first corner of the race in Belgium and eventually came home in P6 for McLaren.
28 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘ruined my chances’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/no...35554708614810


Report: Martin Brundle noticed that 21-podium F1 star was unhappy ‘all weekend’ at Belgian GP
30 July 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Martin Brundle says Lando Norris was out-of-sorts at Belgian GP. Speaking before the race, Verstappen was adamant that Lando Norris could still win the title. But if he was to overturn what was a 76-point gap heading into the race, this seemed like a must-win. McLaren prioritised their race-day set-up, which limited Norris and Piastri to fourth and fifth on the grid. But the Briton lost ground at turn one when he ran wide and dipped a wheel in the gravel.

That put him on the back foot for the remainder of the race, and he was only able to salvage fifth. He somehow managed to lose ground to Verstappen despite the latter’s demotion. Writing in his column for Sky Sports F1, former driver Martin Brundle shared his observations on Norris. He noticed that the 24-year-old was ‘unhappy’ throughout the weekend.

Brundle suspects that this may have stemmed from the events of the Hungarian GP a week prior. Norris had to move aside and give his teammate a victory McLaren felt he had earned. “Lando Norris appeared a little unhappy about something all weekend despite solid performances, and I wondered if the events of Budapest the weekend before were still playing on his mind,” Brundle wrote.

‘Lando Norris was out-of-sorts’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/mar...at-belgian-gp/


Norris left frustrated by run of “stupid stuff and mistakes”
JULY 29, 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

Lando Norris says he’s looking forward to a reset in the Formula 1 summer break after “stupid stuff and mistakes” have hurt his title bid in recent races. The McLaren driver started fourth in Belgium but ran wide at the exit of the first corner, and thus he was only seventh at the end of the lap.

“I misjudged it, honestly,” he said when asked by this writer about his start. “I just didn’t want to get taken out in Turn One, so I’ve left the gap and just misjudged the exit a little bit. I lost four or five positions. Just impossible to overtake, the overtaking sucked today, and I think there were very few overtakes actually done on track, most of it was just in the pit stops.”

“There were some overtakes, but only when you had like a 10-lap tyre advantage. So otherwise a bit of a tough race with the overtaking. And I felt like we were quick, The car was quick. Just don’t feel like we maximised what we could have done.”

‘Frustrated’;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/07/29/...-and-mistakes/


Norris says he hasn’t earned number one status – and he’s right
31st July 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

It’s no wonder McLaren have locked down Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri for the long-term. They have served the team extremely well over the last year and a half while their car has gone from Q1 exits to race wins. Now the question is whether they can make the transition from race winners to champions.

The ever-improving Piastri has increasingly given Norris headaches. He was breathing down his team mate’s neck as the rain fell at Silverstone, then made the tactical error which may have cost him victory. Next time out at the Hungaroring the team had to intervene to tell Norris to give Piastri his lead back – which became his breakthrough triumph.

McLaren had to deal with this kind of thing last year as well. Piastri made way for his team mate more than once, then in Qatar the pair were ordered to hold position while the rookie driver was ahead, a decision Norris queried. “We ask drivers to challenge us,” said team principal Andrea Stella afterwards. They certainly got their wish in Hungary, where Norris’ race engineer Will Joseph spent 20 laps cajoling him into giving up victory.

‘Number one status’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/07/31/...and-hes-right/


Is Lando Norris Wasting Too Many Opportunities?
July 31, 2024
Erika Di Guido
Last Word On Sports

Too many mistakes, too many chances lost. After the win in Florida, McLaren was always close to Red Bull. Both in Qualifying and during the races, Norris was always close to Max Verstappen. He quickly became one of the favourites for wins. Yet, despite having the chances, he didn’t turn those opportunities into a trophy.

Self-critical: After the Belgian Grand Prix, Lando talked with the media about his last few races: “I lost many points during the last three or four races because of stupid mistakes, bad starts and things like today in the first corners. I don’t know why it happened. It’s not even hard. While trying to stay out of troubles, to be sure to have a gap, I pushed myself out of the track.” – Lando Norris to Sky Sport.

He also said that the rhythm was good and that the team was doing an incredible job. He took responsibility for his results and his mistakes. The hope is to continue the positive streak of good races for McLaren after the break: “I should have been more aggressive. In the last two or three races I didn’t start in the way I should have and I’ve lost many points. I hope to come back stronger [after the summer break].” – Lando Norris to Sky Sport.

‘Wasting Too Many Opportunities’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...opportunities/


Should McLaren back Norris or Piastri? Our F1 writers have their say
Following the Hungarian Grand Prix team order controversy as Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris fought over a race win, McLaren needs to decide whether to back one of its drivers in the Formula 1 title battle, and which one. Here is what our writers would do.
30 Jul 2024
Motorsport.com staff writers
Motorsport.com

Norris should follow Piastri's example and be easier on himself - Jake Boxall-Legge

McLaren must follow through on its brave equal driver culture - Filip Cleeren

Norris already knows where Piastri is operating differently – Alex Kalinauckas

McLaren's near-impossible task: keeping both drivers happy - Ben Hunt

‘Team order controversy’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/s...-say/10640334/


McLaren to work with Norris to resolve opening lap struggles
30 Jul 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

McLaren’s Lando Norris is facing a growing issue with his race starts, as his opening lap in last weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix demonstrated, prompting the team to work with the Briton to address the problem. “First of all, these kinds of situations, they’re always very, very marginal,” Stella said after last Sunday’s race in Spa, quoted by Motorsport Week.

“I think Lando got a little distracted from what was happening on the inside and ran out of track. It’s marginal things, it just requires little adjustments here and there. Certainly, we work with Lando like we work with Oscar to try and see all the opportunities in which we can improve individually, but also collaborate better to either be more prepared or to use better of our abilities and talents.”

“So, I think it doesn’t necessarily change our attitude, but definitely gives us some elements to analyse as to how some of these missed opportunities manifest themselves. For Lando, for instance, it looks like there’s statistically some opportunities that tend to happen in the early stages of the race.”

“It’s marginal things”;

https://f1i.com/news/515639-mclaren-...struggles.html

[Fortitude]

Sainz: 'We didn't maximise anything' despite 'good pace' in Belgium.
Ferrari's Carlos Sainz was left dissapointed, admitting "we didn't maximise anything" in P7 finish at Spa-Francorchamps.
28 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Didn't maximise’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/sa...38962006044037


Sainz frustrated as Ferrari strategy “risks” at Spa don’t pay off
JULY 29, 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

Carlos Sainz said that Ferrari didn’t get his strategy right in the Belgian GP and that the timing of his first pit stop was not ideal for either a one or two-stop option. Sainz was the only driver at the front of the field to start on the hard tyres, and he rose from seventh on the grid to the lead as others pitted.

“I feel like we took some risks at the start, starting on the hard,” he said. “We even won a position [from Norris]. So I was very optimistic and positive about this strategy. We managed to extend it quite a bit to lap 20, with hindsight, not long enough, because probably one-stop seemed like a good possibility today. And yeah, probably the main thing is that we didn’t do a one, but we also didn’t do an optimal two, because we boxed too late for the two, or too early for the one.”

“It’s easy to say now in hindsight, but I felt like the race was promising a lot more. After 20 laps, I was like, we might have a shot at the podium. And then suddenly I finished P7 nine seconds behind the P6, so clearly, there’s something that we will have to look at. At the same time I think our direct competitors today were quicker, so I don’t think it would have changed much.”

‘Sainz frustrated’;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/07/29/...-dont-pay-off/


Breaking: Williams confirm signing of Sainz in a multi-year deal
Carlos Sainz lost his Ferrari seat to Lewis Hamilton for 2025 but James Vowles has been keen to sign the Spaniard
July 29, 2024
Abby Bathurst
FormulaNerds

Carlos Sainz is currently a driver of the Scuderia Ferrari F1 team. However, with the announcement of Lewis Hamilton leaving Mercedes and joining Ferrari for 2025, Sainz was left without a seat. But today, the future of the Spaniard’s Formula 1 career has been confirmed.

Williams F1 team have announced the signing of Sainz in a multi-year deal that will extend beyond 2025. The British team resigned Alex Albon earlier this season and now with the signing of Sainz, their driver line-up is complete. In their statement, Williams stated that Sainz will be joining them for the 2025 season on a two-year agreement. But the Spanish driver has the option to extend. Whilst at Williams, Sainz will still race under number 55.

With the confirmation of Sainz, Vowles expressed what this means for Williams. The Team Principal said: “Carlos joining Williams is a strong statement of intent from both parties. Carlos has demonstrated time and again that he is one of the most talented drivers on the grid, with race-winning pedigree, and this underlines the upwards trajectory we are on.”

‘Williams confirm signing of Sainz’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/br.../?nowprocket=1


Carlos Sainz confirms new team after being forced out of Ferrari by Lewis Hamilton
Carlos Sainz has put an end to speculation and picked his new team for the 2025 season.
Jul 29, 2024
Jack McEachen
Daily and Sunday Express

“I am very happy to announce that I will be joining Williams Racing from 2025 onwards," said Sainz. "It is no secret that this year’s driver market has been exceptionally complex for various reasons and that it has taken me some time to announce my decision. However, I am fully confident that Williams is the right place for me to continue my F1 journey and I am extremely proud of joining such a historic and successful team, where many of my childhood heroes drove in the past and made their mark on our sport.”

“The ultimate goal of bringing Williams back to where it belongs, at the front of the grid, is a challenge that I embrace with excitement and positivity. I am convinced that this team has all the right ingredients to make history again and, starting on January 1, I will give my absolute best to drive Williams forward alongside every single member of the team.”

‘Pen to paper’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...-Williams-2025


Carlos Sainz explains key reasons behind HUGE multi-year Williams deal
29 Jul 2024
Elizabeth Blackstock
PlanetF1.com

The writing has been on the wall for some time, but today, it’s confirmed: Carlos Sainz Jr. will join Williams for the 2025 and 2026 Formula 1 seasons — with an option to continue beyond that point. But why? Why opt for a Williams as opposed to, say, an Audi or an Alpine? Well, Sainz addresses that, too, and it has a lot to do with the robust legacy of the team and his belief in its potential for the future.

“I am fully confident that Williams is the right place for me to continue my F1 journey and I am extremely proud of joining such a historic and successful team, where many of my childhood heroes drove in the past and made their mark on our sport,” Sainz elaborated.

“The ultimate goal of bringing Williams back to where it belongs, at the front of the grid, is a challenge that I embrace with excitement and positivity. I am convinced that this team has all the right ingredients to make history again and starting on January 1 I will give my absolute best to drive Williams forward alongside every single member of the team.”

‘Key reasons’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/carlos...-williams-deal


EXCLUSIVE: Late nights, secret meetings and colossal contracts – James Vowles on how he signed Sainz
29 July 2024
Lawrence Barretto
F1 Correspondent & Presenter
Formula One - Official Site

It’s been a heck of a chase – but after eight months or so, Williams Team Principal James Vowles finally got the driver he really wanted when he signed Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz alongside Alex Albon on a multi-year deal. As Vowles sat in his office each week and mapped out the various driver market iterations and where Williams might sit within them (“it’s just a massive game of chess!”), there was one driver who kept coming out on top of his list – Carlos Sainz. He was, in Vowles’s mind, the best driver for the job.

Williams are in the midst of a rebuild, spearheaded by ex-Mercedes man Vowles who is bidding to turn a team that has fallen on harder times and lingers in the bottom half of the pack back into the behemoth that once crushed their rivals to dominate the championship. Having re-signed one exciting talent in Alex Albon, Vowles identified Sainz very early on as a potential candidate for the project. Having never really interacted with the Sainzes, he lined up a first meeting at last year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

“The first time I spent time with his family was in Abu Dhabi,” Vowles tells me exclusively, just moments after the announcement. “We had to run them around the back so they could come upstairs and come to my office to chat [without being seen]. That was the first time I chatted to all of them, and it was the first time I got to know them.

‘Late nights, secret meetings and colossal contracts’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...OsMCIRT6GdRlLA


Damon Hill gives his verdict on Carlos Sainz joining Williams in 2025
30 July 2024
Ben Evans

Damon Hill reacts to Carlos Sainz signing for Williams. Commenting on Sainz’s move to Williams, Hill said on social media: “Williams will have a very potent driver combo for 2025.” It’s hard to disagree with the 1996 F1 World Champion with Albon and Sainz the envy of the current midfield teams.

‘Very potent driver combo’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/dam...liams-in-2025/


Vowles surprised Red Bull and Mercedes did not chase Sainz
Jul 31, 2024
The Straits Times

Williams boss James Vowles said he was surprised top Formula One teams Red Bull and Mercedes had not signed Carlos Sainz before he sealed a deal that started with a discussion in Abu Dhabi last November. "I rate him as one of the top four drivers if not, at times, the number two driver on the grid. Why wouldn’t you want that in your stable," Vowles told reporters on a video call on Tuesday.

"Look at every team he has been in. They have improved significantly. And I get why, after spending the last nine months talking to him at least weekly if not daily. What I’ve realised with him is that he is a performance machine. He absolutely will do everything it takes within his power to not transform just himself, but the team around him as well at the same time."

Vowles said it had been a rollercoaster journey, with secret meetings in hotel rooms around the world. "From the beginning I gave him, warts and all, here's what's going to happen," he said. "We are going to go backwards, here's why, here's what we are investing in, here's what's coming, here's why I'm excited by this project. And it's your choice."

“One of the top four drivers if not, at times, the number two driver on the grid”;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/f...ot-chase-sainz

[Fortitude]

Perez explains what went wrong in ‘really bad race’ in Belgium.
Sergio Perez started the Belgian Grand Prix on the front row but slipped to P8 at the flag.
28 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘What went wrong’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/pe...36465189288473


Bigger culprit than Sergio Perez found by Ralf Schumacher for Red Bull’s troubles
29 Jul 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Amidst speculative reports Adrian Newey was not happy with Red Bull’s development path, Ralf Schumacher has declared his “successor” Pierre Waché as not been “able to close” the gap.

“It started at the beginning of the season,” former F1 driver turned Sky pundit Schumacher said of Red Bull’s form. “One of the most important men left the team and I believe that the successor has not been able to close this gap yet.”

“He has to prove it when you look at the car. A few things have changed, the car is harder to drive. Both drivers are finding it harder, including Max Verstappen. “Red Bull have to come up with something. The wings are not that big at the moment.”

‘Red Bull’s troubles’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ralf-s...r-to-close-gap


‘Knife edge’: Red Bull chief confirms Sergio Perez ‘theory’ about why he’s ‘struggling a lot more’ this season
31 July 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Red Bull engineers confirm Sergio Perez ‘theory’: Verstappen is known for having a very specific driving style that favours a car that is more ‘pointy’ on corner entry compared to others. It is one of the strengths of the RB20 and indeed Red Bull’s cars in the last few seasons. Like every other car on the grid, the RB20 has an operating window whereby the drivers are comfortable to push to extract the maximum lap time.

According to Vording, there is a theory as to why Perez is struggling much more compared to Verstappen. “I talked about this theory with some people within Red Bull, and they basically support it. Even technical director Pierre Wache, he said this is pretty much correct. But the theory is that if the car is pretty comfortable to drive, then it’s relatively easy for Checo to be within an acceptable distance of Max,” said Vording.

“When the car gets more tricky, Max is the one who can deal with it, especially in the stable rear end of the car. Checo is struggling a lot more. You have to drive it on the knife edge, then crashes occur more often.”

‘Sergio Perez ‘theory’ confirmed’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/red...e-this-season/


Perez refuses to 'waste energy' on speculation as Red Bull D-Day looms
The Red Bull driver finished in seventh place at the Belgian Grand Prix from a front-row start.
29 July 2024
Pepijn van der Hulst & Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Reflecting, Perez remained defiant as speculation swirls on his future. "I've said it before, I had a good qualifying and it doesn't change anything," Perez told media including RacingNews365, before shutting down further questions around his future.

"We have too much going on in the team, and a lot of things that we have to focus on, and we cannot waste any energy with all this speculation, so this is the last time I will speak about the future [in this media session]. The break comes at a good time for the team and for myself, and there is plenty of stuff that we need to go through."

‘Perez refuses to waste energy';

https://racingnews365.com/d-day-for-...ions-on-future


Perez will remain Verstappen’s team mate, Horner tells Red Bull staff
29th July 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has moved to end speculation over Sergio Perez’s future by telling the team’s staff he will continue to drive for them after the summer break. Horner gave the strongest indication yet Perez will remain in place until the end of the season when speaking to staff at Red Bull’s base today.

“Checo remains a Red Bull Racing driver despite recent speculation and we look forward to seeing him perform at tracks he has previously excelled at after the summer break,” Horner told the team, a spokesperson confirmed to RaceFans.

Perez dismissed suggestions his place at the team was in danger after yesterday’s race. “I’ve said everything I have to regarding my future,” he told Viaplay. “I think now the main focus of the team is on getting ourselves sorted and I have nothing further to add. I’ve said everything I have to.” Verstappen gave his backing to Perez following yesterday’s race. The pair have been team mates since 2021.

‘Perez will remain Verstappen’s team mate’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/07/29/...ls-team-staff/


Huge twist in Sergio Perez saga as Liberty Media involvement rumours arise
31 Jul 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Formula 1 owners Liberty Media reportedly asked Red Bull to ‘reconsider’ swapping Sergio Perez out of the team, having come under pressure for his drive. The Mexico City Grand Prix has yet to take place this season, the event taking place at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez from 25-27 October, where Perez enjoys an enormous home support.

And a report from German publication F1-Insider has claimed that, alongside words from Helmut Marko suggesting a potential shuffling of the cards within the Red Bull teams for 2025, Liberty Media also looked to keep the status quo for now, given the huge implications for the Mexican’s home race later this season.

The report said: ‘What was leaked behind the scenes: Formula 1 rights holder Liberty Media asked Red Bull to reconsider Perez’s dismissal. Without the popular hero Perez, they feared an extreme drop in revenue at the Mexican GP on 27 October.’

‘Rumours’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/sergio...lvement-rumour


How £69bn tycoon Carlos Slim helped Sergio Perez keep Red Bull seat
31 July 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Sergio Perez relied on some outside assistance to keep hold of his Red Bull seat beyond the summer break. Inadvertently or otherwise, teammate Max Verstappen lent him a helping hand. Cutting ties with Perez would also cost them a significant sum. In addition to paying off the 34-year-old, they would lose an array of associated sponsorship deals.

The former Sauber driver is one of the most prominent athletes in Latin America. Liberty Media urged Red Bull to keep Perez to avoid a significant drop in revenue at the Mexico City Grand Prix later this year. A six-time GP winner, Perez is the most successful driver in his country’s history. He’s competed in 271 races, which puts him in the all-time top 10.

Carlos Slim influenced Red Bull decision to keep Sergio Perez. According to Bild, Carlos Slim also lent Perez a helping hand. The Mexican tycoon is one of the richest people on the planet. Red Bull bosses including Christian Horner and Helmut Marko met on Monday to discuss their driver line-up. But Slim also ‘exerted his influence’ from afar. The 84-year-old offered financial backing to Perez at the start of his F1 career. And ‘there are voices saying’ he was involved in the decision to retain him.

‘Carlos Slim £69bn tycoon’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/how...red-bull-seat/


Perez gets reprieve: Red Bull opts for stability over change
29 Jul 2024
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Sergio Perez will head into F1’s summer break with a sigh of relief. After weeks of speculation surrounding his future at Red Bull, the team has decided to retain the Mexican driver for the remainder of the 2024 season.

While details of the discussion remain under wraps, sources indicate that Horner addressed the team at their Milton Keynes headquarters, assuring them that Perez would be back in the car when the season resumes at the Dutch Grand Prix on August 23.

‘Stability over change’;

https://f1i.com/news/515617-perez-ge...er-change.html


Report: What Liberty Media told Red Bull before making decision on Sergio Perez’s F1 future
31 July 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

What Liberty Media said to Red Bull before making Sergio Perez decision. A report from F1 Insider has now shared more details about how Red Bull came to their decision. One intriguing point is that they believe Liberty Media – who owns the Formula One Group responsible for the promotion of the sport – sent a message to Red Bull before Monday’s meeting. It highlights the importance of Sergio Perez to the grid as both a driver and a marketing tool.

It’s believed that Liberty Media asked Red Bull to reconsider dismissing Perez despite his poor results over recent months. They ‘feared a huge drop’ in commercial revenue at the Mexico City Grand Prix where Perez is understandably the poster boy of the event.

While it’s very unlikely that played any part in Red Bull’s final decision, it’s interesting that Liberty Media are taking such an interest in the make up of the grid. They may not have been too pleased to learn on Monday that their only American driver – Sargeant – has lost his place in the paddock for 2025.

‘Report’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/wha...ezs-f1-future/

[Fortitude]

Alonso 'happy with the result' despite lack of race pace in Belgium.
Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso was left "happy with the result" after finished ninth in Spa-Francorchamps – and admitted the top four teams are out of reach at the moment for the Silverstone squad.
28 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

'Happy with the result';

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/al...40926024517005


Alonso uses “a little bit of luck” to make unplanned one-stop work for Aston
JULY 29, 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

Fernando Alonso says Aston Martin’s call to stop him only once in the Belgian GP was not planned – and it needed “a little bit of luck” to work. Alonso was one of only five drivers to stop only once, along with original race winner George Russell, Yuki Tsunoda, Kevin Magnussen and his own team mate Lance Stroll.

Alonso used the unexpected strategy to finish ninth on the road, which became eighth when Russell was disqualified for a weight infringement. “We had the plans, as always, Plan B, Plan C, whatever,” said Alonso. “So we covered the one-stop and the three-stops. We were P12, and we were just waiting for a safety car, maybe to play in our hands.”

“And then 11 laps in the end, we started considering, ‘Okay, safety car is not coming, but maybe we go to the end?’ So it was just being very flexible, and lap-by-lap, judging the conditions, and at the end, it was the right call. But let’s say it was not planned just to go for one-stop.”

“A little bit of luck”;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/07/29/...ork-for-aston/


Alonso hails points in Belgium as ‘a bit of a win’ as Aston Martin aim to ‘come back stronger’ in second half of the season
31 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Fernando Alonso was left satisfied with his P9 result – which later became P8 following George Russell’s post-race disqualification – in the Belgian Grand Prix, with the Spaniard crediting the team’s strategy call as helping to make it happen.

After starting from eighth place on the grid, Alonso extended his first stint on the medium tyre before pitting for the hard compound in his only pit stop of the race. This worked out well for the two-time world champion and he was pleased to claim points, despite the squad still being some way back from the leading four teams.

‘A bit of a win’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...OSzsnouwjecR61


Alonso praises Aston Martin's pace in Belgium
30 Jul 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Alonso was pleased for taking some points in the last round before the summer break, but he has urges his team to find improvement for the second half of the season. "I am pleased with eighth position today and four points after a hard-fought race. We had a few different strategies planned for today.”

“We extended the first stint on the Mediums and then on the Hard tyres we managed the pace quite well and had decent tyre degradation. We thought there might be a chance of a Safety Car and when there wasn't we thought why not extend and remain on a one-stop strategy.”

“This decision paid off and we managed to score some points. I am looking forward to a short break now and some time to recharge. We will continue fighting and we have some more work to do to improve for the second half of the season."

‘Pleased for taking some points’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25159


Disappointed Alonso sees ‘a lot of work’ ahead for Aston
31 Jul 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Fernando Alonso has candidly admitted to being "a little bit disappointed" with Aston Martin's performance in the first half of the 2024 Formula 1 season. A stark contrast to the team's frontrunning status in the first part of 2023, Aston Martin has found itself on the back foot this year, well behind its former direct rivals.

"A little bit disappointed," the 43-year-old F1 veteran replied when asked to take stock of the first half of his 2024 campaign. We cannot hide the fact that we are fighting today with Williams, AlphaTauri [RB] and Alpine, and last year, we were looking to the top four teams.”

“Now they are out of reach, and we are just defending from the guys behind. Even at the beginning of the year. In qualifying especially, we were always top five, top six, in the mix," Alonso added. "So definitely a lot of work to do for us in [the] summer break and the second part of the year. We will not give up, but we need to work."

‘A lot of work ahead’;

https://f1i.com/news/515685-disappoi...for-aston.html


Untelevised Max Verstappen ‘wave’ moment with Fernando Alonso unearthed
31 Jul 2024
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Untelevised footage has emerged of Max Verstappen waving at Fernando Alonso as he completed a pass on the Aston Martin driver during the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa. Onboard footage from Verstappen’s car has revealed the moment he gave a cheeky wave to two-time title winner Alonso in the early stages of his recovery at Spa.

Having been informed by his race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, that he would have the use of DRS on Alonso on the exit of La Source, Verstappen followed Alonso’s slipstream through the legendary Eau Rouge corner before drawing his car alongside the Aston Martin man on the Kemmel straight.

As he completed the pass on Alonso’s right, Verstappen turns his head slightly to the left and waves at his fellow World Champion before continuing with the next stage of his recovery drive. The gesture was interpreted by some as a taunt but Verstappen and Alonso are actually known to have a respectful relationship, with the latter often praising the Red Bull man’s achievements over recent years.

‘Max Verstappen waving at Fernando Alonso’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/untele...onso-unearthed


‘It is undeniable’: Fernando Alonso is ‘a little disappointed’ with what he has seen at Aston Martin
1 August 2024
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Fernando Alonso has conceded that he is ‘a little disappointed’ with what the two-time Formula 1 world drivers’ champion has seen at his Aston Martin team so far in 2024. The 43-year-old enjoyed a fantastic first season in Silverstone in 2023 after Alonso switched Alpine for Aston Martin. He burst out of the gates to get six podium finishes in the first eight rounds. Alonso also added a third P2 and a fifth P3 finish to his tally in the remaining rounds.

If 2023 was a ‘dream’, Fernando Alonso will want to wake up in 2024. Sealing three P2 and five P3 finishes in his first year in Silverstone saw Alonso describe 2023 as a ‘dream season’ with Aston Martin. But their momentum started to slip as the campaign progressed as Aston Martin failed to keep up with their rival teams in the development race.

Those struggles carried over the winter break, too, with Alonso’s average finishing position through the first 14 Grand Prix this year just 9.7. Stroll has also secured an average finish of 11.1 through the 13 races he has finished. Alonso has seen the chequered flag in each race.

‘A little disappointed’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fer...-aston-martin/


Dejected Alonso sees it slipping away: 'Things changed a little bit'
1 Aug 2024
Ludo van Denderen
GPblog.com

Seven different drivers have already won at least one Grand Prix in 2024. One man is missing from the list of names: Fernando Alonso. Where it seemed last season that the Spaniard finally had a real chance of breaking Max Verstappen's dominance to take that coveted victory number 33, Aston Martin now lags behind Red Bull Racing, Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren in terms of development. It could have been so nice for Alonso, but where Verstappen was so close at first, the Dutchman is now so far away.

Alonso shrugged: "That is the way it is," the Spaniard, who is now 43, told the likes of GPblog. "I think last year we were the best of the rest but Red Bull was, I mean, unbeatable. They never had a bad pit stop, they never had a crash, they never had a bad qualifying, they never had any problem. And then we just were third or second all the time."

"All the pictures of my podiums last year, I have Checo and Max with me or first second or first and third, and I was in the middle. Things changed a little bit and we were not there to take the opportunity. We said many times last year, we need to keep up. We need to be always hunting them, and when they have any crack, we are there to take the opportunity. When they started to have any kind of problem, we were not there anymore. So it's a bit up to us that we were not able to keep up with that pace," Alonso said.

‘Slipping away’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29314...-of-sight.html

[Fortitude]

Ocon pleased with points, but reckons he ‘should have been at least 8th or 9th’.
Esteban ocon finished P10 for Alpine in Belgium, but says the result could have been even better with a tweaked strategy.
28 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Could have been even better’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/oc...36491388014892


Ocon praises Alpine's tyre management after scoring points in Belgium
30 Jul 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Ocon commented: “I’m pleased to have scored a point for the team this afternoon after some hard fights on track. We had good pace throughout, enough straight-line speed to overtake down the Kemmel Straight and in the end, it was enough for the top ten.

"There are positives, of course, like our general race pace and tyre management. I do think we could have finished maybe a position higher up had we executed things slightly differently, but that is up for us to review and improve.”

"We made a good decision in focusing on race preparation and setting up the car suitably for that. I am staying in Spa for a few days for the Pirelli tyre test before the summer break."

‘Alpine's tyre management’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25163


Ocon underlines 'no brainer' factors in Haas switch
Esteban Ocon has said the decision to join Haas next season was "very straightforward" and a "no brainer" given its recent uptick in performance.
30 July 2024
Samuel Coop & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Esteban Ocon has explained that his decision to switch to Haas for the 2025 F1 season was a "no brainer" given its upturn in performance this year. The American outfit's new team principal, Ayao Komatsu, worked with Ocon in the past, as his race engineer during the one-time grand prix winner's first F1 test with Lotus in 2014.

"Well, it does confirm what Ayao [Komatsu] is putting in place, basically," Ocon told media including RacingNews365 when asked how crucial Komatsu and Haas' recent improvements were to his signing. "When you say something, but then you have the facts on track [to back it up], it's just very clear and very straightforward.”

"So, to me, it was a no brainer to take that decision. I'm very happy with my choice and very happy with how we are going to move forward. I'm very happy with my choice - I'm not going to speak about names or which teams," he replied. "There was many discussions with many different teams, you know, since '23 [2023]. But now it's official, and I can say one name and that will now remain."

'No brainer';

https://racingnews365.com/ocon-under...in-haas-switch


Haas defends decision to sign controversial Ocon
Haas team boss Ayao Komatsu has defended his decision to sign the talented but controversial Esteban Ocon for 2025.
JULY 31, 2024
GrandPrix.com

I think Esteban has proven what he can do, Komatsu said at Spa-Francorchamps last weekend. "He's scored a lot of points and won a race. He's achieved a lot already. Again, his battle with Fernando Alonso was pretty impressive. And he's only 27 - he's still got a lot to offer. I think he's got an incredible determination and work ethic.”

Many in the paddock see the Frenchman as a driver with a poor reputation for playing the team game. “It had to be taken into account”, Komatsu admitted. “So I can't say I didn't notice.”

“So personally I am not worried”, he insisted. "If I was worried, I would not have chosen this pairing. Because it is my responsibility to make sure that the two drivers are working in the best interests of our team. I have no doubt that Esteban and Ollie will do that.”

‘Defended his decision to sign the talented but controversial Esteban Ocon’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/haas-...sial-ocon.html


Ocon can't wait to partner up with this future British world champion
31 July 2024
Editor: Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com

Talking to GPblog among others, Ocon explained that he met Bearman back at the Hungaroring, where the young Briton drove a Haas car during the first free practice session. "I spoke to him actually in Budapest, that's probably the first time that we met. Ollie is a very young, exciting prospect in Formula 1, many people are saying that he is going to be a future world champion and I can't wait to be teaming up with him," the one-time Grand Prix winner praised Bearman.

"As I said he is going to be bringing also fresh blood into the team, new ideas, I am also going to try and add to the team and I am sure our collaboration is going to be great to lead this team forward and hopefully going where we want to go," Ocon explained how the partnership can be successful.

Ocon himself also believes Bearman does not necessarily need advice from him, and added that it will possibly go the other way around instead. "I don't think Ollie needs my help on anything. He probably has more experience with the team than I will have next year. He's been driving a lot in FP1s, in testing as well. I'm probably going to have to ask him a lot more things than I will have to give him tips. There's not going to be any of that, I think. We're just going to be very open about the whole situation, trying to get the team to the right technical way very early on. That's going to start for sure quite quickly," the Frenchman explained.

‘Can't wait to partner up’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29194...-with-him.html


'It was time to change': Bruno Famin shares the moment he knew it was ‘time to change’ Esteban Ocon at Alpine
1 August 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Bruno Famin says Monaco GP was tipping point for Esteban Ocon at Alpine. There have been occasional flashpoints in the Alpine partnership, most notably the collision at the 2023 Australian GP that took both cars out of the race. In Monaco this year, Ocon hit Gasly with a risky lunge at Portier on the first lap.

Ocon couldn’t continue after his A524 was dramatically launched, while Gasly needed significant repairs. A red-flag period allowed the mechanics to mend Gasly’s car and he eventually scored points, but Alpine were still furious. Bruno Famin warned Ocon there would be consequences, with talk of a remarkable one-race suspension.

“It was the visible part of the iceberg in Monaco but it was the evidence that it was time to change for both parties,” Famin said. “We need [a good] dynamic in the team. We need to change instability. You cannot be so stable like that and you need to bring new ways, new ideas. A new driver would bring new things and having a different environment will enable him [Ocon] to improve certain things. I’m 100% sure it will be good for everybody.”

‘The moment he knew it was time to change’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/bru...con-at-alpine/


Alpine ‘didn’t want Esteban Ocon around’ as alarming F1 2025 replacement claim made
02 Aug 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

In the aftermath of Ocon’s Alpine exit confirmation, Sky F1 lead commentator David Croft suggested there was an “air of tension” between driver and team, that extending to Ocon and team-mate Pierre Gasly, with then team boss Bruno Famin left enraged after the duo collided in Monaco.

And Steiner believes that Alpine ultimately decided enough is enough with their Ocon alliance. “I think it turned into such a headache that they said, ‘it’s better a painful end than never-ending pain’,” said Steiner on The Red Flags Podcast.

“‘We’ll deal with the consequences of him leaving, but we don’t want him around’. I think it ended up like this. It’s just too much. And when you’re in a team and you have got always the same problem that you cannot fix it after years, it’s like, ‘we need to do something different here’, otherwise you just kick the can down the road. It will come back.”

‘Didn’t want Esteban Ocon around’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/guenth...al-replacement


Ocon divulges talks with Haas over F1 move began in mid-2023
1 Aug 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Esteban Ocon has disclosed that conversations regarding a move to the Haas Formula 1 began back in mid-2023 as he decided to leave Alpine once his deal expired.

“There’s been obviously a lot of conversation going around the paddock. That is quite clear,” Ocon acknowledged. “This conversation started quite a long time ago. Already mid-season of 23. That’s really when things started.”

“But Ayao really convinced me with his words. He’s a person that has a lot of experience in Formula 1. I’ve been working on my first steps into Formula 1 as well. When I was testing for the first time 10 years ago. I even know him from a lot longer than that.”

‘Ocon divulges talks’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...n-in-mid-2023/

[Fortitude]

Ricciardo inherits point after surprising RB strategy.
Daniel Ricciardo inherited a point in the Belgian Grand Prix after starting the race 13th.
29 July 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

The Australian was 11th at the end of 44 laps around the Spa-Francorchamps circuit having run inside the points paying positions in the closing laps. He was passed by Esteban Ocon on Lap 39 as the Alpine driver nabbed 10th, but was promoted back into the top 10 following George Russell's post-race penalty.

Ricciardo started the grand prix on the soft compound tyres, the only car on the red-walled rubber and one of only three not on the mediums. “I was very surprised to be the only one,” he admitted. “It obviously stopped us from maybe attempting a one stop, but I was able to stay with the guys on medium in the first stint.”

“For the two stop, it probably didn't change too much in the end. I felt like every time we pitted, I think we were able to undercut a car and get a bit of track position, and hold it. We started 13th, we got a couple positions up, so I think we did have a good race.”

‘Ricciardo inherits point’;

https://speedcafe.com/ricciardo-inhe...g-rb-strategy/


Ricciardo feels "content and fulfilled" after Spa F1 race
30 Jul 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Ricciardo later was promoted to P10 following the disqualification for race-winner George Russell, meaning he did leave Belgium with a point after all. “Today was very similar to yesterday; I’m quite pleased as I feel like we had a really strong two-stop race, but unfortunately so did some others and I think they had a bit more pace than us, so it wasn’t good enough to get rewarded.”

"Esteban (Ocon) was generally a bit quicker and also had fresher tyres, so I’m disappointed with our final result, as we tried our best to keep the tenth place in the last few laps.”

"It was a positive weekend and I’m leaving Spa content and fulfilled, which pleases me entering the summer break. Looking ahead after the break, I’m excited to get back to Zandvoort and we’ll keep the momentum going from the last few races.”

"Content and fulfilled";

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25166


Ricciardo lucks into P10 point at Spa but after ‘good race’
30 Jul 2024
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Taking a bold strategic approach, Ricciardo was the sole driver to start the race on the soft compound tyre, but it was a gamble that ultimately paid off. “It obviously stopped us from maybe attempting a one stop, but I was able to stay with the guys on medium in the first stint,” explained Ricciardo.

“For the two stop, it probably didn't change too much in the end. I felt like every time we pitted, I think we were able to undercut a car and get a bit of track position and hold it. We started 13th, we got a couple positions up, so I think we did have a good race.”

“I enjoy the crazy, fun chaos of the Red Bull family and the way they go about their business. It's all I've ever known – chaos in this team feels comfortable, where chaos in another team was quite unsettling. I just feel like I've been here before and I'm okay with it.”

‘Taking a bold strategic approach’;

https://f1i.com/news/515624-ricciard...good-race.html


Daniel Ricciardo safe at RB for 2024
Daniel Ricciardo will not be ousted from RB with reports his role with the squad is safe for the remainder of the season.
30 July 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Red Bull will take an unchanged driver line-up into the second half of the year with no changes at either Red Bull Racing or RB. Yesterday, it was revealed Sergio Perez will remain alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull Racing. It's now reported that Ricciardo will also remain in place at RB until at least the end of the season.

Following a mixed opening to the year, Ricciardo has found form of late, delivering 10th in the Belgian Grand Prix last weekend. “I think he's done alright,” Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner said on Sunday of Ricciardo's performance. I haven't looked at the race plot, I only saw the end result that he was 11th.”

‘Safe at RB for 2024’;

https://speedcafe.com/daniel-ricciar...t-rb-for-2024/


Ricciardo stays put, survives mid-season Red Bull shakeup
30 Jul 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

After a tumultuous first half of the season and doubts about his F1 future, Daniel Ricciardo will return to the fray at the end of August and remain with Visa Cash App RB through the remainder of the 2024 F1 season.

With signs of improvement, the team sees no immediate need for change. Red Bull has consistently emphasized their commitment to Ricciardo's success, acknowledging his early-season struggles but pledging to help him adapt to the car.

‘Return to the fray at the end of August’;

https://f1i.com/news/515655-ricciard...l-shakeup.html


Ricciardo 'just' completes his 2024 contract at Visa Cash App RB
30 July 2024
Corwin Kunst
GPblog.com

Daniel Ricciardo will drive for Visa Cash App RB until the end of the season, the Faenza-based team confirmed to GPblog. The Australian scored half as many points as Yuki Tsunoda in the first 14 Grands Prix of the season, but they see no reason to put Liam Lawson in the car now.

Only in three races (excluding a fourth place finish at the Miami Sprint Race) did Ricciardo score points in the first half of the season. Entering the summer break, the driver from Perth has 11 points behind his name. Teammate Tsundoa finished in the top-ten in seven races (and a P8 in the Miami sprint race).

Liam Lawson might have secretly hoped for a chance to drive the VCARB-01 at Zandvoort. However, the Red Bull junior who creditably filled in for Ricciardo at five GPs last year will have to be patient. Possibly, an opportunity at Visa Cash App RB does await him at the start of 2025.

‘Ricciardo 'just' completes his 2024 contract’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29295...sh-app-rb.html


Ricciardo pinpoints RB’s biggest weakness with 2024 F1 car
1 Aug 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Daniel Ricciardo has pinpointed high-speed cornering as the main weakness upon which RB can improve with its 2024 Formula 1 car going into the remaining rounds. Ricciardo’s uptick in results continued at Spa-Francorchamps as he headed RB’s charge to cross the line in 11th and inherit a point once George Russell was excluded.

The Australian, who started down in 13th, managed to claw through the pack as RB elected to trigger an undercut on the cars ahead at the respective pit stop phases. However, Fernando Alonso’s reversion to a one-stop and Esteban Ocon’s late overtake down the Kemmel Straight demoted Ricciardo to outside the top 10 on the road.

‘RB’s biggest weakness’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...h-2024-f1-car/

[Fortitude]

Stroll calls on Aston Martin to ‘find more pace in the car’ after P12 finish at Spa.
Lance Stroll ran a one-stop strategy for the Belgian Grand Prix, but wasn’t able to make it into the points.
28 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘One-stop strategy’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/st...35433682079594


UNDERCUT | Mike Krack: "We're on the right path"
11:26 Fri, 02 Aug 2024
Aston Martin F1 - Official Site

"If I'm honest with myself, and I think we should all be honest with ourselves: we expected more. We knew we had a bit of a gap to the cars in front, and how difficult it is to close that gap. We haven't managed it yet, and until we do, we cannot be happy."

Team Principal Mike Krack refrained from sugar-coating his thoughts as he opened up about the team's first half of the 2024 F1 season, but would you expect anything less in the latest instalment of UNDERCUT, our raw, unfiltered, interview series that asks the questions you really want the answers to?

In the first part of the 2023 F1 season, Mike was cautious. Silverware was rolling in, the team was enjoying front-row starts and contesting victories, however "it's very nice – but it isn’t an accurate picture" was a constant message. Mid-season, when the usual suspects figured out their early-season wobbles, silverware became harder to come by. There were still occasional, stunning, successes, but fifth-quickest team was where we levelled-off… and where we are now.

"We're on the right path";

https://www.astonmartinf1.com/en-GB/...the-right-path


Adrian Newey to Aston Martin? Team boss teases ‘big-name’ signing as rumours swirl
02 Aug 2024
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

With speculation that he’s set to sign for Aston Martin, the prospect of an Adrian Newey arrival has been addressed by team boss Mike Krack. Addressing the possibility in a summer shutdown column for the Aston Martin website, team boss Mike Krack was asked directly whether any further “big-name signings” can be expected, with Newey name-dropped.

“We’re still in a period of growth – but I think we have to be open-minded and dynamic, in terms of personnel as well as car development,” Krack said, with Newey put to him as a free agent. This isn’t a sport that rewards consolidation.”

“Obviously, that has to be constructed around a stable core. You need to have routines and you need to have trust and establishing that trust can take a long time – but you should never sit back and say ‘We are fine’. There’s always a need to be looking at what you can do better, what you can change. Doesn’t necessarily mean you make that change – but you have to keep asking the question.”

‘Rumours swirl’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/aston-...ummer-shutdown


The seven-step guide to keeping an F1 race team fit and healthy
17:21 Fri, 02 Aug 2024
Aston Martin F1 - Official Site

14 Grands Prix down, 10 to go. As the 2024 Formula One season takes a brief pause for the summer break, Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team Doctor, Rahul Chotai, reveals what it takes to keep our mechanics and the rest of our travelling race team in top condition throughout F1's longest-ever season.

"My work will never have a direct impact on the car, but it will help the team perform to the best of their ability." More than 100 Aston Martin Aramco team members travel to each Grand Prix, and Team Doctor Rahul Chotai is the person charged with keeping them in peak physical and mental condition.

From illness and injury prevention to training our race team to ensure they're at their sharpest 'Doc', as he is affectionately known, oversees it all. An A&E doctor by trade, with a Masters degree in Sports Medicine, Rahul began work with team during the global pandemic in 2020, getting the call-up as Formula One returned to action in Austria that year.

‘Seven-step guide’;

https://www.astonmartinf1.com/en-GB/...it-and-healthy


Fernando Alonso warns Aston Martin ‘cannot hide’ after alarming F1 2024 pace drop
3 Aug 2024
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Fernando Alonso has admitted to feeling disappointed with how he’s now looking over his shoulder at Aston Martin’s pursuers rather than chasing the lead pack in F1 2024.

“We cannot hide the fact that we are fighting today with Williams, AlphaTauri [sic], and Alpine while, last year, we were looking maybe to the top four teams. Now they are out of reach and we are just defending from the guys behind.”

“Even at the beginning of the year – in qualifying, especially – we were always top five, top six in the mix. So there’s definitely a lot of work to do for us in summer break and the second part of the year. We will not give up, but we need to work.”

‘Cannot hide’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernan...4-f1-pace-drop

[Fortitude]

‘Disappointed’ Albon says Williams have been ‘on the back foot from the very beginning’ of 2024.
Alex Albon finished 13th at Spa, and reflected on the team’s first half of the year ahead of the summer break.
28 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Disappointed’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/di...40963727085173


Belgian GP: Another difficult race for Williams Racing
July 29 2024
By Williams Racing
WilliamsF1 Supporters

In what was another difficult race for the Williams Racing Team the 2024 Belgian GP would see Alex Albon finish in 13th and Logan Sargeant 18th. But both drivers would move up one place to be listed as finishing in 12th and 17th after another drivers disqualification. Both Alex and Logan would start the race on the medium and would suffer as they continued to use the medium tyre for their second stint changing to the hard for the run to the finish.

Overall as has been the case this season the fundamental problem is the lack of pace from the FW46. Such was the case in Belgium where both Alex and Logan simply did not have the pace to compete against quicker rivals.
Alex Albon: "I had a good start today but ultimately; we just didn’t have the pace. I think we executed the race as well as we could but at the end of the day, you need pace to get points and we just didn’t have it.”

Sven Smeets Sporting Director: "It was a difficult and disappointing afternoon. We started the race well with Alex gaining two places in the start and a good first stint on the Medium following Fernando. We decided to cover off some of the early stoppers and fitted the Medium again. Unfortunately, we struggled a bit in that second stint…”

‘Another difficult race’;

https://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s107/st206232.htm


Albon shocked by lack of upgrades so far in 2024
30 Jul 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Albon noted: "I had a good start today but ultimately; we just didn’t have the pace. I think we executed the race as well as we could but at the end of the day, you need pace to get points and we just didn’t have it.”

"It would’ve been better if we had two sets of Hard tyres for the race but unfortunately, we didn’t, so I’m not sure if that would’ve changed things.”

"We haven’t had any upgrades all year, so I think we’re just falling behind the pack too much, which makes things difficult. We’ve got some coming after the summer break, so hopefully, we can return more competitive."

‘Lack of upgrades’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25170


Williams ‘paying the price all season for lack of upgrades’ – Albon
31st July 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Albon described his season so far as “disappointing”, saying Williams’ lack of upgrades explains why they are only ninth in the championship. “We’ve been on the back foot from the very beginning,” he told the official F1 channel. “We were late with our car and we’ve been paying the price the whole season so far. That’s about it.”

“We haven’t had many, if any, upgrades this season so far, so we’ve been on the back foot. Hopefully we’re pushing hard at the factory. Everyone’s working really hard. Of course, there’s a bit of a break right now, but time will tell. If we can get our first proper upgrade on the car at the beginning when we come back I think we can fight for points a bit more regularly.”

‘Paying the price all season’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/07/31/...nd-up-31-07-7/


What Alex Albon said to Carlos Sainz after Williams move was confirmed
30 July 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Alex Albon welcomes Carlos Sainz to Williams. After Williams announced the arrival of Sainz on Monday, he joked to Albon that Vowles had formed an ‘appendix-less team’. Both drivers have missed races after undergoing appendectomies.

Sainz, of course, was sidelined for this year’s Saudi Arabian GP, with Oliver Bearman stepping in at Ferrari. And Williams had to turn to Nyck de Vries when Albon was ruled out of the 2022 Italian GP.
Welcome to the team @Carlossainz55 !��
— Alex Albon (@alex_albon) July 29, 2024

James Vowles addresses ‘Mercedes clause’ in Carlos Sainz contract: Some have speculated that Sainz’s stint at Williams could be brief. They suspect there’s a ‘Red Bull and Mercedes clause’ in his deal that allows him to move if they make him an offer. Williams and Mercedes share a particularly close relationship. They previously ‘loaned’ George Russell for three years, while Vowles worked at Brackley as head of strategy. But the team principal has denied that Sainz’s deal includes such an exit clause…

“Welcome to the team”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/wha...was-confirmed/


‘Be realistic’: Alex Albon issues ‘realistic’ Williams warning Carlos Sainz will not want to hear
31 July 2024
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Alex Albon has now issued a warning about Williams that Carlos Sainz will not want to hear after agreeing to his multi-year contract to join the Formula 1 team from Ferrari. Albon admitting that Williams are unlikely to become front-runners when Formula 1 enters the new regulations in 2026 will be among the last things that Sainz wanted to hear having signed his multi-year contract. It is hardly a huge vote of confidence in the project he joins.

Alex Albon admits Williams must ‘be realistic’ with F1’s 2026 regulation changes. Albon also renewed his contract with Williams in May to stay in Grove through, at least, the 2027 F1 season. The 28-year-old is committed to helping Williams return to the front of the grid and shaping how they deal with Formula 1’s huge set of regulation changes come 2026.

F1 will introduce new chassis and engine regulations in its biggest shake-up since 2014 and the start of the V6 turbo-hybrid power unit era. Engines will become a 50/50 split between combustion and electrical power, while running sustainable fuels and removing the MGU-H.

‘Be realistic’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ale...-want-to-hear/


'Albon will continue': Why Alex Albon will ‘continue to lead’ Williams despite Carlos Sainz signing
1 August 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Why Alex Albon will be the team leader at Williams. Sainz has enjoyed parity while having Charles Leclerc as his teammate at Ferrari, largely because of how close the pair are on performance. Collins believes there will be a key factor that determines why Albon is still going to be the team leader at the Grove-based outfit in the early stages of their partnership.

“Initially, Albon will continue to lead, whether that’s on paper, he’s the leader or not. He will continue to lead because he’s already settled in that environment, he knows what’s going on around him, he knows how the procedures work, the meetings, the feedback, all these other things. So, and I think given what we’ve seen of James, I don’t think there necessarily will be a number one driver.”

“It’ll be whoever’s scoring the most points will get the most opportunity, whoever’s on track will get the most opportunity. That’s maybe the way to have it going forward. And hopefully, both of them will push each other forward.”

‘Continue to lead’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/why...sainz-signing/


Albon pins hopes on upgrades for second half of season with Williams ‘digging deep’ to improve
01 August 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Alex Albon is hopeful that Williams will be in position to unleash their first “proper upgrade” of 2024 shortly after the season resumes, explaining that the team have been on the “back foot” with their package so far.

Williams have scored just four points across the 14 races held to this point, which compares to the 21 amassed by the same stage last season – a return that leaves them ninth out of 10 teams in the constructors’ standings.

“We’re digging deep, I think we’ve got some good things in the future. At the same time, we’ve got some areas we need to work on. We’ll use this break to look and really focus on the development not just for this year but especially for next year.”

‘Albon pins hopes on upgrades’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...421GMaiG9fYxR7


Albon banking on ‘first proper upgrade’ to improve Williams form
09:27 Fri, 02 Aug 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Alex Albon admits Williams has been on the back foot this season with its current package, but says a turnaround could be on the horizon when the team introduces its first proper upgrade in the back half of 2024.

The Grove-based outfit has struggled to match last year’s points tally, currently sitting ninth in the constructors’ championship with just four points.

Despite his best efforts, Albon has been unable to consistently challenge for a top-ten finish, having only put a pair of P7 results on the board – in Monaco and at Silverstone – across 14 races, a situation he attributes to a lack of car performance.

‘First proper upgrade’;

https://f1i.com/news/515792-albon-ba...iams-form.html

[Fortitude]

‘Very not happy’ Gasly reveals engine issue hampered his race.
Pierre Gasly finished 14th at Spa and explained after the race he’d been managing an engine issue and a steering problem on his Alpine.
28 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Very not happy’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/ve...37934708786267


Gasly “lost seven tenths down the straights every lap” with another car problem
29th July 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Gasly, who retired from the two races before the Belgian Grand Prix with technical problems, said he was “very not happy” after suffering more trouble with his car during yesterday’s race. “We have engine problem the whole afternoon,” said Gasly, who finished 13th. “I’m losing seven tenths down the straights every lap [with an] engine temperature issue.”

That was only the beginning of Gasly’s problems, he explained. “The steering isn’t straight the whole race. We missed the right strategy. We just do too many mistakes. The last three weekends have been absolutely frustrating. We just are not on top of what we should be, basically. I know the guys can do a lot better than that.”

‘Another car problem’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/07/29/...nd-up-29-07-7/


Gasly unhappy with ‘too many mistakes’ in Belgium as he urges Alpine to regroup after ‘frustrating’ run of weekends
30 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Pierre Gasly was left unhappy after finishing the Belgian Grand Prix in 13th place amid a number of issues with his car and strategy, marking the latest in a run of challenging weekends for the Frenchman.

“Very not happy, very not happy,” said Gasly. “We had an engine problem the whole afternoon, losing seven tenths down the straights every lap, engine temperature issue, steering isn’t straight the whole race, we missed the right strategy... We just do too many mistakes.”

“The last three weekends have been absolutely frustrating. We are not on top of what we should be, basically, and I know the guys can do a lot better than that. It’s been a tough start of the year, then we scored roughly 10 points as a team.”

‘Too many mistakes’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...POfgSXe6OLSs0v


Gasly hits out at Alpine following three ‘frustrating’ weekends
Pierre Gasly's disastrous run of results continued in Spa where the Frenchman finished P13 after suffering a DNF and DNS at the two previous Grand Prix weekends
July 31, 2024
Rhiannon Temporal
FormulaNerds

With a lack of running and knowledge of the new tarmac, many drivers up and down the grid suffered during last weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix. One driver, however, who would have been hoping for a better race day was Pierre Gasly. The Frenchman suffered a DNF in Hungary and didn’t even start at Silverstone. His bad luck only continued in Spa.

The many changing parts at Alpine: While Gasly, who recently signed a contract extension, is a sure thing, there have been many moving parts at the French team. Matt Harman (Technical Director), Dirk de Beer (Head of Aerodynamics), Otmar Szafnauer (Team Principal), Alan Permane (Sporting Director), Pat Fry (CTO), and Laurent Rossi (Alpine CEO) have all left their positions in the last year. All these individuals held key roles in the team, many of whom had also been with Alpine for many years.

Additionally, Esteban Ocon will move to Haas next season. Valtteri Bottas, Mick Schumacher, and Jack Doohan appear to be the front runners to replace him. Notably, Alpine’s reserve driver Doohan has had an intense testing schedule this season after stepping away from Formula 2. The Aussie was out on track as recently as yesterday. When will the dust finally settle at Alpine? And can they get back to winning ways?

‘Three ‘frustrating’ weekends’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/ga.../?nowprocket=1


Gasly blasts Alpine after F1 Belgian GP: ‘I want us to do better’
10:51 Thu, 01 Aug 2024
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

Alpine’s Pierre Gasly blasted his team after a disappointing Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix that was littered with technical trouble, saying “I want us to do better.” The Frenchman has endured a tough run of form at late, dominated by technical issues.

At Silverstone, Gasly failed to make the start with gearbox problems, in Hungary, he failed to finish and last Sunday at Spa-Francorchamps he was plagued by engine trouble and more throughout the 44-lap Belgian GP.

Gasly was less than impressed with the tools given to him as he found himself crossing the line in 14th place, which was bumped up to 13th thanks to George Russell’s disqualification.

‘I want us to do better’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...-to-do-better/


Pierre Gasly critical of Alpine: “Not good enough”
August 2, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Speaking after a frustrating Belgian GP, Pierre Gasly was candid about the need for improvement: “These are things we must review, as I know we can do a lot better as a team.”

“In recent weeks we have not been good enough and we must do better when we return to racing after the summer break. It’s been a tough first part of the season for us.”

“But I’m pleased with some of the things we are bringing to the car. We must keep finding further improvements to the car and come back hungrier to do better.”

“Not good enough”;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...t-good-enough/



Gasly addresses Famin’s impending departure as Alpine F1 boss
28 Jul 2024
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

Pierre Gasly addressed the news that Bruno Famin is set to step down as Alpine Formula 1 Team Principal at the end of August, praising the team boss for his clear communication throughout their working relationship.

“Yeah, I mean, to me it’s been always, you know very clear, honest and transparent in our way of working together,” Gasly said of Famin in response to the news.

“It was appreciated for the time that we’ve had together. So I just want to thank him. Obviously he’s still going to remain in the Alpine family through a different role and I wish him the best with this new project.”

“I just want to thank him”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...lpine-f1-boss/


Gasly pays tribute to ‘honest and transparent’ Famin
10:51 Thu, 01 Aug 2024
Phillip van Osten
Motorsport Week

Pierre Gasly paid tribute to outgoing Alpine team principal Bruno Famin, acknowledging the Frenchman's contribution to the Enstone outfit during a period of significant turmoil and upheaval.

“Well, first of all, I want to thank Bruno,” the Alpine charger said last weekend at Spa-Francorchamps, following the announcement of Famin relinquishing his rome of team principal.

“It’s been a really good relationship with him for the time that I’ve spent in the team with him. He’s very honest, very transparent. He’s still going to remain in the Alpine family, through a different role obviously, [but] I just want to thank him for his work and wish him all the best for the future.”

‘Honest and transparent’;

https://f1i.com/news/515710-gasly-pa...ent-famin.html


‘Had a good time’: Pierre Gasly thinks Alpine F1 team have just lost a ‘really good’ person
2 August 2024
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Pierre Gasly feels Alpine have just lost a ‘really good’ person after the Formula 1 team decided to make a key change during the summer break after a poor start this season.

Famin spent just one year in charge of Alpine after replacing Otmar Szafnauer ahead of the 2023 Dutch GP. Now, he will return to the Frenchman’s role as the vice president of Alpine Motorsports. But Gasly thinks the Alpine F1 team have lost a ‘really good’ person in Famin.

‘Lost a ‘really good’ person’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/pie...y-good-person/