2024 Formula 1 Preview & Review.

[Fortitude]

‘We have to keep progressing’ – Perez wants to push on after third P2 of the year at Suzuka.
Sergio Perez is in very consistent form this year and took his third second place of the season in Japan on Sunday.
07 Apr 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘We have to keep progressing’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...004023913.html


Perez 'paid the price' for Red Bull struggle in Japanese GP
It is a first career podium for Sergio Perez at Suzuka
7 April 2024, 9:35AM
Jake Nichol

Starting second, Perez followed home team leader Max Verstappen for a third Red Bull one-two of the season, to score his first career podium at Suzuka. Verstappen largely had Perez covered in the opening laps, but a slight mistake at the second Degner corner allowed the Dutchman to break free, with Perez bemoaning the feeling of his RB20.

"It was a good weekend for the team, and first of all, I think obviously with the restart and doing the start again, it is always quite hard to keep the focus for such a long period of time," Perez explained. "My second start was a little bit better, but just not enough to get Max, and I think we paid the price a little bit because we were a bit off-balance in that first stint, which meant we couldn't keep it alive.”

'Paid the price';

https://racingnews365.com/perez-paid...in-japanese-gp


Sergio Perez’s big leap towards 2025 Red Bull contract
April 7, 2024
Andrew Maitland
RacingNews365

Sergio Perez is making significant strides as he approaches the critical period of contract negotiations with Red Bull for the 2025 season. In a recent turn of events, Perez showcased his competitive edge by narrowly missing the pole position at Suzuka, clocking in just under a tenth of a second slower, much to the dismay of Max Verstappen, his teammate, who was less impressed with his own performance.

Dr. Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s leading Formula 1 consultant, finds himself pondering the future amid Perez’s return to the front row, noting, “I have to think, because it was a long time ago.” The frenzy surrounding the 2025 driver lineup is already underway, yet Perez has demonstrated considerable improvement this year, positioning him as a strong contender for securing his place with Red Bull.

Marko shed light on Perez’s renewed approach this season, telling ORF, “Checo has started with a different attitude this year. He is no longer trying to follow his own technical path. The cars are almost identical in terms of setup, and that’s what makes the difference in the end. It looks like he can do it, but perhaps it is very motivating for him that next year’s contracts are at stake, this year much earlier than usual. Normally, we don’t talk about driver decisions at all in April. But it’s still too early for us. We will certainly wait a while before we make a decision.”

‘2025 Red Bull contract’;

https://grandpx.news/sergio-perezs-b...bull-contract/


Perez hails ‘good momentum’ after P2 in Japan amid turnaround from ‘worst weekend’ at Suzuka last year
07 April 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Sergio Perez was pleased to add to his growing points tally by taking P2 in the Japanese Grand Prix, with the Mexican confident that Red Bull can be “strong anywhere else” after their solid showing at Suzuka.

After missing out on pole position to team mate Max Verstappen in Saturday’s qualifying, Perez started the race on the front row alongside the Dutchman but couldn’t quite take the fight to him.

While he felt he enjoyed a stronger launch when the event was restarted – following an early red flag due to a collision between Alex Albon and Daniel Ricciardo – Perez struggled more in the opening stint before becoming more comfortable during the second. He ultimately crossed the line in P2 to help Red Bull in securing their third one-two result of 2024.

‘Good momentum’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...ITMEI4EAEPRcF3


HORNER ON THE FUTURE OF PEREZ AT RED BULL: ‘IT’S HIS SEAT TO LOSE’
Perez says he is feeling ‘relaxed’ about his future at Red Bull and believes the decision is only ‘a matter of time’
April 7, 2024
Hannah May
FormulaNerds

Sergio Perez feels confident after the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix where he moved from P3 to P2 in the Drivers’ Standings. He took the second step of the podium alongside his teammate and victor, Max Verstappen.
Second in Suzuka �� Great drive and great moves today, @SChecoPerez ��#F1 || #JapaneseGP ���� pic.twitter.com/kKHqTvv32f
— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) April 7, 2024

When asked by Sky Sports about his Red Bull seat for the 2025 driver market, Perez said:
“I’m really pleased with what I’ve done in the sport so far”
He said he was “relaxed about it” but does recognise the competition for his current seat. He continued: “The driver market is moving and the next few weeks are going to be a lot of movement for sure.”

Horner is full of praise for Checo. Red Bull team principal, Christian Horner spoke to Sky Sports after the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix. He was asked about Perez’s chances of retaining his Red Bull seat. He praised Perez’s performance so far this year, remarking:
“He’s doing a great job.”
Discussing Perez’s qualifying session, Horner said: “He qualified within a tenth of a second yesterday – by far his best qualifying performance round here – and I think that you can see his confidence is growing.” Speaking about Perez’s race, Horner continued: “I thought his performance in the race, again, was very strong today.”

“He’s doing a great job”;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/ho...-seat-to-lose/


Red Bull F1 future will be sorted imminently - Perez
Sergio Perez's contract is up at the end of the 2024 season, with a clutch of drivers linked with the Red Bull seat.
8 April 2024, 7:25AM
Jake Nichol

Sergio Perez has suggested that his Formula 1 future with Red Bull could be resolved "within a month" as he continues an impressive start to the season. "I am pretty relaxed about it, it is my 14th season in F1," Perez told Sky Sports F1.

"Whatever comes next, I am really pleased with what I've done in the sport so far. I believe it will be a matter of time [before my future is decided] and obviously the driver market is moving and in the next few weeks, there will be a lot of movement for sure. I expect to know within a month what I am doing next year."

"Within a month";

https://racingnews365.com/perez-hint...ed-bull-future

[Fortitude]

Fred Vasseur shuts down Lewis Hamilton questions as Sainz lands latest podium.
That has led to a great deal of scrutiny over Ferrari’s pre-season acquisition of Hamilton, but team boss Vasseur was in no mood to entertain a reporter’s talk of an “alternative reality where you hadn’t already signed Lewis Hamilton for 2025.”
08 Apr 2024 8:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Just like Lewis Hamilton, it appears Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur is also growing tired of the questions surrounding that upcoming switch from Mercedes.

Before said reporter could finish their sentence, Vasseur interrupted to make sure that it could go no further. “We have the same question each weekend,” said Vasseur. “Do a copy paste of my reply of last week, next one.”

‘Fred Vasseur is also growing tired’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fred-v...lton-questions


Sainz feared podium result in Japan had slipped away
10:56 Sun, 07 Apr 2024.
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

“I had a good race to be honest. I knew the podium was possible if I did a perfect race” Carlos Sainz beamed when he was interviewed in parc ferme. “Very happy, because it was quite tough out there with the degradation.”

“At times it looked a bit tricky, I didn’t understand exactly what was going on with the one stops and two stops," he said. "Then the clouds came, the degradation went a lot lower, and suddenly I thought that maybe one-stop was quicker - and we were on the two.”

"I thought it was going to be very difficult to get back into fourth or P3 [given] how tricky it was to overtake the Mercedes on the second stint, and how difficult it was to follow. But when I put the hard on at the end I was very quick, flying out there, and I could get the moves done to get the podium I was really pushing for.

‘Sainz feared podium result’;

https://f1i.com/news/504683-sainz-fe...pped-away.html


Carlos Sainz ‘sending facts’ not ‘little messages’ to Charles Leclerc in Ferrari fight
09 Apr 2024 12:30 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Stamping his authority over his team-mate with a simple pass in Japan, Carlos Sainz is not just sending “little messages” to Charles Leclerc, he’s sending him “facts”. According to leading Spanish commentator, Antonio Lobato, more than just a message to Leclerc.

“Since he was a kid, his father always told him that even if he didn’t win, he always had to send little ‘messages’. “He is not sending those messages any longer. Now he is sending facts. And that’s the reward for all his work. He deserves it. Lots of teams will want to have him.”

‘Sending facts’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/carlos...-ferrari-fight


Carlos Sainz emerges as Aston Martin target for 2025
April 8, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

A report from Motorsport suggests that Carlos Sainz is seen as an option by some “factions” in the team. Intriguingly, it also adds that some within Aston would prefer to have Sainz leading Aston Martin alongside Lance Stroll – rather than Fernando Alonso. This report contradicts the prevalent narrative from the British outfit.

Considering their success with Alonso, replacing him – unless he voluntarily leaves – seems a somewhat impossible scenario. Still, it is worth evaluating how the situation evolves. Red Bull still has a vacant seat that could be the first domino to fall in the driver market.

Should the World Champion make a move to the Austrian team, it would open an opportunity for his compatriot. However, it must be asked how long Aston Martin is willing to compromise its output to keep Stroll on the team.

‘Aston Martin target’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...rget-for-2025/


Mercedes urged to “look at” Carlos Sainz and Oliver Bearman for 2025
Johnny Herbert thinks Mercedes should look at these two drivers for 2025.
09 Apr 2024
Connor McDonagh

Ex-F1 driver Johnny Herbert believes Mercedes should consider Carlos Sainz or Oliver Bearman for 2025. Herbert believes Sainz would “fit in very well” at Mercedes.

“Carlos Sainz would be one of the replacements Mercedes should look at. He is a solid, very reliable, intelligent driver who could fit in very well,” Herbert told Inclave Casino.

“Fit in very well”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/104662...r-bearman-2025

[Fortitude]

‘Something I’m not used to’ - Charles Leclerc wants to fix recent F1 weakness.
Charles Leclerc is keen to address this unusual - by his high standards - weakness in qualifying.
07 Apr 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Throughout his career, qualifying has been a strength of Leclerc’s, with many pundits describing him as the ‘fastest driver in F1’ due to his blistering one-lap pace. However, below par performances in qualifying recently has meant he’s missed out on a potential victory in Australia and now podium in Japan.

Speaking after the race at Suzuka on Sunday, Leclerc felt he couldn’t have done much more to better his P4 result, but cited the need for a better turn of speed on Saturdays. "I don't think there was anything better to do today," he said. "But finally today, I'm very happy.”

"However, two races now in a row, I've been struggling to put the tyres in the right window. This is definitely my main focus now going into Shanghai to try and re-find the right window of the tyres, and for me to put them more consistently inside that window."

‘Something I’m not used to’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/104657...nt-f1-weakness


Vasseur soothes Leclerc fear after Japan woes: 'He'll be back'.
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has poured cold water over the assertion that Charles Leclerc is struggling in qualifying.
8 April 11:37AM
Samuel Coop & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Leclerc matter of factly declared that his race could not have gone better, before turning his attention to his qualifying form. "It's my qualifying pace [which is the problem]," he began. "It is not something that I've not been very used to in my career to be working on my qualifying pace, because normally it's pretty good on the Saturday.”

A difference of opinion? His team principal, however, doesn’t quite see it that way. When asked what Ferrari has to do differently to get Leclerc’s qualifying pace back on track, Vasseur dismissed the premise of the question when speaking with media, including RacingNews365. "You don't have to draw a conclusion, just based on the classification,” he quickly responded.

"I think where we missed a little bit this weekend with Charles [in qualifying] was the first lap of Q1, because he didn’t do a very good lap, and we had to put a second set [of soft tyres] because we were a little bit at risk. "Then when you go to Q3, you have only one set and you are a little bit on the backfoot because you think: ‘if I make a mistake, I will be P10.’ We didn’t take the right approach, but I am convinced that Charles is a competitor, he is a good one on the one lap and he’ll be back.”

'He'll be back';

https://racingnews365.com/vasseur-so...s-hell-be-back


Vasseur Not Worried At All About Leclerc Slump
17:18 Sun, 07 Apr 2024.
GrandPrix.com

Frederic Vasseur insists he's not worried "at all" about Charles Leclerc's currently flagging form. Earlier at Suzuka, Formula 1 journalist Marijn Abbenhuijs asked the 26-year-old driver if he is worried that his currently unemployed-in-2025 teammate Carlos Sainz is shining brighter in this year's Ferrari so far.

Specifically, the Algemeen Dagblad reporter wondered if the pressure of being chosen as Lewis Hamilton's 2025 teammate over Sainz has piled on too much pressure. No, that's not the case, Leclerc insisted.

Abbenhuijs even pointed out that Leclerc lost his temper with a malfunctioning microphone during his interview, grumbling I'll stop, this makes no sense before being urged by his press officer to persevere. In short, the journalist noted, high tension is radiating from Leclerc, while Sainz coolly continues to perform better.

‘High tension is radiating from Leclerc’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/vasse...erc-slump.html


Leclerc blames poor qualifying for failure to make the podium at Suzuka
07 Apr 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Charles Leclerc finished fourth in the Japanese Grand Prix – but said afterwards he is “paying the price in the race” for difficult qualifying sessions at the last two events.

‘Leclerc blames poor qualifying’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...746637707.html


Leclerc ‘paid the price’ for poor qualifying in Japanese GP as he vows to work on struggles
08 April 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Charles Leclerc enjoyed a strong drive to P4 in the Japanese Grand Prix, but the Monegasque admitted that he was “paying the price” for his qualifying struggles in the race, having missed out on a podium position to Ferrari team mate Carlos Sainz.

Leclerc started the event from P8 on the grid after a difficult qualifying on Saturday, in which he had to use two sets of soft tyres in Q1 to avoid elimination. This resulted in him relying on just one flying lap in Q3. “I think we didn’t have a better result mostly because of the qualifying yesterday and this is where I want to focus, which is strange – in the past I never had to really focus on qualifying because that was one of our strengths.”

“It’s also good to be voted Driver of the Day. Sometimes you do great races but you are a bit on your own, nobody notices it. Today I’m happy that people noticed it, and we’ll focus on the next race to try and put everything together, and to finally have the result that we want.”

‘Voted Driver of the Day’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...r7C4dZKDzLZhXe


Ferrari’s tyre management is better now than I’ve ever had before – Leclerc
RaceFans Round-up
Posted on 9th April 2024, 0:01
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

After climbing from eighth to fourth in the Japanese Grand Prix, Leclerc says Ferrari’s tyre management hasn’t been this good at any time since he joined the team in 2019.

“Since I arrived in Ferrari, we always had the tendency of being very fast in qualifying and struggling a lot with tyre management in the race,” he told Viaplay. “It’s for now the most positive beginning of the year I’ve seen in terms of tyre management and just the car being easier.”

“It’s not like we, the drivers, are doing something very different to what we were doing in the past. It’s just a car that is in a better place and manages the tyres better. So that is a good sign and it’s encouraging for the rest of the season.”

‘Ferrari’s tyre management is better now’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/04/09/...nd-up-09-04-7/

[Fortitude]

Lando Norris questions McLaren pit stop call after 'fighting a losing battle'.
Lando Norris wants to discuss McLaren's Japanese Grand Prix strategy with the team.
07 Apr 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Lando Norris wants to discuss McLaren’s strategy after disagreeing with the team’s decision to pit him earlier than his rivals at the F1 Japanese Grand Prix. “It was a tough race,” Norris told Sky F1. “I think compared to those guys who had better pace, compared to the Ferraris, just not enough.”

“I think everything kind of fell back in-line in terms of Red Bull, Ferrari, us, which is a shame. It doesn’t feel great when you start third and just kind of go backwards and kind of feel like you’re just fighting a bit of a losing battle against these guys because they can just do a lot more. They can go longer and extend to have a much bigger tyre delta. It’s hard to fight on a track like this, but we gave it a good shot, we did what we could have done.”

“We’ve got the maximum points apart from these top two teams, which was all we could do. Charles did a good job to go that far on one set of tyres and then I’m kind of surprised we boxed as early as we did to be honest with you. Because that just put it in line with what Ferrari did, and we covered George [Russell] which I just didn’t think we maybe needed to do.”

'Fighting a losing battle';

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/104657...-losing-battle


Lando Norris wants McLaren F1 talks after nasty Japanese Grand Prix 'surprise'
Lando Norris started the Japanese Grand Prix third on the grid but finished the race fifth, unable to hold off the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc in his McLaren
14:41 Tue, 09 Apr 2024.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Lando Norris was left "fighting a losing battle" and "surprised" by McLaren's pit strategy during a difficult Japanese Grand Prix.

Speaking afterwards, Norris appeared deflated and said he wants to talk with his team about the way they had executed the race. "It was a tough race - I think compared to those guys who had better pace, compared to the Ferraris, just not enough," he said.

"Charles did a good job to go that far on one set of tyres and then I'm kind of surprised we boxed as early as we did to be honest with you, because that just put it in line with what Ferrari did, and we covered George [Russell] which I just didn't think we maybe needed to do.”

‘McLaren F1 talks’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...tella-32546553


Stella stands by McLaren strategy calls for Norris in Japanese GP
10:06 Tue, 09 Apr 2024.
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

McLaren team boss Andrea Stella defended his team’s strategy. The Italian acknowledged that Ferrari's stronger race pace ultimately hampered their plans but maintained that the two-stop strategy was the best option given the information they had at the time.

“I think we were a little out of options because when we stopped Lando at the start, we kind of knew that Ferrari were ready to go to undercut us,” Stella explained.

“So we wanted to play preventatively. We had two sets of hard, so we could stop early, and in stopping Lando early we wanted to see like, can we go for the podium? And we even tried to see can we go for it to beat Perez?”

‘Best option given the information they had at the time’;

https://f1i.com/news/504942-stella-s...panese-gp.html


It's the maximum of what we could achieve, admits Norris
09/04/2024
NEWS STORY
Pitpass

With Red Bull out of reach, Lando Norris admits that McLaren is still no match for Ferrari either. Able to hold off Sainz at both starts, Norris was struggling and pitted on Lap 11 in a bid to undercut the Spaniard, who pitted four laps later. Though the strategy paid off, Norris lost out to the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc who had bravely opted for a long opening stint on the mediums.

When Norris made his second stop (on Lap 26) it coincided with Leclerc's first, but while the Monegasque rejoined in sixth, the Briton dropped to eighth behind Russell. Though he was able to work his way back up to fourth, behind Leclerc, he was subsequently passed by the second Ferrari ten laps later.

"Tough race!" said the Briton. "We gave it a good try, but we just didn't have enough pace today, so trying to cover and stay ahead of the Ferraris was challenging. "It was as expected, to be honest with you," he subsequently added. "Which is behind Ferrari, where we've been all year.”

‘Maximum of what we could achieve’;

https://www.pitpass.com/77404/Its-th...-admits-Norris


McLaren strategy flaw identified giving Lando Norris “big disadvantage” in Japan
Did McLaren make two crucial mistakes with Lando Norris' strategy in Japan?
08 Apr 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Sky Sports F1 pundit Bernie Collins has identified a significant flaw with McLaren’s strategy at the Japanese Grand Prix. Analysing McLaren’s strategy at Suzuka, Collins felt while they were right to put Norris on a two-stopper, the timing of the stops was the issue.

“Lando was very honest in thinking they stopped too early,” she said. “He’s got to feel disappointed to lose to Charles who was significantly further back. [Andrea] Stella said two stops didn’t make a difference. I think that’s correct.”

“But what did make the difference was Lando stopped four laps earlier than Sainz on the first stop, then 10 laps earlier on the second stop. In a race where we’re talking about significant deg, to do 10 extra laps on the final set is a big disadvantage in terms of total race time. It would have lost significant race time.”

‘McLaren strategy flaw identified’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/104661...dvantage-japan


Lando Norris set for McLaren talks after being left 'surprised' at Japanese Grand Prix
Lando Norris was left frustrated after finishing fifth in the Japanese Grand Prix.
09:14, Wed, Apr 10, 2024
By Express Sport Reporter
Daily and Sunday Express

Lando Norris has discussed plans to hold talks with McLaren following an unexpected pit strategy during the challenging Japanese Grand Prix. The British driver, who had high hopes of securing consecutive podiums after qualifying third on the grid for Sunday's race, was unable to fend off the advancing Ferraris.

A visibly disappointed Norris spoke afterwards about wanting to discuss the race execution with his team. "It was a tough race - I think compared to those guys who had better pace, compared to the Ferraris, just not enough.”

Norris also expressed his surprise at the team's strategy, saying: "Charles did a good job to go that far on one set of tyres and then I'm kind of surprised we boxed as early as we did to be honest with you, because that just put it in line with what Ferrari did, and we covered George [Russell] which I just didn't think we maybe needed to do.”

‘Frustrated after finishing fifth’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...ese-Grand-Prix

[Fortitude]

‘Normally we should be P9’ – Alonso praises Aston Martin for maximising ‘small factors’ to finish P6 in Japan.
Fernando Alonso was delighted with his drive to P6 in the Japanese Grand Prix, given that – with the Spaniard believing Aston Martin to currently be the “fifth fastest team” – he thinks they should typically be finishing in P9 or P10.
08 April 2024
Formula One - Official Site

After lining up in P5 on the grid, Alonso looked to have good pace in the early stages of the race on the soft tyre. During his second stint on the medium compound, the two-time world champion was running in sixth and found himself being chased down by Oscar Piastri and George Russell.

Alonso allowed Piastri to stay close enough to use DRS, which enabled the McLaren driver to defend from Russell, and this ultimately helped Alonso to hold on to P6 to the chequered flag.

Reflecting on how he felt about the car’s race pace – with this not having been a strong point for the squad so far in 2024 – Alonso said: “I think we were a little bit better than the last few events, but we still need some pace compared to McLaren and Mercedes. Red Bull and Ferrari, they are in another league.”

‘Maximising ‘small factors’ to finish P6’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...G9R1SHC6h4mvN6


Japan ‘one of my best weekends but everyone will forget it tomorrow’ – Alonso
7th April 2024, 12:08
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

“I think it was one of my best races or my best weekends,” Alonso told Sky. “I think it was very complete and very strong, very solid. I think it was one of my best races or my best weekends,” Alonso told Sky. “I think it was very complete and very strong, very solid. Since free practice, to the race, maybe the best of the last year or maybe even top five of my career. But this is going to be completely anonymous.”

“I felt connected with the car. I think P5 yesterday is completely out of position and P6 today is completely out of position. We are definitely slower than Red Bull and Ferrari, they are maybe in another league at the moment. But I think McLaren and Mercedes, they are faster than us. Mercedes did experiment a little bit with a hard starting tyre today and a little bit of a bold strategy. But thanks to that, we capitalised on the position.”

“One of my best weekends”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/04/07/...morrow-alonso/


Alonso happy with P6 in Japan – ‘Normally we should be P9’
07 Apr 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Fernando Alonso scored another solid points finish with sixth place at Suzuka – which he was especially pleased with given he reckons the Aston Martin should be finishing in 9th or 10th given its pace.

‘Alonso happy with P6 in Japan’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...488640315.html


Fernando Alonso jokes about F1 ban as George Russell weighs in on DRS ‘games’
Fernando Alonso has joked about getting a season-long ban after playing some DRS 'games' in Japan.
08 Apr 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Fernando Alonso has teased Mercedes by dismissing the idea of giving team principal Toto Wolff a call about their vacant F1 seat for 2025. Alonso has suggested he will make a call on his future after the opening few races of the 2024 season and was asked by Sky if his performance in Japan made his decision any easier.

"I had a lot of fun, which is great, to keep on racing,” the two-time world champion said. “I had one of my best weekends ever, I think, driving, and I'm 44 seconds behind the leader. It doesn't feel attractive at the same time. So let's see.”

When asked if would be more fun to drive for a team further up the grid and whether he would give Wolff a call, Alonso laughed: "That's a very good question. But Mercedes are behind us, so it doesn't feel very attractive.”

"I had a lot of fun, which is great, to keep on racing,”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/104657...active-verdict


Aston Martin’s ‘Plan A, B and C’ strategy to keep Alonso – de la Rosa
09:49 Wed, 10 Apr 2024.
Andrew Maitland
Grandpx.news

Aston Martin, under Lawrence Stroll’s ownership, values Alonso’s presence highly, alongside Lance Stroll. Pedro de la Rosa, an Aston Martin ambassador and Alonso’s trusted associate, emphasizes the team’s efforts to create a compelling environment for Alonso’s stay, stating that he is the “Plan A, B and C.”

“The most important thing is to give Fernando reasons to stay with us,” he said, asserting the team’s singular focus on retaining him without considering any alternatives. He passionately concludes that the team is content with both Alonso and Stroll, pinning their hopes on upcoming upgrades and an ambitious development strategy to ensure a competitive car, believing it to be “the most important weapon to convince Fernando.”

‘Aston Martin’s ‘Plan A, B and C’ strategy’;

https://grandpx.news/aston-martins-p...so-de-la-rosa/


For Aston Martin no plan B to Alonso
Momentum is building towards a deal to keep Fernando Alonso at Aston Martin beyond 2024.
GrandPrix.com

According to Aston Martin, the Lawrence Stroll-owned team is more than happy with Alonso - whilst Lance Stroll's seat appears set in stone. Pedro de la Rosa, Aston Martin brand ambassador and a close friend and long-time confidante of Alonso's, basically confirms that.

“The most important thing is to give Fernando reasons to stay with us”, the former F1 driver told Cadena Ser. “We desperately want him to stay with us”, de la Rosa added. "And in the team we do not contemplate a different scenario. We are working for Fernando to continue and we are working as if he is going to continue.”

“There is no plan B. Our plan A, B and C is Fernando. We are not looking around”, said the Spaniard. "The team is very happy with Fernando and Lance. We brought some small improvements to Suzuka and we have a very interesting and very ambitious development program for the next races, de la Rosa added. It is the most important weapon to convince Fernando - a car that is more and more competitive.”

“No plan B to Alonso”;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/for-a...to-alonso.html


Fernando Alonso teases Mercedes with ‘behind us, so not very attractive’ verdict
Fernando Alonso has dismissed the suggestion he will give Toto Wolff a call about Mercedes' vacant seat.
07 Apr 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Fernando Alonso has teased Mercedes by dismissing the idea of giving team principal Toto Wolff a call about their vacant F1 seat for 2025.

Alonso has suggested he will make a call on his future after the opening few races of the 2024 season and was asked by Sky if his performance in Japan made his decision any easier.

"I had a lot of fun, which is great, to keep on racing,” the two-time world champion said. “But Mercedes are behind us, so it doesn't feel very attractive.”

“Behind us, so not very attractive”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/104657...active-verdict


Aston Martin reveal Fernando Alonso contract hopes
April 10, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Aston Martin wants to keep Fernando Alonso in the team until 2026 and beyond. Mike Krack, team principal at Aston Martin, has repeatedly mentioned that retaining Fernando Alonso is the priority for 2025 and beyond. This is hardly a surprise, considering that the Spaniard is responsible for about 75% of the team’s points since his arrival last season.

Aston works to keep Alonso for the long-term. Speaking after the Japanese GP, Mike Krack emphasised the importance of aggressive mid-season development to convince Fernando Alonso to stay. In addition, he outlined the importance of showcasing the potential to deliver a race-winning car in the new 2026 regulations:

“If we have the wind tunnel available, and with the whole thing completed – together with Honda – it’s certainly attractive,” motorsport-total quotes him as saying. “Definitely more so than two years ago. But we also know that it’s [even though] it’s nice to have all these, you have to deliver on the track. That’s the only thing you’re measured on, that’s the most important thing. We still have to do more… We won’t stop. We’ll bring more parts over the course of the season to motivate him and make him happy at Aston Martin.”

“We still have to do more… We won’t stop”;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...ontract-hopes/

[Fortitude]

Toto Wolff tells George Russell to "take responsibility" amid divisive F1 debate.
George Russell was involved in a terrifying crash in the Australian Grand Prix, with Fernando Alonso being handed a 20-second penalty for his part in the incident
18:44 Mon, 08 Apr 2024.
By Jacob Leeks Senior Sports Reporter
The Mirror

There was no contact between Russell and Alonso, but the stewards decided to hand the latter a 20-second penalty after finding he slowed down for the corner "slightly more than 100m earlier than he ever had going into that corner during the race".

But while the Spaniard was deemed to have driven "in a manner that was at very least 'potentially dangerous'", Russell's team principal Toto Wolff believes his driver was also partially at fault.

"You can hear the drivers, they obviously understand much more on a track that I've never raced on, and they're split. I think Fernando was aggressively defending by trying to take out the momentum before the corner, and maybe he's overdone it," Wolff said. "George was just trying to [set up] an overtake there, but [he] also takes a certain part of responsibility for having lost the car there.”

‘Toto Wolff tells George Russell to "take responsibility"!’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...crash-32540319


Damon Hill insists George Russell was ‘desperate’ in Oscar Piastri clash
Mercedes’ Russell attempted to overtake McLaren’s Piastri at the final chicane of the Suzuka circuit
13:58 Sun, 07 Apr 2024.
Kieran Jackson
The Independent

Damon Hill was left unimpressed by a “desperate” attempted overtake by George Russell on Oscar Piastri during the latter stages of Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver, battling for seventh place, lunged down the inside of Piastri at the final chicane of the Suzuka circuit.

“I thought that was a little bit of an aggressive move actually,” Hill told Sky Sports F1. “Quite a risky one, required Oscar to take evasive action. So a bit desperate from George.”

‘Desperate attempted overtake’;

https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/f1-...-b2524705.html


Oscar Piastri’s George Russell verdict as Japan clash catches FIA attention
08 Apr 2024 6:30 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

The stewards chose not to punish George Russell after a lunge on Oscar Piastri at the Suzuka chicane, a decision which will not get many complaints out of Piastri.

The stewards summoned both drivers but decided to take no further action, which Piastri believes was a fair outcome. “I think it’s probably a bit of a racing incident,” he said after the race. “He finished in front of me anyway, so I think it was fine.”

‘FIA attention’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/oscar-...ct-japan-clash


Mercedes’ F1 decline: From domination to desperation?
April 10, 2024
Andrew Maitland
Grandpx.news

Hamilton’s inclination towards his confirmed future with Ferrari became apparent in Japan, where he mentioned initiating an “conversation” with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff about transitioning to the Maranello based team later in the year.

“Clearly Lewis is already focused on 2025, which shows a lack of confidence in his current team,” commented Ralf Schumacher, a former F1 driver, to Sky Deutschland. He added, “The fact that he’s already mentally in a different place clearly poses a serious problem.”

Mercedes, once the reigning force in F1, now faces a challenging period, marked by a performance downturn that began in 2022. Fernando Alonso voiced his reservations about joining Mercedes next year, citing the team’s lack of appeal. Christian Danner, another ex-F1 driver, shared his observations on Toto Wolff’s recent comments, suggesting a disconnect between Wolff’s positive remarks and the team’s actual performance at Suzuka. He critically noted, “When he said his drivers did well at Suzuka, I thought he’s seen a different race.”

‘Mercedes’ F1 decline’;

https://grandpx.news/mercedes-f1-dec...o-desperation/


Mercedes have 'knife edge' problem as Martin Brundle lists daily failings of F1 giants
Martin Brundle has voiced his fears for Mercedes after their wretched start to 2024.
11:35, Wed, Apr 10, 2024
By Fraser Watson
Daily and Sunday Express

F1 pundit Martin Brundle has voiced his fears for Mercedes after claiming the team don’t even understand their ‘knife edge’ car. Brundle believes their lack of pace and consistency reflects a lack of understanding within Mercedes. “Their problem is, from time to time, the thing performs beautifully and they are really quite fast in phases,” he told the Sky Sports F1 Podcast.

“But, they can't seem to reproduce that session to session, let alone day to day, let alone Grand Prix to Grand Prix. This is the problem they have got - this knife edge of a car that sometimes looks like they have finally sorted it and more of the time they just can't understand it.”

‘Don’t even understand their ‘knife edge’ car’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...Wolff-Hamilton


George Russell reveals unseen Mercedes W15 issue as F1 2024 woes continue
10 Apr 2024 1:30 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Never mind his W15, George Russell’s latest issue for the 2024 F1 season is his helmet and the way the dirty air off the car ahead is “buffeting” it. At the start of a season where there have been bouncing, cornering and temperature issues for the Mercedes F1 car, apparently there have also been helmet issues for the drivers. Most notably for George Russell when following another car.

“It’s been a bit of a theme this year,” he said when asked by Motorsport.com about the issue. “But I have had no problem with helmets in practice and qualifying, and then as soon as we get to the race with all the turbulence and cars around there’s lots of buffeting and struggling a bit in this regard.”

“Buffeting”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/george...-woes-continue


Russell’s shaking helmet a new headache for drivers
10:14 Thu, 11 Apr 2024.
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Mercedes F1 driver George Russell has raised concerns about a new consequence of F1 aerodynamics: turbulence strong enough to cause his helmet to shake violently. The phenomenon raises concerns about driver comfort and focus, especially considering the extreme G-forces and concentration required to compete in Formula 1.

The dynamic wake is taking its toll on the spectacle out on the track as drivers struggle to follow another car closely enough to attempt an overtaking move. But Russel’s experience, which he highlighted to his team over the radio last weekend in Japan, sheds light on another, potentially safety-related issue for drivers.

‘Shaking helmet a new headache’;

https://f1i.com/news/505037-russells...r-drivers.html


George Russell advantage over Lewis Hamilton emerges in Toto Wolff's Mercedes admission
Lewis Hamilton started the Japanese Grand Prix seventh with George Russell two places behind, but they finished the Suzuka race in the opposite order after one Mercedes driver let the other pass
11:01 Wed, 10 Apr 2024.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Lewis Hamilton yielded to team-mate George Russell during the Japanese Grand Prix because he had been compromised by "testing" during the race. That was the explanation from team principal Toto Wolff when asked after the Suzuka race why the seven-time F1 champion had allowed his fellow Mercedes driver by without a fight. Hamilton started seventh but finished ninth, while Russell rose two places to cross the line in the same position as his team-mate had started.

The Austrian said: "The result is really bad - qualifying and race, same result. But it was testing at the moment. We're in a position that we're fourth in the championship and lots of room to the back and we are orientating ourselves forward and that's why we need this mileage to understand. This week it was really positive. We changed the car upside down on what we're doing to it and we had some real performance. Suzuka last year was among our worst tracks.”

"[This year] we were pretty close to the frontrunners in qualifying and then second and third stint today, the moment we decided it was a two-stop we were very competitive and the first stint was atrocious. So, in summary, good learning, really bad on the final points table."

‘George Russell advantage over Lewis Hamilton’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...wolff-32552734

[Fortitude]

“Retirement not an option” says Alonso as new deal keeps him in F1 until 45.
Fernando Alonso’s pursuit of the third world championship which has eluded him for almost 20 years will further extend what is already the longest Formula 1 career of all time.
12th April 2024, 11:5
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Few drivers in recent decades have raced into their forties. Alonso took the place of another multiple world champion, Sebastian Vettel, who left F1 at the age of 35. But Alonso said yesterday his mind “never went” to the possibility of retirement, and he plans to carry on racing in other series once he leaves the world championship.

“When I stop Formula 1 I will race elsewhere,” he told media including RaceFans. “Maybe Dakar or something like that. “For me, it’s very difficult to really think about a life without a steering wheel in my hands. That will never happen, or not in the short term. I had 99% confidence that I will keep racing next year, so retirement was not an option.”

“Retirement not an option”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/04/12/...n-f1-until-45/


Fernando Alonso says Aston Martin have best 'project' for new F1 regulations in 2026
Fernando Alonso signed a contract extension to remain with Aston Martin until at least the end of the 2026 Formula 1 season; Alonso believes the team are well set for the introduction of new regulations in 2026
Friday 12 April 2024 10:19, UK
Sky Sports

Fernando Alonso says his decision to sign a contract extension with Aston Martin was motivated by his belief that the team have the best "project" for when new Formula 1 regulations are introduced in 2026.

"I think in 2026 we are going into the unknown, for sure, in terms of regulations," Alonso said. "But if I had to choose one, my feeling is, I would choose our project and our engine and our power unit. One, it's because I think they (Honda) are dominating the sport now, they have a very, very strong engine with Red Bull and RB.”

‘Aston Martin have best 'project' for new F1 regulations in 2026’;

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12...ations-in-2026


Alonso signs multi-year contract with Aston Martin
12 Apr 2024, 08:25
By Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

After months of considerable speculation around the most experienced driver in the history of Formula One, Fernando Alonso has underlined his commitment to Aston Martin Aramco by signing a new multi-year deal.

The new contract will see Alonso race for Aston Martin for at least two more season, which also means that he will stay with the team when the sport embarks on a new technical era. At the same time, the Silverstone-based outfit will make the switch from the Mercedes power unit to Honda in 2026.

"I am very grateful for the trust Lawrence, Martin and Mike have put in me and with Lance I am excited to see what else we can achieve together. This is only the beginning for this project and I am proud to be part of it. I am at my physical best and still hungry. I will give my all as we continue our journey to becoming a world championship winning team."

‘Multi-year contract’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24487


Martin Brundle shares one ‘incredible’ thing about Fernando Alonso extension
Fri 12 April 2024 08:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Martin Brundle has offered his reaction on X after Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso signed a contract extension with the team. Aston confirmed on Thursday evening that Alonso had penned a multi-year new deal.

Alonso was one of many drivers in the final year of his contract, but team principal Mike Krack had already confirmed that the team would try to tie him down in the early part of the season. The Spaniard scored eight podiums for the team last year and has maintained that excellent form into 2024 even though they have regressed.

Martin Brundle raves about ‘exceptional’ Fernando Alonso. Writing on X, Brundle marvelled at Alonso’s ‘incredible’ longevity. He feels it would be worthy of praise ‘in any sport’, not just Formula 1. The Sky Sports F1 pundit said: “That man has incredible motivation and staying power. And enduring talent. Exceptional, in any sport, in any era.”

‘One ‘incredible’ thing about Fernando Alonso extension’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/mar...nso-extension/


Fernando Alonso set for awkward F1 reunion as Aston Martin star holds clear-the-air talks
Fernando Alonso has agreed a new contract with Aston Martin that could see him spend a 'lifetime' working with the Silverstone-based F1 squad beyond retirement from racing
12th April 2024, 08:43
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Fernando Alonso's new Aston Martin deal will see him reunite with Honda a decade on from his "embarrassing" public criticism of their engines. The Spaniard is no stranger to Honda power units, having driven McLaren cars propelled by the Japanese manufacturer's creations for three years between 2015 and 2017.

However, it was not a happy partnership amid concerns about both the reliability and the performance of those engines. Alonso's most infamous criticism was broadcast to viewers around the globe during the 2015 Japanese Grand Prix. After being overtaken by Marcus Ericsson in a Sauber, he told his race engineer: "It feels like GP2. Embarrassing. Very embarrassing."

He repeated the "GP2 engine" barb when he was overtaken by a fresh-faced Max Verstappen in the Toro Rosso, before letting out a frustrated cry. He finished that race 11th, while team-mate Jenson Button also failed to score.

‘Awkward F1 reunion’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...artin-32569391


Alonso: A ‘true pleasure’ to work once again with Honda
12/04/2024 at 09:25
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Fernando Alonso says Aston Martin’s upcoming partnership with Honda was an important part of his decision to remain with the Silverstone-based outfit. "Part of the decision to stay at Aston is because they are with Honda for 2026. It was very, very important to me," Alonso said.

"Honda is definitely a manufacturer that has so much success in Formula 1 and in the world of motorsport, it was always a company that I respected. It didn't work for us at McLaren, in the years that they came to the sport, but right after that they fixed all the problems and they are currently dominating the sport.”

"I think they will have a baseline for 2026 that is already very strong, but also they have the capacity in Sakura of building something really nice. After the experience with McLaren-Honda and IndyCar as well, we have now the opportunity to work again together. That for me is a true pleasure."

‘True pleasure’;

https://f1i.com/news/505086-alonso-a...ith-honda.html


ALONSO: ASTON ‘BUILDING’ FOR 2026 TITLE CHALLENGE
The Spanish veteran has just signed a new contract with the Silverstone-based outfit
April 12, 2024
James Fiorucci
FormulaNerds

New facilities and talented people. Alonso is also reassured by Aston Martin’s continued investment in F1, a sure sign that their ambitions are just as high as his own. He stated: “I was very clear to Aston in the first conversations that the appealing part of this project is everything that we are building.

“It was the new campus last year, it’s going to be the wind tunnel this year, it’s going to be the new regulations in 2026 and Honda coming as a partner. And I think that was for me a must, to enter new regulations with a new project, with a new wind tunnel and also with Honda as a partner, it was something for me that it was very important.”

“We have incredibly talented people in the team now in the technical side that will benefit from the new wind tunnel and the new facilities in Silverstone, so there were a lot of factors that made 2026 very appealing with Aston.”

‘Alonso: Aston ‘building’ for 2026 Title challenge’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/al...tle-challenge/


What does Alonso re-signing with Aston Martin mean for F1?
Fernando Alonso re-upping with Aston Martin will have widespread ramifications – for the teams he was linked with and for the free agents still without a drive for next year. So, what does it all mean?
12 April 9:35AM
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

Fernando Alonso had been one of the hottest free agents available for the 2025 F1 season. Now, with the news that he has signed a multi-year deal with Aston Martin, it is time to access what it means for everyone else. In typical Alonso fashion, the announcement was provocative and direct, confirmed in a Michael Jordan-esque press release that simply read: ‘I am here to stay.”

What is more immediately critical is the knock-on effect it has on the rest of the paddock, begging the questions: what does it mean for the teams he was linked with, and what impact does it have on other drivers?

Re-signing with Aston Martin might end up being the great market simplifier, cutting through the noise and nonsense by making the logical call. In choosing the stability of home over the seduction of the unknown, Alonso has streamlined the options for his suitors, who, in time, may come to thank him for it.

‘What does it all mean?’;

https://racingnews365.com/unpacking-...n-means-for-f1

[Fortitude]

Oscar Piastri warned of wingman status at McLaren if major flaw goes unaddressed.
Oscar Piastri has been warned that he risks becoming Lando Norris’s wingman at McLaren unless he is able to address his shortcomings with tyre management.
12 Apr 2024 2:30 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Tyre management proved to be a clear weakness for the Australian, with the most glaring example of his poor race pace coming at Suzuka 2023, where he finished 17 seconds behind Norris despite starting ahead on the grid.

Despite a couple of fourth-place finishes for Piastri in Saudi Arabia and Australia, Norris has once again led McLaren’s charge in the opening weeks of 2024, claiming the team’s best result so far with P3 in Melbourne.

With Piastri struggling to eighth in Japan last weekend, F1 commentator Harry Benjamin fears the 23-year-old could end up becoming Norris’s number two if he cannot improve quickly.

‘Warned of wingman status’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/oscar-...er-two-mclaren


Piastri delivers clear response to Russell close call
Oscar Piastri endured a challenging race in Japan and was relegated to eighth place following a mistake while battling George Russell.
7 April 2024, 1:00PM
Fergal Walsh & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Oscar Piastri has accepted that his contact with George Russell during the Japanese Grand Prix was nothing more than a “racing incident”. Russell attempted a late race move on Piastri into the final chicane as he attempted to make up a position on fresher tyres. Speaking about the incident to media including RacingNews365, Piastri said: “I think it's probably a bit of a racing incident. He finished in front of me anyway, so I think it was fine.”

“I could tell that Fernando was trying to keep me there by the way he was using his energy,” Piastri reflected. “I think with how difficult it is to follow in these cars, it’s quite a good strategy to stop a quicker car coming through. A few tough moments with George but in the end, I made a mistake and he got past. Disappointing to let that one slip right at the end, just struggled a bit in general today.”

“I think it was fine”;

https://racingnews365.com/piastri-de...ell-close-call


Oscar Piastri disappointed to let Russell slip through
Oscar Piastri was left disappointed by a mistake in the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix that allowed George Russell to pass him for seventh on the final lap.
7 April 2024
by Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Piastri and Russell were locked in battle in the closing stages of the 53-lap affair, with the Australian seemingly having seen off the worst of the Mercedes driver’s assault.

“A few tough moments with George, but in the end I made a mistake and he got past,” Piastri lamented. “Disappointing to let that one slip right at the end, but yeah, struggled a bit in turbulent air.”

“Some strategies were a bit of a surprise,” Piastri noted. “Obviously, for Mercedes, I assumed their plan was to try the hard one-stop effectively and I think converted back to a medium. Impressive from Leclerc to pull off a one-stop. I don’t think we could have done a one-stop,” he added.

‘Disappointed’;

https://speedcafe.com/oscar-piastri-...-slip-through/


2024 Japanese Grand Prix: Russell snatches P7 on the final lap after wheel-to-wheel battle with Piastri
07 Apr 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Oscar Piastri was forced to run wide over the chicane after George Russell made a late lunge on the McLaren, but the Mercedes man managed to grab P7 from his rival on the very last lap at Suzuka.

‘Wheel-to-wheel battle’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...322420244.html


Piastri rues mistake during ‘tough moment’ with Russell
08/04/2024 at 10:12
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

While defending from Russell, Piastri was given a helping hand from Fernando Alonso up ahead. The Aston Martin driver cleverly exploited his battery energy to protect his position in P6 while also keeping Piastri in his DRS to help the Aussie keep the Mercedes at bay.

“I could tell Fernando was trying to keep me there by the way he was using his energy,” Piastri explained. “With how difficult it is to follow in these cars, it is a good strategy to try and stop a quicker car coming through.”

Oscar Piastri lamented a mistake on the penultimate lap of the Japanese GP that allowed Mercedes rival George Russell to slip by and snatch P7 from the McLaren charger at the checkered flag.

‘Rues mistake’;

https://f1i.com/news/504859-piastri-...h-russell.html


ALONSO JOKED ABOUT F1 BAN OVER PIASTRI DRS DEFENCE TACTICS
Fernando Alonso joked that he could not rule out getting disqualified for the rest of the Formula 1 season after unleashing some impressive defensive tricks in the Japanese Grand Prix.
Apr 8, 2024, 4:26 PM
Jonathan Noble
Juanjo Sáez
Motorsport.com

A fortnight on from receiving a penalty for potentially dangerous driving against George Russell during a last-lap battle in Australia, Alonso found himself needing to hold his rivals back once again at Suzuka.

Speaking to Spanish television channel DAZN after the race about his defensive games, Alonso said it was just normal racing, but cheekily suggested that after his penalty in Australia nothing could be taken for granted now. "I don't know what to say anymore after Australia, let's see if I get disqualified for the rest of the championship,” he smiled.

“It's clear that having Piastri behind, it was a way to defend myself from Russell, so I was probably taking a bit of battery off on the last straight to get Piastri within a second. Carlos did it like that in Singapore last year too, and it's a normal racing thing.”

‘Nothing could be taken for granted now’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/a...tics/10596385/

[Fortitude]

Lewis Hamilton struggles explained as Toto Wolff slammed for letting down Mercedes ace.
Lewis Hamilton has endured a challenging start to his final season as a Mercedes driver, although this isn't entirely down to his own performances.
06:30, Sat, Apr 13, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Lewis Hamilton is not at fault for his worrying start to the 2024 campaign, according to F1 analyst Mark Gallagher. Instead, he believes that Mercedes have failed the seven-time world champion by producing an unpredictable car that, combined with its two predecessors, has drained the Brit’s confidence.

Following two difficult seasons to kick off the ground effect era in 2022 and 2023, the current campaign has brought about Hamilton’s worst-ever start to a year. The 39-year-old has only finished higher than P9 on one occasion and has so far out-qualified team-mate George Russell just once.

This was acknowledged by Hamilton himself, who proclaimed it to be ‘even worse than 2009’ after he suffered a mechanical DNF at the Australian Grand Prix. Team principal Toto Wolff must now find his replacement without the promise of a predictable, consistently fast challenger to put underneath them.

‘Not at fault’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...Wolff-Mercedes


Lewis Hamilton makes fresh Ferrari declaration as Mercedes struggles continue
09 Apr 2024 6:00 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Lewis Hamilton has admitted he is unsure if Mercedes will allow him to start work with Ferrari before the F1 2025 season, insisting all his energy is focused on helping his current team “get back to the top.”

With his move to Ferrari confirmed so early in the year, Hamilton faces the unusual prospect of having to spend the entire 2024 season at Mercedes in the knowledge that team and driver will soon part ways.

Speaking to media including PlanetF1.com’s Thomas Maher the morning after Hamilton’s bombshell, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff admitted 2024 could present some “challenging situations” as the team aim to prevent Hamilton taking intimate secrets to his new employers.

“Challenging situations”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-...rrari-mercedes


Mercedes desperate amid performance catastrophe
10:32 Wed, 10 Apr 2024.
GrandPrix.com

Seven time world champion Hamilton - now regularly struggling to keep up with George Russell at Mercedes - is clearly already putting his mind into red overalls. He said in Japan that he will soon kick off an awkward conversation with Toto Wolff about when he can start his transition to Ferrari later this year.

“Clearly Lewis is already focused on 2025, which shows a lack of confidence in his current team”, former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher told Sky Deutschland. “The fact that he's already mentally in a different place clearly poses a serious problem.”

F1 driver Christian Danner, speaking to the Austrian broadcaster Servus TV explains: "If I have a not-so-fast car, I might do a nonsense tactic that could work if you're really lucky. So you see how desolate it is for them at the moment. It's obviously a catastrophe that we're witnessing”, said Danner. “Not just from Hamilton's point of view, where he's driving himself crazy and not getting anywhere, but also the whole team.”

‘Mercedes desperate’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/merce...tastrophe.html


EXCLUSIVE: Lewis Hamilton giving Mercedes "a hard time" as F1 team slammed over poor form
Lewis Hamilton leaves Mercedes for Ferrari at the end of this F1 season, but the idea of a triumphant exit has already long gone with the Silver Arrows struggling to perform
13th April 2024, 06:05
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Given the situation, former Formula 1 executive Mark Gallagher thinks it's only natural that Hamilton will be frustrated with the team. "Lewis is what he is and that is a highly experienced seven-time champion who exists to win," he told Mirror Sport, via Betway. "He doesn't exist to qualify in the third row or the fourth row and get a podium maybe if things go well.”

“He's there for winning and he is going to give himself a hard time if things aren't going well but he will also give the team a hard time. That's what you expect of the great drivers in a way." Hamilton's best result from the four races held so far was seventh in the Bahrain season-opener. Since then, he has finished ninth twice and failed to finish the Australian Grand Prix thanks to an engine failure.

Gallagher, who served on the board at Jordan Grand Prix and later worked for Jaguar and Red Bull Racing, thinks Hamilton's own performances have been "a little bit below par". But he insists it would be unfair to criticise the seven-time F1 champion for that given Mercedes' failure to provide him with the tools he needs to win.

“Experienced seven-time champion who exists to win”;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...icism-32564416


Lewis Hamilton reacts to major F1 2025 calendar news with first Ferrari race venue confirmed
12 Apr 2024 4:30 PM
Henry Valantine

The 2025 calendar was announced with a run of five races in six weeks to start the season, but Hamilton’s first race for Ferrari will take place at Albert Park in Melbourne, the scene of many a curtain-raiser in years gone by – and the seven-time World Champion is pleased to see that be the case again next year.

“I love this track, this race,” Hamilton recently told media in Melbourne. “I think it was always the best first race of the season, so it’s exciting to hear that this is the first one next year – it just takes me back to when I first started.”

“I love this track, this race”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-...endar-reaction


Rumours swirl in Italy that Mercedes have chosen Lewis Hamilton replacement
Mercedes have reportedly decided which driver will replace Lewis Hamilton for the 2025 F1 season
12 Apr 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Carlos Sainz has been chosen by Mercedes as Lewis Hamilton’s replacement for the 2025 F1 season, according to Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport. The publication from Ferrari's homeland insist that Sainz will join Mercedes on a two-year deal, teaming up with George Russell.

Sainz is a safe bet for Mercedes having enjoyed a strong start to the 2024 F1 season, finishing on the podium in all three races - winning in Australia. If the report is to be believed, Sainz has been handed a two-year Mercedes deal.

Sainz’s arrival at Mercedes will have a knock-on effect for the rest of the grid, particularly their protege, Andrea Kimi Antonelli. The same report details that Red Bull are likely to retain Sergio Perez after his strong start to the year.

‘Rumours swirl’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/104671...on-replacement

[Fortitude]

Hulkenberg: Botched start in Japanese GP ruined chance of points.
Haas’ post-race analysis revealed an "anti-stall" issue during Hulkenberg's second start, which the US outfit will be investigating to prevent similar setbacks in the future.
12:58 Tue, 09 Apr 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Nico Hulkenberg concluded his Japanese GP just outside the points in P11… “I think 10th probably [was the highest I could have finished] – not more than that, definitely not more than that. [Tsunoda in 10th was] 50 seconds behind Hamilton so... I didn’t have that kind of pace!”

“[I made] one good start, one really bad start – went into anti-stall so we need to look into what happened, why it did that. But afterwards, head down, I think the pace was pretty good for midfield guys.”

“[I] had a very long stint on the first hard, and then had quite a splash and dash kind of on the second hard where I could really show some pace.” While he had little to show for his efforts at Suzuka, Hulkenberg was optimistic about the team's performance, believing it "definitely" set a promising tone for the upcoming races.

‘Hulkenberg was optimistic’;

https://f1i.com/news/504956-hulkenbe...of-points.html


Hulkenberg hails 'half a miracle' despite points frustration
Nico Hulkenberg showed strong pace in Japan to narrowly miss out on his third consecutive race in the points.
8 April 8:00PM
Fergal Walsh & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

'Half a miracle' to recover: Hulkenberg recovered to 11th place at the chequered flag and just missed out on scoring his third consecutive points finish which would have marked Haas' longest streak since midway through the 2018 campaign.

The German driver admitted shock over the pace of his car amid Haas' pre-event expectations. “Honestly [I’m] a bit surprised that I managed to come back to where I did,” he said. “I think it's half a miracle, to be honest. It shows that we had good pace.”

"Obviously, I tried to go as quick as I could while managing the tyres as much as possible. It is a pity, because probably we could have fought Yuki [Tsunoda in 10th] or beaten Yuki. One point was up for grabs, but Hamilton was 50 seconds up the road, so that was out of reach."

'Half a miracle';

https://racingnews365.com/hulkenberg...racle-in-japan


Suzuka performance ‘gives us hope for the coming races’ – Magnussen
07 Apr 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Kevin Magnussen was unable to score points in Japan as he finished 13th, but he was encouraged by the pace of the Haas car, which he says bodes well for the races ahead.

‘Gives us hope’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...396394791.html


Gene Haas ready to splash cash?: New era for smallest F1 team looms
09:12 Thu, 11 Apr 2024.
Andrew Maitland
Grandpx.news

In an optimistic turn of events for the Haas Formula 1 team, it appears that a much-needed financial boost is on the horizon, a move that many critics have been clamouring for. Ralf Schumacher, the former F1 driver, voiced concerns on Sky Deutschland, saying,

“The structure there is not geared towards the future and is not looking towards the future either. Investments are pending, but they are not being made because Gene Haas has other ideas,” he observed. “It’s currently a nice small team for newcomers like Oliver Bearman.”

Counteracting these sentiments, Ayao Komatsu: “Gene’s message to me from day one was crystal clear. He said he has the money, he is willing to invest, but we need to show him that we can use that money responsibly and efficiently. There’s a reason he’s a billionaire, right? He hates wasting money,” Komatsu elaborated. “We can improve in many areas, so I was not worried about his message. I know for sure that he will invest when we get there.”

‘Much-needed financial boost is on the horizon’;

https://grandpx.news/gene-haas-ready...f1-team-looms/


Why Haas F1 can continue to outperform midfield rivals
April 8, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Haas failed to score points at the Japanese GP, but Ayao Komatsu’s team proved the VF-24 is a well-rounded machine. A strong start off the line catapulted Nico Hulkenberg into the top 10, putting him in a strong position to deliver points in Suzuka. The VF-24’s straight-line speed, which was again on display in Japan, makes it a very difficult car to overtake. In combination with its overall pace, Hulkenberg was in contention to secure more points for Haas F1.

Arguably, Haas has been capable of scoring points at every race this season. Early contact for Hulkenberg was costly in Bahrain, whilst a poor red flag restart was the limiting factor last weekend. Despite these errors, the team’s time under the leadership of Ayao Komatsu has commenced in a very convincing way.

Considering the very clear top-five group in Formula 1, securing four points in the same number of race weekends is more than adequate. Alpine, Sauber and Williams are still without their first top-10 results in this year’s campaign.

‘Continuing to outperform midfield rivals’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...dfield-rivals/


Haas boss Ayao Komatsu stunned F1 rival is ‘so mediocre’ in ‘honest’ verdict
Sat 13 April 2024 13:30
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Ayao Komatsu never expected Haas to start the Formula 1 season as strongly as they have but is just as shocked at how ‘mediocre’ one rival team has been so far in 2024. Ayao Komatsu is stunned at how ‘mediocre’ Alpine have been in 2024

Yet while Haas’ form has positively surprised Komatsu, their team principal also admits that he never imagined Alpine having such a ‘mediocre’ start to 2024. The Renault-owned outfit rank last in the constructors’ championship so far this season, having not yet scored a point. “The truth is that I knew our numbers and I didn’t believe that we would be able to take a huge step forward,” Komatsu has told Speedweek.
“Especially not to seventh place in the constructors’ championship. Now, let’s be honest, who among us could have imagined that Alpine would look so mediocre at the start of the season?”

‘‘SO mediocre’ in ‘honest’ verdict’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/haa...onest-verdict/


Nico Hulkenberg urged to make ‘smart move’ as Haas look at ‘other ideas’ for F1 2025
10 Apr 2024 5:15 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Told by Ralf Schumacher to leave Haas who have “other ideas’ with Oliver Bearman in the running for a 2025 F1 seat, Karun Chandhok believes Sauber would be a “smart” move for Nico Hulkenberg.

Asked by Sky Deutschland if Hulkenberg should stay at Haas come 2025, the German replied: “No, certainly not. Haas is certainly a great team and everything will get better there, but the structure isn’t there and doesn’t look towards the future either.”

“Investments are pending but are not being made because Gene Haas has other ideas. It’s a nice, small team for newcomers like Oliver Bearman.”

‘Urged to make ‘smart move’’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/nico-h...-ideas-f1-2025


Guenther Steiner receives Haas blowback over accusation of misleading people
12 Apr 2024 7:27 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu has said the team did not mislead people about their pace expectations, after Guenther Steiner claimed the team were “right on where they ended up to be.”

Komatsu has now responded to those claims, explaining that the numbers he read were not misrepresenting the reality of what he faced, and he could not factor in the drop-off in pace of rivals such as Alpine. “If you look at the data from the wind tunnel, it’s just a number,” Komatsu explained, as quoted by Motorsport-Magazin.

“I knew the figure and knew how much we had improved. Nevertheless, I had to assume that all the other teams had improved by at least the same amount or more. We started development late, we had to stop for two months because of the Austin upgrades and we are also the smallest team. It’s not like we have advanced methods, and I’m sure everyone else is just as smart as us on average.”

‘Guenther Steiner receives Haas blowback’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/guenth...leading-people