BRENDAN LINES  February 6, 2024

STAKE F1 Team broke cover on its 2024 challenger the C44, with a launch underlined by a statement of intent by parent owner Sauber towards a new identity – post its Alfa Romeo-era – that will bridge its eventual transition into Audi for 2026.

In one of the few live unveilings, so far this F1 launch season, the C44 was slated by the team as “a marked departure” in both its cosmetic and technical approach.

Noticeably the fluorescent green-clad livery – previously unseen in Sauber’s offerings – was the eye-catcher at the centre of the London Guildhall stage as the covers were rolled off by drivers Zhou Guanyu and Valterri Bottas.

In his third year at the Hinvil-based team, Bottas emphasised “nothing else matters” in comparison to the team’s focus towards extracting the best performance possible from its new machinery.

Stake has pinned its hopes on the C44, opting for a slew of changes under the direction of its newly-appointed Technical Director and ex-McLaren designer, James Key.

Key described the design of the C44 as ‘ambitious’ in the team’s effort to challenge F1’s top pecking order by rising above the over-crowded midfield of budget-stretched teams.

“The C44 is virtually a completely new car, with a few carry-over areas at the rear of the car,” he said.

“There are many mechanical changes, some of which you can’t see at all, but some are very visible. 

The front suspension is completely new, a tough and ambitious project for a team of our size, there are many aerodynamic changes, too, as would be expected given that this remains the primary area of development – so, overall, the car will really look quite different to last year’s car. 

“We took a lot of new, exciting directions, all of which appear to hold quite a bit of potential, so we’re looking forward to seeing them on track.”

Blending with its new front aerodynamics, The C44’s suspension has been changed to a pullrod from its pushrod design in 2024.   

Stake F1 will have a shakedown of the C44 on a filming day this Friday, before three days of testing in Bahrain later in February.

Alpine revealed the A522 as its 2022 challenger featuring its new specification RE22 power unit on Monday. PHOTO: Alpinef1.com

BRENDAN LINES FEBRUARY 22, 2022

Alpine’s A522 will turn a wheel for the first time at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya later today, after its 2022 challenger was revealed in an online presentation on Monday.

The A522 has been a ground-up effort delivering an all-new design after Alpine’s 2021 car was a carryover from its previous Renault design team.

A new design philosophy and the arrival of a new title sponsor BWT is hoped to usher a new era for Alpine according to CEO Laurent Rossi.

“We have a clear plan and vision in place at Alpine and we have some of the best people in the business to help drive us forward and realise our ambitions,” Rossi said.

“Our team is stronger now and, we hope, future-proof.”

Alpine’s off-season reshuffling of its technical department has culminated with the A522 release, which was a sign the Franco-British team was among the ranks of Ferrari and Mercedes as a fully-fledged factory team.

The presentation of Alpine’s second ever Formula 1 car was led by Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi, CEO Renault Group, Luca de Meo, as well as newly appointed Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer. 

Drivers Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso were also on hand to reveal the much anticipated A522 to the world. While 2021 F2 champion Oscar Piastri is the team’s official Reserve Driver for 2022 after graduating from the Alpine Academy last year.

The A522 keeps its traditional Alpine blue livery, coupled this year with the pink colours of BWT. Alpine presented a ‘flipped’ livery with pink becoming the most prominent colour. This unique livery will be used for the first two races of the season.

The renderings of the A522 show a main plane of the front wing detached from the inboard side without a pylon, which maybe an oversight. 

But the flatter profile of the four planes might be rooted in its real-world design that will be seen on track later on Tuesday.

Alpine has thrown another concept into the sidepod discussion this launch season, with a wide radiator opening and reasonable undercut. Rather than a smooth sweep of the sidepod into the engine cover area, the A522’s sidepods follow their own taper into the coke bottle area.  

It’s believed a new specification RE22 power unit was housed under the A522’s bodywork at the launch. Signalling a closer working relationship between its Enstone and Viry bases under former Peugeot-man, Bruno Famin, Alpine’s executive director. Famin was tasked with maximising engine performance and integration into the A522’s chassis.

An Alpine spokesperson hinted the engine specification and packaging has allowed the team some “extra freedom in shaping the rest of the car to better exploit the latest technical regulations and adjust for the new fuel specification, E10, as the next step to sustainable fuels in Formula 1”. 

Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso said the addition of the RE22 was a confidence boost for the team though “we won’t know where everyone stands until Bahrain”.

“But we’re excited to take the car for its first spin in testing this week.”

FERRARI’S 2022 challenger— the F1-75 — was unveiled online in a presentation made from its Maranello based on Thursday. PHOTO: Ferrari.com

BRENDAN LINES February 18.2022

Ferrari’s F1-75 will make its on-track debut on Friday at Fiorano in a demonstration event before a filming day in Barcelona next Tuesday.

The car is the 68th that the company has built to compete in the Formula 1 world championship and  features a brand new shade of red, especially developed by the Ferrari Style Centre.

While its name reflects the company is celebrating the 75th anniversary of its founding this year. The anniversary is reflected in the celebratory logo, alongside the Italian flag, which has been a long-time feature on Ferrari Formula 1 cars.

The F1-75 has a completely new look, as a result of the Maranello engineers’ interpretation of the new technical regulations from this year.

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto hoped the F1-75 would recapture hearts and minds of its loyal Tifosi.

“I would like the F1-75 to be the car that allows our fans to once again be proud of Ferrari. Our goal is to reignite the Prancing Horse legend and we can only do that by winning again,” Binotto said.

Notably, the lower nose, and the side pods were the areas of particular attention to the packaging of the power unit.

The nose is a departure from the wide shovel-like noses of recent seasons, aimed at promoting airflow to the leading edge of the car’s Venturi-tunnelled floor.

Among the seven designs unveiled so far — if Red Bull’s dressed-up concept car counts — Ferrari’s narrow nose design signifies a clear tangent from its rivals.

While its sidepod design has added another level of intrigue to the teams various efforts.

It’s wide mouth extending from the crash zone area forward of the cockpit tapers back with a concave top surface.

Two right-angled winglets extending either side of the triangle-shaped airbox is a peculiar addition, unseen across the other offerings by the teams.

Once again, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz will lead the charge for the prancing horse, with Antonio Giovinazzi and Mick Schumacher as reserve drivers. Robert Shwartzman takes on the role of test driver and will take part in two Friday free practice sessions during the course of the season.

Formula 1 race director Michael Masi has been offered a new position in the FIA after being stood aside for the 2022 season. 

BRENDAN LINES February 18, 2022

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has delivered on his promise of ‘structural change’ and an ‘action plan,’ ousting race director Michael Masi amid sweeping changes to the sport’s “refereeing and race direction” on Friday.

Masi, was the target of heavy criticism in the wake of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix’s controversial restart, just three years after he stepped in following the death of Charlie Whiting on the eve of the Australian Grand Prix.

Masi’s application of the safety car rules when restarting the final lap of the title-deciding race prompted Mercedes’ stiff protests, while a subsequent public outcry seemingly tarnished Formula 1’s image. Removing Masi might have been the only medicine the FIA could offer.

Sulayem defended Masi’s tenure saying he had “accomplished a very challenging job,” as race director. However his role will now be shared between Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas will act alternatively as race director, assisted by Herbie Blash as permanent senior advisor — comprising a newly-formed race management team.

Blash, a former sidekick to Whiting, stepped away from Formula 1 to concentrate on his engineering business, but has seemingly been brought out of retirement, adding an experienced head to the new refereeing structure.

Sulayem presented his three-point plan which is headed by the creation of a virtual race control room, which he likened to “the Video Assistance Referee (VAR) in football”. 

He later said the control room would be set up off-site at the FIA offices connected in real-time to the circuit “it will help to apply the sporting regulations using the most modern technological tools”.

The president has muted direct radio communications during the race, which Sulayem said would “protect the race director from any pressure and allow him to take decisions peacefully”.

But it will be possible to “questions to the race director, according to a well-defined and non-intrusive process,” Sulayem said.

He later concluded the changes announcing “unlapping procedures behind safety car will be reassessed by the F1 Sporting Advisory Committee and presented to the next F1 Commission prior to the start of the season”.

The FIA stopped short of issuing a public apology towards of the Abu Dhabi furore that instigated the review. But Sulayem acknowledged the changes were “crucial” in enabling Formula 1 to be “ even more loved and respected”.

The new race management team will be in place when preseason testing commences in Barcelona next week.

Former Aston Martin member Otmar Szafnauer was appointed Alpine’s team principal on Thursday. PHOTO: Alpineracing.com

BRENDAN LINES February 18, 2022

OTMAR Szafnauer expected Alpine to fight for the championship “within the next 100 races,”  when he was appointmented team principal on Thursday.

A designated team principal is a departure from Alpine’s 2021 structure and was among a raft of appointments that completes the Franco-British team’s management reshuffle over the off-season on.

Szafnauer, had been linked to the top job at Alpine after his departure from Aston Martin after the 2021 season, which coincided with BWT pulling its sponsorship deal.

“I am thrilled to join BWT Alpine F1 Team and ready to get to work with everyone to achieve our challenge: bring the team to fight for the championship within the next 100 races,” Szafnauer said.

“My attention is focused on preparing for the start of the season in Bahrain. As one of the three car manufacturers involved in Formula 1, Alpine is fully armed to achieve its ambition, I can’t wait to start the journey!”

When BWT was named Alpine’s title sponsor just days out from the launch of Alpine’s 2022 car — the A522 — it was a clear signal Szafnauer’s arrival was imminent. 

Previously it was CEO Laurent Rossi, Davide Brivio and former executive director Marcin Budkowski who shared the role, after Cyril Abiteboul’s exit after 2020.

The appointment of Szafnauer was the headline appointment to Alpine’s management structure for the 2022 season, which included the addition of Bruno Famin, executive director (replacing Budkowski), Davide Brivio taking on director of racing projects.  

Szafnauer, Kamin and Brivio are members of the Alpine Management Committee, led by Laurent Rossi, Alpine CEO.

It has been  turbulent past few months which saw an unceremonious exit of three-time world champion Alain Prost from his advisory role, plus Budkowski.

Rossi said each one of the new appointments would play a part in the team’s on-track, technical and talent development efforts.

“With Otmar and Bruno joining the team, we move to a new level for 2022,” Rossi said.

“Otmar will bring his unique experience in motorsports and his uncompromising desire to win, while Bruno’s proven track record in building technologies that make a difference in competition and their subsequent transference to road cars is critical for our project as a sports team and as a brand. 

“Over the past year I have seen Davide’s talent to identify the best in people, and to make them perform as well as they can. I am delighted to utilize this unique skill across all existing Alpine assets and new ones we are just starting to explore. Our band of racers is complete and ready to bring the team towards its ambitious objectives in 2022.”

Brivio, will oversee talent identification and development in all categories. In parallel he will lead special projects to aid Alpine exploring new motorsport categories.

Famin, will be based at the team’s Viry-Châtillon headquarters and will be responsible for the development of the Power Unit and chassis.

Alpine will launch its 2022 car on February 21.

Williams’ FW44 made its on track debut in a wet shakedown session at Silverstone on Tuesday. PHOTO: Williamsf1.com

BRENDAN LINES FEBRUARY 16, 2022

Williams revealed its FW44 staging a simultaneously timed on-track shakedown and an online livery reveal on Tuesday.

The genuine FW44 turned a wheel for the first time in a wet shakedown session at Silverstone, while an all-new livery was displayed on what appeared to be the Formula 1 2022 concept car.

Aside from its fresh look, the FW44 heralds a fresh approach in design amid the new regulations, and a new driver with the arrival of former Red Bull podium-winner Alex Albon joining third-year driver Nicholas Latifi.

But Tuesday’s shakedown session was more than just for show, the Grove-based team went straight to work understanding its new machinery ahead of offical testing starting in just one week.

Albon said the team would need to be “efficient” ensuring it can deliver a competitive package.

“We don’t have many days before our first race and so we quickly need to understand which areas of the car are strong and where we need to make improvements,” Albon said.

“I’m sure it will be a little bit of a learning curve as we all try to learn how to get the most out of the new regulations, but the objectives and the way that we focus on this car is very much the same as in previous years.

“Ultimately, we’re all still trying to get a racing car around a track as quickly as possible.”

The FW44 rounds Luffield in the wet at Silverstone on Tuesday. PHOTO: Williamsf1.com

On first look, the FW44 appears to borrow from the McLaren/Aston Martin philosophy of a gap running the full-width between the first and second elements with the former running under the car’s nose.

Sidepods are the area that has yielded curious intrigue across the various offerings of each of the teams. And Williams have almost completely shaven the rear section of its sidepods almost to the bare bones of its gearbox and rear suspension.

A square air intake sits atop the driver’s head, where the other teams have gone a more circular route.

Unique to the FW44 is its convex nose cone shape, where other designs so far have gone with a flatter section like the Formula 1 concept car.

Latifi said the fast-approaching Barcelona test session would be an opportunity to “push and see what the car can do”.

The F1 Commission confirmed sprint races for the Emilia Romagna, Austrian and Brazilian Grands Prix in 2022 on Monday. PHOTO: F1.com

FORMULA 1’s Sprint races have undergone a shake-up after the FIA and F1 Commission met in London on Monday.

After a review of the three sprint events that took place in 2021 three Sprint events were proposed for the Emilia Romagna, Austrian and Brazilian Grands Prix in 2022.

The FIA acknowledged “this as a sensible number in light of the pressures already on the teams for this season with the introduction of major changes to the regulations”.

Based on feedback of fans, media and teams the Fia unanimously approved the races with format changes to the points allocation.

Among the key changes, pole position will now be awarded to the fastest driver in qualifying on Friday, while the rest of the field will race for remaining spots determining Sunday’s grid.  

World Championship points will be awarded to the top-eight finishers with eight points for the winner down to one point for eighth position.

Following the fallout from the weather-affected 2021 Belgian Grand Prix, the Commission approved proposed updates to the Sporting Regulations.

No points will be awarded unless a minimum of two laps have been completed by the leader without a Safety Car and/or Virtual Safety Car intervention.

If the leader has completed more than two laps but less than 25 per-cent of the scheduled race distance, the top five finishers will be awarded points as follows:

1^st – 6 points

2^nd – 4 points

3^rd – 3 points

4^th – 2 points

5^th – 1 point

If the leader has completed 25 per-cent but less than 50 per-cent of the scheduled race distance, points will be awarded as follows:

1^st – 13 points

2^nd – 10 points

3^rd – 8 points

4^th – 6 points

5^th – 5 point

6^th – 4 points

7^th – 3 points

8^th – 2 points

9^th – 1 point

If the leader has completed 50 per-cent but less than 75 per-cent of the scheduled race distance, points will be awarded as follows:

1^st – 19 points

2^nd – 14 points

3^rd – 12 points

4^th – 9 points

5^th – 8 point

6^th – 6 points

7^th – 5 points

8^th – 3 points

9^th – 2 points

10^th – 1 point

Cap: FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem is expected to present his analysis of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix review later this week. PHOTO: Fia.com

BRENDAN LINES FEBRUARY 15, 2022

NEWLY-elected FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem is expected to present news outlining “structural changes and (an) action plan” in response to the F1 Commission’s review of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix later this week.

In January, the FIA announced Sulayem had asked Secretary General Sport and recently-appointed Single-Seater Director Peter Bayer “for proposals to review and optimise the organisation of the FIA F1 structure for the 2022 season”.

The FIA said on Monday Sulayem had “led detailed discussions” and feedback from the commission around the controversial season-ending title decider would be incorporated into his analysis “in the coming days” — which may decide if Lewis Hamilton could end the silence around his 2022 plans.

The fate, or most likely the reformation of Michael Masi’s role as race director might also be known. After questions were raised over Masi’s role prompted by Mercedes’ post-race protest when Max Verstappen pipped Hamilton for the 2021 on the final-lap restart.

The much-anticipated news of the findings from the Abu Dhabi race headlined Monday’s meeting which was attended by Mercedes’ Toto Wolff and Red Bull’s Christian Horner in London.

Formula 3’s 2021 runner-up Australian Jack Doohan has joined Alpine’s driver academy program.The same academy which promoted fellow countryman Oscar Piastri into the team’s Formula 1 reserve driver seat for 2022. PHOTO: Alpineracing.com

BRENDAN LINES FEBRUARY 15, 2022

JACK Doohan becomes the next Australian knocking on the door of Formula 1 joining Alpine’s driver academy on Monday.  

The 19-year-old becomes the second Australian driver to join the Academy ranks, following in the footsteps of 2021 Formula 2 champion Oscar Piastri. 

Doohan, a former Red Bull junior driver was absent from its 2022 line-up after he finished runner-up in the 2021 FIA Formula 3 Drivers’ Championship.

The Australian visited the Enstone-based team last October and told formula2.com he was convinced it was the right move.

“The option came up for me to go to Alpine for the season and I had a bit of time to think about it and to decide what was going to be the best option for me moving forward,” explained Doohan.

“It wasn’t a certainty for me to join the academy then, it was just to go and get a feel for it, to do some physical tests and to see how I got on in that atmosphere.

“Within the first day, I felt at home. The relationship and the atmosphere was just what I needed and I was very happy with the structure that they’ve got going forward.”

Doohan, the son of five-time MotoGP (then 500cc) world champion Mick Doohan is among the two newest additions to the academy with Olli Caldwell. While Caio Collet and Victor Martins continue with the program for a second consecutive season.

Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi said its driver academy “remains an extremely valuable part” in finding the next top talent in Formula 1.

“As with every year we have high expectations for our Academy and it’s no different heading into this season,” Rossi said.

“We welcome two new drivers, Jack and Olli, combined with the returning Formula 3 duo of Caio and Victor. Each brings their own personality and talent and we are excited to see how our drivers develop this season, individually and as a group.” 

All four of this year’s Academy crop start their respective campaigns on March 18-20 alongside Formula 1’s opening Grand Prix in Bahrain.

Alpha Tauri unveiled renderings of its 2022 challenger the AT03 in a launch video from is Faezna base on Monday. PHOTO: Redbullcontentpool.com

BRENDAN LINES FEBRUARY15, 2022

ALPHA Tauri broke cover of its AT03, the car the Italian-based team hopes will complete its rise from the mid-field to a serious contender in 2022.

Mixing fashion and function in its launch video, the arm of Red Bull’s clothing brand showcased renderings of the AT03 alongside drivers Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda.

At first look the ATO3’s livery sports a negative-effect look from its predecessor — the AT02 — but that’s where the similarities end, with the AT03 the team’s first interpretation of Formula 1’s new ground-effect led rule changes.

Side-pod concepts unveiled by the teams have piqued curious intrigue throughout 2022’s launch season, the AT03 appears to have blended the divergent concepts seen so far.

In that, the ATO3 has opted for an elongated top surface forward of the cockpit with an aggressive undercut— like Aston Martin’s AMR22 — but sweeps to a smooth outwash to the rear end of the floor, like the McLaren ML36.

Alpha Tauri has opted for a push-rod style front suspension, most likely adopted from its big brother Red Bull.

The actual AT03 will make its first official Formula 1 appearance at next week’s Barcelona test, wether the renderings are accurate remains to be seen. 

Team principal Franz Tost hoped the AT03 would deliver on the team’s expectations.

“I am excited to finally reveal what our 2022 Formula 1 car will look like,” Most said.

“It is a completely new era for F1 and we hope that this package will be very strong, following last year’s success. 

“Once again, we have worked closely with AlphaTauri to launch our new car and I think we’ve managed to deliver something very special.”

Following the team’s highest points scoring season to date – picking up 142 points in 2021 – the AT03 could be the car which sees the Faenza-based team become a contender and close the gap to the top end of the grid.

Alpha Tauri has backed lead driver of Gasly and Tsunoda, “Pierre’s experience makes him the natural team leader, while teammate Yuki continues his F1 journey in what will be his second season in the sport” a team spokesperson said.

Gasly, accumulated a career-best 110 championship points in 2021.

The AT03 will make its on-track debut at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on February 23.

Aston Martin drivers Lance Stroll (left) and Sebastian Vettel with the teams 2022 challenger the AMR22. PHOTO: Aston Martin

BRENDAN LINES FEBRUARY 11, 2022

ASTON Martin was the first Formula 1 team to reveal a real version of its 2022 challenger — the AMR22 — off its Graydon assembly line on Friday.

The launch of the AMR22 was a significant step for the factory team entering its second season, its first interpretation of Formula 1’s new regulations and marking the British manufacturer’s centenary of its maiden Grand Prix at the 1922 French Grand Prix.

Aside from carrying a new and much brighter Aston Martin Racing Green livery, the car’s noticeable elongated side pod concept, is a clear departure from the ‘coke bottle’ design, which has become a standard in recent years.

The addition of gill-like slots along the length of side pod’s top is another new design unseen in recent iterations of Formula 1 cars.

But that is just one in a raft of visible cues laden across the AMR22 chassis design, which performance director Tom McCullough said “was a clean sheet of paper in so many areas”.

“But this launch car will change quickly,” he said.

Aston Martin executive chairman Lawrence Stroll said last year was “year one” of the team’s five year plan towards re-establishing itself as a serious contender.

Stroll said a work-in-progress new factory and technology campus, due for completion next year was a “serious statement of intent” of the team’s commitment.

Red Bull unveiled its 2021 RB18 at its Technology Campus in Milton Keynes. PHOTO: redbullcontentpool.com

BRENDAN LINES February 10, 2022

RED BULL has unveiled its RB18, the car world champion Max Verstappen will take the wheel in defending his 2021 crown.

Red Bull is the first team in 2022 to produce a physical concept — other than Haas’ renderings on Friday — of its interpretation of Formula 1’s new regulations.

But world champion Verstappen revealed adapting to the RB18 should be “straightforward” with no added pressure to his title-defence season.

“I will just do what I do all the time because I don’t think there is any reason to be different,” Verstappen said.

“Now I just I can’t wait for that first moment when I drive out of the pitlane in the RB18.”

The Milton-Keynes-based team wheeled out a rolling chassis of its 2022 design, but team principal Christian Horner suggested the RB18 is likely to “evolve”  before its on-track debut.

“With the new regulation changes this year, the whole philosophy has altered from last year, which means every single component is different to last year’s car. It’s a clean sheet of paper for every single team,” he said.

“By the time we get to the first race, the RB18 won’t look much like it looks today, the evolution will be very quick as we progress through the season. 

“It is a steep learning curve for everyone and it is a race of development between the first race and the last race.”

A learning curve that will start from “zero” according to driver Sergio Perez.

“The new regulations are said to improve the competition on track, so I hope that for us as drivers we can compete more, race more and follow each other more closely,” Perez said.

“There will be a lot of things we need to learn and adapt to but these new regulations are set to make everything very interesting.”

The RB18 will make its preseason testing debut at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on February 23.

Haas broke cover of its VF-22 with renderings of the 2022 challenger. A first glimpse of an interpretation of the sport’s new regulations. PHOTO:HaasF1team

BRENDAN LINES FEBRUARY 5, 2022

HAAS are the first Formal 1 team to unveil its 2022 challenger, its VF-22 offering the first interpretation of the sport’s new regulations on Friday.

The team’s renderings of the VF-22 might be just a glimpse of the car that eventually turn a wheel at pre-season testing in Barcelona in a few weeks time.

Yet its unveiling is a telling vision of the work behind the scenes of the US-based team’s collaboration with technical partner Ferrari.

The VF-22 is the first entry to emerge from the American-owned team’s all-new design-office in Maranello, Italy – led by Technical Director Simone Resta. 

Resta was tasked with bringing together a new personnel group into the existing fabric of the team.

Now entering its seventh season in Formula 1, integrating with Maranello was just one of many challenges tackled through 2021, plus the team’s freezing of development of its 2021 VF-21 car  — a carryover of the previous year’s VF-20 — in response to Covid-19’s delay of the new regulations. 

Resta said the VF-22 was a “revolution” in design to meet the overhauled regulations.

“In terms of the car itself – other than the steering wheel, pedals, and extinguisher – there are no carryovers,” Resta said.

“Everything must be changed essentially. In certain aspects, freedom is limited compared to previous years, but the devil is in the detail, so I suspect that we will see a vast difference in performance across all cars.

“The biggest change is the aerodynamics, and from that perspective it’s a complete revolution because the regulations are so different.”

Resta said the VF-22 was a significant increase of the North Carolina-based team’s interaction with its engine supplier Ferrari.

“This is probably the most complex project the Haas F1 Team has dealt with to-date for many reasons,” Resta reflected.

“Haas has been working with Ferrari since 2016, and in those years the collaboration has been progressing step-by-step and we’re doing our best to build on this and keep improving the efficiency of the collaboration,” Resta said.

“Ferrari is supplying several components to us although the supply perimeter has changed this year as a result of the new components classification regulation.”

But Haas may have gone out on its own limb adding a push-rod suspension arm, where Ferrari is expected to run a pull-rod on its 2022 challenger.

However the renderings show no definitive blend of the VF-22’s suspension components and could be quite different to the on-track version of the car.

All 10 Formula 1 teams will gather to shakedown their new entries at Spain’s Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya February 23-25.

Alpine’s Pat Fry (pictured) was promoted to chief technical officer and Matt Harman to technical director, the latest appointments in the teams off-season reshuffling. PHOTO: Alpine Racing

BRENDAN LINES February 4, 2022

ALPINE has promoted Pat Fry to the role of chief technical officer and Matt Harman as technical director in its off-season re-shuffle, but the makeup of its three-pronged team leadership group remains unclear.

Fry and Harman are the latest promotions within the Franco-British team, after the razor-sharp gutting of the team’s top brass which included the unceremonious ousting of three-time world champion Alain Prost from an advisory role, plus the parting of executive director Marcin Budkowski.

But another appointment still remains.

In 2021, the team principal role was shared between Budkowski, Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi and racing director Davide Brivio, since the reshuffling began in November, Rossi has reportedly taken over as interim team principal.

Departed Aston Martin team principal Otmar Szafnauer has been linked to Alpine, brining with him the former’s title sponsor BWT.

A statement from Alpine said the decision making behind Fry and Harman’s promotions “is part of a new organisation designed to maximise the team’s performance, initiated in November 2021”.

“Their mission is to contribute to developing the car’s performance to achieve the objectives defined by Luca de Meo, CEO of the Renault Group, and Laurent Rossi, Alpine CEO, to fight for the championship within 100 races after Alpine’s arrival into F1,” the statement said.

Rossi said Alpine was “considerably strengthening” the team with its latest promotions which will be based at the team’s Enstone factory.

“Pat is one of the most experienced engineers in Formula 1, while Matt’s drive and expertise will prove critical in extracting the full potential of our race cars, thanks in particular to his unique expertise combining chassis and engine development,” Rossi said.

Fry will oversee all technical activities in Enstone, and will be responsible for setting the performance target of the car.

Harman will oversee chassis technical direction and bring to the team experience in chassis/power unit technical integration, taken from his time at the the team’s Viry base.

The newly-modified Albert Park track will feature five new grandstands when the Australian Grand Prix comes back to Melbourne after a two-year hiatus. PHOTO F1.com

BRENDAN LINES January 31, 2022

FIVE brand-new grandstands will be added to a newly-modified Albert Park track ahead of the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix, when it returns from its two-year hiatus in April.

One of the new grandstands will offer fans views of the never-before-seen high speed zone between the new Turn 8 and the new Turn 9, created as a result of removing the chicane on the Lakeside Drive portion of the circuit.  

The Waite Grandstand will also be expanded cater for “the surge in demand for the 2022 race” an Australian Grand Prix Corporation spokesperson said.

“We’re blown away by the incredible enthusiasm ahead of this year’s event is on track to be the best Melbourne has ever seen and we cannot wait to welcome crowds back to Albert Park,” the spokesperson said. 

“Not only will these additional Grandstands allow more people to experience the Australian Grand Prix 2022’s electrifying atmosphere, they also offer new and exciting views of a faster and more competitive Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit.”

Other new grandstand locations include Turn 5, Turn 8, Turn 11 and Turn 12.

The additional grandstand tickets will go on sale at 10:00am Tuesday, 8 February 2022 AEDT.

Australian Grand Prix CEO Andrew Westacott said there would be “zero chance of cancellation” of the 2022 race at Albert Park. PHOTO: AGPC 

BRENDAN LINES January 21, 2022

AUSTRALIAN Grand Prix Corporation (AGPC) CEO Andrew Westacott assured there would be “zero chance of cancellation” of this year’s Formula 1 race at Albert Park.

Westacott gave the assurance when presenting a first look of the newly resurfaced Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit on Friday.

It would mean an end to the long-awaited return of the Australian Grand Prix to the Formula 1 calendar after its two-year hiatus.

The cancellation of the  2020 Albert Park race would be notoriously remembered when thousands of fans were left stranded at the gates on the opening morning of the race, the first world-class event to be a casualty of the Covid-19 pandemic.

But nearly two years on, 39 successful grands prix have been held across the pandemic-stricken world, with varying local testing and border controls.

Mr Westacott stressed the AGPC and Victorian Government had an “underlined and defined position” the race would go ahead as a double-vaccinated event and would be avoiding any kind of exemption.

In the wake of the Australian Open tennis saga ending in the Australian Government’s deportation of Novak Djokovic “there won’t be exemption sought for anyone, from anyone,” Mr Westacott said.

“Formula 1 has always recognised around the world it needs to comply with the rules for the borders of the jurisdictions in which they race.

“They’ve raced in 41 locations since Melbourne in 2020.

“We’re going to be welcoming them back in the country and they know the rules and we’re comfortable with that.”

The promise of a race finally returning to Albert Park was aimed at fans twice-bitten by the 2020 and 2021 cancellations.

“People should be confident to come out and purchase tickets…” Mr Westacott said.

“I really did feel disappointed for those fans who were at the gate on the morning of the Friday, 13th of March. And we want to make sure we’re welcoming them back here for a great weekend of entertainment.”

Work building grandstands and facilities around the circuit for the race in April will begin on February 1.

With the freshly laid asphalt and upgrades to the track surface now complete, significant changes include modifications to seven corners, in the hope of faster and more competitive racing.

The Australian Grand prix will be held from April 7-10, 2022.

Former Red Bull aerodynamics chief Dan Fallows will join Aston Martin as its technical director in 2022. PHOTO: Red Bull content pool

BRENDAN LINES January 19, 2022

ASTON Martin confirmed it has reached an agreement with Red Bull regarding the notice period of chief aerodynamics engineer Dan Fallows on Tuesday.

The agreement comes after Red Bull announced Fallows would leave the team in June last year.

Fallows will join Aston Martin as its technical director on April 2, 2022 — earlier than his Red Bull contract expires — until then “he remains a Red Bull Technology employee” the statement said.

Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing’s team principal and CEO, said: “We would like to thank Dan for his many years of excellent service and wish him well for the future.”

A mainstay at Red Bull since 2006, Fallows rose through the ranks of the Milton-Keynes-based team during its Sebastian Vettel-led dominance across the V8-era, winning four drivers’ and constructors’ championships from 2010-14.

Martin Whitmarsh, group CEO of Aston Martin, said: “We are pleased to have reached an agreement with Red Bull which releases Dan early from his contract and are looking forward to him joining the team.”

Fallows, said: “I’ve enjoyed many happy years at Red Bull Racing and am proud of what we achieved. I am looking forward to next season and a new challenge.”

The news comes after raft of management changes at the Silverstone-based team led by billionaire Lawrence Stroll, including the recent appointment of former BMW motorsport head Mike Krack as team principal.

BRENDAN LINES January 18, 2022

FOUR-time Formula 1 world champion Alain Prost has unceremoniously split from Alpine criticising the team and its announcement, potentially making way for a key appointment as the team’s preseason management re-shuffle continues.

Prost had joined the Enstone-Viry based team as Renault in an advisory role in 2017, the Frenchman remained with the team when it re-branded as Alpine for the 2021 season.

It was reported by the F1.com website, senior management had decided against renewing the deal, although Prost claimed he had rejected an offer by the team.

“I am very disappointed how this new has been announced today!” Prost said on his social media.

“It was agreed that we would announce together with Alpine.

“No respect sorry! I have refused the offer made to me in Abu Dhabi for the 2022 season because of a personal relationship and I was right! 

“To the Enstone and Viry team I will miss you.”

The 66-year-old had been with the team during his Formula 1 driving career from 1981 to 1983.

Prost’s departure is part of a revolving door in the team’s management structure as executive director and acting team principle Marcin Budkowski left just days before — almost a year to the day of former team principal Cyril Abiteboul’s exit.

Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi is reported to have stepped into the role of team principal for the interim.

Recently departed Aston Martin team principal Otmar Szafnauer has been linked to Alpine as Budkowski’s replacement. 

Szafnauer could bring Aston Martin and its former guise Racing Point title sponsor BWT with him.

Max Verstappen won the 2021 Formula 1 world championship, becoming the first Dutchman to win the title. PHOTO: F1.com

BRENDAN LINES December 13, 2021

MAX Verstappen was crowned 2021 Formula 1 World Champion after a nail-biting final lap winner-take-all shootout, beating Lewis Hamilton in the season finale at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday.

The 24-year-old Red Bull driver became the first Dutchman ever to win the championship, ending Lewis Hamilton’s four-year reign as champion.

Verstappen denied the Brit’s seemingly firm hold on the championship in the final stages of the race — and surpassing Michael Schumacher’s all-time record of seven titles — when Nicolas Latifi’s crashed Williams triggered a safety car on Lap 53, turning the race on its head.

Before the incident, Hamilton had amassed a comfortable lead but was left stranded on his 39-lap-old Hard tyres, Mercedes opting to keep track position than risk a pit stop.

Red Bull made a final roll of the dice and brought Verstappen in immediately changing to fresh Soft tyres, in the hope of getting the jump on the restart.

Confusion reigned with the field left guessing whether the race would resume or the title be decided under the safety car, until race control allowed five of the cars separating the combatants to unlap themselves, drawing Verstappen level with Hamilton for a final lap shootout.

An aggrieved Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff protested the restart as “not right” with three other cars not given the order to unlap themselves.

Verstappen made a courageous lunge into Turn 5 to pass Hamilton on the final lap, in a drag race through the next few corners, Hamilton remonstrated and attempted to go around the outside of Turn 9, but Verstappen’s superior grip and willingness to fight on pulled off the miracle win in the race to the line.

Earlier in the race, Red Bull’s garage was exuding with despondency, with a less than ideal start and struggling for rear grip from the the less favorable Soft tyres, Verstappen had slipped to a four-second deficit to Hamilton.

On Lap 14, Verstappen pitted re-joining in P5, while up ahead his teammate Sergio Perez played the team game brilliantly, holding up Hamilton with some classy wheel-to-wheel racing.  

After the race, Mercedes reportedly protested the race restart contradicted the sporting regulation 39.12, arguing the race should have restarted once the “last lapped car has past the leader and safety car”.

More to come.

Australian Oscar Piastri claimed the 2021 Formula 2 Drivers’ Championship after finishing third in the weekend’s opening race in the season finale at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. PHOTO: Alpine F1 Team

December 12, 2021

AUSTRALIAN Oscar Piastri has secured the 2021 FIA Formula 2 Drivers’ Championship, confirming his place among Formula 1’s latest crop of elite young talent. 

The 20-year-old has now claimed three consecutive drivers’ championships adding to his Formula Renault Eurocup title in 2019 and the FIA Formula 3 Championship last year.

Piastri joins an elite club of drivers – including George Russell and Charles Leclerc – to have won back-to-back Formula 3 (GP3) and Formula 2 titles.

The Melburnian said his drive to third place in the weekend’s opening sprint race was one of his” better races”, clinching the championship.

“I’m certainly pleased with that, but I’m sure this feeling of being champion will take a while to sink in.” Piastri said.

“There are two more races to go this weekend, which we need to focus on, but right now it feels incredibly special to be champion. 

“Thanks to all the team at Prema for their work throughout the season and to Alpine for their support, let’s finish the season in style.”

The champ has been a revelation in Formula 2 this year and has enjoyed a stellar campaign with five wins, five pole positions and 227.5 points in his rookie season so far. 

He clinched the championship in the opening Sprint Race of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after finishing a superb third from tenth on the reverse grid on Saturday.

Consistency has been key to Piastri’s success in 2021. He began the season brightly with a win at the opening round in Bahrain before back to back podiums on the streets of Monaco. 

He added a further podium with second place in Baku and then laid down the gauntlet to his competitors in the series with five consecutive pole positions – equalling Leclerc’s effort in 2017 – at the final five rounds.

Piastri remained in dominant form in the feature races with third place at Silverstone, and three consecutive victories at Monza, Sochi and Jeddah.

A member of Alpine’s Academy, last month Piastri was named Alpine’s Formula 1 reserve driver next season, while fellow Academy driver — and third place in the F2 championship — Guanyou Zhou was promoted into the last available seat on the 2022 Formula 1 grid with Alfa Romeo.

Piastri, will step into his new offical role at the young drivers test day scheduled after this weekend’s grand prix at the Yas Marina Circuit.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was fastest in Friday’s opening session at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. PHOTO: Red Bull content pool

BRENDAN LINES December 11, 2021

WORLD Championship combatants Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen traded fastest times across Friday’s practice sessions in the title-deciding season finale at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. 

Verstappen gained an early advantage topping FP1 in his Soft tyre-shod Red Bull, the Dutchman posted a 1:25.009s finishing two tenths clear of Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas in P2 and title rival Lewis Hamilton was P3.

Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez rounded out the top four positions, it was the drivers’ first look at the new Yas Marina layout, in the late afternoon session.

It was a surprise result for Alpha Tauri’s Yuki Tsunoda, who finished in P5 ahead of teammate Pierre Gasly in P7, while the Alpine of Fernando Also separated the pair. The Ferrari’s of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz finished line astern in P8 and P9 respectively, while Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel completed the top ten.

Later, it was Hamilton who was quickest in the cooler conditions as the sun went down and the floodlights took over the track in FP2.

The Brit countered Verstappen’s previous fastest time setting a new benchmark time of 1:23.691s  on the Soft tyres.

Though Verstappen slipped back to P4 in the evening session, Hamilton said the relative pace between the rivals was still “unknown”.

“I’m sure it’s going to be super close, as it has been in the previous races,” he said.

After setting the fastest time, Hamilton went on his race simulation runs on the Mediums, the defending world champion expects overtaking might still be a challenge come Sunday’s race on the reclassified circuit.

“On my long run, I was trying to follow the car ahead and it still wasn’t easy here but it should be better than in the past,” he said.

Alpine continued it’s impressive Friday, this time it was Esteban Ocon, the Frenchman finished just three tenths behind Hamilton’s fastest time and ahead of Bottas in P3 by a similar margin — Alonso was again in the mix with P6.

Vertappen ended his session six tenths down on Hamilton, but was still the fastest of the Red Bull pair, teammate Sergio Perez finishing in P5.

Surprise packet Tsunoda was again the fastest Alpha Tauri, this time it was P7 for the rookie ahead of Gasly in P10.

It was a rinse and repeat result for Ferrari, Leclerc remained the lead of the prancing horses in P8 and Sainz P9.

FP3 at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix begins 8.30pm (ACDST) tonight.

Full results

FP1

1	33	Max Verstappen	RED BULL RACING HONDA	1:25.009		23 Laps
2	77	Valtteri Bottas	MERCEDES	1:25.205	+0.196s	27
3	44	Lewis Hamilton	MERCEDES	1:25.355	+0.346s	25
4	11	Sergio Perez	RED BULL RACING HONDA	1:25.363	+0.354s	24
5	22	Yuki Tsunoda	ALPHATAURI HONDA	1:25.378	+0.369s	23
6	14	Fernando Alonso	ALPINE RENAULT	1:25.625	+0.616s	26
7	10	Pierre Gasly	ALPHATAURI HONDA	1:25.822	+0.813s	28
8	16	Charles Leclerc	FERRARI	1:25.846	+0.837s	20
9	55	Carlos Sainz	FERRARI	1:25.886	+0.877s	26
10	5	Sebastian Vettel	ASTON MARTIN MERCEDES	1:26.007	+0.998s	26
11	31	Esteban Ocon	ALPINE RENAULT	1:26.025	+1.016s	25
12	4	Lando Norris	MCLAREN MERCEDES	1:26.123	+1.114s	26
13	7	Kimi Räikkönen	ALFA ROMEO RACING FERRARI	1:26.189	+1.180s	25
14	99	Antonio Giovinazzi	ALFA ROMEO RACING FERRARI	1:26.409	+1.400s	25
15	18	Lance Stroll	ASTON MARTIN MERCEDES	1:26.608	+1.599s	26
16	3	Daniel Ricciardo	MCLAREN MERCEDES	1:26.676	+1.667s	29
17	89	Jack Aitken	WILLIAMS MERCEDES	1:27.481	+2.472s	27
18	6	Nicholas Latifi	WILLIAMS MERCEDES	1:27.487	+2.478s	27
19	47	Mick Schumacher	HAAS FERRARI	1:27.698	+2.689s	24
20	9	Nikita Mazepin	HAAS FERRARI	1:28.305	+3.296s	22

FP2

1	44	Lewis Hamilton	MERCEDES	1:23.691		26 Laps
2	31	Esteban Ocon	ALPINE RENAULT	1:24.034	+0.343s	29
3	77	Valtteri Bottas	MERCEDES	1:24.083	+0.392s	29
4	33	Max Verstappen	RED BULL RACING HONDA	1:24.332	+0.641s	25
5	11	Sergio Perez	RED BULL RACING HONDA	1:24.400	+0.709s	26
6	14	Fernando Alonso	ALPINE RENAULT	1:24.495	+0.804s	27
7	22	Yuki Tsunoda	ALPHATAURI HONDA	1:24.532	+0.841s	26
8	16	Charles Leclerc	FERRARI	1:24.557	+0.866s	29
9	55	Carlos Sainz	FERRARI	1:24.844	+1.153s	29
10	10	Pierre Gasly	ALPHATAURI HONDA	1:24.940	+1.249s	27
11	3	Daniel Ricciardo	MCLAREN MERCEDES	1:24.959	+1.268s	26
12	99	Antonio Giovinazzi	ALFA ROMEO RACING FERRARI	1:25.108	+1.417s	27
13	4	Lando Norris	MCLAREN MERCEDES	1:25.153	+1.462s	27
14	5	Sebastian Vettel	ASTON MARTIN MERCEDES	1:25.195	+1.504s	27
15	18	Lance Stroll	ASTON MARTIN MERCEDES	1:25.385	+1.694s	26
16	7	Kimi Räikkönen	ALFA ROMEO RACING FERRARI	1:25.440	+1.749s	23
17	63	George Russell	WILLIAMS MERCEDES	1:25.549	+1.858s	29
18	6	Nicholas Latifi	WILLIAMS MERCEDES	1:25.687	+1.996s	22
19	47	Mick Schumacher	HAAS FERRARI	1:25.784	+2.093s	27
20	9	Nikita Mazepin	HAAS FERRARI	1:26.336	+2.645s	26

Max Verstappen was summoned to the Stewards after a collision with Lewis Hamilton in the Saudi Arabian Grand prix. PHOTO: F1.com

BRENDAN LINES DECEMBER 6, 2021

THE post-race fireworks ignited heated words from championship combatants Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen in the wake of a controversial Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Hamilton took aim at driving standards in the post-race press conference after his wheel-to-wheel battle with the Red Bull driver.

“It was clear that others around us were willing to take it to all sorts of levels in order to overtake,” Hamilton said.

The Brit was open in his on-track criticism of Verstappen’s tactics on team radio saying “he brake tested me” after Hamilton’s Lap 37 collision into the Dutchman’s slowing car, while surrendering the lead after a Turn 1 incident earlier in the lap — attracting a five-second penalty.

“I didn’t quite understand why all of a sudden he hit the brakes quite heavily and then I ran into the back of him and then he moved on so I didn’t exactly understand what was going on,” Hamilton said, indicating he did not know Verstappen would let him pass.

“And then I got a message afterwards that he was going to let us past so it was a bit confusing.”

Verstappen dismissed the incident after the race over team radio that he disagreed with his five-second penalty.

“Luckily the fans have a clear mind about racing”.

“Because what happened today is unbelievable,” he continued. “I’m just trying to race.

“This sport is more about penalties than racing. For me this is not Formula 1.”

Stewards will conduct a post-race investigation to decide if  Verstappen brake tested Hamilton — in accordance with Article 2 of the regulations.

Lewis Hamilton won a drama-filled Saudi Arabia Grand Prix and has levelled with Max Verstappen in the battle for the title. PHOTO: F1.com

BRENDAN LINES DECEMBER 6, 2021

Lewis Hamilton has levelled the drivers’ championship battle with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, winning a chaotic incident-filled Saudi Arabia Grand Prix.

Stewards will conduct a post-race investigation to decide if  Verstappen brake tested Hamilton — in accordance Article 2 of the regulations — causing the collision between the championship combatants on Lap 37.

A slowing Verstappen was instructed by Red Bull to hand back the race lead for a previous incident on the lap, Hamilton unwittingly then ran into the back of the Dutchman’s car.

Earlier in the lap, Hamilton had attempted to make a DRS-assisted pass into Turn 1 — an unyielding Vertsappen left the track gaining an advantage to retain the lead.

The incident was just one in a drama- filled race punctuated by a two red flags just a lap apart. 

The first stoppage came on Lap 11 when Mick Shumacher’s Haas collied with the wall on the exit of Turn 21, dislodging a Tech-pro barrier.

Mercedes had rolled the dice and double stacked Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas’ pitstops, just before Schumacher’s crash, and Mercedes worst fears were realised.

Much to Hamilton’s dismay over team radio, the Lap 11-red flag handed Verstappen a free pit stop to change to the Hard tyres.

A subsequent red flag came out after the restart, when backmarkers George Russell and Nikita Mazepin came together, while further up Hamilton made a blinding start, but was pushed wide by Verstappen into Turn 1, Alpine’s Esteban Ocon was the benefactor taking the lead after restarting from P3.

The interruptions kept coming with three virtual safety car periods, allowing Hamilton to close the gap to Verstappen to just 1.8s. By then Vertsappen was handed a five-second time penalty for the initial lap 37 incident.

Hamilton eventually got past Verstappen and pulled a slight gap to take the win.

Meanwhile Bottas who had dropped back to P5, accounted for McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo on his way to pipping Ocon in a photo finish by a tenth of second, taking an important podium in the context of the constructors’ championship.

Both championships will go down to the wire in next weekend’s season finale in Abu Dhabi.

While the drivers’ championship locked at 365.6 points each, Verstappen holds the advantage winning more race so far this season.

Full results

1	44	Hamilton	50 laps	2:06:15.118	26 points
2	33	Verstappen	50	+11.825s	18
3	77	Bottas	50	+27.531s	15
4	31	Ocon	50	+27.633s	12
5	3	Ricciardo	50	+40.121s	10
6	10	Gasly	50	+41.613s	8
7	16	Leclerc	50	+44.475s	6
8	55	Sainz	50	+46.606s	4
9	99	Giovinazzi	50	+58.505s	2
10	4	Norris	50	+61.358s	1
11	18	Stroll	50	+77.212s	0
12	6	Latifi	50	+83.249s	0
13	14	Alonso	49	+1 lap	0
14	22	Tsunoda	49	+1 lap	0
15	7	Räikkönen	49	+1 lap	0
NC	5	Vettel	44	DNF	0
NC	11	Perez	14	DNF	0
NC	9	Mazepin	14	DNF	0
NC	63	Russell	14	DNF	0
NC	47	Schumacher	8	DNF	0

* Provisional results. Note – Hamilton scored an additional point for setting the fastest lap of the race. Tsunoda received a five-second time penalty for causing a collision. Verstappen received a five-second time penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage.

Lewis Hamilton topped both FP1 and FP2 in the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix on Friday. PHOTO: Mercedesamgf1.com

BRENDAN LINES DECEMBER 4, 2021

FERRARI’S Charles Leclerc ended Friday’s night session in drama, a shunt into the barriers at Turn 22 red flagged Friday’s final practice session.

By then Lewis Hamilton had carried on from his FP1 performance with another fastest time as the cooler conditions saw lap times tumble.

The Brit’s fastest time of 1:29.018s was over seven tenths better than his FP1 time and six hundreds faster than team mate Valterri Bottas in P2 for the session.

All up Hamilton was satisfied by his pace but expects the cars race pace to improve.

“We tried a couple of things with our setup, and although we aren’t rapid on single run pace compared to the others, our long run pace seemed pretty good,” Hamilton said.

It was another impressive session for Pierre Gasly finishing P3 for the session, the Frenchman said he was already a fan of the new Jeddah track.

“The corners are amazing and there’s a big rush of adrenalin when you’re out there,” Gasly said.

“The whole day has been really good for us and I’m pretty happy with the pace so far.”

Gasly’s teammate Yuki Tsunoda, who put in some early fast laps on the Soft tyre to finish in P8.

Max Verstappen wrestled for every bit of pace, a wide moment at Turn 8 on his Medium tyre run a sign his Red Bull was struggling, but held his nerve to recover to P4 a tenth back from Hamilton.

As the conditions changed Turn 1 was the hot spot of trouble causing a number of lock ups  as Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen and Carlos Sainz all had torrid time negotiating its high-speed.

entry.

Alonso eventually came to terms with the trick corner to go fifth fastest and inside half a second from Hamilton while ahead of teammate Esteban Ocon in P6.

Sainz was the fastest of the Ferrari’s in P7 two tenth quicker than Leclerc in P10, the prancing horses split by Tsunoda and the Red Bull of Sergio Perez slotted in P9.

Full results

1	44	Lewis Hamilton	MERCEDES	1:29.018		22 Laps
2	77	Valtteri Bottas	MERCEDES	1:29.079	+0.061s	23
3	10	Pierre Gasly	ALPHATAURI HONDA	1:29.099	+0.081s	22
4	33	Max Verstappen	RED BULL RACING HONDA	1:29.213	+0.195s	20
5	14	Fernando Alonso	ALPINE RENAULT	1:29.441	+0.423s	21
6	31	Esteban Ocon	ALPINE RENAULT	1:29.555	+0.537s	22
7	55	Carlos Sainz	FERRARI	1:29.589	+0.571s	24
8	22	Yuki Tsunoda	ALPHATAURI HONDA	1:29.597	+0.579s	20
9	11	Sergio Perez	RED BULL RACING HONDA	1:29.768	+0.750s	22
10	16	Charles Leclerc	FERRARI	1:29.772	+0.754s	23
11	3	Daniel Ricciardo	MCLAREN MERCEDES	1:29.968	+0.950s	22
12	4	Lando Norris	MCLAREN MERCEDES	1:30.004	+0.986s	19
13	99	Antonio Giovinazzi	ALFA ROMEO RACING FERRARI	1:30.110	+1.092s	23
14	7	Kimi Räikkönen	ALFA ROMEO RACING FERRARI	1:30.276	+1.258s	24
15	18	Lance Stroll	ASTON MARTIN MERCEDES	1:30.442	+1.424s	22
16	5	Sebastian Vettel	ASTON MARTIN MERCEDES	1:30.502	+1.484s	22
17	63	George Russell	WILLIAMS MERCEDES	1:30.506	+1.488s	24
18	47	Mick Schumacher	HAAS FERRARI	1:30.652	+1.634s	20
19	6	Nicholas Latifi	WILLIAMS MERCEDES	1:31.039	+2.021s	23
20	9	Nikita Mazepin	HAAS FERRARI	1:31.629	+2.611s	20

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time in the first-ever practice session on the Jeddah Corniche circuit for this weekend’s Saudi Arabia Grand Prix. PHOTO: Mercedesamgf1.com

BRENDAN LINES DECEMBER 4, 2021

LEWIS Hamilton topped the time sheets ahead of title rival Max Verstappen in FP1, when F1 took to the Jeddah Corniche circuit for the very first time.

The flat out yet tight concrete wall lined street circuit made it tricky for cars on flying laps to negotiate the slower cars on their out laps.

As Hamilton found out, almost coming to a halt letting through faster cars on his out lap, but the Brit looked at home on the green track surface, eventually posting his fastest lap of 1:29.786s — five hundredths of a second faster than Verstappen.

Hamilton described the 27-turn street circuit as “rapid”.

“Unbelievably quick and with a lot of grip as well,” Hamilton said.

“Once you get in the rhythm, it’s beautiful to drive. 

“The grip was very high from the moment we went out and was similar in both sessions. 

“Traffic can be a problem here, it’s Monaco-esque and the closing distances to other cars was definitely getting dangerous.”

As the sun went down over the Red Sea, the conditions favoured the Medium and Hard Pirelli tyres. 

Hamilton citing the Soft tyre was unable to keep up with the load through the high-speed sections.

Max Verstappen posted early bench mark times, but his Red Bull struggled to warm its tyres correctly. 

Although the Dutchman would be satisfied being narrowly adrift of Hamilton, he said there would be work to do in FP2.

“We made a few changes from FP1 to FP2 which didn’t quite work but hopefully we can find the right balance come qualifying tomorrow,” Verstappen said.

Valtteri Bottas also fell foul to some traffic on his Soft tyre run, but the Finn said he was able to set a good foundation for the weekend finishing P3.

Pierre Gasly began his weekend impressively with his fastest time (1:30.263s) well inside half a second of Hamiltons’ time. 

FP1’s big surprise was a P5 for Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi, the Italian making the most of his final two races with the team.

The Ferrari’s of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc finished in P6 and P7 respectively ahead of the their constructors championship rival and the sole McLaren of Daniel Ricciardo in P8.

Alpine’s Fernando Alonso and Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel rounded out the top ten in P9 and P10.

Full results

1	44	Lewis Hamilton	MERCEDES	1:29.786		21 Laps
2	33	Max Verstappen	RED BULL RACING HONDA	1:29.842	+0.056s	23
3	77	Valtteri Bottas	MERCEDES	1:30.009	+0.223s	24
4	10	Pierre Gasly	ALPHATAURI HONDA	1:30.263	+0.477s	28
5	99	Antonio Giovinazzi	ALFA ROMEO RACING FERRARI	1:30.318	+0.532s	27
6	55	Carlos Sainz	FERRARI	1:30.564	+0.778s	26
7	16	Charles Leclerc	FERRARI	1:30.600	+0.814s	26
8	3	Daniel Ricciardo	MCLAREN MERCEDES	1:30.608	+0.822s	25
9	14	Fernando Alonso	ALPINE RENAULT	1:30.842	+1.056s	27
10	5	Sebastian Vettel	ASTON MARTIN MERCEDES	1:30.886	+1.100s	25
11	11	Sergio Perez	RED BULL RACING HONDA	1:30.960	+1.174s	27
12	31	Esteban Ocon	ALPINE RENAULT	1:31.023	+1.237s	29
13	4	Lando Norris	MCLAREN MERCEDES	1:31.029	+1.243s	23
14	18	Lance Stroll	ASTON MARTIN MERCEDES	1:31.044	+1.258s	25
15	22	Yuki Tsunoda	ALPHATAURI HONDA	1:31.099	+1.313s	26
16	7	Kimi Räikkönen	ALFA ROMEO RACING FERRARI	1:31.296	+1.510s	26
17	63	George Russell	WILLIAMS MERCEDES	1:31.343	+1.557s	28
18	47	Mick Schumacher	HAAS FERRARI	1:31.525	+1.739s	24
19	6	Nicholas Latifi	WILLIAMS MERCEDES	1:31.821	+2.035s	27
20	9	Nikita Mazepin	HAAS FERRARI	1:33.464	+3.678s	23

Williams Racing CEO and team principal Jost Capito has tested positive for Covid-19 and will miss this weekend’s Saudi Arabia Grand Prix, PHOTO: F1.com

AN emotion-packed week for the Williams Racing team has been touched by Covid-19.

On Thursday, the team confirmed CEO and team principal Jost Capito has tested positive for Covid-19, prior to travelling to Jeddah for this weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Today, the team said “There has been no wider impact on Williams Racing personnel and the team will continue to operate trackside as planned.”

“Jost is now following UK national health authority guidelines.”

Capito is expected to isolate for ten days under the UK guidelines.

Earlier this week, Capito paid tribute to team founder Sir Frank Williams, who passed away aged 79 on Sunday.

The team will mark Williams’ passing at this weekend’s race in Jeddah.

Team principal Toto Wolff was resolute Mercedes’ mission was “clear” with both titles wide open this weekend in Jeddah. PHOTO: Mercedesamgf1.com

BRENDAN LINES December 3, 2021

MERCEDES team principal Toto Wolff believes the defending world champions are “more motivated than ever” in stopping Red Bull’s Max Verstappen wrapping up the drivers’ championship in Jeddah this weekend.

Wolff was optimistic about Mercedes’ chances in the championship after a faultless drive by Lewis Hamilton at the previous Grand Prix in Qatar.

“The car has been performing well recently and is probably in the best place it has been all season, with the drivers confident to push it to the limit,” he said.

“That’s encouraging for the final races and gives us strong momentum to take forward.”

And Wolff probably has good reason to be confident with Bottas’ recovery in Qatar from a puncture, reeling in the gap to Red Bull in the constructors’ championship.

With the championship battle seemingly swinging their way, Wolff said Mercedes was ready to stop Verstappen claiming the title this weekend.

“We are all excited to still be in the fight at this stage in the season,” he said.

“It’s a privilege and a testament to our resilience when we see where we stood in the early summer. Both titles are wide open, and our mission is clear.”

Wolff said Mercedes’ first point of order will be coming to grips with the unknown quantity of the Jeddah Corniche street circuit in FP1 later today (Jeddah time).

“It’s a fast street circuit with long flat-out sections and several high-speed corners, lined by barriers meaning it’ll be high risk and reward,” he said.

“We’re more motivated than ever and we expect to be in the hunt, so we are all looking forward to the debut grand prix in Saudi Arabia.”

FP1 for the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix begins 12am (ACDST) tonight.

BRENDAN LINES December 2, 2021

ALPHA Tauri’s Pierre Gasly has nothing to lose in the drivers’ championship, but everything to gain in completing his transformation from Red Bull reject to Formula 1’s Mr Consistency.

Gasly, is on the verge of completing a career-best season and has almost single-handedly elevated the team to sixth in the constructors’ championship with the potential to finish fifth — which would be the team’s best result ever.

The 25-year old has been on an upward trajectory since his maiden win at Monza in 2020, he now sits as ‘the best of the rest’ in the drivers’ championship outside the drivers in the top four teams.

The Frenchman’s 14 top-six appearances from 20 qualifying appearances so far this season, has yielded deserving and sometimes surprising results.

Gasly himself might say he was flattered by grid penalties that promoted him to a front-row start at the previous race in Qatar.

But it was just an example of how well he has placed himself to capitalise on the championship battle ahead of him between Red Bull and Mercedes.

“It was great to be on the front row again, the first time since I raced in Super Formula in Japan in 2017, and being there alongside Lewis (Hamilton) was very cool,” he said.

“Even though I was there slightly by default, we have come close a few times this year and it was a good experience. I got a taste for it!”

His new-found consistency has seen the 25 year-old surpass his 2020 tally of ten top-ten finishes and sits on 13 after the previous race in Qatar —  a rare lowly 11th place.

After a pleasing run in the Americas triple header, Gasly admitted ahead of this week’s Saudi Arabia Grand Prix in Jeddah, a turnaround was needed.

“In overall terms, the last triple-header went very well for us, with strong qualifying performances; fifth in Mexico, fourth in Brazil and Qatar,” he said.

“Unfortunately, in the Championship the position is more complicated, as Alpine had a good weekend in Qatar.”

So just where can the Frenchman get the jump on his rivals and perhaps keep adding to his credentials as Mr Consistency.

Earlier this week, Gasly indicated the team should be quick to adapt to the new and relatively unknown Jeddah street circuit. 

“I think it’s going to be very complicated from a driving point of view and there will be the extra challenge of the track surface being completely new,” he said.

“So, we are looking at a street circuit with quite low grip, which is a new challenge as no one has any data from the track. 

“But for our part, we showed in Qatar that we can adapt fairly quickly to a new situation, running near the front immediately from the Friday. 

“However, we will have to work hard to be quick over a single lap and also a long distance, to find the right compromise for both Saturday and Sunday.”

Jeddah’s waterfront Corniche skyline lining the Red Sea. The city will host the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix this weekend. PHOTO: supplied

BRENDAN LINES December 1, 2021

JEDDAH’S waterfront district — the Corniche — is the venue for the inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix this weekend, but what do we know about F1’s newest street circuit in the desert metropolis?

The addition of the circuit, abutted by the Red Sea, on the 2021 calendar has thrown a raft of unknowns into what is one of the most hotly contested world championship battles in recent years.

However, the main championship combatants Red Bull and Mercedes might look to their previous visits to Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina circuit as a guide, with its similarities as a waterfront location presenting similar challenges, blowing sand onto the track and experiencing wind shifts from daytime to the evening.

The city’s unofficial motto ‘Jeddah ghair’ or ‘Jeddah’s different’ to the more westernised tourists, lives up to its catch cry with the Corniche circuit boasting the most corners of any track on the F1 calendar, with 27 (16 left-handers and 11 right-handers). 

At 6.174km long, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix venue is the second-longest circuit in F1, behind only Spa-Francorchamps (7.004km).

The number of corners could make it more challenging for both the team and the drivers to learn the track and get up to speed, and interruptions to the weekend’s practice sessions is likely.

Looking back at the first race weekend in Baku back in 2016, three red flags were deployed in practice and qualifying as drivers explored the limits of the then-new street track.

The track is one of only four on the current schedule – after Bahrain, Austria and Mexico – to feature three separate DRS zones. These are located on the main straight, from Turns 18 to 21 and Turns 25 to 27.

Jeddah has billed its track as the ‘fastest street circuit in the world’ with expected average speeds of around 250km/h. Baku isn’t too far off, but Jeddah’s average speed is helped by several of its corners being taken flat-out or in DRS zones.

Drivers will hit over 310km/h three times on the long straights and with the three DRS zones, its anticipated Jeddah to rival Spa and Monza for the highest percentage of time spent at full throttle —79 per cent of the lap distance is taken at full throttle, one of the highest percentages of the year.

Turn 13 is a banked corner, with a 12 per cent gradient, a rare feature on street circuits, after Zandvoort’s refurbished final turn allowed its banking to open up more potential lines through the corner, the effect of a banked corner on a street circuit could add a unique variable. 

Turn 2 is expected to be the slowest corner on the track, by far, being taken at just 90 km/h. The quickest will be Turn 26, located on the back straight in the final DRS zone, where drivers will reach around 310km/h.

This may offer an overtaking opportunity under brakes for the bravest of the late-brakers to ‘send it’ in a Daniel Ricciardo-esque move.

The newly laid track surface is expected to be very smooth and high grip, therefore tyre overheating will be less of an issue and tyre degradation should be less of a factor.

Drivers could be treading a fine line on the new and ‘green’ track surface, which hasn’t been properly rubbered in, the track evolution is going to be incredibly high over the weekend. It will also mean running offline will be punishing, due to the sand and lack of rubber.

The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix is a night race, alongside lighting the buildings and bridges, there are expected to be over 600 light posts illuminating the track.

FP1 for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix begins 4.30pm (ACDST) on December 3. 

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff conceded a win was never in the “grasp” of the team at last weekend’s Mexico City Grand Prix. PHOTO: Mercedesamgf1.com

BRENDAN LINES November 11, 2021

PRESSURE has mounted on defending world champion Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes ahead of this weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix.

A rollercoaster Mexico City Grand Prix the previous weekend fell apart in spectacular fashion, when pole-sitter Valtteri Bottas’ race was compromised by a first-corner collision, leaving Hamilton to single handedly fight with the Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff reflected on the team’s weekend in Mexico and conceded “the win was never in our grasp”.

“But Lewis gave all he had to hang onto that second place, in a car that should probably have finished third. It was a strong defensive drive from him, securing valuable points for both Championships.”

After Verstappen extended his lead in the drivers championship in Mexico City last weekend, it is Mercedes who has “catching up to do” Wolff says.

“We’ll be throwing everything we’ve got at the Brazilian Grand Prix and the races beyond,” Wolff said.

“It’ll be an intense battle, but we’ll continue to push hard and keep our eyes firmly set on the end goal.”

The task ahead for Mercedes this weekend in Brazil at Interlagos will be to fight a battle on two fronts, attacking Verstappen’s 19-point lead in the drivers championship and defend a one-point lead in the constructors.

With the season’s final sprint qualifying race scheduled for this weekend’s Interlagos race, a potential 29 points on offer for the driver to win both Saturday and Sunday’s races with the fastest lap, will add spice to the drivers championship.

But Interlagos has not been exclusively favourable to the Mercedes in the recent past, the winner of the last Grand Prix two years ago was Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in 2019.

Before that, Nico Rosberg (2014, 2015) and Lewis Hamilton (2016, 2018) each chalked up two wins for the team.

FP1 for the Brazilian Grand Prix begins 2.00am ACDST.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen celebrates his third straight Mexico City Grand Prix win and extended his championship lead over Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton. PHOTO: Red Bull content pool

BRENDAN LINES November 8, 2021

RED Bull’s Max Verstappen overcame Mercedes’ front-row lockout and breezed to a third Mexico City Grand Prix win on Sunday.

Verstappen and teammate — hometown hero Sergio Perez — pulled off perfect pincer move applying pressure on championship rival Lewis Hamilton after a chaotic first lap.

Hamilton was left stranded between the Red Bull cars after teammate Valtteri Bottas’ shock pole position was short-lived when the Finn was spun around after a contact with Daniel Ricciardo’s McLaren at Turn one.

The Dutchman flew out of the blocks on the race restart on Lap five after the safety-car period and pulled away in the clean air.

Hamilton conceded “these guys are obviously too fast for us “ over team radio in opening phase of the race and was losing time to Verstappen, while falling into the clutches of Perez.

Mercedes pitted the Brit on lap 30 for hard tyres, but Hamilton emerged from the pitlane and slotted behind the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc. While Verstappen was happily pumping in fastest lap times and put a nine-second gap between himself and Hamilton.

Perez played the team game, closing down the gap on Hamilton’s P2 to just one-second, a final lunge on Hamilton in the closing laps had the home crowd on their feet in the hope Perez would complete a Red Bull 1-2 — but P3 was enough to put smiles on the faces of the Mexican’s adoring fans.

Alpha Tauri’s Pierre Gasly drove a workman-like P4, comfortably gaining one place overall when Bottas spun.

In the battle for third in the constructors championship, Ferrari swung the momentum its way with a 13.5 point lead over McLaren when Charles Leclerc (P5) and Carlos SainZ (P6) swapped back and forth over who was fastest after conceding to Gasly’s P4.

McLaren’s day hardly went to plan after Ricciardo’s contact with Bottas put the Australian down the order to finish in P12, while teammate Lando Norris recovered to take the last championship point on offer after receiving a grid penalty.

Verstappen’s win makes it three wins in a row and extends his championship lead to 19 points over Hamilton.

Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton celebrate an unlikely 1-2  front row lockout after qualifying for the Mexico City Grand Prix. PHOTO: Mercedes Benz 

BRENDAN LINES November 7, 2021

VALTTERI Bottas has flipped the script on Mercedes’ FP2 form and snatched pole position  for the Mexico City Grand Prix, teammate Lewis Hamilton completed a front row lockout.

Bottas made up a near half-a-second deficit to Red Bull’s Max Verstappen after FP2 and took his 19th career pole position, on his first run in Q3. 

The Finn threw down a challenge setting the fastest time on his first runs and opened a 0.145s-gap back to Hamilton.

Bottas was happy too hang his hat on his first run and conceded he was unable to match his sectors on his second run.

“I think honestly that first run in Q3 was one of my best laps. It’s a good feeling!” he said.

And the team’s performance was a turnaround from the morning’s FP3 run.

“We were lacking a bit of pace on lap one but I think with higher temperatures this afternoon than in the morning it came our way,” Bottas said.

“We also tried to optimise everything with tyres, temps and setup and it was a joy to drive.”

The Red Bull cars of Verstappen and Sergio Perez were on the jacks with no rear wings ahead of Q1, the favourites appeared to struggle with the rear tyres and was unable to reel in the runaway Mercedes.

Hometown hero Perez was positioned to give Verstappen a tow on the second runs, until Alpha Tauri’s Yuki Tsunoda ran wide upsetting Red Bull’s charge and putting them out of pole contention.

Verstappen will start from P3 alongside Perez in P4, Sunday’s race will be only the sixth time this season Verstappen has been unable to feature on the front row.

Carlos Sainz recovered from an engine issue in his Ferrari and took a classy P6 and will start behind Alpha Tauri’s Pierre Gasly in P5.

Daniel Ricciardo was the fastest  McLaren in P7 and will fight for valuable points in the battle for third in the constructors championship alongside rival Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

While Tsunoda and McLaren’s Lando Norris round out the top ten in P9 and P10 respectively.

Full results

1	77	Valtteri Bottas	MERCEDES	1:16.727	1:16.864	1:15.875	23
2	44	Lewis Hamilton	MERCEDES	1:17.207	1:16.474	1:16.020	22
3	33	Max Verstappen	RED BULL RACING HONDA	1:16.788	1:16.483	1:16.225	18
4	11	Sergio Perez	RED BULL RACING HONDA	1:17.003	1:17.055	1:16.342	18
5	10	Pierre Gasly	ALPHATAURI HONDA	1:16.908	1:16.955	1:16.456	22
6	55	Carlos Sainz	FERRARI	1:17.517	1:17.248	1:16.761	23
7	3	Daniel Ricciardo	MCLAREN MERCEDES	1:17.719	1:17.092	1:16.763	17
8	16	Charles Leclerc	FERRARI	1:16.748	1:17.034	1:16.837	22
9	22	Yuki Tsunoda	ALPHATAURI HONDA	1:17.330	1:16.701	1:17.158	19
10	4	Lando Norris	MCLAREN MERCEDES	1:17.569	1:17.473	1:36.830	19
11	5	Sebastian Vettel	ASTON MARTIN MERCEDES	1:17.502	1:17.746		16
12	7	Kimi Räikkönen	ALFA ROMEO RACING FERRARI	1:17.606	1:17.958		18
13	63	George Russell	WILLIAMS MERCEDES	1:17.958	1:18.172		13
14	99	Antonio Giovinazzi	ALFA ROMEO RACING FERRARI	1:17.897	1:18.290		15
15	31	Esteban Ocon	ALPINE RENAULT	1:18.126	1:18.405		13
16	14	Fernando Alonso	ALPINE RENAULT	1:18.452			7
17	6	Nicholas Latifi	WILLIAMS MERCEDES	1:18.756			8
18	47	Mick Schumacher	HAAS FERRARI	1:18.858			9
19	9	Nikita Mazepin	HAAS FERRARI	1:19.303			9
20	18	Lance Stroll	ASTON MARTIN MERCEDES	1:20.873			3

Q1 107% time – 1:22.097

Note – Russell drops 5 grid places for taking on a new gearbox after exceeding his allocation. Ocon, Stroll, Tsunoda and Norris start from the back of the grid after taking on new PU components.

BRENDAN LINES November 6, 2021

RED Bull team principal Christian Horner was confident Max Verstappen’s fastest time in FP2 by almost half a second might had swung the momentum of the weekend back the team’s way.

Verstappen led Friday’s final practice session setting an early medium-tyred benchmark time of 1m17.920s. 

Halfway through the session, Verstappen went on his soft-tyre run and set the fastest lap of 1m17.301s.

Horner said it was an important step gaining the ascendancy in what has been a tight battle against Mercedes in previous Mexico City races.

“We’ve won as many races as Mercedes have here, so we’ve always performed reasonably well here,” Horner said.

“And we’ve had a couple of victories but, as I said, this year, the form book, you can throw out of the window because the difference between the two teams has been so tight at pretty much all of the venues that we’ve been to so far. 

“I see no reason for that to be different here. It’s going to be about getting everything right on the day, nailing qualifying, getting the start, the right strategy, the right reliability and doing all the basics well. 

“That’s going to be crucial at this phase of the championship.”

With five races to go in the championship and Verstappen holding a 12 point lead a win might be the start of Red Bull’s charge on both drivers and constructors championships.

With Verstappen laying a clear marker in FP2, the championship could likely be a tit-for-tat battle in every session.

And as the championship moves into unchartered waters between Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, the closest it has ever been between them in recent years, Horner dismissed comments that the fight could end up in Senna-Prost-like bad blood.

“I was disappointed to read in the comments that that was being condoned,” Horner said.

“We want a really fair fight between now and the end of the championship and I think any driver would want to win the championship on track. 

“We’re a team of racers and that’s… if we can pull off this feat – and it’s a massive, massive task – then we wouldn’t want to win a championship through a collision between the drivers.”

FP3 for the Mexico City Grand Prix begins 3.30am ACDST.

Full results

1	33	Max Verstappen	RED BULL RACING HONDA	1:17.301		28
2	77	Valtteri Bottas	MERCEDES	1:17.725	+0.424s	31
3	44	Lewis Hamilton	MERCEDES	1:17.810	+0.509s	26
4	11	Sergio Perez	RED BULL RACING HONDA	1:17.871	+0.570s	26
5	55	Carlos Sainz	FERRARI	1:18.318	+1.017s	29
6	10	Pierre Gasly	ALPHATAURI HONDA	1:18.429	+1.128s	29
7	16	Charles Leclerc	FERRARI	1:18.605	+1.304s	28
8	22	Yuki Tsunoda	ALPHATAURI HONDA	1:18.644	+1.343s	31
9	5	Sebastian Vettel	ASTON MARTIN MERCEDES	1:18.681	+1.380s	32
10	14	Fernando Alonso	ALPINE RENAULT	1:18.732	+1.431s	27
11	7	Kimi Räikkönen	ALFA ROMEO RACING FERRARI	1:18.841	+1.540s	25
12	4	Lando Norris	MCLAREN MERCEDES	1:18.979	+1.678s	27
13	99	Antonio Giovinazzi	ALFA ROMEO RACING FERRARI	1:19.227	+1.926s	31
14	31	Esteban Ocon	ALPINE RENAULT	1:19.431	+2.130s	37
15	3	Daniel Ricciardo	MCLAREN MERCEDES	1:19.521	+2.220s	7
16	47	Mick Schumacher	HAAS FERRARI	1:19.620	+2.319s	30
17	18	Lance Stroll	ASTON MARTIN MERCEDES	1:19.730	+2.429s	36
18	6	Nicholas Latifi	WILLIAMS MERCEDES	1:20.820	+3.519s	17
19	9	Nikita Mazepin	HAAS FERRARI	1:21.581	+4.280s	28
20	63	George Russell	WILLIAMS MERCEDES			2

BRENDAN LINES November 6, 2021

MERCEDES gained the early advantage with a 1-2 fastest finish in FP1 for the Mexico City Grand Prix.

A green and dusty Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez  ̶  the first time Formula 1 had raced on the track since 2019  ̶  made for tricky conditions and added spice to the session, tipped to be dominated by Red Bull.

Mercedes’ Valterri Bottas headed teammate Lewis Hamilton with an impressive fastest lap of 1m 18.341s and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen (+0.123s) in third.

Hamilton caught the eye of the stewards for failing to re-join the track correctly after running wide at Turn one, the reigning world champion was reprimanded by the stewards, but remains second fastest of the session.

The dusty conditions made it a less than ideal start to home-town hero Sergio Perez’s weekend, the Mexican spun off and went backward into the wall at the final turn, mimicking Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc’s spin just moments before in the first 10 minutes of practice.

Perez’s emerged from the garage 26 minutes later, recovering with a rousing lap 1:18.610 to slot into P4, much to the delight of the local fans.

Alpha Tauri’s Pierre Gasly finished in an impressive P5 ahead of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, with Alpine’s Fernanado Alonso (P6) nosing ahead of Charles Leclerc’s late attempt to take P7.

Alonso’s teammate Esteban Ocon rounded out the top 10 in the sister Alpine ahead of Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel in P10.   

Full results

1 77 Valtteri Bottas MERCEDES 1:18.341 28 (laps)
2 44 Lewis Hamilton MERCEDES 1:18.417 +0.076s 24
3 33 Max Verstappen RED BULL RACING HONDA 1:18.464 +0.123s 28
4 11 Sergio Perez RED BULL RACING HONDA 1:18.610 +0.269s 20
5 10 Pierre Gasly ALPHATAURI HONDA 1:18.985 +0.644s 23
6 55 Carlos Sainz FERRARI 1:19.463 +1.122s 26
7 14 Fernando Alonso ALPINE RENAULT 1:19.656 +1.315s 26
8 16 Charles Leclerc FERRARI 1:19.667 +1.326s 20
9 31 Esteban Ocon ALPINE RENAULT 1:19.759 +1.418s 20
10 5 Sebastian Vettel ASTON MARTIN MERCEDES 1:19.858 +1.517s 27
11 22 Yuki Tsunoda ALPHATAURI HONDA 1:20.011 +1.670s 30
12 7 Kimi Räikkönen ALFA ROMEO RACING FERRARI 1:20.026 +1.685s 26
13 18 Lance Stroll ASTON MARTIN MERCEDES 1:20.030 +1.689s 27
14 3 Daniel Ricciardo MCLAREN MERCEDES 1:20.273 +1.932s 25
15 4 Lando Norris MCLAREN MERCEDES 1:20.301 +1.960s 26
16 99 Antonio Giovinazzi ALFA ROMEO RACING FERRARI 1:20.344 +2.003s 27
17 63 George Russell WILLIAMS MERCEDES 1:20.517 +2.176s 23
18 6 Nicholas Latifi WILLIAMS MERCEDES 1:21.580 +3.239s 23
19 47 Mick Schumacher HAAS FERRARI 1:22.144 +3.803s 27
20 9 Nikita Mazepin HAAS FERRARI 1:22.819 +4.478s 24

Red Bull’s Sergio Perez for the first time is a legitimate chance to win his home grand prix at this weekend’s Mexico City Grand Prix. PHOTO: Red Bull content pool

SERGIO Perez’s hopes of a dream home grand prix win might play second fiddle to Red Bull’s world championship aspirations at this weekend’s Mexico City Grand Prix.

Red Bull’s tail-gunner to World Championship contender Max Verstappen, Perez has played his role to the letter with a two-race streak of podium finishes in Turkey and the US.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner acknowledged the timeliness of Perez’s US Grand Prix podium finish.

“He’s finding his form, which is crucial at this time of the year.” Horner said.

Perez was circumspect about his chances and he might need to put the team first in this Sunday’s race.

“I think it will be a great problem to have from my side, you know?” Perez said.

“It always depends on the situation, because most of the decisions are normally taken during the race, during the heat of the event, so I think that depending on the circumstances, we’ll see. But I’m pretty sure the whole team, Red Bull, everyone, wants me to win this weekend.

“We’ll see through the race, but I’m pretty sure that everyone in this team… if there’s a race they want me to win, it’s this one. So, I’m sure I’ll have full support from everyone in my team.”

For the first time in his Formula 1 career Perez has a legitimate chance to win and be the first native in the history of the history of the Mexican Grand Prix to step on the podium.

Perez’s best result so far has been P7 in 2017 and 2019 with Force India and Racing Point.

An anomaly in the world championship, the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit’s altitude could see significant power and performance losses across the grid.

And the conditions could suit Perez’s renowned easy-on-the-tyres driving could meaning the Mexican could have plenty in reserve in terms of strategy to make his move in the race.

Perez’ was confident his weekend would rely on a strong qualifying performance.

“I really want to carry on my form,” Perez said.

“I’m feeling more at home now, with the team, with the car, and I really hope I can put a great Saturday [together].

“Here, overtaking is generally very hard. We put a lot of demand on the brakes, on the engine, so it’s always a very tricky race if you’re not at the front.

“So, I look forward to putting a good qualifying [together].”

But with teammate Verstappen just 12 points ahead in the drivers’ title fight against Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, the stakes are high for Red Bull to maximise its haul of points from the weekend.

FP1 for the Mexico City Grand Prix begins 4am (ACDST) on November 6.

Brendan Lines July 20, 2020 09:30am

Lewis Hamilton was in a class of his own taking victory in the Hungarian Grand Prix, its Hamilton’s second successive win for the season, finishing ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen who salvaged second place after disaster struck the Dutchman before the start of the race.

Hamilton lead from pole position to take the win, the Brit now matches Michael Shumacher’s record for the most wins at a single venue.

“We had great pace today, brilliant pit stops, a fantastic strategy and then, as I was managing those Mediums for a long, long time, at the end it was the perfect time to get on fresh tyres and take that extra point for fastest lap. Everything has just been on point throughout the weekend, so we need to try and keep it up,” Hamilton said.

The rain came early across the Hungaroring forcing the field to tread lightly in the greasy conditions swapping to intermediate tyres as the track dried for the race start.

The varied conditions, caught out Verstappen on his install lap sliding off and damaging his front left suspension before forming up on the grid.

Red Bull mechanics worked frantically replacing the front wing and dismantling the front suspension to change a steering arm right up until the seconds before to warm-up lap to avoid a penalty and save Verstappen from potential embarrassment as a non starter.

Vertappen took the wide line around the Ferrari’s ahead of him into Turn 1 for the start, jumping from P7 to P3 by Turn 3, pitting for mediums in the first phase of pitstops proved the right tyre strategy, as the Red Bull came away with an unlikely podium finish in P2.

Second placed Max Verstappen celebrates with team members – Image: Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

“This podium is definitely dedicated to my mechanics. I thought the race was over before it had even started. I braked, locked a wheel, came off the brakes and tried to brake again but went straight on into the wall on the out lap. I couldn’t believe it but I managed to reverse out of the wall and get to the grid.

“To be second here between the two dominant Mercedes cars is an unbelievable result and we did not expect it yesterday after qualifying and such a difficult weekend. We want to try to close the gap to Mercedes, they are really dominant at the moment so it will be very hard to beat them but we won’t stop trying,” Verstappen said after the race.

Finn Valtteri Bottas’ fought his way back from a horrible start, he was held up by the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc, passing the Ferrari on lap 10.

Mercedes pitted Bottas on lap 34 to undercut the Racing Point of Lance Stroll releasing Bottas was instructed to lap in the 1:18s in order to chase down Verstappen, Bottas simply ran out of laps and would have to be content with P3.

“I lost some ground there and that made the race very difficult for me, as I was fighting right to the very end. It was pretty close with Max and I think the gamble to pit late on was definitely worth taking, as it gave me the difference in tyre life. But it didn’t quite pay off today,” he said.

Haas made the strategic move of changing drivers Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean to the medium slick tyres, starting from the pit lane, finding themselves as high as P3 and P4 respectively as the other teams rushed the pitman to also change to slicks.

But after the race stewards deemed the teams call over its radio channel breached formation lap protocols and were handed a 10-second time penalty to both cars.

Haas’ Kevin Magnussen was demoted from P9 to P10, still scoring the teams first point for the season.

Racing Point couldn’t improve on its row two lockout as Lance Stroll finished in P4 undercut by Mercedes during their final pitstop, Sergio Perez battled for P7 behind the Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel.

Vettel’s P6 finish was a welcome result after teams ‘own goal’ DNF last week, teammate Charles Leclerc finishes in P11 outside the points.

But things might have been different for Vettel, who’s pit stop was compromised remaining stationary for over +9.0s as traffic would not allow his Ferrari to be released back into the pit lane.

Alex Albon’s day was damage control from a disappointing qualifying in P13, the Thai driver fought his way past Vettel on lap 67, Albon now has a nervous wait as race stewards investigate wether Red Bull artificially dried the track surface of his grid slot before the race.

McLarens’ of Carlos Sainz salvaged some points in P9, the high downforce Hungaroring never seemed to suit the MCL35 struggling for balance all weekend, teammate Lando Norris was way back on his best in P13.

Australian Daniel Ricciardo started from P11 to finish P8, the third race in a row the team has finished P8 this season.

A DNF for Alpha Tauri’s Pierre Gasly capped off a forgettable weekend for the Frenchman, teammate Daniil Kyvat settled for P12.

Despite his impressive P12 in qualifying, Williams’ George Russell’s race didn’t live up to expectations finishing P18, while a puncture and spin for Nicholas Latifi saw him P19 +5laps down.

For the first time this season Hamilton now leads the championship and just five victories shy of Schumacher’s record of 91 career wins.

 

Full race results:

POS	NO	DRIVER	CAR	LAPS	TIME/RETIRED	PTS
1	44	Lewis Hamilton	MERCEDES	70	1:36:12.473	26
2	33	Max Verstappen	RED BULL RACING HONDA	70	+8.702s	18
3	77	Valtteri Bottas	MERCEDES	70	+9.452s	15
4	18	Lance Stroll	RACING POINT BWT MERCEDES	70	+57.579s	12
5	23	Alexander Albon	RED BULL RACING HONDA	70	+78.316s	10
6	5	Sebastian Vettel	FERRARI	69	+1 lap	8
7	11	Sergio Perez	RACING POINT BWT MERCEDES	69	+1 lap	6
8	3	Daniel Ricciardo	RENAULT	69	+1 lap	4
9	55	Carlos Sainz	MCLAREN RENAULT	69	+1 lap	2
10	20	Kevin Magnussen	HAAS FERRARI	69	+1 lap	1
11	16	Charles Leclerc	FERRARI	69	+1 lap	0
12	26	Daniil Kvyat	ALPHATAURI HONDA	69	+1 lap	0
13	4	Lando Norris	MCLAREN RENAULT	69	+1 lap	0
14	31	Esteban Ocon	RENAULT	69	+1 lap	0
15	7	Kimi Räikkönen	ALFA ROMEO RACING FERRARI	69	+1 lap	0
16	8	Romain Grosjean	HAAS FERRARI	69	+1 lap	0
17	99	Antonio Giovinazzi	ALFA ROMEO RACING FERRARI	69	+1 lap	0
18	63	George Russell	WILLIAMS MERCEDES	69	+1 lap	0
19	6	Nicholas Latifi	WILLIAMS MERCEDES	65	+5 laps	0
NC	10	Pierre Gasly	ALPHATAURI HONDA	15	DNF	0

Note – Hamilton scored an additional point for setting the fastest lap of the race. Magnussen and Grosjean received 10-second time penalties for use of driver aids during the formation lap. The classification of both Racing Point cars is provisional, subject to the outcome of any decision concerning a protest over their legality from the Renault team.

Brendan Lines        July 19, 2020

Lewis Hamilton’s has equalled another milestone set by the legendary Michael Schumacher taking his 90th Formula 1 pole position, Hamilton’s second pole of 2020 is his seventh at the Hungaroring, equals Michael Schumacher for the most pole positions at this race.

Hamilton’s pole stole the show during qualifying but there was plenty happening throughout the field that will make the run into Turn 1 tonight one to watch, as Racing Point look hot favourites to split the Mercedes lock-out of the front row.

Here’s what the teams had to say after qualifying leading up to tonight’s Hungarian Grand Prix:

Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton – P1, 1:13.447

“Crazy. I have to pinch myself. It just doesn’t register. It’s quite humbling to be honest. I gess to work with an incredible group of people, without whom I wouldn’t be able to have the opportunity to do so. So massively thankful to the everyone back home and the guys here who do such an amazing job. And Valtteri doesn’t make it easy for me at all. It requires absolute perfection when it comes to doing laps and qualifying like that is one of the things I enjoy doing most.”

Valtteri Bottas – P2, 1:13.554

“Lewis did a great job to get the pole today and it’s going to be a bit of a drag race into Turn 1 between us tomorrow, so I look forward to that – the first lap will definitely be interesting. I’m the Championship leader at the moment, but I need to win races to maintain that, so that’s the only goal I have tomorrow and I’m fully focused on making it happen.”

Racing Point

Lance Stroll – P3, 1.14.377

“Very happy at the moment. That car was really strong all the way through qualifying throughout the whole weekend really. We’ve had the pace and it was just about piecing it together during that qualifying session. So, really great job by all the guys. I’m really pleased with the session and now sights set on tomorrow and I’m going to try to grab some big points.”

Sergio Perez – P4, 1.14.545

“Locking out the second row is a great result for everyone in the team. I’m happy with P4, but I felt my Qualifying could have been slightly better and that I could have had a tidier lap [in Q3]. The important thing is that we’ve kept the momentum going this weekend and we’ve shown strong pace in every session. If we can show the same pace tomorrow, then we can target a big result. Being able to start the race on the medium tyre is what we wanted, so it’s great that we had the speed to make that happen. I hope it pays us back tomorrow.”

Ferrari

Sebastian Vettel – P5, 1:14.774

“The first time both cars in Q3. I think we know that Austria didn’t really suit us, we lost a lot of time in the straights, and here I think there’s a lot more corners to make up for it.

“The car felt better balanced as well so I think we’re much closer to the people, let’s say around us, like the Racing Point, the Red Bull, even McLaren, so that’s positive. We need to make sure we keep that up, but for now, all that matters is we need to prepare the race for tomorrow.”

Charles Leclerc – P6, 1:14.817

“It feels a bit better, 5th and 6th,” Leclerc agreed after qualifying. “I think our race pace is a bit stronger than our quali pace so hopefully we can score some good points for the team tomorrow. It was a difficult session on my side, [I] struggled a little bit with the driving in Q1 and Q2 but better in Q3. But happy for the team for the third row.”

Aston Martin Red Bull Racing

Max Verstappen – P7, 1:14.849

“Obviously we are all disappointed with qualifying. I don’t know why but clearly something is not working compared to last year where we had really good car balance around this track. The weekend so far has been pretty tricky in general, it’s hard to understand why as we have changed a lot of things but it doesn’t seem to have given us a lot more lap time.

“Around here you really need a stable car which is very hooked in the second sector, but we are just not connected balance wise with oversteer and understeer. For the race I need to stay out of trouble at the start as P7 is right in the mix and hopefully we can still score some decent points. As always, I won’t give up on the race result and of course it is not easy to overtake around here but I will still do the best I can with the pace we have, so let’s see where we end up.”

Alexander Albon – P13, 1:15.715

“I don’t have much to say at the moment. It’s massively frustrating and obviously not the result we wanted, so we need to sit down and regroup. I didn’t do a good lap but to be honest a number of things didn’t go as planned today. I felt better with the car in FP3 than qualifying, but still we had traffic on our Q2 runs and so overall it’s been a tough day. It’s not very easy to overtake here so we’ll need some rain in tomorrow’s race to help our chances of moving further up the order.”

McLaren

Lando Norris – P8, 1:14.966

“I’m pretty happy with today. I don’t think the team could’ve done a much better job. I might have done a better job if I’d completely nailed the lap, as I made a couple of mistakes and maybe could’ve been a position higher. I’m a little bit disappointed by that, but, as a team and with the car, we’ve had challenges this weekend so I’m pretty happy we’ve come out of quali with P8 and P9. I don’t think there was a lot more to extract.”

Carlos Sainz – P9, 1:15.027

“Today the car was feeling better after the changes in set-up. Yesterday we struggled too much with balance and tyre temperatures, but today we sorted some of our major issues and managed to put both cars in the top 10. I still had trouble predicting the car’s behaviour, especially in the last sector, so we still had margin to improve.

“Strategy and tyre management are going to be important tomorrow starting from P9 on the used set of Softs, but we’ll fight to score good points again here in Hungary.”

Alpha Tauri

Pierre Gasly – P10, 1:15.508*

“I’m pretty happy that I made it through to Q3 for the second time this year, but it’s a shame we had issues over the weekend and these cost us our second run in Q2 and running in Q3. I’m sure the guys will have a look at it tonight to solve the problems and hopefully it will all be sorted tomorrow. In terms of performance, I’m pleased that I could put everything together in Quali after almost no running yesterday. It was quite challenging but in the end I managed to do some decent laps and felt pretty good in the car. Hopefully that’s going to be the case also in the race tomorrow.”

*Gasly’s time was taken from Q2, no time set in Q3.

Daniil Kyvat – P17- 1:16.204

“It was a difficult weekend so far, difficult sessions, as the car still doesn’t feel right for me. We struggled to find the right set up and balance, so we could not make the tyres work. I’m just not clicking with the car and we will have to work hard with my engineers to find which direction to go in. However, if it’s tricky on the single lap, I’m generally able to get the best out of it during the race, so I’m still looking forward to tomorrow.”

Renault

Daniel Ricciardo – P11, 1:15.661

“Today, we just couldn’t seem to improve enough. The Medium in Q2, in hindsight, probably wasn’t the right idea. I don’t feel we were any slower than yesterday, more that the others found a bit more time. We’ll work on it and try and understand what happened. We can still be positive for tomorrow. We have a free tyre choice, which can be very important here, and we’ll look to make that work. I’m feeling optimistic and there are certainly points up for grabs.”

Esteban Ocon – P14, 1:15.742 

“It wasn’t a great session for us today. There are a few things we need to review as it felt we didn’t have the pace to go through to Q3. In particular, I wasn’t happy with the car balance and it felt a bit tricky to drive. It’s disappointing, of course, but it’s all to play for tomorrow. If it’s dry, we have a free choice of tyres and, if it rains, we know we have a good chance.”

Williams

George Russell –  P12, 1:15.698

“The car came alive in qualifying in these cooler conditions and I had a lot of fun out there. Again, I did not expect to be this fast, the car was feeling great and I had a good rhythm. It was a shame about the Q2 lap, we had some traffic and I think Q3 was possible today, which would have been amazing. But P12, considering where we were last year, was incredible. I love driving this track flat out, it was great fun and I’m proud of the boys and girls to get that result again. Fingers crossed we get a bit of rain tomorrow; we could do with that and we could be on for a good result. I am ready to fight, and hopefully we have a successful race.”

Nicholas Latifi – P15, 1:16.544 

“I am definitely very pleased; it was my first time into Q2. From a team point of view, it needs to be acknowledged all the amazing work that they have done. For sure we knew that this track was going to suit our car more but getting both cars through to Q2 on merit shows that we have made a lot of progress. I am still a bit disappointed in myself that I wasn’t further up, as I expected a bit more. However, I can be very pleased with the overall session and a big well done to the guys.”

Alfa Romeo

Kimi Räikkönen – P20, 1:16.614

Antonio Giovinazzi- P19, 1:16.506

Frédéric Vasseur, Team Principal Alfa Romeo Racing 

“Today’s performance is far from where we expected to be and we will need to find the reasons for this result. We had made steps forward in the two races in Austria but we still have a lot of work ahead of us to get to the level where we need to be. The race tomorrow will be difficult: we hope to have better pace, but starting on the back row, Kimi and Antonio will have their work cut out. We’ll still give 100%, though, and see where that gets us.”

Haas

Kevin Magnussen – P16, 1:16.152

Romain Grosjean – P18, 1:16.407

Guenther Steiner, Team Principal, Haas F1 Team

“It was obviously a disappointing qualifying for us, we expected more after our performances in practice. I think that is the ranking at the moment – we just need to keep on working and trying every weekend to get the best out of what we’ve got. There’s nothing else to do in such a condensed season like this. You need to try and see, at some stage, the opportunity to do something.”

Qualifying full results

POS	NO	DRIVER	CAR	Q1	Q2	Q3	LAPS
1	44	Lewis Hamilton	MERCEDES	1:14.907	1:14.261	1:13.447	22
2	77	Valtteri Bottas	MERCEDES	1:15.474	1:14.530	1:13.554	20
3	18	Lance Stroll	RACING POINT BWT MERCEDES	1:14.895	1:15.176	1:14.377	22
4	11	Sergio Perez	RACING POINT BWT MERCEDES	1:14.681	1:15.394	1:14.545	22
5	5	Sebastian Vettel	FERRARI	1:15.455	1:15.131	1:14.774	20
6	16	Charles Leclerc	FERRARI	1:15.793	1:15.006	1:14.817	20
7	33	Max Verstappen	RED BULL RACING HONDA	1:15.495	1:14.976	1:14.849	21
8	4	Lando Norris	MCLAREN RENAULT	1:15.444	1:15.085	1:14.966	20
9	55	Carlos Sainz	MCLAREN RENAULT	1:15.281	1:15.267	1:15.027	21
10	10	Pierre Gasly	ALPHATAURI HONDA	1:15.767	1:15.508		14
11	3	Daniel Ricciardo	RENAULT	1:15.848	1:15.661		14
12	63	George Russell	WILLIAMS MERCEDES	1:15.585	1:15.698		14
13	23	Alexander Albon	RED BULL RACING HONDA	1:15.722	1:15.715		16
14	31	Esteban Ocon	RENAULT	1:15.719	1:15.742		14
15	6	Nicholas Latifi	WILLIAMS MERCEDES	1:16.105	1:16.544		14
16	20	Kevin Magnussen	HAAS FERRARI	1:16.152			9
17	26	Daniil Kvyat	ALPHATAURI HONDA	1:16.204			9
18	8	Romain Grosjean	HAAS FERRARI	1:16.407			8
19	99	Antonio Giovinazzi	ALFA ROMEO RACING FERRARI	1:16.506			12
20	7	Kimi Räikkönen	ALFA ROMEO RACING FERRARI	1:16.614			12

Brendan Lines July 18, 2020 08:30am

The steely skies over the Hungaroring opened up for FP2 as sopping wet conditions affected track times adversely, but the silver lining for Ferrari was Sebastian Vettel topped the session in P1.

Vettel’s time of 1:40.464s in the wet was some 24 seconds slower than FP1’s times, Mercedes flying Fin Valtteri Bottas managed P2 with a 1:40.736.

Only 13 drivers posted a time in FP2, Lewis Hamilton who was fastest in FP1, went out on the green ring intermediate tyres but did not post a timed lap on them.

However Racing Point had both drivers out on track, looking to improve their disappointing performance in the wet of the Styrian Gp last week, drivers Lance Stroll and Sergio Perez finished P5 and P6 respectively some+0.2s off the pace.

Perez’s session however wasn’t without incident going off at the Turn 6 chicane in the slippery conditions.

McLaren’s Carlos Sainz finished P3 after flirting with limits of adhesion at Turn 3, Sainz will be one to watch having scored points at the last four Hungarian Grands Prix.

Pierre Gasly went out on track to make up for lost ground in FP1, managing P6 was a vast improvement for the Frenchman, but things got little hot under the collar of his AT01 as Gasly reported ‘a burning smell’ over the teams radio channel.

Kimi Raikkonen stepped back in to his Alfa for FP2 posting the most amount of laps run with 16 laps in P9, however the flying Fin didn’t soar as high as his compatriot Bottas as Raikkonen’s Alfa struggled to get heat into its wet tyres.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc rounded out the top ten trying out a mix of intermediate and full wet tyres, but was some +3.0s slower than teammate Vettel.

Tomorrow’s FP3 and Qualifying sessions are likely to be rain affected again this week, with local forecasts predicting a 58 per cent chance of rain and a thunderstorm in the afternoon.

FP3  starts 07:30pm local time tonight.

Full FP2 results:

POS	NO	DRIVER	CAR	TIME	GAP	LAPS
1	5	Sebastian Vettel	FERRARI	1:40.464		12
2	77	Valtteri Bottas	MERCEDES	1:40.736	+0.272s	5
3	55	Carlos Sainz	MCLAREN RENAULT	1:41.784	+1.320s	6
4	18	Lance Stroll	RACING POINT BWT MERCEDES	1:42.380	+1.916s	6
5	11	Sergio Perez	RACING POINT BWT MERCEDES	1:42.470	+2.006s	5
6	10	Pierre Gasly	ALPHATAURI HONDA	1:42.588	+2.124s	7
7	33	Max Verstappen	RED BULL RACING HONDA	1:42.820	+2.356s	4
8	8	Romain Grosjean	HAAS FERRARI	1:43.335	+2.871s	6
9	7	Kimi Räikkönen	ALFA ROMEO RACING FERRARI	1:43.471	+3.007s	16
10	16	Charles Leclerc	FERRARI	1:43.725	+3.261s	10
11	99	Antonio Giovinazzi	ALFA ROMEO RACING FERRARI	1:44.411	+3.947s	9
12	4	Lando Norris	MCLAREN RENAULT	1:46.000	+5.536s	5
13	26	Daniil Kvyat	ALPHATAURI HONDA	1:47.422	+6.958s	7
14	31	Esteban Ocon	RENAULT			1
15	3	Daniel Ricciardo	RENAULT			1
16	44	Lewis Hamilton	MERCEDES			1
17	6	Nicholas Latifi	WILLIAMS MERCEDES			2
18	63	George Russell	WILLIAMS MERCEDES			2
19	23	Alexander Albon	RED BULL RACING HONDA			3
20	20	Kevin Magnussen	HAAS FERRARI			1

Brendan Lines.   July 17, 2020 03:45pm

Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo says the incident with Racing Point’s Lance Stroll that saw him drop from sixth to eighth at the Styrian Grand Prix will be discussed among the drivers this weekend as the Australian prepares for tonight’s FP1 at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Ricciardo took issue with Canadian, Stroll’s move on the penultimate lap which he considers a ‘failed attempt’ to pass.

The Australian said to The Race he does not want the sport’s rules to discourage racing.

“I’ve never wanted to have the rules so tight that it discourages us to race, so I don’t want to feel we’re kind of driving on eggshells and scared to pull the trigger,” he said.

“But there’s trying and also failing. Both of us went off track – me because obviously if I turn in, we crash, but he also brought himself off the track with us.

“So he tried a move, which he was completely in his right to do so. I left room, which I guess I shouldn’t have, but he tried and because we both went off I see that as a failed attempt, so the position should have been given back.”

Ricciardo says drivers would agree with him, “I can’t see any drivers saying, ‘yeah, that’s a clean move’,  insisting drivers and stewards should be reminded of the rules at briefings over the weekend — rather than make it a personal issue with the Canadian.

“So I don’t think it’s necessarily something that you need to discuss with the driver, as if [to say] ‘yeah, that was a dirty move, what were you thinking,’ he said.

“It’s more that this needs to be spoken to as a group, with us drivers and the stewards together to try and educate everyone on what we think is right and wrong.”

Renault has wrested with mixed results from the opening rounds at the Red Bull Ring, coming away with 8 Constructors Championship points, but consecutive DNFs related to the same cooling issue.

However the tight, high downforce nature of the the Hungaroring  is a different beast, and one that has been kind to Ricciardo.

Dan Ricciardo’s Hungarian GP key Stats:

9 Starts

3rd Best grid position

1st Best finish

67 Points

1:16.818 Fastest qualifying (2017)

1:20.012 Fastest lap (2018)

7 Average points

551 Raced laps

2,413 Raced KM

The Aussie took his second career win at the Hungaroring in 2014 in a Renault-powered Red Bull, in contrast his current Renault factory team hasn’t had the same success in recent years.

Ricciardo believes the gains the team has made in aerodynamic efficiency will allow Renault to perform better following in the ‘dirty air’ of other cars. Ricciardo (AUS) Renault F1 Team RS20. Steiermark Grand Prix, Sunday 12th July 2020. Spielberg, Austria.

The field is likely to be more ‘bunched’ on a circuit that boasts one of the lowest top speeds (318kph) and on average more lap-time cornering than straight line racing.

“The downforce and the package we have is a bit more efficient, and I think on low fuel the rear of the car has improved a lot.

“So traction, if we look at our overlays from last year, we’re just getting to full throttle considerably earlier.

“The rear of the car is certainly at the moment the strength compared to this time last year.”

Daniel Ricciardo chases down teammate Esteban Ocon at the Styrian Gp – Image Autosport.com

Ricciardo displayed the R.S.20’s prowess in his hunt and pass of teammate Esteban Ocon at the Red Bull Ring last week on medium tyres.

What will be interesting to watch is Ricciardo’s one-lap pace in qualifying on the soft tyres on low fuel, if everything that’s been said is true we’ll see Renault’s improvement in outright pace.

FP1 for the Hungarian Grand Prix begins