Driver 6 f1

Listen to this article After McLaren decided last summer to replace him for 2023 by rookie Oscar Piastri , Ricciardo's chances of landing a solid seat for this season were dwindling when the Australian decided to take a sabbatical instead. Ricciardo said he wanted to use 2023 to take a break and mentally reset after two punishing years with McLaren, in which he failed to get to grips with the car and was outshone by teammate Lando Norris . His third driver role at his old Red Bull team was designed to give him that chance, with his focus initially more on marketing and simulator work than driving. The 33-year-old says his first grand prix appearance this year, when he attends his home race in Melbourne at the end of March, will probably give him a good indication on whether the fire is still burning to come back, or whether he is satisfied with life outside Formula 1. "I'll be watching the first race from likely television, so I think that'll start to maybe warm … [Read more...] about Ricciardo: Australian GP buzz will tell me a lot about F1 comeback

Damon Hill feels he was the first driver to “convert” the pure test driver role into a reserve one in Formula 1, after his roundabout entry into the sport. He earned a test drive with Williams in 1991 before being given an unexpected Formula 1 debut with Brabham the following year, with the team struggling financially and Hill taking part in eight race weekends before the team subsequently folded, all while testing with the dominant Williams outfit. With Nigel Mansell and Riccardo Patrese both leaving the team at the end of 1992, Hill found himself in the team alongside Alain Prost for the following season, and he feels the fact he was around in the paddock at the time and showed early potential with Brabham helped his cause. Along with this, the eventual 1996 World Champion believes this marked a shift from teams having specified test drivers and moulding the role into a reserve capacity, which enabled drivers to fill in where needed. He admitted there is an element of being … [Read more...] about Damon Hill on how he helped break test driver’s ‘dead-end job’ mould

Red Bull pair Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez have joined the driver backlash to the FIA’s new controls over political statements. The FIA caused something of a stir when they introduced a new ruling which stated that any personnel would need their prior permission to make religious or political statements during an FIA-sanctioned event. The likes of Valtteri Bottas and former F1 driver Sebastian Vettel, the latter a leading F1 activist in his final few years on the grid, have both spoken out against the ruling, and now Verstappen and Perez can be added to the list. Verstappen said that while he is not usually one for speaking out, he finds it “unnecessary” to bring in a ruling designed to stop it. “I think firstly, you know, everyone’s different, some people are more outspoken than others,” he told Sky Sports F1. “I’m normally not that outspoken on that, because first of all, it’s tough as a racing driver to be fully committed to that as well in terms of going into … [Read more...] about Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez latest F1 drivers to disagree with FIA’s political statement clampdown

Listen to this article Like Pierre Gasly before him, Albon found life difficult as Max Verstappen's teammate, especially given the Dutchman's particular driving style which the team had developed the car around. While the Thai driver was retained by the Red Bull family as Sergio Perez came in to replace him, a season in the DTM only made him more determined to prove his worth. Albon admitted being nervous going into 2022, but off the back of solid performance on track and signing a new multi-year deal at Williams, those early nerves made way for a sense of calm. "I’d say there's a sense of calmness with everything," Albon told Motorsport.com in an exclusive interview. "I guess the last two years, one of those years being very stressful, and the other one being nervous, and I guess gearing up for the year I didn’t know what to expect. "I’ve signed a contract which is maybe one of the best feelings, long-term. It's a privilege in Formula 1, if I’m honest. I’m feeling very … [Read more...] about Analysis: How Albon made the most of his second F1 chance with Williams

George Russell used the example of his Mick Schumacher radio comments in Singapore as proof there is zero privacy in F1. Mercedes driver Russell collided with Haas racer Schumacher at Turn 1 during the 2022 Singapore GP, a difficult outing for Russell as he lapped outside of the points at that stage. His “Schumacher is defending like it’s the race of his life, crikey” comment did not sit well with some, Russell believing that now that he is competing with a front-running team, it shows that nothing is safe from the public. This then is a fact which he is working to grow accustomed to, as his dream was always to be a racing driver, not to be famous. “These are things that are part of the experience when you are at the front,” said Russell, as per Motorsportweek.com. “Everything is under the microscope and that kind of comment last year [in 2021] would not have been picked up on. “But I think there are two parts of it: one, it’s fighting your case; but two, it’s you just … [Read more...] about George Russell discusses lack of F1 privacy as fame comes as career consequence

The only surprising thing about Mercedes’ sweep to a front-row lockout in qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix was that it was their first of the season instead of their third. They won the first two races comfortably and seem to have a slightly larger performance advantage in Bahrain – perhaps because the circuit doesn’t play to the strengths of Red Bull, who until now have been their closest competitors. But while Bahrain’s switch to a night race may mean cooler temperatures for the grand prix, no team is exempt from the ever-present concerns about the reliability of these complicated new power units. Most drivers are using the same engine for the third race running this weekend. As they can only use five complete power units for the 19-race season, most of their engines will have to do four grand prix distances, and if they reach the chequered flag they will be well on the way to achieving that. It was at this stage of their engines’ lifespans during testing that the … [Read more...] about 2014 Bahrain GP pre-race analysis: Reliability may decide – F1 Fanatic

What kind of a Formula 1 team is Williams Racing? Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free For the last two-and-a-half years, Williams Grand Prix Engineering, formerly owned by its founder family, has been in a state of transition. Its new owners, American investment firm Dorilton, have invested considerable time, effort and funds to rebuild neo-Williams in their own image. Through swanky promotional films with Hollywood actors or hosting public exhibitions during grand prix weekends to bring the team to the fans, Williams has sought to write a new narrative for itself while still proudly embracing its illustrious heritage. But while the team appears to have clarity over how it wishes to present itself, it has struggled to find its footing on the race track in that same time. Rooted to the rear of the grid, sucked into the black hole that tends to hold down any team that falls to the back of the field, Williams would have been disappointed with their 2022 … [Read more...] about Is this the year Williams break free from the back of the grid? · RaceFans

The year 2026 will mark the start of a collaboration between Ford and Red Bull Powertrains, giving birth to Red Bull Ford. Starting this year, the companies are working together in designing a power unit that adheres to the new technical regulations set to take effect. The unit will consist of a 350-kilowatt electric motor and be capable of using eco-friendly fuels. Ford will lend its technical know-how in areas such as combustion engines, battery cells, electric motor tech, control software for the power unit, and analytics to aid Red Bull Powertrains in the development process. But the Red Bull Ford partnership doesn’t end there. Ford CEO Jim Farley told MotorTrend in an interview that the Blue Oral is also working on an electric vehicle with the 2022 F1 World Constructors' champion. Gallery: Red Bull Ford Powertrains 16 Photos When asked by MotorTrend … [Read more...] about Ford, Red Bull Working On A New EV That’s “Strategically Important”

Juan Pablo Montoya believes “a different Lewis Hamilton” will be on show in 2023, if Mercedes are onto a winner with the W14. Hamilton went a full season without a win for the first time in his Formula 1 career last year, with Mercedes struggling for pace compared to Ferrari and Red Bull alongside their issues with porpoising on the W13. While he still took nine podium finishes, Hamilton used the first part of the season to take experimental setups on his car as the team searched for solutions, while team-mate George Russell racked up consecutive top-five finishes. Russell would outscore Hamilton over the course of the season, though, as the younger Mercedes driver earned his first pole position and victory in Formula 1 in Hungary and Brazil respectively. Montoya praised Hamilton for his pragmatic approach to driving and not pushing too hard when he didn’t need to last season, but he predicted the seven-time World Champion will be back to his best again in the year ahead. … [Read more...] about Juan Pablo Montoya predicts we will see ‘a different Lewis Hamilton’ in 2023