F1 today starting grid

The drivers have all put in their best efforts over one lap, and the grid for Le Mans 2023 has now officially been set as the world’s most iconic endurance race celebrates its 100th anniversary. Qualifying on Wednesday saw the top eight cars in each class qualify for Hyperpole on Thursday night, which set up the battle for pole in each category for Le Mans 2023 ahead of the Centenary running of the legendary 24-hour race. In Hypercars, the long-dominant Toyota team, piloted by ex-F1 drivers Kamui Kobayashi and Brendon Hartley in qualifying, have got a serious challenge on their hands if they are to retain their stranglehold on the race this year. Ferrari, on their factory return to the top class after over 50 years away, qualified first and second for the big race, and by a healthy margin. The race itself will begin on Saturday 10 June at 4pm local time at the Circuit de la Sarthe (3pm BST). PlanetF1.com recommends Le Mans 24 Hours: The 18 ex-Formula 1 drivers to look out … [Read more...] about Le Mans 2023 starting grid: What is the grid order for the iconic 24 hour race?

Ferrari will lead the grid for the 100th anniversary Le Mans 24 Hours this weekend with its pair of 499P prototypes. Here is the full grid following the qualifying and hyperpole sessions. Pos No. Class Team Car Drivers Time 1 50 Hypercar (H) Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P Antonio Fuoco/Miguel Molina/Nicklas Nielsen 3’22.982 2 51 Hypercar (H) Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P Alessandro Pier Guidi/James Calado/ Antonio Giovinazzi 3’23.755 3 8 Hypercar (H) Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 Sebastien Buemi / Brendon Hartley /Ryo Hirakawa 3’24.451 4 75 Hypercar (H) Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 Felipe Nasr /Mathieu Jaminet/Nicholas Tandy 3’24.531 5 7 Hypercar (H) Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 Mike Conway/ Kamui Kobayashi /Jose Maria Lopez 3’24.933 6 2 Hypercar (H) Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-Series.R Earl Bamber/Alex Lynn/Richard Westbrook 3’25.170 7 5 … [Read more...] about WEC 2023 Le Mans 24 Hours starting grid · RaceFans

At last week's Spanish Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell scored a double podium after the Brackley team's comprehensive upgrade package delivered a solid step forward. While Hamilton still finished 24 seconds behind dominant winner Max Verstappen , Mercedes' W14 was the second-strongest car on the high-downforce circuit, providing the team with a solid baseline to continue its recovery. The double podium also elevated Mercedes above Aston Martin to second place in the constructors' standings. But Shovlin, the team's trackside engineering director, expects the Canadian Grand Prix to be a more difficult weekend for the Silver Arrows due to the low-downforce nature of Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, which is the polar opposite of the Barcelona circuit that its revamped 2023 car was competitive at. "The fact is that the update kit works very well around circuits like Barcelona with a lot of high-speed performance," Shovlin said in Mercedes' post-race … [Read more...] about Mercedes: Canada a “bigger challenge” than Barcelona for upgraded F1 car

Sebastian Vettel made amends for his last-lap defeat at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve two years ago and bolstered his championship lead with his third victory of 2013. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free It wasn’t a flawless performance from Vettel – he brushed the wall on the way and ran wide at the first corner. But if he occasionally looked like throwing victory away no one ever looked like taking it off him. Vettel streaks away as Bottas goes backwards The same two drivers shared the front row as last year: Vettel ahead of Lewis Hamilton . But the opening laps were strikingly different: far from keeping Vettel in his sights, Hamilton could only look on as the Red Bull drove away in the opening laps. Behind them Valtteri Bottas fought hard to hold onto his hard-won third place from qualifying but his car was clearly unequal to the struggle. Nico Rosberg passed him off the line and Mark Webber got past in the opening corners. Bottas defended firmly … [Read more...] about 2013 Canadian GP review: Vettel makes amends for 2011 – F1 Fanatic

The SF-23 has been quick over one lap in qualifying thus far this season, but has usually lost out to Mercedes , and often Aston Martin as well, over a race distance. That pattern was repeated in the Spanish GP, where Carlos Sainz qualified second but was jumped by both Mercedes drivers, as well as the Red Bull of Sergio Perez , in the race. Vasseur believes that Ferrari will be able to challenge Mercedes in races once it has solved its issues. "I think as soon as we will unlock the situation with consistency we can imagine to fight with them all over the race," he said. "With Red Bull it's another story, especially with [Max] Verstappen. He is still much faster than us in quali, much faster in the race." He insists that Ferrari is keeping up with Mercedes in the development race as both teams strive to catch Red Bull. "An upgrade when you increase the potential of the car, we are speaking about the top," he said. "You have to think that Mercedes, they are not … [Read more...] about Vasseur: Ferrari can fight Mercedes once F1 consistency issues are solved

The floor was exposed after Logan Sargeant crashed at the final corner in FP3 in Barcelona and his car was loaded onto a truck. That came just a week after the undersides of the Red Bull RB19 and Mercedes W14 were both captured after accidents in Monaco led to them being craned away. The apparent simplicity of the Williams floor in comparison to those of other cars – especially the Red Bull – was hard for observers to miss. Vowles says the rear angle of the pictures didn't flatter the Williams, but he conceded that the floor is not as complex as those of other cars. "There are photos taken of our floor this weekend after Logan went off in FP3," he said in a team video. "And obviously those have been compared to photography taken of our competitors just a few weeks ago. "I think one thing to point out is they're a little bit deceptive. What's happened here is it's very focused on that rear diffuser ramp, unlike the other photos that perhaps focus more on the front of … [Read more...] about Vowles admits Williams F1 car floor is “lacking detail”

Ricciardo will join Toronto-born comedian Will Arnett for the Montreal race and similar broadcasts of the Austin and Las Vegas races later in the year. The show, to be known as The Grandstand with Daniel Ricciardo and Will Arnett, will start at 1.55pm ET on race day in Montreal. It will run in parallel with the regular live race coverage on ABC. Ricciardo and Arnett will talk about the race live as it unfolds, with help from special guests. “This is going to be a hoot!” said Ricciardo. “As you’d expect Will and I are going to have some fun with the show, but we’re hoping it just feels like you’re watching F1 with your mates. “We will have some amazing guests, plenty of laughs and with some luck, bring fans another step closer to the sport I love so much. Buckle up America!” Daniel Ricciardo, Third Driver, Red Bull Racing, with actress Heidi Berger Photo by: Alexander Trienitz / Motorsport Images Arnett, best known for TV shows Arrested Development and 30 … [Read more...] about Ricciardo joins ESPN for ‘alternate’ F1 TV coverage of Canadian GP

Formula 1 expects next week’s Canadian Grand Prix to go ahead as normal despite wildfires which have affected air quality in the area. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free Over 150 fires have been reported in Quebec, the province which is also home to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve where the race is due to take place. The pollution caused by the fires has led to warnings in surrounding areas where millions of people have been advised to wear face masks as a precaution against smoke inhalation. The smoke has spread far beyond Quebec to the north and south, including into the United States of America. However according to F1 the fires are around 800 kilometres from the circuit, the air quality in Montreal has already begun to improve and they have no concerns about the event going ahead. Air quality in the city fell below normal standards earlier in the week – though it was better than at some venues F1 visits – and has since improved. Forecasts for the … [Read more...] about Canadian GP not under threat from wildfires, say F1 · RaceFans

Perez won two of the four opening races of the 2023 season and, after his victory in the Azerbaijan GP, he was just six points behind Verstappen and touted as a potential title challenger. The gap was extended when the Dutchman led a Red Bull one-two in Miami. Perez then had a disastrous weekend in Monaco, crashing in Q1 and finishing well out of the points after a fraught race. Perez again had a scrappy qualifying in Spain that saw him start only 11th. He was able to recover to fourth place in the race. Verstappen won both the Monaco and Spanish events, further extending his lead, with the gap between the Red Bull drivers now standing at 53 points. Horner says that with a title challenge currently looking less realistic a solid race in Barcelona will help Perez to relax. "I think for him that'll give him a lot of confidence coming out of this," he said. "He has had a difficult Monaco, difficult Saturday here, a stronger Sunday. Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing, Max … [Read more...] about Horner: Perez can relax now F1 title pressure is off