Lap time monaco grand prix

Fernando Alonso has played down his own chances of victory at this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, with the Aston Martin man predicting a one-two finish for Red Bull in Barcelona. Alonso has emerged as the dominant Red Bull team’s closest threat in the early months of the 2023 season, finishing on the podium at all but one of the six races held so far. His best start to a season since his penultimate year at Ferrari in 2013 has raised expectations that his decade-long wait for a grand prix win could end soon. Alonso’s last F1 triumph came at his home race in Barcelona, but with Red Bull making a perfect start to the season – and Ferrari and Mercedes introducing potentially game-changing upgrades – he does not expect a win to come this weekend. He told the official F1 website: “It feels good. Obviously there is a special energy every time in Spain when I come here and I see all the fans. “I don’t think, realistically, we can fight for the victory. Let’s be clear. “Red Bull … [Read more...] about Fernando Alonso makes worrying Red Bull prediction for Spanish Grand Prix

There’s no rest for the wicked as F1 reaches the end of its first ‘triple-header’ in 2023 – here are the main talking points from the Spanish Grand Prix media day. This weekend marks the third planned race weekend in a row, in what would have been the first proper flurry of races had the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix actually gone ahead. As a result, the Spanish Grand Prix is merely the second race of what became a double-header, and an eagerly anticipated return to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya as the third sector has returned to the layout last used in 2006 – the onerous final chicane now removed. Let’s go through some of the key findings and storylines ahead of the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix. All eyes on team upgrades Upgrades aplenty this weekend in Spain, with Ferrari rolling out the upgrade package that was supposed to have been debuted at Imola. This will see them move away from the big bathtub-style sidepods they’ve had since the start of 2022, unsurprisingly heading … [Read more...] about The key storylines to emerge from the Spanish Grand Prix media day

This season has seen Red Bull dominate the front of the field and there is little to suggest things will be different when F1 heads to Barcelona, a place that usually rewards the best cars more than most. Its mix of long straights and varied corners suits a well-balanced package but this season a couple of changes could have an effect. Barcelona is usually used as a pre-season testing venue, but not this season. In the past, that testing session has allowed teams to tune up their machines to their limit, making it easier to get on the pace for the race weekend. This time, the teams will have a few more question marks than before. Another potential challenge is the removal of the final chicane, replaced by a sweeping right-hand bend to make up the final corner. This configuration was last used in 2006 – so the only driver on the grid who has experienced this layout in the past is Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso. Barcelona is traditionally where we see the first big car … [Read more...] about F1 Form Guide: Spanish Grand Prix

During a dry first stint of a mixed-weather Monaco race, Sainz was wedged in between third-placed Esteban Ocon and Lewis Hamilton when the latter was called into the pits by Mercedes on lap 33. Ferrari opted to respond by bringing Sainz in on the next lap to avoid an undercut by Hamilton. But in doing so, it also gave up the possibility of challenging Ocon for third, which would have been Sainz's first podium of a tough 2023 season. That caused an angry response from Sainz, who at the time thought Ferrari's call was "weak" as he was more interested in going for a podium than conserving fourth. Soon after the race, Sainz apologised for his outburst and ahead of this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix he explained his thinking at the time. When asked by Motorsport.com if his disagreement with the team was down to the Spaniard having a more aggressive mindset than his team, he said: "I think it's a fair assessment. "I think I was honestly quite vocal about wanting to go … [Read more...] about Sainz explains aggressive mindset behind Monaco F1 strategy anger

Ferrari will reportedly move away from their unique sidepod design and towards something more resembling Red Bull’s in Spain. There has been no stopping the dominant Red Bull outfit across the opening six rounds of the season, Max Verstappen having picked up four victories to team-mate Sergio Perez’s two, while Ferrari have only one podium finish to show for their efforts. It is a far cry for the title challenge which the Scuderia had been targeting going into F1 2023, but a major shift in approach is seemingly now on the horizon in a bid to take Ferrari closer to that conversation. Autosport are reporting that as part of an upgrade package for the Spanish Grand Prix, Ferrari will move on from its unique ‘bathtub’ sidepod concept, and instead introduce a design more heavily influenced by the Red Bull concept, though not resembling a ‘direct copy’. Race days have been a particular area of concern for the Scuderia so far this season, with tyre management difficulties carrying … [Read more...] about Ferrari ditch sidepod concept with Red Bull philosophy copied

Sergio Perez has revealed his focus is now on maximising each individual race weekend after falling 39 points behind Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen in the F1 2023 standings. The Mexican made his best-ever start to a season this year, winning convincingly in Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan to emerge as a potential threat to two-time World Champion Verstappen. Perez spoke optimistically of his title chances after winning the second race of the campaign in Jeddah and boldly declared: “I really believe that I have the full support of the team as much as Max does and I will have every single opportunity to win the Championship as much as he does.” He went on to suffer an embarrassing Q1 elimination at the following round in Australia and suffered the same fate last weekend in Monaco, where he started last after hitting the barrier at St Devote in the first stage of qualifying. Perez endured a bruising race in Monte Carlo and finished 16th after being lapped twice by Verstappen, who … [Read more...] about Sergio Perez renews F1 2023 approach amid rising Max Verstappen points gap

Charles Leclerc is urging Ferrari to work on their communication after a number of costly errors compromised the team’s weekend in Monaco. The Scuderia were competitive at times in Monte Carlo, where Leclerc set a lap fast enough for third – behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin – at the climax of qualifying. However, the local hero was handed a three-place grid penalty in the hours after the session for impeding McLaren driver Lando Norris in the tunnel in Q3. Leclerc finished where he started on race day having pitted to switch from hard to medium tyres a matter of laps before a mid-race downpour, while team-mate Carlos Sainz slumped from fourth to eighth in a race in which he was heard angrily criticising Ferrari’s strategy choices over team radio. Having seen his 2022 title challenge crumble through a series of avoidable errors, Leclerc is keen for Ferrari to learn quickly from their Monaco mistakes. Speaking to Sky Sports F1 ahead of … [Read more...] about Charles Leclerc calls for better communication at Ferrari after latest blunders

Tony Kanaan cherished every moment of his final Indianapolis 500 start, and his final race as an IndyCar Series driver – but reaffirmed he has no plans to reconsider his retirement after the race. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free “The coming back part? I don’t think I want to spoil the moment that I had,” Kanaan said after a 16th-place finish in his 22nd Indy 500 start. “I’ll come back, but as a spectator.” Kanaan summed up his feelings, saying he was “grateful, relieved, happy, sad at the same time.” “There are so many emotions right now,” he added, “but one thing is for certain. I sat here three years ago, and I said I’m not retiring because I don’t want to race in an empty stand.” Kanaan planned to retire from IndyCar after the 2020 season when he was driving for AJ Foyt. But he revised his plans after the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic forced several races – including the Indianapolis 500 – to be held behind closed doors, with no spectators in … [Read more...] about Kanaan doesn’t want to “spoil the moment I had” by returning to Indy 500 · RaceFans

Sergio Perez still believes in his chances of winning the world championship this year despite falling 39 points behind his team mate after the Monaco Grand Prix. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free The Red Bull driver suffered a tough weekend in Monaco after crashing in the first phase of qualifying which left him last on the grid. Perez explained why he spun into the barrier at Sainte Devote and and said he took full responsibility for it. “I should have taken things a bit easier,” he said. “Everything was too late, it was a combination of things. “We decided last-minute to go for that lap and then we had the Alpine just in front of us. We had a lot of tailwind basically going on the braking. “So in hindsight just being next time in Monaco in Q1 probably not taking those decisions last minute will help us as well. But on top of all, I should have done a better job at pre-empting the situation.” “It’s hard,” he added. “But for me the most important of … [Read more...] about Verstappen is the toughest team mate but I have the speed to beat him – Perez · RaceFans