Lewis hamilton 2013

Lewis Hamilton is concerned Mercedes are still so far behind Red Bull in the second year of Formula 1’s current technical regulations. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free The seven-times world champion said his team must focus on closing the gap to their rivals after he qualified over a second off Max Verstappen’s pace at Suzuka last weekend. Red Bull have won all bar one of the 16 races so far this year. They clinched the constructors title in Japan and Verstappen is likely to claim the drivers’ championship for the third year in a row in the Sprint race ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix next week. Hamilton said in Suzuka that Mercedes need to “realise that a second gap is huge and it’s real.” “To be two years in and still be a second down compared to the Red Bulls, it’s showing that we need to make sure that we really do a good job over the winter to get back at least half that gap before next year,” he added. Red Bull’s return to winning ways in Japan … [Read more...] about Mercedes must halve deficit to Red Bull before 2024 season starts – Hamilton

Nyck de Vries’ exit from Formula 1 was watched by those around him with anguish. His childhood dream, which he spent his career working towards, ended far more quickly than he must have expected after starting what was supposed to be his first full season. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free Red Bull made the tough decision to replace him after less than half a season, placing Daniel Ricciardo at AlphaTauri before the Hungarian Grand Prix. On paper it made sense: Despite his team mate Yuki Tsunoda having just two points on the board at the time, De Vries was yet to get off the mark and had made some costly errors on-track. The axe fell after three tough races finishing near the back in Canada, Austria and Great Britain. Losing his seat before the halfway mark in the championship, shortly before his home race, seemed particularly tough even for the cutthroat world of Formula 1. Lewis Hamilton , Charles Leclerc, Yuki Tsunoda and Alex Albon all spoke out … [Read more...] about De Vries ready to fight for Formula E titles again after “hurt” of losing F1 drive

Nyck de Vries’ sacking just 10 races into his first full season as a grand prix driver is typical of Formula 1 in general and Red Bull in particular, according to several drivers. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free “That’s how Red Bull do it,” said Lewis Hamilton when asked about the team’s decision to cut de Vries from its junior team AlphaTauri before the halfway mark in the season. Asked whether the decision reflected how F1 works, Hamilton replied: “I’d say that’s how Red Bull works.” The team has some form in making dramatic driver announcements, such as when it promoted Max Verstappen to Red Bull in place of Daniil Kvyat four races into the 2016 season. De Vries’ place has been taken by Daniel Ricciardo, who hopes to use the opportunity to gain a return to Red Bull. Valtteri Bottas . “They obviously follow their view what is the best. “Obviously it’s really a shame for Nyck it was quite a short rookie season unfortunately. But also then it’s … [Read more...] about ‘Cutthroat.’ ‘Brutal.’ ‘That’s how Red Bull works’: F1 drivers on de Vries’ sacking

Sky F1 reporter Craig Slater believes Lando Norris, Formula 1’s equivalent in the transfer market to Jude Bellingham, could be of interest for Audi as they prepare to join the grid in 2026. Norris is contracted to his current team McLaren until the end of 2025, meaning his current deal will expire before the new generation of challengers and power units come into force for the following season, when a motorsport powerhouse will also join the fray. Audi have struck a deal with Sauber which will see the team transformed into the Audi works squad, running their power unit, from 2026, leading to plenty of speculation already over which drivers will form that first Audi line-up. Lando Norris a future Audi driver? Slater claimed that if Norris were a footballer, then he would be in the “100 million category”, likening him to Bellingham who recently signed for Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund for a fee in that region plus add-ons. Norris would command a fee should any team look … [Read more...] about ‘Jude Bellingham of the F1 transfer market’ teased as potential Audi target

ESPN commentator Fernando Tornello believes too much has been made of the recent controversy regarding Helmut Marko’s comments on Sergio Perez. Red Bull’s advisor Marko has never been someone known to keep his words soft or sweet, as Perez had found out already at times during what has been a challenging F1 2023 campaign, though it was ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix where Marko truly caused a stir. Marko would receive a written warning and reminder of his responsibilities from the FIA following comments linking Perez’s inconsistent performances against Max Verstappen to his ethnicity. Helmut Marko tries to motivate, not insult, Sergio Perez Marko did issue an apology both publicly and in private to Perez for the remarks, which Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton branded “totally unacceptable”, though Tornello believes the situation was rather blown out of proportion. “You’re making too much trouble over what he says,” Tornello told Esto . “He’s simply a provocateur. What he … [Read more...] about F1 commentator defends Helmut Marko: Take Sergio Perez comments ‘with a smile’

Renault has replaced the CEO of its sports car division Alpine for the first time since the brand’s entry into F1. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free Laurent Rossi became CEO of Alpine in January 2021 ahead of its first season in F1, following the rebranding of its F1 team. Renault announced today Philippe Krief has taken over as Alpine CEO while Rossi will “focus on special projects linked to the transformation of the Group.” As CEO, Rossi’s responsibilities for the Alpine brand extended far beyond its F1 team. However he had a significant bearing on the operation and strongly criticised the team following the shaky start to its latest season. Alpine claimed a surprise victory in 2021, its first season in F1, and went on to finish fifth in the championship. It moved up a place to fourth the following year, but also lost the services of both Fernando Alonso and junior driver Oscar Piastri to rival teams. Its progress has stalled this year as Aston … [Read more...] about Rossi replaced after two-and-a-half years as Alpine CEO

Haas team principal Guenther Steiner says Nico Hulkenberg is “absolutely” the best qualifying driver he has had driving for his team. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free Hulkenberg joined the Haas team at the start of this season in place of Mick Schumacher . It is Hulkenberg’s first full campaign in Formula 1 since 2019, when he raced for Renault. Over the first ten rounds of the year, Hulkenberg has started inside the top 10 more than half the time, reaching Q3 on five occasions – once more than Red Bull driver Sergio Perez . He has also out-qualified team mate Kevin Magnussen by a ratio of 8-2. Alfa Romeo sporting director Beat Zehnder recently named Hulkenberg as the best qualifying driver he has ever worked with , as the driver raced for the team in 2013 when it was known as Sauber. Speaking to media in Hungary yesterday, Steiner agreed with with Zehnder’s statement. “I would say so, absolutely,” Steiner said. “He can put a lap together that … [Read more...] about Hulkenberg is the best qualifier I’ve worked with – Steiner

Kokubu has been a mainstay at the Japanese manufacturer for over three decades, having joined Honda in 1986, working on its MotoGP project and even briefly in Formula 1. He did not travel to India last week and is also not present at Motegi for the Japanese Grand Prix, and will most likely be followed in a few months by Tetsuhiro Kuwata, who has a more administrative than technical role. Kokubu's time with Honda in MotoGP is especially significant, having been responsible for the chassis of the RC211V raced by the marque in 2003 right at the beginning of the four-stroke era of the premier class. With that chassis, Honda won two world championships with Valentino Rossi and a third with Nicky Hayden before the RC212V was introduced for 2007 at the start of the 800cc era. In 2008, Kokubu was appointed as project leader of the RC212V and became technical director in 2012, before taking on the role as general manager of Honda's technical and development division in 2016. … [Read more...] about Honda makes significant technical reshuffle amid Marquez MotoGP future uncertainty

Ex-F1 racer and current Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe vice chairman Kazuki Nakajima said it is a “clear no” currently to the manufacturer returning to Formula 1, but that could change. Toyota joined the world of Formula 1 back in 2002, and while they made 13 visits to the podium throughout their tenure, the team was never able to claim a grand prix victory. Come the end of the 2009 campaign, Toyota would bow out of Formula 1 as a constructor and engine manufacturer and have not appeared in the series since. Toyota cold stance on Formula 1 return could change During the Japanese Grand Prix race weekend, home soil for Toyota, McLaren announced the signing of Toyota endurance racer Ryō Hirakawa as their reserve driver for F1 2024, paving the way for rumours to bubble up again over potential Toyota interest in a return to F1, considering this signing came as a rather left-field one. And while former Williams driver Nakajima said this is definitely not on the cards for now, he did … [Read more...] about Toyota give ‘clear’ response to questions over future F1 return