Lewis hamilton 2013

Toto Wolff has dismissed the fact George Russell beat Lewis Hamilton by 35 points in the 2022 World Championship as “irrelevant”. Russell has just completed his first season as a Mercedes racer and gave the team their only victory of an underwhelming campaign, crossing the line first in both the Sao Paulo sprint and the grand prix. The 24-year-old was remarkably consistent, finishing in the top five in 19 of the 22 races, whereas Hamilton was more experimental with the set-up tweaks he applied to try to get the best out of the troublesome W13 car. Understandable as it may be from the outside to think Russell could even extend his points margin over the seven-time former World Champion in 2023, given he will have a year’s experience with Mercedes under his belt, his boss Wolff is reading nothing into the duo’s respective 2022 positions. That is because, for the first time since his debut year with the Silver Arrows in 2013, Hamilton was not challenging for the Drivers’ title. … [Read more...] about Toto Wolff dismisses Lewis Hamilton’s 35-point loss to George Russell as ‘irrelevant’

Max Verstappen could have helped his team-mate Sergio Perez’s bid to finish second in the World Championship by re-enacting the 2016 Nico Rosberg scenario in Abu Dhabi. That was a theory put forward by Formula E driver and BBC radio pundit Sam Bird after Perez narrowly failed to hunt down Charles Leclerc for the runner-up’s position at Yas Marina and the P2 spot in the Drivers’ standings that went with it. Verstappen, who had refused to concede a position back to his Red Bull colleague in Brazil a week earlier, said before the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix he would be prepared to assist Perez in the season’s finale in his quest to finish ahead of Leclerc. But there was no way the World Champion could move aside because in the decisive stages, Leclerc was running second and being chased by Perez who had made a second pit-stop while the Ferrari man made a one-stop strategy work. Leclerc clung on by 1.3 seconds and ended the campaign with 308 points to Perez’s 305 – which meant the two … [Read more...] about Max Verstappen ‘could have helped’ Perez with Lewis Hamilton’s 2016 Abu Dhabi tactics

Formula 1 drivers set the intensity of competition aside on Thursday evening in Abu Dhabi as the entire 20-strong field gathered for a farewell dinner in honour of retiring four-times champion Sebastian Vettel . Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free The meal, images of which swiftly appeared across their social media accounts, was the first time F1’s drivers had got together in this way since the 2016 Chinese Grand Prix. It came about at the instigation of Vettel’s former championship rival Lewis Hamilton . “I thought it was really important, so that’s why I asked in Mexico whether they would be open to all doing a dinner to give Seb a farewell,” he explained to media including RaceFans. “We haven’t had a dinner [together] since years ago in China.” Vettel took the floor at one point to give a speech. “It was the best evening,” said Hamilton. “We were all laughing so much, great stories, Seb is a great leader as well. He made a great speech, just trying to … [Read more...] about “We laughed so much”: Hamilton brings F1 field together for Vettel’s farewell dinner · RaceFans

Lewis Hamilton said he felt his team mate should have been on the podium instead of him after the Malaysian Grand Prix. Hamilton finished third with Nico Rosberg close behind him. But Rosberg repeatedly lobbied his team to be allowed to pass Hamilton, who was backing off to save fuel. Hamilton was quick to pay tribute to his team mate on the podium after the race: “If I’m honest I really feel like Nico should be standing here, generally he had better pace than me throughout the race. But he’s a great team mate and did a fantastic job today.” “I can’t say it’s the best feeling being up here but racing is racing and I really just got to keep looking forward,” he added. Rosberg said Hamiltons’ words were “nice to hear” and added he didn’t feel like the team owes him payback for his obedience: “I understand I drive for Mercedes, for you guys at home who put your life into building this car over the winter and doing such a fantastic job. I’m pleased to be able to do such a … [Read more...] about Hamilton says Rosberg should have been on podium · RaceFans

A wet start to the race saw most drivers run four-stop strategies and a total of 73 pit stops during the race. As the entire field started on intermediate tyres none of the drivers were required to use both dry-weather compounds. But all of them bar the two Williams drivers did. Lotus were the highest-placed team that completed the race on three pit stops, giving further indication of the E21’s strength over a race stint. Jenson Button was on course to do the same and was running in front of them before a problem in the pits ruined his race. Malaysian Grand Prix tyre strategies The tyre strategies for each driver: Stint 1 Stint 2 Stint 3 Stint 4 Stint 5 Sebastian Vettel Intermediate (5) Medium (17) Hard (10) Hard (10) Medium (14) Mark Webber Intermediate (7) Hard (12) Medium (12) Hard (12) Hard (13) Lewis Hamilton Intermediate (7) Medium (14) Medium (9) Hard (11) Medium (15) Nico Rosberg Intermediate (8) … [Read more...] about 2013 Malaysian GP tyre strategies and pit stops · RaceFans

For the first time since 2013, Lewis Hamilton has slipped from top spot as Forbes revealed the 10 highest-paid Formula 1 drivers. The 2022 season perhaps did not quite deliver the desired excitement levels following sweeping regulation changes, but Max Verstappen certainly delivered as he cruised to his second World Championship in as many years. Such was his dominance, Verstappen secured his second title at the Japanese GP when four rounds of the season still remained, setting a new record for the highest number of victories in a single season with 15, the record formerly co-held by Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher with 13. And Verstappen’s heroics did not go unrewarded financially either, the Red Bull driver usurping his 2021 rival and seven-time World Champion Hamilton at the top of Forbes’ list . Forbes generate their driver earnings estimates without factoring in any income from personal endorsements, though even still, the top 10 in this list are sitting pretty … [Read more...] about Revealed: The top 10 highest-paid drivers on the Formula 1 grid

Max Verstappen signed off his dominant 2022 season campaign with his record-breaking 15th win from the 22 grands prix. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free Having equalled Vettel’s all-time record for most wins in a season with his 13th victory in the United States Grand Prix last month, Verstappen increased that with two more victories over the remaining races. Had he swept all three, Verstappen would have beaten Vettel’s achievement of winning 68.4% of the grands prix held. He did take the most dominant title win since Vettel’s 2013 triumph, however. Both are short of the record set by Alberto Ascari , however, who won six of the eight points-scoring races in 1952, giving him a win rate of 75%. To hit that next year a driver would have to win 18 of the 24 races. This was 35th win of Verstappen’s career and his 20th pole position. The latter puts him level with Damon Hill and Valtteri Bottas. Before the final race began Verstappen had already … [Read more...] about Stats: Verstappen takes most dominant title since 2013 · RaceFans

The Circuit of the Americas was built five years ago. It might as well have been created for Lewis Hamilton , who this year took his fifth win in six appearances at the track. The only other driver to win here was Sebastian Vettel back in 2013 when he had the all-conquering Red Bull RB9 at his disposal. This time his Ferrari SF70H wasn’t quite up to the task, though in the beginning it seemed it might be. Vettel puts up a fight Yet somehow back-of-the-grid team Sauber managed to trump the sport’s bosses by bringing the 42nd president of the United States, Bill Clinton. Some 56 laps later he returned to hand the race winners’ trophy to Hamilton. This had seemed the likeliest outcome before the race began. That changed when Vettel, despite starting from second on the grid where the grip is not as good, fired his Ferrari down the inside of Hamilton at turn one. He made the merest of jinks in the Mercedes driver’s direction, discouraging Hamilton from following too closely, … [Read more...] about 2017 United States Grand Prix review: Hamilton masterclass – F1 Fanatic

McLaren technical director Paddy Lowe says all F1 tracks will need two DRS zones next year to ensure it remains effective. Currently drivers have free use of DRS in practice and qualifying to encourage teams to use sufficiently long gear ratios on their cars to gain enough of a benefit from DRS to make overtaking possible. That will change on safety grounds next year, meaning drivers will only be allowed to use DRS in the designated zones at all times . Speaking during a Vodefone McLaren Mercedes phone-in, Lowe said two DRS zones will be required to ensure teams still have an incentive to use longer ratios: “We believe that, particularly if [FIA race director] Charlie [Whiting] arranges for two DRS zones at every circuit, which is what he’s committed to doing, that this will give enough incentive to ratio the car appropriately – pretty much as we do now, the same as if we had free use of DRS. Of the 19 tracks raced on so far this year four featured two DRS zones: … [Read more...] about Two DRS zones per track necessary for 2013 – Lowe · RaceFans