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Mercedes’ new reserve driver Mick Schumacher will also be made available to their customer team Mclaren this year as part of a long-running arrangement between the two. Schumacher, the 2020 Formula 2 champion, raced in Formula 1 for Haas over the past two seasons and scored two times. He lost his drive at the end of 2022, as well as his place in the Ferrari Driver Academy, and was then signed by Mercedes. Mercedes’ previous reserve drivers have been shared with their engine customers – Aston Martin, McLaren and Williams – over the past few seasons, and last year Nyck de Vries was called up to race for Williams for a race as a result of this arrangement. “McLaren will be able to call on Mick as a reserve driver during the 2023 F1 season as part of our arrangement with Mercedes. Welcome to the family, Mick,” McLaren posted on social media. “Full circle. McLaren team principal Andrea Stella worked closely with Mick’s father, the legendary Michael Schumacher, as his performance … [Read more...] about Mick Schumacher to be reserve driver for McLaren too · RaceFans

Daniel Ricciardo completed a successful day of running with Renault’s upgraded power unit by heading an eventful second practice session. The Red Bull driver lapped over six-tenths of a second quicker than Lewis Hamilton and well inside last year’s pole position time. Neither Mercedes driver appeared to manage a completely clean lap on the ultra-soft tyres. Nico Rosberg was almost four-tenths of a second slower than his team mate. Max Verstappen , still using the original engine (also branded TAG Heuer) in his car, was only a tenth of a second down on Rosberg. He had the two Toro Rossos for company as neither Ferrari driver figured in the top five. Both SF16-H drivers appeared to be struggling with their cars and Sebastian Vettel made contact with the barriers twice on his way to ninth place. First he went into the Mirabeau tyre wall backwards, damaging his rear wing, and shortly after returning to the track he broke a wheel rim at Sainte Devote. But he was far from … [Read more...] about Ricciardo heads Mercedes in incident-packed practice – F1 Fanatic

Even before a single lap has been run in the 2023 Formula 1 season, never mind a race result decided, Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur has twice been asked to pin his colours to the mast – Charles Leclerc or Carlos Sainz. He went with neither, adamant it’s too early to back one driver over the other. “But,” he wrapped up the first time around, “if at one stage we have to take action, I will take action.” The second time, he ended with “and if at one stage I have to take action for Carlos or for Charles, I will do it.” It’s an action that, should it come, will have long-term consequences. Team-mates at Ferrari for the first time in 2021 it was widely-speculated that Leclerc could have the measure of Sainz, but that wasn’t to be with the Spaniard winning the first round – although only by 5.5 points. However, that was a season in which Ferrari were still trying to get their horse (powers) into order in the wake of their 2019 engine scandal. Once they’d sorted that out, … [Read more...] about Ferrari need to pick Charles Leclerc as No.1 driver, or risk losing him to a rival team

Ten of the best pictures which tell the story of the 2016 Monaco Grand Prix weekend. Felipe Massa The FIA relaxed its ban on drivers changing their helmet designs during the season – surely the most petty rule ever conceived – and Felipe Massa was one of several to sport a special design for the Monaco Grand Prix weekend. The artwork was created by OS Gemeos and depicts Massa’s son and wife on the top. Sebastian Vettel After a quiet Thursday Sebastian Vettel propelled Ferrari to the top of the times in final practice. But once again the team struggled in qualifying and he had to settle for fourth on the grid, where he finished the race. Daniel Ricciardo Daniel Ricciardo was flying all weekend, the Red Bull RB12 kicking up showers of sparks at the bumpy exit from the tunnel. Start A pre-race downpour meant the 2016 Monaco Grand Prix began behind the Safety Car. Jolyon Palmer Soon after the race got underway Jolyon Palmer spun his … [Read more...] about Top ten pictures from the 2016 Monaco Grand Prix · RaceFans

Did anyone manage a perfect weekend in Canada? Here’s F1 Fanatic’s verdict on the drivers. Mercedes Lewis Hamilton – Having been comfortably quickest on Friday Hamilton looked less assured on Saturday and admitted his fifth pole in Canada was not one of his finest laps . He made another indifferent start, losing out to Vettel, and kept Rosberg behind firmly but legally. When Ferrari let victory slip through their fingers Hamilton was perfectly placed to collect it. Nico Rosberg – Well off Hamilton’s pace on Friday (with, curiously, a much higher top speed), but after scrutinising his team mate’s data Rosberg ran him close for most of qualifying until he got too greedy in the turn one braking zone on his final run. He left himself vulnerable to Hamilton at the start and should have expected his team mate to give him as little room as he did two years ago. After that his progress was hampered by a puncture and a penultimate-lap spin while trying to pass Verstappen. … [Read more...] about 2016 Canadian Grand Prix driver ratings · RaceFans

Lewis Hamilton was quickest in first practice for the Monaco Grand Prix as lap times fell by over three seconds compared to last year. However the opening session at the Monte-Carlo circuit was cut short with two minutes left to run after Jenson Button’s car was struck by a flying drain cover. The McLaren driver was fortunate to escape uninjured after the cover was lifted by Nico Rosberg’s Mercedes at the exit of Sainte Devote. Rosberg sustained a puncture while Button’s front wing was shattered by the impact with the cover. Rosberg ended the session second-quickest behind his team mate. Just a tenth of a second separated the pair, who used the new ultra-soft tyres throughout the session. Sebastian Vettel left it until the end of the session before sampling the softest compound and got within half a second of the silver cars. Daniel Ricciardo, who at one point was seen gesticulating angrily at someone else on the circuit and swearing at them on his radio, was … [Read more...] about Hamilton heads shortened session as Button strikes drain cover · RaceFans