Bagging McLaren’s first double podium in the much-improved MCL60, Lando Norris issued this warning after the Japanese Grand Prix: “We’re coming for Red Bull!” A team that at the beginning of this season admitted they’d missed their targets with the MCL60, McLaren had a difficult start to the campaign. That led to the introduction of a B-spec car at the Austrian Grand Prix, which marked a notable upturn in performance, while their Singapore upgrade was another step forward. Lando Norris issues rallying crash after double podium Building on that, McLaren clinched their first double podium finish of this season at Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix with Norris leading home his team-mate Oscar Piastri. His radio message to McLaren on his cool-down lap said it all: “Incredible, well done everyone, insane! Double podium, two of us up there! “We are coming for Red Bull!” “Let’s keep up the work. Incredible. Thank you to everyone in the factory, everyone here trackside. Love you all … [Read more...] about Lando Norris’ warning to Red Bull: We’re coming for you
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Mercedes aiming to ‘tidy up’ Lewis Hamilton and George Russell radio dispute
Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and George Russell weren’t giving each other an inch as the pair battled for position at Suzuka. The Mercedes duo provided some of the best racing entertainment of the Japanese Grand Prix, with George Russell and Lewis Hamilton inseperable at points of the race as they took on differing strategies. In the early stages, Russell briefly managed to get ahead of Hamilton, only for the seven-time World Champion to swoop back past on the pit straight, while Russell found himself being pushed wide at Spoon corner shortly after. Lewis Hamilton and George Russell swap positions In the closing stages, with Russell having run a one-stop strategy to Hamilton’s two, the pair encountered each other again. With Russell leading Hamilton with five laps to go, and the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz in hot pursuit, Russell was instructed to let Hamilton past – Russell pointing out that it could wait until the last lap, and they could attempt to use DRS as a defence tool against … [Read more...] about Mercedes aiming to ‘tidy up’ Lewis Hamilton and George Russell radio dispute
F1 Japanese GP: Verstappen on verge of title after win as Red Bull secures crown
The Dutchman saw off an early assault from the two McLarens at the start of the race and lived up to Lando Norris' pre-race prediction that the Woking team would have little answer to the Dutchman if he led beyond Turn 2. Verstappen crossed the line 19.3s clear of Norris, having been considerably out of reach across the 53-lap race at Suzuka beyond the opening laps. The only moments of close action that the championship leader faced were in his defence of the lead into the first corner, as he pulled across to the inside of the corner to ward off any threat from fellow front-row starter Oscar Piastri. Norris then placed his car on the outside, but could not get enough purchase into the second corner to come up for air with the lead, but displaced Piastri nonetheless in the process. The Briton then attempted to challenge Verstappen on a subsequent restart after a lap 1 safety car was produced to clear debris resulting from a clash between Valtteri Bottas and Alex Albon - … [Read more...] about F1 Japanese GP: Verstappen on verge of title after win as Red Bull secures crown
Japanese Grand Prix: Max Verstappen wins the race and the teams’ title, Perez implodes
It was business as usual for Max Verstappen as the reigning World Champion wrapped up the Constructors’ Championship for Red Bull with his 13th win of this season at the Japanese Grand Prix. The Dutchman was matchless at the Suzuka circuit as he romped to the victory by almost 20 seconds ahead of the McLarens of Lando Norris with Oscar Piastri third. His 26 points meant Red Bull won the Constructors’ Championship as they took an unassailable lead in the standings. However, it was a tale of two Red Bulls as Sergio Perez, twice pitting for a new front wing after hitting rivals, retired his RB19 from last place on lap 15 due to crash damage. The story of his race included two new front wings, two penalties, and a strange retired-unretired-retired situation. The Max Verstappen show resumes at Suzuka On a sweltering hot and windy Sunday at the Suzuka circuit, Max Verstappen lined up on pole position while Logan Sargeant, facing a 10-second penalty for Williams breaching the third … [Read more...] about Japanese Grand Prix: Max Verstappen wins the race and the teams’ title, Perez implodes
F1 results: 2023 Japanese Grand Prix results and standings
Here are the complete results from the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, where an intriguing race played out in the afternoon sunshine. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has dominated the Japanese Grand Prix from start to finish, having weathered a first-corner attack from the two McLarens that briefly saw Lando Norris get ahead into Turn 1. The two McLarens held on to take second and third place, but in inverted positions from their grid slots as Norris clearly demonstrated more pace to be given the nod for a team swap. Norris finished some 20 seconds behind Verstappen and, in turn, 15 seconds clear of Piastri. A race of attrition as Red Bull wraps up Constructors’ Championship There was carnage early on, with Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas picking up a front puncture and front wing damage in a collision with Williams’ Alex Albon – both would eventually retire due to damage. Sergio Perez was in the wars as well, picking up front wing damage on the first lap in a clash with … [Read more...] about F1 results: 2023 Japanese Grand Prix results and standings
Logan Sargeant points finger at Valtteri Bottas for not avoiding his mistake
The only driver not confirmed for next season, Logan Sargeant had a nightmare Japanese Grand Prix weekend that did nothing to quash speculation about his future. Crashing in qualifying at the Suzuka circuit, Sargeant caused significant damage to his FW45, so much so Williams had to make extensive repairs. Using their spare survival cell, the FIA ruled that the changes made were “more than an assembly comprising a survival cell” and that the car built for him for the race had to be “considered as a third car” . Another incident-filled weekend for Logan Sargeant As such he not only lined up in the pit lane but he did so with a 10-second penalty hanging over his head. With the Safety Car out on the opening lap for a collision that involved his team-mate Alex Albon, Williams took advantage to bring Sargeant in to serve his time penalty. Back in the race, but running near the back, he tussled with Valtteri Bottas but in an ill-judged move that included a lock-up for the … [Read more...] about Logan Sargeant points finger at Valtteri Bottas for not avoiding his mistake
‘Lando Norris in second Red Bull would give Max Verstappen proper fight’
Former Formula 1 driver Anthony Davidson said he would “love” to see Lando Norris taking the fight to Max Verstappen as Red Bull team-mates following his podium finish in Japan. While Norris’ rookie team-mate Oscar Piastri stole the headlines on Saturday at Suzuka by securing a spot on the front row, it was Norris who shone in McLaren colours during the Japanese Grand Prix. Passing Piastri at the start and having a good look at Verstappen, the Dutchman held off Norris’ attack and went on to dominate the race to claim victory and seal the 2023 Constructors’ Championship for Red Bull, while Norris secured P2 as Piastri completed the podium, 17 seconds behind the Brit. Anthony Davidson wants to see Lando Norris at Red Bull Speculation has flared up again recently that Norris could be a future target for Red Bull, perhaps as soon as 2025 with Sergio Perez’s contract set to expire at the end of 2024, Perez having endured a nightmare weekend at Suzuka. Forced to pit early for a … [Read more...] about ‘Lando Norris in second Red Bull would give Max Verstappen proper fight’
Radio messages reveal Pierre Gasly’s fury with Alpine after Esteban Ocon team order
Pierre Gasly conceded ninth place to Esteban Ocon on the final lap of the Japanese Grand Prix, having received an order he wasn’t happy about. Gasly had been running in ninth place with a lap to go at Suzuka, only to cross the line in 10th place after Esteban Ocon got past on the final lap – the circumstances for which weren’t immediately clear as Gasly didn’t appear to have suffered a mechanical issue. Intriguingly, Gasly had also shown some anger crossing the line, sticking up his middle finger in apparent disgust – even if it wasn’t clear who that anger was aimed at. Alpine radio messages reveal team order to give position to Esteban Ocon While Alpine were set to score ninth and 10th anyway, the team made the call to swap the two drivers around in the closing stages of the race – a decision Gasly was apparently furious about. Ocon had pitted on Lap 1 to ditch his mediums and swap to the hard tyres, running two long hard tyre stints to the chequered flag. With Gasly … [Read more...] about Radio messages reveal Pierre Gasly’s fury with Alpine after Esteban Ocon team order
Lewis Hamilton to hold ‘offline’ George Russell Suzuka talks with one goal remaining
Lewis Hamilton said he and George Russell will talk behind the scenes over their Suzuka battles as he declared beating Ferrari to P2 in the Constructors’ Championship as being “all that matters”. The Mercedes duo went to battle in the early stages of the Japanese Grand Prix, Russell launching a move on Hamilton into the final chicane, Hamilton fighting back at Turn 1 to stay ahead. A wide moment for Hamilton at the second of the Degner corners later in the race then opened the door for Russell once more, Hamilton getting his elbows out to stay ahead as Russell asked over team radio: “Who do we want to fight here? Each other or the others?” Lewis Hamilton will talk to George Russell about P2 goal As it turns out, Hamilton has an answer to that Russell question, as he said the only cause that they are working towards is securing P2 in the Constructors’ Championship for Mercedes, with battles between themselves irrelevant since neither are in the title fight. There were further … [Read more...] about Lewis Hamilton to hold ‘offline’ George Russell Suzuka talks with one goal remaining