F1 News

Sergio Perez is concerned a further cut in maximum tyre blanket temperatures in Formula 1 next year could create "dangerous" situations.

Mercedes’ Sir Lewis Hamilton has retweeted a fan’s view from 10 years ago that he was destined to fail at the Silver Arrows.

Hamilton won his first world title with McLaren in 2008, a year after he came agonisingly close to beating Kimi Raikkonen to the gold.

The British side endured a rough 2009 campaign, but the then 24-year-old still managed to coax two race wins from the underperforming car.

10 wins followed in the following three seasons after he was joined by Jenson Button, the 2009 champion replacing Heikki Kovalainen.

READ: F1 boss claims Lewis Hamilton has ‘sacrificed himself’ like Michael Schumacher

During the 2012 season, Hamilton made the decision to leave McLaren and head to Mercedes to take on a new challenge.

The Briton had been plagued by reliability failures in 2012 as hit title challenge up against Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso fell apart.

McLaren had told him that they intended to build the 2013 car around him, but the time was right for the 30th world champion in Formula 1 history to move on.

He was headed to a Mercedes team that had taken over from Brawn at the end of 2009, but since their return, they had won just one race.

Nico Rosberg took victory at the Chinese Grand Prix in 2012, while he and Michael Schumacher had stood on the podium six times between them.

The seven-time champion was set to retire at the ed of the season, and Hamilton was to join his good friend and former karting team-mate, Rosberg, at the Silver Arrows.

There were suggestions that Hamilton was taking a step backwards, and one fan remarked that Hamilton was making a mistake.

“More chance of Lewis winning the lottery than winning a RACE with Merc,” was the horrifically aged tweet.

Oscar Piastri reveals why his respect for Daniel #Ricciardo has increased https://t.co/z20PDU4qOP

— Formula1News.co.uk (@Formula1newsUK) September 28, 2022

READ: 2022 Singapore GP: Lewis Hamilton admits Mercedes are flying blind

On the day that marked 10 years since the announcement of Hamilton’s signature, the now seven-time champion shared the tweet.

Now 37, Hamilton has added a further 82 wins to his incredible tally, as well as six world titles, four of them consecutive.

Credit to the tweeter, Dale Barraclough, he has been taking the banter in his stride.

The post Lewis Hamilton hilariously mocks F1 fan on Twitter appeared first on Formula1News.co.uk.

Mercedes has struggled all season with the W13, notably with porpoising and ride issues, and the car has only really shone at high-downforce venues.
Russell says that the team has chosen a specific philosophy for the W14, and has clear targets that it will try to meet.
"I'm confident that the direction we need to take is the correct one," he said. "We have a philosophy that we're going to be ...Keep reading

Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack acknowledges that Fernando Alonso’s move to the team could be “difficult” but is confident the pros of the decision outweigh the cons.

The Spaniard will be replacing Sebastian Vettel at the Silverstone-based team next year, with the German retiring from Formula 1.

This move raised eyebrows throughout the F1 world with many confused why the Spaniard would swap his seat at Alpine, who currently sit P4 in the constructors championship, for one at Aston Martin who are languishing in P9.

Fans of the 41-year-old may remember how sparks would fly at his former teams when they failed to match his demands with his team radio messages at McLaren now infamous as Fernando became frustrated at the lack of competitiveness the team could provide.

Aston Martin have been reminded of this reputation but remain positive about the appointment.

Krack insisted that Alonso will be a good addition to the team and will help drive them forward.

“We discussed this,” Krack told the BBC. “What are the pros and cons?’ And we came to the conclusion that this is the right step.”

Continuing, he said: “He can push us, more than a driver who does not have that calibre” explained Krack.

“Normally, drivers with this experience, they do not have this desire to win. Normally, this desire goes down, especially is they have won already.”

However, Krack believes this isn’t the case with Alonso, despite him being in the twilight of his career.

“Fernando has this unique combination of speed, hunger, motivation and experience. For us, it makes the perfect candidate.”

The Aston Martin team principal believes that an honest and trusting relationship is key to a successful relationship and that if the team explain their decisions to the driver then there should be no break down.

F1 boss claims Lewis Hamilton has ‘sacrificed himself’ like Michael Schumacher https://t.co/msAFE9xUQR

— Formula1News.co.uk (@Formula1newsUK) September 28, 2022

READ: Mercedes will fight Ferrari and Red Bull in 2023

“Difficulties arise when expectation does not match deliverables, or when it’s not outspoken. He knows very well when he comes here that we will probably not win the first race together.

“But he can be assured we give it everything and we will listen to what he has to say. And if we cannot deliver on something we have to tell him, open and transparently: ‘Look, this we cannot do. With all possibilities, this is what we can do next.’

“I think if we have this kind of dialogue, it is not going to be problematic,” he concluded.

The post Aston Martin boss insists they considered drawbacks of signing Fernando Alonso appeared first on Formula1News.co.uk.

2022 has arguably been Mercedes’ most challenging season since the start of the hybrid era, where the German side have fallen off the top step which they’ve held for so long.

After failing to design a suitable car for the new aerodynamic regulations, the reigning Constructors’ Champions have seen themselves fall from the top dog to the third best side, behind both Red Bull and Ferrari.

Whilst the Austrians have escaped to an almost uncatchable lead, Mercedes are within touching distance of the Scuderia for second in the standings.

Second place would be some form of consolation for the Germans, who have been playing catch-up all year.

READ: Toto Wolff wary of Audi poaching engineers from Mercedes

The team quickly fell behind the Italians and the Austrians in regard to performance and development, due to having to prioritise fixing their porpoising problem.

Mercedes’ revolutionary ‘zeropod’ side-pods are undoubtedly an incredible engineering achievement, given how much air is needed to pass through the power unit to ensure it remains cool; however, it was the leading cause of the W13’s bouncing problem.

With more air flowing over the car rather than through, the extra forces going against the vehicle resulted in it being pushed against the circuit, resulting in the air under the floor sucking it down against the circuit, creating the bouncing effect.

The porpoising was so aggressive that Sir Lewis Hamilton suffered from extreme spinal pain at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where he was seen struggling to climb out of his W13 post-race.

To give Mercedes credit, they have come a long way since.

The team claimed their first pole position of the season at the Hungarian Grand Prix thanks to George Russell and have achieved a total of 13 podiums between the two drivers.

A win still eludes the team, though, something Mercedes only have six more opportunities to achieve.

Should they fail to win a race this season, then it will mark the end of their streak of having won a race every season since 2012.

Hamilton’s own personal record dates even further back, with the seven-time World Champion having claimed a win in every season he’s competed in F1, a record that dates back to 2007.

Former McLaren employee Marc Priestley, who worked with Hamilton at the Woking-based outfit, is confident that the Silver Arrows will return to winning ways with the team having the “right people” to turn things around.

“If you can improve by 1% over what you did yesterday, that gradually moves you forward,” Priestley told the Pitlane Life Lessons podcast.

“I think that’s what Mercedes has been really impressive with this year.

“Because to win a World Championship is an indescribably difficult thing to do, you need so many elements to be perfect to make it happen. It’s like the ingredients of a cake.

“If you’ve got nine out of 10, you’re going to get an average cake, it’s not going to taste quite right or it won’t rise, you need all 10.

Breaking: Nyck de Vries taken off stand-by as Alex Albon cleared to race https://t.co/T1eZyzBCCT

— Formula1News.co.uk (@Formula1newsUK) September 28, 2022

READ: Ex-F1 champion says ‘charming’ Charles Leclerc needs to be more like Max Verstappen

“And over the last seven years or so, I think Mercedes and Lewis have pretty much had all 10 – they’ve got everything right, they’ve got the whole package. And that’s why they’ve been so dominant. This year, they’ve still got nine out of 10, but the car hasn’t quite been right.

“They’ve still got the right team, the right people, the resources in the right place, the right team culture, they’ve got the right attitude, all of those things are still there that made them champions for seven years on the trot.

“And I think just the fact they didn’t quite get the car right with this changing set of regulations. Yes, it means they’re not at the very top, but because everything else is there, they’ll get there.”

The post Mercedes will fight Ferrari and Red Bull in 2023 appeared first on Formula1News.co.uk.

The Red Bull driver looks on course for his second world title after dominating much of this season, and his first opportunity to wrap it up comes at the Marina Bay circuit.
But with the title triumph out of his hands, as he needs remaining contenders Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc also not to score well, he is not expecting to clinch the crown this time out.
“I need to win, and Checo ...Keep reading

Alpine currently lies fourth in the table on 125 points, 18 points clear of McLaren. The Woking team is also not giving up in the development battle and is introducing a substantial package that will be seen on the car of Lando Norris in Singapore.
The upgraded Alpine floor is expected to be on fitted to both A522s throughout the weekend.
"I didn't test it the simulator but the team brought ...Keep reading

1996 Formula 1 World Champion Damon Hill believes current Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc is too “anxious” and apologetic, with the Monegasque having seen his best chance of winning the Drivers’ Championship yet slip away.

Given the fact that Max Verstappen has a 116-point-lead over Leclerc in the championship, it’s incredibly easy to forget that the Ferrari driver actually won two of the opening three races and led the standings by 40 points.

Whilst Ferrari are largely at fault for costing Leclerc a real shot at the title, through two engine failures whilst leading and a number of catastrophic victory costing strategic errors, the 24-year-old has to also take some of the responsibility.

Leclerc has made two unnecessary driver errors this season, the first being at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix and the second behind at the French Grand Prix.

READ: McLaren make Daniel Ricciardo prediction as his F1 career could end in 6 races

The Scuderia driver span out of third place at Imola whilst closing down on Sergio Pérez, costing him a podium finish after being forced to pit for a nose change.

What happened at the Circuit Paul Ricard was even worse for Leclerc, after he crashed out of the race lead, giving Verstappen yet another easy victory.

The pressure of having not won a Drivers’ Championship since 2007 appears to have gotten the better of Ferrari, something which could be the cause of why Hill believes Leclerc is always “anxious” when driving for the Maranello-based side.

When comparing Leclerc to Verstappen, the ex-F1 driver hailed the Dutchman for his “confidence”, which has been evident since he joined the championship as a 17-year-old.

“I think it is that sense of comfort and confidence that Max has,” said Hill on the F1 Nation podcast.

“I think the first time we interviewed him, and it’s this 17-year-old guy, and he just knew how to handle himself. He just had so much confidence. It was utterly unbelievable for a 17-year-old.

“And Charles is a very charming, intelligent kid, but he’s anxious. He’s got an anxiety there.”

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has recently explained that the team are missing something from the “[Michael] Schumacher era”, where the seven-time World Champion went on a run of five consecutive Drivers’ Championships.

Hill was one of many drivers to have the German as a rival, who, according to the Briton, never apologised or took the blame for an accident.

Leclerc is commonly heard apologising to his team over the radio, something Hill could never imagine “Schumacher saying”.

Valtteri Bottas pinpoints major difference between Mercedes and Ferrari power https://t.co/0jzZ39Lm49

— Formula1News.co.uk (@Formula1newsUK) September 28, 2022

READ: Christian Horner explains why he was shocked by Red Bull’s 2022 car

“I thought the first time I heard him say, ‘I’m really sorry guys, that was all my fault’, I just thought ‘can’t imagine Michael Schumacher saying that ever’,” said Hill.

With the team having also not won the Constructors’ since 2008, it is understandable somewhat as to why the Monegasque has at times appeared over apologetic, with there being more pressure at Ferrari than any other side to return to championship winning ways.

It seems bonkers that it’s been 14 years since Ferrari claimed one of the titles given their unmatchable success and history; however, you’d have to think that the longer the team’s wait goes on, the more pressure the drivers will feel under.

The post Charles Leclerc accused of being too ‘anxious and apologetic’ appeared first on Formula1News.co.uk.

Alexander Albon admitted he wasn't certain he would be able to return to action this weekend after suffering complications arising from surgery two weeks ago.

The new upgrade package includes a new floor and sidepods, with Norris getting priority on it for Singapore as Ricciardo will take delivery of it next weekend in Japan.
The Australian acknowledged that the Woking team couldn't ready enough parts to equip both cars this weekend, and that Norris was given first go because he is staying and thus has to learn as much as he can heading into ...Keep reading

One of the major talking points at this year’s inaugural event around the Miami Dolphins stadium was a fake marina – made up of a collection of 10 yachts on the inside of Turns 6,7 and 8 which was surrounded by solid vinyl water.
The installation triggered an explosion of photoshopped images and memes and become a major talking point – which delighted circuit bosses as it raised the ...Keep reading

Lewis Hamilton says it's not good for Formula 1 when drivers win the world championship long before the end of the season.

Should Verstappen win the grand prix at Marina Bay and secure the fastest lap, he will win the title if Charles Leclerc ranks ninth or lower and if teammate Sergio Perez is fifth or worse.
That becomes 10th for Leclerc should Verstappen land victory but without netting the bonus point for the fastest lap.
If Red Bull driver Verstappen, who carries a pre-race lead of 116 points, finishes in ...Keep reading

Pierre Gasly says he expects to confirm who he will drive for next year within the next two or three weeks as rumours link him with a move to Alpine.

Pictures from the build-up to the 2022 Singapore Grand Prix at the Marina Bay circuit, where several teams have brought updates.

F1 teams' Singapore preparations regimes are so strict they even tell drivers which side of the aeroplane to sit on. It's all done to help them cope with an ever-growing calendar.

Sebastian Vettel triggered a debate about a potential return of loud old-school engines when he did a demonstration, running on fully sustainable fuel, in Nigel Mansell's former FW14B at the British Grand Prix.
The four-time champion questioned whether F1 needed to continue pursuing turbo hybrid engines if it could power simpler and more thrilling older-style engines.
"I love the cars. I ...Keep reading

While the Hinwil-based squad has made good progress in 2022, and showed impressive speed early on in the campaign, more recent inconsistent form and reliability dramas have hurt its points tally.
Bottas, who arrived at the squad from Mercedes, reckons that the team was unable to keep up its early season promise because it lacked the right resource – something that is now being ...Keep reading

Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali was proud to confirm that six sprint races will take place in 2023, something which has resulted in a wide range of opinions from across the F1 community.

Sprint races were initially trialled in 2021 at the British, Italian and Brazilian Grand Prix, before they were confirmed once again for this season at Emilia Romagna, Austria and again at Brazil.

Sprint race weekends see FP1 take place in the usual slot, with FP2 replaced by a qualifying session to determine the grid for Saturday’s (100km) sprint race.

Saturday sees FP2 take place instead of FP3, with the usual slot for qualifying being when the sprint takes place, with Sunday’s remaining as per usual but with the result of the sprint determining the grid.

READ: Max Verstappen makes surprising claim about title fight with Charles Leclerc

Formula 1’s hierarchy are continuing to make the sport more entertaining, with the bosses seemingly believing this can only be done through more races.

With six having been announced for next year, it means that there will technically be 30 races in what is already the biggest calendar in the history of the sport.

With the likes of MotoGP having introduced sprint races at every single race for next season, one would have to imagine that this is the direction F1 are heading towards.

Apart from the sprint race at Brazil last year, where Sir Lewis Hamilton rose from P20 to fifth, all of the instalments have been a disappointment.

Domenicali is wanting to see the drivers “fighting for something” across the entire weekend, with the former Ferrari boss believing sprint races “provide” this.

“The sprint provides action across three days with the drivers all fighting for something right from the start on Friday through to the main event on Sunday,” said F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali.

Recent rumours have suggested that the sport is looking towards making further changes in order to make for a better spectacle.

According to Auto Motor und Sport, F1 bosses are looking into the possibility of revolutionising DRS.

The system is currently only permitted for use when within one-second of the driver in front, in specific areas around the circuit.

The detection zones typically occur on circuits main straights, with it being legal to use from the third lap onwards.

The sport is looking into scrapping this rule and instead introducing it from the moment the race begins, as well as this, it’s being investigated if drivers could be given a specific amount of DRS they can use during a lap, similar to how ERS is used and previously KERS.

If this wasn’t enough, the sport is considering introducing a separate qualifying session to determine the grid for the sprints, meaning only FP1 would likely remain.

Daniel Ricciardo suffers ratings nerf on F1 2022 https://t.co/53tfXE22lo

— Formula1News.co.uk (@Formula1newsUK) September 27, 2022

READ: 2022 Singapore GP: Lewis Hamilton admits Mercedes are flying blind

It’s highly unlikely for the changes to happen next season, with 2024 appearing to be the target.

“A last-minute change for 2023 requires 28 out of 30 votes,” reported Auto Motor und Sport editor Michael Schmidt.

“The chance of that happening is rather small, which is why the current target is for 2024.”

The post Formula 1 to make big changes after announcing 6 sprint races for 2023 appeared first on Formula1News.co.uk.

Mercedes will embark on a new relationship with their name partner, Petronas, from the 2026 season.

New technical regulations are coming into force in four years, which will see engines powered by sustainable fuel.

This fuel is synthetic, and it is carbon neutral, so it does not emit any more carbon than the amount used to create the fuel in the first place.

The new concept is what has attracted German manufacturers, Porsche and Audi, who would like to champion sustainable power, and the clean slate of regulations will allow them to start on the front foot in 2026.

READ: 2022 Singapore GP: Lewis Hamilton admits Mercedes are flying blind

Mercedes have been working with Petronas since their return to Formula 1 in 2010, with the Malaysian oil and gas company.

Based in Kuala Lumpur, Petronas was also the title sponsor of the Malaysian Grand Prix before it left the calendar in 2017, and it has embarked on a number of initiatives in recent years that aim to make for a more sustainable world.

These projects have often featured Mercedes’ drivers, with Michael Schumacher, Nico Rosberg, Sir Lewis Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas and George Russell all appearing as the face of the partnership over the last 12 years.

In 2026, the two parties will have a different sort of partnership, as Petronas will be supplying Mercedes with sustainable fuel, so will have a greater, and more profound, influence. 

Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, commented on the particularly early timing of the announcement.

“Today we are doing something a little bit unusual – announcing a partnership that will begin in four years’ time,” he said in a statement.

“This sends an important message: our team and Petronas are no longer just partners, we are family, and we will be one team for many more years to come. 

“From 2026, advanced sustainable fuel will be at the heart of F1 performance – and this gives us a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate our expertise in this domain, through both the power unit and Petronas Fluid Technology Solutions. 

“We are excited to be racing into the future alongside Petronas, with the ambition to set the standard once again, in our on-track performance and by pioneering the transition of a global sports team to a net-zero future.”

Lewis Hamilton denies ‘obsession’ as ‘hungrier’ George Russell told he can beat him https://t.co/LlbamdQiHk

— Formula1News.co.uk (@Formula1newsUK) September 27, 2022

READ: Max Verstappen makes surprising claim about title fight with Charles Leclerc

The Silver Arrows have been struggling for form so far in 2022, with the latest raft of regulations proving problematic for their W13 car.

Neither Hamilton nor Russell have won a race yet this year, but improvements have been gradually arriving as the season has gone on, and they have now achieved 13 podium finishes between them.

The German side are third in the championship, 35 points behind Ferrari going into the final six rounds of the year.

The post Toto Wolff announces ‘unusual’ Mercedes deal with ‘family’ appeared first on Formula1News.co.uk.