Jordan's Track Talk

Category: Formula One

  • Magnussen to leave Haas at the end of 2024 season

    Kevin Magnussen will vacate his race seat with Haas when the Dane’s contract expires at the end of the season – although boss Ayao Komatsu says he hopes they can “find a way to keep working together in some capacity.”

    Magnussen is currently in his seventh season with Haas, split across two spells 2017 – 2020 and 2022 – 2024 and has scored five points to team mate Nico Hulkenberg’s 22 this season.

    The former McLaren and Renault driver secured a career-high ninth in the standings for Haas back in 2018 when he scored points in 11 of the 21 races that season, as the American team finished a best-ever fifth in the constructors’ championship.

    Just weeks after Haas announced Ollie Bearman would make his full-time racing debut with the team in 2025, and on the eve of the Hungarian Grand Prix in Budapest they have revealed Magnussen will not be partnering him.

    Some sources say that Esteban Ocon is favourite to join the team – though Haas have made no reference to their plans for the second seat.

    I’d like to thank Kevin for everything he’s given us as a team – both on and off the track. He’s truly been a bedrock of our driver line-up over the years. Nobody’s driven more races for us and we’ve had some memorable highlights together – not least a remarkable fifth place finish at the Bahrain Grand Prix in 2022 when Kevin returned to start his second spell with the team. He wasn’t expecting to be driving a Formula 1 car that weekend, but he put in a remarkable performance that was a tremendous boost to the entire organization and once again showcased his own talents behind the wheel. There’s plenty of racing to go this year so I’m looking forward to seeing what else we can achieve with Kevin as we push together in the championship. Beyond that, and with Kevin’s special relationship with the team, I’m hoping we can find a way to keep working together in some capacity. We can hopefully define that in the near future, but his extensive experience in Formula 1 and knowledge of our working operations are undoubtedly of value in our on-going growth and development.
    Komatsu on the news.

    I’d like to extend my thanks to everyone at MoneyGram Haas F1 Team – I’m proud to have raced for such a great team of people these last few years. In particular I’d like to thank Gene Haas for his commitment to me, notably in bringing me back once again in 2022 when I thought, at that time at least, my time in Formula 1 had ended. I’ve enjoyed some great moments with this team – memories I’ll never forget. While I’m looking forward to the next chapter of my racing career, I remain fully focused on giving everything I’ve got for the rest of 2024 with MoneyGram Haas F1 Team.
    Magnussen on leaving Haas.

  • RW 13 – Tyre Selection

    It’s one last push before Formula 1’s summer break, with a double-header on two tracks that could not be more different from one another, the Hungaroring and Spa-Francorchamps.

    Cars must run with a high level of aerodynamic downforce this weekend, which is almost on par with Monaco.
    The Hungaroring is very twisty with only one real straight that includes the start-finish line. It provides the most likely if not the only overtaking opportunity.

    There are 14 corners, six to the left and eight to the right, some of them being 180 degree turns. The track climbs and drops its 4.381 kilometres make it one of the shortest on the calendar.

    In terms of the forces exerted on the tyres, the Hungaroring is not particularly severe. Pirelli has chosen the same three softest compounds as last year, with them picking the C3 (Hard), C4 (Medium), C5 (Soft).

    Traction is one of the most important factors, especially across the rear axle. Degradation can be high, especially when it is very hot and the forecast for this weekend is definitely not favourable in this regard.

    The Hungaroring is a permanent race track, but it does not get that much use, which is why grip levels increase significantly the more it gets rubbered-in. That will be even more likely this year as there was no track activity for a longer time than usual while the facility was modernised.

    Max Verstappen won here last year at the end of the race when the entire field opted for a two-stop strategy.
    Medium and Hard were the most popular choices for the start, although four drivers opted for the soft, intending to make use of the extra grip off the line.

  • Haas extend technical partnership with Ferrari

    Haas F1 Team have confirmed the extension of their technical partnership with Ferrari through 2028, meaning they will be powered by the Italian manufacturer into the sport’s next era of engine regulations.

    Haas’s relationship with Ferrari dates back to their debut F1 season in 2016, with the two parties contesting 178 Grands Prix together since then.

    F1’s new for 2026 power unit will see the current 1.6-litre, V6 turbocharged hybrid Internal Combustion Engine complemented by increased electrical power and fully sustainable fuels.

    Haas rose to a person best of fifth in the F1 constructors’ standings in 2018, and hold seventh at the halfway stage of the 2024 campaign.

    The team also recently announced that they will be giving Oliver Bearman his full-time F1 debut in 2025, with Nico Hulkenberg heading to Kick Sauber and Kevin Magnussen’s future yet to be confirmed.

    I’m thrilled to extend our relationship with Scuderia Ferrari until 2028. As an organisation we’ve only ever raced with Ferrari power units and to have that continued stability moving into the next set of power unit regulations is a key part of our on-going development. The relationship with Scuderia Ferrari has always been a special one to us – they were instrumental in the genesis of the program back in the early days and have continued to be a valuable technical partner to us throughout the past nine seasons. I’m delighted we now have more seasons ahead and my thanks go to [Ferrari team boss] Fred Vasseur and many others at Scuderia Ferrari for continuing to show faith in our project. This announcement is just another example of the long-term ambition of MoneyGram Haas F1 Team – our investment and growth in the sport continues.
    Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal of Haas F1 Team.

  • Lawson vs Ricciardo

    Red Bull’s Formula 1 advisor, Helmut Marko has hinted that Liam Lawson could replace Daniel Ricciardo at RB in 2025.

    RB’s announcement early last month that Yuki Tsunoda will be remaining with the team next season which has guaranteed that either Ricciardo or Lawson will miss out on a seat.

    While Ricciardo currently races for the team, the Australian driver has failed to extract consistent results and lies 9 points behind his teammate this season.
    So his struggles this year have dashed his chances of a dream return to the senior Red Bull team as Sergio Perez has been handed a multi-year contract extension.

    RB has admitted that retaining Ricciardo with Tsunoda would be its preference, but Marko has revealed that Red Bull shareholders are angling to see youth integrated.

    Lawson has completed several F1 outings as he deputised at five rounds last season when Ricciardo was sidelined with a broken metacarpal from a crash at Zandvoort.

    The New Zealander, who has been linked to Sauber, will be allowed to chase a move elsewhere should Red Bull not promote him, indicating Marko is referencing 2025.

    So, who will it be? Liam Lawson or Daniel Ricciardo in the VCARB… time will only tell.

    Liam Lawson of New Zealand and Visa Cash App RB looks on from the pitwall prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Austria at Red Bull Ring on June 30, 2024 in...

  • FIA & F1 announce 2025 Sprint Calendar

    Formula 1 and the FIA have today announced the venues that will be hosting F1 Sprint events during the 2025 season, with six circuits set to play host to the 100km dash.

    In 2025 – a year that will mark the 75th anniversary of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship and the fifth season of the Sprint – Sao Paulo will keep up its run of hosting the Sprint every year since 2021, while Belgium returns for the first time since 2023.

    Shanghai and Miami are set to host the Sprint for the second consecutive year, and Austin and Qatar return to the calendar for a third time.

    The format has sometimes delivered excellent racing in the past four season and multiple winners from across the grid including Max Verstappen, Valtteri Bottas, George Russell, Sergio Perez and Oscar Piastri.

    The F1 Sprint has consistently proven its popularity since its introduction in 2021, with the format delivering some strong numbers across all traditional broadcast, digital and social platforms, as well as providing extra and exciting racing that promoters can offer to the fans and bringing large attendances on the Friday of a Sprint weekend.

    DateCountryVenue
    March 21st – 23rdChinaShanghai
    May 2nd – 4thUSAMiami
    July 25th – 27thBelgiumSpa-Francorchamps
    October 17th – 19thUSAAustin
    November 7th – 9thBrazilSao Paulo
    November 28th – 30thQatarLusail

    The Sprint has been a great success for Formula 1, bringing all our fans more action and racing on the track. We are seeing the proof of this in our audience data, fan attendance on Fridays and from the promoters and partners. As we prepare to celebrate our 75th anniversary in 2025 we will always celebrate our incredible history, but we must always be looking ahead, innovating, and improving to deliver the best for our growing and diverse fanbase. The Sprint is a great example of bringing new elements to our sport in a way that is respectful of the Championship, and I want to thank the six venues that will host the Sprint in 2025 and look forward to those incredible events throughout the season.
    Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1.

    As the FIA Formula One World Championship celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2025, the Sprint will also enter its fifth year as part of the competition. Over that time, and through our strong collaboration with Formula 1 and with the input of all the teams, it has been through several different iterations and the regulations and format have evolved to give us the exciting and popular Sprints we have today. The six events for 2025 once again take in an interesting range of circuits and are sure to provide fans with plenty of additional action across the season.
    Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the FIA.

  • Andy Cowell joins Aston Martin as CEO

    Aston Martin have signed former Mercedes power unit chief Andy Cowell as their Group Chief Executive Officer, replacing Martin Whitmarsh.

    Cowell oversaw the production of the V6 hybrid power units that won six consecutive double world titles for Mercedes in his role before leaving his role as Managing Director in the summer of 2020.

    He will be joining Aston Martin on October 1st with current Group CEO Martin Whitmarsh handing over responsibility “before the end of the year”.

    The news comes as Aston Martin continue their bid to become a World Championship-winning team, with owner Lawrence Stroll pumping huge resource into a state of the art facility, that will include a new wind tunnel.

    Engine guru Cowell’s arrival is timely as the team are set to embark on a works partnership deal with Japanese manufacturer Honda from 2026, when the new Power Unit regulations that include the use of 100% sustainable fuels will be introduced.

    I would like to thank Martin who has been instrumental in our growth phase as a business. In the last three years, he has developed the team and has helped us achieve some significant milestones, including fostering our relationship with Honda and delivering our state-of-the-art AMR Technology Campus at Silverstone. I am delighted to welcome Andy to our team at a crucial time. Together with our works partnership with Honda, the commitment from our title partner Aramco and Andy’s leadership we are on track to become a world championship winning team. Andy has my full backing and will have every resource available to win.
    Lawrence Stroll on the news.

    I am thrilled to join Lawrence’s exciting project and look forward to working with the talented group of people that has been assembled. F1 has always been my competitive passion, and I am joining Aston Martin Aramco at an exciting time with the imminent completion of the AMR Technology Campus and our transition in 2026 to a full works team with our strategic partners Honda and Aramco.
    Cowell on joining Aston Martin.

    I have known Andy for many years and brought him to Mercedes HPP in 2004 where he became Managing Director between 2013 and 2020, achieving huge success in the business and sport. He will be an incredible asset to Aston Martin Aramco and will make a significant contribution to the execution of our strategy going forward. Andy’s arrival in October and the completion of the AMR Technology Campus will allow me to step away and focus on other projects in my life, knowing that the foundations have been established with an impressive team, inspiring vision and advanced facilities to achieve success in F1.
    Whitmarsh on the news.

  • Alpine bolster technical team

    Alpine have bolstered their technical team with a plethora of new employees, including three senior personnel with recent experience at rivals Red Bull and Ferrari.

    Michael Broadhurst and Vin Dhanani return to Enstone as Chief Aerodynamicist and Head of Vehicle Performance respectively, while Jacopo Fantoni takes on the role of Deputy Chief Engineer.

    Broadhurt – who spent seven years at Enstone earlier in his career – was Principal Aerodynamicist at Red Bull during a period when they won two constructors’ titles and previously worked at McLaren as Deputy Head of Aerodynamics.

    Dhanani joins after seven years at Red Bull, most recently as Vehicle Performance Team Leader. Before that, he spent around five years at Sauber and around the same time at Lotus.

    Fantoni has been on gardening leave since leaving Ferrari, where he spent 13 years – most recently as Head of Simulation in the design office alongside David Sanchez who has since joined Alpine.

    The trio started working at Enstone on 1st July and slot into Alpine’s three-pillared technical structure, centred around aerodynamics, performance and engineering.

    Alpine are in the midst of a rebuild following a suite of senior staff leaving the team over the last year or so – including their CEO, Chief Technical Officer, Technical Director, Sporting Director and Head of Aerodynamics.

    Alpine announced in Austria that Pierre Gasly had agreed a deal to stay until at least the end of 2026 – with the team now focused on securing the return of Carlos Sainz for the second seat.

  • Matt Harman heads list of 26 Williams hire

    Williams have unveiled a bolstered technical structure that features 26 new recruits from rival Formula 1 teams, including former Alpine Technical Director, Matt Harman.

    Team Principal, James Vowles has been working with Chief Technical Officer Pat Fry to reshape and reinforce a team that was once one of the dominant forces in F1.

    On the Thursday of the Austrian Grand Prix, the team announced the fruits of their significant recruitment drive – with the influx of 26 personnel in total joining from Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull and Alpine.
    Between them, they have worked on cars and power units that have secured 12 constructors’ titles and 13 drivers’ championships.

    Harman joins the team after the summer shutdown as Design Director. He left Alpine earlier this year and brings with him a wealth of experience collected during a 24 year career in F1.

    Fabrice Moncade joins as Chief Engineer, Computing Science on July 1st – having previously worked as Head of Performance Analytics at Ferrari.

    Juan Molina will become Chief Aerodynamicist, reporting to Head of Aerodynamics Adam Kenyon and will start on July 15th, he was previously at Haas and Red Bull.

    Steve Winstanley will be Chief Engineer, Composites and Structures, with a focus on leading and transforming the structures department within the design office, he has 22 years of experience in F1 including 14 with Red Bull.

    Richard Frith is to become Head of Performance in 2025. He was formerly Head of Performance at Alpine and has 25 years of experience in sport, including working with Jordan, Force India, Sauber, Marussia and McLaren.

    Of the 26 hires in total, 11 are in the aerodynamics team and 13 in the design office.

    I am delighted to welcome these six incredible people to Williams. We are on a mission to fight our way back to the front and being able to attract experienced, Championship-winning talent from other teams demonstrates huge belief in the journey we are on. Williams is investing in what it takes to win, and this is just the start as we prepare to welcome more new faces from across the grid in the months ahead.
    James Vowles on the news.

  • Ollie Bearman promoted to F1 with Haas

    Ferrari junior Ollie Bearman has secured a full-time seat in Formula 1 from 2025 after agreeing a multi-year deal with American team Haas.

    The 19 year old impressed the world of Formula 1 when he stood in at late notice for the unwell Carlos Sainz at Ferrari in Saudi Arabia. The Brit scored points on debut with a superb drive to seventh.

    Bearman is currently competing in F2 with PREMA and took his first win of the season and fourth of his career a few weekends ago in Austria in the Sprint Race.

    He dovetails those duties with his role as reserve drivers for Haas and Ferrari in Formula 1. He is also completing six FP1 appearances with Haas this year, the third of which was at Silverstone last weekend.

    With Nico Hulkenberg departing for Sauber/Audi next year and Kevin Magnussen’s contract expiring at the end of 2024, that leaves seat still up for grabs at Haas.

    Alpine’s Esteban Ocon is a leading contender for the seat, with Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas also believed to be under consideration. However, Magnussen could also fight his way into contention to keep his seat if he can consistently repeat performance like his one in Austria.

    t’s hard to put into words just how much this means to me. To say out loud that I will be a Formula 1 driver for Haas F1 Team makes me so immensely proud. To be one of the very few people who get to do the thing what they dreamed of as a child is something truly incredible. To Gene [Haas, team owner], Ayao [Komatsu, Haas Team Principal] and everyone at Haas, thank you for believing in me and for trusting me to represent your team. I’ve really enjoyed working with everyone since the first time we met in Mexico and I can’t wait to enjoy this moment with them and hopefully many more in the future. To everyone at the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy, quite simply, I wouldn’t be here without you. Thank you for preparing me since F4 for this incredible opportunity and know I will give it everything I have.
    Bearman on the news.

    It’s an exciting thing to be able to give a young driver as talented as Oliver Bearman his first full-time seat in Formula 1. He’s developed into an incredibly mature driver under the guidance of the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy and the world saw that for themselves when he was called in at the last minute to compete at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Oliver proved he was more than ready for the task, and we’ve seen that for ourselves running him in the Haas cars in our FP1 sessions over the past two seasons. We’re looking forward to further developing him as a driver and reaping the benefits of his talent – both inside and outside of the car. Oliver’s a great guy and a very welcome addition to the team when he joins us for the FP1 weekends. Now we know that relationship is going to be longer-term, it’s a positive thing for all concerned.
    Haas Team Principal, Komatsu.

  • RW 12 – Silverstone

    Lewis Hamilton has claimed a long-awaited and record-breaking ninth British Grand Prix victory in a thrilling race at Silverstone!

    While pole sitter, George Russell had led away from Hamilton as the event got underway, an exciting battle soon unfolded between the two Mercedes cars and the McLaren pair of Norris and Oscar Piastri amid changing weather conditions.

    The lead changed hands as the field began to switch to intermediate tyres after the opening phase of the race, before the skies later became dry and Hamilton capitalised from pitting for slicks on lap earlier than Norris – who also face a slow pit stop.

    While Russell retired with a water system issue, and Max Verstappen snatched P2 from Norris in the latter stages – Hamilton held his position to clinch an emotional victory, a record ninth win in a single Grand Prix and his first P1 since the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Hamilton, P2: Verstappen, P3: Norris, P4: Piastri, P5: Sainz, P6: Hulkenberg, P7: Stroll, P8: Alonso, P9: Albon and P10: Tsunoda.

    WOWWW! What a result from Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes! His first win of the season, and he done it in style, this really does show you how much Mercedes have put so much into getting their car into a race winning way again and it hasn’t been easy but they’ve done it!
    Obviously unfortunate for Russell, as he could’ve easily been on the podium if he didn’t have to retire but I’m sure he will bounce back next race.

    A great result for Max Verstappen, it wasn’t the easiest of races for the world champion and that showed a few times as even himself wasn’t sure where he would finish the race, but it was a good recovery back to P2. However his teammate didn’t make massive moves in the race… He finished 17th… and was two laps down aswell. Not good at all, when is it time for Red Bull to rethink the second seat?

    A decent result for McLaren, P3 for Norris and P4 for Piastri. I think the team threw away a victory here, they definitely left Oscar out for too long when it was raining as they could’ve double stacked like Mercedes did and giving Norris options for slick tyres instead of picking him a certain set. I think the team has to iron out a few little problems as this won’t win them more races…

    Ferrari, P5 for Carlos Sainz, a decent drive for him, didn’t really see much from the Spanish driver but a decent point haul from him. As for the other Ferrari, Charles Leclerc didn’t have the best race either it was a disappointing outcome for him after he made places up at the beginning of the race and then slipped backwards after making an early switch to intermediate tyres.

    Another great result for Hulkenberg! P6, he is on fire at the moment, Haas really have pulled it out of the bag recently and it just seems to be working at the moment!

    A decent result for Aston Martin, a double points finish for the team which is good to see after their recent struggles.

    Albon in the points aswell for the teams home grand prix which is good! His teammate, Logan Sargeant just missed out on points in P11, unfortunate for the American but a decent drive by him.

    Alpine didn’t have the best of weekends, Pierre Gasly didn’t even get to start the race he went into the pits on the formation lap due to a gearbox problem and that was him done for the day. As for his teammate, Esteban Ocon, finished 16th.

    Now the triple header is over, and we have a little break before a double header which starts on the 19th to 21st July and its the Hungarian Grand Prix

  • RW 12 – Silverstone Qualifying

    George Russell clinched an impressive pole position in qualifying for the British Grand Prix, with the Mercedes team locking out the front row after Lewis Hamilton claimed second place.

    Having set the initial pace during the first runs of Q3, Russell improved further on his final effort by pumping in a time of 1m 25.819s, putting him 0.171s clear of Hamilton, while Lando Norris followed in third for McLaren to complete an all British top three.

    The full top 10 are – Pole: Russell, P2: Hamilton, P3: Norris, P4: Verstappen, P5: Piastri, P6: Hulkenberg, P7: Sainz, P8: Stroll, P9: Albon and P10: Alonso.

    What a result for the Mercedes duo! Honestly I was hoping for a Brit to be on pole and I really didn’t mind who, but it just makes it even more special that Mercedes have managed to qualify P1 and P2 at their drivers home grand prix! They will be pushing for a double podium, so it’s going to be an interesting race!

    Lando in the top three aswell, making it 3 Brits in the top 3 which we love to see! But he will be bringing the battle to the Mercedes drivers, as he will want this home win more than anything. His teammate, Oscar Piastri starts P5 which isn’t too bad, he will have the hard job of overtaking Max Verstappen.

    A really good result for Hulkenberg, P6! He will be hoping for a good result in the race and grab some more points for the team.

    Verstappen didn’t have the best of qualifying, it just didn’t seem to be all hooked up for the Dutch driver. But starting P4 isn’t all too bad, he can easily make up places. However, his teammate starting all the way down in 19th… not a good day for the Mexican driver, he got beached in the gravel and that was his session over in Q1.

    Not the best result for Ferrari, Carlos Sainz had the better qualifying session finishing in 7th, whereas his teammate Charles Leclerc is starting P11 after he got pushed into the elimination zone of Q2, so a lot of work to do for the Monegasque driver.

  • Hadjar to make FP1 appearance for Red Bull

    F2 racer Isack Hadjar will turn out for Red Bull in FP1 at the British Grand Prix weekend, taking over Sergio Perez’s RB20.

    The Red Bull junior currently sits second in the 2024 F2 standings in what has been an impressive campaign so far for the 19 year old, with feature race victories in Melbourne and Imola particular highlights.

    The French driver’s upcoming appearance in first practice at Silverstone is his latest outing with F1 machinery, having made two FP1 appearances in 2023 – one for AlphaTauri in Mexico and one for Red Bull in Abu Dhabi.

    He will be joining some of his other F2 colleagues in FP1 with Franco Colapinto turning out for Williams, while Ollie Bearman will also be making another practice appearance for Haas.
    Alpine reserve driver, Jack Doohan, who race in F2 last year and finished third, will also be getting behind the wheel of Pierre Gasly’s car as he pushes for a seat on the 2025 grid.

    With a packed schedule over the British Grand Prix weekend, Hadjar will have to dovetail FP1 duties with Red Bull alongside his F2 duties for Campos Racing but it’s a chance he will surely relish.

    Under F1’s current regulations, each team must run a rookie in two FP1 sessions each campaign.

  • RW 12 – Tyre Selection

    The British Grand Prix marks the midpoint of the 2024 FIA Formula 1 World Championship and round 12 of 24 takes place where it all began 74 years ago.

    5.861 kilometres long, the track is the fifth longest on the Calendar after Spa-Francorchamps, Jeddah, Las Vegas and Baku.
    It features 18 corners and is one of the most exciting and also one of the most demanding for the car-tyre package.

    Some corner combinations, such as those from 10 to 14 – Maggotts, Becketts and Chapel – are taken at high speed and generate lateral forces on the tyres and drivers of over 5g.
    This along with other technical aspects, mean that as is always the case at Silverstone the chosen compounds are: C1 (Hard), C2 (Medium), C3 (Soft).

    The weather in England in the summer can be changeable, a further factor which is to be taken into consideration, especially as conditions can change very rapidly.

    Last year the entire race was run in the dry, with the soft somewhat a surprising protagonist, with only two teams not using it.
    However, the most used compound was the medium, which was used to complete half the overall mileage.
    The great majority of drivers went for a one-stop strategy, even if in the past, a two-stop had been the popular choice.

  • Alpine confirm Doohan for FP1

    Alpine have confirmed that Jack Doohan will make his second FP1 outing of the Formula 1 season at the British Grand Prix weekend.

    Doohan previously drove Esteban Ocon’s A524 in FP1 in Canada, but was only able to complete three laps – without setting a time – due to the wet weather seen in Montreal that day.
    But the Australian will get a second chance behind the wheel – this time Pierre Gasly’s car – during FP1 at Silverstone.

    A former FIA Formula 3 runner-up and the third-placed driver in last year’s F2 standings, with the 21 year old continuing to push for a drive with Alpine on next year’s F1 grid.

    The team currently have one seat vacant for 2025 following the confirmation, in the run-up to the Austrian Grand Prix that Pierre Gasly has committed his future to the team with a new multi-year extension.
    With Ferrari driver, Carlos Sainz still to decide on his future, and Alpine reported to be interested in securing his services, Doohan’s Silverstone opportunity gives him another chance show his talent.

    In addition to his FP1 outings and simulator duties at Enstone, Doohan – son of former 500cc motorcycle world champion Mick – has also completed several test sessions with Alpine over the last couple of years in his quest to become a full time member of the F1 grid.

  • Colapinto to take part in FP1 for Williams

    Argentine F2 racer, Franco Colapinto will be making his Formula 1 debut this weekend when he drives Logan Sargeant’s Williams at the British Grand Prix in FP1.

    So far this year, the 21 year old is enjoying a strong rookie season in Formula 2, having won one race and scored two podiums in the last four rounds to sit fifth in the standings.

    The Williams Driver Academy racer will dovetail this opportunity, which will see him share the garage with Alex Albon, with his F2 duties on the same race weekend.

    It will be the second time Colapinto has got behind the wheel of Formula 1 machinery, after he drove for Williams in last year’s young driver test in Abu Dhabi and it is part of a requirement for every team to run a young driver in FP1 at least twice during a season.

    Colapinto has fond memories of Silverstone having won the Sprint race at the venue last year in F3, on his way to fourth in the drivers’ championship.

    I have so many emotions. I am extremely delighted and it’s a very important moment in my life and my career. I will be the most prepared I can; I will be doing a lot of laps in the simulator and studying the details needed to drive this year’s car. I’m really looking forward to experiencing the new car after driving last year’s in Abu Dhabi. To be able to drive it at a track like Silverstone is a privilege, it is one of my favourite tracks and to drive it at the team’s home race means a lot. To all the Argentine fans – I hope you enjoy FP1 as much as I’m going to! It’s an important moment for our country and I’m so grateful for all the support I’ve been given. I’m going to give my all to make you proud.
    Colapinto on the news.

    Franco has had a very encouraging start to his debut season in F2 and we are delighted to reward his performances over the past two years with his first FP1 session. We are proud of our talented group of drivers in the Williams Racing Driver Academy and it is important for us to give them the opportunity to progress and have these important chances as they move up the ladder. To showcase our talent at our home race at Silverstone is a nice moment and, of course, this is going to be a great day for the Argentine F1 fans.
    Sven Smeets, Sporting Director.

  • Aston Martin confirm Stroll

    Aston Martin have announced that Lance Stroll will continue to race for the team into the new era of F1 regulations in 2026, ending speculation over his future in Formula 1.

    It is the latest development in a fluid and fast-moving driver market, with Alpine also confirming Gasly earlier on.

    Stroll’s renewal with the Silverstone team comes after he hinted ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix that news of his plans would be following soon.

    Stroll first made his F1 debut with Williams back in 2017, where he spent two seasons at Grove before switching to Racing Point, which then became Aston Martin in 2021 following the team’s purchase by a consortium led by his father, Lawrence Stroll.

    This means that Aston Martin will keep the same driver line-up into a third campaign, as two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, recently signed his own contract renewal.

    I’m super happy to have committed to staying with the team for 2025 and beyond. It’s amazing to see how far we’ve come in the last five years; we’ve grown so much as a team and there’s still so much more to look forward to.
    Stroll on the news.

    He has played a key role in building this team and his technical feedback, alongside his committed simulator work, has helped contribute to the continuous development of the car each season. The consistency and stability of both Lance and Fernando remaining with our team is a great platform to continue to realise our ambitions. We look forward to creating some incredible memories and achieving further success together.
    Mike Krack, Team Principal.

  • RW 11 – Austria

    Wow! What a race we had in Austria, it all looked plain sailing for most of the race until a collision took place and it all changed…

    Mercedes’ George Russell claimed a somewhat unexpected victory in the Austrian Grand Prix after a dramatic end to the race which saw Max Verstappen and Lando Norris collide in the battle for the lead, which dropped Verstappen down the order and forced Norris to retire.

    Verstappen originally made a strong start from pole position to hold P1 for much of the race, a thrilling duel with McLaren driver Norris unfolded when both made their final pit stops on lap 52, where RB suffered a rare slower stop due to an issue with the rear left wheel.

    Norris was then hot on the tail of his rival and made more than one attempt to snatch P1. But it all came to an end of lap 64 when the pair made contact, causing the pair to limp back to the pits.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Russell, P2: Piastri, P3: Sainz, P4: Hamilton, P5: Verstappen, P6: Hulkenberg, P7: Perez, P8: Magnussen, P9: Ricciardo and P10: Gasly.

    Russell’s second victory in F1! This just shows that Mercedes have made a step forward, I know he didn’t battle for the win, but this is a part of racing, if the top 2 crash into each other the driver in third 9 times out of 10 will take the lead and go on to win the race especially so late on in the race.
    A very good result, for Mercedes, Hamilton finished 4th aswell a very good points haul for the team!

    Piastriii, McLaren’s last man standing, the Australian made up good ground after qualifying and having his lap time deleted. It makes you think if that didn’t happen and he started P3, would he have won the race?

    Podium for Carlos Sainz! A good result for Ferrari, just what the team needs. However for Charles Leclerc it is a different story, he had contact on the first lap which saw him have to pit for a new front wing and that was basically his race over he finished P11 out of the points.

    A very good result for Nico Hulkenberg P6 for him! And the same goes to Magnussen he finished P8, just what the team needs. And I do have to say their team work between them is great, we have seen it quite a few times this year and they just capitalise on other’s misfortune or go through the field together.

    Ricciardo in the points, it was what he needed, and probably wanted aswell. But he will be needing more than one good performance to get a seat for next year and his only bet really is going to be sticking with VCARB.

    Gasly in the points aswell! The French driver, is on a run of points at the moment with it being his fourth consecutive race with points, so a good drive from him.

    Now we don’t have to wait too long for the next race, as it is only next week! And it is the home race of 7 time world champion, Lewis Hamilton, as well as race winners, George Russell and Lando Norris!

  • RW 11 – Austria Qualifying

    Max Verstappen secured pole position for the Austrian Grand Prix after a commanding performance in Saturday’s qualifying, beating closest challenger Lando Norris by four tenths of a second.

    Having set an impressive early benchmark in the initial laps of Q3, Verstappen bettered his time on his second effort to record a lap of 1m 04.314s in the Red Bull.

    The full top 10 are – Pole: Verstappen, P2: Norris, P3: Russell, P4: Sainz, P5: Hamilton, P6: Leclerc, P7: Piastri, P8: Perez, P9: Hulkenberg and P10: Ocon.

    Pole again for Verstappen! He will definitely be wanting to turn it into a victory, but I don’t think he will be able to sail away with it, he has Norris and Russell right behind him and we have seen the battles those three drivers have had recently…

    A wonderful result for the remaining top 3, I have no doubt that they would of been up there, it is all eyes onto the race now…

    Another decent qualifying by Carlos Sainz! His teammate Charles Leclerc also had a lot better qualifying that the sprint qualifying. Now the drivers will need to work as a team and score some big points, especially because of McLaren catching them in the constructors standings.

    Not the best result from Piastri, he was P3 however he had the lap time deleted due track limits so he got bumped down to P7, he will have a bit of work to do in the race.

    A decent result for Nico Hulkenberg! P9 for the Haas driver, he will be wanting to capitalise on this result for the race and score as many points as he can.

    Ricciardo just missed out on the top 10, the Australian will be wanting to score some points this weekend, especially because his seat is under threat so will be wanting to prove that he possibly deserves a seat.

    Again not the best result for Aston Martin, P15 for Alonso and P17 for Stroll. They really are struggling at the moment and they have gone backwards to where they were last year…

  • RW 11 – Austria Sprint

    Sprint Qualifying-

    Max Verstappen will be lining up in pole position for the Sprint in Austria, after he stormed to the top of the timesheets ahead of McLaren teammates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

    With every driver in SQ3 posting just one flying lap in the final minutes, the pressure was on to deliver a decent time.
    And that’s what Verstappen did, pumping in a time of 1.04.686s.

    The full top 10 are- Pole: Verstappen, P2: Norris, P3: Piastri, P4: Russelll, P5: Sainz, P6: Hamilton, P7: Perez, P8: Ocon, P9: Gasly and P10: Leclerc.

    A lovely result for Max Verstappen, it would be just what he wanted and he will want to turn this into victory.

    A very good result for McLaren P2 and P3, both drivers will be wanting to try and win the sprint as well as get on the podium and get a good points haul before the race.

    Ferrari had a semi decent result with Carlos Sainz in P5, however not the best result with Charles Leclerc. He failed to set a time after he stopped in the pitlane before being unable to cross the line before the chequered flag, leaving him in 10th.
    He has a lot of work to do in the race, especially as he is in the middle of the pack and will want to stay out of trouble.

    A decent result from Mercedes, P4 and P6, not the worst for the Silver Arrows but also not the best from the team. They still have a bit of work to do if they want to consistently be battling with the McLaren’s etc…

    Not the best result from Perez, but at least he qualified in the top 10, I really cant work out how he has these bad qualifying’s and then go on to the race and not really make a massive difference…

    Sprint Race-

    Red Bull driver, Max Verstappen converted pole position into victory in the Sprint Race at the Austrian Grand Prix, overcoming the McLaren’s of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.

    While Verstappen held his lead at the start, Norris soon closed in and briefly moved in P1 with a bold overtake, only for the reigning world champion to reclaim the position moments later in a squabble that enabled Piastri to pass his team mate.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Verstappen, P2: Piastri, P3: Norris, P4: Russell, P5: Sainz, P6: Hamilton, P7: Leclerc, P8: Perez, P9: Magnussen and P10: Stroll.

    A wonderful result from Max, turning sprint pole into sprint victory! That makes it 3 sprint victories out of 3 so far this year. His team mate, Sergio Perez, finished in the final points paying position in 8th which isn’t the best result the Mexican driver has had.

    A lovely little result from McLaren, both cars finishing the podium in P2 for Piastri and P3 from Norris, just what the team expects from their drivers. They also had quite a good battle with Max at the beginning and it was good to see how close the top 3 was at times.

    Russell finished P4 which isn’t bad and Hamilton P6 so where they both started. To be honest most drivers don’t really risk it too much in the sprint as they have qualifying later on and don’t want to risk damaging their cars.

    Leclerc moved up a few spots which is good, the Ferrari’s clearly have a bit of pace under their cars this weekend, so they will be wanting a better qualifying session for the race.

    Magnussen finished P9! Just outside the points unfortunately but all he needs to do is repeat the same again tomorrow for the race.

    Gasly and Ocon didn’t have the best race, they started in the top 10 and finished 11th and 12th…

  • Gasly commits to Alpine

    Alpine has agreed a multi-year extension with Pierre Gasly that will see the Frenchman stay with the Enstone-based team for 2025 and beyond.

    Gasly joined the French team at the start of last season, scoring 67 points over that 18 months period including third in the 2023 Belgian GP Sprint and third in the Dutch Grand Prix.

    Alpine had been pushing to secure Gasly following their decision to part ways with his current teammate Esteban Ocon at the end of the season.

    Alpine are chasing Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz for his signature to become Gasly’s teammate but it is believed the Spaniard is still undecided on his future.

    But should Sainz choose to drive elsewhere the team do have other options.
    They are considering promoting reserve driver Jack Doohan, or fellow academy driver Victor Martins, or going for experience like a 10 time race winner, Valtteri Bottas…

    I feel very much at home at this great team. I enjoy being a real part of both the Formula 1 project and the wider Alpine Cars vision. I’ve been officially here for over 18 months and it has always been the plan to build a long-term project with the Team. While on-track it’s been a challenging season so far, I remain faithful to the project and I am not going anywhere. I am happy with the changes made, the hard work, and the direction the team is taking. There is a lot of potential in this team’s personnel and resources. I’m excited for what is to come in the future and right now I’m focusing on the everyday details that we are putting in to improve our performances.
    Gasly on the news.

    The extension of Pierre’s contract with the team is very pleasing. He is a driver with huge experience in Formula 1 and continues to show huge amounts of potential on-track. For Alpine as a brand, he is a great ambassador and we therefore look forward to continuing our collaboration. While this is important for our future, we do have to keep our eyes close to what is coming and that is focusing on improving our current package. We have high ambitions this current season and we will work tirelessly to achieve those things. We will take our time in deciding Pierre’s team-mate and we are excited with the options we have on the table.
    Team Principal, Bruno Famin.

  • RW 11 – Tyre Selection

    The second race of the first triple header of the season is here, as we have the Austrian Grand Prix this weekend.

    Several unusual features make this a unique track on the championship calendar. First of all, it boasts the lowest numbers of corners (10) and the shortest time, even if its 4.318 kilometre length makes it the fifth shortest track.

    The circuit which is owned by Red Bull is second on the list of tracks with the biggest change in altitude with a difference of 63.5 metres between its highest and lowest points.

    As usual for this race, Pirelli have chosen the three softest compounds from the 2024 range the C3 (Hard), C4 (Medium) and C5 (Soft).

    The Spielberg track surface is quite old and therefore is highly abrasive but the lateral forces exerted on the tyres are decidedly lower than average for the season, resulting in very limited wear overall.

    Traction out of the slow corners and stability under braking are key contributors to being competitive at this track. It is important to manage the tyres in such a way as to avoid overtaking, especially if they run at high temperatures: those drivers who don’t manage to keep them cool enough could find it hard to fend off attacks from other cars.

    For the past two editions of this race, the two-stop strategy proved quickest, running the Medium and Hard tyres and last year, no driver gambled on the softs.

  • Alpine announce further team changes

    Flavio Briatore is making a return to Formula 1 in an official capacity after the Renault-backed Alpine team announced the Italian businessman as their new Executive Advisor.

    Briatore, 74, has long been connected with the sport, initially serving as Benetton’s team boss through the 1990s and achieving title success with Michael Schumacher.

    After a spell away, Briatore made a comeback when Renault took over the Enstone-based squad at the turn of the millennium, again overseeing the operation as their Team principal.
    Briatore added more titles with Fernando Alonso in the mid-noughties, before vacating his position in 2009 and taking some more time out of F1.

    Now via several other business ventures and activities, Briatore will embark on a fresh stint with ‘Team Enstone’ as he gets set to assist Renault chiefs in their quest to drive Alpine up the F1 grid.

    BWT Alpine F1 Team can confirm that Flavio Briatore has been appointed by Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo as his Executive Advisor for the Formula One Division. Predominantly focus on top level areas of the team. Scouting top talents and providing insights on the driver market, challenging the existing project by assessing the current structure and advising on some strategic matters within the sport.
    The team on the news.

  • RW 10 – Spain

    The Spanish Grand Prix is officially over, and it was Max Verstappen who was victorious in Barcelona, after he held off pole-sitter Lando Norris to take his seventh win of the season.

    The Red Bull driver first took the lead of the race on lap 3 after the Mercedes of George Russell who started fourth, made the most of his electric start as the lights went out to lead early on.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Verstappen, P2: Norris, P3: Hamilton, P4: Russell, P5: Leclerc, P6: Sainz, P7: Piastri, P8: Perez, P9: Gasly and P10: Ocon.

    A lovely result for Max! Another win in the bag for the reigning Champion, he had a bit of a challenge from Norris, not making it easy but the Dutchman knew what he needed to do to secure the win.
    His teammate, Sergio Perez didn’t have the best of races, starting P11 and he finished P8, not a major improvement, and he will be hoping for better next weekend in Austria.

    A decent result for Norris, I know he wanted the win and felt like he should’ve got it but it is racing sometimes, but the team and Norris should be proud of how far they’ve come, especially the past couple of races.

    A wonderful result for Mercedes, Hamilton back on the podium! And George in P4, a very good points haul for the team and a great race in general with the pace of the car and how it has improved. I think next for them would be a double podium or a win.

    An okay race for the Italian team P5 for Leclerc and P6 for Sainz. The drivers had a bit of a clash in the race, where now they are not agreeing on whose fault it is, which will make debriefs in Maranello a bit awkward. The team will be looking to see what’s going on as they were not really fighting too much with the top 4.

    Both Alpine drivers in the points again, not really too much to say on them apart from the fact they’re improving week on week and it is good to see.

    A decent drive from Hulkenberg to P11, so close to the points but not close enough, that will be a good point to take away from the race for Haas.

    No Aston Martin’s in the points, I don’t think I was surprised to see this, it’s a shame for the team but at this moment in time they are going backwards and not forwards.

  • RW 10 – Spain Qualifying

    Qualifying is done in Barcelona and we now have had four different drivers on pole in the last four races…

    McLaren driver, Lando Norris secured the second pole position of his Formula 1 career after coming out on top in an epic battle with rival Max Verstappen.

    Norris, who was last on pole at the Sochi Autodrom back in 2021, had trailed Verstappen after the opening Q3 rounds, but produced a stunning final lap of 1m 11.383s to outpace the Dutchman by two hundredths of a second.

    The full top 10 are- Pole: Norris, P2: Verstappen, P3: Hamilton, P4: Russell, P5: Leclerc, P6: Sainz, P7: Gasly, P8: Perez, P9: Ocon and P10: Piastri.

    What a lovely result from McLaren and Lando Norris! Pole position! So far this weekend they have looked really strong so it’s no surprise seeing them up there.
    Piastri starts 10th, obviously it’s not the best place for Aussie. He will be wanting to stay out of trouble at the start of the race and make as many moves as possible as he can.

    Lovely result for Max, I don’t think there was many complaints from him, his teammate finished 8th in qualifying, however he won’t be starting 8th as he has a three place grid penalty from Canada so will be starting 11th.

    A lovely result for both Mercedes! A second row lockout for the team, we saw how they improved last time out in Canada, and it definitely looks like it wasn’t a one-off which is nice to see. Let’s see how well Hamilton and Russell do in the race!

    An okay result for Ferrari, it definitely could’ve been better for the Italian team, it will be all to play for in the race, as Leclerc will be looking to bounce back from an awful Canadian Grand Prix. And Carlos Sainz will be wanting a good home grand prix.

    A decent result for Alpine! Both cars in the top 10 which is good to see, it seems like the improvements they have made to the car recently has helped a little bit.

    Aston Martin are having a bit of trouble at the moment, not the best results for the team lately. Alonso qualified 11th but will be starting 10th and Stroll will be starting 14th…

  • Williams promote Kenyon to Head of Aerodynamics

    Williams have promoted Adam Kenyon to Head of Aerodynamics, a position that has been vacant for more than a year.

    The iconic British team – winner of 16 World Championships – are rebuilding under the guidance of Tram Principal James Vowles, with Pat Fry coming onboard last year to head up the technical department as Chief Technical Officer.

    Vowles, who only joined the team last February, has been working with Fry to strengthen the technical team with the Head of Aerodynamics a key role they wanted to fill.

    David Wheater left the position late in 2022, around the time Team Principal Jost Capito and Technical Director FX Demaison departed, and has since returned to Enstone as Alpine’s Aerodynamics Technical Director.

    Vowles revealed that Kenyon – who has been with Williams since May 2021 and previously worked with Vowles at Mercedes where he rose to the role of Aerodynamics Group leader – has been promoted to the role of Aerodynamics.

    Vowles revealed in Canada that the team are working hard in the job market to grow the workforce. It is understood many of the signings will join from rival teams, following periods of gardening leave, and have extensive experience in Formula 1.

    The British team are currently in ninth in the constructors’ championship, courtesy of the two points Alex Albon scored in Monaco and head to Spain hopeful of fighting for more after an encouraging weekend in Canada went unrewarded.

    Adam Kenyon is our Head of Aero – that was done without a big fanfare in March this year. I worked with Adam back at Mercedes and he was at Red Bull prior to that. He was chief aero but an extraordinary chief aero and, really, he was running the operation and doing a good job with it. I just wanted to make sure that he was able to take on the role because it was a large amount of addition to him. He’s doing brilliantly well with it. He’s restructuring and bringing in excellence and using the excellence we have to now not focus on one year but three or four years. And that’s a big change from what it was. We’re bolstering the team around him.
    Vowles on the news.

  • RW 10 – Tyre Selection

    The Spanish Grand Prix takes place at the Barcelona-Catalunya Circuit, which is one of the most technically demanding tracks for the cars and also the tyres.

    Therefore it’s no surprise that once again for this event, Pirelli has chosen its three hardest tyre compounds, C1 (Hard), C2 (Medium), C3 (Soft), the same three selected for the opening round of the year in Bahrain.

    The track is one of the most complete of any circuit in the world, in terms of the challenges it presents. Apart from its straights, it boasts every possible type of corner, with some of them such as turn 3 and the combination of 13 and 114 which lead onto the main straight, taken at very high speeds.

    The lateral forces exerted o the tyres, especially on the lefthand side of the car are particularly high, partly because nine of the 14 turns are to the right.

    For many years, this circuit was home to winter testing for the teams and also marked the start of the European part of the season, which also signified the arrival of the first major upgrades of the year.
    Recently, changes to pre-season testing and the calendar mean this is no longer the case, but Barcelona is still a probing test.

    In 2023, the original configuration, used since 1991 when this track first appeared on the Formula 1 calendar, was reinstated.
    It was changed in 2007 with the insertion of a chicane before the final corner, with the aim of creating another overtaking opportunity but this did not materialise.
    With the removal of the chicane, combined with the aerodynamic configuration of the current cars have seen an increase in overtaking.

    This year’s race takes place three weeks later than 2023, so it could be hotter and that could add another factor to tyre management.
    In terms of strategy, a two-stop should be the quickest option with all compounds possibly coming into play. If degradation is higher, then even a three-stop might be feasible.

    Another consideration at the Barcelona-Catalunya Circuit is the importance of qualifying. In no fewer than 24 races here, the pole sitter has gone on to be first past the chequered flag and adding to the importance of this statistic is that on four other occasions the driver who was quickest in qualifying retired from the race.

  • Bearman to drive in FP1 for Haas

    Haas team boss Ayao Komatsu has confirmed that Oliver Bearman will make his next practice outing with the squad at this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, adding to a recent run out in Imola.

    Ferrari-backed Bearman is one of the hottest prospects in the paddock at present, having underlined his junior credentials with a starring stand-in performance for Ferrari at this year’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

    A previous Italian and ADAC F4 Champion, and third-place finisher in F3, the 19 year old Brit is now tackling F2 alongside official F1 reserve driver duties for Ferrari and Haas.

    While his current F2 campaign has been a rollercoaster ride so far, leaving him 13th in the standings after five rounds, however Bearman continues to impress when given the opportunity in F1 machinery.

    He first appeared in FP1 for Haas at the 2023 Mexican and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix and sampled the VF-24 during the recent Emilia Romagna Grand Prix weekend.

    Bearman, who is set to complete four more FP1 runs with Haas as the season goes on, will replace Nico Hulkenberg for the opening 60 minute session at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

    Haas are yet to confirm either of their two drivers for next season, with Hulkenberg heading to KIck Sauber and Kevin Magnussen attempting to extend his latest stint at the team into what would be a fourth campaign since returning to Haas in 2022.

    Thanks to top-10 finishes in Saudi Arabia, Australia and China, Haas sit seventh in the constructors’ standings after nine of this year’s 24 scheduled rounds, 21 points behind RB and two ahead of Alpine.

    Of course we are evaluating him. If he is not [under] consideration, we wouldn’t be running him in FP1, and the next time he’s going to be in the car is in Barcelona.

    I don’t particularly have a timeframe, it’s more about getting the right driver for our team. We are still a pretty small team. To have somebody experienced, somebody who’s got a really good work ethic, to integrate with the team well and really push the team forward… that’s what we’re looking for, so we’re talking with several different drivers.
    Komatsu on the drivers market and Ollie Bearman.

  • Tsunoda to stay as RB driver for 2025

    Yuki Tsunoda will continue racing for RB in 2025, with the team confirming that they have taken up the option on their agreement with the Japanese driver to keep him at the squad next season.

    After making his debut with the team in 2021, Tsunoda has continued to progress and in 2024 so far has become a regular points-scorer, having finished in the top 10 five of the nine Grands Prix so far.

    While the drivers market speculation continues at pace – with several teams still yet to finalise their line-ups for 2025 – RB have now secured one driver by extending the Japanese drivers contract.

    Tsunoda’s strong run of points has put him in P10 of the drivers’ standings with a tally of 19, while RB hold a lonely sixth place in the constructors’ championship with 28 points, 30 points away from Aston Martin in fifth.

    I’m very happy to be staying with Visa Cash App RB and it’s a good feeling to have my future decided so early in the year. For that, I want to thank everyone at Red Bull and Honda who have played such an important role in my career and will continue to do so. The team has a big development project ahead and I’m excited to be part of it. It’s great to know that everyone appreciates all the hard work I have put in and that the team believes I can help it move further up the grid. We have already made clear progress this season and that really motivates me to always give my best and that’s what I’ll continue to do with VCARB. For the moment, I’m concentrating on the remaining races this season, with the aim of bringing home as many points as possible, always growing with the team, laying the groundwork to do even better next year!
    Tsunoda on the news.

    I watched Yuki’s progress in Formula 1 with interest even before I returned to Faenza and it’s been impressive, year after year. The step up he has made this year is simply phenomenal, and he keeps surprising us all, race after race. There’s no doubting his natural speed to which he has now added a much more mature approach and this combination makes him a very quick and consistent performer, and a great team player. We continue to get a better understanding of what he needs from us and vice versa, so we are progressing together, Yuki as a driver and the team, as Visa Cash App RB. We share the same ambitions, so there are several good reasons to continue our journey together. He still has a lot to give!
    Laurent Mekies, RB Team Principal.

    Yuki is a graduate of both the Red Bull and Honda Junior Driver programmes and it’s thanks to a good job from all parties that he’s been able to reach his current level of performance. As the saying goes, ‘never change a winning team’, so we are delighted to confirm Yuki as part of our future. He is a valuable asset on and off the race track, as his engaging nature has made him very popular with fans around the world. We are excited that he is staying with us.
    Peter Bayer, CEO at RB.

  • RW 9 – Canada

    Max Verstappen and Red Bull bounced back from their Monaco struggles as they returned to winning ways in an action-packed Canadian Grand Prix!
    The reigning champions had to overcome rain showers, multiple Safety Car periods, restart and a stern challenge from a couple of drivers.

    Verstappen followed pole-sitter George Russell in the wet early stages of the race until a charging Norris overhauled them both amid improving conditions, only for an ill-timed Safety Car which ruined Lando’s chances of winning.

    While Verstappen surged towards the chequered flag, Norris took second via a fierce mid-race battle with Russell, and the latter settling for third after some late scrapping with teammate Lewis Hamilton and the other McLaren of Oscar Piastri.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Verstappen, P2: Norris, P3: Russell, P4: Hamilton, P5: Piastri, P6: Alonso, P7: Stroll, P8: Ricciardo, P9: Gasly and P10: Ocon.

    A lovely result for Max! Just what he wanted, he had a bit of an up and down weekend but came out on top.
    However, it wasn’t a weekend to remember for Red Bull team, as Sergio Perez had a horrible weekend, qualifying 16th and he ended up spinning off the track and damaged his rear wing, which forced him to retire in the pits.
    Not only this, it went from bad to worse, as he has now been given a 3 place grid penalty for the Spanish GP after he drove to the pits with a significantly damaged car.

    A good result for McLaren, P2 and P5 the team is closing in on Ferrari in P2! Unlucky for Lando with the safety car situation as he was leading and had a lovely gap but that is just racing sometimes…

    Mercedes! Probably the most improved team this weekend, they’ve pretty much had pace all weekend, unlucky for them to only get one driver on the podium as it was looking likely it could’ve been both at one point in the race. But the team will look at this positively and the upgrades are working and they’ve managed to grab their first podium of the year.

    Ferrari.. where to start, Charles had problems from the start with his engine problem, which then led the Monegasque to retire later on in the race.
    Not only this, Carlos Sainz who was pushing for points came together with Alex Albon at Turn 7 in unusual circumstances. Where the Spaniard spun at the exit of the corner, and despite his best efforts, Albon’s Williams collected the Ferrari. Which led to both Ferrari’s out, both Williams out and a Red Bull…

    A good result for the Aston Martin’s and the Alpine’s both getting double points which was needed especially for the latter after their rough time in Monaco. And for Daniel Ricciardo aswell a points finish, he had quite a good weekend a lot of pace from him.

    A bit of a disappointing race for Haas after such a good start to the race, both drivers were in the top 10 after they started on wets, but that didn’t last long as when Magnussen pitted on lap 8 his mechanics were not ready for him and then the team left Hulkenberg out for too long and once he pitted he went to the bottom of the grid… This led the team to score no points.

  • RW 9 – Canada Qualifying

    Qualifying for Round 9 is complete, and there was a few shock surprises with a couple of early exits in Q1 and Q2 which led to some other drivers making an appearance in Q3!

    George Russell has taken pole position for the Canadian Grand Prix in an impressive session for the Mercedes driver, with the Brit beating Max Verstappen despite the Dutchman setting the exact same lap time!

    Russell had provisionally secured P1 following the initial runs in Q3 with a lap of 1m12.000s and while Verstappen improved on his own effort in the decisive final laps, the Red Bull driver could only equal Russell’s time.

    The full top 10 are- Pole: Russell, P2: Verstappen, P3: Norris, P4: Piastri, P5: Ricciardo, P6: Alonso, P7: Hamilton, P8: Tsunoda, P9: Stroll and P10: Albon.

    What a result for George Russell! The Mercedes have been showing some strong pace this weekend and that obviously has been shown. Hamilton starts in 7th, as everyone seemed to improve on their laps.

    A very good result for McLaren, P3 and P4, it makes you think what could they do from there? Battle for the win or battle for both podium spots? It will be all to play for!

    A lovely result from VCARB! Both drivers in the top 10 with Daniel Riccairdo in 5th and Tsunoda 8th. The team will be wanting to capitalise on this result in the race and get a decent points haul.

    A tough day for Ferrari as they qualified out of the top 10, Leclerc in 11th and Sainz in 12th. Not the day the Italian team would of wanted, they now have a lot of work to do in the race, as well as staying out of trouble in the midfield…

    A bit of a shock to see Perez out in Q1 again! He will be starting the race in 16th. Which isn’t what the Mexican driver would of been hoping for especially after renewing his contract this week! He has a lot of work to do if he wants to score some points.

    A decent result for both Aston Martins aswell! P6 for Alonso and P9 for Stroll. The team will be wanting to score some big points this weekend as they currently sit 5th in the Constructors and only on 44 points…