Jordan's Track Talk

Category: Formula One

  • Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

    After our first visit in December, we are back in Saudi Arabia for Round 2 of the F1 2022 Championship with Formula 2 also joining us.

    After a double DNF for Red Bull can they have a good weekend or will problems strike again? Can Mercedes sort out their porpoising? How are Ferrari going to go into this weekend after securing pole position, and a 1-2. Well all eyes are onto the weekend…

    Who needs a good weekend?

    Red Bull, straight up. Scoring no points in the opening round isn’t a good start for the team as well as for Max if he is going to defend his title. Perez hasn’t finished the last 3 Grand Prix’s and one of them including Saudi Arabia last year.

    Pierre needs a good weekend, it looked like he was set for points until his car caught fire last week and we all saw how consistent he can be with qualifying/scoring points, hopefully he can turn things around.

    I feel like the Aston Martin’s need a good weekend- I feel like we haven’t seen much of them during testing and last weeks race, I wanna see if they can at least get one car into Q3 or even the points as they were quite clsoe last week.

    Predictions for qualifying-

    My top five are: Pole- Leclerc, P2: Verstappen, P3: Perez, P4: Sainz and P5: Hamilton.

    This track is very unforgiving, one tiny mistake and your qualifying could be over- like we saw with Max Verstappen last year- could it happen again on Saturday?

    If teams can’t sort out the porpoising by qualifying and if it is worse here, then it could ruin some qualifying laps which could lead to some shock exits from Q2.

    Times for this weekend-

    Friday 25th-

    Free Practice F2: 11:25am – 12:10pm (GMT). Free Practice 1: 14:00pm – 15:00pm. Qualifying F2: 15:30pm – 16:00pm (GMT) Free Practice 2: 17:00pm – 18:00pm (GMT).

    Saturday 26th-

    Sprint Race F2: 12:30pm – 13:15pm (GMT). Free Practice 3: 14:00pm – 15:00pm (GMT). Qualifying 17:00pm – 18:00pm.

    Sunday 27th-

    Feature Race F2: 13:35pm (GMT). Saudi Arabian GP: 18:00pm (GMT).

  • Records which could be broken this year

    As always, a new season in F1 means potentially some new records being broken, lets take a look at which ones.

    • Most drivers’ championships

    I think this is the most obvious one, but its probably the biggest out of all the records. Lewis is still tied with Michael Schumacher on 7 titles, but if the Briton wins the championship this year he will set a new record.

    • Longest gap between wins

    Current Record: Ricardo Patrese- 6 years, 211 days. This record is ongoing, in a sense, as Fernando Alonso has waited since the 2013 Spanish Grand Prix for a victory. A triumph for the Alpine driver this season and it will have been at least eight years since his last.

    • Most Grand Prix appearances/most raced laps/most GP finishes.

    Current Record: Kimi Raikkonen- 349 GPs/18,621 laps/278 finishes. Three of Kimi Riakkonen’s records are up for grabs this year. Firstly Alonso could grab the most Grand Prix appearances: he is currently on 334 to Kimi’s 349.

    Next up, Alonso could complete the most F1 race laps as he just 529 behind Raikkonen. The Spanish driver could break that record by the 10th round this season.

    Both Alonso and Hamilton are in contention when it comes to Grand Prix finishes, however Hamilton is just five behind Alonso, who in turn is 13 behind Raikkonen.

    • Most races with a single constructor.

    Current Record: Michael Schumacher- 179. This could be broken this weekend, as Lewis Hamilton only needs one more Grand Prix start with Mercedes to beat Michael Schumacher’s tally with Ferrari.

    • Most wins at the same Grand Prix.

    Current Record: Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton – 8. The German driver won eight French Grand Prix over his career, whilst the Brtion has had eight wins in Hungary and eight in Great Britian, one more at either venue and its another record.

    • Most podiums in a season.

    Current Record: Max Verstappen – 18. This happened last year as Max stepped on the F1 podium 18 times out of 22 races. This year there is 23 races, so it could easily be possible if a driver does not have any mechanical issue or be involved in any incidents.

    • Most consecutive seasons with at least one win.

    Current Record: Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton – 15. Hamilton has enjoyed 15 consecutive seasons with at least one Grand Prix victory, Michael Schumacher also has this record with 15 years from 1992-06.

    • Most podiums from outside the front row.

    Current Record: Kimi Raikkonen – 72. This record requires some work Alonso needs 5 more podiums which were achieved to grab this record.

    • Most frequent pairing on the podium.

    Current Record: Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel- 56. If Verstappen joins Hamilton on the podium 10 times this season, Max will take over from the former Red Bull driver.

    • Most consecutive race finishes.

    Current Record: Lewis Hamilton- 48. Carlos Sainz is currently on a streak of 30 consecutive Grand Prix finishes- if Carlos manages to finish 19 more races in a row he will be the new holder of this achievement.

    • Most pole positions at the same GP.

    Current Record: Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton – 8. Ayrton Senna took eight poles in the San Marino GP, Schumacher took eight in Japan and Hamilton has eight in both Australia and Hungary, one more at either and he’ll have the most pole positions at the same Grand Prix.

    • Most consecutive wins at the same GP.

    Current Record: Ayrton Senna and Lewis Hamilton – 5. The Brazilian has won five Monaco Grand Prix in a row whilst Hamilton has a streak of five consecutive Spanish GP wins.

    • Most laps led without a win.

    Current Record: Chris Amon – 183. New Zealander Chris Amon, dubbed my many as the ‘unluckiest’ F1 racer of all time, led 183 laps without winning a Grand Prix. But George Russell has led 59 laps, if leads 125 more laps without winning this achievement will be this… Surely not though?

    • Most home podiums.

    Current Record: Alain Prost and Lewis Hamilton – 11. Prost took 11 French Grand Prix podiums over his career and is matched by Hamilton on 11 British GP podiums, only one more until its another record for Hamilton.

    • Most pole positions for an engine manufacturer.

    Current Record: Ferrari – 232. Ferrari have the chance to extend their records as the most successful F1 engine manufacturer in terms of wins (240), pole positions (232), fastest laps (260) and podiums (784) this season. Mercedes is second in the charts in all but the championships stakes (where they sit behind Ferrari, Williams and McLaren), can only break the Scuderia’s record of pole positions this season; the Silver Arrows having 220 to their name.

  • Saudi Arabia tyre allocation

    Four months after Formula 1’s first visit to Saudi Arabia, we are returning this week along with Formula 2.

    Pirelli have chosen the compounds for this weekend, those being the middle of the range: C2 (Hard), C3 (Medium), C4 (Soft). This is the first time this season the C4 compound is making an appearance.

    This choice has been made due to Jeddah’s track characteristics (both layout and asphalt), the expected temperatures, as well as the data from last years race. The new surface offered a good level of grip and reasonably contained levels of asphalt abrasion, which could lead to moderate wear and degradation.

    Due to the rapidly flowing layout, the track isn’t particularly demanding in terms of traction and braking, there is expected to be a high degree of track evolution over the weekend thanks to the Formula 2 support race.

    The fastest street circuit on the calendar has changed since making its debut, as the result of modifications requested by the governing body following a few on-track incidents last time. These consist of opening up slight lines through corners by moving barriers further back, whilst the final turn (27) has been widened by the removal of a grandstand, which could make the lap slightly faster.

    Turn 13, still features 12 degrees of banking, helping the rapid flow of the circuit that makes it the second quickest lap of the year overall, after Monza.

    Jeddah marks a completely different challenge compared to the opening grand prix in Bahrain due to the diverse track characteristics, both in terms of layout and asphalt. Driver will also use a softer range of compounds this weekend to cope with the specific demands of the track, which is nearly as quick as Monza. The teams head into Jeddah with no experience of these tyres and cars on the circuit, and conditions could be somewhat different from last time in Saudi Arabia, with the race now being held at a different time of year and a few track modifications in store. The nominated compounds are the same as 2021, but their make-up has also changed entirely from last year. As a result, the teams will have a lot of work to do to assimilate as much data as possible during free practice, especially in FP2 which will be the only relevant session, being held at the same time as qualifying and the race.

    Mario Isola, Head of Pirelli Motorsport.

    Formula 2

    The Formula 2 season, continues in Jeddah where the Medium and Soft compounds are nominated, this is a step harder than the supersoft, which was the softest option last year. The soft tyre, will present a different challenge for drivers which add more options in terms of strategy and helping with any potential safety car restarts.

  • Round 1 – Bahrain GP

    Round 1 – Bahrain GP

    WHAT A RACE!!! So much drama and I have no clue where to start! Mr Charles Leclerc turned his pole position into the race win, making it Ferrari’s first win since 2019! His teammate made it a 1-2! And Lewis Hamilton made up the final podium spot in P3!

    Verstappen who started P2, attempted to undercut the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc on lap 15, cutting down what was 3.5s gap to just 0.35s when Leclerc emerged in the lead on Lap 16. That then triggered a three lap box strategy set to come into play.

    The full top 10 are: P1: Leclerc, P2: Sainz, P3: Hamilton, P4: Russell, P5: Magnussen, P6: Bottas, P7: Ocon, P8: Tsunoda, P9: Alonso, P10: Zhou.

    Pierre Gasly brought out the Safety Car on lap 46, as he stopped his Alpha Tauri on the side of the track as it had flames. This started a flurry of pit stops.

    Red Bull, looked set to take a podium and 4th, but it all went wrong when Max started reporting problems on Lap 44 just before a safety car but when the safety car went in he had to retire on lap 55 as the problem did not go… Then Perez was reporting problems as well, he ended up spinning at Turn 1 when his engine gave way on the last lap…

    It’s not looking good for Red Bull and Alpha Tauri, it looked like Gasly’s was an electrical fire- but to have both RB’s to go out with some what a power unit issue it makes you think could this be a knock on effect for furture races?

    Where to start with McLaren… Obviously not good with qualifying yesterday but today in the race it seemed like they was pulling everything out of the car and wasn’t getting further. I think they are still battling their problems from testing- and once they do battle them I do believe they will have a good car.

    Kevin Magnussen in his first race back- scoring 5th! What a comeback for him and the Haas team, they are definitely looking like they are in the mid-field battle. Mick finished 11th- making it his career best finish and just missing out on points!

    Alfa Romeo too, looking like a midfield team, Bottas scoring his first points for the team and Zhou Guanyu scoring his first ever points and on his debut too.

    Not long to wait until the next race, as it is next weekend and we are back in Saudi Arabia for Round 2. Will Ferrari be victorious again? If so will it be Charles or will Carlos get his first ever F1 win? It’s all to play for!

  • Round 1 – Bahrain Qualifying

    Round 1 – Bahrain Qualifying

    Well, that was a madness of a qualifying session! WOW, with these new cars it could of been anyone’s, but it looked like it was going to Max Verstappen’s but it was not…

    Charles Leclerc takes his 10th pole position and second at the Bahrain International Circuit, as he beat Max Verstappen to the top spot by 0.123s. It was Carlos Sainz who took P3 making it a very strong start for the Italian team.

    The top 10 are- P1: Charles Leclerc, P2: Max Verstappen, P3: Carlos Sainz, P4: Sergio Perez, P5: Lewis Hamilton, P6: Valterri Bottas, P7: Kevin Magnussen, P8: Fernando Alonso, P9: George Russell and P10 going to Pierre Gasly!

    I think Lewis got the most out of the car today, where as George messed up on his last quali lap missing the breaking zone in Turn 1, hence why he qualified 9th. I would say I’m most intrigued to see how the Mercedes race pace is tomorrow and if the porpoising affects them as much as it previously has…

    Mr Valterri Bottas leaves Mercedes and goes to Alfa Romeo and with his first qualifying session with the team he goes and sticks it in 6th! Definitley seems the Ferrari power unit is a lot better this year compared to last as this bring me onto…

    Kevin Magnussen!! WOW. The Haas has qualifying pace! But even with a hydraulic issue K-Mag got the car into a great position in which will be his first grand prix tomorrow in over a year! His teammate done a superb job, qualifying 12th- lets hope for some masterclass overtaking from Mick tomorrow to see him in that top 10!

    McLaren… My heart breaks for them- they showed so much pace in Barcelona testing, then it went downhill last week in the Official Pre-Season test with their breaks and Ricciardo having covid set them off on the back foot. Norris starts P13 and Ricciardo P18.

    A quick mention for Alex Albon aswell! First time back in over a year and in a Williams so a completely new car and team to learn and he out qualifies his team mate!

    Predictions for tomorrow-

    I think if Charlex and Max don’t come together tomorrow afternoon then it could be Charles taking the race win- but the pair have history and have collided here…

    Top 5 I think will be: P1: Verstappen, P2: Leclerc, P3: Perez, P4: Sainz and P5: Hamilton.

    I do think both Haas’ will score points tomorrow and hopefully Bottas in the Alfa Romeo too. Definitely will be interesting to see the different strategies and how the pit stops will play out with the new tyres.

    Times-

    Feature Race F3: 09:00am (GMT), Feature Race F2: 10:40am (GMT), Bahrain GP: 15:00pm (GMT).

  • Bahrain Grand Prix

    We are back! Finally it’s race weekend and we are at the Bahrain Grand Prix for round 1 out of 22. Lots has happened since we was last here, new cars, new team-mates, new tyres and a new world champion!

    But, who will be world champion this year? Someone new or will we see Max Verstappen defend his crown? Or will Lewis be hunting for his 8th… It’s all to play for this year and it all starts here at the Bahrain International Circuit.

    Who needs to shine?

    Considering its the first race of the season I would say all, but I will give you all a few of my choices!

    Mick Schumacher and Yuki Tsunoda both going into their second year this season so I’d like to see them two do well across the whole weekend and it will be interesting to see if Haas have the pace and what Mick can do with it!

    Guanyu Zhou, the only driver to graduate from F2 this year, so all eyes on him, with him having Valtteri Bottas as his teammate it will be interesting to see how he does compared to him.

    Alex Albon, back in F1 after a year out and in a Williams, he has a lot to prove, especially showing the team that it was the right decision to bring him into the team, but Alex will also have to fight to stay in F1.

    Kevin Magnussen, again a year out- but this time it’s different as he hasn’t spent his time in one of the teams sim/ going to the track for a grand prix weekend.

    Predictions for Qualifying-

    My top 5 for qualifying are- Pole: Verstappen, P2: Leclerc, P3: Hamilton, P4: Sainz and P5: Russell.

    If Mercedes sort out their propoising I can see them being up there for pole position, but I have to give it RB and Max as they have a very fast car it seems but I do think it will be close between RB and Ferrari.

    I also predict that we see a Haas in the top 10, maybe an Alfa Romeo too, this then might cause some shock Q2 exits…

    Times for this weekend-

    Friday 18th March-

    Free Practice F3: 8:25am – 9:10am (GMT), Free Practice F2: 9:35am – 10:20am (GMT), Free Practice 1: 12:00pm – 13:00pm (GMT), Qualifying F3: 13:25pm – 13:55pm (GMT), Free Practice 2: 15:00pm – 16:00pm (GMT), Qualifying F2: 16:25pm – 16:55pm (GMT).

    Saturday 19th-

    Sprint Race F3: 10:05am – 10:45am (GMT), Free Practice 3: 12:00pm – 13:00pm (GMT), Qualifying: 15:00pm – 16:00pm (GMT), Sprint Race F2: 16:40pm – 17:25pm (GMT).

    Sunday 20th-

    Feature Race F3: 09:00am (GMT), Feature Race F2: 10:40am (GMT), Bahrain GP: 15:00pm (GMT).

  • Vettel out of Bahrain GP

    Vettel out of Bahrain GP

    Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel has tested positive for Covid-19 and will miss the season opener in Bahrain. The four time world champion is currently doing well.

    Vettel will be replaced by the team’s reserve driver, Nico Hulkenberg who will be in the car from Friday practice. This weekend will be Hulkenbergs first Grand Prix since the 2020 Eifel Grand Prix, when he stood in for Lance Stroll at Racing Point after the Canadian tested positive aswell.

    It was the third time he filled in for a race driver that year, having replaced Sergio Perez for the two race weekends at Silverstone.

    The former Renault driver will be making his 180th Grand Prix start on Sunday, in which he is still looking to break his podium duck.

    The news comes after Daniel Ricciardo returned a positive test last week, in which he missed the Official Pre-Season Test, he has since returned a negative test and has returned to the paddock today (Thursday).

    Speaking prior to his positive test, Vettel had said he hoped this season would see a marked improvement from Aston Martin. “Everything is new in Formula One and I think we’re looking at a very tight battle, and some very close gaps, between all the teams,” he said. “There’s a lot to play for – and that’s F1 at its best.”

    Wishing Sebastian a get well soon and hopefully we see him in the car next week!

  • Should Malaysia make a comeback?

    Should Malaysia make a comeback?

    The Malaysian Grand Prix, had been apart of the F1 World Championship from 1999 to 2017, where it was held at the Sepang International Circuit. In 2017, it got announced that the Malaysian Grand Prix was cancelled due to not being profitable.

    But with the F1 calendar having changed so much in recent years, with new tracks being added and old tracks coming back and the recent events of Russia no longer holding a GP, could we see Malaysia make a comeback?

    Twitter in Malaysia, has recently been trending with #Sepang, soon after going viral the hashtag went worldwide. A Malaysian motorsport news outlet has claimed that the Circuit committee has conducted an emergency meeting, then a local motorsport outlet said that the meeting was regarding hosting F1. As well as this, Sepang Circuit on twitter tweeted a number of tweets hinting at the idea of a return for F1.

    The Malaysian GP lost its glamour to its neighbour, Singapore as the start-studded night time Grand Prix attracted major crowds compared to Sepang. The Marina Bay Circuit then became the hotspot for F1 fans in the South East Asian region.

    But with the Singapore GP not being on the calendar since 2019 and only making a return this year, could their be room for the Malaysian GP to make a comeback?

    My Opinion-

    I personally think it should make a comeback, I used to love watching the Malaysian GP, but since covid and with South East Asia not having a GP in over 3 years surely tickets would sell out quickly for the Singapore GP, so having the Malaysian GP makes sense, a bit like having two US Grand Prix’s.

  • Ricciardo set to race

    Daniel Ricciardo has tested negative for Covid-19 and will be returning to Bahrain paddock on Thursday in time for the season opener.

    McLaren had a number of drivers on standby if Ricciardo had tested positive, those being Nyck de Vries, Stoffel Vandoorne, Paul Di Resta and Alpine reserve, Oscar Piastri.

    The Australian tested positive during the Official Pre-Season Test last week, leaving his teammate to conduct the three days of running for the Papaya team. Norris completed 200 laps over the 3 days- having the highest individual tally.

    McLaren did however, run into problems with their overheating brakes and will have spent the time between the test and the Grand Prix attempting to fix those problems as they aim to join the frontrunners.

    “McLaren F1 Team confirms that after testing positive for Covid-19 last week, Daniel has now returned a number of negative tests and will therefore return to the paddock on Thursday ready to compete in this weekend’s Bahrain GP,” said the team on Wednesday ahead of the Grand Prix. “Daniel has been feeling better each day as he continued to recover while in isolation following local regulations in Bahrain.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CbKNBSlMDDd/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

  • Bahrain tyre allocation

    For the first time this year, we get to take a look at the tyre allocation for the weekend ahead, not just for F1 but for Formula 2 and 3.

    Pirelli has selected the three hardest compounds in the new 18 inch tyre range: C1 (Hard), C2 (Medium) and C3 (Soft). The nomination is one step harder than the selection which was made last year, as the new tyres are completely different in comparison to the old 13 inch tyres.

    The choice has been made because of the layout of the track, asphalt characteristics and temperatures. Bahrain remains one of the most abrasive tracks on the calendar thanks to a high percentage of granite within the asphalt, which leads to higher levels of wear and degradation. Even though asphalt abrasion is high, the sand which blows in from the surrounding desert can cause a lot of sliding which automatically affects grip.

    The rear tyres work the hardest at Bahrain due to lateral loads. There s a high degree of track evolution over over the weekend, and this year it will be even higher as normal as both Formula 2 and Formula 3 are support races.

    The teams had the chance to get familiar with the 2022 18-inch tyre range, having spent a total of six days of testing with all the compounds, although not always in representative conditions. We know from the past that track temperatures can play an important role in Bahrain, affecting tyre degradation, and that’s something we noticed at the recent test as well. During the race temperatures should be milder compared to FP1 and FP3, so the teams will have to focus on their data from FP2 and qualifying. It’s still hard to predict the race strategy as, in the past, Bahrain has been a multi-stop race, but it will be interesting to see if anyone will try something different this year.

    Mario Isla, Head of Pirelli Motorsport.

    Formula 2

    Formula 2 begins its season in Bahrain with the Hard compound and the Soft compound. The hard compound has been revised for this season to offer improved resistance increase the performance gap to the medium with the aim of challenging the drivers and increasing strategy options.

    Formula 3

    For the first time, Formula 3 will begin in Bahrain with the hard compound as the nominated tyre. Even though the compounds are the same before, the rear tyres have been designed to degrade faster which should shift the balances towards oversteer and make the car more challenging, with the aim of promoting greater driver involvement and showcasing talent.

  • Herta to test for McLaren

    Herta to test for McLaren

    IndyCar driver, Colton Herta will be testing for McLaren this season in the teams 2021 car.

    American racer, Colton has taken six wins- his 2019 victory at Circuit of The Americas making him the series’ youngest ever winner. He also has seven pole positions in IndyCar to date.

    This opportunity comes for Herta, as the new Formula 1 regulations state that teams are allowed to test cars that are one year old, which allows them to evaluate young talent for the future.

    As a result of this Herta will test the 2021 McLaren, MCL35M. McLaren will confirm further details of its Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) programme in due course.

    “Colton is a proven talent in IndyCar and we will be interested to see how he adapts to a Formula 1 car,” said McLaren Team Principal Andreas Seidl. “We believe this testing programme will provide him with valuable experience while demonstrating the benefit of expanding previous car testing to showcase promising drivers for the future.”

    Herta added: “I want to thank McLaren for the opportunity to get my first laps in a Formula 1 car, which has always been on my racing bucket list. This will be a great opportunity for me to gain some valuable experience in a new form of motorsport and learn from such an established team like McLaren.”

    My Opinion-

    Herta looks like he could be entering the sport in a few years time, so this gives him the experience in an F1 car which he currently lacks and show McLaren what he is made of. As well as this McLaren could keep him in my mind for in a few years time depending on how he does in the test.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CbAn6TNs6cw/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

  • What to take away from testing

    The Official Pre-Season Test is now complete, ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix next weekend. Lets take a look over the past few days and see what we can take away from it all.

    Day 1-

    Haas made the headlines. The teams freight was delayed arriving into Bahrain, but the mechanics managed to put the car together and send it out for the afternoon session giving Pietro Fittipaldi a chance in the VF22.

    Mercedes talked about the most. Coming into pre-season testing after Barcelona there was rumours some teams will change their cars to try new things and see what works, one of them being Mercedes. The Silver Arrow grabbed attention from rival teams after they revealed a no sidepod sidepod making the car slimmer.

    Alfa Romeo making up for lost time. Barcelona wasn’t good for the team, not much running making them set of on the back foot but in Bahrain on the first day they turned it round with their lap count surpassing a century.

    Ferrari & Alpha Tauri dark horses. Ferrari were very pleased with their running in Barcelona appearing to have stepped up in competitiveness. They ignored the performance aspect of testing on day one and focused on set up.

    Where as their Italian rivals was switching focus from aero tests to mechanical runs and testing softer compounds. Pierre Gasly topped the times and clocked up 103 laps.

    Day 2-

    Ferrari still a threat. The Italian team was quickest in the second day- with both Charles and Carlos pleased with the balance and how the car responds to set up changes.

    Trouble at Williams? The team was top five on the mileage charts in Barcelona but it took a dive in Bahrain. Latifi managed 12 laps on the second day where he was forced to stop due to smoke and fire coming from his breaks.

    Possible trouble at McLaren too… McLaren stood out in Barcelona after being one of if not the most reliable team but Bahrain brought them brake problems. Norris managed 59 laps on his second day and 49 on the first. To add to this, Ricciardo has been absent on track due to an illness, now covid.

    Day 3-

    Red Bull on the right path. It is a given that teams keep their cards close to their chest, especially top teams. RB waited until Saturday to show a new sidepod and waiting until the last few hours to show a front wing end plate improvement, but the world champion topped the timesheets. Obviously its only testing so there are plenty of unknowns including the programmes they are running.

    Mercedes has issues! Mercedes had a productive day after getting through an intense programme with Hamilton focused on long runs and Russell running low fuel on softer compounds. Reliability has been good for the team throughout pre-season testing, its their performance which is lacking and the porpoising.

    Ferrari still talked about. The Italian team look like their in the top two in the pecking order. The last day of testing saw them run through set-up work, qualifying runs and race simulations, the team did not run into any problems.

    Alpine getting somewhere? We have all seen that Alpine has had a shocking pre-season, but they had their “best day” on Friday and another on the final day. Alonso focused on high fuel running in the morning before running slightly lighter to get a feel for the car on soft compounds.

    My Opinion-

    Well, lots have gone on over the past couple of days for testing. It definitely seems that Ferrari and RB are top two. If Mercedes sort out their problems we could possibly seem the a bit higher than third.

    The same goes with McLaren once they have sorted out their front axle issue we could see them higher up because they have got the pace as we saw in Barcelona.

    I would say the biggest shock for me was Haas, I believe with the pace they’ve shown in testing their somewhere in the midfield! They haven’t really had any reliability issues which is good, its all eyes on how they do next week!

  • Piastri joins pool of McLaren’s reserves

    McLaren can now call upon Oscar Piastri, Alpine’s reserve if they require a stand-in for Daniel Ricciardo or Lando Norris, following an agreement of a new deal between the teams.

    The British team already has an arrangement with Mercedes, which allows them to borrow Stoffel Vandoorne Or Nyck de Vries but both drivers have commitments to Mercedes EQ team in Formula E.

    As well as the arrangement with Mercedes, McLaren also have an agreement with former Force India driver, Paul Di Resta to act as a stand-in as possible.

    Following talks with the French team, it is to be believed that the talks have gone on for several weeks which allows Piastri to join the pool of reserves.

    Piastri who won the F2 Championship last year, is not in a full time seat this season and is instead understudy to two-time champion Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon at Alpine.

    “In the spirit of offering maximum racing opportunities to our stable of young talent, we have agreed that McLaren may call upon BWT Alpine F1 Team Reserve Driver Oscar Piastri in the event one of their drivers is unable to race,” tweeted Alpine.

    My Opinion-

    This is good news for both McLaren and Oscar, it gives Oscar an potential opportunity to get some miles in an F1 car but aswell for McLaren they have someone who will be at the majority of races this year, so if something does happen he will be there.

  • Ricciardo tests postive for Covid

    Daniel Ricciardo has tested positive for Covid-19 but is set to be released in time for the opening race in Bahrain next week.

    The McLaren driver felt unwell on Wednesday, the day before pre-season testing kicked off at the Bahrain International Circuit. He was due to run all day Thursday but gave his duties to Lando Norris hoping he would feel better today (Friday) so he could run himself.

    Again he was not well enough to run today, so Lando tested for the whole day. But the team said he was returning negative covid tests, until tonight when the driver returned a positive PCR test.

    The team from Woking say he is continuing to isolate in the accordance with the local regulations as well as adding : “Under these regulations Daniel will be released in time for next weekend’s Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix. Daniel is already beginning to feel better, and we wish him well for a quick recovery.”

    Ricciardo took to social media saying: “Better this week than next… Unfortunate to miss the test, but I’m starting to feel better. I’ll stay isolated and just focus on next weekend. Big thanks to Lando & McLaren for the heavy lifting, I owe you some beers (milk for Lando). Appreciate the well wishes from everyone.”

    This means that Norris will be driving all day Saturday for the final test day. Over the past two days he has managed just over 100 laps, struggling with brake issues.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca-UYNOL3T6/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
  • Magnussen Returns!!

    Magnussen Returns!!

    Kevin Magnussen has signed a multi-year deal to make a return to Formula 1 with the American team in 2022, following the teams decision to part ways with Nikita Mazepin.

    Having driven in F1 for McLaren in 2014 to 15 and Renault in 2016, the Danish driver raced for Haas from 2017 until 2020. Magnussen then moved Stateside where he took part in sportscars and IndyCar and was set to join Peugeot’s World Endurance Championship team this year.

    But, the 29 year old will partner Mick Schumacher in which will be the German’s second year in the sport.

    Team Principal Guenther Steiner said: “I’m delighted to welcome Kevin Magnussen back to Haas F1 Team. When looking for a driver who could bring value to the team, not to mention a wealth of Formula 1 experience, Kevin was a straightforward decision for us. Kevin’s immediate availability means we can tap into him as a resource for pre-season testing alongside both Mick Schumacher and Pietro Fittipaldi. Pietro’s going to be first in this week with half a day’s running at the test on Thursday – that’s a great opportunity for him, with Mick and Kevin doing the rest ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix. Kevin was a key component in our previous successes – not least when we both scored our best finishes in Formula 1 back in 2018. He continued to show last year that he’s an elite race car driver adding wins and podiums to his resume. As a veteran presence in both the garage and the engineering room, he’ll provide a solid benchmark for us with the on-going development of the VF-22. We’re all looking forward to welcoming Kevin back this week in Bahrain.”

    Magnussen added: “I was obviously very surprised but equally very excited to receive the call from Haas F1 Team. I was looking in a different direction regarding my commitments for 2022 but the opportunity to return to compete in Formula 1, and with a team I know extremely well, was simply too appealing. I really have to say thank you to both Peugeot and Chip Ganassi Racing for releasing me promptly – both are great organizations. Naturally, I also want to thank Gene Haas and Guenther Steiner for the chance to resume my Formula 1 career – I know just how competitive they both are and how keen they are to return to competing week in and week out. We’ve enjoyed a solid relationship and our positive association remained even when I left at the end of 2020. I’ve been briefed as much as possible on the development of the VF-22 and the potential in the package. There’s work to do but I’m excited to be a part of it. I can’t wait to get back behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car in Bahrain.”

    My Opinion-

    YESS! I’m very happy about this, I think this was the best pick out of the most experienced in F1 and with him having history with the team it seems the perfect fit. Even more so that he is on a multi year deal, he can help the team develop the car along with Mick.

  • Imola remains till 2025

    Imola remains till 2025

    The Formula 1 Rolex Grand Prix, made in Italy Emilia-Romagna at the Enzo e Dino Ferrari International Circuit in Imola is remaining on the calendar until 2025.

    This decision comes after two successful Grand Prix during the pandemic and the inclusion the race in 2022. But looking back Imola first hosted the Italian Grand Prix in 1980 but subsequently became the San Marino Grand Prix a year later until 2006. The circuit then made a come back in 2020 as the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

    This season, we will see the first Sprint of the year at Imola and the first to be at the circuit.

    Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1, said: “I am delighted that we will be continuing our excellent partnership with Imola for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix until 2025. The circuit is iconic and has been part of the history of our sport and they have done an incredible job of hosting two races during the pandemic. It is a proud moment for our Italian fans to host two races and for all our fans around the world to see this fantastic circuit on the calendar for the future. I want to thank everyone involved in making this happen and the work of the Emilia-Romagna Region, in particular the President of the Automobile Club of Italy, Angelo Sticchi Damiani, President of Emilia-Romagna, Stefano Bonaccini, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the City of Imola. We are all looking forward to being back in Imola in April to thrill our fans.”

    President of Emilia Romagna, Stefano Bonaccini, said: “It’s an extraordinary result for the Emilia-Romagna region and for the Motor Valley. The confirmation that the Made in Italy and Emilia-Romagna Formula 1 Grand Prix that will be held at the Enzo and Dino Ferrari Autodrome in Imola until 2025 is a reward to an important team effort that involved the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ice (i.d. the Italian Trade Agency), the City of Imola, ACI, CON.AMI and Formula 1, of course.

    “After two successfully organized editions, a unique event of great international appeal and absolute prestige was confirmed in the long run along the Via Emilia despite the limitations imposed by the pandemic and while preparations are already underway for the 2022 edition. The event will allow us to turn the spotlight on both a region which is home to great champions and world-famous motorsport brands and Italy, a country rich in unique, internationally renowned excellence in all fields, starting from the automotive industry. For us, this is a great source of pride and a precious opportunity to discuss values, knowledge and professionalism that translate first and foremost into work, innovation and the ability to do business together and with great passion.”

    My Opinion-

    Yess, I’m happy about this, the past few races have been good their and it was nice to see Lando Norris to get on the podium their last season. With the sprint being their this year, it may provide a bit more extra to the weekend.

  • Fittipaldi to test in Bahrain

    It has been confirmed by Gene Haas, that Pietro Fittipaldi will be testing in Bahrain this week for the American team.

    This comes as Nikita Mazepin got axed from his seat on Saturday, as well as the teams sponsor. The decision to cut ties with both came in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

    There are a few options in who could partner up with Mick Schumacher, one including Pietro Fittipaldi the Test and Reserve driver for the team.

    According to BBC Sport, there are three drivers on Haas’ shortlist, those being: Pietro Fittipaldi, Oscar Piastri and Jehan Daurvala.

    “There was a lot of intense criticism about the Ukraine invasion and it was just getting overwhelming,” team owner Haas told The Associated Press. “We can’t deal with all that, our other sponsors can’t deal with all that. We’re in the process of looking at several candidates, we’ll see who is available and what we have to deal with, but we’ll have somebody by Wednesday. Pietro will definitely be in it, that’s what he’s for, he’s the test driver. I think we’d obviously like to get someone with a bit more actual experience. We just have to see what’s available.”

    My Opinion-

    Obviously they needed someone in that second seat for testing and quick, that someone is Fittipaldi, so Haas have now got one thing ticked of their list. But I can understand why they are taking their time to decide for the seat for the season.

    I’ve seen lots of possibilities over the past few days from Hulkenberg to Giovinazzi to Magnussen as well as the ones already mentioned above. But with Gene Haas saying they would ‘obviously like to get someone with a bit more experience’ it does make me think that having someone with experience is good but would they prefer that over having someone who is new to F1 e.g Piastri.

  • Drivers contracts

    With the new season about to start in the next few weeks, we shall be expecting drivers to sign new contracts throughout the season. So lets take a look at when they run out.

    This year we have 10 drivers from 8 different teams, whose contracts are running out. Some older drivers may think about leaving the sport depending on whether they can get a contract extension or a new contract for a different team. Other drivers may consider switching teams.

    We could potentially see some drivers from Formula 2 come up for 2023 as there is lots of young drivers in F1 teams programme, so teams may want to use their sister teams to get their backed driver in the sport. As well as this we also have Oscar Piastri who is a reserve this year waiting for a seat for next year.

    Lance Stroll is on a multi year contract, no-one officially knows how long it is but it is to be expected either till the end of this year or 2023, which will then make it 11 drivers contracts running out this year.

    With Max and Lando both getting contract extensions already this year, we could potentially see some more drivers get longer contracts too. Carlos Sainz is said to be negotiating a new contract with Ferrari.

    DriverTeamContract end
    Sergio PerezRed Bull Racing2022
    Carlos SainzFerrari2022
    Fernando AlonsoAlpine2022
    Yuki TsunodaAlphaTauri2022
    Pierre GaslyAlpha Tauri2022
    Sebastian VettelAston Martin2022
    Mick SchumacherHaas2022
    Nicholas LatifiWilliams2022
    Alex AlbonWilliams2022
    Guanyu ZhouAlfa Romeo2022
    Lewis HamiltonMercedes2023
    George RussellMercedes2023
    Daniel RicciardoMcLaren2023
    Charles LeclercFerrari2024
    Esteban OconAlpine2024
    Valtteri BottasAlfa Romeo2024
    Lando NorrisMcLaren2025
    Max VerstappenRed Bull Racing2028
    Lance StrollAston MartinUnknown

  • Mazepin will not race for Haas

    The Haas Formula One team, has announced today that Nikita Mazepin’s contract and their title partnership Uralkali contract have both been terminated with immediate effect.

    The Russian’s future had been in doubt after his father Dmitry’s sponsor branding through Uralkali was removed from the team’s car at Barcelona testing. Team principal Guenther Steiner then admitted that Mazepin’s future with the team was something that needed to be addressed.

    Since then the American team, have been under immense pressure to act on Mazepin’s future, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. With sport all around the world cutting ties with the country.

    The team released an statement saying: “Haas F1 Team has elected to terminate, with immediate effect, the title partnership of Uralkali, and the driver contract of Nikita Mazepin. As with the rest of the Formula 1 community, the team is shocked and saddened by the invasion of Ukraine and wishes for a swift and peaceful end to the conflict.”

    At this moment in time, Haas have not announced who will replace him but it is said to be announced early next week, before the Official Pre-Season Test in Bahrain.

    Some of the drivers who could take the spot is: Pietro Fittipaldi, he is the front runner as he currently is the team’s test and reserve driver. Another is Antonio Giovinazzi, obviously he is tied with being Ferrari’s reserve but Haas and Ferrari have a very close relationship so he may get the spot. Some outsider candidates are: Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg.

  • F1 terminates Russian GP contract

    Following the announcement made by F1 last week that the Russian GP is cancelled, F1 has now confirmed that the contract for the Russian Grand Prix has been terminated.

    This means that F1 will no longer shift from Sochi to St Petersburg as planned in 2023. F1 was due to race at the revamped Igora Drive circuit from next year, with the contract running until 2025.

    This decision, is understood to have been taken last week as part of the talks between F1 officials and team bosses about the race following the invasion of Ukraine.

    Sport around the world has been cutting ties with Russia since the start of the invasion. With the FIA World Motor Sport Council, announced that Russian and Belarussian drivers could still race, but only under a neutral FIA flag.

    However, this has not stopped individual ASNs from taking their own action, including Motorsport UK, which announced Russian and Belarussian drivers are not permitted to race in the UK.

    Nikita Mazepin’s future is still uncertain with Haas, the teams title sponsor Uralkali has its branding removed from the car for the final day of testing, having supported Mazepin throuhgout his career.

    “Formula 1 can confirm it has terminated its contract with the Russian Grand Prix promoter meaning Russia will not have a race in the future,” the statement reads.

  • Verstappen signs until 2028

    Verstappen signs until 2028

    World champion, Max Verstappen has signed a bumper five year contract extension with Red Bull, which keeps him with the team until at least the end of 2028.

    The Dutchman took the victory on the final lap of Abu Dhabi in which he clinched his maiden world championship, after a spectacular season fight with Lewis Hamilton.

    Red Bull, now enter a new era this year, as the team departed from engine partner, Honda and have taken over the intellectual property for the engine and set up their own division on their campus in Milton Keynes.

    Verstappen’s previous deal ran until the end of next season (2023), but both Max & Red Bull were keen to extend a successful partnership.

    The new contract is said to be worth in the region of €40-50m (£33.3 – 41.7m) a year, which would make it among the most lucrative in the history of F1.

    Verstappen said: “I really enjoy being part of Red Bull Racing, so choosing to stay to the 2028 season was an easy decision. I love this team and last year was simply incredible. Our goal since we came together in 2016 was to win the championship and we have done that, so now it’s about keeping the number one on the car long-term.”

    Red Bull boss Christian Horner added: “To have Max signed with Red Bull through to the end of ‘28 is a real statement of intent. Our immediate focus is on retaining Max’s world championship title, but this deal also shows he is part of the team’s long-term planning. With the Red Bull Powertrains division working towards the new engine regulations for 2026 we wanted to make sure we had the best driver on the grid secured for that car.”

    My Opinion-

    After, Max winning the championship last year we all knew a new contract would happen and to add 5 years on to his exisiting contract shows how much both Max & Red Bull have faith and trust in each other.

    I cannot see Max going to another team, as all his known is Red Bull, having been brought up by the junior team in his career, to then move to Toro Rosso and then RB, they seem like the perfect fit.

  • Mazepin banned from British GP

    Russian Formula 1 driver, Nikita Mazepin is banned from competing in the British Grand Prix after Motorsport UK announced their response to the situation in Ukraine.

    On Tuesday the 1st March, the Haas driver looked likely to be allowed to compete in the sport this season after the FIA confirmed Russian and Belarusian drivers could race under a neutral flag.

    However, the chair of Motorsport UK David Richards CBE along with the board of the organisation has confirmed in a statement released today, that Mazepin would not be able to race at Silverstone in the beginning of July, unless the situation changes.

    The decision was made in full consultation with the UK Government and national sports governing bodies to ensure there is a unilateral response.

    “The entire Motorsport UK community condemns the acts of war by Russia and Belarus in Ukraine and expresses its solidarity and support towards all those affected by the ongoing conflict.” Richards said. “We stand united with the people of Ukraine and the motorsport community following the invasion and the unacceptable actions that have unfolded. This is a time for the international motorsport community to act and show support for the people of Ukraine and our colleagues at the Federation Automobile d’Ukraine (FAU). Motorsport UK stands united with Leonid Kostyuchenko, the President of the FAU, the Ukrainian motorsport community and the Ukrainian people and calls for the violence to end with a peaceful resolution.”

    FIA president Mohammed bin Sulayem said in a statement on Tuesday: “The FIA is watching the developments in Ukraine with sadness and shock and I hope for a swift and peaceful resolution to the present situation. We condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine and our thoughts are with all those suffering as a result of the events in Ukraine.”

    In the statement, the FIA added: “Russian/Belarusian drivers, individual competitors and officials to participate in international/zone competitions only in their neutral capacity and under the ‘FIA flag’, subject to specific commitment and adherence to the FIA’s principles of peace and political neutrality.”

  • C42

    C42

    Alfa Romeo, are the last team to show the world their 2022 challenger with a new bold livery.

    The team, has run a special camouflage design during the three days of pre-season running in Barcelona, with Valtteri Bottas, rookie Guanyu Zhou and reserve Robert Kubica sharing driving duties.

    The Swiss team, had a series of mechanical glitches which confined the car to the garage for long periods, and they only managed 175 laps, putting them ninth out of 10 teams in the mileage charts.

    Alfa Romeo will have another chance alongside the other nine teams to gain more mileage as they head to Bahrain for the Official Pre Season Test which begins on March 10th.

    “The start of the season is always an exciting time, one in which we see the fruit of the work of hundreds of people over a long period of time,” said Team Principal Fred Vasseur. “The C42 is a car we look forward to seeing racing, not just because it is the first we built in this new regulations cycle, one in which racing should be closer and more thrilling, but because we have the utmost confidence in this car helping the team make a big step forward towards the front of the grid.”

    Bottas, who joined from Mercedes said: “What is exciting is that we have no idea how that first race is going to pan out. Testing helped us confirm our expectations of where we stand, the progress we have made with the car, but now we are getting closer to the moment that really matters. Since I joined, I have seen so much motivation within this team: everyone is pushing a lot, trying to work harder than the others to be competitive, and that in turn gives me that extra boost when I am in the cockpit.”

    Zhou, who finished third in F2 last year before stepping up to F1 with Alfa Romeo, said: “I am fully pumped up for the season and seeing the C42 in the livery in which I will race it definitely makes it real. We are at the beginning of a new era, with new cars and new regulations, and this creates an opportunity for all teams to make progress since we are all starting from scratch. Everyone at Alfa Romeo F1 Team Orlen has been incredibly helpful since I joined and seeing all the hard work, the commitment and motivation from everyone, in Hinwil and at the track, fills me with pride and excitement. I can’t wait to be on the grid with this car and work with my team to bring home the results we are targeting together.”

  • Andretti to be powered by Renault

    The name Andretti is well known in motorsport, with Andretti Autosport competing in the IndyCar Series, IndyCar Lights, Indy Pro 2000 and Formula E. The team also has a 37.5% stake in the Australian Supercars Championship, Walkinshaw Andretti United and a stake in the Extreme E team, Andretti United.

    Last year saw Michael Andretti in talks to buy Alfa Romeo but due to the main shareholder not wanting to sell this deal fell through. But, last week saw Andretti apply for his own Formula One team, to be entered for the 2024 season.

    Mario Andretti, the 1978 F1 World Champion took to twitter on Friday the 18th revealing the Andretti name wanting to enter F1 writing: “Michael has applied to the FIA to field a new F1 team starting in 2024. His entry Andretti Global, has the resources and checks every box. He is awaiting the FIA’s determination.”

    Following on from this a week later, it has been revealed by Mario Andretti that Andretti Global will be powered by Renault power units in 2024…

    Alpine CEO, Laurent Rossi has recently said that right now would not be good time for Renault to supply a second team, he did say though the company was “open” to do so down the line. Well could 2024 be that line, and that second team be Andretti Global?

    “We have a formal agreement now on the engine supplier and its out there, so its going to be Renault and I’m allowed to say that now” Mario Andretti said this to David Land in an interview.

    The engine supplier is not the only aspect that the team has decided, Andretti Globabl has even fount the premises for its UK base.

    “We’re not just new boys in town,” he said in an interview with David Land. “We know the prerequisites and also there’s a time factor here. Once we said go ahead, we’ve got to go. So a lot of work has been done. We know where the property, where the facility is going to be built. in the UK. We know we have people, prominent individuals that have done this type of work as far as start-ups. We have a lot of things in mind.”

    The 1978 World Champion added: “There’s a lot of steps to take here and I understand that, it’s a huge undertaking. But we’re ready for it. We have incredible partners on our side, Michael does, and we’re there for the duration. Myself, I’ve been at it for 67 years now so we know what goes on on all sides of the Atlantic. And this is a great undertaking, a wonderful undertaking on Michael’s part. This shows that he’s very, very ambitious in the sport. That’s his business, period.”

    My Opinion-

    I think if Andretti do get the approval from the FIA, this will be brilliant, we need another Formula One team as there is so many drivers slipping through and not getting to F1 when in fact they deserve a spot.

    As well as this, having a name like Andretti in the sport may get a higher reach of F1 in America and bring new fans not just to F1 but the feeder series too. It seems like only positives can come out of this if it gets accepted.

  • Pre-Season Barcelona

    The F1 2022 cars have finally hit the track as pre-season running in Barcelona started on Wednesday lets take a look on what has happened across the 3 days.

    Day 1-

    Morning Session-

    Leclerc set the early benchmark and then later improved, the conditions warming up after a chilly start to set the quickest lap of 1m 20,165s, the Ferrari driver went on to tally up near 80 laps and ended up three-tenths ahead of Lando Norris- the McLaren driver having improved to P2.

    The Mercedes of George Russell was therefore bumped to P3 as the 1pm deadline approached but completed 75 laps, with Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel in fourth. The reigning champ, enjoyed the highest lap count (8) as he finished sith behind Yuki Tsunoda in P5.

    Afternoon Session-

    Lando Norris set the fastest overall time in the opening pre-season session, Leclerc’s morning time of 1m 20.165s put him top before Norris improved to 1m 19.568s by the end of Day 1, that bumped Leclerc down to P2 and his teammate down to third.

    Every team bar Alfa Romeo and Haas completed a century of laps on the opening day.

    PositionDriverTimeLaps
    1Lando Norris1:19.951102
    2Charles Leclerc1:20.16580
    3Carlos Sainz1:20.41673
    4George Russell1:20.78477
    5Lewis Hamilton1:20.92950
    6Sebastian Vettel1:21.27652
    7Yuki Tsunoda1:21.638121
    8Fernando Alonso1:21.746127
    9Max Verstappen1:22.246147
    10Valtteri Bottas1:22.57223
    Top 10 from Day 1

    Day 2-

    Morning Session-

    Daniel Ricciardo set the fastest time of the morning on Day 2, with the benchmark being 1m 20.355s with 10 minutes remaining, eclipsing Carlos Sainz’s existing benchmark by two tenths of a second.

    Perez brought out the first red flag, having coasted to a halt at Turn 12, half an hour before lunch break, the stoppage was lifted with 15 minutes left, but Perez did not re-emerge to complete the morning session.

    Afternoon Session-

    Charles Leclerc topped the leader board on the afternoon session with a 1m 19.698s with Gasly taking P2 in which dropped McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo to P3.

    There was a second red flag of the day but first of the afternoon session, this time being Nikita Mazepin as he stopped with a damage fuel pump which caused a 15 minute stop. Sergio Perez’s afternoon was quite short as he didn’t emerge until late in the day.

    PositionDriverTimeLaps
    1Charles Leclerc1:19.68979
    2Pierre Gasly1:19.918147
    3Daniel Ricciardo1:20.288126
    4George Russell1:20.53766
    5Carlos Sainz1:20.54671
    6Sebastian Vettel1:20.78474
    7Sergio Perez1:21.43078
    8Nikita Mazepin1:21.51242
    9Alexander Albon1:21.53147
    10Guanyu Zhou1:21.88571
    Top 10 from Day 2

    Day 3-

    Morning Session-

    Mercedes topped the third morning session as George Russel led the leaderboard, with Max Verstappen in 2nd and Sebastian Vettel in 3rd, but five red flags, punctuated proceedings. All 10 cars emerged on a chilly Barcelona morning but the session was red-flagged before the hour mark when Alpine’s Alonso stopped with smoke emerging from the back of his car. Alpine then stated they would not be running again due to hydraulics issue.

    Gasly brought out the second pause when he crashed at Turn 5, causing front wing and suspension damage. Guanyu Zhou stopped in the gravel at Turn 10 after Gasly’s incident, but the session was once again stopped when he crawled to a halt on the main straight. The fifth red flag was when Vettel stopped with 5 minutes left

    Afternoon Session-

    Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time of the week with a 1m 19.138s as Pirelli conducted a wet weather tyre test. His team-mate then dropped with P2, with Sergio Perez jumped up the order to round of top 3.

    A few teams run into problem in which they was not able to run in the afternoon sessionWe are back in two weeks for the official pre-season test on March 10th to 12th, then set to return a week after that for the first round.

    PositionDriverTimeLaps
    1Lewis Hamilton1:19.13894
    2George Russell1:19.23366
    3Sergio Perez1:19.55674
    4Max Verstappen1:19.75659
    5Sebastian Vettel1:19.82448
    6Charles Leclerc1:19.83144
    7Carlos Sainz1:20.07292
    8Alex Albon1:20.31894
    9Nicholas Latifi1:20.69913
    10Daniel Ricciardo1:20.75086
    Top 10 from Day 3

  • Russian GP cancelled

    Formula One’s Russian Grand Prix, has been cancelled following the invasion of Ukraine, a military attack by Russia on Ukraine began on Thursday after a long period of escalating tensions.

    This was then met with unease in F1 paddock about the planned September race in Sochi, which was meant to be the final year racing their ahead of moving to a new venue next year near St Petersburg.

    Meanwhile Haas stripped its car of the branding of Russian sponsor Uralkali for the final day of testing in Barcelona, this comes ahead of meetings planned next week to resolve legal matters in the wake of the attack. Nikita Mazepin’s position at Haas “needs to be resolved”, team principle Guenther Steiner admitted.

    Formula 1 has released an announcement on the Russian GP saying: “The FIA Formula 1 World Championship visits countries all over the world with a positive vision to unite people, bringing nations together. We are watching the developments in Ukraine with sadness and shock and hope for a swift and peaceful resolution to the present situation.

    On Thursday evening Formula 1, the FIA, and the teams discussed the position of our sport, and the conclusion is, including the view of all relevant stakeholders, that it is impossible to hold the Russian Grand Prix in the current circumstances.” The statement appears to leave the door open to the race being held if the “current circumstances” change…

    My Opinion-

    Right decision and the only decision, which was justified after Vettel said he will not race their if F1 continues to. What I don’t understand is why are they leaving the door open, to possibly go to Sochi this year even after this statement? It is rumoured that Turkey is set to replace the Russian GP.

  • Vettel will not race in Russian GP

    Sebastian Vettel has said he will not race in the Russian Grand Prix if Formula 1 still visits there later in the year, following the countries invasion of Ukraine.

    F1 said today that it was monitoring the situation after Russia commenced a major military assault on Ukraine on Thursday morning after months of tension building.

    It has been reported that UEFA plans to strip St Petersburg of the Champions League final in June in reaction to the invasion, an has put F1’s plans for the grand prix in Sochi in the limelight.

    The four-time world champion is a GPDA director and has been one of the grids most vocal figures on social matters and human rights in recent years, while Vettel said he could not speak on behalf of the GPDA as the drivers had not discussed the issue yet, he revealed that his own mind was already made up and would not race in Russia.

    “In my personal opinion, obviously I woke up again after this morning’s news, shocked” Vettel said. “I think it’s horrible to see what is happening. Obviously if you look at the calendar, we have a race scheduled in Russia. For myself, my own opinion is I should not go, I will not go. I think it’s wrong to race in that country. I’m sorry for the people, innocent people who are losing their lives, getting killed for stupid reasons under a very strange and mad leadership. I’m sure it’s something we will talk about, but as I said as GPDA, we haven’t come together yet.”

    Max Verstappen also added: “When a country is at war, it is not right to race there.”

    My Opinion-

    First of all round of applause to Seb and Max, I completely agree with what both have said, and I think some other drivers will agree too. It will be interesting to see what the drivers association will say when they come together.

    For F1 to say they are ‘monitoring’ the situation closely I find wrong, its a simple yes or no if they are going to race there or not, they have plenty of time to find a replacement as it set to be in September.

  • A522

    A522

    Alpine are now the ninth team to launch their challenger for this season- the A522, in which they had a live show from Paris.

    The team secured their first victory under the Alpine banner, in Hungary last year when Esteban won. The same pairing as last year will continue, double world champion Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon. As well as this, they have Formula 2 Champion, Oscar Piastri fulfilling reserve duties.

    The French manufacturer, will be wanting to continue on with their climb up the grid after finishing sixth in the Constructors standings.

    Alpine is set to run a striking new livery that is predominantly blue that features pink highlights in a nod to their new title sponsor BWT, as well as this, they presented a ‘flipped’ the livery with pink becoming the most prominent colour. The special pink design will be used in the first two races of the year- Bahrain and Saudi Arabia before reverting back to the blue.

    “It’s with great pleasure that we launch our A522 to the world today, marking the next chapter in Alpine’s Formula 1 journey,” said Rossi. “We have a clear plan and vision in place at Alpine and we have some of the best people in the business to help drive us forward and realise our ambitions. Our team is stronger now and, we hope, future-proof.”

    Ocon said: “I’m very excited, of course, to not only see the A522 for the first time but to drive it for the first time this week. It’s always a privilege to drive a new Formula 1 car for the first time, as you know all the hard work that has gone on behind the scenes at both factories in Enstone and Viry from all of the many talented people working in the different departments there. That feeling and responsibility is truly unique and very special. I feel prepared, I feel ready physically, so let’s hit the track and see what we’ve got in our hands this year.”

    Alonso added: “It’s good to be back and I’ve been working hard to be ready for the new season. The build-up has been a long time coming after the rule change was delayed due to the pandemic. The car looks fantastic with the new regulations in place and I like the new livery. We have a new engine and we’re confident we had a good development in place for this new generation of car. We won’t know where everyone stands until Bahrain, but we’re excited to take the car for its first spin in testing this week. I hope the new regulations have worked and we get more exciting wheel to wheel racing this year.”

    My Opinion-

    We all knew the Alpine would have pink on it, as BWT are the title sponsor. But do I like it? I’m not actually sure as it is quite a lot which has changed from last year, but I do feel like it will grow on me once seeing it on track.

    But the car itself on the render pictures looks like a mixture between Ferrari and Aston Martin with the way they have designed, which could be a clever move but we will not know until it hits the track!

  • US GP renewed till 2026

    Formula 1 has announced an extension until 2026 with the United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of The Americas.

    The announcement follows after continued momentum that Formula One has in the United States, the motorsport having returned to the USA following a break due to the global pandemic.

    Last year saw a record-breaking crowd of 400,000 witnessed the GP at Austin, where Verstappen took his maiden win on American soil. The very first race at COTA took place in 2012, with 100,000 fans in attendance to see Hamilton take victory with McLaren.

    Stefano Domenicali, President & CEO of Formula 1, said: “We are thrilled to be announcing the extension with the Circuit of The Americas ahead of the exciting new 2022 season. I want to thank the promoter for their ongoing dedication and enthusiasm for Formula 1 where together we are continuing to grow the excitement around our sport in the US following the huge success of Netflix, the work of ESPN, and the incredible season we had in 2021. Austin is a great city, and the track is a favourite for all the drivers, and we cannot wait to be back in October for more action and entertainment.”

    Bobby Epstein, Founding Partner at Circuit of The Americas, said: “The Formula 1 United States Grand Prix has become one of the biggest and greatest events in the world. We are extremely proud it has found a home in Texas – at Circuit of The Americas – and are grateful to the millions of fans who visited us over our first decade. We knew Austin, along with our neighbours in San Antonio and beyond, would be welcoming hosts – and they proved it! Thanks to everyone in the Formula 1 community for supporting our endeavours and rewarding our hard work. We are glad to have renewed our commitments and look forward to many more years of World Championship racing, entertainment, and fun.”

    My Opinion-

    I think after last years attendance at COTA, this is fully understandable why it has been renewed, as well as the USA now having 2 Grand Prix’s a year it will give fans the chance to go to COTA if they cannot go to Miami, so they are not missing out.

  • Szafnauer named as Alpine Team Principal

    Otmar Szafnauer has been appointed as Alpines new Team Principal, with former Deputy Sport Secretary General for the FIA Bruno Famin joining to head up the engine division.

    The duo will be reporting to CEO Laurent Rossi, who took over the running of the team last January and since then has been reviewing how the squad operates before making those important changes.

    During this period, long-time Renault employee Remi Taffin left his role heading up the power unit division whilst Executive Director, Marcin Budkowski parted ways with the team in January.

    Szafnauer left Aston Martin early in the new year and joins Alpine with 33 years of experience across motorsport, he was first linked to a move to the French team in November but shut down allegations rather quickly.

    “With Otmar and Bruno joining the team, we move to a new level for 2022,” said Rossi. “Otmar will bring his unique experience in motorsports and his uncompromising desire to win, while Bruno’s proven track record in building technologies that make a difference in competition and their subsequent transference to road cars is critical for our project as a sports team and as a brand.”

    Otmar Szafnauer said: “I am thrilled to join BWT Alpine F1 Team and ready to get to work with everyone to achieve our challenge: bring the team to fight for the Championship within the next 100 races. My attention is focused on preparing for the start of the season in Bahrain. As one of the three car manufacturers involved in Formula 1, Alpine is fully armed to achieve its ambition, I can’t wait to start the journey!”

    My Opinion-

    Not shocked at all, as we knew months ago this was going to happen, even more so after Alpine and BWT became partners, as Otmar has a good relationship with the company. But i’m glad that he will still be in F1.