Jordan's Track Talk

Category: Formula One

  • 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…

  • FIA unveils regulations for 2026

    Formula 1’s governing body the FIA has unveiled the “agile, competitive, safer and more sustainable” set of regulations that will define the sport from 2026 and beyond.

    Revised aerodynamic regulations will work in tandem with new power unit rules, which include increased battery power and the use of 100% sustainable fuels.

    From 2026 onwards Formula 1 will have:

    • More agile cars, which are 30kg lighter and thus better to battle on track.
    • A redesigned power unit featuring increased battery power and an even split between internal combustion engine and electric power plus the use of 100% sustainable fuels.
    • Active aerodynamics in the form of moveable front and rear wings to allow for closer racing.
    • Increased overtaking opportunities through the introduction of a new system that gives drivers a short burst of additional battery power when within one second of the car in front.
    • Improved safety through stronger structures and even tougher tests.
    • Commitment from a record number of six power unit manufacturers.

    The revised technical regulations have been set out by the FIA, paving the way for them to be revealed before this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix.
    The 2026 regulations are now set to be ratified by the World Motor Sport Council on June 28th.

    With this set of regulations the FIA has sought to develop a new generation of cars that are fully in touch with the DNA of Formula 1 – cars that are light, supremely fast and agile but which also remains at the cutting edge of technology, and to achieve this we worked towards what we called a ‘nimble car’ concept. At the centre of that vision is a redesigned power unit that features a more even split between the power derived from the internal combustion element and electrical power. On the chassis side we have managed to reduce the size and weight of the car by 30kg resulting in a much more dynamic car. In addition we are introducing two exciting new features to enhance racing – active aerodynamics to achieve very low drag on the straights and the Manual Override system that will provide drivers with an on-demand burst of battery power when close enough to the car ahead of them. Lighter, more powerful and more focused on driver skill, the 2026 FIA Formula One Technical Regulations have been designed to provide closer racing among drivers, increase the competition between teams and to improve the spectacle. In addition, we have opted for a higher electrical component of the power unit, a more efficient car overall, and fully sustainable fuels, as part of our drive towards a more sustainable future for our sport.
    Nikolas Tombazis, FIA Single Seater Technical Director.

    Today, the FIA is defining a hugely exciting future for the pinnacle of motorsport with the launch of a comprehensive new set of regulations for the 2026 FIA Formula One Championship and beyond. Following the publication of 2026 power unit regulations two years ago we have we have taken opportunity to redefine the chassis regulations to match the energy requirement of the new power units. Collaborating with our partners at Formula 1 and with the assistance of the sport’s 10 teams and all our stakeholders this represents a unique revision that will ensure our premier championship is even more relevant to what is happening in the world. The power unit regulations have already resulted in a record number of PU manufacturers committing to the sport. And now, in tandem with chassis regulations that provide for lighter, more agile cars featuring innovative aerodynamic solutions, we have created a set of regulation designed to not only improve racing but also to make the championship even more attractive to PU manufacturers, OEMs and existing competitors. The key features of the 2026 F1 Regulations are advanced, sustainability technology and safety. Our aim, together with Formula 1, was to produce a car that was right for the future of the sport’s elite category. We believe we have achieved that goal.
    FIA President, Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

  • Where will Carlos Sainz go?

    Since the announcement of Lewis Hamilton going to Ferrari before the season started there’s been a popular question flying around, where will Carlos Sainz go?

    The Spanish drivers choice is wearing thin even though most of the grid has not been confirmed.
    10 drivers have been confirmed but some team’s have recently been making regards to who would potentially be available for those second seats, which rules Sainz out.

    Mercedes and Red Bull were somewhat interested but have decided against it, especially with the latter looking like they might re-sign Perez.

    Which now they have so Red Bull is out of the equation entirely.

    The two teams which seem on the cards for the Spanish driver is Sauber and Williams… neither are current winning teams which is what he wanted.

    His two main options are teams which both largely depend on hypothetical progress. The potential trajectories are encouraging – and Audi’s ceiling as a works team is higher than Williams.

    Williams is fractionally less worse off, with the British team scoring their first point this season in Monaco.
    The team seem to be giving Sainz a choice to make between two projects with big question marks and a long list of slightly different pros and cons.

    Audi has enough of the latter as a new engine manufacturer and a company taking over a struggling existing team for the door to at least be open to Williams swooping in.

    And James Vowles is a big reason for that. He’s already re-signed Alex Albon on a multi year deal and is why Williams team that is performing slightly worse than 12 months ago is escaping with relatively little scrutiny.
    But for now, Vowles is getting the benefit of the doubt because of the long-term malaise he is try to permanently rescue Williams form, and the many problems the team is known to have from its facilities through to its culture.

    So now the decision is on Carlos, what team would he prefer?…

    Third placed Carlos Sainz of Spain and Ferrari attends the press conference after the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco at Circuit de Monaco on May 26, 2024 in...

  • Doohan to drive in FP1

    Alpine have announced that reserve driver, Jack Doohan will take Esteban Ocon’s place during Friday’s opening free practice session at the Canadian Grand Prix.

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

    Doohan has made four practice appearances as an Alpine junior so far, getting his first experiences in Mexico and Abu Dhabi in 2022 and making further outings at the same venues in 2023.

    A former FIA Formula 3 runner-up and the third-placed driver in last year’s F2 standings, the Australian’s latest run comes as he pushes to secure a full-time seat with Alpine.

    Alpine announced on the eve of this weekend’s Montreal event that they will part ways with Esteban Ocon at the end of the current campaign, ending a five-year collaboration.
    It means that at least one seat is available at the Renault-backed operation for next season, with incumbent Pierre Gasly’s place beyond 2024 yet to be confirmed.

    In addition to his four FP1 outings, and simulator duties at Enstone, Doohan has completed several test sessions with Alpine over the last couple of years – the latest coming in their 2022-spec A522 at Zandvoort last month.

    Really excited to get out on track in Montreal for FP1. It will be my first time driving at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, which I am looking forward to.  I am grateful to the team for the opportunity to get more track time, and also familiarise myself with 2024 machinery early in the season. This will also help with the work I am doing in the simulator, particularly at the European rounds. My focus will be on doing the best for the team and maximising the session for both drivers, looking at certain test items and understanding the new track surface.
    Doohan on the news.

  • RW 9 – Tyre Selection

    Formula 1 returns to North America after two European rounds in Imola and Monaco. The Canadian Grand Prix therefore means a change of continent.

    The race in Montreal will be the third in a row to feature the three softest compounds in the 2024 range, the C3 (Hard), C4 (Medium), C5 (Soft).

    The 4.361 kilometre track is named in honour of Gilles Villeneuve and features six lefthand corners and eight to the right and it has one of the lowest average speeds of the season.
    Stability under braking and traction coming out of the chicanes and the slowest corners, which include the hairpin leading onto a very long straight.

    Unlike the previous race weekend in Monaco, overtaking here is possible, especially at the end of the straight leading to the final chicane, the exit to which features the “Wall of Champions” thus named after three world champions, Damon Hill, Michael Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve, all ended their races there in 1999, crashing into the wall on the outside of the turn.

    The entire track has been resurfaced for this year and the kerbs have been replaced. On paper, the track’s existing characteristics of low abrasiveness and therefore reduced grip should remain the same.
    For most of the year, the track is only used by people on foot or cyclists and so lap times generally drop significantly as the cars rubber-in the surface.

    Setting a quick time in qualifying involves getting very close to the barriers and walls, while making the best use of the kerbs, so it’s also important for the driver to do as many laps as possible to gain confidence.

    In last years race, all three dry compounds came into play with a mix of strategies with some drivers, including the three who finished on the podium, going for a two-stop while others pitted just the once.
    They also have to take into consideration that the Safety Car is a frequent visitor and that a longer first stint therefore offers the best chance of minimising time lost changing tyres.

  • Perez signs two year contract extension

    Sergio Perez will continue as a Red Bull Racing driver through the 2026 season after the Milton Keynes team confirmed a multi-year extension to the Mexican’s contract.

    Perez’s existing deal – which he signed in 2022 – was set to expire at the end of this season, but Red Bull have moved to keep him onboard for at least the next two seasons.

    It comes amid a particularly busy driver market, with most outfits yet to confirm their full driver line-ups and plenty of conversations taking place behind the scenes.

    Perez, will be extending his stay at Red Bull into a landmark fifth season and beyond having joined the squad from Racing Point – which is now Aston Martin – back in 2021.
    Since then Perez has taken five Grand Prix victories – spread across 2021, 2022 and 2023 and bagged three pole positions, claimed over the latter two years.

    The Mexican finished a career-best second behind teammate Max Verstappen in the championship last season, helping Red Bull achieve a maiden one-two result alongside the constructors’ title.

    Perez currently sits fifth in the standings after eight of this season’s 24 rounds, behind Verstappen, the two Ferrari drivers and McLaren’s Lando Norris, while Red Bull lead the Scuderia by 24 points in the constructors’ battle.

    I am really happy to commit my future to this great team. It is a challenge like no other racing for Oracle Red Bull Racing, both on track and off track. I am delighted to be staying here to continue our journey together and contribute to this team’s great history for two more years. Being part of the team is an immense challenge, and one I love. We have a great challenge this year and I have full trust in the whole team that the future is bright here and I am excited to be part of it. I want to thank everyone for all the trust they are putting in me, it is a lot and I want to pay it back with excellent results on track, and off track. I think we have a lot of work to do, we have a lot more championships to win together.
    Perez on the news.

    Now is an important time to confirm our line-up for 2025 and we are very pleased to continue working together with Checo. Continuity and stability are important for the team and both Checo and Max are a successful and robust partnership, securing our first ever one-two finish for the team in the championship last year. Checo has had a strong start to 2024 with second places in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Japan and then his podium in China. The past few races have been tough, there is convergence on the grid, but we are confident in Checo and look forward to his return to proven form and performance, that we so often see. Last year was a unicorn season and we will need to work hard to retain our titles, but we are assured in our line-up and with the team as a whole, which is imperative in what is shaping up to be a close fought championship this year.
    Horner on the news.

  • Ocon to leave Alpine

    Esteban Ocon and Alpine will be parting ways at the end of the 2024 Formula 1 season, ending a five-year relationship.

    Ocon first joined the Enstone-based team in 2020 where he went on to achieve his and Alpine’s first Grand Prix win when he triumphed in the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix..

    He picked up two further podiums – at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix and 2023 Monaco Grand Prix – and achieved a best year-end finish of eighth in 2022.

    However, Alpine boss Bruno Famin has been considering the options for his 2025 driver line-up in recent months and the French manufacturer has decided not to renew Ocon’s contract.

    Alpine have said they will announce their 2025 line-up in “due course” while Ocon who will be racing for Alpine for the remainder of the season – said he would confirm his future “soon”.

    The news comes after a difficult race weekend for Alpine in Monaco, when Ocon collided with Pierre Gasly on the first lap, earning him a five-place grid penalty for this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix.
    But sources say that the decision to part ways with Ocon was not a response to the Monaco clash as his future had been under discussion for a while, however naturally, such an incident did not help the situation.

    It’s been a significant period of my life to be racing at this team in Formula 1. While I’ve been here for five years as a full-time racing driver, my professional career started at Enstone back when I was a teenager, so it will always be a special place for me. We have had some great moments together, some tough moments as well, and I am certainly grateful to everyone at the team for these memorable times. I will announce my plans very soon but, in the meantime, my full focus is on delivering on track for this team and having a successful remainder of the season.
    Ocon on the news.

    We would like to firstly thank Esteban for his commitment to the team for the past five years. During his time, we have celebrated some fantastic moments together, the best of which coming at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix with a memorable race win. We still have 16 races to complete in 2024 together with a clear objective: to continue to work tirelessly as a team to push for the best on-track results. We wish Esteban the very best for the next chapter of his driving career when that moment comes.
    Bruno Famin, Team Principal.

  • RW 8 – Monaco

    Round 8 out of 24 is complete, and we had a different winner this season!

    Charles Leclerc has finally taken his victory in the Monaco Grand Prix, having enjoyed a mostly serene drive to P1 in front of his home crowd. He led home McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in P2 and his teammate Carlos Sainz rounding out the top three.

    The red flags were thrown before the first lap of the iconic event had even been completed after a huge collision which involved 3 cars!

    But before we get into that the full top 10 are- P1: Leclerc, P2: Piastri, P3: Sainz, P4: Norris, P5: Russell, P6: Verstappen, P7: Hamilton, P8: Tsunoda, P9: Albon and P10: Gasly.

    A VERY good result for Ferrari, Charles finally done it! He kept it cool calm and collected to secure this very needed win! A fab result for Ferrari in general as Sainz finished 3rd, a really good points haul for the team, they will be looking to do the same quite a few more times this year.

    The same goes to McLaren a very good result, Oscar getting his first podium this year in P2, and Norris in P4, a good points haul again for the team.

    Max Verstappen finished 6th, not a thrilling race from the world champion, but then again what else did we expect from Monaco… The Dutchman will be looking forward to the next race after this horrible weekend.
    Now onto his teammate, Perez had a shocker in qualifying so would of wanted to at least have a decent race… well he didn’t, he was involved on the lap 1 incident which saw him being tagged by Magnussen up the inside, before he ricochet across the track and then collecting Hulkenberg back past.
    This put all three drivers out of the race immediately, all drivers were okay thankfully. But Perez will also be looking forwards to the next race weekend as well.

    A decent result for Mercedes, both cars in the top 10 and finishing where they started so not a bad result at all for the team.

    First points of the season for Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly! It was touch and go with the Alpine at the beginning of the race due to have a dramatic collision with his teammate, as Ocon tried to overtake him, which caused the driver to bounce into the air following contact, who then later retired.

    Now we have a little wait till the next race, the next grand prix weekend is the 7th – 9th June and it’s the Canadian Grand Prix!

  • RW 8 – Monaco Qualifying

    Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc charged his way to a wonderful pole position for the Monaco Grand Prix with a stunning display on home soil.
    He managed to get the better of McLaren rival Oscar Piastri and Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz in the all important grid deciding session.

    Leclerc avoided any slip-ups to safely make it through Q1 and Q2 before he unleashed his full potential in Q3.

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

    A great result for Ferrari! A Pole and a third, they will be looking to grab the win tomorrow, especially as it’s Leclerc’s home race, so they are probably hoping to break the Monaco curse.

    The same goes to McLaren a 2nd and 4th! Qualifying around Monaco is always important, as it pretty much gives the finishing position for the race without strategies coming into play. So McLaren will want to be on their pit-stops and strategies tomorrow to see if they can secure their second win this season.

    A decent result for Mercedes too, the team have definitely made an improvement as George starts 5th and Lewis in 7th. Lewis has pretty much been on the pace all weekend aswell, so it’s looking like a hopeful turn round for the Mercedes team.

    A bit of a shocker for Verstappen and Sergio Perez, the Dutchman starts P6, which means his consecutive 8 poles in a row has stopped at that for now. Perez qualified 18th but will be starting 16th due to both Haas’s getting disqualified. Not a good weekend at all for Perez, it’s very unlikely he will be scoring points tomorrow.

    A good result for both Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly both drivers getting into Q3 and hoping to score their first points of the season!

    Both Aston Martins didn’t have the best qualifying, Alonso out in Q1 and Stroll out in Q2, the Silverstone based team have dropped down the order quite a bit compared to last season where Fernando Alonso started 2nd.

  • F3 drivers join McLaren Driver Development programme

    McLaren have announced that two more drivers are joining their development programme – Alex Dunne and Martinius Stenshorne.
    Both currently race in Formula 3, Dunne for MP Motorsport and Stenshorne for Hitech Pulse-Eight.

    Dunne impressed McLaren when he won the 2022 British F4 Championship with Hitech Grand Prix, with the 18 year old from Ireland also put in an eye-catching performance in Bahrain earlier this year securing his first F3 points.

    Norwegian Stenshorne comes for a rallying background and was a prolific karter in his junior days, and has already tasted victory in F3 with a Sprint race win in Australia.

    McLaren’s Driver Development programme was established in 2022, and funnels young talent towards F1, Formula E and IndyCar.

    McLaren have a history of developing and promoting young talent – notably very happy to advance both Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris to F1, with both drivers going straight into the sharp end of the grid.

    We’re pleased to announce that Alex and Martinius have joined our Driver Development programme. They are both exciting and promising young talents within motorsport, with proven records on track in their respective junior categories including this season’s FIA Formula 3 Championship. The entire team is looking forward to welcoming Alex and Martinius to the McLaren family and we’ll be working closely to support their development within our talent pipeline.
    Stephanie Carlin, Director of F1 Business Operations – who runs the junior programme.

    It’s an honour to join the McLaren Driver Development programme. I’m looking forward to getting started with the team. McLaren provides the perfect environment for me to develop my skillset as I continue my journey in motorsport. I’m grateful for Zak [Brown] and Stephanie’s support and I’m excited to meet the rest of the team at MTC.
    Dunne on the news.

    I’m incredibly excited to join the McLaren Driver Development programme, it’s an honour to now be part of the McLaren family. The team has a great history of developing talent, so I’m looking forward to growing with the team and learning from their expertise as I continue on my journey towards the top of motorsport. Thank you to Zak, Stephanie and the entire team for their faith in me, I can’t wait to get started.
    Stenshorne adding to the news.

  • RW 8 – Tyre Selection

    The Monaco Grand Prix is one of the classics on the Formula 1 calendar and this year it reaches am impressive milestones as its the 70th edition of the race!

    As usual, Pirelli choice of slick tyre compounds falls to the three softest available this year, which means the C3 (Hard), C4 (Medium) and C5 (Soft),
    As is generally the case on street circuits the track has a particularly smooth surface, given it is in daily use for road cars so the tyres must provide as much grip as possible.

    In Monaco, the tyres are subjected to some of the lowest forces of the whole season as the average speed over the 3.337 kilometre-long track is very slow with some corners taken at less than 50 km/h, while the cars are only at full throttle for 30% of the lap.

    On a track where the margin for error is pretty much non-existent, one factor which affects how quickly a driver’s lap times come down is the confidence they gradually gain, regardless of how well they know the track, as they tackle its 19 corners and all the other hazards it harbours.

    The driver must work towards finding the best lines, getting ever close to the barriers, often brushing them with the shoulder of the tyres. The skill is in doing this without breaking anything on the car and it is the key to securing a good grid position. Which is essential in a race where overtaking is pretty much impossible, even when there is a performance gap between cars that can run into seconds.

    On a track like this, an appearance from the Safety Car is almost inevitable with past experience rating it at 77% probable, on average almost twice per races. Although curiously, last year’s race ran smoothly with no neutralisation periods.

  • McLaren unveil Senna inspired livery

    McLaren will run a vibrant one-off Ayrton Senna-inspired yellow, green and blue full wrap livery at this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix.

    The livery takes inspiration from Senna’s iconic helmet and is designed to celebrate the Brazilian’s “incredible racing legacy”.

    Three-time world champion Senna is McLaren’s most successful driver, racing for the British operation between 1988 and 1993 – during which time, he secured 35 of his 41 Grand Prix wins, plus three drivers’ titles and four constructors’ championships.

    McLaren chose Monaco as the Monte Carlo track has become synonymous with Senna, the Brazilian – who passed away 30 years ago – winning six times in the Principality, including five times in a row from 1989.
    The race will come a week after a weekend at Imola that saw Senna, and Austrian driver Roland Ratzenberger’s lives celebrated three decades on from their fatal accidents at the track.

    In Monaco, the McLaren team will also wear Senna-inspired team kit for the weekend, with race drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri wearing bespoke overalls.

    The livery is a collaboration with Senna Global and McLaren’s partner OKX.

    The team is proud to recognise and celebrate the extraordinary life and racing legacy of Ayrton Senna through this McLaren livery. Senna remains revered and respected as Formula 1’s greatest icon, and McLaren’s most decorated driver. His impact on McLaren is enormous, not only through his racing record but also presence within the team, and now his legacy, so it’s an honour to race for him at his most successful circuit in his green, yellow and blue colours. With it being the 30th anniversary of his passing, the team are choosing to recognise and celebrate his life at one of his favourite and most successful places to race, Monaco. We look forward to racing in this vibrant and beautiful livery this weekend.
    Zak Brown, McLaren CEO.

    It’s an honour to recognise Ayrton through these liveries in collaboration with both McLaren Racing and McLaren Automotive. It’s a fantastic way to celebrate his life and legacy through his iconic colours on both cars. McLaren meant a lot to him, and together they achieved a lot of success, much of which he is still remembered for today by so many. It will be special to see it race the streets of Monaco, a circuit which gave him so much joy and many triumphs.
    Senna’s niece Bianca Senna of Senna Global.

  • Ferrari sign former Mercedes duo

    Jerome d’Ambrosio will be joining Ferrari as their Deputy Team Principal after departing his role as head of Mercedes’ young driver programme.

    Reporting directly into team boss Fred Vasseur, D’Ambrosio will make the same move that Lewis Hamilton is set to make next year – from Brackley to Maranello – while D’Ambrosio will also take on the role of Head of the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy.

    Born in Belgium in 1985, D’Ambrosio was a successful racing driver up until 2020, as he notched up a win in GP2 and three in Formula E, along with 20 F1 Grands Prix appearances from 2011 to 2012 for Virgin Racing and Lotus.

    Before he joined Mercedes in 2023 as their Driver Development Director, D’Ambrosio had also been Team Principal for Venturi Racing in Formula E.

    Joining him in swapping Mercedes for Ferrari is the Silver Arrows’ performance director Loic Serra, who will take on the role of Head of Chassis Performance Engineering for the Scuderia. Both are due to take on their new roles at Ferrari on October 1st this year.

    Serra, who will be reporting to Ferrari’s Technical Director Enrioc Cardile, will oversee various areas in his role at Maranello, including Track Engineering, Aero Development, Aero Operations and Vehicle Performance.
    As well as his experience at Mercedes, he has also worked for Michelin and the former BMW-Sauber team.

  • RW 7 – Emilia-Romagna

    Max Verstappen has returned to winning ways by taking victory in the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, with the Dutchman holding off a late charge from McLaren’s Lando Norris.

    A thrilling end to the event ensued as Norris continued to cut into Verstappen’s advantage, but a snap of oversteer seemed to take further life out of the McLaren’s tyres, allowing the Red Bull to hold onto P1 by just 0.725s as the chequered flag was waved.

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

    What a result for McLaren, off the back of Lando’s win the other week in Miami, to then be challenging for another win and coming home with P2 is not bad at all! It makes you think if Piastri didn’t have the 3 place grid drop would he of got McLaren’s first double podium of the year?

    Obviously a very good result for Max after a tough weekend, even after qualifying the car wasn’t 100% where he would like it but he made the most of it.
    A bit of a poor race from Perez, obviously he started P11, and finished P8, it’s a hard track to over take on so he knew from the beginning of the race it wasn’t going to be easy.

    A good result for Ferrari on home turf, P3 and P5, I think we all expected much more from them in the race, but they didn’t have a terrible day so they will take it as a win two very good points positions with decent strategies aswell.

    A decent result for Mercedes! P6 for Lewis and P7 for Russell, as well as an extra point for fastest lap. Obviously the upgrades they’ve brought this weekend have improved the car a little bit but we will have to wait and see fully at another track!

    Points for Tsunoda!! His fourth time scoring points this season, the Japanese driver sits 10th in the Drivers’ standings so far.

    Not a good result for Aston Martin at all, especially for Fernando Alonso. He spent pretty much all afternoon at the back of the pack after a challenging qualifying. He then retired his Aston Martin in the latter stages of the race.

    Now we don’t have to wait too long for the next race, as it’s only next week and we head to one of the classics! The Monaco Grand Prix is Round 8, will it be Max Verstappen or can McLaren and Ferrari take home another win?

  • RW 7 – Emilia-Romagna Qualifying

    Max Vertappen added to his run of pole positions by claiming P1 on the grid for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, with the Dutchman narrowly triumphing over his rivals with an unbeatable lap in Imola.

    Verstappen first set a strong benchmark during the initial runs of Q3 and then improved even further during his final effort, pumping in a time of 1m14.746s in the Red Bull.
    This put him 0.074s clear of Australian driver, Oscar Piastri – who has now been penalised with a 3 place grid drop for impeding the Haas of Kevin Magnussen – and McLaren teammate Lando Norris in third.

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

    A very good result for McLaren P2 and P3 effectively, but even with Oscar’s penalty it is still a very good result, and they will want this going into the race, and challenge for the win again and maybe get a podium too.

    Ferrari have some pace too, P4 and P5 for Leclerc and Sainz, all they need now is a good strategy in the race and they could be fighting for podiums.

    A decent result for Mercedes! P6 for Russell and P8 for Hamilton, which is roughly where they thought they would be. The team will be wanting to score some points today as they are trailing behind in the constructors compared to last year.

    A very good result for RB! Both Tsunoda and Ricciardo in the top 10 with there upgrades clearly working, now they will be wanting to capitalise on their performance and grab some all important points!

    A shock in qualifying was Sergio Perez, not making Q3! He didn’t manage to improve on his final lap in Q2, which means the Red Bull driver has a lot of work to do in the race…

    Another shock I’d say is Fernando Alonso out in Q1! He will be lining up P19, so far this weekend the Spaniard has had a shocker of a weekend! It will be interesting to see what he can do in the race.