Jordan's Track Talk

Tag: Mercedes

  • F1 Academy – RND 6 Day 2 & 3

    Day 2-
    Qualifying-

    Mercedes backed Doriane Pin secured double pole in qualifying, meaning she will start first in both races across the penultimate 2024 F1 Academy weekend.

    Alongside her on both front rows will be her PREMA Racing teammate, Ferrari’s Maya Weug, with Alpine’s Abbi Pulling have to settle for third across the two events as she chases down the Drivers’ title.

    After a delayed start to the session due to barrier repairs from an earlier event, Qualifying got underway with just 23 minutes available.

    Pin who was quickest in both Free Practice sessions on Friday, set the first representative time of the session to go top of the timesheets with a 1:55.998.
    However, it didn’t take long for Weug to beat that with a 1:55.779 with the two PREMA teammates going back and forth with the fastest times.

    As Pin found herself quickest once again, Standings’ leader Pulling tried to add to her tally of seven pole positions this season.

    Several drivers found themselves testing the limits of the circuit layout, with the likes of Haas’ Chloe Chambers driving through the gravel traps, Bianca Bustamante losing the rear of her McLaren into Turns 13 and 14 and Block experienced a spin.

    However in the end it was Pin who finished on top as she set a blistering final lap of 1:55.267, going purple in the first sector and improving on her own best time.

    Race 1-

    Abbi Pulling has secured the 2024 F1 Academy title in Qatar, despite Mercedes’ Doriane Pin claiming a dominant victory from pole position in Race 1.

    Pin had been unstoppable so far this weekend, topping every session before delivering a brilliant win in the desert in an attempt to keep her own title hopes alive.
    However, it wasn’t enough to stop Pulling from claiming the Drivers’ title with the Briton’s second place putting it out of mathematical reach.

    Pole-sitter Pin managed to hold her lead over the pack behind on the approach into Turn 1. Behind her, there was a brilliant battle for second place unfolding between Maya Weug and Pulling, as the Alpine racer managed to find a space past.

    Hamda Al Qubaisi was also on a charge at the start and made up a position from fifth, while F1 Academy Wild Card Alisha Palmowski also moved up a spot on her race debut.

    By the start of the third lap, Pin had pulled out a 1.5s gap to Pulling and continued to extend her lead lap by lap, whilst Weug dropped further off the Brit’s tail in third.

    Bustamante had an eventful outing with the McLaren driver finding the gravel on multiple occasions during the race, including at Turn 12 at the start with two big snaps of oversteer.
    She would also bring out some brief yellow flags during the final few laps as she spun out after getting her wheels in the gravel between Turn 4 and 5.

    Meanwhile attentions turned to the front as the race entered its final laps. “You have a four second gap behind so just bring it home” Pulling was told by her Rodin Motorsport team, as Pin drove off into the distance.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Pin, P2: Pulling, P3: Weug, P4: H Al Qubaisi, P5: Palmowski, P6: Block, P7: Edgar, P8: Marti, P9: Nobels and P10: De Heus.

    Day 3-

    Due to extended barrier repairs at the Lusail International Circuit, the race was cancelled.

    As a result, no points will be awarded for the race. However, Doriane Pin will receive the two points for pole position.

  • RW 22 – Las Vegas

    Max Verstappen became a four-time world champion with an assured drive to fifth place during Saturday night’s Las Vegas Grand Prix, while pole sitter, George Russell and the charging Lewis Hamilton earned a one-two finish for Mercedes!

    Verstappen entered the 50 lap encounter knowing that all he needed to do was keep title rival Lando Norris behind him to secure another title, which the Dutchman achieved by holding position into the first corner and gradually pulled away from the British driver.

    Having held a podium spot after the second round of pit stops, Verstappen opted against a fight when the Ferrari’s arrived at the rear of his Red Bull in the closing laps – both Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc finding a way past before the chequered flag.

    At the front, Russell expertly managed a tricky race in cool, slippery conditions, keeping a fast-starting Leclerc at bay in the early laps – the latter running into tyre troubles as a result of that aggression – and controlling proceedings thereafter.

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

    What a result for Mercedes, 1-2 for the team!! Coming into the weekend I would’ve been surprised however because they’ve had a very strong weekend it wasn’t too much of a shock.
    George kept his cool and grabbed the win from pole position and Lewis just had a superb drive from P10 to P2, it does make you think if he had qualified well, could he of got this win?
    An overall note though from the race is that the Mercs were just flying and no-one could really challenge them so it will be interesting to see if this happens again in the final two races…

    A very good result for Ferrari especially with the battle of the Constructors’ Championship still to win. Sainz finished 3rd and Leclerc 4th! There was a few words said after the race from Leclerc with the radio message. It will be interesting to see how the team goes forward with two races left.

    P5 for Verstappen, I think in an ideal world he would’ve loved to win the race and claim his fourth Championship. However, he got it done with two races left! A big congratulations to Max and Red Bull for a fourth consecutive Drivers’ Championship it’s not an easy task!
    His teammate had made some good overtakes in the race to finish 10th so his managed to score a point, but it’s still very dissapointing.

    A not so good weekend for McLaren, they were kind of nowhere, didn’t really do anything amazing as the pace just wasn’t there. Norris finished 6th and Piastri in 7th, so still a decent haul of points but still not good enough.

    A very good result for both Hulkenberg who finished in P8 and Tsunoda who finished P9, it will help the teams massively in the Constructors’ and with two races left they will be trying to grab as many points as they can.

    A disappointing race for Pierre Gasly, as he DNF’ed from starting P3. He had smoke exiting the rear of his pink Alpine, he was forced to pit lane and retire from the race.

    We don’t have too long to wait till the next race as its this week! And it is the return of the Sprint in Qatar…

  • RW 22 – Las Vegas Qualifying

    Mercedes driver George Russell, stormed to pole position for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, edging out Ferrari rival Carlos Sainz and the flying Alpine of Pierre Gasly in Friday night’s pulsating qualifying session.

    Having topped final practice and led the way after the first Q3 runs, Russell posted a time of 1m 32.312s on his final lap to secure the top spot and end a run of Ferrari and McLaren poles stretching back to his P1 at Silverstone in July.

    Sainz was a tenth of a second back, while Pierre Gasly and Alpine built on their sensational double podium finish last time out at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix to deliver another eye-catching result in third place.

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

    A lovely little result for Russell and Mercedes, especially as they have been having good results all weekend so far in the practice sessions. It’s a shame for Lewis to have a lap time deleted as it looked like he would of been top 3 if he carried on the way the practice sessions went.

    What a result for Mr Pierre Gasly!! They have clearly brought upgrades before Brazil and they clearly work or it’s just their car suiting these last few tracks. Who knows but they may aswell keep enjoying it!

    A good qualifying for Ferrari! P2 for Sainz and P4 for Leclerc. They will be hoping for a good result for both drivers as they have got the Constructors’ fight to think about..

    A not so good result for both Verstappen and Norris, P5 and P6 respectively. It will be an interesting race, as Verstappen can win his fourth world championship this weekend! Norris will need to pull something special out the bag in the race to keep the fight going for another week!

    A good result for Tsunoda! P7, what a lovely result! As well as Hulkenberg who qualified P9 too, they will both be wanting to grab some points this weekend!

    A disappointing result for Perez who has qualified in P16, this isn’t what the team needs unfortunately, they are going to be losing so much ground in the Constructors’ with these awful results… He needs to get in the points this weekend to make it a better weekend.

    Awful qualifying for Aston Martin, P20 for Stroll and P17 for Alonso, I still don’t understand to this day how they done so well last year compared to how bad they’ve done this year, it’s just so strange.

    It feels incredible to be back on pole. We’ve been so quick all weekend and I just knew coming into that last Q3 lap… that’s going to be the one that counts. It doesn’t matter what’s happened before then. I had a bit of a moment on my first run and we had to change the front wing, so there was a moment when I thought we weren’t going to make the flag. I’m just so happy. We’ve got to do some deep diving to understand why we’ve been so quick so far this weekend because it was a real surprise.
    Russell on pole.

  • Antonelli to drive in FP1 session in Mexico

    Mercedes junior, and next year’s replacement for Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Antonelli, will get back behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car as he takes part in his second FP1 session of the season in Mexico.

    The 18 year old Italian will take over Hamilton’s W15 in Mexico City, having also driven on Friday at Monza in September.
    However, the session in Italy came to an early end as a high-speed crash saw him put his borrowed car into the Monza wall just minutes into his debut.

    The crash had no bearing on Mercedes’ decision to promote the youngster, with Antonelli confirmed as Hamilton’s replacement at the Silver Arrows the very next day.

    Antonelli is currently competing in Formula 2, where so far he has took two wins and 3 podiums, he currently sits sixth in the drivers’ championship with two rounds to go!

    FIA regulations state all F1 drivers must sit out one FP1 each season for a rookie who has no more than two Grand Prix starts.

    I’m looking forward to driving in FP1 and playing my part in helping the team make a good start on track this weekend. It is a new circuit for me and one I have been working hard to prepare for. The altitude makes it unique and it’s a challenge I’m excited to experience. I want to thank the team for giving me this opportunity to contribute.
    Antonelli on the outing.

  • Mercedes unveil special one-off livery

    Mercedes have unveiled a special livery that will adorn the W15 during the Singapore Grand Prix this weekend, featuring shades of green in place of the team’s traditional silver colours.

    It is to mark the 50th anniversary of the squad’s technical and title partner PETRONAS, the company’s emerald green will replace most of the silver on the car’s front wing and sidepods.

    With the PETRONAS headquarters based in Kuala Lumpur in the neighbouring Malaysia, Mercedes opted to mark the milestone as F1 heads to the Marina Bay Street Circuit.

    The new look has earned praise from lewis Hamilton and George Russell, with both drivers looking forward to racing with the one-off livery under the lights.

    After the race weekend, Wolff, Hamilton and Russell will travel to Kuala Lumpur to continue the celebrations.

    Our partnership with PETRONAS is our longest standing and still going strong, and for any company to reach its 50th anniversary is an incredible milestone. Our partnership with PETRONAS is our longest standing and still going strong, and for any company to reach its 50th anniversary is an incredible milestone,
    Wolff on the livery.

  • Antonelli confirmed for 2025

    Mercedes have officially announced that Andrea Kimi Antonelli will be George Russell’s team mate for 2025, with the Italian stepping up from F2 to replace Ferrari bound Lewis Hamilton.

    The Silver Arrows have been mulling the identity of who would race for them next season after Hamilton told them he was leaving at the end of the season to join Ferrari.

    But on the eve of the Italian Grand Prix and just a day after Antonelli, 18, made his FP1 debut with the team at his home event in Monza, they announced the news.

    Antonelli has had a stellar junior career, as he rapidly climbed through the ranks. After winning the ADAC and Italian F4 titles in 2022 and Formula Regional European Championship in 2023, the Mercedes junior skipped F3 and entered Formula 2 with PREMA this season.

    He has won two races and currently lies 6th in the championship. The 18 year old has dovetailed competing in F2 with a testing programme in old-spec F1 machinery with Mercedes.

    In stepping up to F1, it now means both drivers in Mercedes’ 2025 line-up have graduated from their junior programme – with Russell set for his fourth season with the Silver Arrows having joined the junior squad in 2017.

    The Italian is expected to get another run for Mercedes in FP1 this year, with the team considering doing it in Mexico.

    It is an amazing feeling to be announced as a Mercedes works driver alongside George for 2025. Reaching F1 is a dream I’ve had since I was a small boy; I want to thank the team for the support they’ve given me in my career so far and the faith they’ve shown in me. I am still learning a lot, but I feel ready for the opportunity. I will be focused on getting better and delivering the best possible results for the team. I’m also really excited to become George’s team-mate. He came through the team’s junior programme just like myself and is someone I have a huge amount of respect for. He is super-fast, a multiple Grand Prix winner, and has already helped me improve as a driver. I am looking forward to learning from him and working together to deliver on track.
    Antonelli on the news.

    Our 2025 driver line-up combines experience, talent, youth and out-and-out raw speed. We are excited about what George and Kimi bring to the team both as individual drivers, but also as a partnership. Our new line-up is perfect to open the next chapter in our story. It is also a testament to the strength of our junior programme and our belief in home-grown talent. George has proved that he is one of the very best drivers in the world. He is not only fast, consistent, and determined, but has also developed into a strong leader within the team. Kimi has consistently shown the talent and speed needed to compete at the very top of our sport. We know it will be another big step up, but he has impressed us in his F1 testing this year and we will be supporting him every step of the way in the learning process. In George, he has an experienced team-mate from which he can learn and hone his craft. I am confident that both will contribute greatly as we continue to build momentum and fight at the front of the field.
    Toto Wolff on the junior driver stepping up.

    I’m really excited to be partnering with Kimi for 2025. His record in junior formula has been formidable and his promotion is truly deserved. He’s a fantastic young talent and a fellow graduate of our junior programme. I look forward to using the experience I’ve gained from my own journey to provide guidance to Kimi as he makes the step up to F1. I know how much of a support Lewis was for me throughout my time as a junior driver and since I’ve been his team-mate. I’ve learned so much from him and I hope to play a similar role for Kimi. As a team, we’re building a lot of positive momentum heading into next year. We continue to make progress on track and are working hard to put all the pieces in place to fight for world championships. It is a really exciting journey we are on; I am confident Kimi and I can continue to push the team forward and help deliver on the promise we are showing.
    Russell on the news.

  • Antonelli to make F1 debut with FP1 outing

    Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has confirmed that protege Kimi Antonelli will be making his Formula 1 weekend debut on home soil at the upcoming Italian Grand Prix, with the youngster being handed a practice run.

    Formula 2 racer Antonelli, who turned 18 on Sunday, has been widely tipped to replace Lewis Hamilton as George Russell’s team mate from the 2025 campaign, though Mercedes are yet to formally announce their plans.

    What Wolff has now confirmed, however, is that their junior driver will be given a chance to appear for Mercedes during Friday’s first practice session at Monza next weekend, as one of the two outings teams are required to fulfil each season.

    It comes amid a rapid rise for Antonelli, who has impressed on the junior scene via successive titles in Italian F4, ADAC F4, Formula Regional Middle East and Formula Regional European over the last two years.

    He is currently competing in F2, where with a solid run of early-season points finishes paved the way for breakthrough Sprint and Feature Race victories at the recent Silverstone and Hungaroring rounds.

  • Who is Andrea Kimi Antonelli?

    Andrea Kimi Antonelli has been brought into a lot of conversations the past couple of months, so shall we spread some light on who he is?

    Mercedes protege, Kimi Antonelli has been the talk of the Formula 1 paddock since the Miami GP – with some suggesting his arrival in the sport is imminent while others say there’s no rush.

    The Italian driver is the reigning Formula Regional European champion, backed by Mercedes, who has performed so strongly that he has skipped F3 and gone straight to F2 this season with Prema.

    Alongside his F2 duties, Mercedes have carefully crafted a Formula 1 acclimatisation programme for Antonelli, which began with a run in a 2021-spec Mercedes in Austria and was then followed up with a run in the 2022 Mercedes at Imola.

    Several more tests are planned across the year, with the focus on getting the 17 year old plenty of mileage in F1 machinery to prepare him as best as they can for a step up to F1 at some point.

    Mercedes do not want to rush Antonelli into Formula 1 and risk damaging a talent so good, he has been likened to Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton at this stage of his career.

    However, things have changed since Hamilton told Mercedes he was leaving a year earlier than planned to join Ferrari.
    This then forced the Silver Arrows to consider the possibility of bringing Antonelli into F1 at least a year earlier than they had ever contemplated.

    Then in Miami, the prospect of Antonelli making his debut in Formula 1 this season was raised when it emerged that governing body the FIA had received a request to give the Italian – who already has the 40 Super Licence points to race in F1 – dispensation to race in the championship before he turns 18 which he will do on August 25th of this year.

    There was rumours for the Italian to be brought in halfway through this season but for Williams and Logan Sargeant if he isn’t performing.
    But Mercedes priority will be to stick to the plan with Antonelli and prepare him properly and then guide him into Formula 1 and nurture what could be an incredible talent.

    How do you think Antonelli will get on for his first possible year in F1?

    Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy and PREMA Racing walks in the Paddock during previews ahead of Round 9 Budapest of the Formula 2 Championship at...

  • RW 14 – Belgium

    Lewis Hamilton has won the Belgian Grand Prix after team mate George Russell, who had originally come home in first, was disqualified following the race for an underweight car.

    The Mercedes duo had engaged in a thrilling late chase, with two-stopper Hamilton charging down his one-stopping team mate, but he was unable to pass on track for the victory, with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri finishing third.

    However, following the conclusion of the Grand Prix, a technical delegate’s report stated that Russell’s car had been found to be underweight, with the matter referred to the stewards.
    The Brit was subsequently disqualified from the results with Mercedes acknowledging a “genuine error” by the team.

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

    Obviously gutting for George Russell, he did a wonderful drive and made a very good call for the one-stop. But sometimes this is racing… So Lewis now inherits the win, which he did somewhat deserve, he led quite a bit of the race, it makes the Brit the second driver to win two races so far this season!

    A very good race for Piastri, he stuck with the Mercedes duo quite a bit during the race. He did overshoot his pitbox, which meant he lost a couple of seconds doing so, so it makes you think, what if he didn’t would the Australian be celebrating his second win?

    And Leclerc, a very good race for him, unlucky for the Monegasque not to get the win, but he and the team should be very happy with the 3rd place. Sainz, didn’t have the best race he finished 6th but he seemed like he lost time if anything as Leclerc had pace?

    An okay race for Verstappen, again he didn’t really make any massive steps forward apart from the start where he climbed a couple of places. The same also goes for his teammate, he finished P7 after starting P2, this isn’t good for the Mexican as he really needed to be on the podium this race to prove he should be in the Red Bull, so time will only tell what happens next…

    A decent race for Alonso, back in the points again, which is probably is exactly what the Spanish driver would want going into the summer break.

    Now, we have a bit of a wait for the next race, as it is the summer break which means we are not racing for quite a few weeks. But we are back on the 23rd to 25th August for Round 15 of 24 which is the Dutch Grand Prix.

  • RW 12 – Silverstone

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • RW 12 – Silverstone Qualifying

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • 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 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…

  • 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.

  • Hamilton makes shock move from Mercedes to Ferrari for 2025

    Lewis Hamilton, seven-time F1 World Champion will be making a sensational switch from Mercedes to Ferrari next year on a multi-year contract.

    Hamilton has raced for the Silver Arrows since the 2013 season and has won six of his seven world titles with the team, adding to the crown he achieved at McLaren earlier in his career.

    Not only this, but he re-committed to Mercedes last summer, signing a new deal to keep him aboard through 2025, but he used the release clause which has allowed him to move to the Italian team.

    Hamilton’s decision comes after two challenging seasons for the Brackley squad, who have struggled to adapt to F1’s latest ground effect era and have dropped behind Red Bull in the pecking order.

    It means Hamilton will link up with Charles Leclerc, who recently agreed an extension with the Scuderia “beyond 2024” while Carlos Sainz will have to make way at the end of this year.

    I have had an amazing 11 years with this team [Mercedes] and I’m so proud of what we have achieved together. Mercedes has been part of my life since I was 13 years old. It’s a place where I have grown up, so making the decision to leave was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make. But the time is right for me to take this step and I’m excited to be taking on a new challenge. I will be forever grateful for the incredible support of my Mercedes family, especially Toto for his friendship and leadership and I want to finish on a high together. I am 100% committed to delivering the best performance I can this season and making my last year with the Silver Arrows, one to remember.

    Lewis Hamilton on the news.

    In terms of a team-driver pairing, our relationship with Lewis has become the most successful the sport has seen, and that’s something we can look back on with pride; Lewis will always be an important part of Mercedes motorsport history. However, we knew our partnership would come to a natural end at some point, and that day has now come. We accept Lewis’s decision to seek a fresh challenge, and our opportunities for the future are exciting to contemplate. But for now, we still have one season to go, and we are focused on going racing to deliver a strong 2024.

    Toto Wolff, Mercedes Team Principal and CEO.

    Following today’s news, Scuderia Ferrari and myself will part ways at the end of 2024. We still have a long season ahead of us and, like always, I will give my absolute best for the team and for the Tifosi all around the world. News about my future will be announced in due course.

    Carlos Sainz on leaving Ferrari.

  • W15

    Mercedes became the penultimate team to launch for 2024 by revealing their new F1 car with a new livery.

    After McLaren showed an online presentation of their 2024 car, Mercedes posted digital renders of the W15 on their social media, with an on track shakedown after.

    Mercedes joined McLaren on track at Silverstone for some initial running with their new car before heading off to Bahrain for pre-season testing next week.

    The team will be hoping to take a step forward in 2024 in what will be Lewis Hamilton’s final season with the team.
    He will again be joined by George Russell as his teammate, with the Brit entering his third campaign as a Silver Arrows driver.

    After a difficult 2022 season amid the introduction of the new ground effect era in the sport, Mercedes initially stuck with their car concept entering into 2023.
    However, when their issues continued last season, the team started on what they called a “period of renewal”, which should put them in a new direction.

    There are no miracles in this sport. But our ambition and determination are strong. Since charting this new course, development has progressed well. We had several items on our priority list for this car. We will soon see if we’ve made the step we’ve aimed for. As the saying goes: when it stings, it sticks. I believe the previous two years were necessary for us to readjust, recalibrate and reinvent ourselves in certain areas.That root-and-branch approach is never easy. But we’ve made progress and look forward to taking the next step with the W15. It won’t be a linear path, but when we stumble, we will get back up and keep climbing.

    Toto Wolff on the struggles over the past few years.

  • James Allison commits future to Mercedes

    Mercedes Technical Director, James Allison has signed a long-term contract extension, the news coming after Toto Wolff signed a new deal with the Silver Arrows.

    Allison joined Mercedes in 2017 as Technical Director, with the team going on to win four drivers’ titles and five constructors’ championship during that stint.

    He moved up to Chief Technical Officer four years later, focusing on longer term strategy for the F1 project and working on other projects outside the sport such as the INEOS Britannia America’s Cup team.

    The 55 year old returned to a more frontline role as Technical Director in April last year, swapping positions with Mike Elliot.

    Allison boasts a wealth of F1 experience beyond his championship-winning time at Mercedes, the Brit also picked up drivers’ and constructors’ championships at Renault and Ferrari in an illustrious career that began in the early 1990s and has marked him as one of the greatest technical mind in Formula 1.

    Mercedes has endured a challenging couple of seasons, having secured just one victory in that period as they have been comfortably outperformed by rivals and reigning world champions Red Bull.

    F1 has brought me a lot of good fortune, but none greater than answering Toto’s call to join Mercedes in 2017. It is a great privilege to continue this adventure, working alongside brilliant colleagues and fighting together for championship success.

    Allison on the news.

    I am thrilled that James has committed his long-term future to the team. Put simply, he is the most impressive technical leader in our sport. His gladiator spirit, along with his knowledge, experience, and determination, make him second-to-none. His influence and impact, however, goes so much further than that. Since joining in 2017, he has been a key ally and sparring partner for me personally. We can challenge each other openly and honestly; an embodiment of the ‘tough love’ culture of the team that is vital in helping us all perform at our very best. Most importantly though, James is a true friend you can rely on, not only in times of success but in difficult moments too. It has been a pleasure to work with him over the past seven years and I look forward to doing so for many more to come.

    Wolff on the news.

  • Toto Wolff signs new deal until end of 2026

    Toto Wolff, Mercedes’ Team Principal and also owns one-third of the team, will remain in his role until at least the first year of F1’s next big rule change.

    Wolff, INEOS and Mercedes-Benz said the trio decided “let’s do it again” as they plot a way back to the summit of the sport.

    The Austrian has held the team principal role in addition to shareholding at Mercedes since joining from Williams in 2013, which led them to a record eight successive Constructors’ Championships from 2014 to 2021.

    There was some speculation over Wolff’s future in the day-to-day team boss role at Mercedes, but the 52 year old feels he remains the best person for the job.

    Mercedes this year are looking to build on respective P3 and P2 finishes in the 2022 and 2023 constructors’ standings.

    I think the most important thing between the three of us is that we trust each other. At the end of the day, as a shareholder myself, I want the best return on investment. And the best return on investment is winning. I’m not going to try to hang on to a position that I think somebody is going to do better than me. I make sure that I have people around who can tell me otherwise. In the end the three of us decided: ‘Let’s do it again’. I’m part of this team in various functions. I’m a co-shareholder. I’m on the board. These are things which will not change whatever executive, or non-executive, role I have. But I feel good. The risk for me is always more bore-out than burnout. And that’s why I embrace the challenges we have today, even though they sometimes feel very, very difficult to manage.

    Wolff telling the Daily Telegraph.

  • 07-02-24 & 14-02-24

    Mercedes and Alpine are the latest teams to confirm their launch plans ahead of the 2024 season, meaning more than half of the F1 grid have done so.

    Slotting in a couple of days after the Williams and Sauber outfits, Alpine will stage what they have described as a ‘motorsports season launch’ for their F1 and World Endurance Championship operations on February 7th.

    Alpine, finished the 2023 season sixth overall, falling down two places since the 2022 season. The team will add to their F1 programme with an assault on the hypercar class of WEC – with Mick Schumacher having being signed as one of their drivers.

    One week later, and coming just after Aston Martin and Ferrari, the Mercedes W15 is set to break cover on February 14th via a digital launch event broadcast live from Silverstone.

    It is a car the Silver Arrows hope will bring them back into contention after their run of eight successive constructors’ titles came to an end in 2022, with only just one race victory recovered over the last two campaigns.

  • Mercedes to power Williams for 2026 regulations

    Williams have announced that Mercedes-Benz will remain as their power unit supplier from the 2026 Formula 1 season onwards.

    Mercedes started supplying Williams with engines in 2014, when the turbo-hybrid got underway, and the new deal means the partnership will extend into the 2026 technical regulation changes.

    F1’s future power units will exclusively use 100% sustainable fuel, reducing overall consumption, while their electrical systems will be upgraded to achieve higher performance.

    Williams’ Team Principal, James Vowles spent more than a decade at Mercedes and will have an impressive knowledge of the work Mercedes HPP do at Brixworth to create such a successful power unit.

    For Mercedes it makes sense as they have enjoyed a long relationship which helps them to gather data to develop the new generation of power units, also it’s about maintaining the relationship for Mercedes to potentially run one of their juniors with Williams in the future, as they did with George Russell.

    We have enjoyed a long-term partnership with Mercedes-Benz, and we are thrilled to extend this collaboration into the next era of Formula 1. The expertise, support and technology that Mercedes brings to the table align perfectly with our team’s aspirations in the medium and long term. This long-term agreement with Mercedes is a positive step and forms part of our objectives for the future, whilst we will still retain our design and manufacturing expertise and capabilities in-house.

    James Vowles on the news.

    We are delighted to confirm Williams Racing as the second customer team that we will supply for the 2026 power unit regulations. Today’s news highlights the strength of the Mercedes-Benz offering in F1 and importantly not only validates, but reinforces, our overall motorsport strategy. Since 2014, we have continued to build and develop our relationship with Williams. As the team continues to put the foundations in place to challenge at the front of the grid, we look forward to supporting them with our power unit supply

    Toto Wolff on the news.

  • McLaren agree extension to use Mercedes power until 2030

    McLaren have opted for continuity and stability by extending their deal to run Mercedes power units until 2030.

    The British team have run Mercedes power since 2021 and previously between 1995 and 2014 – and already had an arrangement that run until 2025.

    However, with new power unit regulations – with an enhanced focus on electrical power looming in 2026, McLaren and Mercedes have moved to get a deal done quickly.

    After returning to Mercedes following a disappointing partnership with Honda, followed by three seasons of Renault power, McLaren have since won the 2021 Italian Grand Prix – the most recent win for any customer team in F1.

    They have also had 15 podiums in that period, plus pole at the F1 Sprint in Brazil and pole and a victory in the F1 Sprint in Qatar earlier this year – and they have emerged as the second-fastest team on pure pace behind Red Bull in the second half of this season.

    Mercedes-Benz have been a brilliant and reliable partner of the McLaren Formula 1 team. The extension signifies the confidence that our shareholders and the wider team have in their powertrains and the direction we’re taking with them into the new era of regulations ahead. We have been successful together, both in the last three seasons and when they previously powered the team, so we look forward to the success to come as we continue our journey to fight consistently at the front of the grid.

    Zak Brown, McLaren Racing CEO.

    We are pleased to confirm a long-term renewal of our power unit deal with Mercedes-Benz into the new era of regulations. We have great confidence in Mercedes and our relationship with them. They’ve supported our journey back to the front of the grid so far, and the security and stability this partnership brings is vital in ensuring we remain on this upward trajectory. I would like to thank them for their collaboration so far and we look forward to the years to come.

    Andrea Stella, McLaren Team Principal.

    It has been a cornerstone of our motorsport strategy to work with strong customer teams. This has many advantages. It gives a clear competitive benchmark, accelerates our technical learning, and strengthens the overall F1 business case for Mercedes-Benz. McLaren have been fierce and fair competitors since 2021, especially in the second half of this season. McLaren’s strong performances underline the importance of transparent and equal supply to all customer teams in the sport, if we wish to achieve the goal of 10 teams capable of fighting for podium finishes.

    Mercedes boss, Toto Wolff.

  • Schumacher switches to endurance with Alpine

    Mick Schumacher has announced he will be racing for Alpine in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) next season – his first foray into racing outside of single seaters.

    Schumacher has been serving as Mercedes’ reserve driver during the 2023 campaign, having lost his place on the F1 grid after two seasons with the Haas team in 2021 and 2022.

    With Williams the only outfit year to confirm their full line-up for 2024, Schumacher has been weighing up his options outside F1, which included a recent test at the wheel of the A424 hypercar Alpine have been preparing.

    Having impressed the team, the 24 year old German has been named as part of Alpine’s line-up, which also includes French racers, Nicolas Lapierre, Matthieu Vaxiviere, Charles Milesi amd Paul-Loup Chatin, and Austrian Ferdinand Habsburg.

    Following Alpine’s announcement, Mercedes confirmed that Schumacher will continue as their F1 reserve driver for 2024, providing support to regular racers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell in a combined programme.

    A new chapter is beginning for me with Alpine in the FIA WEC hypercar category. The car is impressive, and I can’t wait to get started. I’ve grown up with single-seaters, so driving a car with a closed cockpit and covered wheels is a great opportunity to hone my driving skills. I sorely missed racing this year; it’s what I’ve loved to do since I was a kid, and it was sometimes difficult to watch the other drivers take to the track. Endurance racing is a new challenge for me, and I’m sure we will share great moments together next year with Alpine.

    Schumacher on the news.

    With [Team Principal] Philippe Sinault, we wanted drivers who are not only fast and reliable, but also showing a real team spirit and good racing acumen to best represent the Alpine colours in the premier category of the World Endurance Championship. It might be [Schumacher’s] first foray into endurance, but his enthusiasm for the project and his will to join us are palpable. I’m sure he will be a real asset.

    Bruno Famin, VP Alpine Motorsports.

  • Hamilton signs new deal and Russell extends

    Lewis Hamilton has put pen to paper on a new Mercedes contract that will keep the seven-time world champion onboard through the 2025 season, with George Russell also retained for the same period.

    Hamilton, was in his final year of his existing Silver Arrows deal and has been in talks with team boss Toto Wolff for several months, with those discussions eventually resulting in fresh terms.

    It comes halfway through Hamilton’s 11th season for Mercedes having joined the Brackley team back in 2013 and gone on to set a host of record, from championship wins to pole positions, race wins and so much more!

    Hamilton and Mercedes are currently working hard to return to the front of the F1 grid, their respective title winning runs having come to an end in 2021, but both sides are confident that the renewed partnership will yield further success.

    We dream every day of being the best and we have dedicated the past decade together to achieving that goal. Being at the top does not happen overnight or over a short period of time, it takes commitment, hard work and dedication and it’s been an honour to earn our way into the history books with this incredible team. We have never been hungrier to win. We have learnt from every success but also every setback. We continue to chase our dreams, we continue to fight no matter the challenge and we will win again. I’m grateful to the team who have supported me both on and off the track. Our story isn’t finished, we are determined to achieve more together and we won’t stop until we do.

    Hamilton on the new contract.

    I have grown up with this team ever since joining as part of the junior programme back in 2017. It’s my home and it feels fantastic to extend our special relationship through 2025. After stepping up to the Mercedes race seat last year, I wanted to reward the trust and belief that Toto and the rest of the team placed in me. Taking my first pole position and race win last year was an unforgettable feeling. More importantly though, it’s been great to work with everybody at Brackley and Brixworth to make progress with our car and push forward our development. Their loyalty, vision and hard work is inspiring. We have made some significant steps over the last 18 months and are only getting stronger as a team. I’m excited to help continue to build on that momentum as we progress into 2024 and 2025 as we continue to focus on returning to the very front of the pack

    Russell on extending his contract.

    Continuing with our current driver line-up was a straightforward decision. We have the strongest pairing on the grid and both drivers are playing a crucial role in the team to move us forward. The strength and stability they provide will be key building blocks for our future success. Our partnership with Lewis is one of the most successful in the sport’s history. It was always a formality that we would continue together – and it’s energising for us all to be confirming that publicly. His qualities as a pure racing driver are illustrated by his remarkable track record; but over our years together, he has grown to become a pillar and leader of our team. Those leadership qualities are crucial as we focus on fighting for world championships again. As F1’s biggest global star, he has also played a key role in shaping our commitments to diversity, inclusion and sustainability, that will be foundations for our success in the years ahead. George is a leading light of his generation. He has repaid the faith we showed in him when promoting him to a race seat in 2022. His maiden pole position in Hungary and first Grand Prix victory in São Paulo were standout moments last season. As a driver, he combines razor-sharp speed with the tenacity of a true fighter. But he brings, too, an intelligence and attention to detail that will help him to continue to grow, develop and improve further. He is a natural fit to the team and we are delighted to have extended the relationship for the coming years.

    Toto Wolff on the news.

  • Schumacher contender to replace Sargeant

    Mick Schumacher has been named as the ‘obvious contender’ for replacing Williams driver, Logan Sargeant if there is no improvement in his performances.

    Williams, currently hold seventh place in the Constructors Standings with Alex Albon accounting for all 11 points being scored this season.

    Sargeant hasn’t had the best start to his rookie season, and has failed to score points 10 races in, and struggled to match his teammates performances. This has now led to speculation of where his future lies.

    Earlier on in the season, there was speculation of a mid-season swap with Schumacher replacing Sargeant, however Williams chose to support their drivers development and provide him with an opportunity to improve his performance first.

    Schumacher, currently holds the position of Mercedes’ reserve driver, also recently testing for the team. Not only this he is also an active presence in the garage during grand prix weekends.

    With the strong partnership and share engine between Williams and Mercedes, the possibility of Schumacher taking over Sargeant’s seat for the 2024 season is certainly credible if the current conditions persist.

    Rookie Logan Sargeant has had a solid but unspectacular start to life in Formula 1, and knows he needs to up his game to stick around for another season. Williams have thrown their collective arm around the American’s shoulders and tried to keep the pressure off him in a bid to help him find a rhythm. They are backing him to succeed and earn a second campaign in blue – but he needs to not only find consistency but also close the gap to Albon, particularly in qualifying, and get himself on the scoreboard. If he doesn’t, his seat is under threat. Mick Schumacher would be an obvious contender, having briefly had talks with the team last year and having kept his hand in through his Mercedes reserve role, where he has earned public praise for his efforts from [Lewis] Hamilton and [George] Russell.

    Lawrence Barretto, F1 Correspondent in an article for Formula 1.
    Mick Schumacher of Germany, Reserve Driver of Mercedes walks in the Paddock prior to practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami at Miami...
    Photo by Clive Mason – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images

  • Vesti to make F1 debut for Mercedes

    Mercedes junior driver and F2 championship contender Frederik Vesti will take part in an official F1 session for the first time later this year, during Free Practice 1 in Mexico.

    Vesti, 21, sits second in the F2 standings – 12 points behind Sauber-backed Theo Pourchaire with three rounds remaining, having claimed four wins and seven podium finishes so far this season.

    Having made his F1 test debut with Mercedes at the end of 2022 season in Abu Dhabi, the Danish driver’s next step will be the opening 60 minute session at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

    Each Formula 1 team is required to run a rookie driver in two FP1 sessions across the season, defined as a racer with less than two grand prix of experience.

    Toto Wolff believes that with Vesti impressing in Formula 2, this FP1 outing will now serve as the next key step in his progression.

    I’m incredibly proud to be doing the FP1 session in Mexico City with the team – it’s a dream come true. To think in less than two months that I’ll be doing my first official Formula 1 session with Mercedes, who have won eight consecutive constructors’ championships, is amazing. This has been my dream since I was very young and something I’ve been fighting for through my whole junior career. It’s taken a lot of hard work, and this is a very important step for me on my journey. This has been my dream since I was very young and something I’ve been fighting for through my whole junior career. It’s taken a lot of hard work, and this is a very important step for me on my journey. I want to thank Mercedes for this incredible opportunity, as well as my sponsors and manager for always believing in me. I can’t wait to be driving W14 for the first time.

    Vesti on the test.

    Fred has executed an impressive Formula 2 campaign so far this season. Driving in an FP1 session is the next step in his development and we’re looking forward to giving him that opportunity. Fred has executed an impressive Formula 2 campaign so far this season. Driving in an FP1 session is the next step in his development and we’re looking forward to giving him that opportunity.

    Mercedes team boss, Toto Wolff.

  • RND 12 – Hungary Qualifying

    Qualifying this time was a bit different than normal, with Pirelli’s new ‘Alternative Tyre Allocation’ making its debut. Where Q1 drivers use hard tyre, Q2 the medium and Q3 soft.

    And this time, it was Max Verstappen or Red Bull taking pole position… It was in fact the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton who stormed to pole 104. Max was close behind in 2nd and Lando Norris rounded out the top three.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Hamilton, P2: Verstappen, P3: Norris, P4: Piastri, P5: Zhou, P6: Leclerc, P7: Bottas, P8: Alonso, P9: Perez and P10: Hulkenberg.

    A great result for Lewis managing to get pole, the only other team apart from Red Bull and Mercedes to get pole this season is Ferrari, so it’s good to see that teams are closing in on the Bulls.

    Obviously another great result for McLaren, starting P3 and P4, they’ll be looking at scoring big points this weekend and looking at the podium aswell.

    The star of qualifying, Zhou Guanyu and the whole Alfa Romeo team really as Zhou took 5th and Bottas 7th, they’ve had a rough season so far but they will be looking to optimise on others downfall tomorrow so they can score good points.

    An okay result for Perez, but he still isn’t where his meant to be, but at least he got into the top 10 this time. He has a bit of work to do during the race, and he will be hoping to stay out of trouble aswell.

    Now looking outside the top 10, Daniel Ricciardo on his return managed 13th for AlphaTauri, and outperformed his teammate Tsunoda in 17th.

    Predictions-

    My top five for the race are- P1: Hamilton, P2: Verstappen, P3: Piastri, P4: Alonso and P5: Perez.

    I feel like we might have a few surprises along the way in tomorrow’s race, maybe a strategy which hasn’t gone right or a bad pitstop or a badly timed safety car? Who knows what will happen, but one thing is for sure… Hamilton and Verstappen front row? Drama!!

  • Schumacher joins McLaren’s reserve driver pool

    McLaren have announced that they have reached an agreement with Mercedes which will see them add Mick Schumacher to their pool of reserve drivers, for the 2023 season.

    Schumacher joined the silver arrows as a reserve driver in December last year – after two seasons racing at Haas – where he scored 12 points in 43 starts.

    This means, Schumacher joins IndyCar Champion, Alex Palou in McLaren’s list of reserve drivers for the 2023 season, with the German able to step in if one of Lando Norris or the team’s newest recruit, Oscar Piastri is unable to take part in a race weekend.

    McLaren shared an image of Schumacher getting accustomed to their cockpit and getting the seat moulded around him in Woking, so the German will be ready to step in if needed.

    Schumacher, will be on hand for the squad which is led by Team Principal Andrea Stella who was his father, Michael’s Performance Engineer at Ferrari from 2002 to 2006 – during which they won three drivers’ titles together.

  • W14

    Mercedes became the penultimate F1 team to launch their 2023 challenger – taking the covers off the W14 where they sport an all-black livery.

    A day after rivals, Ferrari presented their new challenger, Mercedes showcased the car in which they hope will move them back into regular race wins and title glory.

    Mercedes’ latest creation marks a return to black – a colour they ran in the 2020 and 2021 seasons – after they returned to their more traditional silver scheme.

    Merc-4.png

    Team boss, Toto Wolff, continuing drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell as well as new reserve Mick Schumacher were all present at the launch at Silverstone.

    One change inside the Mercedes camp for 2023, is the absence of James Vowles who recently left his strategy focused role to take the role of team boss at Williams.

    Our hopes and expectations are always to be capable of fighting for a World Championship. However, our competitors were very strong last year, and we are playing catch-up. Racing at the front requires resilience, teamwork, and determination. We face up to every challenge, we put the team first, and we will leave no stone unturned in the chase for every millisecond. This year, we are going all in to get back in front. We were overweight last year. This year we have tried to figure out where we can squeeze out every single gram. So now, history repeats itself. You will see that the car has some raw carbon bits, along with some that are painted matte black. Of course, when we changed the livery in 2020 the main driving factor was to support the diversity and equality causes which are always close to our heart. The colour black became part of our DNA at that point, so we are pleased to return to it.

    Toto Wolff speaking at the W14 launch.

  • Williams announce Merc strategy chief, James Vowles as TP

    Williams have revealed that Mercedes, strategist James Vowles will take the place of Jost Capito as their new team boss.

    Capito and Technical Director FX Demaison both left Williams in December, following a 2022 season in which the team placed at the bottom of the F1 constructors’ standings having scored just eight points.

    Vowles has enjoyed a 21-year career in F1, representing the Silver Arrows since 2010 and serving as their Motorsport Strategy Director over the last four years. He previously held key engineering and strategy roles at Mercedes, Brawn GP, Honda and BAR.

    Vowles, who also worked with Williams Brand Ambassador Jenson Button during their title-winning days at Brawn, will be joining the Grove operation on February 20th ahead of the 2023 season opener i Bahrain.

    I cannot wait to start with Williams Racing. It’s an honour to join a team with such an incredibly rich heritage. The team is an icon of our sport, one I greatly respect, and I am very much looking forward to the challenge. Williams Racing have placed their faith and trust in me, and I will do the same in return. The team has tremendous potential, and our journey together starts in a matter of weeks.

    Vowles on his new role.

    We are delighted to welcome James to Williams Racing. He is one of the most highly respected talents in Formula 1 and will bring performance. He has been a key part of some of the most impressive feats in the sport over the past 15 years. As we continue our relentless pursuit for results, we believe that the appointment of James reinforces our dedication to ensuring we have energetic, experienced, and strong leadership as we move into the next phase of transforming Williams Racing.

    Matthew Savage, Dorilton Capital Chairman.

  • 15.02.23

    Mercedes have confirmed when their 2023 F1 car will be launched, with the Silver Arrows pushing to return to their regular winning ways.

    Mercedes racked up seven drivers’ titles and eight constructors’ titles from 2014 to 2021, having initially mastered the turbo-hybrid regulations, but major changes to the 2022 technical rules, saw them struggle with a trouble W13 package.

    It took the team most of the season to get on top of porpoising, and to get on terms with rivals Red Bull and Ferrari, allowing George Russell to lead home Lewis Hamilton in a break through one-two at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

    After a busy winter, Mercedes will be hoping they can score consistent wins with the new W14, which will be launched on February 15th, one day after rivals Ferrari.

    Russell and Hamilton will continue as team mates for a second season in 2023, whilst Mick Schumacher takes up the reserve driver role.

    At the end, it comes back to the sentence, ‘The days we lose are the days our competitors will regret’, because we learn the most. Hopefully the future will be proof of that. With our learnings, the values in the team, the empowerment and the no blame culture, I think we will be back in a more potent form next year – hopefully winning races on merit and fighting for the championship. But is it a given? Certainly not.

    Toto Wolff, speaking on the Beyond The Grid podcast.