Jordan's Track Talk

Tag: Sergio Perez

  • Cadillac pick 2026 drivers

    Cadillac have signed Grand Prix winners Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas to be their drivers when the team joins the Formula 1 grid for the first time in 2026.

    The American team, who are backed by General Motors and will be led by former Marussia Sporting Director Graeme Lowdon, will become the sport’s 11th team next season.

    Cadillac have opted for experience with their line-up, signing Checo Perez and Mercedes reserve Bottas – who boast 527 Grand Prix starts and 16 Grand Prix wins between them – on multi year deals.

    It marks a remarkable return for the veteran duo, both 35, after they lost their respective F1 race seats at the end of last season.

    Perez took some time out consider his future goals and spend time with his family after leaving Red Bull, while Bottas stayed in the paddock as reserve for Mercedes following his Sauber exit.

    Mexican Perez brings immense F1 experience, having competed for Sauber, McLaren and Force Indian/Racing Point before moving to Red Bull, where he helped the team win the Teams’ Championship in 2022 and 2023.

    Finland’s Bottas enjoyed incredible success at Mercedes, playing a key role in the Silver Arrows winning the Teams’ Championship every year from 2017 to 2021.

    Signing two very experienced racers like Bottas and Checo is a bold signal of intent. They’ve seen it all and they know what it takes to succeed in Formula 1. But more importantly, they understand what it means to help build a team. Their leadership, feedback, race-hardened instincts and of course their speed will be invaluable as we bring this team to life. A big thank you to the team at Mercedes for their co-operation and understanding.
    Lowdon on the news.

    Joining the Cadillac Formula 1 Team is an incredibly exciting new chapter in my career. From our first conversations, I could sense the passion and determination behind this project. It’s an honor to be part of building a team that can develop together so that, in time, we will fight at the very front. Cadillac is a legendary name in American motorsport, and to help bring such a fantastic company to Formula 1 is a huge responsibility, one I’m confident of taking on. I’m proud to be part of such an ambitious and meaningful project from the very beginning. I’m really pleased to be part of such a dynamic line-up, and together I believe we can help shape this team into a real contender, the team of the Americas. We’re counting on support from across the continent – and we want to make everyone proud.
    Perez on the news.

    From the moment I began speaking with the Cadillac Formula 1 Team, I felt something different – something ambitious but also grounded. This isn’t just a racing project; it’s a long-term vision. It’s not every day that you get a chance to be part of something being built from the ground up and helping shape it into something that truly belongs on the F1 grid. I’ve had the honor of working with some of the best teams in the world, and I can already see the same professionalism and hunger here. This is an iconic brand with a big legacy in American motorsport, and to be a part of the story as it enters the world stage of F1 is incredibly special for me. I’m looking forward to representing the American spirit of racing on the greatest circuits in the world. I’d also like to thank Mercedes for their unwavering support and sportsmanship in facilitating such an exciting step.
    Bottas on the news.

    Bottas and Checo bring the perfect balance of talent, maturity, and drive. They’re not just accomplished racers, they’re builders, collaborators, and professionals who will help define what the Cadillac Formula 1 Team stands for. This moment marks more than just a line-up announcement. It’s the beginning of a bold new chapter in American motorsport.
    CEO of Cadillac Formula 1 Team & TWG Motorsport, Dam Towriss.

  • Perez and Red Bull part ways

    Sergio Perez and Red Bull have reached an agreement to part ways with immediate effect.

    Last year, Perez signed a new deal to race for the team until the end of 2026 – on the back of his strongest season ever in 2023, when he finished second to team mate and champion Max Verstappen.

    However, his form wasn’t the same after signing that deal, the Mexican driver scored only nine points in the last eight Grand Prix weekends of the 2024 season.

    He finished the season in eighth in the drivers’ championship with Red Bull failing to defend their constructors’ championship and seeing out the season in P3 behind champions McLaren and runners-up Ferrari.

    Throughout the difficult period and many rumours, Perez remained resolute that he would race for the team this year, but following discussions with Red Bull they’ve agreed to split after four years together.

    During his time at Red Bull Perez secured five wins, including victory in Monaco, over 90 starts with the team and also played a key role in Red Bull winning the constructors’ championship in 2022 and 2023.

    I’m incredibly grateful for the past four years with Oracle Red Bull Racing and for the opportunity to race with such an amazing team. Driving for Red Bull has been an unforgettable experience and I’ll always cherish the successes we achieved together. We broke records, reached remarkable milestones, and I’ve had the privilege of meeting so many incredible people along the way. A big thank you to every person in the team from the management, engineers and mechanics, catering, hospitality, kitchen, marketing and communications, as well as everyone at Milton Keynes, I wish you all the best for the future. It has also been an honour to race alongside Max as a team mate all these years and to share in our success. A special thank you to the fans around the world, and especially to the Mexican fans for your unwavering support every day. We’ll meet again soon. And remember… never give up.
    Perez on the news.

    I would like to thank Checo for all he has done for Oracle Red Bull Racing over the past four seasons. From the moment he joined in 2021 he proved himself to be an extraordinary team player, helping us to two constructors’ titles and to our first one-two finish in the drivers’ championship. His five wins, all on street circuits, were also a spectacular mark of his determination to always push to the limit. While Checo will not race for the team next season, he will always be an extremely popular team member and a treasured part of our history. Thank you, Checo.
    Christian Horner on the news.

  • Perez set for race engineer switch

    Red Bull have confirmed that there will be a change on Sergio Perez’s side of the garage for the foreseeable future, with long-time Race Engineer Hugh Bird going on paternity leave.

    Bird has been Perez’s Race Engineer since the Mexican’s first season with Red Bull in 2021 but that responsibility will move to performance engineer Richard Wood from this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix.

    In Red Bull’s official pre-event preview, Perez commented that “everyone will notice a change on the radio” when the action gets underway at Zandvoort.

    Hugh my Race Engineer is expecting a baby very soon so will be spending some time at home and I wish him and his family the best of luck with their new arrival! Woody, my Performance Engineer, will step up in the meantime.
    Perez said.

    Perez also added that he is returning from the summer break feeling “refreshed and ready to go” after a challenging runs of Grands Prix – featuring Q1 and Q2 exits and minor points finishes – led to plenty of speculation over his Red Bull future.

    Red Bull team boss Christian Horner recently described Perez’s form as unsustainable with the squad looking to fend off the likes of McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes in the constructors’ championship.

    However, fresh from Red Bull stating that they are standing by the six-time Grand Prix winner.
    Perez commented “I am looking forward to getting back in the car this weekend. The summer break was very important for everyone in the team and the whole sport, with so many races now everyone needs the rest and reset time more than ever. I spent my time in Mexico with family and I feel refreshed and ready to go for the second half of the season. I know all my team feel the same, I have been in Milton Keynes this week with them. I know what we can extract from the car in the coming weeks and we will do our best to maximise the second half of 2024.”

  • 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.

  • RB20

    Red Bull have become the 10th and final team to unveil their car for the 2024 Formula 1 season.

    Ahead of their title defence in the year ahead, the RB20 was revealed to the world at the squad’s Milton Keynes base on Thursday, with Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez amongst the team members on hand as their new challenger was revealed.

    There are no surprises in terms of livery, with the car continuing to carry the traditional navy blue colour scheme. The team has opted for a more aggressive concept, they will also be hoping for no big changes in regard to their car’s level of performance.

    Its predecessor, the RB19, enjoyed unprecedented levels of success in 2023, netting victory in all but one of the 22 Grands Prix. With Verstappen taking 19 of those 22 wins as he sealed his third drivers’ title in Qatar with several races to spare.

    The Dutchman ended the campaign with a 290 point advantage over second place Perez.
    Whereas in the constructors’ championship, Red Bull racked up a staggering 451 more points than nearest challengers Mercedes.

    Verstappen was given his first chance to get behind the wheel this week, as they had a shakedown at Silverstone.

    It does look a bit different. I think the team definitely pushed on quite a bit from last year and I think that’s very positive. I’m just looking forward to get to Bahrain, start testing and really see what the car is capable of.

    Verstappen on the RB20.

    You can see that the team has done an incredible job. We’ve gone very aggressive with the concept, so I’m looking forward to it. I find it great from Red Bull that we’ve had such a dominant car last year, that we just changed completely our concept. It’s something that I think requires a lot of hunger in the team, to keep pushing all the boundaries. [It] will be interesting to see how everything feels on track.

    Perez on the new car.

  • RND 5 – Miami Qualifying

    Well, what a qualifying session that was… a few shock surprises and a very mixed up grid for the Miami Grand Prix later today! The top 10 shoot out saw seven teams represented!

    Sergio Perez took his third career F1 Pole Position for the 2023 Miami Grand Prix, as he avoided all the chaos behind him. Alonso will be joining him on the front row in P2, with Carlos Sainz rounding out the top three.

    The full top 10 are: Pole: Perez, P2: Alonso, P3: Sainz, P4: Magnussen, P5: Gasly, P6: Russell, P7: Leclerc, P8: Ocon, P9: Verstappen and P10: Bottas.

    A very mixed session for the Bull’s, it was no secret that Perez wasn’t happy with the car but they managed to do a few tweaks before qualifying which seemed to hook it up, where as Verstappen he had to abort his flying lap due to a snap of oversteer and was scrambling to set another lap…

    A mixed day for Ferrari aswell, a good result for Sainz, he is in the perfect spot to be in the mix for the podium today. But Charles… Whilst Leclerc was on a quick lap, he lost his car at Turn 4 and spun into the barriers, which brought out a red flag and that ended qualifying. A big mistake from the Monegasque, which is happening quite a bit recently, he just needs to get his head in the game and concentrate a bit more.

    Lewis Hamilton suffered his worst ever qualifying performance in the United States and first Q2 elimination since Monza last year with P13, having struggled with Sector 1 in the second segment of qualifying.

    Q1 saw both McLaren’s eliminated with Lando Norris 16th and team mate Oscar Piastri 19th, a lot of work for the papaya boy’s to do today if they want to score some points, could it be possible?

    Predictions-

    My top five are: P1: Perez, P2: Alonso, P3: Russell, P4: Verstappen, P5: Hamilton.

    I feel like it’s going to be a crazy race, a few safety cars and maybe even a red flag, and a possible shocks to come?

  • RND 4 – Azerbaijan Grand Prix

    Round 4 is complete, lets take a look at how it went.

    Sergio Perez took victory on the streets of Baku, adding to his Sprint race triumph and being the only driver to win twice at the Azberaijan Grand Prix.

    Max Verstappen made it a 1-2 for Red Bull Racing, and Charles Leclerc rounded out the top three, grabbing his first podium of the season.

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

    It wasn’t the usual Azerbaijan Grand Prix, as normally we expect a bit more drama than what we had, there was only one safety car during the race, which was for Nyck de Vries who stopped on track at Turn 5 as he hit the wall, which caused terminal damage.

    Esteban Ocon and Nico Hulkenberg both started from the pit lane to hold points-paying positions for most of the race as they extended their first stints on hard tyres but the late mandatory pit stops meant they were banking on another Safety Car to get an easier pit stop.

    It was an important win for Checo as it now puts him in the title fight and only 6 points away from Max who is the Championship leader, both drivers have a big gap to Alonso in third so nothing to worry about too much.

    Looking further at the Driver standings, Leclerc and Russell are equal on points with the Monegasque being 6th and Russell 7th, they also have Stroll behind them who is in 8th one point behind…

    Looking at the Constructors, Red Bull obviously are in the lead, almost 100 points clear of Aston Martin who are in P2 but the Silverstone based team need to watch out for Mercedes as they are only 11 points away from them. Ferrari are close behind in 4th on 62 points, still a bit of work to do for the Italian team.

    We don’t have to wait too long until the next race, as Round 5 is only next week and we are back in the US, for the Miami Grand Prix.

  • RND 4 – Azerbaijan Sprint

    Sergio Perez claimed the first Sprint race victory of the season at the Baku City Circuit on Saturday afternoon, where he beat Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen to the chequered flag.

    With F1’s Sprint format being revised for 2023, a new ‘Shootout’ qualifying session set the grid for the 17 lap dash.

    One driver did not take part, it was Logan Sargeant as he crashed during the Shootout and was withdrawn from the Sprint due to significant damage.

    Meanwhile, the grid was another car lighter after Alpine made suspension changes on Esteban Ocon’s car under parc ferme conditions.

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

    A good result for Perez, he took Charles Leclerc spot for the lead and didn’t look back, and left the drama behind him too.

    There was a little tangle between Russell and Verstappen on lap 1. With the pair going side by side through the opening sequence of corners, before the Mercedes nosed ahead of the Red Bull at Turn 3.

    Verstappen was not happy though, as he jumped on the radio and accused Russell of barging his way through – replays confirmed contact and a thump of the wall for reigning two-time world champion.

  • RND 2 – Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

    What a race! I think before Verstappen’s problem in qualifying, we expected a pretty standard race with not much happening but it was the other way round.

    Sergio Perez managed to convert pole position into victory at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, as his teammate recovered from P15 to P2, which makes it a second 1-2 for the Red Bull team in two races. Fernando Alonso put his Aston Martin on the podium again, before he was stripped of P3 and then having it reinstated after a stewards’ review.

    The Mexican driver, overcome an attack from Alonso at the start of the race, a nervy Safety Car period and Verstappen’s charge from the midfield to make up for the potential win he lost at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit a year ago – kick starting his championship hopes in the process.

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

    McLaren are having a tough time at the moment, after an early front wing change for Piastri who clashed with Gasly at the start and Norris who hit the debris, saw them at the back of the grid. Piastri ultimately crossed the line in P15, after clearing Sargeant on the final lap. Norris narrowly avoided repeating as he settled for 17th, with Valtteri Bottas the last of the finishers amid apparent technical trouble in his Alfa Romeo.

    Alex Albon and Lance Stroll were the two retirements from the race; Albon encountering terminal brake problems aboard his Williams and Stroll being told to stop his Aston Martin in the early stages.

    All eyes turn to Australia in just under two weeks time, where it will be Piastri’s first home race, but most importantly will it be the battle of the Bull’s? Or can Fernando Alonso grab the win?

  • RND 2 – Saudi Arabia Qualifying

    The second qualifying session of the season is now complete, with a few shocks along the way, not forgetting that going into Qualifying it’s already confirmed Charles Leclerc has a 10 place grid penalty…

    It was Sergio Perez who took his second pole position of his F1 career, at the same place he took his first! Charles Leclerc managed to grab second, but after his penalty is applied will be starting 12th. And to round out the top three is Fernando Alonso.

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

    Lando Norris is not having a good time at the moment, qualified P19… this however was not due to a reliability issue. He hit the wall on the last corner and it damaged the car. However, his teammate was on another level, Oscar managed to get into Q3 for the first time in only just two races, a much better place than they were last time out in Bahrain. But a big well done, to the Aussie.

    Now onto the bigger shock of qualifying, Max Verstappen out in Q2, and starting 15th. During Q2, Max had a driveshaft problem and that consequently ended his qualifying session, as there was only 5 minutes left and Red Bull were not able to fix/figure out the problem so quick.

    A better qualifying for the Alpine’s, Gasly starting 9th and Ocon 6th, hopefully they can capitalise on this and grab points, especially Ocon after not grabbing any in Bahrain.

    Predictions-

    My top five for the race are: P1: Perez, P2: Alonso, P3: Sainz, P4: Russell, P5: Stroll.

    It will be interesting to see how both Max and Charles will do going through the field working their way up, but will they both manage to stay out of trouble? And grab some points so its not as damaging for the later part of the season.

    I can see some safety cars happening this race as well as VSC, this may shake some things up depending on when they are in the race, so it could shake things up a little…

  • RB19

    Red Bull have officially started their 2023 season, by unveiling a launch version of the RB19, the car in which they hope to defend both F1 world titles.

    Red Bull assembled in New York for a so-called ‘season launch’ with Team Principal, Christian Horner alongside both drivers as well as third driver, Daniel Ricciardo.

    The team showcased their 2023 look with the traditional blue, yellow and red scheme – which captures the Red Bull company’s core colours.

    rb19.png

    Red Bull head into the 2023 campaign looking to retain the drivers’ and constructors’ titles, having stormed to 17 wins from 22 races under the 2022 rules reset – 15 scored by reigning double world champion Verstappen.

    It’s incredibly special to be in the Big Apple, in the US, in New York. The US is playing such a big role in F1 these days – three Grands Prix, [with] Las Vegas coming onto the calendar as well – so it seemed only fitting to unveil the RB19, and our plans for the season ahead, here. It’s going to be an incredible season. Our rivals, for sure, haven’t stood still. We’re expecting Ferrari to be competitive, Mercedes are going to be there, [and] there’s some other teams that could well make some big progress as well. This time of year, it’s all a big unknown, and it’s a question of focusing on ourselves, doing the best we can. Then in Bahrain, in a couple of weeks’ time, we’ll get to see everybody’s car and we’ll realise, ‘Have we missed something? Have we not?’ Then we set off on this 23-race journey between March and November. There’s going to be highs and lows along the way, I’m sure, but I think we’re in a good place and looking to carry on that momentum from last year.

    Horner on the 2023 season.
  • Perez stays till 2024!

    Perez stays till 2024!

    Just after claiming his first Monaco victory, Sergio Perez is now celebrating more this week as Red Bull retain the Mexican for another two years!

    Perez, joined Red Bull Racing last season and took one victory in Azerbaijan and four more podiums to finish fourth in the drivers championship.

    Already this season, he has 3 second place finishes and his victory in Monaco last weekend, he currently sits in third in the drivers and is 15 points adrift of leader and teammate Max Verstappen.

    Since joining Oracle Red Bull Racing, Checo has done a fantastic job. Time and again he has proved himself to not only be a magnificent team player but as his level of comfort has grown he has become a real force to be reckoned with at the sharp end of the grid. This year he has taken another step and the gap to World Champion Max has closed significantly, evidenced by his superb pole position in Jeddah earlier this year and by his wonderful win in Monaco just last weekend. For us, holding onto his pace, race craft and experience was a no-brainer and we are delighted that Checo will continue to race for the team until 2024. In partnership with Max we believe we have a driver pairing that can bring us the biggest prizes in F1.

    Christian Horner on Sergio Perez.

    For me, this has been an incredible week, winning the Monaco Grand Prix is a dream for any driver and then to follow that with announcing I will continue with the Team until 2024 just makes me extremely happy. I am so proud to be a member of this Team and I feel completely at home here now. We are working very well together and my relationship with Max, on and off the track, is definitely helping drive us forward even more. We have built tremendous momentum as a Team and this season is showing that, I am excited to see where that can take us all in the future.

    Perez on his new contract.

    My Opinion-

    Ayyy!! We love to see it! I think we all knew this was coming after Sunday as Perez said ‘I think I signed to early’ after him winning Monaco! But it’s a good decision for him and the team, his helped the team massively last year and this year.

  • Round 7- Monaco GP

    Round 7- Monaco GP

    Did we just have a chaotic and interesting Monaco GP?? I think we did! There was a threat of rain for today’s race, going into the weekend and boy did we get it!

    Sergio Perez wins the Monaco GP, him now being the most successful Mexican F1 Driver as he took his third career win. Carlos Sainz finishes in 2nd, two years in a row! And Max Verstappen rounds out the podium, another great weekend for Red Bull!

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

    To start, we had a delayed race and wasn’t sure why at first but it turned out to be a power problem. But it had been raining, and whilst we was waiting for the race to start the rain got heavier… We saw the cars go round on formation laps but it was just too wet to start.

    Eventually we got racing, and without a safety car also, but it was all about strategy and who would get it right…

    Lap 27 came around, and it saw Mick Schumacher spun and crash at the swimming pool section which then brought a red flag, 3 laps later- the crash saw the gearbox and rear suspension detach from his Haas. His teammate also retired due to a system water pressure loss.

    A what could’ve been day for Charles, as he finally finishes a home race for the first time. He got told to pit, and then his team came on the radio to tell him not to pit but it was too late… This compromised the Monegasques race, but he bounced back from not scoring any points last week.

    Disappointing race for Haas, both drivers DNF, the first time this year and the team won’t be happy about it. Hopefully we see them bounce back in Baku next time out.

    A good race for one McLaren, Mr Lando Norris – he didn’t want it to rain, but he didn’t seem to mind it in the end after finishing 6th and looked like he was closing in on GR in the final few laps.

    Now onto the Silver Arrows, another good race for Russell, he maintains the top 5 finishes for this season! Now onto Hamilton, he got stuck behind a slow Fernando Alonso who looked like he settled for 7th, which compromised the 7 time world champions race as he had a lot more pace.

    The Championship-

    Max Verstappen is still leading the championship, but Charles Leclerc is sitting in 2nd only 9 points away, Perez is now closing in on the pair as he is 6 points away from the Ferrari driver. Russell remains in fourth, and Sainz is in fifth but there is one point between the two drivers.

    Looking at the teams, Red Bull lead the Constructors on 235 points, Ferrari are in 2nd on 199 points. We then have a big gap to third which is Mercedes on 134 and then another gap to fourth, which is McLaren on 59 points. Alfa Romeo are in fifth but Alpine is just one point behind them.

    We are back in two weeks and we have another double header! We go to Azerbaijan on the 10th to 12th June, and then we return to Canada a week later on the 17th to 19th June!

  • Round 2- Saudi Arabia Qualifying

    Round 2- Saudi Arabia Qualifying

    What on earth happened today in qualifying! But it’s Sergio Perez taking his first ever pole position in F1! With Leclerc in second and Carlos Sainz on third.

    The full top 10 are: P1: Perez, P2: Leclerc, P3: Sainz, P4: Verstappen, P5: Ocon, P6: Russell, P7: Alonso, P8: Bottas, P9: Gasly and P10: Magnuessen.

    You’ve probably noticed Hamilton who isn’t in the top 10, well, he got knocked out in Q1 and qualified 16th. His first time since 2017.

    Mick had a nasty crash in Q2, which stopped the running for a while whilst checking he is okay and clearing up the track. Thankfully he got out of the car okay and is going to hospital for check ups to make sure!

    McLaren had a better weekend than last weeks already, both drivers making Q2 and starting P11 and P12. Hopefully some points for the team tomorrow!

    So far a good weekend for Alpine, both drivers starting in the top 10. They had a good weekend last weekend so let’s see what they can do!

    Predictions for tomorrow-

    P1: Leclerc, P2: Perez, P3: Verstappen, P4: Sainz and P5: Russell. I think the Ferrari’s are that just bit in front of the Red Bull’s and if the pit stops go okay for the Italian team, I can see them winning the race.

    Hopefully McLaren in the points, that will boost the team massively before a break, and they have clearly made a step forward too!

    Times for tomorrow-

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

  • RB18

    RB18

    The RB18 is officially launched! The four-time world champions are the second team to launch their car, the RB18 will be the car Max Verstappen will drive to defend his maiden World Championship title.

    Verstappen will run the number one on his car for his defence, with his team mate Sergio Perez returning for a second season with the team.

    The car looks good, nice and clean- not too much has changed which is a known for Red Bull. I don’t know if it is because of the new car but both of the cars which have launched so far look really clean. Obviously, Honda is no longer on the car now and where it was placed on the rear wing has been replaced by ‘Red Bull’

    But one thing which stands out the most is the new title partner- Oracle. The team based in Milton Keynes, will now be officially Oracle Red Bull Racing. Building on last year’s success the team’s 2022 season will feature expanded use of Oracle Cloud across its most significant areas of operation which includes analytics-based race strategy, optimized engine development, AI and machine learning-powered driver training and a tailored fan experience.

    Speaking ahead of the new season, which he enters as the defending World Champion, Max said: “I’m feeling recharged and ready to get driving again, I feel good and it’s important that you prepare yourself in the best way possible physically, particularly when things are changing with the shakeup in regulations. In terms of the car, we don’t know what to fully expect so I’m excited to see how the car behaves on the track for the first time. The biggest adaptation this season will be the new regulations, we’ll need some time to get used to the car, it is not like you just jump in and it’s an upgrade from last year. The rest is pretty straightforward, I don’t feel any extra pressure this season, I will just do what I do all the time because I don’t think there is any reason to be different. Now I just I can’t wait for that first moment when I drive out of the pit lane in the RB18.”

    Ready to take on his second year with the team, Checo said: “I am so excited to start the new season and I cannot wait to be on track with the new RB18. All of us on the grid are starting from zero this season so it is set to be an exciting year. Last year, we gave it our all until the very last lap and we are ready to do the same in 2022. The new regulations are said to improve the competition on track, so I hope that for us as drivers we can compete more, race more and follow each other more closely. There will be a lot of things we need to learn and adapt to but these new regulations are set to make everything very interesting. One thing I can’t wait for this season is to see more fans back at the track, Formula One is growing so much all over the world so I can’t wait to feel that atmosphere again. I hope that we can give the fans great entertainment and great racing.”

  • 09.02.22

    Red Bull have announced when they will be realising their car for this season, the RB18 which is on the 9th February, nine days before rivals Mercedes launch their W13.

    Max Verstappen will be hoping the new car will be worthy of defending for the world title- in hopes of going for a second. Sergio Perez will be wanting to fight for the title too, but will also be wanting to help RB get the Constructors title.

    Honda, decided to leave the sport at the end of 2021, so the newly established Red Bull Powertrains will oversee the RB18’s power unit for 2022- although following a deal made towards the end of the last season, that power unit will use the Honda intellectual property.

    We now only have one more date remaining and that being the team of Williams.

  • Perez retained for 2022

    The seats for 2022 are starting to fill up quick, as Red Bull announced on Thursday 26th that they will keep Sergio Perez for the 2022 season.

    Red Bull have been looking for a driver who will keep up with Max Verstappen and bring the fight to Lewis and Mercedes, they had been unsuccessful until this season…

    Perez has made a strong start for his first season with the team, he took four top five finishes in the first five races and then clenched his first win with the team in his sixth in Baku. Perez is currently sitting in 5th in the driver standings with 104 points, which is just four points away from Bottas.

    “Checo is a highly respected Team member and his experience and race-craft are invaluable as we fight for the Constructors’ Championship,” said Red Bull boss Christian Horner. “His integration into the wider Team has been seamless and we have been impressed by his performances during the first half of the season which demonstrate what he’s capable of in our car.”

    What does it mean for Gasly & Albon?

    It looks like Gasly will be leading Alpha Tauri forwards, his had a very good season so far having grabbed points in all but three races this year, the team intend to secure fifth place in the constructors. AlphaTauri are yet to confirm their driver plans for the 2022 season but they are very much likely to keep it the same as the 2021 season.

    Now onto Albon, after not getting his seat renewed this season he went into the reserve driver role and to drive in DTM. Red Bull are impressed with the job Alex has been doing as the reserve, with clocking up miles in the simulator which has made Red Bull stronger this year, it seems they would want to keep him on.

    However, they realise he wants to race and they have said they are supportive of a move to a different team if he can make one work. There are two opportunities either at Williams or Alfa Romeo, both outside the Red Bull family.

    My Opinion-

    I think its a good move that Perez is staying for another year he seems to have done a lot of work within the team to help the championship fight. What shocked me the most, was the fact they announced it quite early, I thought they would of waited till the end of the season.

    It’s obviously a shame for Gasly and Albon as everyone wants to be in the best car, fighting for wins and podiums. But if they keep working on what their doing and being consistent I can see them both being back in a top car in the future!