Tag: lando norris

F1 2020: Styrian Gp Review – Hamilton Opens Win Account

Lewis Hamilton has taken his first win of the 2020 season with teammate Valtteri Bottas in second to make it one-two for Mercedes. Though he never had a true chance of fighting for the win Max Verstappen took the final step on the podium for Red Bull.

A severe rainstorm nearly saw the cancellation of Saturday qualifying but fortunately a break in the weather allowed the session to go ahead. In extremely difficult conditions all driver performed brilliantly but none were as dazzling as Lewis Hamilton who secured pole position by a staggering 1.2 seconds over Verstappen.

After qualifying tenth and eleventh for the second race in a row it didn’t seem like it could get worse for Ferrari. But it did as Charles Leclerc was given a three-place grid penalty for ignoring yellow flags in qualifying. It dropped the Monegasque driver to fourteenth on the grid from which he never recovered. A cautious start from Vettel saw him side by side-by-side into turn 3 with the Racing Point of Sergio Perez and George Russell’s Williams. In what can only described as a rush of blood to the head Leclerc shoved his Ferrari up the inside of Vettel, clunked across the inside kerb, and destroyed the rear-wing of his teammate’s car. The incident, which was far too optimistic, ended both Ferrari drivers’ races. It also accounted for the only safety car period of the race.

Daniel Ricciardo and Esteban Ocon fought briefly on track before Ocon was called into the garage to park his Renault with suspected cooling issues. Up front Hamilton was five seconds in the lead and undoubtedly managing the race. Verstappen and Red Bull rolled the dice with an early stop for the medium tyres but he simply didn’t have the pace to challenge Hamilton. In fact, Verstappen had picked up some front-wing damage, which ultimately left him defenseless against a late charge from Valtteri Bottas. The pair put on an entertaining fight for second place but the Finn was clean through on the next lap with Verstappen unable to do much about it.

While Verstappen was happy enough on the third step of the podium Alex Albon finished fourth in the second Red Bull but the Thai-born driver was significantly off his Dutch teammate’s pace. In fact he just held off a racy Sergio Perez. The Mexican driver attempted a move on the final lap of the race but came away with front-wing damage for his effort.

Enter Lando Norris. Norris didn’t have the pace of last week’s Austrian grand prix but he delivered yet another stunning drive. The young McLaren driver started the final lap of the race in seventh and finished a stunning fifth by the chequered flag delivering yet another stonking final lap. Perez eventually finished sixth while his Racing Point teammate, Lance Stroll made a late lunge on Ricciardo to finish seventh. Behind Ricciardo in eighth was the second McLaren of Carlos Sainz in ninth ahead of Daniil Kvyat who secured the final point in tenth for Alpha Tauri.

It was a ‘run away and hide’ victory for Hamilton but the Brit also held some pace in hand. Formula 1 next heads to the Hungaroring for the third round of the 2020 season this weekend.

All images courtesy of Pirelli Motorsport

July 14, 2020
F1 2020: Austria Gp Preview – It’s A GO….Finally

It is finally here. After months of no on-track action to speak off this weekend the 2020 Formula 1 season will finally kick-off.

The season-opener will run around the picture-perfect Red Bull Ring situated at the foothills of the Styrian Mountains. It’s been more than half a year and an awfully long dry spell for all involved but the Austrian grand prix may make the wait more than worth it.

At the outset every new season there are unknowns. Pre-season testing may have provided a rudimentary pecking order but the Red Bull Ring is a far different prospect than the traditional first race of the season around Australia’s Albert Park circuit. Instead of the unique semi-permanent street circuit F1 2020 will start on an Austrian circuit dominated by straights and heavy braking.

Though the teams all observed a compulsory shutdown period work on improving their cars has been progressing. Mercedes and Ferrari are guaranteed to bring a raft of upgrades to their cars. The number of parts may vary in comparison to the bigger teams but all teams are likely to run updated packages this weekend. Ferrari are supposedly bringing only ‘minor’ upgrades to their car. But it is believed that a new smaller and narrower nose configuration will also be introduced. Reports also suggest that Ferrari are readying an engine upgrade that is rumoured to be worth 20 to 30 BHP which could prove valuable on a circuit dominated by straights.

At Mercedes Technical chief James Allison confirmed that the team has made “significant progress” on the 2020 car and will bring a “chunk” of upgrades to Austria. It might mean that Mercedes will maintain the pre-season favourites tag. But Austria hasn’t been overly kind to Mercedes in the last few years. For one, the traditionally sky-high temperatures have severely affected the Merc on several occasions. However, as it stands the weather is forecast to be in the low twenties with 60% chances of showers on Sunday.

The more than three month delay to racing, caused by the coronavirus pandemic, ensures that the 2020 F1 season will long being remembered as one of the most unusual. In addition to the conjecture around Ferrari’s pace and Mercedes’s ability to preserve their dominance Red Bull too enter into the equation. It’s been seven years since they last won a title and the biggest question around the Austrian-owned team is whether or not a sustained challenge can be mounted for the championship. The opening rounds of this season, which include the double-header in Austria and a third round in Hungary, are circuit tailor-made to the characteristics of the Red Bull car. It is as good a chance as they’ve ever had to assert themselves in the championship fight.

In the midfield too there is great sense of anticipation. Can McLaren maintain their position as best-of-the-rest? They have momentum on their side but team’s financial difficulties add an extra layer of pressure to maximise every point-scoring opportunity. Was the pace shown by Racing Point in pre-season testing legitimate and can they keep their eye on the ball despite the team’s imminent re-branding as Aston Martin? Dubbed the ‘pink Mercedes’ due to its overwhelming similarity to the 2019 Merc the Racing Point team made a big statement in testing. It’s now though that they’ll need to prove that their pace is legitimate. Will Renault, undoubtedly under pressure from France, move forward? For a works team Renault has been languishing further down the field than it should be and must begin to show progress up the grid if it is justify its participation in the sport. Has Williams produced a car capable of scoring points? There were signs early on that the 2020 Williams was at least better than its predecessor. However, the 2019 car didn’t exactly set a high bar. The team seemed cautiously optimistic that it is moving in the right direction.

The 2019 Austrian grand prix, which culminated in a last gasp win for Max Verstappen, was easily one of the best races of the season. If the 2020 Austrian grand prix has even the slightest resemblance to it then we’re in for a cracker.

July 2, 2020
F1 2020: Testing Diary – Week 1

The first four-day test has concluded at Spain’s Circuit de Barcelona Catalunya and has raised numerous talking points and more than a few eyebrows.

The Big Three

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto said in a press conference that the Maranello-based team might well be behind both Mercedes and Red Bull in the early part of the season. But the initial reports from both Seb Vettel and Charles Leclerc is that the 2020 car, dubbed the SF1000, is a definite improvement from last season’s car.

This is a different approach from Ferrari. In 2019 the team were upbeat and seemingly sure that they were heading to Australia well ahead of Mercedes. It wasn’t the case and the team spent the better part of the season playing catch up. This year they’ve taken what appears to be a more measured approach. There were no performance runs in the first week of testing and the engines were run at a very conservative mode for most of it too. It could be that they’ve decided to take the same, more cautious, approach with what they are saying too. It might well be smoke and mirrors and Ferrari’s attempt to not get ahead of themselves after being burnt in 2019.

Here is what we do know for sure. The long runs during the first test showed a car quite heavy on the tyres with the laptimes deteriorating quite a bit quicker than nearest rivals Merc and Red Bull. The team is also expected to introduce a bevy of new parts for the second test that could, if Binotto’s admissions are true, push them closer to their competitors.

There is a good feeling around the Red Bull garage that they have unquestionably taken a step forward. Max Verstappen racked up more than 100 laps in his first day in the car and declared it “fast everywhere”. How much of a step forward they have made and whether it is enough to beat Mercedes remains a mystery. But there is real optimism that Red Bull has produced a car that could well fight for the championship from the beginning of the season. It remains to be seen however if this optimism is a genuine reflection of pace or merely hype.

One of the biggest talking point to come out of the first test is Mercedes’s introduction of a moveable steering wheel which tech director James Allison has named DAS – Dual Axis Steering. From on-board footage of Lewis Hamilton’s car it became clear that he was pulling the steering wheel towards himself and then pushing it back before braking for either turn one or turn nine on the Catalunya circuit. It is believed, but unconfirmed by Mercedes; that the DAS system alters the toe, the lean angle of the front wheels, on the straits.

By adjusting the toe out it straightens the wheels thereby creating less aero drag and less scrub on the front tyres as they are now pointing straight ahead instead of at an angle. It is speculated that because the tyres point straight ahead it creates less resistance and therefore aids with tyre temperature and wear. The question remains as to how much of an advantage this system gives Merc. Some in the paddock believe that DAS is not a game-changer and that the rest of the Mercedes package for 2020 is far more important in providing performance.

Nevertheless, the DAS system is an incredibly feat of engineering that strikes right at the heart of what makes F1 technology the dazzling marvel that it is. While some might wish for the DAS to be illegal Merc has confirmed that the FIA has known about the system for some time and that they are confident of its legality.

Racing Point

When the Racing Point pulled out of the garage and rolled down the pitlane on the first day of testing it raised more than a few eyebrows and it wasn’t because of the slightly brighter pink livery either. You don’t need any technical nous to understand that Racing Point had produced, virtually, a carbon copy of Mercedes’s 2019 car. From the slightly bulbous nose through to the rear suspension it’s so similar that it has been nicknamed the ‘Pink Mercedes’ in the paddock.

Racing Point isn’t trying to hide the effective ‘photocopying’ of the 2019 Merc either. Along with tech director Andy Green they have patently admitted to taking thousands of photos of the 2019 Merc and simply copying the design. And it’s worked too, at least to some degree as a smiling Sergio Perez proclaimed that he finally has a racecar to fight with.

Williams

The Grove-based team could hardly have done worse than they did in 2019. The good news is that from all indication they are doing significantly better than twelve months ago. Not only was the team ready and raring to go on the first day of testing but also they were first onto track with a clear statement of intent.

George Russell, now in his second year with the team, is confident that the team wont simply be making up the numbers this year and that they will be racing in 2020. De facto team principal Claire Williams too was positively buoyant and with a smile on her face said that the target is getting into Q2, the second part of quali, points finishes, and a comprehensive upgrade schedule for 2020. There is unlikely to be a single person in the paddock who wouldn’t be happy that Williams has started to climb out of the doldrums of the last few years.

The second test, scheduled to run at Catalunya this week, is expected to see the focus shift somewhat towards more work on performance, meaning more focus on shorter runs and ultimate pace.

All images courtesy of Pirelli Motorsport

February 24, 2020
F1 Season Review: Greatest Hits of 2019

In less than one hundred days a brand-new season of Formula 1 will kick off in Australia. A new decade and new challenges awaits but there is one more moment to appreciate the greatest hits of the 2019 season.

Team of the year

The easiest choice would be to pick Mercedes as team of the year. Their staggeringly impressive run of six consecutive double world championship triumphs certainly makes them one of the most prolific teams ever. And such is there record in the Hybrid era that is seems near impossible to be matched or beaten by anyone else.

But the team of the 2019 Formula 1 season is McLaren. Just two years ago, in 2017, McLaren ended the season in ninth place with a paltry thirty points scored by then-drivers Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne under the leadership of Eric Boullier. In 2019, now headed by former Porsche LMP1 boss Andreas Seidl, McLaren scored 145 points to finish fourth overall.

It hasn’t been so much of a turnaround for McLaren as it has been a rebuilding. The relationship with Honda never hit its stride and the atmosphere created by one Fernando Alonso simply wasn’t conducive to an environment needed to move a team forward. The appointment of Seidl and various other changes to the management structure to McLaren is one part of a concerted effort that began to stimulate the team’s resurgence.

They haven’t yet reached the point of challenging the ‘Big Three’ (Mercedes, Red Bull, and Ferrari) but they are trending upwards in a manner that is very exciting. The misery that the team endured was tantamount to torture for the once majestic championship outfit. Before Carlos Sainz’s third place in Brazil the team had last visited the podium in 2014. But the podium finish was just a bit of icing on the cake. They also outscored the Renault works team but most impressively had built a car that worked, nearly, in all areas.

Here’s to the dark days of McLaren languishing down the bottom of the field being truly behind them. And here is too an extraordinary resurgence and long may it continue.

Driver of the year

With six world titles a convincing case could be made for Lewis Hamilton. But it is difficult to look beyond Carlos Sainz. Throughout the season the Spaniard continually proved his prowess and exceptional talent. His sixth place finish in the driver’s championship is all the more impressive when his season is deconstructed.

His season started with zero points in the first three rounds and he would fail to score on eight occasions in total, which included three retirements. But the thirteen point scores he did rack up with mightily impressive. From the sixth place in Monaco to the fourth in Hungary and certainly his first-ever podium in Brazil were all marvelous successes. But what truly underlined Sainz’s splendid ability and underlined his tremendous season was the tenth place finish in Abu Dhabi. In the context of Sainz’s season that tenth place finish meant that he finished sixth overall in the driver’s championship and ahead of Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly. And he did by passing Nico Hulkenberg on the final lap of the race too.

There were a lot of doubts when Carlos Sainz severed ties with Red Bull and moved to McLaren, not least of all for the driver himself. But now he’s proven himself more than capable of mixing it with the best of them.

Race of the year

The 2019 German grand prix is likely to go down as of the most chaotic and exhilarating races of all time. But this year’s Austrian grand prix just edges it in the stakes for best race of the year. It was an emotional weekend at the home race of the recently departed Niki Lauda and it turned out to be a race most befitting of the three-time champion.

Anti-stall at the start of the race seemed to fell any chance Max Verstappen had of challenging for the win as he dropped from second to eighth by the first corner of the race. But if unyielding tenacity were a person it would be Max Verstappen. Dazzlingly, he carved his way through the field and by the time the pitstops were sorted he was running fourth.

In the true uncompromising Verstappen fashion he made short work of Seb Vettel on lap 50 and a few laps later dispatched of Valtteri Bottas for second place. Only Charles Leclerc stood in his way now. With three laps to go Verstappen spectacularly barged his way past the Ferrari and was on his way to the most impressive win of his career.

It was an amazing feat for Red Bull to win their home race. But even more so for Honda who had reclaimed the top step of the podium for the first time since 2006. To say that Honda has had a torrid time in F1 would be an understatement. As a proud Japanese company they suffered the blows to their reputation with grace and humility. To see Toyoharu Tanabe, Honda F1’s technical director, in tears is all you needed to know just how difficult it had been and how much the victory meant.

Rookie of the year

Three rookies started the season in Australia and all three conducted themselves in a genuinely impressive manner. But Lando Norris’s relentless consistency and standout performances in, amongst others, Bahrain, Belgium, and Singapore announced the Brit on the world’s biggest motor racing stage.

As the season progressed Norris suffered, effectively, five retirements overall and racked up twelve points-scoring races. Aside from the numbers his race craft proved faultless to the point that most forgot that he was a nineteen-year-old rookie. It is unquestionable that if McLaren should produce a competitive car in 2020 that Lando Norris will be more than equal to the task.

December 17, 2019
F1 2019: Abu Dhabi Gp Review – Hamilton Dominates Season Finale

For the eleventh time this season Lewis Hamilton stood atop the podium on a weekend that he well and truly dominated. Not only did Hamilton win the Abu Dhabi grand prix at a canter but he also lead every lap, set the fastest lap, and started from pole position.

Car number 44’s advantage over the field was never in doubt as Hamilton cruised to the 83^rd victory of career in his 250^th grand prix start. Nearly seventeen seconds adrift Max Verstappen was second for Red Bull. The Dutchman also finishes third in the driver’s standings behind Valtteri Bottas in second.

Further adrift and never truly in the picture this weekend Ferrari was third on the road with Charles Leclerc. Ferrari were lucky to escape penalty after providing misleading information as to the amount fuel left in Leclerc’s car after Saturday qualifying. Instead the FIA imposed a fine of 50,000 Euros. Valtteri Bottas recovered to fourth after starting last due to penalties incurred for fitting a new power unit. Ferrari pace deficit was obvious all weekend and confirmed further by Sebastian Vettel finished fifth without ever troubling the frontrunners. It’s been a difficult season for the Italian team – most of it from their own making.

On a one-stop strategy Alex Albon was sixth in the other Red Bull while Sergio Perez beautifully mastered his tyres for an incredible 37-lap stint on the medium compound. His fresher tyres and brilliant move on Lando Norris around the outside at Turn 11 on the last lap meant a fine seventh place finish for the Mexican. It also ensures that Checo Perez finishes tenth in the drivers’ standings.

In eighth was Lando Norris just ahead of Dani Kvyat in ninth and Carlos Sainz in tenth. Sainz’s late move on Nico Hulkenberg netted him the final point on offer and, exceptionally, sixth place in the driver’s championship. McLaren end the 2019 season as the fourth best team in what can easily be declared their best year in the hybrid era. It is evident that the atmosphere at McLaren has dramatically improved since 2018 and credit is owed the management of the team. But outside of the ‘Big three’ McLaren have easily the most exciting driver line-up in Norris and Sainz. They’ve proven to be formidable competitors and if McLaren can produce a car able to fight higher up the grid they do so with the knowledge that their drivers will be more than equal to the task.

Though he had run most of the 55 lap race in the points it wasn’t to be a fairytale end to Nico Hulkenberg’s F1 career as he eventually finished twelfth. Further down the field Robert Kubica brought his full time driving career to an end in much the way that it started – unspectacularly and plumb last.

The domination of Mercedes continued in 2019 and for a record breaking sixth consecutive time they have won both the driver’s and constructor’s titles. They have been utterly relentless and merciless and it seems difficult to fathom that they can be beaten. But the teams will work, they will believe and in 104 days they will go again.

December 2, 2019
F1 2019: Abu Dhabi Gp Preview – From Dusk to Darkness

The Abu Dhabi grand prix is here and it brings with the end of the 2019 Formula 1 season. Race number twenty-one on the calendar is hosted at easily one of the most impressive venues that F1 visits. A gigantic complex that comprises the Ferrari World theme park, the Yas Hotel and the 5.5 kilometer long Yas Marina circuit.

The race, unique for its transition from dusk to darkness, is run over 55 laps for which the current lap record of 1:40:279, set in 2009, is held by Sebastian Vettel. Designed by Herman Tilke, who else, the track is dominated by a 1.2 kilometer back straight interrupted by the slow-speed ‘chicane’ of Turns 7 and 8. This stretch of the circuit is of particular interest as it does induce several overtaking moves throughout the race.

Conceptualized in 2006 The Yas Marina circuit, situated just outside of Dubai has never been one to produce big drama. But it’s had its fare share of striking moments since in 2009 introduction. It is here in 2010 that Sebastian Vettel won the first of his four championship titles. And where in 2012 on his way to victory Kimi Raikkonen famously quipped over team radio “leave me alone, I know what I’m doing”. In 2016 Nico Rosberg too was crowned champion in Abu Dhabi and followed the biggest moment of his racing career with the even bigger bombshell of retirement.

Who will it suit? All indications, and the enormously long straight, suggest that Ferrari should be in a strong position. But the Italian team has fallen short on Sundays in the last few grand prix. And they have the cloud of the Vettel/Leclerc relationship hanging over them too. There’s no doubt that Vettel and Leclerc will tow the PR line this weekend where the press in concerned. But they’ll still try to one-up each other, as they should.

Mercedes, in particular Lewis Hamilton, has always gone well in Abu Dhabi but it is Red Bull who may just spring a surprise. The performance of the Honda power unit in Brazil was eye-catching. Given the final sector of the lap is dominated by medium to slow-speed corners that calls for good mechanical grip Red Bull could well in be an excellent position this weekend.

As far as we know Formula 1 will bid farewell to Nico Hulkenberg and Robert Kubica this weekend. Hulkenberg, to be replaced by Esteban Ocon in 2020, will leave F1 as its nearly man. While no doubt a talented driver Hulkenberg simply never delivered the outstanding performances that he was expected too. He’ll have one more opportunity, though it’s a far-fetched one, to score that elusive podium.

Robert Kubica’s story is an unforgettable one. He burst onto the scene and immediately impressed with his speed. But for a nearly fatal rallying crash he would likely have ended up at a top team sooner rather than later. Unfortunately it never panned out for the Polish driver. His comeback with Williams though is an incredible testament to his character, willpower, and determination. Ultimately though he was comprehensively outperformed by rookie teammate George Russell. But all is not lost, as Kubica may still be seen in the paddock as a test and development driver.

Though some Formula 1 journeys and so to the 2019 season may be coming to their conclusion there are 55 more laps of the Abu Dhabi grand prix before signing off.

November 27, 2019
F1 2019: US GP Review – Six Titles for Hamilton

The 2019 American grand prix wont go down as one of the most exciting races but it will undoubtedly be remembered as the day when Lewis Hamilton became a six-time Formula 1 world champion.

Valtteri Bottas made the perfect start from pole position and drove a stellar race to take the seventh win of his career. The victory in Texas makes 2019 Bottas’s most successful season to date in which he will finish as runner-up in the driver’s championship.

Max Verstappen ran comfortably second for the opening stint of the race while Hamilton, starting fifth, made relatively short work of both Ferrari’s of Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel. A cunningly slow formation lap from Bottas had meant that neither Ferrari was able to get their medium compound tyres in the operating window that subsequently saw them struggle for grip.

In addition to struggling for grip there was clearly something amiss with Vettel’s Ferrari as Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo easily passed him. Vettel appeared to be recovering and closing the gap to the McLaren and Renault ahead of him but a few laps later the German driver suffered a startling right-rear suspension failure. It didn’t get any better for the Italian team as Leclerc ran a distant fourth for the remainder of the race without ever having the pace to threaten even the last step of the podium.

Up front Bottas and Verstappen opted for a two-stop strategy while Hamilton banked on a one-stop strategy. However, unlike in Mexico a week earlier Hamilton was not able to hold onto the lead. On lap 52 a charging Bottas swept past his teammate and into the lead. Hamilton’s problems weren’t over though as Verstappen too closed to within less than a second of him in the closing stages.

However, the Dutchman never got close enough to attempt an overtake and eventually finished third while Leclerc trundled home a distant fourth.

After being squeezed off the track, forced into the pitlane on lap 1, and being plumb last Alex Albon drove a brilliant race to bring his Red Bull home in fifth. The Thai driver, only seven races into his Red Bull career, has grown in confidence at every race weekend and seems to be a shoe-in to remain at the team for 2020.

Daniel Ricciardo too delivered an impressive driver to finish sixth in the Renault ahead of the ever-impressive McLaren pair of Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz in seventh and eighth. Nico Hulkenberg was ninth while for a second straight week Daniil Kvyat was given a last-lap penalty for causing a collision. Sergio Perez, the casualty of the collision was promoted to tenth as a result of the Russian’s penalty.

One of the most beautiful things about sport is that it cannot be predicted. There was simply no way to know that the young boy from humble beginnings in Stevenage would one day become a six time Formula 1 world champion.

There will be those who protest vehemently against the idea that Hamilton is one of the greatest drivers in the history of the sport. And while opinions can certainly be made they cannot be quantified. But titles can and Lewis Hamilton has six of them.

All images courtesy of Pirelli Motorsport

November 4, 2019
2019 Formula 1: United States Grand Prix: Thursday Press Conference

DRIVERS – George RUSSELL (Williams), Lance STROLL (Racing Point), Max VERSTAPPEN (Red Bull Racing), Lando NORRIS (McLaren), Pierre GASLY (Toro Rosso)

PRESS CONFERENCE

Q: Gentlemen, you can see the 2021 car sitting in front of you. I’d like to start by asking you all about it, the car and the general direction of Formula 1 in a couple of years’ time? Max, if we can start with you, please?

Max VERSTAPPEN: It’s a bit small!

Lando NORRIS: I was going to say that! That’s my joke!

MV: Yeah, also for us it’s still early days. I haven’t really looked through all the things – I mean it’s just announced. At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter how it looks like or whatever, as long as it gives us better racing and we can follow better. Of course we want to be within two seconds, three seconds of what we are doing now, definitely, because if it’s going to be about four or five it’s not what we want, because then it feels a bit too slow. But I think this is just the start of it and I’m sure that teams will come up with a little bit of a different look as well, so let’s just find out over time how it’s going to work out.

Q: Ross Brawn has just said that lap times will be similar to 2016.

MV: Yeah, I guess… To be honest I didn’t really enjoy driving the cars as much back then as I do now, but of course you have to find a middle way in terms of what you want with following and stuff like that. Anyway, throughout the season the cars will improve.

Q: OK, let’s get some other thoughts: George?

George RUSSELL: Yeah, from my side it doesn’t really matter how it looks or the speed of it as long as we have great racing. I think that’s what we all want. Obviously the weight is heavier which I think is not ideal for any of us. I mean, even driving like a Formula 3 car it was really fun to drive but it was much lighter than what these Formula 1 cars are. But as long as it improves the racing and brings the field together that’s all I care about.

Q: Lance?

Lance STROLL: Yeah, not much more to add really. I think the main thing is to focus on the racing. We need to be able to follow closer to one another and to improve the wheel-to-wheel racing, the show for the fans, and I think for us drivers, too, it will be very exciting if we can see closer racing. Hopefully it levels the playing field as well. If we can see the gaps reduced to the top teams and there are more opportunities for the midfield teams to score podiums and to fight for positions further up the grid, that would be exciting.

Q: Lando?

Lando NORRIS: I think it’s pretty much been covered. As they all said as long as the racing’s better and we all have a chance to fight for wins in different races and as teams we can all fight for being a strong constructor, I think that’s the key thing. That’s about it.

Q: Do you like the look?

LN: I would change the paint scheme slightly! Apart from that, I think it’s alright. I mean, I’ve seen the renders our designers are designing and it looks pretty cool. I don’t really mind too much, that’s not what I’m fussed about. I’m just fussed about the racing and having fun and being able to follow cars closely and just enjoy racing more than what we do now.

Q: And Pierre?

Pierre GASLY: Well, I agree with all of them, so not much to add.

Q: OK, well Lando, a frustrating race for both McLaren drivers in Mexico. What did you learn from your various problems in Mexico and do the temperatures we’re experiencing here in Austin worry you?

LN: Yeah, not a great race for us as a team, especially after our qualifying position and a good chance to score some more points. I think there are obvious things… I think my race was put down fairly quickly with the pit stop. There’s something that’s easily known and understood in terms of what the problem was, but fixing it isn’t something that is going to happen overnight and it doesn’t happen often at the same time, so it’s not like we’re worried about pit stops or anything, it’s just we can be a bit unlucky and this time it was the first pit stop that I had where I was a but unlucky. I’m not so worried about that; the team have got solutions in the pipeline, which is a good thing for us. We just have to look on to this weekend. I wouldn’t say we are worried about the track temperatures or anything, it’s just how it is. It’s similar to Barcelona in pre-season. It might be a bit more difficult to get the tyres in the right window and so one, but I’m hoping it will play a little bit more to our strengths rather than our weaknesses.

Q: And an opportunity to reflect on your first season in F1. What’s the take-home message from this year for you?

LN: Meh.

MV: You sound like a sheep. I think there is a meme incoming now.

LN: I’m happy with bits of it. There are bits I’m not so happy with. I’ve not made any huge mistakes. I’ve not crashed a lot, I’ve not done anything stupid. But as a racing driver, and I’m sure all drivers on the whole grid would say the same, there’s always room for improvement and things they want to do better. So, I am happy, I think 90% of the things I’ve done, I think I’ve done them reasonably well. It’s just the smaller things – you mess up a qualifying lap or you don’t progress enough on how you work on the set-up with the engineers as much as you want. It’s just putting all the small things together. A bit of it comes with experience, but a bit of I don’t think I did a good enough job in. I’m happy, it’s been a good year, a very enjoyable year, but I want to make sure I come back next year and already in the next races in slightly stronger form.

Q: Thanks Lando and good luck this weekend. Pierre, how’s your health?

PG: Really good. I think that’s about 20 times people asked me since I arrived in the paddock today. It was a rough time last weekend, but everything’s perfect now.

Q: How tough was that race? You finished ninth but you really weren’t…

PG: Yeah, it was probably one of the most challenging race weekends I’ve had…

MV: The seat [inaudible]…

PG: No, the seat was clean – nothing wrong with that. It was pretty tough from Saturday morning onwards, just in terms of energy and trying to keep the focus. It wasn’t an easy one but I’m happy we went through it. We managed to get the best result we could out of the weekend. Pretty strong qualifying and race, even though it wasn’t easy, but yeah, it was definitely a challenging one.

Q: You say strong qualifying. Both Toro Rossos got into Q3. How much progress have you made with the car recently?

PG: To be fair, the car is more or less the same as it was in the last couple of races, since I rejoined. But I think it’s just trying to extract the maximum from what we have and trying to find the set-up directions that suit tracks and what I need from the car. I must say I’m really happy with the way we’re working with the team. They are providing me with everything I need so we can extract everything from the car. So far we are doing well. We can always do better and we’ll try to keep that form in the next three races.

Q: You say the team is giving you everything you needs. Confidence looks high. Are you driving better now than when you were with Red Bull Racing?

PG: Not really. I didn’t learn or forget how to drive in a couple of months. It’s just a matter of putting everything together. As I said, I’m just focusing on the job to do with Toro Rosso. I think we are doing pretty well. There are always things we need to focus on and improve and that’s what we need to focus one.

Q: Lance, if I could come to you now. Belated happy birthday. Turned 21 on Tuesday. What have you done since Mexico?

Lance STROLL: I mean, just been laying low and enjoyed my birthday. It was nice… I went for dinner and was able to have my first drink in America! That’s a real breakthrough. First time ever in the United States. So that was a lot of fun – but in moderation, looking forward to this weekend. I’m a professional athlete, so I’ve got to be in the best shape I can be for the weekend – and here I am.

Q: Now, it was a competitive showing by both Racing Points in Mexico. Was that track-specific or are you really starting to add performance to the car?

LS: A bit of both. I didn’t have the best weekend myself. It was really my team-mate who had a solid weekend. On Saturday and especially Sunday I had a scruffy qualifying session and then my race was going well until the second stint where I got a lot of lapping events, graining etcetera. Unfortunately, it didn’t go our way but we definitely had potential again to score points and it’s looking that way over the last five or six races since we brought the upgrade in Spa. That’s really positive. Looking good for the next three races.

Q: George, coming on to you. The team has been introducing new parts in recent races. How much better is the car to drive now than it was at the start of the season?

George RUSSELL: I think the upgrades we’ve brought to the car recently, it’s more been looking into 2020. We knew that it’s not going to necessarily unlock a lot of performance on the car as it is now – but it’s definitely looking promising going into next year. Overall, the car is definitely nicer to drive. I mean, at the start of the year it was not nice at all, let’s say, and it was pretty tricky just to get around a lap. But we’ve done a good job to fine-tune the balance, just to make it a nicer car to drive – but now we need to rely on the engineers back at the factory to bolt some more downforce on it.

Q: And what about your own development as a driver this year? You said you wanted to learn out of the spotlight, which you’ve been able to do – but what do you take into year two next year?

GR: Similar to what Lando said. I think there’s things I’ve been happy with, things I haven’t been… just experience really. The little things that you only improve on, race by race: understanding the tyres; the starts. It’s pretty tricky starting at the back of the grid, with all the cars around, a massive lack of downforce. Even less downforce than what we’ve got, let’s say. Just little bits and bobs here and there. I think I’ll definitely be a better driver into next year.

Q: Max, just off the plane from L.A. at the fan festival yesterday. How was that?

Max VERSTAPPEN: Yeah, it was good. Good amount of fans and some good donuts as well. So, that’s always nice to do.

Q: This weekend, believe it or not, is your 100^th grand prix.

LN: Same as Carlos!

MV: Yeah, we started together.

LN: That’s sweet!

Q: What does that stat means to you, Max?

MV: Good beginning! And, of course, it all happened very quick. To realise and see that you are about to do your 100^th grand prix at 22 years old, I think I would never have expected that – but I guess it’s a good thing. Basically, those five years have gone very quickly.

Q: Just looking ahead to this weekend, you had a cracking race here last year. Onto the podium from 18^th. What are your expectations this year?

MV: I think we can have a good race. Last year, coming from the back and then still finishing on the podium was a very good result. Of course, it gave me an opportunity to have a different strategy, which at the end of the day was not a bad one – but now we want to start a bit more upfront and see what we can do. But I think in Mexico the car was working really well, so we just try to continue that here.

QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

Q: (Ian Parkes – New York Times) Question to Max initially and then secondary question to Lando and George. Max, it looks like Lewis is going to wrap up his title very soon – potentially here, he only needs four points. In competing with him these past few years, what makes him the driver he has become, do you feel, effectively now on the brink of becoming a six time World Champion. And to Lando and George, what does Lewis mean to you guys as British drivers growing up, potentially wanting to emulate him as a future British world champion?

MV: From my side, unfortunately I haven’t really had the time to compete with him that much. I mean, just a few races. Most of the time we didn’t have equal material but he was always clearly the better of the two within the team. And then, when you have the best car out there, of course you can win the Championship. It’s amazing, of course, to go for your sixth World Championship.

Q: Lando, let’s start with you. What does Lewis mean to you?

LN: I guess he’s a guy who I’ve always looked up to since I was young. A driver who I’ve loved to watch. I’ve been very excited to watch a lot of his races since I started watching F1 when I was six or seven years old. So, I’ve kind of not been on the journey but I’ve been able to watch a lot of the races and it gives a bit of… I wouldn’t say belief or faith but it gives a bit of confidence knowing that, or hoping to go into the future and emulate him in a way – but like Max said, the equipment’s very different to when he joined Formula One, when he was with McLaren. So some things aren’t going to be exactly the same; it’s not possible to do the same as other drivers – but there are a lot of things that he’s extremely good at and I would like to improve on and be as good as him on, so yeah, a guy and a driver who’s inspired me and who I’ve looked up to since I was very young.

Q: George?

GR: Similar to Lando. Definitely somebody who I’ve looked up to for a while, since I’ve been wanting to become a Formula One driver but especially in the last couple of years. I’ve gained a huge amount of respect for him, seeing him within the team. I used to think he just relied on his natural talent to jump in the car and do the business but he puts a huge amount of effort in and the attention to detail he goes into is massive. I did learn a lot from him in the years I spent with Mercedes, so yeah, definitely respect and admire what he’s achieved.

Q: (Phil Duncan – PA) For Max. Just on Lewis. He had some comments to say about you after the last race. Said he affords you more space than other drivers in fear of being torpedoed…

MV: Torpedoed? I didn’t hear that one.

Q: …well, it was part of what he said. And I think Seb also said that he copy-and-pasted what Lewis had to say. I was wondering what your feeling is about those two comments?

MV: Well, looking at Turns One and Two in Mexico, I don’t think that happened. From my side, yeah, it was a bit of a silly comment to make. I think I’m always a hard racer but fair. I think it’s just not correct – but of course it’s easy to have a dig at someone. From my side, it’s fine. It’s always positive when the talk about you. That means you’re in their head, So, for my side, I just focus on my driving and I think that’s enough said.

Q: (Chris Medland – Racer) Pierre, Lando and Lance: we’ve got the 2021 regulations which are aiming to bring the field closer together but for the three of you, competing in a very tight midfield this season, do you really enjoy those battles when the main target really for you is what we call best of the rest, behind the top three teams, and when you do come up on top of those, does it really feel like a win in a junior category or is it quite frustrating to be limited like that?

PG: Well, I do enjoy these tight battles because at the end of the day I love racing and that’s what you get when you’re right there, like six to eight cars within three or four tenths. It brings a lot of excitement to the track on my side actually. I do like it; for sure, knowing that the best you can achieve is seventh is always a bit disappointing sometimes when you need to be satisfied with this kind of result because of course as a racer you want to fight for the top position. When you finish seventh, that’s kind of the first place you can target; you don’t get any trophy, you don’t get any champagne, it doesn’t really taste the same. Hopefully this can be improved for 2021. I don’t have the answer at the moment. Of course I think we have all the common targets with F1 and that’s what all the driver wants so yeah, hopefully it’s going to be achieved by 2021.

LN: I agree with Pierre, to be honest. 2021 regulations are not going to mean we are going to be winning races or we’re going to be on the podium all the time. It’s a much better chance for us to achieve those things and as drivers to achieve those things and experience a podium at one time. It’s going to just even up the field I hope, make racing better, make it more enjoyable to watch, more enjoyable to race for us drivers because that is something we miss. A lot of the drivers who are in Formula One have done very well in the junior categories since karting, F4, F3, F2, whatever, so we’ve always loved it and it’s part of the feeling we enjoy so much as a team is getting on the podium and knowing we’ve been able to beat sometimes the rest of the field and we’ve done a better job because of it. So it’s something I do miss but it’s not just me, it’s the whole team as well. Yeah, something I look forward to and hope we can take advantage of.

LS: I’ve loved the midfield competition this year. I think it’s been tighter than it’s ever been. You look at the gaps on Saturdays and then on the Sunday how close the racing is, it’s great for the drivers, for the fans. Unfortunately we are so getting lapped by Mercedes and Ferraris, even Red Bulls, so hopefully that can change in ’21. I agree with what Pierre said: it’s great to fight for the best of the rest but when you’re seventh and there’s no reward for that. We’re always trying to score World Championship points but the podium is realistically out of reach and victories are out of the question in today’s sport. I really do hope that we can see some changes in ’21, closer racing as well. That is the priority, I think, with the regulation changes this year, capable of following cars nose to tail but then on top of that, if we can see the gaps reduced to the top teams the opportunity to fight for podiums and wins potentially – that would be awesome.

Q: (John Massengale – Speed City) Pierre, we got to go to Houston with you yesterday to go to NASA. How was it, talking to an astronaut while he was live in the space station?

PG: This was really amazing. I would have never imagined one day in my life talking to an astronaut who was actually in space, I don’t know how many kilometres away but that was just incredible to imagine that just from that fun talking and then getting an answer two seconds later from that same guy who was in space. It was an amazing experience. We got to visit the whole NASA control centre, speak with astronauts who have already been a couple of times in space. Saw some rocket ships – no, it was just an incredible experience.

Q: (John Massengale – Speed City) Max, going to the festival in Los Angeles and the talk of a race in Miami, do you think this is important, not only for the sport but for you as a driver to get this exposure here in the United States, and what do you think about the possibility of more races here?

MV: Well, in general I think it’s good for the sport, the owners as well, they want more races I think in the US. I think what we’re doing, at the moment, is of course trying to make the sport more popular and more well known in the US. I enjoy being here. It doesn’t matter if it’s in Austin or LA or Miami or wherever in America, I think it’s just a very cool place to be. I think a few – or one or two more races, they wouldn’t hurt, as long as they are exciting of course and a lot of fans are attending.

Q: Max, what was the atmosphere like in Los Angeles yesterday? Was there a great atmosphere? What was the reception like from the crowd?

MV: It felt good. They liked the noise as well from the cars, as soon as we were warming the engines already they loved it. Of course it was all very limited, we could basically only do a few doughnuts and stuff but I guess they liked that already but of course it would be even better to show how quick we can go through corners as well and hopefully with those kind of regulations coming in also the racing will be really cool to watch.

Q: (Yhacbec Lopez – Motorlat) Max, do you think Lewis and Seb are more aggressive with you than any other driver on the grid?

MV: I don’t know. I think you should ask them that question.

Q: (Ben Hunt – The Sun) Max, it’s for you, unfortunately, again…

MV: It’s not a surprise so…

Q: (Ben Hunt – The Sun) Well, you’re quite topical at the moment. Do you think you’re being treated fairly by the FIA in the wake of what happened at the last race, for your honesty, your brutal honesty, about the yellow flags? And also do you think that you’re getting dug out by Lewis, by Sebastian? They don’t seem to dig anyone else out, it just seems to be you; you seem to be the centre of attention a lot of time.

MV: No, I think it was very fair from the FIA. We had a good talk in the stewards and I said ‘I didn’t see the yellow flag’ but of course there’s a rule that when there is a yellow flag displayed that you have to slow down so from my side, there are also no hard feelings about that. It’s just very unfortunate I didn’t see that yellow flag and in hindsight I also didn’t need to go for that lap time because I was already on pole position but what was going through my head throughout that lap was you don’t know what the other guys in front of you are doing, if they are improving, are they beating your pole lap time? I didn’t see the yellow flag, I improved my lap time, in hindsight I didn’t need to do it but also in hindsight I think next time I’m anyway going to lift even if they would improve my lap time, just because they got lucky, they were in front of the accident. It is what it is but of course…. At the moment we are still not in a position to fight for pole position all the time so of course I was enjoying the moment as well. But still, it was a great result for us, it showed that after the few difficult races we’ve had in terms of performance the car was working really well so that was a big boost even though we didn’t start from pole position.

And then your second question, I think from my side it only shows that I’m in their heads and I guess that’s a good thing but from my side I don’t need to dig in to other people in the press conferences because first of all I think it’s a bit disrespectful as well and I prefer to fight on track which I love to do and of course I like to fight hard but on the edge. Otherwise, if they want me to stay behind, it’s also better to stay at home. I really want to take the fight to them because that’s what we are here for. We are racers, we in Formula One, I think we are the best out there and we do fight for victories because that’s what I live for.

November 1, 2019
F1 2019: Mexican Gp Review – Hamilton one step closer

The Mexican grand prix had all the makings for a potentially epic showdown for the race win. Unfortunately none of it ever materialized.

On Saturday Max Verstappen set the quickest time in qualifying for only the second time in his career. But failing to slow under yellow flags, brought out by Valtteri Bottas’s crashed Mercedes meant that race stewards demoted the Dutchman to fourth on the grid. The irony is that Verstappen may just have gotten away with it had he not boasted about failing to slow under the yellow flag in the subsequent post-quali press conference. It was rather arrogant manner of declaring that not slowing didn’t really matter that prompted stewards to call him and award him a three-place grid penalty.

Verstappen is an exciting talent who, potentially, has the speed to become an F1 champion one day. However, his approach to this incident, and some others, is foolish. There can be absolutely no judgment call from any driver when it comes to the safety of marshals or other drivers. Claiming that drivers are well aware and capable is certainly true but it is not acceptable reasoning for ignoring safety protocols. These safety protocols have been instituted as a result of Formula 1 learning hard and painful lessons not least of all with the crash and death of Jules Bianchi. Therefore to dismiss the safety protocols are not only arrogant it is deeply disrespectful.

Verstappen’s grid drop translated to a front-row lock out for Ferrari with Charles Leclerc led teammate Sebastian Vettel off the starting line. The two were relatively evenly matched. Behind the Ferrari pair Hamilton, starting third, battled with Verstappen to the point of touching and running off track. This allowed Alex Albon and McLaren’s Carlos Sainz to slip through while Hamilton was now fourth and Verstappen down in eighth.

There was a brief delay in the action as a virtual safety car was deployed to clear debris from the Hamilton/Verstappen clash. Racing resumed with Verstappen surprising Bottas with an overtake into the hairpin in the stadium section. Unfortunately for the Red Bull driver his right-rear wheel was clipped by Bottas’s front-wing endplate resulting in a puncture that eventually dropped him dead last.

Up ahead Leclerc was holding off teammate Vettel by 1.5 seconds with Albon running comfortably in third. The Thai driver was the first to take to the pitlane on lap 15 with Leclerc following a lap later, both drivers opting for a two-stop strategy. Mercedes called in Hamilton on lap 24 and fitted the hard compound tyre with the aim of running to the end of the 71 lap race. Hamilton wasn’t convinced that the tyres would last the distance but was repeatedly reassured that the plan would work.

Meanwhile Vettel and Bottas extended their first stints on the medium compound and only stopped for new rubber on laps 37 and 38 respectively. All indications were that the pair of them, with significantly fresher tyres, would cruise up to the back of race leader Hamilton and pass the number 44 Mercedes. However, the big showdown never materialized as Hamilton brilliantly managed his tyres all the way to the chequered flag for race win number 83. While Hamilton’s ability to run a 48 lap stint on a single set of tyres was impressive there is something for F1 to consider and Pirelli to consider here – it does little for the ‘show’ if one set of tyres lasts for two-thirds of a race.

It was a bit of a missed opportunity for Ferrari as Vettel’s pace was easily a match for Hamilton. But they needed to be sharper on their strategy calls to make the difference in Mexico. Valtteri Bottas took the final step of the podium and delayed Hamilton from securing the driver’s title. Leclerc brought the second Ferrari home in fourth ahead of Albon in fifth while Verstappen recovered impressively to sixth.

A jubilant Mexican crowd cheered home Sergio Perez in an outstanding seventh place while Daniel Ricciardo brought his Renault home in eighth. Pierre Gasly was ninth for Toro Rosso ahead of Nico Hulkenberg in tenth despite a late acquaintance with barriers. Daniil Kvyat was awarded a ten-second time penalty for punting Hulkenberg into the barriers in the final corner.

Four points is all that Lewis Hamilton will need in Texas this weekend to become a six-time champion.

All images courtesy of Pirelli Motorsport

October 28, 2019
2019 Mexican Gp Preview: Bottas vs. Hamilton

Only four races remain in the 2019 Formula 1 season and in this weekend’s Mexican grand prix only two drivers are still in contention to win the driver’s title.

The result at the Japanese grand prix not only secured Mercedes a monumental sixth consecutive constructors crown but also insured that only Lewis Hamilton or Valtteri Bottas are in contention for the driver’s championship. Bottas’s victory in Japan was impressive but he still trails teammate Hamilton by 64 points with a maximum of 104 available in the last four races. It’s is a enormous gap to overhaul and Bottas himself knows that in order to do so he’ll need some luck on his side. “Everything’s possible although I’m realistic as well that I will need to be very lucky, that’s a fact, to win all the rest of the races but I don’t really think about that much at this point,” said Bottas.

For Hamilton the prospect of a sixth crown looms larger than ever and he could clinch it this weekend. If he outscores Bottas by 14 points he will secure the title. But given the layout and characteristics of Mexico’s Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez it may not be all in Mercedes hands this weekend.

The 71 laps of the Mexican grand prix will be run around the 4.304 km circuit situated in the heart of Mexico City. One of its most striking features is that sits nearly two kilometers above sea level. The high altitude, and subsequently thinner air, somewhat dulls the power output of the power unit but the long straits will still reward those with an advantage in the engine department. It has evident for some time now that Ferrari has surpassed Mercedes in terms of power output and delivery. And since turning a metaphorical corner in Singapore they have looked in much better shape, pace wise. It means that the prancing horses could well be the team to beat this weekend which plays more into Bottas’s hands than it does Hamilton.

Traditionally, Red Bull would be expected to be at the sharp end in Mexico given that Max Verstappen has won here the last two years. However, the Dutchman seems less than enthused about his chances. “I don’t think there’s one track left this season where we can do a particularly good job. Several incidents since the summer break and an overall lack of pace has seen Verstappen drift away from the frontrunners. “So I think if we can fight for the podium [in Mexico] this time around, we’ve done a good job,” added Verstappen.

Much of the crowd in attendance will be there to cheer on one of their own in the shape of Sergio Perez. Checo, as he is affectionately known, made his F1 debut for Sauber in 2011. His performances were impressive enough to net him a drive with McLaren for 2013 during which fifth was his highest placed finish. The early version of Checo Perez was often overly aggressive but his speed was evident too. It wasn’t enough for McLaren who cut the Mexican loose at the end of 2013. He took up with Force India, now Racing Point, and delivered some truly memorable performances including several stunning podium finishes. He is contracted to remain at Racing Point until the end of 2022. At 29 years old he chance at driving for a top team has likely gone but he is no less beloved in his native Mexico whom are likely to be out in full force and garb this weekend.

October 23, 2019