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F1 news LIVE: George Russell ‘coping better’ than Lewis Hamilton as Michael Masi return reported

F1 news LIVE: George Russell ‘coping better’ than Lewis Hamilton as Michael Masi return reported

The Spanish Grand Prix is this weekend with the F1 title race hotting up between Max Verstappen and leader Charles Leclerc, with the world champion snatching victory last time out at the inaugural Miami Grand Prix.

Mercedes continue to struggle through the season, with the porpoising effect still not solved, leaving Lewis Hamilton and George Russell frustrated and team boss Toto Wolff left to appease both that better times will come this summer.

Elsewhere in the two-week break between Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel has been featuring on talk shows to discuss climate change. He said: “It’s my passion to drive a car. Every time I step in the car, I love it. When I get out of the car, of course I’m thinking as well: ‘Is this something we should do, travel the world, wasting resources?’ We need to stop being dependent [on fossil fuels], and we can, because there are solutions in place. There’s certain things that are in my control, and certain things are not. There’s things that I do because I feel I can do them better. Do I take the plane every time? No, not when I can take the car. But there’s certain things in my control, and certain things outside.”

There is great excitement for the Spanish Grand Prix due to the major updates expected from the majority of teams since Miami. It’s the same venue that teams used for the first pre-season test, meaning there is an easy way to compare and contrast with teams desperate for upgrades to define their seasons. Follow all the build-up to the F1 Spanish Grand Prix below:

F1 news

  • Toto Wolff believes Lewis Hamilton and George Russell are the optimum pair of drivers

  • Hamilton left ‘astonished’ at potential F1 return of axed race director Michael Masi

  • Charles Leclerc ‘lost the brakes’ in crashing Niki Lauda’s Ferrari

  • Sebastian Vettel questioning F1 future due to the climate

  • Christian Horner surprised by Red Bull and Max Verstappen’s ‘unbelievable start'

  • George Russell ‘coping better’ than Lewis Hamilton, claims Martin Brundle

George Russell ‘coping better’ than Lewis Hamilton

08:22 , Jack Rathborn

George Russell is “coping better” than Lewis Hamilton amid a tough start to the season for Mercedes, claims Martin Brundle.

“It’s a tough time [for Lewis] and eager George, with most of his career still ahead of him, is coping better with the situation than Lewis judging by radio transmissions,” Brundle said in his latest column.

“If the car was a match for Ferrari and Red Bull you could reasonably argue that Mercedes have the best driver combination on the grid.”

McLaren confirm car updates to boost Spanish Grand Prix chances

08:12 , Jack Rathborn

McLaren boss Andreas Seidl has confirmed the team have made their first major changes of the season to their MCL36 with upgrades available for the Spanish Grand Prix.

The team, whose cars are piloted by Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo, have not had the start to the season they would have hoped for. They are fourth in the constructors’ standings, 111 points behind leaders Ferrari, while Norris and Ricciardo are seventh and 11th respectively in the drivers’ standings.

But the team are hoping the changes they have made to the car ahead of Sunday’s grand prix in Barcelona will help get their season back on track.

“We are bringing some upgrades to the car for the weekend,” Seidl said in his official race preview. “I know it’s been an extremely busy week or so for many of the teams making changes ahead of Barcelona, so it’s going to continue to be a tight fight for points.

“We performed well at this track in pre-season testing, so it will be interesting to see how our car will perform with the upgrades we’ve made since then. Hopefully we can have some good battles and get both cars back into the fight for good points.”

McLaren confirm car updates to boost Spanish Grand Prix chances

Max Verstappen not ruling out future move to Ferrari or Mercedes

07:50 , Jack Rathborn

Max Verstappen is not ruling out future move to Ferrari or Mercedes despite insisting he is feeling “really good” at Red Bull.

And while the world champion is content with Red Bull, his age, still only 24, enables him to have a flexible future despite signing a seven-year extension this year.

“I feel really good in the team. There is no reason to leave the team. We get along well and we have a competitive package,” Verstappen told Motorsport-Magazin, as quoted by Sky F1 Germany, when discussing the prospect of a future move.

“At the end of the contract I will only be 31 years old. Then I still have the option to continue or not. I’m still not old at the end of the contract.”

George Russell ‘coping better’ than Lewis Hamilton

Tuesday 17 May 2022 20:00 , Luke Baker

George Russell is “coping better” than Lewis Hamilton amid a tough start to the season for Mercedes, claims Martin Brundle.

“It’s a tough time [for Lewis] and eager George, with most of his career still ahead of him, is coping better with the situation than Lewis judging by radio transmissions,” Brundle said in his latest column.

“If the car was a match for Ferrari and Red Bull you could reasonably argue that Mercedes have the best driver combination on the grid.”

 (AFP via Getty Images)
(AFP via Getty Images)

McLaren confirm car updates to boost Spanish Grand Prix chances

Tuesday 17 May 2022 19:46 , Luke Baker

McLaren boss Andreas Seidl has confirmed the team have made their first major changes of the season to their MCL36 with upgrades available for the Spanish Grand Prix.

The team, whose cars are piloted by Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo, have not had the start to the season they would have hoped for. They are fourth in the constructors’ standings, 111 points behind leaders Ferrari, while Norris and Ricciardo are seventh and 11th respectively in the drivers’ standings.

But the team are hoping the changes they have made to the car ahead of Sunday’s grand prix in Barcelona will help get their season back on track.

“We are bringing some upgrades to the car for the weekend,” Seidl said in his official race preview. “I know it’s been an extremely busy week or so for many of the teams making changes ahead of Barcelona, so it’s going to continue to be a tight fight for points.

“We performed well at this track in pre-season testing, so it will be interesting to see how our car will perform with the upgrades we’ve made since then. Hopefully we can have some good battles and get both cars back into the fight for good points.”

McLaren confirm car updates to boost Spanish Grand Prix chances

‘Is this something we should do?’: Sebastian Vettel questions F1 career over climate change

Tuesday 17 May 2022 19:33 , Luke Baker

Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel admitted he has questioned whether he should retire from Formula One amid concerns over climate change.

Speaking on BBC’s Question Time, the Aston Martin driver, 34, said he is a “hypocrite” for dovetailing his environmental campaign while continuing to race in F1.

Vettel wore a T-shirt ahead of last weekend’s inaugural Miami Grand Prix which read: “Miami 2060. First Grand Prix under water. Act now or swim later.”

But when it was put to the German, who won four consecutive titles with Red Bull between 2010 and 2013, that he competes in one of the most gas-guzzling sports in the world and if that makes him a hypocrite, he replied: “It does, it does and you [the audience] are right when you laugh because there are questions I ask myself every day.

“I am not a saint but I am very concerned about the future.”

‘Hypocrite’ Sebastian Vettel questions whether he should quit F1 over climate change

F1 faces ‘mission’ to find next US racer as popularity grows, claims Lewis Hamilton

Tuesday 17 May 2022 19:20 , Luke Baker

Lewis Hamilton believes it will be a ‘good mission’ for Formula One to find the sport’s next American star.

Last weekend saw the first ever Miami Grand Prix take place - one of two US races this season with the United States GP set for Texas in October.

But there is not a single American driver on the grid in 2022, something which Hamilton feels may be a result of athletes choosing other sports.

Speaking at the Miami GP, he said: “It doesn’t really surprise me. I think it’s perhaps more a cultural thing. You know, here in the States it’s the NFL, NBA. It’s NASCAR, IndyCar.

“In my 16 years of coming over here it’s been such a slow build, trying to bring awareness of the sport. Unfortunately, the Americans have to wake up at odd times in order to watch a Grand Prix.”

The USA has not had a F1 world champion since Mario Andretti claimed the title way back in 1978.

https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/lewis-hamilton-f1-miami-grand-prix-b2077369.html

Lando Norris believes McLaren are ‘behind’ Alfa Romeo’s pace this season

Tuesday 17 May 2022 19:09 , Luke Baker

McLaren driver Lando Norris has said his team are “behind” rivals Alfa Romeo in a “tight” midfield also involving Alpine, AlphaTauri and Haas.

McLaren had an awful start to the season but they have gradually built into the campaign. They still aren’t at the heights they will be aiming for and the British driver has been realistic about where he believes his team are.

“I think we are behind Mercedes [in terms of pace],” said the 22-year-old as per Motorsport-total.com. “We are also behind Alfa Romeo but are well in the running with Alpine and AlphaTauri. Haas are somewhere in that region as well. So I think it’s quite simple – it’s tight.

“In the race, we have decent pace. It’s just going to take a bit more for us to take on Mercedes and the guys in front. If we can do that, we can be happy.”

Lando Norris believes McLaren are ‘behind’ Alfa Romeo’s pace this season

Christian Horner admits Ferrari tensions will ‘inevitably’ boil over

Tuesday 17 May 2022 18:55 , Luke Baker

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says his team’s tension with rivals Ferrari will “inevitably” boil over this season.

Horner’s team are the defending champions after Max Verstappen won the world title in 2021. But he is not yet top of the driver standing’s with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc leading the way after five races this season.

The pair have had thrilling battles on track but it has not transformed into the fractious relationship Verstappen had with his rival in the last campaign, Lewis Hamilton.

The Dutchman and Hamilton crashed on multiple occasions, including at Silverstone and Monza, and Horner says the rivalry could get to that place again this season.

Christian Horner admits Ferrari tensions will ‘inevitably’ boil over

George Russell disagrees with Toto Wolff’s assessment of Mercedes’ ‘diva’ car

Tuesday 17 May 2022 18:43 , Luke Baker

George Russell has called the Mercedes car a “killer” to drive and says Toto Wolff’s assessment of the car being a “diva” is an understatement.

Wolff has described the Mercedes car as being on an “edge” as Russell and Lewis Hamilton has struggled to come to grips with it this season.

Mercedes are yet to crack Formula One’s new car regulations and have been left behind by Red Bull and Ferrari due to their problems with ‘porpoising’.

“Toto is throwing the word ‘diva’ around a lot about the car - but that is an understatement because it is so unpredictable,” Russell said after finishing fifth in Miami. “There is a fast car in there but when the thing starts bouncing, going into corners, it is a killer to drive.”

George Russell disagrees with Toto Wolff’s assessment of Mercedes’ ‘diva’ car

Christian Horner dismisses Red Bull ‘fragility’ fears after Max Verstappen win in Miami

Tuesday 17 May 2022 18:31 , Luke Baker

Red Bull boss Christian Horner has dismissed the “fragility” of his team’s car following Max Verstappen’s win at the Miami Grand Prix.

The team have faced reliability issues this season with Verstappen not finishing two races and his teammate Sergio Perez having to retire in one too.

But after Verstappen managed to overtake Charles Leclerc in Miami and hold him off to take the win, Horner says the issues are being ironed out.

“I don’t think the car is particularly fragile,” he insisted. “I think there have been niggly things that you would normally have seen in pre-season testing that have only reared their head as we have got into the season so that has been frustrating.

“We are working closely with HRC and they are giving us great support so I think we will get those ironed out.”

Horner dismisses Red Bull ‘fragility’ fears after Verstappen win in Miami

Sebastian Vettel told to give Mick Schumacher overtaking lessons after Miami collision

Tuesday 17 May 2022 18:20 , Luke Baker

Ex-Formula 1 driver David Coulthard says Sebastian Vettel should give Mick Schumacher overtaking advice.

Vettel and Schumacher are close off the track, with Vettel’s motoring hero being Schumacher’s father Michael, but they came to blows at the Miami Grand Prix.

Schumacher was gunning for his first points in F1 and went to overtake the German which caused them to collide.

“Those guys are good friends and I think that Seb’s trying to guide Mick a little bit into his Formula 1 career,” Coulthard told Channel 4. “He definitely needs to give him some overtaking advice.

“And I loved how Mick was on the radio going ‘I had the…corner’. He doubted himself as he said it. And I think when he reflects on it, he made a mistake, that door was always going to close.”

Sebastian Vettel told to give Mick Schumacher overtaking lessons after collision

‘That’s news to me!’ Christian Horner reacts to Fernando Alonso rumours

Tuesday 17 May 2022 18:07 , Luke Baker

Christian Horner has insisted that Red Bull are “happy with the drivers we’ve got” after rumours that Fernando Alonso was pushing for a move to the team.

Former Formula 1 driver Karun Chandhok suggested during Sky Sports’ coverage of the Miami Grand Prix that Alonso would be keen to join Max Verstappen and would be prepared to play second fiddle to the reigning world champion.

The Spaniard, who won back-to-back world titles in 2005 and 2006, is out of contract at Alpine at the conclusion of the 2022 season, and has also been linked with a potential vacant seat at Aston Martin.

It appears that the 40-year-old will not be calling Red Bull his new home, though, with team principal Horner emphatically dismissing the rumours when asked in Florida.

“That’s news to me!” Horner said of the links with Alonso. “We are very happy with the drivers we’ve got here. Fernando’s a great driver, it’s fantastic he’s still in Formula 1 and given the plus 40 [age], he’s something to aspire to. But he doesn’t fit part of our plans.”

‘That’s news to me!’ Christian Horner reacts to Fernando Alonso rumours

Martin Brundle responds after Miami Grand Prix grid walk goes viral

Tuesday 17 May 2022 17:54 , Luke Baker

Martin Brundle has revealed that he is not a fan of having to do the grid walks that the popular broadcaster has become famous for.

Brundle, who started 158 races in Formula 1 in the 1980s and 1990s, again drew the delight of fans for several strange interactions during Sunday’s inaugural Miami Grand Prix.

The Sky Sports pundit and presenter misidentified Paolo Banchero, likely to be a top pick in the upcoming 2022 NBA Draft, as Patrick Mahomes – quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL and seven years Banchero’s senior.

Brundle also appeared to be ignored by David Beckham and sidelined by a monologue from DJ Khaled during his pre-race wander amid the massed personalities keen to get close to the pre-race action.

While the 62-year-old has been asked to perform grid walk duties for a succession of broadcasters since his exit from F1 in 1997, Brundle has now admitted that he refuses to watch his interviews back, revealing his “dislike” for the role.

Martin Brundle responds after Miami GP grid walk goes viral

Charles Leclerc pinpoints where Ferrari must improve to close gap on Max Verstappen

Tuesday 17 May 2022 17:41 , Luke Baker

Charles Leclerc believes that Ferrari must improve their race pace if they are to match Max Verstappen and Red Bull.

The defending world champion secured his third win of the season with an excellent performance at the inaugural Miami Grand Prix, surviving significant pressure from Leclerc in the final ten laps.

Verstappen’s second successive victory cuts the Ferrari driver’s lead at the top of the drivers’ championship standings to 19 points.

Predicting a “long championship” battle between the pair, Leclerc thinks that his team are currently unable to match the pure speed of their title rivals.

The Monegasque believes it is “pretty clear” that work must be done to make improvements and ensure that Ferrari can remain in the title mix.

Charles Leclerc pinpoints where Ferrari must improve to close gap on Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen moves into top-ten all-time F1 podium finishes

Tuesday 17 May 2022 17:26 , Luke Baker

Max Verstappen moved into the top ten of all-time F1 podium finishes by winning the Miami Grand Prix last weekend for his 63rd top-three placing, displacing David Coulthard.

At the age of just 24, the Dutchman will likely move much higher on the list and Valtteri Bottas and Rubens Barrichello will be in his sights in the coming weeks.

Lewis Hamilton refuses to compromise on nose stud in jewellery row with FIA

Tuesday 17 May 2022 17:14 , Luke Baker

Lewis Hamilton has told Formula One’s rulers that he will not remove his nose piercing for the rest of the season.

The seven-time world champion appeared to adhere to the FIA’s jewellery cockpit clampdown by taking out his earrings for the Miami Grand Prix ten days ago – hours after wearing a plethora of jewellery during a pre-race press conference. He even suggested he could withdraw from the grand prix in protest.

Hamilton was talked out of that specific threat following a discussion with FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem and a meeting with the FIA’s president of the medical commission, Dr Sean Petherbridge.

The 37-year-old said he would remove his earrings and was handed a two-race medical exemption for his nose stud which cannot be easily taken out.

However, after Miami qualifying on the Saturday, Hamilton said he was not satisfied with the compromise and insisted he would not remove the nose piercing when his exemption expires at the Monaco Grand Prix on May 29.

Lewis Hamilton refuses to compromise over nose stud in jewellery row with FIA

Abbie Eaton believes it could be seven years before F1 has a woman driver

Tuesday 17 May 2022 17:02 , Luke Baker

W Series racing driver Abbie Eaton believes it could be five to seven years before there is a woman F1 driver.

The 2022 W Series season opener formed part of a doubleheader alongside Formula One’s inaugural Miami Grand Prix over the weekend, with reigning two-time champion Jamie Chadwick taking a dramatic victory after overtaking Emma Kimilainen on the final lap.

The W Series will race at eight Grand Prix weekends during the 2022 season, including five new venues, but Eaton - who was the official driver for Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May’s Grand Tour - believes there could be a protracted wait for a woman F1 driver.

She said: “Five to seven years. I think probably there are obviously a lot of young talented people coming through in our championship and we’ve got a few young drivers as well but I think probably the ones that will actually make it are probably still in karts at the moment.

“I think given their development time, and if they’re picked up at the right moment then I think probably seven years or so.

“It’s got to be the first person that gets into F1 for a full drive, before that I think there will be opportunities for girls to do FP1 or whatever but I think for a full-time female F1 driver it will be that length of time.”

 (EPA)
(EPA)

Spanish Grand Prix schedule this weekend

Tuesday 17 May 2022 16:45 , Luke Baker

Here’s the schedule for the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona this weekend. It promises to be another round of fascinating F1 action - timings are below so you can keep an eye on everything that is going on.

Friday May 20

Free Practice 1 - 1pm-2pm BST

Free Practice 2 - 4pm-5pm BST

Saturday May 21

Free Practice 3 - 12pm-1pm BST

Qualifying - 3pm BST

Sunday May 22

Race - 2pm

Spanish Grand Prix rounding into view

Tuesday 17 May 2022 16:32 , Luke Baker

The F1 juggernaut is heading to Spain this week, with Barcelona the destination for the latest race this weekend.

F1 Drivers’ Championship standings ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix

Tuesday 17 May 2022 16:20 , Luke Baker

Here’s the latest F1 drivers’ standings as Charles Leclerc still leads the way despite Max Verstappen’s victory in Miami last time out.

1. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - 104

2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) - 85

3. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) - 66

4. George Russell (Mercedes) - 59

5. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) - 53

6. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) - 36

7. Lando Norris (McLaren) - 35

8. Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo) - 30

9. Esteban Ocon (Alpine) - 24

10. Kevin Magnussen (Haas) - 15

11. Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren) - 11

12. Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) - 10

13. Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri) - 6

14. Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin) - 4

15. Alexander Albon (Williams) - 3

16. Fernando Alonso (Alpine) - 2

17. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) - 2

18. Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo) - 1

19. Mick Schumacher (Haas) - 0

20. Nico Hulkenberg (Aston Martin) - 0

21. Nicholas Latifi (Williams) - 0

Kevin Magnussen: ‘I used to think a world championship would be my key to happiness’

Tuesday 17 May 2022 16:07 , Luke Baker

When Kevin Magnussen first entered Formula 1 back in 2014, realising a dream he’d held practically since birth, his overriding emotion wasn’t always elation but often fear, writes Tom Kershaw in an exclusive, wide-ranging interview with the Dane.

It wasn’t the inherent physical danger of driving at breakneck speeds but the sense of dread that seemed to shadow him at the wheel, that a single mistake might cost him everything he’d worked towards.

It is one of life’s great contradictions that sometimes the only way to liberate yourself of those fears is for them to come to fruition. At the end of 2020, after four consecutive seasons with Haas, the team’s principal, Guenther Steiner, told Magnussen that his contract wasn’t being renewed.

“I would put too much pressure on myself when I was young, I think,” Magnussen says. “F1 meant too much to me. Succeeding meant too much to me and it stopped me from being able to perform to the best of my ability. I’d say it held me back quite a few years. I was scared of losing my drive all the time and I would think about it a lot, like what would happen to me, it’s not like I had much to fall back on. The fear distracted me. I don’t carry that now.”

Kevin Magnussen: ‘I used to think a world championship would be my key to happiness’

F1 2022: The best pre-order deals on Playstation, Xbox and PC

Tuesday 17 May 2022 15:55 , Luke Baker

The next installment in the official Formula 1 racing game series is on its way with a release date of 1 July on the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox series X/S and PC.

Developed by Codemasters and now published by EA, F1 22 is the latest entry and will be based on the current season of the Formula 1 World Championship.

F1 21 made some changes to the franchise when it released last year. Notably, it introduced a new story mode titled “Braking Point” so there is a chance we might also see a similar campaign being introduced in this follow-up.

Now that a release date has been confirmed for F1 22, it’s a good time to check out some pre-order deals so you can get the copy that’s right for you at a reasonable price. If you have been struggling to get your hands on a PS5 or an Xbox series X but want to upgrade your last-gen copy once you make the switch, then the “Champions Edition” of the game will give you dual entitlement as well as additional content.

To find out where to buy F1 22 and what the Champions Edition will include, read the article below.

The best pre-order deals for the new F1 2022 game on PlayStation, Xbox and more

How much do F1 drivers earn? 2022 salaries revealed

Tuesday 17 May 2022 15:42 , Luke Baker

The 2022 F1 season is back underway after an off-season that brought the biggest overhaul in sporting rules and regulations in recent memory.

After a thrilling 2021 season, the teams were given a blank slate to prepare their cars for this year’s campaign in an attempt to level the playing field and increase overtaking opportunities.

It comes after Max Verstappen defeated Lewis Hamilton in a wild and unpredictable title race that went down to the final lap of the season at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. In a highly controversial season-decider, which ultimately saw race director Michael Masi removed from his post, Verstappen made the crucial pass on the final-lap shootout to win the title after Hamilton had clawed back his lead by winning the previous three races.

How much do F1 drivers earn? The 2022 salaries revealed

Red Bull deny Ferrari claims about spending on upgrades to 2022 car

Tuesday 17 May 2022 15:30 , Luke Baker

Red Bull have denied Ferrari’s suggestion that they have spent heavily early in the 2022 season to make improvements to their car.

Max Verstappen has secured victory at the last two races at Imola and in Miami after Red Bull made tweaks to their car after problems with reliability.

That has helped Christian Horner’s team close the gap to Ferrari at the top of the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championship standings, with just six points separating the two manufacturers in the teams’ prize.

Mattia Binotto, team principal at Ferrari, hinted after the Miami Grand Prix that he was unsure if Red Bull would be able to continue to develop with the need to control spending and stay within the budget cap.

However Red Bull have now refuted the accusation that they have over-spent early in the season.

Red Bull deny Ferrari claims about spending on upgrades to 2022 car

McLaren confirm car updates to boost Spanish Grand Prix chances

Tuesday 17 May 2022 15:19 , Luke Baker

McLaren boss Andreas Seidl has confirmed the team have made their first major changes of the season to their MCL36 with upgrades available for the Spanish Grand Prix.

The team, whose cars are piloted by Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo, have not had the start to the season they would have hoped for. They are fourth in the constructors’ standings, 111 points behind leaders Ferrari, while Norris and Ricciardo are seventh and 11th respectively in the drivers’ standings.

But the team are hoping the changes they have made to the car ahead of Sunday’s grand prix in Barcelona will help get their season back on track.

“We are bringing some upgrades to the car for the weekend,” Seidl said in his official race preview. “I know it’s been an extremely busy week or so for many of the teams making changes ahead of Barcelona, so it’s going to continue to be a tight fight for points.

“We performed well at this track in pre-season testing, so it will be interesting to see how our car will perform with the upgrades we’ve made since then. Hopefully we can have some good battles and get both cars back into the fight for good points.”

McLaren confirm car updates to boost Spanish Grand Prix chances

George Russell ‘coping better’ than Lewis Hamilton

Tuesday 17 May 2022 15:06 , Luke Baker

George Russell is “coping better” than Lewis Hamilton amid a tough start to the season for Mercedes, claims Martin Brundle.

“It’s a tough time [for Lewis] and eager George, with most of his career still ahead of him, is coping better with the situation than Lewis judging by radio transmissions,” Brundle said in his latest column.

“If the car was a match for Ferrari and Red Bull you could reasonably argue that Mercedes have the best driver combination on the grid.”

 (AFP via Getty Images)
(AFP via Getty Images)

Charles Leclerc ‘lost the brakes’ when crashing legendary Ferrari in Monaco

Tuesday 17 May 2022 14:54 , Luke Baker

Charles Leclerc has revealed that a braking issue caused his crash while driving Niki Lauda’s 1974 Ferrari in Monaco.

The Ferrari driver was enjoying a demonstration drive at the Monaco Historic Grand Prix when he lost control of the rear of a classic 312 entering La Rascasse, colliding with the barriers and damaging the rear wing.

It continued a strange run of misfortune for the Monegasque on his home Monte Carlo streets, with Leclerc yet to finish a Monaco Grand Prix during his Formula 1 career.

The current leader of the Drivers’ Championship standings also failed to finish two races in the city-state during his final year in Formula 2.

Having stopped on the pit straight, Leclerc explained to former Ferrari driver Jacky Ickx, an eight-time winner in F1, that he felt fortunate that his collision had not happened at a more dangerous part of the track.

Charles Leclerc ‘lost the brakes’ when crashing legendary Ferrari in Monaco

When and where is the next Formula One race?

Tuesday 17 May 2022 14:43 , Luke Baker

The Formula One season is in full swing as the drivers prepare for the sixth race of the most extensive calendar in the sport’s history.

So far, Max Verstappen secured his third win of the season at the inaugural Miami Grand Prix, holding off Charles Leclerc and narrowing the Monegasque driver’s advantage at the top of the Drivers’ Championship standings to 19 points.

Red Bull and Ferrari’s rivalry continues to bubble away nicely, with the two teams separated by just six points in the Constructors’ Championship.

Elsewhere on the grid, Mercedes continue to strive for solutions to their performance issues after making a degree of progress, while McLaren had a tough weekend, failing to score a point in Florida.

Here is everything you need to know:

When and where is the next Formula One race?

Max Verstappen vs Charles Leclerc ‘could go all the way’, admits Christian Horner

Tuesday 17 May 2022 14:30 , Jack Rathborn

Team principal for Red Bull Racing, Christian Horner, feels the race for the F1 championship will be another year-long struggle between the early top two - though had hoped for a pressure-free year of Max Verstappen retaining his title.

After the scintillating and controversial nature of his win over Lewis Hamilton last year, Verstappen and Red Bull would have been confident of another strong campaign, while also hoping the likes of Mercedes fell away while getting to grips with the new car designs and regulations.

That has certainly happened - but in their place, Ferrari have emerged as credible challengers and Charles Leclerc has claimed two victories already this season. Combined with Verstappen failing to finish in Bahrain and Australia, it means the reigning champion trails Leclerc in the standings after five races by 19 points, with Horner expecting that battle to go on all year long.

“Look, there is a long, long way to go and it is so tight with Ferrari. There has been some great racing,” he said. “You can see there is a great respect between Charles and Max, they are enjoying racing each other, you can see that.

“I was rather hoping we weren’t set for another competitive year like last year but it looks like this one could well go all the way as well.”

Verstappen vs Leclerc ‘could go all the way’, admits Christian Horner

​

Mercedes reserve driver Nyck de Vries to drive in practice for Williams at Spanish Grand Prix

Tuesday 17 May 2022 14:15 , Jack Rathborn

Mercedes reserve driver Nyck de Vries will make his F1 race weekend debut when he takes part in the first practice session for Williams at the Spanish Grand Prix on Friday.

The 27-year-old Dutchman – who is the reigning Formula E world champion – will borrow Alex Albon’s car for FP at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Friday afternoon.

De Vries shares the Mercedes reserve role with Stoffel Vandoorne and has previously tested F1 machinery when he drove the Silver Arrows in last year’s post-season Abu Dhabi Grand Prix test.

His appearance for Williams fulfils one of their two mandated young driver sessions, which is a new rule introduced for this season.

“We are looking forward to having Nyck de Vries in the car for FP1 as it is always good to work with a new driver and get a fresh opinion on the car’s strengths and weaknesses,” said Williams’ head of vehicle performance Dave Robson.

“Nyck’s experience and professionalism will be crucial on Friday as he will complete some of the key engineering tests in FP1 before he hands the car back to Alex for FP2.”

Lewis Hamilton ‘astonished' that Michael Masi could make F1 return

Tuesday 17 May 2022 14:00 , Jack Rathborn

Lewis Hamilton has been left ‘astonished’ that sacked F1 race director Michael Masi could make a shock return to the sport.

Masi hit the headlines when his controversial safety car ruling in the 2021 season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix essentially handed the title to Max Verstappen at the expense of Hamilton.

He was promptly sacked in what more or less amounted to an admission that he had made the wrong call - something that Hamilton’s Mercedes team saw as a small win - but new FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem has opened the possibility of a route back into the sport for Masi.

“Michael is there and we might use him. We are open to everything,” said Ben Sulayem in his first interview since taking the top role in F1’s governing body six months ago.

According to Sportsmail, Hamilton and his nearest advisers were ‘astonished’ to read the comments and spoke about the situation via urgent phone messages after the story broke. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff was also furious and made his strong opposition to Masi’s rehabilitation known internally.

A source reported to Sportsmail that the FIA aren’t looking for a fight however and that Ben Sulayem is simply trying to wrestle control of F1 back towards the governing body and away from the teams.

The source said: “Over the last few years the FIA has been marginalised and Ben Sulayem wants to return it to its old role. He doesn’t want anything himself, financially or in any other way. He maybe feels that Toto has got a little ahead of himself. It’s not up to Toto to run Formula One.”

George Russell a ‘different calibre’ of teammate for Lewis Hamilton

Tuesday 17 May 2022 13:45 , Jack Rathborn

George Russell is already proving his worth with Mercedes after joining the Formula One team this season, giving Lewis Hamilton a more “consistent calibre” of driver to race alongside, claims Ralf Schumacher.

Since replacing Valtteri Bottas, Russell has picked up 59 points in the opening five races of the season to sit fourth in the drivers’ standings - two places and 23 points better off than Hamilton.

It’s an unexpected turn of events, with Russell consistently placing between third and fifth in each race this term, compared to Hamilton’s more erratic third to 13th, as the Mercedes pair struggle to get to grips with the new car and the problems being encountered.

Schumacher says Russell is a higher-class teammate who has plenty to offer, both on and off the track.

“Russell is now a different calibre for Lewis than Bottas was and, above all, he is a consistent calibre,” he told Motorsport.

George Russell a ‘different calibre’ of teammate for Lewis Hamilton

New F1 race directors praised after FIA switch away from Michael Masi

Tuesday 17 May 2022 13:30 , Jack Rathborn

Formula 1’s new race directors have been praised for a “very good start” to the 2022 season after the removal of Michael Masi.

Masi, who had been lead race director since 2019, lost the role after his part in the controversial ending to the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that allowed Max Verstappen to win his maiden world title.

The Australian was replaced by a two-pronged team of Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas, assisted by the vastly-experienced Herbie Blash.

The refreshing of the race direction team came as part of wider changes, with team principals no longer afforded as direct access to the race director during the race.

Andreas Seidl, team principal at McLaren, has been pleased with the start that Wittich, who has served as race director at each of the first five races, in particular has made.

New F1 race directors praised after FIA switch away from Michael Masi

Christian Horner surprised by Red Bull and Max Verstappen’s ‘unbelievable start’

Tuesday 17 May 2022 13:15 , Jack Rathborn

Christian Horner has admitted he did not expect Red Bull to be as competitive as they have been in the wake of Max Verstappen‘s maiden world title.

Red Bull threw all their energy and resources into last year’s RB16B car in an effort to help Verstappen overcome Lewis Hamilton, which of course he did in dramatic circumstances in the final race in Abu Dhabi, leaving them behind the curve when it came to the new regulations.

After five races of the new season Verstappen is well in the mix at the top of the standings once more, 19 points behind early pace-setter Charles Leclerc of Ferrari. Red Bull have struggled with reliability in their new RB18 car, but Verstappen has won every race he has finished so far.

“Having put so much effort into last year’s car, to come on to these new regulations, we elected to take that risk because we had an opportunity to win last year and you’ve got to go for it,” Horner told CNN.

“That put huge pressure on the team coming into the second half of last year that we had to play catch up. Personally, I didn’t expect us to start the year as competitively as we have.”

Christian Horner surprised by Red Bull and Max Verstappen’s ‘unbelievable start’

FIA should have taken ‘different approach’ over Lewis Hamilton jewellery ban

Tuesday 17 May 2022 13:00 , Jack Rathborn

Formula One is right to ban jewellery from the cockpit but the governing FIA could have enforced the rule in a less confrontational way, according to Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) chairman Alex Wurz.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and the FIA were in a standoff at this month’s Miami Grand Prix over piercings the Mercedes driver has raced with for years and said he could not remove.

Hamilton has been told to take them out by the Monaco Grand Prix on 29 May but has said he has no intention of doing so.

“It is a rule for the right reasons,” former Benetton, McLaren and Williams driver Wurz, who is heavily involved in driver safety and education, told Reuters.

“I would have probably liked a slightly different approach of how to deliver the message. I don’t want to end up in football where there are more hands in the air and verbal abuse...you have to work together. It’s a style I would have preferred in this case.”

FIA should have taken ‘different approach’ over Lewis Hamilton jewellery ban

George Russell beating Lewis Hamilton is ‘changing of the guard’ at Mercedes

Tuesday 17 May 2022 12:49 , Luke Baker

George Russell outperforming Lewis Hamilton in Formula 1 in 2022 represents a “changing of the guard” at Mercedes according to former world champion Jacques Villeneuve.

The seven-time world champion has endured a tough start to the year, trailing championship leader Charles Leclerc by 68 points and languishing back in sixth place.

Russell has also experienced a testing start to life at Mercedes, but the 24-year-old is 23 points clear of his teammate in the standings.

But despite both struggling due to the heavily porpoising W13 car produced by the Silver Arrows, Villeneuve, who won the 1997 championship with Williams, has been impressed by Russell and his ability to “ride the wave”.

Villeneuve added that in comparison Hamilton is merely “trying not to drown”.

George Russell beating Lewis Hamilton is ‘changing of the guard’ at Mercedes

Mercedes confirm long-term commitment to Formula One

Tuesday 17 May 2022 12:36 , Luke Baker

Mercedes-Benz Group chairman Ola Kallenius has pledged “we will remain” in Formula One as they look forward to the carbon-neutral future of the sport.

In four years, new engine regulations will make the cars power units more reliant on electric power and reduce the sport’s carbon dioxide emissions.

And Kallenius insists Mercedes are looking to the future of F1 as something they want to stay heavily involved in.

Speaking at the Financial Times Future of the Car Summit, he said: “We have decided to go down this path of decarbonisation. It is the only decision we can make, and the same goes for Formula 1.

“The next engine regulations will give much more importance to the electric part, and there is a clear commitment to make Formula 1 CO2 neutral.”

Full report:

Mercedes confirm long-term commitment to Formula One

‘Is this something we should do?’: Sebastian Vettel questions F1 career over climate change

Tuesday 17 May 2022 12:23 , Luke Baker

Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel admitted he has questioned whether he should retire from Formula One amid concerns over climate change.

Speaking on BBC’s Question Time, the Aston Martin driver, 34, said he is a “hypocrite” for dovetailing his environmental campaign while continuing to race in F1.

Vettel wore a T-shirt ahead of last weekend’s inaugural Miami Grand Prix which read: “Miami 2060. First Grand Prix under water. Act now or swim later.”

But when it was put to the German, who won four consecutive titles with Red Bull between 2010 and 2013, that he competes in one of the most gas-guzzling sports in the world and if that makes him a hypocrite, he replied: “It does, it does and you [the audience] are right when you laugh because there are questions I ask myself every day.

“I am not a saint but I am very concerned about the future.”

‘Hypocrite’ Sebastian Vettel questions whether he should quit F1 over climate change

Lewis Hamilton vs Max Verstappen - Spanish Grand Prix 2021

Tuesday 17 May 2022 12:10 , Luke Baker

As we head to the 2022 Spanish Grand Prix this weekend, why not relive a classic Hamilton-Verstappen battle from last year’s race.

‘I trashed the whole floor’: Daniel Ricciardo reveals wild party in hotel

Tuesday 17 May 2022 11:57 , Luke Baker

Formula One driver Daniel Ricciardo revealed he once “trashed the whole floor” of a hotel he was staying in as the McLaren star recounted stories of his party lifestyle.

The Australian was on stage with team-mate Lando Norris at a McLaren and Hilton hotels corporate event ahead of the Miami Grand Prix when they were asked of their wildest hotel stays.

Ricciardo, who has raced in Formula One since 2011, said of his most memorable experience: “I mean, I didn’t merely trash the room, I trashed the whole floor.

‘I trashed the whole floor’: Daniel Ricciardo reveals wild party in hotel

Vettel defends Formula 1 when questioned over climate change

Tuesday 17 May 2022 11:43 , Luke Baker

Sebastian Vettel’s biggest obstacle in addressing climate change is his role as a Formula 1 driver and the seemingly hypocritical viewpoint he speaks from.

Formula 1 is one of the biggest gas-guzzling sports in the world as 20 cars are fuelled for each race, each qualifying session, each practice session. The sport jet sets all around the world and relys heavily on fossil fuels for its entertainment but Vettel defended F1 by saying that it also played a positive role in society.

“On the other hand, you know, we were entertaining people during Covid,” he said. “We were one of the first ones to start again, when everybody’s heads were about to explode.

“I’m not saying Formula 1 has this huge position in the world to deliver entertainment. There’s plenty of people - if you talk about entertainment, sports, culture, comedy - a lot of people who couldn’t perform, and a lot of people missed that. And I think if we didn’t have that, in general, we’d probably go mad.”

The sport is also taking big steps to become more sustainable. The hybrid engines used in the F1 cars are already the most efficient in the world, they have made a revolutionary step forward in thermal efficiency which is the measure of converting fuel energy to power and the sport has plans to go net-zero carbon by 2030.

To ensure this Formula 1 is constantly working on the efficiency of the engine - the thermal efficiency on F1 cars is more than 50% which is up from the 30% or so of a standard road-going petrol engine - and it plans to introduce fully sustainable, carbon-neutral fuels with the new engines in 2026.

The sport’s bosses argue that there will still be millions of petrol- and diesel-engined cars on the roads after 2030 and that using sustainable fuels would have a dramatic effect on reducing global carbon emissions.

 (PA)
(PA)

Sebastian Vettel tells UK to ‘deal with’ Brexit ‘mess’

Tuesday 17 May 2022 11:30 , Luke Baker

Four-time Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel has criticised the “mess” of Brexit and claims the United Kingdom must now deal with the “consequences” of the decision.

Vettel made a surprise appearance on the BBC’s Question Time on Thursday, in which he spoke out on issues such as climate change, human rights and ‘partygate’ in front of a live studio audience in Hackney.

The German driver admitted he has questioned his future in Formula One due to his concerns over climate change and said discussing Brexit risks politicians missing the “bigger picture”.

Sebastian Vettel tells UK to ‘deal with’ Brexit ‘mess’

Charles Leclerc ‘lost the brakes’ when crashing legendary Ferrari in Monaco

Tuesday 17 May 2022 11:18 , Luke Baker

Charles Leclerc has revealed that a braking issue caused his crash while driving Niki Lauda’s 1974 Ferrari in Monaco.

The Ferrari driver was enjoying a demonstration drive at the Monaco Historic Grand Prix when he lost control of the rear of a classic 312 entering La Rascasse, colliding with the barriers and damaging the rear wing.

It continued a strange run of misfortune for the Monegasque on his home Monte Carlo streets, with Leclerc yet to finish a Monaco Grand Prix during his Formula 1 career.

The current leader of the Drivers’ Championship standings also failed to finish two races in the city-state during his final year in Formula 2.

Having stopped on the pit straight, Leclerc explained to former Ferrari driver Jacky Ickx, an eight-time winner in F1, that he felt fortunate that his collision had not happened at a more dangerous part of the track.

Charles Leclerc ‘lost the brakes’ when crashing legendary Ferrari in Monaco

George Russell ‘coping better’ than Lewis Hamilton

Tuesday 17 May 2022 11:04 , Luke Baker

George Russell is “coping better” than Lewis Hamilton amid a tough start to the season for Mercedes, claims Martin Brundle.

“It’s a tough time [for Lewis] and eager George, with most of his career still ahead of him, is coping better with the situation than Lewis judging by radio transmissions,” Brundle said in his latest column.

“If the car was a match for Ferrari and Red Bull you could reasonably argue that Mercedes have the best driver combination on the grid.”

 (AFP via Getty Images)
(AFP via Getty Images)

McLaren confirm car updates to boost Spanish Grand Prix chances

Tuesday 17 May 2022 10:50 , Luke Baker

McLaren boss Andreas Seidl has confirmed the team have made their first major changes of the season to their MCL36 with upgrades available for the Spanish Grand Prix.

The team, whose cars are piloted by Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo, have not had the start to the season they would have hoped for. They are fourth in the constructors’ standings, 111 points behind leaders Ferrari, while Norris and Ricciardo are seventh and 11th respectively in the drivers’ standings.

But the team are hoping the changes they have made to the car ahead of Sunday’s grand prix in Barcelona will help get their season back on track.

“We are bringing some upgrades to the car for the weekend,” Seidl said in his official race preview. “I know it’s been an extremely busy week or so for many of the teams making changes ahead of Barcelona, so it’s going to continue to be a tight fight for points.

“We performed well at this track in pre-season testing, so it will be interesting to see how our car will perform with the upgrades we’ve made since then. Hopefully we can have some good battles and get both cars back into the fight for good points.”

McLaren confirm car updates to boost Spanish Grand Prix chances

Toto Wolff believes there’s an ‘easy route out’ of Mercedes’ current problems

Tuesday 17 May 2022 10:37 , Luke Baker

Toto Wolff believes there is an “easy route out” for Mercedes to solve some of their issues, but the team principal is keen to avoid “simpler solutions”.

The German manufacturer continues to struggle to challenge in the 2022 season, with Mercedes a distant third in the constructors’ championship standings after five races.

There were reasons for optimism in practice at the Miami Grand Prix as George Russell topped the timings in Free Practice 2, but both Russell, particularly, and Hamilton were down the field in qualifying after overnight tweaks to the W13 car inadvertently worsened performance.

Toto Wolff believes there’s an ‘easy route out’ of Mercedes’ current problems

Alonso backs Andretti bid to enter Formula 1

Tuesday 17 May 2022 10:25 , Luke Baker

Fernando Alonso says he hopes Michael Andretti’s bid to enter a new team in Formula 1 is successful.

In 2017 Alonso raced in the Indy 500 with a McLaren team heavily supported by Andretti and led for 27 laps of the race before an engine failure forced him into retirement.

Andretti is now currently lobbying for his family to create a new team and become a future entry into Formula 1, which Alonso says he supports fully.

“It could be a big thing,” says Alonso. “I know Michael very well, I know the Andretti family and they are obviously a big part of motor sport in general and they are legends. So if we can have them in Formula 1 that will be the best news, I think for both.

“Formula 1 would benefit from that and obviously Michael and his team will benefit from the sport and from being in Formula 1. And I think they have the capabilities, the resources, they have the talent to be in Formula 1 and be competitive as well. So I hope this thing comes true in the next few years, and I will follow very closely.”

 (AP)
(AP)

‘We’re on it’: Mario Andretti determined to secure F1 team by 2024

Tuesday 17 May 2022 10:12 , Luke Baker

Former world champion Mario Andretti has confirmed he is working on plans to bring a new team to the Formula One grid from 2024, but there is a “process they must respect” amid warnings from current teams.

Andretti, the 1978 world champion, and his son Michael, also a former F1 driver and a champion in IndyCar, have been linked with bringing an American team to the grid after were reported to be in interested in purchasing Sauber last year.

Reports of Andretti submitting paperwork to the FIA surfaced earlier this year, in what would be the first new team to join to the grid since Haas’ entry in 2017, but was met with scepticism from Red Bull principal Christian Horner and Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff.

‘We’re on it’: Mario Andretti determined to secure F1 team by 2024

Red Bull deny Ferrari claims about spending on upgrades to 2022 car

Tuesday 17 May 2022 09:59 , Luke Baker

Red Bull have denied Ferrari’s suggestion that they have spent heavily early in the 2022 season to make improvements to their car.

Max Verstappen has secured victory at the last two races at Imola and in Miami after Red Bull made tweaks to their car after problems with reliability.

That has helped Christian Horner’s team close the gap to Ferrari at the top of the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championship standings, with just six points separating the two manufacturers in the teams’ prize.

Mattia Binotto, team principal at Ferrari, hinted after the Miami Grand Prix that he was unsure if Red Bull would be able to continue to develop with the need to control spending and stay within the budget cap.

However Red Bull have now refuted the accusation that they have over-spent early in the season.

Red Bull deny Ferrari claims about spending on upgrades to 2022 car

Charles Leclerc crashes Niki Lauda’s Ferrari

Tuesday 17 May 2022 09:43 , Luke Baker

Charles Leclerc’s bad luck in Monaco struck again after crashing Niki Lauda’s classic Ferrari Formula 1 car on the streets of his hometown.

Leclerc was involved in the Monaco Historic Grand Prix, where he took out the 1974 Ferrari 312 B3, a car made famous by Lauda at the time.

The rear of the car stepped away from Leclerc after entering La Rascasse, leaving him to collide into the barriers.

Afterwards the 24-year-old posted about the incident on social media, joking about his unfortunate F1 record at Monaco.

He tweeted: “When you thought you already had all the bad luck of the world in Monaco and you lose the brakes into Rascasse with one of the most iconic historical Ferrari Formula 1 cars…”

Charles Leclerc crashes Niki Lauda’s Ferrari on streets of Monaco

Max Verstappen vs Charles Leclerc ‘could go all the way’, admits Christian Horner

Tuesday 17 May 2022 09:21 , Jack Rathborn

Team principal for Red Bull Racing, Christian Horner, feels the race for the F1 championship will be another year-long struggle between the early top two - though had hoped for a pressure-free year of Max Verstappen retaining his title.

After the scintillating and controversial nature of his win over Lewis Hamilton last year, Verstappen and Red Bull would have been confident of another strong campaign, while also hoping the likes of Mercedes fell away while getting to grips with the new car designs and regulations.

That has certainly happened - but in their place, Ferrari have emerged as credible challengers and Charles Leclerc has claimed two victories already this season. Combined with Verstappen failing to finish in Bahrain and Australia, it means the reigning champion trails Leclerc in the standings after five races by 19 points, with Horner expecting that battle to go on all year long.

“Look, there is a long, long way to go and it is so tight with Ferrari. There has been some great racing,” he said. “You can see there is a great respect between Charles and Max, they are enjoying racing each other, you can see that.

“I was rather hoping we weren’t set for another competitive year like last year but it looks like this one could well go all the way as well.”

Verstappen vs Leclerc ‘could go all the way’, admits Christian Horner

When and where is the next Formula One race?

Tuesday 17 May 2022 09:09 , Jack Rathborn

The Formula One season is in full swing as the drivers prepare for the sixth race of the most extensive calendar in the sport’s history.

So far, Max Verstappen secured his third win of the season at the inaugural Miami Grand Prix, holding off Charles Leclerc and narrowing the Monegasque driver’s advantage at the top of the Drivers’ Championship standings to 19 points.

Red Bull and Ferrari’s rivalry continues to bubble away nicely, with the two teams separated by just six points in the Constructors’ Championship.

Elsewhere on the grid, Mercedes continue to strive for solutions to their performance issues after making a degree of progress, while McLaren had a tough weekend, failing to score a point in Florida.

Here is everything you need to know:

When and where is the next Formula One race?

Mercedes reserve driver Nyck de Vries to drive in practice for Williams at Spanish Grand Prix

Tuesday 17 May 2022 08:59 , Jack Rathborn

Mercedes reserve driver Nyck de Vries will make his F1 race weekend debut when he takes part in the first practice session for Williams at the Spanish Grand Prix on Friday.

The 27-year-old Dutchman – who is the reigning Formula E world champion – will borrow Alex Albon’s car for FP at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Friday afternoon.

De Vries shares the Mercedes reserve role with Stoffel Vandoorne and has previously tested F1 machinery when he drove the Silver Arrows in last year’s post-season Abu Dhabi Grand Prix test.

His appearance for Williams fulfils one of their two mandated young driver sessions, which is a new rule introduced for this season.

“We are looking forward to having Nyck de Vries in the car for FP1 as it is always good to work with a new driver and get a fresh opinion on the car’s strengths and weaknesses,” said Williams’ head of vehicle performance Dave Robson.

“Nyck’s experience and professionalism will be crucial on Friday as he will complete some of the key engineering tests in FP1 before he hands the car back to Alex for FP2.”

Lewis Hamilton ‘astonished' that Michael Masi could make F1 return

Tuesday 17 May 2022 08:46 , Jack Rathborn

Lewis Hamilton has been left ‘astonished’ that sacked F1 race director Michael Masi could make a shock return to the sport.

Masi hit the headlines when his controversial safety car ruling in the 2021 season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix essentially handed the title to Max Verstappen at the expense of Hamilton.

He was promptly sacked in what more or less amounted to an admission that he had made the wrong call - something that Hamilton’s Mercedes team saw as a small win - but new FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem has opened the possibility of a route back into the sport for Masi.

“Michael is there and we might use him. We are open to everything,” said Ben Sulayem in his first interview since taking the top role in F1’s governing body six months ago.

According to Sportsmail, Hamilton and his nearest advisers were ‘astonished’ to read the comments and spoke about the situation via urgent phone messages after the story broke. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff was also furious and made his strong opposition to Masi’s rehabilitation known internally.

A source reported to Sportsmail that the FIA aren’t looking for a fight however and that Ben Sulayem is simply trying to wrestle control of F1 back towards the governing body and away from the teams.

The source said: “Over the last few years the FIA has been marginalised and Ben Sulayem wants to return it to its old role. He doesn’t want anything himself, financially or in any other way. He maybe feels that Toto has got a little ahead of himself. It’s not up to Toto to run Formula One.”

George Russell a ‘different calibre’ of teammate for Lewis Hamilton

Tuesday 17 May 2022 08:35 , Jack Rathborn

George Russell is already proving his worth with Mercedes after joining the Formula One team this season, giving Lewis Hamilton a more “consistent calibre” of driver to race alongside, claims Ralf Schumacher.

Since replacing Valtteri Bottas, Russell has picked up 59 points in the opening five races of the season to sit fourth in the drivers’ standings - two places and 23 points better off than Hamilton.

It’s an unexpected turn of events, with Russell consistently placing between third and fifth in each race this term, compared to Hamilton’s more erratic third to 13th, as the Mercedes pair struggle to get to grips with the new car and the problems being encountered.

Schumacher says Russell is a higher-class teammate who has plenty to offer, both on and off the track.

“Russell is now a different calibre for Lewis than Bottas was and, above all, he is a consistent calibre,” he told Motorsport.

George Russell a ‘different calibre’ of teammate for Lewis Hamilton

New F1 race directors praised after FIA switch away from Michael Masi

Tuesday 17 May 2022 08:23 , Jack Rathborn

Formula 1’s new race directors have been praised for a “very good start” to the 2022 season after the removal of Michael Masi.

Masi, who had been lead race director since 2019, lost the role after his part in the controversial ending to the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that allowed Max Verstappen to win his maiden world title.

The Australian was replaced by a two-pronged team of Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas, assisted by the vastly-experienced Herbie Blash.

The refreshing of the race direction team came as part of wider changes, with team principals no longer afforded as direct access to the race director during the race.

Andreas Seidl, team principal at McLaren, has been pleased with the start that Wittich, who has served as race director at each of the first five races, in particular has made.

New F1 race directors praised after FIA switch away from Michael Masi

Christian Horner surprised by Red Bull and Max Verstappen’s ‘unbelievable start’

Tuesday 17 May 2022 08:11 , Jack Rathborn

Christian Horner has admitted he did not expect Red Bull to be as competitive as they have been in the wake of Max Verstappen‘s maiden world title.

Red Bull threw all their energy and resources into last year’s RB16B car in an effort to help Verstappen overcome Lewis Hamilton, which of course he did in dramatic circumstances in the final race in Abu Dhabi, leaving them behind the curve when it came to the new regulations.

After five races of the new season Verstappen is well in the mix at the top of the standings once more, 19 points behind early pace-setter Charles Leclerc of Ferrari. Red Bull have struggled with reliability in their new RB18 car, but Verstappen has won every race he has finished so far.

“Having put so much effort into last year’s car, to come on to these new regulations, we elected to take that risk because we had an opportunity to win last year and you’ve got to go for it,” Horner told CNN.

“That put huge pressure on the team coming into the second half of last year that we had to play catch up. Personally, I didn’t expect us to start the year as competitively as we have.”

Christian Horner surprised by Red Bull and Max Verstappen’s ‘unbelievable start’

FIA should have taken ‘different approach’ over Lewis Hamilton jewellery ban

Tuesday 17 May 2022 08:02 , Jack Rathborn

Formula One is right to ban jewellery from the cockpit but the governing FIA could have enforced the rule in a less confrontational way, according to Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) chairman Alex Wurz.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and the FIA were in a standoff at this month’s Miami Grand Prix over piercings the Mercedes driver has raced with for years and said he could not remove.

Hamilton has been told to take them out by the Monaco Grand Prix on 29 May but has said he has no intention of doing so.

“It is a rule for the right reasons,” former Benetton, McLaren and Williams driver Wurz, who is heavily involved in driver safety and education, told Reuters.

“I would have probably liked a slightly different approach of how to deliver the message. I don’t want to end up in football where there are more hands in the air and verbal abuse...you have to work together. It’s a style I would have preferred in this case.”

FIA should have taken ‘different approach’ over Lewis Hamilton jewellery ban

George Russell 'coping better' than Lewis Hamilton

Tuesday 17 May 2022 07:53 , Jack Rathborn

George Russell is “coping better” than Lewis Hamilton, claims Martin Brundle.

“It’s a tough time [for Lewis] and eager George, with most of his career still ahead of him, is coping better with the situation than Lewis judging by radio transmissions,” Brundle said in his latest column.

“If the car was a match for Ferrari and Red Bull you could reasonably argue that Mercedes have the best driver combination on the grid.”

Charles Leclerc ‘lost the brakes’ when crashing legendary Ferrari in Monaco

Tuesday 17 May 2022 07:51 , Jack Rathborn

Charles Leclerc has revealed that a braking issue caused his crash while driving Niki Lauda’s 1974 Ferrari in Monaco.

The Ferrari driver was enjoying a demonstration drive at the Monaco Historic Grand Prix when he lost control of the rear of a classic 312 entering La Rascasse, colliding with the barriers and damaging the rear wing.

It continued a strange run of misfortune for the Monegasque on his home Monte Carlo streets, with Leclerc yet to finish a Monaco Grand Prix during his Formula 1 career.

The current leader of the Drivers’ Championship standings also failed to finish two races in the city-state during his final year in Formula 2.

Having stopped on the pit straight, Leclerc explained to former Ferrari driver Jacky Ickx, an eight-time winner in F1, that he felt fortunate that his collision had not happened at a more dangerous part of the track.

Charles Leclerc ‘lost the brakes’ when crashing legendary Ferrari in Monaco

FIA should have taken ‘different approach’ over Lewis Hamilton jewellery ban

Monday 16 May 2022 19:20 , Luke Baker

Formula One is right to ban jewellery from the cockpit but the governing FIA could have enforced the rule in a less confrontational way, according to Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) chairman Alex Wurz.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and the FIA were in a standoff at this month’s Miami Grand Prix over piercings the Mercedes driver has raced with for years and said he could not remove.

Hamilton has been told to take them out by the Monaco Grand Prix on 29 May but has said he has no intention of doing so.

“It is a rule for the right reasons,” former Benetton, McLaren and Williams driver Wurz, who is heavily involved in driver safety and education, told Reuters.

“I would have probably liked a slightly different approach of how to deliver the message. I don’t want to end up in football where there are more hands in the air and verbal abuse...you have to work together. It’s a style I would have preferred in this case.”

FIA should have taken ‘different approach’ over Lewis Hamilton jewellery ban

‘I trashed the whole floor’: Daniel Ricciardo reveals wild party in hotel

Monday 16 May 2022 19:05 , Luke Baker

Formula One driver Daniel Ricciardo revealed he once “trashed the whole floor” of a hotel he was staying in as the McLaren star recounted stories of his party lifestyle.

The Australian was on stage with team-mate Lando Norris at a McLaren and Hilton hotels corporate event ahead of the Miami Grand Prix when they were asked of their wildest hotel stays.

Ricciardo, who has raced in Formula One since 2011, said of his most memorable experience: “I mean, I didn’t merely trash the room, I trashed the whole floor.

‘I trashed the whole floor’: Daniel Ricciardo reveals wild party in hotel

‘Is this something we should do?’: Sebastian Vettel questions F1 career over climate change

Monday 16 May 2022 18:50 , Luke Baker

Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel admitted he has questioned whether he should retire from Formula One amid concerns over climate change.

Speaking on BBC’s Question Time, the Aston Martin driver, 34, said he is a “hypocrite” for dovetailing his environmental campaign while continuing to race in F1.

Vettel wore a T-shirt ahead of last weekend’s inaugural Miami Grand Prix which read: “Miami 2060. First Grand Prix under water. Act now or swim later.”

But when it was put to the German, who won four consecutive titles with Red Bull between 2010 and 2013, that he competes in one of the most gas-guzzling sports in the world and if that makes him a hypocrite, he replied: “It does, it does and you [the audience] are right when you laugh because there are questions I ask myself every day.

“I am not a saint but I am very concerned about the future.”

‘Hypocrite’ Sebastian Vettel questions whether he should quit F1 over climate change

Toto Wolff praises Lewis Hamilton and George Russell pairing

Monday 16 May 2022 18:35 , Luke Baker

Toto Wolff has praised the Mercedes pairing of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell and would not swap them for any other drivers.

“When you look at George’s track record in winning the title in F3, in his rookie year, and then an F2, we knew that he was very good,” said Wolff.

“Then obviously the Williams school added its part, so we were never in any doubt that he would be very good.

“And you can see that it’s materialising on the track. I like his approach very much. He’s very rational, whether he is fastest in P2, or whether he’s eleventh, it’s just about applying the science and trying to make the car faster.”

Christian Horner surprised by Red Bull and Max Verstappen’s ‘unbelievable start’

Monday 16 May 2022 18:21 , Luke Baker

Christian Horner has admitted he did not expect Red Bull to be as competitive as they have been in the wake of Max Verstappen‘s maiden world title.

Red Bull threw all their energy and resources into last year’s RB16B car in an effort to help Verstappen overcome Lewis Hamilton, which of course he did in dramatic circumstances in the final race in Abu Dhabi, leaving them behind the curve when it came to the new regulations.

After five races of the new season Verstappen is well in the mix at the top of the standings once more, 19 points behind early pace-setter Charles Leclerc of Ferrari. Red Bull have struggled with reliability in their new RB18 car, but Verstappen has won every race he has finished so far.

“Having put so much effort into last year’s car, to come on to these new regulations, we elected to take that risk because we had an opportunity to win last year and you’ve got to go for it,” Horner told CNN.

“That put huge pressure on the team coming into the second half of last year that we had to play catch up. Personally, I didn’t expect us to start the year as competitively as we have.”

Christian Horner surprised by Red Bull and Max Verstappen’s ‘unbelievable start’

New F1 race directors praised after FIA switch away from Michael Masi

Monday 16 May 2022 18:08 , Luke Baker

Formula 1’s new race directors have been praised for a “very good start” to the 2022 season after the removal of Michael Masi.

Masi, who had been lead race director since 2019, lost the role after his part in the controversial ending to the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that allowed Max Verstappen to win his maiden world title.

The Australian was replaced by a two-pronged team of Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas, assisted by the vastly-experienced Herbie Blash.

The refreshing of the race direction team came as part of wider changes, with team principals no longer afforded as direct access to the race director during the race.

Andreas Seidl, team principal at McLaren, has been pleased with the start that Wittich, who has served as race director at each of the first five races, in particular has made.

New F1 race directors praised after FIA switch away from Michael Masi

‘We’re on it’: Mario Andretti determined to secure F1 team by 2024

Monday 16 May 2022 17:56 , Luke Baker

Former world champion Mario Andretti has confirmed he is working on plans to bring a new team to the Formula One grid from 2024, but there is a “process they must respect” amid warnings from current teams.

Andretti, the 1978 world champion, and his son Michael, also a former F1 driver and a champion in IndyCar, have been linked with bringing an American team to the grid after were reported to be in interested in purchasing Sauber last year.

Reports of Andretti submitting paperwork to the FIA surfaced earlier this year, in what would be the first new team to join to the grid since Haas’ entry in 2017, but was met with scepticism from Red Bull principal Christian Horner and Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff.

‘We’re on it’: Mario Andretti determined to secure F1 team by 2024

Red Bull deny Ferrari claims about spending on upgrades to 2022 car

Monday 16 May 2022 17:43 , Luke Baker

Red Bull have denied Ferrari’s suggestion that they have spent heavily early in the 2022 season to make improvements to their car.

Max Verstappen has secured victory at the last two races at Imola and in Miami after Red Bull made tweaks to their car after problems with reliability.

That has helped Christian Horner’s team close the gap to Ferrari at the top of the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championship standings, with just six points separating the two manufacturers in the teams’ prize.

Mattia Binotto, team principal at Ferrari, hinted after the Miami Grand Prix that he was unsure if Red Bull would be able to continue to develop with the need to control spending and stay within the budget cap.

However Red Bull have now refuted the accusation that they have over-spent early in the season.

Red Bull deny Ferrari claims about spending on upgrades to 2022 car

Charles Leclerc crashes Niki Lauda’s Ferrari

Monday 16 May 2022 17:30 , Luke Baker

Charles Leclerc’s bad luck in Monaco struck again after crashing Niki Lauda’s classic Ferrari Formula 1 car on the streets of his hometown.

Leclerc was involved in the Monaco Historic Grand Prix, where he took out the 1974 Ferrari 312 B3, a car made famous by Lauda at the time.

The rear of the car stepped away from Leclerc after entering La Rascasse, leaving him to collide into the barriers.

Afterwards the 24-year-old posted about the incident on social media, joking about his unfortunate F1 record at Monaco.

He tweeted: “When you thought you already had all the bad luck of the world in Monaco and you lose the brakes into Rascasse with one of the most iconic historical Ferrari Formula 1 cars…”

Charles Leclerc crashes Niki Lauda’s Ferrari on streets of Monaco

Max Verstappen vs Charles Leclerc ‘could go all the way’, admits Christian Horner

Monday 16 May 2022 17:18 , Luke Baker

Team principal for Red Bull Racing, Christian Horner, feels the race for the F1 championship will be another year-long struggle between the early top two - though had hoped for a pressure-free year of Max Verstappen retaining his title.

After the scintillating and controversial nature of his win over Lewis Hamilton last year, Verstappen and Red Bull would have been confident of another strong campaign, while also hoping the likes of Mercedes fell away while getting to grips with the new car designs and regulations.

That has certainly happened - but in their place, Ferrari have emerged as credible challengers and Charles Leclerc has claimed two victories already this season. Combined with Verstappen failing to finish in Bahrain and Australia, it means the reigning champion trails Leclerc in the standings after five races by 19 points, with Horner expecting that battle to go on all year long.

“Look, there is a long, long way to go and it is so tight with Ferrari. There has been some great racing,” he said. “You can see there is a great respect between Charles and Max, they are enjoying racing each other, you can see that.

“I was rather hoping we weren’t set for another competitive year like last year but it looks like this one could well go all the way as well.”

Verstappen vs Leclerc ‘could go all the way’, admits Christian Horner

Lewis Hamilton ‘astonished’ that Michael Masi could make F1 return

Monday 16 May 2022 17:04 , Luke Baker

Lewis Hamilton has been left ‘astonished’ that sacked F1 race director Michael Masi could make a shock return to the sport.

Masi hit the headlines when his controversial safety car ruling in the 2021 season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix essentially handed the title to Max Verstappen at the expense of Hamilton.

He was promptly sacked in what more or less amounted to an admission that he had made the wrong call - something that Hamilton’s Mercedes team saw as a small win - but new FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem has opened the possibility of a route back into the sport for Masi.

“Michael is there and we might use him. We are open to everything,” said Ben Sulayem in his first interview since taking the top role in F1’s governing body six months ago.

According to Sportsmail, Hamilton and his nearest advisers were ‘astonished’ to read the comments and spoke about the situation via urgent phone messages after the story broke. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff was also furious and made his strong opposition to Masi’s rehabilitation known internally.

A source reported to Sportsmail that the FIA aren’t looking for a fight however and that Ben Sulayem is simply trying to wrestle control of F1 back towards the governing body and away from the teams.

The source said: “Over the last few years the FIA has been marginalised and Ben Sulayem wants to return it to its old role. He doesn’t want anything himself, financially or in any other way. He maybe feels that Toto has got a little ahead of himself. It’s not up to Toto to run Formula One.”

Michael Masi was removed as F1’s race director earlier this year (PA Wire)
Michael Masi was removed as F1’s race director earlier this year (PA Wire)

Charles Leclerc ‘lost the brakes’ when crashing legendary Ferrari in Monaco

Monday 16 May 2022 16:50 , Luke Baker

Charles Leclerc has revealed that a braking issue caused his crash while driving Niki Lauda’s 1974 Ferrari in Monaco.

The Ferrari driver was enjoying a demonstration drive at the Monaco Historic Grand Prix when he lost control of the rear of a classic 312 entering La Rascasse, colliding with the barriers and damaging the rear wing.

It continued a strange run of misfortune for the Monegasque on his home Monte Carlo streets, with Leclerc yet to finish a Monaco Grand Prix during his Formula 1 career.

The current leader of the Drivers’ Championship standings also failed to finish two races in the city-state during his final year in Formula 2.

Having stopped on the pit straight, Leclerc explained to former Ferrari driver Jacky Ickx, an eight-time winner in F1, that he felt fortunate that his collision had not happened at a more dangerous part of the track.

Charles Leclerc ‘lost the brakes’ when crashing legendary Ferrari in Monaco

Mercedes reserve driver Nyck de Vries to drive in practice for Williams at Spanish Grand Prix

Monday 16 May 2022 16:37 , Luke Baker

Mercedes reserve driver Nyck de Vries will make his F1 race weekend debut when he takes part in the first practice session for Williams at the Spanish Grand Prix on Friday.

The 27-year-old Dutchman – who is the reigning Formula E world champion – will borrow Alex Albon’s car for FP at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Friday afternoon.

De Vries shares the Mercedes reserve role with Stoffel Vandoorne and has previously tested F1 machinery when he drove the Silver Arrows in last year’s post-season Abu Dhabi Grand Prix test.

His appearance for Williams fulfils one of their two mandated young driver sessions, which is a new rule introduced for this season.

“We are looking forward to having Nyck de Vries in the car for FP1 as it is always good to work with a new driver and get a fresh opinion on the car’s strengths and weaknesses,” said Williams’ head of vehicle performance Dave Robson.

“Nyck’s experience and professionalism will be crucial on Friday as he will complete some of the key engineering tests in FP1 before he hands the car back to Alex for FP2.”

Sebastian Vettel on climate change and considering future as a driver due to environment

Monday 16 May 2022 16:26 , Luke Baker

“It’s my passion to drive a car. Every time I step in the car, I love it. When I get out of the car, of course I’m thinking as well: ‘Is this something we should do, travel the world, wasting resources?’

“We need to stop being dependent [on fossil fuels], and we can, because there are solutions in place. You know, in Britain, you have this sort of goldmine you’re sitting on, which is wind, and you have the ability to increase your energy supply with wind power, solar. Every country has its strengths and weaknesses.

“If you go to Austria, they have the Alps and they have water, they can pump it up, store it, take it back down. It’s something that I’m asking myself. There’s certain things that are in my control, and certain things are not.

“There’s things that I do because I feel I can do them better. Do I take the plane every time? No, not when I can take the car. But there’s certain things in my control, and certain things outside.”

 (Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

FIA should have taken ‘different approach’ over Lewis Hamilton jewellery ban

Monday 16 May 2022 16:13 , Luke Baker

Formula One is right to ban jewellery from the cockpit but the governing FIA could have enforced the rule in a less confrontational way, according to Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) chairman Alex Wurz.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and the FIA were in a standoff at this month’s Miami Grand Prix over piercings the Mercedes driver has raced with for years and said he could not remove.

Hamilton has been told to take them out by the Monaco Grand Prix on 29 May but has said he has no intention of doing so.

“It is a rule for the right reasons,” former Benetton, McLaren and Williams driver Wurz, who is heavily involved in driver safety and education, told Reuters.

“I would have probably liked a slightly different approach of how to deliver the message. I don’t want to end up in football where there are more hands in the air and verbal abuse...you have to work together. It’s a style I would have preferred in this case.”

FIA should have taken ‘different approach’ over Lewis Hamilton jewellery ban

George Russell a ‘different calibre’ of teammate for Lewis Hamilton

Monday 16 May 2022 16:02 , Luke Baker

George Russell is already proving his worth with Mercedes after joining the Formula One team this season, giving Lewis Hamilton a more “consistent calibre” of driver to race alongside, claims Ralf Schumacher.

Since replacing Valtteri Bottas, Russell has picked up 59 points in the opening five races of the season to sit fourth in the drivers’ standings - two places and 23 points better off than Hamilton.

It’s an unexpected turn of events, with Russell consistently placing between third and fifth in each race this term, compared to Hamilton’s more erratic third to 13th, as the Mercedes pair struggle to get to grips with the new car and the problems being encountered.

Schumacher says Russell is a higher-class teammate who has plenty to offer, both on and off the track.

“Russell is now a different calibre for Lewis than Bottas was and, above all, he is a consistent calibre,” he told Motorsport.

George Russell a ‘different calibre’ of teammate for Lewis Hamilton

Christian Horner surprised by Red Bull and Max Verstappen’s ‘unbelievable start’

Monday 16 May 2022 15:49 , Luke Baker

Christian Horner has admitted he did not expect Red Bull to be as competitive as they have been in the wake of Max Verstappen‘s maiden world title.

Red Bull threw all their energy and resources into last year’s RB16B car in an effort to help Verstappen overcome Lewis Hamilton, which of course he did in dramatic circumstances in the final race in Abu Dhabi, leaving them behind the curve when it came to the new regulations.

After five races of the new season Verstappen is well in the mix at the top of the standings once more, 19 points behind early pace-setter Charles Leclerc of Ferrari. Red Bull have struggled with reliability in their new RB18 car, but Verstappen has won every race he has finished so far.

“Having put so much effort into last year’s car, to come on to these new regulations, we elected to take that risk because we had an opportunity to win last year and you’ve got to go for it,” Horner told CNN.

“That put huge pressure on the team coming into the second half of last year that we had to play catch up. Personally, I didn’t expect us to start the year as competitively as we have.”

Christian Horner surprised by Red Bull and Max Verstappen’s ‘unbelievable start’

New F1 race directors praised after FIA switch away from Michael Masi

Monday 16 May 2022 15:36 , Luke Baker

Formula 1’s new race directors have been praised for a “very good start” to the 2022 season after the removal of Michael Masi.

Masi, who had been lead race director since 2019, lost the role after his part in the controversial ending to the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that allowed Max Verstappen to win his maiden world title.

The Australian was replaced by a two-pronged team of Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas, assisted by the vastly-experienced Herbie Blash.

The refreshing of the race direction team came as part of wider changes, with team principals no longer afforded as direct access to the race director during the race.

Andreas Seidl, team principal at McLaren, has been pleased with the start that Wittich, who has served as race director at each of the first five races, in particular has made.

New F1 race directors praised after FIA switch away from Michael Masi

Sebastian Vettel tells UK to ‘deal with’ Brexit ‘mess’

Monday 16 May 2022 15:23 , Luke Baker

Four-time Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel has criticised the “mess” of Brexit and claims the United Kingdom must now deal with the “consequences” of the decision.

Vettel made a surprise appearance on the BBC’s Question Time on Thursday, in which he spoke out on issues such as climate change, human rights and ‘partygate’ in front of a live studio audience in Hackney.

The German driver admitted he has questioned his future in Formula One due to his concerns over climate change and said discussing Brexit risks politicians missing the “bigger picture”.

Sebastian Vettel tells UK to ‘deal with’ Brexit ‘mess’

Lando Norris claims Miami track was ‘turning into crap’ during Grand Prix

Monday 16 May 2022 15:12 , Luke Baker

Lando Norris has claimed the Miami Grand Prix track surface was “turning into crap” during the race.

The Miami International Autodrome held the inaugural Miami Grand Prix as F1 expands its reach, with Max Verstappen edging out Charles Leclerc for his third victory of the year, while also trimming the Monegasque’s lead in the drivers’ championship to 19 points.

Norris picked up his first DNF of the season, with his McLaren coming into contact with the AlphaTauri of Pierre Gasly.

The track required special attention at turns seven and 17 ahead of the weekend with a resurfacing between Friday and Saturday.

Lando Norris claims Miami track was ‘turning into crap’ during Grand Prix

‘That’s news to me!’ Christian Horner reacts to Fernando Alonso rumours

Monday 16 May 2022 15:00 , Luke Baker

Christian Horner has insisted that Red Bull are “happy with the drivers we’ve got” after rumours that Fernando Alonso was pushing for a move to the team.

Former Formula 1 driver Karun Chandhok suggested during Sky Sports’ coverage of the Miami Grand Prix that Alonso would be keen to join Max Verstappen and would be prepared to play second fiddle to the reigning world champion.

The Spaniard, who won back-to-back world titles in 2005 and 2006, is out of contract at Alpine at the conclusion of the 2022 season, and has also been linked with a potential vacant seat at Aston Martin.

It appears that the 40-year-old will not be calling Red Bull his new home, though, with team principal Horner emphatically dismissing the rumours when asked in Florida.

“That’s news to me!” Horner said of the links with Alonso. “We are very happy with the drivers we’ve got here. Fernando’s a great driver, it’s fantastic he’s still in Formula 1 and given the plus 40 [age], he’s something to aspire to. But he doesn’t fit part of our plans.”

‘That’s news to me!’ Christian Horner reacts to Fernando Alonso rumours

An ode to Martin Brundle, whose F1 Miami Grand Prix grid walk should go down in history

Monday 16 May 2022 14:46 , Luke Baker

When the former Liverpool striker Ian St. John passed away just over a year ago, tributes poured in for a player whose goals and aggression had altered the course English football history forever. As one of the greatest players of the Bill Shankly era, St. John is remembered with enormous fondness by fans of the Reds and beyond, but the vast majority of people who were shook by St. John’s death were moved not by his career as a sportsman, but as a television personality.

After retiring from the game, St. John forged an enormously successful career in media, most notably presenting alongside Jimmy Greaves on the BBC’s immensely popular Saint and Greavsie programme in the 1980s and 1990s, as well as on the airwaves with Radio City in Liverpool until shortly before his death. St. John’s warmth, humour, and vibrancy endeared him to a new generation of sports fans and saw him conquer an entirely different industry which he never formally trained for or set out to work in.

The transition from professional athlete to full-time broadcaster is notoriously difficult, as anybody who has ever seen the chastening appraisals and downright abuse dished out online to former footballers based on their nervous energy or safety-first punditry on Sky Sports or Match of the Day will know.

An ode to Martin Brundle, whose Miami Grand Prix grid walk should go down in history

Lewis Hamilton refuses to compromise on nose stud in jewellery row with FIA

Monday 16 May 2022 14:35 , Luke Baker

Lewis Hamilton has told Formula One’s rulers that he will not remove his nose piercing for the rest of the season.

The seven-time world champion appeared to adhere to the FIA’s jewellery cockpit clampdown by taking out his earrings for Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix – hours after wearing a plethora of jewellery during a pre-race press conference. He even suggested he could withdraw from the grand prix in protest.

Hamilton was talked out of that specific threat following a discussion with FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem and a meeting with the FIA’s president of the medical commission, Dr Sean Petherbridge, on Friday.

The 37-year-old said he would remove his earrings and was handed a two-race medical exemption for his nose stud which cannot be easily taken out.

However, after qualifying on Saturday, Hamilton said he was not satisfied with the compromise and insisted he would not remove the nose piercing when his exemption expires at the Monaco Grand Prix on May 29.

Lewis Hamilton refuses to compromise over nose stud in jewellery row with FIA

Abbie Eaton believes it could be seven years before F1 has a woman driver

Monday 16 May 2022 14:22 , Luke Baker

W Series racing driver Abbie Eaton believes it could be five to seven years before there is a woman F1 driver.

The 2022 W Series season opener formed part of a doubleheader alongside Formula One’s inaugural Miami Grand Prix over the weekend, with reigning two-time champion Jamie Chadwick taking a dramatic victory after overtaking Emma Kimilainen on the final lap.

The W Series will race at eight Grand Prix weekends during the 2022 season, including five new venues, but Eaton - who was the official driver for Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May’s Grand Tour - believes there could be a protracted wait for a woman F1 driver.

She said: “Five to seven years. I think probably there are obviously a lot of young talented people coming through in our championship and we’ve got a few young drivers as well but I think probably the ones that will actually make it are probably still in karts at the moment.

“I think given their development time, and if they’re picked up at the right moment then I think probably seven years or so.

“It’s got to be the first person that gets into F1 for a full drive, before that I think there will be opportunities for girls to do FP1 or whatever but I think for a full-time female F1 driver it will be that length of time.”

 (EPA)
(EPA)

Kevin Magnussen: ‘I used to think a world championship would be my key to happiness’

Monday 16 May 2022 14:10 , Luke Baker

When Kevin Magnussen first entered Formula 1 back in 2014, realising a dream he’d held practically since birth, his overriding emotion wasn’t always elation but often fear, writes Tom Kershaw in an exclusive, wide-ranging interview with the Dane.

It wasn’t the inherent physical danger of driving at breakneck speeds but the sense of dread that seemed to shadow him at the wheel, that a single mistake might cost him everything he’d worked towards.

It is one of life’s great contradictions that sometimes the only way to liberate yourself of those fears is for them to come to fruition. At the end of 2020, after four consecutive seasons with Haas, the team’s principal, Guenther Steiner, told Magnussen that his contract wasn’t being renewed.

“I would put too much pressure on myself when I was young, I think,” Magnussen says. “F1 meant too much to me. Succeeding meant too much to me and it stopped me from being able to perform to the best of my ability. I’d say it held me back quite a few years. I was scared of losing my drive all the time and I would think about it a lot, like what would happen to me, it’s not like I had much to fall back on. The fear distracted me. I don’t carry that now.”

Kevin Magnussen: ‘I used to think a world championship would be my key to happiness’

F1 2022: The best pre-order deals on Playstation, Xbox and PC

Monday 16 May 2022 13:55 , Luke Baker

The next installment in the official Formula 1 racing game series is on its way with a release date of 1 July on the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox series X/S and PC.

Developed by Codemasters and now published by EA, F1 22 is the latest entry and will be based on the current season of the Formula 1 World Championship.

F1 21 made some changes to the franchise when it released last year. Notably, it introduced a new story mode titled “Braking Point” so there is a chance we might also see a similar campaign being introduced in this follow-up.

Now that a release date has been confirmed for F1 22, it’s a good time to check out some pre-order deals so you can get the copy that’s right for you at a reasonable price. If you have been struggling to get your hands on a PS5 or an Xbox series X but want to upgrade your last-gen copy once you make the switch, then the “Champions Edition” of the game will give you dual entitlement as well as additional content.

To find out where to buy F1 22 and what the Champions Edition will include, read the article below.

The best pre-order deals for the new F1 2022 game on PlayStation, Xbox and more

How much do F1 drivers earn? 2022 salaries revealed

Monday 16 May 2022 13:41 , Luke Baker

The 2022 F1 season is back underway after an off-season that brought the biggest overhaul in sporting rules and regulations in recent memory.

After a thrilling 2021 season, the teams were given a blank slate to prepare their cars for this year’s campaign in an attempt to level the playing field and increase overtaking opportunities.

It comes after Max Verstappen defeated Lewis Hamilton in a wild and unpredictable title race that went down to the final lap of the season at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. In a highly controversial season-decider, which ultimately saw race director Michael Masi removed from his post, Verstappen made the crucial pass on the final-lap shootout to win the title after Hamilton had clawed back his lead by winning the previous three races.

How much do F1 drivers earn? The 2022 salaries revealed

F1 Drivers’ Championship standings after the Miami Grand Prix

Monday 16 May 2022 13:27 , Luke Baker

Here’s the latest F1 drivers’ standings as Charles Leclerc still leads the way despite Max Verstappen’s victory in Miami.

1. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - 104

2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) - 85

3. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) - 66

4. George Russell (Mercedes) - 59

5. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) - 53

6. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) - 36

7. Lando Norris (McLaren) - 35

8. Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo) - 30

9. Esteban Ocon (Alpine) - 24

10. Kevin Magnussen (Haas) - 15

11. Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren) - 11

12. Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) - 10

13. Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri) - 6

14. Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin) - 4

15. Alexander Albon (Williams) - 3

16. Fernando Alonso (Alpine) - 2

17. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) - 2

18. Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo) - 1

19. Mick Schumacher (Haas) - 0

20. Nico Hulkenberg (Aston Martin) - 0

21. Nicholas Latifi (Williams) - 0

When and where is the next Formula One race?

Monday 16 May 2022 13:15 , Luke Baker

The Formula One season is in full swing as the drivers prepare for the sixth race of the most extensive calendar in the sport’s history.

So far, Max Verstappen secured his third win of the season at the inaugural Miami Grand Prix, holding off Charles Leclerc and narrowing the Monegasque driver’s advantage at the top of the Drivers’ Championship standings to 19 points.

Red Bull and Ferrari’s rivalry continues to bubble away nicely, with the two teams separated by just six points in the Constructors’ Championship.

Elsewhere on the grid, Mercedes continue to strive for solutions to their performance issues after making a degree of progress, while McLaren had a tough weekend, failing to score a point in Florida.

Here is everything you need to know:

When and where is the next Formula One race?

‘We’re on it’: Mario Andretti determined to secure F1 team by 2024

Monday 16 May 2022 13:01 , Luke Baker

Former world champion Mario Andretti has confirmed he is working on plans to bring a new team to the Formula One grid from 2024, but there is a “process they must respect” amid warnings from current teams.

Andretti, the 1978 world champion, and his son Michael, also a former F1 driver and a champion in IndyCar, have been linked with bringing an American team to the grid after were reported to be in interested in purchasing Sauber last year.

Reports of Andretti submitting paperwork to the FIA surfaced earlier this year, in what would be the first new team to join to the grid since Haas’ entry in 2017, but was met with scepticism from Red Bull principal Christian Horner and Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff.

‘We’re on it’: Mario Andretti determined to secure F1 team by 2024

George Russell a ‘different calibre’ of teammate for Lewis Hamilton

Monday 16 May 2022 12:47 , Luke Baker

George Russell is already proving his worth with Mercedes after joining the Formula One team this season, giving Lewis Hamilton a more “consistent calibre” of driver to race alongside, claims Ralf Schumacher.

Since replacing Valtteri Bottas, Russell has picked up 59 points in the opening five races of the season to sit fourth in the drivers’ standings - two places and 23 points better off than Hamilton.

It’s an unexpected turn of events, with Russell consistently placing between third and fifth in each race this term, compared to Hamilton’s more erratic third to 13th, as the Mercedes pair struggle to get to grips with the new car and the problems being encountered.

Schumacher says Russell is a higher-class teammate who has plenty to offer, both on and off the track.

“Russell is now a different calibre for Lewis than Bottas was and, above all, he is a consistent calibre,” he told Motorsport.

George Russell a ‘different calibre’ of teammate for Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton ‘astonished' that Michael Masi could make F1 return

Monday 16 May 2022 12:34 , Luke Baker

Lewis Hamilton has been left ‘astonished’ that sacked F1 race director Michael Masi could make a shock return to the sport.

Masi hit the headlines when his controversial safety car ruling in the 2021 season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix essentially handed the title to Max Verstappen at the expense of Hamilton.

He was promptly sacked in what more or less amounted to an admission that he had made the wrong call - something that Hamilton’s Mercedes team saw as a small win - but new FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem has opened the possibility of a route back into the sport for Masi.

“Michael is there and we might use him. We are open to everything,” said Ben Sulayem in his first interview since taking the top role in F1’s governing body six months ago.

According to Sportsmail, Hamilton and his nearest advisers were ‘astonished’ to read the comments and spoke about the situation via urgent phone messages after the story broke. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff was also furious and made his strong opposition to Masi’s rehabilitation known internally.

A source reported to Sportsmail that the FIA aren’t looking for a fight however and that Ben Sulayem is simply trying to wrestle control of F1 back towards the governing body and away from the teams.

The source said: “Over the last few years the FIA has been marginalised and Ben Sulayem wants to return it to its old role. He doesn’t want anything himself, financially or in any other way. He maybe feels that Toto has got a little ahead of himself. It’s not up to Toto to run Formula One.”

Michael Masi was removed as F1’s race director earlier this year (PA Wire)
Michael Masi was removed as F1’s race director earlier this year (PA Wire)

Max Verstappen vs Charles Leclerc ‘could go all the way’, admits Christian Horner

Monday 16 May 2022 12:22 , Luke Baker

Team principal for Red Bull Racing, Christian Horner, feels the race for the F1 championship will be another year-long struggle between the early top two - though had hoped for a pressure-free year of Max Verstappen retaining his title.

After the scintillating and controversial nature of his win over Lewis Hamilton last year, Verstappen and Red Bull would have been confident of another strong campaign, while also hoping the likes of Mercedes fell away while getting to grips with the new car designs and regulations.

That has certainly happened - but in their place, Ferrari have emerged as credible challengers and Charles Leclerc has claimed two victories already this season. Combined with Verstappen failing to finish in Bahrain and Australia, it means the reigning champion trails Leclerc in the standings after five races by 19 points, with Horner expecting that battle to go on all year long.

“Look, there is a long, long way to go and it is so tight with Ferrari. There has been some great racing,” he said. “You can see there is a great respect between Charles and Max, they are enjoying racing each other, you can see that.

“I was rather hoping we weren’t set for another competitive year like last year but it looks like this one could well go all the way as well.”

Verstappen vs Leclerc ‘could go all the way’, admits Christian Horner

Charles Leclerc crashes Niki Lauda’s Ferrari

Monday 16 May 2022 12:10 , Luke Baker

Charles Leclerc’s bad luck in Monaco struck again after crashing Niki Lauda’s classic Ferrari Formula 1 car on the streets of his hometown.

Leclerc was involved in the Monaco Historic Grand Prix, where he took out the 1974 Ferrari 312 B3, a car made famous by Lauda at the time.

The rear of the car stepped away from Leclerc after entering La Rascasse, leaving him to collide into the barriers.

Afterwards the 24-year-old posted about the incident on social media, joking about his unfortunate F1 record at Monaco.

He tweeted: “When you thought you already had all the bad luck of the world in Monaco and you lose the brakes into Rascasse with one of the most iconic historical Ferrari Formula 1 cars…”

Charles Leclerc crashes Niki Lauda’s Ferrari on streets of Monaco

Red Bull deny Ferrari claims about spending on upgrades to 2022 car

Monday 16 May 2022 11:56 , Luke Baker

Red Bull have denied Ferrari’s suggestion that they have spent heavily early in the 2022 season to make improvements to their car.

Max Verstappen has secured victory at the last two races at Imola and in Miami after Red Bull made tweaks to their car after problems with reliability.

That has helped Christian Horner’s team close the gap to Ferrari at the top of the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championship standings, with just six points separating the two manufacturers in the teams’ prize.

Mattia Binotto, team principal at Ferrari, hinted after the Miami Grand Prix that he was unsure if Red Bull would be able to continue to develop with the need to control spending and stay within the budget cap.

However Red Bull have now refuted the accusation that they have over-spent early in the season.

Red Bull deny Ferrari claims about spending on upgrades to 2022 car

Mercedes reserve driver Nyck de Vries will drive in practice for Williams at Spanish Grand Prix

Monday 16 May 2022 11:43 , Luke Baker

Mercedes reserve driver Nyck de Vries will make his F1 race weekend debut when he takes part in the first practice session for Williams at the Spanish Grand Prix on Friday.

The 27-year-old Dutchman – who is the reigning Formula E world champion – will borrow Alex Albon’s car for FP at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Friday afternoon.

De Vries shares the Mercedes reserve role with Stoffel Vandoorne and has previously tested F1 machinery when he drove the Silver Arrows in last year’s post-season Abu Dhabi Grand Prix test.

His appearance for Williams fulfils one of their two mandated young driver sessions, which is a new rule introduced for this season.

“We are looking forward to having Nyck de Vries in the car for FP1 as it is always good to work with a new driver and get a fresh opinion on the car’s strengths and weaknesses,” said Williams’ head of vehicle performance Dave Robson.

“Nyck’s experience and professionalism will be crucial on Friday as he will complete some of the key engineering tests in FP1 before he hands the car back to Alex for FP2.”

Spanish Grand Prix rounding into view

Monday 16 May 2022 11:29 , Luke Baker

The F1 juggernaut is heading to Spain this week, with Barcelona the destination for the latest race this weekend.

Ferrari determined to respond to Red Bull resurgence in form

Monday 16 May 2022 11:17 , Luke Baker

Ferrari “now need to respond” according to team boss Mattia Binotto after Max Verstappen’s victory at the Miami Grand Prix narrowed the gap to Driver’s Championship leader Charles Leclerc.

The Scuderia have enjoyed a fine start to the season, but the world champion’s win last weekend pushes the Red Bull to within six points of Ferrari in the Constructors’ Championship, while narrowing the gap to Leclerc to just 19 points.

Binotto is philosophical about his team’s performance, with both Leclerc and Carlos Sainz on the podium, though he concedes the team “can’t be completely happy”.

“We can’t be completely happy with today’s race because, although the F1-75 was competitive, our rivals were a few tenths per lap quicker than us,” Binotto said. “If you consider how many points we are taking home from here, we can’t be too disappointed, given that we are leading both championships, but it’s clear we now need to respond. We are keen to get the job done and there are still a lot of races to go.

Ferrari determined to respond to Red Bull resurgence in form

George Russell beating Lewis Hamilton is ‘changing of the guard’ at Mercedes

Monday 16 May 2022 11:05 , Luke Baker

George Russell outperforming Lewis Hamilton in Formula 1 in 2022 represents a “changing of the guard” at Mercedes according to former world champion Jacques Villeneuve.

The seven-time world champion has endured a tough start to the year, trailing championship leader Charles Leclerc by 68 points and languishing back in sixth place.

Russell has also experienced a testing start to life at Mercedes, but the 24-year-old is 23 points clear of his teammate in the standings.

But despite both struggling due to the heavily porpoising W13 car produced by the Silver Arrows, Villeneuve, who won the 1997 championship with Williams, has been impressed by Russell and his ability to “ride the wave”.

Villeneuve added that in comparison Hamilton is merely “trying not to drown”.

George Russell beating Lewis Hamilton is ‘changing of the guard’ at Mercedes

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