- Ferrari: Qualifying Friday is better, but Saturday needs new ideas
16/09/2021 - 18:22
At Silverstone and Monza, the two venues that have hosted sprint qualifying races so far this year, Friday practice is reduced to just 60 minutes of running instead of the usual 120.
The day also features a qualifying session that determines the grid for the sprint race on Saturday.
The format has meant the sole Friday practice session is more important and intense for F1 teams, something ...Keep reading
- Ricciardo opens up on "primal" feeling before shock Monza F1 win
16/09/2021 - 17:41
The Australian ended a victory drought for McLaren that stretched back to 2012 as he led team-mate Lando Norris to grab a 1-2 finish at Monza last weekend.
Speaking amid celebrations on his return to McLaren’s Woking factory, Ricciardo has explained how the rage he felt after missing out on a top three slot in qualifying on Friday turned into something much bigger that he needed to ...Keep reading
- Kubica accepts others are ‘higher on the list’ for Alfa Romeo F1 seat
16/09/2021 - 15:22
One-time grand prix winner Kubica has made two appearances for Alfa Romeo this season, deputising for Kimi Raikkonen at Zandvoort and Monza after the Finn contracted COVID-19.
Kubica linked up with Alfa Romeo as its reserve driver in 2020, having spent the previous season racing full-time with Williams, and his primary backer, Orlen, is the team’s title sponsor.
Alfa Romeo appears to have ...Keep reading
- Albon yet to find out what ‘very strict’ clauses cover to protect Mercedes
16/09/2021 - 13:57
Red Bull reserve Albon will race for the Mercedes-powered Williams team next year alongside Nicholas Latifi after competing in the DTM during 2021.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said over the Italian Grand Prix weekend that Albon's contract with the Grove-based squad has clauses to protect the intellectual property of the German manufacturer's F1 engine.
"What was important for us is if a driver ...Keep reading
- McLaren Group COO Jonathan Neale to leave company after two decades
16/09/2021 - 12:11
Neale originally joined McLaren as its Formula 1 operations director in 2001, before moving up to become the team’s managing director in 2005.
He helped play a part in the evolution of the squad as it grew stronger in that period before it helped Lewis Hamilton win his first F1 drivers’ world championship in 2008.
Neale remained in that role for several years, through many changes ...Keep reading
- 2022 Formula 1 Driver Market: Which drivers are going where?
16/09/2021 - 10:30
While multiple Formula 1 driver deals have been confirmed for 2022, a number of race seats still need to be officially filled. Here’s how next year’s grid is shaping up.
Mercedes
Mercedes is, arguably, the team with the most attention on its driver line-up. Rumours of Mercedes young driver George Russell getting the call up have surrounded it for years, though so far Valtteri Bottas has ...Keep reading
- Aston Martin confirms Vettel and Stroll for F1 2022
16/09/2021 - 10:09
The Silverstone-based outfit had been long expected to stick with its current duo for 2022, but delays in announcing it had prompted speculation that it could be pondering a change.
However, after the team explained several times that the delays were simply down to the need to negotiate certain clauses in the contract, it has finally ended all talk of looking outside its current duo.
Stroll ...Keep reading
- Alonso: Verstappen and Hamilton "both did what they should do" in clash
16/09/2021 - 10:01
The championship contenders made contact at Monza's first chicane as Red Bull driver Verstappen attempted to overtake Mercedes rival Hamilton, who had just emerged from the pits.
The crash, their second after their British GP incident, put them both out of the race on the spot.
Although opinion was divided on who was to blame, FIA stewards deemed Verstappen was predominantly at fault and ...Keep reading
- FIA to look at seatbelt stretch in Sainz Monza F1 crash
15/09/2021 - 16:56
Sainz spun in to the wall at the Ascari Chicane during second free practice on Saturday morning, which resulted in a pretty hefty impact.
On board footage of the incident highlighted how big the impact was, with Sainz being thrown quite far forwards towards his steering wheel.
Ferrari is currently conducting its own investigation in to the accident using the mandatory FIA high-speed cockpit ...Keep reading
- Mercedes: Not definite Hamilton must take extra F1 engine
15/09/2021 - 15:44
Teams are entering the final third of the 2021 season braced for possible penalties as they hit the limit of their season allocation for power unit elements.
Red Bull has already confirmed that Max Verstappen will have to take a grid drop at a race later this year after losing one of his engines in a crash at Silverstone with title rival Hamilton, but will do so strategically at a track it ...Keep reading
- Win tickets to McLaren’s HQ
15/09/2021 - 14:00
To have a shot of winning one of five pairs of tickets for this rare trip to the McLaren Technology Centre, all you need to do is correctly identify three Formula 1 circuits in a short online video in the Access Hub area of the partypoker.com website. This portal is the new home for McLaren F1 Team SuperFans to enter competitions for money-can’t-buy access to their favourite team.
One of five ...Keep reading
- Verstappen/Hamilton Monza F1 crash showed "lack of self-control" - Hill
15/09/2021 - 12:46
The incident at the first chicane put both drivers out of the race, and it came just four races after contact between the pair at Silverstone led to a heavy crash for Verstappen.
By co-incidence, Hill himself had collisions with then rival Michael Schumacher at both the British and Italian Grands Prix when they were fighting for the championship in 1995.
He says the rivalry between the ...Keep reading
- Ocon disagrees with Monza F1 penalty for Vettel move
15/09/2021 - 12:10
On lap 15 of the Italian Grand Prix, Ocon was battling Aston Martin driver Vettel for 12th when he moved over to the racing line for the second chicane while Vettel was on his outside, nudging the German partially off the track.
Because the pair collided and Ocon didn't leave a car's width for Vettel, he was handed a five-second penalty, which he served during his only pitstop. That penalty ...Keep reading
- Nobody will take a risk with "confusing" F1 sprint race format – Wolff
15/09/2021 - 10:44
F1 decided to trial sprint races at three grands prix in 2021, with the 100km sprints on Saturday setting the grid for Sunday's full-length race.
The two sprint races F1 has held so far, at Silverstone and Monza, produced mixed results at best. The running order was largely established after the first lap, as a lack of pitstops and overtaking meant drivers were generally resigned to following ...Keep reading
- Review: Schumacher Netflix movie lifts lid on the two sides of F1 ace
15/09/2021 - 10:00
When Sebastian Vettel said recently he was looking forward to the new Michael Schumacher Netflix documentary telling him things he didn't know, it was easy to think he could be disappointed.
After all, in a world where almost everything the seven-time world champion did was under the spotlight of television cameras and media, you would imagine there is not much new to learn from his life and ...Keep reading
- Sainz: Monza style crash "will not happen again anytime soon"
14/09/2021 - 17:43
In the Italian Grand Prix's FP2, Sainz lost control of his Ferrari in the middle of the fast Variante Ascari combination, spinning off the track on the inside and making hard head-on contact with the wall.
It was Sainz' third crash in four race weekends after going off in qualifying in Budapest before the summer break, and then suffering a shunt last weekend in practice for the Dutch Grand Prix ...Keep reading
- F1 confirms plan for mandatory Friday running for young drivers
14/09/2021 - 16:41
Teams have long had the opportunity to run junior drivers on Fridays this year, but only a few have used it due to a lack track time now, with Williams and Alfa Romeo among the regulars.
It has yet to be determined on how many weekends teams will have to run a rookie next year, but one complication is that it will have to be dovetailed with the sprint schedule, because for such events FP1 is ...Keep reading
- Having FP2 under F1's sprint format "makes no sense" - Todt
14/09/2021 - 15:28
F1 is holding three sprint qualifying trials this year, with two having already taken place at the British and Italian Grands Prix. A final one is set for Brazil later in the season.
While the format has drawn some mixed responses from fans, Todt says one of the things that baffles him the most is the way that there is practice between Friday qualifying and the sprint.
With the one-hour ...Keep reading
- How F1 teams adapted to Monza's low-drag characteristics
14/09/2021 - 12:16
The usual approach with front wing design when it comes to tackling Monza is to reduce the frontal area and trimming off the upper wing flap.
McLaren enjoyed its best F1 weekend in over a decade, helped by its latent straightline speed, and its own development of the front wing featured a reconfigured upper flap to increase its advantage in the acceleration zones.
On the other end of the ...Keep reading
- FIA sees no need to change Monza kerbs after Verstappen/Hamilton clash
14/09/2021 - 10:21
Hamilton and Verstappen collided halfway through Sunday's race, with Verstappen running out of room to pass Hamilton into the first chicane and running over the sausage kerbs.
That impact launched the Red Bull driver into the air as he landed on top of Hamilton, his rear wheel hitting the Mercedes driver's helmet.
While Hamilton praised the halo device for saving him from serious injury ...Keep reading
- Horner: Verstappen shouldn't have been near Hamilton after slow pitstop
14/09/2021 - 10:06
Polesitter Verstappen lost his lead at the start of the Italian Grand Prix to eventual winner Daniel Ricciardo and trailed the McLaren during the first stint.
After responding to Ricciardo's pitstop, Verstappen endured a painfully slow 11-second pitstop, which dropped him behind the second McLaren of Lando Norris.
It also put the Dutchman on Hamilton's trail when the Briton made his pitstop ...Keep reading
- Why Aston Martin’s new campus is a ‘reverse’ McLaren MTC
14/09/2021 - 08:03
With owner Lawrence Stroll making clear his lofty ambitions to be world championship winners in the next three to five years, he understands that the team could not keep going as it was.
Still operating out of the Silverstone facilities that originally housed Jordan Grand Prix in 1991, Aston Martin’s increasing reliance on temporary offices has left it in a state where, if it is truly serious ...Keep reading
- FIA insists Red Bull was warned over Perez's Monza F1 penalty
13/09/2021 - 17:48
Perez was handed a five-second penalty at Monza, dropping him from third to fifth, after he was deemed to have gained an unfair advantage by cutting a corner.
The Mexican ran behind the kerbs at the second chicane on lap 32 as he attempted to go around the outside of Leclerc as they battled for third spot.
While he had clearly gone off track, Red Bull said that it did not order its driver to ...Keep reading
- 10 things we learned from F1’s 2021 Italian Grand Prix
13/09/2021 - 16:37
After a long-awaited return to Zandvoort, F1 headed to one of its spiritual homes in Monza to complete its gruelling post-summer trio of races.
While the F1 driver market went into overdrive during the week between the Dutch and Italian rounds, it was the action on the track which dominated the headlines – both for the right and the wrong reasons.
Here are 10 things we learned from the ...Keep reading
- Ricciardo: Monza F1 win was mine before Hamilton/Verstappen crash
13/09/2021 - 13:22
The Australian scored McLaren's first triumph since 2012 with a surprise win at Monza, as he led home team-mate Lando Norris.
Key to his success was getting past pole position man Max Verstappen on the run down to the first chicane on the opening lap, and then holding his advantage in the early stages.
And while he was concerned about losing his lead during the critical pitstop phase ...Keep reading
- Autosport Podcast: Italian GP review
13/09/2021 - 13:01
Ricciardo dominated the race after taking the lead from Verstappen at the first corner to secure his first F1 win since the 2018 Monaco GP and McLaren’s first win since the 2012 Brazilian GP. With Lando Norris claiming second, it also marked McLaren’s first 1-2 finish since the 2010 Canadian GP.
But the biggest talking point of the weekend was the second high-profile crash of the year ...Keep reading
- Norris: Verstappen/Hamilton clash put me off fighting Ricciardo
13/09/2021 - 12:03
Norris followed Ricciardo home in a sensational 1-2 win for McLaren, its first victory since 2012.
After the race, Norris said being part of that historic feat for the Woking team was "incredible" but also admitted he was thinking about how he could snatch the win himself.
But Norris said the high-profile clash between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen halfway through the race, which forced ...Keep reading
- How the halo's London bus load requirement saved Hamilton
13/09/2021 - 11:41
Verstappen's Red Bull was launched into the air by the array of sausage kerbs, precipitating contact between the underside of his car and Hamilton's halo.
Had the halo not been introduced to F1's regulations in 2018, there is a very real chance that Hamilton would not have walked out of the incident unscathed.
However, the strength of the secondary roll structure ensured that Hamilton's head ...Keep reading
- Portimao added to F1 2021 video game in first major update
13/09/2021 - 11:05
Upon the release of F1 2021 back in July, EA Sports and Codemasters announced plans to bring three new tracks to the game as free downloadable content in the coming months.
Portimao and Imola were both late additions to the 2021 F1 calendar following the cancellation of other races, with Codemasters’ team of designers working to get the tracks included on the game.
EA Sports and ...Keep reading
- Mercedes: Red Bull chiefs knew Verstappen in the wrong in crash with Hamilton
13/09/2021 - 11:01
Verstappen was handed a three-place grid penalty for the next race in Russia after the stewards deemed he was predominantly to blame for the accident with Lewis Hamilton at Monza.
Red Bull's senior chiefs Christian Horner and Helmut Marko both insisted in the aftermath of the clash that it was nothing more than a racing incident.
But for Mercedes, well aware of how much Red Bull backs its ...Keep reading
- Hamilton: Verstappen penalty for Italian GP crash sets “important precedent”
13/09/2021 - 10:17
Verstappen was handed a three-place grid drop for the next race in Russia after the FIA deemed that he was predominantly to blame for the clash with Hamilton at Monza.
The two world title protagonists had been battling wheel-to-wheel through the first chicane at the Italian track when Verstappen, trying to hold his line around the outside, was launched in the air over a kerb and went over the ...Keep reading
- Which F1 records does Lewis Hamilton have? Most wins, poles and more
13/09/2021 - 08:40
It feels as though every race in the last year has thrust Hamilton on the path to breaking a new F1 record, largely those once-unbelievable records set by Michael Schumacher.
We have also included the records Hamilton shares with another driver, some of which he could hold alone in the next few years.
Most wins in Formula 1
Lewis Hamilton: 99Michael Schumacher: 91Sebastian Vettel: 53Alain ...Keep reading
- Norris: McLaren deserved "incredible" Monza F1 win
12/09/2021 - 20:57
At Monza Ricciardo snatched the lead away from Red Bull's polesitter Max Verstappen at the start and managed to keep the Dutchman at bay during the first stint.
After Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton collided, Norris made it a McLaren 1-2, which the pair defended from Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas and Red Bull's Sergio Perez until the finish.
PLUS: Why Ricciardo was set for Monza F1 triumph ...Keep reading
- Hamilton "surprised" Verstappen didn't check on him after Monza F1 crash
12/09/2021 - 20:00
The world champion came together with Verstappen on lap 26 at Monza, as they ran side-by-side in their battle for a net third position at the first chicane.
Verstappen had been trying to go around the outside of Hamilton, when he bounced over a kerb and was launched in to the air and over the top of his Mercedes rival.
Hamilton was struck on the head by Verstappen's right rear wheel, and has ...Keep reading
- Verstappen gets penalty for F1 Italian GP incident with Hamilton
12/09/2021 - 18:50
Red Bull driver Verstappen collided with Mercedes rival Hamilton at the first chicane on lap 26 of the Italian Grand Prix, just after a sequence of pitstops.
Hamilton had emerged ahead of Verstappen and held the inside line into the first chicane, where the Dutchman attempted to go around the outside and claim the apex for the second part of the sequence.
But Verstappen ran wide and bounced ...Keep reading
- Wolff: Halo definitely saved Hamilton’s life in Verstappen accident
12/09/2021 - 18:27
Hamilton and Verstappen collided while battling for position at the first chicane midway through the Italian Grand Prix, forcing both drivers to retire from the race.
The accident saw Verstappen’s Red Bull car end up on top of Hamilton’s Mercedes, with the slow-motion replays showing one of Verstappen’s wheels making contact with the top of Hamilton’s helmet. The majority of the impact ...Keep reading
- Horner: Verstappen and Hamilton Italian GP crash a "racing incident"
12/09/2021 - 18:06
On the 26th lap of the Monza race, Hamilton came out of the pits ahead of poleman Verstappen, who had lost time earlier due to a slow pitstop.
Hamilton kept a tight inside line through Turn 1 while Verstappen launched an attack on the outside, which would become the inside through the second part of Monza's right-left chicane.
But as Hamilton gradually closed the door, Verstappen ran out of ...Keep reading
- Wolff calls Verstappen move on Hamilton a ‘tactical foul’ in Italian GP crash
12/09/2021 - 17:31
Verstappen and Hamilton both retired from the race after colliding when battling for position on Lap 26, ending both their hopes of winning the grand prix.
Hamilton exited the pits and took the inside line into Turn 1 to defend the position from Verstappen, who ran over the kerbs and collided with Hamilton’s car.
Verstappen claimed afterwards that Hamilton had squeezed him and left no ...Keep reading
- Verstappen says Hamilton left him with nowhere to go in Italian GP crash
12/09/2021 - 17:26
The Dutchman and title rival Hamilton were battling for position on track at Monza following the first round of pitstops as they ran wheel-to-wheel after the pitlane exit.
Hamilton defended the inside into the first chicane, with Verstappen attempting to go around the outside and claim the apex for the left handed exit.
However, he ended up bouncing over the kerbs and was launched over ...Keep reading
- Hamilton: Verstappen knew what would happen ahead of Monza crash
12/09/2021 - 17:09
Hamilton and Verstappen collided while battling for a net third position at the first chicane midway through the race at Monza, forcing them both to retire.
Hamilton exited the pits and tried to defend his position from Verstappen, taking the inside line into the first corner.
This left Verstappen looking to get the inside line for Turn 2, only for him to run over the kerbs at the corner and ...Keep reading
- Ricciardo ‘lost for words’ after ending McLaren win drought in Italian GP
12/09/2021 - 16:55
Ricciardo controlled proceedings at Monza after taking the lead from Max Verstappen on the opening lap, with the pressure then easing after Verstappen and title rival Lewis Hamilton collided, bringing out a mid-race safety car.
Ricciardo kept a stable gap to McLaren team-mate Lando Norris behind in the final 23 laps of green flag running, leading him home to score a 1-2 for the team.
It ...Keep reading
- F1 Italian GP: Ricciardo leads McLaren 1-2, Verstappen and Hamilton collide
12/09/2021 - 16:36
Ricciardo led home his team-mate Lando Norris in a McLaren 1-2, with Valtteri Bottas ending up third after making excellent progress up the order in the race’s opening half - having started last - and then capitalised on the chaos that followed the incident that eliminated Verstappen and Hamilton.
That happened at the very end of the race’s pitstop phase, with Hamilton's Mercedes coming out ...Keep reading
- Hamilton and Verstappen crash set for post-Italian GP investigation
12/09/2021 - 16:00
The Mercedes and Red Bull drivers had been locked in a tight fight with McLaren duo Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris for the top four positions at Monza during the early phase of the race.
Following the first round of stops, with Ricciardo leading, Hamilton emerged from the pits in a net third just ahead of Verstappen as they went down to the first chicane on lap 26.
Verstappen tried to use ...Keep reading
- Ticktum admits he's "blown his chances" in F1
12/09/2021 - 13:34
The Carlin Formula 2 driver was let go from the Williams Driver Academy earlier this season, having been with the team since 2019, when he was also dropped by Red Bull.
The 22-year-old says there wouldn’t have been an F1 drive for him with the Grove outfit next year anyway after the renewal of Nicholas Latifi’s contract, but was unable to give details on his Williams exit, although he said ...Keep reading
- Ricciardo: McLaren can “shake things up” to target Italian GP “glory”
12/09/2021 - 12:57
With sprint qualifying winner Valtteri Bottas moving to the back of the grid as the result of an engine change penalty, Ricciardo’s third place finish on Saturday means he starts right behind pole man Max Verstappen for Sunday’s main race.
On the back of McLaren’s good getaways in the sprint, Ricciardo is sensing an opportunity to overhaul Verstappen early on – and then try to hold on ...Keep reading
- Gasly to start Italian GP from pitlane after taking new power unit
12/09/2021 - 12:34
Gasly qualified sixth on Friday at Monza, only to pick up front wing damage on the opening lap of the sprint race, causing him to crash at Curva Grande.
With Gasly due to start Sunday's grand prix from last place on the grid, it prompted AlphaTauri to take advantage of the situation and take an additional power unit.
FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer confirmed in the build-up to the race that ...Keep reading
- Archive: When F1's Italian GP no-overtaking proposal was rejected
12/09/2021 - 11:38
Michael Schumacher was succinct in Ferrari's post-race press release.
"I am glad this weekend is over. The most important thing is that nothing bad happened this afternoon."
One knew what he meant, of course, for as race time approached, increasingly the feeling was that something bad would happen, fostered as it was by a sense of near hysteria in some quarters of the paddock.
After the ...Keep reading
- Aston Martin says reported Vettel F1 deal doubts are "100% nonsense"
12/09/2021 - 11:14
The four-time world champion is in talks with Aston Martin to finalise an extension of the long-term deal that was originally signed for the start of this season.
With the terms of the contract requiring options to be taken up on both sides to roll into its second year, the two parties need to finalise certain aspects before the deal is set in stone.
But the delays in sorting matters out ...Keep reading
- Williams: F1 helmet cam information capturing is "not ideal"
12/09/2021 - 11:00
F1 introduced a version of the technology that has been used in Formula E since the start of 2020 at last month’s Belgian Grand Prix, with Fernando Alonso’s helmet being fitted with the 2.5g camera that has been produced in conjunction with Bell Helmets for practice running at Spa.
Russell became the first driver to wear the camera in a race setting during the sprint qualifying race at ...Keep reading
- Mercedes willing to drop MGU-H from F1 power unit to help VW entry
12/09/2021 - 10:20
F1 is set for its latest crunch meeting on Sunday over the upcoming engine formula that looks set for introduction in 2026.
F1's engine manufacturers have been discussing options to make a simpler, more sustainable and cost-efficient power unit, attracting interest from outside parties.
One of the most interested parties is the VW Group, which had two of its brands - Audi and Porsche - ...Keep reading
