- Russell apologises to Bottas after Imola F1 shunt reaction
19/04/2021 - 18:52
The Williams driver was left furious with Bottas after believing that the Mercedes driver had deliberately squeezed him off the track as they battled for position at Imola and came together in a 200mph accident.
In the wake of their incident, Russell angrily marched to Bottas’ car to let his feelings be known.
He later suggested that his Finnish rival had behaved differently to him because ...Keep reading
- GP Racing Podcast: The truth about Lewis Hamilton and his new contract
19/04/2021 - 18:10
We speak to George Russell, the man who might become Lewis’s next team-mate… or Valtteri Bottas’s new team-mate! And we speak to Daniel Ricciardo, the man of the moment at McLaren.
GP Racing editor Ben Anderson and columnist Mark Gallagher join Executive Editor Stuart Codling to debate what happens next with Lewis Hamilton.
Both Hamilton's and Mercedes have claimed that they’re happy ...Keep reading
- McLaren: Norris earned Imola F1 podium on merit
19/04/2021 - 17:01
Norris took his second F1 podium with McLaren after battling from seventh on the grid to third, holding off Ferrari's Charles Leclerc behind F1's leading duo Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.
Norris benefited from Sergio Perez' spin behind the safety car and McLaren team orders to release him past team-mate Daniel Ricciardo.
But Norris backed up fourth place in Bahrain's season opener by ...Keep reading
- Perez "very sorry" to Red Bull after Imola F1 woes
19/04/2021 - 14:42
The Mexican had qualified on the front row at Imola, but his hopes of a good finish were wrecked by a spate of incidents in the tricky conditions.
He spun early on behind the safety car, and was then handed a 10-second stop/go penalty for overtaking rivals as he regained his original position.
Later on in the race after the red flag restart, he spun once again – dropping him well ...Keep reading
- 10 things we learned from F1's 2021 Emilia Romagna GP
19/04/2021 - 12:35
Formula 1’s second race at Imola in the space of six months offered a vastly different affair to the inaugural Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in November.
A pre-race rain shower left some drivers and teams battling to make it to the grid at all, while the greasy track made mistakes all the most costly once the lights did go out.
A top-two of Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton may point to little ...Keep reading
- Vettel: FIA "not very professional" in dealing with Imola penalty
19/04/2021 - 11:41
The Aston Martin driver was hit with a 10-second penalty after his team failed to fit the wheels on his car before the five-minute signal ahead of the start of the race.
However, the penalty was only announced after lap 22 of the race, and the delay compromised Vettel's chances at the time.
Although Vettel went on to retire from the Imola race on the penultimate lap, the four-time champion ...Keep reading
- Why Hamilton didn’t break F1’s rules for reversing on track
19/04/2021 - 11:08
The F1 world champion had run wide through the gravel trap and nudged into the barriers at the Tosa hairpin on lap 31, after he hit a damp patch while lapping backmarker George Russell.
Stuck against the barriers, Hamilton spent ages trying to work out how to get going again – with it pretty clear he needed to go backwards.
After engaging reverse gear, Hamilton backed up all the way ...Keep reading
- Bottas crash damage cost could cost Mercedes F1 upgrade push
19/04/2021 - 11:00
Bottas collided with Williams driver Russell while battling for ninth place in Sunday’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, resulting in a big crash that caused the race to be red flagged.
Bottas and Russell were quick to blame each other for causing the crash on the approach to Turn 2, but the stewards deemed it to be a racing incident.
Mercedes team boss Wolff was left to manage a collision ...Keep reading
- Autosport Podcast: Reviewing the Emilia Romagna GP
19/04/2021 - 10:31
While Verstappen controlled proceedings at the front, rain before the start shook things up behind as drivers struggled for grip in damp conditions at Imola.
Lewis Hamilton fought back from a rare mistake that left him a lap down at one stage to finish second, but team-mate Valtteri Bottas collided with Mercedes 2022 seat rival George Russell, sparking a war of words post-race.
Dissecting ...Keep reading
- Russell planning clear-the-air call with Bottas after Imola F1 crash
19/04/2021 - 10:26
Williams driver Russell retired from the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix after colliding with Bottas at high-speed on the approach to Turn 2 as they battled over ninth position.
Russell and Bottas blamed each other for causing the crash in the aftermath of the incident, which sparked a red flag and almost wrote off Bottas’s Mercedes car.
Russell said Bottas broke a gentleman’s agreement ...Keep reading
- Norris: "Right decision" for soft tyres at Imola F1 race restart
18/04/2021 - 21:34
Norris had been in third place for the restart on lap 35, after the race was red-flagged following a clash between George Russell and Valtteri Bottas, tucked in behind leader Max Verstappen and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
After Verstappen had nearly spun at the restart, it meant Leclerc didn’t find a useful tow behind the Red Bull driver and, coupled with excessive wheelspin for the Ferrari ...Keep reading
- Raikkonen loses points after post-race penalty at F1 Imola race
18/04/2021 - 21:04
Stewards determined the Alfa Romeo driver breached regulations having failed to enter the pitlane for the restart of the race after the red-flag period caused by the clash between Valtteri Bottas and George Russell.
On the lap prior to the restart following the race suspension, Raikkonen spun his Alfa Romeo at Turn 3. Sporting regulations dictate that a driver may retake his position as long as ...Keep reading
- Stroll drops to eighth place with post-race F1 penalty at Emilia Romagna GP
18/04/2021 - 20:45
The Aston Martin driver endured an eventful race at Imola while making the most of favourable damp conditions to finish seventh at the chequered flag.
However, Stroll was judged to have breached regulations when overtaking AlphaTauri's Pierre Gasly following a post-race investigation, resulting in a five-second penalty.
It was deemed Stroll left the track at the Tamburello chicane while ...Keep reading
- Leclerc explains why he didn't pass Verstappen on Imola F1 restart
18/04/2021 - 20:33
Verstappen was leading the pack around for a rolling start following the race's suspension after the massive accident that eliminated Valtteri Bottas and George Russell, but lost control of his Red Bull at the first Rivazza turn just before he was due to resume racing speed.
The Red Bull speared left over the kerbs on the corner's inside, but critically appeared to keep at least some part of ...Keep reading
- Bottas: Russell has "quite a theory" over Imola F1 defending after crash
18/04/2021 - 20:25
Bottas and Russell crashed out of Sunday's Emilia Romagna Grand Prix after colliding on the approach to Turn 2 when battling over ninth position.
Russell was gaining rapidly on Bottas down the main straight and moved to the right-hand side of the track to try and overtake, only to hit a wet patch and lose control of his car.
Russell's Williams speared to the left and into the Mercedes of ...Keep reading
- F1 stewards take no action over ‘racing incident’ Bottas and Russell crash
18/04/2021 - 19:36
Bottas and Russell crashed out of Sunday’s race at Imola after colliding on the approach to Turn 2 when battling over ninth position.
Russell was gaining rapidly on Bottas down the main straight and moved to the right-hand side of the track to try and overtake, only to hit a wet patch and lose control of his car.
Russell’s Williams speared to the left and into the Mercedes of Bottas ...Keep reading
- Wolff: Russell has "lots to learn" after F1 crash with Bottas at Imola
18/04/2021 - 18:52
Williams driver Russell collided with Bottas when trying to overtake for ninth place at high-speed during Sunday’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, resulting in a sizeable crash.
The incident left debris strewn across the track and caused the race to be red-flagged, and sparked angry reactions from both Russell and Bottas, who blamed each other.
Mercedes team principal Wolff said that, while ...Keep reading
- Hamilton: Rushing to pass lapped F1 traffic triggered off in Emilia Romagna GP
18/04/2021 - 17:47
The F1 world champion was in a tight fight with Max Verstappen for the lead at Imola as they worked their way through backmarkers on the damp but drying track.
But, as Hamilton dived off line to get past George Russell, he couldn’t slow himself down enough on the damp track surface and ran off through the gravel trap and into the barriers.
The Mercedes driver managed to reverse back on to ...Keep reading
- Russell: Bottas may not have made same F1 Imola move on another driver
18/04/2021 - 17:45
Russell and Bottas crashed out while battling for ninth place halfway through Sunday’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, colliding at high-speed on the approach to Turn 2.
Russell gained on Bottas using DRS and moved to the right-hand side of the track to try and overtake, only for Bottas to make a slight move to the right.
It caused Russell to lose control of his car and spear into Bottas’s ...Keep reading
- F1 Emilia Romagna GP: Verstappen wins thriller as Hamilton recovers to second
18/04/2021 - 17:20
Verstappen and Hamilton clashed at the race’s opening corners, with the latter then having to put in a recovery drive after sliding off into the gravel at the Tosa hairpin just before the red flag shortly before half distance thanks to the massive accident involving his Mercedes team-mate.
Rain falling in the first half of the Imola lap in the hour ahead of the race start meant most of the ...Keep reading
- Bottas: Imola F1 crash with Russell "clearly" Williams driver's "mistake"
18/04/2021 - 17:06
Bottas and Russell collided on the run to the first chicane halfway through the race on Sunday at Imola, causing both cars to be eliminated instantly.
The collision left debris strewn across the track and caused a red flag that suspended the race with 30 laps remaining.
Russell was gaining rapidly on Bottas down the main straight, and moved to the right-hand side of the track to try a move ...Keep reading
- Emilia Romagna GP red-flagged after Bottas/Russell crash
18/04/2021 - 16:16
Russell and Bottas collided while battling for position on the run to the first chicane, causing a significant crash that left debris strewn across the track.
Race control took the decision at first to deploy the safety car before issuing a red flag on lap 34 of the 63-lap race at Imola.
The crash was the latest in a string of incidents leading up to the red flag as drivers made the switch ...Keep reading
- F1 will keep Miami and Austin race dates separate
18/04/2021 - 13:27
Following years of discussions about getting a race in Miami, F1 chiefs announced on Sunday that a 10-year deal had been signed for a grand prix to be held around the city's famous Hard Rock Stadium.
While no firm date has yet been set for the inaugural event in 2022, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has said he expects the grand prix to be slotted in during the second quarter of next year.
He was ...Keep reading
- Williams: Latifi's strong Imola F1 practice form "disturbed" Russell
18/04/2021 - 13:15
Russell explained after qualifying that he had been “just confused” why Latifi had “had the upper hand on me every single lap” throughout practice and Q1, with the Briton trailing in each session except FP3.
In Q2, however, Russell reversed the Williams’ drivers fortunes to maintain his 100% qualifying record against team-mates at the squad – his only F1 qualifying defeat to a ...Keep reading
- Red Bull: Perez F1 progress "incredible" after out-qualifying Verstappen
18/04/2021 - 12:57
Having got knocked out in Q2 for the opener in Bahrain, Perez made amends by out-qualifying team-mate Max Verstappen at Imola to secure his best ever grid slot.
While Perez was hired to be a closer match to Verstappen, Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko says the team never expected him to do so well so quickly after the difficulties he faced in Bahrain.
“Perez's improvement was ...Keep reading
- Ricciardo needs to get rid of "old habits" at McLaren F1
18/04/2021 - 12:46
The Australian has had a challenging Imola weekend so far, with team-mate Lando Norris quicker than him over the two days of action.
And, although Ricciardo outqualified Norris, that was only because his team-mate had his best time deleted due to a small track limits infringement at Turn 9.
Ricciardo has confessed to needing more confidence in his McLaren, and he thinks to deliver that he ...Keep reading
- Mercedes: F1 tyre warm-up issue caused Bottas' Imola Q3 struggles
18/04/2021 - 12:28
After losing out to Red Bull in the fight for pole at the Bahrain Grand Prix three weeks ago, Mercedes struck back at Imola as Lewis Hamilton topped qualifying on Saturday.
But team-mate Bottas endured a more difficult end to qualifying as he faded to eighth place in the final classification, finishing almost half a second off Hamilton’s lap time.
It marked a big setback ...Keep reading
- Miami Grand Prix joins F1 calendar for 2022 season
18/04/2021 - 12:00
Discussions about holding a race in Miami have been ongoing for years, but on Sunday F1 chiefs finally confirmed that a 10-year deal has been agreed to hold a race around the Hard Rock Stadium.
A brand new 5.41-kilometre track is being built to hold the event. The 19-turn configuration runs on land around the home of the Miami Dolphins and has a mixture of tight corners and high speed ...Keep reading
- Perez: I'm miles away with Red Bull F1 car despite Imola front-row start
18/04/2021 - 11:38
In only his second event for Red Bull, Perez out-qualified team-mate Max Verstappen and felt he actually lost pole at Imola to Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton with a mistake in the final corners of his last Q3 lap.
Perez had trailed Verstappen by 0.593 seconds in FP3 – the only practice session both Red Bull drivers completed after the former collided with Esteban Ocon in ...Keep reading
- Tsunoda's F1 gearbox broke in half in Imola Q1 crash
18/04/2021 - 10:42
Tsunoda crashed heavily at the exit of Variante Alta early in qualifying for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on Saturday, causing a red flag and bringing his session to an end.
The Japanese driver was able to walk away from the crash unscathed, but his car was less fortunate after he spun rearwards into the barrier at speed.
AlphaTauri’s mechanics were left with a sizeable amount of repairs ...Keep reading
- Seidl: Self-criticism after Imola F1 qualifying mistake typical for Norris
18/04/2021 - 10:24
Norris was on course to take third place on the grid for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, which would have been his best-ever qualifying result in F1, but had his fastest lap time deleted due to exceeding track limits at Turn 9.
That transgression relegated Norris from third to seventh in Q3, behind team-mate Daniel Ricciardo, and prompted Norris to be very self-critical.
Speaking straight ...Keep reading
- Hamilton: Red Bull has better set of F1 strategy cards to play at Imola
18/04/2021 - 10:08
Mercedes driver Hamilton upset the formbook to clinch pole position ahead of Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen, who both made mistakes on their final Q3 laps at Imola and missed their own respective chances to head the grid.
Perez is starting on the soft compound tyres after he and Red Bull opted to prioritise ensuring a Q3 berth over using the medium tyres in ...Keep reading
- Russell explains "Pastor Maldonado moment" in Imola F1 qualifying
17/04/2021 - 20:00
The 23-year-old Briton, who will start 12th on the grid at Imola, was switching to his Mercedes power unit’s push mode in Q1 when he got sideways and ran across the gravel.
He was trying to leave the change to the last possible moment in order to gain the maximum benefit over his flying lap.
Reflecting on the concentration lapse, he compared himself to former Williams driver Maldonado, who ...Keep reading
- Alonso: Lack of trust in Alpine F1 car costly at old-school Imola
17/04/2021 - 18:04
After finishing ninth in final practice on Saturday morning at Imola, Alonso struggled throughout qualifying, scraping through Q1 before propping up the timesheets in Q2.
In his second qualifying session since returning to F1 after a two-year absence, Alonso finished four-tenths off a Q3 berth, setting an identical lap time to Williams’ Nicholas Latifi.
Alpine team-mate Esteban Ocon was ...Keep reading
- Allison doesn't want Mercedes F1 team boss role - Wolff
17/04/2021 - 18:01
It was announced last week that as of 1 July, Mercedes technical director Allison will hold a newly created position of chief technical officer, a change that some observers interpreted as a possible first step to the former Lotus and Ferrari engineer eventually being the overall head of the team.
Wolff retains the team principal job for the foreseeable future, having explored his ...Keep reading
- F1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix – Start time, how to watch, & more
17/04/2021 - 16:52
The reigning F1 world champion saw off both Red Bull drivers Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen to claim his first pole position of the season – the 30th different F1 track he has achieved the feat across his career – by a tiny margin of 0.035s from Perez.
Hamilton admitted after qualifying that he hadn't expect to beat the Red Bull duo, having anticipated both Perez and Verstappen to up ...Keep reading
- Bottas "couldn’t trust rear-end" of Mercedes car in Imola Q3
17/04/2021 - 16:45
Bottas topped both FP1 and FP2 on Friday for Mercedes, and said he felt “a lot happier” with the W12 car after battling rear-end instability through pre-season testing and the opening race weekend in Bahrain.
But the Finn slumped to a disappointing eighth-place finish in qualifying for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, ending the session almost half a second off team-mate Lewis Hamilton on ...Keep reading
- Vettel missing "last bit of confidence" with Aston Martin F1 car
17/04/2021 - 16:35
Vettel was eliminated in the second stage of qualifying for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix after a close-fought session, ending up 13th despite lapping less than seven-tenths off the overall best time.
It marked Vettel’s second straight qualifying defeat to new Aston Martin team-mate Lance Stroll, who finished on the bubble in 10th place after lapping two-tenths faster.
Vettel explained ...Keep reading
- Norris annoyed after he "effed it all up" in Q3 for F1 Emilia Romagna GP
17/04/2021 - 16:32
Norris had already impressed with the third-fastest time in Q1 and second place in Q2 and looked set to record his best F1 qualifying result in a tight Q3 shootout.
The British driver set a time which would have been good enough for third on the grid, behind polesitter Lewis Hamilton, while splitting the Red Bulls of Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen, but saw his fastest lap time deleted due to ...Keep reading
- Giovinazzi critical of Mazepin not respecting F1 qualifying etiquette
17/04/2021 - 16:29
While drivers try to leave each other space to start their qualifying laps, Mazepin tagged himself into Giovinazzi’s slipstream on the run down to the start/finish line – and overtook the Alfa Romeo driver.
With Giovinazzi's lap instantly ruined, he quickly came on the radio to ask what his Russian rival was doing, as his final effort to try to get out of Q1 was wrecked.
Speaking ...Keep reading
- Sainz: Imola Q2 exit "exposed" lack of Ferrari F1 mileage
17/04/2021 - 16:06
Sainz narrowly missed out on a top-10 qualifying result after a close-fought qualifying at Imola on Saturday, finishing 11th for Ferrari.
The Spaniard was left disappointed after finishing six-hundredths off a place in Q3, albeit lapping less than half a second off the overall fastest time in the session.
Sainz called it a “bad day in the office”, but felt it showed that he still needs ...Keep reading
- Hamilton never expected to outqualify both Red Bulls at Emilia Romagna GP
17/04/2021 - 15:52
With Red Bull having had the pace advantage in Bahrain, and topping final free practice at Imola, Hamilton was bracing himself for losing out to either Max Verstappen or Sergio Perez.
However, a great performance from the world champion, allied to mistakes from both Red Bull drivers on their final Q3 laps, meant Hamilton took the top spot on Saturday.
Hamilton ended up just 0.035 seconds ...Keep reading
- Perez: Last-corner mistake cost me pole in Imola qualifying
17/04/2021 - 15:38
Perez bounced back from a difficult Friday that saw him crash into Esteban Ocon in FP1 and struggle to feature with the frontrunners in FP2 by qualifying second at Imola.
It marked Perez’s best-ever F1 qualifying result, beating his previous best starting position of third, as he fell just 0.035 seconds shy of pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton’s lap time.
But Perez believed he did have the pace ...Keep reading
- F1 Emilia Romagna GP: Hamilton grabs pole from Perez, Verstappen
17/04/2021 - 15:24
Hamilton held on to take his 99th career pole despite not improving on his final flying lap, with his Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas qualifying down in eighth, one spot ahead of Lando Norris, who lost a time that would have put him third due to a track limits violation.
Both Mercedes cars and Verstappen will start the race on the advantageous medium tyres after successfully getting through ...Keep reading
- Tsunoda got "too excited" before Imola qualifying crash
17/04/2021 - 14:53
Following his impressive showing on debut in Bahrain three weeks ago, Tsunoda arrived at Imola hopeful of challenging for a second haul of points and a maiden Q3 appearance.
But the Japanese driver lost the rear of his AT02 car at the exit of the Variante Alta chicane, causing him to spin backwards into the wall.
It left his car with significant damage and brought out a red flag, as well as ...Keep reading
- Alpine F1 car hindered by windtunnel problem
17/04/2021 - 12:37
The French car manufacturer has slipped back against its main rivals this year, and it left the season opening Bahrain Grand Prix without scoring any points.
While the team is hopeful that an aggressive upgrade push can lift it up the grid, its executive director Marcin Budkowski says its difficulties can be traced back to troubles at the factory.
Reflecting on a challenging time at both the ...Keep reading
- F1 Emilia Romagna GP: Verstappen sets FP3 pace from Norris
17/04/2021 - 12:10
The final practice session took place in cold and slowly climbing temperatures, which meant many drivers set their best times on their second or even third qualifying simulation efforts within a set run.
There were also several incidents and brief red flag, and a cascade of times deleted for various track limits offences as the drivers built up to the limit ahead of qualifying.
Most teams ...Keep reading
- Spanish GP to take place behind closed doors
17/04/2021 - 12:05
Organisers of the May 9 race had been planning to allow a limited number of fans at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, with ticket sales still underway this week.
But the Catalan health authorities have now barred the event from accepting spectators due to the current COVID-19 restrictions in the region.
Catalonia extended its latest countermeasure package, which includes closing its ...Keep reading
- Mercedes F1's step forward helped by Bahrain "sting"
17/04/2021 - 11:09
While Red Bull had the fastest car in Bahrain, Mercedes appears to have the edge at Imola with Valtteri Bottas quickest in both Friday practice sessions.
Mercedes technical director James Allison said the team had not taken what happened in Bahrain lightly, even though an aggressive strategy and great defensive driving from Lewis Hamilton helped it win.
Reflecting on the work done over the ...Keep reading
- Why F1 track limits are back in the spotlight at Imola
17/04/2021 - 10:26
On Friday the quickest lap of the day, logged by Charles Leclerc in second practice, was deleted by the stewards. There’s a reasonable chance that Saturday’s qualifying session could be impacted by similar penalties.
In Bahrain Turn 4 was one of the main talking points of the race, with Lewis Hamilton warned for routinely going wide, and Max Verstappen forced to hand back the lead after his ...Keep reading
