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Formula 1 - 2022 Season

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Formula 1 is to make Covid-19 vaccines mandatory for all personnel this year.

The move will mean no-one will be able to work within the paddock - F1's inner sanctum where the teams operate - without being fully vaccinated.

The policy will apply to all personnel working within F1, including drivers, teams, media, hospitality workers and any guests who attend the races.

It is not expected to have an impact on any of the drivers' ability to compete as all are understood to be vaccinated.

Double vaccination was a requirement of entry to the USA for last year's US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.

The plan for all personnel to be vaccinated was agreed at last month's meeting of the world council of governing body the FIA but there has been a delay in communicating it.

The sport will also follow the vaccine and wider Covid policies of each national government of the countries it visits.

There remain uncertainties, particularly over whether genuine medical exemptions will be permitted.

The decision to mandate vaccines, first revealed in the Times newspaper, could lead to a relaxation of Covid restrictions within F1, such as reduced testing and a relaxation of the 'bubble' system designed over the last two years to minimise the impact of Covid.

The policy is being mandated by the FIA, which was not immediately available for comment.

A spokesman for F1 - which runs the commercial side of the sport, including deciding the calendar - said: "F1 (FOM) will require all travelling personnel to be fully vaxxed and will not request exemptions."

The move comes as F1 prepares to embark on what it hopes will be a record 23-race calendar this season.

F1 was the first major international sport to start up again in the summer of 2020 after the pandemic hit, and it has successfully negotiated two seasons and a total of 39 races as a result of a stringent series of restrictions aimed at minimising the possibility of spreading the coronavirus.

However, the sport is likely to reduce the amount of testing required this year and also open up the 'bubble' system which limited people's contacts to ensure minimum disruption should anyone test positive.

Since the start of the pandemic, four drivers have had to miss races as a result of catching Covid - Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll when they were competing for Racing Point in 2020, Lewis Hamilton at the penultimate race of the 2020 season and Kimi Raikkonen at last year's Dutch and Italian Grands Prix.

Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris, Pierre Gasly and Nikita Mazepin have also contracted Covid out of competition.

Last year, the official medical car driver Alan van der Merwe - who became famous for his role in the rescue of Haas driver Romain Grosjean in the wake of the Frenchman's fiery accident in Bahrain in 2

https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/60195524
 
Formula 1 sprint races: 2022 compromise proposed in attempt to break impasse

Formula 1 has put forward a compromise proposal in an attempt to break the impasse over sprint qualifying races for this season.

F1 had agreed in principle with the teams to double the number of sprint events to six in 2022, but a stand-off developed over the financial terms.

F1 has now proposed to hold only three sprint weekends on similar commercial terms to last year's inaugural events.

The new plan will go ahead only if eight of the 10 teams approve it.

The 'sprint' format was a new approach to an F1 weekend that was trialled at the British, Italian and Sao Paulo Grands Prix last year. It introduced a short race on Saturdays in place of qualifying, which set the grid for the main event on Sunday.

F1 has shown the teams data that proves the sprint events increased both audience figures and income.

Last year, a financial deal was agreed to provide the teams with a small payment to offset the costs of more racing.

But some of the big teams have been seeking to take advantage of that by demanding an increase in the budget cap, which is set at $140m (£103m) this year.

McLaren Racing chief executive Zak Brown said last month that one of the top three teams - Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari - had asked for a $5m increase in return for agreeing to six sprint events.

F1 has refused to accept the need for an increase in the budget cap.

It argues that it would risk undermining the aim of the new regulations introduced this year, which seek to close up the field and make the racing more competitive.

F1 president Stefano Domenicali has proposed a compromise offer that reduces the number of sprints to three.

Last December, F1 made an offer that valued each sprint event at a payment of an extra $100,000 per team. It is said to be still working through the numbers on its latest proposal.

There has been no firm decision on where the three sprint events will happen, if an agreement can be reached.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/60252261
 
Formula 1: Haas kickstart revolutionary 2022 era with first look at new car and livery

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Haas have provided a first look at the all-new Formula 1 cars by unveiling their livery for the 2022 season, as the sport prepares for a shake-up amid the dramatic regulation changes.

The new F1 rules - introduced to help closer, more competitive and exciting racing - have been described as the biggest technical overhaul in 40 years, and Haas became the first team to release images of a 2022 design on Friday.

While not a physical reveal, with the American team's challenger expected to look different when it hits the track, the renders do highlight the aesthetic changes and the overhauled aerodynamics, with a new floor, wings and 18-inch tyres the big changes.

Haas are set for an official unveiling of their car before the first morning of pre-season testing, just as they have done since joining the grid in 2016.

They have an unchanged driver line-up for this year, retaining Mick Schumacher - son of F1 legend Michael - and Nikita Mazepin, who joined the team as rookies last season.

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/1...ew-era-with-first-look-at-2022-car-and-livery
 
Lewis Hamilton ends silence with first update since F1's controversial Abu Dhabi GP decider

Lewis Hamilton has broken his near two-month silence by declaring he is "back" in a first social media post since Formula 1's controversial Abu Dhabi GP title decider.

Hamilton lost the final race of the 2021 season and subsequently the title in extraordinarily dramatic fashion, with the late Safety Car and now-notorious conclusion seeing Red Bull's Max Verstappen emerge victorious.

The Mercedes driver, who was denied a record eighth championship, gave one short interview in parc ferme after the December 12 race but other than that had been conspicuous by his silence - until Saturday night.

In his first update on social media in 56 days, Hamilton posted on Twitter and Instagram: "I've been gone. Now I'm back!"

The short but sweet post accompanied a picture of Hamilton smiling, seemingly at the Grand Canyon.

Hamilton's sole public appearance since the Abu Dhabi GP came a few days after the crushing defeat, when he received his knighthood in Windsor.

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/1...-since-f1s-controversial-abu-dhabi-gp-decider
 
Horner: F1 race director needs better support

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has told Sky Sports that Formula One's race director needs improved support and wants the sport's regulations simplified.
 
F1 has 'key focus' on race support in 2022, says Christian Horner as Abu Dhabi inquiry rumbles on

Red Bull boss Christian Horner says F1 are putting a "key focus" on supporting the Race Director moving forward following the controversial end to last season, with the sport's race-management structure set to change for 2022.

Michael Masi, F1's current Race Director, has been under immense scrutiny over his handling of 2021's title-deciding Abu Dhabi GP and the late Safety Car that allowed Red Bull's Max Verstappen to catch and then usurp Lewis Hamilton to dramatically seal the title.

While he remains in position for now, an FIA inquiry to Abu Dhabi is ongoing and the sport's governing body is expected to propose changes to how races are managed at the next F1 Commission meeting on February 14.

That could mean Masi is helped out in his role in the future, or replaced altogether within a new structure.

Horner, who like his Mercedes counterpart Toto Wolff was putting pressure on Masi in the closing stages of the Yas Marina race, says whoever the Race Director is needs support.

"The new FIA president [Mohammed bin Sulayem] has put a key focus on this and I think there's a big drive to make sure the Race Director has better support," Horner told Sky Sports News at Sunday night's Autosport Awards.

"The tools we have at our disposal are far in advance of Michael and his team.

"So I think there's been a lot of focus over the winter and I think you'll see that role better supported, which will hopefully enable decisions to be easier and swifter, but I think we've also got to look at the regulations to simplify them as well."

Ex-FIA president Jean Todt, meanwhile, says he has remained in contact with Masi since that Abu Dhabi GP finale and expressed his concern over the impact it has had on the Australian.

"I've been speaking with him, not specifically about what happened in Abu Dhabi, but about him as a human being," Todt, whose 12-year FIA presidency finished days before 2021's season-ender, revealed to SSN's Craig Slater.

"I hope he will be OK."

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/1...istian-horner-as-abu-dhabi-inquiry-rumbles-on
 
Formula 1 boss Stefano Domenicali says it is time to move from "gestures" to "action" to increase diversity in motorsport.

F1 is extending a scholarship it launched last year until 2025.

It aims to support students from under-represented backgrounds through university.

The sport will pay the full tuition costs of 10 students each year on engineering degrees in the UK and Italy.

But the sport is changing the way it promotes its diversity push before races.

Since the start of the 2020 season, in the wake of the killing by unarmed black man George Floyd by US police, there has been a a formal ceremony in the build-up to a race where drivers can take the knee in support of anti-racism.

From this season, drivers are still free to take the knee if they wish, but there will be no formal ceremony for it.

However, there will still be a pre-race video involving the drivers that promotes anti-racism and diversity.

F1 president and chief executive officer Domenicali told Sky Sports: "We needed to make sure that what we did was important to show the intention of Formula 1 in things that were really important for the world.

"Now it's the matter of [changing] gesture, to action. Now the action is the focus on the diversity of our community, and this [programme for students] is the first step."

BBC
 
Lewis Hamilton has been at the Mercedes factory this week as the team builds up to the new Formula 1 season.

Hamilton's participation this year remains in some doubt following the controversial end to the 2021 campaign.

But the seven-time champion has been at the Mercedes F1 factory on Monday and Tuesday this week completing pre-season tasks required if he does race.

He also shared some videos of himself doing physical training and preparation.

Hamilton's movements in recent days show that he is preparing for the F1 season as he would any other - but that should not be interpreted as a confirmation that he will race this year.

The 37-year-old is waiting on the outcome of the inquiry into last season's final race before making a final decision on his commitment to F1 this year.

Race director Michael Masi failed to follow the rules correctly in administering a late-race safety-car period, and his actions led directly to Hamilton losing the championship to Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

Hamilton has not spoken publicly since the race, other than a brief message on social media last weekend in which he said: "I've been gone. Now I'm back."

But the events of Abu Dhabi are known to have disillusioned Hamilton and cause him to lose trust in the FIA.

The F1 drivers are due to speak to representatives of the governing body this week to discuss the events of Abu Dhabi and what can be learned from Masi's mistakes there, as part of the inquiry into the events of the race.

FIA single-seaters boss Peter Bayer will then discuss the inquiry's findings with president Mohammed Ben Sulayem before the pair present their recommendations to F1 president Stefano Domencali and the teams at a meeting of the F1 Commission early next week, on Monday 14 February.

It is expected that Hamilton will not finally decide whether to return to F1 this year until those findings are revealed.

One key issue for all of F1 is the future of Masi.

Bayer hinted in an interview last month that Masi might not remain as race director this year.

The responsibilities of the role are likely to be split between a number of different people and many senior figures within F1 consider that retaining Masi as race director is not a credible option in the wake of Abu Dhabi.

Whoever is in the role, a new structure will be put in place around them to ensure the race director has more support and is able to make decisions in a calmer and less pressured environment.

BBC
 
Lando Norris has committed his Formula 1 future to McLaren by extending his contract until the end of 2025.

The new deal means Norris now has the longest contract on the F1 grid and ties the rising British superstar and iconic British team together well into the sport's new era, with McLaren hoping to return to title-winning ways.

Norris only signed a 'multi-year extension' last year but after a fantastic third season in the sport - which saw him claim his first pole position and four podiums - both driver and team were keen to "lock in" a commitment.
 
Red Bull reveal new car and title sponsor as team launch RB18B, Max Verstappen's next title hopeful

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Red Bull have revealed their new car and new team name for 2022 as they look to remain at Formula 1's summit, with Max Verstappen bidding to retain his crown in the first year of the sport's all-new era.

The new RB18B, while sporting the normal Red Bull livery, is another dramatic departure from the look of 2021, built to the sport's sweeping new rules as F1 bids to improve wheel-to-wheel racing.

F1's new drivers' champion Verstappen, as well as team-mate Sergio Perez and team boss Christian Horner, were all present at the launch, where Red Bull also confirmed a new title sponsor in American tech firm Oracle.

The team will now be known as Oracle Red Bull Racing, and Sky Sports understands the deal is one of the biggest in F1 history, worth £100m a year over five seasons.

The car is the second to be unveiled this year after Haas but Red Bull provided a first look at a 2022 machine in the flesh. Horner did, however, stress: "By the time we get to the first race the car will not look very much like this.

"And I think the evolution will be very quick as we progress through the season."

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/1...unch-rb18b-max-verstappens-next-title-hopeful
 
Aston Martin 2022

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McLaren launch Formula 1 2022 car with 'aggressive' new look and hopes of acing rules reset

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Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Formula 1's governing body says inquiry is ongoing

Formula 1's governing body failed to make any proposals following its inquiry into the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at a high-level meeting on Monday.

Instead, the F1 Commission of teams, F1 and the FIA was told that analysis into the controversial events at last year's title-deciding race was still ongoing.

The meeting was told that there may be an announcement on changes to race management later this week.

However, there was agreement for F1 to hold three 'sprint' events this season.

At the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Max Verstappen beat Lewis Hamilton to clinch his first Formula 1 title, having overtaken the Briton on the final lap.

Mercedes' Hamilton had appeared in control of the race and on course for the title himself until a late safety car.

The race was restarted with one lap to go, with Red Bull's Verstappen on fresh tyres and Hamilton on old ones - and the Dutchman swept by to win.

When the FIA announced its inquiry into the Abu Dhabi race last December, it said it would present its findings to the F1 Commission in February.

And a statement from the FIA said that its president Mohammed Ben Sulayem had "led detailed discussions" on the Abu Dhabi race at Monday's meeting.

But at that meeting, F1 bosses were told by Sulayem and Peter Bayer, the FIA executive director of single-seaters, that the inquiry was not yet concluded.

"Feedback from the Commission on matters raised will be incorporated into the president's analysis and he will publicly present news of structural changes and an action plan in the coming days," the FIA added.

It means that the crisis that has engulfed F1 since the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - when race director Michael Masi applied the rules incorrectly during a safety period in an attempt to ensure the race did not end under caution - is still very much alive.

Masi's improvisations with the rules on two different fronts - the timing of the restart and and on dealing with lapped cars - directly influenced the outcome of the world championship.

The crisis was not about who was champion - had Masi operated the rules correctly, there were still a series of circumstances under which Verstappen might have passed Hamilton - but about the fairness and integrity of competition.

Hamilton was devastated by events and lost faith in the FIA as a result. It emerged last month that he would not decide whether to return to F1 this season until after he had seen the results of the FIA inquiry.

An FIA spokesman said that Sulayem, who had already consulted the teams individually on Abu Dhabi, wanted to discuss the issue with the F1 Commission in a formal session.

The spokesman said he "understood" the surprise expressed by some at the delay but said: "What is important is a good process and a good decision, explained well."

He added that a statement on the reorganisation of race control in the wake of the inquiry was expected this week.

Masi was at the F1 Commission meeting, BBC Sport understands.

Many insiders believe his position is untenable amid the expected reorganisation of race control that will inevitably arise from the inquiry.

The failure to announce concrete decisions as to how to deal with the issues raised by Abu Dhabi left a number of figures at the meeting frustrated.

Two months have passed since the Abu Dhabi race and some senior figures cannot understand why the FIA has been unable to come up with concrete proposals as to what needs to change in that time, BBC Sport understands.

Insiders said that one possibility for the future organisation of race control has emerged.

This could see the role of race director rotated through a number of people during the season - but that Masi may well not be one of them.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/60379723
 
Williams driver Nicholas Latifi received 'extreme death threats' and hired bodyguards for trip to London

Formula One driver Nicholas Latifi has revealed he took the drastic step of hiring personal bodyguards on a trip to London after threats were made against his life following his crash at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

The Canadian received a torrent of online abuse after his crash resulted in a late safety car which contributed to Lewis Hamilton losing the world championship.

And Latifi, 26, said the abuse was so extreme that he took out personal security on a visit to Hyde Park's Winter Wonderland with his model girlfriend Sandra Dziwiszek.

"It sounds silly to some people but at the end of the day, you don't know how serious people are," said Latifi.

"All it needs is one drunk fan at an airport, or you bump into someone who is having a bad day and they are intoxicated under the influence of something and they have these really extreme opinions. It takes just that one-in-a-million person.

"I was back in London after the race, and I had security with me when I went to Winter Wonderland with my girlfriend.

"You have to take the threats seriously because you don't know what might happen and it is just an unfortunate reality of the world we live in and there were extreme death threats which went way over the line."

Latifi, who was speaking at Williams' car launch, said he received a supportive text from Hamilton and members of the seven-time world champion's Mercedes team.

Hamilton was on course to take a record-breaking eighth world title before Latifi crashed out on lap 52 of 57 and Red Bull's Max Verstappen ultimately took the chequered flag.

Latifi added: "Lewis did send me a message a few days after the race and just before I released the statement on social media.

"I will not go into what he said, but I got messages of support from other team members at Mercedes and there was an outcry of support from drivers and teams on social media, too, which was nice to see."

Latifi will be partnered by London-born Thai Alexander Albon at Williams this season following George Russell's departure to Mercedes.

The British team are heading into a new F1 season for the first time since its founder Sir Frank Williams died in November.

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/1...reats-and-hired-bodyguards-for-trip-to-london
 
Formula 1 managing director Ross Brawn 'convinced' of better racing in 2022

Formula 1 managing director Ross Brawn says the sport's new technical rules will lead to closer racing and a more competitive field this year.

Brawn says he is "convinced" the cars will be "closer in performance from the very beginning" and "confident these rules will lead to much better racing".

Brawn said: "We may see we don't quite hit a bull's eye in terms of following [directly behind another car] but we will still be so massively ahead of where we were because the old cars were dreadful [for racing]."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/60400082
 
Michael Masi has been removed as F1 race director as part of a restructure at governing body the FIA in the wake of last year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem announced a series of changes as a result of the inquiry into the controversial end to last year's World Championship.

Masi failed to correctly apply the rules in a late safety car period and had a direct impact on the outcome of the title race.

Two people will now alternate in the role, while extra help will be provided to officials.

BBC
 
Charles Leclerc said Ferrari's expectations were "very, very high" for the new season as they launched their 2022 car, the F1-75.

Team principal Mattia Binotto said Ferrari had taken an "innovative approach" to the revolutionary new regulations introduced by Formula 1 this season.

"This is what I would call a brave Ferrari," Binotto said.

"We have interpreted the rules thinking out of the box."

He added: "We hope it will uphold the honour and tradition of the team."

Ferrari enter 2022 on the back of two difficult seasons, although they recovered from a dire 2020, their worst season for 40 years, to finish third last season.

Binotto said: "In recent years, the results have not lived up to the Ferrari name. It has made the team stronger. This car is the perfect expression of all our efforts."

Leclerc said: "Expectations are high because we are Ferrari. We are expecting to win all the time.

"What gives me confidence is the work I have seen the last few months. It has been a long time we have been working on it and I can see how well we have been working.

"It is never easy to know where you are until you are on track. But the feeling is good, everyone is extremely motivated."

His team-mate Carlos Sainz added: "It's the time to take the team to another level and as a team and as drivers we want more success in 2022."
 
Mercedes launch: Lewis Hamilton does not want last year to define career after 'considering future'

Lewis Hamilton says the controversial end to last year's title fight made him consider his future but he does not want it to define his career.

The Mercedes driver lost out on an eighth world title in controversial circumstances at last year's final race in Abu Dhabi.

"There was a moment when I lost a little bit of faith in the system," said Hamilton.

"But I am generally a very determined person.

"And while moments like this might define careers, I refuse to let this define mine."

Hamilton was leading in Abu Dhabi and on course for a record eighth world title when race director Michael Masi failed to operate the rules correctly during a late safety-car period.

That resulted in Hamilton being passed by Red Bull's Max Verstappen on one final lap of racing after a restart.

The FIA has conducted an inquiry into what happened and on Thursday announced a series of changes to address it - including removing Masi as race director.

Hamilton said he had retreated to the comfort of his family as he sought to process what had happened.

"I never said I was going to stop," he said. "But it was a difficult time for me and I really needed to step back.

"It was a time where I really needed to step back, focus on being present. I had my family all around me creating great moments.

"Eventually I got to a point where I decided I was going to be attacking again coming into another season."

Hamilton welcomed the FIA's moves, but added that they had to be converted into concrete actions.

"It's good to see the FIA are making changes," he said. "Accountability is key. We have to use this moment to make sure this never happens to anyone ever again.

"We have to make sure we are seeing those changes, and (that) rules are applied fairly, and accurate and consistently."

He said he did not bear any ill feelings towards Verstappen.

"This has nothing to do with Max," he said. "Max did everything a driver would do given the opportunity he was given.

"He's a great competitor and we will go into another battle like we did last year and we will grow from our races and experiences we had last year.

"I don't hold any grudges with anyone. That is never a good thing to carry around with you. I move forward. I don't dwell on the past."

He admitted that it was "still difficult to fully understand everything" that happened in Abu Dhabi, but said he wanted "to come back stronger".

"Through these experiences, you can turn these emotions into power and strength and that's what I'm doing," he said.

"If you think what you saw at the end of last year was my best, wait till you see this year."

Team principal Toto Wolff told BBC Radio 5 Live that Abu Dhabi was "in the past" but admitted: "It's not something we will ever in a way recover from."

He denied that Masi's removal was a condition for Hamilton's return and said he was never worried the 37-year-old would quit.

"I have known Lewis for such a long time and I wasn't (worried)," he said. "But obviously this has had such an impact on him when everything about it was about fairness and justice and when that happens to you it is quite difficult to, I understand, to cope with that."

Wolff added at the car launch that the FIA had taken "the right steps" to address the failures in Abu Dhabi.

Hamilton is joined at Mercedes this year by fellow Briton George Russell, one of the brightest rising stars of the new generation of drivers.

The seven-time world champion said Russell "fits like a glove" at Mercedes, where he has been a protege since 2016.

"It's surreal," said Russell, who spent the first three years of his career at Williams.

"We've all seen the photo of me and Lewis when I was 10 years old. We have both changed quite a lot since then. It's incredible to see.

"I was a young kid aspiring to reach F1 and he was world champion at the time, he was a superhero to me. You see these incredible people and you don't think they're human.

"Having the opportunity to race alongside Lewis is a real privilege for me. I have such a great opportunity to see how the best do it."

Wolff said he expected a tough battle between Hamilton and Russell but said he expected it would be conducted in good spirit.

"You want to have the two best possible drivers," he said. "But we've seen that in the past we've handled it. The two guys have great personalities and I have no doubt that sometimes it will not be easy but that's the name of the game."

Mercedes have returned to their traditional silver for this season.

Like all 2022 cars, the new Mercedes W13 has been designed to comply with revolutionary new regulations aimed at making the racing closer and more competitive.

The car features very tightly packed bodywork, on which significant effort has clearly been made on securing the best possible airflow.

There is also an upgraded engine for the start of a four-year engine freeze in F1.

Mercedes have reverted to their traditional silver after two years of a black livery in support of diversity.

The new livery blends some black elements with the predominant silver, which the team said reflected its "clear mission to become a more diverse and inclusive team", including a commitment that at least 25% of all new recruits until 2025 will be from under-represented groups.

That figure was 38% in 2021, Mercedes said.

"The hopes are we will have a competitive car," Wolff said. "We don't know whether we are even in the hunt for another title."

Hamilton said: "I haven't really set any goals initially. Naturally everyone is working towards the ultimate goal of winning the championship and the target of doing something we have never done before. We've done eight, now it's time to move on to the next one."

Despite the strong winds associated with Storm Eunice, both drivers are due to test the car for the first time in a so-called shakedown at Silverstone on Friday, with Russell trying it first, before Hamilton.
 
Alpine can be future contenders for the Formula 1 title, according to chief executive Laurent Rossi.

The French manufacturer became the ninth team to launch their car for the forthcoming season on Monday.

And Rossi said they were moving in the right direction after one race victory last season.

"We are going in the right direction and we want to carry on our climb to the summit," he said.

Alpine have finished fifth in the constructors' standings for the last three years and last week announced the signing of former Aston Martin team boss Otmar Szafnauer as new team principal.

Rossi added: "In 2022 we want to show constant progress with comprehensive developments across all sites to ensure we are contenders for the title in the future."

The team head into 2022 with an unchanged driver line-up of Spanish double world champion Fernando Alonso and Frenchman Esteban Ocon.

They returned to the top step of the podium last season when Ocon handed them a first win since the 2013 Australian Grand Prix in Hungary.

"That feeling and responsibility is truly unique and very special," Ocon said. "I feel prepared, I feel ready physically, so let's hit the track and see what we've got in our hands this year."

The new F1 season starts with the Bahrain Grand Prix on 20 March.

BBC
 
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton called for Formula 1 to ensure race officials were "non-biased" as pre-season testing began on Wednesday.

The Mercedes driver, who set the fifth fastest time on day one in Barcelona, said it was "super-essential" for stewards to "have no bias".

He was speaking as he returned to the track just over two months after losing the title in contentious circumstances.

Hamilton also called for there to be "more women in the stewards' room".

F1's governing body, the FIA, has set up a new race-management structure after race director Michael Masi failed to apply the rules correctly in the title-deciding final race.

Masi's actions were central in the sequence of events that led to Hamilton, who had dominated the race before a late safety-car period, losing the lead and the title to Red Bull's Max Verstappen on the final racing lap after a restart in Abu Dhabi.

Masi has been removed as race director and replaced by two people who will rotate through the role - Eduardo Freitas and Niels Wittich. A beefed-up support structure has also been introduced, including an F1 version of football's VAR.

At each race, the F1 stewards' panel features a former driver, to assist the three other stewards.

Hamilton said: "Race drivers are sometimes very, very good friends with certain individuals. Some travel with certain individuals and tend to take a more keen liking to some of them.

"So just people who have no bias is super-essential when it comes to making decisions."

Hamilton also said he wanted to see "more women in the stewards' room".

"Last year there were maybe one or two. It would be awesome to have a male and female as the two race directors. That's a great way of promoting diversity."

An FIA spokesperson said: "The FIA is proud of its global stewarding pathway that connects and develops the most talented stewards from across motor sport.

"This has resulted in a strong, independent and experienced group of officials who carry out their work with impartiality and the utmost professionalism."

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said he "wasn't aware" of any stewards travelling to races, adding: "I don't think there was any bias from stewards during the last seasons."

What happened in testing?
The fastest time on the first day of testing - with cars designed to regulations that amount to the biggest change in F1 for 40 years - was set by McLaren's Lando Norris.

The Briton was just under 0.6 seconds quicker than Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, although the McLaren was on a faster, softer tyre than the Ferrari when it set its fastest time.

Leclerc was just under 0.3 seconds quicker than team-mate Carlos Sainz, ahead of the Mercedes pair of George Russell and Hamilton next up, all on the same compound of tyre.

World champion Verstappen was ninth fastest, nearly two seconds off the pace but on a harder tyre than the drivers ahead of him.

Headline lap times in testing are notoriously inaccurate in predicting form as there are so many factors able to disguise true pace - including fuel levels, engine modes, tyre choice and car set-up.

However, leading teams Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari all clocked up well over 100 laps - impressive reliability for the first day running new cars - while McLaren, Alpha Tauri, Alpine, Aston Martin and Williams also topped the century mark.

Before driving the Mercedes, Hamilton said he was confident his team would have found a good solution to the new rules.

Asked if he was concerned they may have not interpreted them as well as some other teams, Hamilton said: "Why would I ever think that? We've won eight [constructors' titles] in a row.

"Of course there is always a risk but we don't make mistakes. We have very intelligent people in our factory. I trust in them 100%, and whatever we start with today, we will work through it."

The new Red Bull attracted much of the attention on the first day in Barcelona - its public debut after the team used a fake car at their official launch two weeks ago.

The new RB18 features aggressively undercut side-pods in the search for optimum airflow, as well as a switch to unconventional pull-rod front suspension.

This is where the suspension arm runs from the top of the wheel upright to the bottom of the chassis rather than the other way around.

The more favoured push-rod has advantages in terms of suspension operation but the pull-rod can have aerodynamic advantages. A pull-rod front was last used by Ferrari in 2014. McLaren have also adopted it this season.

What were the drivers' fastest times?
1. Lando Norris (GB) McLaren 1:19.568s *

2. Charles Leclerc (Mon) Ferrari one minute 20.165 seconds

3. Carlos Sainz (Spa) Ferrari 1:20.416

4. George Russell (GB) Mercedes 1:20.784

5. Lewis Hamilton (GB) Mercedes 1:20.929

6. Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Aston Martin 1:21.276

7. Yuki Tsunoda (Jpn) Alpha Tauri 1:21.638

8. Fernando Alonso (Spa) Alpine 1:21.746

9. Max Verstappen (ned) Red Bull 1:22.246 **

10. Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Alfa Romeo 1:22.572s

11. Alex Albon (Tha) Williams 1:22.760

12. Mick Schumacher (Ger) Haas 1:22.962

13. Lance Stroll (Can) Aston Martin 1:23.327 **

14. Nicholas Latifi (Can) Williams 1:23.379s

15. Nikita Mazepin (Rus) Haas 1:24.505s **

16. Robert Kubica (Pol) Alfa Romeo 1:25.909

* denotes C4 compound tyre; ** denotes C2 compound; all other times set on C3 tyre. C1 is hardest, C5 is softest
 
Lando Norris set the pace for McLaren on the opening day of pre-season testing, finishing ahead of Ferrari as the favoured teams all made strong starts to Formula 1's new era in the much-changed 2022 cars.

Bringing an end to years of anticipation over the revolutionary rules overhaul, it was a fascinating first day in Barcelona and one that looked set to be topped by Ferrari as Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz filled the top two positions deep into Wednesday, having swapped over at lunch.

But Norris, who had the whole day in the McLaren, found his fastest laps in the closing stages and eventually set the pace with a 1:19.568 - more than half a second clear of Leclerc.

Max Verstappen says the Red Bull looks completely different on day one of the Barcelona test compared to how it appeared when it was unveiled a couple of weeks ago.

Max Verstappen says the Red Bull looks completely different on day one of the Barcelona test compared to how it appeared when it was unveiled a couple of weeks ago.

The time was only a second down on the fastest lap from first practice in Barcelona a year ago, a quicker-than-expected result given the cars have been completely redesigned in a bid to improve wheel-to-wheel racing.

New Mercedes team-mates George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, back in an official F1 session for the first time since his crushing and controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi GP defeat, were fourth and fifth, with Hamilton having spent his morning keeping a keen eye on Russell as well as rivals.

Lewis Hamilton takes a look at the new Red Bull as he wanders down the pitlane at pre-season testing from the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Lewis Hamilton takes a look at the new Red Bull as he wanders down the pitlane at pre-season testing from the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

One of those was Max Verstappen, whose Red Bull car finally broke cover and looked competitive despite his final position of ninth.

Verstappen, donning the No 1 on an RB18 that featured several innovations, appeared comfortable and racked up 147 laps through the day, more than any individual driver and only behind Ferrari's cumulative team total of 153.

SKY
 
Sebastian Vettel: Former F1 world champion says he will not race at 2022 Russian GP amid Ukraine invasion

Sebastian Vettel says he will not race at Formula One's Russian Grand Prix this season following the country's invasion of Ukraine, with world champion Max Verstappen also calling for the event to be cancelled.

The pair's words follow a statement from F1 bosses earlier on Thursday that said they were "closely watching" events in Ukraine, but were not prepared to offer comment on whether September's race in Sochi will go ahead.

Vettel, a four-time world champion who is also a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA), has in recent years spoken out against homophobia and racism while urging the sport to do more to combat such issues.

"In my personal opinion, I woke up to this morning's news, shocked, so I don't know." Vettel said at a press conference during pre-season testing.. "I think it's horrible to see what is happening.

"Obviously if you look at the calendar we have a race scheduled in Russia. For myself, my own opinion is I should not go, I will not go. I think it's wrong to race in the country.

"I'm sorry for the people, innocent people that are losing their lives, that are getting killed for stupid reasons and a very, very strange and mad leadership.

"I'm sure it's something that we will talk about, but personally I'm just so shocked and sad to see what is going on. So we will see going forward, but I think my decision is already made."

Verstappen added: "When a country is at war it is not right to race there, that's for sure."

Fellow world champion Fernando Alonso also commented: "We have our opinion and I'm sure it's the same as everyone. We can make our own decisions for sure but eventually I think Formula 1 will do the best thing."

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/1...race-at-2022-russian-gp-amid-ukraine-invasion
 
The Russian Formula 1 Grand Prix has been cancelled as a result of the invasion of Ukraine.

An F1 statement said it had been agreed at a meeting of stakeholders "that it is impossible to hold the Russian Grand Prix in the current circumstances".

It added that F1 was watching the ongoing situation in Ukraine "with sadness and shock and hopes for a swift and peaceful resolution".

The Russian Grand Prix was due to take place on 25 September in Sochi.

Meanwhile, Haas team boss Gunther Steiner has said the future of his driver Nikita Mazepin "needs to resolved".

Steiner said the team had "legal issues to go through" - an apparent hint they are trying to split from Mazepin and the sponsorship money that comes from his father Dmitry Mazepin, a billionaire with close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Haas removed the decals advertising Mazepin's company from the car before the final day of this week's pre-season test in Barcelona on Friday.

Steiner said the team would work on the situation next week, but insisted that the future of Haas in F1 was not in doubt.
 
F1 Testing, Day Three: Lewis Hamilton leads Mercedes one-two from Red Bull as several teams suffer reliability issues in Barcelona

Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time of Formula 1's first 2022 pre-season test to seal a Mercedes one-two ahead of Red Bull, as several teams were hampered by reliability issues on the third and final day in Barcelona.

Billed officially as a 'shakedown' rather than official testing - which follows in Bahrain next month - the event marked the start of a new era for F1 in 2022's much-changed cars, but ended with familiar names at the top of the timesheet.

After McLaren and Ferrari had displayed the most speed on the first two days, it was the teams that contested last season's world championship who returned to the top of the timesheet on Friday, with Hamilton taking first from his new team-mate George Russell with a 1:19.138 in the final minutes of the afternoon session.

Sergio Perez was third ahead of his Red Bull team-mate and world champion Max Verstappen in fourth, on a day where the rival teams both produced very healthy lap counts to go along with their strong times.

There was more quality work for Ferrari and McLaren, who each completed well in excess of 100 laps on Friday and can head to Bahrain, which also hosts the opening Grand Prix of the season, next month with plenty of optimism.

However, Alpine, Aston Martin, AlphaTauri and Haas all endured a disappointing end to the week, with a variety of issues severely limiting their track time, and contributing to five red flags during the morning session.

Russell, who along with Hamilton recorded his fastest lap on a softer (and theoretically quicker) tyre than the ones used by their rivals, warned against taking too much notice of the timesheets.

"Lap time wise I don't think is representative at all," Russell said. "We were on the softest compound of tyres, and the C5 is a very strong tyre around this track, so even though we were on the top of the timesheet I wouldn't read too much into it.

"I think the McLaren and the Ferrari are looking incredibly strong and I think we've got some improvements to be made, as we're not fully happy with the balance of the car and the limitations we have currently."

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/1...-teams-suffer-reliability-issues-in-barcelona
 
Russian Grand Prix cancelled following invasion of Ukraine

The Russian Formula 1 Grand Prix has been cancelled as a result of the invasion of Ukraine.

An F1 statement said it had been agreed at a meeting of stakeholders "that it is impossible to hold the Russian Grand Prix in the current circumstances".

It added that F1 was watching the ongoing situation in Ukraine "with sadness and shock and hopes for a swift and peaceful resolution".

The Russian Grand Prix was due to take place on 25 September in Sochi.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/60523049
 
Ben Sulayem calls meeting of motor sport council

FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem has called an "extraordinary meeting" of the world motor sport council for Tuesday to discuss the sport's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian Motorsport Federation on Monday called for a ban on their Russian and Belarussian counterparts.

Any ban by the FIA on license holders from the two nations would affect the Haas Formula 1 team's Russian driverNikita Mazepin.

The team are also sponsored by Russian fertiliser company Ukralkali, although ran without their colours on their cars during last week's testing session in Barcelona.
 
Russian and Belarusian drivers can compete in neutral capacity, rules FIA

Motorsport's governing body the FIA is to allow Russian competitors to take part in international events despite the country's invasion of Ukraine.

President Mohammed ben Sulayem said the FIA "condemns the Russian invasion of Ukraine".

But the statement added that Russian and Belarusian drivers and officials could compete in a neutral capacity.

The FIA also confirmed that this year's Russian Grand Prix was cancelled because of "force majeure".

The FIA said the decision was "in accordance with International Olympic Committee recommendations".

However, on Tuesday the IOC called for Russian and Belarusian athletes to be prevented from competing in international events.

An FIA spokesman said the organisation was "acting like Fifa, ITF, UCI... we ban national teams not athletes in foreign teams".

The FIA's decision permits Russian driver Nikita Mazepin to race in F1 this season with the Haas team.

Last week, Haas team principal Gunther Steiner said the team had "legal issues to go through" with regard to Mazepin.

The 22-year-old's father Dmitry is a major financial backer of the team through his chemicals company and is a close associate of Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Haas removed the branding of title partner Uralkali for the final day of the pre-season test in Barcelona last week.

A Haas spokesman said after the FIA statement: "At this time we decline to comment."

There remains serious doubt as to whether Mazepin will be able to race in F1 this year, given the growing international restrictions on Russia, questions over whether individual countries that hold F1 grands prix will permit Russian licence holders and the possibility that Haas will want to distance themselves from Putin and Russia.

F1 did not comment directly on the FIA's decision, saying: "Formula 1 announced last week that we are watching the developments in Ukraine with sadness and shock and hope for a swift and peaceful resolution to the present situation. We announced it was impossible to hold the Russian Grand Prix in the current circumstances."

The FIA said that no Russian or Belarusian national teams could compete in international competitions until further notice.

Russian competitors will be allowed to take part in international events until further notice "only in their neutral capacity and under the 'FIA flag', subject to specific commitment and adherence to the FIA's principles of peace and political neutrality, until further notice".

No Russian or Belarusian national symbols, colours or flags may be displayed on either uniform, equipment or car, and the anthems will not be played.

Russian and Belarusian FIA members have been told to "step aside temporarily from their roles and responsibilities of elected officers/commissions' members".

Earlier on Tuesday, Russian former F1 driver Daniil Kvyat had said it was an "unfair solution" to exclude Russian athletes from sport.

The 27-year-old former Red Bull driver said "sport should remain outside politics" and that banning Russian athletes "goes against what sport teaches us in principle: the unity and peace".

"I really hope for a peaceful solution to this situation in Ukraine, and that we can all live in peace," said Kvyat.

"Who else if not us sportspeople will help to glue nations together in the upcoming times?"

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/motorsport/60581292
 
Max Verstappen is poised to sign a lucrative new deal to keep him at Red Bull for the next few years, according to Netherlands newspaper De Telegraaf.

The world champion's existing deal with Red Bull expires in 2023 and the newspaper says the new one would extend it by an additional four or five years.

The deal for the Dutchman, 24, is said to be worth €40-50m (£33-42m) a year.

Verstappen's father Jos directed BBC Sport to Red Bull for a response to the story, but the team refused to comment.

The new deal, which has been expected for some time, would rank among the most lucrative in F1 history.

Britain's Lewis Hamilton is thought to earn a salary of about £40m from Mercedes, before the former world champion's many endorsements are taken into account.

Red Bull motorsport director Helmut Marko confirmed last month that the company were "in talks" with Verstappen over a new deal.

The Austrian said last year that Hamilton's salary was too expensive for F1 and that the sport should introduce a wage cap for drivers.

At the end of last year, after clinching the title in the controversial season finale in Abu Dhabi, Verstappen said he was keen to stay at Red Bull for years to come.

Verstappen, whose current deal runs to the end of 2023, said: "I'm very, very happy where I am, that's for sure - like I said in the radio message at the end of the race. Of course, that's when you're very emotional but I mean it because I really love being part of this team.

"There is no reason to leave here and I want to continue racing for this team for a long time."

He admitted the tension between Mercedes and Red Bull during last season made it "not very likely" he would move to his current team's rivals in the future.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said at the time: "We have him on a long-term deal. It is about relationships and he is a highly valued part of the team. We have seen him grow. There is a trust and a dynamic that works in both ways. He has incredible faith in the people around him and we do in him."
 
<b>Russian drivers in Formula 1 banned from competing in UK</b>

Russian drivers have been banned from competing in the UK by the national motorsport authority.

Motorsport UK will refuse to recognise licences of competitors from the Russian federation until further notice.

It means Nikita Mazepin cannot race in July's British Grand Prix even if he continues to be part of the Haas team.

Mazepin's father Dmitry provides financial backing to Haas and is close to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Haas are expected to sever links with their Russian driver.

Motorsport UK's decision comes in the wake of the FIA, the international governing body, deciding to allow Russians to compete in events but ban teams from the country.

Motorsport UK chair David Richards is thought to have voted against the FIA's decision at Tuesday's meeting of its World motorsport council.

A statement from Motorsport UK stated:

— No Russian/Belarusian-licensed teams are approved to enter motorsport competitions in the UK
— No Russian/Belarusian-licensed competitors and officials are approved to participate in UK motorsport events
— No Russian/Belarusian national symbols, colours, flags (on uniform, equipment and car) to be displayed at Motorsport UK-permitted events
— It added that the sanctions had been taken in consultation with the UK Government.

Richards said: "It is our duty to use whatever influence and leverage we might have to bring this wholly unjustified invasion of Ukraine to a halt.

"We would encourage the motorsport community and our colleagues around the world to fully embrace the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee and do whatever we can to end this war.

"Motorsport UK stands united with Leonid Kostyuchenko, president of the Automobile Federation of Ukraine, the Ukrainian motorsport community and the Ukrainian people and calls for the violence to end with a peaceful resolution."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/60586914
 
Max Verstappen: Formula 1 world champion agrees new long-term deal with Red Bull

Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen has agreed a new multi-year contract with Red Bull with a signing announcement expected before the end of the week, Sky Sports News understands.

The new agreement will take the 24-year-old close to his 30th birthday and earn him just over £40m a year, putting him on par with Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton.

Verstappen claimed his first world championship title in 2021 after edging out seven-time champion Hamilton in a controversial finish at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December.

The Dutchman, whose current deal with Red Bull expires in 2023, will begin his title defence on March 20 when the 2022 season gets under way in Bahrain.

Verstappen's new contract will prevent Mercedes from targeting him as a replacement for Lewis Hamilton should the Briton retire at the end of his current deal in 2023.

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/1...mpion-agrees-new-long-term-deal-with-red-bull
 
Nikita Mazepin would have to sign document forbidding supporting Russia to stay in F1

Nikita Mazepin would be required to sign a document forbidding him from supporting the Russian invasion of Ukraine if he remains in Formula 1.

The Russian is expected to lose his Haas seat because of the Ukraine crisis but is still officially a driver.

The FIA has made not backing the invasion, either directly or indirectly, a requirement to race.

Drivers will also have to sign a declaration adhering to the FIA's principles of peace and neutrality.

Mazepin's billionaire father Dmitry, who gives financial backing to Haas through his chemicals company, is a close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Mazepin's commercial manager Jesper Carlsen said he was unable to comment on whether Mazepin would be prepared to commit to these requirements, which are among a number demanded of Russians wishing to compete in international motorsport competitions.

The others include:

• Having to compete in an individual or neutral capacity

• Not displaying any Russian or Belarusian national symbols, colours or flags

• An acknowledgement of "the strong commitment made by the FIA to stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, the Federation Automobile d'Ukraine, and all of those suffering as a result of the ongoing conflict"

The FIA's move comes a day after F1's commercial arm terminated its contract with the Russian Grand Prix - an effective statement that F1 will not race in the country at least until Putin is no longer president.

The governing body has not banned Russians from competing in international events, instead allowing them to participate on a neutral basis.

The UK motorsport authority has banned Russian and Belarusian drivers from taking part in events in Britain and Northern Ireland.

However, BBC Sport has been told this would not necessarily prevent Mazepin from competing in the British Grand Prix as the F1 driver super-licence contains a clause requiring national authorities to permit the driver to take part in F1 events.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/60618703
 
Russian driver Nikita Mazepin has been sacked by the Haas team as a result of his country's invasion of Ukraine.

The US-based outfit have also terminated the contract of their title sponsor, the Russian chemicals company Uralkali.

Uralkali is part-owned by Mazepin's billionaire father Dmitry, a close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin, through his company Uralchem.

Haas said news on Mazepin's replacement was expected early next week.

Among the drivers said to be under consideration are the team's reserve Pietro Fittipaldi, who stood in for Romain Grosjean for two races at the end of 2020 after the Frenchman's fiery accident in Bahrain, Indian Formula 2 driver Jehan Daruvala, and Alpine reserve driver Oscar Piastri, the reigning F2 champion.

Mazepin said he was "disappointed" to have his contract terminated and that his "willingness to accept the conditions proposed in order to continue were completely ignored".

Haas said in their statement: "As with the rest of the Formula 1 community, the team is shocked and saddened by the invasion of Ukraine and wishes for a swift and peaceful end to the conflict."

Mazepin's departure from F1 had been expected since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine on 24 February.

Dmitry Mazepin was one of a number of leading Russian businessmen invited to a meeting with Putin at the Kremlin hours after the invasion began.

Haas repainted their cars on 24 February, in the middle of the first Formula 1 pre-season test in Spain, to remove the red white and blue colours that had been on the car to represent the Russian flag since Mazepin joined at the start of 2021.

The FIA, motorsport's governing body, has stopped short of banning Russian drivers from international competition. It says they must compete as neutral athletes, and sign a document agreeing not to support the invasion.

Motorsport UK was this week one of a number of national motorsport authorities to ban Russian competitors from taking part in events in the UK.

There is debate as to whether this would ban a Russian driver from the British Grand Prix, as an F1 driver's super-licence contains a clause requiring national authorities to allow them to race.

But that point is now moot after Haas' decision to end their association with Mazepin.
 
The Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in Imola will remain on the Formula 1 calendar until 2025, the sport's bosses have confirmed.

The track returned to the calendar in 2020, for the first time since 2006, as Formula One sought to fill gaps left by other races cancelling due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

It retained its place in the 2021, and the 2022 race was officially confirmed with Monday's announcement of the new deal, with this season's race scheduled for April 24.

Italy has two races, with Monza hosting the Italian Grand Prix and Imola's round now named after the surrounding Emilia-Romagna region.

am delighted that we will be continuing our excellent partnership with Imola for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix until 2025," Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali, who was born and grew up in Imola, said in a statement.


"The circuit is iconic and has been part of the history of our sport and they have done an incredible job of hosting two races during the pandemic.

"It is a proud moment for our Italian fans to host two races and for all our fans around the world to see this fantastic circuit on the calendar for the future."

The race at Imola was previously known as the San Marino Grand Prix and the circuit was where Brazil's triple world champion Ayrton Senna suffered a fatal accident in 1994.

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/1...x-in-imola-will-remain-on-calendar-until-2025
 
Christian Horner accuses Mercedes of 'bullying' behaviour leading to Michael Masi's removal

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has accused rivals Mercedes of "bullying" behaviour resulting in the exit of race director Michael Masi.

Horner has questioned the FIA's removal of Masi in the wake of the controversy over last year's title decider.

"Was it right to fire him based on pressure that was placed on him from a rival team? That for me was wrong," Horner said.

"That's tantamount to bullying. It's passively aggressive."

Horner's remarks, made in an exclusive interview with BBC Sport, are a reference to Mercedes, whose driver Lewis Hamilton refused to commit to coming back to Formula 1 this season until he had seen the results of the FIA's inquiry into the race in Abu Dhabi.

Mercedes have declined to comment.

Hamilton was beaten to the drivers' title by Red Bull's Max Verstappen after a safety-car period late in the season's final race in Abu Dhabi.

Masi has been offered a new role at the FIA - the sport's governing body - and replaced as race director by two people who will alternate in the job, with a new support structure put in place to lessen the pressure on the role.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/60651647
 
Dane Kevin Magnussen will make a comeback to Formula 1 as the replacement for Nikita Mazepin at the US-based Haas team.

Magnussen, 29, drove for Haas from 2017 to 2020 before the team decided to replace him and Romain Grosjean with Mazepin and Mick Schumacher.

Mazepin was sacked on Sunday as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Haas said Magnussen signed a "multi-year contract" and will drive at the pre-season test in Bahrain this week.

The new deal represents a surprise return to F1 for the popular 29-year-old, the son of former F1 driver Jan Magnussen.

Haas said they were starting a new chapter when they decided to replace their experienced line-up with two rookies at the start of last season, but Mazepin's departure forced a rethink.

Magnussen said: "I was obviously very surprised but equally very excited to receive the call from Haas.

"I was looking in a different direction regarding my commitments for 2022 but the opportunity to return to compete in F1, and with a team I know extremely well, was simply too appealing."
 
Mercedes are at the centre of a row over the legality of their car after introducing a radical new design at the second pre-season test.

Formula 1 managing director Ross Brawn said the car's aerodynamics around its sidepods was a "very extreme interpretation of the regulations".

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner told Germany's Auto Motor Und Sport: "Mercedes have gone a step too far.

"That does not correspond to the spirit of the regulations," he said.

"For us, these wings are illegal."

Red Bull initially described the quotes attributed to Horner as "incorrect", before clarifying they were not "official".

Horner later told Sky Sports: "I was slightly surprised to be reading comments that I was supposed to have been making.

"I haven't paid a great deal of attention to [the Mercedes car]. It is obviously a fairly different concept, but that is for the aero guys and the designers to get into."

The revised Mercedes has been dubbed the "no sidepod car" because of the extreme way the world champions have managed to shrink the bodywork beside the driver around the car's cooling requirements.

Horner also seems to have taken issue with the integration of a shaped side-impact structure on which the rear-view mirrors are mounted.

He said: "Those are not mirror mounts, but two wings. In addition, they have built vertical baffles on top. They have nothing to do with the mirror mount."

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto also raised questions about the Mercedes design.

"No doubt it is a great car - that should not be a surprise to us," he said. "A concept quite different to ours, quite interesting with the cooling layout, and the sidepods.

"On the mirrors, it was surprising - we were not expecting that. We always said the mirror should have no aero[dynamic] purpose and the way they treated their cars there is a significant aero purpose in the mirrors.

"The risk in the future is that all teams will start designing mirrors that look like spaceships. In the spirit of what we intend to do for the future, it is something we need to discuss."

Mercedes F1 team principal Toto Wolff said he was not concerned about any problems developing with the rules.

Wolff said governing body the FIA had been involved throughout the design process.

"It's clear that sometimes when you come with an innovation it creates the kind of debate we're having here," Wolff added. "It was expected.

"We were keen in not running alone with that, but being in touch with the FIA. That's why I think it will be OK."

Brawn emphasised that, under F1's new governance procedure this year, rules can be changed mid-season if eight of the 10 teams agree.

"Once the interpretation Mercedes has made has been understood, then we can get a balanced view on what impact it's going to have," he said.

"The 'spirit' [of the rules] is such a grey area. At the end of the day, you have to go on the wording of the regulations, but that wording can be changed with an 80% team majority.

"If something has slipped by [in the rule-writing process], then the teams are aware that can happen. So that could happen live during the season. We'll have to see how this one plays out."

Brawn said his primary concern was whether teams' designs undermine the intent of the rules to make racing better by allowing cars to follow each other more closely than in the past.

Out on the track, Alpha Tauri's Pierre Gasly set the fastest time of the day, ahead of the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz and Lance Stroll's Aston Martin.

Headline lap times in testing are unreliable indicators of actual competitiveness because of the myriad ways teams can alter their cars' specification to affect lap time.

Mercedes drivers George Russell and Lewis Hamilton were ninth and 11th fastest after Russell drove in the afternoon session and the seven-time champion went out in the morning.

Russell said of the car's new features: "It looks interesting but it's not about how it looks it's about how fast it goes. It caught quite a few people's eyes this morning.

"I am proud to be part of a team that is pushing innovation and seeing something pretty spectacular being pulled off is pretty incredible."

The session was stopped eight minutes early when Red Bull's Sergio Perez had a spin and then inadvertently reversed into the gravel and became stuck when trying to get going again.

Fastest times, Bahrain - day one

1 Pierre Gasly (Fra) Alpha Tauri 1:33.902 *

2 Carlos Sainz (Spa) Ferrari 1:34.359

3 Charles Leclerc (Mon) Ferrari 1:34.531

4 Lance Stroll (Can) Aston Martin 1:34.736 *

5 Alex Albon (Tha) Williams 1:35.070 *

6 Lando Norris (GB) McLaren 1:35.356 **

7 Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Alfa Romeo 1:35.495

8 Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Aston Martin 1:35.706

9 George Russell (GB) Mercedes 1:35.941

10 Sergio Perez (Mex) Red Bull 1:35.977 **

11 Lewis Hamilton (GB) Mercedes 1:36.365

12 Fernando Alonso (Spa) Alpine 1:36.745

13 Esteban Ocon (Fra) Alpine 1:36.768 **

14 Zhou Guanyu (Chi) Alfa Romeo 1:37.164

15 Pietro Fittipaldi (Bra) Haas 1:37.422 **

* = C4 tyre; ** = C2 tyre. C5 is softest, C1 hardest
 
F1 Testing, Day One in Bahrain: Pierre Gasly fastest but Ferrari and Mercedes catch the eye

Pierre Gasly set the fastest time on the opening day of 2022's final pre-season test in Bahrain, but it was Ferrari who caught the eye with their pace and Mercedes with their radical new car design.

The crucial three-day test, two weeks after an opening shakedown in Barcelona, represents the final chance for drivers to try out their all-new cars before the season begins in just over a week, and there were certainly plenty of signs that teams were upping the ante on Thursday.

While it is still too early to speculate on a pecking order, it is Ferrari who have got the paddock talking with their speed and consistency and Charles Leclerc led from the first hour of Thursday up until the final hour.
He was only knocked off top spot late on by Pierre Gasly in the AlphaTauri as the Frenchman showed encouraging pace, albeit on the softest tyre.

Gasly's 1:33.902 was six-tenths faster than Leclerc, and 0.8s quicker than Carlos Sainz, who took over from his team-mate in the Ferrari in the afternoon session and seemingly confirmed the Italian giant's speed.

"There's no doubt about it, that Ferrari is looking very handy," said Sky F1's Martin Brundle.

But the potential return of Ferrari to F1 contention was arguably not the biggest story on Day 1 at Sakhir, for Mercedes generated plenty of headlines with a new-look W13 and specifically a radical sidepod design.

As predicted, Mercedes brought a significant car upgrade to the final test but nobody could have foreseen the world champions debuting a car that barely had any sidepods at all, instead using fins and a smaller slot to generate cooling.

The design had rival teams purring and, perhaps unsurprisingly, also led to questions about legality, which a confident Mercedes have knocked back.

Mercedes, however, still had a quiet day when it came to quick times, with George Russell and Lewis Hamilton only placing ninth and 11th and two seconds off Gasly's fastest lap.

They were sandwiched by Sergio Perez in the Red Bull who were also conspicuous by their absence at the front. Perez completed more laps than anyone on Thursday - 138 - though finished the day in the gravel after a clumsy spin, which led to a red flag and an early finish to proceedings.

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/1...astest-but-ferrari-and-mercedes-catch-the-eye
 
Latest times at the Bahrain GP practice day

Drivers in bold are taking part in the afternoon session, although some of them may have set their best time in the first session.

Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) 1:33.532, 25 laps
Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) +0.5532, 26 laps
Esteban Ocon (Alpine) +0.744, 91 laps
Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.834, 54 laps
Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) +1.984, 23 laps
Lando Norris (McLaren) +2.229, 43 laps
Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +2.342, 57 laps
Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin) +2.488, 46 laps
Yuki Tsunoda (Alpha Tauri) +3.27, 103 laps
Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo) +3.455 25 laps
Mick Schumacher (Haas) +4.314, 23 laps
Kevin Magnussen (Haas) +4.451, 20 laps
George Russell (Mercedes) +5.053, 67 laps
Nicholas Latifi (Williams) +6.313, 12 laps
Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo) +8.273, 21 laps

Latifi was meant to be in action this session but Williams have said he won't be in the car after a fire earlier today.
 
MenInG said:
Mercedes are at the centre of a row over the legality of their car after introducing a radical new design at the second pre-season test.

Formula 1 managing director Ross Brawn said the car's aerodynamics around its sidepods was a "very extreme interpretation of the regulations".

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner told Germany's Auto Motor Und Sport: "Mercedes have gone a step too far.

"That does not correspond to the spirit of the regulations," he said.

"For us, these wings are illegal."

Red Bull initially described the quotes attributed to Horner as "incorrect", before clarifying they were not "official".

Horner later told Sky Sports: "I was slightly surprised to be reading comments that I was supposed to have been making.

"I haven't paid a great deal of attention to [the Mercedes car]. It is obviously a fairly different concept, but that is for the aero guys and the designers to get into."

The revised Mercedes has been dubbed the "no sidepod car" because of the extreme way the world champions have managed to shrink the bodywork beside the driver around the car's cooling requirements.

Horner also seems to have taken issue with the integration of a shaped side-impact structure on which the rear-view mirrors are mounted.

He said: "Those are not mirror mounts, but two wings. In addition, they have built vertical baffles on top. They have nothing to do with the mirror mount."

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto also raised questions about the Mercedes design.

"No doubt it is a great car - that should not be a surprise to us," he said. "A concept quite different to ours, quite interesting with the cooling layout, and the sidepods.

"On the mirrors, it was surprising - we were not expecting that. We always said the mirror should have no aero[dynamic] purpose and the way they treated their cars there is a significant aero purpose in the mirrors.

"The risk in the future is that all teams will start designing mirrors that look like spaceships. In the spirit of what we intend to do for the future, it is something we need to discuss."

Mercedes F1 team principal Toto Wolff said he was not concerned about any problems developing with the rules.

Wolff said governing body the FIA had been involved throughout the design process.

"It's clear that sometimes when you come with an innovation it creates the kind of debate we're having here," Wolff added. "It was expected.

"We were keen in not running alone with that, but being in touch with the FIA. That's why I think it will be OK."

Brawn emphasised that, under F1's new governance procedure this year, rules can be changed mid-season if eight of the 10 teams agree.

"Once the interpretation Mercedes has made has been understood, then we can get a balanced view on what impact it's going to have," he said.

"The 'spirit' [of the rules] is such a grey area. At the end of the day, you have to go on the wording of the regulations, but that wording can be changed with an 80% team majority.

"If something has slipped by [in the rule-writing process], then the teams are aware that can happen. So that could happen live during the season. We'll have to see how this one plays out."

Brawn said his primary concern was whether teams' designs undermine the intent of the rules to make racing better by allowing cars to follow each other more closely than in the past.

Out on the track, Alpha Tauri's Pierre Gasly set the fastest time of the day, ahead of the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz and Lance Stroll's Aston Martin.

Headline lap times in testing are unreliable indicators of actual competitiveness because of the myriad ways teams can alter their cars' specification to affect lap time.

Mercedes drivers George Russell and Lewis Hamilton were ninth and 11th fastest after Russell drove in the afternoon session and the seven-time champion went out in the morning.

Russell said of the car's new features: "It looks interesting but it's not about how it looks it's about how fast it goes. It caught quite a few people's eyes this morning.

"I am proud to be part of a team that is pushing innovation and seeing something pretty spectacular being pulled off is pretty incredible."
Click to expand...

<b> Formula 1 testing: New twist in Mercedes upgrade row</b>

Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton were second and fourth fastest in pre-season testing as the row over Mercedes' car took a new twist.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said the Mercedes design complied with the rules a day after being quoted saying it was "illegal".

Horner said it was an "extreme" rules interpretation, but: "It looks like it ticks all the [legality] boxes."

He insisted his earlier quoted comments about the car "weren't made".

The row has overshadowed the first two days of testing in Bahrain, which ended with Verstappen 0.13 seconds quicker than Hamilton.

The world champion trailed pace-setter Carlos Sainz of Ferrari by 0.479secs, with Lance Stroll's Aston Martin third ahead of Hamilton, as a number of senior figures emphasised that it was not possible to accurately judge form from testing.

There is one day of testing left on Saturday before the new season starts at the same Bahrain track next weekend.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/60713781
 
the ferrari car is pbly the most beautiful f1 car ive seen in ages, no idea with all the changes wholl be the fastest but so far its taken pole position for looks imo

image.jpg
 
F1 Testing: Lewis Hamilton struggling to 'tame' Mercedes and tips Ferrari as Bahrain GP favourites

Lewis Hamilton has admitted he is struggling to "tame" Mercedes' new Formula 1 car at pre-season testing and believes fast-starters Ferrari could be the team to beat come the opening Bahrain GP next weekend.

World champions Mercedes have generated headlines this week with a radical new design for their W13 car but have yet to turn that intrigue into fast times, with Hamilton only fifth on Friday despite a soft-tyre run.

"It's tough at the moment," admitted Hamilton, who had several off-track moments. "You can see the on-boards, tank-slappers left right and centre, bouncing and bumpy.

"Not quite happy at the moment but we're trying to tame it."

While Kevin Magnussen set a surprise fastest time on the penultimate day of testing in Haas' extra hour of running, it was Ferrari who have appeared consistently the fastest and most comfortable.

And asked who would win next weekend's season-opening Bahrain GP if it took place this weekend, Hamilton replied: "I think Ferrari from what I can see, they would get a one-two... or maybe Red Bull."

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/2...des-and-tips-ferrari-as-bahrain-gp-favourites
 
F1 Testing, Bahrain Day Three: Red Bull's Max Verstappen ahead of Ferrari as Mercedes trail 2022 rivals

Max Verstappen overhauled Ferrari to ensure an improving Red Bull finished pre-season testing on top in Bahrain, with Mercedes trailing their rivals ahead of a much-anticipated opening race of F1 2022.

Red Bull, having been relatively quiet through the first five days of winter running, debuted new upgrades - including sculpted sidepods - for their RB18 on the very final day and promptly sent warnings to the whole grid with their new-found pace.

Sergio Perez topped the morning before Verstappen surged to the front in the faster evening session, beating Charles Leclerc in the previously fancied Ferrari by 0.7seconds amid a flurry of impressive and consistent laps.

Mick Schumacher vaulted up to second late in the day, half a second off Verstappen, as Haas once again took advantage of their extra testing time and favourable testing conditions to post a notable time.

Verstappen's final time was a 1:31.720, giving him a boost before his maiden title defence starts with the Bahrain GP, all live on Sky Sports F1 on March 18-20.

Fernando Alonso finished fourth for Alpine, who enjoyed a much better Bahrain test compared to Barcelona, while George Russell put in Mercedes' best lap of the test - but it was a full second off Verstappen and only good enough for fifth.

Paddock consensus is that Mercedes, the sport's dominant team for the past eight seasons, have been holding some speed back - although Lewis Hamilton, who drove in the morning and finished 17th, is adamant about their standing.

"At the moment I don't think we will be competing for wins," stated Hamilton. "We're not the quickest at the moment. We have a significant amount of pace to find."

Valtteri Bottas was fifth for Alfa Romeo ahead of Yuki Tsunoda, but ended the day with a reliability issue.

Lando Norris - filling in for Daniel Ricciardo who has Covid-19 - was ninth for McLaren, who managed to bump up their Bahrain mileage with 90 laps following a difficult start to the test.

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/1...head-of-ferrari-as-mercedes-trail-2022-rivals
 
Lewis Hamilton says Mercedes cannot compete for wins after Bahrain testing

Lewis Hamilton said Mercedes are not in a position to compete for wins, as pre-season testing ended in Bahrain.

Hamilton said the car had "potential" but was "not at the top" and insisted he was not deliberately understating his prospects.

"Next week we will get a much better showing of our pace," said Hamilton.

Max Verstappen was fastest after an impressive afternoon in a Red Bull featuring a major aerodynamic upgrade that appeared to transform the car.

The new season starts at the same Sakhir track next weekend, and seven-time champion Hamilton said he believed Mercedes were no better than third fastest team after a difficult build-up to the championship.

"I'm sure everyone can figure that out - we are not the quickest at the moment," he said. "Ferrari look to be the quickest, then perhaps Red Bull, and then maybe us or maybe McLaren, I don't know. But we're currently not at the top."

And when it was pointed out that many in F1 believed Mercedes are hiding their true potential, he replied: "I think people will be surprised maybe. Or at least people keep talking about us talking ourselves down. But it's a bit different this year."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/60722566
 
Formula One: Safety car rules tweaked by FIA in wake of controversial 2021 title decider

Formula 1's safety car rules have been changed to make it impossible for a race to be conducted in the manner of 2021's controversial title decider.

Michael Masi was removed from his role as race director last month as a result of failing to apply the rules correctly in the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Masi's actions had a direct result on the outcome of the world championship.

Governing body the FIA has now made it clear "all" lapped cars must un-lap themselves before a restart.

The change replaces the phrasing in last year's rules, which said "any" lapped cars between the leaders should overtake and join the back of the field before a restart after a safety car.

Masi's decision to allow only the cars between race leader Lewis Hamilton and title rival Max Verstappen to un-lap before a restart was at the heart of the Abu Dhabi controversy.

It meant not all drivers in the field were treated equally - as lapped cars between Verstappen and third-placed Carlos Sainz's Ferrari, and others further down the field, were left in place.

McLaren's Lando Norris said the climax to the race had been "made for TV" and his team-mate Daniel Ricciardo added: "I'm glad I wasn't part of that."

Hamilton had dominated the race and was on his way to an eighth world title. But after the restart the Mercedes driver was left exposed on old tyres and passed by Verstappen's Red Bull, earning the Dutchman a maiden championship.

Verstappen's Red Bull team used this as an argument that Masi had not erred in his procedures and the result should stand. And the stewards also used it to retro-fit a justification for Masi's actions and keep the outcome in place after Mercedes lodged an appeal after the race.

The second rule at the heart of the Abu Dhabi controversy has been left unchanged.

This is the requirement the race must be restarted "at the end of the following lap" after the message is relayed that lapped cars may now overtake.

Masi ignored this rule and restarted the race at the end of the lap on which he had ordered only some lapped cars to pass the leaders.

Had he followed the rules as intended on this aspect, the race would not have restarted and Hamilton would have been world champion.

The rule changes are the latest in a series of moves by the FIA that amount to an effective admission Masi made mistakes in his handling of the Abu Dhabi race.

The first was the admission that the controversy was "tarnishing the image" of F1 and the decision to launch an inquiry into what had happened.

After conducting the inquiry, Masi was removed as race director and replaced by two two new officials who will alternate in the role, Eduardo Freitas and Niels Wittich.

And the support structure in race control was beefed up, including the establishment of a department similar to football's video assistant referee (VAR) and the return of F1 veteran Herbie Blash in an advisory role to the race directors.

Blash, 73, was the right-hand man of former FIA F1 director Charlie Whiting, whose death on the eve of the 2019 season led to Masi being appointed race director.

A full report into the events of Abu Dhabi is expected to be published during this weekend's season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

It is widely accepted within F1 that Masi did not follow the rules correctly.

The closest there has been to an explicit admission of that fact by the FIA has been an interview by executive director of single-seaters Peter Bayer.

He said that, had Mercedes pursued their appeal, it would likely have been decided that "it's different in the regulations, he [Masi] decided that [other] way, so we could just void the result".

Had the race been declared void, Verstappen would still have been champion as he started the event ahead in the championship by virtue of results count back.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/60758648
 
Max Verstappen says Formula 1 does 'not need to heal'


World champion Max Verstappen says F1 "does not need to heal" after last year's controversial title decider.

But the 24-year-old said there needs to be more teams fighting at the front.

The Red Bull driver took the drivers' title following a decision by race director Michael Masi not to follow procedures around restarting the race.

In an interview with BBC Sport, he also said Netflix's Drive to Survive documentary was "faking rivalries", and has chosen not to take part.

Verstappen won the final race of last season in Abu Dhabi after overtaking title rival Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes on the final lap, following a decision by Masi to restart the race early after a safety car.

Masi was removed from his role as race director last month as a result of failing to apply the rules correctly.

"The sport doesn't need to heal, there are these dramatic moments which are part of the sport as well," Verstappen said.

"F1 is a very tough world. I think Lewis can feel the pain a bit less if you already have seven [drivers' titles]."

The Dutchman added that Formula 1 needs "more teams at the front, fighting for wins".

The new season, which begins in Bahrain this weekend, sees new car and tyre designs aimed at enabling drivers to follow each other more closely on the track and improve the racing spectacle.

"Slowly we are are getting to that - hopefully these new regulations will give us that boost and we have more drivers on every team fighting. Because at the end of the day this is what we like, right?"

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/60764810
 
Aston Martin driver, Sebastian Vettel has tested positive for COVID-19 and will be replaced by Nico Hulkenburg for Sunday’s race

Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel has been ruled out of Sunday's season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix after testing positive for Covid-19.

The Aston Martin driver will be replaced by Nico Hulkenberg.

McLaren's Daniel Ricciardo missed the final test in Bahrain last week after contracting coronavirus.

But the Australian is fit for race weekend, which begins with practice on Friday, after returning a negative test.

Aston Martin reserve driver Hulkenberg, 34, has not been a permanent F1 driver since 2019 but has filled in for others.

The German made three appearances in 2020 when he replaced Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll, both of whom missed races because of coronavirus.

The second race of the season is in Saudi Arabia on 27 March. If German Vettel tests negative before then he should be able to compete.

BBC
 
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McLaren driver Lando Norris believes he is ready to go toe-to-toe with Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen at the top of Formula 1.

The 22-year-old Briton heads into his fourth F1 season not sure where his team are in terms of competitiveness.

But he believes he has developed to a point where he has what it takes to win if the car is quick.

"I believe so," Norris said. "Doesn't mean I'd always come out on top, but definitely a few times."

Norris is talking to BBC Sport in an unusually chilly Bahrain paddock on the eve of the first race of the season.

Hood pulled up against the cold desert wind, Norris admits he's "a little bit nervous" as to where McLaren stand after front-brake cooling problems afflicted them in testing last week.

But on a personal front he heads into 2022 in a confident frame of mind after a breakthrough season last year in which he established himself among the F1 elite.

Norris talks a lot about improving himself, about being "in a better position" in many aspects of his driving, taking "a big step forward last year", especially with consistency - achieving his highest level as often as possible.

He's a perfectionist, you see.

"I am. I always want it to be perfect," he says. "With everything I do, I always need it to be done right and done properly and I won't be happy until it's done as close to perfection as possible.

"And secondly, various things with driving, adapting to different scenarios and being ready to drive outside my comfort zone and getting used to more different driving styles."

Ask him if he will ever be satisfied, and he says: "Never. Maybe one day. I don't know."

He admits it is the lot of the high-achieving racing driver to be this way.

"You ask most drivers 'will you ever be satisfied?' and I think most would say no," he says. "It is similar with all top athletes in different sports. They always believe there is a place they can do better.

"We always want to do that perfect lap. It's almost impossible to ever do, but it is what we are searching and driving towards.

"Similar with golfers hitting a perfect shot or a perfect 18. They always want to do one thing perfect and then put it all together and that's when it comes to a whole race weekend.

"You want to get to a point where everything's subconscious. That's when you really get in your element and in a zone where you can get out and drive normally, but your 'normal and at ease' is at a higher level than everyone else can do when they're trying.

"Everyone has these moments when they go out and things just work, and you can just drive without thinking about it and they're just very quick, and as soon as they went to improve something they do it and they're even quicker.

"That's what you see with top drivers and it doesn't mean you don't work. It's the opposite - you work so much and you spend so much time trying to find perfection and gains that you understand everything in the back of your mind.

"In the back of your head everything's swirling around, but in the front of your head you don't have to think about what you're doing. And that's when things are going very well."

Competing with the best requires more than achieving a perfect connection between driver and car, though.

F1 drivers share the track with 19 other competitive individuals. And at the front, the intensity is at another level.

Norris admits he's not sure how he would deal with a rival who drives as aggressively as Verstappen did against Hamilton at times last year.

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen's title battle was decided at a controversial season finale in Abu Dhabi last season
"It's a different battle because of how Max races," Norris says. "It's a different breed of drivers. You saw how he drove and changed when it came down to those final races, with aggression.

"It's maybe something you don't experience so much in the midfield because you're not going for a World Championship, or some of the drivers don't have that mentality of risking everything."

Would Norris do that?

"It's difficult," he says. "You would try and play smart as much as you can. There are things you would definitely try and outsmart your team-mate on. But I'm also a fair racer and, I don't know, maybe don't push the limits quite as much in certain areas."

Last year, Verstappen's driving was at the centre of controversy as drivers sought clarity from race officials as to what was allowed in wheel-to-wheel racing after a number of incidents in which he seemed to push a rival off the track but did not always receive punishment.

Norris says the issue has been discussed between the drivers and governing body the FIA over the winter. The process is ongoing, he says, but there is only so much he can say because the meetings are private.

"There's a big push towards having clarity," Norris says. "Everyone's talking about it. Between us as drivers we want clarity and consistency, and the FIA want the same. So there is quite a big push on that."

Whether Norris has the car to compete at the front remains to be seen. And - like his friend and rival at Ferrari, Charles Leclerc - he picks Red Bull as pre-season favourites.

"I would go with Red Bull at the minute but Ferrari are definitely the closest after that," Norris says. "They are downplaying themselves massively, as they would.

"But consistently in every single run they've done since the first lap in [the first test in] Barcelona, they've been basically at the top.

"It was just the final day [of testing last week] when Red Bull brought some new parts along they took a little step forward. But at the same time Ferrari could have just put a bit more fuel in and just not looked as good."

Of McLaren and his own hopes, he says: "I'm confident. I'm ready for some good battles. I'm excited for what is to come this year. I am motivated to do better than last year. That's the aim and time will tell whether that's true or not."

BBC
 
Lewis Hamilton wants 'transparent' FIA report into Abu Dhabi, as Max Verstappen reveals different view

Lewis Hamilton says he has been assured that there will be an FIA report on last year's Abu Dhabi GP controversy and insists "it's important to have transparency" - though title rival Max Verstappen has argued that there doesn't need to be a full report.

The FIA's World Motor Sport Council are meeting this weekend at the season-opening Bahrain GP, with the findings from the inquiry into the 2021 title decider - where Verstappen overtook Hamilton on the final lap following much-criticised officiating decisions - expected to be released, potentially on Saturday.

How they are released is still unclear, but Hamilton - speaking before Friday's practice - revealed he met with new FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem on Thursday night and the pair spoke about the report.

"I had a good meeting with Mohammed and there is a report," Hamilton told Sky Sports F1. "We agreed that it's important to have transparency.

"People will get to see this and know that the sport is moving in the right direction."

Hamilton added: "[I'm] looking forward to seeing it come out and for people to know that the sport is transparent and we are learning from what happened in the past and we'll make improvements moving forward."

The FIA has already made changes following their Abu Dhabi investigation, with race director Michael Masi replaced for 2022 by two new race directors, while other alterations include Safety Car procedures and team radio bartering.

"What I would say is there are changes being made and I welcome the changes being made," continued Hamilton. "Of course we need to make sure they're actioned."

Verstappen, however, had a different view.

"I don't think we need a full report," said the world champion.

"Of course, every year it's good to discuss about what will happen the year before and what you can do better. That's what teams do as well, you always analyse everything you do.

"So we'll find out and of course if things can be written down in an easier way or a way to understand it better, the wording, then for sure. Let's see."

Verstappen also insisted he has nothing to prove for 2022's new era following his 2021 title.

"I [had] the most wins, the most poles and most laps led," he said. "People forget that. They only look at Abu Dhabi apparently.

"But we have more races than only Abu Dhabi in the season."

Other drivers also had their say and most stressed the importance of the report being released, with Charles Leclerc stating: "I think it is really important to have that transparency and for us to be able to see it."

Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, however, said: "I honestly don't care.

"It was what it was, right or wrong. In that moment, race direction felt right. And in over the season, we could agree or not agree. We move on."

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/1...habi-as-max-verstappen-reveals-different-view
 
Is poor old Lewis still moaning? I wonder if this is because he believes the new Mercedes car is slower than last season? Seems like he has surrendered to the notion he will not win his 8th championship.

Maybe he can take another knee, add his ancestors name, support Ukraine, or fight for human rights? If so, stand up for what you believe in, and refuse to race in the ME. I dare you!
 
Bahrain GP: Max Verstappen edges Charles Leclerc in Practice Two, Lewis Hamilton struggles

Max Verstappen finished the first day of Formula 1's 2022 season on top after edging Charles Leclerc in Bahrain GP second practice, with Red Bull and Ferrari moving clear of Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton struggling down in ninth.

F1 got a first look at the grid's 'true pace' in the evening session, in cooler and more representative Bahrain conditions similar to qualifying and the race, and it provided an intriguing pecking order for the season-opening weekend - dominated by two teams, and two drivers in their all-new cars.

Leclerc led for much of the hour in the incredibly consistent Ferrari, but world champion Verstappen stormed to the front for Red Bull come the qualifying simulations on soft tyres - posting a 1:31.936.

It was a benchmark that would not be beaten despite Leclerc's best efforts, with the Monegasque finding more pace on his final fast lap but finishing just 0.087s adrift.

Carlos Sainz was third and half a second off in the other Ferrari, who appear to be a genuine contender at the front and, as predicted by many after pre-season, look set to go toe to toe with Red Bull.

"My gut tells me we've got Verstappen vs Leclerc for pole," said Sky F1's Karun Chandhok.

But the hope of a three-team fight may be fading this weekend, with F1's eight-time champions Mercedes still unable to match their rivals.

While George Russell was reasonably competitive, 0.6s off the front in fourth, Hamilton could only manage a meagre ninth place. Both drivers, meanwhile, were bouncing along in their cars with Mercedes seemingly unable to fix their 'porpoising' issues, nor unlock their W13's speed.

"Some sort of problem with the front brakes man, the front right is pulling," said an increasingly frustrated Hamilton on team radio. He added afterwards: "We're faced with much bigger problems this year."

Fernando Alonso was fifth for Alpine while Hamilton was also beaten by former team-mate Valtteri Bottas in the Alfa Romeo (sixth) and even Mick Schumacher in the Haas (eighth), highlighting F1 2022's clean slate.

Kevin Magnussen was 10th in the other Haas while McLaren were one of the teams dropping down the order, with Lando Norris only 11th and Daniel Ricciardo way down in 18th, only ahead of the Williams.

Pierre Gasly also struggled after surprisingly setting the first-practice pace, finishing 13th for AlphaTauri. Nico Hulkenberg, stepping in for Sebastian Vettel at Aston Martin this weekend, was 17th.

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/1...lerc-in-practice-two-lewis-hamilton-struggles
 
Max Verstappen is the fastest in final practice!

He takes it with a lap of 1:32.544, 0.096 faster than Charles Leclerc's best effort.

Sergio Perez rounds off the top three, then come George Russell, Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton.
 
Formula 1: 'Human error' responsible for incorrect application of rules in Abu Dhabi

Formula 1's governing body has said "human error" was responsible for the incorrect application of rules in the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The FIA said race director Michael Masi had acted in "good faith" during the controversial finale which saw Max Verstappen snatch the championship from Lewis Hamilton on the last lap.

Masi has since been removed from his post and F1 race control restructured.

The report ruled the result and the World Championship "valid and final".

The report is final confirmation that Red Bull's Max Verstappen was the 2021 F1 world champion - not that that was ever expected to be in doubt in the process.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/60807766
 
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc beat Red Bull's Max Verstappen to pole position in a thrilling qualifying session at the start of Formula 1's new era.

After a difficult session Leclerc put it all together for his final lap and beat the world champion by 0.123 seconds at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Carlos Sainz had earlier been the faster Ferrari driver but slipped down to third, just 0.129secs off pole.

Lewis Hamilton was fifth for Mercedes behind Red Bull's Sergio Perez.

Hamilton was 0.680secs off pole as Mercedes' pre-event predictions that they were not yet on the pace proved correct.

His new team-mate George Russell was ninth after making an error at Turn One on his only lap in the final session of qualifying.

Russell was beaten by his Mercedes predecessor Valtteri Bottas, an impressive sixth in his first race for the Alfa Romeo team, ahead of the equally impressive Kevin Magnussen on his return to F1 with the Haas team after a year away.

Alpine's Fernando Alonso was eighth ahead of Russell, with Alpha Tauri's Pierre Gasly taking the final place in the top 10.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/60806902
 
Lewis Hamilton: Mercedes driver says Ferrari and Red Bull are in 'another league' ahead of Bahrain GP

Lewis Hamilton says Ferrari and Red Bull are in "another league" to Mercedes ahead of Sunday's season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

Hamilton qualified fifth on Saturday, with Ferrari and Red Bull occupying the front two rows as Charles Leclerc beat Max Verstappen to pole, while the other Silver Arrow of George Russell was down in ninth.

Having cut a downcast figure for much of the pre-season as Mercedes struggled to keep up with their rivals, the seven-time world champion appeared in a more positive mindset after qualifying, despite playing down his chances of competing for the top places in the race, live on Sky Sports at 3pm.

"I'm generally really happy today," Hamilton told Sky Sports. "Given where we've been the last few weeks, the struggles that we've had, the problems we've had with the car - it's been a bit of a nightmare to drive - we've just kept our heads down, kept working away, so I'm proud of everyone for staying positive.

"To get fifth in qualifying, those guys ahead are in another league, so I'm generally happy with where we are. It's not the front row, but we'll make improvements, and we'll do the best we can tomorrow.

"Those guys (Ferrari and Red Bull) will be going away. We're not in the fight with those. They were a second ahead of us yesterday through race pace, so my battle is with the guys behind most likely, but of course I'll try to be as fast as I can and get ahead, but their performance is quite a bit ahead of ours."

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/3...ull-are-in-another-league-ahead-of-bahrain-gp
 
Worrying signs for Mercedes, were barely competitive in Qualifying. Seems like a straight shoot-out between Ferrari and Red Bull for this GP.
 
Leclerc wins in Bahrain as furious Verstappen retires

Top 10

Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) +5.5
Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) +9.6
George Russell (Mercedes) +11.2
Kevin Magnussen (Haas) +14.7
Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo) +16.1
Esteban Ocon (Alpine) + 19.4
Yuki Tsunoda (Alpha Tauri) +20.3
Fernando Alonso (Alpine) +22.3
Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo) +23
 
Charles Leclerc won a close battle with Red Bull's Max Verstappen before taking a classy victory as Ferrari took a one-two in a dramatic season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

Leclerc and Verstappen staged a thrilling wheel-to-wheel dice for a couple of laps after their first pit stops, swapping places five times in two laps before Leclerc moved ahead.

The closing laps were packed with drama, with a safety car period and then reliability problems forcing Verstappen's retirement promoting Carlos Sainz to second.

And then the second Red Bull of Sergio Perez suffered an engine failure at the first corner of the final lap leaving Lewis Hamilton to take the final podium place for Mercedes.

BBC
 
so happy to see a ferrari 1-2 after ages, that car is gorgeous and deserves to the poster boy for f1.
 
Was a brilliant start to the season, my Leclerc fandom has finally paid off!

Would be a truly amazing season if we can see a 3-way championship battle. The new regs with easier following and more overtaking has made the racing far more exciting, the jostling between Leclerc and Verstappen around laps 17/18/19 had me out of my seat.
 
Lewis Hamilton 'wasn't expecting apology' from FIA over Abu Dhabi as Mercedes say 'chapter closed'

Lewis Hamilton has admitted he "wasn't expecting an apology" from the FIA in its 2021 Abu Dhabi GP report but says its admission that there was human error in the title controversy is a "positive step".

F1's governing body finally released its findings from last year's controversial finale over the weekend, stating there was human error in the officiating decisions that opened the door for Max Verstappen to pass Hamilton, but also finalising that the title result was "valid".

Speaking on Saturday night, Hamilton said he would wait to read the report but when told there was no apology to him in there, he said: "Look, I wasn't expecting an apology and it is not something I have focused on.

"We know that is the way it is, and that was probably not going to happen.

"But at least there is that transparency, and it has been called a human error and that is a positive step.

"We cannot go back unfortunately and change the past so I just look at what I can do now."

Both Hamilton and Mercedes, who are on the back foot to start the 2022 championship and could only finish third and fourth in Bahrain on Sunday, have stressed they are now looking to "move on" from the drama of 2021.

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/1...over-abu-dhabi-as-mercedes-say-chapter-closed
 
Lando Norris says it will not be 'a simple fix' as McLaren look to turnaround MCL36 after Bahrain challenges

Lando Norris says it will not be a 'simple fix' to improve the performance of McLaren's MCL36, after an extremely difficult first weekend of the season in Bahrain.

Norris was speaking to Naomi Schiff and Matt Baker on Sky Sports' new show Any Driven Monday, the day after the season-opening grand prix.

While Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz claimed a brilliant 1-2 for Ferrari, Norris and his team-mate Daniel Ricciardo finished in 15th and 14th position.

In the end, only Nicholas Latifi in the Williams and Aston Martin's Nico Hulkenburg ended the day behind McLaren's two drivers.

"It's not a simple fix," Norris said about the performance of McLaren's MCL36.

"At times the balance can feel relatively decent, it's just we end up going slower than the majority. That's just simply, we don't have enough downforce [front and rear], just total downforce, total load.

"There are definitely some things that we can try, adapt to and maybe change on the car that we've got, to make it work a little bit better but it's also not solely that simple.

"A lot of it is also the philosophy of the car and understanding really how to make it work properly.

"That's not easily done week to week and maybe, not able to be changed from week to week. We just need to understand it really."

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/1...-to-turnaround-mcl36-after-bahrain-challenges
 
Max Verstappen: F1 world champion on 'complicated' Red Bull Bahrain DNFs and FIA report

Max Verstappen says Red Bull are "still looking into" the "complicated" issues that saw both their cars retire at the season-opening Bahrain GP.

Both Verstappen and team-mate Sergio Perez suffered dramatic podium-costing reliability failures in the closing stages of last weekend's race, leaving the pre-event favourites point-less.

The team initially said the problem was related to a fuel pump in the cars and Verstappen spoke exclusively to Sky Sports F1 on Thursday about the concerns.

"We're still looking into the exact cause of it because it's quite complicated apparently," said Verstappen.

"Basically what happened was there was no fuel going to the engine anymore, the engine turned off at one point!"

The second race of F1 2022, the Saudi Arabian GP, is this weekend.

"I hope it's going to be fixed on Sunday but as of now - I literally just arrived to the track so I haven't really spoken to the team yet - we're still looking into it," added the world champion.

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/3...plicated-red-bull-bahrain-dnfs-and-fia-report
 
Sebastian Vettel will miss this weekend's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix due to Covid-19 with Nico Hulkenberg to drive for Aston Martin in his place.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Lewis Hamilton says Formula 1 drivers are "duty bound" to try and raise awareness of issues in Saudi Arabia and admits he is "open" to meeting those in authority to try and drive change in the country.</p>— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/SkySportsNews/status/1507357775596298251?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
FOuO0kOWQAIvXjJ


Race organisers have insisted that the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will go ahead as planned after Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for a missile attack on an oil facility less than 10 miles from the circuit. The seriousness of the situation was made clear when drivers and team principals were called to see F1’s chief executive, Stefano Domenicali, so they could be updated on the situation and how it is being handled, delaying second practice on Friday.

It was later confirmed by organisers the Saudi Motorsport Company that the race would go ahead. “We are aware of the attack on the Aramco distribution station in Jeddah earlier this afternoon and remain in contact with the Saudi security authorities, as well as F1 and the FIA to ensure all necessary security and safety measures continue to be implemented to guarantee the safety of all visitors to the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix as well as the drivers, teams and stakeholders,” read a statement. “The race weekend scheduled will continue as planned. The safety and security of all our guests continues to be our main priority and we look forward to welcoming fans for a weekend of premium racing and entertainments.”

A Formula One spokesperson added: “Formula One has been in close contact with the relevant authorities following the situation that took place today. The authorities have confirmed that the event can continue as planned and we will remain in close contact with them and all the teams and closely monitor the situation.”

After the attack, huge plumes of black smoke rising high into the sky were clearly visible from the circuit. The Houthi rebels, who have been embroiled in war with a Saudi-led coalition for seven years, claimed to have carried it out, with Saudi state media saying the coalition had foiled a string of Houthi drone and rocket attacks. Last Sunday the Houthis attacked another oil facility in Jeddah as part of another wave of strikes.

F1 were sufficiently concerned then that they stated they were monitoring the situation but there will be huge concern now at the proximity, timing and fears of another attack. Key in making any decision will rest on whether teams and personnel feel safe. Should they lose confidence in their security, even that of a single team, then F1 and the FIA would have little choice but to abandon the grand prix.

At the start of the Covid pandemic in 2020 it was the withdrawal of McLaren in Australia after one of their personnel contracted the virus that swiftly led to others following suit and the race was cancelled soon afterwards. There has yet to be any further official statement from F1 or the Saudi authorities.

Before the attack, Lewis Hamilton was unequivocal in demanding F1 does more to instigate reform in Saudi Arabia if the sport continues to race there. With the state accused of sportswashing and having recently executed 81 people in one day, the seven-times champion admitted he was shocked when he received a letter from a teenager sentenced to death for a crime he was alleged to have committed when he was 14.

Saudi Arabia’s human rights record has attracted enormous criticism – including allegations of indiscriminate bombing of civilians in Yemen – and placed F1 once more under the spotlight for assisting in legitimising the activities of the regime.

Hamilton placed the pressure firmly on F1 to make a difference since the drivers have no say on the countries his sport visits. “Ultimately, it is the responsibility of those who are in power to really make the changes and we are not really seeing enough, we need to see more,” he said. “We don’t decide where we go to race in Formula One, but while it is not necessarily our responsibility, we are duty-bound to try and do what we can.”

Hamilton’s unease at racing in Saudi Arabia had not changed from last year’s race when he said he was “not comfortable” with F1 competing in the country. As revealed by the Guardian on Thursday Hamilton was written to earlier this week by the family of Abdullah al-Howaiti, who was sentenced to death for a crime they maintain he did not commit and was a minor when he was alleged to have done so.

Hamilton acknowledged he was aware of the letter and that its subject matter left him reeling. “It’s mind-blowing to hear the stories,” he said. “I’ve heard there is a letter sent to me from a 14-year-old on death row. When you’re 14 you don’t know what the hell you’re doing in life.”

Hamilton has attempted to ensure he is aware of human rights issues and met with representatives from some of the countries involved in an attempt to effect change. The British driver remained committed to doing so but questioned why the authorities in Saudi Arabia and F1 itself were apparently oblivious to the need for reform.

“It is important we try to educate ourselves and with a little bit of difference, we can try to make sure we are doing something,” he said. “I am always open to having a discussion, to learning more and trying to understand exactly why things are happening and why they are not changing. It is 2022 and it is easy to make changes.”

With his Mercedes off the pace of the leaders he is searching for change too on track if the race takes place but is unlikely to enjoy any great steps forward this weekend. With his car suffering from the bouncing due to a downforce stall on straights, Mercedes are still working on an aerodynamic solution.

Hamilton was sixth-tenths off Charles Leclerc’s pole position last week in Bahrain and the team have no quick fix. Mercedes’s chief technical director, Andrew Shovlin, has said it could take two or three more races to solve their problems.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...k-of-cancellation-after-houthi-missile-attack
 
Last edited:
Very eventful qualifying session so far.

Hamilton out in Q1, purely on pace, for the first time since 2009.

Then Mick Schumacher involved in a horrific 170mph right into the concrete barrier, which has red flagged the session for the last 40 minutes. Luckily, he is okay and on the way to hospital for a precautionary scan.
 
Red Bull's Sergio Perez beat Ferrari's Charles Leclerc to take his first Formula 1 pole position at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

The Mexican was 0.261 seconds quicker than world champion team-mate Max Verstappen, who was down in fourth.

Perez beat Leclerc by 0.225secs, with Ferrari's Carlos Sainz third, 0.177secs behind his team-mate.

Mercedes driver George Russell was sixth as team-mate Lewis Hamilton could manage only 16th.
 
Mick Schumacher has been airlifted to hospital for precautionary checks following a scary high-speed crash during Saudi Arabian GP qualifying.

Schumacher lost control of his Haas car through a high-speed section on F1's fastest street track during Q2 and slammed sideways into the barriers at Turn 12 at around 170mph.

The German, son of Formula 1 legend Michael, remained in the cockpit afterwards but was conscious and speaking to doctors before being taken in an ambulance to the medical centre.

He was said to be "physically fine" but has been taken to hospital in a helicopter for more precautionary checks.

"I didn't speak with him directly; he's spoken to his mum," Haas team boss Guenther Steiner told Sky Sports F1. "I spoke with his mum a few times and kept her updated.

"He has no injuries which you can see, they just wanted to check on him and do some scans to see that there's no damage from the impact and the forces.

"It seems like he's gone on the curb and just lost the car. We just lost all the data immediately on the impact, we had no contact with him after the contact."

Haas boss Guenther Steiner confirms that Mick Schumacher suffered no injuries following his heavy crash in qualifying for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Schumacher was running ninth in Q2, the second segment of qualifying, at the time of the incident.

In his 24th Grand Prix in F1, he was looking to advance to the final top-10 shootout for the first time.

The heavy shunt brought out red flags in the session and there was an hour delay to proceedings as Schumacher was removed the car before the car wreckage and debris was cleared from the track.

SKY
 
Saudi Arabian GP: Lewis Hamilton explains shock qualifying exit in 'undriveable' Mercedes car

Lewis Hamilton blamed an "undriveable" Mercedes car for a "gutting" Q1 exit and five-year low in Saudi Arabian GP qualifying, with Toto Wolff admitting his team's current performance is "totally unacceptable".

In a huge F1 shock, Hamilton was eliminated in the first portion of Saturday's shootout in 16th - falling at the first hurdle in qualifying for the first time since his crash ahead of the 2017 Brazilian GP.

Hamilton, disconsolate speaking to media afterwards, said a setup change was the reason for his lack of pace compared to team-mate George Russell - who qualified sixth - and was downbeat over his chances in Sunday's race.

"I don't know how different the cars are set up but the car was undriveable with the set-up I chose," explained Hamilton. "But it's my own fault, I made some set-up changes.

"I don't know if that was everything to do with it, but it was very unstable. I don't what I'm going to be able to do tomorrow, but I'm a long way back."

Asked if he was surprised, Hamilton replied: "Yeah, of course. [The setup] was looking good in P3, I tried to progress in a similar direction and maybe went too far. The car was just undriveable, and so nervous."

Hamilton said his car had never "been that bad" and also hinted that he may look to start from the pit-lane, which would allow Mercedes to break parc-ferme conditions and change his set-up again.

"I don't know if starting where I am is going to be worth it," stated Hamilton.

He added: "I just apologised to my team.

"Everyone works so hard and when you don't deliver for them, it's gutting."

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/2...k-qualifying-exit-in-undriveable-mercedes-car
 
A four-hour meeting was held by the drivers on Friday night in Jeddah amid the looming threat of the race being boycotted following the Houthi missile strike on the nearby Aramco site.

This was then followed by a large crash for Mick Schumacher in qualifying that will force the German to miss the grand prix on Sunday, although he was cleared to return to his hotel after medical checks in hospital.

That high-speed shunt has again put the safety credentials of the Jeddah Corniche Circuit back in the limelight, despite modifications made to improve visibility and widen the track for 2022.

These events have occurred in the days after F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali revealed that the calendar is potentially oversubscribed and could theoretically expand to 30 races.

The Concorde Agreement currently has a 25-race limit, which would suggest a waiting list.

When asked by Autosport if, in light of the surplus, Saudi should be in line to keep its place, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr reckoned it was a topic that F1, the FIA and the drivers had to raise.

He said: “I think there will need to be discussions after this race, because clearly what has happened in the last 24 hours is… it’s definitely a point of discussion and consideration that we need to take going into the future.”

The initial contract F1 agreed with Saudi officials was worth £500 million over a 10-year period. But that will likely cover a change of race location, with an eventual move from Jeddah to Qiddiya being planned.

The deal was also subject to extensive criticism that many observers considered the latest display of ‘sportswashing’ to obscure Saudi’s terrible human rights record.

Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, who will line up on pole for this afternoon’s grand prix, reckoned: “I think there's definitely some considerations that we will have to do as a group and see what's best for the sport going forwards.”

Charles Leclerc added: “Yeah, I agree. I don't want to go too much into details on this subject now, but it's definitely a discussion that we should have after this race, once everything calms down and we'll look back at it, and then we'll see.”

Domenicali has also warned that some current races will likely fall off the calendar, with historic circuits not immune, in favour of new venues such as Qatar and Las Vegas.

https://www.msn.com/en-ae/news/othe...sedgntp&cvid=e13934a92f25451aa1cd6df2e8519e7f
 
Mick Schumacher has now had two big crashes in two races in Saudi Arabia, one in last year’s race and one in qualifying this year. The damage this time was bad enough for Haas to withdraw the car, which made the question of whether Schumacher - uninjured but shaken up - would have been declared fit to race academic. Team boss Gunther Steiner explained that it made sense not to rush a repair and risk going to Australia for race three in two weeks’ time with not enough spare parts. It wasn’t worth racing in Jeddah, he said, knowing points were unlikely starting from the pit lane.

For many drivers, the accident was yet more evidence that the Jeddah track is simply too dangerous. The issue at Turns Eight and Nine where Schumacher crashed was the high kerb. “With this type of cars,” McLaren’s Lando Norris said, “you can’t have such an aggressive kerb at such a speed that we’re running at. What makes it worse is how it’s angled to come back and then it curves round. You just get it a little bit wrong and then it can be a big incident, like we saw.”

Schumacher himself agreed when he spoke to the media on Sunday morning: “From what I remember, last year was less of a concern, just because of the way the cars were built. We had a very high-rake car, the rear was usually quite up in the air. Nowadays, the cars go pretty low, especially at a [higher-speed] part of the circuit. So, the moment you do hit this kerb, which is quite high, the rear tyres lose contact to the surface. And that means that there will be a snap in some sort.

“We saw that from a few other drivers, they had a close moment. And I think that’s something definitely that people will have to revise and see to be fixed if we come back.”

Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas said the blind spots through the fast sector one were “a bit of a concern for everyone”. And pole sitter Sergio Perez said it was not just the first part of the lap that was at issue. “It's definitely the most dangerous place in the calendar,” the Mexican said. “That's no secret. It’s a circuit that really demands a lot from the drivers, from the cars, from the teams. If you get it wrong, it can be a huge accident. I feel like, I don't know if there's something we can do into [Turns] 22 and 23, because those are really high-speed sections.”
 
Max Verstappen holds off Charles Leclerc and wins the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix!

Top 10
1) Verstappen

2) Leclerc

3) Sainz

4) Perez

5) Russell

6) Ocon

7) Norris

8) Gasly

9) Magnussen

10) Hamilton
 
Max Verstappen won an intense race-long battle with Charles Leclerc to take his first victory of the season in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

The Red Bull driver passed the Ferrari with four laps to go after the two had duelled during a tense race.

The battle occasionally bordered on farce as the two slowed down almost to a stop at times to try to work the DRS overtaking zones to their advantage.

But Verstappen edged it by 0.5 seconds after making the decisive move.

The two were in a league of their own out front as Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and Red Bull's Sergio Perez took third and fourth.

George Russell finished fifth for Mercedes, ahead of Alpine's Esteban Ocon and McLaren's Lando Norris.

Lewis Hamilton recovered from starting 15th to finish 10th.

The excitement meant a difficult weekend for F1 ended on a high, but the drivers and other senior figures unnerved by Friday's missile strike on a nearby oil depot are unlikely to allow the sport's bosses to forget what has been an uncomfortable three days in the desert.
 
Max Verstappen admits to struggling with Charles Leclerc's 'smart tricks' in epic Saudi Arabian GP duel

Max Verstappen said it "wasn't easy" to overcome Charles Leclerc's "smart tricks", after coming out on top of an epic Saudi Arabian GP duel to claim his first win of the season.

Red Bull's reigning world champion passed Leclerc with four laps remaining following a thrilling wheel-to-wheel battle over a series of laps, echoing scenes from last weekend's season-opener in Bahrain, when the Ferrari came out on top before Verstappen retired late in the race.

Leclerc's canny use of the DRS zones was crucial in enabling him to stay ahead of Verstappen in Bahrain, and the same plan initially worked for him in Jeddah until the Dutchman changed his approach, waiting for the second of the two main straights to make his move and therefore denying his rival the chance to hit back immediately.

"It was really tough but a good race," Verstappen said. "We were battling hard at the front and we just tried to play the long game.

"It wasn't easy playing smart tricks in the last corner, but eventually I managed to get ahead."

Formula One's radical new design regulations for 2022 are enabling the cars to follow each other far more closely, which is increasing the chance of overtakes, and despite having lost on Sunday, Leclerc is thrilled with the results.

"Oh my god! I really enjoyed that race," Leclerc said. "It's hard racing but fair. Every race should be like this. It was fun, I'm of course disappointed, we wanted to win today.

"The new regulations are definitely working. The second to last straight I was just part-throttle trying for Max to overtake me and for me to have the DRS. It worked once. then the second time he understood so he broke very early and it was a bit of a mess.

"It was fun, I liked racing like this and it was much easier to follow than I initially thought."

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/3...cs-smart-tricks-in-epic-saudi-arabian-gp-duel
 
The new regulations have made racing the most exciting it's been in a long time. Ferrari-Red Bull neck and neck, but not just on the points table. Within the races, within the laps, with each overtake, it is just so 50-50. True entertainment.
 
Formula 1 drivers to ask for more input over where sport races after Saudi Arabia drama

Formula One's drivers are preparing to ask for more input over where the sport races in future.

A number of drivers did not want to continue with the Saudi Arabian GP race weekend after Friday's missile attack just seven miles from the Jeddah circuit.

The incident is said to have accelerated a desire from the drivers to discuss having more influence on the sport's policy.

As Sky Sports News reported on Monday, the drivers are set for meetings with F1 bosses following the events of the weekend.

On the agenda will be the militant attack on the nearby Aramco oil facility.

F1 will also present more details of the security measures which helped safeguard the Grand Prix, though the future of the event itself is not thought to be in doubt despite some drivers' misgivings.

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/1...er-where-sport-races-after-saudi-arabia-drama
 
BREAKING: Formula One has confirmed the Las Vegas Grand Prix will join the race schedule from 2023.

The race will take place on a Saturday night in November, with the track sweeping around the famous Las Vegas Strip
 
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