27 July 2024 10:54
The major changes Alpine is going through off track have been mirrored with some extensive revisions on it, as some big updates appeared on its Formula 1 car in Belgium.The new development package starts with the front wing, as the designers have rebalanced the flap profiles to improve the range that the team has at its disposal for the lower downforce venues.This obviously needs to be matched at ...
27 July 2024 10:20
A variable forecast over the remainder of the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, with rain expected for qualifying ahead of a dry race, will cause Formula 1 teams a set-up dilemma.In dry conditions, the Spa-Francorchamps circuit requires an aerodynamic set-up that prioritises efficiency; downforce is an important factor as drivers need to carry speed through the variety of medium-to-high speed corners ...
27 July 2024 10:06
Max Verstappen and race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase have cleared the air over their Hungarian Grand Prix radio exchange, following talks with Red Bull Formula 1 boss Christian Horner in Belgium.The reigning world champion's behaviour over the course of last weekend's race at the Hungaroring came under the spotlight after increasingly aggressive radio messages to the pit wall.As Verstappen grew ...
27 July 2024 07:00
McLaren carried its recent form to Spa, with Lando Norris leading Oscar Piastri in Friday practice. Championship leader Max Verstappen was once again the closest rival to the McLaren duo in third.What time does qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix start?The qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix will begin at 4pm local time (+2 GMT) on Saturday at Spa.
Date: Saturday, 27 July, 2024
Start ...
26 July 2024 20:43
The last Friday practice sessions prior to Formula 1's summer break came to a close with Max Verstappen headlining FP1 at the Belgian Grand Prix, before Lando Norris slotted in the fastest time of FP2.Verstappen is guaranteed qualify without a chance of starting on pole thanks to a 10-place engine penalty for taking new power unit components for the Spa-Francorchamps weekend - as he has done in ...
26 July 2024 19:43
Mercedes thinks its “pretty bad day” of practice at Formula 1’s Belgian Grand Prix was the result of losing 0.9 seconds on the straights against McLaren.Neither George Russell nor Lewis Hamilton made much of an impression on the opening day of running at Spa-Francorchamps, as McLaren ended FP2 1-2 on the timesheets.Read Also:
Formula 1F1 Belgian GP: Norris heads FP2 from Piastri ...
26 July 2024 18:11
Despite no official confirmation about the end of Renault’s engine efforts in Formula 1, it has been clear for several weeks where things are heading.Talks taking place behind the scenes with rival manufacturers about potential customer deals, and a preliminary agreement with Mercedes believed to now be in place, told their own story about Alpine F1's shift from a manufacturer to customer team ...
26 July 2024 18:02
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri gave McLaren a 1-2 in FP2 for the Belgian Grand Prix ahead of Max Verstappen, while in the other Red Bull Sergio Perez was again massively adrift.The result provided a significant twist in the weekend's early narrative after Verstappen had dominated the field in FP1, while the pressure on Perez increased given his gap to his team-mate, with Red Bull set to decide on ...
26 July 2024 17:22
Mattia Binotto's sole leadership of Audi's Formula 1 effort should "change the speed" of its Sauber takeover, says team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi.Earlier this week, Audi announced team CEO Andrea Seidl and chairman Oliver Hoffmann had left the team, with former Ferrari F1 chief Binotto joining on 1 August to replace both.Read Also:
Formula 1What prompted Audi’s bombshell ...
26 July 2024 15:57
Bruno Famin has announced that he will stand down as Alpine Formula 1 team principal at the end of August, with Hitech F2 and F3 boss Oliver Oakes expected as his replacement.Famin was originally hired by Alpine to oversee its engine division in early 2022 before he stepped up to become its motorsport vice president in mid-2023 and then its interim team principal when former squad boss Otmar ...
26 July 2024 15:01
Several Formula 1 teams have new front and rear wing specifications at their disposal this weekend, as they look for ways to overcome the challenges posed by the Spa-Francorchamps circuit.The changes are aimed at depowering the wings, compared to those used elsewhere, in a bid to help reduce downforce and drag – which are useful for the first and third sectors around the track.However, teams ...
26 July 2024 14:40
Max Verstappen dominated FP1 at the Belgian Grand Prix, finishing ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and well clear of his Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez.On what is a high-pressure weekend for Perez given Red Bull’s intention to assess his position going forward towards 2025 over the summer break, he ended up nearly a full second down on Verstappen.Elsewhere, Alex Albon showed Williams’ ...
26 July 2024 14:00
Attending an F1 race weekend has become a must in recent years amid the championship’s popularity boom - and the Dutch GP is no different.The 2024 Dutch GP is set to take place on the 23-25 August, where fans will no doubt be treated to a uniquely vibrant atmosphere which will leave them wanting to return.This is of course helped by the brilliant racing which usually takes place, as 2023 saw a ...
26 July 2024 13:15
Lewis Hamilton will speak with FIA officials after the Hungarian Grand Prix stewards declared he "could have done more to avoid" his crash with Max Verstappen.The stewards for last weekend's event in Budapest deemed the late-race incident between the pair to be worthy of no further action after Verstappen was launched skywards and lost a place to Ferrari's Charles Leclerc behind as he rejoined ...
26 July 2024 13:07
The low-drag specific upgrades brought to the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix have been revealed, with both McLaren and Mercedes bringing new beam wings alongside their circuit-specific front and rear wings.Both UK-based teams are continuing upon their quest to close in on Red Bull in the championship standings, and have thus attempted to scale up their performance around the high-speed Spa-Francorchamps ...
26 July 2024 12:27
Yuki Tsunoda will start the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix from the rear of the field after RB chose to give him an all-new engine for this weekend’s race at Spa.Motorsport.com understands that Tsunoda – who was on the limit of his allocation allowed in the rules for all engine parts except exhausts – has been given the fresh Honda power unit as part of the common practice of taking penalties ...
26 July 2024 11:42
Valtteri Bottas reckons Mattia Binotto becoming Sauber boss will “reset” talks over the team’s remaining 2025 Formula 1 seat, but it’s also set to impact driver market discussions for others.One of Binotto’s first tasks when he starts at Sauber – reporting directly to the Audi board ahead of the marque rebranding the long-time customer F1 entrant – on 1 August will be to decide who ...
26 July 2024 10:49
The first images of new flexi-wing checks that are being conducted by the FIA have appeared ahead of Formula 1’s Belgian Grand Prix.As exclusively revealed by Motorsport.com, the FIA has begun an analysis process to help it better understand the dynamics at play with how teams are flexing their front wings.From this weekend’s event at Spa-Francorchamps, the FIA has requested that selected ...
26 July 2024 10:27
Max Verstappen says he will not tone down how he speaks to his Red Bull team following his aggressive radio rants during the Hungarian Grand Prix.Verstappen engaged in a frank discussion with his race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, and at one point said: "No mate, don't give me that bulls*** now. You guys gave me this f***ing strategy, okay? I'm trying to rescue what's left. F*** sake".His ...
26 July 2024 10:12
Lando Norris sees no reason for McLaren to make him the team’s number one driver so it can boost his chances of beating Max Verstappen to the Formula 1 drivers’ championship.The Briton is currently second in the standings, 76 points behind his Red Bull rival, with McLaren widely considered to have the most consistently fast car in F1 right now.But the team orders controversy from the Hungarian ...
26 July 2024 09:43
Lewis Hamilton has suggested Max Verstappen should change his behaviour after ranting at his own Red Bull team during the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix.Verstappen, who finished fifth in Hungary following a clash with Hamilton, repeatedly lashed out towards his race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, with aggressive radio messages during the race.The reigning world champion appears to have grown ...
26 July 2024 06:00
The iconic Spa circuit will host the last round before F1 enters a three-week shutdown.Red Bull's Max Verstappen has won the last three editions of the Belgian GP, effectively his second home race, but he is set to take a 10-place grid drop for exceeding his engine allocation.With McLaren looking rapid in the last few rounds, Verstappen will have a tough job on his hands to cycle through the field ...
25 July 2024 21:11
This Thursday marks the 15th anniversary of the accident that seriously injured Felipe Massa in 2009. During qualifying for that year's Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix, the Brazilian was hit at high speed by a spring that had detached from Rubens Barrichello's Brawn. In addition to the Brazilian's accident, that race was also marked by a series of important events. Records and personal milestones ...
25 July 2024 18:17
Alpine is poised for a further shake-up of its Formula 1 operation, with Hitech F2 and F3 boss Oliver Oakes expected to become its new team principal.With the French manufacturer squad undergoing huge change amid a push by new F1 advisor Flavio Briatore, it appears that no stone is being left unturned in its bid to get back to the front.And just a few days after it was revealed that a deal to ...
25 July 2024 17:39
Max Verstappen says he will continue to take part in sim races on grand prix weekends after laughing away suggestions that his hobby somehow affected his Formula 1 performances.Verstappen finished fifth in Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix, in which the Dutchman appeared to be particularly irritable and frustrated with his strategy, and his Red Bull survived a collision with Lewis Hamilton's ...
25 July 2024 17:24
Oscar Piastri is adamant he fully deserved his maiden Formula 1 victory and has rejected suggestions it was handed to him on a plate by his McLaren team-mate Lando Norris.The Australian had been leading for much of last weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix before Norris was shaken out in front after the final pitstop, with McLaren then ordering the Brit to allow Piastri to pass into the lead.A ...
25 July 2024 17:00
The team order facing Lando Norris regarding his McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri and potential victory in the Hungarian GP is one every ultra-competitive Formula 1 driver would dread, but they are not always heeded.Famously, back in the 2013 Malaysian Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel defied a Red Bull team order in attacking Mark Webber – now Piastri's manager – when the pair had initially been ...
25 July 2024 16:52
Lando Norris has admitted he is not “too proud” of how his antics in the Hungarian Grand Prix overshadowed team-mate Oscar Piastri’s maiden Formula 1 win.The Briton feels that his decision to delay in following through on a team order to cede the lead to Piastri, having been moved to the front through a strategic call around pitstop timings, needlessly stirred up drama.While he insists there ...
25 July 2024 15:52
Carlos Sainz says his former Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto taking charge of Audi's Formula 1 programme doesn't influence his future team choice.The Spaniard is known to have had an offer from Audi on the table for several months as it prepares its 2026 works entry following its takeover of Sauber.Sainz has been keen to keep his options open though, also entertaining a bid from Williams and an ...
25 July 2024 14:51
Under-pressure Logan Sargeant has hit back at comments from former Sauber and Caterham driver Marcus Ericsson, who claimed that he no longer speaks to his Williams boss James Vowles.Sergeant is becoming noticeably more agitated as he faces uncertainty about his future in F1.The growing speculation has spread to the US where Ericsson, who is now racing in IndyCar, says the American is struggling ...
25 July 2024 14:35
Alex Albon thinks Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton were as aggressive as each other in their Hungarian Grand Prix crash, although he reckons there was a bit of “squeezing” going on.The Williams driver had the perfect view of the incident that took place at Turn 1 on lap 63 of last weekend’s race at the Hungaroring.The long-time rivals had both swooped past the Thai driver to lap him on the ...
25 July 2024 13:30
Nico Hulkenberg is in "a bit of a shock" after Audi's decision to oust Andreas Seidl from its Formula 1 entry project and replace him with ex-Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto.Audi's decision to axe former Porsche LMP1 and McLaren F1 squad chief Seidl, as well as former Sauber board chairman Oliver Hoffmann, sent a shockwave through F1 ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix this weekend on the eve of the ...
25 July 2024 13:20
Mercedes will get another chance to evaluate Andrea Kimi Antonelli by handing the 17-year-old a test in the team's 2022 car following the Belgian GP.Mercedes is weighing up whether the Italian F2 driver is a suitable replacement for Lewis Hamilton, who is joining Ferrari next season.The Brackley-based team is short of options after turning its back on Carlos Sainz and not wishing to sign a driver ...
25 July 2024 12:12
Red Bull faces a riskier outcome regarding Max Verstappen’s expected grid penalty for exceeding his 2024 Formula 1 engine allocation at this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix, compared to similar situations in 2022 and 2023.Read Also:
Formula 1Verstappen set for Belgian GP grid penalty for F1 engine change
While Red Bull has not yet confirmed if Verstappen is indeed set to ...
25 July 2024 11:35
Charles Leclerc thinks this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix could be the race where Ferrari's bouncing issues are the "most visible" as it readies the latest batch of fixes.Ferrari's Barcelona upgrade package came with a new floor that induced bouncing in high-speed corners, an issue which contributed to it drifting away from Red Bull, McLaren and Mercedes on higher speed circuits.The Scuderia ...
25 July 2024 09:59
Esteban Ocon will race for Haas on a multi-year deal starting in the 2025 Formula 1 season, the American team announced on Thursday.Ocon, the soon-to-be former Alpine driver and winner of the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix, will partner Ferrari Academy driver and regular Haas rookie practice driver Oliver Bearman in an all-new line-up that replaces the Sauber-bound Nico Hulkenberg and the exiting Kevin ...
24 July 2024 18:13
Alpine is the latest Formula 1 team to land a movie deal as it promotes the release of Hollywood film Deadpool & Wolverine with a one-off livery for this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix.Alpine's A524 cars will race in a red, black and yellow livery showcasing main characters Deadpool and Wolverine for the Marvel movie which is set for a global release over the Belgian Grand Prix weekend.The team's ...
24 July 2024 18:05
The Milton Keynes-based team fast tracked a major revision to the sidepods and engine cover last weekend, getting rid of its characteristic Mercedes-style gulleys.The new direction was about maximising downforce because, although it is less efficient aerodynamically, that compromise did not matter at a tight and twisty track like the Hungaroring.Ultimately, the changes proved to be a bit of a ...
24 July 2024 17:33
Global payment card provider Mastercard has returned to Formula 1 sponsorship by inking a deal with McLaren.Mastercard had been known to be exploring an F1 return for some time, and has ultimately decided to join McLaren and become a 'major sponsor' of the papaya squad in what has been described as a 'multi-year' deal.Mastercard branding will appear on the McLaren team's cars and equipment later ...
24 July 2024 16:36
Recent Arrow McLaren IndyCar Series signing for 2025, Christian Lundgaard, says he has “zero interest” in getting an opportunity with the team’s Formula 1 squad.In tandem with his European open-wheel career, Lundgaard signed to the Renault Sport Academy in 2017 and tested its F1 car at the Hungaroring and Jerez.He later drove a 2018-spec F1 car at Silverstone and Bahrain and was promoted to ...
24 July 2024 15:45
Mercedes says that the final call on junior driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli getting the nod for promotion to its Formula 1 team next year is about more than F2 results.Antonelli has thrust himself back into the spotlight after his first victories in F1's feeder series. He took his maiden triumph in the rain-affected Silverstone sprint event, before claiming a first feature race win in Hungary last ...
24 July 2024 14:23
After the idea of a Formula 1 wildcard system was floated by teams and series bosses, it is a prospect that has sparked debate.From providing rookies with a golden chance to impress, to adding an extra competition dimension to F1, the pitch was put forward for evaluation at an F1 Commission meeting in London earlier this week.Here, our writers give their take on the idea and what could happen.A ...
24 July 2024 13:56
Lewis Hamilton is dismissive of FIA's plan to test a simplified air conditioning system in Formula 1 car cockpits to aid drivers in extreme heat, as he feels training alone should suffice.Motorsport.com exclusively revealed over the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix weekend how the governing body is set to trial the device it has developed in response to the struggles of various racers at last season’s ...
24 July 2024 12:56
Max Verstappen is set for a 10-place grid penalty at this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix for exceeding his engine allowance, Motorsport.com has learned.Verstappen had been on the cusp of a grid penalty for a while after losing a power unit in practice for June's Canadian Grand Prix.That meant Red Bull had to introduce the Dutchman's fourth Honda power unit in Spain, the maximum number allowed per ...
24 July 2024 12:15
Ferrari Formula 1 team principal Fred Vasseur says the squad will announce a revamped technical organisation after the summer break, but insists technical director Enrico Cardile leaving to Aston Martin is "not a drama".After weeks of speculation, it was announced earlier this month that Cardile, who was responsible for Ferrari's F1 chassis programme, would leave the Scuderia to join Aston Martin ...
24 July 2024 10:56
The idea of a wildcard system being introduced to Formula 1 to offer race opportunities for rookie drivers was put up for discussion by teams and series bosses this week.Motorsport.com has learned that one of the items put forward for evaluation at a meeting of the F1 Commission in London on Tuesday was whether a wildcard scheme had merit to be introduced.The impetus for it was believed to ...
24 July 2024 09:25
McLaren has been pretty clear all season that there is a process to go through in learning to win again in Formula 1.It is a new world fighting at the front, and it often puts you in situations where mistakes are exposed, or things can get pretty uncomfortable when some tough decisions have to be made.There is a process to go through to become the best, as McLaren CEO Zak Brown readily admits.“I ...
23 July 2024 19:10
Formula 1's points system will remain unchanged in 2025 after all teams unanimously voted against it during Tuesday's FIA F1 Commission meeting.In April several midfield teams started a push to re-visit the series' long-standing points system handing out points to top 10 finishers.At the start of the 2024 season, the grid was clearly split between a top five and bottom five, meaning that the ...
23 July 2024 17:45
Almost two years on from Audi’s official announcement of its Formula 1 entry, the smiles of that day are a long and distant memory.Its team, still racing under the Sauber banner, is currently sitting last in the constructors’ championship without a single point to its name so far this season.In fact, it has not finished in the top ten since the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix and there seems little hope ...
23 July 2024 14:17
Audi has appointed former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto to head up its Formula 1 project as part of a major management shake-up.In a statement issued on Tuesday, Audi announced that Binotto would be joining the team as its chief operating and chief technical officer from August 1 to head up efforts ahead of its 2026 debut.His arrival comes with Sauber CEO Andreas Seidl and Oliver Hoffmann ...
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