F1 2021
- Thread starter 1%er
- Start date
Lord Camomile
Yipchaa!
Exactly, that's the thing; British stuff being moved around, alright, I guess, if you must, but this is a global sport and the race isn't even in Britain this weekend!
1%er
Well-Known Member
Tsunoda surprised by reaction to debut from European fans
Yuki Tsunoda says he received more acclaim from Europe-based fans compared to those in his native Japan off the back of his Formula 1 debut in Bahrain. Tsunoda lost places on the opening lap but made gains through the course of the race to classify in ninth position. It led to praise for Tsunoda’s ability with Formula 1 chief Ross Brawn suggesting he could be the sport’s best rookie in years.
“It was interesting that after Bahrain, I think I got a bigger reaction from European fans than from those in Japan,” said Tsunoda. “It’s a cultural thing: Japanese fans want to see what I do in a few rounds before getting a proper impression. I was surprised at that reaction in Europe. I didn’t expect it, because for me, Bahrain was not a perfect weekend and I was hoping to finish higher. I am happy about the fans’ support, but I don’t feel pressure because of it, I take it as something positive and this weekend I will just get on and do my job.”
Tsunoda expects tougher challenges ahead but is confident that his prior experience at Imola will assist his progress at this weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. While Tsunoda has never raced at the venue he has carried out substantial mileage courtesy of private tests in old-spec machinery with AlphaTauri through late 2020 and early 2021. “I think when we come to tracks that are new to me, like Portimao and Monaco, that will be tougher than Bahrain,” he said. “It won’t be a problem in Imola, as I have driven there a lot and so I can work in a similar way to what I did in Bahrain. I will use the experience from the first race and I already have confidence in the car in Imola. The circuit has a lot of medium speed corners, as well as a few quick ones. I like the fast chicanes like turns one and two, which is something I don’t think I’ve ever experienced before. It really is a special feature of Imola. The track also goes up and down quite a lot and I really like it. I think this is why so many drivers enjoy driving there, because it is different to other tracks.”
[This kid looks really quick and one to watch I believe]
Yuki Tsunoda says he received more acclaim from Europe-based fans compared to those in his native Japan off the back of his Formula 1 debut in Bahrain. Tsunoda lost places on the opening lap but made gains through the course of the race to classify in ninth position. It led to praise for Tsunoda’s ability with Formula 1 chief Ross Brawn suggesting he could be the sport’s best rookie in years.
“It was interesting that after Bahrain, I think I got a bigger reaction from European fans than from those in Japan,” said Tsunoda. “It’s a cultural thing: Japanese fans want to see what I do in a few rounds before getting a proper impression. I was surprised at that reaction in Europe. I didn’t expect it, because for me, Bahrain was not a perfect weekend and I was hoping to finish higher. I am happy about the fans’ support, but I don’t feel pressure because of it, I take it as something positive and this weekend I will just get on and do my job.”
Tsunoda expects tougher challenges ahead but is confident that his prior experience at Imola will assist his progress at this weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. While Tsunoda has never raced at the venue he has carried out substantial mileage courtesy of private tests in old-spec machinery with AlphaTauri through late 2020 and early 2021. “I think when we come to tracks that are new to me, like Portimao and Monaco, that will be tougher than Bahrain,” he said. “It won’t be a problem in Imola, as I have driven there a lot and so I can work in a similar way to what I did in Bahrain. I will use the experience from the first race and I already have confidence in the car in Imola. The circuit has a lot of medium speed corners, as well as a few quick ones. I like the fast chicanes like turns one and two, which is something I don’t think I’ve ever experienced before. It really is a special feature of Imola. The track also goes up and down quite a lot and I really like it. I think this is why so many drivers enjoy driving there, because it is different to other tracks.”
[This kid looks really quick and one to watch I believe]
1%er
Well-Known Member
F1 technical director to step down after 25 years
Andrew James, Formula 1’s technical director, will end his long service with the sport at the end of May. He is stepping down following a staffing restructure after more than 25 years of working within the company in different roles. James has been credited with implementing measures that have kept the sport up to date with new technology, including the establishment of Formula 1’s state-of-the-art broadcast centre, alongside ensuring remote operations have been in place to enable race weekends to still be broadcast within the sport’s in-house media operations.
While this change was prompted by the pandemic, F1 are looking at potentially using the remote system as a long-term solution. “During my time at F1 I have had the privilege of undertaking exciting projects working with a truly great team of people who have shown the creativity, skill, passion, perseverance and dedication that has enabled the business to deliver so spectacularly,” James said. “I am very proud to have been a part of that. I would like to thank every member of staff, past and present, for their support but in particular, the teams I have worked with directly who unfailingly delivered on the targets which were set both by the organisation and ourselves. Now I am moving on, but I hope I have left my mark and I hope the business and staff continue to deliver outstanding products that excite and engage the fans.”
A particular feather in James’ cap came when an incoming typhoon threatened to cancel the Japanese Grand Prix in 2019, with the technical director overseeing the relocation of F1’s media and technology centre to allow the race to still be broadcast live. Had that not happened, it was likely the race would have been cancelled. F1’s managing director of motorsport, Ross Brawn, praised James’ significant contribution to Formula 1 over the course of the past quarter-century, with his departure coming as a result of a mutual agreement after the staffing structure at F1’s Media & Technology Centre in Biggin Hill is changed. “Andrew has been a pillar of our organisation for more than 25 years and his contribution has been immense,” said Brawn. “We wouldn’t be where we are today without his ability, commitment and dedication. I would like to personally thank Andrew for his time here and wish him all the very best for his future plans.”
F1 to introduce six new graphics during 2021 season
Formula 1 and Amazon Web Services (AWS) will unveil six new infographics throughout the 2021 season to bolster the audience’s viewing experience from home. Last year, F1 and AWS collaborated to provide a number of graphics such as Car Performance Scores, High-Speed/Low-Speed Corner Performance and Car/Team Development & Overall Season Performance. For 2021, six new graphics will be rolled out, which use real time data to provide fans with in-depth information during the live session.
The first new graphic, called Braking Performance, will be unveiled at Imola this weekend and will show “how a driver’s braking style during a cornering manoeuvre can deliver an advantage coming out of the corner”. Key metrics such as top speed on approach, speed decrease through braking, the braking power (KWH) utilised, and the immense G-forces drivers undergo while cornering will be outlined. Later in the year, new visuals will be created, with Car Exploitation being scheduled for use in Canada, which will display when drivers “are pushing their cars to performance limits in areas like tyre traction, braking, acceleration, and manoeuvring during key points in a race”.
Energy Usage will debut at the British Grand Prix and will outline how the Power Units use energy during a race, including periods when teams unleash energy to overtake another car. Start Analysis, which will be introduced at the Italian Grand Prix, will display “which driver was the quickest on the pedal and picked the perfect line, as well as which drivers struggled off the starting grid and why”. Pitlane Performance will look at pit stop execution, analysing the efficiency of the stop and providing data that goes beyond how long a driver was stationary in their pit box the graphic will first be seen in Japan.
Finally, Undercut Threat will add a new layer of insight to the Pit Strategy Battle graphic that was used last year, as it analyses race performance before either car has pitted, visualising data on gaps between cars, average pit loss time, and tyre performance “to help identify which cars are at risk. F1 Insights Powered by AWS give fans an insider’s view of how car, driver, and team function together so that they can better appreciate the action on the track,” said Rob Smedley, chief engineer of F1. “With this new set of racing statistics for 2021, we are going deeper than ever before. New Insights like Braking Performance and Undercut Threat peel back additional layers of race strategies and performance and use advanced visualizations to make the sport of racing even more understandable and exciting. Race car technology improves all the time, and thanks to AWS, our fans can appreciate how that technology impacts race outcomes.”
Miami Grand Prix set to go ahead despite facing resistance
The Miami Gardens city commissioners have decided to push forward with their plans to bring a Formula 1 race to the East Coast of America. As reported earlier, plans to stage a race around the Hard Rock Stadium had reached advanced discussions, despite facing push back from the larger community. However, with the event being green-lighted by the city commission, it appears as if a Grand Prix is all but confirmed to take place around the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
The sanctioning of the event has irked the ire of local residents who believe the race only serves the purpose of the organisers rather than the larger community. Despite an initiative by the organisers to pledge $5 million over a span of ten years to the community, as well as creating internship opportunities for high school and college students. Local residents remain unhappy and slighted. "Our city council has flip-flopped on us, and it makes us very angry,” resident Brenda Martin Providence told WSVN 7 News. "The money that it brings to them, it doesn’t bring to us, we still have the same issues."
Politics aside, the decision to stage a race in Miami will please both the FIA and Liberty Media, who own the commercial rights to the sport. With Formula 1 desperate to make inroads with the American audience a second race on the East Coast, is sure to please the powers that be.
Andrew James, Formula 1’s technical director, will end his long service with the sport at the end of May. He is stepping down following a staffing restructure after more than 25 years of working within the company in different roles. James has been credited with implementing measures that have kept the sport up to date with new technology, including the establishment of Formula 1’s state-of-the-art broadcast centre, alongside ensuring remote operations have been in place to enable race weekends to still be broadcast within the sport’s in-house media operations.
While this change was prompted by the pandemic, F1 are looking at potentially using the remote system as a long-term solution. “During my time at F1 I have had the privilege of undertaking exciting projects working with a truly great team of people who have shown the creativity, skill, passion, perseverance and dedication that has enabled the business to deliver so spectacularly,” James said. “I am very proud to have been a part of that. I would like to thank every member of staff, past and present, for their support but in particular, the teams I have worked with directly who unfailingly delivered on the targets which were set both by the organisation and ourselves. Now I am moving on, but I hope I have left my mark and I hope the business and staff continue to deliver outstanding products that excite and engage the fans.”
A particular feather in James’ cap came when an incoming typhoon threatened to cancel the Japanese Grand Prix in 2019, with the technical director overseeing the relocation of F1’s media and technology centre to allow the race to still be broadcast live. Had that not happened, it was likely the race would have been cancelled. F1’s managing director of motorsport, Ross Brawn, praised James’ significant contribution to Formula 1 over the course of the past quarter-century, with his departure coming as a result of a mutual agreement after the staffing structure at F1’s Media & Technology Centre in Biggin Hill is changed. “Andrew has been a pillar of our organisation for more than 25 years and his contribution has been immense,” said Brawn. “We wouldn’t be where we are today without his ability, commitment and dedication. I would like to personally thank Andrew for his time here and wish him all the very best for his future plans.”
F1 to introduce six new graphics during 2021 season
Formula 1 and Amazon Web Services (AWS) will unveil six new infographics throughout the 2021 season to bolster the audience’s viewing experience from home. Last year, F1 and AWS collaborated to provide a number of graphics such as Car Performance Scores, High-Speed/Low-Speed Corner Performance and Car/Team Development & Overall Season Performance. For 2021, six new graphics will be rolled out, which use real time data to provide fans with in-depth information during the live session.
The first new graphic, called Braking Performance, will be unveiled at Imola this weekend and will show “how a driver’s braking style during a cornering manoeuvre can deliver an advantage coming out of the corner”. Key metrics such as top speed on approach, speed decrease through braking, the braking power (KWH) utilised, and the immense G-forces drivers undergo while cornering will be outlined. Later in the year, new visuals will be created, with Car Exploitation being scheduled for use in Canada, which will display when drivers “are pushing their cars to performance limits in areas like tyre traction, braking, acceleration, and manoeuvring during key points in a race”.
Energy Usage will debut at the British Grand Prix and will outline how the Power Units use energy during a race, including periods when teams unleash energy to overtake another car. Start Analysis, which will be introduced at the Italian Grand Prix, will display “which driver was the quickest on the pedal and picked the perfect line, as well as which drivers struggled off the starting grid and why”. Pitlane Performance will look at pit stop execution, analysing the efficiency of the stop and providing data that goes beyond how long a driver was stationary in their pit box the graphic will first be seen in Japan.
Finally, Undercut Threat will add a new layer of insight to the Pit Strategy Battle graphic that was used last year, as it analyses race performance before either car has pitted, visualising data on gaps between cars, average pit loss time, and tyre performance “to help identify which cars are at risk. F1 Insights Powered by AWS give fans an insider’s view of how car, driver, and team function together so that they can better appreciate the action on the track,” said Rob Smedley, chief engineer of F1. “With this new set of racing statistics for 2021, we are going deeper than ever before. New Insights like Braking Performance and Undercut Threat peel back additional layers of race strategies and performance and use advanced visualizations to make the sport of racing even more understandable and exciting. Race car technology improves all the time, and thanks to AWS, our fans can appreciate how that technology impacts race outcomes.”
Miami Grand Prix set to go ahead despite facing resistance
The Miami Gardens city commissioners have decided to push forward with their plans to bring a Formula 1 race to the East Coast of America. As reported earlier, plans to stage a race around the Hard Rock Stadium had reached advanced discussions, despite facing push back from the larger community. However, with the event being green-lighted by the city commission, it appears as if a Grand Prix is all but confirmed to take place around the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
The sanctioning of the event has irked the ire of local residents who believe the race only serves the purpose of the organisers rather than the larger community. Despite an initiative by the organisers to pledge $5 million over a span of ten years to the community, as well as creating internship opportunities for high school and college students. Local residents remain unhappy and slighted. "Our city council has flip-flopped on us, and it makes us very angry,” resident Brenda Martin Providence told WSVN 7 News. "The money that it brings to them, it doesn’t bring to us, we still have the same issues."
Politics aside, the decision to stage a race in Miami will please both the FIA and Liberty Media, who own the commercial rights to the sport. With Formula 1 desperate to make inroads with the American audience a second race on the East Coast, is sure to please the powers that be.
1%er
Well-Known Member
F1 still in talks with Canadian GP promoters despite cancellation reports
Formula 1 says talks continue with promoters despite reports the Canadian Grand Prix will be cancelled for the second straight year. The race, scheduled for June 13 at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, was set to be the first outside of Europe and the Middle East since the Covid-19 pandemic began over a year ago. But current quarantine guidelines in Canada, which F1 would be unable to follow, and concerns from public health authorities that the event could be a Covid 'superspreader' with fans in attendance means there has been a recent push towards holding the race behind closed doors. For that to happen, it was claimed F1 is demanding an extra $6m from local governments to cover the costs of holding the race without fans, creating another hurdle on the race's path.
“We are told [that] because there won’t be any spectators there would have to be compensation from the government, and we already have given quite a lot,” said Quebec Premier Francois Legault via Motorsport Week. “The worry we have is if we don’t have the Grand Prix in 2021, what will happen in 2022, between 2022 and 2029, because, let’s not forget, the Grand Prix is the event where there’s about the most real economic [benefit] as that is money that comes from foreign lands and is spent here in Quebec. Of course we always make sure that the help that is given [to the event] is less to the real economic advantages in Quebec, and there’s no conclusions on that right now.”
But with a final call needed imminently to prepare the circuit or find a replacement, local media declared on Thursday that the decision had been taken to cancel. "We are continuing our discussions with the promoter in Canada and have no further comment," an F1 spokesperson said in response. Should the Montreal GP ultimately be called off, it is believed Istanbul Park in Turkey is first in line to fill the mid-June slot due to its proximity to Azerbaijan, which will hold its own closed-door race just a week before.
FIA confirm track limits enforcement for Imola
The much-discussed track limits are back for round two of the 2021 season at Imola and the stewards, it seems, plan to get tough. As tracks on the Formula 1 calendar have moved away from gravel traps in favour of more run-off areas, track limits have become vital to prevent drivers from heading out of bounds to gain an advantage. But at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, track limits, and in particular the inconsistency in enforcing them, became a huge topic for debate after they had a major impact on the result of the race.
Sir Lewis Hamilton was alleged to have gone beyond track limits 29 times, with the stewards then warning Mercedes against the actions of their driver. But later, when Max Verstappen went wide at Turn 4 to pass Hamilton for the lead, he was told to give the place back for breaching track limits. After the dust had settled on the Bahrain Grand Prix, Red Bull boss Christian Horner called for an end to the grey areas of track limits. “It’s a tough one,” Horner told Red Bull’s Talking Bull podcast. “I think before the race was very clear if you managed to get a lasting advantage, i.e. an overtake, then you would be asked to give the place back, which is absolutely what happened and what Max immediately and very sportingly did. I think what was a little bit greyer in the early part of the race was, you know, the abuse of those track limits. I think everyone just wants clarity, ‘can you use it or can’t you use it’. But I think the worst thing for the fans, for the drivers, for the teams is where you can use it in this instance but not in another. I think in all other sports it’s binary, you’re either in or out. And I think it would be, in many respects, easier to deal with that.”
And the latest set of track limits have now been published, this time for the Made in Italy and Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Imola is an old-school venue where gravel very much remains, but track limits will still be fully enforced at the Turn 9 exit, Turn 13 apex and Turn 15 exit. “A lap time achieved during any practice session or the race by leaving the track on the exit of Turn 9 will result in that lap time being invalidated by the stewards. A driver will be judged to have left the track if no part of the car remains in contact with the track,” the ruling reads. “A lap time achieved during any practice session or the race by leaving the track on the exit of Turn 13 will result in that lap time being invalidated by the stewards. A driver will be judged to have left the track if no part of the car remains in contact with the track. A lap time achieved during any practice session or the race by leaving the track and cutting behind the red, white and green kerb on the exit of Turn 15 will result in that lap time being invalidated by the stewards. Each time any car fails to negotiate Turn 9 exit, Turn 13 apex or Turn 15 exit by using the track as described above, teams will be informed by the official messaging system. On the third occasion of a driver failing to negotiate Turn 9 exit and/or Turn 13 apex and/or Turn 15 exit by using the track during the race, he will be shown a black and white flag. Any further cutting will then be reported to the stewards. For the avoidance of doubt, this means a total of three occasions combined, not three at each corner.”
Formula 1 says talks continue with promoters despite reports the Canadian Grand Prix will be cancelled for the second straight year. The race, scheduled for June 13 at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, was set to be the first outside of Europe and the Middle East since the Covid-19 pandemic began over a year ago. But current quarantine guidelines in Canada, which F1 would be unable to follow, and concerns from public health authorities that the event could be a Covid 'superspreader' with fans in attendance means there has been a recent push towards holding the race behind closed doors. For that to happen, it was claimed F1 is demanding an extra $6m from local governments to cover the costs of holding the race without fans, creating another hurdle on the race's path.
“We are told [that] because there won’t be any spectators there would have to be compensation from the government, and we already have given quite a lot,” said Quebec Premier Francois Legault via Motorsport Week. “The worry we have is if we don’t have the Grand Prix in 2021, what will happen in 2022, between 2022 and 2029, because, let’s not forget, the Grand Prix is the event where there’s about the most real economic [benefit] as that is money that comes from foreign lands and is spent here in Quebec. Of course we always make sure that the help that is given [to the event] is less to the real economic advantages in Quebec, and there’s no conclusions on that right now.”
But with a final call needed imminently to prepare the circuit or find a replacement, local media declared on Thursday that the decision had been taken to cancel. "We are continuing our discussions with the promoter in Canada and have no further comment," an F1 spokesperson said in response. Should the Montreal GP ultimately be called off, it is believed Istanbul Park in Turkey is first in line to fill the mid-June slot due to its proximity to Azerbaijan, which will hold its own closed-door race just a week before.
FIA confirm track limits enforcement for Imola
The much-discussed track limits are back for round two of the 2021 season at Imola and the stewards, it seems, plan to get tough. As tracks on the Formula 1 calendar have moved away from gravel traps in favour of more run-off areas, track limits have become vital to prevent drivers from heading out of bounds to gain an advantage. But at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, track limits, and in particular the inconsistency in enforcing them, became a huge topic for debate after they had a major impact on the result of the race.
Sir Lewis Hamilton was alleged to have gone beyond track limits 29 times, with the stewards then warning Mercedes against the actions of their driver. But later, when Max Verstappen went wide at Turn 4 to pass Hamilton for the lead, he was told to give the place back for breaching track limits. After the dust had settled on the Bahrain Grand Prix, Red Bull boss Christian Horner called for an end to the grey areas of track limits. “It’s a tough one,” Horner told Red Bull’s Talking Bull podcast. “I think before the race was very clear if you managed to get a lasting advantage, i.e. an overtake, then you would be asked to give the place back, which is absolutely what happened and what Max immediately and very sportingly did. I think what was a little bit greyer in the early part of the race was, you know, the abuse of those track limits. I think everyone just wants clarity, ‘can you use it or can’t you use it’. But I think the worst thing for the fans, for the drivers, for the teams is where you can use it in this instance but not in another. I think in all other sports it’s binary, you’re either in or out. And I think it would be, in many respects, easier to deal with that.”
And the latest set of track limits have now been published, this time for the Made in Italy and Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Imola is an old-school venue where gravel very much remains, but track limits will still be fully enforced at the Turn 9 exit, Turn 13 apex and Turn 15 exit. “A lap time achieved during any practice session or the race by leaving the track on the exit of Turn 9 will result in that lap time being invalidated by the stewards. A driver will be judged to have left the track if no part of the car remains in contact with the track,” the ruling reads. “A lap time achieved during any practice session or the race by leaving the track on the exit of Turn 13 will result in that lap time being invalidated by the stewards. A driver will be judged to have left the track if no part of the car remains in contact with the track. A lap time achieved during any practice session or the race by leaving the track and cutting behind the red, white and green kerb on the exit of Turn 15 will result in that lap time being invalidated by the stewards. Each time any car fails to negotiate Turn 9 exit, Turn 13 apex or Turn 15 exit by using the track as described above, teams will be informed by the official messaging system. On the third occasion of a driver failing to negotiate Turn 9 exit and/or Turn 13 apex and/or Turn 15 exit by using the track during the race, he will be shown a black and white flag. Any further cutting will then be reported to the stewards. For the avoidance of doubt, this means a total of three occasions combined, not three at each corner.”
1%er
Well-Known Member
FP1: Bottas P1, old foes Perez and Ocon collide
Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon got their Imola incidents off to an early start, the two bringing out the red flags after colliding. With 20 minutes remaining in the opening practice session on Friday, Perez was spotted spinning without his left rear tyre while Ocon, sporting front end damage, pulled over metres later. Both cars were unable to make it back into the pits, bringing out the red flags in a session that saw Valtteri Bottas finish fastest of all. Red Bull team boss Christian Horner confirmed the two had made contact, saying: “Ocon was on a slow lap, Sergio was on a flying lap and there was contact between the two guys.”
Following an epic race in Bahrain, Formula 1 returned to action at the Imola circuit on Friday for the beginning of the ‘Formula 1 Pirelli Gran Premio Del Made In Italy E Dell’emilia Romagna’. Blue skies but chilly conditions greeted the drivers with Perez the first to try out the gravel, going off and through the kitty litter, with Nikita Mazepin also in the thick of it early on. He wanted to pit, was told to stay out, almost hit the pit lane wall, avoided that, and then spun into the gravel at the final corner. The cold, the track temperature around the 20’C mark, made the conditions difficult for the drivers.
There were more incidents as Yuki Tsunoda joined the list of those visiting the gravel traps, going off at the Tamburello chicane, while Max Verstappen also went rallying through the Tamburello gravel. Nicholas Latifi ate dirt at Rivazza while there was a late spinner and crasher into the barrier leading into the pit lane. Guess who? Yip, Mazepin. Lewis Hamilton set the early pace with Pierre Gasly ahead at the halfway mark. Carlos Sainz took over at the front, clocking a 1:17.296 moments later the session was red flagged. With the action back on with 12 minutes remaining, with Hamilton hitting the front followed by Verstappen. It was, however, Bottas who had the final say, a 1:16.564 putting him 0.041s up on Hamilton, Verstappen was third, 0.058s down, finishing ahead of Charles Leclerc, who spent most of the session without a time on the board, and Gasly. Sainz was P6.
Times
1 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 1:16.564 23 laps
2 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 0.041s 25 laps
3 Max Verstappen Red Bull 0.058s 21 laps
4 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 0.232s 13 laps
5 Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri 0.324s 21 laps
6 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 0.324s 26 laps
7 Fernando Alonso Alpine 0.893s 23 laps
8 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 0.925s 19 laps
9 Nicholas Latifi Williams 1.175s 24 laps
10 Daniel Ricciardo McLaren 1.205s 23 laps
11 George Russell Williams 1.302s 25 laps
12 Kimi Raikkonen Alfa Romeo Racing 1.319s 16 laps
13 Lando Norris McLaren 1.371s 16 laps
14 Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin 1.420s 23 laps
15 Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo Racing 1.494s 24 laps
16 Sergio Perez Red Bull 1.664s 15 laps
17 Esteban Ocon Alpine 1.796s 20 laps
18 Nikita Mazepin Haas 2.259s 22 laps
19 Mick Schumacher Haas 2.916s 18 laps
20 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri 3.217s 11 laps
Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon got their Imola incidents off to an early start, the two bringing out the red flags after colliding. With 20 minutes remaining in the opening practice session on Friday, Perez was spotted spinning without his left rear tyre while Ocon, sporting front end damage, pulled over metres later. Both cars were unable to make it back into the pits, bringing out the red flags in a session that saw Valtteri Bottas finish fastest of all. Red Bull team boss Christian Horner confirmed the two had made contact, saying: “Ocon was on a slow lap, Sergio was on a flying lap and there was contact between the two guys.”
Following an epic race in Bahrain, Formula 1 returned to action at the Imola circuit on Friday for the beginning of the ‘Formula 1 Pirelli Gran Premio Del Made In Italy E Dell’emilia Romagna’. Blue skies but chilly conditions greeted the drivers with Perez the first to try out the gravel, going off and through the kitty litter, with Nikita Mazepin also in the thick of it early on. He wanted to pit, was told to stay out, almost hit the pit lane wall, avoided that, and then spun into the gravel at the final corner. The cold, the track temperature around the 20’C mark, made the conditions difficult for the drivers.
There were more incidents as Yuki Tsunoda joined the list of those visiting the gravel traps, going off at the Tamburello chicane, while Max Verstappen also went rallying through the Tamburello gravel. Nicholas Latifi ate dirt at Rivazza while there was a late spinner and crasher into the barrier leading into the pit lane. Guess who? Yip, Mazepin. Lewis Hamilton set the early pace with Pierre Gasly ahead at the halfway mark. Carlos Sainz took over at the front, clocking a 1:17.296 moments later the session was red flagged. With the action back on with 12 minutes remaining, with Hamilton hitting the front followed by Verstappen. It was, however, Bottas who had the final say, a 1:16.564 putting him 0.041s up on Hamilton, Verstappen was third, 0.058s down, finishing ahead of Charles Leclerc, who spent most of the session without a time on the board, and Gasly. Sainz was P6.
Times
1 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 1:16.564 23 laps
2 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 0.041s 25 laps
3 Max Verstappen Red Bull 0.058s 21 laps
4 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 0.232s 13 laps
5 Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri 0.324s 21 laps
6 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 0.324s 26 laps
7 Fernando Alonso Alpine 0.893s 23 laps
8 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 0.925s 19 laps
9 Nicholas Latifi Williams 1.175s 24 laps
10 Daniel Ricciardo McLaren 1.205s 23 laps
11 George Russell Williams 1.302s 25 laps
12 Kimi Raikkonen Alfa Romeo Racing 1.319s 16 laps
13 Lando Norris McLaren 1.371s 16 laps
14 Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin 1.420s 23 laps
15 Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo Racing 1.494s 24 laps
16 Sergio Perez Red Bull 1.664s 15 laps
17 Esteban Ocon Alpine 1.796s 20 laps
18 Nikita Mazepin Haas 2.259s 22 laps
19 Mick Schumacher Haas 2.916s 18 laps
20 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri 3.217s 11 laps
Zapp Brannigan
Built like a steakhouse, handles like a bistro
Mazepin is destined to be remembered as the worst F1 driver ever. There have been slow drivers and those prone to crashing, but there's never before been someone out there who simply isn't capable of driving the car he's in. It's unsustainable - to have him out on track is dangerous to the other 19.
1%er
Well-Known Member
Live link to FP2 for anyone who wants to watch it
1%er
Well-Known Member
Bottas fastest in FP2 as Verstappen stops, Leclerc crashes
Mercedes Formula 1 driver Valtteri Bottas once again set the pace in second practice for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix as Max Verstappen stopped on track and Charles Leclerc crashed. Bottas, who took pole at Imola last year, ended FP2 fastest with a 1m15.551s to edge out seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton by just 0.010s as Mercedes completed another 1-2 to round out Friday practice at Imola, while AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly set a very impressive time to get within 0.078s of the Finn’s benchmark in third.
Red Bull suffered another setback as Max Verstappen lost the majority of the session arguably the most important practice of the weekend when his RB16B ground to a halt on the pit straight after just 10 minutes of running. Verstappen lost drive in his Honda-powered Red Bull after reporting “something snapped at the rear” of his car after running wide over the kerbs at the final corner, bringing his FP2 to a premature end.
It was an encouraging afternoon for Ferrari as Carlos Sainz headed teammate Charles Leclerc in fourth, though the Monegasque ended FP2 in the wall at the final corner as he attempted to correct a snap of oversteer coming through the second Rivazza, admitting he was “pushing quite a bit”.
Sergio Perez was sixth-fastest and eight-tenths off the pace in the second Red Bull, 0.008s clear of AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda. McLaren’s Lando Norris and Alfa Romeo driver Antonio Giovinazzi also finished within a second of Bottas’ benchmark in P8 and P9 respectively, while Lance Stroll rounded out the top-10 for Aston Martin.
Mercedes Formula 1 driver Valtteri Bottas once again set the pace in second practice for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix as Max Verstappen stopped on track and Charles Leclerc crashed. Bottas, who took pole at Imola last year, ended FP2 fastest with a 1m15.551s to edge out seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton by just 0.010s as Mercedes completed another 1-2 to round out Friday practice at Imola, while AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly set a very impressive time to get within 0.078s of the Finn’s benchmark in third.
Red Bull suffered another setback as Max Verstappen lost the majority of the session arguably the most important practice of the weekend when his RB16B ground to a halt on the pit straight after just 10 minutes of running. Verstappen lost drive in his Honda-powered Red Bull after reporting “something snapped at the rear” of his car after running wide over the kerbs at the final corner, bringing his FP2 to a premature end.
It was an encouraging afternoon for Ferrari as Carlos Sainz headed teammate Charles Leclerc in fourth, though the Monegasque ended FP2 in the wall at the final corner as he attempted to correct a snap of oversteer coming through the second Rivazza, admitting he was “pushing quite a bit”.
Sergio Perez was sixth-fastest and eight-tenths off the pace in the second Red Bull, 0.008s clear of AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda. McLaren’s Lando Norris and Alfa Romeo driver Antonio Giovinazzi also finished within a second of Bottas’ benchmark in P8 and P9 respectively, while Lance Stroll rounded out the top-10 for Aston Martin.
| 2021 F1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix - FREE PRACTICE RESULTS (2) | ||||
| Pos | Driver | Nat. | Team | Time |
| 1 | Valtteri Bottas | FIN | Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team | 1m15.551s |
| 2 | Lewis Hamilton | GBR | Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team | 1m15.561s |
| 3 | Pierre Gasly | FRA | Scuderia AlphaTauri Honda | 1m15.629s |
| 4 | Carlos Sainz | ESP | Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow | 1m15.834s |
| 5 | Charles Leclerc | MON | Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow | 1m16.371s |
| 6 | Sergio Perez | MEX | Red Bull Racing | 1m16.411s |
| 7 | Yuki Tsunoda | JPN | Scuderia AlphaTauri Honda | 1m16.419s |
| 8 | Lando Norris | GBR | McLaren F1 Team | 1m16.485s |
| 9 | Antonio Giovinazzi | ITA | Alfa Romeo Racing Orlen | 1m16.513s |
| 10 | Lance Stroll | CAN | Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team | 1m16.737s |
| 11 | Esteban Ocon | FRA | Alpine F1 Team | 1m16.817s |
| 12 | Nicholas Latifi | CAN | Williams Racing | 1m16.823s |
| 13 | Fernando Alonso | ESP | Alpine F1 Team | 1m16.835s |
| 14 | Max Verstappen | NED | Red Bull Racing | 1m16.999s |
| 15 | Sebastian Vettel | GER | Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team | 1m17.092s |
| 16 | George Russell | GBR | Williams Racing | 1m17.179s |
| 17 | Kimi Raikkonen | FIN | Alfa Romeo Racing Orlen | 1m17.273s |
| 18 | Daniel Ricciardo | AUS | McLaren F1 Team | 1m17.281s |
| 19 | Mick Schumacher | GER | Uralkali Haas F1 Team | 1m17.350s |
| 20 | Nikita Mazepin | RUS | Uralkali Haas F1 Team | 1m17.857s |
Lord Camomile
Yipchaa!
Wasn't really able to pay attention to F1 yesterday so having a quick catch up this morning. Read this:
and simply thought "yup".
Zapp Brannigan
Built like a steakhouse, handles like a bistro
Last in FP3, 0.95s behind his (also rookie) teammate.
1%er
Well-Known Member
FP3: Verstappen lays down a marker for qualifying with quickest time in final practice at Imola
A thrilling battle at the top of the time sheets in Free Practice 3 for the 2021 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix saw four teams filling out the top five positions, as Red Bull’s Max Verstappen overcame his driveshaft issues from Friday to win out over the McLaren of Lando Norris, with Lewis Hamilton in P3 for Mercedes. Having had several quick laps deleted, Verstappen’s final soft-shod effort saw the Red Bull driver stop the clocks with a 1m 14.958s, by far the fastest lap seen yet this weekend, as he ended up a dominant 0.456s fastest than Norris who recovered well from a lacklustre day for McLaren yesterday.
Hamilton had to content himself with P3 behind the Mercedes customer team of McLaren, the seven-time champion over half a second off Verstappen’s pace, as Verstappen’s team mate Sergio Perez claimed fourth, 0.593s off following a tough Friday that saw him collide with Alpine’s Esteban Ocon. It’s been a more positive weekend thus far for Ferrari. And Charles Leclerc provided some more optimism with the fifth fastest time, he and team mate Carlos Sainz putting a new floor on their SF21s to good use, as Sainz ended up P7, with the consistently fast Pierre Gasly in between in P6, having impressively set his fastest lap on the medium tyre.
Hamilton’s team mate Valtteri Bottas claimed P8, having been forced to abort a fast effort in the final stages after he got a big snap of oversteer at the exit of Acque Minerali. It was a positive session too for Alpine, who have brought a significant upgrade this weekend, and were rewarded with P9 and P10 for Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon.
Yuki Tsunoda suffered traffic problems that left him fuming in his AlphaTauri AT02 but recovered to take 11th, ahead of the Aston Martin of Lance Stroll in 12th and McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo, who was unable to match his team mate’s heroics as he ended up 13th, 1.295s off the ultimate pace.
The second Aston Martin of Sebastian Vettel was 14th, just ahead of the Williams of George Russell and the Haas of Mick Schumacher. Nicholas Latifi had been in fine form across Friday, but blotted his copybook with a red flag-triggering trip into the gravel at the exit of the Villeneuve chicane, with Latifi able to recover to the pits having lost his front wing, and ending up 17th. Meanwhile, after scoring double points at last year’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi and Kimi Raikkonen had a disappointing session, ending up P18 and P19, with both drivers making trips into the gravel, as Haas’ Nikita Mazepin rounded out the field.
So, having suffered his driveshaft issue yesterday, it was very much advantage Max Verstappen heading into qualifying but can anyone deny the Dutchman a hat-trick of pole positions? We’ll find out when qualifying gets under way.
2021 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix Free Practice 3 results
A thrilling battle at the top of the time sheets in Free Practice 3 for the 2021 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix saw four teams filling out the top five positions, as Red Bull’s Max Verstappen overcame his driveshaft issues from Friday to win out over the McLaren of Lando Norris, with Lewis Hamilton in P3 for Mercedes. Having had several quick laps deleted, Verstappen’s final soft-shod effort saw the Red Bull driver stop the clocks with a 1m 14.958s, by far the fastest lap seen yet this weekend, as he ended up a dominant 0.456s fastest than Norris who recovered well from a lacklustre day for McLaren yesterday.
Hamilton had to content himself with P3 behind the Mercedes customer team of McLaren, the seven-time champion over half a second off Verstappen’s pace, as Verstappen’s team mate Sergio Perez claimed fourth, 0.593s off following a tough Friday that saw him collide with Alpine’s Esteban Ocon. It’s been a more positive weekend thus far for Ferrari. And Charles Leclerc provided some more optimism with the fifth fastest time, he and team mate Carlos Sainz putting a new floor on their SF21s to good use, as Sainz ended up P7, with the consistently fast Pierre Gasly in between in P6, having impressively set his fastest lap on the medium tyre.
Hamilton’s team mate Valtteri Bottas claimed P8, having been forced to abort a fast effort in the final stages after he got a big snap of oversteer at the exit of Acque Minerali. It was a positive session too for Alpine, who have brought a significant upgrade this weekend, and were rewarded with P9 and P10 for Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon.
Yuki Tsunoda suffered traffic problems that left him fuming in his AlphaTauri AT02 but recovered to take 11th, ahead of the Aston Martin of Lance Stroll in 12th and McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo, who was unable to match his team mate’s heroics as he ended up 13th, 1.295s off the ultimate pace.
The second Aston Martin of Sebastian Vettel was 14th, just ahead of the Williams of George Russell and the Haas of Mick Schumacher. Nicholas Latifi had been in fine form across Friday, but blotted his copybook with a red flag-triggering trip into the gravel at the exit of the Villeneuve chicane, with Latifi able to recover to the pits having lost his front wing, and ending up 17th. Meanwhile, after scoring double points at last year’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi and Kimi Raikkonen had a disappointing session, ending up P18 and P19, with both drivers making trips into the gravel, as Haas’ Nikita Mazepin rounded out the field.
So, having suffered his driveshaft issue yesterday, it was very much advantage Max Verstappen heading into qualifying but can anyone deny the Dutchman a hat-trick of pole positions? We’ll find out when qualifying gets under way.
2021 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix Free Practice 3 results
| Pos | Driver | Team | Time | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:14.958s | 17 | |
| 2 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:15.414s | + 0.456s | 16 |
| 3 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:15.515s | + 0.557s | 17 |
| 4 | Sergio Pérez | Red Bull | 1:15.551s | + 0.593s | 17 |
| 5 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:15.738s | + 0.780s | 20 |
| 6 | Pierre Gasly | AlphaTauri | 1:15.890s | + 0.932s | 21 |
| 7 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | 1:15.908s | + 0.950s | 20 |
| 8 | Valtteri Bottas | Mercedes | 1:15.908s | + 0.950s | 18 |
| 9 | Fernando Alonso | Alpine | 1:16.186s | + 1.228s | 19 |
| 10 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine | 1:16.228s | + 1.270s | 19 |
| 11 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri | 1:16.230s | + 1.272s | 19 |
| 12 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:16.245s | + 1.287s | 18 |
| 13 | Daniel Ricciardo | McLaren | 1:16.253s | + 1.295s | 16 |
| 14 | Sebastian Vettel | Aston Martin | 1:16.389s | + 1.431s | 18 |
| 15 | George Russell | Williams | 1:16.427s | + 1.469s | 19 |
| 16 | Mick Schumacher | Haas | 1:16.448s | + 1.490s | 21 |
| 17 | Nicholas Latifi | Williams | 1:16.537s | + 1.579s | 14 |
| 18 | Antonio Giovinazzi | Alfa Romeo | 1:16.612s | + 1.654s | 21 |
| 19 | Kimi Räikkönen | Alfa Romeo | 1:16.803s | + 1.845s | 22 |
| 20 | Nikita Mazepin | Haas | 1:17.398s | + 2.440s | 22 |
1%er
Well-Known Member
Looking good for a great quali, anyone who needs a link this one is working well
Was trying endlessly to open Sky Go. It looked for updates then shut down 
was getting a bit panicked when I realised I changed my WiFi password a week ago and was not connected.
Should be interesting today tomorrow. Have not watched but checking updates. Hopefully an open Quali and Race
was getting a bit panicked when I realised I changed my WiFi password a week ago and was not connected. Should be interesting today tomorrow. Have not watched but checking updates. Hopefully an open Quali and Race
