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F1 2022

OK guys we are out of here BBQ to go to, catch you next weekend for Budapest :thumbs:

I see the temperature in London is the same as here 28C I think you are in the middle of summer there we are in the middle of winter here :) Nice cool and sunny day for us LOL
 
Ah, Hungary. Once joint-owner of a moderately successful empire.

Here comes a Grand Prix in the land that also gave us:

Tony Curtis, Tommy Ramone, Calvin Klein, Harry Houdini, Monica Seles, Joseph Pulitzer, Laszlo Biro, Erno Rubik, and Zsa Zsa Gabor.

Magyars all.

But I digress. The telly treats will appear - UK times - at:

Fri 29 Jul
FP1 - 13:00
FP2 - 16:00

Sat 30 Jul
FP3 - 12:00
Qual - 15:00

Sun 31 Jul
Race - 14:00

Let us all say the heartfelt blessing for this race:

A Great Winger Red Bull autói szétesjenek ezer nagyon lassú darabra!

Bull's Blood all round!
 

Christian Horner calls for FIA investigation after George Russell podium​

Christian Horner has demanded the FIA investigate Virtual Safety Car restarts after George Russell secured a podium at the French Grand Prix. The Red Bull boss revealed Perez did not get the correct VSC data in his car, used to tell a driver to slow down or speed up. Meanwhile, Russell timed the end of the VSC perfectly to make the pass and grab a podium. He backed off in the initial phase before speeding up just as the VSC was withdrawn to catch Perez off-guard and sweep around the outside of turn 14.

But, Horner has called for the FIA to “explore” the issue to stop similar incidents happening again. Speaking to Motorsport.com, Horner said: “What was frustrating for him is there was an issue in race control with the safety car, the VSC, because they couldn't turn it off, so they had to do a reset.
“Just talking with him, he said he wasn't getting the delta in his car, so he was bang on his delta. George either pre-empted it but was within the delta, or maybe the information to the two cars was different. We have to go and explore that. Yeah, it was frustrating, because I think he would have had the pace to hold him off for a double podium.”

Perez claimed the VSC had “interfered with the result” after suggesting Russell could prepare better for the restart. He backed up Horner's comments, claiming it “shouldn't be the case” that the VSC could divide the result. Russell’s overtake helped Mercedes to their first double podium finish of the season. It’s the Mercedes star’s fourth top-three finish of the campaign and his first since the Azerbaijan Grand Prix back in June.
 

Ferrari out to heap misery on Lewis Hamilton as team boss makes big claim after French GP​

Ferrari chief Mattia Binotto claimed his team can win all 10 races remaining in the season – potentially scuppering Lewis Hamilton in his bid to get back on the top step of the podium. So far in his long and trophy-laden career, the Brit is yet to complete a full season without winning at least one race. His least successful campaign was in 2013 when his only victory came at the Hungaroring – the venue for this weekend's Grand Prix.

Given recent car improvements from Mercedes and in the wake of his best result of the season so far in France, Hamilton will hope he can repeat the trick. But defending champion Max Verstappen will be hard to beat, and Ferrari have plans of their own to prevent the 37-year-old from getting back on top. The Italian team is reeling from another disastrous weekend which saw another potential victory slip through their fingers. They have been affected by engine problems and poor reliability, but this time it was a driver error which saw Charles Leclerc lose grip and crash out while in the lead.

Ferrari were still questioned about their tactics when it came to Carlos Sainz, though, as a bizarre pit stop decision appeared to cost him the chance of a podium spot. Both the Spaniard and his boss, though, insisted the team made the right call. Despite their latest DNF and accusations of poor tactics, Binotto boldly claimed his team is capable of dominating the second half of the 2022 campaign. "At the end of the season we will see where we are, but I think what’s more important to see today, once again, the good package, there is no reason why we cannot win 10 races from now to the end," he told reporters. And I think that the way to look at this positively – and I like to be positive, staying optimistic – could something happen to Max and Red Bull? I'm not counting on it, we need to be focusing on ourselves and do our best."

Meanwhile, Hamilton is hoping to repeat what he managed in 2009 while racing for McLaren. After being uncompetitive all season, the Brit made the most of his much improved car to secure a shock win in Hungary. "So far we have not made that big step that we did in 2009 to win in Budapest but who knows? We are not giving up," said Hamilton after the French Grand Prix. "We are staying pedal to the metal. Maybe our car will be good in Hungary, maybe we will be closer to Red Bull and Ferrari. I hope so much that we will be because I love that track."
 

Haas F1 Team Finally Bringing 2022 Upgrade to 1 Car for Hungarian Grand Prix​

The Haas F1 Team will introduce its long-awaited upgrade package at this weekend’s Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix—but only for Kevin Magnussen’s car. Haas has returned to the midfield this year after spending 2021 rooted to the back of the field, and holds seventh in the championship on 34 points. Rival teams have adopted a development approach of bringing regular updates through the first half of the season, but Haas has taken a different tactic of only introducing one major upgrade to its VF-22. Originally planned for France, the upgrade was pushed back until Hungary, with the team now confirming that Magnussen will run the updated specification while Mick Schumacher will remain in the old-spec package. Magnussen has been tasked with sampling the upgrade in Budapest this weekend on account of his superior position in the championship to Schumacher, having outscored his teammate 22-12.

It is the first significant in-season upgrade package in a few years for Haas, which struggled with its development through 2019. The team did not upgrade its car in-season in either the 2020 and 2021 seasons due to the pandemic. “As many people know, we waited a bit longer to bring our upgrade to track because I think we still have good pace,” said Haas team principal Guenther Steiner. “Now what we want to do is put performance on. What exactly it will do, I don’t want to say because I don’t want to jinx it, but we know what it should be doing from our development. We’ll just have to wait and see what we can get out of the package. In the end, we couldn’t get two car kits to the race track, so with Kevin being in front in the championship we gave him the package to try.”

Steiner outlined that falling behind in production earlier in the year, having struggled to manufacturer sufficient spare parts, meant the team could not prepare enough new components for two cars in time for Hungary. The spare parts situation means Magnussen will have to keep it clean through practice and qualifying. “Everybody has worked really hard—the team and our suppliers—to make this happen so I’m still very happy that we bring it on one car to Hungary,” said Steiner. “We want to get some data before the summer break so we have something to work from when we get back, and if all goes well we’ll have it on both cars.”
 

Red Bull snap up F1 legend's son in their bid to find the next Max Verstappen​

Red Bull have signed up Formula One legend Juan Pablo Montoya’s son in their bid to find their next Max Verstappen, according to reports. Sebastian Montoya has joined the Red Bull Athletes roster as he plots a career in motorsport. The younger Montoya was previously part of the Ferrari Driver Academy. He received support from Ferrari while he was karting for a year in 2018. Looking to follow in the footsteps of his father and former Williams and McLaren driver Juan Pablo, the 17-year-old started 2022 in good form. He recorded two wins for Mumbai Falcons in the Winter Championship Formula Regional Asia. Montoya Jnr is 10th in his rookie season in the Formula Regional European Championship, in which he is driving for Prema.

And Red Bull have now snapped up the teenager as they seek to find the gems of the sport's next generations. His move does not mean he is part of the Red Bull Junior team, but he can receive sponsorship. That is according to F1 Feeder Series, who point out that Montoya posted a picture to his Instagram clad in Red Bull gear. His caption read: “Don’t know about you but I love my new helmet. News for today, I am a Red Bull Athlete. Thanks Red Bull for the support!” Montoya will have hopes of one day lining up alongside Verstappen, who is also the son of a former F1 racer - Jos Verstappen. Red Bull have enjoyed an excellent 2022 season in F1, building on Verstappen’s controversial Drivers’ Championship victory last year. The Dutchman leads the championship by 63 points just beyond the midway point of the campaign.

Verstappen benefited from Charles Leclerc’s crash to win the French Grand Prix last Sunday. It was his seventh race victory of the season and means his rivals have plenty of work to do in their bid to catch the reigning champion in the final 10 races.
 

Is Porsche deal the first step in Red Bull F1 exit strategy?​

Red Bull’s willingness to cede 50% of Red Bull Technology as part of its prospective Porsche Formula 1 deal could be interpreted as an exit strategy. But while it could be a step that might eventually lead to that, right now it seems to be more about shoring up the future of the team in the long-term. The energy drinks behemoth’s motorsport activities have always been driven by Dietrich Mateschitz, co-founder of Red Bull in 1984 and the man who still has management control of its activities to this day. The F1 team is the crowning glory for a company that has invested vast amounts of money in motorsport over the past three decades and that also has AlphaTauri and the Austrian Grand Prix in its portfolio.

Mateschitz is 78 now and it is therefore prudent to have in mind what the future might look like when he is no longer around. There’s no guarantee that future will be as enthusiastic about F1. Red Bull Racing’s management has always had in the back of its mind thoughts of a post-Mateschitz future. The partnerships with companies such as Infiniti and Aston Martin were regarded as a potential new direction should there be an enforced need to seek a continuation for the team were Red Bull no longer to back it. While Mateschitz is still in control, that was always unlikely. What’s more, he never had a ‘scorched earth’ outlook on his F1 activities and even when AlphaTauri, then under the Toro Rosso name, was formally for sale a condition was that the ex-Minardi team was required to stay based in Faenza.

Provided the Porsche deal is completed as expected, the landscape for Red Bull’s F1 operation will shift. For the medium-term, it gives Red Bull the ideal partner and justifies the bold step it took in investing heavily in its powertrains division. But in the long-term, it makes the team’s future far more stable. If there does come a time when Red Bull wants to divest itself of its main F1 team, there’s two obvious pathways. Either it sells the rest to Porsche, but if that isn’t an option then the prospect of going into partnership with such an illustrious manufacturer will appeal to countless investors. This deal therefore creates a long-term future that could either be fully manufacturer owned, or something closer to the Mercedes model with the team one-third owned by Daimler, INEOS and Toto Wolff. Those are two potentially rock-solid futures that should ensure stability in transition and ensure one of F1’s most successful teams of the 21st century doesn’t miss a beat.

The other factor playing into this is F1’s reworked financial landscape. Teams no longer have to act as black holes sucking in every dollar and cent possible given the cost cap. That in itself should ensure Porsche stays committed, regardless of whether or not it would be willing to take control of 100% of the team down the line. It’s also important to note that there’s been no sign of Red Bull wanting to wind back on F1. Everything it has done, from investing in the powertrains division to the recently announced Red Bull RB17 F1-performance production vehicle, suggests an evolving company with enthusiastic ownership. Therefore, the Porsche deal can been seen as two things. Firstly, it gives Red Bull a formidable – and equal – partner that can only make the team even stronger in the coming years. Secondly, it should guarantee a more stable future should there come a time when Red Bull is no longer interested.

Think of it less as an immediate exit strategy and more as future-proofing.
 

Who will replace Sebastian Vettel at Aston Martin?​

Sebastian Vettel’s retirement leaves not only Formula 1 missing a huge personality on the grid, but also Aston Martin without a race driver. The four-time champion was lured to the Silverstone squad with the promise of a new, well-funded manufacturer project which would be built on the potential of 2020’s ‘Pink Mercedes’ car, but the relationship has lasted just two years. Now Lawrence Stroll’s outfit is looking for a new pilot to pair with his son Lance, and there is a long list of suitors who could theoretically be available. Will Aston go for the seasoned pro, or the up and coming star? The safe pair of hands or the well-moneyed rookie? We run through the options below.

Fernando Alonso​

Vettel’s fellow F1 great Alonso has mentioned before in connection with Aston, but what exactly would lure the two-time champion from his current perch at Alpine? A longer contract is likely to be the greatest attraction, if Alpine is only inclined to offer the 41-year-old a single-season contract. As well as still being wickedly fast, a canny operator on and off track and still fiercely competitive, Alonso has vast knowledge of this current generation of cars compared to most of the alternative suitors. If Aston wants to move up the grid as per its ambitions, Alonso might be the best option. The Enstone team is also keen to get its young charge, 2021 F2 champion Oscar Piastri, into a seat which could encourage Alonso to seek pastures new. On the downside, the Spaniard is known to be a disruptive element who can become unhappy relatively quickly, at times not exactly endearing himself as a team player.

Daniel Ricciardo​

Part of Lawrence Stroll’s reasoning behind signing Vettel was the PR boost a four-time champion would bring, and Daniel Ricciardo could represent a similar move were he to leave McLaren. The Australian has suffered a difficult tenure at Woking, and might want to start afresh with a new project – again – after leaving Red Bull in 2018 and Renault at the end of 2020. Vettel was also brought in as an experienced man who could have a positive influence on Lance, and Lawrence might view Ricciardo in the same way. When he’s on song, the Perth-native has a Mansell-esque fighting spirit which sees him to do battle with the best of them in F1. Unfortunately, that swashbuckling approach seems to have been in short supply in recent years. Would Aston bet on him him rediscovering that form?

Mick Schumacher
The son of F1 legend Michael has had a tough time of it since he entered F1 but, as in other series, the German appears to be coming good in his sophomore season. Year 1 saw the young German left in a no-hoper Haas car which had no development and remain unchallenged as a team-mate by the erratic Nikita Mazepin, but he initially struggled when teamed with the experienced Kevin Magnussen in 2022. Midway through season though and Schumacher has hit form, scoring back to back points in Silverstone and Austria, and setting a top-10 time in France Q1 until having it deleted for track limits. Schumacher is clearly hungry for big success in grand prix racing, and could be just what the inconsistent Lance Stroll needs to push him to the next level. The German would likely have to cut his Ferrari ties if he were to make the move, but Mercedes could be all too happy to bring him under its wing.

Nico Hülkenberg
F1’s most experienced driver never to have scored a podium – and Aston’s reserve driver – would be a straightforward option. The German’s pace has never been in doubt, and the veteran of 181 starts has proven himself as a stand-in several times for the Silverstone team. However, Hülkenberg’s running in 2022 cars is limited compared to some alternatives, and at 35 might not represent a long term option for the team.

Nyck De Vries
Mercedes reserve driver Nyck de Vries is in the form of his life, but at 27 still hasn’t yet raced in F1. The 2020/2021 Formula E champion is one of the heavyweights of the electric series, winning it at his first attempt. He is also affiliated with Toyota in WEC, serving as its reserve driver and standing in for TDS Racing in the LMP2 category at Le Mans this year, managing to finish fourth in class. De Vries has participated in two Free Practice sessions this year as part of F1’s new ‘run a rookie’ rules, at Spain and France for Williams and Mercedes respectively, so does have precious experience of 2022 machinery. The man from Sneek in the Netherlands could also be of benefit to the Silverstone squad through his Mercedes association, by virtue of his knowledge of the power unit – Aston uses the same – and perhaps financially too, if the car manufacturer was inclined to give the green team an incentive to go Dutch. Just two days ago Toto Wolff was quoted as saying he may have to let de Vries go due to lack of F1 opportunities, but the door might just have opened at Aston.

Alex Albon​

Thai-British driver Albon has impressed in his comeback year with Williams, scoring points and comprehensively outpacing Nicholas Latifi, who has been installed at the team for three season already. Still affiliated with Red Bull, Milton Keynes might want to shift Albon up the grid as it looks to gain him further experience. Albon might also represent the team-player Aston wants in replacing Vettel.

Oscar Piastri​

Might Alpine’s prodigy take the leap and leave his Enstone home? 2021 F2 champion Oscar Piastri by rights should already be on the F1 grid, such is his talent. Alpine has been grooming the Australian to join it GP racing for some time, but currently has an Alonso-shaped wall in the way, with Esteban Ocon tied up. The French team might not want to let its prodigy go on loan, but will frustration at being on the sidelines force his hand? If Aston’s owner decides the money is worth it, Piastri could be bought out of his contract with the promise of a race seat at a solid midfield F1 team.

Felipe Drugovich
Might Aston throw a curveball and go for a driver with no F1 experience at all? Felipe Drugovich is in his third year in F2 and leads the standings by over 40 points. The Brazilian shook things up in F2 in 2020 by winning three races as a rookie for the unfancied MP Motorsport, and now, back with that same team, is dominating the championship. Drugovich is sponsored by his family’s ‘Drugovich Auto Parts’ business, which supplies components to trucks and buses in Brazil. This obvious boost in sponsorship might prove attractive for Lawrence Stroll, who has already provided massive investment for the team.
 

FIA release statement as Mercedes move closer to penalty over parc ferme rules breach​

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell’s Mercedes team broke parc ferme rules ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix. The FIA issued a statement ahead of FP1 warning members of the team were inside the circuit when they were not allowed. Mercedes have now used up three of their eight parc ferme exemptions for the season. This allowance means the Silver Arrows will not face a penalty for this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

The FIA statement read: “Wednesday night team personnel of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, who are associated with the operation of the car, were within the confines of the circuit during the 13 hour period which commenced at 20:00 on 27 August, 42 hours before the scheduled start time of P1 and ends 29 hours before the scheduled start time of P1 at 09:00 on 28 July. This was the third of the eight individual exceptions permitted for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team during the 2022 Formula One Championship season and therefore no action should be taken.”

Mercedes last broke the curfew rules ahead of the British Grand Prix when they introduced a range of updates to their car. The rules are in place to limit the amount of time engineers can work on the car over each race weekend. The team admitted they were further away from the pace than they expected at last week’s French Grand Prix as they were almost a second away over one lap on Saturday. However, the teams race pace appears a lot stronger meaning they could be more competitive if they can crack qualifying.

Mercedes Chief Strategist James Vowles admitted the team needed to do a “better job” in qualifying across the rest of the season. However, he also accepted the team would likely struggle at the Hungaroring despite Hamilton winning at the track a record eight times. Vowels explained: “But we are not where we need to be yet to be winning, that’s the short answer to it, especially for example on qualifying pace, and Hungary will expose that weakness somewhat."

​

 
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