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Max Verstappen: Red Bull driver would ‘look good in silver’ according to Mercedes chief Ola Kallenius | F1 News

On: June 25, 2024 By: admin

Mercedes chief Ola Kallenius says Max Verstappen would “look good in silver” after the team made it clear they still want to sign the Red Bull driver.

Since Lewis Hamilton announced he was leaving Mercedes for Ferrari at the end of next year, Mercedes have talked up Verstappen, who has a contract with Red Bull until 2028.

Verstappen, who won the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday, has consistently made it clear he wants to be in the fastest car and in the “right environment”.

It appears the most decisive factor in the 26-year-old’s F1 future is which team he thinks will be best placed when the new 2026 regulations begin, as the pecking order will almost certainly change.

“The best driver wants to have the best car. And that’s our job, to bring the best package together,” Kallenius told Sky Germany.

“The cards will be reshuffled in 2026. New order with new rules. That’s also an opportunity. Who knows.

“But I think Max would look good in silver, wouldn’t he?”

F1 2025 field


Team	Driver	Driver
Red Bull	Max Verstappen	???
Ferrari	Lewis Hamilton	Charles Leclerc
McLaren	Lando Norris	Oscar Piastri
Mercedes	George Russell	???
Aston Martin	Fernando Alonso	Lance Stroll
RB	???	???
Haas	???	???
Williams	Alex Albon	???
Alpine	???	???
Sauber	Nico Hulkenberg	???

Wolff: No Mercedes talks with Verstappen

Toto Wolff previously stated “no team principal wouldn’t do handstands” to sign the Verstappen and that he was “waiting” to see how the driver market develops.

Sky Sports News understands 17-year-old Andrea Kimi Antonelli is the leading candidate to take over Hamilton’s seat, with Verstappen still an outside target.

However, Wolff says Mercedes are not in contact with Verstappen over a shock move.

“No, there’s no talks taking place at that stage because I think we need to look at ourselves and on improving the car,” he said.

Teenager Antonelli has been testing Mercedes’ 2021 and 2022 cars this year, as well as competing in Formula 2.

Antonelli is highly rated after he won multiple junior single-seater titles at the first time of asking since stepping up from karts to racing cars in 2021.

At the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in May, Hamilton was asked whether Sainz would be a good fit for Mercedes but responded by saying his preference would be Antonelli.

Wolff has indicated Mercedes won’t announce who will drive alongside George Russell before the summer break in August.

“No driver decision has been made. I said we want to keep this decision as long as possible because who knows what will happen,” he said.

Sky Sports F1’s live Austrian GP schedule

Thursday June 27
12.30pm: Drivers’ Press Conference

Friday June 28
7.50am: F3 Practice
9am: F2 Practice
11am: Austrian GP Practice One (session starts at 11.30am)
12.55pm: F3 Qualifying
1.50pm: F2 Qualifying
3pm: Austrian GP Sprint Qualifying (session starts at 3.30pm)*

Saturday June 29
8.25am: F3 Sprint
10am: Austrian GP Sprint (race starts at 11am)*
12.25pm: F2 Sprint
2pm: Austrian GP Qualifying build-up
3pm: Austrian GP Qualifying
5pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook

Sunday June 30
7.25am: F3 Feature Race
8.55am: F2 Feature Race
12:30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Austrian GP build-up*
2pm: The AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX*
4pm: Chequered Flag: Austrian GP reaction*
5pm: Ted’s Notebook

*also live on Sky Sports Main Event

F1’s triple-header continues at the Austrian Grand Prix this coming week – with the Sprint format returning at the Red Bull Ring. Watch every session live on Sky Sports F1, with Sunday’s big race at 2pm. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime

Red Bull: Has reigning world champions’ 2021 cost cap penalty brought 2024 F1 field closer together? | F1 News

On: June 24, 2024 By: admin

There’s no doubt Formula 1 is the most competitive it’s been since the 2022 ground effect regulations were introduced.

Max Verstappen may have won the last two races in Canada and Spain but he did not have the quickest car at either race as Lando Norris settled for second at both events.

Red Bull started the year with utter dominance as Verstappen won the Bahrain Grand Prix by more than 20 seconds and went on to take relatively comfortable victories in Saudi Arabia, Japan and China.

But, since Norris’ maiden F1 win at the Miami Grand Prix in May, Red Bull’s advantage has been wiped out.

Verstappen won by less than one second from Norris in Imola and was only sixth at the Monaco Grand Prix, where Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc won on home soil.

“Since Miami, Lando has probably been the standout competitor and we are going to have to be at the top of our game to win,” Red Bull team principal Christian Horner told Sky Sports F1.

“It’s tight – but we keep winning which is the most important thing. McLaren are doing a great job, Ferrari aren’t far behind, Mercedes are improving, but we are keeping our noses in front. It’s important we keep pushing because there is a long way to go.”

Old Red Bull penalty having an impact?

As has always been the case in F1, the field converges when regulations remain the same but Red Bull’s sudden lack of dominance has come as a surprise.

McLaren’s Miami upgrade has put them on par, or ahead, and Mercedes have definitely closed up too.

One explanation could be the wind tunnel regulations, which handicaps the stronger teams.

Red Bull have had the least amount of wind tunnel time for the last two years after they won the constructors’ championship in 2022 and 2023.

F1 2024 January to June Aerodynamic Testing Restrictions


Team	% of Aero Testing limit	Wind tunnel runs per ATR period	Wind tunnel runs per week
Red Bull	70	224	28
Mercedes	75	240	30
Ferrari	80	256	32
McLaren	85	272	34
Aston Martin	90	288	36
Alpine	95	304	38
Williams	100	320	40
RB	105	336	42
Sauber	110	352	44
Haas	115	368	46

However, for most of last year, Red Bull had a further 10 per cent cut on their original handicapped wind tunnel time after they breached the 2021 budget cap regulations, so they only had 63 per cent from October 2022 to October 2023.

Of course, Red Bull still managed to design an incredible machine for the start of this year but is their limited aerodynamic testing in the wind tunnel finally having an effect?

“It’s all relative. We had a double whammy last year on the tunnel time for this year’s car but it all evens itself out,” said Horner as he referenced the penalty Red Bull had in 2023.

“When you run at the front, there’s nowhere to hide and you get found out because everything is scrutinised. Every strategy call, every pit stop, every start. It’s a different pressure and philosophy you have to have. That’s where the team haven’t lost that edge of big moments, delivering pit stops and strategy calls.”

The wind tunnel time pecking order is actually reset from the start of July. The amount of wind tunnel time each team gets is decided by the constructors’ standings after Sunday’s Austrian Grand Prix in Spielberg.

Even without last year’s penalty, Red Bull have had 15 per cent less time in the wind tunnel compared to McLaren for the last six months. If McLaren stay in their current constructors’ championship position of third, this will change to a 10 per cent disadvantage for Red Bull for the rest of this year.

“We have got tremendous strength in depth in the team and stability for the long-term,” said Horner. “What you are seeing now is work that’s been going on over the last few months and there is more in the pipeline.

“You are into diminishing returns and it’s really incremental. On Friday, it looked like we were fourth quickest car but the engineering team did a great job over the weekend and turned it around. We are very aware we need to keep bringing performance to the car.”

Horner: Verstappen doesn’t mess about

Verstappen has been on top form this year and arguably made the final, crucial, difference in the last two races to extend his lead in the championship to 69 points over Norris.

He qualified on the front row in Canada and Spain, when team-mate Sergio Perez didn’t feature near the front, then executed a perfect strategy from Red Bull in both races to notch up his 60th and 61st wins in F1.

At the Spanish Grand Prix, Verstappen overtook George Russell early on and withstood a late Norris charge with a performance Horner describes as “brilliant”.

“He is so decisive, he just doesn’t mess about,” said Horner. “I think that is one of his key qualities – you know if he is there, he is going to go for it. The other drivers know that.

“I think it’s tight. It’s small margins. Max and Lando were 18 seconds ahead of the rest of the field. Lando in particular had longevity but in the end we got the job done and bagged maximum points.”

Spanish GP: Lewis Hamilton surges to fastest Practice Two time with chasing pack ahead of Red Bull | F1 News

On: June 21, 2024 By: admin

Lewis Hamilton set the pace for Mercedes in a fascinating Practice Two session at the Spanish Grand Prix in which Max Verstappen was only fifth fastest after a struggle in his Red Bull.

Underlining the growing multi-team competitiveness at the front of the field in F1 on a Barcelona circuit that Verstappen absolutely dominated on last year, Red Bull’s big rivals – Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren – finished with one car apiece in a closely-matched top three.

And it was Hamilton, who has endured a difficult season so far and was disappointed with his own performance last time out in Canada when team-mate George Russell took pole and then contended for the win, who posted Friday’s quickest lap of 1:13.264.

Spain’s Carlos Sainz, whose Ferrari team have brought a big car upgrade to this event, was a mere 0.022s adrift in second place with McLaren’s Lando Norris, the Practice One pacesetter, only 0.055s off the front himself.

Verstappen though finished 0.240s back in fifth behind surprise interloper Pierre Gasly, who was fourth on a competitive opening day for Alpine. Esteban Ocon was ninth in their other car.

On his earlier medium-tyre run, Verstappen was heard over Red Bull team radio complaining about his car’s balance, particularly at the rear, on a high-speed track where the ability to attack the fast corners is key.

The RB20 then did not show the outright pace of the top three when the field switched down to the soft-tyre runs.

Team-mate Sergio Perez, who carries a three-place grid penalty into Saturday from the last race, was only 13th in the sister car despite completing his soft-tyre run later than everyone else when grip levels should have been more advantageous.

Charles Leclerc was only sixth in the second Ferrari with Oscar Piastri seventh in the other McLaren.

Mercedes’ Russell had set the pace on the medium compound but slipped to eighth on the soft-tyre simulations.

More to follow…

Spanish GP Practice Two Timesheet


Driver	Team	Time
1) Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	1:13.264
2) Carlos Sainz	Ferrari	+0.022
3) Lando Norris	McLaren	+0.055
4) Pierre Gasly	Alpine	+0.179
5) Max Verstappen	Red Bull	+0.240
6) Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	+0.333
7) Oscar Piastri	McLaren	+0.358
8) George Russell	Mercedes	+0.458
9) Esteban Ocon	Alpine	+0.502
10) Valtteri Bottas	Sauber	+0.660
11) Kevin Magnussen	Haas	+0.757
12) Nico Hulkenberg	Haas	+0.789
13) Sergio Perez	Red Bull	+0.817
14) Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin	+0.827
15) Yuki Tsunoda	RB	+0.947
16) Daniel Ricciardo	RB	+0.993
17) Zhou Guanyu	Sauber	+1.081
18) Lance Stroll	Aston Martin	+1.138
19) Alex Albon	Williams	+1.543
20) Logan Sargeant	Williams	+1.806

Sky Sports F1’s live Spanish GP schedule

Friday June 21
1.55pm: F3 Qualifying
2.50pm: F2 Qualifying
3.35pm: Spanish GP Practice Two (session starts at 4pm)
5.25pm: F1 Academy Qualifying
6.15pm: The F1 Show

Saturday June 22
9.35am: F3 Sprint
11.15am: Spanish GP Practice Three (session starts at 11.30am)
1.10pm: F2 Sprint
2.10pm: Spanish GP Qualifying build-up
3pm: Spanish GP Qualifying
5pm: F1 Academy Race 1

Sunday June 23
7.45am: F1 Academy Race 2
9am: F3 Feature Race
10.30am: F2 Feature Race
12:30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Spanish GP build-up
2pm: The SPANISH GRAND PRIX
4pm: Chequered Flag: Spanish GP reaction

Formula 1 heads back to Europe as the championship moves on to Barcelona for the Spanish Grand Prix and the start of a triple-header. Watch every session at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya this weekend, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime

Spanish GP: Lando Norris expects close fight for win between Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari | F1 News

On: June 21, 2024 By: admin

Lando Norris is expecting another close fight at the front at this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, despite claims from Charles Leclerc that Red Bull will have the upper hand.

McLaren have been in contention at every event since Norris won his maiden Grand Prix in Miami at the start of May.

The British driver also came close to victory in Imola and Canada but was denied by Max Verstappen, who had to perform at his very best to come out on top.

“We have been good at all tracks so far, so I don’t expect things to really change too much,” said Norris.

“I just expect it to be close with Red Bull, probably a bit more back to where they should be. Ferrari also, after last weekend, more back to where they should be.

“I think we have been the most consistently, ‘just there’ team. We have not been the team which has suddenly been quickest and easily dominating the weekend like we have seen Red Bull and Ferrari do.

“We have not had that absolute strength in certain places, but we have just been a very good all-rounder so far, which over the course of a season is exactly what we want, and is a good strength from where we were last year when we were very up and down.

“But at no point I would say, we have been outright absolute best through a whole weekend. So that’s something we still need to work on, and we still need to work to have a quicker car.”

Close margins at the top

Mercedes were also in the battle for victory last time out in Canada as George Russell took pole position, setting the same time as Verstappen, before a series of errors meant he had to settle for third in the race.

Norris was just 0.021s off pole himself and could have won without McLaren’s strategical error to not pit immediately when the first safety car came out, underlining the fine margins in F1 at the moment.

“With Mercedes joining the front and how close it was already in Canada, whether you are one tenth better or not, that’s easily because you don’t have the tyres in the right window or you make a small mistake or the set-up is not perfect,” continued Norris.

“Half a tenth, one tenth and you are three, four, five positions back. I think it’s going to be a close fight between everyone.

“But the main thing is, we have been good everywhere so far and I think we have good confidence, so we just keep doing what we are doing and we can maintain a good consistency.”

The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is a more conventional track which relies more on aerodynamic efficiency, an area where Red Bull have been strong since the ground effect regulations were introduced in 2022.

Verstappen, who leads the championship by 56 points from Leclerc and 63 points over Norris, has won the last two Spanish Grand Prix.

As ever, he’s playing down expectations ahead of this weekend but admits the track layout will help Red Bull.

“Normally this is a track our car should suit a bit more. I’m aware everyone is catching up a lot but compared to the last few races we have done, this should be a better track,” said Verstappen.

“People are constantly improving and sometimes you just have a better weekend than others with the way you set up the car.”

Leclerc: Red Bull to return to early-season form

Ferrari left Canada without any points as both Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were knocked out in Q2, before both drivers failed to finish the Grand Prix.

Sainz damaged his car and made contact with Alex Albon, which led to his retirement, while Leclerc suffered an engine issue.

Leclerc said Ferrari have fixed the reliability problem and confirmed the team have brought upgrades to Spain.

“We will see a stronger Red Bull, and the Red Bull we saw at the start of the season back here in Barcelona,” said Leclerc.

“But I also believe the last four races from Miami to Canada was quite a lot about kerb riding, which is not one of the strengths of the Red Bull, so I believe we will see them back to a good level this weekend.

“However, we have some new parts for the car this weekend and if that helps us to be good here, it’s good for the rest of the season. It’s going to be an interesting weekend and if we are good here, it’s a good sign for the rest of the year.”

Perez on the backfoot already

Perez also had a dismal Canadian weekend as he was eliminated in Q1 and crashed in the race on his way to a second consecutive retirement.

The Mexican, who has signed a new deal to stay with Red Bull next year, limped back to the pit lane with his RB20’s rear wing hanging off after his accident.

As a result, Perez has been handed a three-grid place penalty for this Sunday’s race and Red Bull were fined $25,000 (£19,648) for the incident.

It means Perez will start no higher than fourth, so faces an uphill battle already without having turned a wheel.

“It’s not ideal at a place like this to have a penalty, so we will try our best to try and minimise that,” Perez told Sky Sports F1.

“Qualifying is super important. I have to be up there. There’s no reason we can’t do that. I think there will be three or four teams fighting for pole on Saturday.”

Sky Sports F1’s live Spanish GP schedule

Friday June 21
7.45am: F1 Academy Practice
8:50am: F3 Practice
10am: F2 Practice
12pm: Spanish GP Practice One (session starts at 12.30pm)
1.55pm: F3 Qualifying
2.50pm: F2 Qualifying
3.35pm: Spanish GP Practice Two (session starts at 4pm)
5.25pm: F1 Academy Qualifying
6.15pm: The F1 Show

Saturday June 22
9.35am: F3 Sprint
11.15am: Spanish Romagna GP Practice Three (session starts at 11.30am)
1.10pm: F2 Sprint
2.10pm: Spanish GP Qualifying build-up
3pm: Spanish GP Qualifying
5pm: F1 Academy Race 1

Spanish GP: Why Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya track layout will tell us if Red Bull have been caught by F1 rivals | F1 News

On: June 20, 2024 By: admin

A dramatic Grand Prix last time out in Montreal saw a genuine three-way fight for the win, with McLaren and Ferrari also taking a victory each in May.

Max Verstappen’s early season dominance appears to be gone and the championship leader has been under serious pressure at recent events.

The last two races in Monaco and Canada have been held at unusual tracks though, so the big question is will the close competition we have had continue this weekend at the Spanish Grand Prix, which marks the start of a triple-header.

Sky Sports F1 takes a look at why we will learn a lot about the true pecking order in Spain and which team is most likely to challenge Red Bull.

A circuit with everything

The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has long been used as a testing venue for F1 because it has a range of corners.

A mix of high, medium and low speed turns, plus a long main straight, means the teams can see how their car is strong and what type of corners they are lacking performance.

You sometimes see a Noah’s Ark grid, where team-mates line up alongside each other because a clear pecking order is dictated in qualifying.

The dry conditions and the teams’ previous knowledge of the track makes it easier to optimise car set-up and to extract the most from the tyres too, so there is no hiding place at the Spanish Grand Prix.

“It’s a very different track to the ones we have had recently,” said former F1 strategist Sky Sports F1‘s Bernie Collins.

“We will get a better read on the upgrades McLaren and Ferrari have got. Have Red Bull genuinely slipped down the order?”

“We will answer some questions coming out of this race that. Some people will say this track will favour Red Bull but we don’t know how those upgrades from McLaren and Ferrari have worked, or if Mercedes have genuinely got on top of the gremlins that have been troubling them in the last few years.”

Fast in Spain, fast all season

Since 2017, the winning car of the Spanish Grand Prix has gone on to win that year’s constructors’ championship.

Although Ferrari are 49 points behind Red Bull in the constructor standings, with McLaren a further 49 points adrift, that gap can quickly close down, particularly if Sergio Perez continues to struggle.

For Ferrari and McLaren to give themselves a serious chance at winning a title this year, they must show quick pace this weekend.

Both teams are expected to bring upgrades to Barcelona, with Red Bull keeping quiet about their development plans.

“It’s all about iterations and of course you have to look very carefully where you bring your upgrades through the year,” said team principal Christian Horner.

“We are closer to the top of the curve, so you get into a law of diminishing returns but there will be subtle upgrades over the summer months.”

Pushed by Sky Sports F1 on whether we will see new parts on the RB20 in Spain, Horner added: “It’s possible”.

Spanish GP winners since 2017


Year	Driver	Team
2017	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes
2018	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes
2019	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes
2020	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes
2021	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes
2022	Max Verstappen	Red Bull
2023	Max Verstappen	Red Bull

High tyre degradation and multiple pit stops

The long and high speed corners cause the tyres to wear out quickly, so Pirelli have brought their three hardest tyre compounds to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

However, it’s normally still a two or three-stop race, which leaves plenty of strategic options. This has led to teams splitting strategy in the past and there is always intrigue throughout the Grand Prix as plans change, depending on the race situation.

“Last year saw the removal of the last chicane, which led to more overtaking in the race,” explained Collins.

“We last saw the three hardest tyre compounds, the C1, C2 and C3 in Japan and Bahrain, so the teams have less data on the C1 compared to all other compounds this season.

“In 2023, all three compounds where used throughout the Spanish Grand Prix but in 2022 the hard tyre was too slow.

“High tyre degradation leads to a powerful undercut, however it is not a track position race so many have made the mistake of gaining track position by stopping too early or not converting to an additional stop lap early enough. This race is more like Bahrain in that optimum stop laps will lead to a better finishing position.”

Sky Sports F1’s live Spanish GP schedule

Thursday June 20
1.30pm: Drivers’ Press Conference

Sky Sports F1 Podcast: Max Verstappen’s future at Red Bull and the 2025 grid analysed | F1 News

On: June 18, 2024 By: admin

Bernie Collins and Ted Kravitz are the latest guests on the Sky Sports F1 Podcast as they discuss Max Verstappen’s future at Red Bull and analyse how the 2025 grid is shaping up.

With host Matt Baker, the trio look at how the 2025 grid is shaping up after Red Bull decided to give Sergio Perez a new deal, before their sister squad RB took up an option to extend Yuki Tsunoda’s contract by a further year.

The largest question left for 2025 is where Carlos Sainz will end up with Lewis Hamilton taking his Ferrari seat.

The initial team that were reportedly looking to sign Sainz were Sauber, who will become the Audi works team in 2026, with the German manufacturer keen to have Sainz as their lead driver.

However, Williams are also reportedly interested, with Sainz’s choice becoming a real key for how the grid will look come next season.

Baker, Kravitz, and Collins also look at how Verstappen’s career trajectory may shape up. The defending world champion is contracted with Red Bull until 2028 but Kravitz and Collins question whether he will see out his contract there, leave early, or make a shock Hamilton-esque move once his contract is up.

The trio also discuss what the 2026 regulation changes will look like for the teams and their cars.

Sky Sports F1’s live Spanish GP schedule

Thursday June 20

1.30pm: Drivers’ Press Conference

Friday June 21

7.45am: F1 Academy Practice
8:50am: F3 Practice
10am: F2 Practice
12pm: Spanish GP Practice One (session starts at 12.30pm)
1.55pm: F3 Qualifying
2.50pm: F2 Qualifying
3.35pm: Spanish GP Practice Two (session starts at 4pm)
5.25pm: F1 Academy Qualifying
6.15pm: The F1 Show

Saturday June 22
9.35am: F3 Sprint
11:15am: Spanish Romagna GP Practice Three (session starts at 11.30am)
1.10pm: F2 Sprint
2.10pm: Spanish GP Qualifying build-up
3pm: Spanish GP Qualifying
5pm: F1 Academy Race 1

Formula 1 heads back to Europe as the championship moves on to Barcelona for the Spanish Grand Prix. Watch every session at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya from June 21-23 live on Sky Sports F1. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime

Spanish GP: Red Bull expectations, Mercedes return to form among talking points ahead of European triple-header | F1 News

On: June 17, 2024 By: admin

As Formula 1 prepares for a first triple-header of the 2024 season, Sky Sports F1 assess the key talking points heading into the Spanish Grand Prix.

After four successive grand prix weekends where the result was truly up in the air from the start of first practice to the closing stages of each race, there is great excitement heading into the crux of the season’s European summer swing.

F1 returns to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, with practice getting under way on Friday, before heading to the Red Bull Ring in Austria and to Silverstone for the British Grand Prix on the two weekends that follow.

There is then just one weekend off before back-to-back races follow in Hungary and Belgium to take the season up to the summer break.

After Max Verstappen had won four of the first five races with relative ease, and only been denied a good chance of victory in the one he missed out on due to a reliability problem, a repeat of the Red Bull driver’s historically dominant 2023 campaign appeared to be on the cards.

Instead, Lando Norris broke his F1 duck for McLaren in Miami, and very nearly beat Verstappen again in Imola with a late charge. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc would then finally win his home race in Monaco, before Verstappen produced perhaps his best weekend of the season to win in Montreal when Mercedes suddenly seemed to possess the fastest car.

The upshot is that while Verstappen has a significant 56-point advantage in the drivers’ standings over Leclerc, with Norris a further seven points back, there is a feeling the Dutchman is going to be pushed to the limit on a regular basis throughout the remaining 15 races.

Will Red Bull live up to expectations?

Throughout what has been a relatively tricky last six weeks or so for the reigning constructors’ champions, Red Bull have regularly hinted they expect things to run far more smoothly from this point onwards.

The characteristics of the track in Barcelona, one of F1’s most used circuits for testing, are expected to suit the field-leading aerodynamic efficiency of the RB20.

Miami, Monaco and Montreal each had elements that were more troubling for Red Bull and it therefore was not a huge surprise to see them challenged at those circuits.

Although at the higher-speed Imola, where Red Bull actually brought quite a significant upgrade, it was more of a surprise to see Norris very nearly chase down Verstappen in the final laps.

That race leaves some doubt as to whether Red Bull will enjoy the smooth sailing they hope for on the continent.

Mercedes technical director James Allison in Montreal described the RB20 Imola upgrade as a “downgrade”, which caught the attention of Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, who referenced the remark after Verstappen’s win in Canada.

Not helping Red Bull in recent weeks has been the dismal form of Sergio Perez, who has crashed out of the last two races after leaving himself in a precarious position by failing to advance from Q1 on either occasion.

While Verstappen has shown he is capable of getting the job done alone, Red Bull need Perez to start scoring points again if they are to remain on course for a third successive constructors’ title.

Are Mercedes really back?

The surprise package in Montreal was undoubtedly Mercedes, who came from nowhere to seemingly possess the fastest car in dry conditions.

A series of upgrades came together to catapult George Russell and Lewis Hamilton into the mix, with the former taking pole before a scrappy race saw him miss out on a good opportunity for victory.

While there was frustration from both drivers, Hamilton’s stemming more from a hugely disappointing qualifying display that left him seventh on the grid, being back in contention was great news for the team.

“The truth is over the last three races we have brought so many new parts, visible and invisible to the eye that have contributed milliseconds to more performance,” Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said after the Canadian Grand Prix.

“I think this is where those marginal gains can have that positive effect and that was just a huge effort from the factory, and I think that we have started to get some real motion now.”

His old rival, Horner, said during the weekend that Mercedes have, even during their struggles since 2022 under these regulations, performed well on new or ‘green’ tracks, and appeared hesitant to accept the Silver Arrows’ step forward is as dramatic as it appeared in Montreal.

Are Ferrari or McLaren a bigger title threat?

Even if Mercedes’ progression is as dramatic as they hope, a 177-point deficit to Red Bull in the constructors’ standings means they are not a genuine threat for the constructors’ title.

After a pointless weekend in Canada, Ferrari are 59 points back from the leaders, with McLaren a further 40 points adrift. Those are significant yet recoverable margins, particularly if Perez continues to be a weak link for Red Bull, with Ferrari and McLaren able to rely on each of their drivers for consistent performances.

While Leclerc and team-mate Carlos Sainz have proven they are capable of getting the job done, the concern is whether the SF-24 is good enough to keep them in the mix.

The one-two led by Sainz in Australia provided great promise, but, since then, the only time Ferrari have had the pace to win was at the unique Monaco circuit, where Leclerc converted.

There have been worrying signs either side of that, with engine issues at Imola and Montreal, along with some questionable strategic calls on the latter weekend.

Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur said, in as many words, that he hoped Ferrari had got all of the negative stuff out of the way in one dreadful Canadian weekend, but it remains to be seen how realistic that is.

In contrast, McLaren have been highly consistent since bringing upgrades in China, having a car finish in the top two of all five races since then. The only win came for Norris in Miami, but the Brit could have easily added to that in Imola, while team-mate Oscar Piastri came very close to denying Leclerc in Monaco.

The MCL38 seems to be in the running for victory every weekend, and, on current form, has the edge over the Ferrari.

Key upgrades set to arrive

The landscape assessed above is of course subject to significant change, given it is at this point of the season that some of the most crucial and impactful car upgrades are introduced.

The process of bringing upgrades is a lengthy one, and therefore it is only around now that learnings from early-season races may be able to be fully addressed.

The top four teams are all expected to bring new parts to Barcelona, which is seen as an ideal track to test upgrades at given its traditional nature.

It is worth remembering that last season Aston Martin were Red Bull’s nearest challengers to about this point of the year, before Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren each took steps forward.

McLaren were languishing towards the rear of the field before their upgrades in Austria last year stunned the grid by immediately transforming them to a regular podium contender.

While more upgrades will come later in the season, this next batch are likely to set the pattern for the rest of the campaign.

The document the FIA releases on Friday – shortly before first practice – detailing all of the upgrades is going to make fascinating reading.

Departing driver drama

With the most fluid F1 grid for a long time seeing many switches between teams at the end of the season, the politics around the treatment of outgoing drivers promises to be a recurring topic of debate.

The highest profile individual changing teams is of course Hamilton, who is leaving Mercedes to join Ferrari.

There have been suggestions in recent weeks that the seven-time world champion has felt a little hard done by, with cryptic comments made in Monaco hinting at suspicion over Russell receiving preferential treatment.

Mercedes have insisted that despite the fact Hamilton is leaving and Russell is staying, they will attempt to give both drivers the best possible car and platform for success at all times.

However, as teams start to look ahead to plans for next season and 2026, when new regulations are incoming, an outgoing driver will not be invited to forward-looking meetings, potentially increasing a feeling of separation.

There is also the case of Esteban Ocon, who in Canada was driving his first race since Alpine had announced he would be leaving the team at the end of the season, with the Frenchman expected to join Haas.

The announcement of Ocon’s exit was preceded by him causing a crash with team-mate Pierre Gasly in Monaco, and there was drama involving the pair once more in Montreal.

This time, in the closing stages of the race, Ocon was asked to move over to allow the faster Gasly through to attack Daniel Ricciardo for P8. He initially told the team to “forget it” before eventually complying halfway through the penultimate lap.

Gasly failed to pass Ricciardo but finished ahead of Ocon, with Alpine later explaining it was “too risky” to swap their cars – running in the two final point-scoring positions – back over with Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg lurking behind.

Sky Sports F1’s live Spanish GP schedule

Thursday June 20

1.30pm: Drivers’ Press Conference

Friday June 21

Max Verstappen: Red Bull driver produces brilliant Canadian Grand Prix display to remind closing rivals of challenge ahead | F1 News

On: June 10, 2024 By: admin

Amid the chaos of a thrilling weekend of action at the Canadian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen provided a timely reminder of why he remains Formula 1’s best driver.

The Dutchman produced a near-faultless display to see off the challenges of Lando Norris and George Russell in Montreal, tightening his grip on the Drivers’ Championship in the process.

While it would be an exaggeration to suggest that Verstappen had arrived in Canada with his back against the wall, a disappointing weekend in Monaco had seen his world championship lead reduced to 31 points.

Monaco winner, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, was seen as the early favourite to win in Canada, with Verstappen’s Red Bull expected to struggle once more over the kerbs of Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

While there has been a quiet confidence at Red Bull that upcoming races in Spain, Austria and Britain will better suit the RB20, there seemed to be a consensus around the paddock that victory in Canada was there for the taking for Ferrari or McLaren.

Those predictions weren’t necessarily inaccurate, aside from Mercedes – rather than Ferrari – joining McLaren as Verstappen’s challenger, with both teams ultimately probably having stronger pace than Red Bull throughout the weekend.

However, with a little bit of good fortune but also a lot of skill, Verstappen claimed the 60th win of his career, which should go down as one of his best to date.

Weather, engine issue put Verstappen on back foot

Red Bull had struggled badly through the slow corners and kerbs of Monaco two weeks earlier as Verstappen had to settle for sixth behind the Ferraris, McLarens and Mercedes’ George Russell.

The fact that Circuit Gilles Villeneuve possesses some similar traits meant that Verstappen came into the weekend expecting a tough time once more.

His best hope of overcoming that would be getting plenty of running done in practice in an attempt to find a setup that could best limit the RB20’s shortcomings.

That opportunity didn’t materialise for Verstappen, or the rest of the field, as rain interrupted both of Friday’s sessions to severely limit running.

The Dutchman suffered an additional blow as an issue with his engine further limited his track time in second practice, which he would describe as “not ideal” after the session.

A more regular final practice followed first thing on Saturday, but at that point it was Mercedes, after their dismal start to 2024, who surprisingly appeared to have the edge on the rest of the field.

Late qualifying surge keeps Verstappen in the mix

The fact that Mercedes have often looked good in practice before falling away in qualifying meant there was real mystery remained heading into the session, which was only increased by the threat of more rain as it began.

There was chaos during Q1 on the rapidly evolving surface, with every single driver at risk of elimination. Verstappen was at greater risk than some of his rivals after finding himself in the bottom five as he begun his final flying lap.

Where his struggling team-mate Sergio Perez failed, Verstappen succeeded, acing his effort to ease through as the Mexican was eliminated.

After a similarly exciting Q2, Mercedes had confirmed the pace was real and looked set for an intra-team battle for pole between Russell and Lewis Hamilton. That still appeared to be the case after the first runs in Q3, which saw Russell lead Hamilton and Verstappen in third, more than 0.3s back from the lead Mercedes.

The McLarens, running out of sync as they went out earlier on fresh tyres, then went second and third to push Verstappen down to fifth as he began his final run.

With track conditions appearing to have become more challenging with wind and moisture in the air, neither Mercedes driver was able to improve on their first efforts.

Verstappen, as so often has been the case in qualifying in recent times, produced a brilliant lap under the circumstances to find 0.358s worth of improvement and create a dead heat with Russell, who would retain pole by virtue of having set the time first.

Having failed to improve on his final lap, Hamilton ended up seventh, which is where Verstappen would have been had the same fate befallen him.

“Going into qualifying I would have definitely taken that,” Verstappen said. He had got everything out of the RB20 to keep himself in contention going into Sunday.

Defying the odds on race day

Even after his strong qualifying effort, the odds going into the race were somewhat stacked against Verstappen. While Mercedes had been fast in practice, there was a suspicion that McLaren’s race pace, as has been the case in recent weeks, would be even stronger than their Saturday speed.

Furthermore, Norris had team-mate Oscar Piastri alongside him on the second row, allowing McLaren the potential to split their strategies, while Russell had Hamilton in seventh, who would ultimately become a strategic factor too.

Verstappen’s only major error of the race came in the early stages as he ran off at the first corner in the hugely challenging wet conditions. That cost him second to Norris, who was flying at that stage of the race.

He almost immediately regained second as Russell made an error after also being passed by Norris, who then rapidly begin to build a lead.

It was at this point that good fortune intervened for Verstappen, with a Safety Car caused by Logan Sargeant’s crash leading to a strategic error from McLaren, which saw Norris drop to third and the Red Bull taking the lead.

Verstappen has led a lot of race restarts over the last few years and as he so often seems to do, effortlessly pulled away from Russell, before continuing to build an advantage that was crucial with an inevitable switch to slick tyres beckoning on the drying surface.

Hamilton, with an outside chance of victory as he ran in fifth after the first Safety Car, triggered the switch to slicks, while Piastri followed a lap later. That meant Mercedes and McLaren had split their strategies, with one driver each still on intermediates and the other on slicks.

The Red Bull pit wall kept calm, choosing to stay out for an additional lap before bringing Verstappen in, with Russell following into the pits from second. Norris stayed out for a further couple of laps and emerged from the pits just ahead of Verstappen, but with the slick tyres on the Red Bull up to temperature, the Dutchman was able to ease clear.

There has been chatter from rivals that Red Bull will make mistakes if they are put under pressure, but on this occasion Verstappen and the engineers supporting him were impeccable.

With the track drying, the Mercedes was clearly the quickest car out there, but Russell and Norris would exchange errors in their battle for second to allow Verstappen to pull further clear.

They were given a reprieve when another Safety Car eradicated the lead, but Verstappen’s rolling restart prowess was on show once more and he pulled out of the one-second DRS range by the end of the lap to edge closer to victory.

Russell was flying on new tyres he had been able to put on under the second Safety Car but collided with Piastri as he attempted to take third to lose ground, potentially costing him the chance of mounting a late challenge to Verstappen.

‘Very good for F1’

That left Verstappen to take the chequered flag with relative calm, on a weekend where he really had no business in doing so.

“It was a well earned victory,” Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said. “Just look at the restarts, how he made use of the conditions, he was on top of his game, working well with the pit wall.”

One of the best things about Red Bull’s once huge advantage over the field having been reduced, or even removed in some cases, is seeing Verstappen force to produce his best.

“I think it’s just very good for F1 that you have a lot of different teams fighting for the win,” Verstappen said. “It makes it really exciting up front.

“It is very enjoyable even though I would like a bit more comfort in the car, because it’s definitely very tricky to drive at the moment.”

Perez’s poor performance in Canada only emphasised why many are surprised Red Bull have just renewed his contract for two more years, but Verstappen’s display explains why that the team took that decision.

Verstappen is happy driving alongside Perez, and keeping the Dutchman content, amid continued interest from elsewhere, is more important than upgrading the number two driver. On this evidence, who can argue with that logic?

A far more competitive and entertaining picture for F1, with Mercedes having potentially made it four teams battling for victories, looks set to remain, at least until new regulations are introduced in 2026.

With F1’s landscape changing for the better, Verstappen in Canada reminded his rivals that it’s one thing having more pace than Red Bull, but another challenge entirely beating the current world champion.

Max Verstappen suffers early setback at Canadian GP as Red Bull car fault restricts practice running | F1 News

On: June 8, 2024 By: admin

Max Verstappen admitted his start to the Canadian Grand Prix weekend was “not ideal” after his Red Bull car hit technical trouble on Friday in Montreal.

On a disrupted opening day for the whole grid amid on-off rain at the Circuit Giles Villeneuve, Verstappen was restricted to just four laps in Practice Two due to an ERS (Energy Recovery System) problem which saw his RB20 trail smoke before returning to the pits.

Red Bull are investigating the cause of the fault ahead of Saturday’s action in Montreal, when qualifying is at 9pm live on Sky Sports F1.

“It’s not ideal,” said Verstappen, whose Red Bull team are aiming to return to the front this weekend after being outperformed by Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes last time out in Monaco.

“I would have liked to drive more laps, some other people had a few more laps in the dry and a few more laps in the wet.

“It’s definitely not how I would have liked to get on in FP2 but it’s more important to figure out what actually happened and what kind of implication it will have for this year and the rest of the year.”

Verstappen, who is using a fresh engine this weekend – his third of the 2024 season – added: “They are investigating it now. I haven’t been back in the garage yet but I’m sure soon we will figure out what it is.”

The Dutchman had completed only 10 laps in Practice One after running in that session had first been delayed by a morning hailstorm and then, once the track was deemed ready for cars, a red flag caused by a crash from Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu.

Both Friday timesheets were effectively rendered academic by the changeable weather conditions, meaning few concrete clues as to the weekend’s pecking order have yet emerged.

Will Red Bull struggle again or be back on form in Montreal?

Although Verstappen and Red Bull’s season-long positions at the head of F1’s world championship tables remain unchanged, their respective points advantages have narrowed in recent weeks amid a tightening of the field at the front of the grid.

Verstappen has only won one of the last three races – and then narrowly so, from McLaren’s Lando Norris at Imola – and on Thursday struck a note of caution about their prospects in Montreal this weekend given the track features the kind of kerbs that the 2024 Red Bull is not enjoying.

Assessing the team’s start to a weekend where the weather is predicted to remain changeable, Sergio Perez, who finished 10th in Practice Two, said: “It was overall a very tricky day with the conditions that we had.

“It’s going to be very important [on Saturday] to be out there at the right time. We could see already that it was changing quite a bit if you were not pushing on the right lap, it could be quite a difference.

“We have a bit of an idea on the car but it’s very difficult to draw any conclusions on a track that was dominated by the weather really.

“We will get to see the competitiveness [on Saturday].”

Leclerc pleased with ‘very competitive’ start | Norris: Ferrari seem ahead

While the inconsistent track conditions may have made it difficult to gain a truly accurate read on where the leading teams stand on pace, Monaco victor Charles Leclerc saw enough to draw early encouragement from Ferrari’s Friday showing.

“All in all, I’m very happy because we’re very competitive in all the conditions,” said Leclerc, who finished fourth fastest on the P2 timesheet.

“We never really were on top of the timesheet just because we didn’t do the right time in the session having the driest track. But, all in all, every lap we were doing we were very competitive so that is a good thing.

“But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot to improve on the car. We still have to do some changes for [Saturday] which hopefully will bring us into a better position again.”

McLaren’s Lando Norris, an obviously unrepresentative 20th and last in the second session, suggested Ferrari were the team to beat.

“At the minute I think we seem a little bit off,” he said.

“Ferrari seem definitely a little bit ahead. But I don’t know where we are at the minute because the conditions are changing.

“The Englishman added: We learned a good amount, actually not in the dry. Didn’t learn enough in the dry to be honest. We did the least laps I think out of everyone. So not the best thing with that.

“In the wet a good amount, I think in a reasonable place. It’s always tricky around here but I think it was a reasonable first day.”

Sky Sports F1’s live Canadian GP schedule

Saturday June 8
5.15pm: Canadian GP Practice Three (session starts at 5.30pm)
8pm: Canadian GP Qualifying build-up
9pm: Canadian GP Qualifying
11pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook

Sunday June 9
5.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday – Canadian GP build-up
7pm: THE CANADIAN GRAND PRIX
9pm: Chequered Flag – Canadian GP reaction
10pm: Ted’s Notebook

Formula 1 is on Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix and you can watch every session at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve this weekend live on Sky Sports F1, with Sunday’s race at 7pm. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime

Canadian GP: Max Verstappen admits Red Bull concern as Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc eye win | F1 News

On: June 7, 2024 By: admin

Max Verstappen has admitted Red Bull do not have a fix for their problems with kerbs as they could be on the back foot for a second consecutive weekend at the Canadian Grand Prix.

Verstappen had his worst finishing result in 18 months last time out in Monaco as he took sixth place and saw his championship lead cut to 31 points over Charles Leclerc, who won his home event.

Leclerc beat Oscar Piastri, Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris to victory as Ferrari and McLaren were a step ahead of Red Bull on the tight, twisty Monaco circuit.

This weekend’s race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is very different to Monaco but there are several chicanes with relatively high kerbs, which is Red Bull’s biggest weakness.

“I wouldn’t call it [Monaco] a blip. We knew that was not going to be a good track for us just with the limitations that we have at the moment with the car over kerbs and bumps,” Verstappen told Sky Sports F1.

“We’ve had it for a long time so it’s nothing new, but naturally when people around us are catching up, these problems are a bit more apparent.

“We know that we have to improve it. We had a very constructive week after Monaco to look into details of why it’s not so good on our side.”

Red Bull failed to win just one race in 2023, the Singapore Grand Prix, another track where kerb riding is important.

The floor of the Red Bull car works very well in the high-speed corners but the suspension appears to be too stiff when it comes to going over kerbs, so the car is unsettled.

Verstappen, who won last year’s Canadian Grand Prix, says the Monaco weekend gave Red Bull a “wake-up” call.

“We have to just work step by step to solve it, but it’s not something you can fix within one or two weeks,” he added.

“At least it’s a clear direction that we’re pushing into and I’m sure that if we not necessarily solve it, but make it better, we immediately unlock a lot of lap time.

“The car’s not absorbing the kerbs and the bumps like it should be, compared to maybe some of our competitors. That’s what we have to work on, because when you keep jumping on bumps and kerbs, you don’t have grip because the wheels are in the air, and that’s where we lost a lot of time in Monaco.”

Norris: Ferrari are favourites but McLaren have good chance

McLaren have been in contention for the win at the last three races in Miami, Imola and Monaco, with Lando Norris taking his maiden F1 victory at the Miami Grand Prix.

The Woking-based team didn’t score points in Montreal 12 months ago but Norris isn’t ruling out the prospect of standing on the top step of the podium on Sunday.

“I think all weekends at the minute we seem close and impossible to say, can’t say no,” the 24-year-old said.

“I’m never going to say, ‘yeah, this is my weekend.’ But I’m confident enough to say that the last few weekends we’ve proved that we’re close, we’re in a good fight with Red Bull and Ferrari.

“So I’d like to say, yeah, we have a good chance. The team are performing very well, I feel like I am. The whole team is as a collection and that gives us good confidence into every weekend.”

Norris still thinks McLaren’s biggest weakness is the slow-speed corners, of which there are some in Montreal, outside of the chicanes.

He says the team “need to improve more to be on par with Ferrari” in those corners, and sees the Scuderia as the team to beat this weekend.

“I think they [Ferrari] are favourites. With kerb riding, that’s a big part around here,” said Norris.

“It’s going to be close. It’s impossible for me to say if it will be us, Ferrari or Red Bull on top. That’s why it’s exciting. None of us really know and it’s going to be close. Ferrari I would probably put as favourites.”

Leclerc believes Ferrari can win the championship

Ferrari’s double podium in Monaco has put them just 24 points adrift of Red Bull in the constructors’ championship with 16 races remaining in 2024.

Leclerc fought Verstappen for the drivers’ title in the first half of 2022, before his championship challenge faded away due to mistakes and lack of development.

Red Bull have won the last three constructors’ titles but this year could be their toughest battle yet.

“I have to believe in it, and I believe in it,” said Leclerc when asked by Sky Sports F1 if Red Bull are beatable in either championship.

“However, let’s say that I think the last two races have been not the tracks that favour Red Bull or show their strengths. I don’t think that this one is a track that will show their strength either, so it might be an opportunity again for us.

“From Barcelona (the race after Montreal) onwards, I think we will see back the Red Bull that we have seen at the beginning of the year, which if this is the case, might be more difficult to beat.

“But my hopes remain high. We still have some things that we want to bring to the car, and if that is enough to close the gap, then that’s great. And we’ll put them under more pressure.

“And once they will be under a bit more pressure, it’s like everybody… when it’s a walk in the park, it’s easier to not to make any mistakes and even if you do one it probably is not seen as much.

“When you are under a bit more pressure, hopefully we can push them into more mistakes and take our chances. For now, I don’t feel like we are quite there yet. But looking at this weekend, I feel like it can be an opportunity.”

Carlos Sainz pushed Verstappen close to the Canadian Grand Prix win in 2022 and both Ferrari drivers came through the field strongly last year after a disappointing qualifying.

Rain could be a major factor throughout the weekend and there has only been one competitive wet session this year, the Sprint Qualifying at the Chinese Grand Prix.

Leclerc hopes the rain stays away on Sunday due to the chaos it can cause and was also told in the written media about Norris’ Ferrari favourite status comments.

“They always say that! Whether it’s Helmut one weekend, Lando the other,” responded Leclerc.

“Everyone doesn’t want to hear they are the favourites, so you are never going to hear me say we are the favourites, and same with them.

“I think the reality is we are so closely matched between three teams, that it will be down to the ones who do the better job, as well as the rain will be here and we haven’t really driven here with these cars yet in the rain.”

Sky Sports F1’s live Canadian GP schedule

Friday June 7
6pm: Canadian GP Practice One (session starts at 6.30pm)
8pm: The F1 Show
9.45pm: Canadian GP Practice Two (session starts at 10pm)

Saturday June 8
5.15pm: Canadian GP Practice Three (session starts at 5.30pm)
8pm: Canadian GP Qualifying build-up
9pm: Canadian GP Qualifying
11pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook

Sunday June 9
5.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday – Canadian GP build-up
7pm: THE CANADIAN GRAND PRIX
9pm: Chequered Flag – Canadian GP reaction
10pm: Ted’s Notebook

Formula 1 leaves Europe for the final time before the summer break as the championship moves on to Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix. Watch every session at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve this weekend live on Sky Sports F1, with Sunday’s race at 7pm. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime

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Sky Sports F1’s live Canadian GP schedule