Paddy Driver

The American outfit has struggled to get its tyres working properly this year, but only recently realised that this was linked to an aero problem with updates rather than a design or concept issue.<br>It took experiments with using its Melbourne-specification aero package to get to the bottom of what has gone wrong, and it is only now that it has found the right hybrid combination of parts that it ...

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Ricciardo and Hulkenberg finished FP2 in 17th and 18th places respectively, which will become their grid positions for the Japanese GP if qualifying is not run as scheduled at 10am on Sunday following the cancellation of Saturday's track action.<br>Renault has enjoyed a strong run since the summer break, consistently getting both cars into Q3.<br>But on Friday afternoon, the team opted to go for ...

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Reigning SUPER GT and Super Formula champion Yamamoto, a Honda-backed driver, stepped into Gasly’s car for FP1 at Suzuka.<br>Yamamoto lapped 17th-fastest, 3.2s off the pace and one tenth slower than Kvyat albeit on a different programme, and was the busiest driver in the session as he racked up 30 laps.<br>Asked by Motorsport.com to assess Yamamoto’s performance, Kvyat said: “I think he did ...

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The typhoon is approaching Japan from the south after a rapid intensification in the Pacific ocean and though its exact path is difficult to define it is due to impact Suzuka heavily on Saturday afternoon.<br>Extreme winds and rainfall would render track activity and fan attendance unsafe, with F1 and its governing body monitoring the situation.<br><br>Read Also:<br><br>F1 hopes to minimise ...

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Kubica also distanced himself from sponsor PKN Orlen, who last week issued a statement saying that it had asked Williams for clarification on Kubica's retirement in Sochi, and hinting at potential contractual issues.<br>Russell crashed in the race due to a wheel retention issue, and because the Englishman had also suffered damage to two front wings the previous weekend in Singapore, Williams ...

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Sainz was part of a four-car battle for 11th on the final lap of last weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, a fight that was not included in the world feed as the TV coverage focused on Max Verstappen holding off Lewis Hamilton for third before switching to race winner Sebastian Vettel. <br>After a clip of the fight was posted on Twitter with the message “why wasn’t this shown live?” Sainz ...

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Several drivers had previously expressed their disappointment that major developments such as a Saturday qualifying race were being floated without their input, with Sebastian Vettel even calling it "bullshit."<br>That frustration has developed despite the GPDA sending representatives to recent meetings of key stakeholders about 2021, where they had a chance to air their views.<br>Brawn and Carey ...

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While teams and F1 owners Liberty Media are continuing talks about trialling a number of reverse grid qualifying races in 2020, drivers are far from impressed about the idea.<br>Sebastian Vettel labelled it "bullshit" over the Singapore Grand Prix weekend – and he said pursuing such an idea was "completely the wrong approach" for solving F1's problems.<br>Grand Prix Drivers' Association director ...

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Honda's Spec 4 engine made its debut in the Belgian Grand Prix with Daniil Kvyat's Toro Rosso, although Verstappen, his Red Bull teammate Alex Albon and Toro Rosso driver Pierre Gasly did not race it until the following grand prix in Italy.<br>Ahead of the Russian GP, with just two race weekends completed with their new Spec 4 engines, Honda has announced that all four of its drivers will get a ...

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F1 owner Liberty Media remains in discussions with teams and the FIA about trialling reversed-grid qualifying races at select events for 2020 to improve the spectacle. But the proposal was blasted by Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel after qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix last weekend, with Vettel describing it as "bullshit" and "completely the wrong approach". <br>In F1's post-race ...

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Both F1 racers have admitted to supporting Rossi’s exploits in MotoGP as they were growing up, and at the Italian Grand Prix last weekend Norris ran with tribute helmet and boots that were painted in the nine-time champion’s colours.<br>Rossi said he cannot wait to now swap helmets with Norris, as he said that the youngster's exploits in F1 this season had turned him in to a fan of the McLaren ...

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Leclerc won the Italian Grand Prix after a feisty drive in which he defended aggressively against Lewis Hamilton and then kept the championship leader's teammate Bottas at bay in the closing laps.<br>During the race, Leclerc picked up a black/white warning flag for moving under braking in his battle with Hamilton, a continuation of a more aggressive approach first seen in the British Grand ...

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The final minutes of Q3 for the Italian Grand Prix descended into a fiasco as nine drivers all tried to back off to avoid being at the head of a train of cars.<br>But in going slowly they managed to time themselves out and most failed to get across the line to start a final Q3 lap – with only Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc getting a second attempt in.<br>The FIA has begun an investigation in ...

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The subject has become a hot topic after Spa, where drivers found themselves queuing up as they tried to find space to start a lap, especially in Q3. Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas both locked up on their out-laps as cars ahead slowed and forced them to brake suddenly.<br>Masi confirmed after the Belgian GP that the matter was under review, noting: “It is something that we have certainly ...

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But the Italian company insists their negative views were related to the low-downforce nature of the venue giving them a feeling of less grip.<br>Several drivers spun on wet or intermediate tyres today, with Kimi Raikkonen and Sergio Perez hitting the barriers.<br>Speaking to the Red Bull pit wall on team radio, Max Verstappen insisted that that the series of incidents were because the tyres are ...

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Although Vettel has not won a race for more than 12 months now, with teammate Charles Leclerc having delivered his maiden victory in Belgium last weekend, di Montezemolo is convinced the German has what it takes to return to his very best.<br>Reflecting on the Spa success, di Montezemolo says the role Vettel played in assisting Leclerc's triumph should not be underestimated.<br>"Sebastian was ...

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The selection follows July's Pro Draft in which the teams - including Ferrari for the first time - selected their first candidates for the Esports Series.<br>Leading names including two-time champion Brendon Leigh (Mercedes) and eROC champion Enzo Bonito (McLaren Shadow) are part of the list of 30 driver finalists, as is ex-Renault Formula 1 junior Jarno Opmeer.<br>Notable omissions include 2017 ...

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Hubert lost his life in a Formula 2 crash at Spa last Saturday that also left another driver, Juan Manuel Correa, with severe injuries.<br>The accident took place one day before the Belgian Grand Prix and some drivers were visibly distressed, notably Hubert’s childhood friends Pierre Gasly and race winner Charles Leclerc.<br>Norris said: “It shook me in quite a big way because I think even us ...

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The two Renault works men, as well as McLaren’s Spanish driver, have all taken five-place grid drops for having run with an upgraded C-spec in Friday practice.<br>But despite the improvements in reliability and performance from the engine, the French car manufacturer and McLaren removed the power units and fitted their race cars with B-specs overnight.<br>Renault says that the change is not ...

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When Renault confirmed Ocon would join Daniel Ricciardo in its line-up for 2020, Hulkenberg said many factors had played a part and suspected the team’s slump in form this year tipped it “over the edge”.<br>"I’ve been here three years now," Hulkenberg explained. "2017 was good progress, 2018 was still good.<br>“This year we have a very tough year. And with the difficult year we’re ...

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The Milton Keynes-based team elected to make a mid-season driver swap after feeling that it could not afford to continue with Gasly, who had a disappointing first half to the campaign.<br>While the latest Red Bull driver shuffle has again prompted questions about whether the company’s young driver programme justifies the investment, Horner is adamant the strategy is right because it is  the ...

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Alex Albon has replaced Pierre Gasly at the team from this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix following Gasly’s struggles over the first part of the season.<br>Gasly has replaced Albon alongside Daniil Kvyat at Red Bull’s junior team Toro Rosso, with Red Bull explaining that has taken place to assess who it should pair Max Verstappen with next season.<br>Speaking for the first time since the ...

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Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport had a dominant start to the season, but the run up to the summer break was not without its challenges.<br>As Formula 1 prepares to return after the summer break, fans are keen to see how far that challenge will develop as Lewis Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas and the Silver Arrows seek a record-equalling sixth consecutive Constructors’ Championship title.<br>But ...

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The FIA has been tough on drivers trying to straight-line the track at the top of Eau Rouge, and a detection loop was brought into play a few years ago to help better police matters.<br>Ahead of the Belgian GP, F1 race director Michael Masi issued revised event notes that confirmed that lap times in practice as well as qualifying would now be erased.<br><br>Read Also:<br><br>Why Mercedes chose ...

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