Formula 1
Austrian GP: Can Red Bull Maintain Dominance?
Formula 1 goes to the Red Bull Racing’s home turf. Can the Austrian team maintain their form and take another win?
The final week of June has brought yet another Grand Prix weekend in the world of Formula One. The triple header offers fans a perfect reason to stay indoors during the monsoons. After an amazing Spanish Grand Prix, the Austrian Grand Prix stands to provide more entertainment in an already entertaining championship. As McLaren and Lando Norris inch closer to the top while the Ferraris face their own fallout, the championship is heating up. So let’s get into what stories might take shape at the Red Bull Ring.
KNOW THE CIRCUIT
The Austrian Grand Prix will be held at the Red Bull Ring. A simple yet challenging circuit. The Red Bull Ring is a 4.318 km long FIA grade 1 race circuit. Home to the Austrian GP for F1 and MotoGP and briefly to the Styrian Grand Prix during the 2020-21 F1 season. With the race competed over 71 laps or 306 km, the circuit consists 10 corners and 3 DRS zones. A fairly short and simple track with the lap record held by Carlos Sainz Jr with a 1:05.619.
The defining feature of this beautiful track is the Bull sculpture looking over the track at turns 6 and 7. The track is home to the Red Bull Formula One team as Dietrich Mateschitz (co-founder of Red Bull) himself bought the track and renovated it after it was left unused for many years.
With a track having fast straights & heavy braking zones, action will be inevitable. Teams are now inching closer to being the best which will give Red Bull a good run for their money on home turf.
Read more about the Red Bull Ring
TEAM PERFORMANCES
The Spanish Grand Prix showed us that Red Bulls aren’t the strongest of the pack anymore. Let’s look at Qualifying itself. Lando Norris qualified on pole with a margin of two-hundredths of a second. It might not seem like much at first, but considering the RB20 was the fastest car at the season’s start, this is a big leap in performance for the Woking outfit. The Papaya team has finished on the podium and collected a good points haul in the past six races.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe same can’t be said by for Ferrari and Mercedes. With the latter suffering from performance issues and the former suffering from one-up-ism. With Red Bull being the benchmark for all the teams, the Mercs have had a huge gap to fill. The 8x WCC winners have fallen short since their last championship campaign back in 2021. The German outfit has lacked performance since the new regulations came in place. Forcing the team to settle for points and finishing in the middle order of the pack. But Spain was a positive weekend for the team. The Mercedes duo locked out the second row for the race in qualifying. They finished in the same order with Lewis Hamilton scoring a podium for the team.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe team tinted in red has its own power struggles with the drivers. On one hand, Charles Leclerc proved to be a worthy adversary on track after his podium spells and enthralling win in Monaco. On the other, the exiting Carlos Sainz Jr has a lot to show to other teams as evidence of his existence on the grid. With these two forces in the same team, clashes are bound to happen and one of them just occurred last weekend. Both drivers commented in the post-race interview and many speculate that there are many more clashes on their way as the season progresses.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Alpines and Astons have been polar opposites to each other. The Frenchmen have scored double points for two race weekends in a row and showed somewhat consistent performances. The Astons meanwhile have fallen off the order, placing lower than what they used to.
Embed from Getty ImagesTRACK LIMITS SITUATION
The Track Limits Fiasco from last year has also been taken into account by the FIA and changes have been made respectively. For those in the dark about the track limits situation, many drivers exceeded track limits last year which caused chaos for race control and the stewards. Sergio Perez’s lap in qualifying last year sealed the deal for him in Q3, but exceeding track limits nullified his efforts, resulting in him being knocked out in Q2.
By adding gravel traps to Turn 9 and 10 and embedding additional cameras and sensors on the track to monitor drivers, officials will significantly reduce the chances of drivers gaining an advantage, thereby improving the race’s quality.
DRIVER MARKET AND TEAM SWITCH-UPS
Carlos Sainz has still shown uncertainty in his decision to move to a new team. William Or Sauber/Audi could be his main target but Alpine seems to be a viable option considering the heavy changes occurring within the French team’s Management. Speaking of Alpine, Flavio Briatore is back on the team as an Executive Advisor. The Renault CEO, Luca de Meo, has appointed the former team principal to rejoin. This will be Briatore’s return to Formula One after his infamous Crashgate scandal at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe FIA has lowered the age limit for new entrants in Formula One. They have reduced the age limit to 17 years. This could lead to teams scouting for young guns to hop into their cars to score points and give them experience for better driving in the future. The most exciting prospect in this scenario is Mercedes and Kimi Antonelli. After Lewis Hamilton exits the team, the German team will be scouting for young blood. they have specifically been eyeing Kimi for a while and even issued a request to reduce the age limit to help Kimi seal a contract with them. This could lead to a new face on the grid, come 2025 or even later.
Embed from Getty ImagesSchedule and Where To Watch
This race weekend is a sprint weekend, allowing drivers to score extra points in an additional shorter race on Saturday. With all the frontrunners “closer than ever before,” we could see an exciting battle for valuable points this weekend. You can watch all the sessions live on F1TV or Fancode.
Formula 1
Max Verstappen – A silent protest against the FIA
The three-time world champion, Max Verstappen was ordered ‘community service’ yesterday by the FIA Stewards for ‘swearing’ in the Thursday Press Conference. Max was asked about the pace that Red Bull has during the Azerbaijan GP weekend and he responded with ‘I knew the car was f*****’.
Today after qualifying, Max Verstappen refused to take questions or gave blunt answers in the official FIA ‘Post-Qualifying Press Conference’ and urged the journalist to ‘ask these questions outside of the room.’ Max kept his promise and took questions outside of the Press Conference room.
This move has earned him praises from several journalists that were present in the official Press Conference.
Earlier in the week, Talking Exclusively to Motorsport.com FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has revealed he is making moves to try to change the tone of the content that is aired to fans.
“I mean, we have to differentiate between our sport – motorsport – and rap music,” Ben Sulayem said. “We’re not rappers, you know. They say the F-word how many times per minute? We are not on that. That’s them and we are [us].”
When the F1 drivers were asked about the comment made by Ben Sulayem, Most of the drivers made the disagreement clear that stated that they are unhappy with the stance being taken by the FIA. Lando Norris has warned that F1 will lose the ‘rawness’ if the FIA clamps down on swearing. The seven-time champion, Lewis Hamilton went as far as to accuse the FIA president to have used words of ‘stereotypical’ and ‘racial element’.
“I don’t like how he expressed it. Saying that rappers is very stereotypical and if you think about it, most rappers are black and that really kind of points it towards, when it says: ‘We are not like them’. So I think those are the wrong choice of words. There is a racial element there.” – Lewis Hamilton
The FIA’s President Mohammed Ben Sulayem stance is being ridiculed by not just the Drivers, but also the media and the fans around the world. Although Ben Sulayem has said that the current measures are being taken to combat online abuse, The FIA should find an alternate approach to do the same.
Formula 1
Monza GP: F1 back at the Cathedral of Speed
The last time the F1 paddock went racing, we were treated with a dominant run of performance. The only difference was this that this time it was not Max Verstappen at the head of it. Lando Norris had a fantastic run of performance and became the measuring scale of performance. This week, at the Monza GP, we are expecting nothing less. What are all the expected news and what has happened since the last race weekend, catch it all in this F1 Race weekend preview.
TITLE FIGHT
The most significant change that has been seen in the second part of the season is how much the Championship fight has changed.
Max Verstappen currently sits at P1 with 295 points to his name, 70 points ahead of his nearest rival Norris. This looks a big gap for F1 standards but when you consider the massive development that Mclaren has undergone lately, its game on. On the Teams side of things, its close as ever. Redbull Racing are leading with just a 30 point buffer to Mclaren Racing, truly hinting at a fight incoming.
Ferrari in new colors
The crowd favourite for the weekend, Scuderia Ferrari, have revealed new suits and a tweaked livery for the Monza GP.
The Tifosi, as the Ferrari fans proudly call themselves, show up in huge numbers to suport their team every time. On the performance side, Ferrari have been doing better lately with Leclerc scoring a podium at the last race. They are currently sitting in P3, 34 points away from second placed Mclaren. Emotions are also up for Carlos Sainz, who is attending his last Monza GP in Ferrari colors.
Mercedes second seat about to be announced
Many sources have been hinting at a potential announcement of Mercedes protege Andrea Kimi Antonelli for the second seat at Mercedes F1.
In other news, Kimi is also going to take a go in FP1 in Russell’s car. All this seat time will help him get familiar with the know-how of F1. Both the current Mercedes drivers have been full of praise for the Italian, with Hamilton saying he’s excited to see the youngster progress.
Renault personnel to protest at Monza GP
Renault employees are about to protest against the plans of the administration to shut down its F1 operations.
There is also about to be a peaceful protest in the grandstands of the Monza GP. These protests are coming up as the rumors of Alpine switching to Mercedes engines is floating. Also, there has been many personnel changes in the Alpine administration, with most recent change being the stepping down of Bruno Famin, the Team prinicipal of Alpine.
Williams make the change, Sargeant out of F1
Perhaps the biggest bombshell that has dropped this weekend is Williams dropping Logan Sargeant for the rest of the season with immediate effect.
He is being replaced by William Driver academy driver Franco Colapinto. Colapinto was participating in F2 till yet and is P6 in the F2 Championship. With Carlos Sainz set to join Williams for the next season, this news surprised us fans as Colapinto is being given the seat just for a period of 9 races. One person that will be elated will be Colapinto himself, ofcourse. After Sargeant, he has got the perfect opportunity to settle and prove himself at the world stage. Now whether he manages to make full use of this opportnity will be a wait-and-watch affair.
When and Where to watch
All the sessions will streamed on F1TV and Fancode in India.
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Formula 1
Dutch GP 2024: Norris triumphs in a thrilling race at Zandvoort
The 2024 Dutch GP saw exciting action, unpredictable strategies, and unexpected podium finishes, making it one of the most memorable races of the season. In front of his home crowd, Max Verstappen faced intense competition but couldn’t secure the win, leaving Lando Norris to take the top step of the podium. Here’s a detailed look at how the weekend happened.
Drama Unfolds at Zandvoort
The 2024 Formula 1 season continued its thrilling run as the drivers headed to the tight and technical Circuit Zandvoort. With its narrow, undulating track, this race was expected to challenge both driver skill and team strategy. While Verstappen, racing in front of his home fans, was the favorite, McLaren’s rising form and Lando Norris’ pace posed a serious threat. Rainy conditions added to the unpredictability, making strategy a key player throughout the weekend.
Free Practice 1: A McLaren Statement
Lando Norris set the fastest time in the first practice session (FP1) of the 2024 Dutch Grand Prix, navigating tricky mixed conditions to clock a 1:12.947. The session was interrupted by a brief rain shower, making tyre strategy and timing crucial for all teams.
Max Verstappen finished just 0.130s behind Norris in second place, while Lewis Hamilton showed promising pace, securing third with a time of 1:13.063. The damp track early on led to some drivers struggling with grip, with a few minor off-track moments, including one for Charles Leclerc. The ever-changing weather at Zandvoort added an element of unpredictability, setting the stage for what could be a thrilling weekend.
Russell leads close-fought FP2 as Teams fine-tune setup for Dutch GP
George Russell topped the timesheets in a competitive second practice session at the Dutch GP, clocking a best lap of 1:11.965. The Mercedes driver narrowly edged out Oscar Piastri, who finished just 0.137s behind, while Lewis Hamilton secured third with a 1:12.149, making it a strong session for the Silver Arrows.
Conditions remained dry throughout, allowing teams to focus on race simulations and tire setups after a mixed-weather FP1. Max Verstappen, the home favorite, ended FP2 in fourth, just 0.237s off the pace. The session saw close margins, with the top six drivers within 0.3 seconds of each other, hinting at a tightly contested weekend ahead. Drivers and teams used this crucial hour to better their setups for Saturday’s qualifying, with multiple drivers expressing satisfaction with their car’s balance heading into the rest of the weekend.
Gasly tops eventful FP3 as Sargeant’s Crash halts session
Pierre Gasly set the fastest time in a dramatic FP3 at Zandvoort, posting a lap of 1:12.305. The Alpine driver outpaced home favorite Max Verstappen, who finished second by just 0.069s, while Sergio Perez secured third place for Red Bull.
The session was marred by a heavy crash from Logan Sargeant, who lost control at Turn 2 and slammed into the barriers, bringing out the red flag. Fortunately, the Williams driver walked away unscathed, but the accident shortened the session, with several drivers missing crucial setup time. Despite the disruption, teams managed to gather vital data ahead of qualifying, with Gasly’s performance offering a glimpse of his potential in the upcoming session.
Qualifying: Russell Shines, Norris on Pole
Lando Norris delivered a stunning performance to claim pole position at the 2024 Dutch GP, outpacing reigning champion Max Verstappen and his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri. In a thrilling qualifying session at Zandvoort, Norris’ remarkable lap secured his second career pole, setting the stage for an exciting showdown in Sunday’s race.
Q1:
The first qualifying session of the 2024 Dutch GP kicked off with the usual intensity, as drivers scrambled to set competitive times. Sergio Perez managed to top the timing sheets with a strong lap, despite some concerns over a potential impeding incident with Lewis Hamilton. The session saw several close calls, and unfortunately, Daniel Ricciardo was one of the notable names who missed out on advancing to Q2 by just over a tenth of a second. Joining him on the sidelines were Esteban Ocon, Valtteri Bottas, Zhou Guanyu, and Logan Sargeant. Sargeant was unable to participate after crashing in FP3, bringing an early end to his qualifying hopes.
Q2:
Lando Norris dominated Q2 with an impressive lap, beating his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri by a razor-thin margin of just 0.009 seconds. However, the session wasn’t as kind to others. Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton both failed to make it into the top 10 shootout. Sainz, in particular, was edged out in the final moments as late improvements from Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon knocked him out of contention. Yuki Tsunoda, Nico Hulkenberg, and Kevin Magnussen also found themselves eliminated, setting the stage for a tense final session.
Q3:
In the final showdown for pole position, Lando Norris put in a remarkable performance to secure the top spot with a blistering lap of 1:09.673. This stunning effort saw him beat local hero Max Verstappen by over three tenths of a second, a surprising margin given Verstappen’s usual dominance at his home circuit. Oscar Piastri capped off a strong session for McLaren by securing third place, while George Russell managed to take fourth. Sergio Perez slotted into fifth, followed by Charles Leclerc in sixth and Fernando Alonso in seventh, rounding off a thrilling and unpredictable qualifying session at Zandvoort.
Race
In a race brimming with drama, McLaren’s Lando Norris secured a commanding victory at the 2024 Dutch Grand Prix, shattering Max Verstappen’s unbeaten home streak in front of a stunned Zandvoort crowd. With sharp strategies, bold overtakes, and varying pit stop tactics, the race was one to remember.
McLaren’s Moment: Norris dominates
After a steady qualifying session, Lando Norris lined up on the front row but quickly found himself in a chase as Verstappen jumped into the lead at the start. However, Norris remained focused, slowly chipping away at the reigning champion’s lead. By Lap 18, a daring DRS-assisted move saw Norris’s pass Verstappen and take the lead, much to the surprise of the Dutch fans.
From there, the McLaren driver never looked back, stretching his lead to a significant 22.8 seconds by the time the chequered flag waved. The team’s flawless strategy and his expert tire management allowed him to control the pace and seal his victory, making it one of the most significant wins of his career.
Oscar Piastri once again demonstrated his talent, keeping his McLaren in contention for much of the race. After pitting from the lead on Lap 33, Piastri found himself in a fierce battle with Leclerc for third. Though he couldn’t quite get past the Ferrari, Piastri secured a commendable fourth place finish, adding to McLaren’s strong showing.
Verstappen stumbles in front of home crowd
Max Verstappen, looking to extend his dominance at Zandvoort to a fourth consecutive year, initially seemed in control. He managed the early stages well, keeping Norris at bay and navigating the tight corners of the Zandvoort circuit with ease. However, Norris’ relentless pressure coupled with Red Bull’s sub-optimal strategy saw Verstappen fall behind.
Despite switching to hard tires on Lap 27, Verstappen couldn’t regain the upper hand as Norris steadily pulled away. Verstappen was left lamenting handling issues over the radio, commenting that the car “doesn’t respond to my inputs.” In the end, he finished second, a distant 22.8 seconds behind Norris—an uncharacteristic result for the Dutch champion at his home race. Horner told Sky Sports F1-
“Congrats to Lando and McLaren, their car was in a different league today, We did everything we could, Max converted P2 into a lead, but you could see their pace was in a different league.”
Ferrari’s Resilience—Leclerc Grabs the Final Podium Spot
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc had a rollercoaster weekend but ended it with a podium finish. After an impressive start, Leclerc fought his way into third, fending off a charging Oscar Piastri in the closing laps. His performance was one of determination and defense, holding onto the final podium place after a challenging race, a solid P3, a result that the Monegasque admitted he had not expected.
“[I’m] very, very surprised,” Leclerc explained immediately after the Grand Prix. “I’m not very often happy with P3, but I think with today’s race we can be extremely happy with the job we’ve done on a difficult weekend for the team.”
Meanwhile, teammate Carlos Sainz put on a brilliant display of overtaking, muscling past Sergio Perez’s Red Bull to take fifth place after a late-race battle. Ferrari’s strategic calls and aggressive driving earned them vital points as they continue to fight for constructors’ honors.
Mercedes Struggles but Secures Points
For Mercedes, the Dutch GP was mixed. Lewis Hamilton, starting from a compromised grid position, fought his way through the field with a series of impressive overtakes, including one on Nico Hulkenberg at Turn 1. Despite struggling for straight-line speed, Hamilton made it into the top ten, finishing seventh after switching to soft tires late in the race to claim the fastest lap.
George Russell had a similarly challenging Dutch GP but managed to secure sixth, right behind Sainz and Perez. Russell’s consistent performance under pressure showed Mercedes’ persistence, even if they weren’t able to challenge for the podium this weekend.
The Midfield Battles – Gasly and Alonso Fight On
Behind him, the Alpine of Pierre Gasly and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso had a fierce scrap in the midfield.
Gasly’s daring moves earned him ninth place, while Alonso rounded out the points in tenth. The midfield battles were intense, with several wheel-to-wheel moments providing excitement throughout the race.
Drama and Disappointment in the lower order
Not everyone had a successful race at Zandvoort. Hulkenberg’s early momentum faded as he dropped out of the points, finishing in 11th place. The Haas driver could not keep pace with the top ten after a poor tyre strategy and a series of pit stops disrupted his rhythm.
Lance Stroll endured a penalty-ridden race, including a five-second pit lane speed penalty that saw him fall to 13th place after what could have been a points finish. Meanwhile, Williams’ Alex Albon, who started from the back of the grid due to a floor irregularity, finished just outside the points in 14th place after a commendable recovery drive.
At the back, Alfa Romeo’s weekend went from bad to worse, as both Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu finished two laps down, compounding the team’s struggles at the foot of the constructors’ standings.
The 2024 Dutch GP saw McLaren firmly establish itself as a force to be reckoned with, as Lando Norris took a commanding victory at the Dutch GP. Max Verstappen may have missed out on winning his home race, but his consistent performance keeps him well-positioned in the championship. For Mercedes and Ferrari, it was a weekend of mixed fortunes, with Russell showing flashes of brilliance but ultimately unable to challenge the McLarens and Red Bulls at the front. As the season moves forward, the rivalry between these top teams promises more electrifying races.
Next Stop: Monza—The Temple of Speed Awaits
The 2024 Formula 1 season heads to Monza for the Italian Grand Prix from August 30 to September 1. Known for its blistering speeds and passionate Tifosi, Monza’s high-speed straights and tight chicanes will push drivers and teams to the limit as the championship battle heats up.
Championship Standings after the race:
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