| by Editors F1Maximum
In the F1 in brief section, F1Maximaal.nl keeps you informed of the latest news from the premier class of motorsport that just does not qualify for an extensive mention, but is of course still relevant to mention on the website.
Domenicali: ‘Cannot intervene in the performance of the teams’
This year Red Bull Racing seems to be able to easily drive to both world titles. Stefano Domenicali doesn’t think it will tarnish the sport’s reputation. “This year we have to be honest: Red Bull has done a better job than the rest, that’s a fact,” the Formula 1 CEO is quoted by The Financial Times. Domenicali doesn’t think the championship has been decided yet, but it’s up to the teams to close the gap to the Austrian team. We cannot intervene in the performance of the teams. I am convinced that what we have done in terms of financial regulation will help to minimize the difference on the technical side.”
It tickles with Ricciardo: “I want to remind the team that I can deliver”
Daniel Ricciardo is back with Red Bull Racing this year after two-year forays at Renault and McLaren. The Australian is the third driver this year, although earlier this week he was associated with Nyck de Vries’ seat. Ricciardo had a seat made and will take action during a test after the Grand Prix of Great Britain. “I’m enjoying this year, and I’d like to get back on the grid and compete. There’s still something unfinished business. I will continue to do simulator work and in July I will get back in the car. That will motivate me a lot. I’m obviously going to put pressure on myself and try to remind the team that I can still deliver. Then we’ll see where it ends,” says Ricciardo.
Horner would like to make all Pirelli tires compulsory at Grands Prix
Christian Horner would like it if Formula 1 made it mandatory to use all types of tires during a Grand Prix, the Red Bull Racing team boss says The Financial Times. “I think we should get rid of one-stoppers. We need to have races with multiple pit stops. The problem with engineers, however, is that they make things too good and too predictable. I feel like we need to add a little more of an element of surprise. If you opted for the softer tyres, you often had to do two pit stops. Why shouldn’t we do anything towards making all tires compulsory during a race?’
Verstappen is also not sitting still in the rare weekend off
The Formula 1 circus has just completed two race weekends, in Azerbaijan and Miami, and will start next week triple-header in Europe. Five Grands Prix in six weekends will therefore only give the drivers some days off this weekend, but world champion Max Verstappen will also be busy in the coming days. The Dutchman, together with teammates Diogo Pinto and Ole Steinbraten, will compete on behalf of Team Redline in the 24 Hours of the Nürburgring in the GT3 class. The race is live on this weekend YouTube to follow.
Sainz: ‘Thoroughly analyze what Red Bull does that the rest of us don’t’
Carlos Sainz indicates that the Ferrari team is working hard to catch up with Red Bull Racing. In addition, the Italian racing stable has to look at what is happening with the leader in the championship. “There’s a lot to analyse, we test so many things every weekend,” the Spaniard is quoted by Brand. “We write off one thing and use something else. We are still thoroughly analyzing with the whole factory what Red Bull is doing that the rest of us are not doing.”
Stroll praises dynamism within Aston Martin: ‘Enjoy working with Alonso’
Lance Stroll is very pleased with the dynamics within the Aston Martin team. The driver is working with Fernando Alonso for the first time and the Canadian likes that. “I absolutely enjoy working with him,” Stroll is quoted as saying Motorsport.com. “He is incredibly talented, has a lot of knowledge and experience, and is hungry to get the most out of himself every day. I have a lot of respect for it, for the dedication, focus and motivation that he shows every day.’
Montoya: ‘Funny how everyone is talking about Alonso now’
Juan Pablo Montoya is surprised that everyone is suddenly talking about Fernando Alonso’s performance. The two-time world champion was on the podium in four of the first five races of 2023. According to the former F1 driver, not much has changed, namely. “It’s funny how everyone is talking about him now,” he says Motorsport.com. “To be honest, I think he’s still driving like before. Not much has changed except that he now has a better car and obviously uses it well. I must say that he knows how to get everyone on board, which is very nice to see.’
Andretti expects more clarity about Formula 1 participation in July
Michael Andretti still hopes to be on the Formula 1 grid with Andretti Autosport and Cadillac in 2025. The American team owner expects more clarity on this in July. “We are in the middle of a process with the FIA and we are submitting all our paperwork to this work. Hopefully we will get an answer by mid-July. We are making good progress. We are building a team at the moment,” added Andretti Sky Sports F1.
FIA Shanghai license extended, return to Formula 1 closer
The Grade 1 license of the Shanghai International Circuit has been extended by the FIA, it reports Motorsport.com Wednesday afternoon. This means that the track has been found suitable by the motorsport body to organize Formula 1 races in China again in the coming years. In recent years, the license could not be extended due to the corona crisis in the country, but now that the measures have been relaxed, it has been extended. The Chinese Grand Prix should be back on the calendar next year. The last time was already 2019.
Complete Red Bull team became infected with corona after Verstappen’s title party in 2021
Christian Horner has revealed that everyone at Red Bull Racing contracted the corona virus in 2021 after Max Verstappen’s title party in Abu Dhabi that year. The team boss puts in the Extraordinary Tales-podcast that it was important to celebrate something during that corona period. “So that’s exactly what we did. So it was the first time we could get everyone together and of course everyone got the goddamn coronavirus after the party. Then we could write Christmas on our stomachs,” jokes the Englishman.
“Mercedes made an attempt to loosen Newey at Red Bull”
The Mercedes team has made an attempt to loosen Adrian Newey from Red Bull Racing. The engineer of the Austrian racing stable has extended his contract with Red Bull, so that Mercedes got zero on his claim. Before Newey extended his contract, he received a phone call from a former Red Bull employee F1-Insider. “This ex-employee is now Toto Wolff’s personal assistant.”
Alonso sneer at Ocon: ‘Stroll thinks like a teammate’
Fernando Alonso had a little bit of a fight with former teammate Esteban Ocon this weekend. During the second free practice session, the Frenchman got in the way and the Aston Martin driver wanted to have his say about that. “Lance (Stroll, ed.) Is a driver who thinks like a teammate, as we saw in Baku,” Alonso is quoted by AS. “Last year the opposite happened to me. I was always the first target of my teammate and that is obviously something that does not benefit the team at all.
Verstappen misses renewal of prestigious sports prize, Red Bull also does not win
Max Verstappen was named Laureus Sportsman of the Year in 2022 for his performance in 2021, but the Dutchman was unable to extend this sports award despite a new world title. The Dutchman also had to deal with a lot of competition in a year that included both the World Cup and the Winter Olympics. In addition to Verstappen, football players Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé, tennis player Rafael Nadal, basketball player Stephen Curry, and pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis were nominated. The win eventually went to the favourite: Lionel Messi. Red Bull Racing was nominated in the team category, but Verstappen’s team also had to beat the Argentina football team, which became world champions in Qatar.
Norris about De Vries: ‘He should try to brake earlier’
Lando Norris was almost knocked out of the race by Nyck de Vries during the Miami Grand Prix. The Brit had a good start and wanted to pass the AlphaTauri driver. De Vries blocked his tires and he tapped the rear of the McLaren. “I don’t know what happened, I just got hit. He’s been doing that more often lately. He should try to brake earlier,’ added Norris of international media. “But it didn’t change my day, at least I wouldn’t say so.”
Mercedes updates coming: ‘Please don’t have big expectations’
Toto Wolff is satisfied with the results of the Miami Grand Prix, especially after Mercedes’ performance went downhill after the first free practice. In two weeks in Imola, the German racing stable will introduce a major update, but Wolff is already suppressing the great expectations. Please don’t have great expectations. We had so many upgrades last year that didn’t work, so we have to keep our cool. We have to deliver solid engineering work,” said the Mercedes team boss the German branch of Sky Sports F1.
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