Motorsport

FORMULA ONE boss Stefano Domenicali is planning to cram next year’s record-breaking calendar into a shorter season.The sport will reveal the details of a 23-race schedule later this month in a season that will run from March until November.
F1 bosses are set to announce a 23-race schedule for the 2022 seasonCredit: EPA
Over the past decade, the season has been getting longer – running into mid December, but Domenicali says that will stop.
However, that will only compress the races into a tighter schedule putting more pressure on teams and their staff.
Domenicali said: “I can anticipate that, for sure, the calendar will be done with 23 races.
“Of course we will be very respectful towards the Covid regulations issued around the world from the different governments.
“But that is our aim, that F1 can give this sign of hope and to go to normal things to enjoy.
“The idea is to make sure there is the right rhythm to the calendar. There are of course considerations related to periods to make sure logistically the flow has to be right.

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“One thing I can tell you, without discovering too many things is that next year the season will start in the middle of March and will finish in the middle of November.”
There will be a new race in Miami next year while the Qatar GP will take a year off so as not to clash with the football World Cup.
The season is expected to start in Bahrain and finish in Abu Dhabi with races in Imola and Turkey under consideration.
And in an unexpected development, the F1 sprint qualifying races will be held at seven or eight races in 2022 – despite the third trial event yet to be held in Brazil.
The sprint qualifying was trialled at both British and Italian GPs and culminated in big crashes for Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen in Sunday’s races.
And Domenicali says from the feedback they have received on the sprint races proves they have been an ‘incredible success’.
HOW THE 2022 CALENDAR COULD LOOK

Bahrain – 20 March
Saudi Arabia – 27 March
Australia – 10 April
China – 24 April
Miami – 8 May
Spain – 22 May
Monaco – 29 May
Azerbaijan – 12 June
Canada – 19 June
Great Britain – 3 July
Austria – 10 July
France/Imola – 17 July
Hungary – 31 July
Belgium – 28 August
Netherlands – 4 September
Monza – 11 September
Russia – 25 September
Singapore/Turkey – 2 October
Japan – 9 October
Austin – 23 October
Mexico – 30 October
Brazil – 13 November
Abu Dhabi – 20 November

He added: “We said at the beginning of the year there would be three tests this year to make sure we have the right plan for the future.
“The vast majority of the comments we received were super positive. Promoters are super happy because there is something new and important on Friday and Saturday and Sunday.
“We are receiving this positive feedback therefore we need to know next year we have a great plan where we will also consider the points highlighted by people who did not like this format.
“Generally speaking it has been an incredible success. I can say we will not go everywhere with the sprint qualification format.
“It is something we want to keep for one third of the races more or less and to connect with a certain different way of giving rewards and points and to connect with specific circuits that as you know would make the difference.
“So there is a lot of food for thought. We will involve all the stakeholders: broadcasters, drivers, teams, promoters and fans.
“We won’t forget our role is to take the right decision and to consider all the points and points of view of everyone.”
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LANDO NORRIS has opened up on his mental health struggle when he first broke into F1 in 2019.Norris, 21, has won over fans with his light-hearted sense of humour, but says his happy-go-lucky personality does not show his true feelings of when he made his McLaren debut.
Norris has bravely opened up on his mental healthCredit: Rex
The Brit, who came agonisingly close to winning the Russian Grand Prix before spinning off the wet, said he initially doubted whether he could cut it at the top.
Speaking on ITV show This Morning he said: “I guess people, from when they just watch TV, don’t realise many things that a driver goes through.
“And it’s a bit of shame, but there are more programmes now where you get to see what the driver is like behind the scenes, and the amount of pressure and stress that they have to cope with.
“Especially at my age, coming into Formula One at 19, there’s a lot of eyes on you. So, dealing with all these kinds of things, took its toll on me.
“Feeling like I don’t know what’s next? If this goes wrong, if I don’t go out in the next session and perform, what’s going to happen?
“What’s the outcome of all of this? Am I going to be in Formula One next year, if I’m not? What am I going to do because I’m not really good at many other things in life?

“So, just all of that, and then just feeling depressed a lot of the time that if I have a bad weekend, I just think I’m not good enough and things like that.
“When they start adding up over the season, and then the social media side of it all, that can just really start to hurt you.”
Norris has had frank and open conversations with his McLaren team and mental health charity Mind, which he says has put him in a better position.
He added: “We partnered with Mind, which has helped me massively, and also helped many other people in McLaren, but also just in the world in general.
“So speaking to McLaren, speaking to the people that are around me and my friends that I trust, and also Mind, I’m in a much better place now. I’m much happier and I can enjoy everything I do.”
MCLAREN HOPE
Norris was distraught at missing out on victory in Sochi and says that after his teammate, Daniel Ricciardo’s win in Monza, there is renewed optimism at McLaren.
He said: “There’s obviously a lot of expectation on us at the moment because of Monza, where we had a 1-2, and last weekend I had pole position and almost won the race.
“So a lot of people are expecting amazing things. But we have to limit them in a way because we’re still realistically not as quick as Mercedes and Red Bull, which are the leading two teams at the moment.
“We still have a lot of work to do but every race is an opportunity.”
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SIR LEWIS HAMILTON phoned Max Verstappen to clear the air after their crash at the British Grand Prix.The pair collided at a whopping 180mph at the Copse corner in the opening lap of the July race at Silverstone.
Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen crashed in the first lap of the British Grand PrixCredit: SKY SPORTS
And they collided again in the Italian Grand Prix last monthCredit: REUTERS
Sir Lewis called the young Dutchman after the Silverstone incident to ‘break the ice’Credit: GETTY
Red Bull ace Verstappen was furious with Hamilton, who he branded ‘disrespectful’ and ‘unsportsmanlike’ from his hospital bed.
And in a bid to defuse the situation, seven-time F1 champ Hamilton put in a phone call to his young rival.
He told ESPN: “I called him after Silverstone, but, again, I don’t mean to be patronising, but I am much older.
“I’m much older and it was important for me to call and to be able to break the ice.
“I feel he’s a tremendous talent and I am enjoying racing with him.
“Do I agree with everything he does? It doesn’t even matter.

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“What matters is that he does him and he will learn, and all I can control is what I do and how I handle things.”
Hamilton and Verstappen, 36 and 24 respectively, collided again last month at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza.
On lap 26, Verstappen’s Red Bull bounced up on a sausage kerb – with one of its wheels landing on Hamilton’s head.
Hamilton would’ve sustained a serious injury had it not been for the titanium Halo safety device, which have been mandatory since 2018.
Dutchman Verstappen was handed a three-place penalty for the Russian Grand Prix as officials adjudged him to have been responsible for the crash.
Current championship leader Hamilton has become used to Verstappen’s risky manoeuvres.

He said: “I’ve had to back out of certain scenarios with Max because otherwise, we are going to crash, and I’m just like, ‘I’ll beat him in another way.
“I think, ‘If I can just survive this corner, I will challenge and fight him another way, stay close, use strategy and all these different things.”
Hamilton and Verstappen will renew their rivalry on Sunday afternoon in the Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul.

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QATAR will host its first ever Formula 1 Grand Prix in November.And the nation has also struck up a ten-year deal to host Grands Prix from 2023 onwards.
Lewis Hamilton and Co are heading to QatarCredit: PA
F1 has finally confirmed the remainder of its calendar, following a mad scramble to cram in a full season amid the Covid-19 pandemic..
And Qatar have taken the vacant position left open by the Australian Grand Prix’s second consecutive cancellation.
Race weekend will take place between November 19-21.
And it will go ahead at Losail International Circuit, north of Doha.
The venue has been a regular fixture on the Moto GP circuit.
Upon this morning’s news, Formula 1 president Stefano Domenicali said: “The Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation and Authorities have been incredible and have moved at great speed to ensure the race can take place this season at the Losail Circuit, famous to many as the host of Moto GP.
F1 confirmed the news on social media this morningCredit: f1 Instagram

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“We have shown that we can continue to adapt and there is huge interest in our sport and the hope from many locations to have a Grand Prix.
“The huge effort from all the teams, F1 and the FIA has made itpossible to deliver a 22-race calendar, something that is very impressive during a challenging year and something we can all be proud of.”
Qatar will NOT feature on next year’s F1 calendar, however, as the country instead focuses on hosting the 2022 Fifa World Cup.
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