Red Bull Racing

MAX VERSTAPPEN produced one of the best laps in F1 history to take pole for the Japanese GP while Lewis Hamilton was left criticising his Mercedes after only making seventh.Verstappen had seen his 10-race winning run come to a halt in Singapore but was back to his best after blitzing pole in Suzuka.
Max Verstappen secured yet another pole as he seeks a 13th win of the seasonCredit: Splash
Lewis Hamilton was left frustrated after only managing seventh in qualifyingCredit: Rex
Verstappen was over half a second clear of McLaren duo Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris in what was one of the stand-out laps all time.
Red Bull boss Christian Horner said: “What we have witnessed is something very special.
“That last lap, the first sector was absolutely mighty. Gianpiero Lambiase [Verstappen’s race engineer] started winding him up before his last run ‘let’s see a 28 [a lap of 1m.28s.] in there’ and I said to GP ‘I would like to see four wheels on the car at the end of it’.
“That first run looked good enough to get the job done but then he went quicker again.
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“All his laps have been stunning today. An absolutely mind-blowing performance.”
Verstappen’s lap was impeccable and former F1 driver Karun Chandhok said: “I’m still breathless watching that. I think that was one of the great qualifying laps in F1 history.
“He thought about every metre [of the lap] and for me that’s a driver who’s ahead of the car.”
McLaren continued their impressive resurgence with both drivers turning in mighty laps to start in second and third.
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But Hamilton was dismayed by Mercedes’ after he was only good enough for seventh while George Russell was eighth-quickest – both drivers were over a second slower than Verstappen.
Hamilton said: “We as a team really need to when we go back and do the debrief – I hope the team already realise – but a second gap is huge. And it is real.
“To be two years in and still be a second down to the Red Bulls is not a good showing and we need to make sure we work hard over the winter to get back at least half that gap before next year.
“We have a very peaky car. It is like trying to balance a knife on its tip.
“It is never perfectly balanced, it is one way or the other. You try and get it as close as you can to the middle but it is very hard to do each weekend.”
Meanwhile, Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda will continue to drive for AlphaTauri next season.
Liam Lawson, who has filled in for Ricciardo who broke his hand in Zandvoort, will be reserve and simulator driver for both of Red Bull’s F1 teams.
Ricciardo, who could be back at the US GP in Austin, said: “I’m stoked to be driving with Yuki again next year and continuing the journey with Scuderia AlphaTauri.
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“Following the progress we have already made and the plans for the future, it’s an exciting time for the team.
“We are building and it is a great feeling. There is a lot of work to do, but we are heading in the right direction and there is a lot to look forward to.” More

RED BULL boss Christian Horner has taunted Toto Wolff as his team stands on the brink of winning the F1 constructors’ championship for a sixth time.Merc boss Wolff quipped that Max Verstappen’s record of 10 straight victories after the Italian GP was “irrelevant” and something “for Wikipedia”.
Red Bull chief Christian Horner has hit back at Mercedes boss Toto WolffCredit: Getty
Wolff claimed Max Verstappen’s recent success was “irrelevant” and something “for Wikipedia”Credit: Getty
The disingenuous remark drew criticism and Horner could not resist poking fun at his opposite number as Red Bull edge closer to winning the title in Japan this weekend.
Reflecting on Red Bull’s rise since the team was formed in 2004, Horner said: “When I first came in it was clear that [Red Bull owner] Dietrich [Mateschitz] had come into F1 because he wanted to compete and had bought what was the Jaguar F1 team which had been a sort of perennial seventh place finisher.
“It was about then constructing a team and I don’t think anyone of us could have envisaged what lay ahead of us.
“Within 19 seasons we’ve achieved what we have and it’s been a phenomenal journey so far.
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“But it’s never a question of looking back, it’s always a question of looking forward.
“If we can close out these championships in the coming races that again, well nobody looks at Wikipedia these days, but that again is a huge statistic that everybody will be immensely proud of. 
“I think for us, it then becomes about next year, the year after and, of course, the next chapter for Red Bull, which is with the relationship with Ford in 2026 with producing our own powertrain.
“Going from zero with a startup company effectively and building a facility. That is the next challenge.
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“But it’s been quite a journey, and hopefully, there are a few more chapters to go.”
Verstappen looks on course to resume his place on the top step of the podium after dominating the two practice sessions in Suzuka.
The Dutchman led the way in FP1 and FP2 as he put his struggles in Singapore behind him.
He said: “It felt really good today. From lap one the car was enjoyable to drive again.
“It seems like we had a strong day, on short runs, long runs… There’s a lot of degradation on this track, so it will be quite tough on tyres in the race. But so far we had a good start to the weekend.”
Meanwhile, Lando Norris has laughed off George Russell’s prediction that the McLaren man is one of the favourites for the victory this weekend.
Norris, who was third-quickest in both practice sessions, joked: “Has he seen the rest of the season at all? Has he been watching the races?” More

SO that’s what happens when Max Verstappen doesn’t win.Formula One fans were treated to one of the most exciting finishes in ages as Verstappen’s winning run came to a shuddering halt in Singapore.
Russell’s late crash allowed Lewis Hamilton to take thirdCredit: Rex
It was a rare tough race for Red Bull as Max Verstappen finished in fifthCredit: Alamy
Carlos Sainz, Lando Norris, George Russell AND Lewis Hamilton all slugged it out for the win and were separated by less than two seconds.
Ferrari’s Sainz took the victory while Russell was left choking back the tears after crashing into the barriers on the final lap, so Norris and Hamilton completed the podium.
The exciting climax was exactly the stuff F1 bosses had been hoping for as this season had been dominated by the impressive Red Bull team, who had won all the previous 14 races.
But Hamilton does not expect this shock result to signal the end of their reign at the top, but more of a reflection that they have already downed tools on this year’s car in preparation for next year’s model.
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He said: “I don’t know why they are far off pace wise, but it is great to see others up there. It is probably a possibility that they have not been developing.
“Others have brought upgrades and they are working on next year’s car because they are so far ahead and we are still developing this one.”
Verstappen finished in fifth after starting down in 11th after an unusually poor weekend, but he still managed to increase his lead in the championship over his teammate Sergio Perez, who was eighth.
However, despite his 151-point lead, it is unlikely he will retain his title next Sunday in the Japanese GP and is more-certain to do so two weeks later in Qatar.
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And he sent a warning to his rivals that he reckons will be back on the pace in Japan, saying: “I think we will be quick in Suzuka. It’s not my problem, it’s their worries!”
This race came alive in the final stages as four drivers competed for the victory in the gruelling Singapore heat.
Smart Sainz kept Norris at arms length – but sticking within a second of the McLaren man to allow him to receive the DRS boost to fend off the threat of Russell and Hamilton, effectively keeping him as a buffer.
The race went down to the wire and just as Russell tried one last bold attempt to squeeze past Norris, he clipped a wall and ended up in the barriers at turn 10.
It put him out of the race on the final lap, promoting Hamilton to third behind Norris and Sainz.
Russell was noticeably upset and said afterwards: “A millimetre lapse of concentration and game over. So just sorry to the whole team.
“You make a small mistake and you are bitten for it. It’s heart-breaking after such a great weekend. I feel like I let myself and the team down.”
Hamilton added: “We are all trying to be millimetre perfect and it is easy to make mistakes.
“George had been driving phenomenally well all weekend and it was unfortunate on the last lap to end that way, but he will continue to grow and improve and if I can help that – I will be here for the next few years.
“It is about keeping your head down, but I made a mistake last year and crashed into the wall. It can happen to any of us.”
Meanwhile, Norris was delighted with his second-placed finish after some help from his old McLaren team-mate Sainz – despite hitting the same wall as Russell on the last lap.
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He said: “Carlos played it smart, there was no reason for me to attack him. George pressured me a lot and then Carlos backed off and gave me DRS, which was helpful. We played it in a smart way to keep the Mercs behind us.
“I did also hit the wall and damaged the steering so that it was off centre, but nothing more than that.” More

MERCEDES could launch a legal challenge to Max Verstappen’s 2021 title – depending on the outcome of Felipe Massa’s attempts to have Lewis Hamilton’s championship overturned in 2008. Massa has instructed a team of lawyers to investigate claims that former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone and the FIA knew of Renault’s plot to have Nelson Piquet Jr. deliberately crash in the Singapore GP to benefit their other driver, Fernando Alonso.
Mercedes could launch a legal challenge to Max Verstappen’s 2021 title winCredit: Alamy
Lewis Hamilton could end up losing his 2008 crown to Felipe MassaCredit: Reuters
Massa is seeking to have the outcome of that season’s championship overturned after he lost to Hamilton by a single point, claiming F1 and the FIA should have acted sooner.
When asked for his view on the subject ahead of this weekend’s Singapore GP, Wolff was coy on his team’s stance.
He said: “The rules are pretty clear in Formula One. It will certainly set a precedent — whatever it is. We’re looking from the sidelines with curiosity.”
The decision is significant given the FIA’s handling of the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP where former Race Director Michael Masi fudged the rules in a dramatic climax to the season.
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Masi was later axed from his role and the subject of a three-month FIA investigation while Mercedes pulled a U-turn on their decision to challenge the outcome of the race.
Hamilton went to ground during the winter raising questions as to whether he would return to the sport given the controversy surrounding the championship.
And Wolff pointed out: “And the FIA commented on the 2021 race, with a clear statement. So, that’s why we are looking at it [Massa’s challenge] with interest.”
Defiant Wolff also refused to apologise to Verstappen for labelling his record of 10 successive wins as “irrelevant” and something for “Wikipedia”.
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Massa has launched a legal challenge following the 2008 Singapore GP’s ‘Crashgate’ incidentCredit: AFP
Wolff was heavily criticised for his disingenuous comment with Verstappen claiming the Mercedes chief was just “pissed off” after “a pretty s*** race” in Monza.
While admitting the comments were not correct, he stopped short of saying sorry to the Dutchman.
He added: “Obviously when you look at the comments in the circumstances you can think about whether it was the most intelligent thing that I could have said and maybe not.
“But it’s always been my mindset. It is something that I’ve taken from Niki [Lauda].
“Niki gave his trophies away to get a free car wash. You won’t find a lot of memorabilia in my places either because those numbers never mattered for the two of us.
“F1 is a meritocracy. And I said it often during this year that only the best will win world championships and you need to recognise what a great job is being done there.
“At the end they will take another big trophy and that’s something that’s the most valuable: the best person in the best car wins the world championship.”
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FERNANDO ALONSO has slammed Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen as they “haven’t built anything”.The Spaniard has suggested that the two F1 stars have benefitted from being on the strongest teams during their careers.
Fernando Alonso has hit out at Lewis Hamilton and Max VerstappenCredit: Getty
Alonso has claimed the duo have not ‘built anything’Credit: Splash
Alonso, 42, is currently at Aston Martin and has helped the team to fourth place in the constructors’ standings.
He is currently third after picking up seven podium finishes this season.
Hamilton and Verstappen’s teams Mercedes and Red Bull Racing are currently second and first in the constructors’ table.
Verstappen is miles ahead in the drivers’ standings, having won 14 races, while Hamilton is still considered one of the best drivers on the grid after his illustrious career.
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However, Alonso has claimed that the duo are benefitting from their teams and that when Hamilton joined Mercedes in 2013, the team improved due to a change in regulations.
He told Marca: “When Hamilton went to Mercedes [2013 season], he didn’t build anything to be champion.
“It was only a change in regulations [hybrid engines] that changed everything on the grid and boosted Mercedes.
“I think the same with Max [Verstappen], when he joined Toro Rosso and Red Bull, Hamilton continued to win everything.
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“Red Bull is not a winning team thanks to him, simply another regulation change in 2021 has caused them to now win all the races.”
Alonso has argued that he does not understand when drivers say they have “built” teams.
He believes that more of the success comes from behind-the-scenes factors rather than the drivers.
He added: “When we say that we can ‘build’ teams around us, I don’t understand it.
“It is a sport in which technical decisions, regulations or the inspiration of the design office make more of a difference than your input, your comments, your personality or your way of driving.” More