Red Bull Racing

THE smile was wiped off Mercedes’ faces after this shocker in Sao Paulo that should ring alarm bells in their Brackley HQ.In the run-up to this Sao Paulo Grand Prix, which was won by Max Verstappen – who else? – it was suggested the two good performances for the Silver Arrows in Austin and Mexico City would prove to be a false dawn.
Max Verstappen won his 17th race of the seasonCredit: AFP
Fernando Alonso beat Sergio Perez to third placeCredit: Rex
They were all smiles for those weekends – as Lewis Hamilton finished second in both races – albeit being disqualified in the US for a technicality with his car.
Hamilton too had said he was not “dazzled” by his team’s position as he watched Verstappen romp to the title.
And this was another horror show, as they got it spectacularly wrong and proved they have their work cut out if they want to take the fight to Red Bull next season.
Hamilton was eighth and George Russell – who won this race last year to give the team some motivation for 2023 – was told to retire the car on lap 58 of 71.
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It was a shocker for the former world champions, who look shadows of their former selves and again raises doubts if they will ever be able to catch Red Bull.
If he were a manager of a Premier League football club, the dreadful form over the past two seasons would have Merc boss Toto Wolff facing the axe.
Of course, F1 is a different beast altogether and the Austrian – who last week said he was interested in investing in Manchester United – is a three-way owner of the Mercedes F1 team.
There was drama before the race had even started as Charles Leclerc crashed on his way to the grid.
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Charles Leclerc crashed out during the formation lapCredit: AFP
The Ferrari man was due to start in second place but suffered a hydraulic failure and crashed into the barriers.
Leclerc was left crushing his luck and said over the radio: “I lost the hydraulics. Why the f*** am I so unlucky?”
When the race got underway, there was a smash heading into Turn One as Alex Albon was caught in the middle of a Haas sandwich.
The Williams man was pinched by Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg, who clipped his car and sent him crashing into the barriers.
Magnussen’s car also went into the rear of Oscar Piastri’s McLaren, breaking his rear wing.
The multi-car accident saw the stewards red-flag the race and there was a 25 minute delay while they swept up the debris and repaired the barriers.
Kevin Magnussen and Alex Albon crashed out before Turn OneCredit: Splash
Verstappen again got away cleanly for the second start and this time there were no further accidents as the remaining 17 cars made it round unscathed.
Fernando Alonso pulled off an excellent overtake on Hamilton to move into third and drop the Mercedes man to fourth, one spot ahead of Russell.
And it caused a headache for the Mercedes pitwall as Russell started to make it clear that he was quicker than the seven-time world champion.
Russell made a series of pointed remarks over the team’s radio. At one point it was explicitly clear.
He said: “Either I need to overtake or he needs to manage more through there.”
Russell was a sitting duck as Sergio Perez was first to pass him. And then Lance Stroll.
Carlos Sainz and then Pierre Gasly. And then Esteban Ocon. It was an alarming drop for the man from Kings’ Lynn, who was eventually told to stop due to overheating problems.
Hamilton too was passed one after the other and left him down in the timesheets and looking unlikely that he will pip Perez to second in the drivers’ championship.
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Verstappen’s 17th win of the year was routine while Lando Norris continued his excellent run of form with a brilliant second-place.
While Alosno overtook Perez on the final lap in what was a thrilling battle for the final place on the podium.
Fernando Alonso’s late efforts secured him third placeCredit: AP
Lando Norris finished in second placeCredit: Getty More

LEWIS HAMILTON’S end-of-season revival continued with a second-place finish in Mexico.The Brit, who was second the previous weekend in Austin at the US GP — only to be disqualified for a worn skid-block — was again the best-of-the-rest behind winner Max Verstappen.
Max Verstappen claimed his 16th win of the seasonCredit: Reuters
However the Dutchman was left fuming with race control at one pointCredit: Getty
Lewis Hamilton finished secondCredit: AFP
Kevin Magnussen’s fiery crash led to a red flag
The Dutchman has now won 16 of this season’s 19 races in a relentless display of crushing domination.
But there are green shoots of optimism in the Mercedes garage that maybe next year the team will be fighting him for victories.
Verstappen’s victory came as his team-mate Sergio Perez suffered a first-lap crash that left him fighting for his Red Bull future.
And Haas’ Kevin Magnussen had a 140mph shunt into the barriers that saw the race stopped as marshals fixed them.
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Verstappen made a great start and split the two Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, who started ahead of him, as they powered into turn one.
He started to inch ahead while his team-mate Perez tried a bold move down the left-hand side of the track.
But there was not enough room for the Mexican, too late on the brakes, leaving Leclerc with nowhere to go.
The Ferrari man was squeezed by Perez and the front wing pierced the Red Bull, ripping open the bodywork and sending the Mexican bouncing into the run-off area, sparking a huge collective groan from the home fans.
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He did limp back to the pits but his team decided to retire his car.The incident left Leclerc with a damaged front wing which played into Verstappen’s hands as he pulled out a 1.5-second lead by the end of the first lap.
Ferrari were the last of the front runners to pit and, when Leclerc stopped for fresh tyres on lap 32, Verstappen had amassed a whopping 17-second lead.
But this race was flipped on its head on lap 33 when Magnussen slammed into the barriers when his rear suspension broke.
Magnussen climbed from his cockpit with a sore wrist but the stewards red-flagged the race to repair the barriers.
Fuming Verstappen snapped over the team’s radio: “That’s a joke! Red flag for what? I saw the car was a bit on fire but it’s already all cleared.”
The stewards opted for a standing restart but Verstappen shot away from the chasing pack as Hamilton took his time to size up a move on Leclerc.
The seven-time world champion took his opportunity on lap 40 into turn one, taking advantage of the DRS to breeze past the Ferrari and into second place.
However, Hamilton was no match for Verstappen’s pace as the Red Bull man left the rest of the field for dust.
Lando Norris produced the drive of the day with a sensational performance from 17th to fifth.
Like Mercedes’ improved performance, McLaren’s late form has been one of the talking points of the season.
Meanwhile, Perez’s DNF will only turn up the heat on speculation that he could get the boot at the end of the year — despite Red Bull insisting they will stick with him.
The Mexican said: “I had a tremendous start and the gap was there.“I would be really disappointed being on the podium knowing I had a chance for the lead and did not take it.
“I totally went for it. I am very sad with the result but on the other side, I am really proud of myself because I went for it.”
His team-mate Verstappen said: “It’s been incredible. Of course Checo retired on Lap 1 but the crowd stayed and they have been amazing. Incredible.
“We are experiencing an incredible season. Today, we started P3 but the pace of the car was very, very good.
“We tried to do a different strategy to everyone else but unfortunately with the red flag we couldn’t show it, but nevertheless with the hard tyres we were very strong.”
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Hamilton said after the race: “I feel fresh, we weren’t having to push crazy hard out there. But this is a great result considering we started sixth.
“Really proud of the team. This is a really difficult couple of weeks and to bounce back after a difficult weekend last weekend with the end result, this is really well done.” More

LEWIS HAMILTON says he feels Sergio Perez has been put in a “difficult environment” because he does not have the full backing of everyone in his team.Hamilton was quizzed by Fox Sports ahead of this weekend’s Mexico Grand Prix with pressure forming on Red Bull’s Mexican driver.
Sergio Perez has endured a difficult season at Red BullCredit: Reuters
Lewis Hamilton believes the Red Bull driver has not had the full backing of his teamCredit: AP
Perez was recently criticised by Red Bull’s advisor Helmut Marko, who apologised for his comments towards him.
Perez, 33, is second in the drivers’ championship but faces uncertainties about his future even though the team are adamant he IS staying for next season.
Hamilton has now waded in and said: “I think that his team is not helping him at all.
“I know that Red Bull is made up of many members, but there are people who affect him psychologically and do not support him.
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“If I heard such negative things about myself every weekend it would be very difficult.
“So he is in a very complicated environment for him, but I think he knows how to deal with it.
“I haven’t experienced exactly something like what Sergio is going through, but as a driver I understand the psychological and mental pressures.
“It is something very heavy that falls on you and it is very difficult to explain it in words.
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“I think he has great support around him, he is taking care of himself very well.
“I was very excited for him at the beginning of the season, because he was driving so well.
“I even think that at some point he led the drivers’ championship and I thought ‘we are finally seeing the best of Checo’, but it is a very long year and a very long season.
“This is a very demanding sport, but what I can highlight most about Perez is that he always recovers, gets up and keeps trying.
“Something I can assure you is that Mexico is going to show itself this weekend.
“When I was at Silverstone I was very motivated and it will surely be something that will happen to him.”
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen says he has employed bodyguards this week to help him navigate a “really, really busy” paddock at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
Hamilton has a similar figure who helps him navigate the crowds at each GP.
When asked about it in Mexico, Verstappen, 25, said: “I mean, why not?
“I have a bit more security here. But there are always a few countries around the world where it’s very busy, also here in the paddock.
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“For example, last year, it was really, really busy to get from your hospitality to the garage.
“And it just helps also to make it a little bit smoother on track, off track, travel from your hotel, and stuff like that. [But] I feel very safe.” More

RED BULL have hired BODYGUARDS for Max Verstappen ahead of this week’s Mexico Grand Prix.That’s after the driver’s champion was booed last time out in Austin.
Verstappen was booed on the podium in AustinCredit: Reuters
Verstappen continued his dominance this season as he got his sixth win at the Circuit of the Americas in Texas.
But he was booed by F1 fans there to support Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez.
There is a feeling from Perez fans that he has been disrespected by Red Bull.
And while the chorus of boos was ongoing, Verstappen’s girlfriend Kelly Piquet looked visibly unimpressed.
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Perez enjoys a strong support in Texas, but that support will be magnified tenfold at his home race at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico.
Perez has struggled again this season to match Verstappen and there is talk that he could lose his Red Bull seat going into next season.
Red Bull director Helmut Marko explained the decision to give Verstappen additional protection in Mexico to F1 Insider and said: “Max doesn’t actually want that and is relaxed. But we have responsibility for him. So we just want to be on the safe side.”
Team Principal Christian Horner explained that while he expects Verstappen to receive a hostile reception, he doesn’t think it will bother the Dutchman:
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“I don’t think Max is going to get the warmest reception in Mexico! But that’s water off a duck’s back. One year you are the villain, the next year you are the hero.”
Verstappen has won four of the last five races in Mexico with Red Bull historically being very suited to the track.
There is speculation that should Perez fail to secure second place in the Driver’s Championship, he will lose his spot on the team.
But Horner poured cold water on that suggestion, saying: “With this car, it would be fantastic in such a season that we’ve had if we could finish first and second.
“But there’s no pre-mandate on Checo that you have to finish second or you won’t be driving the car next year. That’s never been discussed.”
Perez opened two of the opening four races this season before his form both in qualifying and races completely tailed off.
He has occasionally finished on the podium but his inability to challenge or even support his team-mate will surely be a concern to his team. More

F1 cult hero Daniel Ricciardo will return from injury for this weekend’s United States GP.The 34-year-old has missed the past five races after he broke his left hand in practice for the Dutch GP.
Daniel Ricciardo will return from injury for this weekend’s United States Grand PrixCredit: PA
The racing star is fan-favourite among F1 followersCredit: AFP
The Australian will be back behind the wheel at Austin, after recently participating in a Red Bull demonstration run in Nashville.
Ricciardo was handed a second chance by Red Bull’s junior team AlphaTauri following his dismissal by McLaren at the end of last season.
He was only three races into his comeback when he had a crash in Zandvoort. 
Liam Lawson, who has been filling in for Ricciardo, will now step aside as the fan favourite returns.
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And his loving supporters are thrilled to see him return to the Circuit of the Americas.
One Ricciardo enthusiast wrote: “Time to show Redbull what he is made off!”
A second said: “I hope he comes out swinging.”
A third added: “And hopefully next season he will be in the Red Bull with Max.”
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Despite his injury, AlphaTauri announced that they have kept the eight-time GP winner on their team for 2024, alongside Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda.
And Ricciardo hopes to use that as a springboard for a potential return to the Red Bull seat he vacated five years ago. 
Sergio Perez is out of contract at the end of next year and the team will consider its options for who may partner Max Verstappen in the long-term.
The US Grand Prix is scheduled to take place on Sunday, as Verstappen has already wrapped up the season with his third successive title.
Daniel Ricciardo underwent surgery for a broken hand in August More

CHRISTIAN HORNER has hinted that Max Verstappen may retire from Formula One early as he has ‘ambitions beyond racing.’The Red Bull driver sealed his third consecutive world championship after finishing second in the Qatar GP sprint race on Saturday.
Christian Horner believes Max Verstappen will not carry on for another 10 yearsCredit: AFP
This came after the Dutchman won his third consecutive title on SaturdayCredit: Getty
Verstappen, still only 26, became the first driver to wrap up a title during a sprint event, the short-form format introduced in 2021.
The Dutchman has completely dominated this season, winning 13 of the 16 races and getting on the podium in two more.
But Red Bull team principal Horner has suggested he won’t continue deep into his thirties.
Horner told PA Media: “He can go on to achieve so much more.
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“We are riding a wave at the moment, and we want to continue riding that wave for as long as we can.
“Will Max be in Formula One for a long, long time? I don’t think so.
“He has ambitions beyond F1 and beyond racing, and at 26, 36 seems a long way away.
“We have a long-term agreement with him until 2028, and he has always said he will be happy to start and end his career here, but motivation will be a crucial factor.”
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He also set a new record earlier in the campaign by racking up 10 consecutive wins, surpassing the legendary Michael Schumacher in the process.
Sergio Perez’s two early victories and Carlos Sainz’s win in Singapore remain the only blots on Verstappen’s historic record this year.
The Dutchman now leads his team-mate by a staggering 184 points.
He became the 11th driver to reach at least three titles and just the fifth to clinch a hat-trick in a row. More