Red Bull Racing

Subterms

    More stories

    • 225 Shares99 Views

      in Motorsport

      F1 Bahrain Grand Prix RESULT: Verstappen WINS, Leclerc, Ocon and Piastri all RETIRE, Hamilton finishes 5th – REACTION

      by

      MAX VERSTAPPEN kicked off the 2023 Formula 1 season in style, with a HUGE win at the Bahrain Grand Prix.Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez finished second, and Fernando Alonso, who started fifth, claimed a podium finish.
      Lewis Hamilton finished fifth, while Charles Leclerc, Esteban Ocon and Oscar Piastri all retired during the race.

      Start time: 3pm UK/10am ET
      TV channel: Sky Sports F1
      Live stream: Now
      Grid: Verstappen (Red Bull), Perez (Red Bull), Leclerc (Ferrari), Sainz (Ferrari), Alonso (Aston Martin), Russell (Mercedes), Hamilton (Mercedes).

      CASINO SPECIAL – BEST NEW CUSTOMER SIGN UP DEALS
      Stay up to date with all the latest from today’s opening Grand Prix…
      Max stamps authority on defence
      Max Verstappen has laid a marker today in his defence of his F1 world title in the 2023 campaign.
      He will take some stopping in the Red Bull car this year as Ferrari showed issues in the opening race.
      The gap between him and Lewis Hamilton in this race will ask real questions of whether he can even push Verstappen this year.
      Credit: AFP
      The stars were bright, Fernando
      Fernando Alonso’s third place finish was a win itself.
      Nobody before qualifying would have been placing money with bookies on an Aston Martin podium
      The way the Spaniard dealt with his on track battles with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were nothing short of brilliant.
      And boy did he enjoy it.
      Credit: AFP
      Credit: Reuters
      Worry for the rest of the field
      As the dust settles on the Bahrain Grand Prix the reality is setting in with the drivers.
      Max Verstappen is going to take some stopping this season.
      He won this race at a canter, never troubled by anyone.
      Bahrain applauds its three amigos
      The 2023 F1 season has begun in spectacular style today.
      With it being a great day for Red Bull, taking two of the three podium places.
      Meanwhile, Aston Martin celebrate only their second podium finish.
      Credit: Getty
      Quiet day in the office for Verstappen
      Max Verstappen pulls his car into its space as the race winner.
      From the grid he led the race and nothing changed for the duration.
      With his team taking first and second, it confirms one thing.
      Red Bull…….it gives you wins.
      Credit: AP
      Spark gone out of Leclerc challenge
      Charles Leclerc will be bitterly disappointed having to bow out of the race today in Bahrain.
      After starting third on the grid, he will have had high hopes of what he could achieve today.
      The electrical problems his Ferrari was having before the race came back to haunt the Monegasque driver.
      Credit: Splash
      F1 season starts in style
      This race did not fail to disappoint today.
      So many questions needing answering going into the first race of the 2023 campaign.
      Here are the all important results from Bahrain:

      1st – Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
      2nd – Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
      3rd – Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
      4th – Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
      5th – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

      Credit: Getty
      Max Verstappen wins Bahrain Grand Prix
      Lap 57/57 – Verstappen wins Bahrain Grand Prix
      Defending world champion Max Verstappen gets the 2023 F1 campaign off to the perfect start.
      Teammate Sergio Perez finishes exactly where he started on the grid.
      The big story is Fernando Alonso, who started in fifth, taking a podium finish.
      Spanish eyes on Alonso as he takes Aston Martin’s second ever podium finish.
      Lap 55/57 – Verstappen leads, Alonso in third
      This race is now all about the battle for third.
      What a great drive this has been by Verstappen also.
      He has not been troubled by anyone at all today and has led from start to finish.
      Machine.
      Credit: Getty
      Lap 53/57 – Verstappen heading for victory
      Max Verstappen is looking set for the first win of the season.
      He leads Perez by 10.8 seconds now.
      Perez has a gap over over 24 seconds on Alonso.
      More importantly for the Spaniard, he has a 7.3 second gap on Sainz in fourth.
      Lap 51/57 – Verstappen leads, Hamilton in fifth
      It is debatable whether Lewis Hamilton has seen Max Verstappen’s car since the grid earlier today.
      No doubt he will have his reasons, usually problems with Mercedes’ ability to give him a decent car.
      Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso is showing everyone what driving ability can do as he thrives in this new Aston Martin.
      Lap 49/57 – Verstappen leads Perez
      The real race now is for that final podium place.
      Failing anything drastic happening to their cars, Verstappen and Perez look nailed on for the first and second spots.
      Alonso meanwhile has a 3.7 second lead on Sainz.
      Lando Norris comes in for his fifth stop to get that air supply topped up.
      Lap 47/57 – Alonso into third place
      Form is temporary, class is permanent.
      The oldest driver in the F1 season, Fernando Alonso gets into the slipstream of Sainz and then uses DRS to get better pace to go passed the Ferrari.
      Amazing driving, Alonso now has the chance to finish on the podium today.
      Meanwhile, Verstappen is having a leisurely Sunday drive leading the race from Perez in second.
      Credit: AFP
      Lap 45/57 – Perez closes gap on Verstappen
      Sergio Perez reduces the gap to under ten seconds on his teammate.
      Fernando Alonso can taste blood now as he is only 0.3 seconds behinds Sainz.
      For Sainz to keep the pace to hold him off, his tyres will not be able to see this race out.
      Aston Martin has only ever had one podium finish before.
      What a chance for the experienced Alonso.
      Lap 43/57 – Leclerc out of race
      Not the opening race of the season Charles Leclerc wanted.
      Another unreliable Ferrari car costs him.
      It has opened up the race for a place on the podium for somebody else now.
      Red Bull will be glad that it was only a virtual safety car in place.
      Leclerc off the track, virtual safety car out
      Charles Leclerc experiences complete power failure.
      The virtual safety car is in place.
      He was having battery issues before the race and it seems the problems have back to haunt him.
      Lap 41/57 – Red Bull dominate, Alonso into fifth
      This is some drive by Fernando Alonso this evening.
      If he can finish above the two Mercedes, it will be some achievement.
      There is no love lost between the two drivers from their time together before.
      Meanwhile, Verstappen is having a comfortable drive.
      Lap 39/57 – Ferrari seem content with podium
      It seems with hard tyres being fitted to both cars now that Ferrari have given up on catching Perez.
      The most interesting battle is between Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton.
      Coming into turn ten the Spaniard takes Hamilton.
      This is a great watch.
      Credit: Getty
      Lap 37/57 – Verstappen leads, Alonso drops
      Max Verstappen has a huge lead from his teammate now, some 12.2 seconds.
      Leclerc and Sainz hold third and fourth.
      Alonso’s pitting cost him as he drops into sixth behind Hamilton.
      The Spaniard does have fresher tyres than the Englishman though.
      This is turning into a great battle between the pair.
      Lap 35/57 – Alonso moves into third
      Fernando Alonso is one of the only drivers to have not pitted twice so far.
      He is managing his tyres to try and build his lead.
      Verstappen meanwhile is 14 seconds ahead of Perez as he comes into the pits and it is the hard tyre that is fitted.
      Alonso finally takes his second pit of the race which sees Leclerc move back into third place.
      Lap 33/57 – Verstappen leads, Alonso into fourth
      Aston Martin have performed the undercut which sees Stroll get ahead of Russell coming out of the pits.
      Alonso is putting in some real fast lap times but is 22 seconds ahead of Lewis Hamilton.
      The Spaniard still needs to pit but is looking to build more of a lead to come out of them ahead of Lewis Hamilton.
      Lap 31/57 – Red Bull dominate pace, tyres key
      The last thing Red Bull would want to see in this race is the safety car.
      While they hold the front two places, tyre management is key for them now.
      They need to go onto a harder tyre.
      With Alonso putting pressure on Hamilton, threatening an undercut, his team tell him to pit.
      Credit: Reuters
      Lap 29/57 – Verstappen leads from Perez
      Perez is some 13.7 seconds behind his Red Bull teammate.
      Leclerc needs to focus on trying to break this Red Bull dominance but sits 5.1 seconds behind.
      Sainz then is a further 12.5 seconds behind.
      Ocon nightmare continues
      Esteban Ocon is having a race from hell today.
      Starting in the wrong position on the grid, he was awarded a five second penalty.
      Then, he was given a further ten second penalty for not carrying out the previous one correctly.
      Now he is being investigated for speeding in the pit lane.
      All of this and he sits in last position.
      Load more entries… More

    • 250 Shares169 Views

      in Motorsport

      Lewis Hamilton reveals how his Mercedes compares to rivals Red Bull ahead of F1 opener after being dominated last year

      by

      FRUSTRATED   Lewis   Hamilton admits his Mercedes F1 car is lagging even further behind Max Verstappen’s  all-conquering Red Bull than it was last year.And he fears his machine’s controversial slim design — without the sidepods designed to channel the airflow — means he might NOT be able to close  the gap.
      Sir Lewis Hamilton admits his Mercedes car is lagging even more this seasonCredit: Getty
      Hamilton failed to win a single Grand Prix in 2022 — the first winless season in his illustrious career.
      And Britain’s seven-time world champion was again left for dust in the desert.
      After finishing a lowly eighth in practice for the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, Hamilton said: “The gap wasn’t as big last season as it is now.
      “We found out we’re a long way off. We knew that a little bit in the test but it’s a big gap.
      Read More on F1
      “Do I believe we can close the gap at some stage? Yes. But it’s quite hard with the concept we have.
      “It’s going to be milliseconds, not ­closing the gap of a second.”
      Hamilton, 38, had hoped his Merc ­engineers had designed a better 2023 car that would put him back into contention for a record-breaking eighth world title.
      But while last year’s “undriveable” bouncing issues have been cured, his car is much slower than his main rivals’.
      Most read in Motorsport
      The Brit continued: “We’ll continue to tweak little bits here and there but it’ll be small bits.
      “It’s difficult for everybody, and not where anyone at the team wants to be, or where everyone at the team deserves to be, but we’re just on the wrong track.
      “There was good progress through last year but the gap wasn’t as big as it is now.”
       Hamilton’s team-mate George Russell was even further adrift in 13th spot while Fernando Alonso rolled back the years and was quickest in his Aston Martin.
      CASINO SPECIAL – BEST NEW CUSTOMER SIGN UP DEALS
      Red Bull star Max Verstappen dominated Formula One last seasonCredit: Reuters
      Alonso, 41, has joined the team for this season and set a faster time than world champion Verstappen, who was second-quickest.
      Alonso, who last won a race at the 2013 Spanish GP when he was driving for  Ferrari, continued the hype surrounding Aston’s car for this season.
      Meanwhile, Hamilton had earlier escaped punishment for another piercing and was granted special permission to race on medical grounds.
      Last year he had fallen foul of an FIA ruling that outlaws  drivers from wearing jewellery under their race suits before being granted an exemption for a nose stud.
      But he now has a second piercing, in his left nostril, and that triggered another breach of the rules.
      However, he successfully argued that by removing the offending stud, he would be at risk of “disfigurement”.
      Formula One legend Lewis Hamilton didn’t win a single Grand Prix last seasonCredit: Getty
      A statement from the FIA said: “The stewards ­consulted the FIA medical delegate, who viewed the report, examined the driver and concurred with the ­opinion.
      “We have determined to take no further action as there are concerns about disfigurement with frequent attempts at removal of the device.”
      His Mercedes team have also snapped up a former Red Bull employee to become their team’s new special adviser.
      Red Bull’s ex-HR director Jayne Poole had been Christian Horner’s confidante for years but has been signed to work with ­Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff and oversee team infrastructure.
      Read More on The Sun
      She could fill a similar role held by Shaila-Ann Rao, the  lawyer who left Mercedes to join the governing body last year.
      Rao has since left the FIA but was a central figure in the cost-cap ruling that saw Red Bull punished for breaching the spend limit. More

    • 263 Shares109 Views

      in Motorsport

      ‘Not to throw shade but…’ – F1 star Alex Albon explains the problem of being team-mates with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen

      by

      EX-RED BULL driver Alex Albon has explained the problem of being team-mates with double Formula One world champion, Max Verstappen. Albon, 26, raced alongside Verstappen, 25, for a season-and-a-half between 2019 and 2021.
      Alex Albon has explained the problem with being Max Verstappen’s team-mateCredit: PA
      The Red Bull car is tailor-made for Max Verstappen, the Thai-British driver saysCredit: EPA
      However, the Thai-British driver struggled in the Red Bull car compared to the flying Dutchman.
      And in 2021, Albon was demoted to the role of test and reserve driver with Red Bull with his seat being taken by Sergio Perez, who still partners Verstappen today.
      Ahead of the 2023 season, Williams driver Albon has explained the challenges of being the team-mate of Verstappen, who is hoping to win a third world crown in a row.
      Albon says the Red Bull car is built to suit Verstappen, which can be challenging for the No2.
      READ MORE F1 NEWS
      Writing on the Players’ Tribune, Albon said: “This isn’t to throw shade at anyone at Red Bull Racing or Max or anything, honestly.
      “But the car is set up in a unique way that is built around the lead driver, and that’s Max.
      “And, look, I totally get why. I mean, when all is said and done, he might be the greatest driver of all time.
      “But he has a very distinct style of driving, and he likes the car set up a certain way that’s hard for a lot of drivers to sync up with.
      Most read in Motorsport
      CASINO SPECIAL – BEST ONLINE CASINOS FOR 2023
      “Of course, you can tinker and tweak your own car, but just the Red Bull in general is suited to Max’s style.
      “I like a lot of front end and nose. I’ve been teammates with George and Charles and I’ve always had way more nose than them.
      “Basically think front-end sensitivity. And when I got into the Red Bull … I mean there was so much nose on the thing that if you blew on the wheel the car would turn.
      “If you play Call of Duty, or a game like that, turn your sensitivity up to the highest it will go. That’s what it’s like to drive that car.
      “And like I said, I completely understand why.
      “Max was, at the time, a future world champion. It was clear for all to see.
      “So, of course, you’re going to build your car how he likes.
      “But for a guy like me, who had driven 12 F1 races his entire life, in a completely different car, on a different team, it was a bit of an adjustment.
      “And I felt like I did O.K.!! I only finished worse than sixth once the rest of the year with Red Bull, and I was getting up to speed with everything as best I could.
      “But F1 is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately business most of the time. And even though I didn’t feel out of place at Red Bull, the next season wasn’t easy.
      “The pandemic impacted everything, and I felt I really needed that extra time with the car that we lost. It was a massive break between Abu Dhabi and the first race.
      Read More on The Sun
      “But I understood it was difficult on everyone and I had to put my head down and perform.”
      Albon turned in a strong showing in pre-season testing, with the 2023 campaign set to get underway in Bahrain this weekend.

      Complete F1 2023 race calendar – every Grand Prix from this year More

    • 238 Shares159 Views

      in Motorsport

      F1 2023 season predictions as Verstappen could have SHOCK title challenger but Brit stars set for season of misery

      by

      AFTER a winter break, the new F1 season kicks off this weekend in Bahrain.Last year’s champion, Max Verstappen was simply unstoppable as he blitzed his way to glory while Mercedes’ drivers were left dizzy by their bouncing car and Ferrari cocked it up.
      Max Verstappen won the Championship last yearCredit: Reuters
      But the points totals are reset and with Las Vegas also added to the calendar, here’s what The Sun’s F1 Correspondent Ben Hunt believes what’s in store for 2023…
      Championship winner
      It is so difficult to look past Verstappen for a handful of reasons.
      Sure, Mercedes and Ferrari and the others have had the winter to redesign their cars but there have been relatively few rule changes this time.
      That bodes well for Red Bull, whose car was not only reliable last season, but it was quick everywhere.
      READ MORE ON MOTORSPORT
      What does that mean? Well, each track has its own unique characteristics; long straights, slow-speed corners, hot weather or even altitude.
      But Red Bull designed a car that was suited to all of them.
      It makes the refining process over an F1 weekend easier when you start with a good base model each week.
      CASINO SPECIAL – BEST NEW CUSTOMER SIGN UP DEALS
      Verstappen now has two championship wins – with both titles coming in different circumstances and he will benefit from that.
      Most read in Motorsport
      He is more experienced and, let’s face it, was the best performer on track last season, with barely any mistakes.
      His only potential weakness comes from within his team.
      His bitter fall-out with Sergio Perez could see tensions rising between the two team-mates.
      Constructors winner
      The Red Bull car looks like the one to beatCredit: Getty
      Red Bull’s win in the constructors’ championship last time scratched an itch, and they are determined to retain that trophy after years of Mercedes dominance.
      Based on pre-season testing, there is a widely-held opinion that their car again looks the one to beat.
      It is hard to disagree but this championship is surely not over before it has even started, and the aforementioned Perez – Verstappen pairing will be interesting.
      Aside from that, the rest of the team is a steady ship with no key departures or arrivals over the winter, like at their rivals.
      Boosted by Honda’s engines and technical partnership with Ford – and despite a reduction in development because of their cost-cap breach – if they get off to a good start, it could be too late for the other to catch up.
      Overperformer
      Fernando Alonso could impress for Aston MartinCredit: Reuters
      It seems slightly ridiculous to suggest that two-time world champion Fernando Alonso would overdeliver for his new team, Aston Martin, but I expect just that.
      Aston have spent millions and millions on recruiting the best in the business and now they have one in their star driver, who joins from Alpine.
      Alonso has a wonderful ability to overperform in whatever he is given and while I don’t wish to speak too much about their second driver, I fully expect Alonso to drag that car as high up the grid as possible.
      I am also incredibly interested to see how Brit James Vowles does in his new role as team principal of the Williams team after leaving Mercedes, where he was their chief strategist.
      Steadying the ship, and closing the huge gap to the rest of the field, is a big task but I think there is half a chance they can manage it.
      Underperformer
      McLaren have not had the most successful pre-seasonCredit: AFP
      The rumblings from McLaren aren’t great news if your name is Lando Norris.
      The Woking team had hoped to be able to build on last year’s improved end to the season.
      However, if you judge by the results from pre-season testing – where they were the team that put in the least amount of laps – then it could be another long hard season.
      There is no doubt that Norris can deliver wins and even titles but he needs to be given the car to do so, I am not too sure that’s going to be this season.
      He could find himself hamstrung and that would test the relationship with McLaren, and his deal that stretches to 2025.
      The Best of the Rest
      Charles Leclerc could be a challenger this year for FerrariCredit: AFP
      Charles Leclerc will welcome the appointment of new Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur, who will make it a priority to eliminate the strategic mistakes which cost the team last season.
      If Vasseur can cut out the errors, then Leclerc could find himself in a title battle with Verstappen.
      Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz could also benefit from Vasseur’s stability. Now that the Spaniard has a race win under his belt, I expect him to be more competitive.
      Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were left with mixed feelings after testing.
      The bouncing looks to have been cured but the problem is, Red Bull, Ferrari and Alpine and Aston Martin all look much quicker.
      Both Russell and Hamilton could have their work cut out but Mercedes’ strength is their work ethic and it will not be long before they are up to speed. There is potential for wins.
      Read More on The Sun
      Perez will struggle to usurp Verstappen but their relationship will be key to Red Bull’s success.
      The focus will be on whether the Mexican is again willing to play a supporting role.

      Complete F1 2023 race calendar – every Grand Prix from this year More

    • 238 Shares169 Views

      in Motorsport

      F1 Bahrain Grand Prix: Date, UK start time, live stream, TV channel, practice, qualifying for 2023 season opening race

      by

      THE 2023 Formula One season gets underway with the Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend, with Max Verstappen aiming to become a three-time world champion. Red Bull dominated the 2022 season as they won 17 of 22 races with Verstappen taking a whopping 15 victories and team mate Sergio Perez two.
      Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez and Daniel Ricciardo at the launch of Red Bulls 2023 car.Credit: AFP
      Charles Leclerc on the podium at last season’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.Credit: Rex
      The pressure will be on new Ferrari team principle Fred Vasseur to deliver a title winning car as The Scuderia look for their first drivers title since Kimi Raikkonen in 2007.
      The 2022 car was fast but unreliable with Charles Leclerc taking 3 victories whilst Carlos Sainz took his maiden F1 win at Silverstone.
      Mercedes had a difficult 2022 season with the Brackley outfit only registering a solitary victory courtesy of George Russell at Interlagos.
      Lewis Hamilton failed to win a race for the first time in his Formula One career in 2022 and will be desperate to get back on the top step of the podium in 2023.

      Elsewhere on the grid Fernando Alonso replaced the retiring Sebastian Vettel at Aston Martin, Nico Hulkenburg returned to the sport with Haas, Pierre Gasly joined Alpine, Nyck de Vries joined Alpha Tauri, Oscar Piastri replaced Daniel Ricciardo at Mclaren and Logan Sargeant joined Williams.
      When is the Bahrain Grand Prix?

      The Bahrain Grand Prix will take place on Sunday, March 5.
      Practice gets going from 11.30am on Friday, March 3.
      Qualifying is on from 3pm on March 4.
      The race will begin at 3pm UK time.

      What channel is it and can it be live streamed?

      The Bahrain Grand Prix will be live on Sky Sports F1 with highlights on Channel 4.
      You can live stream the race on the Sky Go app which you can download on your tablet or mobile device.

      What are the teams and drivers?

      Red Bull: Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez
      Ferrari: Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz
      Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton and George Russell
      Alpine: Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly
      Mclaren: Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri
      Alpha Tauri: Yuki Tsunoda and Nyck de Vries
      Alfa Romeo: Valterri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou
      Aston Martin: Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll
      Haas: Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg
      Williams: Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant

      Most read in Motorsport More

    • 225 Shares99 Views

      in Motorsport

      Lewis Hamilton confident Mercedes WILL be able to challenge Red Bull for title as 2023 season draws closer

      by

      LEWIS HAMILTON’S Mercedes team are confident they have fixed their challenger for this season after a mixed spell on track during testing.The new F1 season kicks off this week in Bahrain where Hamilton and his team-mate George Russell hope to be able to take the fight to world champion Max Verstappen.
      Lewis Hamilton admitted there is still a way to go for Mercedes to get to the level he wantsCredit: Getty
      Hamilton was second-quickest on the final day of testing behind Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez.
      And while he says the team are “not quite where we want to be” he has reasons to be optimistic going into the new season.
      He said: “There has been a lot of discovery and the whole team has approached it with the same mentality, working hard, not being complacent and staying focused.
      “We’re not quite where we want to be but it’s a good platform to start from. We don’t know where we will be next week, but we will stay positive and continue to push to the maximum.”
      READ MORE ON F1
      After a tricky day on track last Friday, Merc’s engineering chief Andrew Shovlin says that after a late night spent working on the problem they came up with a suitable fix.
      He added: “A fair bit of work took place overnight to find some refinements to the car specification and recover our direction on the set-up.
      “We do seem to have made progress; both drivers felt the car was in a much better place across the range of conditions [on Saturday] and the balance is closer to what they require on a single lap and long run.
      “It’s clear that we still have work to do on car pace but it has given us a much more coherent picture of where we need to focus our efforts.
      Most read in Motorsport
      CASINO SPECIAL – BEST NEW CUSTOMER SIGN UP DEALS
      “We’ll be using the time ahead of next weekend to go through the data we’ve collected and aim to extract a bit more lap time.”
      Meanwhile, Aston Martin will NOT turn to Sebastian Vettel if Lance Stroll is not fit enough to drive this week.
      Stroll suffered wrist injuries when he crashed his bicycle in Spain and was forced to miss all of pre-season testing.
      Aston say they will allow Stroll extra time to recover however if he does not pass a fitness test it will be reserve driver Felipe Drugovich who will compete in the race.
      Vettel retired at the end of last year, but there was growing speculation he could be lured back for a one-off race while Stroll recovers.
      Drugovich has already completed the pre-season alongside Aston’s new recruit, two-time world champion Fernando Alonso. More

    • 250 Shares139 Views

      in Motorsport

      Max Verstappen sends ominous warning to Lewis Hamilton as Red Bull ace fastest in first session of F1 pre-season testing

      by

      MAX VERSTAPPEN shot an ominous warning signal to Lewis Hamilton as he set the fastest time during the first session of pre-season.The drivers and teams are out in Bahrain for three days of testing before the opening race of the season next month at the same venue.
      Max Verstappen has won the last two driver’s championshipsCredit: Rex
      Testing gives engineers and drivers a chance to explore their cars and make tweaks to its framework before racing begins.
      The three-day event can occasionally signal a changing of the guard with some cars finding lap time and others dropping off.
      But Verstappen has alerted his rivals that he and his Red Bull are still top of the pile by clocking the fastest time over eight hours of running.
      The reigning world champion set his fastest lap at 1.32.837 having gone round the circuit 157 times, far more than any of the other drivers.
      READ MORE IN F1
      Fernando Alonso came second, only 0.029 behind the Red Bull, while Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was third-fastest.
      Hamilton did 83 laps and set the sixth-fastest time through the session, while teammate George Russell sharing the Mercedes was ninth.
      It was a good day for struggling Williams who saw Alex Albon and rookie Logan Sargeant set the seventh and tenth quickest times respectively.
      While Felipe Drugovoich, standing in for the injured Lance Stroll, saw his Aston Martin break down early in the session and require work in the garage.
      Most read in Motorsport
      CASINO SPECIAL – BEST NEW CUSTOMER SIGN UP DEALS
      Major shakeups to the grid order are not expected with the regulations largely unchanged from last year, although car floors have been raised 15mm off the ground.
      This is in response to the issue of porpoising last season which appeared to particularly affect Mercedes – but they have reported better results this time round. More

    • 200 Shares129 Views

      in Motorsport

      Lewis Hamilton takes sneaky peek at Red Bull rival Max Verstappen’s car in F1 pre-season training

      by

      LEWIS HAMILTON took a cheeky peek at Max Verstappen’s new Red Bull car as Formula One’s pre-season testing got underway this morning.The seven-time world champion is looking to wrestle his title back from Verstappen this year to capture a record eighth.
      Lewis Hamilton takes a look at Max Verstappen’s Red BullCredit: Rex
      Hamilton, 38, peers in for a closer lookCredit: Splash
      Red Bull enter the season as the team to beat, having dominated the last campaign on the way to a constructors’ and drivers’ championship double.
      With all 10 teams’ new motors on track together for the first time for the Bahrain session, it’s customary for drivers to have a peek at the opposition.
      And Lewis, 38, couldn’t help but have a little look at what Verstappen has under the bonnet.
      Joined by ex-team-mate Valtteri Bottas, now of Alfa Romeo, and Haas’ Kevin Magnussen – Hamilton checked out the competition.
      READ MORE IN F1
      While he wanted to get a closer look at Red Bull’s latest effort during testing, Hamilton seems to be happy with Mercedes’ new W14.
      Upon its launch, he said: “I have been a part of this team for over a decade and the efforts of everyone never cease to amaze me.
      “I find it inspiring how diligently and passionately each person approaches their work.”
      Hamilton also denied that his team would ever try and copy Red Bull… despite what others may be doing.
      Most read in Motorsport
      CASINO SPECIAL – BEST ONLINE CASINOS FOR 2023
      Hamilton checks out the rest of the gridCredit: Splash
      Verstappen later got behind the wheel of his new car for the testing sessionCredit: Getty
      He said: “Of course you can see that some of the cars are approaching what a Red Bull might look like, perhaps with the exception of Ferrari.
      “I don’t think we’ve ever been a team that copied other people.
      “We’ve always had our own mind and have always been a team that’s incredibly creative and innovative and likes to do it our way. And I think that’s worked in the past.”
      Hamilton’s boss Toto Wolff said: “Last year was difficult but it came with lots of learnings.
      “I hope 2023 will be proof that we have understood how to unravel the problems and improve the package of the car.”
      He then continued: “W13 certainly had performance which we never were able to unlock and put all its downforce on the ground.
      “Our car performed very well at the end of the season.
      “However, we still had the famous bouncing at some circuits and the car never gave the drivers good feedback, which limited them in being able to really push.
      Read More on The Sun
      “We have tried to keep all the goodness of the W13 and address its weaknesses.”
      Mercedes fans rejoiced during testing this morning, with the W14 not porpoising at all like its predecessor did.
      Hamilton is ready for another crack at winning an eighth world championshipCredit: AFP More