INDIA in F1

Author: INDIAinF1 Desk

  • Carlos Sainz tops timesheets in FP2: Singapore Grand Prix

    Carlos Sainz tops timesheets in FP2: Singapore Grand Prix

    Singapore, 15 Sept. 2023: Carlos Sainz topped the timesheet in the second practice for the 2023 FIA Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix, beating Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc by juts 0.018s as Max Verstappen finished in eighth place.

    It was Sainz who set the session’s early benchmark, with the Spanish driver posting a lap of 1:34.150 on Medium-compound Pirelli tyres, but as the clicked towards the 10-minute mark that time was beaten by Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso who took top spot with a lap of 1:33.964. Sainz was soon back on top, however, with a lap of 1:33.303, before making another improvement at the quarter mark to 1:33.213, with Alonso back in P2. 

    With almost a third of the session gone, Yuki Tsunoda, in a heavily revised AlphaTauri, jumped to second place with a lap of 1:33.483, but further back there was little joy for world champion Max Verstappen with the Dutchman languishing in ninth place and grumbling over the radio about the poor balance of his car before pitting for adjustments. 

    Leclerc was much more comfortable on the streets of Marina Bay and the Monegasque driver reclaimed top spot just before  the 20-minute mark with a medium-tyre lap of 1:32.974, 0.239s quicker than Sainz in second.

    A lull followed as teams prepped for quali sims, with Sainz one of the first on track on Soft tyres, followed soon after by Leclerc. And in their intra-team duel, it was Sainz who came out on top with a 1:32.120s, just 0.018s ahead of his team-mate as Alonso slotted into third ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris, Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas and AlphaTauri’s Liam Lawson. 

    Hamilton then emerged and took P3 from Alonso, while George Russell sandwiched the Aston Martin driver by taking fifth place. 

    After a long spell in the Red Bull garage for set-up changes, Verstappen eventually emerged at the halfway mark but he only managed the sixth quickest time, a sizeable 0.732s behind Sainz. Alonso then improved to third, although the Aston Martin driver was still 0.358s behind Sainz. 

    Like his team-mate Red Bull’s Sergio Pérez was also struggling with his RB19 and after the Mexican’s first attempt on Softs put him eighth and more than 0.8s off the pace he told his engineer that it “was just not coming” and that the rear end of his car was stepping out “massively”. 

    With 20 minutes left Russell moved to third and that brought to an end any major improvements on soft tyres, with the bulk of the field moving to harder compounds for the remainder of the session. 

    Elsewhere, there was trouble for Alex Albon. Having set his fastest lap on the hard tyre, a power unit issue after five laps ensured Williams driver could not make a quali run. 

    2023 FIA Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix – Free Practice 2
    1 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:32.120 26 193.052
    2 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:32.138 0.018 27 193.014
    3 George Russell Mercedes 1:32.355 0.235 25 192.561
    4 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 1:32.478 0.358 25 192.305
    5 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:32.585 0.465 23 192.082
    6 Lando Norris McLaren 1:32.711 0.591 23 191.821
    7 Sergio Pérez Red Bull 1:32.812 0.692 23 191.613
    8 Max Verstappen Red Bull 1:32.852 0.732 23 191.530
    9 Kevin Magnussen Haas 1:33.017 0.897 25 191.190
    10 Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo 1:33.105 0.985 24 191.010
    11 Nico Hülkenberg Haas/Ferrari 1:33.139 1.019 22 190.940
    12 Liam Lawson AlphaTauri 1:33.285 1.165 27 190.641
    13 Esteban Ocon Alpine 1:33.361 1.241 25 190.486
    14 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 1:33.390 1.270 25 190.427
    15 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:33.461 1.341 23 190.282
    16 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri 1:33.477 1.357 27 190.250
    17 Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo 1:33.575 1.455 25 190.050
    18 Pierre Gasly Alpine 1:33.824 1.704 24 189.546
    19 Logan Sargeant Williams 1:34.327 2.207 28 188.535
    20 Alexander Albon Williams 1:35.558 3.438 5 186.106

  • 10 days to go: MotoGP India all set to produce top speeds

    10 days to go: MotoGP India all set to produce top speeds

    New Delhi, 12 Sept. 2023: The excitement is building up as the inaugural MotoGP Bharat is just about 10 days away and motorsport fans across the globe are waiting with bated breaths to witness the race at the track that hosted three Formula One races about a decade ago.  

    The MotoGP Bharat will be held at the Buddh International Circuit in Gautam Buddh Nagar from September 22-24. The homologation process has been completed and certain modifications have been made to make it suitable for mototrycle racing.  

    However, one of the most exciting prospects is that the top speed could touch 370 Kmph. This year, Brad Binder of Red Bull KTM set the high-speed record at 366.1 Kmph. This new expected top speed of 370 Kmph is due to the long back straight, measuring 1006 metres. This straight stretch is divided into two parts – the first segment is downhill, that will allow the riders to achieve maximum acceleration, while the latter part, which is uphill, will enable them to brake late and maintain top speed. 

    Amit Sandill, Director Racing, Fairstreet Sports, said, “MotoGP Bharat is poised to redefine speed in the world of motorcycle racing. The Buddh International Circuit has undergone remarkable modifications, and it will be breathtaking to see the riders achieve mind boggling speeds.” 

    The parabola or the stadium section at turns 9 and 10, is the perfect camber for riders to slingshot out of the turns and permits them to push their bikes to the limit. The track’s surface gives exceptional grip to the tyres, offering riders complete control over their machines. Meanwhile, safety measures have been bolstered with the installation of 1800 metres of new safety barricading. 

    Carlos Ezpeleta, Chief Sporting Officer of Dorna Sports, added, “The changes made to the Buddh International Circuit are truly remarkable. This track now stands witness to India’s commitment to hosting world-class motorsport events. We believe the circuit has the potential to register speed that could rewrite the MotoGP record books.” 

    With a track that is flowing, fast, and includes 13 challenging turns (8 right and 5 left), the race promises to be full of action.  

    Some of the biggest names from the racing world including Francesco Bagnaia of Ducati, Marc Marquez of Repsol Honda Team, Marco Bezzecchi of Mooney, Brad Binder and Jack Miller of Red Bull KTM, Jorge Martin of Prima among others, will participate in the race.  

    Currently, Ducati’s Bagnaia leads the championship standings.  

  • Jorge Martin doubles up to home in on Bagnaia

    Jorge Martin doubles up to home in on Bagnaia

    Martin and Bezzecchi pip Pecco to cut the Championship deficit as Pedrosa threatens to spoil the party at Misano

    Misano, 10 Sept. 2023: Pole position, Tissot Sprint win and a Sunday race victory. Jorge Martin’s (Prima Pramac Racing) weekend at the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini couldn’t have gone any better as the Spaniard made no mistakes to take maximum points on his title rivals’ stomping ground. The winning margin over second place Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) was just 1.3s as Bez homed in though, with reigning World Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) fighting through the pain to claim an important third. And Pecco was only just ahead of some familiar company at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli: wildcard Dani Pedrosa (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing).

    Martin untouchable again as Pecco fends off Pedrosa
    Just like he did in the Tissot Sprint, Martin got a perfect launch and pocketed the holeshot as Bezzecchi and Bagnaia slotted in behind. Pedrosa got away well again and was up to P4, and the MotoGP™ Legend held on after a moment between Turn 1 and 2 looking for a way through on Bagnaia. But Bagnaia then picked his way past Bezzecchi at Turn 3 as the #1 immediately began to hound Martin.

    Unlike yesterday, Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) made good progress off the start and at the beginning of Lap 2, the South African was up to P4 and began to chase Martin, Bagnaia and Bezzecchi.

    A fascinating early race fight was unfolding at the front. Martin, Bagnaia and Bezzecchi were locked together, with Binder 0.7s adrift heading onto Lap 5. On Lap 6, Bezzecchi passed Pecco for P6 down at Turn 8 but just like he did a lap previous, the Italian was wide at Turn 10 to allow the Champion back through. That gave Martin a little bit of breathing room – if you can call 0.3s that – as Binder went quicker than the trio in front of him.

    Disaster then struck for Binder at Turn 14 on Lap 8. The KTM star was down at the tight right-hand hairpin as his podium hopes ended, handing Pedrosa the lead KTM baton. The #26 was 1.5s off the leaders, as KTM’s afternoon then got worse as Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) crashed out of contention after being involved in an incident with Michele Pirro (Aruba.it Racing).

    Elsewhere, on Lap 12 of 27, it was time to cue the jaws music. Who for? Pedrosa. The wildcard was beginning to close at a vast rate of knots and with 15 laps left, Pedrosa was just 0.6s off Bezzecchi’s rear wheel. Unbelievable. The Little Samurai was the only rider lapping in the 1:31s at this stage of the race.

    Pedrosa’s pace dropped off soon after but the gap remained at just over a second. At the front, with 10 laps to go, Martin’s lead grew to over a second for the first time as the #89 began to get the hammer down. Were the injuries to Bagnaia and Bezzecchi starting to take their toll or was Martin’s pace just too good? Bezzecchi was looking impatient behind VR46 compatriot Bagnaia, and a move came at Turn 8. By now though, Martin’s advantage was 2.2s.

    Bagnaia was fading. Pedrosa was coming. 0.7s split the double World Champion from the three-time World Champion, with Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) and an extremely classy ride for Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) putting him a further four seconds back after initially closing on the number 12. A huge six laps beckoned, could Bagnaia hold on to what would be a very valuable and hard-earned 16 points?

    With four laps to go, Bagnaia was holding Pedrosa at bay by 0.6s. Bezzecchi was now under two seconds away from Martin but it was too little too late, with the latter controlling his advantage nicely as he powered towards completing the perfect weekend.

    With two to go, Pedrosa was right on Bagnaia’s coattails. Catching the Ducati rider was one thing but as he found out in the Sprint, passing was a whole different kettle of fish. In the end, Bagnaia did hold on to a crucial P3 as Martin made no mistake to cap off a sensational weekend. Bezzecchi bagged P2 despite his injured hand to gain ground in the title chase.

    The points scorers in Misano
    Just off the podium of Martin, Bezzecchi and Bagnaia, Pedrosa took the chequered flag just 0.6s away from the rostrum as the Little Samurai again demonstrates why he’s a three-time World Champion and a MotoGP™ Legend. Unreal from the popular Spaniard, who finished six seconds up the road from fifth place Viñales.

    Miguel Oliveira (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team) was sixth ahead of Marc Marquez, who somehow bags a brilliant P7 after racing with a soft rear tyre. Raul Fernandez (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team) takes home his best MotoGP™ finish in P8, as the Ducatis of Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) complete the top 10.

    Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), Catalan GP winner Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), a recovering Binder and Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) closed out the points in San Marino.

    Pol Espargaro (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) and Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) joined Miller and Pirro as the riders to notch up DNFs.

    36 points in it heading to India!
    A brand-new challenge awaits us next time out as India hosts MotoGP™ for the very first time. Martin’s perfect weekend sees the gap between him and Championship leader Pecco sit at 36 points as the flyaway tour of the season begins… for the first time in some time, it’s back below the 37 points on offer in one weekend. Don’t miss it!

  • Record 10th win for Max Verstappen at Monza

    Record 10th win for Max Verstappen at Monza

    Monza, 3 Sept. 2023: Max Verstappen beat Red Bull team-mate Sergio Pérex to win the Italian Grand Prix and make history by scoring a record 10th consecutive win. With Red Bull sealing a sixth 1-2 finish, the final podium place was left to polesitter Carlos Sainz, who managed to keep Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc at bay in the closing stages. 

    Earlier, on the formation lap ahead of the race, Yuki Tsunoda’s AlphaTauri suffered an engine failure and the Japanese driver coasted to a halt at the side of the track. A second formation lap took place but the start was then aborted to allow for the AlphaTauri to be recovered. 

    When the lights at last went out for the start, polesitter Sainz held his advantage to keep Verstappen at bay into Turn 1, while behind the grid order remained unchanged with Leclerc in third ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell and Pérez who started from P5 on the grid. 

    Verstappen then closed up behind Sainz and at the start of lap six he made a move into Turn 1. Sainz defended hard, forcing Verstappen wide and the Dutchman lost ground as he slowed and was forced to rebuild his plan of attack.

    Verstappen bided his time and then on lap 15 he at last forced an error from Sainz when the under-pressure Spaniard locked up in Turn 1. Sainz kept hold of the lead but Verstappen was able to draw level around Curva Grande and on the following straight and he took the lead under braking into Turn 4. Further back, on lap 16, Pérez at last muscled his way past the Mercedes on the inside to take fourth place. 

    Sainz, suffering with tyre wear and under pressure from Leclerc, made his pit stop at the end of lap 19 and dropped to eighth place, while Verstappen pitted from the lead at the end of the following tour, along with Leclerc. That briefly promoted Pérez to the lead of the race but the Mexican then made his stop for Hard tyres and rejoined behind Leclerc. 

    On lap 24, the race was led by long-running Hard-tyre starter Lewis Hamilton, with Verstappen in P2, four seconds ahead of Sainz and with Leclerc in fourth ahead of Pérez. Verstappen was closing on the lead Mercedes, however, and at the start of lap 25 he powered past Hamilton under DRS to retake the lead. 

    Pérez, meanwhile, was edging ever closer to Leclerc and after the pair had cleared the slower Hamilton, the Mexican closed in. A first attempt to pass the Ferrari at the Curva Grande ended with Leclerc slamming the door shut into Turn 4. However, on the following lap Leclerc, now without DRS to Leclerc, was vulnerable on the pit straight and Checo opened his wing and powered past the Ferrari on the inside. 

    At the front, Verstappen was firmly in control and with 10 laps remaining the Dutchman had pulled 10 seconds clear of Sainz. The Ferrari driver was now being hounded by Pérez and on lap 43 the Mexican went on the attack. Under DRS he went he launched a move around the outside into Turn 1 but Sainz defended well and the Red Bull driver was forced to cut the chicane. 

    On lap 46, though, there was no denying the Mexican. He once again closed right up through Parabolica and this time got the move done on the pit straight, passing Sainz well ahead of the braking zone to make it a Red Bull 1-2 with six laps remaining. 

    And after 51 laps Verstappen took the flag to seal his 12th win of 2023 and his 10th in a row, ahead of his team-mate and Sainz held Leclerc at bay to take the final podium place. Behind Leclerc, Russell took fifth ahead of Hamilton, with Williams’ Alex Albon in seventh place ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas.  


    2023 FIA Formula 1 Italian – Race 
    1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 51 1:13’41.143 
    2 Sergio Pérez Red Bull Racing  51 1:13’47.207 6.064
    3 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 51 1:13’52.336 11.193
    4 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 51 1:13’52.520 11.377
    5 George Russell Mercedes 51 1:14’04.171 23.028
    6 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 51 1:14’23.822 42.679
    7 Alexander Albon Williams 51 1:14’26.249 45.106
    8 Lando Norris McLaren 51 1:14’26.592 45.449
    9 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 51 1:14’27.437 46.294
    10 Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo 51 1:14’45.199 1’04.056
    11 Liam Lawson AlphaTauri 51 1:14’51.781 1’10.638
    12 Oscar Piastri McLaren 51 1:14’54.217 1’13.074
    13 Logan Sargeant Williams 51 1:14’59.700 1’18.557
    14 Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo 51 1:15’01.307 1’20.164
    15 Pierre Gasly Alpine 51 1:15’03.653 1’22.510
    16 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 51 1:15’08.409 1’27.266
    17 Nico Hülkenberg Haas 50 1:13’43.236 1 lap /2.093
    18 Kevin Magnussen Haas 50 1:13’53.767 1 lap /12.624
         Esteban Ocon Alpine 39 57’54.977 Retirement
         Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri 0 – Not started

  • Aleix grabs victory in an Aprilia duel after early drama

    Aleix grabs victory in an Aprilia duel after early drama

    The “Captain” overhauls Viñales, Martin takes third after early race drama sees Bagnaia suffer huge highside out the lead but escape relatively unscathed.

    Barcelona, 3 Sept. 2023: Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) made history at the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya as he led a historic Aprilia 1-2 over the line. Teammate Maverick Viñales led for much of the race before being caught, stalked and then passed by his teammate, but it marked a milestone day for the Noale factory. Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) completed the podium.

    Before that, drama on a first start saw a multiple-rider crash at Turn 1, right before a highside out the lead for reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team). Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) couldn’t avoid the #1 fully but after examination at the medical centre and the General Hospital of Catalunya, Bagnaia was confirmed to have suffered no fractures in the incident.

    Unfortunately, teammate Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) was found to have injured his hand and ankle in the Turn 1 crash, and he was penalised for his part in the incident too. Bagnaia’s highside and the incident at Turn 1 saw the Red Flag come out and the race restart with neither lining up on the grid.

    A dramatic first start
    As the lights went out for the first time, Bastianini went a bit too hot into Turn 1 and had nowhere to go as the field tipped in. The Italian caught the rear end of Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) seeing them both go down and ending in a multi-rider pile-up at the Turn 1 gravel trap, including Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and both Gresini machines of Alex Marquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio.

    Just seconds later Bagnaia’s crash happened just a few metres ahead. On the exit of Turn 2 the Italian highsided out, with most avoiding both man and machine and only Binder caught up, also crashing out. That confirmed a red flag for the first start as both Bagnaia and Bastianini were then taken to the medical centre.

    Pressing the reset button
    With pole position empty and no Bagnaia, Martin took the holeshot this time around but Viñales came out the blocks guns blazing too, hitting the front quickly with a firm first-lap move. The number 12 led the way ahead of Martin, with Aleix Espargaro sitting in third with his hands full with Miguel Oliveira (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team).

    Viñales began to stretch out a few bike lengths on Martin as Aleix Espargaro was determined to make sure his teammate didn’t break away and proceeded to push his way past Martin with 21 laps to go. Oliveira then decided to strike whilst the iron was hot and followed, moving up into third to create a historic Aprilia 1-2-3.

    Lap by lap, Aleix Espargaro bridged the gap to his teammate, stalking him once he arrived on the scene. 

    Just behind, Oliveira was unable to hold onto the factory duo, and the Portuguese rider started to fade back into the clutches of Martin. The Pramac rider pounced on the RNF machine with 14 laps remaining.  

    After piling on the pressure, Aleix Espargaro then dropped back a few tenths after a mistake with 12 laps to go. But the number 41 dug back in and inched his way back onto the rear wheel of Viñales up ahead, setting up another shot at taking over in front.

    With four laps to go, Aleix Espargaro then made his move. Side by side along the main straight, he then pounced on Maverick at Turn 1 and parked his RSGP up this inside of the #12. Brutal, fair, or both at once, Viñales was sent wide and through the long lap loop as Aleix pulled away in the lead.

    The roles were now reversed, with Viñales on the back foot once back on track and looking to home back in on the lead. It looked impossible, then implausible, but by the final lap the number 12 was starting to get close enough to cause his teammate a sweat if he’d had a rear view mirror. But the metres were running out, and Aleix Espargaro kept it cool and collected under the pressure to shoot over the line and make some serious amends for his 2022 lap count mistake. Viñales, although not on the top step, made it a truly historic day for Aprilia as he came up just 0.377s short in second for that 1-2. 

    Martin crossed the line in a lonelier third place, off the Aprilias but ahead of his teammate Johann Zarco two seconds back in fourth. Oliveira slipped down to fifth place by the time the chequered flag came out, with a battle for sixth place being won by Alex Marquez a further 3 seconds back.  

    The Spaniard got the better of Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) and Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) who finished in seventh and eighth respectively. Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) bagged P9 with a last gasp move on Fabio Di Giannantionio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), who rounded out the top 10. 

    Luca Marini won a duel against teammate Bezzecchi for P11, just ahead of Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team). Binder was a notable retirement, suffering a technical issue and DNF after the restart.

    At the head of the field, it was a weekend to remember for Aleix Espargaro and for Aprilia Racing. Not only did Aleix take both the Tissot Sprint and Grand Prix victories, but the Noale manufacturer came away with both their factory machines securing top 3 finishes in both events. MotoGP™ now turns its attention to the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli in Italy for the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini from the 8th – 10th of September.

  • Aleix Espargaro storms past Bagnaia to take Sprint win

    Aleix Espargaro storms past Bagnaia to take Sprint win

    Aprilia make it double podium delight as “the Captain” becomes the sixth different Sprint winner, with Bagnaia forced to defend hard against Viñales.

    Barcelona, 2 Sept. 2023: How’s that for the statement? Local hero Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) sealed victory in the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya Tissot Sprint with a storming ride at the front, becoming the sixth different Saturday winner of the season so far. The “Captain” got the better of Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) as the World Championship leader had no answer for the flying Aprilia ahead, instead forced to defend against the next one: Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing). The number one plated Ducati was the meat in the Aprilia sandwich but just held on to deny Aprilia a 1-2 as Viñales looked for a way through on the final lap.

    The Captain vs The Champion 
    Tensions were rocketing as the grid got off onto their warm lap with spots of rain beginning to threaten the Catalan GP Tissot Sprint. Wet bikes were being prepared but the time had come for lights out and there was no looking back now. The weather, luckily, held firm. 

    As the lights went out, it was a clean start for Bagnaia and Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), and Bagnaia defended the lead from pole as, nevertheless, the two Aprilias fended off the fast-starting Pramac machine. Viñales almost immediately shot through into second past Martin, and Bagnaia, Viñales, Espargaro was the order as they crossed the line for the first time. Espargaro then took over from his teammate at Turn 1 though, the Captain beginning his charge.

    Bagnaia powered on though, the odd drop of rain not affecting the track conditions. But the number 41 Aprilia was soon locked on and the duo began to pull away from the rest of the field.  

    Viñales was initially left to defend 3rd place as Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Miguel Oliveira (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team) were snapping at the Spaniard’s heels.  

    With six laps to go, it was game on in Barcelona as Aleix Espargaro attacked for the lead. And he took it, immediately putting the hammer down in an attempt to break away from the Ducati. Bagnaia had no answer as the Aprilia stretched out half a second in one lap, doing a Bagnaia – of late – on Bagnaia.

    Espargaro proved to be untouchable at the front as he went on to take the Sprint victory by just under two seconds, putting down a pace that not even the reigning World Champion could match. He had his hands full elsewhere.

    Viñales was catching the Championship leader as the laps ticked down, and he was bringing Binder with him. Sure enough, Bagnaia fell into the clutches of the chasing Viñales with two laps remaining as it became a Ducati vs Aprillia scrap for 2nd place.

    As the last lap arrived, Viñales was riding pillion to Bagnaia as he desperately looked for a way through. Bagnaia put in an incredible defensive performance, however, and was simply too strong on the brakes to allow the Aprilia a chance. He did consider it at the final corner, but no dice.

    Binder did all he could to stay in the fight but found himself eight-tenths back from the top three by the time the chequered flag dropped. 

    Battles all the way through the field
    Slightly further back, Martin bagged P5 after an eventful Sprint. The Spaniard pushed his way past Oliveira after dropping down the field early on following a run off round Turn 2. Oliveira took sixth, and will be gunning for more on Sunday.

    Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing), meanwhile, was almost two seconds back from Oliveira in P7, but he nabbed that late as he pulled a VR46 on Mooney VR46 rider Marco Bezzecchi at the final corner.

    Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) picked up the final Sprint point in P9, as the Italian made some more steps back towards his brilliant best.

    One early moment saw Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) and Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) come together in a mid-pack sandwich at Turn 1, with MM93 winning out and the latter duo sent wide. Alex Marquez came back to P10, just ahead of Marc.

    Check out the full results and then get ready for the MotoGP™ race at 14:00 local time (GMT+2), with more history on the cards. Aprilia have never had two bikes on the premier class Grand Prix podium… can they achieve the feat on Sunday? Can Aleix do the double, or Viñales take that third win with a third different MotoGP™ machine? Or is Bagnaia ready to ride for some revenge? Make sure to come back on Sunday for a MONSTER Catalan Grand Prix!

  • Carlos Sainz pole delights Tiffosi; Leclerc P3

    Carlos Sainz pole delights Tiffosi; Leclerc P3

    Monza (Italy), 2 Sept. 2023: Carlos Sainz sent Ferrari’s home fans wild with delight at Monza as he narrowly claimed pole position for tomorrow’s 2023 FIA Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix, beating championship leader Max Verstappen by just over one hundredth of a second, with Charles Leclerc third in the other Ferrari. 

    Carlos Sainz says: What a Saturday! It’s so special to get pole position here, in front of all the tifosi. I had a very good feeling from the car already on Friday and today we confirmed our pace. Q3 was always on the limit and we all took big risks in the fight for this pole. When I finally crossed the line and I heard the tifosi screaming like crazy and jumping on the grandstands I knew we had it!
    The weekend is not over yet, we want more, and for that we need to stay focused and prepare well for tomorrow. It’s going to be a challenging race but we’ll give it everything to fight for the win and give the tiffosi around the world something to keep cheering us on!

    Sainz took provisional pole in the first runs of Q3 but when Verstappen went quicker than Leclerc to rise to P1 on his final run it looked like the Red Bull driver was on course for his ninth pole of the season. Sainz was the last of the frontrunners on track, however, and after setting the fastest Sector 2 time of all, the Spaniard claimed the fourth pole position of his career, 0.013s ahead of Verstappen. 

    At the start of Q1, run on Hard tyres as the Alternative Tyre Allocation returned, It was Alex Albon who set the early pace, with the Williams driver posting a lap of 1:22.123 to top the timesheet ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell. 

    After having his first lap deleted for exceeding track limits, Verstappen then jumped to the top of the order with a lap of 1:21.573, a little over three tenths of a second ahead of team-mate Sergio Pérez, with the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc in third and fourth places respectively. 

    Both Red Bull drivers sat out the final runs but Verstappen’s earlier lap was good enough to keep him in top spot. 

    It was Albon who came closest to toppling the Dutchman, with the Williams driver taking P2 less than a tenth off the pace. Leclerc claimed P3 a further tenth of a second behind, while AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda took fourth place ahead of Pérez.

    At the other end of the timesheet, there was no place in Q2 for Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu who was eliminated in P16 ahead of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon, Haas’ Kevin Magnussen and last-placed Aston Martin man Lance Stroll. 

    Having switched to the mandated Medium tyres for Q2, Verstappen was first on track and the Dutch set the a target time of 1:21.035. Pérez crossed the line just under four tenths off that to claim P2 before Sainz moved ahead of both with a lap of 1:20.991. Leclerc then took third ahead of Albon, with Pérez dropping to P5 at the end of the first runs. 

    Verstappen then seized control in the final runs, posting a lap of 1:20.937 to take P1. Leclerc slotted into P2, four hundredths of a second behind, while Sainz abandoned his final run and finished in third, ahead of Pérez who improved to 1:21.240 on his final flyer. 

    Ruled out at the end of Q2 were Tsunoda in P11 and his AlphaTauri team-mate Liam Lawson who impressed in P12 ahead of Haas’ Nico Hülkenberg, Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas and Williams’ Logan Sargeant. 

    The Red Bulls were once again first on track at the start of Q3, this time on the quickest Soft compound tyres, but it was Ferrari who seized the initiative in the opening runs, with Sainz taking provisional pole thanks to a lap of 1:20.532. That put the Spaniard three hundredths of a second ahead of Leclerc, with Verstappen in P3, 0.099s off top spot. 

    Verstappen jumped to P1 with his final flyer but Sainz claimed pole by the narrow margin of 0.013s, with Leclerc in third place ahead of Russell while Pérez took P5 thanks to a lap of 1:20.688. He was followed by Albon who took sixth ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, with Hamilton in eighth ahead of Norris and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso. 

    2023 FIA Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix – Qualiyfing
    1 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:20.294 – –
    2 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1:20.307 0.013 0.016
    3 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:20.361 0.067 0.083
    4 George Russell Mercedes 1:20.671 0.377 0.470
    5 Sergio Pérez Red Bull Racing 1:20.688 0.394 0.491
    6 Alexander Albon Williams 1:20.760 0.466 0.580
    7 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:20.785 0.491 0.612
    8 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:20.820 0.526 0.655
    9 Lando Norris McLaren 1:20.979 0.685 0.853
    10 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 1:21.417 1.123 1.399
    11 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri 1:21.594 1.300 1.619
    12 Liam Lawson AlphaTauri 1:21.758 1.464 1.823
    13 Nico Hülkenberg Haas 1:21.776 1.482 1.846
    14 Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo 1:21.940 1.646 2.050
    15 Logan Sargeant Williams 1:21.944 1.650 2.055
    16 Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo 1:22.390 2.096 2.610
    17 Pierre Gasly Alpine 1:22.545 2.251 2.803
    18 Esteban Ocon Alpine 1:22.548 2.254 2.807
    19 Kevin Magnussen Haas 1:22.592 2.298 2.862
    20 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 1:22.860 2.566 3.196

  • “If I need to try something, I will!”: Thursday talking points in Barcelona

    “If I need to try something, I will!”: Thursday talking points in Barcelona

    Hear from Bagnaia, Martin, Bezzecchi, Binder, Zarco, Aleix Espargaro, Marc Marquez and Pol Espargaro

    Barcelona, 31 August 2023: We’re back in Barcelona and ready to rock’n’roll at the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya, with the second half of the season now really about to heat up. And ahead of track action, as ever, it was time to talk shop.

    The first Press Conference on Thursday comprised Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team)  and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), before the second saw Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) joined byMarc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and Pol Espargaro (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3).

    FRANCESCO BAGNAIA: “I feel that I’m enjoying and that I have a great feeling with the team honestly. We are working a lot and improving our situation, starting every time not in the best way on Friday morning but every time we are improving and in Austria we discovered something that helped me a lot to improve our situation, our performance and I’m very happy.”

    Is it a track you like and why haven’t you got results here?
    “It’s one of my favourite tracks, I always love to be here. I’ve never had a good result, the best was P6 in 2020 and for sure it’s something to improve. Last year I was competitive, I was starting on the front row, the pace all weekend was fast and everyone knows what happened at the first corner. As always if we work well we can be fast and competitive to fight for the top positions.”

    America’s Cup experience:
    “For me it was incredible. A bit less for some people on the other boat who were feeling the waves, they got a bit dizzy, but I was feeling incredible on the boat. The speed they can reach on the water is incredible. They did a big turn and the G-force is like an F1 car. I was not expecting it but it was really great. I also drove it, it was a bit scary because the wind and the waves are pretty unpredictable but I was feeling great.”

    JORGE MARTIN: “I’m looking forward to it. It’ll be a really interesting weekend, I feel. in terms of race pace I feel really competitive I’ve just been a little bit unlucky but yeah I’m just going to try and be focused and not make any mistakes because that’s the key to having a great race on Sunday.”

    You need a big weekend to break Pecco?
    “Well, I’m just missing a few podiums from a few podiums for a few races. I got third at the Sprint race in Austria, but it’s never enough. Hopefully, we can be back on the podium this Sunday, that will be important.”

    Are you concerned about Qualifying?
    “I think I’ve been quite unlucky because of crashes and yellow flags, or in Austria because of track limits. Now it’s really on the limit. I feel like what was  my strongest point is now my weak point. So hopefully now I can get back to focusing again and I feel like I can do those amazing laps again and hopefully we can do it this weekend.”

    New contract:
    MARCO BEZZECCHI: “Thank you first of all. It wasn’t an easy decision for sure all because when you have the possibility to get a factory bike it’s always interesting, but to be honest from my point of view the human side let’s say of the team was very important for me, I built a relationship with these guys for many years that for me is very important for me to perform in this way, and I was not sure I could build such a strong relationship with another team in a short time. In MotoGP we have to perform very quickly. So for me it was a bit easier to decide to stay in this team and also to see Vale so interested in me, pushing me to stay was very important because at the end Vale is Vale and he believed in me for many years. Without him it was probably not possible to arrive at the world championship so I decided to stay.”

    How tempting was it to leave?
    “It was tough but Ducati are supporting us in the best way we can. Ok we don’t have the new bike but the support from them is fantastic, they always try to help us and give us advice to help us perform in the best way. In the end I won’t miss out on any support.”

    MARCO BEZZECCHI

    Keys to being fast here:
    “I would kike to be competitive for sure. It’s a track that I like but last year unfortunately in the race I crashed, I was quite competitive but I made this mistake. This year I hope to continue in the way I was in the last races, in Austria I was very fast apart from the sprint, so yeah I hope to enjoy it on the bike. Finally to tomorrow we ride and it will be easier than media.”

    Seat on Pecco’s plane?
    “This time no!”

    BRAD BINDER: “I’m coming into this weekend with a lot of confidence. We’ve had a good few weekends. It’s true, that this track has been a bit of a challenge for us in the past, but on every track we’ve gone to this year, we’ve been close to a second faster than we’ve ever been. So yeah, I believe we can be strong for sure. I’m really looking forward to getting started again. I think this track can be good for us. I’ve always been OK over one lap but never put the rest together, so I’ve learned a lot in the last couple of seasons and I’m looking to change that.”

    How important is it to keep momentum going?
    “I feel like the first half of the year I made a lot of mistakes and did a lot of things I didn’t want to or shouldn’t have. The last few races I really feel like we’ve started to fall into our stride and things have been going well for us. I feel competitive, I feel good on the bike and the team’s done an amazing job, so let’s see what this weekend brings us.”

    And the Championship?
    “Well, I mean, if it’s been done before, let’s try again. Of course, Pecco is in incredible form at the moment and he has been throughout the year, but in the last few races he’s been super good. We’re here, we’re ready to give our best and if it’s good enough, fantastic, and if it’s not, we’ll keep working at it.”

    JOHANN ZARCO: “I’ve got good energy, a full week to get the time with the decision I took and see that everything is going well. It’s been a good week, training and resting well, for sure taking this decision in Spielberg and then when you take the decision, in the night you swallow the decision and in 24 hours you have a free mind to race. (..) I was feeling like things were going better at home in the mind and body, and here in Barcelona I have good memories. I guess it’s a better track for my style because it’s almost the opposite than Spielberg. I have been struggling more than what I could have expected on the Sunday and I was disappointed. Let’s see what I can do, the bike is the winning bike at the moment and I would love to use it perfectly.”

    What is it about Barcelona that you like so much?
    “I love the long corners like 3 and 4 and also the last two corners. It’s also a good flow, not many braking points or tight corners, so I can handle it better. There’s also a problem with the heating of the rear tyre and when I’m feeling good I can control it well. So that’s many points why I got good results here in Barcelona. I’d love to repeat it, we have maybe tricky conditions, I can adapt quick.”

    This is your 253rd GP start, tying you with Randy de Puniet as the French riders with most starts?
    “Many races. I’m quite proud that in that time I just wanted to be a fast rider, now doing 253 GPs I have been fast enough to do all these GPs and to repeat it it’s a 15 year career I think. I remember after the first 100 races I said I hope I can do better on the second 100, and I got much better podium stats for the second 100 that I did. Now try to do as well as possible all the time, but I’m really happy that when I look back I lived many things and get these experiences and it’s so useful to enjoy some different moments in life. Quite happy but clearly feel fresh to do more things!”

    Can you get that first podium in Barcelona after what happened last year?
    ALEIX ESPARGARO: “Can you get that first podium in Barcelona after what happened last year?
    Yes. I mean, it’s not about revenge I did a big mistake last year. At the beginning, it was really, really difficult to keep going, but at the end it’s a mistake and as a human I can make a lot of mistakes. So that was one big one last year here. I mean it’s already passed and I was very, very fast last year here. I lead all the sessions ahead of the race so that’s good and I can’t wait to go on track because the 2023 Aprilia is better than last season’s one, so I could see how far we can go.”

    What does your helmet say?
    “Yeah, it says one more lap.I will. I will remember. So like this I will remember.I want to say that the marshals have to be careful because when I see the chequered flag I’ll keep pushing one more lap so, just in case haha. But we have to try to focus. For sure, I can make many mistakes, but this one I will not repeat again.”

    Where do you think you can make the difference?
    “I love this layout because it’s more about fast corners. Like Silverstone Malaysia, Assen, and Argentina. In Austria, it was completely the opposite was just stop and go. I’m not really competitive in these types of corners. And neither is the Aprilia because I’ve been riding it for a long time, so I’ve adapted it to my style. I think the structure really good ’cause you can just release the front brake and arrive at the apex, so I think it’s a good place for us to try to shine.”

    Different mentality or a change?
    MARC MARQUEZ: “No the same as Silverstone and Austria. Give 100 or 95% but always understand the limits of our project now. It’s a circuit I struggled with in my best years, so this year I will struggle even more but now we have 8 races in 10 weeks so it will be demanding and it will be important to stay on track and keep going.”

    Less changes this weekend to the bike?
    “Straight away in FP1 it will be a big difference because I will try the new wings and some back-to-backs because in a different circuit they would like to try them. The weather looks unstable on Saturday and Sunday, especially Saturday, and we will decide. If I need to try something I will because we are at a point where we must do.”

    There was a test in Misano, have you spoken to Stefan Bradl?
    “He was testing in Misano more or less with the bike I raced with in Austria and he was also testing in Motegi. I don’t know if he is but yeah, looks like we are trying to improve, step by step and altogether I think we can do it.”

    How much of a boost was last weekend for you confidence?
    POL ESPARGARO: “The exciting thing was that I kept Aleix behind me the whole race. The winner of the last GP, you know, it was an exciting race. I knew that from the beginning of the weekend that that was my race, actually told my team and my guys that that was the moment that I wanted to be fast because I knew that I was more or less fresh to compete for 1/2 race distance. And actually, everything went well for sure. The thing that happened at the first corner helped me a little to gain some positions, but then the rhythm and the speed were really fast and I was I could keep Aleix behind which was really amazing. On Sunday I struggled. I was pretty tired and the bike was very different compared to Portimao. So I need to adapt quickly, but everything is happening so quickly Then the new schedule and everything’s quite different and stressful, together with my physical condition. I’m just getting used to everything, so here we go.”

    So many memories here now you’re in MotoGP™ with your brother:
    “Yeah. I don’t know if it’ll Alex remembers, but when we started to race here at the circuit of Catalunya. We weren’t allowed to do the full track and there was a shortcut in the middle of the straight after the chequered flag that cut to corner six, I think it was. So we weren’t even doing the full track. So for us stopping and looking back, you just see what you achieved here at MotoGP with these guys who are the best in the world and you need to feel really proud and happy of what we have achieved. But hopefully the best is yet to come!”

  • Tijil Rao wins another race to lead the table; Sarvesh, Abhishek shine on bikes

    Tijil Rao wins another race to lead the table; Sarvesh, Abhishek shine on bikes

    Coimbatore, August 27, 2023: Bengaluru teenagerRuhaan Alva of MSport signed off on a merry note winning the first race on Day 2 but compatriot Tijil Rao of Dark Don Racing had the last laugh with a fine victory in the last race as he made it a double in the in the premier LGB Formula 4 class of the 26th JK Tyre FMSCI National Racing Championship, the first round of which concluded at the Kari Motor Speedway here on Sunday.

    Tijil Rao, who shared honours with Arya Singh yesterday, won another race and made it a double to take the championship lead. In the opening race, all eyes were on the Dark Don Racing stars but it was Bengaluru’s Ruhaan who won Race 3 with a stunning overtake in the final lap. However, Tijil made a comeback with a facile win in the final Race 4 and ended Round 1 on a high leading the points table in the LGB F4 class.

    Arya Singh (Dark Don Racing) dominated for most part but Ruhaan played catch up with some brilliant driving. The former was beginning to feel the pressure. There was a little bumping and jostling now and then between the two but Ruhaan kept searching for space to sneak in. He managed to find one in the final lap and crossed the line much without any further hiccups.

    Kolkata’s Arya Singh, #10, leads Dilijit TS, #44 while Ruhaan Alva, Yellow #27, waits for his time. INDIAinF1 photo

    The second was as good as the first but Tijil did one better than the rest to clinch the thriller. With the reverse grid in play, it was Saran Vikram Tmars (Mars Racing) who started off on a blitzy note staying in the lead for good five laps, however it was Ruhaan who overtook him and was primed for victory.

    Tijil Rao after Race 3 (in pic) makes a strong comeback.

    Tijil Rao at his best:

    Ruhaan failed to hold on to the lead as he spun out of the race giving the Dark Don’s racers a fresh leash of life with Diljith and Tijil battling it out for the victory. While it looked like the senior pro Diljith would close the round on a high, it was the young Tijil who showed grit and great skills to overtake in the 13th lap. It was a sight to behold as both the racers were involved in a to and fro action but eventually Tijil brought in his car ahead of others to win the race, and a double in the weekend.

    Neythan McPherson wins Novice Cup Race 3

    In the JK Tyre Novice Cup, Bengaluru’s Arjun S. Nair of Momentum Motorsports, who cracked a double on Saturday, for once could not celebrate on top of the podium in the first race as his teammate Neythan McPherson from Pune staved off a stiff challenge from him and Aman
    Nagdev (MSport) and took a good win.

    The nine-lap race saw the safety car out twice and that took some flow and shine out of the event.  Aman and Arjun finished second and third respectively.

    But in the second race, Joel Joseph (DTS Racing) came out victorious, while Arjun and McPherson wrested the next two spots.

    Good week-end for Arjun Nair

    However, it was a good week-end for Arjun Nair, who took two victories and two podiums to lead the table in the Novice class after Round 1. “The weekend results justified the countless hours spent fine-tuning our strategies, perfecting my driving, and pushing myself all the time. The competition is fierce, but I managed to raise my performance up to it. I am motivated to work hard physically and to give my best for the remainder of the championship,” said Arjun Syam Nair confidently.

    Sarvesh Balappa rules the roost

    Hubballi’s Sarvesh Balappa, starting on P2, ruled the field in the JK Tyre presents 250 Cup. Pole sitter G Abhinav (Coimbatore) brought some cheer to the home crowd clocking the fastest time of 1:25.00. He maintained a good pace but not good enough to outsmart Sarvesh at the end. Bengaluru’s Rohit ad had to be content with the third spot.

    Abhishek Vasudev at his best

    In the JK Tyre Royal Enfield Continental GT Cup, it was the Bengaluru boys who stole the show with a clean sweep. Abhishek Vasudev emerged victorious with an impressive timing of 13 minutes 53.248 seconds, while his city-mates, Ullass Nanda (13:53.651) and Md Samrul Zubair (13:57.403) were the others who stood second and third on the podium respectively. 

    Provisional Results (Day 2):
    LGB Formula 4 Race 3

    1. Ruhaan Alva, MSport: 22 minutes 09.037 seconds;

    2. Arya Singh, Dark Don Racing: 22:09.084;

    3. Tijil Rao, Dark Don Racing: 22:10.131.

    Race 4

    1. Tijil Rao, Dark Don Racing: 27:51.142;

    2.Diljith TS, Dark Don: 27:51.822;

    3.Saran Vikram Tmars, Mars Racing: 28:05.523.
    Novice Cup Race 3

    1. Neythan McPherson: Momentum Motorsports; 14:28.205;

    2. Aman Nagdev; MSport: 14:28.801;

    3. Arjun S Nair, Momentum Motorsports: 14:29.264.

    Race 4
    1. Joel Joseph, DTS Racing: 16:20.908;

    2. Arjun S Nair, Momentum Motorsports: 16:21.077;

    3. Neythan McPherson, 16:21.201, Momentum Motorsports.

    Royal Enfield Continental GT Cup Race 2
    1. Abhishek Vasudev, 13:53.248;

    2. Ullass Nanda 13:53.651;

    3. Md. Samrul Zubair 13:57.403.

    JK Tyre 250 Cup

    1. Sarvesh Balappa: 15:16.3452;

    2. Abhinav G: 15:19.623;

    3.Rohit Lad: 15:27.436.

    ends

  • Max Verstappen takes ninth consecutive win, equals Vettel’s record

    Max Verstappen takes ninth consecutive win, equals Vettel’s record

    Zandvort, 27 August 2023: Max Verstappen shrugged off downpours, Safety Cars and a red flag to take his third straight win on home soil at the Dutch Grand Prix and to equal Sebastian Vettel’s decade-old record of nine consecutive wins. 

    The Red Bull driver briefly lost the lead as heavy rain midway through the opening lap led to team-mate Sergio Pérez to pit for Intermediate tyres and rise up the order as many drivers, including Verstappen , held off until the end of the second tour. But once equipped with Inters Verstappen rose through the order to retake the lead on lap and then led the race through Safety Cars, more heavy rain and red flags in the closing stages to take his 46th career win ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Alpine’s jubilant Pierre Gasly.

    When the lights went out at the start, Verstappen got away well from pole position and took the lead ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris. Behind them, Alonso was the major mover, rising from fifth on the grid to third place in the opening three corners. 

    However, halfway around the first lap the heavens opened and Pérez was the first to react. While Verstappen, Norris and Alonso stuck with slick Soft tyres, the Mexican, followed by a stream of cars, pitted for Intermediates.

    Pérez dropped down the order but as the rain intensified it became clear that slick tyres were not suitable and Verstappen pitted at the end of lap two. Pérez, meanwhile, was rocketed through the field  and after passing Mercedes’ George Russell at the start of third lap, he took the lead, 14 seconds clear of Verstappen who was now in fifth place, behind Gasly. 

    Verstappen was soon on the move, however, and when Russell pitted and dropped back Verstappen muscled past Gasly on lap 6 and then passed Alfa Romeo’s Guanyu Zhou on the following lap to take second place, 9.5s behind Pérez. 

    The shower was weakening, however, and with the track drying quickly Verstappen was soon back in the pits taking on Soft tyres. Pérez made the same switch a lap later but the undercut worked for Verstappen and the Dutchman as his team-mate made his way to the pit exit, Verstappen swept past to retake the lead, with Alonso in third ahead of Gasly and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz.

    The chaos of the opening phase then briefly gave way to more settled running, but on lap 16 the shape of the race changed again when Williams’ Logan Sargeant crashed at Turn 8. The Safety Car was released and the field bunched up behind the Bulls until lap 21 when the caution ended. 

    Verstappen held the lead well at the restart, with Pérez hanging on to his team-mate’s RB19 to keep Alonso at bay. Behind the front three, Gasly held fourth place despite heavy pressure from Sainz. 

    After the resumption it was Albon making the most headway, with the Williams driver swiftly passing Haas’ Kevin Magnussen and Zhou to take sixth place. Further back, however, Charles Leclerc was struggling on lap 27 he dropped two places as he was passed by both Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. The Ferrari driver, who had suffered floor damage in a tangle with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri at the start, would later retire from the race. 

    At the front, Verstappen was steadily building a gap to his team-mate and by lap 44 he was 11 seconds ahead. Pérez then made his second stop, for more softs, and he dropped to fourth place behind Gasly. 

    The Frenchman made his pit stop on lap 47, during which he served a five-second penalty for an earlier speeding offence in the pit lane and Peerez moved back to third place, which became second when Alonso pitted at the end of lap 48. The Spaniard’s stop was slow due to the problem with his front left tyre and he lost third place to Sainz. 

    Verstappen made his third pit stop at the end of the following tour and after taking on another set of Soft tyres the Dutchman resumed in the lead, six seconds clear of his team-mate and Alonso and Sainz. 

    Behind them Gasly was driving well in fifth place and beginning to put pressure on Sainz, while at the start of lap 57 Albon moved back to sixth place, using DRS to pass Russell who had risen up the order after his stop for hard tyres early in the race. 

    Gasly then made his way past Sainz at the start of lap 60 but within a lap the rain that had been moving towards Zandvoort for some time began to fall. Pérez was again the first to react and he pitted for Inters. The Mexican was followed by a stream of cars and then on the following lap, Verstappen made his stop and resumed in the lead. 

    Pérez then went off at Turn 1 and clipped the barriers. He was able to continue but lost P2 to Alonso. The rain was now intensifying and when Zhou lost control and went into the barriers at Turn 1, the VSC was deployed. With a sizeable gap in hand, Verstappen headed into the pit lane for full wet tyres and with torrential rain falling, Pérez followed. 

    However, during the Mexican’s stop the race was red flagged and he was forced to stop at the end of the pit lane as the rest of the field tip-toed through the treacherous conditions to join him. The stoppage was also a chance for the team to assess the damage caused to the Mexican’s car in his Turn 1 spin and contact with the barrier and when he clipped the wall at the pit entry on the way into the pit lane, a moment that would later compromise his race. 

    After almost 45 minutes Race Control indicated that the race would get underway again, with a rolling start and with intermediate tyres specified and with Max at the front of the pack ahead of Alonso and Pérez. 

    And when the Safety Car left the track at the end of lap 66, Verstappen controlled the restart well to keep a hard-charging Alonso at bay. Pérez, however, was handed a five-second penalty for his tyre switch in the heavy rain, during which he exceeded the pit lane speed limit. 

    Further back, Russell put a good move on Norris to take P7, but the McLaren driver fought back and in Turn 11 there was contact. Russell sustained a puncture and was forced back to the pit lane. 

    Verstappen, though, was pulling away at the front and after 72 incident-packed laps the Dutchman crossed the line to take his ninth win of 2023.

    Despite pressure from behind, Alonso took P2 with Gasly rising to third as Pérez’s penalty was applied. The Mexican was left with fourth ahead of Sainz, Hamilton and Norris. Albon finished eighth ahead of Piastri and the final point went to Alpine’s Esteban Ocon. 

    2023 FIA Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix – Race
    1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 72 2:24’04.411 
    2 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 72 2:24’08.155 3.744
    3 Pierre Gasly Alpine 72 2:24’11.469 7.058
    4 Sergio Pérez Red Bull Racing 72 2:24’14.479 10.068
    5 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 72 2:24’16.952 12.541
    6 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 72 2:24’17.620 13.209
    7 Lando Norris McLaren 72 2:24’17.643 13.232
    8 Alexander Albon Williams 72 2:24’19.566 15.155
    9 Oscar Piastri McLaren 72 2:24’20.991 16.580
    10 Esteban Ocon Alpine 72 2:24’22.757 18.346
    11 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 72 2:24’24.498 20.087
    12 Nico Hülkenberg Haas 72 2:24’25.251 20.840
    13 Liam Lawson AlphaTauri 72 2:24’30.558 26.147
    14 Kevin Magnussen Haas 72 2:24’30.821 26.410
    15 Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo 72 2:24’31.799 27.388
    16 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri 72 2:24’34.304 29.893
    17 George Russell Mercedes 72 2:25’00.165 55.754
         Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo 62 1:27’01.340 Accident
         Charles Leclerc Ferrari 41 59’41.345 Retirement
         Logan Sargeant Williams 14 21’42.428 Accident
         Daniel Ricciardo AlphaTauri RBPT 0 – Withdrawn