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Tag: British GP
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George Russell takes pole at home Grand Prix ahead of Hamilton: F1
Silverstone, 6 July 2024: George Russell led an all-British top three in qualifying for the British Grand Prix with the Mercedes driver beating team-mate Lewis Hamilton by just under two tenths of a second as Lando Norris took third for McLaren. Drivers’ Championship leader Max Verstappen will start fourth after his qualifying was compromised by floor damage sustained in an early off.Â
At the start of Q1, on a damp track and on Intermediate tyres, Verstappen took top spot with a lap of 1:37.518, with Norris a tenth off in P2. They were soon shuffled back by Mercedes George Russell who took top spot with his second flyer, but the track was rapidly drying and Charles Leclerc quickly headed back to the pits for a set of slick Soft tyres.
That prompted Red Bull’s Sergio Pérez to make the same switch but on a still slippery track he suffered a snap of oversteer going into Copse corner and though he managed to save that he lost control in the run-off and slid backwards into the gravel where he exited the session and the red flags came out.
After a nine-minute halt the session resumed with all drivers on Softs. But as McLaren’s Oscar Piastri took P1 with a lap of 1:30.895, Verstappen almost suffered the same fate as his team-mate. A snap in Copse sent the Red Bull driver off track and though he was able to keep going, a thumping trip through the gravel trap caused floor damage that would have a major impact on the rest of his session.
With improvements flooding in elsewhere, the Dutch driver sank down the order and with the clock counting down he had to immediately make another attempt and as Hamilton took top spot ahead of Russell, Leclerc and Sainz, the world champion limped through in a relatively lowly P11 thanks to a lap of 1:31.242.
Out, though went Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas in P11 ahead of Haas’ Kevin Magnussen, Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, Checo, in P19, and last placed Pierre Gasly in the second Alpine.
In the early exchanges of Q2 it was Norris who took top spot, with the McLaren driver posting a lap of 1:27.432 to sit a tenth clear of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz. Verstappen, meanwhile, was again suffering and after claiming fourth with a time of 1:27.799 he soon slid back to 10th as drivers stayed out and improved. It was a similar story after his second flyer and after initially rising to third he dropped to an eventual sixth as Norris took P1 ahead of Russell and Alonso.
However, while Verstappen avoided becoming the major casualty of Q2, Leclerc was unable to avoid that fate and battling porpoising in his Ferrari, the Monegasque driver was ruled out in P11 ahead of Williams’ Logan Sargeant, RB’s Yuki Tsunoda, Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu and the second RB of Daniel Ricciardo.
In the opening runs of Q3 Russell led the way by just 0.006s over Norris, as Hamilton and Piastri were both within touching distance in the battle for pole and with Verstappen down in fifth it was shaping up to be a duel between Mercedes and McLaren.
Neither Hamilton nor Russell improved on their first sectors, but both improved later in the lap and, first across the line, Hamilton jumped to top spot with 1:25.990s. Russell was finding more time, however, and when Norris made a mistake in Turn 14, Russell’s improved time of 1:25.819 was enough to clinch his third F1 pole.
Norris preserved his place in that top three, but couldn’t improve on his final run and ceded one position to Hamilton to lead the second row alongside Verstappen. Behind the Red Bull man, Piastri qualified fifth ahead of Hülkenberg, while Sainz took seventh ahead of Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, Williams’ Alex Albon and the second Aston of Fernando Alonso.
2024 FIA Formula 1 British Grand Prix – Qualifying
1 George Russell Mercedes 1:25.819 – –
2 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:25.990 0.171
3 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1:26.030 0.211
4 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:26.203 0.384
5 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1:26.237 0.418
6 Nico Hülkenberg Haas/Ferrari 1:26.338 0.519
7 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:26.509 0.690
8 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:26.585 0.766
9 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1:26.640 0.821
10 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:26.917 1.098
11 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:27.097 1.278
12 Logan Sargeant Williams/Mercedes 1:27.175 1.356
13 Yuki Tsunoda RB/Honda RBPT 1:27.269 1.450
14 Zhou Guanyu Sauber/Ferrari 1:27.867 2.048
15 Daniel Ricciardo RB/Honda RBPT 1:27.949 2.130
16 Valtteri Bottas Sauber/Ferrari 1:32.431 6.612
17 Kevin Magnussen Haas/Ferrari 1:32.905 7.086
18 Esteban Ocon Alpine/Renault 1:34.557 8.738
19 Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:38.348 12.529
20 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 1:39.804 -
F1 gets its mojo back… No, it’s not about Verstappen winning again! Samtani on British GP
HIGH OCTANE
–– By Harish SamtaniSilverstone (UK) 10 July 2023: What on earth happened here?!! Well, two things. One very predictable aspect was in the form of seeing Max Verstappen on the top step. The other that has rocked the F1 stage like none other is the resurgence of the iconic McLaren that was all but consigned to the dustbin of F1 folklore. And, maybe, an important Number 3. Two British drivers on the podium! Just when we thought that the sun had finally set on the British Empire with Hamilton seemingly struggling with his form.
It’s good! No. Wait. It’s great! There is finally a hum of activity as F1 gets its mojo back. We were annoyed and tired with the foregone results, thus far in 2023. Whilst it would take nothing short of a miracle or a tragedy, heaven forbid, to knock Verstappen off the perch, the very idea that 2024 maybe the renaissance of motor-racing is truly exciting for petrol heads across all ages, and nationalities.
I was one of the doubters about Max’s abilities but grudgingly have to admit that regardless of how many world titles he wins he will be remembered as a great. No flukes, no superior engineering and that silly lady called ‘Luck’ can bring about his uncanny ability to win or pole vault like he has done in the very recent past. Whilst he was prone to errors early in his career, he seems to have tripped and fallen into a vat of wisdom of late! Does lineage matter? His dad Jos Verstappen was a talent as well in his heydays. Perhaps, the Apple didn’t fall far from the tree after all. Red Bull Honda may have contributed largely to his success with a reliable and quick car, the fact that Sergio Chico Perez – no slouch by any means – is struggling to make ends meet. Victim of circumstances is he? Nah! Max has become the driver people love to hate but I suspect I see the middle finger sticking out of his driving glove!
The era may not be conducive anymore for him to pull off seven titles such as Hamilton has achieved due to ever-changing tech regulations etc., but his astounding and clinical performances and the ensuing demolition of the fabled Ferraris and Mercedes, who meanwhile must be winging with the fact that it’s a Honda powered weapon that is giving them the blushes!
While it is early days to welcome the two young boy wonders into the big league, for the 23-year young Lando Norris and the 22-year Aussie Oscar Piastri this result buoys them immensely for sure. The result in Silverstone may even be a one-hit wonder for McLaren but the gauntlet has been thrown and the other teams have to perform or perish before they become innocent victims in the crossfire. Back to the drawing board it is.
Welcome back to the real F1 as we knew it over a decade ago. After Max led the charge of the young brigade in a Honda-powered car, and with McLaren refusing to say die, is it ‘out with the old, in with the new’ time? Only time will tell!
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Jehan Daruvala clocks second-fastest time in practice
Silverstone, 31 July 2020: Ace Indian racer Jehan Daruvala came second, only less than half a second off the pace than teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, who topped Free Practice for the third time in four rounds, as Carlin claimed a 1-2 finish at their home event. The Mumbai-born Daruvala is in second place, 0.4s further back, but had enough pace to show off, and is looking forward to a good weekend to add to his 10 points from the first two rounds.
The field were glad to see some sunshine after a rather wet start to the 2020 season, and wasted no time in getting out on track, with all 22 of the grid setting a flying lap at the first opportunity.
Mick Schumacher was the first around the British circuit, stretching his legs and taking a scenic tour of Silverstone, as he tried to warm up his boots.
There was an early yellow flag as Giuliano Alesi spun off track and came to a halt, on his second lap of the circuit. When things got back underway, we got the familiar site of Yuki Tsunoda at the top of the Free Practice leaderboard.
His teammate Jehan Daruvala nestled in behind him, while UNI-Virtuosi looked in solid form once more, taking third and fourth in the early stages.
Tsunoda pushed the limits slightly too hard, spinning at Copse and bringing out a brief yellow flag. The Red Bull junior would thankfully get going again.
Felipe Drugovich managed to get a lap in ahead of the spin, jumping up to third. The MP Motorsport racer looks much more confident on the hard tyres, which brought him great success in the opening two rounds in Austria.
Tsunoda’s time of 1:40.563 could not be bettered in the second half of the session, as the field focused on gathering data and getting laps under their belts.
Callum Ilott and Guanyu Zhou remained fourth and fifth, ahead of Dan Ticktum, Louis Deletraz and Nikita Mazepin. Christian Lundgaard and Marcus Armstrong completed the top ten.
Tsunoda will look to turn his early form into pole position when Qualifying takes place at 5pm (local time) 9.30 pm IST.
No. Car DRIVER TEAM TIME Laps KM/H 1 7 Yuki TSUNODA Carlin 1:40.563 21 210.888 2 8 Jehan DARUVALA Carlin 1:41.033 21 209.907 3 15 Felipe DRUGOVICH MP Motorsport 1:41.063 19 209.845 4 4 Callum ILOTT UNI-Virtuosi 1:41.182 20 209.598 5 3 Guanyu ZHOU UNI-Virtuosi 1:41.348 20 209.255 6 2 Dan TICKTUM DAMS 1:41.357 19 209.236 7 11 Louis DELETRAZ Charouz Racing System 1:41.428 20 209.090 8 24 Nikita MAZEPIN Hitech Grand Prix 1:41.496 18 208.950 9 6 Christian LUNDGAARD ART Grand Prix 1:41.512 16 208.917 10 5 Marcus ARMSTRONG ART Grand Prix 1:41.557 20 208.824 11 20 Mick SCHUMACHER PREMA Racing 1:41.671 20 208.590 12 1 Sean GELAEL DAMS 1:41.718 18 208.494 13 25 Luca GHIOTTO Hitech Grand Prix 1:41.767 18 208.393 14 21 Robert SHWARTZMAN PREMA Racing 1:41.778 19 208.371 15 12 Pedro PIQUET Charouz Racing System 1:41.972 20 207.974 16 14 Nobuharu MATSUSHITA MP Motorsport 1:41.994 21 207.929 17 22 Roy NISSANY Trident 1:42.221 19 207.468 18 16 Artem MARKELOV BWT HWA RACELAB 1:42.408 22 207.089 19 9 Jack AITKEN Campos Racing 1:42.687 17 206.526 20 23 Marino SATO Trident 1:43.326 19 205.249 21 10 Guilherme SAMAIA Campos Racing 1:44.556 19 202.834 11 17 Giuliano ALESI BWT HWA RACELAB 1:59.029 3 178.171
