INDIA in F1

Tag: Sebastian Vettel

  • 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

  • Loeb beats Vettel to be crowned Champion of Champions: RoC

    Loeb beats Vettel to be crowned Champion of Champions: RoC

    • Nine-time World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb has thrilled the fans braving heavy snow at Sweden’s Pite Havsbad by winning the Race Of Champions trophy for a record-equalling fourth time.
    • Loeb prevailed after defeating four-time F1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel by three heats to one in the Grand Final to take the ROC 2022 title ahead of a field featuring some of motorsport’s greatest ever drivers.
    • ‘Mr Le Mans’ Tom Kristensen and Sweden’s DTM and Rallycross ace Mattias Ekström reached the semi-finals at the first ever ROC event held on ice.
    • Yesterday’s ROC Nations Cup winners for Team Norway Petter and Oliver Solberg couldn’t repeat their heroics today, both knocked out by Loeb.
    • Seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson exited in the quarter-finals while double F1 world champion Mika Hakkinen lost in the Round of 16.

    Baltic Sea (Sweden) 6 Feb. 2022: France’s world rally legend Sébastien Loeb put in a stunning performance to eclipse 17 fellow superstars of motorsport and win the 2022 Race Of Champions – on a day of non-stop action on the frozen Baltic Sea at Sweden’s Pite Havsbad, just 60 miles from the Arctic Circle.

    Following Team Norway’s triumph in yesterday’s ROC Nations Cup, all cooperation went out of the window today. The individual Race Of Champions pitted some of the world’s greatest drivers head-to-head on ROC’s iconic parallel track, purpose built on ice for the first time. After an unprecedented tidal surge saw yesterday’s racing take place on just the inner half of the track, today the drivers could let rip on the full circuit featuring ROC’s famous crossover bridge.

    On an afternoon of heavy snow at Pite Havsbad, the Race Of Champions saw greats of global motorsport battling it out for glory in a mix of identical machinery – including the FIA RX2e electric rallycross car, Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport, off-road Polaris RZR PRO XP and the 100% fossil-free biofuel powered SuperCar Lites.

    In front of packed crowds of Swedish fans braving the cold, the best-of-five Grand Final boiled down to a duel between a pair of true legends: nine-time World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb and four-time F1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel.

    After a thrilling finale as both drivers pushed to the limit in the blizzard, Loeb saw off his German rival by three heats to one to be crowned ROC Champion of Champions for the fourth time. He thus equals the all-time record set by Didier Auriol, his partner for Team France in yesterday’s ROC Nations Cup.

    Loeb said: “It’s been a long time since I was last at the Race Of Champions, so I’m happy to find out that at 47 years of age I still have the pace! This adds to my good start to the season: second in the Dakar Rally, first in Monte Carlo and now a victory here at ROC. It wasn’t easy for us to go up against all the Swedish and Norwegian guys because they are more used to these conditions. I also knew it would be tough adapting between the Porsche, buggy and rallycross cars. But after I made it through against Petter Solberg I got more confidence with each run. It was a nice fight with Seb in the final and I had a good feeling – except for when I completely lost control of the car in the third heat! Now here we are, and it’s great to equal Didier’s record of four ROC Champion of Champions titles.

    “We also need to congratulate the Fredrik Johnsson and the ROC organisers who have done a great job all week in difficult circumstances. They had to deal with a practice track that sailed off towards Finland, a snowstorm during practice and a rising sea. But everyone kept up a great mood and a positive attitude, with no stress, always finding solutions. And they found it.”

    Vettel added: “Sébastien was just too fast today. The conditions were tricky out there and it was getting more and more slippery, which I guess is normal for snow and ice! I don’t have that much experience so it was a struggle to adapt; in my day job getting sideways is what we try to avoid. But I felt I was improving every time I drove. That’s a good sign, but also a sign that I still have a lot to learn. Yesterday was a short day because I let Team Germany down and we went out very quickly, but today I could get more into the groove. I knew the final was a big stretch and I maybe pushed too hard, but I knew I had to go for it to be close to Seb. l made mistakes here and there, so in these conditions I have a bit of catching up to do…

    “We’ve missed two years of the Race Of Champions so it’s great to be back and to have a sense of normality. I’ve really enjoyed coming here on a different surface too, and it’s special to be on Fredrik’s home soil. It’s great to have the fans back too and I’m impressed to see so many people in the crowds. I don’t know how they can stand the cold and the wind in their face, but they seemed happy and up for it! Now I hope we can come back to Sweden again.”

    To reach the Grand Final Loeb and Vettel had to see off a field featuring 18 of the world’s greatest drivers. Because the track conditions on snow and ice can change quickly depending on the weather, ROC’s traditional group stage did not take place. Instead this year’s Race Of Champions used a straight knockout system with the field split into two halves: one featured the international racing drivers while the other had the rally experts and those with more experience of off-road driving.

    At the best-of-three semi-final stage Vettel beat nine-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner Tom Kristensen 2-0 to take bragging rights in the racing drivers’ half of the draw, though the Dane was hampered by a mechanical problem in the first heat.

    On the rally side, Loeb finished on top of the pile having brought an end to a spirited run by double DTM Champion and FIA World Rallycross Champion Mattias Ekström, who was the last Swedish driver standing in front of his home fans. The match went to a deciding third heat, won by the Frenchman.

    The quarter-finals, which were decided over two heats, saw many big names bite the dust – not least seven-time NASCAR Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson, who lost to Kristensen. IndyCar’s youngest ever race winner Colton Herta was the other racing driver who went out, beaten by Vettel on countback of fastest times after a 1-1 tie.

    On the rally side Loeb saw off rising WRC star Oliver Solberg after a match in which one of their races finished in a dead heat, to the nearest thousandth of a second. The other driver exiting at this stage was four-time FIA World Rallycross Champion Johan Kristoffersson, who lost to Ekström despite winning their first race heat by just one hundredth of a second.

    The Round of 16 was another graveyard for motorsport’s superstars. In the racing half of the draw, double F1 World Champion Mika Hakkinen went out at the hands of Johnson while his long-time McLaren F1 team-mate David Coulthard was defeated by Kristensen. Double W Series Champion Jamie Chadwick and this year’s W Series runner-up Emma Kimilainen also left the competition at this stage, beaten by Herta and Vettel respectively.

    The rally side of the draw was just as brutal. FIA World Rally and World Rallycross Champion Petter Solberg couldn’t find a way past Loeb so there was to be no repeat of yesterday’s ROC Nations Cup glory. His fellow World Rallycross Champion Timmy Hansen had to accept defeat by Kristoffersson after crashing out, while four-time ROC Champion of Champions Didier Auriol fell to Ekström. Mexico’s reigning ROC Champion of Champions Benito Guerra was another of the early casualties after being beaten by Oliver Solberg.

    Kicking off the afternoon’s action, four of the racing drivers were matched up in pairs for two Round 1 play-offs. Germany’s FIA F2 and F3 Champion Mick Schumacher was defeated by Chadwick while four-time Indy 500 Winner Helio Castroneves also had to bid an early goodbye after falling to Herta. The Brazilian ace was later seen relaxing in style in the ROC Drivers’ Lounge after declaring he and snow ‘don’t mix’.

    Ahead of the main action, the home fans were given a treat as four sporting legends took place in a celebrity race in the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport. The field featured tennis great Jonas Björkman plus Olympic skiing gold medallists Ingemar Stenmark, Anja Pärson and Aksel Lund Svindal, who was the only Norwegian taking on three Swedes on their home turf. In the end it was Lund Svindal who came out on top, beating Stenmark in the final by just 0.8 seconds. The skiing great thus added to his home country’s amazing run of success here this weekend following Petter and Oliver Solberg’s triumph for Team Norway in the ROC Nations Cup yesterday.

    This year’s Race Of Champions has raised over 1 million SEK (€100,000) towards a selection of worthwhile charities. The key recipients have included German children’s charity Kinderlachen, the Zelmerlöw and Björkman Foundation’s school in Kenya, the ICM (institute for advanced research on brain and spinal cord injuries in Paris) plus a range of the drivers’ other favourite charities.

    Today’s action at Pite Havsbad marks the end of ROC Sweden for 2022. We hope you enjoyed this festival of motor sport and entertainment on the snow and ice, and we look forward to welcoming you back for our next event.

  • Vettel disqualified; Hami promoted to P2

    Vettel disqualified; Hami promoted to P2

    Sebastian Vettel has been excluded from the result of the Hungarian Grand Prix after his Aston Martin teams failed to provide sufficient fuel from his car after the race to meet regulations.

    According to the decision handed down by the FIA race stewards it was not possible to take a 1.0 litre sample of fuel from Vettel’s car after the race, stating that though “the team was given several opportunities to attempt to remove the required amount of fuel from the tank, however it was only possible to pump 0.3 litres out”.

    The stewards’ decision added: “During the hearing in presence of the FIA Technical Delegate and the FIA Technical Director the team principal of Aston Martin stated that there must be 1,44 litres left in the tank, but they are not able to get it out. This figure is calculated using the FFM or injector model.

    “Given this situation, car No. 5 is not in compliance with the requirements of Art. 6.6 FIA Technical Regulations. According to Art. 6.6.2 competitors must ensure that a 1.0 litre sample of fuel may be taken from the car at any time. The procedure was followed however the 1.0 litre sample of fuel was unable to be taken.

    “The Stewards determine to apply the standard penalty for technical infringements. Therefore they took into account, that it shall be no defence to claim that no performance advantage was obtained.”

    The decision therefore was that “Car 5 (Vettel) is disqualified from the results of the Race”.

    While Aston Martin have the right to appeal, Vettel’s exclusion from the result promotes Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton to second place in the result with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz claiming third. Haimilton will therefore will go into Formula 1’s summer break with an eight-point Driver’s Championship lead over Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, while Mercedes now lead the Constructors’ Championship with 303 points, 12 ahead of Red Bull.

  • Stunning maiden win for Esteban Ocon: Hungarian GP

    Stunning maiden win for Esteban Ocon: Hungarian GP

    Budapest, 1 August 2021: Alpine’s Esteban Ocon held of Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel to take a surprise maiden grand victory after collisions in turn one upset the order and brought out the red flags. Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, fought back to third place after a tactical error at the restart left him in last place in the Round 11 of the Formula 1 World Championship on Sunday.

    Later, Vettel was disqualified and the rest of the nine drivers after him were promoted.

    At the start, held in drizzly conditions and with the field on intermediate tyres, Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas made a poor getaway from P2 on the grid and was passed by third-place starter Max Verstappen, the second Red Bull of Sergio Pérez and by McLaren’s Lando Norris, who moved in front of the Mercedes driver. 

    Bottas attempted to recover but when Norris appeared to brake slightly early to avoid trouble in Turn 1, the Finn driver locked up and ploughed into the back of the Englishman’s car. Norris cannoned into the side of Max’s RB16B with the championship leader’s car sustaining heavy damage to the floor. Bottas, meanwhile, bounced through the corner and collided with Pérez. 

    Seeing the incident unfolding, Lance Stroll tried to move to an inside line for Turn 1 but Charles Leclerc was already turning and the Aston Martin driver made heavy contact with the Ferrari driver who exited the race. The Safety Car was quickly deployed.

    Verstappen and Pérez were initially able to continue but midway thorugh the lap Pérez pulled over and retired from the race. Verstappen limped back to the pits for visual checks but as he rejoined his right bargeboard detached and with debris in the pit exit and scattered across Turn 1 the red flags were displayed.

    In the pit lane pole position man Lewis Hamilton held P1 for Mercedes ahead of Ocon and Vettel. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was fourth ahead of AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda and Williams’ Niocholas Latifi was sixth. Alpine’s Fernando Alonso sat in seventh place ahead of Williams’ George Russell, the Alfa Romeo of Kimi Räikkönen and the Haas of Mick Schumacher, while ahead of the wounded RB16B of Verstappen at the restart would be AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly and McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo. 

    Race control informed the teams that a standing start would take place and the cars were led out of the pit lane by the safety car. The entire field went out for the formation lap on intermediate tyres but with the sun now rapidly drying the track it quickly became clear to all but Hamilton that slicks would be required. The race leader made his way to the front of the grid but behind him the entire field pitted to take on slicks. Hamilton was left alone on the grid to restart the race on his own. 

    As Hamilton powered away towards Turn 1, the rest of the order then filed out of the pit lane and took up position behind him. Mercedes immediately told Hamilton to pit at the end of the lap and Ocon soon took up the race lead ahead of Vettel and Latifi. 

    Hamilton dropped to P14 and last as Verstappen made his way to P11 but as Ocon and Vettel pulled away from the pack, the championship leaders struggled to get past rivals at the back of the field. 

    Verstappen  eventually made his way past Schumacher to claim P10 and that became ninth place when Räikkönen served a penalty for an unsafe release in the pit lane traffic ahead of the restart. Hamilton eventually made his way to P13 and then, on lap 20 he dived into the pits to take on hard tyres.

    Red Bull then pitted Verstappen for hard tyres, but with the Dutchman struggling for pace in his damaged car the undercut worked for Mercedes and Hamilton swept past as the Dutchman exited the pit lane. 

    Verstappen was now in 12th place just behind McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo. But even though the Red Bull driver could get inside DRS range of the McLaren, the Australian was getting a similar boost from George Russell ahead and the champion leader found himself stuck at the tail of a train of cars. 

    Ahead, Hamilton continued his march forward and by lap 35 he was in fifth place behind Alonso, who needed to make another pit stop. The Spaniard briefly took the race lead when Vettel and Ocon took on fresh tyres, with Ocon holding the advantage, but a lap later Alonso made his stop and Hamilton swept past to claim fourth place behind Sainz. The Briton was struggling for grip on his hard tyres, however and Mercedes opted to pit him for new mediums and a renewed assault. 

    Further back, Verstappen pitted to find a way out of the train and after taking on new medium tyres began to attack the cars ahead.

    Hamilton then began to reel in the top four and on lap 54 he was just 1.8s behind Alonso. Verstappen, meanwhile, has made his way past Räikkönen and was up to P11 and closed in on Ricciardo eventually getting past the Australian with 10 laps to go to secure P10 and a single point.

    Alonso’s defence against Hamilton eventually expired at the start of lap 65. The Alpine driver had a momentary lock up into Turn 1 and Hamilton pounced to steal P4 on the run down to Turn 2. The Mercedes driver quickly closed on Sainz and at the start of lap 67 he powered past the Ferrari to take third place. 

    And there the odder solidified. Vettel could find no way to mount an attack on Ocon and though Hamilton pressed hard to reel in the Aston Martin driver he couldn’t close the gap and after 70 laps Ocon crossed the line to take a memorable first grand prix win ahead of Vettel and Hamilton. 

    Fourth place went to Sainz, with Alonso a brave fifth ahead of Pierre Gasly, who took the point for fastest lap. Seventh place went to Yuki Tsunoda, while Williams celebrated their first points in two years thanks to Nicholas Latifi and George Russell’s finishing eighth and ninth respectively.

    Verstappen now goes into the break in P2 in the Drivers’ standings. Hamilton now leads on 192 points with Max six points behind. The team is now P2 in the Constructors’ 10 points behind Mercedes. 

    2021 FIA Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix – Race
    1 Esteban Ocon Alpine/Renault 70 2:04’43.199
    2 Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin/Mercedes 70 2:04’45.058 1.859
    3 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 70 2:04’45.935 2.736
    4 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 70 2:04’58.217 15.018
    5 Fernando Alonso Alpine/Renault 70 2:04’58.850 15.651
    6 Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri/Honda 70 2:05’46.813 1’03.614
    7 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri/Honda 70 2:05’59.002 1’15.803
    8 Nicholas Latifi Williams/Mercedes 70 2:06’01.109 1’17.910
    9 George Russell Williams/Mercedes 70 2:06’02.293 1’19.094
    10 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda 70 2:06’03.443 1’20.244
    11 Kimi Räikkönen Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 69 2:05’00.261 1 lap /17.062
    12 Daniel Ricciardo McLaren/Mercedes 69 2:05’12.032 1 lap /28.833
    13 Mick Schumacher Haas/Ferrari 69 2:05’21.793 1 lap /38.594
    14 Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 69 2:05’22.828 1 lap /39.629
    Nikita Mazepin Haas/Ferrari 3 31’35.873 Collision
    Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 2 5’29.158 Collision
    Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 0 Collision
    Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda 0 Collision
    Charles Leclerc Ferrari 0 Collision
    Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 0 Collision

    Pirelli KEY MOMENTS

    • Alpine driver Esteban Ocon took his first ever Formula 1 win at a dramatic Hungarian Grand Prix, which originally started with all the field (apart from Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi) on Cinturato Green intermediates in wet conditions. A collision at the first corner brought out a red flag, during which teams were allowed to change tyres and repair any damage.
    • Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, who led the field away for the re-start, was the only competitor to keep the intermediates and start from the grid, while all the other drivers came into the pits for medium tyres. Hamilton then pitted for mediums too at the end of the first racing lap following the re-start, rejoining last but eventually finishing third after an early switch to hard followed by a final run on mediums.
    • Ocon effectively re-started on the P Zero Yellow medium C3 tyre after the second formation lap and then switched to the P Zero White hard C2 on lap 37, one lap after Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel, who finished a close second on an identical strategy.
    • After record-breaking temperatures on Friday and warm conditions yesterday, the weather completely changed today with rain and 28 degrees ambient, plus 32 degrees of track temperature at the start of the race. The track then warmed up considerably after few laps, peaking at 40 degrees of asphalt temperature.

    Mercedes Session Report

    A race of high drama results in a P3 and a DNF for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix

    • Lewis completed a remarkable recovery drive to finish on the podium despite finding himself running last on lap five after an action-filled start to the race.
    • Valtteri suffered wheelspin in the heavy rain at the race start, losing position to the cars around him on entry to the first corner. He locked brakes and collided with NOR, sparking a multi-car accident with several cars suffering damage and a number of retirements, including Valtteri. Lewis was unscathed out-front.
    • The race was red-flagged and upon the standing restart, the Team chose to keep Lewis out on the Intermediate tyre and start from the grid, while the remainder of the field behind opted to pit for slick tyres and start from the pit lane.
    • On a rapidly drying track, Lewis was forced to pit just one lap later to fall in line with the other cars and found himself emerging from the pits 14th and last, with a mountain to climb.
    • Lewis carved his way through the field with a number of impressive overtakes to climb to fifth with a little over 10 laps to go, before encountering a stubborn ALO who defended strongly and cost Lewis precious time.
    • Eventually, Lewis made the pass on ALO and quickly dispatched SAI thereafter but ran out of laps and was forced to settle for a heroic P3, joining debut-winner OCO on the podium alongside VET in P2.
    • Lewis Hamilton (192 points) leads the Drivers’ Championship by 6 points from Max Verstappen (186) and Lando Norris in P3 (113), with Valtteri (108) in P4.
    • The Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team (300 points) lead Red Bull by 10 points in the Constructors’ Championship.

    Estaban Ocon: I don’t know what to write I’m lost for words, we just won the Hungarian @f1 Grand Prix i will forever remember this moment !!

    Thank you to @AlpineF1Team without them I would not have make it, and what a drive by the legend himself @alo_oficial he’s part of this too.

    Sebastian Vettel says; “Second place is a great result and we can be proud of our performance, but when you are that close to victory, you always want more. At the start of the race, I could see the contact ahead of me, so I took the inside line and found myself with the leading cars. From then on, I felt like I tried to take the lead for the entire 70 laps, but it is so difficult to overtake here. I think we were quicker for most of the race, but there was not enough of a difference to make an overtake because it was very hard to follow in the dirty air. I tried to pressure Esteban [Ocon] into a mistake, but he did not make a single one. Congratulations to Esteban, it is his day and I am very happy for him. He deserved the victory. I will sleep well tonight knowing I gave it my all. We have a good fight on our hands in the midfield with Alpine and AlphaTauri, so we will take the summer break to rest up and come back ready to fight in Belgium.”

    Lewis Hamilton says: First of all, I want to say a quick congratulations to the Alpine Team and to Esteban – he’s been a shining star for some time now so it’s been a long time coming and I’m really, really happy for him. It’s great to see Aston Martin up there with their best result so far and I know there’s more to come from them. We’ve had an amazing crowd this weekend and I’m grateful for the support.

     Today was definitely tough, it’s crazy to think we were the only ones on the grid at the start, but these things happen in an unpredictable race, and we will learn any lessons that need to be learnt. I gave it everything today and I had nothing left at the end. I came into this weekend not knowing how we would perform and considering the circumstances today, I’ll take P3!

  • AMR21 makes track debut at Silverstone Promotional Day

    AMR21 makes track debut at Silverstone Promotional Day

    Silverstone, 4 March 2021: After 61 years, of an Aston Martin Grand Prix car last competed in F1, the Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team on Thursday gave the on-track debut to its 2021 Formula One car, the AMR21, at Silverstone for a promotional running event.
     
    Roy Salvadori and Maurice Trintignant each drove a DBR5 in the 1960 British Grand Prix, the last running by Aston Martin in its Formula One programme until the return of the brand, as the Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team, for 2021.
     
    Today, drivers Lance Stroll and Sebastian Vettel both drove the AMR21, sharing the allocated 100km of running on Pirelli demo tyres.
     
    Next up for the Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team is testing in Bahrain on March 12-14, before Aston Martin makes its long-awaited return to the Formula One World Championship grid in the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 28.

    Lance Stroll debuts AMR21 at a promotional event in Silverstone on Thursday.

  • Sebastian Vettel, Lance Stroll launch Aston Martin Cognizant F1 car, #AMR21

    Sebastian Vettel, Lance Stroll launch Aston Martin Cognizant F1 car, #AMR21

    Virtual/Silverstone, 2 March 2021: The Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team has revealed to the world on Wednesday, its 2021 Formula One World Championship competitor, the new AMR21, in a virtual live event.

    One of the most anticipated Formula One car launches in recent years took place in The Vault, an immersive virtual experience that played host to the historic moment when Aston Martin unveiled its first Grand Prix car since the DBR5 which was raced by Roy Salvadori and Maurice Trintignant in the 1960 British Grand Prix. 

    The AMR21 was revealed in a striking green livery in recognition of the brand’s traditional racing colours, carrying prominent branding from title partner, Cognizant, the IT giant helping lead the team’s digital transformation journey towards future success.

    The recent influx of new partners ensured that the AMR21 was presented with logos from a host of global brands alongside Cognizant, including Peroni Libera 0.0%, Crypto.com, SentinelOne, EPOS, NetApp, Girard-Perregaux and Replay. The long-standing support of BWT continues with the addition of a delicate magenta stripe down each side of the chassis. Ravenol, JCB, Bombardier and Pirelli all continue their partnerships into the new era. 

    Aston Martin Lagonda’s Executive Chairman, Lawrence Stroll, opened today’s event and welcomed fans, media, colleagues and partners who were enjoying the show virtually from all around the world. He was joined by Tobias Moers, CEO of Aston Martin Lagonda; Otmar Szafnauer, CEO and Team Principal of Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team; and, by video link, Brian Humphries, CEO of Cognizant, who all spoke of the great significance of seeing the Aston Martin name back on the Formula One grid.

    The new driver pairing of Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll were also prominent in the presentation, as well as Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team Technical Director, Andrew Green. 

    Now that the new Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team car has been revealed to the world, the team is turning its attention to preparing for a day of promotional running, taking place on March 4th at Silverstone. Tomorrow will therefore mark the exciting and much anticipated track debut of the AMR21, before it makes its journey to Bahrain for testing next week (March 12th-14th) ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 28th. 

    Alongside its new car, the team has launched a new media site featuring improved functionality and ease of access. Please remember to sign up to gain access to the new site, which will also include the latest press pack, imagery and assets from today’s launch. 

    Below are soundbites from the day’s event…
    Aston Martin re-enters F1 after 61 years.
    Lawrence Stroll, Executive Chairman, Aston Martin: “I have dreamed about this day for a very long time. I have always been a car guy, since I was a child. I have always loved racing, too. My first dream was to own a Formula One team. My second dream was to acquire a significant shareholding in Aston Martin Lagonda. Today is about the merging of those two dreams. So, as I say, today is all about dreams, and it shows that dreams really can come true, in the shape of our new AMR21.

    “Aston Martin returning to Formula One after an absence of 61 years will have a powerful effect on the sport, the media and the fans, commanding global attention. 

    “The team who designed and built our new Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One car – the 500 men and women who conceive, manufacture, build and prepare our cars so that we can go racing at the pinnacle of global motorsport – has always punched above its weight. Now, as the Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team, it has the power with which to punch even harder. 

    “This is just the beginning. The team is pushing forward, and our ambitions are limitless. We now have the pieces in place, the people and the partners, to make real progress.

    “The launch of the new AMR21 is also the celebration of a new beginning for Aston Martin. Today’s transformational event has given us the opportunity to communicate the evolution of the iconic Aston Martin Wings logo for only the 12th time in the company’s 108-year history. The Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One car is our group’s highest expression of performance, innovation, engineering quality, attention to detail, and teamwork. For that reason it is natural that our new logo should make its debut on our new Formula One car. 

    “As for the year ahead, the core nucleus of what we need to succeed is already present and correct. I have great confidence in Otmar [Szafnauer], Andrew [Green] and all who work for them. I firmly believe we have the perfect blend of experience and youth in Sebastian [Vettel] and Lance [Stroll]. An ethos of fierce ambition and unshakeable dedication is shared by every single team member. It is exhilarating to see – and to feel.”
    Otmar Szafnauer, Team Principal & CEO, Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team: “Launching the Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team gives everybody associated with this company a real sense of purpose and pride. It is a truly iconic car brand and it is a huge privilege to bring Aston Martin back to the pinnacle of motorsport – where it belongs. 

    “There is a change on the driving front, Sebastian [Vettel] joining us to race alongside Lance [Stroll]. Sebastian is someone we can all learn from, and his integration into the team has been very smooth – as you would expect from someone with so much experience. It is clear in my mind that Sebastian has lost none of his speed. It is down to us to create an environment in which he feels comfortable so he can deliver at his brilliant best. Lance is a very talented young driver, as his two podiums and wet-weather pole position last year demonstrated. We expect more of the same this year.

    “Our goal for 2021 is to build on what we achieved last year and take a further step forward. There is no reason why we cannot achieve that with our talented workforce combined with the new financial investment. Success does not come overnight, but I am convinced that we are putting the key elements in place to continue moving up the grid this year and in the years ahead.”
    Andrew Green, Technical Director, Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team: “It is a great privilege to have the Aston Martin name above the door. It is a real ‘dream come true’ moment and it shows how far this team has come. It is definitely the most exciting chapter in the team’s history, without a doubt. 

    “I am confident that the 500 fantastic men and women who design, manufacture, build, prepare and maintain our car will have done everything in their power to create a good one. We all know how competitive Formula One is right now, and we certainly do not underestimate our opposition. We expect to be in the mix in the ‘best of the rest’ category from the start. We are ambitious yet realistic. But we intend to improve steadily, and our ultimate ambitions are limitless.

    “In Formula One you never stop learning, and over the years we have learnt a lot. The AMR21 is an expression of that never-ending learning curve. It is closely related to our 2020 car, but it as an all-new chassis. Regulation changes intended to reduce every team’s aerodynamic performance have also played a part, of course.”
    Brian Humphries, CEO of Cognizant: “From the factory floor to the chequered flag, this partnership is a marriage made in heaven — it is technically intensive and engineering-dependent, which makes it an ideal showcase for both of our brands. We are absolutely thrilled to be the title partner of the Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team.

    “With the Aston Martin partnership, Cognizant is shifting its brand into high gear. Fundamentally, we are transforming the Cognizant brand and creating opportunities to engage with clients in different forums. Formula One is an important part of that equation.

    “We are pleased to be part of the new Aston Martin factory design, bringing Cognizant’s artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, cloud computing and digital engineering expertise to bear – I expect the end result will be a Formula One facility that is the envy of the racing world.

    “Cognizant’s expertise in technology, coupled with Aston Martin’s expertise in automotive engineering, was an ideal combination, and we expect our technology to have a tangible impact on Aston Martin’s ability to succeed.

    “Cognizant continues to increase its global reach and Formula One’s global fan base was a key consideration in seeking entry to the sport. The Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team ticks all the right boxes for us – we are both innovative, forward-looking firms that like to move fast, stay focused and lead from the front.”
    Sebastian Vettel, Driver, Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team: “Even though I have raced for four Formula One teams and for many years, starting a new season with a new team still gives me a sense of excitement.
     
    “As a driver, I have always kept my eye on the competition and this team has consistently impressed me with what they have been able to do without the biggest of budgets. So, when Lawrence [Stroll] and Otmar [Szafnauer] approached me last year, and explained what their ambitions were, I was immediately very motivated to join the team.
     
    “I love the history of motor racing and Aston Martin is one of the great names of the past, so it is fun to be part of their return to Formula One after an absence of 61 years.  
     
    “Having visited the factory and met the senior people as well as my engineers and mechanics, I can see they are a really good group. I feel confident that, by the support Lawrence brings together with the Aston Martin name, we will make real progress together. 
     
    “I have not driven the car yet – obviously – but I think it looks great. I am really looking forward to getting it out on the track. I am also looking forward to working with and getting to know better everyone in the team, including my team-mate Lance [Stroll]. We will certainly make a big effort to deliver some good results together and have fun doing it.”
    Lance Stroll, Driver, Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team: “This is such an exciting time of the year. The car launch is when everything starts to feel real again, especially this year with our new identity as Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team. The new name is exciting for everyone and there is a massive buzz around the factory. 
     
    “I have come back refreshed from the winter break. It is going to be my third season here working with this great bunch of people, and that stability is what you need as a driver. I am at home here and I have built those strong relationships with the team now. All that stuff makes a difference when we are competing for those last fractions of a second. It is a case of knowing exactly what you need and how to work with the team to really optimise performance.
     
    “It is all quite full-on this year, with fewer testing days available, but we have made good use of our simulation tools at the factory to help us prepare. There will be higher expectations this year for several reasons – including the team name – and I see 2021 as a huge opportunity for us to score some great results. We had real momentum at the end of 2020 and I believe we can hit the ground running this year, too.”
  • Hamilton clinches 7th F1 World title with a superb win

    Hamilton clinches 7th F1 World title with a superb win

    Istanbul, 15 Nov 2020: Lewis Hamilton delivered a superb drive from sixth on the grid to claim victory in a tough, wet Turkish Grand Prix and clinch his seventh Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship crown, matching Michael Schumacher’s tally of titles. 

    Hamilton overcame early woes involving a lack of grip in wet conditions to claw his way back into contention and after passing Racing Point’s Sergio Pérez on lap 36 his decision to pursue a one-stop race allowed him to take his 10th win of the season ahead of Pérez and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel who took third place on the final lap after team-mate Charles Leclerc went wide after trying to steal second from Pérez

    At the start, as pole sitter Lance Stroll and Racing Point team-mate Sergio Pérez made superb starts to take P1 and P2, Max Verstappen suffered huge amounts of wheelspin off the line and the Dutch driver was quickly swamped by rivals. Alex Albon too got away with difficulty but did well to avoid trouble in Turn 1 when Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo tagged team-mate Esteban Ocon who then hit Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas. Both Ocon and Bottas dropped to the back of the field.

    Midway through the first lap Max and Alex found themselves fifth and sixth respectively, but as championship leader Lewis Hamilton struggled for grip on the tricky surface both Bulls powered past to sit behind third-placed Sebastian Vettel who had risen from P11 on the grid after an excellent start. 

    At the front, Stroll began to carve out substantial lead and within four laps he was six seconds ahead of Pérez and almost 14s seconds ahead of Vettel who was backing Verstappen up. 

    The game changed, though, on lap 10 when Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc pitted from P14 to take on intermediate tyres. The Monegasque driver immediately began to set purple sector times and his pace sparked a flurry of stops for the green-banded tyres. 

    Both Racing Points and Vettel made the switch, as did Hamilton, but Verstappen stuck with the wet tyres until his own race fastest lap of 1:48.610 was immediately shattered by Hamilton who set a time of 1:45.872 on his new inters. That promoted a switch to inters for Verstappen, which was repeated a lap later by Albon. 

    Verstappen managed to rejoin ahead of Vettel and quickly began to close on Pérez, while Albon emerged in P6 behind Hamilton. The Mercedes driver was bottled up behind Vettel and when he tried to make a slightly ambitious move past the German he lost grip and was forced wide. That allowed Albon to sneak through to make his own attack on the Ferrari driver. He made his way past the German on the next lap to claim P4 and that became P3 on lap 17 when disaster struck for Verstappen. 

    The Dutchman had closed right up to Perez but it was too close and unsighted he got too much kerb and spun behind the Mexican. He managed to correct the wild slide but having flat spotted his tyres he was forced to pit for a new set of inters. He rejoined in P8. 

    Now in third place, Albon began to close in on Pérez, lapping a second quicker than the Mexican. On lap 25 he got to within DRS range of the Racing Point driver and began to pressure the Racing Point driver. Gradually, though, Albon’s inters began to wear in Perez’s wake and he couldn’t find a way past. 

    On lap 33 though Albon’s race unravelled when he made a mistake midway through the lap and went wide. That put Hamilton through to P3. Stroll then made his second stop for inters but the Canadian’s pace then seemed to desert him as he suffered tyre graining and though he emerged in P4 he was soon under pressure from the twin Ferraris of Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc. They soon made their way past the Canadian and Albon rapidly followed suit. 

    Ahead, Hamilton was putting Perez under pressure and on lap 36 he slipped past the Racing Point to claim the lead. 

    Verstappen, on old intermediates, was now coming under pressure from the Ferraris and when Leclerc passed him the Dutchman pitted for a final set of green-banded tyres. 

    Albon was struggling, though, and when he was passed by Sainz, he found himself in P6 directly ahead of Verstappen who was running quicker on his new inters. The Bulls then swapped position seven laps from home and with a large gap to Sainz in fifth place the pair settled for sixth and seventh places at the flag. 

    Ahead Hamilton and Perez, still holding onto their ageing intermediates now looked comfortable. Leclerc, though, was determined to challenge for second place and on the final lap he made his move. 

    The Ferrari driver muscled his way past the Racing Point but then running offline on the wet side of the track he locked up into the final corner and that not only allowed Perez to re-take second place but also allowed Vettel to slip past his team-mate to claim his first podium finish of the season. 

    Leclerc managed to hold onto fourth ahead of Sainz, Verstappen and Albon, while eighth place and the point for fastest lap went to McLaren’s Lando Norris. Ninth place went to the unfortunate Stroll and the final point on offer was taken by Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo. 

    2020 FIA Formula 1 Turkish Grand Prix – Race 
    1 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 58 1:42’19.313 
    2 Sergio Pérez Racing Point/Mercedes 58 1:42’50.946 31.633
    3 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari 58 1:42’51.273 31.960
    4 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 58 1:42’53.171 33.858
    5 Carlos Sainz Jr. McLaren/Renault 58 1:42’53.676 34.363
    6 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda 58 1:43’04.186 44.873
    7 Alexander Albon Red Bull/Honda 58 1:43’05.797 46.484
    8 Lando Norris McLaren/Renault 58 1:43’20.572 1’01.259
    9 Lance Stroll Racing Point/Mercedes 58 1:43’31.666 1’12.353
    10 Daniel Ricciardo Renault 58 1:43’54.773 1’35.460
    11 Esteban Ocon Renault 57 1:42’23.252 1 Lap
    12 Daniil Kvyat AlphaTauri/Honda 57 1:42’32.202 1 Lap
    13 Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri/Honda 57 1:42’33.613 1 Lap
    14 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 57 1:43’11.527 1 Lap
    15 Kimi Räikkönen Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 57 1:43’41.668 1 Lap
    16 George Russell Williams/Mercedes 57 1:43’57.645 1 Lap
    17 Kevin Magnussen Haas/Ferrari 55 1:41’45.515 Not running
    Romain Grosjean Haas/Ferrari 49 1:31’18.383 Retirement
    Nicholas Latifi Williams/Mercedes 39 1:15’39.771 Retirement
    Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 11 22’13.153 Retirement

  • Racing Point signs Sebastian Vettel for 2021

    Racing Point signs Sebastian Vettel for 2021

    Silverstone, 10 Sept 2020: Ahead of Aston Martin’s long-awaited return to the Formula 1 grid in 2021, we are delighted to confirm that four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel has signed up to join the team.
     
    The signing of Sebastian is a clear statement of the team’s ambition to establish itself as one of the most competitive names in the sport.

    Sergio Perez leaves
    Meanwhile, Sergio Perez is to leave the BWT Racing Point F1 Team at the end of the 2020 season, bringing an end to his seven-year association with the team from Silverstone, a release said here on Thursday.

    In those seven seasons, Sergio helped the team achieve some memorable feats, including five podium finishes – most of them against the odds. Those strong results also helped the team – as Force India – achieve consecutive fourth-place finishes in the Constructors’ Championship in 2016 and 2017.

    Everybody at Racing Point would like to thank Sergio for his hard work and dedication over the years, and wish him every success in the future.
    A Champion’s Pedigree
    As a four-time World Champion, Sebastian brings a fresh mindset to the team. He is one of the most accomplished and respected drivers in world motorsport and knows what it takes to win at the highest level.
     
    At the time of writing, he stands as a 53-time race winner, putting him third on the all-time list of Grand Prix victors with a further 67 podium finishes to his name.
     
    His qualifying speed is equally impressive, starting on the front row of the grid 101 times throughout his career to date – 57 of which were from pole position.
     
    Having claimed four consecutive titles with Red Bull Racing between 2010 – 2013 and multiple Grands Prix victories with Scuderia Ferrari in the years since, Sebastian’s experience and leadership qualities make him the perfect driver to help the team achieve its ambitions.
    A Few Words
    Otmar Szafnauer, CEO & Team Principal, BWT Racing Point F1 Team:
    “Everybody at Silverstone is hugely excited by this news. Sebastian is a proven champion and brings a winning mentality that matches our own ambitions for the future as Aston Martin F1 Team. On a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, Sebastian is one of the best in the world, and I can’t think of a better driver to help take us into this new era. He will play a significant role in taking this team to the next level.”
    Sebastian Vettel:
    “I am pleased to finally share this exciting news about my future. I’m extremely proud to say that I will become an Aston Martin driver in 2021. It’s a new adventure for me with a truly legendary car company. I have been impressed with the results the team has achieved this year and I believe the future looks even brighter. The energy and commitment of Lawrence [Stroll] to the sport is inspiring and I believe we can build something very special together. I still have so much love for Formula 1 and my only motivation is to race at the front of the grid. To do so with Aston Martin will be a huge privilege.”
    An Impressive CV
  • Ferrari, Sebastian Vettel decide not to extend contract beyond 2020

    Ferrari, Sebastian Vettel decide not to extend contract beyond 2020

    Maranello, 12 May 2020: Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow and Sebastian Vettel have jointly decided not to extend the current contract covering Sebastian’s services as a driver with the team, beyond its current expiry date of the end of the 2020 Formula 1 season.

    Mattia Binotto, Managing Director Gestione Sportiva and Team Principal

    “This is a decision taken jointly by ourselves and Sebastian, one which both parties feel is for the best. It was not an easy decision to reach, given Sebastian’s worth as a driver and as a person. There was no specific reason that led to this decision, apart from the common and amicable belief that the time had come to go our separate ways in order to reach our respective objectives.

    Sebastian is already part of the Scuderia’s history, with his 14 Grands Prix wins making him the third most successful driver for the team, while he is also the one who has scored the most points with us. In our five years together, he has finished in the top three of the Drivers’ Championship three times, making a significant contribution to the team’s constant presence in the top three of the Constructors’ classification.

    Ferrari logo, Prancing Horse
    Ferrari Logo

    “On behalf of everyone at Ferrari, I want to thank Sebastian for his great professionalism and the human qualities he has displayed over these five years, during which we shared so many great moments. We have not yet managed to win a world title together, which would be a fifth for him, but we believe that we can still get a lot out of this unusual 2020 season.”

    Sebastian Vettel, #5

    “My relationship with Scuderia Ferrari will finish at the end of 2020. In order to get the best possible results in this sport, it’s vital for all parties to work in perfect harmony. The team and I have realised that there is no longer a common desire to stay together beyond the end of this season. Financial matters have played no part in this joint decision. That’s not the way I think when it comes to making certain choices and it never will be.

    What’s been happening in these past few months has led many of us to reflect on what are our real priorities in life. One needs to use one’s imagination and to adopt a new approach to a situation that has changed. I myself will take the time I need to reflect on what really matters when it comes to my future.

    Scuderia Ferrari occupies a special place in Formula 1 and I hope it gets all the success it deserves. Finally, I want to thank the whole Ferrari family and above all its “tifosi” all around the world, for the support they have given me over the years. My immediate goal is to finish my long stint with Ferrari, in the hope of sharing some more beautiful moments together, to add to all those we have enjoyed so far.

  • Valtteri has been quick all weekend, so he deserves the pole, says Hamilton

    Shanghai, 13 April 2019: Saturday post-qualifying  Press Conference transcript of the Chinese Grand Prix, the third round of the FIA Formula One (F1) World Championship:

    TRACK INTERVIEWS (Conducted by Martin Brundle)

    Q: Congratulations Valtteri, the 1000th championship event, the world championship leader, and you’re on pole position; you worked for that one?

    Valtteri BOTTAS: Yeah, it’s been a good weekend so far, I mean, starting from the pole. I felt already really comfortable this morning in the practice. In the qualifying, honestly, I struggled a bit in Q3 to get the perfect lap in, but it was good enough.

    Q: It looked like you had it covered, though. You just had an ounce of extra speed. And the lap unfolded nicely?

    VB: Yeah, the lap was OK. Like I said, not completely how I wanted, but luckily it was good enough for pole and the car has been really good this weekend. And Lewis also managed to improve a lot during the qualifying; it was super close.

    Q: Well, your fans seem very happy up there. Lewis: 59th front-row lockout for the team and second place for you today, though. Valtteri certainly showed some speed, but you didn’t give up on it.

    Lewis HAMILTON: No, I didn’t give up. I kept pushing right to the end. Big congratulations to Valtteri, he’s been stellar all weekend. I’ve been struggling and fighting the car all weekend. We’ve been chipping away at it and I’m much, much happier. You know, it was eight tenths at once stage, the gap between us, so to be as close as we are at the end is fantastic. This is an incredible result for the team. There was a little bit more time left on the table there, but that’s cool, I’ll try and get it tomorrow.

    Q: So, race pace – you’ve got the Ferraris in your mirrors, are you comfortable for the race?

    LH: Well, they’re particularly quick in the straights but it’s evident this weekend that we’ve been able to pull some performance from the corners so just great work from the guys at the factory analyzing the test and the last two races, so this is really, really positive for us, really happy.

    Q: Well done. Sebastian, take us through the lap. Mercedes just had a little bit too much for the Ferrari team today?

    Sebastian VETTEL: Yeah, unfortunately, it seems to be like that. I think right from Q1 they just seemed to start off from a better place. I think we had a good session. Maybe there was a tiny bit more but I actually was quite happy that I managed the final attempt because I was quite marginal with time, the team told me that we only had 10 seconds margin. So I then hurried up and made sure I crossed the line in time. I think there was maybe a little bit more, but overall not enough to beat these guys today.

    Q: So, satisfied with third, but you’ve got a very fast car in a straight line and you’re sitting pretty for the race?

    SV: Yeah, but they are bloody quick in the corners! So you choose! For us, obviously, when we get close I think we have an advantage in a straight line so maybe we can do something there. But the race is long and we’ll take it from there, but it should be a good day tomorrow.

    PRESS CONFERENCE

    Q: Valtteri, congratulations, you’ve been quick all weekend. How were those laps in Q3, both of them good enough for pole position?

    VB: Yeah, the weekend so far has been very good. Obviously, tomorrow is the big day but at least on a single lap it’s been competitive and as a team, we’ve been super strong. I think in the Q3, honestly, during those two runs I never got the perfect lap, there was always something, but that’s how it goes. The pace was good, so yeah, it was enough for pole.

    Q: The one-lap pace is clearly very good, but what’s the long-run pace like?

    VB: That’s something we will honestly find out tomorrow but looking from Friday it’s been pretty close among the top three teams, so there are many question marks but today is encouraging and we’ll go for it.

    Q: Well done Valtteri, good luck tomorrow. Lewis, you said a moment ago that you’ve been fighting the car this weekend but you seemed to make good gains with it during that qualifying session. Where have you improved it?

    LH: The car hasn’t improved from… you can’t change it in qualifying so it was just really… As I said I was struggling with the car throughout the weekend, all day yesterday and even today, even into Q2. But I made a couple of changes to the settings on the wheel and some changes to the line and I managed to bridge the gap. Honestly, I’m quite proud of the job we’ve done considering how far away I was earlier on in the sessions and Valtteri has been quick all weekend, so he deserved the pole.

    Q: And what are your thoughts on the gap to Ferrari this weekend?

    LH: I don’t even know what it is, so…

    Q: Well, given that you were behind them in Bahrain two weeks ago, the pendulum has swung the other way here.

    LH: Yeah, I think that’s how it’s going to be from race to race. Some cars suit some tracks better than others.

    Q: Sebastian, first of all your thoughts on the gap to Mercedes.

    SV: Too big. We’d like it to be the other way around, obviously. I think we had a decent session. Obviously important if we can’t beat them to be right behind them, buying us some options tomorrow, hopefully.

    Q: Talk to us a little bit more about that session. How was it for you? How did the track conditions improve?

    SV: The track, I think, ramped up. I think you can see the lap times, from where we started in Q1 to Q3. Obviously there’s a bit in yourself, a bit in the engine modes and stuff what people are doing but I think that’s fairly normal. On our side we were able to improve the car from where it was yesterday, so I’m reasonably happy with that, but not entirely happy. I think there was a little bit more. It was a bit tricky today to put the laps together.

    QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

    Q: (Christian Menath – motorsport-magazin.com) Queston for you Seb. There was quite a busy out-lap in Q3, the last one, think you overtook several cars; Max wasn’t happy because he didn’t make his lap. Think the other Red Bull didn’t, both Haas. Can you talk us through that – and is it a general problem in F1 now?

    SV: No, I don’t think… I guess everyone timed it around the same, so we all left for the same spot. And if you’re at the end of the train, which I was, then it was quite difficult. And when the team told me we only have ten seconds margin to cross the line in time to make another attempt. I had to think of something. I do not know if others were not told. If everyone would have sped up the way I did, then yeah, we would have all made it. But I obviously prioritised to make the lap. It felt like others were not aware.

    Q: (David Coath – Motorlat.com) A question for each of you. It is the 1000th grand prix and we know it’s another race for you. Can you enjoy the moment or is it something you’ll have to look back on more further years down the line?

    Lewis?

    LH: For me it’s not really much of a moment. It’s just another race. We’re here to win. It’s great for the sport.

    Valtteri, your thoughts?

    VB: Yeah, here to focus on myself, our team’s job and try to do the best job we can. In the end it’s only numbers but obviously it’s a big one, so congrats to F1.

    Sebastian?

    SV: Well, it’s not up to us, obviously. It’s a bit more colourful than other races but I think inside the car and for the result itself, it makes no difference.

    Q: (Lawrence Edmondson – ESPN) Question for Seb. You said you weren’t very confident with the car in Australia, it seemed to be the same again in Bahrain. Has that changed coming here? Have you started to get what you want? And, if you’re not, how much more is there to get out of this car?

    SV: I think we have a strong platform to work from. Obviously we started very well in Barcelona and the feeling was really good, and really strong. Since then, I think we’ve struggled a little bit to repeat that, so yeah, the past two races, we’ve had little issues here and there. Bahrain didn’t go my way. Saturday was not bad, we had a small problem, otherwise I could have been better, Sunday yeah, struggling in the first stint as much as in Australia the second stint. Here and there not happy. Obviously you try to drive around the problems and try to set up the car differently. I think we are getting more and more there, understanding maybe some things related to different tracks, which Barcelona doesn’t show because it’s different but, as I said, the car is strong, so it’s up to us to extract the performance.

    Q: (Phil Duncan – PA) Seb, Bernie Ecclestone was speaking earlier this week suggesting that it could take into consideration that you might want to retire. Do you envisage being in the sport beyond your next contract?

    LH: It’s the moustache!

    SV: He’s got one too now, I don’t know what you call it when it’s all around. Goatee. Well, certainly I’m not going to drive… I’m not going to be in Formula One as long as he was, that’s for sure. Yeah, but I hope I’m going to be as fit and as sharp as he is today when I’m hopefully that old. Yeah, I don’t know, to be honest. At the moment I feel on top of my game, I feel that I know what I’m doing and yeah, I’m very very self-critical, very ambitious and I put a lot of expectation on to myself. I love driving, I love the sensation of the speed, I love fighting with these guys so there’s a lot of things that at the moment I really like and I’ll miss so that’s why it’s not an option to quit tomorrow, I’m quite happy to race. And then, yeah, I’ve got the contract but that’s a piece of paper and then we see what happens.

    Q: (Car Magazine, Greece) Valtteri, you were under a lot of pressure last year and you had an outburst at the beginning of this season with your win. You’re now leading the championship, you have pole position, where are you confidence-wise?

    VB: Confidence-wise I’m good, thanks for asking. It’s been a good start of the year, first of all for me personally and for us as a team. It’s been optimal but it’s all at the beginning of the year I feel confident. Today was a good day and hopefully tomorrow will be again, but it’s a long season ahead.

    Q: (Stuart Codling – Autosport) Lewis, you said in response to Tom’s question you tried different lines and settings to cure the problems you’ve been having. Was that purely a function of trying to get the tyre temperatures balanced across both axles? It kind of looked – certainly in FP3 around turn three – as if you were having particular difficulty getting the car to bite in at the exit of turn three compared with other people.

    LH: I don’t know. Valtteri was particularly quick in the first sector so I was experimenting  throughout the session, finally got the quickest sector in the end but a little bit too late but still, it’s all about making improvements. It wasn’t to do with tyre temperature, it was just really to do a balance and getting the flow, utilising the grip in the right areas. But as I said, I’ve been struggling with the car so I was just battling the thing. It’s obviously a great car but this year I think the first few races are always quite tricky with a new car. You see it shifts a little bit later on in the season when you get a better understanding.

    Q: (Christian Menath – Motorsport-magazin.com) It looked a bit strange with the soft tyre and the medium tyre; I think Lewis, you went in Q2 on another set of mediums and you were the fastest. Do you think it’s a bit strange here, the behaviour between soft and medium? Do you expect that this could swing around something for tomorrow, because you’re probably not going to drive on the soft as you did today?

    SV: I’m not sure I understood the question. Yeah, Valtteri understood. Go ahead. No, I didn’t really…

    VB: Yeah, I can explain to you and then you answer Well, the thing is here the soft tyre… it’s a very high energy track. There’s long corners which put a lot of load on the tyres and actually the soft degrades more during the lap, even one lap, than the medium so soft might be a lot quicker at the beginning of the lap but by the end of the lap it is slower than the medium tyre, so that’s why there’s no massive time difference. I think tomorrow, as normal, medium’s going to be the better tyre after a few laps as usual, but that’s something we will find out tomorrow.

    SV: Thank you, Valtteri, for the explanation. It makes complete sense what he was saying so… Yeah, I should listen more in these meetings about tyres. Not much to add. I think it’s always a bit of a surprise to us when we are much closer with the harder compound compared to the softest compound. But Valtteri explained why very well.