List of All Articles with Tag 'f1'

There’s no place like home. For most of the Formula 1 grid, a return to familiar comforts at a much-loved circuit is something to behold, thrive and revel in. In fact, it’s only the Haas pairing of Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen and the Alfa Romeo team of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu who have not basked in such an experience in 2023. But all eyes for Zhou – Formula 1’s first Chinese driver in its 73-year history – now point firmly towards 21 April 2024. The sport’s return to one of the world’s powerhouses has, four times, been put on hold due to the pandemic – both the world-altering event itself and the country’s controversial zero-covid policy in the aftermath. Yet next year will see the Shanghai International Circuit host once more; all that was left was for Zhou’s presence to be confirmed. That came on Thursday morning. Ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix, the 24-year-old penned a one-year extension with Alfa Romeo to race with the Sauber-works team for a third-straight year. F1’s worldwide popularity boom has not diverted past China – and next spring we will see the full impact of Zhou’s spot on the grid. “It’s the dream fulfilled – the first Chinese driver in F1, it’s a huge thing for a massive country like us,” Zhou tells The Independent. “So many more Chinese fans are engaged in F1 compared to the past, obviously me getting into the sport means more people follow the races. “The pressure started two to three years ago, so it’s no longer a surprise. I’ve been through that period. I’m fine with the pressure. Now, it’s all about having a good example to set and inspire younger generations.” That pressure, both from the fanbase and within the paddock itself, is inescapable. Just ask Nyck de Vries: a Formula 2 and Formula E champion, he was ruthlessly axed from his AlphaTauri seat in July after just 10 races. For all the riches of the globe-trotting spectacle, F1 remains undeniably cut-throat. Yet you won’t see Zhou having too much sympathy. “There’s a lot of pressure in Formula 1,” he states. “Only winners stay in this sport. If you can’t perform, if you’re outperformed by others, you’re going to lose the seat. That’s the reality. It’s the way everyone lives. The pressure is there, you don’t have a lot of time and you’ve really got to get on with it. “If you can’t do that, then you won’t stay here for long.” Zhou’s performances behind the wheel of a struggling Alfa car this year – languishing ninth in the Constructors’ Standings no less – have clearly impressed enough for a third bite at the cherry. Four points from 14 races would, typically, be a topic of major concern. Yet with experienced team-mate Bottas only two points up the standings, it is difficult to place too much blame on the drivers in the cockpit. With Audi’s takeover looming large for 2026, work is hurriedly being done in the background. “The results have been difficult to take,” he says. “We didn’t expect Aston Martin and McLaren to be so fast this year. It basically means we are fighting for two positions every week. My total points don’t show how much I’ve improved as a driver. I made some mistakes last year, but this year it’s more about the car.” Zhou’s assuredness stems from a childhood of contrasts: his formative years spent in the hustle and bustle of Shanghai, followed by time as a teenager in the Steel City. Learning a new language and new culture, he went by the name of Steven at Westbourne School in Sheffield. “The culture and language are obviously completely different,” he says. “The education system too…” He pauses. He reflects on memories which quickened his acclimatisation process. “While in Sheffield, I really enjoyed playing pool. Not snooker, that’s more difficult! But also I was very surprised at how many Chinese people were going to university in Sheffield and at how many shops and restaurants there are. It’s quite far from London but you don’t feel like you’re too far out! Everyone was very laid back.” His ascension to F1 came as something of a surprise. Three seasons spent with the Alpine Academy in F2 – with a 2021 finish of third his best showing – saw Alfa come calling. He scored a point on his F1 debut in Bahrain last March. His start was impressive. But then came Silverstone. “It definitely set me back,” Zhou says now, recalling the time his Alfa spun upside-down towards a barrier at the start of the British Grand Prix. Miraculous images with a miraculous outcome: Zhou barely had a graze on him. “It happens. I recovered quite quickly mentally. It was just a shame because I had some very good momentum, I’d twice been in Q3, but I had to have a recharge afterwards. It wasn’t too bad.” Zhou is not one to reminisce too much. Everything is possible for the Chinese driver with a slice of Sheffield inside him. Audi’s arrival in less than three years is “still so far away.” However, he does admit: “Hopefully I can stay when Audi come.” But that’s in the distant future. For now, it’s on to this weekend and the twists and turns of Marina Bay. Read More Alfa Romeo confirm driver line-up for 2024 F1 season Max Verstappen breaks new ground with record victory at Italian Grand Prix Max Verstappen tells Toto Wolff to focus on Mercedes after snipe Hamilton labels Marko’s comments about Perez ‘completely unacceptable’ Sebastian Vettel refuses to rule out return to Formula 1

Lewis Hamilton has called Red Bull chief Helmut Marko’s comments about Sergio Perez “completely unacceptable”. Marko, 80, referred to Mexican Perez’s background when discussing his driver’s inconsistent form this season. Speaking after the Italian Grand Prix earlier this month, Marko, Red Bull’s motorsport adviser and an ally of the team’s late co-owner Dietrich Mateschitz, said: “Let’s remember that he (Perez) is South American and so he is not as focused as Max Verstappen or Sebastian Vettel was.” Addressing Marko’s comments ahead of this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, Mercedes’ Hamilton, 38, said: “It is completely unacceptable. This is not something you just apologise for and it is all OK. “Whilst we say there is no room for any type of discrimination in this sport – and there should be no room for it – to have leaders and people in his position making comments like this is not good for us moving forward. “There are a lot of people in the background that really are combating these kind of things, but it is hard to manoeuvre if people at the top have mindsets which stop us from progressing. Let’s remember that he (Perez) is South American and so he is not as focused as Max Verstappen or Sebastian Vettel was Helmut Marko “But it is not my team and not how we move as a team. We still have a lot of work to do to make this a more inclusive environment.” Perez and team-mate Verstappen shared two victories from the opening four races, but the latter is unbeaten since the fifth round in Miami. Perez, 145 points behind Verstappen in the standings, said: “I had a private conversation with Helmut and he did apologise. To me, that was the main thing. Personally, I didn’t get offended Sergio Perez “Basically, we move on. I have a personal relationship with him. Knowing the person helps a lot, because I know he doesn’t mean it that way. “Personally, I didn’t get offended.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Max Verstappen tells Toto Wolff to focus on Mercedes after snipe at record win On this day in 2021: George Russell joins Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz gets goosebumps after landing pole for Italian Grand Prix

Max Verstappen has told Toto Wolff to focus on his own team after he called the Dutchman’s record winning streak “completely irrelevant” and “for Wikipedia”. Red Bull’s Verstappen became the first driver in Formula One’s 73-year history to win 10 consecutive races following his triumph at the Italian Grand Prix earlier this month. But moments after Verstappen’s landmark win, Mercedes team principal Wolff said: “For me, these kinds of records are completely irrelevant. Those numbers are for Wikipedia and nobody reads that anyway.” George Russell and Lewis Hamilton crossed the line a distant fifth and sixth respectively for Mercedes at Monza’s Cathedral of Speed. And when asked ahead of this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix for his reaction to Wolff’s unflattering appraisal, Verstappen said: “I mean, they (Mercedes) had a pretty s*** race, so he was probably still p***** off with their performance.” Poking fun at what Verstappen perceives to be an obsession with Red Bull, he continued: “He almost sounds like he’s an employee of our team, but luckily he is not. It’s just important that you focus on your own team. That’s what we do and that’s what we did in the past when we were behind them and when they were dominating. It worked as a kind of inspiration. “You should be able to appreciate when a team is doing really well. To see someone that dominant – it was very impressive at the time – and we knew that we just had to work harder, try to be better, and try to get to that level. And now that we are there, we are very happy, and we are enjoying the moment.” Verstappen, now a victor at 12 of the 14 rounds so far, has not lost a race since the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on April 30, while his Red Bull team remain unbeaten this year. But the Dutch driver has never won in Singapore and last season he finished only seventh. And Verstappen fears the high-downforce, low-speed nature of the Marina Bay Circuit could play into the hands of his rivals. “We are not as competitive here as other tracks,” said Verstappen. “The streets are a little bit tougher for our car. We can do a good job, but it will be very tight. “So, I want to try and continue that streak, but I know there will be a day that that stops. Normally, Singapore is a bit more of a risk and more chaos, but we are here to win. “I never really looked at winning eight or nine, 10 races in a row. I just want to do the best I can. And every weekend is basically the same in terms of the pressure I put on myself to try and get the best result so nothing really changes.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live On this day in 2021: George Russell joins Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz gets goosebumps after landing pole for Italian Grand Prix Carlos Sainz’s pace in practice gives Ferrari fans hope for Italian Grand Prix

Sebastian Vettel refused to rule out a return to F1 when questioned about the likelihood of a dramatic comeback. The four-time world champion retired at the end of the 2022 season after two years of frustration at Aston Martin. The finale to his stay in the sport was a far-cry from the glory years, namely with Red Bull with four straight titles from 2010-2013, as well as championship tilts with Ferrari. But Vettel, 36, admits he “can’t exclude” the prospect of a return in the future, when asked by Sky F1’s Martin Brundle whether he would return to the grid in a similar manner to the likes of Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen. "I can’t say no, because that you don’t know," the German said. "I think it’s something that if you asked all of them, probably some of them would have said ‘no’. And some of them I don’t know, but in the end all of them came back, so I can’t exclude it. "It probably will depend much on when, and obviously it’s not endless, because 36 is not like, ‘yeah in 10 years’ time’. "Maybe I think about it then time has passed but it will depend on the challenge, whatever, but it’s not in my head right now.” A 53-time race winner, Vettel made his F1 debut in 2007 before claiming his first victory at Monza with Toro Rosso in 2008. Yet his last three seasons in the sport – one with Ferrari, two with Aston Martin – saw him finish 13th, 12th and 12th again in the Driver Standings, though did see him take on roles as a climate activist and LGBTQ+ rights campaigner. "I’m enjoying the sort of outlook of the challenge of what to do next,” Vettel added. “It will be the way I see it, the biggest challenge for any racing driver and the biggest challenge for any sportsman, sportswoman, what do you do after? "Because naturally you will be like 30-35, 40-45 - depending on your sport and discipline. And then what? "There’s a lot of life left and life can be great even though you’re not racing, you know, the absolute limit in the fastest car in the world, but you can still do lots of great things that give you great pleasure." Vettel was speaking to Sky ahead of this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, where the German won his final race of his F1 career in 2019. Read More Farewell Sebastian Vettel, a four-time F1 champion who stood for something bigger than racing How does Max Verstappen’s win-streak compare to fellow record-holder Sebastian Vettel’s? Alfa Romeo confirm driver line-up for 2024 F1 season F1 Singapore Grand Prix: When is practice on Friday at Marina Bay? Red Bull chief apologises to Sergio Perez over ‘offensive remark’

Alfa Romeo have announced that both Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu will remain with the team for the 2024 F1 season. The pair, who have worked together at Alfa since the start of the 2022 campaign, will team up for a third consecutive season, Alfa confirmed on Thursday. Bottas has a deal with the team until 2025 - signed upon his arrival from Mercedes at the end of 2021 - while Zhou has signed a one-year extension. Alfa also confirmed that Theo Pourchaire, who is on the cusp of winning this year’s Formula 2 title, will be their reserve driver once again. 2024 will be Bottas’ 12th straight season in Formula 1 while Zhou, the first Chinese driver in the sport, will race at his home grand prix for the first time when the Chinese Grand Prix returns to the calendar in April. “Signing again with the team is always a great feeling, especially when we know how things are shaping up,” Zhou said. “I am proud to be part of Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake and grateful for their trust: I have been working extremely hard since day one and there is an incredible level of motivation to keep doing so every day forward. “My relationship with Valtteri is really good, and we are working closely together and with the team to push everyone forward. I am also very excited about the opportunity to finally race with my team in China, in front of my home crowd. “It will be a great moment and I’m proud to be able to share it with all those who have supported me.” The Sauber-works team are being taken over by German giant Audi for the 2026 season when new regulations come into force. Bottass added: “I have a feeling we have an exciting journey ahead of us, so I am happy and grateful to be able to look forward to 2024 knowing how the team is shaping up. “There is a good atmosphere within our squad, I get along with Zhou and we both push each other hard to improve. There is an impressive amount of work going on behind the scenes, in Hinwil and beyond, and now that the line-up is set for next year, we can focus fully on improving, starting this weekend in Singapore already. “Every step forward we make is a step forward for this year and next, so we are motivated to give everything we have every time we’re trackside or at the factory.” Alfa have struggled for car performance so far this season and have only amassed 10 points after the first 14 races of the season. Bottas has six points, while Zhou has four. They currently lie ninth in the Constructors’ Standings, with only AlphaTauri below them. Read More F1 2023 season race schedule: When is the Singapore Grand Prix? Lando Norris could leave McLaren at end of the season, claims Nico Rosberg Toto Wolff slams ‘moaning’ across F1 grid after Lewis Hamilton apology F1 Singapore Grand Prix: When is practice on Friday at Marina Bay? Red Bull chief apologises to Sergio Perez over ‘offensive remark’ Sky F1 star escapes after car bursts into flames at Goodwood

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has apologised after referring to Sergio Perez’s ethnicity when talking about the Mexican’s performance so far this season. Marko, 80, has worked alongside Christian Horner and Adrian Newey virtually since Red Bull’s formation in F1 in 2005 and holds responsibility in picking the drivers, both for the current world champions and their sister team AlphaTauri. The Austrian is known for his firm opinions but has shown remorse after comments made following last weekend’s Italian Grand Prix in Monza, when Perez finished second behind team-mate Max Verstappen. Marko originally told Austrian outlet ServusTV: “We know that he has problems in qualifying, he has fluctuations in form. “He is South American and he is just not as completely focused in his head as Max [Verstappen] is or as Sebastian [Vettel].” Marko has often referred to Perez as south American when discussing his form – even though the 33-year-old is from Mexico, geographically in north America. The Red Bull advisor then made the situation worse, when Austrian website oe24 reported him saying: “It wasn’t meant that way. I meant that a Mexican has a different mentality than a German or a Dutchman. “But who knows, maybe it’s controlled.” The 80-year-old later released a statement: “I would like to apologise for my offensive remark. “I want to make it absolutely clear that I do not believe that we can generalise about the people from any country, any race, any ethnicity.” Perez won two of the first four races in 2023 but has not won since, with Max Verstappen claiming a record-breaking 10 victories on the bounce. The Mexican is now 145 points behind Verstappen in the championship standings ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix this weekend. Read More F1 2023 season race schedule: When is the Singapore Grand Prix? Alex Albon, James Vowles and the start of a Williams renaissance Max Verstappen breaks new ground with record victory at Italian Grand Prix Sky F1 star escapes after car bursts into flames at Goodwood F1 2023 race schedule: When is the Singapore Grand Prix? F1 2023 calendar: All 23 Grand Prix this year

Sky Sports F1 pundit Karun Chandok escaped unharmed after his car burst into flames during a race at the Goodwood Revival event on Saturday. The former Formula 1 driver, now a regular on Sky at grand prix weekends, was driving a Ferrari 250 GTO in the Lavant Cup at the exhibition event. Yet as the 10th lap of the race drew to a close, Chandok put his foot on the throttle before the rear of the car burst into flames. The Indian driver quickly turned his car off track, onto the grass, before rapidly leaving the vehicle. Chandok later revealed on X, formerly known as Twitter, that he was “lucky to get away with that with nothing more than a melted boot”, posted with a photo of his footwear. “Coming out of Lavant to the straight – I was in second and cruising – I heard a bang and the back wheels locked up,” Chandok said, reflecting on the incident a day later. “As I turned I saw flames, so I got right off the tracks safely to minimise oil going down and get out of the way. “Obviously I was shaken but the marshals, the owner, were all great. “The owner’s absolute first priority was that I was okay. He was extremely understanding.” There is not yet any clear explanation as to why the engine blew up in the dramatic manner it did. Read More F1 2023 season race schedule: When is the Singapore Grand Prix? Toto Wolff slams ‘moaning’ across F1 grid after Lewis Hamilton apology Alex Albon, James Vowles and the start of a Williams renaissance

Formula 1 and the FIA have until the close of play on Friday to respond to allegations from Felipe Massa’s lawyers of a “conspiracy” regarding the 2008 F1 title – with the Brazilian’s legal team set to take matters to the UK High Court, The Independent has learned. Massa is seeking substantial damages following the 2008 ‘Crashgate’ scandal and the subsequent impact it had on that year’s championship, won by Lewis Hamilton on the final lap of the final race as then-Ferrari driver Massa missed out by a single point. New comments earlier this year, by former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, about the scandal in Singapore has encouraged Massa to take legal action, with his lawyers sending an eight-page ‘Letter Before Claim’ to F1 and the FIA in August, alleging their client was the “victim of a conspiracy”. The letter set a request for reply of 14 days but, after responses from F1 and the FIA indicated that two weeks did not present enough time for a suitable reply, Massa’s legal team have set a new deadline of 4pm on Friday 8 September for an adequate response to the matter at hand. Should no response be received, his lawyers “anticipate being instructed to file claims in the UK High Court.” In addition, in quotes obtained by The Independent, Massa’s lawyer Bernardo Viana stated “the sport has had years to rectify the sham that Felipe, Brazil and Italy have endured… enough is enough, there is zero patience left.” He adds: “Felipe won the ninth championship for Brazil and the 16th for Ferrari. We will do everything we can to bring the trophy home to Brazil and Italy.” Formula 1 refused to comment when approached by The Independent. The FIA have been contacted for comment. Ecclestone revealed in March that both he and then-FIA president Max Mosley knew of the ‘Crashgate’ scandal in 2008 but refused to publicise the chain of events to avoid the sport a “huge scandal”. Ecclestone, 92, has since said he could not remember saying the key lines, telling Reuters: “I don’t remember any of this, to be honest. I don’t remember giving the interview for sure.” The new letter, addressed to F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, states: “Liberty Media the owner of F1, has made public disclosures acknowledging the potential material adverse impact on its own shareholders of a scandal that undermines the credibility of the sport. “Mr. Ecclestone’s comments from earlier this year revealed precisely such a scandal, which underscores the need for Liberty Media and F1 to act promptly and diligently in responding to the serious issues that Mr. Massa has raised.” It added that “if acting reasonably, an investigation would have been initiated when this became public some five months ago.” The original letter in August says that Massa has lost out on tens of millions of euros in lost earnings and bonuses as a result of missing out on the 2008 title. WHAT WAS CRASHGATE? Crashgate rocked the sport when the inaugural Singapore Grand Prix saw Renault’s Fernando Alonso win the race before it emerged that his teammate Nelson Piquet Jr had deliberately crashed on the instructions of his team to bring out a safety car that played into Alonso’s hands. That safety car prompted a Massa pit stop that Ferrari mishandled, with Massa eventually finishing the race 13th while Hamilton came home third – a difference of six points, a swing which ultimately impacted the title result. While Renault and team boss Flavio Briatore were punished in 2009, the result of the race stood despite Massa’s protestations, with the FIA’s statutes making clear that overturning the classification from each season is impossible once the FIA Awards Ceremony for that year is complete, a rule set in the FIA International Sporting Code. The new furore surrounding the 2008 title was triggered after Ecclestone told F1-Insider earlier this year: “We wanted to protect the sport and save it from a huge scandal. That’s why I used angelic tongues to persuade my former driver Nelson Piquet to keep calm for the time being. “Back then, there was a rule that a world championship classification after the FIA ​​awards ceremony at the end of the year was untouchable. So Hamilton was presented with the trophy and everything was fine. “We had enough information in time to investigate the matter. According to the statutes, we should have cancelled the race in Singapore under these conditions. “That means it would never have happened for the championship standings. And then Felipe Massa would have become world champion and not Lewis Hamilton.” Massa told Italian outlet TG1 this week that he “expects help from Ferrari” in his case, though has not yet received support from the Italian team. Despite the threat of legal action, Massa does not seem to be able to officially overturn the result – with the FIA’s own International Sporting Code stating protests and reviews expire 14 days after a competition and four days prior to that year’s prize-giving ceremony. He also cannot use the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which has no jurisdiction over the FIA on issues like this, with the independent International Court of Appeal the highest authority in the sport. CAS may only be involved in F1 matters relating to the FIA’s Anti-Doping Disciplinary Committee. Massa’s best-finish in F1 turned out to be that 2008 season as he retired in 2017 while Hamilton has gone on to win six more titles with Mercedes, holding the joint-record of seven F1 World Championships with Michael Schumacher. Read More Lewis Hamilton gives blunt response to Felipe Massa’s legal action over 2008 F1 title Lewis Hamilton’s 2008 F1 title still under threat as Felipe Massa bemoans ‘injustice’ Lando Norris could leave McLaren at end of the season, claims Nico Rosberg Toto Wolff slams ‘moaning’ across F1 grid after Lewis Hamilton apology FIA announce results of 2022 F1 cost cap process

George Russell was confirmed as Lewis Hamilton’s new team-mate at Mercedes on this day in 2021. The much-anticipated announcement came after Valtteri Bottas sealed a move to Alfa Romeo for 2022. English driver Russell, then 23, earned the switch to the Silver Arrows after three impressive campaigns with Williams. Commenting on his blockbuster transfer, Russell said: “It’s a special day for me personally and professionally. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t absolutely buzzing. It’s a huge opportunity and one I want to grab with both hands. “But I’m under no illusions as to the scale of the challenge; it’s going to be a steep learning curve. “I want to do my new team-mates proud. Of course, one of those new team-mates is in my opinion the greatest driver of all time. “I’ve looked up to Lewis since I was in go-karts and the opportunity to learn from someone who has become a role model both on and off track can only benefit me as a driver, a professional, and a human being.” In a message posted on Instagram, seven-time world champion Hamilton said: “I want to take a moment to welcome George Russell to the team. “I remember meeting him when he was young, dreaming of one day being a Formula One driver. I’d only just reached my own dream of becoming an F1 driver, so I know what this day means and how it will feel for him. “He is a great example to all the kids out there that dreams do come true when you chase them wholeheartedly. “Through hard work he has rightly earned his spot on our team. I look forward to seeing him grow as a driver with this great team and working with him to raise Mercedes higher. See you next year.” In his first season with Mercedes, Russell landed his maiden victory at the penultimate round in Brazil. He also outscored Hamilton. Ahead of last weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, Mercedes announced Russell, 25, will continue to partner Hamilton, 38, at Mercedes until at least the end of 2025. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz gets goosebumps after landing pole for Italian Grand Prix Carlos Sainz’s pace in practice gives Ferrari fans hope for Italian Grand Prix How Max Verstappen equalled Sebastien Vettel’s record for consecutive race wins

Lando Norris could leave McLaren at the end of the season with Nico Rosberg hinting that there is a “switch coming” for the British driver. Norris is currently in the midst of his fifth F1 season with McLaren and has a contract with the Woking-based team until the end of the 2025 campaign. However, the 23-year-old has been linked with a move to Red Bull to partner close friend Max Verstappen – with Norris admitting he would “love the opportunity” to be team-mates with the Dutchman down the line. Verstappen has echoed Norris’ thoughts and Rosberg hinted Norris could depart McLaren at the end of the season, saying on Sky F1: “Where’s he [Norris] going? Next year already. I hear there’s a switch coming.” Despite this, Norris has publicly reiterated his commitment to McLaren, especially following a mid-season revival in the last few months, while Verstappen’s current team-mate Sergio Perez has a deal with Red Bull until the end of 2024. Verstappen said of the potential link-up with Norris: “We’ll talk about it. But his contract to McLaren [is] for a long time. We’ll see what happens in the future.” McLaren CEO Zak Brown, however, is focused on a future with Norris firmly at the papaya. “He loves McLaren, it’s been his family, so there’s no doubt in my mind that his number one choice is to win a world championship with McLaren,” Brown said. “I think the best thing we do to retain him is to demonstrate to him we’re a team capable of doing that. It’s not a case of wooing him or not wooing him, it’s about giving him a car where he can look himself in the mirror and say ‘I think I can win a world championship with this team’. "We’ve got our team in place. It’s stable. We have additional talent coming to be additive to what we currently have. We have all the financial resources we need. It’s just going to take a little bit of time so as long as we can show this progress.” Norris has been on the podium eight times in his F1 career, most recently in Hungary in July, but is still waiting for his first race victory. Read More Toto Wolff slams ‘moaning’ across F1 grid after Lewis Hamilton apology Alex Albon, James Vowles and the start of a Williams renaissance Lewis Hamilton shows vital statement of intent with Max Verstappen dig Toto Wolff slams ‘moaning’ across F1 grid after Lewis Hamilton apology FIA announce results of 2022 F1 cost cap process F1 2023 race schedule: When is the Singapore Grand Prix?

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says Lewis Hamilton bucked the trend by apologising after an incident in Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix, insisting the rest of the F1 grid “complains and moans to try and not get a penalty.” Hamilton admitted he was at fault for a collision with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri at Monza – he received a five-second time penalty as a result – and apologised to the Australian after the race. Wolff, who stated that Max Verstappen’s 10th win in a row was “completely irrelevant”, concurred with Hamilton’s analysis and made a sharp dig at the rest of the field in the process. “Lewis is very sportsmanlike with these things – and he is the only one that I see out there admitting, saying that he’s wrong,” Wolff told media after the race. “We just had a chat and he said ‘I didn’t see him on the right and that is on me’. And I think that kind of sportsmanship is what you need to admire with him. “Pretty much everyone else is complaining and moaning just to try to not get a penalty. “These things happen. It was hard racing to overtake here and we’ve seen a few of these. It [the penalty] was justified.” Ultimately, the penalty had no impact on Hamilton who finished sixth, while the clash cost Piastri a top-10 finish after he had to pit for a new front nose, dropping him down the order. He finished 12th. Hamilton said: “I misjudged the gap I had with Piastri right at the end. It was totally my fault. “I apologised to him straight afterwards and we move on.” Piastri, though disappointed with the race-impacting clash, seemed satisfied with Hamilton’s apology. “He creeped over a bit more than he thought,” Piastri said. “The stewards gave their verdict and Lewis apologised and nothing more I can ask for or do at that point.” Hamilton’s team-mate, George Russell, finished fifth in an indifferent weekend for Mercedes in Monza after the pair signed new contracts until the end of the 2025 season. Read More FIA reveal results of 2022 F1 cost cap process Toto Wolff blunt in response to Max Verstappen’s ‘irrelevant’ record Alex Albon, James Vowles and the start of a Williams renaissance FIA announce results of 2022 F1 cost cap process F1 2023 race schedule: When is the Singapore Grand Prix? Damon Hill unimpressed by Toto Wolff’s dismissal of Max Verstappen’s record win

The FIA have announced that all 10 Formula 1 teams have complied with the cost cap in 2022 – meaning no repeat of the shenanigans which overshadowed the latter stages of last season. Red Bull were found guilty of an overspend of the 2021 budget cap, the same year in which Max Verstappen claimed his first drivers’ title. Christian Horner’s team were fined £6m and docked 10 per cent of their car development time after a long, drawn-out process. Yet this year, the FIA have confirmed that no teams have fallen foul of the financial regulations and detailed that their analysis included an “extensive check of any non-F1 activities... which comprised of multiple on-site visits to team facilities.” The news will come as a relief to all teams, particularly in light of rising inflation and freight costs which led Horner to suggest earlier this year that as many as six teams could’ve broken the cost cap. The statement in full reads: “The FIA confirms that its Cost Cap Administration has now completed the review of the Reporting Documentation submitted by each Competitor that participated in the 2022 FIA Formula One World Championship in respect of the 2022 Full Year Reporting Period ending on 31 December 2022. “The FIA Cost Cap Administration has issued certificates of compliance to all of the ten Competitors. “The review has been an intensive and thorough process, beginning with a detailed analysis of the documentation submitted by the competitors. “Additionally, there has been an extensive check of any non-F1 activities undertaken by the teams, which comprised multiple on-site visits to team facilities and careful auditing procedures to assess compliance with the Financial Regulations. “The FIA Cost Cap Administration notes that all Competitors acted at all times in a spirit of good faith and cooperation throughout the process. “The FIA also notes that the Financial Regulations are essential to the long-term financial stability of the sport, and that they will continue to be developed and refined based on the findings of each review process both in terms of the regulations themselves, which are written and approved under the FIA Formula 1 governance process, and the way in which they are enforced and policed. “The FIA has made and will continue to make significant investments in this department for the collective benefit of the sport.” Read More F1 2023 race schedule: When is the Singapore Grand Prix? Damon Hill unimpressed by Toto Wolff’s dismissal of Max Verstappen’s record win Alex Albon, James Vowles and the start of a Williams renaissance