Formula 1

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has called for a second DRS zone to be introduced at Imola to encourage overtaking at the track which is holding the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix this weekend. Drivers can only use their Drag Reduction System once per lap along the pit straight. This zone, which has been extended for F1’s return, leads from the high-speed final corner of track down to the first braking zone at the second corner, Tamburello.But Verstappen, who spent much of last year’s race trying to overtake Valtteri Bottas, expects it will still be “super hard” to overtake even when the longer DRS zone is used. The activation zone lasts almost a kilometre on a track which is 4.9km long. The detection point is positioned at the end of another straight which leads to the Rivazza left-handers towards the end of the lap, another favoured overtaking place. Verstappen believes this would be a good spot for another DRS zone. “We can easily have one out of the [Alta] chicane,” he said. “That would help a lot because then you get a bit closer for the last two corners. Because you lose so much time in the last two corners that even when you put the DRS a bit earlier, you will not arrive in time for turn one.“Turn one is super narrow and it’s a fast corner, so it’s difficult to really out-brake someone. So I don’t think [the longer zone is] going to help a lot.” Last year Imola made its first appearance on the F1 calendar since 2006 when it was drafted in at late notice. It was a substitute addition to the 2021 calendar too, its place on the schedule only having been announced three months ago. Just six overtaking moves were recorded during the inaugural Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. The next-lowest of 2020 was the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix at Silverstone, with 19 passes.

Formula 1 says talks continue with promoters despite reports the Canadian Grand Prix will be cancelled for the second straight year. The race, scheduled for June 13 at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, was set to be the first outside of Europe and the Middle East since the Covid-19 pandemic began over a year ago. But current quarantine guidelines in Canada, which F1 would be unable to follow, and concerns from public health authorities that the event could be a Covid ‘superspreader’ with fans in attendance means there has been a recent push towards holding the race behind closed doors. For that to happen, it was claimed F1 is demanding an extra $6m from local governments to cover the costs of holding the race without fans, creating another hurdle on the race’s path. “We are told [that] because there won’t be any spectators there would have to be compensation from the government, and we already have given quite a lot,” said Quebec Premier Francois Legault via Motorsport Week. “The worry we have is if we don’t have the Grand Prix in 2021, what will happen in 2022, between 2022 and 2029, because, let’s not forget, the Grand Prix is the event where there’s about the most real economic [benefit] as that is money that comes from foreign lands and is spent here in Quebec. “Of course we always make sure that the help that is given [to the event] is less to the real economic advantages in Quebec, and there’s no conclusions on that right now.” But with a final call needed imminently to prepare the circuit or find a replacement, local media declared on Thursday that the decision had been taken to cancel. “We are continuing our discussions with the promoter in Canada and have no further comment,” an F1 spokesperson said in response.

Pirelli has presented the trophies for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. They look very different from the trophies of 2020: at that time, a design with the layout of the circuit was chosen, with the particularity of a diamond at the Tamburello corner, where Ayrton Senna crashed in 1994. Now, an artistic design in the form of a lightning bolt has been chosen. As title sponsor of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, Pirelli is responsible for the trophies awarded to the top three. They have opted for an artistic approach, having the trophies designed by artist Alice Ronchi. Ronchi has chosen a lightning bolt, taking inspiration from the Greek god Zeus. “I see the lightning bolt as a symbol of strength, speed and excitement,” explains Ronchi, “hopefully this trophy will provide a new, narrative aspect.”

Track limits rules have been announced by the FIA for this weekend’s Emilia Romagna GP after a controversial season-opener which saw Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes consistently running wide to gain an advantage. Hamilton ran off the track at turn four at least 29 times before the stewards told the drivers to stop abusing the track limits in Bahrain during the middle of the race. There was further controversy when Max Verstappen overtook Hamilton off the track at the same corner before being told to give the position back. The FIA have now clarified track limits regulations for Imola, saying if a driver goes off the track three times, they will receive a black and white flag. Any further offences will then be reported to the stewards. The corners that are being monitored are the exit of Turn 9, the apex of Turn 13 and the exit of Turn 15. There is no reference to the final corner which saw drivers running all-four wheels off the circuit in 2020, meaning the last turn will not be monitored. The FIA rules state the following under article 21.4. General – Turn 9 Exit, Turn 13 Apex and Turn 15 Exit a) Each time any car fails to negotiate Turn 9 Exit, Turn 13 Apex or Turn 15 Exit by using thetrack as described above, teams will be informed via the official messaging system. b) On the third occasion of a driver failing to negotiate Turn 9 Exit and/or Turn 13 Apex and/orTurn 15 Exit by using the track during the race, he will be shown a black and white flag, anyfurther cutting will then be reported to the stewards. For the avoidance of doubt this means atotal of three occasions combined not three at each corner. c) In all cases detailed above, the driver must only re-join the track when it is safe to do so andwithout gaining a lasting advantage. d) The above requirements will not automatically apply to any driver who is judged to have been forced off the track, each such case will be judged individually.

We might see Daniil Kvyat in an Alpine car this weekend. On social media there are several rumours that Esteban Ocon or Fernando Alonso have tested positive for coronavirus. The French racing team keeps its lips sealed for now. Several Italian media outlets have reported that one of the two Alpine drivers is suffering from a coronavirus infection. Daniil Kvyat came over from AlphaTauri last winter as a test and reserve driver and would be the right person to replace him. Via Instagram, Kvyat has revealed that he will be at the Imola circuit for this weekend’s Grand Prix. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the rumour is true, as it happens more often than not that spare drivers accompany the team to the GP’s, but it does make the rumour a bit more credible. This afternoon the press conferences are scheduled. We will find out if Kyvat’s presence will be necessary or not for this weekend in Italy. Formula 1 journalist Jon Noble reported on Thursday morning that there is no truth to the rumours of a corona infection in Fernando Alonso or Esteban Ocon. The two regular drivers can therefore simply come into action this weekend at Imola. There were a few wild stories floating around earlier that either Fernando Alonso or Esteban Ocon could be out of Imola race due to positive Covid test, with Daniil Kvyat on standby. The reports are complete nonsense.

Miami Gardens city commissioners have voted in favor of a new resolution to bring Formula One racing to Hard Rock Stadium, but their decision has left some residents upset. Residents spent Wednesday night outside of city hall to show their opposition to the event. They aimed their anger and frustration at Miami Gardens’ leaders after many were blindsided by the commission, who, they said, initially voted not to bringing the sport to the venue, but that changed with a new resolution. “Our city council has flip-flopped on us, and it makes us very angry,” resident Brenda Martin Providence said. “They was telling the residents, the voters, to trust in them, believe in them, hold us accountable,” resident Sharon Frazer Stephens said. “That was one of their main words: hold us accountable, so a promise made was a promise not kept.” During the meeting, commissioners listened to nearly two hours of public comments from residents who shared their thoughts. “We didn’t come here to fight this fight again. We came to implore you to do what we pay you to do, and that’s represent us.” The new resolution promises to implement noise mitigation barriers as well as monitor air quality. Race organizers have also pledged $5 million that will go back to the city over the course of 10 years, as well as offering paid internships for high school and college students. Residents said all that means nothing. “The money that it brings to them, it doesn’t bring to us,” Providence said. “We still have the same issues.” The resolution states no racing will occur before 2:30 p.m. on school days and/or after sunset.

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc took possession of his SF90 F1 car sometime during the previous week. Ferrari’s 2019 challenger holds a special place in the Monegasque driver’s heart as it is the same car that powered him to his first two victories of his career during the 2019 Belgian and Italian Grand Prix. Rather than storing the car himself, the two-time Grand Prix winner has instead decided to lend the car to Prince Albert of Monaco. The car will be housed on Terrace of Fontvieille, which represents the ruling family’s personal garage featuring several historic vehicles as well as an array of race cars from disciplines ranging from Rallying to F1. Unfortunately due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, visitors will not be allowed to gain a first-hand look of the number 16 F1 car.

Michael Schumacher’s famous estate located in Gland, on the shores of Switzerland’s Lake Geneva, has reportedly been put up for sale. According to Bunte, a German people magazine that is well-known for reporting behind-the-scenes news about the Schumacher family, the F1 legend’s wife Corinna has listed the 20,000 square metre property for EUR 58.7 million. It is believed Schumacher, whose physical condition following his 2013 skiing accident is kept secret by the family, has actually lived in a holiday home in Mallorca, Spain, since 2018. The news comes just days after the 50th birthday of Schumacher’s 1997 title rival Jacques Villeneuve, who said he is no longer “angry” about their notorious Jerez crash. “That Michael did that helped me to win. I can’t be angry,” the Canadian told Corriere della Sera. However, Villeneuve said the pair were never friends. “It’s like at school, where there is always someone you will never get along with. It was a fight between wolves and he was the hardest wolf to beat.” Villeneuve said his 1997 title means more because he was able to defeat the now 52-year-old German.

Former Formula 1 driver turned pundit Martin Brundle reveals that he understands why Ricciardo joined Renault in 2019 but feels it was a wrong move. The 2018 Formula 1 season left Ricciardo a frustrated figure at Red Bull on several occasions, whether it was reliability issues or comings-together with team-mate Max Verstappen, the biggest one being their crash in Baku which took them both out of the 2018 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. But few expected the Australian to sign for Renault, a decision which Brundle said appeared to be a “mistake” from the very start. That said, since Ricciardo felt Red Bull were increasingly putting their support behind Verstappen, Brundle can understand why he wanted to escape as soon as possible and took the Renault option. “He probably should have stayed at Red Bull, but he felt all the love was in Max’s direction and I can understand that completely,” said Brundle during the In The Fast Lane Podcast. “Renault was a mistake, which we all kind of suspected at the time. But I think that was him needing to get out of Red Bull as much as anything.” Ricciardo then made another surprise move by announcing he would join McLaren for 2021, seeing the Woking outfit as his best opportunity at the World Championship. And if this time around Ricciardo shows patience, along with McLaren, then Brundle believes the 31-year-old can achieve that goal. “This might be his last big chance at a World Championship,” Brundle explained. “I came home with Daniel from Bahrain, had a good chat with him. He’s a lad just the same as I remember him in the early days, very easy to approach, very easy to talk to. I’m a huge fan of him, the way he drives, the way he gets the job done. “McLaren have signed off a new wind-tunnel, they currently use the Toyota one in Cologne and with Covid they haven’t been able to use that much either. “So I think he will have to be patient there. The fruits of this new wind-tunnel are not going to come through for two to three years, and I think he has got that with them. “I think unless he can somehow get into a Mercedes, where else would he go? “Yes I do believe, if he has the patience, they have the patience, that if he sticks with McLaren they can take him back to the front of the field.”

George Russell who is the new Grand Prix Drivers Association Director has defended Lewis Hamilton’s driving in the Bahrain Grand Prix and called for more consistent enforcement of track limits. Hamilton was warned by race control for running too wide at turn four during the season-opening race, despite drivers having been told track limits would not be enforced at that corner after qualifying.“It is a quite a unique corner with that entry piece of Tarmac going off,” Russell explained. “I guess a better solution is needed for that specific corner.” During the race Red Bull noticed how wide Hamilton was running at the corner and advised Max Verstappen to do the same to avoid losing time to his rival. Hamilton was later given his warning, prompting him to ask: “I thought there was no track limits?” Verstappen then overtook Hamilton while running wide at the same corner and was advised to relinquish the position, which he did. Russell said the episode showed the need for a clear visible definition of track limits. “I understand it both ways, to be honest,” he said. “We initially said ‘let’s not bother about it and let drivers do as they wish’. I think some guys on Friday were taking that to another extreme which looked a bit silly on television. “But in my opinion it was fine – if that’s the limit, that is the limit. Just because there’s a white line two metres inside it, it’s easier just to drive to the natural limit the circuit allows you to take as opposed to a piece of paint. “It’s my understanding track limits was being enforced during qualifying but it wasn’t being looked at in the race unless you took a clear advantage in a race incident. That was made clear that if you were to go over. So what I saw from Verstappen and his overtake, that was absolutely clear that if you were to overtake off the track, you would have your [position] taken away.” Russell wants track limits to be enforced by physical boundaries. “I think we need to just drive to the what is the natural limit of the circuit. If the natural limit is outside of track limits then we need to sort the edge of the track, if that makes sense.”

It has been a norm for press conference to have teammates only since the beginning of the 2020 season but this time round, the combinations have been mixed up for Imola. Lewis Hamilton will be addressing the press alongside Sebastian Vettel and not his teammate Bottas. Max Verstappen will address the press next to Mick Schumacher. Thursday press conferences have been staggered team by team so to remain in the Covid-secure ‘bubbles’ – with team-mates sitting next to each other to answer questions. But for the Imola weekend – the second of the 2021 season – the driver combinations are being swapped around on media day. Fernando Alonso and Lando Norris is another interesting combination, McLaren-linked, combination for Imola’s media day, which precedes a much-anticipated weekend of track action after a thrilling season-opener in Bahrain. Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz, new drivers for Red Bull and Ferrari respectively, are set to kick-off Thursday’s press conference schedule from 1pm BST, and you can watch it all live on Sky Sports F1. Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda are the only team-mates who have been kept together. The press conference shake-up sees F1 return, tentatively, towards its Thursdays of old – which used to see five drivers, usually from five different teams, line up alongside each other for questions. Since the first Grand Prix of 2020 in Austria, the only times drivers have been near each other in a press conference have been when the top three from qualifying and the race have answered questions after those respective sessions. They will still be virtual press conferences at Imola, meaning there will just be one host present with the drivers in the press conference room, with questions submitted by journalists remotely. Imola press conference pairings (starting at 1pm) Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) Sergio Perez (Red Bull) Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) George Russell (Williams) Kimi Raikkonen (Alfa Romeo) Nikita Mazepin (Haas) Esteban Ocon (Alpine) Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) Antonio Giovinazzi (Alfa Romeo) Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) Mick Schumacher (Haas) Max Verstappen (Red Bull) Fernando Alonso (Alpine) Lando Norris (McLaren) Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren) Nicholas Latifi (Williams) Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin) Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri) Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri)

In recent months, Liberty Media has been working on a more favoured version of a sprint race format without the reverse grid element that saw three previous attempts blocked. The proposed idea, known as ‘sprint qualifying’, would see a regular qualifying session on Friday to decide the grid for a 100km race on Saturday, with the results from that used to form the grid for the Grand Prix on Sunday. Despite initial approval, further discussions have been taking place on a range of issues from points scoring to a recently agreed financial arrangement, which will see teams receive a lump sum from Liberty Media to cover additional costs. And now CEO Stefano Domenicali is confident the final go-ahead from teams can come as soon as this weekend. “The sprint race experiment on Saturday? We are defining the final details, the goal is to close for the Imola Grand Prix,” he told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “We would like a much more intense weekend with an hour of free practice on Friday and then qualifying with the sprint race to define the starting order of the real race on Sunday. “We hope to define all the details to start with the experimentation [this year], that if successful we will see how to define next year.” It has been confirmed that the new format would only be used at select races if adopted with three races targeted in 2021, the British, Italian and Sao Paulo GP’s. Uncertainty over the dire Covid-19 situation in Brazil could see the third trial moved if the race at Interlagos can’t go ahead.

The schedule for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola has been altered to avoid clashing with the funeral of Prince Philip. The Duke of Edinburgh sadly passed away at the age of 99 last Friday. His funeral will take place at St George’s Chapel, Windsor at 3pm UK time on Saturday April 17, the same day as qualifying for the Made in Italy and Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. And in a mark of respect, qualifying has been brought forward to 2pm (1pm British time) to avoid clashing with the funeral. It also means Free Practice 3 on Saturday moves to 11am local time to ensure a two-hour gap between the end of that session and qualifying, as per the regulations. On Friday, FP1, the opening session of the race weekend, will now begin at 11am local time, with FP2 following at 2.30pm at Imola (1.30pm British time). The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix will go ahead as planned on Sunday at 3pm local time, while before qualifying there will be a minute’s silence in honour of Prince Philip. Imola returned to the Formula 1 calendar last season as a late addition, providing one of the most memorable races of the season as Sir Lewis Hamilton led home a Mercedes one-two ahead of Valtteri Bottas and Daniel Ricciardo. Updated Emilia Romagna Grand Prix schedule Friday April 16: Free Practice 1, 1100-1200 (1000-1100 British time)Friday April 16: Free Practice 2, 1430-1530 (1330-1430 British time)Saturday April 17: Free Practice 3, 1100-1200 (1000-1100 British time)Saturday April 17: Qualifying, 1400 (1300 British time)Sunday April 18: Race, 1500 (1400 British time)

Work has officially begun on the street circuit which will host the inaugural Saudi Arabia Grand Prix in December. At the weekend, Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al Faisal, chairman of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF), officially got things underway by cutting the ribbon to signal the start of construction. Officials are predicting a completion date of mid-November. “It means a lot,” Prince Khalid told Arab News. “We know Formula 1 is the pinnacle of motorsports, it’s the biggest event that Saudi Arabia will host. It’s very important for the Kingdom, for our youth, for the sport, for the economy, and for tourism. “We are preparing ourselves to host the most thrilling and exciting race ever,” he added. “The Jeddah circuit will be amazing. It’s the fastest street circuit, and it’s the longest street circuit. “Normally, street circuits are a bit boring in terms of racing because of the location, there’s not a lot of changes that can be done, but we are very lucky here in this area of the Corniche. It’s still not developed, so this gave us the opportunity to do a street circuit that is fast and thrilling and exciting, so it’s going to beat Monaco.” “How many Formula 1 race tracks are on the side of the sea?” added Martin Whitaker, the event’s CEO. “It’s a fantastic location, the community of Jeddah is going to experience something completely different. This will be a real differentiator for F1 racing as well. It’s a great new home for F1.” Other than the race to complete the facility in time for the race, which takes place on 5 December, there remains the uncertainty over the pandemic, which could see the event take place behind closed doors, or at least with heavily reduced numbers of spectators. “We have two plans,” said Whitaker. “We’re planning for a race with full spectators, but also, we have a COVID plan as well.” “With what the Kingdom is doing regarding vaccination, and the progress we are seeing, from here until December I’m sure that a lot of people will be vaccinated,” said Prince Khalid. “And I pray and I hope that the situation will be much better and we’ll be in a position where we can allow our fans to come and enjoy this lovely race with us.” As work on the Jeddah track gets underway, another permanent facility is under construction in Qiddiya, Riyadh, and is scheduled to host the Saudi Arabia event once completed in a “couple of years”.

F1 boss Stefano Domenicali says that if Sprint Qualifying passes the litmus test this year, the format will not feature on the schedule of every Grand Prix in the future. F1 is set to give the go-ahead to a three-race Sprint Qualifying trial that shall be conducted this season after teams reportedly agreed on the financial terms proposed by the sport’s chiefs. The first Sprint Qualifying should take place at the British GP at Silverstone, with Monza and Interlagos also being projected as trial venues. If the concept proves successful, it would be employed at a yet-to-be-determined number of events from 2022, but Domenicali made clear that the 100-km mad dash would not become a permanent fixture on race weekends. “It’s very simple, for the statistics, the driver who wins the qualifying race on Saturday gets pole position,” Domenicali told Auto Motor und Sport. “There is only one [Grand Prix] winner, and it will be announced on Sunday. We don’t want to do this format at every Grand Prix in the future. This should be a Grand Slam for selected events.” Domenicali says the format’s introduction would give fans more bang for their buck and help boost tickets sales for promoters. “When we went public with the announcement that we wanted to try such a sprint qualification, the organisers who were eligible for the test immediately had many more ticket inquiries. And the TV stations were thrilled,” explained the Italian. “This format has many advantages. The less time for free practice sessions, the more action on the track. Nobody is waiting for better conditions in the garage anymore. That has already been shown in Bahrain. “With free practice and qualification, the organiser can sell fans a better Friday. With the second free practice as preparation for the race and the sprint qualifying in the afternoon, a better Saturday. This is an additional platform for stories and for the sponsors. “The more unpredictable everything becomes, the more interesting the racing action. If we don’t try, we’ll never know if it’s an asset or not.”

Reigning Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton signed a new contract with Mercedes at the start of the season, ensuring he would race with them for another year. There was much speculation about whether Hamilton would put pen to paper on a new deal, with the contract only finalised a month before the season was due to begin. Hamilton was said to be earning around £29m on his previous deal with Mercedes and, according to a report from Race Fans, the 36-year-old took a pay cut when he signed his new one-year contract. It is claimed Hamilton’s salary was reduced to £21.7m for the current F1 season. However, the seven-time world champion does have a bonus package which may mean he does not miss out on maximising his earnings. Mercedes chief Toto Wolff recently expressed confidence that Hamilton would remain with the team for further seasons. He said: “I very much hope so; the journey that we have had together was very successful. “He has been a Mercedes driver – a Mercedes kid since his go-karting years. “He never raced a single weekend in Formula 1 without a Mercedes power unit, so it’s the logical continuation of the story. “We don’t want to leave it until January to confirm the two drivers. “Valtteri [Bottas] was pretty regular during the summer – this is when it should happen. “Also, to give the driver peace of mind, or be able to concentrate on the job. “And obviously for next year there’s lots of balls in the air and we will always try to do the best for the team long-term while also giving total loyalty to our current driver line-up. “We are not doubting either Valtteri or Lewis but discussions obviously are going to happen – but not in January next year.” Hamilton won the opening race of the season in Bahrain last month, finishing ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. Speaking after the victory, Hamilton said: “Wow. What a difficult race that was. “Stopping early we knew would be difficult but we had to cover Max, they have had an amazing performance all weekend. “Max was all over me at the end and I was just about able to hold him off. That was one of the hardest races I’ve had for a while.”