Formula 1

Formula 1’s drivers will continue to be free to take a knee or show other ways of support ahead of Grands Prix in the 2021 season under the sport’s We Race As One initiative. Last year drivers gathered at the front of the grid in a show of solidarity against racism, with world champion Lewis Hamilton also joined by the majority of his fellow drivers in taking a knee. There will continue to be a moment of reflection ahead of races this year amid wider united focus on the sport’s strengthened We Race As One programme this year, which focus on initiatives in areas of sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and community. “The whole of Formula 1 is united in its support for WeRaceAsOne and the drivers will all show their own support for the initiative ahead of the Grand Prix,” said a Formula 1 spokesperson. “The drivers will be free to show their commitment in their own way before the race and there will be no requirement for them to make a specific gesture. “The important thing is all of them being together in full support of our initiatives on sustainability, diversity & inclusion and community.” Drivers met with new F1 boss Stefano Domenicali in Bahrain ahead of pre-season testing to discuss the ceremony before races, with agreement reached on the approach for this weekend’s season-opening race in the Middle East onwards. Last month F1 outlined its vision and targets for the second year of its We Race As One initiative, which focuses on three key areas in society. Among its aims for the coming year, F1 plans to create “a clear path towards sustainably fuelled hybrid engines”, ahead of the next big engine regulation change in the middle of this decade, fund scholarships for engineering students from diverse and underprivileged backgrounds, and to grow the profile of the all-female W Series which will feature at eight race weekends in 2021. Hamilton, who has led calls for improved diversity in F1 and motorsport, has said that 2021 must be a year when tangible action is taken on the issue. “What’s really important is to make sure that we are actually delivering and taking action,” he said. “I’m really proud of my team here and I’m already seeing steps that we started taking last year, particularly towards the end of the year and starting to see that progress little by little. It takes one step at a time, of course.” On the specific gesture of taking a knee, Hamilton said: “We’ll see how we can collectively work together to make sure we’re leading more in this sport and it’s not necessarily having to be taking the knee.”

Formula 1 have announced a new partnership with Global Citizen, with the international advocacy organisation becoming a charity partner for the WeRaceAsOne platform. WeRaceAsOne was launched last June ahead of F1’s return following the delay to the start of the season due to the coronavirus pandemic as the series looks to tackle major issues in the sport and society. Global Citizen is a movement using their platform to try and bring an end to poverty by 2030. They are committed to environment, equal opportunity, education and citizenship, and as a result fit well with the priorities of WeRaceAsOne. Formula 1 and Global Citizen intend to announce a series of plans over the upcoming season that fans and communities can take part in to ensure there is real change around the globe. “We are very excited at the prospect of partnering with the incredible team at Global Citizen, whose passion and delivery of lasting positive change are perfectly aligned with our focus at Formula 1 to leave a positive impact on society, the environment and our sport,” F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali stated in a press release. “We’re proud of the WeRaceAsOne platform in encouraging the community, F1 fanbase, and Global Citizen’s millions of engaged supporters to come together to support positive change against the most important issues facing our sport and the world. “While our commitment to tackling issues of sustainability and diversity in our sport is important, it is our actions that we’ll be judged on and this long-term partnership will show our commitment to deliver on our plans.

Pierre Gasly has shed some light on his brief time with Red Bull Racing and why he believes it didn’t work out, resulting in his demotion back to Toro Rosso. The Frenchman was called up to the premier team for the start of the 2019 season, however after just 12 races, he was dropped in favour of Alexander Albon for the Belgian Grand Prix. That was the same race Gasly lost his closest friend, Anthoine Hubert, who died in a crash on the second lap of the Formula 2 Sprint Race on Saturday afternoon – Gasly recalls that moment in deeply-moving detail in a column for The Players Tribune. In that same column, the 25-year-old sheds some light on why he believes his time at Red Bull was so short-lived, insisting he felt out of place, unsupported and feels his voice wasn’t listened to. “From the moment I made my first mistake in [the Red Bull] car, I felt like people there slowly began to turn on me,” he explained. “I’d had a crash in winter testing, and from that moment on the season never really got going. “Then I had a tough first two races with Red Bull and the media just ate me up. Anything I said in the press was twisted into an excuse for my form, and nobody really stuck up for me. “The car wasn’t perfect, and I was doing my best to try to improve and learn each week, but like … here’s what I’ll say about it: It was a difficult time for me at Red Bull because I didn’t feel like I was really supported and treated the same way as others there have been. And for me … that’s something that I just can’t accept. “I was working my ass off every day, trying to get results for the team, but I was not being given all the tools I needed to succeed. I would try to offer solutions, but my voice wasn’t heard, or it would take weeks to see changes. “For whatever reason, I was never going to be a fit in that seat — it was just never going to work.” Although Gasly remains a Red Bull driver with the junior outfit AlphaTauri, he said it was time for him to share some truths. “I’m not the type of person to start stuff in the media, because I am truly grateful to Red Bull for the chance, as well as for everything they’ve done for me in my career. I really am. But I’m allowed to tell my truth. So, that’s it. That’s the truth.” Despite asking for support following the Hungarian GP, in which he finished sixth, Gasly was then informed of Red Bull’s decision. “After Budapest I went on holiday. But before I left I called our team principal, Christian Horner, just to ask him what I could be doing more of on race weekends to improve, and to see if he could take a closer look at my side of the garage to see what could be done. Christian said he would do all he could. And that was that. “But Helmut Marko called me while I was on holiday in Spain and said, ‘We’re going to send you back to Toro Rosso in a switch for Alex Albon. It doesn’t mean it’s the end of the story with us. But with all the noise in the media we just feel it’s best.’ “That’s just how it goes. That’s F1.”

Mercedes is trying to “push” Red Bull into the role of title favourite for 2021. That is the view of Max Verstappen, who others think is genuinely most likely to win this season given Mercedes’ high-profile testing problems. But the Dutchman thinks Mercedes still shone. “You can see what Mercedes did from the data,” Verstappen told Ziggo Sport. “They drove their fastest lap with less power, then two laps in which they took it easy, then the next lap with half a second more power. So they are fast, there is no doubt about that.” He dismisses claims that Mercedes may have bungled the new aerodynamic rules around the floor area. “If you’ve been as dominant as they have been over the past seven years, you’re still going to be good even if you have the worst floor,” said Verstappen. He also played down Lewis Hamilton’s handling problems and spins. “The wind had turned 180 degrees so that we had a tailwind in this corner, where you always have a bit of oversteer. I think he was also on used tyres,” said Verstappen. “Something like that can happen easily, as I experienced myself in the tests so I don’t think we should worry too much about it.” “Mercedes also didn’t do a film day or shakedown before the test so maybe they were a little off with the setup. On the last day they looked much better and then they did the filming so they’ll be ready for the start of the season.” Verstappen, 23, said Mercedes “trying to push us into the role of favourites” is also a move to relieve pressure on the title-winning team.

Daniel Ricciardo had a light-hearted jab at Valtteri Bottas following Netflix’s latest season of Drive to Survive when the Formula 1 world got to see a lot more of the Mercedes driver than they were prepared for. Episode three of the series, Nobody’s Fool, focused on Bottas’ rivalry with teammate Lewis Hamilton but it was overshadowed by a strange nude scene at the start of the story. Bottas was filmed during a sauna scene with agent and mentor Ville Ahtiainen while they were in Finland which shocked many F1 fans. Ricciardo has since commented on the images that went viral.

Ralf Schumacher, former F1 driver and brother of Michael who is now a TV commentator, has expressed his opinion on the difficulties shown by Mercedes in the tests in Bahrain, in essence – the car is a handful for the drivers compared to the other teams. On German Sky Sports, the TV pundit reveals his thoughts claiming that “Mercedes is dealing with an aerodynamic problem; you can see this from the difficulties at the wheel of Hamilton because the car does not behave as expected ” “I don’t think the first race will be easy for Mercedes,” says the German, “on the contrary Red Bull can take advantage of a car that already responds perfectly to commands. of their drivers ” And yet despite this, other former drivers turned pundits believe Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton will come good once the Formula 1 season starts properly at the end of March. “First and foremost I am a fan of our sport and then I love and appreciate my ex-Formula 1 family Mercedes,” Rosberg told Sky Sports. “But first and foremost I am a lover of our sport and for our sport it would be the best thing ever if Red Bull hit the ground running and we’d have Mercedes, the powerful Mercedes, chasing them down and Lewis on his way to an eighth title. “So for the season, who’s my money on? It still has to go on Lewis because nobody can fathom someone actually beating Lewis throughout the entire season on points. So, the money would still have to go to Lewis.” “But Max Verstappen, in particular, is as close as ever before in pre-season in terms of the odds to beat Lewis to the championship. “I don’t think anyone’s been that close for many, many years.”

Max Verstappen thinks he knows what Mercedes were up to in pre-season testing – and has not been lulled into a false sense of security. Mercedes’ difficult three days in Bahrain was unexpected considering the ruthless efficiency with which they have won the Drivers and Constructors’ World Championships for the last seven years. But they lost the vast majority of the first morning’s running due to a gearshift problem and the following day, the car had to be transported back to the pits when Sir Lewis Hamilton spun and beached it in the gravel. In addition, and although times in testing are rarely representative, Mercedes appeared to lack their usual pace – especially compared to Red Bull duo Verstappen and Sergio Perez. However, the Dutchman claims to have knowledge of the World Champions’ run programme and is not allowing himself to get too confident of repeating his dominant victory in the most recent F1 race, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, when the new season begins in Bahrain next week. “They are indeed fast,” Verstappen told Dutch broadcaster Ziggo Sports, quoted by RacingNews365. “We could see what they were doing on the data. They drove their first fast lap with less power. Then they drove two quiet laps, followed by a second flying lap. In that, they won half a second on engine power.” Verstappen is also not reading anything into the more significant of Hamilton’s two spins, which the seven-time World Champion admitted was down to a driving error caused by a strong gust of wind. “The wind had turned 180 degrees from the first day and in that corner you always got a bit unsettled,” said the 23-year-old. “We shouldn’t look too much into it. Maybe Mercedes were a bit off with the set-up on the first day, but the last day it looked much more stable. They also scheduled two filming days in Bahrain before the first grand prix.” Verstappen also gave his take on how he perceives the order going into the curtain-raiser on March 28, believing last year’s leading three teams currently occupy those positions again – albeit he will be hoping for a reversal between the top two. “I expect we and Mercedes will be close to each other,” he said. “Behind that it is difficult to predict, but I think McLaren are the third team.”

Lewis Hamilton has described a Vatican ban on priests blessing same-sex unions as “unacceptable”. On Monday (15 March), the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith responded to the question of blessing same-sex unions on behalf of the Vatican, and insisted that God “does not bless sin”. Hamilton, who is Catholic, took to Instagram to express his frustration at the Vatican’s decision, sharing a post by Elton John which read: “How can the Vatican refuse to bless gay marriages because they ‘are sin’, yet happily make a profit from investing millions in Rocketman – a film which celebrated my finding happiness from my marriage to David?” Alongside John’s post, the seven-time World Champion Formula One driver wrote: “Standing in solidarity with Elton John and the whole LGBTQ+ community on this issue. “It is unacceptable that in this day and age, anyone should face prejudice or discrimination based on the person they love, especially in the name of God who we are told loves us all equally. “It is incredibly sad that many will now feel they have to choose between their faith and being their true self, and I want my followers to know that I stand with you and I support you, and you deserve happiness. “Love is love, don’t let anyone tell you differently.” Hamilton opened up about his Catholic faith when he was interviewed by Serena Williams for Interview Magazine in 2017, explaining that for him, his religion is about lifting others up. He said: “I used to be insecure about the fact that I’m Catholic and that I have a relationship with God. It wasn’t until I got to Formula One that I really started to embrace it and feel comfortable showing it. “There’s a quote from Marianne Williamson: ‘There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you.’ I have that tattooed on my chest. “She goes on to say, ‘We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. “As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Honda’s head of engine development, Yasuaki Asaki, has criticised McLaren and the “cheating team” as he reflects on Honda’s latest journey in Formula 1. As Honda embark on what will be their final season in Formula 1 at least in the short term, the head of their engine development Yasuaki Asaki looks back on the Japanese brands six years in the sport. “I was close to retirement, but then we got the full brunt of McLaren,” Asaki said in a press conference scheduled by Honda. “I was worried that if it continued like this, Honda would get out of the sport without winning a race. Then I looked back on my long career as a Honda engineer and he thought, ‘How did I manage before? “When I joined the team earlier, we fought with and won against Porsche, BMW, Ferrari and Renault. That thought gave me confidence and I was able to overcome all setbacks.” Asaki also appreciated the highs that came when Honda began supplying engines to Red Bull and AlphaTauri (formerly Toro Rosso). “We finally managed to win again,” Asaki said. “It was great to see AlphaTauri triumph as well, as they were the ones who knocked on our door to enter into the partnership while McLaren made us completely black.” Asaki finally highlighted how despite not being affected by the new rule implemented after Ferrari’s fuel-flow scandal affected, the Japanese supplier is still suspicious of their Italian rivals. “I’m not going to say who, but was there a team that cheated on fuel flow?” Asaki concluded.

Honda’s technical head Toyoharu Tanabe believes the Japanese brand’s 2021 Formula 1 engine has surpassed the levels reached by Mercedes in the previous year. With Red Bull and AlphaTauri topping the timesheets during the recently concluded pre-season F1 test, Toyoharu Tanabe, the technical of Honda says the performance of the Japanase manufacturer’s power-unit has eclipsed that of previous year’s Mercedes. Mercedes engines have pretty much dominated the V6 Turbo Hybrid era in Formula 1. The German giants have racked up seven constructor’s titles on the trot and their power-units have been the envy of the grid with Ferrari, Honda and Renault failing to match them so far. This fact, however, could be about to change based on recent evidence. “I believe we exceeded last year’s Mercedes,” Tanabe told The Race. “It depends on the conditions but I hope we will be in a position to fight for the championship against Mercedes.” Tanabe however is cautious about predicting this year’s running order as it is likely that Mercedes have made progress on the engine front too. “We have no idea how much improvement has been done in this off-season on Mercedes’ side. We will see when we start qualifying and after the race it’s a little bit too early to say something after the three-day test. “I know very much how strong Mercedes are in terms of technical [knowledge], chassis side, PU side, drivers, teamwork. “Last year, we saw a big step in their development it’s very hard to guess what’s going on and the result of their development. We have no answer yet.” Tanabe did however seem extremely satisfied with the progress Honda have made, saying the recently concluded test was, “definitely better than previous years,” and that Honda were “happy with our result.” The Japanese engineer also highlighted Honda’s reliability stating that “the number of problems is lower than I expected,” which emboldened his belief that it was, “a good sign for reliability.” Honda will leave Formula 1 at the end of the current campaign. The Japanese marque are keen on ending their latest stint in F1 on a high and have invested heavily in the development of their power-unit during the off-season.

Silverstone has announced it is giving away 10,000 tickets to its three main events this summer, including Formula 1 and MotoGP’s British Grand Prix, to NHS key workers in recognition of their work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tickets will be given away for F1 and MotoGP’s British GP and the Silverstone Classic. Silverstone is teaming up with Blue Light Tickets, a sister company of the Blue Light Card discount scheme set up to reward workers in the NHS, emergency services, armed forces and social care sectors. Anyone holding a Blue Light Card will be able to enter the ballot in hope to win tickets for Silverstone’s biggest events this summer. 3500 tickets are available for F1’s British Grand Prix on July 16-18, while 3000 are available for the Silverstone Classic on July 30 and August 31. Like F1, the allocation for MotoGP on August 27-29 is 3500, with 300 being available for race day. Speaking of the announcement, Silverstone managing director Stuart Pringle said: “Working with Blue Light Card gives us the reassurance that our tickets will reach those we are all so indebted to and we hope as many as possible can join us this summer to experience live motorsport, something we have all missed over the past 12 months. “The last year has been a challenge for everyone but particularly for those working on the frontline, putting their lives at risk, to keep our country and population safe under very difficult circumstances. “I hope that this gesture goes some way to demonstrating to this community that their work is very much appreciated.” The deadline for entry for F1 is May 25, for Silverstone Classic, June 27, while the MotoGP ballot will close on July 25.

Drive to Survive season three is now available on Netflix. The camera crews have had the chance to go behind the scenes of Formula 1 for another year, and the result is some great footage. The first two seasons of Drive to Survive gave Formula 1 fans their first look behind the scenes of the sport. On race day itself, the focus is usually on the people at the front, but Drive to Survive got a good look at the underdogs. For example, what’s the story of Haas? In season two, Mercedes and Ferrari finally came into the picture where they had avoided competing in the first season. In season three, all teams are on show again. There are again ten episodes lasting between 30 and 45 minutes and they are titled as follows: It’s all about money: Preparing for the season Back on the track: The start of the season Second fiddle: Focus on Valtteri Bottas We need to talk about Ferrari: Dramatic season at Ferrari The end of a relationship: Ricciardo away at Renault The comeback: Pierre Gasly hits back Guenthe’s choice: Haas line-up for 2021 No regrets: Sainz to Ferrari On fire: Grosjean crash To the end: End of the season

Toto Wolff has argued that Red Bull Racing team boss Christian Horner is often vocal about his opinions, but they are not big fans of that at Mercedes. Wolff said this in the third season of Netflix’s Drive to Survive. The German racing team says it has a different approach. “Christian likes to rumble around a little bit, but I think we are doing it a bit different,” Wolff said in a preview of the Formula One documentary. “We concentrate on ourselfs. We don’t look to much left and right. We do the talking on the track.” On Friday morning, the third season of the successful series will be released on Netflix. It will feature ten episodes of more than half an hour each.

The Ferrari SF90, created to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Scuderia designed and built by Enzo Ferrari, was the Prancing Horse’s last competitive car in Formula 1, winning a few races with Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel before its decline with the 2020 car, the SF1000. Now, the SF21, the car created to redeem a bad year, will be driven by Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. However, an unauthorised fibreglass replica of the SF90 from Brazil was confiscated in La Spezia by the Guardia di Finanza and the Customs Office at the port of La Spezia. The 1:1 scale single-seater was without mechanical and electrical parts and was discovered in a container which arrived in Italy directly from Brazil and was then sent to a car dealer in Tuscany. Investigators sent photographic evidence of the reproduction to Ferrari SPA, which in turn confirmed that the reproduction was of a protected model registered as a Community design. The livery is devoid of any kind of sponsors or logos, but the reference to the SF90 is quite clear, which is why the seizure was made by the police led by Major Luigi Mennella. The car is not the only unauthorised reproduction that has been seized by the police, in fact, alongside the Red, a McLaren MP4/4, one of the most extraordinary Formula 1 cars in history, was recovered. The car that raced in the 1988 season and gave rise to one of motorsport’s greatest rivalries, that between Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna. It was also the first car to give the late Brazilian driver, who died in Bologna on 1 May 1994, his world championship title.

Haas F1 driver Mick Schumacher recollects an incident that occurred in the pitlane, where the German driver drove out of his pit box with one of the jacks still on his car. Mick Schumacher had a largely low-key preseason test in Bahrain with the German completing 181 laps and setting the 19th quickest lap time. One incident however stands out for the young Schumacher. “I was really scared because suddenly I didn’t know what was going on, whether I did something wrong or not,” Schumacher told RacingNews365.com among others. “In the end, it was a misunderstanding.” The Haas F1 team have a history of pitstops issues with their most unfortunate incident occurring at the 2018 Australian Grand Prix. The reason for this mishap is similar to what happened in Australia three years ago with a jammed wheel nut on the front left tire sparking the debacle. Team principal Guenther Steiner was largely understanding of the incident saying the rookie equipped himself well. “Mick reacted very well,” Steiner explained. “When the radio message came that he should stop, he stopped immediately. This did not cause any damage. I could say now it was part of his training because we have already hit so many pit stops but it wasn’t like that.”

F1 and Saudi Arabia have revealed the layout of the Jeddah Street Circuit, which will be the second longest track on the 2021 calendar and among the fastest. The circuit has been designed with close collaboration with Tilke GmbH & Co. KG and the Formula 1 Motorsport team under Ross Brawn to “ensure exciting racing for our fans and the drivers”, according to today’s press release. Located in the Corniche area on the Red Sea, approximately 7 miles (12 km) geographically north of Jeddah’s centre, the circuit will be 3.837 miles (6.175 km) long, the second longest on the Formula 1 calendar, after Spa Francorchamps at 4.352 miles (7.004 kms). The circuit, which is due to host the inaugural event on 5 December, will have 27 corners and has the potential for 3 DRS zones, increasing the ability to overtake and close-up on cars in front. Average speeds are estimated, in simulation, to be around 155 mph (250 km/h) and the fast-flowing layout with high speed esses and chicanes, as well as long full throttle sections, will make it the fastest street circuit in Formula 1 as well as one of the fastest circuits on the Formula 1 calendar, with Monza the fastest at 164.2 mph (264.4 km/h). “It’s always very exciting to release the details of a new circuit,” said Ross Brawn, Formula 1 Managing Director Motorsport, “and the Saudi Arabia Street Circuit is no exception. “We have worked very closely with the team at Tilke and with the promoter to ensure we have a track that provides exciting wheel-to-wheel racing for our fans and challenges all of the drivers. The design brings out the best of a modern street circuit but also has fast paced free flowing areas that will create fast speeds and overtaking opportunities. “The setting is incredible, on the Red Sea, and we can’t wait to see the cars on the track in December.” “We are looking forward to welcoming motorsport fans to Saudi Arabia,” added HRH Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Al Faisal, President of the Saudi Automobile & Motorsport Federation (SAMF). “Next December will be a huge moment, when we host the biggest event in Motorsports (Formula 1). “This is a continuation of the endless support that sports in general, and Motorsport in particular, is receiving from His Royal Highness King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Prime Minister, and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. “Even though this is the first time we will host a Formula 1 Grand Prix, delivering such important international events is further confirmation of the Kingdom’s ability to manage and organise these events to the highest standards for our fans and growing young population.”