Racetrackmasters

Pramac rookie Jorge Martin’s injury-forced absence will continue into next weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, with Ducati MotoGP test rider Michele Pirro deputising. Martin suffered several fractures in a heavy crash during practice for last month’s Portuguese Grand Prix at Portimao, which required surgery. The MotoGP rookie was forced to miss his home round at Jerez and last weekend’s French GP at Le Mans as a result, with 2014 Moto2 world champion and former Avintia Ducati rider Tito Rabat taking his place. Rabat’s World Superbike commitments with Barni Racing next weekend at Estoril prevent him from riding the Pramac Ducati at Mugello, with the team calling up Ducati test rider Pirro to fill in. Pramac expects Martin to make his return in the follow week’s Catalan Grand Prix in Barcelona. A brief statement from Pramac read: “After listening to the opinions and the reflections made by the doctors, Jorge Martin will return in time for the Catalunya Grand Prix. “The conditions of the Spanish rider are without a doubt improving, but for him to return in time for Mugello does not seem to be the best choice due to how tough and demanding that circuit is. “Therefore, Michele Pirro (Ducati test rider) will be carrying the Pramac Racing colours with Johann Zarco in the Italian Grand Prix.” Rabat finished 18th in his first race on the factory Ducati at Jerez, before scoring a point in the flag-to-flag French GP last weekend. Martin made a stellar start to his MotoGP career at the start of the season in Qatar, where he qualified on pole for the second round of the campaign in the Doha GP. The young Spaniard went on to lead the race for the first 17 laps and ultimately crossed the line third for his first podium in just his second race. Pirro often makes a wildcard appearance for Ducati at Mugello and has recently conducted some private test days for the marque at the Italian GP venue. The Italian was unable to make any wildcard starts in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions, but was drafted in for the Austrian double-header in place of the injured Francesco Bagnaia at Pramac – taking a best result of 12th in the red-flagged Austrian GP. Pirro was seventh on his last visit to Mugello in 2019 as a Ducati wildcard.

Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi has confirmed the team is already in discussions with Esteban Ocon to extend his current contract into next season and potentially beyond. Ocon has excelled so far this year, more than matching his new two-time world champion team-mate Fernando Alonso and stepping up a gear now he is in his second year with the French outfit. The French driver, who is managed by Toto Wolff, is part of the Mercedes driver development programme but Wolff said recently that his future will be decided by Alpine rather than Mercedes making any claim. Asked about Alpine’s current plans, Rossi said: “It was very graceful of Toto to say that. It is indeed something we are considering. Esteban is doing everything to make me consider keeping him in the team. “I would be remiss if I didn’t think about it, so obviously at the moment we are already engaged in some conversations with his agent, his management team, Mercedes at large. “I’m not surprised by Esteban. We knew he is extremely talented, he has been racing against most of the drivers when he was younger and he is always beating them, most of the time, so I knew he had a lot of talent. “He starts having good references in the team [and] we made some modifications to his own team and to the way we build up the race weekends. The guy has talent, it shows, and I think he is where he should be.” Having made his F1 debut in 2016 for the now-defunct Manor Racing team, Ocon has since raced for Force India and spent a year as Mercedes reserve driver before finding his place at Renault, now re-named Alpine. The 24-year-old has one podium in 71 starts so far, but the other high-flying French driver, Pierre Gasly, won a race for Toro Rosso and is potentially seeking a move as promotion to the Red Bull senior squad appears unlikely. Asked if Gasly was on Alpine’s radar, Rossi said: “We are not looking at any drivers for next year because at the moment I am considering, obviously, Esteban. “Fernando is here next year with us so if we want to carry on the momentum we have we will do that. Pierre is obviously a great driver, of value, but at the moment this is not in our cars, I would say.”

Although he’s become one of the biggest names in F1 history, Lewis Hamilton doesn’t believe he would be able to make it into the sport if he tried to do so now. The Brit has become synonymous with success, having won a joint-record seven drivers’ titles, along with the most wins and podium finishes. However Hamilton has never been shy about his humble beginnings, as father Anthony had to work several jobs to fund his career before being signed by McLaren and Mercedes at 13. Hamilton made his way through the junior ranks thanks to the funding received by both parties, but the Brit doesn’t think F1 would be accessible to him if he chose to pursue a career at this time. “Growing up in a normal working class family, there is no way I could be here – the guys you are fighting against have that much more money,” Hamilton told Spain’s AS newspaper. “We have to work to change that to make it more accessible, for the rich and for people with more humble origins.” The likes of Lance Stroll, Nicholas Latifi and Nikita Mazepin all have billionaire fathers, while Max Verstappen and Mick Schumacher are the sons of former F1 drivers.

Formula 1 talent spotter Helmut Marko says he is angry with AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda after his latest protege hit the barriers around the Monaco street circuit, forcing the Japanese driver to miss a large part of the second free practice session. Tsunoda who started the season brightly, securing points on his Formula 1 debut in Bahrain has had a torrid few races off late. The Japanese driver missed out on Q2 in Barcelona before ultimately retiring, and failed to add to the two points secured at the opening round in either Imola or Portimao. Marko, the man largely responsible for bringing Tsunoda into the sport, has now shown his first outward sign of displeasure towards the Japanese rookie. “We told him a thousand times, it’s all about one thing in Monaco: making metres, making metres, making metres, he should really learn to show some discipline,” Marko told members of the media including RacingNews365.com. Tsunoda though was quick to point out that a crash in FP2 was not the worst thing that could have happened explaining that the changing track conditions played a role in his crash. “So I think I didn’t push too much hard in entry, I think just lost the grip in the end,” Tsunoda explained. “A lot of degradation there I think and a couple of gusts of wind (and) I lost completely the rear between Turns 15 and 16, and I just had to finish the session. “I had two [sets of] softs for Saturday so I think it’s not the worst-case or the end of the world. Just, I have to prepare more for Saturday and try to put it all together.” With his teammate Pierre Gasly performing so strongly, Tsunoda will have to improve his performances if he wants to remains with the notoriously competitive Red Bull program.

Tifosi will be delighted at the end of the first day of free practice for the Monaco Grand Prix, as Charles Leclerc headed teammate Carlos Sainz for a Ferrari 0ne-two.The Reds were the only two to dip into the 71-seconds zone, with Leclerc’s FP2 timesheet topping effort of 1.11.684s was a tenth faster than Sainz in the one-hour afternoon session. It was good news for homeboy Leclerc who in FP1 did one lap around his neighbourhood circuit before a gearbox problem ended his morning shift prematurely. It was a good recovery from the team and their driver. Sainz kept his teammate honest and is increasingly looking comfortable in the SF21. Lewis Hamilton who was quickest during the first half of the session ended third quickest in the Mercedes, four-tenths shy of the top time, with title rival Max Verstappen fractionally slower in fourth. His Red Bull teammate, who was quickest in FP1 earlier, was eighth and a second down on the top time. Valtteri Bottas was fifth in the Mercedes; half a second separating the top five on the time sheets. Lando Norris continued to excel and outshine his more experienced Daniel Ricciardo. The young Englishman snaking the beautifully liveried Gulf McLaren to sixth place, six tenths adrift of the top time but nearly full second up on his teammate. The Aussie was visibly ill at ease in his car around Monte Carlo on Thursday. Next up, in seventh was Alpha Tauri driver Pierre Gasly doing the heavy lifting for the team as rookie Yuki Tsunoda, after an impressive first session at a venue he has only driven on the simulator and in the F1 video game. But in the afternoon he made contact with the barriers and limited his run to 11 laps, denying himself valuable track time. He was slowest of all. The Alfa Romeo pair of Antonio Giovinazzi and Kimi Raikkonen seemed good out of the box, with the Italian ninth and the veteran Finn three tenths slower in 11th. Splitting the Alfas on the timesheets, in tenth, was the Aston Martin of Sebastian Vettel, the four times F1 posting a time faster than teammate Lance Stroll who was only good for 13th. It’s Monaco, so inevitably there were car-meets-Armco moments on Thursday. Sainz’s Ferrari gave the metal a good clout; as did Haas rookie Mick Schumacher, as did teammate Nikita Mazepin of course; Williams driver Nicholas Latifi; other ‘scrapers’ included veterans Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso. What to make of day one at the Principality? Red Bull appear to have the better car, its aero strength suited to the tight twists with Verstappen always in it and Perez showing good pace at a venue where he tends to do well. Mercedes on the other hand have held the cards for the are, when it really matters hence they lead 3-1 in wins after four rounds and will obviously factor. However. a string Ferrari in the mix sets the stage for one hell of a Grand Prix, where starting in top spot will be paramount for race-winning ambitions hence expect an extraordinary qualifying on Saturday. For now, its a day break so that the locals can go about their pre-weekend shopping ahead of Saturday when things really get serious in Monaco.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has suggested the impact of changing the rear wing of an F1 car to comply with new tests brought in by the FIA to prevent flexi-wings could cost up to $500,000. Red Bull’s rear wing was scrutinised by Lewis Hamilton at the Spanish Grand Prix after onboard footage showed visible flexing under high aerodynamic loads, leading to the FIA swiftly notifying teams tests would be changed to prevent such oscillations. Asked what the implications of any changes to comply with the new tests would be in the budget cap era of F1, Horner said: “I think for a team like us that is obviously running up against the cap then of course, strategically, you have to make choices. “The impact of something like this is probably half a million dollars so that will prevent something else from happening but that is the juggling act we are now having to make with the budget cap and financial regulations.” Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff and McLaren counterpart Andreas Seidl have both declared their frustration at the FIA that the tests will not start until the French Grand Prix. Horner, however, has insisted time must be given for teams to implement new parts on the car. “I think there has to be a lead time,” he added. “You cannot just magic up components. “If they changed the tests on front wings this weekend, and we have seen far more performance from front-wing flexibility, shall we say, then that would affect every single team and some much greater than others. “There has to be a lead time. You cannot expect parts to be magicked up overnight without costs being incurred. “The car complies to regulations that have been there for the last 18 months with these load tests and then the regulation has been changed, the tests have been changed, and there has to be a notice period for that.”

McLaren say they “strongly disagree” with a delay in the implementation of tests to deal with illegal flexible wings in Formula 1. Team boss Andreas Seidl said McLaren were “not happy” with the decision not to introduce tests for two more races, saying there was “no reason” for it. Governing body the FIA wrote to teams last week saying they had spotted rear wings on some cars illegally flexing. But new load tests to combat the issue will not be introduced until 15 June. Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton said his title rivals Red Bull had a “bendy” rear wing at the last race in Spain. Red Bull have not denied that they have a flexible rear wing, although team principal Christian Horner insists their car is legal. At least four teams are said to be using the designs, which allow rear wings to bend backwards on the straights to reduce drag and increase speed before snapping back into place for maximum downforce in the corners. Seidl said: “When you see all the videos and pictures from Barcelona, it’s pretty clear what is happening. Therefore we welcome the reaction from the FIA with the technical directive, the basic content of which we are happy with. “Where we strongly disagree is the timing of the implementation. There is no reason after not just one team had already the advantage of doing things which in our point of view are clearly against the regulations. “They had that advantage for several races, which is something we are not happy with. But now allowing them to have further advantage for more races is something we strongly disagree with and where we are in conversations with the FIA.” Seidl emphasised that the new tests were not new rules, and that flexible wings were illegal even if the FIA did not yet have load tests to deal with this specific issue. So-called “moveable aerodynamic devices” have been banned in F1 for decades. Article 3.8 of the F1 technical regulations states that bodywork must be “rigidly secured to the entirely sprung part of the car” and “remain immobile in relation to the sprung part of the car”. Seidl said: “The tests mentioned in the regulations at the moment are in place to let’s say additionally support FIA to check in a straightforward way if the cars are complying with the regulations. But it doesn’t mean that only these tests are the criteria as to whether the car is legal or not. “We hope the FIA shows a very strong hand and it is simply not acceptable because it puts the teams who comply with the regulations at a big disadvantage.” Seidl said McLaren would not need to change any aspect of their car design when the new tests were introduced. Asked whether McLaren planned to lodge a protest against any of the cars in question, Seidl said: “In principle I am not a big fan of protesting other teams and cars. “All I can say is at the moment we are in dialogue with the FIA to make sure teams that have designed devices or parts that we have seen in Barcelona simply can’t use these devices or parts any more.”

McLaren hit the track with its stunning one-off Monaco Grand Prix colours on Thursday. McLaren has ditched its usual papaya livery for the ironic blue and orange scheme of sponsor Gulf Oil at Monte Carlo this week. It has already proven to be a hugely popular with F1 fans. The new-look car hit the track for the first time on Thursday during the first practice session ahead of Sunday’s showpiece race, where McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo are looking to build on the team’s encouraging start to the season. The McLaren-Gulf link goes back to the late 1960s, when the two companies worked together in Can-Am and F1. Gulf’s iconic colours have featured on a number of racing cars in the past — including the McLaren F1 GTR that finished second at the 1997 Le Mans 24 Hours — but has never before raced in Formula One. McLaren decided to make the change for this weekend’s race after seeing mock-ups created by fans last year following the announcement of the partnership. The throwbacks do not just stop with the colours of the car. Ricciardo, winner of the Monaco Grand Prix in 2018, is also racing with an old-school style helmet design.

Lewis Hamilton believes the Monaco Grand Prix weekend format “needs to change” due to the difficulty in overtaking, warning Formula 1 fans they will “see a train on Sunday”. Monaco has always been notoriously difficult for drivers to pass at, but the bigger, wider cars used since 2017 have exacerbated the issue. F1 is set to introduce its first sprint races into weekends later this year, planned for Silverstone, Monza and Interlagos, but the Monaco format has gone unchanged. Seven-time world champion Hamilton said the “much bigger cars” used compared to previous eras of racing in Monaco mean there is “almost zero opportunity to overtake in a race”. “It has been the case for some time, and in my opinion, it needs to change,” Hamilton said. “We’ve had the same format for years. It is the best venue. It is the most beautiful place that we get to race at. “But you already know that it’s never exciting for the fans. It’s a one-stop race with these hard, long stints that we get to do. “On a list of difficult places to overtake, it is off the scale, highly unlikely that you’re ever going to get an opportunity to do so. So I don’t think fans enjoy that. “I don’t know what the solution is. But I’m hoping when we are looking forwards to future generations, it can be a more exciting race for people.” Hamilton has claimed three victories in Monaco, including the most recent running of the grand prix in 2019. Asked by Motorsport.com if the current generation of cars had sapped some of the enjoyment of driving in Monaco, Hamilton said the thrill was undiminished over a single lap. “Just driving the track, going through the tunnel, up into Casino, the whole experience through the weekend is mesmerising, and that never changes,” Hamilton said. “The feeling of winning here is never any less. Every year it’s unique and special, if you are lucky enough to get the opportunity. “But as a racer, we’ve got a lot of tracks where we go to where you see racing. I think it’s been an exciting start to a season where you are seeing people overtaking, and you’ve seen the whole field close up. “You’re going to see a train on Sunday, and you already know that fans, fans already know that is what is going to happen this weekend. However, it’s still exciting to watch somehow.”

Red Bull’s Sergio Perez has gone fastest in Free Practice 1 ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix. The Mexican set a time of 1:12.536, just 0.119s ahead of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz. Teammate Max Verstappen was third with a 1:12.648, just a tenth off Perez’s time. Perez’s time was set on the soft tyres with Verstappen setting his best on the medium compound. Sainz however topped the session early on setting some quick laps on the medium tyres. The Spaniard did spend some time in the pits after clipping the wall and needing to come in for damage checks. Home hero Charles Leclerc spent less than ten minutes on track at the beginning of the session. The Monegasque had to return to the pits with a gearbox failure and was unable to rejoin. Pierre Gasly set the fourth fastest time in his Alpha Tauri, however it was a quieter morning for the Mercedes team with Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas down in fifth and sixth, both separated by just a tenth. McLaren’s Lando Norris was in seventh ahead of four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel in the Aston Martin. Yuki Tsunoda rounded off a good morning for Alpha Tauri setting the ninth fastest time, but the Japanese driver was 0.8s off his teammate. Alfa Romeo’s Kimi Raikkonen, who had a lockup into Turn 1, rounded out the top ten. Results (Classification): Sergio Perez, Red Bull 1:12.487 Carlos Sainz, Ferrari +0.119 Max Verstappen, Red Bull +0.161 Pierre Gasly, Alpha Tauri +0.442 Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes +0.508 Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes +0.644 Lando Norris, McLaren +0.749 Sebastian Vettel, Aston Martin +1.245 Yuki Tsunoda, Alpha Tauri +1.259 Kimi Raikkonen, Alfa Romeo +1.594 Lance Stroll, Aston Martin +1.603 Antonio Giovinazzi, Alfa Romeo +1.619 Fernando Alonso, Alpine +1.718 Nicholas Latifi, Williams +1.781 Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren +1.794 Esteban Ocon, Alpine +1.833 Nikita Mazepin, Haas +2.129 Mick Schumacher, Haas +2.314 George Russell, Williams +2.353 Charles Leclerc, Ferrari +7.131

George Russell says he will be a free agent next year, in yet another sign that he may be lining up to become Lewis Hamilton’s next teammate. In Monaco on Wednesday, the buzz in the paddock was about Lando Norris’ two-year contract extension at McLaren. “I didn’t want to waste time talking to other teams. The team trusts me and I trust the team, it’s that simple,” the impressive 21-year-old said. Some were surprised by the early announcement, but another driver pushing for clarity about his future is Valtteri Bottas – who has raced under the cloud of his single-year Mercedes contracts since 2017. “The sooner you can decide your future, the better,” the Finn said on Wednesday. “I’ve had situations when I signed a contract quite early, but also when very late signings meant the negotiations seriously interfered with my performance.” However, Bottas insists he hasn’t thought about 2022 yet because he is “focused on racing”. But he said the August break is the “natural period” for contract talks. “Honestly, I’m in no hurry. There are major changes next year and if the team has the ability to choose its drivers, so much the better,” said Bottas. “For now I am completely focused on the season. The time to talk about contracts is not yet.” What is clear is that Williams driver and Mercedes junior George Russell, 23, is champing at the bit to take over from 31-year-old Bottas. “It’s a good position to be in,” Russell said on Wednesday when asked about his free contract status at the end of the year. “At the same time, stability and continuity are important – we can see that already with the drivers who are new to their teams,” the Williams driver added. “Whichever team I am with next year, I would prefer to be there for a number of years.”

A recent investor’s report has revealed that Daimler, the parent company of the current Mercedes team, will no longer have control over the team’s affairs. Daimler AG, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz, has confirmed that the shares of the Formula 1 team have been held for sale. Last December it already sold part of its shares, after which they were divided as follows: 33.3% to Toto Wolff, 33.3% to Daimler and 33.3% to the new sponsor Ineos, a British chemicals giant. However, according to the latest financial report, the sale is not yet complete. “We assume that we will come out of it in the first half of 2021, after which we expect Daimler to no longer have control over the Formula One team,” Mercedes’ parent company revealed in its Q1 2021 investor’s report. The team will continue to exist, but Daimler’s interest will be lessened as a result of the reduced shareholding. When the deal is done, the company will no longer have control over the team’s decision-making process. The company emphasises that the Mercedes name will remain present in Formula 1 as engine supplier for the team that remains named after the brand, but also for the current customer teams Williams, McLaren and Aston Martin.

Such is the nature of the circuit, Monaco has a unique take on track limits, which are enforced with no discrimination and little mercy. Nonetheless, the FIA has chosen to lend a hand. Over the years countless drivers have come to grief on the tight, twisty confines of the Principality, where the barriers are always just a few tantalising centimetres away. This year however, as the crackdown on track limits continues, the FIA has announced that it will be keeping an eye on Turn 10, the infamous Nouveau Chicane that follows shortly after the end of the tunnel section. “A lap time achieved during any practice session or the race by leaving the track and failing to negotiate Turn 10 by using the track, will result in that lap time being invalidated by the stewards,” warns race director, Michael Masi ahead of this weekend’s event. “Each time any car fails to negotiate Turn 10 by using the track as described above, teams will be informed via the official messaging system. On the second occasion of a driver failing to negotiate Turn 10 by using the track during the race, he will be shown a black and white flag, any further cutting will then be reported to the stewards. Though these 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. Furthermore, in all cases detailed above, the driver must only re-join the track when it is safe to do so and without gaining a lasting advantage. Finally, if a car uses the escape road at Turn 10-11, which is a common occurrence, the driver may re-join the track only when the lights, operated by the marshal on the spot, are turned green.