F1 Formula 1 Gossip

[t-tony]

Lewis Hamilton believes there is a space for protests in Formula 1 and has hinted he could join with NFL players protesting against Donald Trump.

Lewis Hamilton says he will consider whether to "take a knee" during the playing of the American national anthem before the start of the US Grand Prix in Austin this month.

"I have not thought about it," he says, "but of course I will have to start to think about it — what would be right for me to do or do I even need to get involved?"

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has suggested that Lewis Hamilton should rethink the way he expresses his political views.

He should keep out of politics until his F1 career is over.

Tony.

 

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until his F1 career is over.

Probably will be if he does that......

 

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Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel does not need a new gearbox so will avoid a grid penalty at the Japanese Grand Prix.

Vettel feared it had been damaged in the crash with Williams driver Lance Stroll in Malaysia on Sunday.

The device was inspected at Ferrari's factory in Italy and the team said Wednesday it was "available".

Had it required changing, Vettel would have faced a five-place grid penalty - a blow in his title fight with Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton.

Vettel heads into the race at Suzuka this weekend 34 points behind Hamilton, with a maximum of 125 available over the remaining five grands prix.

 

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Williams are to give Robert Kubica two days of testing this month to establish whether the Pole can make his comeback to Formula 1 after seven years away.

Kubica, 32, has not raced in F1 since he suffered injuries in a rally accident in 2011, and he has only partial movement in his right arm.

He tested for Renault three times in the summer but the French team decided not to take its interest further.

Williams now want to evaluate him as a potential replacement for Felipe Massa.

 

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Wednesday, 4 October

Force India team owner Vijay Mallya has been arrested for the second time this year on money laundering charges associated with the F1 team.

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel says he misses the "perfect" advice from seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, who has not been seen in public since a skiing accident in 2013.

World Championship leader Lewis Hamilton saw his crash helmet used in an unlikely location as NBA star Stephen Curry donned it on the golf course, prompting Hamilton to advise on Instagram: "never drive & golf."

 

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I do hope this happens and my money is on Rotterdam hosting it.....

Tuesday, 10 October

Formula 1 bosses are looking to bring the Dutch Grand Prix back to the calendar, with ambitious plans being considered for a street race in a major city in the home country of Max Verstappen.

City Racing Rotterdam: Formula 1 demos
VKV City Racing Rotterdam (the former Bavaria City Racing) is the biggest Formula 1 event in the Netherlands (600.000 visitors!) with different Formula One teams performing amazing demonstrations in the streets of Rotterdam. It's not the real deal Grand Prix, but it's still spectacular to experience the speed and sound of those racing machines! City Racing Rotterdam is such an interesting concept that in this event is also be organised in other big cities like Moscow and Dublin.

 

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Red Bull boss Christian Horner wants to keep Daniel Ricciardo and Verstappen at the team until at least 2020 despite their contracts expiring at the end of next year.

Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne says his team have been punished for ignoring the finer technical and reliability details in their quality control department.

 

[t-tony]

A future F1 star ?

Lando Norris: Briton follows Lewis Hamilton's footsteps by winning F3 title

• 1 hour ago
• From the section Formula 1

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Norris posted the second fastest time in his first official F1 test for McLaren at the Hungaroring in August
British teenager Lando Norris has emulated Lewis Hamilton by winning the European Formula Three championship.

Norris, 17 and already a member of McLaren's young driver programme, clinched the title with two races to spare by finishing second in Hockenheim, Germany, on Saturday.

Hamilton, 32, won the F3 title in 2005 and secured his first full-time drive with McLaren two years later.


"It's been a fantastically successful year," said Norris.

"I'm loving my role as a McLaren young driver, spending time in the simulator at the McLaren Technology Centre and attending some Grands Prix with the team.

"Winning this title can only help me become an F1 driver."

In his first official F1 test for McLaren at the Hungaroring in August, Norris set the second fastest time behind Sebastian Vettel's Ferrari.

McLaren racing director Eric Boullier said Norris "impressed us all with his maturity, professionalism and speed".


Tony.

 

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A future F1 star ?

Hope so, would be nice to see him race against Verstappen in F1.
How many years do you think Hamilton has got left in him?

 

[t-tony]

Hope so, would be nice to see him race against Verstappen in F1.
How many years do you think Hamilton has got left in him?

Not too sure mate, maybe it depends if he gets political aspirations. I think as long as he's got a "winning" car he will keep going but, after where he's go to with Mercedes, I can't see him ever going back to being just "one of the guys".

Tony.

 

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Friday, 20 October

Former Mercedes team-mate Jenson Button believes that Lewis Hamilton can match Michael Schumacher's championship record of seven world titles before his career ends.

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel has not given up hopes of winning the championship and said he needed 'to make sure the fat lady shuts up for quite a while.'

Red Bull's Daniil Kvyat has vowed to use this weekend's US Grand Prix as an opportunity to show why he should remain in Formula 1 beyond this season.

Toro Rosso's Brendon Hartley says a bold phone call to Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko helped him get his opportunity at the US Grand Prix.
New Zealander Brendan Hartley will make his grand prix debut at the US Grand Prix as a replacement for Pierre Gasly

Williams reserve driver Paul di Resta is in contention for a seat with the team in 2018, but the Scot is also keeping an eye on Formula E's development.

Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo says his team have made an early start with the design of their car for 2018.

Nico Rosberg, world champion driver in 2016, is not ruling out a future as a motor racing team boss.

 

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Sunday, 22 October

Hass driver Kevin Magnussen and Williams' Lance Stroll have both received grid penalties for impeding Sergio Perez and Romain Grosjean during qualifying in Austin, Texas.

Toro Rosso's Pierre Gasly opted to miss the United States Grand Prix to compete in the Japanese Super Formula title race - which was then cancelled because of a typhoon.

Toro Rosso say that New Zealander Brendon Hartley will "most likely" drive for them at next weekend's Mexican Grand Prix.

Michael Andretti says he still has plans for his team - Andretti Autosport, who race in IndyCar - to compete in Formula 1.

 

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Max Verstappen has apologised for the language he used directly after being penalised at last weekend's United States Grand Prix in a follow up post on social media.
In his post-race interviews, referring to regular FIA steward, Garry Connelly, Verstappen slammed "one idiot steward", and then a "mongol" (in a Dutch interview).

During Thursday's press conference at the Mexican Grand Prix, Verstappen admitted that he "could have used different words".
Though stopped short of a full apology.

"Further to what I said during the FIA press conference, I would once again apologise for the language that I used following the US Grand Prix,"
"My comments were made in the heat of the moment, I know that the words I used were inappropriate and they were not directed at any one person".

"I certainly did not mean to cause any offence and I hope we can move on and enjoy this race weekend."

 

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After his initial outburst, Verstappen offered a more balanced view. "At the end of the day, just be clear about it," he said. "If you say, 'OK, that's fine', we'll do what we like. If you say 'Stay within the white lines', then we'll stay within the white lines. Just be consistent. Don't [let] everyone else run off the track anywhere [they] like, and never give any penalties, then I do it, and give me a penalty." Although his move involved cutting the track, rather than running wide, he made a valid point.

 

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Building a Formula 1 garage
Find out how a Formula 1 garage is built and dismantled at each Grand Prix weekend with Mark Baker, part of the event support operations team at McLaren.

View: https://youtu.be/hM_K3n7vgl4
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McLaren drivers Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne will both be hit with sizeable grid penalties at this weekend's Mexican Grand Prix, after taking on an array of new Honda power unit elements.

Alonso, having hinted at changes, will run a new Internal Combustion Engine (ICE), MGU-H and Turbo Charger at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, resulting in a 20-place drop.

Vandoorne, who also started at the back of the grid in the United States, will use a new ICE, MGU-K, MGU-H, Turbo Charger, Energy Store and Control Electronics, meaning a 35-place drop.

A spokesperson for Honda explained to GPUpdate.net that Mexico City "isn't a strong circuit for us, so it made sense to introduce new parts here for remaining races".

Under current Formula 1 regulations, drivers are permitted to use only four of each of the six elements that make up the power unit before grid penalties are imposed.

The first time a fifth element is used, a 10-place grid penalty will be imposed, with a five-place drop issued the first time a fifth of any of the remaining elements is used.

The first time a sixth element is used, a 10-place grid penalty will be imposed, and so on.

Alonso and Vandoorne will continue at McLaren in 2018, but with Renault power.

 

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Thursday, 2 November

Formula 1 managing director Ross Brawn believes Lewis Hamilton can challenge Michael Schumacher's all-time records of wins and world titles before retiring.

Four-time world champion Hamilton says the threat of Red Bull driver Max Verstappen will make him "raise the game to another level" in 2018.

Lewis Hamilton is confident that he will sign a new contract with Mercedes. The four-time champion's current contract expires at the end of next season.

Murray Walker says that Lewis Hamilton is "the best driver of his generation", but that the accolade for Britain's greatest still goes to Sir Jackie Stewart.

 

[andyglym]

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Thursday, 2 November

Formula 1 managing director Ross Brawn believes Lewis Hamilton can challenge Michael Schumacher's all-time records of wins and world titles before retiring.

Four-time world champion Hamilton says the threat of Red Bull driver Max Verstappen will make him "raise the game to another level" in 2018.

Lewis Hamilton is confident that he will sign a new contract with Mercedes. The four-time champion's current contract expires at the end of next season.

Murray Walker says that Lewis Hamilton is "the best driver of his generation", but that the accolade for Britain's greatest still goes to Sir Jackie Stewart.

Rose coloured specs Murray

 

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Felipe Massa is to retire from Formula 1 at the end of this season.

The Brazilian intended to quit F1 at the end of 2016 but returned to Williams after Valtteri Bottas moved to Mercedes following the retirement of world champion Nico Rosberg.

Massa, who has won 11 grands prix, says this time his decision is final.

The 36-year-old's decision was influenced by the fact he wanted certainty on his future before his home grand prix next weekend.

"I agreed to return this season to help Williams when the call came," he said.

"I have now enjoyed four great years with the team, but my career in Formula 1 will finally come to an end this season."

 

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Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne has said the team could quit Formula 1 if they do not approve of the direction taken by new owners Liberty Media.

The Ferrari chief pinpointed proposals for a new engine design from 2021 as he made the threat in a conference call with investors.

Marchionne said F1 had been "part of our DNA since the day we were born".

But he added: "If we change the sandbox to the point it becomes unrecognisable, I don't want to play any more."

His concerns follow objections from both Mercedes and Renault over plans for a new engine design that were presented jointly on Tuesday by governing body the FIA and the F1 Group, which was bought by Liberty earlier this year.