Ferrari Comes Through With A Shocker in Italy

Charles Leclerc made his way back to the podium for the Italian Grand Prix after starting from fourth on the grid. The win marked Leclerc’s 2nd win of the season. Despite the Red Bulls and McLaren emerging at the front as the championship race leaders Ferrari has kept their foot in the discussion with finishes like these.

An ecstatic Leclerc stated, What an incredible feeling. The first time I won in Monza in 2019 was so emotional to both me and to our whole team, I didn’t think that winning here could ever feel like that again, but today, it did. Seeing our tifosi celebrating with us is just amazing and I am so glad that we could share this victory for a second time. Monaco and Monza were the two races I have always wanted to win, because they are so special to me.

A huge thank you to every single person in our team who made this happen today. You have done an incredible job to make this dream a reality and we can all be proud to have achieved this together. We had a perfectly executed strategy today and beat our competitors to it, and we will give everything to keep this momentum for the rest of the season, taking any opportunity we have.”

Words from Team Principal Fred Vasseur

What a mega result for the team! This is a real confidence booster for all of us and our tifosi who really made the difference this weekend. It was a very good race in which Charles drove incredibly well and I think we fully deserved this win. After qualifying, we were a bit disappointed, because we knew we had the potential to do very well. From the beginning of the season, I think we are probably in better shape on race pace than in qualifying and it was the case also today. Once again the execution was very good and we were able to turn things around. Last year tire management was our biggest weakness whereas now, I think it’s one of the advantages we have with this car.

It was already the case last week in Zandvoort and now we are quite consistent in terms of race pace to the point that we did think it might be a two stop but then we saw very low degradation in the second stint and we changed our strategy accordingly and Charles had the race under control all the time. It was a risk but sometimes you have to take risks and today it worked. We worked well as a team and we knew that Carlos could help if we did a one-stop with the two cars. He was also helping us with feedback on the tires because it’s important to have two opinions, two different sources of information and we were quite relaxed on this front.

The Red Bulls Are Falling Apart

Despite a healthy points lead in the constructors championship race early this season Red Bull find themselves scratching their heads after seeing McLaren once again take a large chunk of points out of their lead. Team Principal Christian Horner said, :“I think this circuit has exposed deficiencies that we have in the car versus last year, and I think that we have a very clear issue which has been highlighted this weekend and we know we have to get on top of and address [that], otherwise we put ourselves under massive pressure. “I think on other [tracks], running more downforce perhaps hides some of the balance issues that we have, and you can see that we’ve got a disconnection in balance that just isn’t working.

“And as soon as you end up in that situation, you end up [where] you’re harder on tires, you end up compensating the balance around – to cure one problem you create another, so you just end up in a vicious circle. I think it’s been there for some time. I think actually, really going through the data, there [were] issues there at the beginning of the year in the characteristics. I think others have obviously made a step, and as we’ve pushed the package harder it’s exposed the issue.

“So even if you go back in the data, there were a few races last year where [it was there]. I think it’s a characteristic we have to address, and there’s full focus at the factory in Milton Keynes.”

Italian Grand Prix Race Results

In display of continued dominance, McLaren put both cars on the front row today in qualifying at Monza. Taking advantage of the struggle that continue to plague the Red Bulls, Lando Norris was able to secure yet another pole position. Its clear McLaren are the front runners now in Formula 1. No one seems to be able to match their pace despite the mid season break now past. Red Bull hold a 30 point lead in the championship which could look very different after this weekend if they can’t find a way forward on Sunday. The Red Bull’s finish P7 and P8.

After qualifying Norris said, “Another pole, which is amazing. To have the cars first and second when the field has been as tight as it has all weekend, it’s a little bit of a surprise, but a nice one. A big well done to the team as they’ve done an amazing job. “Honestly, my lap… It hurts me to say, it was not a great lap. My Q1 run one was, but run two [there] was a little bit more and we’re still good enough for pole. So, a little bit surprised again, but very, very happy.

Really, the same would be lovely. But like we’ve seen all weekend, it’s so close. There’s a lot of very quick drivers behind in quick cars, so I’m not expecting a very easy race tomorrow. There are a lot of unknown things going into the race with the degradation, the tires, the tarmac. Plenty of question marks and plenty of excitement, I’m sure.”

Full Monza Qualifying Results are Below

Due to Logan Sargeant’s continued struggles on the track the Williams F1 Team has decided to finally pull the plug. Logan Sargeant will be replaced by Franco Colapinto for the remainder of the 2024 F1 season. Colapinto is a young academy driver from the Williams side who ahs shown promise. Franco Colapinto said,

“It is an honor to be making my Formula 1 debut with Williams – this is what dreams are made of. The team has such amazing history and a mission to get back to the front which I can’t wait to be part of. Coming into F1 mid-season will be an enormous learning curve but I am up for the challenge, and I’m fully focused on working as hard as I can with Alex and the team to make it a success.”

Team Principal James Vowles Offer His Words

James Vowles, Team Principal said, “To replace a driver mid-season is not a decision we have taken lightly, but we believe this gives Williams the best chance to compete for points over the remainder of the season. We have just brought a large upgrade to the car and need to maximize every points-scoring opportunity in a remarkably tight midfield battle.

“We also believe in investing in our young drivers in the Williams Racing Driver Academy, and Franco is getting a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate what he is capable of across the final nine rounds of the season. This is undoubtedly incredibly tough on Logan, who has given his all throughout his time with Williams, and we want to thank him for all his hard work and positive attitude. Logan remains a talented driver and we will support him to continue his racing career for the future. I know that Franco has great speed and huge potential, and we look forward to seeing what he can do in Formula 1.”

Verstappen was the front man in the early stages of the race but Lando Norris dominated the day. Norris slowly gained ground as the hard tires started to degrade over time. It was clear that the subtle drop in performance came down to tire management and Norris won the battle. Verstappen was passed on lap 18 but held on to Norris until lap 28 when he pitted for hards. Verstappen came out of the pits in P5. Norris responded one lap later and came out ahead in P4 and would hold that lead for the remainder of the race as the car in front had yet to pit. The strategy to run medium then hards on a one stop strategy didn’t seem to pay off for Verstappen and it came down to 1 lap older tied falling off at the end of the race.

Words from McLaren

McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella said, “We come away from the Dutch Grand Prix with a strong victory and further validation of the progress we are making as a team. On Lando’s side, he completed a dominant weekend with a comfortable victory and fastest lap, in addition to his pole position yesterday, giving further proof to the caliber of driver we know him to be. Oscar also delivered a strong weekend and was unlucky to finish just outside the podium places. He was caught in dirty air for a long period of the race, which limited his forward progress, but still brings home important points for the Constructors’ Championship.

“This weekend’s performance was enhanced by the new upgrades we brought to the track, which have proven to add competitiveness to the car, and my thanks go to the entire team for their work in developing, producing and delivering these upgrades. We will celebrate this victory and quickly turn our attention to next week’s Italian Grand Prix, where we hope to continue with the momentum we have built over the past several races. Thanks again to our entire team, our fans and our partners, and we look forward to racing again in Monza.”

Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix Results

Qualifying in Zandvoort for the Dutch Grand Prix saw McLaren’s Lando Norris dominate the field. The pole setting lap came on the last lap of Q3 where Max Verstappen had set a lap good enough for provisional pole. However, a few seconds later Norris dropped the hammer beating Verstappen’s lap time by nearly 4 tenths of a second. In the recent shift of dominance the McLarens seem to have found pace where the Red Bulls have fallen backward. The battle at the top of the table is heating up as the field returns from the mid season break.

Lando Norris said, “An amazing day,” said pole-sitter Norris. “It’s nice to be back and start with a pole. It was a nice lap, honestly. The qualifying was always pretty smooth and I put in some good laps, especially the one at the end, which is always the most important. A great job by the team and I’m happy with today.

I’m excited for tomorrow. I’m sure it’s going to be tough. Max has been quick all weekend. I know we got him today, but he’s still second and he’s going to be putting up a good fight, specially at his home race. I’m looking forward to it.”

Sergio Perez Fails to Find Pace Again

With every finish that gives ground to McLaren Red Bull will be left scratching their heads on what’s gone wrong as we move into the second half of the season. The early season championship lead has dwindled down to a margin that could swing either way in tomorrow’s race. For the first time in 2024 we could see a new championship lead depending on where the drivers finish.

Alex Albon Disqualified from Qualifying

Alex Albon was disqualified from qualifying after a breach in the technical regulations regarding the floor in hos Williams car. The team did no dispute the finding and thus Albon will start the race at the back of the grid. “The Stewards determine that the result of the measurement conducted with the FIA system in Parc Ferme is the relevant one and the due process prescribed by the regulations has been followed. Therefore the standard penalty for such an infringement is applied.”

Qualifying Results

George Russell put on a display of tire management mastery on his way to what initially was a win in the Belgium grand Prix. However, after the race Russell was stripped of the win due to a technical breach related to the minimum weight of his car after the race.

FIA Releases the Decision to DQ Russell

The official statement reads, “The car was weighed again on the FIA inside and outside scales and the weight was 796.5 kg. The calibration of the outside and inside scales was confirmed and witnessed by the competitor.

As this is 1.5 kg below the minimum weight requested in TR Article 4.1, which also has to be respected at all times during the competition, I am referring this matter to the stewards for their consideration.”

As a result, Hamilton was promoted to P1, while Oscar Piastri moved up to take P2 and Charles Leclerc moves up to P3. After the race the FIA released the following comments from the stewards’ hearing: “During the hearing the team representative confirmed that the measurement is correct and that all required procedures were performed correctly. The team also acknowledged that there were no mitigating circumstances and that it was a genuine error by the team.

The stewards determine that Article 4.1 of the FIA Formula 1 Technical Regulations has been breached and therefore the standard penalty for such an infringement needs to be applied.”

George Russell Responds to the DQ

Geroge Russell Stated, “It is heartbreaking to be disqualified from today’s race. It had been an unbelievable Grand Prix for us to make the one-stop strategy work. In what turned out to be my final stint, the tyres just kept getting better and better. I was nursing them in the early stages and as we went further, I became more and more convinced we could get to the end on them. It was a risk worth taking and it looked like it had paid off.

“Despite the disqualification, I am of course proud to have crossed the line first. It is also good that the team was still able to take the victory with Lewis. He drove a great race and was the fastest car out there on the two-stop strategy. Whilst I’m incredibly disappointed, I know we will bounce back stronger after the summer break, starting in Zandvoort.”

Sergio Perez Moves Backwards Again

After a recent stretch of bad form Sergio Perez found himself in the hotseat coming into the race weekend. Perez found redemption in qualifying but once again failed to capitalize on the opportunity losing 4 position and finishing P7. To make matters worse, the McLarens out scored the Red Bulls yet again further cutting into the lead that Red Bull established early in the season. The rumor mill is filled with speculation as to whether Red Bull will remove Perez due to lack of performance.

“It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster for me recently, as a Team we need to re-group and take some time during the summer break to understand everything and hopefully we hit the ground running for the second half of the season,” Perez said. “I’m looking forward to getting some time with my family over the break and getting back in to a good training routine and just really resetting. There is still a long championship ahead.”

Final Belgium Grand Prix Results

Max Verstappen stormed back to the top of the table after recent shortcomings that have seen McLaren close the gap to Red Bull as the teams fight through the mid season hurdle. Qualifying was plagued with wet weather but as history has shown Verstappen continued to show his masterful pace in the rain. However despite the qualifying success Verstappen was handed a 10 place grid penalty due to using a new combustion unit beyond the 2024 allocation. Charles Leclerc inherited pole having set the second fastest time.

Verstappen said, “That was a nice qualifying,” the reigning world champion commented afterwards. “Luckily the weather was okay – it was raining a little bit but at least we could do a decent qualifying. Everything worked well, every tire set that we were on we could do good lap times.

I was also of course thinking about Q3 not knowing if it was going to dry out, so was trying to keep two new sets for Q3 and luckily we escaped Q1 and Q2 so, yeah, very happy. The car was working quite well in the wet, so I could just do my laps and try to do clean lap times in the wet, which is always quite tricky.

“But tomorrow I know it’s going to be quite a different day. It’s going to be warmer, normally no rain, so it’s all about tire degradation and we just need to make sure we’re good on that…Of course I have to start 10 places back, so this is the best I could do today and then go from there. I don’t know how quick we’re going to be, I hope we can be in the mix to try and move forward.”

Full Belgium Grand Prix Qualifying Results

70 laps decided the fate of McLaren in today’s Formula 1 race for the Hungarian Grand Prix. McLaren found glory after finishing 1-2 in Hungary continuing their recent run of success that is threatening the dominance of Red Bull. Max Verstappen finished behind in P5 after a rough race. Verstappen was 21+ seconds behind the lead after a failed defensive strategy after making contact with Lewis Hamilton leaving the track in third and rejoining where he finished. Verstappen was furious after the race reagrding the outcome of no further action.

He said, “I went for a move that was fully on,” reckoned Verstappen, “but then in the middle of the braking zone, when I’m already committed of course to the move, he suddenly just keeps [moving] right, and if I wouldn’t have turned while braking straight, I would have made contact with him. So I went in the air…you cannot do that when someone’s committed to the inside.

That’s why I locked up, because otherwise we would have collided anyway, because he would have just turned in on me.” Lewis Hamilton inherited 3rd and finished P3 in the race behind the McLarens.

Lewis Hamilton Congratulates McLaren

After the race Lewis Hamilton said, “Firstly, a huge congratulations to McLaren on the one-two and Oscar (Piastri) on his maiden victory. They were incredibly strong today and deserved the result. Oscar has been doing a fantastic job ever since he got into F1, been very consistent, and it was only a matter of time before he got a win.
 
The team has done a great job to continue making progress with our car. We knew we didn’t have the speed of Oscar or Lando (Norris) today, but we were able to secure the final spot on the podium. It was a challenge at times to keep Verstappen behind whilst also making the tires last. Our battle at the end was a little hair-raising but that’s motor racing. I’m really happy to be back on the podium and for another solid points haul. We now head to Spa looking to finish the first half of the season on a high.”

Hungarian Grand Prix Results

Lando Norris has once again beats Max Verstappen to pole position; this time for the Hungarian Grand Prix. The McLarens are beginning to solidify themselves as the top performing car on the grid as the woe at Red Bull continue to see their early season dominance dwindle. The margin to pole was very slim with P1-3 being separated by 0.05s however the real concern for Red Bull is the continued lack of performance from Sergio Perez. Perez crashed out of Q1 and the session was red flagged. He will start P16 in Sunday’s race.

George Russell also had a day to forget after he also failed to make it out of Q1 putting an end to his recent streak of success. Russel was visibly frustrated with the result and said, “We didn’t do a good enough job today. I was unable to put a lap together earlier in Q1 and that had left us vulnerable near the cut-off. After the red flag, we were on track at its most damp and then we didn’t have enough fuel complete a push lap as it was at its most dry. We should have been comfortably through and that is frustrating…We shouldn’t have been in that position though in the first place and that’s on me. We will go through it tonight to understand what happened, what went wrong, and how to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
 
P17 is clearly not where we should be qualifying. We should have a car to battle back into the points tomorrow though. We have shown good speed throughout practice and our long run pace was encouraging. Tomorrow is a new day, and we will see what we can achieve.”

Adrian Newey’s RB17 design was unveiled at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed this weekend. The team released the following trailer after the RB17 was announced:

Formula 1 team principal Christian Horner said, “With 20 years of legacy in the world of F1 to draw from, and as a performance centered organization, it only made sense for us to design our own Hypercar from the ground up. Combining technical innovation, achievement and emotional appeal, the RB17 is a landmark car. I’m very proud of the team and am delighted to see it make its world debut. We expect the RB17 to be a future classic.”

Adrian Newey added: “I had been mulling around the idea to take on the challenge to design our very own hypercar, from concept to delivery, for many years and it has been a magnificent project and journey.

For it to finally be the day we pull the covers off and see the birth of the RB17, is truly remarkable. The RB17 Hypercar embraces everything we stand for: undeniable power, speed and beauty. It is very adaptable in its abilities, and we made sure to design it as a two seater so that the thrill of driving at F1 speeds can be enjoyed with a friend or partner.”