Max Verstappen Tops Suzuka FP3 Ahead of Norris

Max Verstappen ended the Suzuka Grand Prix FP3 session on top of the table. Verstappen set a 1m3 0.267 second lap leading into qualifying. Behind were the McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Verstappen bested the two in FP3 but the McLarens looked hungry for more. Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Perez finished P4 behind the McLarens. Charles Leclerc rounded out the top 5 for Ferrari.

Oscar Piastri has inked a new contract extension keeping him with McLaren until 2026. Piastri’s original contract had him locked in with the team until the end of 2024. However, McLaren felt they wanted to invest long term. The team wants to be heavily invested in stability. As reported by F1.com, Team Principal Andrea Stella stated, “It’s fantastic to confirm that Oscar has signed a multi-year extension with the team,” said Team Principal Andrea Stella. “Oscar is an asset to McLaren and constantly impresses with his performance, work ethic and attitude, so it was an easy decision for the team to make.“He has already proved pivotal to the team, so it’s brilliant to have his vote of confidence as we push to win championships again in the future. I look forward to seeing him develop with us as we continue this journey together.”

CEO Zach Brown Also Chimed In

“Oscar is already proving what he can do out on track and has been instrumental in the turn around we’ve had so far this season. He’s fit into the team brilliantly and is really valued by the whole McLaren Racing family. I’m excited to see how he continues to grow both on and off track.”

It is a dream for Piastri having finished multiple races in the points and now being solidified with a seat for the next three years. Piastri said: “I am thrilled to be extending my partnership with McLaren for many years. I want to be fighting it out at the front of the grid with this team and I am excited by the vision and foundations that are already being laid to get us there. The welcome that I have received and the relationships that I have built make this feel like home already. The team’s consistent commitment in me has made me feel incredibly valued and the desire from the team for me to be part of its long-term future made this an easy decision.”

Whether Piastri will be a championship contender in the future is still yet to be determined. We definitely believe he deserves a seat on the grid, but time will tell if he can remain consistent. The F1 calendar is seemingly only getting longer and a few results will not be enough to be in championship contention with Max Verstappen and many others racing in the best form of their lives. It is a nice touch for the sport when the younger generation sees success.

Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) held off a feisty Lando Norris (McLaren) to take the wins at the Singapore Grand Prix. The win ends the dominance by Red Bull in 2023 as the first race this year that red bull did not win. 7 time world champion Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) finished third for another podium on the year. Charles Leclerc finished fourth. Championship leader Verstappen had a tough race but was able to salvage a P5 finish to round out the top 5.

Sainz was able to capitalize on his pole position finish in qualifying to secure his first win of the season and Ferraris first win in a very long time. The team has been in a drought in recent times not quite finding the race strategy to get themselves back in podium contention. The race was plagued with safety cars that essentially destroyed any early advantage Sainz had built up in the race after pulling away. However, he stayed focused on the task and brought it home. The win didn’t change the champion standings drastically. Lewis Hamilton secured 1 point for the fastest lap of the race. Verstappen will still inevitably clinch the title soon with Sergio Perez an almost sure second place finisher.

Elsewhere on the Grid

Liam Lawson secured his first points finish for Alpha Tauri. It was his best finish of the season securing P9 ahead of veteran teammate Yuki Tsunoda who did not finish the race. Lawson has come off of the reserve list hitting the ground running and we have to imagine the tension in the red bull camp might worsen if Lawson proves to deliver better results than Tsunoda and Ricciardo.

After his nasty crash in qualifying Lance Stroll did not start the race.

More to follow.

2023 Singapore Grand Prix Results

The Ferraris came to the Singapore Grand Prix with something to prove. For the first time this season Ferrari swept both FP1 and FP2 running the fastest overall between the two sessions. Carlos Sainz led the way for the team. FP2 was a more accurate representation of how qualifying will go because they cars will qualify at around the same time of day. Temperature for qualifying are forecasted to be similar to FP2 as well so the data gathered during the session will definitely influence qualifying strategy.

In uncharacteristic fashion the Red Bulls ran 7th and 8th fastest. We may see them start to dial up the pace in FP3 but if the cars are truly this far behind then Red Bull and Verstappen’s win streak might be in jeopardy this weekend. We anticipate that the cars will be faster in FP3. There did not appear to be any technical or mechanical setbacks for the team on day one in Singapore. Mercedes put both cars in the top 5 flanking a fourth fastest Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin). George Russell was the faster of the two Mercedes drivers; leading Lewis Hamilton.

Liam Lawson Wows

Liam Lawson (Alpha Tauri) continues to impress finishing as the lead Alpha Tauri driver on day one. Lawson finished P12 with Yuki Tsunoda finishing P16. We haven’t caught wind of any intra team rivalries but it cant be good for Tsunoda to have a reserve driver with limited race experience in the car out competing you. We will monitor this story as it develops further into qualifying tomorrow.

Full FP2 Results are Below

This article was not written by Speed Trap Magazine Staff

From Andretti Autosport now Andretti Global…

INDIANAPOLIS (Sept. 5, 2023) – Andretti Autosport, a Championship-winning motorsports organization, today announced a major rebranding initiative that will see the international organization adopt the branding of Andretti Global, the identity previously named as the parent company to the U.S.-based race team.

As a brand that is built on a foundation of racing excellence, the new Andretti Global name will unite all aspects of the organization under a single identity, more closely aligning with the team’s already-established legacy. Andretti Global currently operates in eight motorsports platforms racing across six continents with an appetite to expand its worldwide footprint into other major motorsports series.

Along with the name change, the current Andretti Autosport shield will be replaced with the Andretti Global logo. As each of the 2024 racing seasons get underway, fans can look forward to a new digital experience from the most trusted name in motorsports with the rebrand additionally bringing a new structure to the team’s social media presence.

Andretti Formula E will be the first of the Andretti Global teams to take on the new branding as the reigning Drivers’ World Championship team kicks off Season 10 with testing in October.

MICHAEL ANDRETTI, CHAIRMAN AND CEO, ANDRETTI GLOBAL

“I’m proud of what Andretti Autosport has accomplished over the years, and all the memories that have come with so many special moments. Just as proud as I am of our past, I’m equally excited about our future. As we continue to expand and build a global racing institution, our goal is to be engrained in the culture of our fans, teams and partners. This rebrand is a major milestone in our team’s journey, but we are only getting started. We are determined to achieve success and confident that there are big things in store for Andretti Global.”

DAN TOWRISS, PARTNER, ANDRETTI GLOBAL

“The words Andretti and motorsports are synonymous, and I’m impressed and excited by the worldwide fanbase and reach of the Andretti name. I’m proud to be working with Michael and his team to build that name and legacy into an even stronger brand that reflects our ambitions and values. We are committed to excellence, and I believe our work will benefit our fans and partners around the globe.”

Max Verstappen (Red Bull) continued his dominance at Monza after missing out on pole position in qualifying. The win marked his 10th in a row and 13 wins on the season. The feat means Red Bull still retain the possibility of winning every race this year with 15 currently under their belt in 2023. Sergio Perez sweetened the deal by helping the team secure the 1-2; their 6th of the season. Perez also helped his case for retaining second in the championship after a bad stretch over the summer.

Drama ensued for P3 in the race. The Ferraris fought back and forth trading lock ups into turn one and almost making contact multiple times. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz fought until the end but it was Sainz who won the battle after a late lock up by Leclerc. Fans were on the edge of their seats as the two made contact in the closing minutes of the race. It was a decent finish for the Scuderia at their home race.

Behind the drama Mercedes secured a P5 and P6 finish with George Russell finishing ahead of Lewis Hamilton. Russell had a 5 second penalty for passing off track earlier in the race which wouldn’t have benefitted Hamilton in the final standings anyways. Hamilton finished over 21 seconds behind his teammate. Hamilton also carried a 5 second penalty for causing a crash with Piastri who’s race was ruined by the incident. Piastri had to pit for a new nose which dropped him out of the points finish.

Elsewhere on the Grid

Alex Albon walks away with a great result on the weekend scoring points for Williams. Albon had finished P6 in Q3 and lost one position finishing in P7 in a hard fought race. Albon had the following words, “That was probably my toughest but my most proud race I’ve done,” said Alex after bringing his FW45 home in P7, continuing to say, “I’m very happy. I’m sure Lando didn’t enjoy that one too much, but I did! We went into today knowing it was going to be a tough, long race and we knew tyre deg would be high. I think on paper we went into this weekend expecting to be a little bit quicker than we were and four laps into the race I knew it would be long, but we managed to keep everyone behind.”

Two drivers failed to finish the race. Esteban Ocon (Alpine) retiring late and Yuki Tsunoda (Alpha Tauri) watching the action from the sidelines after a reported engine failure on the formation lap. Alpha Tauri teammate Liam Lawson finished 12th as he continues to show he is hitting the ground running after being called up to replace the injured Danial Ricciardo.

Full Championship Standings are Below

Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) edged out the reigning champion, Max Verstappen by 0.013seconds in today’s qualifying session. On the final lap of qualify Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), Max Verstappen (Red Bull) and Sainz all set fastest laps as they crossed the line. Sainz was the last of the three to cross securing him pole and Ferrari putting both drivers in the top 3 for the start of the race tomorrow. George Russell (Mercedes) secured P4 ahead of Sergio Perez (Red Bull). In surprising fashion Alex Albon (Williams) found the pace with Williams to secure a P6 finish in Q3.

McLaren had a lackluster qualifying session. Even though both cars made it into the top 10. Both Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris will be left wondering what happened after running more towards the front of the pack throughout the weekend practice sessions. The Alpha Tauri pair finished P10 and P11. Liam Lawson just missed the cut off to get into Q3. There were no track incidents during the session.

The session was largely uneventful with all drivers finishing their respective sessions.

Full Qualifying Results are Below

Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) put down a blistering lap to edge out Lando Norris (McLaren) 0.019s to run fastest in FP2. Despite crashing out of the session Sergio Perez retained the his third fastest spot running a 0.185 seconds behind Sainz. One driver who was not as fortunate was Lance Stroll who had to stop his Aston Martin after just 2 laps before any flying laps could be completed. It appeared that Stroll had a mechanical failure related to the fuel delivery system. Red flags flew to clear the car and the session continued 10 minutes later.

Oscar Piastri (McLaren) who has been in great form recently finished in the top 5 making it a double top 5 finish in practice for McLaren. Championship leader Max Verstappen would have to settle for P5. Verstappen complain of on track traffic during FP2. He was wanting to run faster but was reprimanded by his Race Engineer Gianpiero Lambiase to focus on the task at hand.

Full Italian Grand Prix FP2 Results Are Below

Lewis Hamilton has finally decided on his future in Formula One. Hamilton has reportedly signed a contract extension that would see him with Mercedes through the 2025 season. the same can also be said for his teammate George Russell. The contract announcement has come after season long speculation as to whether Hamilton would retire this year or possibly take on an ambassador role with Mercedes. It is now clear that neither of those things are happening and Hamilton will be in F1 for 2 more years.

Hamilton stated: “We dream every day of being the best and we have dedicated the past decade together to achieving that goal. Being at the top does not happen overnight or over a short period of time, it takes commitment, hard work and dedication and it’s been an honor to earn our way into the history books with this incredible team. We have never been hungrier to win. We have learnt from every success but also every setback.

Hamilton continued, “We continue to chase our dreams, we continue to fight no matter the challenge and we will win again. I’m grateful to the team who have supported me both on and off the track. Our story isn’t finished, we are determined to achieve more together and we won’t stop until we do.”

Team Principal Toto Wolff had the Following Words After the Announcement

“Continuing with our current driver line-up was a straightforward decision. We have the strongest pairing on the grid and both drivers are playing a crucial role in the team to move us forward. The strength and stability they provide will be key building blocks for our future success.”

“Our partnership with Lewis is one of the most successful in the sport’s history. It was always a formality that we would continue together – and it’s energising for us all to be confirming that publicly. His qualities as a pure racing driver are illustrated by his remarkable track record; but over our years together, he has grown to become a pillar and leader of our team.

“Those leadership qualities are crucial as we focus on fighting for world championships again. As F1’s biggest global star, he has also played a key role in shaping our commitments to diversity, inclusion and sustainability, that will be foundations for our success in the years ahead.”

Max Verstappen (Red Bull) makes it three Dutch Grand Prix wins in a row after securing yet another win at Zandvoort in mixed weather conditions. The race began in dry conditions but that soon changed by lap 2 as the rain came pouring down. Multiple drivers opted to jump from slicks to intermediate tires which proved to be the dominant strategy. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) was one of the first to pit which ultimately handed him the lead position after the pit stops were completed.

Come lap 11 the track started to dry again triggering multiple drivers to pit again for their second stop to go back on slicks. In a seemingly odd turn of events Logan Sargeant (Williams) lost the rear as the track dried up crashing in turn 7 triggering a safety car. The race remained under a safety car until lap 21.

At the restart Verstappen and Perez pulled away ahead of Fernando Alonso in third place. The three held these positions for about 20 laps. Unfortunately Ferrari was forced to retire Charles Leclerc’s car on Lap 41. The car has suffered floor damage which we severely hindering the car’s performance. Verstappen and Perez continued to hold the top 2 positions in the race.

The Rain Returns and Intesifies

By Lap 60 reports of heavy rain were on the forecast. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) was on soft tires behind teammate George Russell (Mercedes) who was on hard tires. In an effort to make up as much time as possible before the race went wet again Mercedes made a team call to allow Hamilton to pass Russell. The call didn’t have a lasting effect because the rain only held out until the end of lap 60. In anticipation for the coming heavy rain all drivers had entered the pits for intermediate tires except for Esteban Ocon (Alpine). Ocon opted for the full wets. Initially Ocon was skeptical on the call to go on full wets but it ultimately proved to be the best choice as the rain intensified.

Perez suffered from a very poor pit stop but because he was one of the first to pit for intermediates he was able to make up the lost time in the pits to regain P2 while the other drivers were in the pits. Unfortunately, Perez had a spin out at turn 1 which saw him lose track position to Fernando Alonso. The race continued until on lap 64 Zhou Guanyu (Alpha Romeo) crashed triggering a Virtual Safety Car. The rain was very heavy at this point.

Verstappen was able to come in for full wets. Perez came in to follow suit but unfortunately before Perez could exit the pit lane the race was red flagged and Perez ended up losing 3 positions due to the timing of his stop. The strategy call was very questionable as a safety car or red flag was likely given the conditions.

The Race was Red Flagged

The race stewards decided that the race would be restarted. Because Perez was in third at the time of the red flag his decision to pit was no longer detrimental and he was able to reclaim the position on the restart. Conditions started to improve and the teams switched the cars to intermediate tires across the board for the restart.

The race was restarted with a rolling start procedure. The lap went green on lap 66. Verstappen put the pedal down and didn’t look back. By lap 67 Verstappen had already built a 1.3 second lead. Sergio Perez held third place but it was announced that Perez would be handed a 5 second time penalty for speeding in the pit lane. The call came very late but it effectively removed Perez’s chance at a podium.

Russell Suffers a Late Puncture, Perez Penalized

On lap 68 George Russell suffered from a puncture which dropped him to the back of the grid essentially ending his race. In the closing laps Pierre Gasly charged after Perez. Perez was not able to maintain a 5+ second delta and thus would lose the position due to his penalty. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) claimed P3 and Fernando Alonso held on to second place. Perez ultimately settled for P4 after his penalty was applied. Behind, Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) had a last lap scuffle but Sainz was able to hold his ground and keep P5.

Verstappen crossed the finish line for his 9th consecutive victory in 2023. Red Bull continued their streak having won every race this year. Verstappen extended his championship lead to 138 points ahead of teammate Sergio Perez.

Liam Lawson finishes P13 in his first Grand Prix appearance. Lawson finished ahead of teammate Yuki Tsunoda.

Full Dutch Grand Prix Race Results are Below