Norris: Need steps like Ferrari and Aston Martin
Lando Norris emphasizes that McLaren is not as bad this year as the team is sometimes made out to be. For example, they are closer than ever to the Mercedes works team, he reports.
But of course that doesn’t help because Red Bull is so far ahead of everyone else. “Red Bull just exposed everyone,” Norris said. In addition, the midfield is closer together, which makes it even more difficult for McLaren.
In the past, a tenth or two in qualifying would have meant “perhaps losing a position”. Today there are significantly more places. And as a result, as a spectator, you have “a completely different perception”.
At the same time, Norris also concedes: “We didn’t take the step that Ferrari made from 2021 to 2022. And we didn’t take the step that Aston Martin made from last year to this year.”
“And those are the steps that realistically we need to take if we want to be a team that deserves to win championships,” he said.
Ford-Logo bei Red Bull
Another step in Ford’s return to Formula 1 has been taken. A symbolic one at least, because this short video shows that the Ford logo has now been attached to the Red Bull Powertrains building in Milton Keynes.
As is well known, the official return to the premier class will not take place until 2026. From then on, Red Bull will drive with engines that will bear the name “Red Bull Ford”. Until then, Red Bull will still be starting with Honda engines.
Hamilton: Seats too far forward in the car
An exciting statement from the record world champion. “I don’t know if people know that, but we sit closer to the front wheels than any other driver,” reveals Hamilton regarding the Mercedes W14.
With this, the cockpit is further forward than in other cars. And Hamilton doesn’t like that at all. “Our cockpit is too far forward. When you drive, you have the feeling of sitting on the front wheels,” he reports.
And that is “one of the worst feelings” you can have as a driver. “This changes the behavior of the vehicle and the way you perceive the movements,” explains Hamilton.
When asked why Mercedes pushed the cockpit so far forward, Hamilton replies: “If I had known how I would feel regarding it, it would not have happened.”
For the future it will therefore change once more “100 percent”. But now he has to live with this solution.
Glock: Can Perez challenge Verstappen?
So back to the situation at Red Bull. “I do believe that this will be an issue in the next races,” says expert Timo Glock on ‘Sky’ regarding a possible duel between Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.
The Mexican was “on an equal footing” with the world champion in Saudi Arabia and knew that this year he was in a position “to be able to drive this car for the World Championship,” said Glock.
“I can’t imagine him going to Max Verstappen in the next few races […] will support,” he suspects and does not rule out that Red Bull “will have to take action at some point” if things get tough between the two.
“But at the moment I think that both will be let go first,” says Glock, who suspects that Red Bull will only intervene in the duel “in an absolute emergency”.
Fan enthusiasm in Melbourne: GP in Australia one of the F1 highlights
The Melbourne Grand Prix is considered one of the Formula 1 highlights of the season. The Melbourne Walk allows fans to get up close and cheer on their athletes.
Sainz: New Ferrari is partly “unpredictable”
“We analyzed the first two races and came to the conclusion that there is no fundamental problem with the car,” reports Carlos Sainz ahead of the Australian Grand Prix.
“But: The car has a very narrow deployment window and it behaves unpredictably in the race,” admits the Spaniard and explains: “So we have to find a way to calm things down a bit.”
“But the good thing is that we know regarding these deficits. And Ferrari has the staff and the opportunity to react to them. If we all pull together, then the team can turn things around,” said Sainz.
Incidentally, like Leclerc, he is of the opinion that miracles should not be expected in Melbourne. “It won’t work in the short term, but it will in the medium to long term,” he says optimistically.
Perez: Get the same chances from the team
The Mexican made it clear in his media round that Red Bull gave him every chance to fight for the world title this year. “I really think I have the full support of the team, as does Max,” said Perez.
He explains that when he came to Red Bull, the situation was “completely different”: “They only drove two cars because they had to.” In the meantime, however, he “really feels like part of the team,” he clarifies.
“I really feel like I have my place and that I’m respected. And I think that’s a good thing to have as a driver,” said Perez, who also spoke regarding the fastest lap in Saudi Arabia .
“It was a little misunderstanding between my engineer and me. I don’t think there is more to it than that. I think the team did a good job of letting us race once morest each other,” explains Perez.
He has no doubt that this will also be the case in the future.
That’s why Red Bull was so much faster with DRS
Most recently in Saudi Arabia, Red Bull was completely superior to the competition with the DRS open. In one situation, world champion Max Verstappen was a whopping 36 km/h faster than Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes!
In our new video let’s explain the background – and even give the competition a bit of hope for the next races…
36 km/h difference: That’s why Red Bull is so much faster with DRS
At the Formula 1 race in Saudi Arabia in 2023, Mercedes, Ferrari and Co. had no chance once morest Red Bull … More Formula 1 videos
Steiner: Hulkenberg is meeting expectations
“We got exactly what we wanted,” says Haas team boss Günther Steiner following the first two races, satisfied with newcomer Nico Hülkenberg, although he has not yet been able to score any points.
“We got his experience and he’s still fast. He showed that when he made it into Q3 in his first race,” says Steiner, emphasizing: “He works really hard and challenges our guys.”
And that’s exactly what you expected from the German. “So far I have nothing to complain regarding,” said Steiner. Let’s see when it will work with the first Hülkenberg counters since 2020!
Verstappen: Training should stay
We just talked regarding the fact that most drivers might live with less training time. Verstappen also spoke regarding this in his media round with our Dutch colleagues – and expressed a different opinion.
“I’m not a fan of sprint weekends and I’m not a fan of how many races we do these days. I’m also not a fan of changing the whole format,” the world champion clarifies, emphasizing that you have to be “careful” with that.
He also does not accept the argument that there is less training time in the junior classes. “I also find it ridiculous what they are doing in Formula 3 and Formula 2,” he dismisses.
“You pay a lot of money and then only get 45 minutes of training before qualifying. That doesn’t make any sense to me either,” said Verstappen.
Verstappen: There is no trouble with Perez
The statement refers to the fastest lap in Saudi Arabia. The Dutchman Perez snatched it up in the last lap. But he himself makes it clear: “We didn’t talk regarding it anymore following that.”
So internally it wasn’t as big an issue as it was in the media. There was “no misunderstanding,” he emphasizes. With regard to a possible World Cup duel once morest Perez, the world champion answers somewhat evasively.
“The most positive thing is that our car is very competitive from the start of the season. And that’s the only thing I need to become champion,” said Verstappen.
All the best!
Former Formula 1 team boss Eddie Jordan is celebrating his 75th birthday today. Congratulations and we take the opportunity to look back on his legendary team in this series of photos!
Photo gallery: 1991-2005: The colorful history of Jordan
Hamilton: Until the end of his career at Mercedes?
As long as he has not extended his Mercedes contract, which expires at the end of the season, there will probably continue to be speculation regarding Lewis Hamilton’s future. However, he himself emphasizes that he does not see himself in any other racing team in his career.
Mercedes is his “family,” he clarifies and explains: “To be honest, I see myself at Mercedes until my last days.” And he himself has the feeling that he can still help the team.
“If at some point I feel like I’m not able to do it anymore, then it’s time for a youngster to take my place. But I’m still pretty young and in pretty good shape,” said the 38-year-old .
That means: He probably won’t vacate his cockpit voluntarily for the time being!
Zak Brown: Wasn’t satisfied in 2022
Other teams would have improved more than McLaren in 2022. That is why the internal restructuring had been planned for some time. Brown clarifies once once more that it was not a reaction to the weak start in 2023.
“When we made the announcement [in der vergangenen Woche] it had been in the works for some time,” he emphasizes. It was “coincidence” that the announcement coincided with the bad start to the season.
Cheering on the fence is forbidden
Unfortunately not a premature April Fool’s joke: in future, the Formula 1 teams will no longer be allowed to cheer on the pit wall fence at the end of the race. The background is security concerns, which is why cheering is officially prohibited from this weekend.
Race director Niels Wittich made it clear in the “Event Notes” before the race that climbing on fences is prohibited throughout the weekend. This refers to an existing article in the FIA International Sporting Codex.
That means: There is no new rule, the previous one should only be interpreted more strictly in the future. After all: down at the fence you can still cheer. However, climbing is now prohibited.
© Motorsport Images
49 years ago today…
… Carlos Reutemann celebrated his first Formula 1 victory. The Argentine triumphed for Brabham at the 1974 South African Grand Prix ahead of Jean-Pierre Beltoise (BRM) and Mike Hailwood (McLaren-Ford).
In the course of his Formula 1 career, Reutemann would win eleven more races – but never the world title. His best chance came in 1981 when he finished runners-up, just a point behind Nelson Piquet.
More on this in our photo gallery: