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• F1 – Norris and Piastri give McLaren one-two in second practice for Belgian Grand Prix 

  by jhynes on 2024년 07월 26일

  Sport newsLando Norris beat team-mate Oscar Piastri by two tenths of a second to give McLaren a 1-2 in second practice for the 2024 FIA Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in third place, just 0.002 behind the second McLaren. At the start of the second hour of practice, Verstappen quickly moved to the top of the timesheet, using the C3 Medium tyres to work his way to an early benchmark of 1:43.339. Norris, meanwhile, was in second place, on Soft tyres and two tenths off Verstappen on Softs tyres. As the first quarter of the session elapsed the field headed back to the pits to prepare for qualifying simulations, which were kicked off by Carlos Sainz. The Ferrari driver duly took top spot from Verstappen with a time of 1:43.098, before Piastri moved well ahead of the Spaniard with a lap of 1:42.475. Verstappen then emerged on the C4 Soft rubber but despite again looking quick, the championship leader couldn’t dislodge Piastri from P1 and the Red Bull driver slotted into second, just 0.002s behind the Australian. Charles Leclerc then went almost three tenths of a second quicker than team-mate Sainz to put the Ferrari drivers fourth and fifth, before Norris at last reappeared on a new set of softs. The Briton put in purple times in the final two thirds of his lap to post a time of 1:42.260s that put him 0.215s clear of Piastri.With the Ferraris four and fifth, George Russell took sixth for Mercedes, with Alpine's Esteban Ocon and Haas’ Kevin Magnussen seventh and eighth respectively. Then came Sergio Pérez, with the Mexican 1.244s down on Norris and a full second off team-mate Verstappen. The top 10 order was rounded out by Lewis Hamilton in the second Mercedes. Outside the top 10, Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso were 11th and 12th respectively for Aston Martin, with Valtteri Bottas 13th in an updated Sauber ahead of RB’s Daniel Ricciardo who had to return to the pit lane late in the session due to a suspected loose roll bar. 2024 FIA Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix – Free Practice 2 1 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1:42.260 19 246.5712 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1:42.475 0.215 23 246.0543 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:42.477 0.217 26 246.0494 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:42.837 0.577 23 245.1885 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:43.098 0.838 25 244.5676 George Russell Mercedes 1:43.290 1.030 24 244.1127 Esteban Ocon Alpine/Renault 1:43.401 1.141 23 243.8508 Kevin Magnussen Haas/Ferrari 1:43.485 1.225 21 243.6529 Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:43.504 1.244 24 243.60710 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:43.519 1.259 25 243.57211 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:43.532 1.272 21 243.54212 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:43.538 1.278 24 243.52713 Valtteri Bottas Sauber/Ferrari 1:43.675 1.415 24 243.20614 Daniel Ricciardo RB/Honda RBPT 1:43.823 1.563 21 242.85915 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 1:43.829 1.569 24 242.84516 Nico Hülkenberg Haas/Ferrari 1:43.846 1.586 21 242.80517 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1:43.892 1.632 23 242.69818 Logan Sargeant Williams/Mercedes 1:44.226 1.966 24 241.92019 Zhou Guanyu Sauber/Ferrari 1:44.302 2.042 23 241.74420 Yuki Tsunoda RB/Honda RBPT 1:44.348 2.088 24 241.637 FIA Formula One World ChampionshipF1SEASON 2024SportCircuit1SportFIA Formula One World ChampionshipCircuitSEASON 2024F101Friday, July 26, 2024 - 6:34pmFriday, July 26, 2024 - 6:34pm

• F1 - 2024 Belgian Grand Prix - Friday Press Conference Transcript

  by aterzian on 2024년 07월 26일

  Sport newsTEAM REPRESENTATIVES: Bruno FAMIN (Alpine), Laurent MEKIES (RB), Frédéric VASSEUR  (Ferrari), Alessandro ALUNNI BRAVI (Kick Sauber) Q: Alessandro, can we start with you? Your team was front and centre in the news cycle coming into this Grand Prix. with the news that Matti Binotto is replacing Oliver Hoffman and Andreas Seidl. What can you tell us about why this change has been made?Alessandro ALUNNI BRAVI: First of all, good afternoon to everybody. As you know, I think that as a part of the complete takeover by Audi AG of all the shares in the Sauber Group, there has been a realignment of the control structures, aiming at redefined responsibilities, to have an efficient decision-making process with a clear management structure. In order to reach this goal, there has been also a new leadership team that has been put in place with Mattia Binotto, that has been appointed as a CTO and COO, reporting directly to the Audi AG CEO, Gernot Döllner. So I think that this is a very important, again, proof of the commitment of Audi into the F1 project. Mattia has a proven track record. He has a vast experience, more than 25 years in Formula 1, having led important project, first as an engine a leader of the engine department at Ferrari, then of course overviewing the technical department until his appointment as a team principal in 2019. So I think that is an important decision that give again the sign of the Audi commitment and that should help the team to bring our team up to the F1 speed in terms of decision process, in terms of leadership, and I think it is an important and good move for all our team. Q: Alessandro, you talk about the leadership and the reporting structure. Can you tell us from your point of view, what was it like working with Andreas and Oliver?AAB: First of all, let me say thank you to Andreas and Oliver because, of course, they have helped the team to start the project for the entry into Formula 1. So the first thing is for them, and to thank them about their contribution. I think that as of the Audi takeover, there was a need for a change of speed into the F1 project. We know that there is a lot of work to be done ahead of us, but we know also that it's important that we appoint people that can help us to have a clear management structure. In order to work in a very integrated way between Hinwil and Neuburg, Because, of course, this is the target, you know, to work as a Formula 1 factory team. And this is something that will be even better implemented through the appointment of Mattia. And, of course, it's not for me to comment on the individual, you know, background and the reason why. But I think that we need to not judge what has been done, if not thank Andreas and Oliver, but we need to look at the future. We need to look at the next steps. As I mentioned, there is a lot of work ahead of us. And I think that with Mattia, we can achieve the targets that are both the targets of Audi AG and all the people working in Hinwil and in Neuburg. Q: So looking at the future, are you expecting Mattia to do things differently?AAB: Every person has a different approach. It's not a matter of just the profile, the background, the personality, of course. I know Mattia from many years, thanks to the partnership we had when Fred was our team principal at Sauber and the relationship with Ferrari. I think he's very competent with a very proven background. And I think that he has a vast competence, especially in the technical matters. The message is clear. He will be leading Sauber Motorsport. He will have a full responsibility and accountability for the sporting success of the Audi factory team. I think he has all the characteristics in order to reach this goal and guide our structure towards 2026 and onwards. Q: OK, thank you very much for that. I'm sure there'll be more questions for you on this topic in a moment. Can we come to the other team that was creating a few headlines coming into this weekend, Bruno and Alpine? But before we get into the power unit business and other things, I just did want to ask you about FP1 and Esteban Ocon's problem. What were his issues?Bruno FAMIN: Good afternoon everyone. It was a leak on the cooling circuit of the battery. It was super difficult to access and we had to remove the engine to access that part. Q: Thank you for clarifying that. Let's stick with the power unit because there's been a lot of speculation about what you're going to do in the future. What is going on? What's the latest?BF: The latest is that we have presented a project. In fact, the project is not the power unit. The project is much bigger than that. It's a transformation project at the level of the Alpine brand. You know, the Alpine brand is developing, has a huge, huge project of development, with seven new models in the coming years with high-end technology. Very, very ambitious to build this new sporting brand and to make it known outside of France, everywhere in the world. And then the project which has been presented at the beginning of the week to the staff representative in Viry-Châtillon is to reallocate the resources from one side to another, one side being the development of the Formula 1 power unit, which is being made in Viry, to dedicate those resources and skills to developing new technologies for the brand, for the new product of the brand. And then, one of the consequences of this project, if it's accepted, would be then for Alpine F1 team to buy a power unit instead of developing its own power unit. And then we'll have more resources to develop the brand and a different power unit to race for the Formula 1 team. Q: Okay, a couple of questions on that. Can you tell us who you're speaking to? And does this apply for 2025 or 2026?BF: The project which has been presented to the staff representative in Viry and to different governance bodies, is talking about ‘26 onwards on the power unit, clearly. And of course, we are talking to different PU manufacturers. And for the time being, of course, nothing is done because, again, it's a project. We cannot… We have to follow, you know, in France, unions, we have a social process, very strict to follow. And we have to follow it very strictly. And we cannot take any decision until having reached the end of that process. For that, I mean, we are talking to some PU manufacturers, but we cannot sign anything until this process is over. Q: One final one from me. There's also been speculation in the Formula 1 paddock about your future as the team principal of Alpine. What can you tell us?BF: I read that, yes! You know, for the later year, I've been doubling my activities with one, the VP motorsport role, where I am managing Viry-Châtillon, with all the endurance, Dakar and Formula E projects we are managing there. And on top of that, acting as the managing director of BWT Alpine F1 team. And considering the stakes of the new project I was just mentioning about Viry, I think it will be much more useful for the company to dedicate my time, to concentrate my time to the Viry activities. I  mean all the other motorsport activities and to the transformation project, if it's confirmed, because it will be a huge impact on all the Viry people. Let's not forget that the guys in Viry are making an amazing job. We all know that since 2014, we don't have the best engine in Viry, but it's one of the engines which improved the most since 2014. And now, we're still not exactly at the top, but the improvement has been very good. And the job which is being done in Viry to prepare the 2026 engine is incredible. We fixed a very high target and I am confident that we can reach that target. The figures we have from the dyno are very good. All the people are very involved, very professional, very skilled. And it's a very difficult situation there. And I think all the people, they are worth that we dedicate the necessary time to be with them in this project, which is huge. And that's why I will finish. My answer is a bit long, I know, but the topic is important. And, you know, we have a new executive advisor, since sometimes. I have no problem with Flavio. The little time we spend together, I have absolutely no issue, no problem. Everybody knows him. He has his own way. He has his own goal. I have no problem. But I think it will be clearer on that side if I step down from the team principal role of Alpine F1. And I will dedicate my time… Then I will step down from the team principal role by the end of August and be fully dedicated to the Viry-Châtillon activities from the 1st of September. Q: Bruno, thank you very much for explaining that. I'm sure there will be more questions from the floor in just a moment. If I could just come to the other two members and I'm sure we'll come back to you, Bruno, in a minute. Laurent, just very quickly, one question from me. A lot of speculation about drivers. Are you expecting to have a new driver in your team when we go to Zandvoort after the summer break?Laurent MEKIES: Well, yes, there have been a lot of speculations. But you know what? What we kept saying is, look, guys, we spent the best part of the first part of the season just to get the car better, just to give a better car to Daniel and Yuki. And we have always said there is, from a team perspective, there is no rush. As much as there is excitement out there, there is no rush in choosing the drivers for next year. Now, equally, we are getting to the middle part of the seasons. Yes, it's been very public. I think we've made it very public that we will sit down in the summer break in order to discuss the drivers' futures. It doesn't mean that there is necessarily a change in Zandvoort, but it's only fair that halfway through the season we sit down and we look at what's the best way to move forward. Q: Okay, thank you for that. And Fred, just coming to you, one question for me. Just what have we learnt in FP1? It seemed that the car was better in Hungary. Is that going to translate to the Belgian Grand Prix this weekend?Frédéric VASSEUR: I think it's a bit early stage to do a conclusion now, but more than everywhere else, the engine mode and the level of fuel and so on are crucial in FP1 in Spa. We'll have a better picture perhaps tonight. QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR  Q: (Christian Menath –  Motorsport-magazin.com) Questions for you, Alessandro. What does the reshuffled Audi mean for you? Mattia, as you mentioned, is CTO and COO. You're a team representative. Will there be a team principal as well, or will Mattia take that role? What's the plan for that? AAB: I think that it's clear that Mattia is the leader of the team and of course it will be part of his decision to establish the management team. I don't think that this is relating to a single individual. I think that Mattia will start the 1st of August. He will have time to understand if the current management team and the entire organisational structure is what is necessary to bring up to F1 speed all our group. I think that what I can say is that Mattia has the full support of everybody at Audi, including myself, to have a quick integration and to have a full understanding of what is the current Sauber team and what, in our opinion, could be helpful to do the very next steps. Q: (Filip Cleeren – Motorsport.com) Just to follow up on that, Alessandro. We've often seen car manufacturers come into F1 in the past and almost get too involved in the running of the F1 team itself. So by Mattia coming on board instead of Oliver and Andres, is that sort of a scenario that Audi is trying to avoid? And will Mattia have a wider reign than Andreas to make the changes that he thinks are needed?AAB: I think that we have said that there has been, after the complete takeover of Sauber Group, a realignment of the control structure. Targets are clear to have defined responsibility, to have efficiency in the decision-making process. And I think the fact that Mattia will be the clear, we have a clear leadership, reporting directly to Gernot Döllner, is an important sign of this new process that will, I think, help us to even further accelerate this transformation process. So I would say it is not a new dynamic, but it's a correct dynamic that we need in order to perform all the tasks and also the challenges that are ahead of us. Q: (Scott Mitchell-Malm – The Race) A question to Bruno. You’ve now seen the Viry side of the operation and the Enstone sides up close. Since the Renault works team came back into F1 in 2016 it's just seemed to have failed to effectively integrate both sides to the level enough to be a top team in Formula 1. From what you've seen up close why do you think that is?BF: I think the story of this team is quite complex. Everybody knows it more or less. It's up and downs, stop and go. And I think it's very difficult to try to build something altogether like that. I think during the last year, I think we made quite a lot of good progress, trying to make this advantage, because I think it was an advantage to be able to do both, to make it work. But yeah, I think the reason is very complex and is located in the complex history of the team. But it has nothing to do with the project which has been presented to Viry people. I think it's really, a project in order to give even more chance for the Alpine brand to develop itself, to use the incredible skills we have in Viry. And I have no doubt that if this project is confirmed, Enstone will work well with any other PU manufacturer. Q: (Luke Smith – The Athletic) Bruno, two questions to you. Firstly, could you give a timeline on when you anticipate announcing a new team principal? Have you identified who will be taking over your role? And secondly, with the customer engine deal coming in, again, a timeline for when you think there'll be an announcement there?BF: It's not to me to talk about, to answer that first question, at least. After, I think for the timeline, the timeline is what I said. We need to finish the social process in Viry, and it can take one week, it can take two months. We will need to finish that process and after I think the soonest will be the best for the team, of course, because everybody in Enstone needs to know how to design and with what to design the 2026 car, for sure. Very good people there as well, very constructive co-operation with them and that's for the timeline. Q: (Carlo Platella – FormulaPassion.it) A question for Lauren, Fred and Alessandro. What are your thoughts about the prospect for Formula 1 of losing an engine manufacturer, as Renault Alpine?LM: I think it's always a bad news when you lose an OEM. And of course, from what Bruno is saying, the OEM will stay as a team, but obviously, one of the big targets of these new regulations in 2026 was to attract more OEMs. So ultimately, if it goes as Bruno said, it means that we'll get plus one with Audi and minus one with Alpine. So I don't think it's a good news. However, it comes, luckily, at a time where there is many manufacturers in Formula 1. So I would say that the sport can well afford this change. But it's never a good news when we lose a PU manufacturer.FV: I'm more focused on the people of Renault. I know very well the company that I spent years with them. I started my career in 1992 with Renault and I'm profoundly attached to Renault and I think it's a shame.AAB: I fully agree with Fred, because I think in this moment that is, of course, critical, and I think we can share this feeling with Bruno, people are important and we need to be focused on them. Then for me, what I think is also maybe something to understand, it seems that this is a decision that is not linked, of course, to the new PU regulation or to the trajectory that Formula 1 is taking towards 2026. I think that the PU regulations are very attractive for new manufacturers and of course Audi is the perfect example that thanks to this new regulation there is an interest from the automotive, you know, to be in Formula 1 because it's the pillar of the technology and the best, you know, testing bench for the future mobility technical solutions. So I think that is something different from the decision from Renault. And I think as a Formula 1, we need to be clear on this, you know. Sometimes it can happen. But now, as Fred said, is important the people. And I hope that the project that Bruno is developing will go forward because Bruno himself and the people at Viry-Châtillon that I also know personally deserve. Q: (Jon Noble – Motorsport.com) Bruno, I know the final decision hasn't been made yet about the future of the F1 project, but the direction of travel seems quite clear and where it's heading to. But why does no longer being a manufacturer make sense now when it's been part of Renault for almost 40 years in Formula 1?BF: Because we are at a very specific crossroads where the project for developing the Alpine brand is now very concrete, very clear. We know the resources needed for developing it. And on the other hand, we know that for the 2026 car generation in Formula 1, it's now that the chassis regulations have been published a few weeks ago. It's now that we have to decide, because again, the guy designing the chassis needs to know with which PU they are going to use. It's not why before, it's because now the question at the Alpine brand point of view is how do we use in the best possible way for developing the brand the resources we have. Q: (Henry Clark – Daily Mail) A question for Fred. Lewis will be your driver next season and yesterday he appeared to suggest that Max's behaviour last week over the team radio was not befitting of a world champion. If your driver was speaking like that over the team radio, would you be pulling him aside after the race for a word?FV: I don't see the link with Lewis on this, I'm sorry. I don't know if I have to be politically correct or not, but at the end of the day, we have also to keep in mind that we are the only sport in the world where the guys are speaking on the radio during the effort or the race. I'm not sure that if you put a microphone on a football player, it would be much better. Even on the referee sometimes. It means that we have also to calm down with this. Or we have to switch off the microphone, but I'm not sure that it will be a step forward for the show. But I will discuss with Lewis about it. Q: (Ian Parkes – New York Times) Bruno, you mentioned that French unions are notoriously strict. Presumably that's with regard to protecting the workforce at Viry. They want to ensure that every person there has a safe future, pretty much. But given how slow that they do work in the French unions, is there any danger that there could be a delay in the naming of a new power unit supplier?BF: It's the French labour law, which are a bit strict, to correct, if I was not correct enough the first time. No, I don't expect any delay. The process will take some weeks and it will be quite fast anyway. We are following all the mandatory steps and there is no reason not to make it properly. A very important thing in the project which has been presented: every single employee will be offered a job. There is no redundancy at all. And we are doing everything to make potentially, because again, it's still a project, but if it's confirmed, to make a very difficult moment as less painful as possible. But we know it's never easy, this kind of thing. Q: (Edd Straw – The Race) Another one for Bruno. As you've said, it is an advantage to do the car and engine. You've explained the reasons why with this project you may change the way Viry is doing things for the Alpine brand. Is that not confirmation that Renault and Alpine is no longer prioritising Formula 1 success, because you've sacrificed performance potential? and therefore what's the point of pushing on with the Formula 1 team? and is this a move towards selling?BF: There is a bit of potential in developing the integration, but it's quite theoretical at the end of the story, because now all the PU manufacturers are working very closely, very early in the project with the teams, and all the integration are incredibly optimised. And if we take a Ferrari or Mercedes engine, I'm quite convinced that all the integration, all the packaging will be already very, very good. Then to answer the question, no, the Formula 1 project remains a key project for the Alpine brand. It's thanks to Formula 1 that we want to develop the brand awareness globally. That remains, but the project is just reallocating the resources to develop the brand better always based on the pillar of motorsport and mainly Formula 1 to develop the awareness. Q: (Adam Cooper – Adam Cooper F1) Fred, it's taken about 18 months, but you and Mattia have swapped teams in effect. You know him very well, you know Sauber very well, you know the challenges of running a team in Switzerland. Can you give us your thoughts on him going there with the skill set he has? and maybe Lauren can comment on Mattia’s qualities as well?FV: Honestly, not. I'm focused on my team, on my guys, and I know perfectly the fact that it's difficult to do a Formula 1 team, but not only in Switzerland. I think it's tough everywhere. And Mattia did a very good job at Ferrari in the past, that it was successful, that the team was successful, and I wish them all the best. But it's not up to me to make any comments on the potential of Mattia and Audi.LM: I mean, Alessandro has mentioned it earlier. In terms of skill set, there is no question that Mattia has everything to make it work there and probably anywhere else. So, you know, I guess these guys are going to become an even stronger competitor as a result in the near future.  ENDS FIA Formula One World ChampionshipFormula 1F1SEASON 2024SportCircuit1SportFIA Formula One World ChampionshipCircuitSEASON 2024Formula 1F100Friday, July 26, 2024 - 4:46pmFriday, July 26, 2024 - 4:46pm

• F1 – Verstappen quickest in opening practice at Spa ahead of Piastri and Albon

  by jhynes on 2024년 07월 26일

  Sport newsRed Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen topped the timesheet in the opening practice session for the 2024 FIA Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix, beating McLaren’s Oscar Piastri by over half a second, with Williams’ Alex Albon third.Verstappen, who is set to take a grid penalty for Sunday’s race after electing to take a fifth ICE, beyond the four allowed for the season, was quick out of the box in FP1, with the Dutch driver seizing control of top spot in the early running on Hard and Medium tyres, eventually working his way down to 1:44.524 on the C2 Hard compound Pirelli rubber. Mercedes’ George over three fliers, round which the Dutchman had to produce the very slow cool-down tours Russell and Lewis Hamilton slotted into second and third respectively with Piastri fourth ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. All were running Medium tyres. Russell then emerged on the C4 Softs and he moved ahead of Verstappen with a 1:44.225. Verstappen though was also circling on the red-walled tyres and he powered to a time of 1:43.372 that returned him to a top spot he held on to for the remainder of the session. Piastri then crossed the line to bump Russell back to third down to third, but the Australian only managed to get to 0.531s off Verstappen. Albon then arrived to further drop Russell down the order with the Thai driver again demonstrating Williams’ strength on low downforce circuits with a time of 1:44.099, 0.727 off Verstappen and over a tenth clear of the Mercedes. Fourth placed Russell was followed on the timesheet by Hamilton, with Leclerc in sixth. Under pressure Red Bull driver Sergio Pérez finished the opening session in seventh place, just under a second off his championship-leading team-mate, while Lando Norris finished eighth in the other McLaren. Ninth place went to Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and the top ten order was rounded out by Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll who finished over a tenth clear of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly.There was trouble for Gasly’s team-mate Esteban Ocon, however. The French driver who yesterday announced that he would be driving for Haas in 2025, missed almost the whole session after encountering a problem during his early practice start, with the team investigating a suspected water leak.2024 FIA Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix – Free Practice 1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:43.372 23 243.9192 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1:43.903 0.531 24 242.6723 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1:44.099 0.727 21 242.2154 George Russell Mercedes 1:44.225 0.853 23 241.9225 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:44.279 0.907 21 241.7976 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:44.306 0.934 25 241.7347 Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:44.329 0.957 22 241.6818 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1:44.415 1.043 24 241.4829 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:44.574 1.202 24 241.11510 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:44.699 1.327 20 240.82711 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 1:44.833 1.461 22 240.51912 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:44.921 1.549 19 240.31713 Daniel Ricciardo RB/Honda RBPT 1:44.950 1.578 23 240.25114 Valtteri Bottas Sauber/Ferrari 1:45.155 1.783 21 239.78315 Logan Sargeant Williams/Mercedes 1:45.311 1.939 20 239.42716 Yuki Tsunoda RB/Honda RBPT 1:45.564 2.192 23 238.85417 Nico Hülkenberg Haas/Ferrari 1:45.645 2.273 19 238.67118 Kevin Magnussen Haas/Ferrari 1:45.812 2.440 19 238.29419 Zhou Guanyu Sauber/Ferrari 1:45.995 2.623 23 237.88220 Esteban Ocon Alpine/Renault - 1  FIA Formula One World ChampionshipF1SEASON 2024SportCircuit1SportFIA Formula One World ChampionshipCircuitSEASON 2024F101Friday, July 26, 2024 - 3:43pmFriday, July 26, 2024 - 3:43pm

• WORLD RX: BATTLE OF TECHNOLOGIES RESUMES AT THE RED CAULDRON

  by adezaluski on 2024년 07월 26일

  Sport newsThe FIA World Rallycross Championship’s ‘Battle of Technologies’, which sees fully-electric cars race head-to-head against sustainably-fuelled combustion engined machines, resume at Nyirád’s famous Red Cauldron this weekend in a World RX double header.Johan Kristoffersson began the defence of his world title with victory at the opening rounds at Höljes and will be looking to increase that advantage at the World RX of Hungary in his KMS – HORSE Powertrain-run Volkswagen Polo KMS 601 RX.This will be the Swedish driver’s first appearance at Nyirád – unlike Hansen World RX Team brothers Timmy and Kevin Hansen who have raced there before. They will be eager to put a disappointing opening race meeting behind them and unleash their team’s full race-winning Peugeot 208 RX1e potential.CE Dealer Team by Volvo Construction Equipment duo Klara Andersson and Niclas Grönholm are tied for second place in the points table after claiming a runner-up finish apiece in Sweden. The former was particularly impressive as she came within a whisker of pipping Kristoffersson to victory on the opening day, registering her finest result to-date in World RX. Both drivers tested a FIA RX2e Championship’s ZEROID X1 car at Nyirád earlier this year and will be hoping to translate that recent experience into a successful weekend.Kristoffersson’s team-mate Ole Christian Veiby is right behind the CE Dealer Team pairing in fourth, having battled back from a stall at the start of Sunday’s final in Höljes to stand on the World RX podium for the eighth time in his career – although the Norwegian remains in search of his maiden win.Former Hungarian Rallycross Champion Jankó Wieszt is a new addition to the grid, racing an ex-GCK Renault Mégane RS RX; a car not seen in the World Championship since 2021. The 29-year-old will be aiming to exploit his local knowledge around an old-school circuit that is unique on the calendar, with its Red Cauldron nickname stemming from the distinctive colour of its unsealed surfaces, having been built on the site of a disused bauxite quarry.In addition to the World RX double-header, the event plays host to the second round of the 2024 RX2e, Euro RX1 and Euro RX3 championships, with no fewer than 18 Hungarian drivers entered across the three categories.They’ll be out to impress on home ground, chasing the likes of RX2e, Euro RX1 and Euro RX3 leaders Nils Andersson, Patrick O’Donovan and Nils Volland.Characterised by technical curves and dramatic elevation changes, Nyirád welcomed the FIA European Rallycross Championship from 2006-2013 before rejoining the Euro RX schedule in 2022 following a near decade-long absence. This weekend marks Hungary’s FIA World Rallycross Championship debut.World RXSport1SportWorld RX00Friday, July 26, 2024 - 9:59amFriday, July 26, 2024 - 9:59am

• F1 - 2024 Belgian Grand Prix - Thursday Press Conference Transcript

  by aterzian on 2024년 07월 25일

  Sport newsDRIVERS – Lance STROLL (Aston Martin), Kevin MAGNUSSEN (Haas), Carlos SAINZ (Ferrari), Daniel RICCIARDO (RB), Valtteri BOTTAS (Kick Sauber)Q: It's been a busy news cycle since we were last gathered in Hungary. And Valtteri, can we start with you, please? And the news that Andreas Seidel has been replaced by Mattia Bonotto in the team. What's your reaction, first of all?Valtteri BOTTAS: Yeah, quite sudden news. I believe everything happened pretty quickly, but obviously those high-level decisions, we as drivers and many of the team members don't know really what's going on behind the scenes. But yeah, quite unexpected, but obviously welcoming Mattia to the team. And at the same time, I want to thank Mr Seidl and Mr Hoffman for their contribution to the team. Q: How do you expect this change to affect the day-to-day running of the team?VB: It's a bit of a reset again. It's not a secret that when there's a new leadership, it will always take a bit of time, first of all. Mattia needs to know what are the weaknesses, what are the strengths, what are the priorities for short- and long-term improvements, and that's going to take a bit of time. Again, it's the third time now in three years, within three years, that we've had change at the top, so not a new situation, and the team shouldn't be too affected at this point. I think it's more the stuff for the future, and obviously time will show what will happen. Q: In case Mattia is watching this, put a little bit more flesh on the bone. What do you think are the priorities, both short-term and long-term, for the team?VB: I don't want to go too much into details. Obviously, some things are internal, but we know that compared to, let's say, at the moment, to the big teams, we're still lacking a bit of human power. We could do with more people, but at the same time, the team has been hiring and growing recently quite a bit. There are certain areas that we definitely need to focus on, at the factory but also with the car performance. We're at the moment not where we need to be and that's basically we needed some new upgrades and into the right direction. Q: Just a quick word on the upgrades that you've been running recently and how you think the car will perform here at Spa?VB: It's going to be, even though it's a long lap, I think it's going to be still close where we are. We did make a step in Budapest. Again, it's a very different type of track. So I wouldn't say too detailed predictions, but hopefully we're going to be in the mix and fighting close to top 10 like we did on Saturday in Budapest. Q: Alright. Valtteri, thank you. I'm sure there'll be some more questions for you in a minute. Daniel, let's come to you next. So management changes at Sauber. Are you expecting any driver changes at Red Bull?Daniel RICCIARDO: So predictable, Thomas, so predictable. I don't know. Yeah, honestly, I don't know. But like always, just focus on myself and what I can do. Every race or few races, the narrative changes and that's the sport we're in. Things are happening quickly and you’ve just got to try and, I think in these situations, focus on yourself and get the most out of that and then see where the wind takes me. No changes from the approach. Coming into Budapest, I knew it was going to be two important weekends coming up before the break and obviously hit the break with a bit of momentum. So yeah, that's where my head's at. So try and do well. Q: Daniel, you want to focus on yourself. So let's focus on you.DR: Sounds selfish, doesn't it? Q: Well, it's just a lot of people talk about your results. I'm not sure too many people ask you about how you're feeling about the situation and how you feel you are driving at the moment. Is this the best we've seen from Daniel Ricciardo for a wee while?DR: I mean, I'm definitely happier where I am now than the first few races this season. You know, I think I was... I felt good all season, but it wasn't quite clicking, for lack of a better word, you know, the first few races. And I think then I've been able to get more out of myself, certainly the last few races. And I think it's trending in the right direction. And I think that's obviously important. Of course you want to be awesome every race, but I knew obviously after the first few that I still had to find a little bit, but I'm definitely happier. I'm more comfortable with where I'm at and yeah, just showing those signs of speed that I know I have. And that's obviously… All of us are trying to extract that out of ourselves every weekend and some weekends come easier than others. But I think, yeah, I'm certainly sitting here now, much happier than probably, I don't know, two or three months ago. Q: And in Hungary, it looked like the team had got its Barcelona upgrades working. Was that circuit specific or do you feel you'd actually made a step forward with setup and genuine car performance?DR: I mean, the circuit helped us, because I think we were pretty strong already from Friday. And we hit the ground running, and we didn't really have to chase it. It just came, and that was that. So some circuits certainly help. But it's still so unpredictable. Did we know we would be really strong in Budapest? Not necessarily, but yeah, I think we've a bit more time now, we've understood everything and we, yeah, you just, I guess it helps getting to the weekend with a better understanding of the package and then knowing, okay, we pretty much know the window of what this car likes, the set-up. Okay, it's a big downforce circuit, so let's see what that does, but... We had a bit more confidence, I guess. I feel like I just repeated myself a lot. But yeah, we'll see. I don't know. It's the midfield, the midfield mystery. It's always pretty unpredictable where we are. Q: Alright. Well, best of luck this weekend. Thanks for that. Carlos, let's come to you now. The last time you and Kevin were in a press conference together, Kevin said you were the cork in the bottle. of the driver market. And I did want to start by asking for your thoughts on the news that Mattia Binotto is going to Sauber Audi. You've worked with him before at Ferrari. Does that complicate your decision further?Carlos SAINZ: So predictable, Thomas. I think, first of all, I'm not up to date with everything that is going on at every team but of course I think the arrival of Mattia to any team is positive, mainly because he has the experience of what it takes to build a team that is a top team nowadays, like it is  at Ferrari. And he has that experience from Ferrari that he can bring into Audi. And I'm sure it's a great asset for them. And that's why they hired him. And yeah, of course, I wish him all the best there. Q: The offer from Audi has been on the table for a while. You haven't signed it. Does this open them up as a real opportunity for you again?CS: Not really. I think my future is still being discussed and obviously analysed very carefully. And there's changes to a lot of teams that I'm looking at for next year pretty much every week. So there's changes, evolution on the team market as much as there is on the driver market. And I'm just going to keep giving myself time to take the decision to analyse all these things that keep changing. without giving you too many clues here. Q: Okay, just a quick one on car performance here at Spa. It seemed that the car was performing better in Hungary. Do you think that will translate to this circuit as well?CS: Completely different circuit to Hungary. I think Hungary is somewhere closer to, for example, Barcelona in terms of the downforce and the corner speeds. But yeah, I think now Spa is going back a bit more towards Silverstone kind of track. And last time we were in Silverstone, we struggled as a team. So yeah, encouraged to see the progress in Hungary, or we were a little bit quicker in Hungary, especially in the race. But let's see how we are in Spa and if we can keep trying to get closer to the, I would call them now top two teams, because it's clear that McLaren and Red Bull, when they switch it on, they have three or four tenths advantage over us. Q: OK, best of luck this weekend. Thank you for that. Kevin, let's move to you. You have a pretty efficient car. So are you confident coming to Spa?Kevin MAGNUSSEN: I don't know about confident, but I'm looking forward to this track, given the nature of the car and the strengths that we've had this year. I think this track looks, on paper, pretty good for us. But as Daniel said, the midfield is so tight these days that it's super unpredictable where you're going to be. We've had races where we didn't think we were going to be good, and then we ended up being pretty good. Yeah, I think you can't take anything for granted right now. So just going in with an open mind again and try to do a good weekend. Q: Kevin, when you look back on the opening half of this season, how do you sum it up? Because the car does seem to be good one weekend, not so good the next. Why do you feel it's been so unpredictable from race to race?KM: Well, I think we're still not consistent enough, but from last year, we improved consistency. Last year, especially in qualifying, we were able to be good, but every time on Sunday, we'd just fall to pieces. And I think we've changed that situation so that it's actually almost the opposite now. we look better in the race than we do in qualifying often. And certainly on Sunday, we're a lot more consistent. But again, with the field so tight together, it only takes a small little mishap and you're qualifying far off your optimal position. And that's been a big driver to the inconsistency this year, I think. Q: Kevin, final one from me. 2025: you've made it very clear that you want to stay in Formula 1. There are, of course, still lots of opportunities in Formula 1 next year. But if that doesn't happen for you, where else are you looking? Are we looking at the FIA World Endurance Championship? Are you looking at IndyCar or all of the above?KM: Yeah, all of the above. I think everything is on the table in that case. So, yeah, it's hard to... I'll see what's available out there and make my mind when I get there. Right now, I'm in Formula 1 and there's still a couple of seats open for next year that I'd like to see where all that ends up and then look at things afterwards. Q: Okay, best of luck with that. Thank you. Lance, coming to you now. We were talking about consistency with the Haas and you've scored points in the last two races. So does that point to you finding some consistency with the Aston now?Lance STROLL: Yeah, I mean, I think we improved the car a little bit the last few races for sure. Hungary wasn't our most competitive event. I think we were a bit better in Silverstone. I think we're better on the longer straights. So I'm hoping we can be good this weekend. Q: I was going to say, does that translate to Spa? Are you as confident as you can be coming into a Grand Prix weekend?LS: Yeah, for sure. I'm looking forward to it. It's a great track. It's a place I always enjoy coming back to. And yeah, we've been quick on the straights this year, so hoping we can have a strong weekend. Q: And Lance, both you and Fernando have spoken about unpredictability with the car. What are your goals for the second half of this year? What do you want to see happen in the team?LS: I just think we, you know, we’ve got to keep working on the car, making it better, putting on downforce, you know, working on the balance, just the usual things. So, yeah, just keep chipping away every week. QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR Q: (Nelson Valkenburg – Viaplay) A questions for all. Given Lando's race last week, if you would have been in his position, what would you have done at the end of the race?LS: Difficult one. Q: That means...LS: Difficult one. Q: Kevin?KM: I mean, it depends on the situation, but it would have certainly been tempting to hold on to it. But, you know, it totally depends on where you are with the team and what sort of history there is behind as well, I guess. Q: Carlos, you've got some history with Lando?CS: Not that kind of history, for sure. We were not fighting for easy one-twos at my time in McLaren. A team order is a team order. And I think the team always comes first. It's been that way, the way I've approached my Formula 1 career over these last 19 years. And yeah, a team order, as much as it hurts, and it must have hurt to have let Oscar by, it's a team order. And yeah, analysing the situation, if they give you an undercut for free on your team-mate, most likely than not, you need to let your team-mate by. Because if not, you wouldn't be in front of him if it wasn't for that undercut. DR: Thank you. Daniel?DR: Yeah. I mean, I agree. I think these things come around. I think the advice he was given was also good. Because in the heat of the moment, you don't kind of see it all, so to speak. It's like you see a win in front of you, and that's it. You know, they're talking about the championship and we win as a team and you might need Oscar's help and this and that. And I think that's kind of the perspective sometimes you need, I guess, in the heat of the moment. And yeah, that's a thing. Also, as Carlos said, it's a team game and you do need the team to help you. And there'll be times where, again, it comes around and it'll work in his favour. As much as you don't want to hear it, of course, at times, and yeah, we're all here to win. I think long-term play, it's definitely the smartest one. Q: Valtteri, you've been in this exact situation.VB: I've been there, mate. Yeah, it's...DR: Russia, 2018?VB: There were a few. You know, I think everything's been pretty much mentioned already and agreed that there's certain rules, depends on the team, depends on the situation, but normally it comes back to you. So obviously I would give the place back because I'm an amazing team player. Q: Any regrets?VB: No. In my whole life, no regrets. Q: (Craig Slater – Sky Sports) I just want to pick up on that with the two ex-McLaren drivers, Carlos and Daniel. I mean, if they end up losing the championship by seven points, the driver's championship, won't that be seen as a mistake? And they are facing accusations of not being ruthless enough to win? Is that a kind of naive viewpoint, do you think, based on the way things are?DR: It's hard because I think, you know, if in that case, obviously we're talking about Lando and Oscar here. So in the case of Lando staying in front and then it fractures the relationship, not only with the team, but then with your team-mate and Oscar, you know, there's not three races to go. There is still half a season to go. Yeah, I just think with that and looking ahead at the rest of the season, yeah, there will be times where Lando might need to lean on Oscar. And if you fracture that still with a half a season to go, I think that's where it becomes difficult. So, yeah, look, maybe me as a young kid in Formula 1 would have thought very different about this. But I think with age and a little bit of experience and wisdom, I think this is the way you have to look at it.CS: Yeah, I personally think you guys are being very tough on McLaren. I think if you see where McLaren were a year and a half ago and where they are right now, it's something to admire and something that only them have achieved with the way that they've developed the car, developed the team and put themselves in a position to even be considering fighting for the championship. Whether they will win it or not by seven points, those seven points might be somewhere else, not only in the event of Hungary, might be because they started the season further behind maybe than what they wanted and not in that exact race from Hungary. Personally, I admire a lot Andrea Stella, the way that he's handling the team, the way he's handling every situation, how calm everything looks in McLaren, even if you guys are pushing them to fight for bigger things. But I think they are in the right trend and right now they are the strongest team in Formula 1, so hats off to them. Q: (Rachel Brookes – Sky Sports) This is for all of you, except Daniel, because you've already answered it. So not predictable. I want to hear from you all how you assess your first half of this season and what you're looking to improve on, whether it's you or the car in the second half of the season, please.LS: Yeah, the usual stuff, you know, some good races, some disappointing ones. And yeah, you know, for the second half of the season, just trying to build on the first half, get more competitive as a team, try and score points week in, week out. So just keep pushing to the last race.KM: I think coming into this year we thought we were going to be the last team on the grid and we haven't been. so I think it's been a positive surprise. There's always, when you look back at this stuff,  things you could have done better but I think everyone can say that, so I feel like we've had a good first half of the season. The second half I think with the couple of upgrades we've had this year, they've actually worked. And it's the first time in Haas' history that we brought upgrades to the car that made it faster. So that's a real step forward there already. So hopefully we can keep that going. I don't know. We're on a good trend, I think. So hopefully we can just keep that going.CS: Yeah, I guess on a personal level, it's been a season full of ups and downs, as I think anyone here can say, but some very good ups at the beginning with a competitive car that was allowing me to fight for a lot of podiums, a race win, and I truly enjoyed that. And I wish we can get ourselves back in that position as soon as possible. On the personal side, it hasn't been easy having to deal with, first of all, having to miss a race, but mainly with all the discussions about my future going on in the background. I've said many times it's not ideal for any athlete sitting here right now to perform at the highest level of their life without knowing where you're going to be next year. Yeah, I do believe there's still potential inside me, whether… If I take this out of my head, but given the circumstances, I think I've been performing at a good level with everything that's been going on. And I'm still enjoying myself every weekend and trying to be grateful and appreciative of the position that I'm in and just trying to nail every weekend and go into each race like it's the last and in the meantime having to handle everything behind the scenes about my future.VB: it's been challenging year for us it's. we still haven't scored a single point which wasn't the target going into the season. So we wanted to see an upwards trajectory, what's the word? Yeah, trend in the performance from last year. And it hasn't happened. And we started the season with not that easy car to set up. And even by the pure pace, we were not quite there. We've made some improvement since, but more like baby steps instead of big jumps, unlike some other teams around us. So we definitely have a clear direction. for the second half where we need to improve the car, but that's just now what we need to do. We need to make it faster. And a lot of that obviously comes from nowadays from the wind tunnel and the design office, et cetera. But yeah, about my performance, I've been happy and my job for the remaining of the season remains to extract everything I can off the package every single weekend. That's my job. Q: (Moritz Steidl – Servus TV) Daniel, you've been linked to Red Bull Racing last year as a reserve driver, and you did a lot of marketing stuff. How strong is this bond, and how much of communication flow is still going on? that might help you also to drive for them sooner or later?DR: Yeah, I mean, I still speak with Christian and Helmut on that side still quite a lot. And yeah, I mean, a lot still goes through them, honestly. So that's that. I mean, other parts of the team? Not really, because obviously I'm here and I focus on this stuff here with my team and my engineers and everything. Obviously, last year I was exposed t,… I was inside the driver's meetings, like the post-session debriefs, and asking all the engineers some questions and whatever, but clearly that's not the case now. But yeah, the Christian and Helmut side still, and It's good to see them after a good result. Helmut still is, he’ll let you know when the result's not good, but yeah, I definitely feel happy being back in that and under that kind of microscope, if you will, and in that environment with a little bit of that pressure, it's fun. But yeah, that's probably the best way I can answer it. Q: (Roldan Rodriguez – DAZN Spain) A question to Carlos. Some people miss the old days with the lighter car. Nowadays, the last days, we know that the FIA increased the overall weight of the car by two kilos for the next year. I would like to know, how do you evaluate that?CS: Obviously, two kilos is not a big change. The problem is when you start adding two kilos on top of another two, another two, another two, which I think is where the trend has been in Formula 1 over the last 10 years to keep adding two kilos here, three there, five there, and then the cars have become 800 kilos heavy. In the past, they were around 600. Work is going on, I guess, for ‘26. At the same time, I think this weight has made the cars also safer because there's a lot of impact structure and a lot of work being done on the driver safety, which I'm never going to deny that I want that safety to be as high as possible. But anything that we can do to bring the weight back down, I think every driver here will appreciate it. We hope that the FIA and the teams are taking that into consideration when deciding future rules, not only the ‘26 ones. Q: And Roldan, it's worth mentioning that those two kilos are for driver health in 2025. Alright, any more questions? Q: (Albert Fabrega – ESPN Latam) Following this matter, have you been in difficulties to accomplish the weight target that the team said to you on the last year? So with these two kilos extras, it's going to be easier for you to reach the targets. Anyone?CS: Me personally, no. But I did have to be careful with the amount of muscle you put on and the food that you take. But I've always been on the limit of that weight. But I can imagine being a Nico, an Esteban, or who else is tall?DR: Russell.CS: Russell. I wouldn't be very happy if I was 180 something centimetres. So yeah, I understand it's been done probably for the heavier drivers because they were, or the taller drivers, because they were always struggling a bit more than medium size like me.DR: Yeah, on that as well, it's definitely, they can't help being tall. So it is unfair if they have to kind of dehydrate themselves just to make the weight, so to speak. But even us, if we're not, even reaching that weight it is nice that we have the freedom to yeah be the athletes that we need to be and it's not like ‘oh, we have to watc out, we can't do too much strength training or…’ So, having a little bit of freedom now around our training and uh that's I think that's a big benefit for a lot of us. Q: (Felix Goerner – RTL Television) Carlos, what will be your best option, your wish for next year's cockpit? Is it Red Bull? Is it Audi? What is your favourite one? And to Daniel, very short: in three words, what do you like in Spa, the track? Three words.CS: My best option for next year would be a championship-winning car, which has been my number one priority since these talks about my future have happened. And the likelihood of that, we all know that is small, but that's always been my target. And if that doesn't happen, I'll choose what's best for my near future, for sure. Q: Who's going to win the championship next year?CS: I need to go and check, see what's out there! Q: Daniel, three words.DR: First word, waffles. Second word, Pouhon. And third… Eau Rouge is two, so I have to just...CS: Raidillon.DR: Ah, he helped me. Raidillon. Oui. Q: (Diego Mejia – Fox Sports Mexico) Question to Daniel. You've been working with Max in the past. I think you had a brief chat during the Drivers’ Parade in Hungary. Were you surprised to see him come so publicly against or strong against the team during the race on the radio?DR: So I heard the in-race radio stuff. I didn't hear any TV pen or post-race stuff, so I don't know if that continued. But yeah, I heard, let's say, the little conversations between him and GP. Look, sometimes it's hard to explain why we… Okay, I’ll put myself in this position. Some races I'm super calm and other races I'm agitated and everything frustrates me and annoys me. So sometimes our actions or the way we feel is not always predictable. Yeah, I mean, I don't probably have enough… I mean, the context is, you know… I think there was one where GP said something about bringing the tyres in. Obviously, Max didn't. He just probably pushed straight away. And that's, you know, I would say that's coming from a place of frustration. So something leading up to that has probably made him just be like, I don't care anymore. I'm just going to push and see what happens. So obviously, it's probably built up frustration through the race. But yeah, it happens. I don't know. I don't really know how to answer it. Yeah, going back and forth, having conversations through the race, yeah, it's probably not ideal, but yeah, I guess we've all been there at times where you, you know… For me, the race was frustrating on Sunday. For whatever reason, I chose silence to let that do the talking. And, okay, on the in-lap, then I said a bit more, but in a way I just couldn't be bothered chatting about it through the race because for me, like what was done was done. So any talk I had kind of felt a bit hopeless or helpless. So that was my way of handling my frustration in that race. So it can vary. It's race-to-race dependent, I guess. It's a hot and sometimes very flustered environment in the cockpit. Q: (Graham Harris – Motorsport Monday) Question for Carlos. You've said publicly that you're frustrated by people asking you where you're going and when you're going, and the whole thing was caused by Lewis saying before the beginning of the season that he was leaving. You will obviously take your time in deciding where the right team is, but if you don't get the right offer, is there any chance that you would consider a year out and a sabbatical?CS: Absolutely no, sabbatical is not even in my head. I'm happy in Formula 1, I love Formula 1 and I would rather go down to a midfield team and use my skill, in the peak of my career, to try and help a midfield team to find the right way than taking a year off or being third driver for anyone, you know. I’m competitive and I know I can still bring to a midfield team that side of me.  Q: (Jake Boxall-Legge – Autosport) A question for Valtteri, please. We've spoken a lot about your team's kind of future movements, Andreas and Oliver leaving, Mattia coming in. We put this to your team-mate earlier, and he suggested that perhaps all of the discussion over the future, all of the investment into the future was kind of detracting from the here and now, and this is where the team is having problems. Is that a sentiment you agree with, or is it a little bit reductive from that standpoint?VB: Well, definitely the last year or two, it's not been really stable. We've not being really super stable as a team because there's been lots of people leaving, lots of people joining. Now another change in the leadership. So for sure that doesn't help the here and now moment. And even the previous shake-up, it was made for the future and more like for long term. But with the change again, yeah, I think if we've had the same, let's say, leadership and so on for the last few years and that stability, then maybe there's more time to focus on the issues and solving them. But yeah, this team, to me, it's been pretty clear that all the decisions in the last year or two has been made to be competitive from ‘26. I know it's not ideal in some cases, and like for me, unfortunately, many times fighting towards the back end, but like I said earlier, my job is still to do the very best I can and at the same time push the team and contribute the best I can. That's all I can do at the moment. Q: (Christoffer Linden – Vasabladet) Valtteri, to follow up on that, has it ever felt like it's like two separate teams within the team or is it still a unified team?VB: I wouldn't say that it feels like two separate teams. Obviously, yeah, there has been a change again and now everyone needs to get to know Mattia better. And yeah, looking forward to actually start working with him. But no, it still feels like one team. But yeah, for sure, like I said, it's not been super stable lately. But hopefully from now on, things will be a bit more stable and there's a clear direction. Q: (Luke Smith – The Athletic) Daniel, a question for you. Talking to Christian and Helmut, what impression have you got from them about the possibility of you returning to Red Bull Racing in the near future? And for you and your hunger, when you rejoined the grid about 12 months ago, that was the ultimate target, to get back to that team. How much has it spurred you on that? it now looks like that door might be open for you again?DR: Yeah. I mean, I know that it's… I don't want to say you're as good as your last race, but there is, like, when it comes to these moments, these races are more critical than any other. So as I said, coming into Budapest, and this wasn't anything I'd heard from them, but even just myself, just telling myself, ‘look, these could be two very, very important races in my career and just leave it all out there and do everything I can’. Because look, obviously going up, that's, as I said last year, that's like my goal. I'd love to return, but you know, there's also talks that will I even be here? So it's like, there is so much to kind of fight for. And yeah, I think for that, I just really made a point to every race you prepare. And of course, you do what you can. But I just made a point for these two coming up that, yeah, leave it all out there. And that's that. So yeah. We'll see. Q: (Dan Lawrence – Motorsport Monday) Question for Daniel. You've been back at Team Fienza for about 12 months or so now. Obviously, you were there a long time before that, as Toro Rosso, where it was very much a junior team. But we're now over half a year into the sort of rebrand as Visa Cash App RB, where it's trying to form its own identity, be more than just a junior team. So how have you really seen that develop? And how would you compare the leadership? from Franz Tost to now Peter and Laurent?DR: Yeah, it does feel different, you know, and I think it's easy to kind of rebrand it and say we’ve got a new look and with this and that, but your actions have to follow. And I think, you know, Laurent, Peter, Alan, a lot of guys that have come in have done that, you know. It's not that what was happening in the past with Franz, in that example, wasn't the right thing, but a change sometimes is good. You bring in new ideas. They've all spent time in other teams, organisations. And yeah, it's just a new way of looking at things. And I think that in itself and their intentions and the way they go about it has made people kind of stand up and say, alright, this isn't a junior team anymore. We're making, kind of, big boy decisions and we're taking risks and we're setting targets and high targets and ones that we realistically think that we can attain. So, it's cool. It's cool to see it. I'm probably too, in a way, like honest in myself that if it felt like a junior team still, I wouldn't feel comfortable here. I'm 35 now. So, I think I would feel a bit out of place. And I certainly don't. So I think that's also a good way to probably comprehend it. Q: (Ivo Pakvis – Panorama) Question to Carlos and Daniel. Are you both surprised at the level of success McLaren is currently having? Or were those factors contributing to that success already visible when you were driving there?DR: I mean, I won a race there, so I don't know what you're talking about! I had heaps of success there. Oh, it's hard. Obviously, most of my time there was a bit more of a struggle or a challenge. So, look, did I predict this? I'm not going to say yes, because I don't think I did. So I guess from that point of view, it is a bit of a surprise that in two years, less than two years, they are probably currently the quickest package on the grid. But I also don't look at that like, ‘oh man, like if only I could have had that’. That's the sport, that's how it is. And I think as Carlos said before, you take your hat off to them. Anyone in this sport that's doing well and developing and making such a big step in a short amount of time, you have to compliment that.CS: Yeah, I wouldn't say I would have ever predicted it. I think when I left McLaren four years ago, I did have the feeling the team was going in the right way and it was a very good place to be and I enjoyed my time there. So, when I left, I left with a feeling that it was more maybe a matter of time – it was going to take them two years, four years, six years to be McLaren again, which we all know how much success they've had in history. But I do feel they were the right people at the time to lead that team towards the front of the field again. And yeah, it took three to four years since I left. And especially this last year, I think, is when they've shown the real strength and the big steps, which have come in a very short amount of time, but very, very big. And as Daniel said, hats off to them. Q: (Ian Parkes – New York Times)  Question for you, Valtteri. Speaking with Zhou earlier, he stated that Mattia's arrival offered him a reset with regard to his discussions over his future, bearing in mind he'd been previously having those talks with Oliver and Andreas. Is it the same position for you? And additionally, how much are you still waiting for Carlos to your right to still uncork that bottle?VB: I've got a bottle opener in my back pocket, so... No, joking aside, it is going to reset a bit the talks, because we have previously been in communication with Andreas and Oliver, and now it's Mattia, who just will officially start next week, I believe. So yeah, for sure that will change some things, so we need to… We need to speak. And yeah, I think the big part of the remaining driver market is waiting for Carlos' move. That's no lie. But also not completely relying on that. It's a bit of a complicated situation, but let's see. I'm sure the cork will pop at some point. Q: (Carlos Miguel – Marca) A question for Carlos. It's service information. Can we go on holidays calm and quiet without surprises about your future? Or we can stay with the telephone in the middle of August?CS: Do you honestly think I'm going to answer that question? After all this time, I'm now going to tell you if I'm going to decide tomorrow or in five days or before the summer break? I cannot honestly give you the answer, and I cannot answer that question. It's as simple as that. I don't know. I don't know if it's going to be before or after the summer break. I don't know. ENDS FIA Formula One World ChampionshipFormula 1F1SEASON 2024SportCircuit1SportFIA Formula One World ChampionshipCircuitSEASON 2024Formula 1F100Thursday, July 25, 2024 - 3:58pmThursday, July 25, 2024 - 3:58pm

• RALLY EXPLAINER – MAJOR EXPANSION PUTS 10 GOLD MEDALS UP FOR GRABS

  by adezaluski on 2024년 07월 25일

  Sport newsRallying will play a central role at the FIA Motorsport Games 2024 when the event's third edition is staged in Valencia, Spain, between 23-27 October this year. Rally2, Rally4 and Historic Rally all return to feature expanded categories for 2024, while an exciting new All-Stars category will bring the world’s top rally drivers to compete in Spain.The discipline became part of the Games at its second edition, staged in France during October 2022, when Rally2, Rally4 and Historic Rally were contested on a series of tarmac stages between Marseille and Toulon. The Rally2 class caters for four-wheel-drive machinery, encouraging entrants from national and regional championships up to the premier FIA World Rally Championship. Two-wheel-drive Rally4 machinery is found in the FIA World Rally Championship, the FIA European Rally Championship, as well as national and regional championships. The Historic category combines excitement with nostalgia, as cars from 1970 through 1981 hit the stages. In 2022, the first gold medal in Rally2 went to the host nation, Team France, as the crew of Mathieu Arzeno and Romain Roche prevailed in their Škoda Fabia. Rally4 was won by the Italian-liveried Peugeot 208 pairing of Roberto Daprà and Luca Guglielmetti, while Team Italy also celebrated gold in Historic Rally thanks to Andrea “Zippo” Zivian and Nicola Arena, who brought the iconic Audi Quattro to the event. Following its successful debut the Rally discipline is set for a significant expansion at the third FIA Motorsport Games, where a total 10 gold medals will be up for grabs. Rally2, Rally4 and Historic Rally all remain part of the programme, with each now be split into three distinct categories: one comprising a mixed-surface itinerary, another focussed solely on gravel, and a third contested on tarmac. The 10th category is Rally All-Stars, a brand-new addition to the programme which will compete on a mixed surface and award a single set of medals. Excitingly, this will open the FIA Motorsport Games to top-line FIA World Rally Championship drivers for the very first time. Moreover, the expansion of the Rally discipline will ensure greater medal-winning prospects for a wider group of FIA National Sporting Authorities (ASN). While its popularity is undeniably global, rallying has strong roots in several regions that do not have a tradition of circuit racing. Oftentimes, this is due to terrain or climate, which makes rally competition more accessible. Carlos Sainz, the double FIA World Rally Champion and four-time Dakar Rally winner, believes that this expansion can have a positive impact on the 2024 FIA Motorsport Games. "Rallying can be a little different depending on the country," explained Sainz. "Tarmac, for example, is not the most usual surface on continents like Africa and South America. The FIA Motorsport Games was created to concentrate, during a single weekend, all the motorsport activity worldwide," he continued. "For this, sporting regulations should encourage every country to be present, so I welcome this increase of categories, especially in rallying.” Sainz also believes that the discipline will attract big crowds when the action takes place at Valencia’s Western Mountain and at Circuit Ricardo Tormo, both of which are close to the bustling Mediterranean city. "Rally fans in Spain are very numerous and they will be out in big numbers on the road stages during the event,” said Sainz, who won on home soil in 1992 on his way to a second FIA World Rally title. “The FIA Motorsport Games in Valencia will be a great chance to enjoy the performances of drivers from all over the world competing for their national teams.” FIA Road Sport Director Andrew Wheatley said: "Rallying will once again take centre stage at the FIA Motorsport Games 2024 in Valencia. With the return of Rally2, Rally4, and Historic Rally and the introduction of the thrilling All-Stars category, this year's edition promises to be more exciting than ever. “Female and male competitors from around the globe, representing their national ASN in modern and historic cars, will be joined by the world's top rally drivers to compete in Spain, showcasing the depth, talent and incredible diversity within the rallying community. We are proud to build on the success of the 2022 edition with new features and expanded categories, which reflect our commitment to promoting dynamic competition in rallying."While each Rally category is unique, there are a handful of consistent rules across the discipline. In all cases, the driver must represent their own ASN but can compete alongside a co-driver of a different nationality.In each category except for Rally All-Stars, drivers on the FIA Priority list are not eligible to compete. Rally All-Stars, meanwhile, is reserved for FIA Priority drivers who have won an FIA championship in the past five years, or are contracted to a manufacturer.Each of the three Rally2 categories will be open to Rally 2 Cars, while drivers require the international licence ITC-R. The mixed surface category will comprise 12 stages – six gravel, six tarmac – plus two Super Special Stages and the deciding Medal Stage. The tarmac category will play out over six stages plus a Super Special Stage and the Medal Stage, while the gravel category will consist of six regular stages, one Super Special, and finally the Medal Stage. Rally2 Roll of Honour2022: Mathieu Arzeno & Romain Roche (Team France)Rally4 is open to Rally 4 cars homologated after 1 January 2019, as well as R2 cars homologated before 31 December 2018. Drivers must hold at least the international licence ITD-R. The mixed-surface contest will consist of six gravel stages and six on tarmac, as well as two Super Special Stages and a Medal Stage. Both the Tarmac category and Gravel category will run across six stages plus a Super Special and a Medal Stage. Rally4 Roll of Honour2022: Roberto Daprà & Luca Guglielmetti (Team Italy)Historic Rally is open to a range of machinery homologated between 1970 and 1981. In all cases, cars must hold a valid FIA HTP (Historic Technical Passport) and comply with FIA Appendix K. As for drivers, they require at least the international licence ITD-R. The mixed surface category will comprise 12 stages – six tarmac, six gravel – plus two Super Special Stages and the Medal Stage. The tarmac category will play out over six stages plus a Super Special Stage and the Medal Stage, while the gravel category will consist of six stages, one Super Special, and the Medal Stage. Rally Historic Roll of Honour2022: Andrea “Zippo” Zivian & Nicola Arena (Team Italy)Rally All-Stars marks an exciting new addition for the FIA Motorsport Games. The category will be open to Rally 2 cars, while drivers must hold an International Licence ITC-R and be on the FIA Priority list. This will mean that Rally All-Stars features the world’s leading competitors – including those from the prestigious FIA World Rally Championship. The mixed itinerary consists of six stages on gravel and six on tarmac, as well as two Super Specials and the Medal Stage. The Medal Stage is a three-car battle with each car simultaneously completing a loop of each of the three separate sections of the stage at Circuit Ricardo Tormo. Entries for the 2024 FIA Motorsport Games are now open via the dedicated FIA registration platform. Competitors wishing to represent their country are encouraged to contact their respective National Sporting Authorities, a full list of which can be found by clicking here. FIA Motorsport GamesFIA Motorsport GamesSEASON 2024SportCircuit1SportFIA Motorsport GamesCircuitSEASON 2024FIA Motorsport Games00Thursday, July 25, 2024 - 2:01pmThursday, July 25, 2024 - 2:01pm