(Getty Images)
Mercedes have endured a difficult start to the 2022 Formula 1 season having only accumulated 77 points from the first four races leaving them 47 points behind leading team Ferrari. Despite their struggles, Team Principal Toto Wolff is impressed with the “positive” relationship developing between the new driving partnership of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton.
Russell is in his first year as a full-time Mercedes driver and has settled brilliantly. He currently sits fourth in the drivers’ championship and is 21 points ahead of his seven-time world champion teammate, with Nico Rosberg believing that Hamilton “passionately hates losing” to his teammate.
The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was particularly tough for Hamilton who finished outside the top 10 in P13 but Russell managed to fight his way up to P4 and rescue some points for Mercedes after a strenuous weekend. Speaking after the race, Wolff praised the way the two drivers were working together but admitted having regrets that Mercedes haven’t yet given them a car to fight for wins this season.
“I’m very impressed with how [George has] settled in, how professionally and analytically he helps to assess the situation,” he said. “The combination is one of the very few highlights I have at the moment on our journey – how well the two of them work together, with no friction; on the contrary, [they’re] very productive and positive for the team.”
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Lewis Hamilton’s early problems ‘no fault of his own’, Mark Webber claims
Hamilton has only a single podium finish from the first four races of the 2022 Formula 1 season, failing to score a point at Imola and dropping to seventh in the early Drivers’ Championship standings.
However Hamilton has also been criticized for his performances, particularly given the form of George Russell, who joined the team ahead of the 2022 season to partner Hamilton and has finished in the top five at every race so far.
Luke Baker4 May 2022 16:05
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How much do F1 drivers earn? 2022 wages revealed
The 2022 F1 season is back underway after an off-season that brought the biggest overhaul in sporting rules and regulations in recent memory.
After a thrilling 2021 season, the teams were given a blank slate to prepare their cars for this year’s campaign in an attempt to level the playing field and increase overtaking opportunities.
It comes after Max Verstappen defeated Lewis Hamilton in a wild and unpredictable title race that went down to the final lap of the season at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. In a highly controversial season-decider, which ultimately saw race director Michael Masi removed from his post, Verstappen made the crucial pass on the final-lap shootout to win the title after Hamilton had clawed back his lead by winning the previous three races.
Luke Baker4 May 2022 15:52
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Max Verstappen reveals helmet for Miami GP
Max Verstappen has conducted his “helmet reveal” for the upcoming Grand Prix in Miami, with a new-look design in the offing for the Red Bull racer
“A special one for a special weekend! For Miami it’s the first time and I’m really excited to be there,” he said.
“I thought why not add a bit of a ‘Miami Vice’ flavor to it! I think it’s one of my favorite ones, I’m looking forward to use it.”
Verstappen is hoping to close the gap on Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc after the duo have taken two wins apiece from the four races in 2022.
Luke Baker4 May 2022 15:41
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Carlos Sainz ‘hustling’ to get to grips with new Ferrari car
Carlos Sainz has a new two-year deal under his belt at Ferrari and two podium finishes for the season already, but things aren’t all going swimmingly for the Spaniard.
He says there’s still a bit of a struggle to get used to the new car and have it handling to his liking, but he’s working hard to overcome errors.
“I’m glad I look from the outside comfortable. On the inside, it’s not comfortable yet. I’m still not as smooth as I’d like to be, and mistakes like [in qualifying] prove that maybe I’m still not 100% happy with the car and understanding it fully. But I’m hustling out there,” he said.
“I’m trying my best to get it up to my liking, to change my driving – and mistakes are going to come when you’re challenging yourself like that.
“There are no magic weapons. You have to do something from your side as a driver, and I’m having to do techniques and driving that I’m not used to doing in order to be fast with this car.”
Sainz is third in the driver standings on 54 points, behind teammate Charles Leclerc and reigning champion Max Verstappen.
(AFP via Getty Images)
Luke Baker4 May 2022 15:30
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When and where is the next Formula One race?
The Formula One season is in full swing as the drivers prepare for the fifth race of the most extensive calendar in the sport’s history.
So far, Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen have shared two wins apiece, but the Ferrari man still holds a 27-point advantage over the reigning world champion due to the Red Bull man’s two DNFs in Bahrain and Melbourne.
It looks set to be a battle between Ferrari and Red Bull for both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships.
And then there are narratives further down the field involving the likes of Mercedes, McLaren, Alpine, Aston Martin.
Here is everything you need to know:
Luke Baker4 May 2022 15:18
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Miami Grand Prix fact sheet
Formula One have kindly released a little stat pack ahead of the very first Miami Grand Prix, so here are the key numbers they feel you need to know:
- Miami Gardens will be the 11th different F1 venue in the USA – more than any other nation.
- The 5.41km track around the Hard Rock Stadium has 19 corners and three straights – one of which is 1.28km long. There are 3 DRS zones all told.
- A projected top speed of 320km/h (198mp/h) is estimated for this weekend’s drivers.
- 37,000 feet of concrete barriers and 24,000 tonnes of asphalt have been used to put the track together.
(Getty Images)
Luke Baker4 May 2022 15:05
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F1 latest standings
And ahead of the fifth race of the 2022 season in Miami this weekend, it’s worth a check on the state of play for both teams and racers:
Constructor standings
- Ferrari 124 points
- Red Bull 113
- Mercedes 77
- McLaren 46
- Alfa Romeo 25
- alpine 22
- Alpha Tauri 16
- haas 15
- Aston Martin 5
- williams 1
Driver standings
- Leclerc 86 points
- Verstappen 59
- Perez 54
- Russell 49
- Sainz 38
- Norris 35
- Hamilton 28
- Botta’s 24th
- Ocon 20
- Magnussen 15
- Ricciardo 11
- Tsunoda 10
- gasly 6
- hag 4
- Alonso 2
- Zhou, Albon, Stroll 1
- Schumacher, Hulkenberg, Latifi 0
(Getty Images)
Luke Baker4 May 2022 14:53
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Miami GP track challenge
Williams chief Dave Robson has explained how the new track at Miami will represent another real challenge for F1 drivers – especially when it comes to the unique mix of asphalt and how the tires react to it with changing heat and weather conditions.
“Pirelli have provided compounds from the middle of their range, which is the same as in Imola,” explained Robson.
“The weather looks likely to be hot and sunny with a small chance of thundery showers, and with the key sessions taking place in the mid to late afternoon, it could be quite punishing for the cars, tires and drivers.
“A new circuit always presents an exciting challenge to the drivers and engineers.
“Although the drivers will learn the circuit very quickly, the behavior of the tires, the initial aging of the asphalt and the local conditions will ensure that there is a lot for the engineers to optimise throughout the weekend.
“The Miami International Autodrome is a new circuit which features several long straights, two fast corner sequences and one low-speed twisty section. This is all within a 5.4km anti-clockwise layout.
“There will be compromises to be made between the various sections of the track and so the team will have quite a task to find the best overall lap time.”
(Getty Images)
Luke Baker4 May 2022 14:39
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FIA ‘still evaluating’ whether to double number of F1 sprint races in 2023
Plans to double the number of sprint races in Formula One from 2023 are still yet to receive the green light from the sport’s governing body.
There are currently three sprints on the calendar for 2022, the first of which came at last weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola where reigning world champion Max Verstappen claimed victory.
F1 and the teams are keen to extend that number given the popularity of the shorter races, which take place on a Saturday with the finishing order setting the grid for the next day’s grand prix.
But governing body the FIA is still to put its full backing behind plans to host six sprint races from next season onwards, with additional costs reportedly part of the concerns.
Luke Baker4 May 2022 14:25
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F1 mourns the death of pioneer Tony Brooks
Tony Brooks – one of F1’s pioneers, who was a star of the sport in the 1950s – has been mourned today after his death at the age of 90 was announced on Tuesday.
Brooks won six grands prix during his career and only narrowly missed out on lifting the drivers’ championship in 1959, finishing as runner-up to Jack Brabham.
The Brit was the most successful driver of his era after Juan Manuel Fangio, Alberto Ascari and Stirling Moss and is widely regarded as one of the best drivers never to win an F1 title.
Luke Baker4 May 2022 14:13
