Hamilton Admits To Struggling Mentally
The Australian Grand Prix is almost here as Formula One returns this weekend following a thrilling start to the season, but Mercedes have been warned that their early struggles do not have a “quick fix” ahead of the third race of the campaign. Mercedes have suffered problems with the aerodynamics of their W13 car and it has left them trailing Ferrari and Red Bull, with Lewis Hamilton only finishing 10th at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
George Russell is confident that Mercedes can “overtake” Ferrari and Red Bull this season once the team have figured out their issues, but Sky Sports pundit Anthony Davidson believes the team have been left in “no man’s land” following the overhaul of regulations during the off season. “The car isn’t as good as the Red Bull and the Ferrari,” he said. “It hovers in the gray area where you can’t challenge the front but you’re certainly faster than the midfield behind you. I do expect them to make gains… but it will take time, it’s not a quick fix.”
Elsewhere, Red Bull are eyeing improvements of their own following Max Verstappen’s dramatic victory at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, with the defending champion being told he “brought a knife to a gun fight” in his battles with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz over the first two races of the season.
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Ferrari rivalry lacks ‘animosity’ of Mercedes fight, says Christian Horner
Red Bull’s relationship with Ferrari does not carry the same “animosity” as their rivalry with Mercedes, Christian Horner has said, as he reflected on a thrilling opening two races to the F1 season.
Ferrari dominated the opener in Bahrain as Charles Leclerc scooped victory and Red Bull struggled with reliability as both cars failed to finish. But the Red Bull’s hit back at the weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix where Sergio Perez won pole and Max Verstappen won the race itself.
Horner, Red Bull’s team principal, says racing Ferrari is “slightly different” but insists Mercedes, and their drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, will be back soon.
“I’ve got no doubt about that,” he told Sky Sports. “When Mercedes get their problems sorted they’re going to be in there so that’s potentially six drivers who are going to be in contention every weekend. For the fans that’s going to be fantastic.”
Jamie Braidwood6 April 2022 10:00
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Lewis Hamilton admits he has ‘stuggled mentally and emotionally for a long time’
Lewis Hamilton has revealed he is “struggling mentally and emotionally” and said it is a “constant effort to keep going” amid a challenging start to the new Formula One season.
The seven-time F1 world champion, who finished 10th at last Sunday’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, made the admission via a post on his Instagram story on Thursday.
“It has been such a tough year already with everything that is happening around us,” said the 37-year-old. “Hard some days to stay positive.
“I have struggled mentally and emotionally for a long time to keep going is a constant effort but we have to keep fighting. We have so much to do and to achieve.”
Jamie Braidwood6 April 2022 09:45
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Las Vegas Grand Prix’s Saturday 10pm start time is ‘perfect’, insists Formula 1 chief
A Saturday night local-time start for the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix is ’perfect’, insists Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali.
F1 officially announced its return to Sin City for the first time since 1982, in an event which will become the third United States-based race on the calendar from November 2023 onwards.
Cars will speed along Las Vegas’ notorious Strip at speeds of up to 212mph, and the 6.12km track will see drivers roar past landmarks such as the Bellagio Fountains and Caesars Palace for an event expected to attract 170,000 fans.
The inaugural race does not yet have a confirmed a date, but will begin at 10pm on a Saturday night, with Thanksgiving weekend in November considered the most likely slot to be chosen in an effort draw as big an American audience as possible.
That means the start time would be 6am on Sunday for fans in the UK and 7am for other parts of Europe, where Formula’s 1 biggest and most loyal fanbase is located.
Jamie Braidwood6 April 2022 09:30
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Changes which make ‘Charles Leclerc 2.0’ a genuine F1 title contender
Charles Leclerc has become less “emotional” in order to be able to challenge for the Formula 1 title, according to Ferrari ambassador Marc Gene.
The 24-year-old has enjoyed a stellar start to the 2022 season, taking pole position and victory at the opening race in Bahrain in mid-March before finishing second to Max Verstappen at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Both races saw Leclerc tussle for the lead with his Red Bull rival across multiple laps, with the Monegasque using high-quality tactics and tricks around overtaking areas to maximize his chances.
He couldn’t quite defend against Verstappen for long enough in Jeddah last time out, but still enjoys a 20-point lead over the Dutchman in the standings thanks to Red Bull’s double retirement with engine failure at Sakhir.
Former Ferrari test driver Gene believes that Leclerc has altered his mentality in order to become a serious threat to the crown Verstappen won for the first time in 2021.
Jamie Braidwood6 April 2022 09:15
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Max Verstappen ‘escape clause’ in new Red Bull contract revealed
Max Verstappen’s new Red Bull contract does include an exit clause, long-time team advisor Helmut Marko has confirmed.
Verstappen agreed to a new deal with the team ahead of the 2022 Formula 1 season after securing his maiden world title last year.
The Dutchman’s extension runs until the end of the 2028 season and the 24-year-old has said that he feels comfortable with Red Bull – having a degree of loyalty to them after coming through the manufacturer’s driver development program.
But Marko, who oversees the program that brought Verstappen through, has clarified that were Red Bull’s performance to dip, Verstappen’s contract includes a mechanism that would allow him to get out of the long-term deal.
Jamie Braidwood6 April 2022 09:00
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George Russell claims Mercedes will be ‘team to beat’ once they solve issues
George Russell believes that Mercedes can contend in 2022, even if their issues persist until the summer break in the Formula 1 season.
The German team have made a slow start, struggling to match the pace of Red Bull and Ferrari after a design overhaul and facing particular “porpoising” problems.
That has led Russell’s colleague Lewis Hamilton to question whether Mercedes, who have won the last eight Constructors’ Championships, will be able to part of the race for the world title.
Russell, in his first season with the manufacturer after joining from Williams, is more optimistic, and believes there is plenty of time yet to make gains.
Jamie Braidwood6 April 2022 08:45
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Mercedes’ F1 season ‘feels like 2013’, Toto Wolff admits
Mercedes’ slow start to the 2022 Formula 1 season “feels like 2013”, according to team principal Toto Wolff.
The 2013 season was the last time that the German team failed to win the Constructors’ Championship, with the period that followed including seven consecutive Drivers’ Championship crowns for Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton (six) and Nico Rosberg, who claimed his only world title in 2016
Yet the manufacturer appears to have struggled to adjust to off-season changes to aerodynamic regulations, with Hamilton and new colleague George Russell battling for race pace and appearing to be some way off Red Bull and Ferrari.
Jamie Braidwood6 April 2022 08:37
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Mercedes in the dark over Lewis Hamilton’s true pace in 2022 car
Mercedes are unsure what the true pace of their car is and whether they will be able to challenge for victories even after they fix their porpoising issues.
Lewis Hamilton and George Russell managed just one podium finish between them in the first two races of the season – which came in a third place for Hamilton at the opener in Bahrain.
But they are clearly significantly slower than the Ferraris and Red Bulls, an issue that has been put largely down to their porpoising struggles.
However, the team’s trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin insists they may still be playing catch-up once that problem has been resolved.
Jamie Braidwood6 April 2022 08:29
