Hello, welcome to This Week, it\u2019s been a bit quiet this week but there appears to be one lingering question, now that the more difficult circuits are out the way like Miami, Monaco and Montreal, are Red Bull about to return to dominate the next month and a half? The period I always view as one which is key to a championship can Red Bull fight back, or will Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes close the gap\u2026.<\/p>\n
George Russell scored Mercedes\u2019 first podium position of what has so far been a difficult year last weekend but still left Montreal on Sunday night saying the race “felt like a missed opportunity”. The Englishman believes that there were two things which cost him victory.<\/p>\n
He had cost himself significant time with some potentially decisive errors. The big picture for Mercedes in Montreal, though, was very much a positive one. Russell took his first pole since Hungary last year before withstand pressure from Max Verstappen, was in the fight at the front throughout, and both Verstappen and McLaren\u2019s Lando Norris, who finished second, felt the Mercedes was the quickest car in Canada.<\/p>\n
Russell said after the race, \u201cTwo errors cost me. Maybe the end result might not have been that much different. But it feels great to be disappointed with third. We truly had a really fast car this weekend, and to be back in the mix fighting for victory was really fun.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mercedes I feel were genuinely in the hunt in Montreal, and qualifying proved that with Russell matching Verstappen to a thousandth of a second. They have been piling upgrades onto it since Miami – first new bodywork, then a new floor, and now a new front wing. And in Canada it all came together to create their best performance of the year by far.<\/p>\n
Russell and Hamilton, I think both had the opportunity to win the race in Montreal.<\/p>\n
Charles Leclerc has warned he is expecting that Red Bull will return to full strength next weekend in Barcelona, after a run of tough races. Over the course of the last four races, the world champions have struggled over the kerbs and bumps which has found them more exposed to their rivals.<\/p>\n
This allowed Lando Norris to clinch a maiden win in Miami, while Leclerc took an emotional home victory in Monaco. But ahead of a run of more traditional, high-downforce circuits like Barcelona, the Red Bull Ring and Silverstone, Ferrari driver Leclerc believes Red Bull will be firing on all cylinders again on tracks where the RB20 can fully stretch its legs.<\/p>\n
I believe this is a common feeling going into the next three races as the circuits are smoother and ones which requires high speed and downforce. Leclerc said, \u201cI feel like the strength of Red Bull will be more visible on a track like Barcelona. But let’s wait and see. And behind [Red Bull] I think we’ll all be pretty close.\u201d<\/p>\n
George Russell, who qualified on pole in Montreal and took his first podium of the season says the fact that Max Verstappen still managed to win in Imola and Canada despite his handling issues suggested Red Bull will be a bigger force over the next European stretch of races. Which are more traditional circuits.<\/p>\n
I think as does Leclerc that Ferrari along with McLaren and possibly Mercedes, will be in the mix for best of the rest as well as picking up the odd win should Red Bull slip up, but that will be tough given the close battle.<\/p>\n
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has dismissed theories that the team threw away victory last weekend in Montreal, pointing to Mercedes’s strong pace across the weekend. Lando Norris at one point led the race, after passing eventual race winner Max Verstappen and polesitter George Russell. The team failed to take the opportunity to stop under the first safety car which dropped him behind the Red Bull and Mercedes.<\/p>\n
Norris turned down the option to immediately respond to the first safety car of the race, which dropped him behind the Red Bull and Mercedes. Asked whether there was any reason other than the timing of the first pitstop that contributed to Norris missing out on a second win of the season, Stella replied, \u201cNot later in the race. I think later in the race, things unfolded… Mercedes should have finished ahead of Lando.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo if anything, we maximised what was available after the safety car. Without the safety car, then I think Lando could have accumulated such a large advantage that then we could have tried to make it to the end on the dry tyres.\u201d Stella thinks that if they had a bigger gap, Mercedes could have caught up because they were within a few tenths and faster than them.<\/p>\n
I agree with him that you need a decent advantage to be safe and Montreal is always a race where you need to be prepared for things to change quickly. There are always more variables in Montreal like we saw in the race, with the midrace rain.<\/p>\n
Stella added, \u201cWe knew that it would not have been easy to make it to the rain expected around lap 30 initially, it would have been difficult for the intermediate tyres to survive that long. We started to save the tyres very, very early, even when [it] kind of wasn’t necessary, trying to find the cold patches or wet patches to make sure that the tyres stayed in good condition for when the track would have been more challenging.\u201d<\/p>\n
Aston Martin says despite both cars being in the top eight last weekend is not an indication that it has resolved the balance issues the team has seen the team unable to match the start they had last season. In Montreal the team had a solid race finishing behind Red Bull, Mercedes and McLaren, they will be hoping this is a turn around they need after appearing to slip back at this season.<\/p>\n
But ahead of a return to more traditional European venues like Barcelona, the Red Bull and Silverstone, Aston Martin is not getting ahead of itself on whether or not it has solved the tricky handling characteristics and changing balance of its AMR24, which will be much more exposed on high-downforce circuits with longer and faster corners.<\/p>\n
team principal Mike Krack cautioned, \u201cIt would be premature to say we have understood everything. I think we have a lot of work to do still. But obviously, it was a step in the right direction this weekend. There are different and difficult circuits coming up, so we need to sit down and see what is the best possible package for the races to come because they will be very intense.\u201d<\/p>\n
I think they had a good weekend because of the track specific because of its emphasis on aerodynamic efficiency and performance in slower corners. They are good in a straight line with short fast corners but that won\u2019t help them next weekend in Barcelona which is about long corners.<\/p>\n
Esteban Ocon described team orders at the end of the Canadian Grand Prix as “unexplainable,” insisting he is the “nice guy” in an increasingly tense and difficult situation between driver and team.<\/p>\n
Ocon lost eighth to Daniel Ricciardo with three laps to go after his car started struggling with an energy management issue that meant he could no longer use the full potential of his battery. The following lap, his race engineer, Josh Peckett, to concede ninth place to teammate Pierre Gasly, who was running behind him in tenth position and was capable of lapping faster.<\/p>\n
Asked for his thoughts on the team orders after the race, Ocon said, \u201cIt is unexplainable, that one. I’ve always respected the instructions that I’ve been given as a driver, and I’ve done that once more. I’m the nice guy! I’ve done my part of the job, the team hasn’t, honestly. It is not fair on that race.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ocon says he was frustrated by how things have played out, the controversy in Montreal came just a few days after Alpine and Ocon announced they would not continue together in 2025. You need to wonder with still with over half the season still to go how Alpine are going to manage this given Ocon is leaving, meaning he is driving for his future effectively and needs to sell himself to get a seat next year.<\/p>\n
Alpine say they are prioritising \u201cprofessionalism\u201d in searching for Ocon\u2019s replacement, rather than simply unite two drivers with a good existing relationship. Last week two announced they would part with the Frenchman following his clash with Gasly on the opening lap in Monaco.<\/p>\n
Although Ocon and Gasly have a well-publicised fractious relationship, the two vowed to work together for the good of the team when partnered together at the start of 2023. However, they have both contributed to various flashpoints throughout their 18 months as team-mates, the clash at Monaco being one of them.<\/p>\n
Team principal Bruno Famin is thus working on finding a replacement for Ocon, with \u00a0his priority was not to find two drivers who already get along to avoid the Ocon\/Gasly issues, but instead focus on signing “professional” drivers willing to work together.<\/p>\n
He told Sky Sports, \u201cI think the relationship doesn’t matter. The professionalism matters. We need professional drivers. They need to work together. It’s part of the job to be able to work with his team-mate to get the best for the team.\u201d<\/p>\n
Famin stated that reserve driver Jack Doohan was one of the drivers under consideration at the team; the Australian youngster was given an FP1 drive at Ocon’s expense in Montreal, but the wet conditions hampered his running. While Alpine don\u2019t currently have the car to fight at the upper end of the midfield the team has concluded the collisions between the two haven\u2019t helped.<\/p>\n
Doohan has been undergoing a test programme in older cars, having taken a year out of racing after finishing third in last year’s F2 championship. Sauber duo Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou have also been linked to the team, as has Alpine World Endurance Championship driver and Mercedes F1 reserve Mick Schumacher – although the German is believed to be an outsider for the drive.<\/p>\n
Team principal James Vowles says the team are in the process of signing some \u201cbig names\u201d to the technical team, which he is confident will contribute towards the success of the squad going forwards. Over the last eighteen months, he has been trying to build solid foundations from which he hopes the team can improve from.<\/p>\n
As part of this process, Pat Fry was brought in as Chief Technical Officer in November 2023, arriving at the squad with more than two decades of experience working for the likes of Ferrari, McLaren and Alpine.<\/p>\n
Speaking to F1.com Vowles explained: \u201cVery good. We\u2019re not yet, unfortunately, in a position to announce these, but when we do start to announce who we have signed, they\u2019re going to see big names recognised by a lot of people, across our technical organisation, across our aerodynamic organisation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vowles says this is currently between twenty to thirty people with \u2018huge accolades in the sport\u2019 which he believes will contribute to the success of the team. I think he has always been clear about what he wants to archive with Williams as well as how long it will take, and the other part of that is driver line up.<\/p>\n
Their has been an open secret and one which has caused some surprise, with Carlos Sainz being linked to the team in recent weeks. Vowels told Sky Sports, \u201cThere\u2019s a reason why I left Mercedes to come here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis isn\u2019t the Williams of old, and I think first and foremost the fact that we have Sainz on our list will certainly show you that this isn\u2019t how we\u2019ve performed of late.\u201d I think the big question, on all the drivers who are out of contract is where could the team be in 2026 when the regulations change.<\/p>\n
Valtteri Bottas has insisted the way to turn around Sauber’s fortunes is “not rocket science” after another difficult weekend in Montreal. The team is the only team yet to score this season having gone backwards from where they were last year and at the start of the season.<\/p>\n
In Montreal, Bottas had been running well but then he stopped “one lap too early” to switch to slicks as the track surface dried, eventually finishing thirteenth, ten seconds adrift of Pierre Gasly in the last of the points-paying position.<\/p>\n
Adding to the missed opportunity feeling is the fact both Ferrari\u2019s and Sergio Perez retiring. Bottas said, \u201cWe still have work to do. We need to keep bringing upgrades and make the car faster. It is not rocket science, we just need more bits.\u201d<\/p>\n
On whether an update package was on its way for the Spanish Grand Prix, the Finn replied, \u201cWe have small things but a very high downforce track, a different track to here. I think it is going to be close, as we have seen. The next step is to get back to Q2 and then we can fight a bit better.\u201d<\/p>\n
His teammate Guanyu Zhou also had a tough weekend, two red flag-inducing incidents in practice. His fortunes didn’t turn around in time for qualifying and with a back-row start facing him, he joined Bottas in commencing the race from the pitlane. He agreed he was struggling with all the compounds tyres and were out of the race at the midway point.<\/p>\n
Zhou added \u201cWe have something already planned back at the factory to check everything, make sure we are starting a little bit more from scratch. These two weekends, I feel like something is not clicking right and this weekend, all these mistakes, they never happened before. So we try to understand all of our issues and have some plans for the next race.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Analysis and a round-up of the weeks news stories, looking at what they mean for F1, both on and off track <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":12330,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[2234,664,754,2213,1996],"class_list":["post-13609","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-analysis","tag-2234","tag-f1","tag-formula-one","tag-news-analysis","tag-this-week"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.f1vault.co.uk\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13609","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.f1vault.co.uk\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.f1vault.co.uk\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.f1vault.co.uk\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.f1vault.co.uk\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13609"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/www.f1vault.co.uk\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13609\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13611,"href":"http:\/\/www.f1vault.co.uk\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13609\/revisions\/13611"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.f1vault.co.uk\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12330"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.f1vault.co.uk\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13609"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.f1vault.co.uk\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13609"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.f1vault.co.uk\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13609"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}