Too many “missed opportunities” for Russell

In brief

Too many “missed opportunities” for Russell

Russell thinks too many points-scoring opportunities have passed him by so far this year. “I’d say the first six races were really strong,” he said in response to a question from RaceFans. “The last six races, not so much. I have few ideas why that is.

“Quite a lot of missed opportunities this season for various reasons, some from mistakes of my own, some – like the failure in Australia – cost me a lot of points.”

Although Russell has only had one podium this year, Mercedes have been trying to maximise their points haul and have also begun work on their 2024 car, he added.

“We’re working really hard on the characteristics for next year,” said Russell. “We’re looking a lot at how the previous generations of cars were for Mercedes during the glory years and using that as a bit of inspiration as clearly that was one of the best cars in history. So yeah, that’s given us some some pointers of where we need to try and aim for.”

Montoya: Seven F1 drivers capable of being champion in Red Bull RB19

Seven-times F1 grand prix winner and 1999 CART champion Juan Pablo Montoya believes that Red Bull’s car is so dominant that a significant chunk of this year’s F1 grid would be capable of becoming champion in it.

Red Bull’s drivers are currently one-two in the standings, with Max Verstappen leading Sergio Perez by 125 points. No other drivers have won a race in 2023.

“Right now [Verstappen] is doing a very good job, but he looks just as invincible as when Hamilton was winning everything, that’s the reality,” Montoya said in an interview with Semana. “Max is a very good driver, but so far in the best car. Max’s speed right now is no better than Max’s speed two years ago, it’s probably the same. The car is much bigger.

“If you take Max out of that car, there are about seven or eight drivers who could be world champions in that car. If he were not there, but Checo, Hamilton, Sainz, Leclerc, they would be world champion.”

Rising Brazilian star to debut in Indy Nxt

A new Brazilian driver is the latest addition to the Indy Nxt grid. Kiko Porto, who is just 19, will make his debut with Cape Motorsports in this weekend’s race on Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course. He takes over the car that was driven by Enaam Ahmed in the first half of the season, and raced by Matthew Brabham in Nashville last weekend.

This year Porto has been racing in USF Pro 2000, and is currently second in the standings. His title ambitions there means he is unavailable for the two Indy Nxt rounds which are on clashing dates, but will step back up to IndyCar’s primary feeder series for the Laguna Seca season finale.

Links

Motor racing links of interest:

Power thinks Rowe could be in IndyCar by 2025 (Formula Scout)

‘Reigning IndyCar champion Will Power anticipates his protege Myles Rowe could be on the grid in 2025. Rowe started off karting indoors in an Andretti facility (a franchise from the same family behind the IndyCar team), and after moving to outdoor karting crossed paths with – and seriously impressed – Power. His team boss helped Rowe into racing on IndyCar’s support bill, and he currently leads USFP2000 by a big margin.’

Famous formulas and stand-out flair: Isack Hadjar on his 2023 helmet design (Formula 2)

”It’s mainly my dad who did the design. I was there to say, ‘yeah I like that, no I don’t like this’. My dad is a quantum physicist. That’s why you see the formulas and space on the helmet. I really love it, it has all the famous formulas from scientists, they’re all here.”

Colapinto: My greatest influences (FIA Formula 3)

”I’m a really big fan of sports and a big fan of how to be more efficient and how to perform better. Not only driving but in daily life and how that process can also bring better results. Kristian Blummenfelt is a triathlete and ironman and one of the best in the world. It’s interesting how they’re able to develop the body and are able to every year, find a little bit more to how they can be more efficient with this and that.”

A catch-up with Chadwick (Williams)

‘We recently sat down with Jamie Chadwick to catch up on life in the US and her debut season in Indy Nxt.’

Sympathy for a guy on the wrong side of racing’s cruel streak (Racer)

‘More than one month removed from the frightening brake component failure and repeated barrel rolls he endured at Mid-Ohio, Simon Pagenaud’s plight is a reminder of how the time required to make a full recovery from a bad concussion is hazy at best, and confusing at its worst. The sheer violence of Pagenaud’s crash was astonishing. But more so, what stood out was his ability to climb from the car and walk unaided across the sand trap at turn four without any apparent signs of difficulty.’

McLaughlin ‘pissed off’ at ‘joke’ IndyCar restarts (Speedcafe)

‘Scott McLaughlin believes IndyCar’s restarts are a ‘joke’ which create an ‘amateur-ish looking finish to races’. He finished second in Nashville when he was unable to overhaul Kyle Kirkwood in a three-lap dash to the chequered flag after two late caution periods. McLaughlin expressed his anger at IndyCar’s rules, or lack thereof.’

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Happy birthday!

Happy birthday to Wes!