In the round-up: Having gone almost two years without a win, Lewis Hamilton says he is still motivated to stay racing in Formula 1.
In brief
Hamilton motivated to win again in 2024
Hamilton, whose latest contract extension will keep him at Mercedes until he is at least 40 years old, told Blick what motivated him to stay in Formula 1. He said he “underestimated my love for this sport” but admitted it has “become a love-hate story.”
“There are days when I’d rather not get into the cockpit,” he said. “The duels with my team mate George [Russell] also give me motivation. You always have to be sharp in those situations.”
He is anxious to discover how competitive the team’s next car will be having failed to win a race in last year’s W13 and, so fair, it successor.
“When you don’t feel the balance in the car, your willingness to take risks decreases,” he said. “I hope that the amount of data we have collected so far this year will have an impact on the new car. That is the hope of the entire Mercedes team in all factories. We all have to always believe in our goals. And never give up.”
“We’ll be coming back [to victory]. We can do it. The next step to the top podium will come. And it will probably be my greatest triumph in my career.”
Perez believes he gets criticised too much
Although Sergio Perez remains the only driver capable of beating Max Verstappen to the F1 title this year, the vast gap between the two has put his performances under scrutiny.
In a car that has been fast enough to win all but one race this season Perez has failed to reach Q3 at seven of the 16 grands prix held so far this year and is 177 points behind Verstappen. But he believes other drivers have faced less criticism for their mistakes.
“We saw it with [George] Russell, in the last race he crashed on the last lap while second and they don’t talk about it. That happens at Red Bull and you have 300 media saying that they have to take you out of your position,” Perez said in a recent event he held with sponsors.
“That’s also how the team environment works and I also feel that the fact I’m Mexican is a big reason why [I get criticised so much].”
Williams junior accidentally reveals 2024 F2 plans
Williams junior driver Franco Colapinto has spent the last two months rallying support in his home country Argentina to get the funding together to step up from Formula 3 to Formula 2 next year.
In a recent television appearance where he was discussing his racing ambitions he revealed that his F2 plan is now in place, although since nothing has been announced officially he was quick to move on from that comment. But now a large fanbase is anticipating an announcement in the coming days.
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Steiner “scratching my head” about temperatures F1 will face in Qatar
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner is wary of the challenge that high temperatures at this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix will set for F1 teams. Despite the event primarily taking place at night, some sessions are expected to see temperatures above 35C.
“In 2021, when we visited the first time, it was a ‘last-minute’ call I’d say,” said Steiner. “We were welcomed very much by everyone in Qatar and it was a good race. I remember the smaller garages but that was because they were built for motorbikes, but the facilities have all been upgraded and they look very good.
“There were some issues with the floor because of the kerbs I remember, but let’s see what has been done. The only thing that has me scratching my head is the temperatures, which are really high, in the forties. We’re racing at night though, so it should be okay.”
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‘Mrs Teo said Singapore has a robust anti-money laundering regime, and it is held in high regard internationally. She cited how Singapore had rendered assistance to British law enforcement agencies for the case involving former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone.’
Prema Racing announces drivers for post-season FIA F3 test (Prema)
‘Also coming from the Prema family, Red Bull Junior driver Arvid Lindblad will be dipping his toe into Formula 3 competition before going back to F4 for the final part of the season.’
ART Grand Prix: A return to the top and first F2 title within touching distance (Formula 2)
‘What a start it was to 2023. Back-to-back pole positions in the opening two rounds by seven tenths of a second sent a big message to their rivals, though the French outfit could only combine for five podiums in eight races to kick off the campaign. While that sounds like a solid start, it’s the measure of ART’s expectations for this year that it was a torrid stint compared to what the team should have been capable of.’
The FIA put F1 ideas in F2’s new car, but made it closer to lower series too (Formula Scout)
‘Although Dallara’s name will adorn the next F2 chassis, the car is firmly instilled in FIA ideas from a design brief using learnings from F1’s current technical regulations yet also bringing it closer to lower categories. The FIA’s technical team explain how.’
Lawson, portrait of a ripe kiwi (Autohebdo – French)
‘The New Zealander has fully seized his chance in F1 and burst into limelight during his period as a stand-in. Author of the best performance of the year at the wheel of an AlphaTauri, the Kiwi has confirmed his unique adaptation abilities seen in the past.’
From whipping boy to class leader (AMuS – German)
‘Honda entered the hybrid era in 2015 a year late. And took a lot of beating with McLaren. Since switching to Red Bull, Honda has become the class leader. In Suzuka, the Japanese manufacturer revealed how the turnaround was achieved.’
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