News
Aston shocker only 1s slower than Ferrari perfection
Polesitter Leclerc was passed by Max Verstappen, with eventual Baku winner Sergio Perez only on the sixth lap of 51, with the Ferrari driver opting not to battle the Red Bulls to protect his Pirelli tyres.
The Monaco native ended up 21 seconds behind Perez but had a 0.8-second lead over Aston Martin driver Alonso, ending the two-time champion’s streak of podium finishes at the start of the year.
Alonso felt Leclerc was “lucky” to have held on, as cloudy weather later in the day meant cooler temperatures to help Leclerc manage his hard tyres, which Ferrari has shown so far this season in terms of tire protection. difficulty.
The Spaniard told Sky: “I think they got lucky. The hard tires degraded less than expected.
“When the safety car came, we switched to the hard tires (as AlphaTauri driver Nyck de Vries was driving on the inside wall of Turn 5). By the end it was 38 laps.
“It held up well and there were some clouds at the end (there), so the track temperature was dropping.
“I think for the medium, there was a huge degradation in Ferrari in the first period.
“In a normal tight game, I think they’re going to struggle a bit more. It was good for them today, but Miami (next game, wet weather) will be different.”
Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari, third, with his trophy
Photography: Zak Mauger / motorsport pictures
Alonso also blamed his former employer’s performance in Azerbaijan, saying Aston Martin had a difficult weekend – due to intermittent DRS failures and a damaged car setup – only slower than Ferrari’s perfect a little bit.
He continued: “The summary of the weekend was that Aston had a tricky weekend in Baku with DRS issues and setups.
“We weren’t that quick in any class and we were still first on the podium.
“Ferrari, they had a perfect weekend: pole in the race, pole in the sprint, super fast car. They’re just number one for Aston, so overall we have to be happy.”
Alonso pointed out the benefits of adjusting the brake bias settings during the race and instructed his race engineer to pass the advice on to teammate Lance Stroll.
Alonso said the gesture reflected the “perfect functioning” of everything inside Aston Martin.
He explained: “The work that everyone does at Aston Martin is phenomenal.
“Between Lance and I, we both know that. We’re doing what we can to help the team.
“If we find something in the car that we didn’t find in the strategy meeting, we try to share it over the radio right away.
“At the moment, everything is working perfectly and that’s probably to our advantage – that’s why we’re second in the constructors’ championship: because we only think about the team.”
Max Verstappen won the Spanish Grand Prix by force. Despite being well ahead of second-placed Lewis Hamilton, the Dutchman struggled to keep his car between the lines. As a result, the Red Bull driver received three track limit warnings.
Hamilton’s current deal with Mercedes expires at the end of the season, fueling traditional speculation that the 38-year-old is rejoining the team that helped him win six of his seven world titles , will still withdraw from the series.
It even sparked wild speculation about a possible move to Ferrari, which was quickly refuted by all parties.
Both Hamilton and Wolff have often said they could hammer out a new deal without too much difficulty, and after Sunday’s Spanish GP, Hamilton gave his firmest hint yet that a renewal was imminent.
Asked in his post-race press conference if a new deal was in the works, Hamilton laughed and said: “Well, I haven’t signed anything yet, but I think we’ll meet Toto tomorrow. So hopefully, We can accomplish some things.”
Hamilton’s words were echoed by Wolff when he was asked by Sky Sports F1 when Hamilton’s new deal would be reached.
“I think we just need to find time to sit down and have a cup of coffee. It will take half an hour,” he said.
Hamilton believes his Mercedes contract situation has had no impact on his performances, but admits it will be easier for him and the team to focus on challenging Red Bull in 2024 once the deal is over.
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG, second, interview with Nico Rosberg after race
Photography: Mark Sutton/ motorsport pictures
“Well, you can see today: my grades, my performances are not affected by that,” Hamilton explained.
“I think it’s always in the back of your mind, so once that’s done, you can focus more on the future.
“But as I said, I’m trying to work as hard as I can with this team. I see so much power in a team and I think they’re still very hungry.
“Today’s podium was truly special; the excitement of seeing all the people I’ve worked with in such a short time.
“When we go back now, there will be energy in the office. But these people don’t take two seconds to enjoy themselves and be happy.
“Then they’ll go back to the books and try to figure out how we can win the next game. That’s what I love about them.”
While Max Verstappen took the lead from start to finish at the Spanish Grand Prix almost as a matter of course, Sunday was more taxing for Sergio Perez. Christian Horner praised the Mexican for his fourth-place finish and hopes he can take the pressure off a bit now.
Verstappen on exceeding track limits: 'Had a bit of trouble with it'
New Mercedes F1 deal could be signed “tomorrow”
Horner sees big gap between Verstappen and Perez: 'Hopefully less pressure now'
Proud Horner after Verstappen victory: 'He dealt with it beautifully'
Aston “didn’t have the pace” in Barcelona F1 race
Q2 off left Perez “unsettled” ahead of final F1 qualifying run
Barcelona F1 qualifying pace a ‘confirming moment’ for Alpine
Charles Leclerc starts from the pit lane
Provisional starting grid Spanish GP | Verstappen lonely at the top
F1 LIVE | The 2023 Spanish Grand Prix
-
News2 months agoSainz Australian GP penalty review had sufficient new evidence
-
News2 months agoFIA dismisses Sainz’s F1 Australian GP penalty review
-
Videos2 months agoPiastri opens up on F1 home race debut in Australia
-
News2 months agoHorner criticises FIA choice: 'Absolutely ludicrous'
-
News2 months agoMinardi: ‘Moving AlphaTauri from Faenza would be very difficult’
-
News2 months agoFull FIA stewards’ verdict on Sainz’s Australian GP penalty
-
News2 months agoCompetition for Verstappen in Baku? 'He is extra motivated now'
-
News2 months agoMcLaren hopeful because of Red Bull: 'This is what gives them big advantage'