The first four races of the season have shown Ferrari are on the up and proved Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes have work to doBarcelona beckons as Formula One prepares to begin the European season proper, with the teams having 10 days to reflect on the four opening races and prepare for the upgrades that will be unveiled in Spain. The new regulations have thrown up a tense and gripping, rather than spectacular, prologue and the racing has been better than many feared, while there is an absolutely cracking battle at the front in prospect. Time then, to consider where the leading drivers and their teams stand before returning to the fray at the Circuit de Catalunya.Ferrari’s resurgence has proved the...
Lewis Hamilton may have to open the door for junior partner Valtteri Bottas if Mercedes decide to employ team orders some time soonLewis Hamilton might have thanked his team-mate Valtteri Bottas for being a “gentleman” during the Bahrain Grand Prix, in moving aside to allow the British driver through, but afterwards the look on the Finn’s face betrayed his real feelings. Having been ordered by Mercedes to concede second place to Hamilton, he was clearly not happy about it, yet it is highly unlikely to be the last time the team employ orders and both drivers may have to suck it up. Testing times leave little room for compromise and there is no mistaking that, for the first time since...
McLaren reap the rewards of clever PR but Fernando Alonso punctures the team’s bonhomie; Bernie back in the spotlight; Ferrari have race paceMcLaren’s decision to allow Fernando Alonso to race in the Indy 500 rather than at Monaco was greeted almost universally as a welcome move. Certainly it generated more positive press than the team have enjoyed in a long time. It was clever PR and they followed it by bringing back Jenson Button to replace Alonso in Monte Carlo. Related: Mercedes consider team orders to stop F1 threat of Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel I have never raced with less power in my life Continue reading...
The Mercedes and Ferrari drivers continue their Formula One duel in China on Sunday and Hamilton is relishing the challenge of Vettel having a competitive carIn 2011, Lewis Hamilton took second place at the Korean Grand Prix in what was a remarkable drive in an underperforming McLaren. Sebastian Vettel was the winner but Hamilton, a second a lap slower than the two Red Bulls and suffering from understeer owing to debris stuck in the front wing, held off Mark Webber for 34 laps to secure the place.The McLaren team principal, Martin Whitmarsh, said: “I can’t speak more highly of the drive he did in those circumstances,” and it really was a striking achievement. Hamilton, much to everyone’s surprise, saw it...
Passing at Albert Park is always difficult but Lewis Hamilton reiterated the new rules make overtaking harder; Red Bull lack balance; and Williams are still top stoppers Related: Lewis Hamilton: 2017 rules made battle with Sebastian Vettel ‘harder than ever’ Haas were the surprise package in qualifying Continue reading...