Talented French driver was being groomed for a Mercedes seat but a smoothly proceeding career has been turned on its headThere is a sense going into the Russian Grand Prix this weekend that, for the short term at least, it is the last-chance saloon for Esteban Ocon. The talented young French driver revealed this week he is in talks with Williams for a potential seat in 2019. If he does not secure the drive he will almost certainly be out of Formula One next year. Much as young driver programmes are proving invaluable to making it through the F1 ranks, on a partisan grid they can come back to bite you.Ocon drives for Force India in his second full season...
Ferrari paid the price for a slow stop at the Hungaroring while Red Bull’s Max Verstappen blew a fuse after a power failureHaving made three strategic errors this season, the pressure has been on the Mercedes pit wall. With qualifying crucial in Hungary they were on top of their game in a chaotic wet session. Tyre choice at the right time was key and it was by no means easy. The team handled it well and ensured their drivers were on the right rubber at the right time. After this it was Lewis Hamilton who was once again exceptional. As Mark Webber pointed out, on his pole lap he took the inside line for traction on the penultimate corner. Always...
The Briton had to be at his best to shake off his Ferrari rival and seal fourth title; Force India and Max Verstappen showed mettle; changes needed in 2018Lewis Hamilton produced an exceptional performance to secure his fourth – and what he admitted was his most challenging and most rewarding – title. With competition from Sebastian Vettel in a Ferrari that was at least on a par with the Mercedes and at certain circuits the better car, the British driver had to be at his best and successfully bring together every facet of his craft. Hamilton had to cope with a demanding car, struggling to find set-up and with the pressure of being behind until the 13th round. Major errors...
German’s high-risk style yields benefits; Force India have bout of indecision; Fernando Alonso engine failure brings McLaren divorce from Honda closerThat Sebastian Vettel does not want to lose points to Lewis Hamilton is a given. What was impressive at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve was just how committed he is to the task. Damage to the front wing on lap one was a major setback, coming back to finish fourth a huge recovery and the manner he achieved it a statement of intent. Having chased down and overtaken his team-mate, Kimi Raikkonen, and still looking for a podium place, he saw passing the two Force Indias of Sergio Pérez and Esteban Ocon as paramount. Ocon was first and Vettel’s lunge down...
The new owners of F1 showed their softer side with young Ferrari fan but are as hard-nosed as ever when it comes to the bottom line of the spiralling cost of the British Grand PrixLiberty Media scored a PR coup in working with Ferrari and finding the distraught six-year-old who had been in tears after Kimi Raikkonen’s early exit from the race. Thomas Danel from Amiens in France was brought to the motorhome to meet his hero Raikkonen and there were smiles all round. His mother, Coralie Danel, was hugely impressed:“This has been the most fantastic day for us. We could not believe it when they came to get us and took us to Ferrari,” she said. “This is great...