Fantastic result for Lando, loved that Alonso walked a fair way to congratulate him, and how pleased all the other drivers seemed to be for him (not his team mate though I note!).
Said it after he won F4 UAE, but Freddie Slater really is going to be the next one to come through from these shores - Only Round One of the Italian F4 Championship, but he's not even had to fight for position yet, hardest job he's had is getting off the line, and a few Safety Car restarts which he's nailed every time
It'll be interesting to see how he does when he steps into F3 and F2 and starts racing against other highly rated prospects in their second years etc.
Will be interesting to see how long it is until he's academy signed , I know the financial side of things aren't an issue for Freddie but I'd expect F1 teams to be eyeing him up.
Another karting rival of my son Jacob. They are all coming through. Next one to keep an eye on in two or three years will be Kenzo Craigie. In Mercs books now.
Adrian Slater, Freddies old man, owns Bayliss and Harding. A cosmetics company.
He basically gave up school a few years ago to just be out racing every weekend. But you still need talent.
His younger brother races Ginettas ( the first rung on the car ladder) against a driver my business sponsors - Henry Joslyn. Henry is also balls out quick as well - but proves you need talent and money as Alfie Slater is nowhere.
I watched an interview with Ollie Bearman over the winter, who was saying his brother Thomas (?) was in karting, is he a name you've come across at all?
Yep - Thomas was average at best. Jacob beat him consistently.
Got a bit of luck with the safety car timing, but once he was ahead, for a change, Verstappen and Red Bull had no answer. That was a fair and square win.
Got a bit of luck with the safety car timing, but once he was ahead, for a change, Verstappen and Red Bull had no answer. That was a fair and square win.
Kmag had a shocker of a weekend must be close to a race ban after shunting Logan off
2 points off after getting 8 in a weekend. Puts him and Haas in a very tricky position. Feels like it's when and not if he misses a race. 2 points in Imola and him missing Monaco would make life difficult with Fittipaldi racing the Indy 500 and Bearman with F2 commitments, Ferrari could have to lend them Giovinazzi I guess?
Kmag had a shocker of a weekend must be close to a race ban after shunting Logan off
2 points off after getting 8 in a weekend. Puts him and Haas in a very tricky position. Feels like it's when and not if he misses a race. 2 points in Imola and him missing Monaco would make life difficult with Fittipaldi racing the Indy 500 and Bearman with F2 commitments, Ferrari could have to lend them Giovinazzi I guess?
I hope Ferrari don't try to protect Bearman's F2 season by putting Giovinazzi in the Haas instead, or even Fittipaldi - If KMag gets a race ban, then its the perfect test for Bearman to show what he can do in the actual car he'll be driving next season.
Feels like Bearman's actual F2 campaign is already "over"
WEC has been amazing today... What with the FIA resetting the clock, and allowing the last 2-hours of racing, rather than just calling it off
As a result; Callum Ilott is set to win along with Will Stevens, and Hertz Team Jota - Delighted for Callum after his IndyCar mess
A penny for Ricardo Juncos's thoughts after his behaviour towards Callum.
Probably doesnt have the common sense to care
Penny for F1's thoughts too.
Was a very outlandish approach from WEC to go straight back to the 2-hours, as it took about that long to make the repairs... Had that been F1 they'd have told everyone to just piss off home.
WEC has been amazing today... What with the FIA resetting the clock, and allowing the last 2-hours of racing, rather than just calling it off
As a result; Callum Ilott is set to win along with Will Stevens, and Hertz Team Jota - Delighted for Callum after his IndyCar mess
Agree . I stuck with it the whole 6 hours plus and it was entertainment from start to finish. Mick drove a blinder carrying that 36 as well. F1 could learn so much from wec
Albon has signed a new deal with Williams, taking him off the table for now.
Wolff is still representing Ocon so it looks like he's trying to get him placed in a different team, Schumi Jr. is rumoured to be up for an Alpine seat as he drives for them in WEC.
I'm still intrigued as to who gets that second Red Bull seat, I can't see Perez retaining it, but unless Sainz goes back I'm struggling to see who can replace him and be competitive enough
Albon has signed a new deal with Williams, taking him off the table for now.
Wolff is still representing Ocon so it looks like he's trying to get him placed in a different team, Schumi Jr. is rumoured to be up for an Alpine seat as he drives for them in WEC.
I'm still intrigued as to who gets that second Red Bull seat, I can't see Perez retaining it, but unless Sainz goes back I'm struggling to see who can replace him and be competitive enough
I just can't see Sainz going back , I still think Mercedes have their eye on him despite the Antonelli rumours swirling. I can completely understand anyone wanting out of Alpine really, the team is a disaster and will probably go through more senior management changes when the Renault bigwigs get bored again.
Martinius Stenshorne and Alex Dunne have joined the Mclaren Academy
Great news for Alex, given the funding issues he'd been having prior to getting an F3 seat, he's had a pretty solid start to his campaign for a rookie too - Its only really Bortoleto and Ugochukwu in that Academy as well at the moment.
Even if none get into F1, do Mclaren have perhaps the best portfolio in terms of racing series options?
Martinius Stenshorne and Alex Dunne have joined the Mclaren Academy
Great news for Alex, given the funding issues he'd been having prior to getting an F3 seat, he's had a pretty solid start to his campaign for a rookie too - Its only really Bortoleto and Ugochukwu in that Academy as well at the moment.
Even if none get into F1, do Mclaren have perhaps the best portfolio in terms of racing series options?
Massively excited to see Dunne picked up , probably the top talent that wasn't academy affiliated. Stenshorne has looked quick too, gives them long term options as realistically they won't be F1 options until 2027 at the earliest and who knows what the driver market will look like by then. Not entirely sure what the deal is with Taylor Barnard if he counts as academy or not?
Mixed day for Stenshorne, he's been suspended when F3 goes to Silverstone, because he took part in the Silverstone weekend of GB3 without FIA permission
Decent run from Bearman in FP1, especially after his crash in F2 Practice - Great that his Engineer came over the radio basically saying: "We're leaving you to it, because your doing a decent job"
How he adapts now going back to F2 for Quali in an hour will be interesting to watch.
Ferrari upgrades seem to be making a big difference anmd both Piastri and Norris settiong fast times in FP2. With Verstappen struggling - hoping for an exciting qualy and race.
Seems like an utter mess with the F2 Qualifying today.
Bearman got P2, dropped to P19 after exceeding track limits that no one knew about, bumped to P16 after others were also given penalties... Now he's been given P2 back
Seems like an utter mess with the F2 Qualifying today.
Bearman got P2, dropped to P19 after exceeding track limits that no one knew about, bumped to P16 after others were also given penalties... Now he's been given P2 back
A massive mess. P16 would have been weekend over. P2 gives him a chance to showcase himself in addition to what he did in F1 FP1.
Comments
Like Russell when he won in Brazil, it put the ghost of Sakhir to bed... this puts that horrible day in Sochi to bed too
Pleased for Lando. He chose well sticking with the team and the team doing the same.
Get in there Lando.
2 points off after getting 8 in a weekend. Puts him and Haas in a very tricky position. Feels like it's when and not if he misses a race. 2 points in Imola and him missing Monaco would make life difficult with Fittipaldi racing the Indy 500 and Bearman with F2 commitments, Ferrari could have to lend them Giovinazzi I guess?
Feels like Bearman's actual F2 campaign is already "over"
As a result; Callum Ilott is set to win along with Will Stevens, and Hertz Team Jota - Delighted for Callum after his IndyCar mess
A penny for Ricardo Juncos's thoughts after his behaviour towards Callum.
Penny for F1's thoughts too.
Was a very outlandish approach from WEC to go straight back to the 2-hours, as it took about that long to make the repairs... Had that been F1 they'd have told everyone to just piss off home.
Wolff is still representing Ocon so it looks like he's trying to get him placed in a different team, Schumi Jr. is rumoured to be up for an Alpine seat as he drives for them in WEC.
I'm still intrigued as to who gets that second Red Bull seat, I can't see Perez retaining it, but unless Sainz goes back I'm struggling to see who can replace him and be competitive enough
I just can't see Sainz going back , I still think Mercedes have their eye on him despite the Antonelli rumours swirling. I can completely understand anyone wanting out of Alpine really, the team is a disaster and will probably go through more senior management changes when the Renault bigwigs get bored again.
Wonder if Ocon will be an option at Mercedes if Antonelli goes to Williams, and Sainz goes elsewhere
Perfect seat warmer until they can get who they really want.
Great news for Alex, given the funding issues he'd been having prior to getting an F3 seat, he's had a pretty solid start to his campaign for a rookie too - Its only really Bortoleto and Ugochukwu in that Academy as well at the moment.
Even if none get into F1, do Mclaren have perhaps the best portfolio in terms of racing series options?
Massively excited to see Dunne picked up , probably the top talent that wasn't academy affiliated. Stenshorne has looked quick too, gives them long term options as realistically they won't be F1 options until 2027 at the earliest and who knows what the driver market will look like by then. Not entirely sure what the deal is with Taylor Barnard if he counts as academy or not?
How he adapts now going back to F2 for Quali in an hour will be interesting to watch.
Bearman got P2, dropped to P19 after exceeding track limits that no one knew about, bumped to P16 after others were also given penalties... Now he's been given P2 back
P16 would have been weekend over. P2 gives him a chance to showcase himself in addition to what he did in F1 FP1.