Tag: motorsport

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F1 2023 Season

THE BEST OF THE REST!

RedBull Racing and Mercedes are clear front runners when it comes to F1 with both teams being the only winners of the Constructors Championship since 2010! Ferrari have mounted a number of attempts to reclaim their top spot, but it has not been possible when faced with the technology and drivers of the RedBull and Mercedes cars. With the dominance of RedBull in the 2023 season it could be said that it was 2nd place Mercedes who were “the best of the rest” but let’s first consider those further down the table!

Source: F1Chronical.com

In 2023 Aston Martin made a comeback through the first half of the season with driver Fernando Alonso putting them on the podium multiple times. It was clear the upgrades brought to the car through the second half of the season were not up to the same standard allowing McLaren to claw themselves back into the fight with Ferrari for third place. 

There was a clear divide in 2023 between the top 5 in the Constructors Championship and the bottom 5 with 5th place Aston Martin scoring 280 and 6th place Alpine scoring 120. Alpine could be considered “the best of the rest” as they were consistently in the lower end of the points and began a good fight with Aston Martin towards the end of the season, it just came a bit too late!

Source: Goodwood.com

However, a strong contender for this title is Williams. Williams had a much better season in 2023 than they have had for a while with Alex Albon scoring 27 points landing himself 13th in the Drivers’ Championship and securing 7th place in the Constructors Championship. It is clear that Albon has huge potential as an F1 driver and would score even more consistently in a car that could keep up with him.

With Alfa Romeo rebranding themselves for the 2024 season as Stake F1 with new sponsorships it will be interesting to see if there is an elevation to the standard of the car. Despite having experienced point scorer Valtteri Bottas as a part of their team in 2023, the best they could achieve was 9th in the Constructors Championship. 

Source: MotorsportWeek.com

Overall, Alexander Albon’s hard work in the Williams takes the win for the 2023 season as he proved himself as a brilliant driver worthy of a place in a top team. It appears under the management of James Vowels and the driving of Albon, Williams have managed to break their downward streak and have started heading back up the tables of both the Drivers’ World Championship and the Constructors World Championship. We can only hope for move improvement from this historic team.

Who do you think will shine in 2024? Leave a comment below!

Written by Cesca.

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Flashback Friday

Flashback Friday: Monza 2020!

Source: MostlyF1.com

With 2023 coming to an end, it is time for our last Flashback Friday of the year! Monza 2020 was an epic event with an unexpected podium after it was the first race since Hungry 2012 to not have a Mercedes, RedBull, or Ferrari on the podium! Pierre Gasly accomplished his first Formula 1 race win and emotions were high for everyone involved. 

It was Mercedes teammates, Lewis Hamilton and Valteri Bottas who sat on the front row of the grid with eventual race winner Gasly starting in 10th for Alphatauri Honda. It was an exciting first lap with Hamilton getting a good start and heading into the lead of the race. Bottas on the other hand had an awful start letting both Mclaren’s of Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz past him.

Source: F1.com

Sebastian Vettel in his Ferrari had a break failure in lap 6 sending him through the polystyrene barriers but coming to a stop safely off the track. On lap 19 the Haas of Kevin Magnussen experienced engine issues, coming to a stop on the side of the tack. The safety car was brought out to allow for its safe removal. The pit lane was closed at the same time the safety car was deployed however Hamilton and Mercedes still came in to change tyres. On lap 22 the pit lane reopened with all cars except Hamilton coming in to change tyres and the green flag to go racing again came on lap 24.

Lap 25 saw Charles Leclerc send his Ferrari into the barriers at the Parabolica in a huge accident, bringing the safety car straight back out. Due to the immense damage to the tyre barriers, the race was red flagged to allow for necessary repairs. Hamilton received a 10-second stop-go penalty for entering the pitlane while closed.

Source: GrandPrix247.com

The race resumed with a standing grid start on lap 28 with Hamilton still in the lead and Lance Stroll for Racing Point close behind him. Gasly restarted the race in third but overtook Stroll on the restart putting him into second place. When Hamilton pitted on lap 29 and served his penalty it sent him tumbling down to the back of the grid in 17th place. Lap 31 had Max Verstappen in the RedBull retire due to engine issues. 

It was a close race the end end with Sainz and Stroll fighting hard against Kimi Raikkonen for podium places. Hamilton began to move back through the field, and it was close, tight racing all the way through. The battle for first was intense with only 0.3 seconds being between Gasly and Sainz during the final lap.

Source: TheRace.com

In the end it was Gasly who prevailed, finishing 0.4 seconds in front of Sainz. It was Stroll who took the last podium place of Monza 2020. Fastest lap went to Lewis Hamilton who had worked his way back up to 7thposition. It was an emotional day for the Gasly and the Alphtauri Honda team and not one they would forget any time soon.

Written by Cesca.

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F1 2023 Season

TFS Quiz of the Year!

Test your knowledge with our 2023 Formula 1 quiz! Can you remember everything that took place this year?

  1. At which race did filming for the APX F1 movie start?

A. Silverstone

B. Monaco

C. Monza

Source: Formu1aUno.com

2. Which race did Pierre Gasly score a podium?

A. Hungry 

B. Zandvoort 

C. Austria 

3. Which race was cancelled days before the event due to huge storms?

A. Australia

B. Canada 

C. Imola 

4. At which race did Liam Lawson make his F1 debut?

A. Silverstone 

B. Zandvoort

C. Baku

5. How many red flags were there at the 2023 Australian Grand Prix?

A. 4

B. 3

C. 2

Source: GrandPrix247.com

6. When did Oscar Piastri win a sprint race?

A. Austin

B. Singapore

C. Qatar

7. How many races did Red Bull win this season?

A. 21

B. 22

C. 20

8. At which race did Logan Sargent earn his first F1 point?

A. Vegas

B. Miami

C. Austin

Source: Carscoops.com

9. How fast was McLaren’s world record pit stop?

A. 1.9 seconds

B. 1.8 seconds

C. 1.7 seconds

10. How many drivers took part in the F1 2023 season?

A. 22

B. 21

C. 20

Let’s find out how you did? Are you an F1 fan with a great memory, leave your score down below!

Answers!

A, B, C, B, B, C, A, C, B, A

Written By Cesca.

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F1 2024 Season

Sprint Season!

Once again, the F1 Sprint is back for 6 of the 24 weekends in 2024, but which countries have been given the honour?

“F1’s Sprint calendar is designed to feature circuits which encourage overtaking and make for close and entertaining racing” according to F1.com. Brazil is set to host its fourth Sprint weekend, with Austria to host its third, Austin and Qatar returning for a second year, and China and Miami joining the line-up for the first time. The returning circuits have held successful sprint events before and are set to be strong weekends once again.

Source: SkySports.com

China and Miami are interesting addition to the sprint calendar as F1 goes racing in China for the first time since 2019! There are still reservations amongst fans that the weekend will go ahead given the strict covid measures and current political climate that have resulted in the race being cancelled for the last 3 years. Miami will be entering its third hosting weekend in F1 history and has been improving every year. As a circuit it has had several successful overtakes that have been great to watch so is a good choice for Sprint weekend. Will someone be able to make history by winning two Sprint races in the same country!?

Source: MotorsportTickets.com

It is Azerbaijan and Belgium who have not had their Sprint contracts renewed for the 2024 season and given the difficulty drivers have with both circuits this is a positive move.

The Sprint calendar for 2024 is as follows:

China – Shanghai – April 19-21

United States – Miami – May 3-5

Austria – Spielberg – June 28-30

United States – Austin – October 18-20

Brazil – Sao Paulo – November 1-3

Qatar – Lusail – November 29-December 1

Source: FIA.com

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the FIA said: 

“The addition of Shanghai will be a challenge for the teams and drivers as Formula 1 heads back to China for the first time since 2019, while a Sprint in Miami will add a new dimension to an enthralling weekend. We must continuously develop and adapt to ensure we are doing what is best for the sport, and as such we are working with FOM and the teams to define the future direction of the Sprint format.”

F1.com

Written by Cesca.

Categories
F1 2023 Season

F1 2023: The Year of Max Verstappen

2JW99R4 ZANDVOORT, NETHERLANDS - SEPTEMBER 4: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing after the Race ahead of the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix at Cicuit Zandvoort on September 4, 2022 in Zandvoort, Netherlands (Photo by Marcel ter Bals/Orange Pictures)
Source: PlanetF1.com

The 2023 Formula 1 season will go down as a season of records as Max Verstappen and the Red Bull Racing team had an almost perfect campaign from start to finish! The team were unstoppable throughout the season as teams around them made upgrades to try and catch up but it was an impossible challenge for this season. 

Verstappen’s 19 wins moved him up in the all-time wins to be the third most successful driver in F1 history, surpassing Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, and Sebastian Vettel by the end of the season to bring him to 54 victories overall. Although this wasn’t a record breaker itself, Verstappen’s dominance has moved him significantly up the list. But if that wasn’t a record breaker, what was?

Most Wins in a Season: Verstappen broke his own record that was set in 2022 with 15 wins in a season to go 4 better this time around and take 19.

Highest Win Percentage: An impressive 86%-win rate in 2023 broke Alberto Ascari’s 1952 benchmark of 75%. In 1952 Ascari won 6/8 races whereas in 2023 it was 19/22 making Verstappen even more impressive.

Most Consecutive Wins: Vettel won the final 9 races in 2013 and left people believing it could never be done again but Verstappen went on to win 10 in a row!

Most Points Scored in a Season: 575 championship points.

Biggest Difference Between 1st and 2nd: There was a 290 point gap to teammate Sergio Perez in p2.

First Driver to Lead Over 1000 Laps: Finishing the season on 1003 laps led, surpassing Vettel’s record of 739 laps led in 2011.

Most Consecutive Wins from Pole: 16 (starting from the 2022 Dutch Grand Prix)

Most Wins from Pole in a Season: 12

Most Consecutive Races as Championship Leader: 39 (starting at the 2022 Spanish Grand Prix)

Most Consecutive Points Scored

Most Pit Stops by the Winning Driver in one Race: Dutch Grand Prix

Most Sprint Wins in a Season: 4 (lets remind ourselves of that Piastri win while we are here!)

Lastly, by winning in Miami, Austin, and Las Vegas this year, Verstappen became the first driver to win in the same country 3 times in the same year, how about that!

Will the record-breaking streak continue in 2024 or will anyone be able to keep up with Max Verstappen and the Red Bull Racing team?

Source: FIA.com

Written by Cesca.

Categories
F1 2023 Season

The Best Battles of the 2023 F1 Season!

It’s hard to believe that the F1 season is officially over, it feels like just yesterday we were still hopeful for a competitive championship battle. The season was one of incredible predictability and extreme dominance but, there were still some battles that kept us on our feet throughout the year, with all of that being said here are my top five!

5: Ocon vs Leclerc, Austria

Esteban Ocon (FRA) Alpine F1 Team A523. 01.07.2023. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 10, Austrian Grand Prix, Spielberg, Austria, Sprint Day. – http://www.xpbimages.com, EMail: requests@xpbimages.com © Copyright: Batchelor / XPB Images

This first battle was one that stuck out to me because it was a picture perfect example of what is the appeal of the F1 Sprint. Two drivers putting it wheel to wheel for a sprint point and providing excellent racing in a shorter more condensed version of the main event. This battle had everything needed to be a top 5 battle from the late braking to the near contact and the line selection, the only thing keeping it from being higher on this list is that it was very short in length and didn’t really change the outcome of the race.

4: Piastri vs Perez, Hungary

This battle is still hilarious to me because it shouldn’t have ever been a thing given the equipment and experience levels. Yes, the McLaren was great in the second half of the season but it was nowhere near the same level as the Red Bull at this point if at all especially with a rookie behind the wheel no matter how generationally talented that rookie is. Perez should’ve never had to have this battle in that car but thankfully for the sake of this list, he did. Piastri battling to maintain 4th in this battle showed just how bright his future in this sport is by fearlessly going wheel to wheel with a driver as accomplished as Perez and never backing down. Even without DRS Piastri was keeping it close with Checo and overall just making it a pain to attempt the move. It would have been higher up on the list if it were longer and had a more significant impact on the overall result.

3: Sainz vs Perez Austria

(L to R): Sergio Perez (MEX) Red Bull Racing RB19 and Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP) Ferrari SF-23 battle for position. 02.07.2023. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 10, Austrian Grand Prix, Spielberg, Austria, Race Day. – http://www.xpbimages.com, EMail: requests@xpbimages.com © Copyright: Coates / XPB Images

Now we get to the podium places and what is more fitting than a battle for the podium in Austria. This is the Perez I wish we got more of in 2023, he battled ferociously with Sainz and overall just looked like himself again. Sainz had unreal misfortune this year but here it was the opposite, both drivers gave it everything. This battle brought the best out of both drivers and made for an excellent visual or fans who by this point were embracing the fact that the season was decided, but this battle gave us hope for next year.

2: Alonso vs Hamilton, Bahrain

Fernando Alonso (ESP) Aston Martin F1 Team AMR23 leads Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 W14. 05.03.2023. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 1, Bahrain Grand Prix, Sakhir, Bahrain, Race Day. – http://www.xpbimages.com, EMail: requests@xpbimages.com © Copyright: Moy / XPB Images

This battle was special. This was nostalgia overload, it was like we were back in 2007 again, Fernando Alonso and Sir Lewis Hamilton battling for a podium place under the lights will never get old and this was no different. The Aston Martin was among the worst cars on the grid the previous year so when we woke up and saw it running down a Mercedes for P3 we couldn’t help but look away. This battle had longevity and overtakes galore, it took everything we missed about close racing and compiled it into one segment of a race. Seeing Alonso without DRS close in on and overtake Lewis was jaw dropping and then Lewis came back and once again you needed to pick your jaw up from the floor, I didn’t want it to end but was glad we got something out of it.

1: Leclerc vs Perez, Vegas

WHO SAID VEGAS WAS GOING TO BE A COMPLETE FAILURE!? I did… but I take it back a thousand times over, this was the race of the year. I could’ve done a top 5 battles from this race alone and it would’ve been sufficient. Vegas proved that America deserves multiple races especially if they’re going to deliver these results, but I digress. This battle was incredible, it wasn’t just Leclerc vs Perez it was Leclerc vs Red Bull and it was the first time in a long time that it was actually competitive to the end. Once Verstappen pulled away it kind of dampened it but then we got Leclerc vs Perez and all was right again. Perez overtook and was pulling away with only a handful to go and we thought it was another RB 1-2 when all of a sudden on the LAST LAP Leclerc from out of nowhere dives in to take P2 and would go on to finish there, it was spectacular and it wins battle of the year in my eyes.

Thank you for reading and here’s to hoping this is a harder list to make next year! (In a good way)

Written by Andy

Categories
Flashback Friday

Flashback Friday: Where it all began!

Silverstone circuit, United Kingdom, 13th May 1950, the first World Championship Grand Prix was held, lighting the fire in the hearts of racing fans. Drivers took to the track to create history with a thrilling first championship race and it set Formula 1 on the path for the future.

Source: Salracing.com

It was estimated that up to 120,000 spectators lined the track on race day! The most important of which was King George VI, who attended the race with daughters Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret. 1950 remains the only time a reigning monarch has attended a British motor race.

Source: F1.com

As well as the race being attended by royalty, the entry list had a distinctly aristocratic feel. Among the 21 drivers that took part were Prince Birabongse Bhanudej Bhanubandh (better known as Prince Bira) a notable racer and member of the Thai royal family. There was also Baron Emmanuel ‘Toulo’ de Graffenried, a Swiss driver who’d won the 1949 edition of the British Grand Prix in the pre-world championship era. 

Alfa Romeo’s 158 may have been 13 years old by the time of the first world championship race, but the 1.5-litre supercharged machine was still the car to beat. The Italian manufacturer had managed to sign three of the era’s biggest names: Guiseppe ‘Nino’ Farina, Luigi Fagioli and Juan Manuel Fangio, affectionately known as the ‘Three Fs’. The trio duly qualified their scarlet cars in the top three grid slots, with British driver Reg Parnell a second down the road in fourth in the final Alfa Romeo entry. 

Source: Goodwood.com

In the race Farina, Fagioli and Fangio ran away from the rest of the field. The line-up was made up of a mixture of ageing Maserati’s, ERAs, Talbots, and Altas. After 70 laps and nearly two and a quarter hours of racing, Farina triumphed, leading fellow Italian Fagioli across the line by 2.6s. However, it was Parnell and not Fangio who completed Alfa’s clean sweep of the podium places after the Argentine had been forced into retirement with a broken oil pipe!

One of the biggest differences of the 1950 race was the average age of the drivers! For the very first World Championship race, it was a much more mature 39 that was the average age. Three of the 21 drivers at Silverstone were in their fifties (pre-war aces Luigi Fagioli, 51, Louis Chiron, 50, and Philippe Etancelin, 53), while five more were aged forty or over, including race winner Giuseppe Farina (43). The youngest of field, was British racer Geoffrey Crossley, who at 29 was still 12 years older than Max Verstappen during his World Championship debut!

Written by Cesca.

Categories
F1 2023 Season

The 2023 season comes to a close!

Source: SkySportsF1.com

With the last race of the season coming up this Sunday at the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi, what is left to decide in the World Driver’s Championship and the World Constructors Championship!? Red Bull successful wrapped up both championships with races to spare so the winners are not in doubt going into the final race, however it’s still all to play for further down in the championship. 

With Hamilton failing to score points in the penultimate race of the season in Vegas, Sergio Perez has secured second in the WDC with Hamilton remining being him in third. Unlike the Constructors Championship wherever position matters, after 3rd place in the Drivers’ Championship, there are no prizes or money on offer, so they are competing for personal pride and Instagram bragging rights!

Source: SkySportsF1.com

Spaniards Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso are tied on 200 points in fourth and fifth places respectively, with the Ferrari driver officially ahead of his Aston Martin countryman by virtue of his race win in Singapore. McLaren’s Lando Norris is five points back from Alonso with Charles Leclerc close behind. George Russell remains comfortably in front of Oscar Piastri and Lance Stroll, the Canadian could still switch places with the Aussie if Stroll scored big and Piastri does not. The other close battle is for 11th and 12th places which are occupied by Alpine team-mates Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon who are separated by just four points after the latter’s fine drive to fourth in Las Vegas. There are 12 points separating the drivers between 14th and 21st with Liam Lawson outscoring Logan Sargent to come 20th despite only driving in 4 races this season. However, every full-time driver has already scored points this year too, something that doesn’t always happen in a season!

Source: X.com/LiamLawson

Mercedes and Ferrari head to Abu Dhabi in a fight for what is a distant second-place finish in the Constructors’ Championship for the second successive season. Four points separate the two historical giants with Mercedes’ 392 points playing Ferrari’s 388. Only champions Red Bull and sixth-placed Alpine are absolutely guaranteed to finish in the places they start the weekend. Although it’s relatively small consolation for Mercedes and Ferrari, given their grander ambitions in F1, finishing second compared to third does come with a useful additional prize-money boost, which is thought to be around $10m.

McLaren remain strong favourites for fourth but their difficult outing in Vegas has given Aston Martin, who finished fifth and ninth last weekend, an outside shot at overhauling them in the last round. McLaren’s advantage is 11 points. Williams also look well set for seventh in what would be their best placing since 2017. AlphaTauri would need to score at least seven points to overhaul them, which they haven’t done since June 2022.

Source: McLaren.com

However, AlphaTauri do have a useful five-point cushion over Alfa Romeo, whose advantage over last-placed Haas is four points. Despite a good start to the season, Haas have scored just one point in the last 12 events.

Where will everyone finish the 2023 season, tune into Sundays race to find out!

Written by Cesca.

Categories
F1 2023 Season

Las Vegas GP 2023: Viva Las Vegas

Max Verstappen won the star-studded race after fighting back from a 5-second-penalty with Charles Leclerc in 2nd and Sergio Perez in 3rd.

The first time on this newly created track had fans apprehensive over how the race would go but the ones who watched were not disappointed.

Verstappen took the lead from pole-sitter Leclerc into the first corner but forced the Ferrari off the track which earned him a 5-second-penalty that would be served when he pitted.

Lando Norris spun and went into the barriers after he lost the rear of his car, despite sliding to a stop in the run-off area a safety car was called as the marshalls cleared the debris.

Norris was sent to the local hospital for precautionary checks after the heavy crash but it was announced that he was alright.

The battle for the lead between Leclerc and Verstappen went on for multiple laps as the Red Bull driver complained about his tyres. After Leclerc took 1st place on track Verstappen pitted, served his penalty and got new tyres.

Source: Unknown

As Verstappen made his way back to the front he had to make his way past George Russell which had fans looking at the screen through their fingers.

Verstappen was finally able to get past the Mercedes driver but after they collided, Russell was given a 5-second penalty which was added to his time after the race.

Meanwhile, at the front Leclerc and Perez were battling for the lead which the Red Bull driver took.

Further back Alpine’s drivers were clashing for 6th place, at one point Pierre Gasly was in front and then Esteban Ocon was in front. It ended with Ocon in 6th and Gasly in 7th.

Source: Grand Prix 247

Verstappen was able to retake the lead of the race where he stayed for the rest of the race.

The oldest drivers of track Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso were showing their skills as they fought for 8th place.

Perez once again participated in a drag race finish where the other driver came out on top, this time it was Leclerc who was in front.

The top 10 were Verstappen, Leclerc, Perez, Ocon, Lance Stroll, Carlos Sainz, Hamilton, Russell, Alonso and Oscar Piastri.

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Flashback Friday

Flashback Friday: France 2021

France 2021 was another instalment of the exhilarating 2021 Formula 1 season. It once again witnessed the intense battle between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen for the 2021 World Drivers Championship.

Source: Motorsport.com

The strategists predicted a one-stop race in France, but Red Bull gambled after Verstappen’s lap 1 mistake by pitting for a second time. It was then a question of whether he had the pace to get close and then pass Hamilton, who opted to stay out on a one-stop. In the end he did – though he only pulled it off two laps before the chequered flag, leaving racing fans in suspense!

The race captivated fans up and down the grid with drivers fighting for vital championship points. On lap 11, Alonso, Ricciardo, and Norris battles it out for 8th, 9th, and 10th place. Strategy played a huge part from the start of the race with drivers starting their first round of pitstops on lap 17. For many, it was a question of a successful undercut in the pits or a two-stop strategy.

Source: gp-videos.com

Lap 20 saw Hamilton pit and Verstappen pull of his undercut, taking the lead of the race. Lap 32 saw Verstappen pit for the second time, giving up the race lead to Hamilton. Norris pulled off several impressive overtakes to get himself into the points scoring places.

Lap 42 was the start of Verstappen’s charge on Hamilton needing to pass the other Mercedes of Bottas, who on lap 44 made a mistake, going wide in a corner and allowing Verstappen to go sailing through. With the other Red Bull of Sergio Perez also passing Bottas a couple of laps later, both Mercedes drivers began complaining on the radio about the strategy calls the team had made by only stopping once as their tyres were not up to racing the Red Bulls on fresh tires.

Source: PlanetF1.com

Verstappen overtook Hamilton on the penultimate lap of the race, and it finished with Verstappen in 1st, Hamilton in 2nd, and Perez in 3rd.

What did you make of the 2021 French GP?

Written by Cesca.