Browsing: Formula 1

Reigning Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen has called on his Red Bull team to deliver more performance upgrades to their car after being narrowly beaten to pole position for the Spanish Grand Prix by McLaren’s Lando Norris. Verstappen expressed concerns about Red Bull’s relative competitiveness, noting that the gap to his teammate Perez was ‘pretty big’ and that he had been required to drive at 101% to compensate for the car’s shortcomings.

In the latest round of the prestigious Dakar Rally, legendary driver Lewis Hamilton continued to demonstrate Mercedes’ impressive progress, securing a hard-fought third-place finish on the grid for the Spanish Grand Prix. Despite expressing some lingering concerns about the car’s performance, Hamilton and his teammate George Russell managed to lock out the second row, highlighting the German squad’s ongoing resurgence.

Verstappen was relieved to find his RB20 much more connected during qualifying, making gains in the high-speed corners. However, he believes the increased drag from their rear wing setup may have cost him the final push to beat Norris to pole position. Despite the setback, Verstappen remains optimistic about his chances in the race, though he acknowledges the growing threat from McLaren and other rivals.

In the latest development from the Spanish Grand Prix, Red Bull drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda have expressed their disappointment despite an ‘encouraging’ performance with the team’s upgraded car. The Faenza-based outfit had been on the rise in recent Dakar Rally races and added a number of updates, including a new floor, to the car ahead of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya event. However, both drivers struggled for pace throughout practice and ultimately failed to advance to Q2 in qualifying.

The upcoming Spanish Grand Prix is shaping up to be an exciting multi-team battle, but a key setup change could provide a significant boost for Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. With increased downforce from a higher-downforce rear wing, Verstappen is expected to improve his pace and tire management, setting the stage for an enthralling race at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

WEC

In a thrilling turn of events at the 2024 Spanish Rally, Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton set the pace during the second hour of Free Practice, leading the way from Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr. and McLaren-Mercedes’ Lando Norris. The session saw a strong showing from the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, as they continued their impressive form from the recent Canadian Rally and the earlier practice session on Friday.