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F1 Podcast: Why Renault's made such a controversial signing The Alpine F1 team has reappointed Flavio Briatore as part of their team despite his controversial past, particularly regarding the events of Singapore 2008. Briatore was previously involved with Enstone, now known as Renault, but left under a cloud following the incident where Nelson Piquet Jr. was told to crash intentionally to help Fernando Alonso win. The podcast "The Race F1" explores the reasons behind Alpine's decision, highlighting Briatore's potential value to the team and the moral implications of his return 15 years after his departure.. Source: The Race

F1 Spanish GP qualifying - Start time, how to watch, channel Lewis Hamilton set the pace in Friday practice for the Spanish Grand Prix, with Carlos Sainz's Ferrari just behind him. The qualifying session is scheduled to take place on Saturday at 4pm local time (+2 GMT) at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Formula 1 will be broadcast live globally, with European coverage on Sky Sports F1 and Canal+, American coverage on ESPN, ABC, and NBC, and Asian coverage on Fox Sports Asia, Star Sports India, and Astro Arena Malaysia.. Source: Motorsport

Why Verstappen has been testing Red Bull's 2022 F1 car Max Verstappen, current world champion and championship leader, conducted a test with Red Bull between Grand Prix races using a two-year-old RB18 car at Imola. The test aimed to refresh his memory on how the car behaved and responded to different set-ups and ride heights, focusing on improving kerb- and bump-riding troubles that have plagued recent races. The exercise validated Verstappen's feedback and built knowledge on how to tackle these weaknesses, acknowledging a limitation with lateral stiffness affecting handling during corners. The test aimed to gauge whether the issue has improved, worsened, or remained unchanged, contributing to Red Bull's knowledge base in addressing the problem without compromising other areas of performance.. Source: The Race

'Conspiracists, lunatics' - Wolff on claims of Hamilton 'sabotage' Toto Wolff, Mercedes Formula 1 (F1) team boss, denies claims that the team is intentionally holding back Lewis Hamilton's performance ahead of his move to Ferrari. An anonymous email alleged that Mercedes was "systematically sabotaging" Hamilton's performance, but Wolff calls it online abuse and tells those responsible to seek help from a psychiatrist. He emphasizes that Mercedes aims to win the constructors' championship and make both cars perform well, not hinder Hamilton's chances. Wolff also expresses respect for Hamilton's decision to leave Mercedes and cites a desire to be successful with the iconic driver. Ferrari F1 chief Fred Vasseur, a friend of Wolff's, similarly dismisses the idea, stating it would be irrational for the team to deliberately damage one of their cars as they work to bring upgrades and score points in each race.. Source: The Race

Four-way fight? Everything to know from Mercedes-led Barcelona FP2 Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time in the second practice session for the Spanish Grand Prix with a lap of 1m13.264s, just 0.022 seconds ahead of Carlos Sainz's Ferrari. Lando Norris was third-fastest and Pierre Gasly fourth for Alpine. Max Verstappen finished fifth despite reporting understeer issues with his Red Bull car. The session saw five different cars within a quarter of a second at the top of the order, with Hamilton's lap more than six tenths faster than last year's equivalent benchmark time. Mercedes drivers Hamilton and George Russell were among those lapping in the high-1m19s and low-1m20s on their initial long-run laps. Alpine drivers Gasly and Esteban Ocon expressed pessimism about their prospects at Barcelona due to lack of upgrades until the summer break.. Source: The Race

Mark Hughes: Why Red Bull's dominance hasn't returned at Barcelona The Spanish Grand Prix saw Red Bull's RB20 struggle with balance issues similar to recent races, while Ferrari, McLaren, and Mercedes looked competitive. The circuit's high track temperatures exaggerated performance differences between cars, but cooler conditions expected for the rest of the weekend may reduce degradation. Teams struggled to achieve aerodynamic balance at Barcelona due to increased underbody downforce, which compromises overall balance. Red Bull faced challenges with aero balance issues due to its low ride height, while McLaren and Ferrari appeared more consistent and evenly matched. Mercedes struggled with brake issues on long runs, but the W15's front wing flexibility has become an important trait in addressing balance issues. The article concludes that the Barcelona circuit required teams to adapt and find the right balance between downforce and overall performance.. Source: The Race

Technical updates: 2024 Spanish Grand Prix Formula One teams have introduced new upgrades ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix, with Ferrari bringing a significant performance-boosting package including changes to its sidepods, engine cover, floor, diffuser, and halo. Red Bull has made subtle evolutions focusing on cooling with revised sidepod inlets, engine covers, and floors, as well as new beam wings for improved performance. Other teams have made smaller updates, including Aston Martin's upgraded front suspension fairings, brake ducts, and rear corners, Williams' weight-saving measures, Alpine's lack of upgrades, Haas' small winglet on the rear impact structure, and RB's updated engine cover, side inlet, floor body, rear wing, front brake duct cooling changes, and lower downforce beam wing option.. Source: Racer

Norris tops first Spanish GP practice Lando Norris led the first practice session at the Spanish Grand Prix with a benchmark time of 1m14.228s on soft tires, followed by Max Verstappen who finished second despite experiencing clutch problems. Carlos Sainz took third for Ferrari, while teammate Charles Leclerc struggled due to issues and ended up 11th. George Russell edged Sergio Perez for fourth place, with Oscar Piastri finishing sixth. The session was interrupted by a brief red flag caused by Fernando Alonso's car shedding part of its front wing. Lewis Hamilton, Esteban Ocon, Alex Albon, Valtteri Bottas, and Pierre Gasly rounded out the top 10. Notably, Daniel Ricciardo finished 13th, Kevin Magnussen ended up 17th ahead of Logan Sargeant, Oliver Bearman drove Nico Hulkenberg's Haas car for part of the session finishing 19th, Yuki Tsunoda was restricted to 21 laps due to a technical issue and finished at the bottom of the time sheet.. Source: Racer

Red Bull and Ferrari target different gains with Spanish Grand Prix upgrades Formula 1 teams Red Bull and Ferrari have introduced aerodynamic upgrades for the Spanish Grand Prix, while Mercedes and McLaren will keep their cars unchanged from recent races. Red Bull's updates focus on cooling efficiency with changes to sidepod intakes, engine cover, and floor to reduce drag and improve airflow into the car. Ferrari is targeting aerodynamic gains by revising its diffuser, floor, and rear wing to increase downforce at high-speed circuits. Additionally, Ferrari has made a detail change to its Halo bodywork ahead of high-downforce tracks to gain an advantage in airflow around the safety structure, as part of ongoing efforts by several teams to optimize airflow in this area.. Source: Race Fans

Norris pips Verstappen in first practice session at Catalunya Lando Norris set the fastest lap in the first practice session for the Spanish Grand Prix, just two-hundredths of a second ahead of Max Verstappen. Ferrari junior Oliver Bearman made his second appearance of the season, driving Nico Hulkenberg's Haas car and finishing 19th with 29 trouble-free laps. Several drivers, including Norris and Sergio Perez, complained about poor balance in their cars. The session focused on higher fuel runs towards the end, with Norris not being beaten by anyone else. Carlos Sainz Jr was third-fastest for Ferrari, followed by George Russell, Oscar Piastri, Lewis Hamilton, Esteban Ocon, Fernando Alonso, and Alexander Albon. Yuki Tsunoda had a disrupted session, finishing 20th after spending considerable time in the garage.. Source: Race Fans

Verstappen makes final penalty-free power unit change at Spanish GP Max Verstappen is at risk of receiving a 10-place grid penalty for the remainder of the 2024 season due to Red Bull installing his fourth power unit, exceeding the maximum limit allowed in the 10th round. Other drivers like Pierre Gasly and Charles Leclerc are also nearing the limit. This is not Verstappen's first component-related issue, having previously received a 5-place penalty at Spa-Francorchamps last year. The article reports on the results of the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix, where Fernando Alonso finished second behind winner Esteban Ocon, and Pierre Gasly finished within the top 5.. Source: Race Fans

Mansell pips Red Bull’s Lindblad to pole in close Barcelona qualifying Here is a summary of the article: Christian Mansell secured his first Formula 3 pole position by beating Arvid Lindblad by less than half a tenth in an extremely close qualifying session. The top four drivers were covered by less than a tenth of a second, with Mansell taking pole for Sunday's feature race and Lindblad starting alongside on the front row. Sami Meguetounif will start from reverse-grid pole in Saturday's sprint race, while Mari Boya returned to the track after his high-speed crash in practice. The top ten drivers were separated by less than two tenths of a second, with Nikola Tsolov securing third and Luke Browning fifth.. Source: Race Fans

2024 Spanish Grand Prix practice in pictures Formula 2 (F2) is a feeder series to Formula 1, considered the premier single-seater racing series. It has existed in three forms: an open series for manufacturers from inception until 1984, when it was replaced by Formula 3000. The series was revived in 2009 as a one-make series but failed to gain prominence due to GP2's dominance on the Formula 1 support bill. In 2017, Liberty Media purchased GP2 and rebranded it as F2 again, reviving the name for the third time.. Source: Race Fans

Why Mercedes new F1 floor did not appear on official FIA documents The Spanish Grand Prix's official documents revealed that Mercedes did not make any significant changes to its car, contradicting earlier statements by team principal Toto Wolff. However, it was later discovered that a new floor was introduced, which is a crucial performance element, but only in a lighter version of the previous one with no change in shape or profile. As this modification did not alter the component's shape or design, the FIA did not need to be notified as per Article 19.1 of the Formula 1 Sporting Regulations. The new floor is expected to bring performance gains at Barcelona due to its reduced weight.. Source: Motorsport

What's the latest on F1's 2025 driver market? The 2025 Formula 1 driver market is set for significant changes as teams prepare for next season. Mercedes has already secured Andrea Kimi Antonelli, but may lose Max Verstappen to Red Bull Racing. Carlos Sainz Jr., currently without a deal, is holding back other drivers from making moves and is considering offers from Williams and Sauber/Audi. He plans to make a decision soon due to the toll on his mental space. His decision will impact open seats at multiple teams, including Williams, Sauber/Audi, Alpine, and Haas, with drivers like Kevin Magnussen, Zhou Guanyu, and Valtteri Bottas vying for spots.. Source: Motorsport

Early hints of Spanish GP battle as Norris heads Verstappen in FP1 The first practice session (FP1) of the Spanish Grand Prix saw Lando Norris lead the way for McLaren, just 0.024 seconds ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen. George Russell finished third for Mercedes, with Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez fifth for Red Bull rounding out the top five. Both Red Bull and Ferrari brought extensive upgrades to their cars, although it remains unclear how effective they will be over the weekend. The session was interrupted by a red flag due to debris from Fernando Alonso's Aston Martin and a dramatic moment involving Valtteri Bottas' Sauber. Ollie Bearman, Haas's FP1 stand-in, finished 19th, just behind regular driver Kevin Magnussen on initial runs and two tenths back after soft-tyre attempts.. Source: The Race

Why Verstappen has been testing Red Bull's 2022 F1 car Red Bull Racing conducted a test with Max Verstappen driving a two-year-old Red Bull RB18 at Imola to improve understanding of kerb- and bump-riding issues affecting recent races. The test allowed for a direct comparison between current and 2022 cars, helping Verstappen refresh his memory on how the car behaves and responds to different set-ups and ride heights. The goal was not to try new parts or tires but to validate Verstappen's feedback and build knowledge on addressing weaknesses. Red Bull's car design, focused on high lateral stiffness at the rear, is limited by its inability to adapt well to track conditions with high camber changes, affecting performance optimization relative to opponents. By analyzing past experiences, including a recent Imola victory, the team aims to understand whether the issue has improved or worsened and build knowledge to potentially overcome it without sacrificing other areas of performance.. Source: The Race

Briatore returns to Alpine in advisor role Flavio Briatore, former Formula 1 team principal banned for his role in "Crashgate" in 2008, has been reappointed as an executive advisor to Alpine's F1 division. He will focus on talent scouting, providing driver market insights, and assessing the team structure. This move comes amid a tough start to the season with only five points scored, departures of key personnel (Matt Harman, Dirk de Beer), and Esteban Ocon leaving at the end of the season. Additionally, Alpine is considering stopping power unit production and becoming a customer team, which could grant insight into the competitive picture between different power unit suppliers ahead of 2026 regulation changes.. Source: Racer

Technical updates: 2024 Spanish Grand Prix Ferrari introduced a new upgrade package at the Spanish Grand Prix, featuring increased sidepods and engine cover undercut, changed floor fences, body edge, reworked diffuser, and halo tweaks. They also made circuit-specific changes to their rear wing for higher downforce levels. Red Bull focused on cooling with revised sidepod inlets, engine covers, floors, a new beam wing, and rear wing endplate for performance gains. Mercedes and McLaren had no new parts, while Aston Martin developed its front suspension fairings, front brake ducts, and rear corners to increase load. Williams introduced weight-saving measures, Alpine claimed no new parts, and Haas added a small winglet on the rear impact structure for local load increases. RB also updated their engine cover, side inlet, floor body, and rear wing, with front brake duct cooling changes and a lower downforce beam wing option. Stake evolved its front brake duct exits for aerodynamic flow and cooling, testing a new rear wing.. Source: Racer

Verstappen: Red Bull's F1 dominance won't return at Spanish GP Max Verstappen believes Red Bull will not regain their early season dominance at the Spanish Grand Prix despite having a strong circuit for their car. He acknowledges that Barcelona is typically favorable for their RB20, but thinks it will take more than track conditions to get back on top. The team has been struggling with optimizing race weekends this year and had an engine issue in FP2 at Canada, but Verstappen dismissed any tension within the team, stating they are "fully on top" of executing race weekends and need a clean start for a good weekend.. Source: Motorsport