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Why Mercedes blocked October delay over F1’s 2026 rules The FIA revealed new details of the draft rules for Formula 1's next regulations revolution, causing unease among teams in Montreal. The current ideas make cars too fast on straights and too slow in corners, so revisions are needed to address concerns about downforce and straightline speed. The FIA has confirmed that the draft rules will be altered, and teams must formally support any modifications after July 1 when the Concorde Agreement takes effect. Despite a proposal to delay the framing of the 2026 regulations until October, the FIA stuck with its June 30 deadline due to a team vote that failed to achieve unanimous support, with Mercedes refusing to back it. The current situation leaves a six-month window for teams to work on optimizing the regulations, expected to result in improved car performance.. Source: Motorsport

F1 Canadian GP: The second-best race of the week Here is a summary of the article: The Canadian Grand Prix was an exciting event with unexpected weather conditions causing delays due to standing water on the new track surface. George Russell took pole position, followed by Max Verstappen, while Daniel Ricciardo qualified well despite criticism from Jacques Villeneuve. Alex Albon showed impressive qualifying skills, and Checo Perez suffered a disappointing crash out of Q1. Ferrari struggled with engine issues, and Charles Leclerc's gamble on slick tires in wet conditions resulted in his retirement. Carlos Sainz Jr. had a poor finish after colliding with Albon. Lando Norris was leading the race but lost the win due to a poorly executed pit stop. Max Verstappen overtook rivals to take the lead, and George Russell drove an aggressive and exciting race despite making some mistakes himself.. Source: Motorsport

‘Two is better than one’ for McLaren in fight against Red Bull – Norris Lando Norris believes McLaren's consistent driver lineup with himself and Oscar Piastri scoring points regularly gives them an advantage in the constructors' championship. Ferrari is their main competition for second place. He credits his team's consistency, saying it's rare to have two drivers not making mistakes and getting the most out of the car every weekend. Despite Mercedes expected to join the mix soon, Norris acknowledges that Red Bull leads the standings with Red Bull's Max Verstappen winning races. Verstappen believes as long as he keeps winning, his team will remain strong despite Sergio Perez's struggles. The 2024 Canadian Grand Prix is announced for June 8-10 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, marking Formula 1's return to Canada after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.. Source: Race Fans

Is Red Bull getting its big F1 driver calls wrong? Our verdict Here is a summary of the article about Formula 1: Red Bull has retained Sergio Pérez for two more years despite his form dipping, while Yuki Tsunoda will remain at RB in 2025 without a chance of promotion. The team's decisions are seen as unrelated to racing logic and prioritize internal circumstances over performance, with some accusing Red Bull of moving from being ruthless to conservative, prioritizing stability over promoting young talent or taking risks. The article questions whether the team has developed a clear succession plan for Max Verstappen beyond his current contract and highlights its failure to sign top-tier young drivers from outside its junior scheme, instead promoting within its own pool. This may lead to a driver crisis in the future if Red Bull fails to adapt and develop new talent.. Source: The Race

‘If I get my head on right, I’ll get better results’ - Hamilton Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time Formula 1 world champion, acknowledged that he had a subpar performance during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, finishing fourth despite qualifying seventh. He took sole responsibility for his mistakes and credited Mercedes for improving their car's competitiveness. Hamilton believes he needs to mentally refocus in order to maximize results this season. The article also mentions that Hamilton has confirmed his move to Ferrari for next year, and is eager to improve and take advantage of upcoming upgrades from Mercedes.. Source: Racer

Aston Martin says "premature" to think it's on top of F1 car issues Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll finished 6th and 7th respectively at the Montreal Grand Prix, outscoring McLaren by 10 points and solidifying their 5th place position in the Constructors' Championship. Despite this success, team principal Mike Krack warned that they still haven't fully grasped the handling characteristics of their AMR24 car, which will be tested on high-downforce circuits with longer corners. Stroll attributed their performance to the track's emphasis on aerodynamic efficiency and slow corners, while Alonso hinted at new upgrades for the Spanish GP and hopes to score points again in Barcelona.. Source: Motorsport

McLaren 'maximized what was available' despite missed Norris win - Stella Lando Norris led the Canadian Grand Prix by 11 seconds when a safety car was deployed due to Logan Sargeant's crash. Despite being in position to win, Norris failed to do so because McLaren didn't call him in for a pit stop immediately, allowing Max Verstappen and George Russell to pass him while he stopped a lap later. Team principal Andrea Stella attributed the failure to a combination of unlucky timing factors rather than any mistake by the team or driver. The decision was complex due to multiple factors, including Norris being 1.5 seconds away from needing to react to the safety car, concerns about reducing rain intensity, and the possibility of reusing his existing intermediate tires rather than taking new ones. Despite the setback, Norris regained second place ahead of Russell. Stella praised the team's ability to manage the situation after the first safety car interruption but acknowledged that Mercedes was a quicker car and McLaren would have struggled to hold off them if not for the safety cars.. Source: Racer

ICYMI: A new mullet in town, sticky helmet designs and some new ink – it's the best social media from Montreal Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, got a tattoo after Lando Norris won a Formula 1 race in Miami, fulfilling his promise made earlier. This marks the second time Brown has gotten a tattoo for a driver's win, following Daniel Ricciardo's Monza victory in 2021. However, if Oscar Piastri wins, Brown will opt for an alternative celebration method, possibly involving a piercing instead of another tattoo.. Source: Formula 1

LIGHTS TO FLAG: Jean Alesi on his epic battles with Ayrton Senna, winning for Ferrari and switching from racing to wine making Jean Alesi, a French Formula 1 (F1) driver, turned 60 on his birthday. Despite only winning one Grand Prix, he is an F1 icon due to his 201 starts for renowned teams.. Source: Formula 1

How Red Bull overruled Verstappen to avoid race-losing tyre choice error Here is a summary of the article: Max Verstappen won the Canadian Grand Prix after his team's strategic decision to fit intermediates instead of slick tires proved crucial. Initially, his team advised him to pit for slicks when the Safety Car was deployed, but engineer Gianpiero Lambiase overruled him at the last second, predicting rain would fall soon. Verstappen's decision allowed him to take advantage of changing weather conditions and win the race with Red Bull. Throughout the race, his team advised him on tyre prep, conserving grip, and using DRS, while warning about debris from their other car. Lando Norris finished behind Verstappen after struggling with intermediate tyres and eventually pitting for slicks. Verstappen's steady pace and strategic decision-making allowed him to maintain a lead throughout the race, winning by 3.1 seconds.. Source: Race Fans

Canadian GP promoter promises "serious" contractor review following F1 issues Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali apologized to team principals for poor working conditions at the Canadian Grand Prix due to flooded hospitality units, leaking roofs, and inadequate parking provisions, including a muddy track linking an overflow car park to the paddock. The promoter acknowledged the issues and promised to take steps to mitigate them, including creating an alternative route for Sunday's race. Additionally, the promoter blamed local transport authority STM for incorrect information that led some fans to believe practice sessions were cancelled due to rain. Despite these issues, the Canadian Grand Prix enjoyed a record attendance of 350,000 spectators over three days and has a deal to remain on the calendar until 2031.. Source: Motorsport

Ricciardo wants to keep "chip on my shoulder" afterCanada F1 points Daniel Ricciardo is struggling in the 2023 Formula 1 season, particularly compared to his teammate Yuki Tsunoda. Despite a strong weekend in Canada where he qualified fifth and finished eighth, Ricciardo's future on the grid is uncertain. He has shifted his focus from competing with Sergio Perez for a seat at Red Bull to simply staying with the team until 2025. Ricciardo credits his good performance in Canada to keeping a "chip on his shoulder" and maintaining intensity, which he hopes will be a turning point in his season.. Source: Motorsport

The “stratospheric” Hamilton laps that have put Mercedes’ F1 rivals on alert Mercedes' strong performance in Canada's Grand Prix has led teams to reevaluate the pecking order, with McLaren admitting Mercedes is now delivering a car out of touch for them at certain points of race weekends. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff highlighted Lewis Hamilton's exceptional lap times, citing his "stratospheric" and "galactic" long run in final practice as evidence of their significant pace. Recent upgrades, particularly the new front wing, have improved the W15 car's performance, addressing balance issues that plagued it all season. This has allowed Hamilton and George Russell to extract maximum potential from the car, showcasing its strong form. The team's struggles with low-speed understeer and high-speed oversteer have been alleviated, resulting in more consistent performance. McLaren's Andreas Seidl praised Mercedes' front wing development, stating it has likely fixed previous issues and made their front end look very strong.. Source: Motorsport

Horner jabs back at Mercedes "downgrade" claim after Canada F1 success Red Bull Racing's Christian Horner responded to Mercedes technical director James Allison's comment that Red Bull's recent updates may have made their car slower by saying "Even with our downgrade, we managed to beat their upgrade" after Max Verstappen won the Canadian Grand Prix despite their kerb riding weakness being exposed. Horner believes it's too early to say if Mercedes is back in contention as the asphalt change at Canada may have played to their strengths on green circuits with no high-speed corners. Horner is focused on improving Red Bull's performance at tracks where aerodynamic performance is key, such as Singapore, and expects Ferrari, McLaren, and Mercedes to be competitive at every circuit.. Source: Motorsport

The fallout from Ferrari's first 2024 F1 disaster Ferrari had a disastrous Canadian Grand Prix weekend, failing to make Q3 and scoring zero points due to issues with their cars. Problems arose from setting starting tyre pressures too low, exacerbated by the smoother resurfaced track and cold temperatures. Despite expectations of finishing well inside the points, both drivers experienced significant issues. Carlos Sainz suffered floor and wing damage after a collision and spun off, collecting another car, while Charles Leclerc's engine problem lost him 1.2 seconds on the straights and led to his retirement due to lack of hope of scoring points. Ferrari has pledged to conduct a deep analysis to understand what went wrong. The team is investing heavily in research and development, with a focus on aerodynamics and engine technology, but the difference between success and failure is extremely narrow, making small mistakes catastrophic.. Source: The Race

2024 Canadian Grand Prix weekend F1 driver ratings Here is a summary of the article: The Canadian Grand Prix was won by Max Verstappen, who overcame challenging conditions to take first place from 2nd on the grid. Lewis Hamilton finished 4th after qualifying 7th, while George Russell secured pole position but lost the lead due to errors and finished 3rd. Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz struggled with car issues, resulting in average performances. Sergio Perez had a disastrous weekend, plagued by mechanical issues and mistakes on track. Lando Norris qualified 3rd but finished 2nd after losing the lead during a Safety Car period, while Oscar Piastri finished 5th despite struggling with Mercedes drivers. Fernando Alonso out-qualified his teammate and finished 6th, and Pierre Gasly overcame setbacks to finish 9th. Esteban Ocon finished 10th by overtaking cars, while Alexander Albon retired from the race after a crash on lap 52 and Sebastian Vettel's poor performance was attributed to strategy mistakes and an error. Ferrari drivers had an average weekend due to car issues, while Sergio Perez struggled with mechanical problems and mistakes. The article also highlights the performances of other drivers, including Logan Sargeant, who finished 12th at the Singapore Grand Prix despite experiencing issues with his car.. Source: Race Fans

Alpine and Ocon rift grows after Montreal team order Alpine driver Esteban Ocon clashed with his team over a team order during the Canadian Grand Prix, refusing to let teammate Pierre Gasly through until a lap later than instructed. This led to tension between Ocon and Alpine, who claimed that Ocon's delay cost them a potential challenge on Daniel Ricciardo. This is not the first dispute between Ocon and the team, as he also ignored an order during the Monaco Grand Prix, leading to contact and retirement for both drivers. Meanwhile, Sergio Pérez departed Force India to join Racing Point, a significant blow to the struggling team which may have been unable to retain him due to budget constraints. Pérez's departure is seen as a loss by his former teammate Ocon, who believes it will be "part of the job" for Force India but regrets the impact on the team. Racing Point, with Pérez and Lance Stroll, now has a strong lineup that could challenge for points in the championship.. Source: Racer

Williams poised to rebound from “slow start to the season” – Vowles Here is a summary of the article: The Williams Formula 1 team's performance at the Canadian Grand Prix, despite double retirements, has given team principal James Vowles optimism for future gains with upcoming upgrades. IndyCar driver Will Power revealed he considered retiring after his wife fell ill but chose to continue racing for his son's sake. Sauber hired Stefano Sordo as its new performance director, replacing James Key, to improve technical operations and prepare for Audi F1's debut. The Canadian Grand Prix promoter, Octane Racing Group, accepted blame for a track invasion during Sunday's race and will present a remediation plan to the FIA by September.. Source: Race Fans

Piastri surprised “on a mission” Mercedes was so quick in Canada Oscar Piastri finished fifth in the Montreal Formula 1 race, narrowly missing a podium spot due to aggressive driving by Mercedes' George Russell and Lewis Hamilton. Piastri praised Mercedes' performance, citing their new front wing design and tire management skills. He also acknowledged that he was close to finishing top-three until getting behind the Mercedes cars on new tires. A minor incident occurred between Piastri and Russell at the final chicane, with Piastri stating he needs to review it further. Additionally, a driver took an unconventional route around a turn, but ultimately completed the lap without impacting the race outcome.. Source: Motorsport

The fallout from Ferrari's first 2024 F1 disaster Ferrari had a disastrous Canadian Grand Prix weekend, failing to score any points due to issues with tyre warm-up, floor and wing damage, and an engine problem. The team attributed the problems to setting starting tyre pressures too low and a software-related issue with the engine. Despite starting from the front row, Charles Leclerc's car experienced an 80bhp power deficit caused by a faulty engine and was forced to retire after just two laps. Ferrari is conducting a "deep analysis" to understand what went wrong and believes this was a one-off mistake. The team will likely fall behind in the championship but promises to return to form at the next race in Spain. Formula 1 is a highly competitive and expensive sport, with teams investing hundreds of millions of dollars each year. The difference between winning the championship and finishing near the back of the grid can be as little as 0.01 seconds per lap. With budgets exceeding $100 million per season, F1 teams are under immense pressure to perform well, but the sport's current financial model is unsustainable in the long term.. Source: The Race