Tag Archives: Max Verstappen

November 1, 2024 · 12:04 pm

Perez on his Red Bull F1 future: “We all want to do better…”

Perez says his focus is on helping the team to improve

Sergio Perez remains coy on talk about his future at Red Bull Racing after his difficult recent run, putting the focus on the Milton Keynes Formula 1 team and saying “we all want to do better.”

Perez has been in the spotlight following a frustrating home race in Mexico City, after which team boss Christian Horner stressed that he has to get results and that “there comes a time when difficult decisions have to be made.”

Perez is contracted to the team for 2025-’26, and he has always insisted that there are no doubts about his future.

Asked by this writer about Horner’s comments Perez simply said that the team as a whole needs to improve.

“It’s all linked and all related to us being strong,” he said. “We want to get back together as a team. I think that’s the main priority, for the team, and it’s where the main focus is.

“We are not happy where the pace is at the moment. And we all want to do better. Simple as that.”

Asked if he’d been set any targets over the last four races he said: “Well, basically, I just want to maximise the potential. Last weekend we lost some good points, and here I really hope that we have a shot to the podium.

“Simple as that. I am just trying to work together with the team to improve the car, and just be more competitive.”

He added: “I think we are working flat out. We have engineers going back to Milton Keynes in between races.

“Everyone is pushing flat out to understand where the pace has gone. I think the pace obviously in Mexico was disappointing, and I think we understand a lot of the reasons. So I really hope that here we can put it together as a team and be in the mix.”

Perez is still waiting for the floor upgrade that Max Verstappen received in Austin.

“No, we don’t have it at the moment,” he said. “And yeah, hopefully for Vegas now that there will be a little bit more time I will have it.

“There’s something in it. Also a bit of weight. We’re cutting a little bit of weight and so on. It’s not ideal, but obviously the team is doing the best they can. We’ve been affected also with so many incidents for now. So yeah, the team is pushing flat out.”

Perez also downplayed the critical comments he made about Liam Lawson following their costly collision in the Mexican race.

“For me, this is obviously in the heat of the moment,” he said. “Now, there’s been a little bit of time to digest.

And yeah, I think you know, all I can say that the race was looking great for both of us at the time, being on the alternative strategy, it was the start of the race, there was a big opportunity, and I think there was no need to come together.”

Perez said that the Red Bull management backed his view that Lawson was at fault.

“We viewed it the same way,” he said. “I think there was no need to have the contact, whatsoever. I think the race for both cars was looking great. And yeah, simply was there was no need to come together.

“Like I say, I think we were all aligned on it. We all felt similar. We lost a lot of points for us, because I think at the time, where you look where you see where the Piastri finished, and he was much further away, we were on the alternative strategy.

“We were making progress. We looked pretty quick at the time, we definitely lost important points, and at the end of the day, that’s what really matters.”

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November 1, 2024 · 11:56 am

Leclerc on his F1 title chances: “I can only control my own destiny…”

Like a hole-in-one, Leclerc’s title chances are a “long shot…”

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc admits that the chance of him winning the 2024 Formula 1 drivers’ World Championship is “a long shot” – and that he can only control his own destiny and not rely on Max Verstappen having problems.

With four Grands Prix and two sprint events left Leclerc has 291 points to the 362 score of leader Verstappen and the 315 of Lando Norris.

Leclerc says that Ferrari can win the constructors’ championship – in which the gap to McLaren is now just 29 points – but he has accepted that the drivers’ version will have to wait for another season.

“The drivers’ championship, I think is a long shot,” he said. “I think the constructors’ championship only relies on us doing well. I think the drivers’ championship, doesn’t rely only on me doing well, but it also relies on Max doing badly.

“And what happens to Max, I cannot control. I can only control my own destiny. And so I’ll try and do the best possible job, and then we’ll see at the end of the year. But realistically speaking, it looks very unlikely that we will get the drivers’ championship this year.”

Leclerc said that a constructors’ title would be very significant for Ferrari, the team having last won it in 2008.

However he stressed that internally the focus is still on taking this season it a race a time.

“It will be very, very important, especially after so many years of Ferrari being out of chances of winning that world title,” he said.

“However, it’s not something we focus on. It’s not something that we speak of, to be honest, inside the team. We are just focusing step-by-step.

“We really believe that this is the way forward, and in order to give ourselves the best chance, in order to win the championship, we’ve got to not think about it too much.

“So we are just focusing on this weekend, starting with this weekend, hopefully maximising the result, just like we’ve done in the last two races.

“We have a good momentum, the motivation is super high in the team, and we need to use that in order to do a very good short-term, and then we’ll see at the end of the season how it goes.”

Carlos Sainz noted recently that he believes the Qatar GP is the only race in the last four where Ferrari might not be in a position to win, and Leclerc agrees.

“I think Qatar on the paper is probably the most difficult weekend for us in the remaining ones,” he said. “I think here [Brazil] maybe it’s the second one where we don’t expect to be particularly stellar. Las Vegas should be a really good one for us, and Abu Dhabi, neutral.

“So all-in-all, again, I come back to the point of before, that we really have to focus step-by-step. It’s very fine details, and sometimes this can make a big difference.

“And especially on sprint weekends like this, it’s not because on paper, you are not the favourite that it cannot be the case tomorrow.

“We only have one free practice session, if we manage to do a really good job during this free practice session, everything is possible, and the margins are not big enough for it to be a clear P3.

“So it’s all about the job we’ll do this weekend, and if we do a really good job, then we will have chances of winning this race, even though, on paper, I don’t think we are favourites, and probably McLaren will be the team to beat.”

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October 31, 2024 · 9:03 pm

Ocon and Hulkenberg confirmed for new team debuts at Abu Dhabi tyre test

Ocon will have his Haas debut in the Abu Dhabi test

Esteban Ocon and Nico Hulkenberg have both been confirmed as being released to drive for their future employers in the post-season Abu Dhabi Pirelli test in December.

Haas boss Ayao Komatsu has said that the Frenchman will have his first taste of the Haas VF-24.

His 2025 team mate Ollie Bearman will drive the rookie car on the same day as he is still qualified to do, having started only two F1 races.

Meanwhile departing Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg will make his first appearance for Sauber, as officially confirmed to this writer on Thursday by team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi.

Sauber has yet to make a call on a rookie driver for Abu Dhabi as it has yet to decide who will drive the second car in 2025, and it could yet sign a newcomer such as Gabriel Bortoleto.

Meanwhile a senior Williams source confirmed that the Grove team is still in negotiation with Ferrari over a release for Carlos Sainz.

Usually such tests involved special arrangements such as drivers using unbranded overalls and helmets and running without logos on their cars due to them still being contracted to their previous teams for marketing purposes.

A release deal from Ferrari will probably more complicated to arrange for Sainz than for drivers from some other teams, given the commercial implications.

One driver who definitely won’t be sampling his new team in Abu Dhabi is Lewis Hamilton.

The seven-times World Champion won’t be sble to drive the Ferrari SF-24, and is instead committed to a major event in Malaysia on that day, and which is in effect his farewell to longtime Mercedes partner Petronas.

Meanwhile Komatsu says that Ocon’s early debut will be very valuable to Haas.

“That will be the first time for Esteban to drive our car,” he said Komatsu. “Which is important, because obviously regulations are stable. So next year’s car is an evolution of this car.

“So at least it’s good that he tastes this car before January or as soon as possible, to see what our car is like, strength and weakness. And then if he has input, we can still work on it, during the development.

“And also, obviously Ollie has been driving this car, limited to FP1 and one race, so Ollie is going to be driving as well. So again, just to have the opportunity to work with the team, experience the VF-24.

“Everything helps, right? We’ve got one driver doing the rookie test, and then one driver doing the tyre test.”

Future race drivers Kimi Antonelli and Jack Doohan will handle rookie test duties in Abu Dhabi with Alpine and Mercedes respectively.

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October 31, 2024 · 8:15 pm

Norris: Verstappen “knows what he did wrong” in Mexico

Norris hasn’t spoken to Verstappen since the last race

Lando Norris says that he hasn’t spoken to Max Verstappen since their most recent on-track clash in the Mexico City GP – and he insists that the Dutchman “knows what he did wrong.”

Verstappen received two 10-second penalties for his moves on Norris when the McLaren driver tried to find a way past early in the race.

After taking the hit at his pit stop Verstappen finished sixth, while Norris earned second place and improved his position in the World Championship.

The pair frequently travel to races together, and talked after their collision in Austria earlier in the season. However Norris made it clear that this time, they have had no contact.

“No, we’ve not spoken,” he said. “I don’t think we need to. I’ve got nothing to say. I still have a lot of respect for Max and everything he does.

“Not respect for what he did last weekend, but respect for him as a person, and also what he’s achieved.

“But it’s not for me to speak to him. I’m not his teacher, I’m not his mentor or anything like that. Max knows what he has to do. He knows that he did wrong. Deep down he does, and it’s for him to change, not for me.”

Asked if their relationship had changed recently he said: “Not that I know of. I’ve not spoken to Max. It’s not something I need to speak to Max about.

“Max is probably one of the most capable drivers on the grid, if not the most, and he knows what he can and can’t do, and where the limits. He knows the changes he has to make.”

Meanwhile having had four days to process the events of Mexico Norris said he was happy with the way the FIA stewards dealt with the Verstappen incidents, which came after a weekend when driving guidelines were the main topic of conversation.

“I think the stewards did a good job,” he said when asked by this writer for his thoughts heading into the Interlagos weekend.

“I think they have a very difficult job, but they’ve done a good job. I think 99% of people who watch F1 and know F1 agree with that. So I think we’re happy from our side. I stayed out of trouble and did my job also, which is that.

“But every weekend is a new weekend, right? So I don’t know what to expect this weekend, obviously I hope for, or I expect, a cleaner battle than what we had.

“But it’s not up to me. I don’t make the rules. I don’t decide the penalties, I just drive. And the stewards did the race, and they did a good job.”

Norris says he won’t be changing his own approach to racing Verstappen.

“I think something I’ve done well my whole career is always normally stay out of trouble and keep the car in one piece,” he said. “All those little things add up over a championship, and over a season, especially in a cost cap season as well.

“But I think I’ve always had the mentality to want to race fair and clean, and sometimes I’ve been, I think I probably said it last weekend on the too-kind side, whether I was attacking or defending and things like that.

“I think I’ve always made good decisions from that side, and sometimes I’ve paid the price for not being aggressive enough. But the rest of it is not up to me, but I know how to keep the car in one piece.

“That’s something I’ve done for a while. Even when you don’t realise it, there are times when I had to avoid a potential crash, and maybe you don’t see it behind the TV and things like that. But inside the car, it’s ‘I’m only here because I avoided this,’ or avoided this person or that person.

“So there are more times than people realise that you go through those certain scenarios, and I think those are some of the challenges we have every now and then.

“But I’ll come into this weekend with a new expectation of hopefully we have clean, fair racing, and I think that’s what we should expect.”

McLaren boss Andrea Stella noted in Mexico that Norris had been told not to take justice into his hands on track, and leave it instead to the stewards.

However he downplayed the suggestion that he thinks about such things when driving.

“I’m very chilled, I’m very relaxed when I’m on track,” he said. “For me, that’s how I need to perform, is by being relaxed and not thinking about these things.

“Yeah, there’s two different sides, when you’re just driving, and driving quickly is one job, but staying out of trouble, not making contact, all of those things, is another task on top of it, I guess.

“I think I’ve always done a good job of staying out of trouble, whether it’s lap ones, turn, ones, any of these things, but also racing against your main competitors and rivals, it’s a big challenge, and I always expect it to be tough.

“I don’t want it to be easy. I never expect it to be easy. But my job is to make sure I see the finish line every time, and that’s what I got to do.”

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October 31, 2024 · 7:51 pm

Lawson won’t change approach to racing despite Perez clash

Lawson says he won’t change his approach…

Liam Lawson admits that he made a mistake when he had contact with Sergio Perez in the Mexico City GP – but the New Zealander insists that he won’t change his approach to racing.

Lawson also had a clash with Franco Colapinto later in the race, and eventually finished 16th. Perez, who suffered bodywork damage in the incident, was classified 17th.

The costly contact between the RB and RBR cars did not go down well with the Red Bull management.

“It was a tough race for us,” said Lawson. “And obviously there’s many things you reflect on the race, and you look over things that could have been better. And we take those into this weekend.

“But obviously, fortunately, with the time frame of the triple-header, we don’t have many days to do that. And it’s focusing on Brazil this weekend.”

After the race Lawson had a talking to from Christian Horner and Helmut Marko, who clearly were not happy that Perez’s race was compromised.

“I don’t think they want me to race differently,” he said. “But obviously the target is not to make contact with another Red Bull Car.

“And as I said at the time, it wasn’t my intention in the moment, and looking back, maybe I could avoid it. And clearly that’s that would have been the right thing to do at the time.

“It’s clear, the target is not to obviously crash into any car, but is especially a Red Bull car. And it wasn’t, obviously my target in the incident, either. I was trying to avoid that.

“So obviously, looking back, maybe there’s things I could have done differently, I could have cut the chicane and avoided it completely.

“But in the moment, I’m racing as well. And you have a split second to make these decisions. So it’s something I’ve spoken to the team about afterwards, and I’ve reflected on, and I’ll learn from going into this weekend.”

He added: “That attitude towards racing, and how I approach races and F1 won’t change. That’s how I’ll always be. But at the same time, there’s things in there, if I make mistakes, I’ll always learn from them, and clearly in Mexico I made a mistake.”

It could be argued that Lawson’s aggressive style had indicated to the Red Bull management that he’s just the kind of character who could deal with being a team mate to Max Verstappen at RBR.

However he downplayed that suggesting when made by this writer.

“I don’t know how to answer that question, because I’m not the person deciding that stuff,” he said. “As I said, I race the way I race, and that’s how I’ve always been. And as I said, I’ll learn from maybe mistakes that I made.

“But at the same time, I’ll take advice, obviously, from everybody I can. My target is not to drive and make enemies of anybody. That’s not the goal, obviously. But at the same time, I’m not here to make friends. I’m here to win.”

He added: “That attitude towards racing, and how I approach races and F1 won’t change. That’s how I’ll always be. But at the same time, there’s things in there, if I make mistakes, I’ll always learn from them, and clearly in Mexico I made a mistake.”

Asked about his post-race conversation with Perez he said: “Yeah, briefly we spoke after the race, but at the same time, we left the track very early, immediately afterwards, anyway. It was an on-track fight, and I apologise, obviously, for what I did after the incident.

“But in terms of the fight we had on track, it was I guess, deemed as a racing incident, and something that was in the moment’s battle.”

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October 31, 2024 · 11:53 am

Vasseur on Ferrari’s winning form: “We did a very strong job this week…”

Ferrari scored two GP wins – and 96 points – across two weekends

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur says that the team “did a very strong job” to win two Formula 1 races in eight days in Austin and Mexico City.

Vasseur says that the SF-24 showed good pace in the previous races in Baku and Singapore, but the team did execute as well as it could have done.

In contrast in the last two races everything has gone to plan, with Ferrari logging four podiums and scoring 96 points across the two weekends – enough to move the team ahead of Red Bull into second place in the World Championship.

“We had a good weekend,” said Vasseur when asked by this writer if he was proud of the team after the Mexican race.

“And I was a bit frustrated after Baku/Singapore, because I had the feeling that the pace was there, that the performance, we were able to fight for pole position and even more. And we didn’t execute the weekend pretty well.

“And if you want to perform first, you need to have a good car, but then you need to do a good job. And we struggled a little bit.

“We struggled a little bit also in the journey of the season, after Canada, or after Monaco. And when you have a look on the championship, you say, okay like this, we have to do a better job.

“In the last two or three weekends I have the feeling that it’s much more under control from the start, the pit stop, the strategy.

“For sure when the pace is there, it’s everything is much easier. The strategy it’s much easier when you are a bit faster than a bit slower. But overall, I think we did a very strong job this week.”

In recent races the team has focussed on honing the package that it introduced at the Italian GP.

“The fight is very, very tight,” he said. “It means that we are all a bit on the edge for one or two tenths, you can move from a very good weekend to a poor one, because the race, when you are not in clean air, it’s a completely different story.

“And sometimes when you bring something you need one or two weekends to be used to set up the car, and it’s probably what’s happened with us.

“The last time that we brought something, I think was Monza, the big one. But we were not sure, perhaps at the beginning we are thinking that perhaps it’s track related.

“And then we have two street circuits in a row with Baku and. Singapore, and it’s only in Austin that we came back to a more conventional circuit to draw conclusions. But it’s true that from Monza, we are in a much better place.”

Vasseur says it was key that the team took a step back on spec earlier in the season after updates didn’t bring the expected gains.

“It’s true that the reaction of the team was a very good one,” he said. “I don’t remember the sequence, but probably UK or Spain, when we struggled a little bit to be able to accept that we have to do a step back, and honestly we lost probably one or two weekends in terms of pure pace.

“But it was a good move and a good call, and then we were back into a decent pace at the end of July, in Spa or Budapest we were back, and it was a very good call from the team.”

In recent races the team has focussed on honing the package that it introduced at the Italian GP.

“The fight is very, very tight,” he said. “It means that we are all a bit on the edge for one or two tenths, you can move from a very good weekend to a poor one, because the race, when you are not in clean air, it’s a completely different story.

“And sometimes when you bring something you need one or two weekends to be used to set up the car, and it’s probably what’s happened with us.

“The last time that we brought something, I think was Monza, the big one. But we were not sure, perhaps at the beginning we are thinking that perhaps it’s track related.

“And then we have two street circuits in a row with Baku and. Singapore, and it’s only in Austin that we came back to a more conventional circuit to draw conclusions. But it’s true that from Monza, we are in a much better place.”

Vasseur insists that Ferrari has benefited from not thinking too much about the big picture of the constructors’ World Champion ship.”

“I think it’s important for us to have no distraction,” he said. “But we are clear for months now on this, to be focused on what we are doing, on the car, on the management of the team, to take the race, race after race, and not to think about the global picture. And I think it’s paying off today.”

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October 31, 2024 · 9:51 am

Krack: Aston Martin has to “be on its toes” amid Haas charge

Aston looks to be safe in fifth place, but you never know…

Aston Martin Formula 1 team principal Mike Krack has cautioned that the Silverstone outfit has to remain on its toes and cannot take its current fifth place in the World Championship for granted.

The team has a 40-point advantage over Haas, but the US-owned team has been scoring well in recent weekends, with Kevin Magnussen finishing as high as seventh in Mexico.

With two sprint races in the last four events, potential for rain in Brazil and the possibility of a high attrition street race in Las Vegas points could be available for midfield teams.

“It’s something where you cannot rest on your laurels anytime,” said Krack. “We’ve seen today that both Haas cars have done a good job to score a lot of points.

“And you have seen also how the battle at the front starts to get harder and harder, and this will also result in casualties, and that means, always, that the midfield will score higher points.

“And if you are not there, then there is a high chance that others are scoring high. So you need to be on your toes for that.

“So you have to be there. I mean, we have done well on the last two street circuits with points each time. But again, you cannot just base yourself on hope that it will be okay.

“We need to really try and really put the best package on at all times , and also get the maximum out of it. Because what looks like a cushion – I just go back in 2022, we were quite far from Sauber, and by Abu Dhabi, we were on equal points So we cannot rest.”

Aston introduced a major update package in Austin, but not all the new elements stayed on the cars in Meico.

“Some parts we did not fit,” he said. “You have seen on Friday, we run a lot of sensors, special sensors. We did run different configurations on both cars. And again, in the afternoon, different configurations on both cars.

“And then overnight we decided what is the best package? And you’ve seen, for example, the front wing stayed on, but other parts we could not keep.”

Regarding future plans he said: “We need to see which tracks are coming. So there is some very-high speed tracks, Qatar for example, where we might choose differently. Vegas, for example, a lot of low speed. So I think we have to decide based on that.”

After a disappointing Austin weekend for the team Lance Stroll had a solid race to 11th in Meico, but Krack said it was

“We need to analyse this carefully,” he said. “Because, yes, it’s a better result than Austin, but we also need to look carefully if it is a better pace.

“Because we must not forget, today there was a lot of people taking each other out. Checo was not in his position.

“And then in the beginning of the race, we had Piastri, who were to go through the field. So I think we need to carefully analyse if we have made a step or if it was circumstantial from the race and the strategy.”

He added: “I think Mexico is a very special circuit, because it’s very biased to the low speed, plus you have the altitude. You have to run basically a configuration with a high downforce wing on the low speed circuit, which is okay-ish, but then You have the altitude and the cooling issues.

“So you run a very open cooling, so you have run a combination that is very unique, and that is something that you have to understand if this combination is special for Mexico, and that’s all the results that come with it are genuine, or related to the track and then how the race went.”

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October 30, 2024 · 4:05 pm

Gasly had “a lucky escape” after first lap contact with Albon in Mexico

Gasly earned a point after surviving lap one contact

Alpine Formula 1 driver Pierre Gasly admits that he had “a lucky escape” at the start of the Mexico City GP after emerging from the Yuki Tsunoda/Alex Albon incident intact.

Gasly made wheel-to-wheel contact with Albon just as the Williams driver was clipped by Tsunoda, who was launched into the wall on the left.

One of Tsunoda’s tyres became detached from its rim and bounced off Gasly’s front wing.

Gasly feared that he had picked up a puncture from the Albon contact, but while the other cars involved retired he was able to continue safely. He eventually bagged a valuable point for 10th place.

“I asked if I had a puncture because I couldn’t really see Alex,” he said when asked by this writer about the crash.

“I felt the touch on the rear on braking, and usually at high-speed like that, it can easily create a puncture.

“So we had a quite lucky escape. It was quite hectic as well, like when I saw the tyre, didn’t expect that to fly right past the car. I think it touched my front left, actually. So it was quite impressive.”

Gasly said he was pleased to have finished 10th from eighth on the grid, as simulations suggested that Sergio Perez would come through the field and demote him to 10th.

“I’m happy,” he said. “Ahead of the race we knew it was going to be P11 if Perez could make it back, 10th if he doesn’t. So I think we clearly did the best we could. At the start, I kind of hoped that maybe I could hang on with the Haas.

“On medium, I wasn’t too far, but I could see them pulling away like a tenth or two. But then as we switched too hard, they were just way too competitive. And looking at [Kevin] Magnussen, where he finished, they’re definitely very strong on Sundays.”

He added: “I think we did a very strong job [in qualifying], which basically set us up for a strong race. We tried to hang on with the Haas when potentially other cars behind maybe had slightly more pace initially than us, and then after, tried to use the free air, no mistakes, and execute a strong strategy.

“So I think it was well-executed. But for sure, starting in that top 10 made our life a lot easier.”

The Mexican result was especially encouraging after Gasly tumbled out of the points in the US GP.

“On our side just happy we managed to learn from Austin,” he said. “Two Q3s in two weekends, P12 last week wasn’t a very strong race, and this weekend, we seem clearly seemed to have a bit better pace.

“So still some work to do, but at least I think the last point finished for us was in Zandvoort, so I’m happy for the team that we managed to get back in the top 10.”

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October 30, 2024 · 3:23 pm

Vasseur: Sainz was “really under control” on way to Mexico City win

Vasseur joins the Ferrari celebrations in Mexico on Sunday

Ferrari Formula 1 boss Fred Vasseur says that Carlos Sainz was “really under control” over the course of the Mexico City GP weekend.

Sainz set two laps that were good enough for pole, and having ceded the lead to Max Verstappen on the first lap he fought back to score a dominant win.

He was chased for his while by team mate Charles Leclerc. The US GP winner eventually dropped behind Lando Norris to take third after running wide coming out of the final corner.

“It was a very strong weekend from the beginning,” said Vasseur of Sainz. “From FP1 he was there, FP2 he was very strong, a long stint, and one-lap pace. And the race, he did a very good job at the end.

“If you have a look, that he was really under control. I think was very clever to give up the position in the lap one. And it’s also the proof that he is very self-confident in this situation, because when you are fighting with Max and you are to give up and say, ‘Okay, I will do it next lap,’ it’s a good move.”

Expanding on that theme he said: “I think what was very clever from Carlos, and it was already the same last week I think with Russell, is that when you are in the fight and you are overtaking someone, and you are not sure, to give back the position. And the two times that he was able to come back the lap after and to do the move again.

“And I think it was a very clever, clever move, because that you can fight three or four corners in a row. First you lose two seconds, and at the end you will get the penalty or not. But you are really on the edge.

“I think he was very self-confident. It meant that he gave a position, but I think he was also convinced that he will be able to do it next time.”

Vasseur also defended Leclerc, noting that he lost out under blue flags while being chased by Norris, and that triggered his mistake at the final corner.

He also hinted that the Monegasque driver had more cooling issues to manage than his team mate.

“I think that Charles was on a good pace, but we lost three seconds with the guys who were blue flag,” he said. “And we lost also a lot of temperature in the tyres at this stage. And then he made a mistake. But I think from the beginning, the race was in our control.”

“The race in Mexico. And I don’t want to give technical details, it’s a lot about management, the cooling on everything, and it’s not an easy exercise. And sometimes, for details, you are on the right side or not.

“Carlos did a very good job from the beginning. He was also in clean air all the race, and it’s also much easier to manage in this situation.

“Charles was not happy with FP3. But still today, he did a good race. I’m a bit upset with the story with the blue flag. It cost us P2, but at the end of the day, it is like it is. We have to be focused now on the next one, and to forget this one.”

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October 30, 2024 · 2:12 pm

How “something weird” has given Magnussen more confidence in Haas VF-24

Haas had another great weekend in Mexico City

Kevin Magnussen says that “something weird” has happened and given him confidence in the Haas VF-24 in last two races, with the Dane citing changes to the brakes as one possible reason.

The team had an aero update in Austin, where Magnussen qualified eighth for the sprint, and finished it in seventh.

He also qualified ninth for the main event, although he finished out of the points after a strategy miss-step by the team.

In Mexico he qualified and finished seventh, well clear of team mate Nico Hulkenberg and the rest of the midfield runners.

The team’s recent haul of points has pulled it clear of VCARB in the battle for sixth in the World Championship.

“I think we did the best we could today,” said Magnussen when I asked about his performance.

“We couldn’t have done it better if we tried it again. So just had the kind that sweet spot, was super confident in the car, very, very comfortable, didn’t make any mistake through the whole race.

“So it was just so easy to drive, I could push the tyres and manage them at the same time, and just got it into that little window where the magic happens.”

Magnussen admitted that he was surprised by his race form relative to the following pack.

“I wasn’t confident on the grid before the race that I was just going to be pulling away,” he said. “But that ended up being the case.

“I was behind Mercedes, so kind of I was thinking, this might be okay! So, yeah, very happy.”

Asked why it has gone so well he said: “I don’t know. We made some changes, to the brakes, for example. And I’ve just been very confident in the car.

“And what I need to do is try and hang on to that confidence. Something weird has changed in that the last two races that has given me a car that I can really push.”

He added: “I think it’s getting better and better. As I said a couple of things, apart from the upgrade, were changed, and are better.

“So certainly I’ve been very confident in the car in the last two races, and it’s been nice to drive, and it’s been enjoyable.”

Magnussen said that new confidence was the key to his stronger qualifying performances.

“I think when you’re really on the limit, you need to be confident on the brakes,” he said. “You need to just feel confident that the car is going to do what you what you ask it to. And we’ve had a quick car for a while, I just haven’t been confident with it.

“And these last two races, at least, I’ve been confident. And I think it’s down to some of the changes that were done to the brakes, for example.

“And I think the upgrade is also in my direction. We’ve got a stronger rear, and a little bit weaker front. So I think that’s not bad for me.”

Asked if the car can be a Q3 challenger everywhere he was more circumspect.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if it swings around,” he said. “It’s F1, so you never know. And especially in the midfield, there’s no guarantee. So we’ve been strong in these last two races, and very happy that we got something out of that.”

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