All posts tagged: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Norris on Piastri for potential title-winning favour at Abu Dhabi GP

Norris on Piastri for potential title-winning favour at Abu Dhabi GP

Published by Webster

McLaren’s leading driver Lando Norris is just one podium finish away from becoming a Formula 1 world champion as the 2025 season heads into its final race in Abu Dhabi. Norris will clinch the title on Sunday if he finishes on the podium, regardless of where his teammate Oscar Piastri or Red Bull’s Max Verstappen — his two closest rivals in the championship — finish. However, one scenario could see Verstappen defend his crown and win a fifth consecutive title: if he wins the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix while Piastri finishes third and Norris fourth. Conversely, if the McLaren drivers were to swap positions in that same situation, with Norris third and Piastri fourth, they could deny Verstappen the championship, and Norris would become world champion. Norris has 408 points and leads Verstappen (396) by 12 points and teammate Piastri (392) by 16 points. In Thursday’s press conference ahead of the decisive race weekend, Norris was asked about that hypothetical situation and the wider topic of team orders. “It hasn’t been discussed. Honestly, I would …

Saudi Arabia GP: Lando Norris on why it’s tough to win in Jeddah for McLaren | Motor-sport News

Saudi Arabia GP: Lando Norris on why it’s tough to win in Jeddah for McLaren | Motor-sport News

Published by Webster

McLaren driver Lando Norris’ tough start to the season was compounded after he shunted his car into the wall on Saturday in the qualifying session of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. After the session, the British driver said that overtaking at the circuit would be tough and that his error may ultimately cost the team valuable points in Jeddah. “I don’t think it’s going to be an easy one because I don’t think it’s very easy to overtake around here,” said Norris in the post-qualification press conference. At the start of the season, many believed that the McLaren would be the strongest car in the circuit. But the past few weeks have pointed to the gap between McLaren, Red Bull and Mercedes to be miniscule – a situation in which individual driver ability, car settings and track layouts have dictated race results. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took pole position for Jeddah with the Mercedes’ behind him completing the top three in qualification. Story continues below this ad “We have a strong car but clearly not …

Formula 1: Why was Liam Lawson preferred by Red Bull over much more experienced Yuki Tsunoda? | Motor-sport News

Formula 1: Why was Liam Lawson preferred by Red Bull over much more experienced Yuki Tsunoda? | Motor-sport News

Published by Webster

After Mexican driver Sergio Perez and Red Bull parted ways, the team waited almost a day to reveal that it would be Liam Lawson who would take the empty Red Bull seat. The battle for the second Red Bull seat was always going to be between the two driver’s of Visa Cash App RB, Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda, but it was the New Zealander that Red Bull preferred. It was announced on Thursday that Lawson would be Max Verstappen’s teammate at Red Bull and was said that the decision to pick Lawson over Yuki was a very close call. Liam Lawson has only 11 races to his name, making his debut in 2023 after replacing Daniel Ricciardo, who broke his finger in Zandvoort. “It was very, very tight between the two of them,” Horner told ESPN. “I mean, Yuki is a very fast driver. He’s got three or four seasons of experience now. He did a very good job in the tyre test for us in Abu Dhabi where the engineers were impressed with how …

How Sergio Perez went from being the ultimate team man to being surplus to requirement at Red Bull | Motor-sport News

How Sergio Perez went from being the ultimate team man to being surplus to requirement at Red Bull | Motor-sport News

Published by Webster

It was about three years ago that the best tribute to Sergio Perez’s skills in Formula 1 and his value as a driver for Red Bull were uttered in a single line over the cackling static of the radio by his teammate Max Verstappen. “Oh, Checo is a legend,” said Verstappen, after his Mexican teammate had kept Lewis Hamilton at bay from Lap 15 to Lap 21 until the Dutch driver caught up and overhauled Hamilton in the last lap. Verstappen and Hamilton were jockeying for more than just a race win in the season-finale at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that day. The duo was also fighting for the 2021 title, which Verstappen did win, thanks to an assist from Perez. Three seasons after being hailed as the ultimate teammate in a sport where most drivers look after their personal interests, Perez will have no seat in the 2025 Formula 1 season. Perez parted ways with the team on Wednesday, after extensive discussions with the team. It was a development many saw coming, …

Brad Pitt ‘sheds a tear’ as production soon to wrap up on his upcoming F1 movie | Hollywood

Brad Pitt ‘sheds a tear’ as production soon to wrap up on his upcoming F1 movie | Hollywood

Published by Parlour News

Dec 09, 2024 06:58 PM IST Brad Pitt wrapped up filming for F1 in Abu Dhabi, reflecting on the emotional journey of portraying Sonny Hayes. Brad Pitt has opened up about feeling emotional as production wrapped on his highly anticipated film F1. The 60-year-old actor, who portrays the character of returning Formula 1 driver Sonny Hayes, was filming his final scenes at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Co-produced by F1 champion Lewis Hamilton and co-produced by Lewis Hamilton. Brad Pitt expressed emotional sentiments as filming wrapped for F1, where he plays driver Sonny Hayes. (Photo by Andrej ISAKOVIC / AFP)(AFP) Also Read: Taylor Swift wraps up Eras Tour, making history as first ever to earn… Pitt enjoys ‘time of my life’ on sets of F1 The actor who has been a part of several iconic films such as Fight Club and Snatch, admitted that he particularly enjoyed playing Hayes as he became a regular site on the race track during the shoot. Pitt shared with Sky Sports F1 reporter Ted Kravitz in an interview, “Yeah, …

Abu Dhabi GP: Ahead of final Mercedes race, Lewis Hamilton gets apology from Toto Wolff | Motor-sport News

Abu Dhabi GP: Ahead of final Mercedes race, Lewis Hamilton gets apology from Toto Wolff | Motor-sport News

Published by Webster

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff apologised to Lewis Hamilton and the rest of the team after the seven-time World Champion finished 18th in qualification for the Abu Dhabi GP, his final as a Mercedes driver before his move to Ferrari. It was a poor bit of luck that got Hamilton in the end. Looking good in free practice with a car that was finally looking fast, the Briton seemed poised to make it to Q2 with ease. But in his final run of Q1, the bollard of Kevin Magnussen’s Haas got stuck underneath Hamilton’s car. The incident resulted in a loss of downforce for the Mercedes and Hamilton, for whom this was supposed to be a final swansong with a team he achieved so much, was forced into the 18th spot ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. “I just need to apologise to Lewis,” Wolff told Sky Sports F1. “Also to everyone in the team that worked so hard to make it a great end for him. He was the quicker guy with that kind …

F1: Action packed Qualifying sees Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri lock front row with Carlos Sainz at P3 | Motor-sport News

F1: Action packed Qualifying sees Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri lock front row with Carlos Sainz at P3 | Motor-sport News

Published by Webster

With the season finale one night away, the last Qualifying session saw familiar faces lock the front row at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. Both the McLaren drivers locked out the front row and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz claimed P3. In a shocker though, the Haas of Nico Hulkenberg sits at P4. Lando Norris claimed his ninth pole position of his career, lapping the Yas Marina Circuit with the time of 1.23.682. His teammate Oscar Piastri followed in second, two tenths of a second slower. This gives McLaren a clear cut shot at clinching the World Constructors’ Championship for the first time since 1998. Although Carlos Sainz got to P3 in what would be his last race for Ferrari, it was a disastrous Saturday for Ferrari as their chances at the Constructors’ title slipped away further as Charles Leclerc’s lap time in Q2 was deleted after crossing the track limits on Turn 1 which sent him down to P14. After the penalty, his final grid position would be P19. Ferrari would be …

F1: Leclerc receives 10-place grid penalty, denting Ferrari’s chances of winning Constructors’ title | Motor-sport News

F1: Leclerc receives 10-place grid penalty, denting Ferrari’s chances of winning Constructors’ title | Motor-sport News

Published by Webster

Ferrari and McLaren have been in close battle with each other in the second half of the 2024 season to clinch the Formula One’s World Constructors’ Championship, with the battle coming down to Sunday’s last race at the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi. But just as the first free practice ended on Friday, Ferrari suffered a severe setback to their hopes of winning the Formula One Constructors’ title for the first time since 2008, as Charles Leclerc received a 10-place grid penalty. After Leclerc set the fastest lap in free practice, Ferrari revealed that they had changed the car’s battery, which automatically resulted in a grid penalty. FIA confirmed in a technical report that Leclerc was now using his third energy store for the season, one more than allowed. Ferrari are 21 points behind leaders McLaren, who won the Constructors Championship last in 1998. With 44 points still to be won on Sunday, and third-placed Red Bull out of the running, Ferrari face a herculean task to put both cars ahead of the McLarens …