formulamelia

[formulamelia]

good Lord! never thought this wpuld actually be real 🙊🙊🙊🙊

What do i do with this now??

[formulamelia]

i know it's too late but, it's only now that i could type this in.. i will try and catch up before Imola GP starts so... i hope you enjoy the read ✌️☺️🙏

Azerbaijan Grand Prix - Race Report

Hello again, everyone. We are together again in the aftermath of an Azerbaijan Grand Prix, through which we have been shocked & complained about the unnecessary changes to the formats and the regulations. As you already know, the FIA introduced the ''Sprint'' format in 2021 and spread it across the calendar in 2022. In addition, they made more changes to the structure for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, which was to host one of the Sprint weekends of the 2023 calendar. For the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, which they ran on the Baku Street Circuit, they held a regular 3-step Qualifying session on Friday, and the drivers started the race on Sunday according to the results of this session. However, on Saturday, they held another 3-step Qualifying, called the ''Sprint Shootout,'' and a 17-lap Sprint Race to which the drivers started according to the results of the ''Shootout''. The top 8 claimed championship points, but the results of the Sprint Race did not affect the main event. Anyways, let's leave this here. After all, this is not a complaint report. Now, let's look at what happened during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, which was promising for some but an absolute frustration & nightmare for others.

A Weekend From Hell For The Rookies!

Unfortunately, the weekend in Azerbaijan became an absolute nightmare for our rookies. Misfortunes did not leave the kids, not for the qualifying, the sprint shootout, the sprint, or the race. Additionally, they had recently renewed the tarmac, which meant it was extra slippery, so they gathered the young drivers from the walls of Baku all weekend long. First, Logan Sargeant, who delivered a result that we consider significant, lost his chances of reaching Q3 by just a couple of tenths of a second. Then, however, a crash saw him out of the ''Sprint Shootout''. Because he could not have a timed lap, he also had to sit the Sprint race out. Starting the primary race from 15th place, Sargeant chased Zhou Guanyu lap after lap after lap but could not get through. Finally, after having to defend his spot for a long while after Zhou's DNF due to mechanical issues, he surrendered to Pierre Gasly, who had been chasing him very closely.

On the other hand, our other rookie, Nyck De Vries, truly experienced hell on Earth. Unfortunately, we gathered the Dutch rookie, who stopped the session by causing a red flag during qualifying, from the walls all weekend round. I want to emphasize that seeing him like this is heartbreaking because I love him dearly. But of course, I will not stop supporting him because this does not represent his true potential. The only driver among our rookies who did not live an absolute nightmare in Baku was McLaren's young star, Oscar Piastri. Piastri showed himself with his qualifying and sprint performances and the primary race. But he missed out on the last point and the 10th place by just a couple of tenths of a second. Nevertheless, we still congratulate him and hope for the continuation of his success.

Perez Is Flying, Again!

Of course, when we say Perez, everyone thinks of Baku. His weekend performance was not surprising because his performances on street circuits are always impressive, and he even received the nickname ''King Of The Streets'' among the fans. No one can dare deny that he showed an outstanding and superior performance throughout every session, including free practice and qualifying sessions. With this performance, not only did he claim the race win, but also he brought his team the 4th victory in 4 races. He also took the challenge to his teammate Max Verstappen, who is equally impressive on street circuits (even though he could not win this round). I am sure you will get mad at me, maybe even attack me, for saying this. But, contrary to the ''general census'', I do not think that Perez is ''better than'' Max Verstappen on street circuits. Yes, Perez is a great driver, and I do not deny that he performs incredibly well on street circuits. I can never deny that. But I also do not deny Max's exceptional drives on street circuits, constantly pushing the limits as if he is on a standard race track. Now that I stated that, I congratulate Perez for his fantastic drive and the win. I will continue supporting him.

A Lesson On Team Work From Aston Martin!

I want to mention the Aston Martin drivers again this week, especially. This week, they did something that brought tears to my eyes. First, let’s talk about the team's youngster, Lance Stroll. He usually receives criticism from everyone, even insults (and I'm afraid that's not right). But that kid, not only did he surprise me, he almost made me cry (happy tears). It was as if he was trying to re-prove himself with his impressive and nearly flawless drive in Baku. On top of his performance, he also went on the radio to say, "Fernando, I will not attack you; we are playing the same game,” to let him know that he would play fair. I can never forget the moment I heard that. I had tears in my eyes. Of course, the veteran Spaniard did not wait long to return the favor and make the absolute “big brother” move for young Lance. Nando also went on the radio and said, “Give Lance my brake settings; it seems to work well for now.” I can never forget this one, either. Honestly, both of them made me quite emotional. Aston Martin drivers taught the entire grid how to be a team with their moves. I extend my sincere hugs to both drivers and hope that they never lose this team spirit.

Is Ferrari Charging For Real?

On the Ferrari side, both the team and the supporters have experienced frustration after frustration. But it was as if the team came alive in Baku, despite making a miserable start to the season. Charles Leclerc was flying throughout the weekend. He had the pole position in the Qualifying session, and he went up to the podium for both the Sprint and the primary race. The young Monegasque made everyone think, “Updates must have worked well for Ferrari." Still, it's better to be realistic, even though it's sad. Sure, the car was much better compared to the previous races, and it was a perfect fit for the track. But the results came from Charles' hands. It would be unfair to deny his talent & skills. It still seems like there is a glimmer of hope for Ferrari. Sainz's results were not bad at all, either. We congratulate both drivers and extend our support.

FIA's Safety Flaws Are Never Ending!

We got sick and tired of trying to explain but trust us, the FIA did not get tired of ignoring safety measures. Without further redo, let me quickly explain what happened. As you also know, according to sporting regulations, every driver MUST have at least one pit stop during a race. However, when they come in for a pit stop is entirely up to the teams and their strategy crews. Alpine, taking full advantage of this situation, kept their young star, Esteban Ocon, on the track until the very last lap of the race. And to avoid possible penalties, they called him in for his mandatory pit stop right before the final lap had started. But the young Frenchman, and also us spectators, were shocked and even dumbfounded by what we saw the moment he entered the pit lane. The scene was HORRIFYING: press personnel, journalists, and photographers running around with cameras and a car that had just entered the pit lane! Later we found out that according to the regulations, the moment the race leader starts the final lap, photographers and press personnel are allowed into the pit lane to take pictures of the finish line. Rightfully so, the French driver was shocked by what he saw and went full force on the brakes. I just told you what happened, and I leave the judgment to the CONSCIENCE of all the racing fans. Because it seems the top people of the FIA do not have even a tiny glimpse of conscience.

Now, we will discuss the results: the flying Mexican, Sergio Perez, drove to victory in Baku. His teammate, Max Verstappen, saw the chequered flag in 2nd place, right behind him. With the Dutch champion’s 2nd place, Red Bull received their 4th 1-2 finish of the 2023 season, to which they have already made an impressive start. And on the 3rd step of the podium was Ferrari’s young star, Charles Leclerc, who was outstanding all weekend round.

That’s all for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. See you in Miami, everyone. Until then, much love :)))

[formulamelia]

Get To Know Our 2023 Rookies

Hello again, everyone. This time I'm here not with a race report but an article about some of our drivers. Drivers are certainly some of the crucial people in our sport. But I have three drivers that I particularly want to talk about: rookies of the season; Logan Sargeant, Nyck De Vries, and Oscar Piastri. I specifically want to talk about the rookies because people often ignore them as they are new to the circle. In my opinion, we shouldn't ignore them. Instead, we should watch them even more closely. Many people, unfortunately, consider rookies as temporary drivers. The number of people who believe they could be permanent is very few. But they are not temporary; instead, they are the drivers we should watch closely and give many chances to. So, who are our 2023 rookies? Let's get to know them a little.

Logan Sargeant:

No lie! Logan is a driver that I am particularly interested in because he is my compatriot and the first American on the grid in such a long time. His full name is Logan Hunter Sargeant, and he was born on the 31st of December in 2000 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida (USA). The young driver started his career with karting in 2008. in 2015 he became the World Champion in the World Junior Karting Championship (CIK - FIA KFJ), and he etched his name into the history of motorsports at such a young age as the first American ever to claim the world title in this series. He stepped into the Formula world with the UAE Formula 4 in 2016, then the British F4 in 2017, and here he became teammates with one of our other rookies, Oscar Piastri. Logan went into Formula Renault Eurocup in 2018 and finished the championship in 4th place with 2018 points. The road to F1 has opened to the young driver as he stepped into FIA Formula 3 in 2019 with Team Carlin, becoming teammates with Felipe Drugovich. In 2020, Logan transferred to the Prema team as Frederik Vesti's teammate and scored his first win in Silverstone Feature Race. The young driver announced that he could not move onto F2 in 2021, citing financial reasons, and continued to race in F3 for another season. Later on, Williams Racing sponsored and signed him into their junior program, which allowed Sargeant to find a place in F2 with Team Carlin. The young driver etched his name into the sport's history again as the first American to win an F2 race and finished the championship in 3rd place after a successful season. As Williams Racing has announced that they would sign the driver in if he manages to earn enough SuperLicense points, they kept their promise and signed Sargeant for their 2023 lineup. Now, about his personality: Logan seems calm, quiet, and reserved. He is pretty shy on and off the race track and will need to break his shyness (at least on the tarmac). I can still say that during the 2nd race of the season (Saudi Arabian Grand Prix), his close attacks (even though he backed down at the last moment) were a preview of his potential if he can manage to break his shyness. I continue watching closely and congratulate him.

Nyck De Vries:

When we consider his success and experience in other series, it's unfair to call Nyck, the 2nd Dutchman of our grid, a ''rookie''. However, we accept him as a rookie since this is his 1st season in F1. We can say that the 2019 F2 and 2021 Formula E champion De Vries' career is full of success. His full name is Hendrik Johannes Nicasius De Vries, and he was born on the 6th of February in 1995 in Uitwellingerga, Netherlands. Nyck, whose father is also a racing driver, became the WSK World Champion in KFJ3 (Junior Karting) category in 2008. The successful driver continued his career in Formula Renault Eurocup between 2012 and 2014. Later, De Vries moved up into Formula Renault 3.5 in 2015 and completed the season in 3rd place with 160 points. Nyck moved up into GP3 (Formula 3 today) in 2016 and F2 in 2017. The young driver raced in Formula 2 between 2017 and 2019 and finally became the F2 champion in 2019. Nyck later won the ''6 Hours of Fuji'' race (in his category) in the World Endurance Championship, racing for the Racing Team Netherlands. Then, the successful driver switched to Formula E with Mercedes. De Vries continued his career in this series between 2019 - 2021 as Stoffell Vandoorne's teammate and became the Formula E World Champion in 2021. In 2022, he participated in F1 Free Practice sessions with various teams. Finally, his luck turned for the Italian Grand Prix (ran in Monza) as the Williams driver, Alexander Albon, ended up hospitalized, and he came in to replace him for the weekend on loan from Mercedes. After proving himself in both the Qualifying session and the race, also with the support of his compatriot Max Verstappen, De Vries finally found himself a race seat for the 2023 season with a full-time contract from Alpha Tauri. Red Bull is also an open option for Nyck's future, as it seems. It's very likely, especially when he has his compatriot Max Verstappen's full support. Now, about his personality and looks: De Vries has a tiny figure and a warm smile. He is often very friendly and kind. I wish him the best of luck for his first season in F1 and hope he scores his first points very soon.

Oscar Piastri:

And at last, it's our clean-faced boy Oscar Piastri's turn. He is the youngest diver on our grid. His full name is Oscar Jack Piastri, and he was born on the 6th of April in 2001 in Melbourne, Australia. Piastri is technically the first F1 driver born in the 21st century, as he was born in 2001. Although he originally started his racing career with national leagues for remote-controlled cars in Australia, the young driver started kart racing in 2011 when he was 10. In 2016, Piastri found a racing seat in the UAE Formula 4 and completed the championship in 6th place with two podiums. A company that his father founded became his first sponsor. In 2017, Oscar found himself in British Formula 4, finishing the season in 2nd place with six wins & six pole positions. Piastri, who participated in GP3 (Formula 3 today) testing sessions in 2018, found his home in Formula Renault Eurocup. He completed this championship in 9th place with three podiums. Oscar continued his run in Formula Renault Eurocup in 2019 with a different team and became the year's champion. After the FR Eurocup Championship, Piastri found his home in FIA Formula 3 and became Frederik Vesti & Logan Sargeant's teammate. He completed the 2020 season ahead of his teammates and his main rival Theo Pourchaire and claimed the F3 title. That way, he moved up to Formula 2 in 2021. The young driver who finished the season as the champion also became one of the few drivers who claimed the F2 title in their rookie season, along with Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton, Nico Hulkenberg, Charles Leclerc, and George Russell. As he couldn't find himself a racing seat for 2022, Piastri became Alpine's reserve driver. After ending his reserve contract with Alpine eventfully during the 2022 summer break, the young driver signed into McLaren for the 2023 season. Now, about his personality: he is generally quiet, calm, and reserved. But his cute smile, indeed, pulls some attention. We wish the young Australian the best of luck and congratulate his first points scored in his home race.

[formulamelia]

the darkest weekend of Formula 1 history... in 1994 in Imola, two talented young lives came to an end.. timelessly, tragically, painfully...

on that weekend in 1994, Austrian rookie Roland Ratzenberger was killed immediately with his crash during the quali...

and Brazilian legend Ayrton Senna met the same fate on Sunday during the race... ironically, Senna once said "i'd rather die crashing into a wall at 300 km/h than live the rest of my life in a wheelchair".. and that's exactly what happened to him..

now, all we have is their memory.. our promise today is to keep their memory and legacy alive.. we remember them dearly and with utmost respect

to these 2 young souls that are lost too soon..

Keep Racing In Heaven

Roland Ratzenberger 04.30.19994

Ayrton Senna 05.01.1994

💔♾️

[formulamelia]

2023 Australian Grand Prix

2023 Australian Grand Prix - Race Report

Welcome back after a very eventful race, everyone. Usually, the races in Albert Park are not so eventful, but this season's race was so highly-charged that we still couldn't shake off the shock yet. Between 2 Safety Car periods, 1 Virtual Safety Car period, and 3 Red Flags, we have been shaken to our core as racing fans. But why was this race so chaotic? What was the cause of all the drama? Let's take a look at it together.

Safety Car Periods, Red Flags, 8 DNFs!

If I have to speak for myself, I never thought Albert Park Street Circuit was a ''dangerous'' track until this last race. For me, it was just as risky as any other track, not more - not less. It was one of the tracks that I liked. However, this last race made me question all my thoughts about Albert Park. Although there wasn't any rain or other unusual circumstances, eight cars didn't see the finish line during the 2023 Australian Grand Prix. First, Ferrari's young star, Charles Leclerc, went off the track after having contact with Aston Martin's Lance Stroll. Both due to damage and according to the rules (if the driver cannot return the car to the garage, which means it cannot move on its own, the vehicle mentioned is considered out of the race. Ie. 2022 Silverstone: George Russell was not allowed to continue the race after his contact with Gasly & Zhou, despite stopping his car deliberately because he wasn't able to restart his car & he was out of his vehicle) Leclerc was out of the race. These circumstances brought on the first Safety Car period. Later on, Mercedes' young star, George Russell, who managed to take the lead from Max Verstappen at the start, had flames shooting from the rear of his car. Unfortunately, he had to stop his vehicle quickly. And then, experienced Williams driver Alex Albon met the barriers (at high speed) and brought on the first Red Flag period. The reason for the Red Flag was a recovery crane that came onto the track to take the young Thai's wrecked Williams. No, you did not misread that! The cause of the red flag was a crane on the tarmac. Believe us; it was surprising to witness the FIA, often criticized for its inadequacy regarding safety measures, enforcing this new rule. Still, I would say ''don't get too excited''. During the final few laps of the race, Kevin Magnussen also met the barriers, and there were red flags once again. Because the race was nearing its end, everyone except Williams' American rookie Logan Sargeant, switched to soft tires. Now, that's precisely where all hell broke loose! If we look at the incidents that happened before the completion of the first lap of the race, we can see that nearly every time, the driver who caused the incident opted to start the race on soft tires. Why? Because soft tires have the lowest grip among the other tire compounds, and for the same reason, they are the most slippery ones, especially when cold. That said, soft tires are not suitable to start the race with. When the conditions were such that everybody had soft tires except Sargeant, the FIA's insisting on having a standing restart brought back all the questions about ''FIA and its inadequacy with safety measures. In the end, Carlos Sainz, who carried the hopes of Ferrari for the race, had a slip at the restart because of the reasons we mentioned above and started a chain reaction. First, the young Spaniard hit his compatriot & idol, Fernando Alonso. At that moment, Sergio Perez, who found himself in the position of Sainz's next victim, went off the track while trying to avoid a crash. At the same time, in the back, young rookie Logan Sargeant contacted Nyck De Vries, and the Dutchman hit Esteban Ocon with the momentum from his contact with Sargeant. And Ocon, with the same effect, crashed into his compatriot & teammate, Pierre Gasly. As a result, four more drivers were out of the race, increasing the total DNF count to eight. The rest is the last two laps leading to the finish line behind the Safety Car. Young Spaniard, Carlos Sainz, lost a guaranteed 3rd place when the FIA added a 5-second time penalty to the two laps behind the SC. He found this penalty unfair and objected to it along with his team. Although the real cause of the incident was the FIA, as they insisted on a standing restart when everybody had soft tires, Sainz was the driver who caused the incident on track. And as such, unfortunately, he deserved the penalty. However, the punishment during the SC laps made the result heavier than just 5 seconds. For the sake of justice and objectivity, we have to accept that. If the race is going to end behind the SC, a 5-place grid penalty for the next race would be fair instead of taking away a 3rd place he very well deserved with a 5-second time penalty. After all, he did deserve that 3rd place up until the chaos.

What Was The FIA's Mistake?

There is, of course, a culprit for all the chaos and incidents we have mentioned earlier. That is, unfortunately, again, the FIA! We can talk about two mistakes within this chain of events. One is an absolute, undisputable mistake, and the other is such that the FIA has nearly avoided it.

1) Their insistence on a standing restart when everyone had soft tires. I don't think I need to explain why soft tires are not suitable to start the race with again. I have mentioned this above. Even more so when the rolling restart decision behind the Safety Car proved their insistence on a standing restart void.

2) They opened the track positions and whether they will accept the previous lap to the discussion. According to the regulations, in situations where they cannot decide on the track positions of the drivers after a chaotic incident, they accept the standings from the previous lap or sometimes even that of the two laps prior (Ie: when Alonso was at the hospital after a terrible incident and they declared Fisichella the winner five days after the race in Brazil in 2003). They decide this according to the track positions at the moment of the incident. If most of the cars are on the 3rd sector of the track when they suspend the race, that lap is considered complete. And the positions from the said lap are valid for the restart. However, if most of the cars are NOT on the 3rd sector yet, the lap is considered incomplete, and, hence, the standings from the previous lap are valid for the restart (Ie: 2022 Silverstone after Russell - Gasly - Zhou incident). When the situation was such, after losing a hard-earned 3rd place, Fernando Alonso & Aston Martin were ready to appeal if the FIA validated the current positions for the restart. Luckily, the FIA opted to validate the standings from the previous lap and made a re-ordering according to the DNFs for the restart. They also decided to give a rolling restart behind the SC, so they turned from a big mistake.

Chaos Benefited McLaren!

Chaos, especially crashes, are scenes we don't like seeing in our sport. And we definitely cannot celebrate such incidents. However, considering the shunts during the Australian Grand Prix didn't hurt anyone, we can say that the chaos that resulted from the incidents benefited McLaren. As we all know, McLaren has been struggling since the beginning of the season. It is upsetting for both their fans and racing fans, in general, to see such a historic team suffering badly. After never-ending technical problems in Bahrain and getting stuck at the back of the grid in Jeddah, double points in Australia are a great motivation for both the team and their young drivers. Especially for the young rookie Oscar Piastri, scoring his first points at his home race must have been a big motivator. We hope for the continuation of these points.

Not A Podium, Champions League!

I know I am keeping this rather long, but I need to mention this. After all that chaos, the top 3 of the Australian Grand Prix were like a champions league. Young Dutch champion Max Verstappen, 7x world champion Lewis Hamilton, and of course, our ''veteran'' Fernando Alonso, shared the podium for the 2nd time with Qatar 2021. It was magical to see such a parade of stars on the steps after all the chaos. Champions of 3 different eras, all three of them are the best of their respective generations, and all three of them are on the list of all-time greats. It's impossible not to admire.

Mercedes: Is It A Surprise? Or Is It A Message?

Another team struggling with the 2022 regulation changes is Mercedes, for sure. As their fans celebrated the team's rise to the 2nd step with the experienced champion Lewis Hamilton, a question also arose in the minds of racing fans. Is this a Surprise? Or is this Mercedes' message, saying, ''We are still here, we are still in the game, and we are regaining our power''? Of course, no one has the answers to these questions except for Mercedes engineers and mechanics. But this is still a promising result for the team.

Without further redo, let's summarize the results. While the young champion Max Verstappen won the chaotic Australian Grand Prix full of red flags & Safety Car periods, Lewis Hamilton saw the chequered flag in 2nd place. On the other hand, The ''Last Mohican'', Fernando Alonso, brought in a 3rd podium in a row for the British crew. Other than the top 3, Nico Hulkenberg brings in some solid points haul for Haas, while McLaren scored double points in their rookie's home race.

We end our report here and say ''see you in Azerbaijan''. Until then, take care of yourselves. :)))

[formulamelia]

2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Race Report

2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Race Report

The 2nd race of the 2023 season took place at the Jeddah - Corniche Street Circuit, one of the new additions to the calendar since 2021. On this track, which has attracted both interest and criticism since its introduction in 2021, watching the drivers passing by so close to the walls is thrilling. Still, we should emphasize that, despite the excitement and the joy, Corniche is a dangerous track, especially considering that the race had to be restarted twice in 2021, the missile attack and explosion during the Free Practice session in 2022, and Mick Schumacher's qualifying accident that scared everyone. But what happened during the relatively uneventful 2023 race? Let's take a look at it together.

FIA, Again… A Scandal, Again!

I'm going to be brutally honest here. We've had enough of having to write about the FIA's ridiculous decisions, but the FIA doesn't seem to have had enough of making such decisions. If you ask what happened this time: you would remember from the previous race (Bahrain), Alpine's young driver Esteban Ocon was first penalized for ''incorrect grid position'', then for ''penalty served incorrectly'', and then for ''speeding in the pit lane''. This time Fernando Alonso hit the penalty jackpot. Just like the young Frenchman, Ocon, Alonso was first penalized with a 5-second time penalty for ''incorrect starting grid''. As it is the most logical way, Aston Martin opted for the pitstop to serve the time. However, this choice came with a cost for the surprisingly hopeful team. We soon found out the regulations state that no work should be done on the car while serving the penalty, and mechanics should stay clear of the vehicle. And the jack placed under the car is included in this rule. Alonso was also penalized again for another reason I cannot remember now. However, he kept his 3rd place by increasing his lead on Mercedes' young star, George Russell, by another 5 seconds. Now, let's look at the ridiculous and scandalous part. The race ended, the trophy ceremony has done, and the team celebrated a 2nd podium in a row with Fernando Alonso. But what was that? A notification that circulated on Twitter shell-shocked everyone. After everything was said and done, the FIA penalized the veteran Spaniard by 10 seconds, citing the previously mentioned rule. Alonso had to deliver the 3rd place trophy to George Russell, who inherited the 3rd place after his penalty. Even though everyone saw that no one was working on the car for 5 seconds, the reason for this penalty was a mechanic putting the jack under the car and standing ready in that position. The FIA's notice was ridiculous: ''Usually, the consequence of this infringement is disqualification from the race, but we saw clearly in the footage that no one was working on the car during those 5 seconds, so we decided on a 10-second time penalty.'' Fortunately, Aston Martin acted very quickly and appealed the decision. The FIA relayed on their 2nd notice that they accepted the British team's appeal and that the team turned in 7 precedents where the same action resulted in no penalty and, therefore, the 3rd place is rightfully Fernando Alonso's. The team and the Spaniard said there was at least 25 laps worth of time for them to take this decision, and had they been informed about the penalty during the race, they would have improved their lap times accordingly. We are glad that, in the end, justice prevailed.

Lance Stroll and The Safety Car.

We continue our article with Aston Martin, but this part will not be lengthy. At the beginning of the article, we mentioned how dangerous the Corniche circuit is and how they had to restart the race in 2021 twice. Luckily, this year's race was pretty uneventful. During the race, for which everyone considers a minimum of 2 Safety Car periods guaranteed, the one and only Safety Car period came from Aston Martin's young Canadian, Lance Stroll. He suffered a mechanical issue and had to stop the car on the track. Despite all, we are glad that it was an uneventful race.

Get Well Soon, Champion!

On Thursday, during the race week, some unexpected news from the Red Bull side dropped on Twitter. First came Max Verstappen's post and then the statement from the team. While the young champion stated that he had a stomach bug and that he did not feel well for the previous few days and, hence, he is going to be arriving in Jeddah on Friday in his message, to which he started by saying ''feeling well again'', the team announced that the Dutchman is not going to participate in the press events for the same reason. Although the young driver arrived in Jeddah, participated in the Free Practice sessions, and was looking better, he later admitted that he was not feeling as good as seemed and that he was having difficulty breathing and, therefore, felt the need to slow down and take a breath after two laps during the previously mentioned session. Despite his condition and starting the race in 15th place due to a drive shaft issue, he saw the chequered flag as the runner-up. That is beyond impressive and worthy of some praise! We congratulate the ''Flying Dutchman'' and extend our wishes for a quick recovery on him.

Williams, Misfortunes, And A Rookie's American Dream!

I intend to mention Williams in this part of my article. Williams is a successful, iconic team, a fan favorite. I will not go deep into the history of the British crew. However, it's impossible not to get upset with their state, especially as they turned into a ''backmarker'' for the last decade. The news that veteran strategist from Mercedes, James Vowles, is joining Williams as the new team principal had the effect of both shock and excitement. It's impossible not to trust & admire Vowles' strategic intelligence and experience. As motorsport fans, we are sure he will do great things for the team. Now, about the drivers: at the wheel of the 1st car, we see Alexander Albon, whom we can consider an experienced driver, coming from the Red Bull junior academy amongst all the objections. At the wheel of the 2nd car, however, is Logan Sargeant, the first American rookie since Alexander Rossi and Scott Speed in a long time. Sargeant will learn a lot from his teammate Albon despite his shyness on and off the race track. If we should look at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in particular, the young Thai had to retire from the race due to mechanical issues while he had guaranteed a great haul of points, which is such a misfortune. The American rookie Sargeant has also shown, in a sense, a preview of his capabilities if ridding himself of his shyness is possible. I have seen that he has a strong potential for impeccable overtakes if he can build his confidence, even though he had to back away many times. I congratulate the young driver and wish him the best of luck.

What Is Perez Doing?

We are going back to the Red Bull side because there is a situation that we cannot not-mention! The Mexican has gained the admiration of many fans, first with his last-to-first miracle win in Bahrain in 2020 (also etched his name into the books of the sport's history as the first and only driver to win a race from last place), then with his mesmerizing and skillful defensive drives in a Red Bull seat since 2021. Yet still, the fact that his young teammate, Max Verstappen, outperforms him; brought on a lot of criticism. Although many fans of the sport belittle him, saying he can't challenge Verstappen or his race pace is not good enough, Perez proved his critics wrong with his exceptional drive in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. In the absence of the young Dutchman (don't get this wrong, by ''absence'', I mean he is busy climbing up from the back), the Mexican crossed the finish line as the winner, 5 seconds ahead of his teammate. Although he lost the lead to Fernando Alonso at the start, he regained his position within a few laps and successfully retained it. With this exceptional performance, Perez claimed his 4th victory with Red Bull and the 5th of his career. We congratulate him.

In summary, Red Bull's veteran driver, Sergio Perez, won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, for which we are glad that it was uneventful in general. On the other hand, Max Verstappen crossed the finish line as the runner-up, bringing his team the 2nd double victory of the season, despite struggling with a drive shaft issue since the Qualifying sessions. Aston Martin and Fernando Alonso, of whom we spoke as ''an F1 fairy tale'' in Bahrain, saw the chequered flag in 3rd place, bringing the British crew's 2nd podium in a row.

We are sending warm hugs to everyone after this lovely race and saying ''see you at the Australian Grand Prix''. :))))

[formulamelia]

2023 Bahrain Grand Prix - Race Report

First of all, hello again, everyone from the 2023 Formula 1 season for which we have been awaiting and even counted the days for over 160 days after a looooooooooong winter break. The Bahrain Grand Prix has been good for all of us motorsports fans, as we have missed the action. It was a great race, despite some unexpected events taking place. So what happened during this race for which we have counted the days? Let's take a look together.

Raining Penalties For Alpine and Esteban Ocon!

As you would remember from the last season, everyone was annoyed by the FIA's decisions: from Red Bull fans to Mercedes Fans, Ferrari fans to Haas fans. Unfortunately, nothing seems to have changed for the 2023 season. As the French driver Esteban Ocon made a millimetric mistake on his grid spot, he was quickly faced with a 5-second time penalty as the FIA cited the reason as ''incorrect starting position''. Alpine and their young driver Esteban Ocon opted to serve the given time during their pitstop; they were shocked by a 10-second penalty. This time the reason cited by the FIA was ''penalty served improperly''. As the young Frenchman served this penalty during his 2nd pitstop, he was hit with another 10 seconds, this time for ''speeding in the pit lane''. As a result, despite having a reasonably lovely qualifying, Ocon couldn't have a lasting advantage. We are extending our support to the young driver.

None Can Stop Super Max!

Red Bull & Max Verstappen's well-known team-driver compatibility continues to elicit admiration and jealousy from fans & opponents. As he is the ''defending champion'' for the 2nd time in 2023, Max Verstappen seems to have his eyes on the 3rd championship in a row. As confidence in himself and his car and aggressive driving style continues to elicit admiration and hate from others, the young champion seems to have vowed to show the same mesmerizing performance. Max opened the season with a victory as he was 12 seconds ahead of his teammate in 2nd place. We congratulate him and wish for the continuation of his success.

What Happened To McLaren?

McLaren, a team loved by many racing fans, made an unlucky start to the season. The team that added the 2021 Formula 2 Champion, young Australian rookie Oscar Piastri to their lineup next to the young Briton Lando Norris; had to pull their rookie out of the race with a steering wheel issue while they saw the chequered flag in only 17th place with Norris also having similar troubles. We hope that these troubles are soon gone for McLaren. Looks like the new technical regulations caused a prominent disadvantage for some of the teams. As we mentioned are affected by the new directories, it would be a shame on our end to not have mentioned Mercedes, one of the most successful teams in the history of our sport. As Mercedes made an unexpected start to the last season (2022) but later developed great for the 2nd half, they made an unlucky start for the 2023 season. While they are experiencing some aerodynamic issues currently, we are sure they will handle it as soon as possible and return to the front of the grid as they should. We wish them the best of luck.

Aston Martin, Alonso, and an F1 Fairy Tale!

Undoubtedly, the surprise of the race and the season is Fernando Alonso in Aston Martin. Aston Martin made an AMAZING start to the season, giving the fans a fairy tale. After adding Dan Fellows, trained by Red Bull's Adrian Newey, to their lineup of engineers, the team appears to have made a strong car. The ''sly old fox'', 42-year-old Fernando Alonso, opened the season with a podium in 3rd place.

Get Well Soon & Congratulations Lance Stroll!

We continue our report with Aston Martin. The young Canadian driver of the team, Lance Stroll, had a horrific accident on his bicycle before the race. Despite having platinum plates placed in his hand with a surgical operation, Stroll was present at the race and saw the chequered flag with points. We hope that he gets well soon, and we also extend our congratulations to him. Let's see what he does with Aston Martin's strong car.

Ferrari & Frustration, AGAIN!

We talked a lot about Ferrari's unfortunate mistakes throughout last season. Unfortunately, the Red team made an unlucky start to the season again. Young Monegasque Charles Leclerc had guaranteed 2nd place throughout the race when on the 41st lap, his engine lost power, and he came to a halt. Since Leclerc is deeply frustrated, strong rumors of a team change for him are circulated on social media. We are curiously following him and wishing him the best of luck.

Red Bull Opens The Season with Bıg Victory!

The successful team Red Bull, having secured a constructor's championship after 9 years in 2022, opened the 2023 season with a double victory after Ferrari's young Monegasque stopped on the track and Sergio Perez snatched the 2nd place. Red Bull is cited as a favorite to take 1st and 2nd places frequently. We congratulate the team and the 2 drivers.

In summary, while raining penalties marked the race, Red Bull drivers saw the chequered flag in 1st and 2nd place. On the other hand, Aston Martin completed the podium with Fernando Alonso in 3rd place and made a surprise start to the season.

With that, we say goodbye for now, and looking forward to seeing you in Jeddah :)))

[formulamelia]

Picture Of Career-Ending Trauma...

"[about Jules Bianchi] His eyes were open, i saw him looking at me... but then he closed his eyes.. as if he was falling asleep." -Adrian Sutil

Today marks exactly 8 years since the accident that took Jules Bianchi, a young and promising talent, from us. Team Sauber driver, Adrian Sutil, was a first-hand witness to the utter tragedy that unfolded during the 2014 Japanese GP. As he crashed out of the race on lap 42, he was standing near his wrecked watching the recovery crane working while his fellow driver, Jules Bianchi lost control of his Marussia and crashed right into the crane that was taking his car. He recalls the moment stating that Bianchi was looking at him right after the crash, and that he closed his eyes as if he was falling asleep.

On top of witnessing those moments up-close, Sutil was also among Bianchi's pal bearers at his funeral. This trauma must have been too much for him that after the end of the 2015 season, he was never seen again...

[formulamelia]

2022 Italian Grand Prix - Race Report

Hello once agaın, racing fans! I could not write for the Dutch Grand Prix, so I thought I should not skip this week's Italian Grand Prix. To be honest, there was not much to talk about for the Dutch Grand Prix apart from a couple of mechanical DNFs and an eventual Safety Car period. It was a simply lovely SUPER MAX weekend. The young Dutch champion, once again, rose to victory with a flawless drive. However, there are many crucial points regarding the Italian Grand Prix that ran last Sunday. Now, let's get going!

Get Well Soon, Alex Albon; Congratulations, Nyck De Vries!

First, we wish a speedy recovery to Williams driver Alex Albon. He was hospitalized for an emergency appendicitis surgery after being advised by the FIA's medical team as he was not feeling well before the 3rd Free Practice Session on Saturday. According to the statement published by the Williams team, the young driver suffered respiratory failure, an unexpected and rare complication, after his surgery but recovered well overnight. The team also stated that he would be discharged from the hospital today. So, what happened in Albon's unexpected absence? Nyck De Vries, who was already scheduled to run a Free Practice Session for Aston Martin, was unexpectedly called in to take over the Williams car as Alex Albon could not run neither Free Practice nor Qualifying Sessions. The 27-year-old Dutch driver, also a 2021 Formula e champion, has never been a stranger to the Junior Formula Series (Formula 3, 2). Using his experience of being the 2021 Formula E Champion on top of the Junior Formula Series, De Vries proved himself once again and earned 2 crucial points for his team, which he is on the list to be their 2023 driver, in the race that he started in 8th place next to his countryman Max Verstappen. Of course, other drivers also scored points on their debuts, but we still can't overlook the success. Congratulations, Nyck De Vries! We wish the continuation of your success.

The ''Monza Curse'' And A Race Finished Behind The Safety Car!

First of all, what is the ''Monza Curse''? Let's explain as we might have new fans among us. Statistically speaking, no winner of the Monza race has seen the checkered flag for the following season's Monza race. As racing fans, we called it the ''Monza Curse''. It's not only Monza, really. Many race tracks carry these so-called curses. I'll mention the others when needed. What did the ''Monza Curse'' cause this year? Daniel Ricciardo, who saw the checkered flag in a 1-2 alongside his young teammate Lando Norris after championship contenders Max Verstappen & Lewis Hamilton crashed out of the race in 2021, could not break the curse and ground to a halt with a mechanical failure just 5 laps short of the finish. Trackside marshalls' inability to remove Ricciardo's car on time meant the race ended behind the Safety Car. Instead, the race should have been red-flagged, and then a 2-or-so lap sprint to the finish should have been given once the car was removed from the track. Either way, I am not going to go into that discussion. Don't ask why :P

Killer FIA Never Learns!

I want to mention a point that I can't keep inside or keep to myself. We all thought we would never see such scenes after Jules Bianchi lost his life as he crashed into a recovery crane placed on the track to remove another car during the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix. Apparently, we were all wrong. This is proof that the FIA, which canceled the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix citing 'safety, actually does nothing when it comes to WORK about safety. It's all in words and not in action. I'll keep then-21-year-old Lando Norris' helmet cam recording a crane across from him during the rain-soaked 2020 Turkish Grand Prix. On Sunday, the crane was running while the cars were passing behind the Safety Car. If anyone is going to say ''it's ok, they were behind the Safety Car'', just don't! Because Jules Bianchi was behind Safety Car as well. So I'm saying the FIA continues its chain of neglect. May God keep all the drivers, these young men, safe.

In summary, while the young champion Max Verstappen increased his win streak to 5 races and his points lead from Ferrari rival Charles Leclerc, Leclerc took 2nd place on the podium in his team's home race. And Mercedes, showing top-level performance for the last few races, completed the top 3 with their young star George Russell in 3rd place.

I wish happiness and blessings to everyone as we leave behind the European triple-header with 2 races in a row and look forward to seeing you for the Singapore Grand Prix, which will be run on October 2nd.

[formulamelia]

2022 Belgian Grand Prix - Race Report

Hello, everyone from a post-race week where we reunite for the thrill of Formula 1 with a triple-header after a long break. Honestly, we were getting very impatient with the 1-month summer break with no racing. We will revisit some noteworthy events that unfolded during the long-awaited Belgian Grand Prix, especially after last season's UTTER FIASCO. And while we start our article, we do not forget to remember Anthoine Hubert, a young driver who lost his life in a terrible pile-up during the 2019 Belgian Grand Prix Formula 2 Feature Race with love and longing for his dreams left incomplete. Ride in peace, Anthoine; we are still racing for you.

Grid Penalties, SPECTACULAR Qualifying Session.

We can not start this article without mentioning that nearly half of the drivers on the grid received grid penalties due to complete engine or engşne parts replacements which led to an extraordinary qualifying session. 6 drivers (please correct me if I'm wrong), including championship contenders Max Verstappen (Red Bull) and Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), received grid penalties for replacing engines or engine parts. Naturally, other teams, especially midfield - upper/midfield teams, wanted to take advantage of this situation. Alpine, for one, took 3rd place with their veteran driver 2x World Champion Fernando Alonso. McLaren, likewise, was not bad at all. Even Williams, considered a ''backmarker'', took a great spot with Alex Albon. This mixed-up grid indeed raised the levels of excitement for everyone.

A Classic Belgian Start: Chaos At The First Corner

Now onto the race. The historical Spa - Francorchamps track almost always makes for a chaotic race start, and this year was no exception. The Alonso - Hamilton contact left Hamilton out of the race, and Stroll coming real close to destroying Vettel made for a glammed-up invitation to the Safety Car during the opening lap. While Alonso made contact with 7x World Champion Lewis Hamilton as the latter did not leave enough space, our guess is that the young driver Lance Stroll almost destroyed his teammate, 4x World Champion Sebastian Vettel, due to cold tires and cold brakes. Meanwhile, our beloved ''flying Finn'' Valtteri Bottas could not escape a spinning Nicholas Latifi (whom we think we can now call the king of chaos) and met an early end to his race. Despite all this drama, it was quite an enjoyable race once the Safety Car left the track.

Super Max or Flying Dutchman?

I try to write as objectively as possible, but I just can't overlook certain things. Young defending champion Max Verstappen drove like a dream in Belgium, his 2nd home as if he were in a different dimension. He took the lead of the race on lap 12 after starting from 14th place due to grid penalties, and from that point onwards, even his teammate Sergio Perez who was running in 2nd place, could not catch up with him. Max took a considerably easy win with an over 18 seconds gap even to his teammate. We are unsure if we should keep calling him ''Super Max'' or start calling him the ''flying Dutchman'' at this point. What do you think?

Over And Over And Over Again... Ferrari & Strategical Disaster

As a Red Bull supporter, I am sincerely upset about what the young Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have to deal with. I can't even begin to understand how such a historical and iconic team like Ferrari, one of the oldest teams in Formula 1, can make such strategical errors. I am genuinely distraught and even sad. Fiasco 1: In Hungary, they opted to go with the hard compound tires while everyone else was complaining, and this weekend they did not use the hard compound tires at all even though it was advantageous! Fiasco 2: Despite his cries over the radio, they did not take him in for a pitstop, and then they took their championship contender driver in from 5th place, costing him a 5th place finish and a penalty for pitlane exit speed limit infringement! It is NOT MY INTENTION AT ALL to make fun of or to belittle, but someone PLEASE save these boys from this team!

In the end, defending champion Max Verstappen saw the chequered flag with a victory while his teammate Sergio Perez came home 2nd, hauling up a good points tally for himself and his team. He also took 2nd place in the championship standings, which makes us think, is this gonna be a championship battle between 2 teammates? On the other hand, Carlos Sainz took 3rd place for his team and completed the podium.

With that, we are ending yet another Race Report. This was relatively short as there were not many noteworthy events except those I mentioned, but I hope I did not make many mistakes. If I made errors and/or crossed the line of objectivity, I kindly request your forgiveness. I wish everyone a great weekend and goodbye until Sunday's Dutch Grand Prix.

[formulamelia]

2022 Hungarian Grand Prix - Race Report

First, hello from our last race report before a month-long summer break. We do not have any races for 4 weeks (including this week). That means a break for my articles as well. Still, looks like the 2nd half of the season will be just as exciting! Either way, let's get started with our race report. Unfortunately, we are beginning with sad news: Sebastian Vettel's retirement.

Danke Sebastán Vettel...

Sebastian Vettel announced that he will retire from this sport he loves so much at the end of the 2022 season. The 4x World Champion shared the news personally, which shook the F1 community from a social media platform he had never used. These days we keep praising Max, but Vettel was the Max at the beginning of the 2010s. Just like Max, he joined Red Bull at a very young age. And not only did Vettel write the team's history, but turn the record books upside-down as well. And he still is the youngest ever champion in F1 history. Today he is 35 years old, a father of 3, and he mentioned that the reason behind his decision is that he wants to spend more time with his family. With family being the reason, there's nothing left for us to say. We wish him all the best for the rest of his life. And for all the MAGIC moments and every breathtaking lap you had shown us, #DankeSeb. We will miss you, champion!

Alonso To Replace Vettel!

We received another shocking news yesterday morning. Aston Martin announced they signed 2x World Champion Fernando Alonso to replace Vettel in 2023. For a long time, the 42-year-old veteran driver complained about young teammate Esteban Ocon being favored over him within the team Alpine. He must have run out of patience that he signed with Aston Martin even though the team's future is an unknown. On the other hand, the fact that this happened fast and suddenly raises suspicions that Aston Martin had already given up on Sebastian Vettel. As the Spaniard talked about making way for the youngsters, with this move, he also ensures that 2021 Formula 2 champion Oscar Piastri will be replacing him in the Alpine team, of which Piastri is already an academy member and the reserve driver.

SUPER MAX Drove Like MAGIC... AGAIN!

Now, let's talk about race. Actually, I don't need many words for this section of my article. "SUPER MAX" showed the motorsport fans a dream-like drive. Although he was only 10th in qualifying after suffering a mechanical issue, the young Flying Dutchman was breathtaking during the race. Taking a clean start right in front of his teammate, Verstappen made amazing overtakes, again, alongside his teammate Sergio Perez. Though the young champion took a gamble, starting the race on soft compound tires, he turned that gamble into an advantage by keeping his tire management to the best. With Ferrari's strategy fiasco and his own MESMERIZING "out laps" after pit stops, he managed to reach the chequered flag around 9 seconds in front of 7x World Champion Lewis Hamilton and, again, Mercedes' young gun George Russell despite a 360 spin with 10 laps to go. We congratulate him. Really an UNMATCHED talent!

First Pole Position For George Russell!

After praising Max in abundance, it wouldn't be fair if I didn't give Mercedes' young talent George what he is worth. I talked about some of his outstanding performances and his breathtaking talent. But this week on qualifying, the Briton was on a whole different level. Even though he did not have the fastest car on the grid, the young driver showcased his skills and managed to get the pole position in front of 2 rocket-like Ferraris with a PERFECT lap. He even held on to the lead for a while, which was pretty amazing to watch. When we consider his performance and talent, it looks like it's only a matter of 1 or 2 seasons for the young star to become a champion. Of course, Mercedes, which had developed very well since the beginning of the season, should keep up the car performance.

Ferrari, AGAIN... Strategical Fiasco, AGAIN...

I am SERIOUSLY struggling to find words at this point. HOW ON EARTH can such a long-standing and successful team be an ABSOLUTE FAIL when it comes to race strategy? I really can't wrap my head around it. Especially when they have 2 talented, young drivers... Put aside the engineers and the mechanics, they are wasting all the efforts of these 2 young talents. They started the race 2nd and 3rd but fell victim to their own team's incompetence on strategy once again. Slow pit stops aside, the fact that they took their championship contender Charles Leclerc in for a pit stop from 3rd place with less than 20 laps to go... UNBELIEVABLE! With this move, Ferrari kept the young Monegasque from a 3rd, potentially 2nd place finish and from gaining a little more points. We hope Ferrari doesn't make any more mistakes in the 2nd half of the season.

With that, we end another article and wish everyone a nice time on these 4 weeks without races. Next stop: Belgium. Until Belgium, take care and stay safe. :))))

[formulamelia]

2022 French Grand Prix - Race Report

Yes! Hello from an unexpectedly eventful French Grand Prix post-race.

Some know; that the French Grand Prix, which takes place on the Paul Ricard circuit in Le Castelette, usually goes uneventful to the point where many racing fans call it "the sleeping race" under normal conditions. Although the 2021 French Grand Prix ended uneventfully with all 20 cars seeing the chequered flag, this year's race was surprising. So what happened? Let's remember together.

4 Cars Out Of The Race!

As I have stated in the entry section of my article, although last year's race was uneventful with no DNFs, this year was surprising. With Ferrari's championship contender Charles Leclerc's spinning crash and contacts between Kevin Magnussen & Nicholas Latifi, and Yuki Tsunoda & one of the home heroes, Esteban Ocon, a total of 4 cars had to retire out of the race. I will discuss Leclerc's spin & crash with details in a separate section, so let's look at Magnussen - Latifi contact. Clearly and simply, the experienced pilot who has shown us a BRILLIANT drive that was way over the limits of his Haas car fell victim to his ambition as he had to face a penalty for replacing his engine. He wanted to climb up the grid but ended up launching himself at Nicholas Latifi, which saw both drivers meeting an early end to their race. On the other hand, 2 drivers who are pretty much "subscribed" for the mid positions on the grid, Tsunoda, and Ocon, had a similar situation on the latter laps of the race. The ambitions and aggressive "pocket rocket" of the grid, Yuki Tsunoda blamed Ocon for the contact that ended his race, though.

Ferrari's Troubles Are Never-Ending!

I am saying this SINCERELY and sadly: Ferrari's troubles and frustrations do not seem to end. Even though they made an AMAZING start to the season, they are losing more points than they deserve with their strategic errors and causal race misfortunes. After Carlos Sainz's DNF due to engine issues last week, this week saw their championship contender Charles Leclerc cracking under pressure from Max Verstappen, losing the rear of his car and eventually crashing into the barriers. His heart-wrenching scream on the radio after the crash still rings in our ears. Don't get me wrong; it's ABSOLUTELY NOT my intention to criticize Charles' driving skills or racecraft. ANYONE can crack under pressure, after all. Also, there's a high possibility that his crash might have been caused by the throttle issues, which started at last week's Austrian Grand Prix. Let's not overlook that fact. As racing fans, we hope Charles has flawless races in the coming weeks. We love him and wish him all the best. Oh! Also, the fact that they called Carlos Sainz, who managed to climb up to fight for 4th - 3rd position, In for his 2nd pitstop at the worst possible time is yet another strategic SCANDAL on the part of Ferrari.

What The Hell Happened To The Red Bulls?

We can never deny that the Red Bull cars are extremely fast, especially on the straights, and highly competitive. However, the fact that the vehicles lose their pull power out of turns is worrying. The engineers and representatives from Red Bull say that this situation is caused by the increase in weight due to new upgrades, but no one, including the young reigning champion Max Verstappen, is not happy with this. Last week during the Austrian Grand Prix, the cart was a tire monster, and this week, despite the best efforts of the young star Verstappen, overtaking Leclerc within the twisty turns of Paul Ricard seemed impossible. The situation turned into a nightmare for him at the Hungarian Grand Prix, which will take place next week, and for us Red Bull fans. We hope the team's experienced engineer Adrian Newey will come up with an answer to this for the 2nd half of the season, if not for next week.

Mercedes - Russell's Attack Mode And The First Double Podium Of The Season!

Mercedes, as a team, being experts on strategy is a well-known fact. So will not mention that again. But we REALLY need to look at the young star, Russell. Bing a part of the Mercedes Junior and driving for Williams for the first 3 years of his career, George Russell has already shown us what he is made of, even with a non-competitive car. However, replacing Valtteri Bottas as of this year, he seems to be much more confident in a considerably competitive vehçle. The young driver has been consistent and aggressive with his performance and literally caught experienced Red Bull driver Sergio Perez at the restart after a late "Virtual Safety Car" period. He eventually took 3rd place. 7x world champion, an experienced driver, Lewis Hamilton, also showed off his experience and, with some help from Leclerc's DNF, took 2nd place on the 300th race of his career. We respect and congratulate him. 300 race starts... Not easy at all.

In summary, the names who left Paul Ricard happy have been the reigning champion Max Verstappen; and Mercedes, who completed the podium with both drivers.

Also, an important note: the veteran of the grid, 42-year-old Fernando Alonso, went into Formula 1 history as the driver with most racing laps by having completed a total of 18.672 racing laps, including this week's race. We love and congratulate him as well.

So, see you in a week with the last race of the 1st half of the 2022 season. Goodbye until then.

[formulamelia]

7 years ago today, this talented you g man Jules Bianchi, lost the fight for his life around 9 months after his HORRIFIC crash at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix. Sadly, his crash and eventually his death was caused by a chain of ignorance and a lack of proper safety measures.

1) The track was FLOODING with rain! That race should have never even started AT ALL!

2) A rescue vehicle should have NEVER been so close to the track without any barriers or protection around it!

3) The race direction and the stewards were TOO LATE on both their Safety Car and eventually Red Flag decisions!

4) A Race Marshall in a Marshall Post right next to the crash site was seen STILL waving a GREEN FLAG after both Adrian Sutil and Jules Bianchi's crashes! He should have been waving a YELLOW FLAG after Sutil's crash and DOUBLE YELLOWS after Bianchi's crash!

5) Instead of an ambulance helicopter, he was taken to a hospital which was 40 MINUTES AWAY, BY ROAD!

After the horrific crash, he fought real hard for his life but unfortunatelt he ran out of time and luck at the age of only 25! He was an extremely talented driver with a HUGE potential. Hence, he was a part of Ferrari's Dricer Academy and was told that he would have been replacing Fernando Alonso in Ferrari in 2015 had he lived. Sadly, the world of Motorsports and the Formula 1 community lost a future LEGEND.

Today we all remember him, and take a bit of peace in the fact that his legacy will always live on through his close friend Charles Leclerc.

The Formula 1 Community Misses you Jules. Keep racing on Heaven.

Jules Lucien Andrè Bianchi

08.03.1989 - 07.17.2015

💔♾️💔

[formulamelia]

2022 Austrian Grand Prix Race Report

Once again, hello from yet another post-race Monday. There is A LOT to say after a fascinating and breathtaking Austrian Grand Prix. Let's start with the Sprint Qualifying.

Sprint Qualifying - A New Feature In F1!

First off, what is a sprint qualifying? Sprint qualifying is a frequently used qualifying format in the junior categories of Formula 1, such as Formula 2 and Formula 3. Instead of the 3-level qualifying format that we are used to, pilots actually run ''mini races'' to determine their grid position for the race start. Although they started the sprint from the pit lane (hence, the name ''sprint'') in the junior categories, things changed when they wanted to adapt this format to F1. For the sprint weekends throughout the season, our pilots run the usual 3-level qualifying session on Friday instead of Free Practice 2. Then on Saturday, they start the sprint from the grid, based on their qualifying results of Friday. Even though many circuits have 17-18 laps for the sprint, Red Bull Ring, which hosts the Austrian Grand Prix, ran it in 23 laps due to its short milage.

So what happened during the sprint this week? Let's summarize! Although the reigning world champion Max Verstappen managed to keep the lead and seemed the quicker one on the track, the rival teams, Red Bull and Ferrari were incredibly close on race pace. If we consider that Red Bull had extreme tire degradation the last 3-5 laps of the sprint, they were very close to one another.

Let's talk about what happened! Fernando Alonso and the Alpine team were frustrated yet again. Unfortunately, Alonso dropped out of the sprint and was forced to start the race from the back of the grid. Williams and Alex Albon made a great start but were the main actors of controversy as Albon exceeded the track limits on some of his laps and forced 4x World Champion Sebastian Vettel into the gravel trap. Team Haas was AMAZING on both the sprint and the race. Especially Kevin Magnussen's race pace and young talent Mick Schumacher's INCREDIBLE defense against 7x World Champion Lewis Hamilton was worthy of all the talking (I will write more detailedly about Haas and Schumacher in the race section of my article). In the end, while the reigning champion Max Verstappen, although he struggled to hold on to the lead, took the pole position, Ferrari duo Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz completed the top 3 right on his tail.

The Race - Breathtaking Battles, Frustrations, And The Leclerc Win That Came Weeks Later!

The Austrian Grand Prix brought about breathtaking wheel-to-wheel battles, frustrations for some teams and drivers, and a long-awaited win for Ferrari's championship contender Charles Leclerc. But what happened during the race? Let's remember together!

Another Chaotic Start - Russell/Perez and Albon/Vettel

Although it didn't result in images as scary as in the British Grand Prix last week, the Austrian Grand Prix also began with the classic start mayhem. While the young Mercedes star George Russell collided with Red Bull's veteran 2nd driver Sergio Perez, Alex Albon and Honda's young talent discovery Yuki Tsunoda were taken under investigation for breach of race start procedures. The damage he took from his contact with Russell brought first a very early pit stop and eventually the end of his race for Perez.

Haas and Mick Schumacher - Fluke Or The Eventual Manifestation Of Genetic Inheritance?

As I mentioned in the sprint section of my article, I can't continue on without talking about Mick Schumacher. The Haas team, who were in deplorable condition last year, seem to be catching up to their old form. While they took a tremendous risk with 2 rookies (Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin) in 2021, the team called back their former loyal and experienced driver Kevin Magnussen following Russian driver Mazepin's ban from the championship. Danish star Magnussen, already familiar with the team dynamics and the car, leaves nothing to criticize his performance. Young talent Mick Schumacher, however, surprised everyone with his MESMERIZING performance, especially in the last 2 weeks. After a struggling period that brought the followers of this sport up to saying ''he does NOT belong here'', he finally seems to have his breakthrough. Although many still overlook it by saying ''it's a fluke'', in my and his fans' opinion, he drove a FASCINATINGLY. Be it his defense against Hamilton during the sprint or his drive that brought him 6th place in yesterday's race, his performance reminded all the race fans of his father, Michael Schumacher. And again in my and his fans' opinion, his performance is not just a fluke but the manifestation of his genetic inheritance with the combination of his talent with a relatively good car. I send him big congratulations and lots of love.

Breathtaking Battles - The 5-Way Battle In The Mid-Field And The Battle For Lead In The Front

As I mentioned earlier, the Austrian Grand Prix has been the scene of breathtaking wheel-to-wheel racing. The 5-way battle between Magnussen, Tsunoda, Alonso, Zhou, and Norris in the mid-field kept the race fans on the edge of their seats. On the other hand, the 3-way battle for the lead in the front was also enjoyed by everyone. As his teammate was absent, young champion Max Verstappen was left alone against 2 roaring Ferraris and failed to hold on to the lead. While his Red Bull went through tires like bread and water, Verstappen was overtaken 3 times by his championship rival Charles Leclerc despite his best efforts to counterattack. Although this has upset the Red Bull Fans, watching the 2 young drivers pushing and overtaking each other was AMAZING for all race fans.

Problems Didn't End - Sainz On Fire, Leclerc's Throttle Pedal Stuck, Tire Monster Verstappen

I have already mentioned Red Bull's 2nd Driver, Perez. However, problems for Red Bull didn't end with Perez. Although the reason is said to be the increase in the vehicle's weight due to the upgrades, the Red Bull car was literally a tire monster. Naturally, the young champion was not happy with this situation. While he barely held on to the 2nd place between early pit stops and stuff, engine failure from Ferrari came to his aid. Don't mind me saying ''failure''. The engine literally exploded! Yes, while Carlos Sainz was MILISECONDS away from overtaking his former teammate Max Verstappen for 2nd place, he ran out of the track with a sudden loss of power. And as soon as the car ground to a halt, the engine caught fire and exploded (including the engine cover). In this situation which brought about scary scenes, luckily, the only injury Sainz (who struggled to get out of his burning car) sustained was frustration. Still, Ferrari's problems didn't end with Sainz either. Their championship contender driver Charles Leclerc had his throttle pedal stuck at 20% and also struggled with downshifting his gear. While fighting all these problems, Leclerc dangerously managed to keep his lead from fast closing Verstappen and see the chequered flag. And, of course, master of taking opportunities, the Mercedes team completed the podium with their experienced driver Lewis Hamilton and the 4th place with their young star George Russell bringing a good haul of points.

Raining Penalties - FIA Rained Down Penalties!

Interestingly, the governing body of international motorsports, FIA, rained down penalties on drivers during the Austrian Grand Prix. While the Tsunoda - Albon incident at the star was only noted and were no penalties to either driver, McLaren's young star Lando Norris, and young rookie Zhou Guanyu for exceeding track limits, George Russell and Alpha Tauri's Pierre Gasly for contacts (respectively with Perez & Vettel), received 5 second time penalties. On the other hand, there were black & white flags (last warning before penalization) left and right for many other drivers. Although they have been criticized for a long time, this season, the FIA and the ''referees'' don't even let the drivers nor the teams breathe.

To sum up, as we leave behind another race weekend for better or worse, with excitement and frustrations, Ferrari, as if they are avenging the Imola Grand Prix, managed to defeat Red Bull in their own home. Defending champion Max Verstappen saw the finish line on the podium, barely holding on to 2nd place. And Mercedes, completing the top 3 with their experienced driver Lewis Hamilton, are happy.

I apologize in advance for my mistakes, if any, and wish you an AWESOME time until we meet again for the French Grand Prix in 2 weeks. :)

[formulamelia]

Happy Independence Day !!! 🙏🙏🙏

Red, White, and Blue

Land Of The Free,

Home Of The Brave

#GodBlessTheUSA

#4thOfJuly

#IndependenceDay2022

[formulamelia]

2022 British Grand Prix Report

Gasly - Russell - Zhou, And Mayhem At The Start

Unfortunately, the race started with the crash that resulted in the image in the picture. A driver we consider one of the experienced ones, Pierre Gasly (Alpha Tauri), had a braking error that saw him diving right into the middle of George Russell (Mercedes) and this year's Rookie - Formula 1's FIRST EVER Chinese driver Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo). While Rusell attempted a saving maneuver, he momentarily lost control of his Mercedes and crashed into Zhou's Alfa Romeo. This contact, in turn, resulted in the Alfa Romeo turning over, being swept on its top first on the asphalt and then in gravel, hitting & bouncing off of the tire wall, and ending up being stuck between the tire wall & the wire fence. Luckily, the young driver was removed from his car fully conscious and was released after his checks at the hospital with a message that said he is excellent. Meanwhile, images of Russell quickly jumping out of his car and running to the crash site have reminded us of how Ayrton Senna left his vehicle and ran to the aid of his fellow driver Erik Comas.

Vettel - Albon - Ocon, And The 2nd Pile-Up

While the Gasly - Russell - Zhou contact was taking place, 4x world champion Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin) was also the victim of cold tires and ended up crashing into the back of Alex Albon (Wiliams). Albon, swinging across the track with the impact, crashed into Esteban Ocon (Alpine) in turn. Although Vettel and Ocon were relatively unscathed, Albon was hospitalized along with Zhou with a mild concussion. Thankfully, he is completely fine as well.

Alpha Tauri Drivers Eliminated One Another

As the race progressed, Alpha Tauri drivers Pierre Gasly and (Honda's talent discovery) Yuki Tsunoda both lost control of their vehicles while racing one another, ended up in the gravel trap, and took each other out. 1 lap after this contact, reigning champion Max Verstappen (Red Bull) who finally took the lead of the race, was not able to escape the carbon-fiber debris on the track and took serious floor damage to his car. The damage to his floor was so severe that he lost half the downforce on his vehicle and was forced into an early pit stop, thinking he had a punctured tire. Unfortunately, the loss of downforce saw Verstappen struggling with his car throughout the race and he barely held on to 7th place. With all this, the British Grand Prix turned into a "damage limitation" race for the young star,

2nd Safety Car Period, Opportunities, And Front Pack Fight

With young Alpine driver Ocon grinding to a halt, the safety car was called onto the track for the 2nd time. While Mercedes, as always, showed off their expertise in strategy and took the opportunity of the safety car period with their 7x world champion driver Lewis Hamilton; Ferrari failed to take the same opportunity for their championship contender driver Charles Leclerc. Instead, they chose their 2nd driver Carlos Sainz to favor for the British Grand Prix. Red Bull, in the meanwhile, continued with their 2nd driver Sergio Perez. Naturally; while all these events and chaos were taking place, the front pack gave us a breath-taking wheel-to-wheel racing. Opportunistic Lewis Hamilton, with the help of minor but critical errors from Perez & Leclerc, passed by both drivers and temporarily claimed 2nd place. However, as always, showed off his racecraft and reclaimed his place in the #2 spot. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), on the other hand, was not able to catch up with Hamilton with the front wing damage he carried throughout the race.

To sum up; Ferrari claimed yet another victory with their 2nd driver Carlos Sainz winning a Grand Prix for the first time. Red Bull, with Sergio Perez, took a critical runner-up place for their constructor's championship in the absence of their star driver Max Verstappen. And Mercedes, as the team who took the best opportunities, completed the podium with their experienced driver Lewis Hamilton in 3rd place.

I wish a very speedy recovery and all the best for the drivers involved in the crashes. They reminded us yet again that this sport, despite all the developments and safety measures, remains a dangerous and high-risk one.

See you all next week for the Austrian Grand Prix.

[formulamelia]

Hello :))

Hello bloggers’ world !!! i’will be posting all things F1 and motorsports here... including “Race Reports” after each race !!! i hope you enjoy and support