#(also carlos is one of the few drivers to have a grandstand at his home race where the prices are really reduced

[albonium]

another day another non sense bullshit lie by leclerc fans, seriously get fucked

[f1]

Sainz and Leclerc say upgraded Ferrari 'felt pretty good' as they target improvements ahead of qualifying in Spain

Home favourite Carlos Sainz, and his Ferrari team mate Charles Leclerc, are expecting a tight midfield battle at this weekend’s race in Barcelona – as both drivers also gave their verdict on the upgrades brought by the Scuderia this weekend. Sainz was ninth fastest for Ferrari in FP1, before setting the seventh quickest time in the second practice session, and speaking after jumping out of the cockpit, the Spaniard says the signs were good from the upgraded SF23. FP2: Verstappen edges out Alonso during second Barcelona practice session “It feels good,” said Sainz. “It’s always great to be back here with the crowd, driving a track that I actually think is a lot better, a lot more exciting, has a lot more character, and is also more demanding both physically and mentally with the last two corners the way they are, and enjoying it. “We’ve tested the new package, obviously it’s impossible to compare, only Charles had a proper back-to-back. But for me it was put and run, and we just tuned the car to adapt it to the balance that we have.” When asked where he believes Ferrari can end up in the pecking order come qualifying, Sainz replied: “It’s going to be tight. I think the field today was particularly tight, obviously we don’t know fuel modes and engine modes. This feature is currently not available because you need to provide consent to functional cookies. Please update your cookie preferences ‘The track is a lot more fun to drive’ – Sainz enjoying circuit changes at his home race “But there were a few cars from the midfield joining the top teams and mixing it up with us, which I expect will happen again as in Monaco. Just shows the field is closing up and it’s going to be a good challenge for quali.” Sainz is racing at his home Grand Prix for the ninth time in his Formula 1 career, and he is hopeful that he can give the fans in the crowd, and at home, something to celebrate come the end of the weekend. READ MORE: Alonso taking energy from vocal home crowd as he looks to ‘put on a good show’ following P2 in Friday practice “F1 is booming in Spain, I think everywhere, but also in Spain it’s taken big steps,” Sainz acknowledged. “It’s great to see the grandstands nearly full already on a Friday. “And seeing people enjoy and clap, and shout as they were doing today on a Friday. Great to see, hopefully more of this to come and hopefully we can give them a good weekend.” Leclerc and Sainz were looking to optimise the performance of their car heading into the weekend As for Leclerc, he was eighth fastest in FP1 – where he did not run an upgraded version of the SF23 – before going sixth quickest in second practice. And the Monegasque racer had set his sights on improvements heading into the weekend. “First of all, we had a few new parts on the car, but I think it’s a great track to test these new upgrades,” said Leclerc. “Feeling is quite okay; we still have a lot to do to optimise this new package, but it felt pretty good. READ MORE: Vasseur explains Ferrari’s sidepod change and how it will ‘open some doors’ for future development “Step by step, try and push more and more the car, and to go in places that we haven’t yet because we didn’t have the time. Just a normal process of having a new part and slowly going in the direction we want.” Leclerc – who took pole last year in Barcelona – was asked whether he could repeat the same trick come Saturday afternoon, to which he responded: “Very difficult to answer that question, because I think it’s closer than ever. “Apart from Red Bull that are in a league of their own with their car at the moment, especially in race pace, everybody else seems to be more or less there. So, I think the one that will be in front will be the one that will do the perfect lap in quali.” via Formula 1 News https://www.formula1.com

[killa-trav]

George Russell: Safe? This track is the opposite. Clip a kerb and you’re into a wall

On a bike ride around the Zandvoort circuit, George Russell highlights the twists, turns - and dangers - of one of the tightest tracks on the F1 calendar (link to the video)

It is, undoubtedly, the slowest lap George Russell has ever performed on a Formula One circuit. But then he is on an Amsterdam commuter bike and, as the sun casts long shadows over the Zandvoort circuit, he has an ageing reporter from The Times for company rather than Max Verstappen wheel to wheel.

“Do these go fast?” Russell asks, as he climbs onto his rickety bicycle. Hopefully not. And so, without a roar of engines, the Mercedes driver pedals off the grid to lead us around the 14 corners of a strikingly tight 4.259km circuit that seems to twist on itself like a Scalextric track.

“It’s a very spectacular circuit, one of my favourites, but you have to keep your wits about you,” Russell says as we head off down the first straight approximately 175mph slower than he will during the Dutch Grand Prix tomorrow.

The lap walk has long been a tradition for F1 drivers but Russell explains that using two wheels has become his preference. Cycling is his thing, partly for fitness — whether on holiday or around Richmond Park when he is in London — but also because it helps to clear his head.

“I try to finish with the engineers and then go out on my bike for a circuit,” he explains. “It’s good therapy after I’ve been staring at a screen. And obviously you are taking in any details, examining the track for any changes from last year, inspecting the surface. Walking a lap can take an hour. I can cycle two or three.”

When we pass Carlos Sainz, the Ferrari driver, who is jogging along with his engineers, in a low-speed overtaking manoeuvre it seems a very smart move.

TURN 1

As we head down the straight, Russell is already computing details. He glances up at the flags at the top of the main grandstand which show a stiff breeze coming straight off the North Sea. The Zandvoort circuit is yards from the coast.

“The wind is so important,” Russell says. He explains how the headwind will slow the car on the straight but, in applying more downforce, allow more speed heading into the first turn. “So if the wind is like this it will be exceptionally fast [into the bend]. It could be 10mph faster, probably going round this corner at 120, 130mph. It can be six tenths of a second quicker or slower depending on the wind, so it can change substantially. So we are looking at the wind strength — is it gusty? And obviously somewhere on the track will be a flipside.”

As we pause to chat, a few fans have made it onto the circuit and run over for a photo. Russell deals with the attention politely but there are only so many selfies that any star can pose for. He has been spotted a lot more since he joined Mercedes this season to become Lewis Hamilton’s team-mate. The phenomenal success of the documentary series Drive to Survive on Netflix has made them all more recognisable to a much wider public. “And there are only 20 or so of us,” he says.

Russell has been living in London with his girlfriend, Carmen, who works in finance, but plans to join the large cohort of drivers in Monaco by the end of this year. Most of his friends are on the F1 circuit and he estimates that he could spend as few as 70 days at home in 2022.

Russell will move this year for all the benefits of the Monegasque life. And it offers better cycling than Richmond Park too.

TURN 3

Television flattens contours. It never captures the rolling hills of a golf course such as Augusta National and certainly does not do justice to the thrillingly steep banking on Zandvoort’s turn three, Hugenholtz, which was built up to add character and, potentially, drama given the possibility of cars side by side around this bowl of a corner.

“The exciting corner,” Russell says with relish. Like a velodrome, I suggest. “It really is,” he agrees. “It’s pretty impressive isn’t it. You have one corner like this in the calendar.”

The slope builds from an angle of less than five degrees at the bottom up to 19 degrees at its peak, which gives a fascinating dilemma to the drivers. “It’s about using the bank to your advantage,” Russell says. “You can take the tight line by sticking to the left. But if you go in too early here, your front left wheel will be popping off the ground and you are losing downforce, so you want to bring it out wide and fire that speed.”

I wonder how it feels physically to be hammering around this bend, high at the top of the banking.

“It’s quite strange, because it doesn’t feel as much lateral-G [side-to-side G force], but there is quite a lot of vertical-G, because the car is compressing into the circuit when you go round here and you are often almost bottoming the car out,” he says, describing the sensation of feeling pushed down hard into the tarmac.

Russell describes Zandvoort, built into dunes on the coast soon after the Second World War, as one of the most arduous circuits. Singapore is the most gruelling, with the heat and humidity and lack of airflow, but Zandvoort’s tightness acts like a punishing rollercoaster. “It’s relentless,” he says. “It doesn’t give you a second to breathe.”

TURN 6

As we cycle past a new hospitality tent with pounding music and whooping fans — “the Dutch can get quite rowdy,” Russell says, smiling, especially with Verstappen leading the championship for Red Bull — we come over a rise and then drop down towards a right-hand bend.

“This is a great corner here,” Russell says of coming over the crest and very quickly down into a big turn. “That’s almost flat out in seventh gear, 165 or 170mph, really fast.” And with a high degree of jeopardy.

He talks of ensuring that the speed is right to ensure maximum grip as the car goes down then up in the turn. “If you are a little bit slower on the entry and wait for the car to compress you can really power through the corner,” he explains. “If you carry too much speed in then you understeer off in that direction.”

Russell points to a wall of tyres up on the left which do not seem very far away at all. “You will definitely know about it if you get it wrong,” he says, with a smile of understatement. It is a reminder, if any were needed after watching Zhou Guanyu rolling so terrifyingly at Silverstone, of the dangers. Does this circuit feel safe? “Probably the opposite,” Russell replies, matter-of-factly. “So tight, so quick. No margin for error. If you clip a kerb, drop a wheel and it pushes you wide you are straight into the wall. A lot of these circuits have tarmac run-offs, but none of that here.”

We chat a little more about risk. Russell sits on the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association as one of only two directors, with Sebastian Vettel, under the former driver and chairman Alex Wurz. He is only 24, but already has the air of a confident spokesman with the respect of his fellow racers.

“I have always wanted to get involved and have my say if there are issues when I feel strongly,” he says. “It might be safety or how a track is set up. I am hoping to be in this sport a long time, ten or 15 years, so I would like to help make it more safe and more exciting, if there are any ways to do that.”

Exciting how? Russell reflects on the e-sports racing that filled the gap during lockdown. Seeing himself on camera, with all the concentration and focus, made him think about the human tension and emotion that is lost as drivers pull on their balaclavas and helmets.

“I don’t know if in ten years’ time there could be a transparent helmet, or a canopy like on a fighter jet,” he says. “I think that would be pretty incredible if you had that enclosed cockpit and the camera on our faces and you could see the physicality.”

TURN 12

We come to a new feature at the second part of the Hans Ernst chicane. Cars spilling over the kerb on the left-hander have previously dragged gravel on to the track, so Zandvoort is experimenting with a one-metre strip of gravel that is effectively glued down. “It’s the first time I have seen it, so I’m intrigued,” Russell says as he approaches the new surface. “Oh wow. Unique.”

Sainz is here too, and the two drivers chat through possibilities. “I thought we could run [on] it but not any more,” the Ferrari driver says.

The two men take a few minutes to bemoan the domination of Red Bull at the previous race in Spa. They chat about frustrations with vibrations and grip and straight-line speed as they try to close the gap.

For Russell, after three years outperforming a poor Williams car to earn his move to Mercedes, it has not been the season that he would have imagined in a team who had been constructors’ champions for the previous eight years.

Individual consistency has brought third to fifth placings in 13 of 14 races, and Russell does sit just ahead of Hamilton in the standings, but securing his maiden F1 victory has been frustratingly out of reach.

“I am here to win championships, win races,” he says. “I will take position three, four, five and it’s a big improvement on last year but it is not where I want to be, or the team. Their aspirations are greater than that.”

He talks of working hard with the engineers to make improvements and the rapid learning that has come from a season of challenges. “I recognise that you need to have a bit of engineering knowledge and background to get the most out of your team and the car. How to utilise everything in your power — and that comes with experience as well,” he says.

With that in mind, he explains how the engineers go round the circuit with a device that can calibrate the degree of roughness of each part of the track. “They can compare year after year and the corners that are worse for [tyre degradation]. It gives you a really good indication of how to set the car up, the corners most damaging for the tyres.”

As we go round, the racing line on sector two is notably rougher. “Imagine your tyres digging into those rocks,” he says. Russell talks of avoiding “leaning into” the tyres here compared to, say, the right-hander of turn one.

“You probably have a thought in your head that if you slide the tyre at this point you are going to damage it,” he says. “So we start to build that picture of what it will be like on Sunday. Is it high or low degradation? Is it the front or rear that is going to be the limitation?”

The more he talks, discussing how the weather changes and the different track temperatures will affect performance over the weekend, the more it is clear how many different aspects there are to the job.

But one matters most. “I love driving, I love getting the most out of the car and racing. But I love winning more than I love driving.”

FINAL BEND

We eventually come round to another dramatic sweeping banked bend; the final one with a banking between 15 and 18 degrees. Russell will plan to take a high line to be able to turn into the final straight aggressively. “So you can get the downhill swoop,” he says.

There are more changes to take in, with a move in the drag reduction system (DRS) line back down the track. “Because it’s a tight and twisty circuit, there is only one overtaking opportunity. That’s the first corner.” Moving the DRS line should, he thinks, give “an extra 15 metres, so about four car lengths into turn one, to overtake. Certainly not insignificant, especially on a circuit like this.”

As he chats, safety marshals come over and hand Russell a pack of Dutch waffles. He politely accepts, though he does not look like a man likely to eat them.

He has the focus of a man who decided as a teenager that, while his mates could go out and drink cider, he was going to devote himself to his career. As we finish the lap and head back to the Mercedes motorhome, Russell reflects on the journey he made since leaving Wisbech Grammar School at 14 to become a driver earning £5 million a year.

“I did home-schooling,” he says. “We made a choice so that I could continue in karting and travel around Europe.”

We talk a bit more about the life of an F1 driver, time for hobbies (the lack of it) and chasing his ambition. “Sitting here now it feels like the right choice,” he says, before heading off on a faster, more expensive bike more appropriate for a man of his speed.

INTERVIEW BY MATT DICKINSON

[tkmedia]

Ten things we learned from F1's 2021 British Grand Prix

Formula 1, the British Grand Prix and a sold out Silverstone – it had the feeling of familiarity after the unknown and empty grandstands since the COVID-19 pandemic took hold. But the 2021 British GP was anything but recognisable, starting on the Thursday with the first showing of a full-scale 2022 F1 car model and then a new weekend format which pivoted around the inaugural sprint qualifying race. It all resulted in a dramatic and controversial victory for Lewis Hamilton after his lap one collision with Max Verstappen which sent the F1 world championship leader into a 51G impact with the tyre barriers. Hamilton recovered from a 10-second time penalty for the incident to reel in shock leader Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and overtake him with just two laps to go – maximising his advantage with Verstappen out and cutting the deficit in the standings to eight points. While penalties and sportsmanship became the major post-race talking points, it created a race weekend jammed with action and memorable moments. Here are 10 things we learned from the 2021 British GP. 1. The first major clash of Hamilton vs Verstappen reveals true rivalry (By Alex Kalinauckas)

Lewis Hamilton congratulates Max Verstappen after the Red Bull driver's sprint race victory Photo by: Steve Etherington / Motorsport Images It's easy to see why the Lewis Hamilton/Max Verstappen collision at Copse, which put the Red Bull driver out in a scary, high-speed accident, is being described as 'inevitable' – because, really, it was. They have already clashed once in 2021 – at Imola. Then there was Verstappen's divebomb in Spain, plus the ultra-on-the-line close racing between them between Abbey and the approach to Copse in both Silverstone races. But the reason why the grand prix clash ended as it did is precisely because of the championship situation Hamilton faces, as well as the fierce nature of both driver's on-track attitude. Hamilton came into the British GP 33 points down on Verstappen. This isn't 2017-2021, when the Mercedes driver could afford to take a 'big picture' championship-points-tally-consideration view in 50-50 moves. He has more to lose now if something goes wrong, vital ground in a title battle where he has a slower package, so simply cannot afford to give an inch. And that's Verstappen's attitude overall – just look at his reaction to Hamilton getting alongside at Abbey and Brooklands on Sunday. In the crash, Hamilton deserved a penalty for causing the incident, but it was still a fine call. Don't expect this to be the last flashpoint of the 2021 title fight. 2. F1's penalty system needs to be explained better (By Jonathan Noble)

Lewis Hamilton had to sit stationary in his pitbox for 10s before his mechanics could service him Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images Red Bull's calls for Lewis Hamilton to be given a race ban for his part in the opening-lap crash with Max Verstappen were always going to fall on deaf ears. But you could fully understand its frustration that the 10-second penalty given to Lewis Hamilton for the clash ultimately cost the world champion nothing. Although it meant he had to fight a bit harder for the victory, he was still able to come home with the full 25 points. While that may seem unfair for Verstappen, who saw his title advantage slashed massively, F1 is quite right not to dish out penalties based on the consequences of offences. For doing it that way could open an even worse scenario where drivers get heavy sanctions for relatively minor rule breaches, but the book thrown at them when a tiny issue has big consequences. What perhaps is most lacking in F1 is actually a definition of driving rules and etiquette – so fans are better able to judge incidents based on the same criteria the stewards use. That would be hugely helpful in preventing the kind of polarised opinions that have engulfed social media in the last 24 hours. 3. A spirited sprint success, but the overall verdict remains to be decided (By James Newbold)

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB16B, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W12, Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes W12, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF21, and the rest of the field at the start Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images Until the ill-fated clash of the titans at Copse, the weekend's biggest talking point had been F1's inaugural sprint race (let's call it what it was, shall we?) which generated mixed reviews. From "weird" according to Sebastian Vettel) to "I loved it" from Charles Leclerc, just about everybody had their opinion. Many welcomed the added excitement it brought to Fridays and the engineering challenge of getting the set-up nailed in FP1, while others questioned the relevance of FP2 when the cars were in parc ferme conditions which meant evaluating tyres was the only feasible action. The 17-lap distance allowed for variation in tyre strategies which was seized upon by Fernando Alonso, whose star turn on the soft tyres undoubtedly enlivened the proceedings as the race for the top four proved pretty static after the opening lap. F1 now faces a decision over whether to continue its experiment beyond the two further (as yet unconfirmed) sprint events planned for this season and, if so, whether to make further tweaks. Series bosses are encouraged by initial feedback, and have an unspecified "job list" to work through, but can at least be pleased that the format shake-up achieved what it set out to in building anticipation throughout the weekend. 4. Two-day race weekends look realistic option to ease pressure on growing F1 calendar (JNob)

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, waves to fans after securing pole Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images F1's first sprint race trial at the British Grand Prix can be viewed as an overall success. The boost in audience figures on Friday, plus increased interest for the Saturday 17-lap dash that provided a few spills and thrills, were exactly what F1 chiefs wanted. Sure there are some things that need improving – like the issue of Saturday's final free-practice being pretty much of no interest to fans on TV – but this is just a case of tidying up rather than starting from a clean sheet of paper. And, of course, the sooner the FIA goes back to awarding pole position in the history books to the fastest driver in Friday qualifying, rather than the winner of the sprint, the better things will be. But the success of the compressed format has also reopened the debate on whether F1 actually needs to stick at three-day weekends. Hamilton suggested a two-day schedule in the future would be the right way to go. It's something that F1 has baulked at in the past, and circuits would certainly not be happy at losing an extra day's ticket sales. But could it be something that proves preferable for some venues in exchange for holding one of F1's Grand Slam sprint weekends? 5. F1 at its best with packed crowds as Silverstone roars again (AK)

Fans cheer from the grandstands Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images Questions over the merits of letting a capacity crowd – that totalled 365,000 at Silverstone over the entire British GP weekend – gather during an ongoing pandemic should directed to the UK government, with the track itself understandably just trying to stay afloat in these awful times. But the fans in attendance were treated to an exceptional sporting event. Friday night qualifying produced two exceptional displays from British drivers in front their home fans, with the reaction to George Russell's Q3 lap the highlight for this writer given how the Williams racer was cheered from corner-to-corner. Then the sprint race delivered nicely in terms of an interesting race, even if it wasn't the all-out thriller some claimed. But it did set up a grand prix that fizzled spectacularly throughout – capped by the title rivals colliding and Leclerc nearly holding on for a famous against-the-odds victory. But there's an interesting footnote to Hamilton's victory. Motorsport.com was told there were plenty of new, younger fans seen at Silverstone – with an apparent increase in female spectators too. It will be interesting to see if this can be backed up in official data, but even anecdotally it suggests the 'Netflix effect', as well as Hamilton's laudable efforts to help diversify motorsport are having an impact. And what a race they were treated to, hopefully cementing lifelong motorsport fan status. 6. Leclerc demonstrates Ferrari's resurgence (By Jake Boxall-Legge)

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF21, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W12 Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images Leclerc was unbelievably close to a surprise victory at the British GP, but there wasn't quite enough in the tank to repel Hamilton's late assault for the lead. But Leclerc had been stellar, and his opportunistic move to clear Hamilton moments after the Verstappen incident rewarded him with the upper hand for the restart. His getaway from the pole spot and subsequent managing of the gap to Hamilton were incredibly well-judged and, despite facing engine cut-out issues while in the lead, Leclerc was able to weather the storm and find enough in reserve to keep Hamilton at bay. The seven-time champion's recovery post-penalty, however, was too much for Leclerc to resist and his slight wide moment at Copse was the only blot on the Monegasque's copybook. Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz Jr's recovery in the sprint and continued progress in the race also showed the pace of the Ferrari in the pack, although his ascent was halted by a slow pitstop. That dropped him behind Daniel Ricciardo, whose McLaren proved to be a tough cookie to overtake. Nonetheless, Ferrari has showed greatly improved form after a disastrous Paul Ricard race, and the upcoming Hungarian GP could be a race in which the Scuderia truly shines. 7. Perez suffers like those before him in Red Bull's second seat (By Haydn Cobb)

Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing, and Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, on the grid, ahead of the 2022 Formula 1 car unveiling Photo by: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images Sergio Perez appeared to have the Red Bull support role nailed after picking up the pieces to win in Baku and then claim a deserved podium at the next race at Paul Ricard. But after being in the wars in Austria against McLaren's Lando Norris and Leclerc, Perez's performance in the British GP had shades of the struggles Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon endured before the Mexican came to Red Bull's rescue. It must be said it is down to fine margins, but qualifying behind Leclerc on Friday night set the wheels in motion for Perez's downward spiral. Trapped in the midfield battle at the start of the feisty sprint race, he was caught out by dirty air and spun off, to be condemned to the back of the grid for the main event. Despite Red Bull F1 car tweaks made in a bid to aid his retaliation in the grand prix, but also meaning a pitlane start, Perez was making progress until he got stuck in DRS trains and then got impatient and collided with Kimi Raikkonen. A P10 finish was as good as it was going to get until Red Bull sacrificed that solitary point to pit Perez for softs to take the fastest lap point away from Hamilton – even though finishing outside of the top 10 meant he wouldn't earn the point himself. Perez has slipped back to fifth place in the standings and is set to play 'who can be the best support driver' against Valtteri Bottas for the rest of the year. 8. Old dog Alonso makes the most of new tricks (HC) Fernando Alonso, Alpine A521, Lando Norris, McLaren MCL35M, and Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB16B Photo by: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images Alonso demonstrated he's lost none of his racecraft with his stunning start to the sprint. The Alpine driver's charge from 11th to fifth was aided by his soft tyre gamble, but the TV onboard footage was reminiscent of the old Alonso - carving through the pack and finding gaps few others can. As his softs faded and left him seventh for the start of the main event, the double world champion held his nerve against an early attack from Vettel, before his old rival spun off on his inside at Woodcote, and went on to take seventh to extend his points-scoring run to a fifth race. The British GP marks Alonso's last race before his turns 40 and after a steady start to his F1 comeback, slowed by his pre-season training accident and adapting to his Alpine surroundings, he feels fresher and ready – a warning that the old dog has learned new tricks. "After the accident at the beginning of the year, in the first couple of races, there was still a part of the stress of coming back to the sport. I was concerned about the jaw, about the shoulder as well that I had the small injury with," Alonso said after the British GP. "But now, I'm super fit and I am 200%. "Next week is another number. So we'll eat some cake. But apart from that, it's going to be a very normal weekend. I feel 25. So whatever number it says in the passport it's not what I feel." 9. Williams progress clear but Russell is making the difference (JNew)

George Russell, Williams, waves to fans from Parc Ferme after Qualifying Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images Hamilton's qualifying triumph on Friday stole the headlines, but one of the biggest cheers from the crowd was reserved for Russell's lap of honour in his one and only Q3 run. The Williams driver made the final segment of qualifying for the third race in a row with the eighth quickest time, raising questions over whether the FW43B should be considered a Q3 car henceforth. The team's head of vehicle performance Dave Robson reckoned it was "a little too early to say whether that's going to be something that's a regular occurrence", admitting he expected Williams would find it harder than in Austria but the "very calm conditions" on Friday evening played to the car's strengths. Despite the Hungaroring requiring a totally different set-up, Robson predicts "there's a good chance we'll be there or there abouts". But even if it's not, Russell can be counted on to make the difference. While his weekend went downhill after qualifying - a first-lap tangle in the sprint with Sainz resulted in a "harsh" three-place grid penalty for the grand prix that he couldn't recover from against cars that remain quicker in race-trim - Russell is in the form of his life right now. "I think there's an element for him of getting on that upward spiral," explained Robson. The question now is, how high can it go? 10. What the 2022 F1 show car hints at (JBL)

The 2022 Formula 1 car launch event on the Silverstone grid Photo by: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images Although F1's vision for 2022 has been long defined after the unveiling of the all-new regulations (initially planned for 2021) back in 2019, the championship's promoters unveiled a full-size model of its interpretation of next year's chargers. Of course, it came with all the bells and whistles expected for next year: the low-slung nose directly attached to the front wing, the simplified bodywork and focus on ground-effect aerodynamics all featured on the car wrapped in a distinctive holographic livery. That being said, there were a few small differences between the physical model and the render, particularly around the front end; the nose tip sat in the middle of the leading front wing element, rather than protruding beyond them, hinting at the variation the teams can employ. Although F1 elected to pick a representation of next year's rules largely based on aesthetics, it can only be expected that the teams will take a more pragmatic view of the rules and might not necessarily stick to the spirit of them. There's a greater focus on prescribed designs and single-spec components to cut costs and develop the aero effect that F1 has studied and earmarked as the way forward for closer on-track racing, but those effects will surely be a little diluted when it comes to the actual range of cars next year. Regardless, it's an exciting new direction for F1; although some have questioned the necessity of the new rules as 2021 continues to intrigue us all, the British GP still showed the difficulties of racing within the current level of dirty air. The new rules should reduce that problem, should everything go to plan. By Alex Kalinauckas, Jonathan Noble, James Newbold, Jake Boxall-Legge and Haydn Cobb Read the full article