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Showing posts from June, 2017

Stewart brands Vettel “irresponsible” for Baku swipe at Hamilton

Stewart believes that Vettel’s lack of mind management was to blame for him apparently taking revenge for what the German thought was a ‘brake test’.He also thinks that Vettel was provoked by Hamilton’s actions, despite the fact that FIA stewards exonerated Lewis from any wrongdoing.“There is no doubt in my opinion that Vettel was completely wrong, I mean, irresponsible i ... Keep reading
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McLaren unifies its F1 and automotive businesses as Ron Dennis exits – what next for the English Ferrari?

The headlines today speak about Ron Dennis, finally taking his leave of McLaren by selling his shareholding in the team. Dennis was in a position to block a sale and with he and fellow shareholders at loggerheads since he was stripped of his executive functions, the unification of the racing, technology and automotive businesses was […]
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Frustrated Kvyat urges Toro Rosso to sort out reliability

Kvyat, who was demoted to Toro Rosso by employer Red Bull four races into the 2016 campaign, has scored just four points so far this season.He has suffered three race-ending mechanical failures in eight grands prix in 2017, and admitted after his latest retirement in Baku that he was not satisfied with the current situation.“I’m slightly concerned that issues that I’m having are not ... Keep reading
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Analysis: What F1 history tells us about the Vettel investigation

Wednesday’s confirmation that the FIA has opened an investigation into what went on with Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton behind the safety car in Azerbaijan has ramped up the debate on the matter. Rarely has an incident and subsequent punishment generated such polarised views. It’s no surprise that many people side with the team and driver they support in such cases – you will ... Keep reading
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Dennis formally splits with McLaren after selling shares

A new holding company, McLaren Group, will have both the aforementioned under its umbrella.McLaren says that Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company and TAG Group will remain as majority McLaren Group shareholders, but there are no details of who has bought Dennis’s shareholding – although Sky News has reported that he will earn £275 from the transaction.Shaikh Mohammed bin Essa ... Keep reading
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Renault confident of more F1 power and better reliability

A recent run of stoppages – including several that have left Max Verstappen particularly frustrated – has put the French car manufacturer under the spotlight after a campaign where reliability has been a particular issue.But with the recent engine failures being linked to older specification parts that were introduced before Renault had answers to its issues, more positive news from ... Keep reading
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Story behind the photo: Dan the Man’s crazy victory

The setting for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix is just stunning, near the coast of Baku and mixed between the historical buildings and castle walls with the newer skyscrapers offering some amazing backdrops for images.My best shot from one of the most exciting races in years shows Daniel Ricciardo holding up both his hands asking his team ‘What happened there – how did I win this crazy ... Keep reading
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Massa column: My regret over a race I could have won

Instead, the outcome was merely that I was put on the list of non-finishers. So I left with zero points and a lot of regret for a race where there was the chance to seize a great result.Throughout practice and qualifying I had a very good feeling about the pace of my Williams Martini Racing car. I was sure we would easily qualify in the top ten, and that was confirmed with the ... Keep reading
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Vandoorne column: Vettel/Hamilton emotions are what fans want

It is no secret that everyone at McLaren-Honda had fairly low expectations heading in to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.So to have come away disappointed that we had not got both cars in the points say a lot for the good job the team did.Our low predictions for the weekend were based on the track layout not being very suitable for us, and also we knew we were going there facing lots of ... Keep reading
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Grosjean: “I need to be better” at managing brake problems

The American team has suffered with recurring brake issues for much of its time in the sport so far, and has attempted fixes and run tests with both current supplier Brembo and alternative option Carbone Industrie.But while the outfit is optimistic that the problem will finally be put to bed going forward, Grosjean insisted amid a tough Azerbaijan GP weekend that he needed to better ... Keep reading
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Mercedes to change headrest pin design after Baku problem

Hamilton looked on course to take the win in Azerbaijan before a loose headrest forced him into the pits for a replacement.That incident dropped him down the order, although he was able to recover some ground and finish fifth overall – one place behind title rival Sebastian Vettel.Mercedes has spent time at its Brackley factory this week looking into exactly what went wrong and has ... Keep reading
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Button urges F1 to "move on" from Vettel controversy

Motor racing’s governing body announced on Wednesday night that it will investigate whether or not further action is required against Vettel for his clash with Lewis Hamilton in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.The FIA wants to work out whether or not the 10-second stop-go penalty that Vettel was handed was harsh enough – especially considering the German was still able to finish ahead of ... Keep reading
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Verstappen's pain "compounded" by Ricciardo success - Horner

Verstappen was running fourth when he retired the car with an engine problem at Baku while teammate Ricciardo capitalised on a chaotic race to take the team’s first win of 2017 and his fourth successive podium.Red Bull has completed the fewest laps of any team this year with 685, compared to Force India’s leading tally of 956, and Verstappen has joked after Baku that he would at leas ... Keep reading
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Tech analysis: How top teams reacted to Baku layout headache

The Baku street circuit provides a significant challenge to both drivers and engineers in that the narrow barrier-lined sections are paired with the longest straight on the calendar.This 2.2km straight cannot be overlooked when setting up the car, as having too much wing would just be performance thrown away.As such, all of the teams had reconfigured front and rear wings available ... Keep reading
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FIA launches investigation into Vettel clash with Hamilton

Amid ongoing suggestions that motor racing’s governing body was not satisfied with the 10-second stop-go penalty handed to Vettel for his part in the move, the FIA confirmed on Wednesday that the situation was being looked into again.A spokesman for the FIA said that evidence would be evaluated next week and a decision on w ... Keep reading
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Baku comeback a lesson in not giving up, says Bottas

The Mercedes driver dropped down the order after receiving a puncture in his first-lap contact with Kimi Raikkonen, and after getting back on the lead lap during the first safety car period he charged up the order.Crucially, Mercedes was able to repair some of Bottas' diffuser damage under the red flag, so when the race resumed he had a faster and more consistent car for the second ... Keep reading
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Red Bull can win races on merit in 2017, says Marko

The Austrian says that Daniel Ricciardo’s opportunistic victory in Baku showed that Red Bull is going in the right direction, although ongoing reliability problems for Max Verstappen remain a cause for frustration, after the Dutchman retired with an early engine failure.“It’s very, very important because we had such a bad start to the season, and now we improved,” Marko said. “We ... Keep reading
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Celis gets two F1 practice outings with Force India

Celis had six outings in official F1 weekend sessions during 2016, but his only on-track appearances for the team so far this year have been in winter and post-Bahrain GP testing.Force India has announced that Sergio Perez will step aside for Celis on Friday morning at the Red Bull Ring this week, with Esteban Ocon doing so at the Hungaroring in a month's time.Celis's main campaign ... Keep reading
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Sainz calls for rethink of "dangerous" Baku restarts

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix proved a chaotic affair this weekend, as the race featured three separate safety car restarts, with collisions and resulting debris led to frequent lengthy interruptions.Sainz, who finished the race in eighth, said afterwards that the restarts presented the biggest safety risk in the event, as inconsistent pace from the leaders on approach to the start-finish ... Keep reading
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Force India makes first move in ‘Force One’ name change

Documents reveal that on May 31st and June 6th new limited companies were registered under the names Force One Grand Prix, Force One Racing, Force One Team, Force One Technologies, Force One Hospitality, and Force One Brand.The only director listed is Dr Thiruvannamalai Laskshimi Kanthan, an accountant, financial consultant, and long time associate of Dr Vijay Mallya.He is also a ... Keep reading
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Why F1 title battle goes beyond just the drivers falling out

There is something quite fitting that in ‘The Land of Fire’, as Azerbaijan is known, that tensions in the fight for the Formula 1 championship should erupt so spectacularly between the two title contenders.But whichever side of the debate you stand on the rights and wrongs of Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton’s behaviour – there is one thing that everyone can agree on: the gloves ... Keep reading
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Mercedes and Ferrari opt for different Austria tyre choices

Mercedes has chosen eight sets of ultrasoft tyres for each of its drivers, while Ferrari has gone for seven apiece.Within each of the two teams, the drivers have heading in for slightly different directions with regards selection of the softs and supersofts.Kimi Raikkonen and Valtteri Bottas have four sets of the supersofts, with Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton opting for five ... Keep reading
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Red Bull drops behind McLaren in F1 2017 race miles

Despite Daniel Ricciardo taking the team’s first victory of the season in Baku last weekend, teammate Max Verstappen’s fourth retirement from the last six races meant it was a bittersweet day for the team.The scale of Red Bull’s problems has been highlighted by the fact that Verstappen’s latest stoppage means he is the full-time driver who has completed the fewest race laps all season ... Keep reading
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Honda "very relieved" after McLaren's Baku points

The relationship between McLaren and engine supplier Honda has become increasingly strained in recent weeks, with the former frustrated by poor engine reliability and performance.But the Baku weekend eased some of the pressure as the team got both cars to the finish for the first time in 2017, with Alonso taking advantage of a chaotic race to take ninth and Stoffel Vandoorne ... Keep reading
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Make or break for Honda as upgraded ‘Spec 3’ F1 engines readied for Austrian GP

After a tough Azerbaijan Grand Prix for McLaren-Honda, the team is focusing on bringing an upgraded Formula 1 engine to the upcoming Austrian GP as Honda hopes to take the pressure off. Fernando Alonso picked up McLaren’s first two points of the season finishing ninth in Azerbaijan, while team-mate Stoffel Vandoorne finished 12th behind both […]
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Damper failure cost Massa Baku win, reckons Lowe

Massa had risen up to third, having started ninth, when the race was red-flagged due to a large amount debris around the Baku F1 street circuit. But when the race resumed, Massa was passed by eventual race winner Daniel Ricciardo and then rapidly fell down the order before retiring the car. “It was a failure of part of our damping system, it had locked the rear suspension solid, at a ... Keep reading
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Hamilton: Vettel controversy shows Ferrari feeling the pressure

Vettel was handed a 10-second stop-go penalty for acting in a potentially dangerous way in Baku last weekend, having swerved into Hamilton amid his fury about the way the Mercedes driver had slowed behind the safety car.The incident has ramped up tensions between both drivers and their teams as the intensity of the fight for the F1 world championship has increased.And with Hamilton ... Keep reading
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British GP confirms four-day 2017 schedule

As revealed by Motorsport last week, the revision has come about because F1 bosses want to ease congestion to an already-packed schedule.Silverstone has now confirmed that gates will open at 2pm on Thursday, with the F1 Fan Zone up and running as well as there being track action from F2 and GP3.Tickets for the Thursday have been put on sale at £40 for adults and £20 ... Keep reading
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Villeneuve says Vettel's Hamilton swipe no "big issue"

Vettel swerved into Hamilton's Mercedes during a safety car restart in the Baku F1 race, believing he had been brake-tested by the Briton in the preceding corner.The Ferrari driver received a 10-second stop-and-go penalty, but many - Hamilton himself among them - insisted the sanction was not severe enough.Villeneuve, who 20 years ago was involved in a notorious collision with ... Keep reading
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Verstappen gutted by Baku exit, makes simulator joke over engine

Verstappen was speaking publicly for the first time since his second straight retirement from a frontrunning position, and his third of the season for technical reasons, via Skype on the Dutch TV show Peptalk.“During the race I wasn’t thinking about [reliability concerns] and then suddenly I had a problem again,” he said. “It's really gutting to drop out again when you’re in such a ... Keep reading
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‘It’s all just noise’: How Lance Stroll became the youngest F1 rookie to finish on the podium

Amid the chaos of the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix and the furious, continuing fallout of its many skirmishes, Lance Stroll was a model of composure. By finishing third, the 18-year-old became the youngest to stand on the podium in his rookie year, and the second youngest podium-finisher behind Max Verstappen. Stroll is also only […]
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Ferrari doesn't want war of words with Mercedes

Both Mercedes and Ferrari drivers collided in the Baku race – with Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Raikkonen coming together on the opening lap, and Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel coming to blows behind the safety carBut despite some strong words from Mercedes’ drivers and team management bout what happened, Ferrari has said it has more important things to do than discuss what ... Keep reading
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Wolff wants to hear Vettel's side on Baku Hamilton incident

Vettel was handed a 10-second stop-go penalty, plus three penalty points on his licence, for being deemed to have driven in a potentially dangerous manner when he swerved into Hamilton ahead of a safety car restart.The Ferrari driver claimed that the clash came as he waved his fist in fury, after feeling that Hamilton had brake tested him in a bid to keep him at bay ahead of a safety ... Keep reading
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Analysis: How Ricciardo navigated Baku chaos to win from 17th

Daniel Ricciardo wasn’t supposed to win the Azerbaijan GP.A crash in Q3 demoted him to the bottom of the top 10 on the grid, and then just five laps into the race debris caught in a brake duct forced him into a premature pitstop.He emerged on the lesser-fancied soft tyres in 17th place, with 46 laps to run. Things were looking pretty dire.And yet, when the chequered flag fell at the ... Keep reading
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Perez/Ocon to be told Baku clash was "unacceptable"

Perez and Ocon were fighting for a potential podium spot in Baku when, at the second safety car restart, they clashed at the tricky Turn 2.Ocon suffered a puncture, broken brake duct, T-wing and floor but was able to continue after a pit stop, while Perez was initially retired from the race with a broken track rod.Although a subsequent red flag, brought out to clear debris that the ... Keep reading
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Vettel hitting Hamilton a "red mist moment", says Horner

Hamilton and Vettel were running first and second ahead of the second safety car restart at Baku when the Ferrari driver ran into the back of the Mercedes.Vettel felt Hamilton had brake tested him and subsequently pulled alongside the Mercedes before swerving right and making contact.The stewards gave Vettel a 10-second stop/go penalty for “potentially dangerous” driving with ... Keep reading
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Boullier: First points of 2017 nothing to get excited about

Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne finished ninth and 12thin Baku respectively, both drivers completing the race without mechanical woes, albeit the Belgian losing time with an extra late tyre stop."The team did a great job and the drivers did very well to try to get the best out of it," Boullier told Motorsport.com."Fernando was obviously in a good position. He got excited, and ... Keep reading
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Azerbaijan GP: Issue #11 of GP Gazette now online

Straight from the paddock, we give you an all-encompassing account of all the action from the race weekend, plus compelling interviews with the sport’s star names.The Azerbaijan GP was a bizarre affair, with Sebastian Vettel struck with a case of road rage and Lewis Hamilton undone by a loose head rest. That left qualifying crasher Ricciardo free to take a true against-the-odds win on ... Keep reading
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Vettel plans to “sort it out” with Hamilton after Baku run-in

Vettel was handed a 10-second stop/go penalty for dangerous driving after turning into Hamilton as they readied themselves for the second restart at Baku.It came moments after Vettel shunted the rear of the Mercedes at the exit of Turn 15, claiming his F1 title rival had brake tested him - although FIA data showed there was no proof of that.Vettel believes Hamilton should have also ... Keep reading
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Race Report - The Wild Bunch: How Ricciardo won in Baku

Azerbaijan GP - Race ReportBy Dan Knutson
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Raikkonen: Bottas crash "completely his fault"

The accident occurred when Ferrari driver Raikkonen tried to pass second-placed Bottas round the outside of Turn 2, after the Mercedes man had suffered wheelspin heading out of the first corner.Bottas tried to maintain position, sticking to the inside line, but he bounced over the kerb, sending him into Raikkonen, and that led to the Ferrari making contact with the wall.As a result ... Keep reading
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Daniel Ricciardo celebrates ‘crazy race’ as he goes from 19th to win in F1 Baku

There are so many great stories from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix but Daniel Ricciardo’s victory in Baku was truly unpredicatable after the setbacks suffered in qualifying and at the start. He came back from a crash in qualifying which meant he started 10th on the grid and then an early unplanned stop to clear debris, […]
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Perez slams Force India teammate Ocon over collision

The teammates collided just two weeks after Perez decided not to follow a team suggestion to allow Ocon past him in Montreal, in an attempt to chase down Daniel Ricciardo’s Red Bull.Following a safety car restart in Baku on Sunday, the Force Indias collided on the exit of Turn 2 while running fourth and fifth.All the cars in front of them were subsequently delayed, raising the ... Keep reading
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Stroll says criticism "just noise" to him after podium finish

A fortnight after breaking his F1 points duck with ninth on home ground in Montreal, Williams's rookie signing kept his composure in a crazy Baku race to finish third - only losing second to recovering Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas in a photo-finish over the line.Asked if he thought the result would silence critics who felt he had been elevated to F1 too soon, reigning European ... Keep reading
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Hamilton says Vettel "disgraced himself" with swerve

Hamilton finished fifth in Baku, following an extra pitstop to reattach a loose headrest, one spot behind Vettel, who received a 10-second stop/go penalty for their collision.Hamilton and Vettel were running 1-2 just before a restart, when Vettel ran into the back of Hamilton at Turn 15 – and accused him of brake-testing him.Vettel threw his hands into the air, then drew alongside ... Keep reading
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F1 Title battle turns nasty: Hamilton and Vettel collide as Daniel Ricciardo wins Azerbaijan GP

After lots of back slapping and respect in the early rounds between the title contenders, things turned nasty in Baku as Sebastian Vettel claimed Lewis Hamilton “brake tested’ him behind the Safety Car, leading to contact. But the real controversy was Vettel’s petulant response, where he drove alongside and banged wheels with the Mercedes driver. […]
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Vettel: Hamilton should have been penalised too

Vettel was given a 10-second stop/go penalty for dangerous driving after side-swiping Hamilton's Mercedes as they prepared for the second restart in the Baku F1 race.The Ferrari had hit the rear of the Mercedes moments before, which Vettel said was due to Hamilton brake-testing him."It was quite obvious. I didn't run into the back of him on purpose," he told Channel 4."I damaged my ... Keep reading
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Alonso says McLaren should have won in Baku

The Spaniard, starting on the back row after being handed 40 positions in grid penalties, took advantage of the chaos in front of him to climb up to fifth position before the halfway point of the race.From there, however, the Spaniard was unable to keep his rivals behind him and lost places until he dropped down to ninth, where he would end.With all the leading cars hitting problems ... Keep reading
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Race Notes - Ricciardo wins in Baku

Azerbaijan GP - Race NotesBy Mark Karp
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Azerbaijan GP: Ricciardo beats Bottas and Stroll in chaotic race

Hamilton and Vettel had an on-track run-in while the race was neutralised, which yielded a penalty for the latter – but a loose headrest denied Hamilton what could've been a comfortable cruise to victory.This left Ricciardo, who qualified 10th and looked well and truly out of contention after stopping early to have debris cleared out of a brake duct, in position to take his fifth ... Keep reading
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Vettel penalised after swerving into Hamilton under safety car

Vettel received a 10s stop/go penalty for his part in their multiple collisions under safety car conditions at Baku.Just before the second restart of the race, Hamilton slowed on the exit of Turn 15 and Vettel ran into the back of him. Vettel's Ferrari sustained front wing damage and complained: "He just brake tested me!"Vettel threw his hands into the air, then drew alongside ... Keep reading
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Chaotic Azerbaijan GP red-flagged due to debris on track

Following a relatively incident-free opening phase to the race – apart from a Turn 2 clash between Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Raikkonen – the trigger for events came on lap 11 when Daniil Kvyat's Toro Rosso stopped with a mechanical problem on the hill section.A decision was taken to bring out the safety car to allow marshals to help retrieve the Toro Rosso.But the race turned into an ... Keep reading
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F1 drivers expect crazier race in Baku

The inaugural race around the streets of Baku in 2016 passed without any safety cars and had hardly any retirements, as F1 drivers took it easy because they were convinced that just getting to the finish would guarantee points.But on a weekend that has been blighted with more crashes and moments than 12 months ago, thanks to the wider, faster cars and harder tyres, there is a great ... Keep reading
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Palmer: I'm not worried about my future

The Briton has had a difficult start to his 2017 season, having failed to score a point so far this year, and matters were not helped by an engine fire in practice in Baku that left him unable to qualify.But despite Renault being clear that Palmer needs to lift his game, the former GP2 champion says he knows exactly what steps are required and that he is not doing a good enough job ... Keep reading
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Wolff: Briatore dinner not about Alonso deal

A picture of Briatore dining with Wolff and Niki Lauda posted by the former Benetton and Renault boss on Twitter inevitably set tongues wagging, as did a public meeting for the other member of Alonso's management team – Luis Garcia Abad – with Renault chief Cyril Abiteboul.Alonso further stoked the flames when he was asked if he had found the Azerbaijan weekend as painful as his ... Keep reading
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Honda: 'Spec 3' engine could be worth 0.3s

The Japanese manufacturer ran a new internal combustion unit on Fernando Alonso’s car during Friday’s two practice sessions.Honda says the data showed an improvement in performance, but the unit was removed and swapped with an older spec so it could check if a gearbox failure caused any damage to the engine.Investigations showed the ICE had survived unscathed, meaning it could have ... Keep reading
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Stroll upturn helped by Austin 2014 car test - Lowe

Stroll qualified eighth for Sunday's Baku F1 race, outqualifying Williams teammate Felipe Massa for the first time and making Q3 for only the second time in eight attempts.Massa said Stroll's maiden points finish had calmed him down and "some changes to the car, similar to the one [set-up] I use" had made Stroll more competitive on his first visit to Baku.Technical chief Paddy Lowe ... Keep reading
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Grosjean “fed up” with negative radio message broadcasts

Grosjean has endured a particularly difficult Azerbaijan GP weekend so far, having suffered from a recurrence of long-standing brake issues throughout practice and qualifying.The Frenchman, who qualified four places behind teammate Kevin Magnussen in Baku and is set to start the race in 16th, has had many of his radio transmissions featured on F1's world feed throughout the Azerbaijan ... Keep reading
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Azerbaijan GP: Post-qualifying press conference

TRACKSIDE INTERVIEWS (Conducted by Davide Valsecchi)Q: Incredibly exciting qualifying. How was that for you Lewis?Lewis HAMILTON: I made a mistake in the last corner. A lot of pressure because we have been struggling to get temperature in these tyres, we don’t know if it’s a one-lap tyre, so it was all or nothing. But the lap just got better and better throughout. I saw Valtteri ... Keep reading
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Red Bull level or ahead of Ferrari now - Verstappen

Although Verstappen was beaten by Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen in qualifying for the Azerbaijan GP, he knows that a wound-down engine and a gear sync problem made all the difference as he ended up fifth on the grid.Therefore, being so close to Ferrari on a power circuit, where Red Bull had been expecting to be on the back foot, has left him hugely encouraged about where things ... Keep reading
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Baku "most painful weekend ever" for McLaren's Boullier

The Woking team came to Baku knowing that both Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne would start at the back of the grid due to new Honda power unit elements, having notified the FIA of the changes on Monday evening.Alonso was handed 40-place grid penalties, while Vandoorne got 35.On top of that, the car has performaed poorly on track and neither driver made it out of Q1, with Alonso ... Keep reading
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