Yahoo News F1 news LIVE: Lewis Hamilton injury update after Mercedes driver suffers back pain in Azerbaijan GP
Lewis Hamilton says he will race the Canadian Grand Prix despite injuring his back in Baku on Sunday. Hamilton finished fourth behind race winner Max Verstappen, fellow Red Bill driver Sergio Perez and Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate George Russell, but suffered back pain as his car bounced around the Azerbaijan street circuit, a result of F1’s troublesome ‘porpoising’ phenomenon this season. Asked if Hamilton’s was now a doubt for Canada, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff told reporters: “Yeah, definitely.” But Hamilton said on Instagram on Monday morning that he “wouldn’t miss it for the world”.
Leclerc had his own problems as a mechanical failure saw his hopes of a race win end in dismal fashion. “It feels bad, it hurts,” said Leclerc. “It is more than significant. I don’t really have the words. It is just a huge disappointment and I hope we can jump back from it and be on top of those things.”
But it was a dream weekend for Red Bull as Verstappen increased his lead at the top of the drivers’ standings and Perez leapfrogged Leclerc into second. They now lead Ferrari in the constructors’ by 80 points. Follow all the latest fallout and reaction from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix:
F1 news LIVE
Lewis Hamilton vows to race at Canadian Grand Prix
Charles Leclerc says defeat ‘hurts’ after Ferrari retirement
Latest standings after Max Verstappen’s win in Baku
Lewis Hamilton vows to race in Montreal
Tuesday 14 June 2022 15:45 , Lawrence Ostlere
More on Lewis Hamilton, who has confirmed he will race at the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend despite suffering back pain from excessive “bouncing” at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sunday.
Hamilton described the Baku race as “the most painful I’ve ever experienced” after the ‘porpoising’ along the long and bumpy straights left the 37-year-old “praying” for the finish line.
The Mercedes driver finished fourth but looked in discomfort upon exiting his car, raising concerns that he could be forced to miss the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend in what is a back-to-back.
But in an update on Monday, Hamilton said he had woken up feeling “positive” after receiving treatment from his physiotherapist Angela Cullen and said he would not be missing the Montreal race.
Lewis Hamilton confirms he’ll be fit for Canada despite ‘most painful race’ in Baku
Martin Brundle on Mercedes porpoising
Tuesday 14 June 2022 15:24 , Lawrence Ostlere
“Of course, [Mercedes] can fix it by raising the car but then they lose a huge amount of performance. So, they need to get the car low, stiff on the suspension and stiff on the side wall of the new tyres as well, and they’ve had to sacrifice comfort for performance.
“What’s surprising, really, is that Mercedes just can’t seem to get a handle on what looks like, actually, quite an excellent car, if they could just unlock it.”
More from Brundle on Ferrari
Tuesday 14 June 2022 14:58 , Lawrence Ostlere
“We’re into the thick of a 22-race season, races are coming relentlessly at us. If you’ve got one big issue, you go and fix it, but there are various gremlins that Ferrari are having.
“Reliability is costing him heavily now, a chance at becoming world champion. Strategy cost him in Monaco of a chance of a glorious victory in his hometown.
“He loves Ferrari and Ferrari love him, in a way that, the last time I saw something like that was between Michael Schumacher and the Ferrari team.
“There’s an awful lot of love to burn through there but right now, Leclerc must be feeling as bruised as Lewis’ back.”
Constructors’ championship
Tuesday 14 June 2022 14:54 , Lawrence Ostlere
Red Bull have extended their lead over Ferrari with a perfect weekend in Azerbaijan, as Verstappen and Perez collected a one-two and Ferrari recorded a double retirement. The gap between the two teams is now 80 points, and Red Bull are putting themselves in an excellent position to finally win the manufacturers’ prize after so much Mercedes domination.
1. Red Bull Racing, 279.
2. Ferrari, 199.
3. Mercedes, 161.
4. McLaren, 65.
5. Alpine, 47.
6. Alfa Romeo Racing, 41.
7. Alphatauri, 27.
8. Haas F1 Team, 15.
9. Aston Martin, 15.
10. Williams, 3.
Ferrari are ‘costing’ Charles Leclerc, says Martin Brundle
Tuesday 14 June 2022 14:37 , Lawrence Ostlere
Ferrari are costing Charles Leclerc’s world championship bid “heavily” as strategy errors and reliability failure continues to hold him back, says Martin Brundle.
Leclerc’s Ferrari engine gave out while he was in position to win the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on the weekend, causing his second retirement in three races, while a mistake with his first pitstop probably cost him the race win on his home track of Monaco. The former F1 driver turned analyst Brundle believes Leclerc, who is now well down on championship leader Max Verstappen in the standings, could miss out on his first world title as a result.
“Charles Leclerc must be beside himself,” Brundle told Sky Sports. “He could have had four glorious victories; he’s sticking the car on pole position, driving beautifully and then this kind of thing is happening to him just way too much.”
Driver standings
Tuesday 14 June 2022 14:15 , Lawrence Ostlere
Max Verstappen has extended his lead at the top of the drivers’ championship, and right now his closest rival is his teammate Sergio Perez. That will change, you suspect, if Ferrari can get on top of their reliability issues because clearly Charles Leclerc has the pace in qualifying, but with only a few days until the Canadian Grand Prix gets under way, Ferrari do not have much time to get their car right.
1. Max Verstappen, Netherlands, Red Bull Racing, 150 points.
2. Sergio Perez, Mexico, Red Bull Racing, 129.
3. Charles Leclerc, Monaco, Ferrari, 116.
4. George Russell, Great Britain, Mercedes, 99.
5. Carlos Sainz Jr, Spain, Ferrari, 83.
6. Lewis Hamilton, Great Britain, Mercedes, 62.
7. Lando Norris, Great Britain, McLaren, 50.
8. Valtteri Bottas, Finland, Alfa Romeo Racing, 40.
9. Esteban Ocon, France, Alpine, 31.
10. Pierre Gasly, France, Alphatauri, 16.
11. Fernando Alonso, Spain, Alpine, 16.
12. Kevin Magnussen, Denmark, Haas F1 Team, 15.
13. Daniel Ricciardo, Australia, McLaren, 15.
14. Sebastian Vettel, Germany, Aston Martin, 13.
15. Yuki Tsunoda, Japan, Alphatauri, 11.
16. Alexander Albon, Thailand, Williams, 3.
17. Lance Stroll, Canada, Aston Martin, 2.
18. Guanyu Zhou, China, Alfa Romeo Racing, 1.
Lewis Hamilton will race in Montreal
Tuesday 14 June 2022 14:02 , Lawrence Ostlere
Lewis Hamilton has vowed to race at the Canadian Grand Prix despite injuring his back in Azerbaijan. Hamilton said he just wanted the race to end after being in so much pain due to the bouncing of his Mercedes car on the Baku street circuit. Afterwards Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said Hamilton was a “doubt” for Canada this weekend but, writing on Instagram on Monday morning, Hamilton insisted he will be in Montreal for the race.
“Yesterday was tough and had some troubles sleeping but have woke up feeling positive today! Back is a little sore and bruised but nothing serious thankfully. I’ve had acupuncture and physio and am on the way to work with the them on improving. We have to keep fighting. No time like the present to pull together and we will. I’ll be there this weekend, wouldn’t miss it for the world. Wishing everybody and amazing day and week.”
Best Baku quotes
Tuesday 14 June 2022 13:35 , Lawrence Ostlere
“Let’s definitely make some changes.”
Toto Wolff to Lewis Hamilton after his Mercedes car dealt him back pain with severe porpoising during a brutal Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Best Baku quotes
Tuesday 14 June 2022 13:21 , Lawrence Ostlere
Max Verstappen on Charles Leclerc’s troubles: “That’s racing. It happened to me, it happened to many people in the past. Unfortunately, it’s happening to Charles,” Verstappen said when asked if he had any sympathy for his rival’s difficulties. “If I would be in the same situation, I would also be disappointed. I think that’s very normal. But it’s about how you come out of it, you always look at how to improve things. That’s what we did as well in the beginning of the season. And you learn from it. You don’t like it, you’re angry, but we turn it around.”
Horner dismisses Mercedes hopes of changing F1 rules
Tuesday 14 June 2022 13:06 , Lawrence Ostlere
Christian Horner has dismissed Toto Wolff’s claims for the FIA to adjust Formula 1 rules over porpoising following Lewis Hamilton’s struggles.
The Mercedes superstar revealed his back was “killing” him during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix due to repeated bouncing from the porpoising effect.
And Wolff immediately made a plea to the governing body, insisting: “We need to do something on the regulations because he [Hamilton] can’t move.”
But Horner has labelled the complaints as “part of the game,” while admitting he would instruct his Red Bull drivers to “bitch as much as they could” if the RB18 experienced similar issues.
Christian Horner reacts to Toto Wolff’s porpoising claims
Max Verstappen urges title rival Charles Leclerc ‘stay on it’ and ‘turn it around’ after Azerbaijan heartache
Tuesday 14 June 2022 11:54 , Lawrence Ostlere
Max Verstappen spared no sympathy for Charles Leclerc after the Dutchman took advantage of a race-ending engine failure for his Ferrari Formula One rival to cruise to an unchallenged win in Azerbaijan on Sunday.
“I would say sh*t happens, that’s racing, you know?” Verstappen, who experienced the heartbreak of crashing out of the lead in Baku last year, told reporters.
“It happened to me, it happened to many people in the past and unfortunately it’s happening to Charles.
“If I would be in the same situation, I would also be disappointed, I think that’s very normal, but it’s about how you come out of it.”
Verstappen urges title rival Leclerc ‘stay on it’ and ‘turn it around’
Red Bull expect Charles Leclerc to face grid penalties as Ferrari battle engine issues
Tuesday 14 June 2022 11:01 , Lawrence Ostlere
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko is expecting a boost for Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez in forthcoming races, due to title rival Charles Leclerc facing a likely series of penalties.
As was the case last year, going beyond the permitted number of three engines per season means drivers incur drops on the grid.
And with engine trouble forcing Leclerc out of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix at the weekend, leaving Verstappen a clear path to victory, Marko expects those issues to mean Ferrari are playing catch-up in at least a couple of races later in 2022.
Red Bull expect Leclerc to face grid penalties as Ferrari battle engine issues
Vettel offers radical proposal for budget caps
Tuesday 14 June 2022 10:08 , Lawrence Ostlere
Sebastian Vettel has proposed Formula One scraps budget and salary caps and instead implements a profit cap on each team, which once exceeded would generate money for good causes.
The biggest teams on the grid – Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari – have called for F1’s budget cap to be raised at a time when the cost of travel is rising significantly and squeezing their costs, while the smaller teams have urged the cap, which is meant to help level the playing field, to be retained.
There has also been debate around introducing a salary cap for drivers, but Vettel, who campaigns for environmental causes, believes that the system should be shaped so that F1 can “do great things” with the money the sport generates.
Sebastian Vettel proposes radical alternative to F1’s budget cap
Lewis Hamilton vows to race in Montreal
Tuesday 14 June 2022 09:25 , Lawrence Ostlere
More on Lewis Hamilton, who has confirmed he will race at the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend despite suffering back pain from excessive “bouncing” at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sunday.
Hamilton described the Baku race as “the most painful I’ve ever experienced” after the ‘porpoising’ along the long and bumpy straights left the 37-year-old “praying” for the finish line.
The Mercedes driver finished fourth but looked in discomfort upon exiting his car, raising concerns that he could be forced to miss the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend in what is a back-to-back.
But in an update on Monday, Hamilton said he had woken up feeling “positive” after receiving treatment from his physiotherapist Angela Cullen and said he would not be missing the Montreal race.
Lewis Hamilton confirms he’ll be fit for Canada despite ‘most painful race’ in Baku
Martin Brundle on Mercedes porpoising
Tuesday 14 June 2022 09:13 , Lawrence Ostlere
“Of course, [Mercedes] can fix it by raising the car but then they lose a huge amount of performance. So, they need to get the car low, stiff on the suspension and stiff on the side wall of the new tyres as well, and they’ve had to sacrifice comfort for performance.
“What’s surprising, really, is that Mercedes just can’t seem to get a handle on what looks like, actually, quite an excellent car, if they could just unlock it.”
More from Brundle on Ferrari
Tuesday 14 June 2022 08:53 , Lawrence Ostlere
“We’re into the thick of a 22-race season, races are coming relentlessly at us. If you’ve got one big issue, you go and fix it, but there are various gremlins that Ferrari are having.
“Reliability is costing him heavily now, a chance at becoming world champion. Strategy cost him in Monaco of a chance of a glorious victory in his hometown.
“He loves Ferrari and Ferrari love him, in a way that, the last time I saw something like that was between Michael Schumacher and the Ferrari team.
“There’s an awful lot of love to burn through there but right now, Leclerc must be feeling as bruised as Lewis’ back.”
Ferrari are ‘costing’ Charles Leclerc, says Martin Brundle
Tuesday 14 June 2022 08:35 , Lawrence Ostlere
Ferrari are costing Charles Leclerc’s world championship bid “heavily” as strategy errors and reliability failure continues to hold him back, says Martin Brundle.
Leclerc’s Ferrari engine gave out while he was in position to win the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on the weekend, causing his second retirement in three races, while a mistake with his first pitstop probably cost him the race win on his home track of Monaco. The former F1 driver turned analyst Brundle believes Leclerc, who is now well down on championship leader Max Verstappen in the standings, could miss out on his first world title as a result.
“Charles Leclerc must be beside himself,” Brundle told Sky Sports. “He could have had four glorious victories; he’s sticking the car on pole position, driving beautifully and then this kind of thing is happening to him just way too much.”
Best Baku quotes
Monday 13 June 2022 17:16 , Lawrence Ostlere
Charles Leclerc after a costly retirement: “It hurts. We really need to look into that for it not to happen again. I can’t really find the right words to describe what has happened. It is just very, very disappointing.
“We were fast and didn’t have big problems in the first part of the season. But now it seems we have more problems even if we haven’t made massive changes to the car. It is difficult to understand.”
Best Baku quotes
Monday 13 June 2022 16:45 , Lawrence Ostlere
Max Verstappen on Charles Leclerc’s troubles: “That’s racing. It happened to me, it happened to many people in the past. Unfortunately, it’s happening to Charles,” Verstappen said when asked if he had any sympathy for his rival’s difficulties. “If I would be in the same situation, I would also be disappointed. I think that’s very normal. But it’s about how you come out of it, you always look at how to improve things. That’s what we did as well in the beginning of the season. And you learn from it. You don’t like it, you’re angry, but we turn it around.”
Leclerc penalties will bost Red Bull, says Marko
Monday 13 June 2022 16:34 , Lawrence Ostlere
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko is expecting a boost for Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez in forthcoming races, due to title rival Charles Leclerc facing a likely series of penalties.
As was the case last year, going beyond the permitted number of three engines per season means drivers incur drops on the grid.
And with engine trouble forcing Leclerc out of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix at the weekend, leaving Verstappen a clear path to victory, Marko expects those issues to mean Ferrari are playing catch-up in at least a couple of races later in 2022.
“We want a fair fight,” he said to ServusTV. “Leclerc will now tap into a third engine and will have to change engines at least once or twice after that, with grid penalties being insurmountable.”
Red Bull expect Leclerc to face grid penalties as Ferrari battle engine issues
Azerbaijan Grand Prix report
Monday 13 June 2022 16:16 , Lawrence Ostlere
Max Verstappen extended his F1 Drivers’ Championship lead by racing to a convincing victory at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Sergio Perez took second to complete a commanding one-two finish for Red Bull after both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz failed to make it to the chequered flag with mechanical gremlins on a desperate afternoon for Ferrari in Baku.
Verstappen’s title advantage over Leclerc has increased from nine points to 34 following what could prove a pivotal race in this season’s championship battle.
Max Verstappen eases to Azerbaijan Grand Prix victory to extend championship lead
F1 news: Sebastian Vettel proposes radical alternative to budget caps
Monday 13 June 2022 15:44 , Lawrence Ostlere
Sebastian Vettel has proposed Formula One scraps budget and salary caps and instead implements a profit cap on each team, which once exceeded would generate money for good causes.
The biggest teams on the grid – Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari – have called for F1’s budget cap to be raised at a time when the cost of travel is rising significantly and squeezing their costs, while the smaller teams have urged the cap, which is meant to help level the playing field, to be retained.
There has also been debate around introducing a salary cap for drivers, but Vettel, who campaigns for environmental causes, believes that the system should be shaped so that F1 can “do great things” with the money the sport generates.
Sebastian Vettel proposes radical alternative to F1’s budget cap
F1 news: Charles Leclerc calls on Ferrari to solve reliability issues
Monday 13 June 2022 15:07 , Lawrence Ostlere
A wounded Charles Leclerc has demanded Ferrari eliminate their reliability woes to prevent this season’s Formula One battle from becoming a one-horse race.
Max Verstappen extended his championship lead by driving unopposed to victory at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after Leclerc and team-mate Carlos Sainz failed to finish on a desperate afternoon for Ferrari in Baku.
Leclerc was bidding to avenge Ferrari’s flat-footed strategy in Monaco a fortnight ago which cost him victory at his home event.
But on lap 20 of 51, Leclerc’s engine expired and he retired from the lead. A power unit failure at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya last month means the Monegasque has now failed to finish in two of his last three appearances.
Charles Leclerc demands Ferrari fix issues as Max Verstappen capitalises in Baku
Constructors’ standings
Monday 13 June 2022 14:45 , Lawrence Ostlere
Red Bull have extended their lead over Ferrari with a perfect weekend in Azerbaijan, as Verstappen and Perez collected a one-two and Ferrari recorded a double retirement. The gap between the two teams is now 80 points, and Red Bull are putting themselves in an excellent position to finally win the manufacturers’ prize after so much Mercedes domination.
1. Red Bull Racing, 279. 2. Ferrari, 199. 3. Mercedes, 161. 4. McLaren, 65. 5. Alpine, 47. 6. Alfa Romeo Racing, 41. 7. Alphatauri, 27. 8. Haas F1 Team, 15. 9. Aston Martin, 15. 10. Williams, 3.
F1 news: Max Verstappen has no sympathy for Charles Leclerc’s toils
Monday 13 June 2022 14:29 , Lawrence Ostlere
Max Verstappen spared no sympathy for Charles Leclerc after the Dutchman took advantage of a race-ending engine failure for his Ferrari Formula One rival to cruise to an unchallenged win in Azerbaijan on Sunday.
“I would say s**t happens, that’s racing, you know?” Verstappen, who experienced the heartbreak of crashing out of the lead in Baku last year, told reporters.
“It happened to me, it happened to many people in the past and unfortunately it’s happening to Charles.
“If I would be in the same situation, I would also be disappointed, I think that’s very normal, but it’s about how you come out of it.”
Verstappen urges title rival Leclerc ‘stay on it’ and ‘turn it around’
Driver standings
Monday 13 June 2022 14:16 , Lawrence Ostlere
Max Verstappen has extended his lead at the top of the drivers’ championship, and right now his closest rival is his teammate Sergio Perez. That will change, you suspect, if Ferrari can get on top of their reliability issues because clearly Charles Leclerc has the pace in qualifying, but with only a few days until the Canadian Grand Prix gets under way, Ferrari do not have much time to get their car right. 1. Max Verstappen, Netherlands, Red Bull Racing, 150 points.
2. Sergio Perez, Mexico, Red Bull Racing, 129.
3. Charles Leclerc, Monaco, Ferrari, 116.
4. George Russell, Great Britain, Mercedes, 99.
5. Carlos Sainz Jr, Spain, Ferrari, 83.
6. Lewis Hamilton, Great Britain, Mercedes, 62.
7. Lando Norris, Great Britain, McLaren, 50.
8. Valtteri Bottas, Finland, Alfa Romeo Racing, 40.
9. Esteban Ocon, France, Alpine, 31.
10. Pierre Gasly, France, Alphatauri, 16.
11. Fernando Alonso, Spain, Alpine, 16.
12. Kevin Magnussen, Denmark, Haas F1 Team, 15.
13. Daniel Ricciardo, Australia, McLaren, 15.
14. Sebastian Vettel, Germany, Aston Martin, 13.
15. Yuki Tsunoda, Japan, Alphatauri, 11.
16. Alexander Albon, Thailand, Williams, 3.
17. Lance Stroll, Canada, Aston Martin, 2.
18. Guanyu Zhou, China, Alfa Romeo Racing, 1.
Best Baku quotes
Monday 13 June 2022 12:41 , Lawrence Ostlere
“Let’s definitely make some changes.”
Toto Wolff to Lewis Hamilton after his Mercedes car dealt him back pain with severe porpoising during a brutal Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Best Baku quotes
Monday 13 June 2022 12:22 , Lawrence Ostlere
Max Verstappen on Charles Leclerc’s troubles: “That’s racing. It happened to me, it happened to many people in the past. Unfortunately, it’s happening to Charles,” Verstappen said when asked if he had any sympathy for his rival’s difficulties.“If I would be in the same situation, I would also be disappointed. I think that’s very normal. But it’s about how you come out of it, you always look at how to improve things. That’s what we did as well in the beginning of the season. And you learn from it. You don’t like it, you’re angry, but we turn it around.”
F1 Lewis Hamilton confirms he’ll be fit for Canadian Grand Prix despite ‘most painful race’ in Baku
Monday 13 June 2022 12:03 , Lawrence Ostlere
More on Hamilton:
Lewis Hamilton confirms he’ll be fit for Canada despite ‘most painful race’ in Baku
Breaking: Lewis Hamilton vows to race in Canada
Monday 13 June 2022 11:40 , Lawrence Ostlere
Lewis Hamilton has vowed to race at the Canadian Grand Prix despite injuring his back in Azerbaijan. Hamilton said he just wanted the race to end after being in so much pain due to the bouncing of his Mercedes car on the Baku street circuit. Afterwards Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said Hamilton was a “doubt” for Canada this weekend but, writing on Instagram on Monday morning, Hamilton insisted he will be in Montreal for the race.
“Yesterday was tough and had some troubles sleeping but have woke up feeling positive today! Back is a little sore and bruised but nothing serious thankfully. I’ve had acupuncture and physio and am on the way to work with the them on improving. We have to keep fighting. No time like the present to pull together and we will. I’ll be there this weekend, wouldn’t miss it for the world. Wishing everybody and amazing day and week.”
Best Baku quotes
Monday 13 June 2022 11:26 , Lawrence Ostlere
Charles Leclerc after a costly retirement: “It hurts. We really need to look into that for it not to happen again. I can’t really find the right words to describe what has happened. It is just very, very disappointing.
“We were fast and didn’t have big problems in the first part of the season. But now it seems we have more problems even if we haven’t made massive changes to the car. It is difficult to understand.”
F1 news: Sebastian Vettel proposes radical alternative to budget caps
Monday 13 June 2022 11:06 , Lawrence Ostlere
Sebastian Vettel has proposed Formula One scraps budget and salary caps and instead implements a profit cap on each team, which once exceeded would generate money for good causes.
The biggest teams on the grid – Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari – have called for F1’s budget cap to be raised at a time when the cost of travel is rising significantly and squeezing their costs, while the smaller teams have urged the cap, which is meant to help level the playing field, to be retained.
There has also been debate around introducing a salary cap for drivers, but Vettel, who campaigns for environmental causes, believes that the system should be shaped so that F1 can “do great things” with the money the sport generates.
Sebastian Vettel proposes radical alternative to F1’s budget cap
Azerbaijan Grand Prix report
Monday 13 June 2022 10:51 , Lawrence Ostlere
Max Verstappen extended his F1 Drivers’ Championship lead by racing to a convincing victory at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Sergio Perez took second to complete a commanding one-two finish for Red Bull after both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz failed to make it to the chequered flag with mechanical gremlins on a desperate afternoon for Ferrari in Baku.
Verstappen’s title advantage over Leclerc has increased from nine points to 34 following what could prove a pivotal race in this season’s championship battle.
Max Verstappen eases to Azerbaijan Grand Prix victory to extend championship lead
F1 news: Lewis Hamilton could miss Canadian Grand Prix after ‘most painful race’
Monday 13 June 2022 10:33 , Lawrence Ostlere
Lewis Hamilton could be forced to miss next weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix with back pain which left the British driver “praying” for Sunday’s race in Azerbaijan to end.
Hamilton’s Mercedes boss Toto Wolff made the alarming admission about his superstar driver moments after Sunday’s contest on the streets of Baku which was won by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
“Yes, definitely, ” said Wolff, when asked if there is a danger Hamilton, 37, will not be able to compete in Montreal.
“He is really bad. You can see this is not muscular anymore. It goes properly into the spine and it can have some consequences.
“The solution could be to have someone on reserve, which we anyway have at every race.”
Lewis Hamilton could miss Canadian Grand Prix after ‘most painful race’ in Baku
F1 news: Charles Leclerc calls on Ferrari to solve reliability issues
Monday 13 June 2022 10:16 , Lawrence Ostlere
A wounded Charles Leclerc has demanded Ferrari eliminate their reliability woes to prevent this season’s Formula One battle from becoming a one-horse race.
Max Verstappen extended his championship lead by driving unopposed to victory at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after Leclerc and team-mate Carlos Sainz failed to finish on a desperate afternoon for Ferrari in Baku.
Leclerc was bidding to avenge Ferrari’s flat-footed strategy in Monaco a fortnight ago which cost him victory at his home event.
But on lap 20 of 51, Leclerc’s engine expired and he retired from the lead. A power unit failure at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya last month means the Monegasque has now failed to finish in two of his last three appearances.
Charles Leclerc demands Ferrari fix issues as Max Verstappen capitalises in Baku
F1 news: Max Verstappen has no sympathy for Charles Leclerc’s toils
Monday 13 June 2022 10:04 , Lawrence Ostlere
Max Verstappen spared no sympathy for Charles Leclerc after the Dutchman took advantage of a race-ending engine failure for his Ferrari Formula One rival to cruise to an unchallenged win in Azerbaijan on Sunday.
“I would say sh*t happens, that’s racing, you know?” Verstappen, who experienced the heartbreak of crashing out of the lead in Baku last year, told reporters.
“It happened to me, it happened to many people in the past and unfortunately it’s happening to Charles.
“If I would be in the same situation, I would also be disappointed, I think that’s very normal, but it’s about how you come out of it.”
Verstappen urges title rival Leclerc ‘stay on it’ and ‘turn it around’
Constructors’ championship
Monday 13 June 2022 09:51 , Lawrence Ostlere
Red Bull have extended their lead over Ferrari with a perfect weekend in Azerbaijan, as Verstappen and Perez collected a one-two and Ferrari recorded a double retirement. The gap between the two teams is now 80 points, and Red Bull are putting themselves in an excellent position to finally win the manufacturers’ prize after so much Mercedes domination.
1. Red Bull Racing, 279.2. Ferrari, 199.3. Mercedes, 161.4. McLaren, 65.5. Alpine, 47.6. Alfa Romeo Racing, 41.7. Alphatauri, 27.8. Haas F1 Team, 15.9. Aston Martin, 15.10. Williams, 3.
Driver standings
Monday 13 June 2022 09:43 , Lawrence Ostlere
Max Verstappen has extended his lead at the top of the drivers’ championship, and right now his closest rival is his teammate Sergio Perez. That will change, you suspect, if Ferrari can get on top of their reliability issues because clearly Charles Leclerc has the pace in qualifying, but with only a few days until the Canadian Grand Prix gets under way, Ferrari do not have much time to get their car right. 1. Max Verstappen, Netherlands, Red Bull Racing, 150 points.
2. Sergio Perez, Mexico, Red Bull Racing, 129.
3. Charles Leclerc, Monaco, Ferrari, 116.
4. George Russell, Great Britain, Mercedes, 99.
5. Carlos Sainz Jr, Spain, Ferrari, 83.
6. Lewis Hamilton, Great Britain, Mercedes, 62.
7. Lando Norris, Great Britain, McLaren, 50.
8. Valtteri Bottas, Finland, Alfa Romeo Racing, 40.
9. Esteban Ocon, France, Alpine, 31.
10. Pierre Gasly, France, Alphatauri, 16.
11. Fernando Alonso, Spain, Alpine, 16.
12. Kevin Magnussen, Denmark, Haas F1 Team, 15.
13. Daniel Ricciardo, Australia, McLaren, 15.
14. Sebastian Vettel, Germany, Aston Martin, 13.
15. Yuki Tsunoda, Japan, Alphatauri, 11.
16. Alexander Albon, Thailand, Williams, 3.
17. Lance Stroll, Canada, Aston Martin, 2.
18. Guanyu Zhou, China, Alfa Romeo Racing, 1.
Toyota win Le Mans for fifth year in a row
Monday 13 June 2022 09:30 , Karl Matchett
Toyota won the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the fifth year in a row on Sunday with New Zealand’s Brendon Hartley taking the chequered flag to become a triple champion.
Swiss driver Sebastien Buemi, now a four-times winner of the world’s greatest endurance race, and Japanese first timer Ryo Hirakawa shared the overall victory in the number eight GR010 hybrid hypercar.
The number seven Toyota, crewed by last year’s winners Mike Conway of Britain, Japan’s Kamui Kobayashi and Argentina’s Jose Maria Lopez, secured the predictable one-two finish at the Sarthe circuit.
Glickenhaus Racing’s number 709 car completed the podium with Britain’s Richard Westbrook, French driver Franck Mailleux and American Ryan Briscoe but they were in a different league to Toyota who had no real rivals.
Hartley won Le Mans in 2017 with Porsche and in 2020 with Toyota when he took the place of Spain’s two times Formula One world champion and double Le Mans winner Fernando Alonso.
Buemi has taken all four of his wins with the Japanese manufacturer.
“Unless I change cars I’ll never catch him,” joked the Kiwi, who secured pole position on Thursday.
Toyota were the only major manufacturer in a field of just five hypercars, a situation that will change next year when Peugeot, Ferrari, Porsche and Cadillac step up and provide more competition.
Le Mans has a habit of biting back and choosing its winner, however, and reliability can never be taken for granted as the number seven crew discovered.
The two Toyotas had swapped the lead and were separated by only a few seconds for much of the first 16 hours until technical problems struck.
Lopez slowed at Arnage on lap 256 with the motor generator unit requiring a reset by the side of the track before he could return to the pits for a stop of more than three minutes in what turned out to be the defining moment of the race.
The Argentine then suffered a slow puncture, losing more time.
The number 38 Jota LMP2 car shared by Portugal’s Antonio Felix da Costa, Britain’s Will Stevens and Mexican Roberto Gonzalez were winners in the second tier.
The race, founded in 1923 and now in its 90th edition, started in sunny conditions and with the 62-strong field cheered on by a crowd of 244,200 freed from recent COVID-19 restrictions.
The drivers include 16-year-old American Josh Pierson, who became both the youngest ever competitor and finisher -- 10th overall -- with United Autosports in the second tier LMP2 category.
German-Irish Hollywood actor Michael Fassbender was also at the wheel of a Porsche 911 and had an eventful race that kept his mechanics busy.
The entire field was using a 100% renewable fuel for the first time.
Lewis Hamilton could miss Canadian Grand Prix after ‘most painful race’ in Baku
Monday 13 June 2022 09:15 , Karl Matchett
Lewis Hamilton could be forced to miss next weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix with back pain which left the British driver “praying” for Sunday’s race in Azerbaijan to end.
Hamilton’s Mercedes boss Toto Wolff made the alarming admission about his superstar driver moments after Sunday’s contest on the streets of Baku which was won by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
“Yes, definitely, ” said Wolff, when asked if there is a danger Hamilton, 37, will not be able to compete in Montreal.
“He is really bad. You can see this is not muscular anymore. It goes properly into the spine and it can have some consequences.
“The solution could be to have someone on reserve, which we anyway have at every race.”
Lewis Hamilton could miss Canadian Grand Prix after ‘most painful race’ in Baku
'Stay on it,' Verstappen tells Leclerc after Baku heartbreak
Monday 13 June 2022 09:03 , Karl Matchett
Max Verstappen spared no sympathy for Charles Leclerc after the Dutchman took advantage of a race-ending engine failure for his Ferrari Formula One rival to cruise to an unchallenged win in Azerbaijan on Sunday.
“I would say sh*t happens, that’s racing, you know?” Verstappen, who experienced the heartbreak of crashing out of the lead in Baku last year, told reporters.
“It happened to me, it happened to many people in the past and unfortunately it’s happening to Charles.
“If I would be in the same situation, I would also be disappointed, I think that’s very normal, but it’s about how you come out of it.”
Verstappen’s win on Sunday, his fifth from eight races this season, allowed him to open up a commanding lead in the overall standings.
He is now 21 points ahead of Red Bull team mate Sergio Perez, who completed a one-two behind Verstappen on Sunday, with Leclerc 34 points adrift having dropped to third.
The 24-year-old, who went into the weekend nine points behind Verstappen, has now failed to convert top spot into victory in the last four races in a row for reasons ranging from a lack of reliability to strategic missteps.
Sunday’s failure was the second time in three races that Leclerc had retired from the lead.
It came shortly after team mate Carlos Sainz had also stopped with a hydraulic failure, resulting in a double retirement for Ferrari.
Verstappen has himself been sidelined twice by reliability woes this year and trailed Leclerc by 46 points after the opening three races of the season.
“You learn from it, you don’t like it, you are angry, but you turn it around,” he said.
“You always have to stay on it because something else might happen and you have to prevent these issues from happening.”
Reuters
Team by team analysis of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Monday 13 June 2022 08:53 , Karl Matchett
ALFA ROMEO (Valtteri Bottas 11, Guanyu Zhou retired)
Zhou was told to pit and retire on lap 24 with a technical issue on a bad day for engine supplier Ferrari. The Chinese has now had three retirements in his last four races. Bottas said it felt like something was fundamentally wrong with his car.
ALPHATAURI (Pierre Gasly 5, Yuki Tsunoda 13)
Gasly had a good battle with Hamilton but ultimately lost out. Tsunoda was called in by the team who patched up his rear wing with tape and sent him back out without any drag reduction system (DRS). Otherwise he might have been sixth. Both drivers pitted during the first VSC period.
HAAS (Mick Schumacher 14, Kevin Magnussen retired)
Magnussen retired with a power unit issue on lap 33 and had to park up on the track. Schumacher made two stops, on laps 10 and 24.
ASTON MARTIN (Sebastian Vettel 6, Lance Stroll 16)
Aston Martin pulled level with Haas on 15 points after taking the fourth highest tally of the day. Vettel was able to jump Hamilton thanks to a quick stop. The German might have been higher had he not gone into an escape road after passing Ocon. Stroll, who had power unit problem in Saturday qualifying, retired with the car vibrating excessively.
WILLIAMS (Alexander Albon 12, Nicholas Latifi 15)
Albon made two stops and was halted towards the end when the teams saw something in the data that caused concern. Latifi picked up an immediate penalty after overshooting his grid slot and being pushed back against the rules by a mechanic.
Team by team analysis of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Monday 13 June 2022 08:46 , Karl Matchett
RED BULL (Max Verstappen 1, Sergio Perez 2)
Red Bulls’s fifth win in a row, and sixth in eight races, sent them 80 points clear of Ferrari. Verstappen started third with Perez second. The Mexican led into the first corner but suffered degradation to his rear tyres and was passed by Verstappen on lap 15, with the team telling them not to fight. Perez then had a long pitstop on lap 17, dropping behind Leclerc with Verstappen in two laps later. Leclerc’s retirement left the Red Bulls one-two. Verstappen leads Perez, now second overall, by 21 points. Perez got the bonus point for fastest lap.
FERRARI (Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz retired)
Leclerc lined up on pole for the sixth time this season, and fourth in a row, but lost out to Perez when he locked up at the start. The Monegasque switched from medium to hard tyres on lap nine when the virtual safety car was deployed but it was a long one. Sainz retired on lap nine with an hydraulics issue. Leclerc then stopped on lap 21 with a power unit problem while leading. Leclerc is now 34 points behind Verstappen.
MERCEDES (George Russell 3, Lewis Hamilton 4)
Russell took his third podium of the season. Both drivers pitted during the lap nine virtual safety car (VSC) and benefited from the retirement of the two Ferraris. A second VSC period and stop helped Hamilton pass Tsunoda and Gasly. Both suffered from excessive bouncing, with Hamilton in back pain as he stepped out of the car. Russell remains the only driver to have finished in the top five in every race.
MCLAREN (Daniel Ricciardo 8, Lando Norris 9)
Ricciardo started 12th and finished ahead of Norris on track for only the second time this season. The drivers were on different strategies and team orders were applied twice with the Australian quicker in the opening stint on the hard tyre but told to stay behind. Norris was faster later on but frustrated to be told to hold station behind Ricciardo, who had pitted during the second VSC.
ALPINE (Fernando Alonso 7, Esteban Ocon 10)
The Renault-owned team took back fifth place from Alfa Romeo. Alonso started 10th, Ocon 13th. The car performed well on the straights and the drivers benefited from Ferrari’s retirements. Alonso pitted for hards on lap 18 having stayed out during the VSC period. Ocon made his stop on lap 33.
Charles Leclerc demands Ferrari fix issues as Max Verstappen capitalises in Baku
Monday 13 June 2022 08:35 , Karl Matchett
A wounded Charles Leclerc has demanded Ferrari eliminate their reliability woes to prevent this season’s Formula One battle from becoming a one-horse race.
Max Verstappen extended his championship lead by driving unopposed to victory at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after Leclerc and team-mate Carlos Sainz failed to finish on a desperate afternoon for Ferrari in Baku.
Leclerc was bidding to avenge Ferrari’s flat-footed strategy in Monaco a fortnight ago which cost him victory at his home event.
But on lap 20 of 51, Leclerc’s engine expired and he retired from the lead. A power unit failure at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya last month means the Monegasque has now failed to finish in two of his last three appearances.
Leclerc led Verstappen by as many as 47 points after the third round in Australia – the scene of his last triumph – on April 10.
But, ahead of next weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix at Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve – the ninth race of 22 this season – Leclerc trails the Dutchman by 34 points in the championship standings.
Charles Leclerc demands Ferrari fix issues as Max Verstappen capitalises in Baku
F1 news: Lewis Hamilton a ‘doubt’ for Canada
Monday 13 June 2022 08:26 , Lawrence Ostlere
Talking to Hamilton over team radio, Wolff said: “This is a bit of a s***tbox to drive. And sorry for the back problems.”
Hamilton later told the media he was “praying” for the race to be over, such was the pain in his back. “The only thing was biting down my teeth with pain and just adrenaline. I cannot express the pain you experience, especially on the straight here. In the end you are just praying for it to end. We are in such a good position still in 3rd and 4th. It is a great result and the team did well with the strategy. Once we fix this bouncing we will be right in the race because we are losing for sure a second just with bouncing.”
Wolff told the media Hamilton is a doubt for Canada, saying: “You can see that it is not muscular, it goes properly deep into the spine and there are some consequences. The solution could be to have someone on reserve, which we do at any race.”
F1 news: Lewis Hamilton a ‘doubt’ for Canada
Monday 13 June 2022 08:19 , Lawrence Ostlere
Lewis Hamilton is a doubt for the Canadian Grand Prix after injuring his back in Baku on Sunday. Hamilton finished fourth behind race winner Max Verstappen, fellow Red Bill driver Sergio Perez and Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate George Russell, but suffered back pain as his car bounced around the Azerbaijan street circuit, a result of F1’s troublesome ‘porpoising’ phenomenon this season. Asked if Hamilton’s was now a doubt for Canada, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff told reporters: “Yeah, definitely.”
F1 news LIVE
Monday 13 June 2022 08:13 , Lawrence Ostlere
Follow all the reaction and fallout from a dramatic Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
