F1 LIVE – Massa takes first steps in attempt to steal Hamilton title
Lewis Hamilton on difficult season for Mercedes in November
Lewis Hamilton has been given hope of reeling in Red Bull champion Max Verstappen in attempting to challenge for a record eighth world title as the teams return from a three-week break for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sunday. The Mercedes star has not won a race since Saudi Arabia in 2021, but the 38-year-old has been backed to end his winless run of 26 races at the unpredictable Baku street circuit.
Mercedes have made major changes at senior level with James Allison swapping jobs with Mike Elliott to return as their chief technical officer, a move that Hamilton may appreciate after Allison helped the team win four of their Constructors’ titles. The Silver Arrows are set to bring improvements to their car and are hoping to show their pace in the first Sprint race of the season.
Red Bull have won all three races so far this season, though, and stopping both Verstappen and Sergio Perez will prove to be a difficult task for Toto Wolff and co, given their huge pace advantage over the rest of the grid.
And while Aston Martin could prove to be a threat once again with Fernando Alonso eyeing his first victory since 2012 after scoring three podiums in 2023, Ferrari’s latest crisis could deny the team any chance of challenging for top spot on Sunday.
KEY EVENTS
Schumacher agree with Verstappen
Ralf Schumacher agrees with Max Verstappen’s criticism of the direction F1 is heading in, stating some of the proposed changes are a “huge burden” for drivers.
The six-time Grands Prix winner pointed to the recent Australian Grand Prix where there were regular stoppages.
“I agree with him on that point. You try to milk the cows wherever you can. It’s a huge burden for the driver,” Schumacher said.
“We saw the consequences at the race in Melbourne when you make too many starts. What happens at the end of the race – the drivers are simply not prepared for it.”
He added: “It is also a big disadvantage for small teams and for young drivers if there are even fewer free practices, if there is little testing anyway.”
Leclerc clause
Charles Leclerc will have some kind of “performance clause” in his contract where his deal could be terminated at Ferrari.
That’s according to Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko, who claims most drivers on the F1 grid will have a similar agreement in place.
“These performance clauses are common today. It roughly states that a driver must have a certain number of points at a certain point in the season, usually in late summer, in order for the contract to be automatically renewed,” he told Sport1.
“If this is not the case, both parties have the option of terminating the contract. For this reason, our Sebastian Vettel was able to switch to Ferrari so easily in 2015.”
Ricciardo not scared
Daniel Ricciardo is not bothered by the fact there are limited seats potentially available at the top teams in F1 for 2024.
He said: “It doesn’t scare me. It’s always been like that. And I knew this was going to be a risk obviously removing myself from a seat.
“But I think it’s clear what I don’t want. I don’t want [just] any seat next year… I don’t want to just start from zero, and kind of build my [F1] career from scratch.
“It’s not coming from an arrogant place. But I’m just past that. I don’t think that’s going to stimulate me or give me that second wind I’m looking for. So it makes the top seats even scarcer. But that’s where I know I will be able to perform at my best and thrive.”
Liberty Media eye next move
Alonso reacts to Taylor Swift rumours
F1 owners Liberty Media reportedly want to buy IndyCar in a bid to turn it into a feeder series for F1 to help promote more American drivers in the sport.
Logan Sargeant is F1’s first American driver in almost eight years having taken a seat at Williams for the 2023 season.
But there appears to be a huge push from the F1 ownership to make more of the American market and it looks as though they will be pushing to make their move for IndyCar.
Axed F1 driver wants return
Former Haas driver Nikita Mazepin is taking the Canadian government to court in his bid to return to F1 for next year.
Mazepin was axed by Haas just weeks before the 2022 season got underway due to sanctions imposed on Russian sportspeople.
His father, Dmitry, also had reported close links to Vladimir Putin with the Mazepin father-and-son duo placed on the EU sanctions list, although they have since been granted temporary relief.
But Mazepin is still unable to race in Canada – an obstacle in his bid to return to the F1 grid next year.
The Russian driver feels that he may never get a chance to drive in F1 if Canada don’t lift their current sanctions on Russian sportspeople.
Lewis Hamilton goes incognito
Lewis Hamilton blended in as a “normal spectator” to watch his brother, Nic Hamilton, race at the British Touring Car Championship at the weekend.
“I haven’t been to Donington in a long time,” Hamilton wrote on Instagram.
“I was so excited to watch and support my brother there today as a normal spectator, felt really special.
“I’m so proud of you bro, 6th place today was such a special result and you truly deserve it. Keep pushing.”
Verstappen told to ‘pack up and leave’
Ralf Schumacher doesn’t feel as though Max Verstappen’s threat to quit the sport will damage F1 in any way.
“The past, the present and the future have shown or will show that Formula 1 is much bigger than any individual,” he told Sky Germany.
“Bernie Ecclestone is also gone and without him Formula 1 wouldn’t exist – and now it’s more successful than ever.
“So Verstappen should either pack up and leave or just accept it as it is.”
Massa assembles lawyers
Felipe Massa has reportedly been advised by his team of lawyers to ‘make no further public statements’ as the former Ferrari drivers takes his next step in trying to take Lewis Hamilton’s 2008 championship.
The Brazilian announced recently that he was looking at legal options after Bernie Ecclestone admitted to doing nothing after learning of Nelson Piquet Jr’s purposeful crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.
The controversial race saw Massa finish outside the points after Ferrari’s bodged pit-stop during the Safety Car period following Piquet Jr’s crash.
Now Massa is looking at his options to have the championship overturned in his favour with a team of lawyers now hired.
According to motorsport-total.com, their first recommendation has been for Massa to make no more public statements on the matter.
Hamilton heads to Donnington in disguise
Lewis Hamilton was a surprise visitor at Donnington Park donning an all-black disguise as he went to watch his brother Nicolas racing at the weekend.
The 38-year-old had some down time due to the cancellation of the Chinese Grand Prix and opted to visit his younger brother, who races in the British Touring Car Championship, despite the rainy conditions.
“I haven’t been to Donington in a long time,” Hamilton wrote. “I was so excited to watch and support my brother there today as a normal spectator, felt really special.
“I’m so proud of you bro. 6th place today was such a special result and you truly deserve it. Keep pushing.”
Mazepin eyes 2024 return with Canada appeal
Nikita Mazepin has launched an appeal against Canada’s Foreign Minister to remove sanctions placed against him with a 2024 return to racing lined up.
Haas cut ties with the Russian and his father Dmitry at the start of the 2022 season and hired Kevin Magnussen in his place after ending their sponsorship from Uralkali, following sanctions placed upon the two men. The FIA later said drivers from Russia and Belarus would be forced to race under a neutral flag.
But Mazepin is planning to remove the sanctions by making an appeal, which could him to returning to F1 or another area of motorsport next season.
According to CTV News, his appeal reads: “[Mazepin is a] young sportsman and professional motorsport driver who is in no way involved in the aggression suffered by Ukraine.
“It will be extremely difficult — if not impossible — for him to be recruited again as an F1 driver or as a driver in other motorsport championships.”
Alonso stirs post amid Swift dating rumours
Fernando Alonso has added fuel to the fire that the Aston Martin driver could be dating singer Taylor Swift after teasing fans with a cryptic social media post.
Earlier this month, Alonso announced he and his partner Andrea Schlager had parted ways after they began dating last year, while Swift and her long-term boyfriend split just days later. While nothing was made of the coincidental timing, a post appeared on Instagram page Deux Moi under the heading “Taylor Swift rumours” claiming the pair have been casually dating for a week.
At the time of writing, there has been no public comment from Alonso or Swift as rumours of their romance began to swirl around both the music world and F1 sphere. That was until Alonso decided to stir the pot and keep fans on edge with his social media post, which will do little to dampen the talk about the superstar pair.
In a short clip uploaded to his official TikTok, Alonso can be seen sitting on a chair listening to a sped-up version of Swift’s popular hit Karma with the caption reading: “Race week era”. Both have clear references to Swift, who embarked on her sold-out Eras Tour in November.
@fernandoalonso Race week era #F1 #F1TikTok #Formula1 \u266c karma sped up – j <3
Perez gives Ricciardo verdict
Sergio Perez has praised the arrival of Daniel Ricciardo at Red Bull as “very positive” as the Australian eyes a return to F1 in 2024.
Speculation has been rife that the 33-year-old could replace Perez if the Mexican leaves the team when his contract expires. But for now, Perez is happy to have Ricciardo helping out on the simulator.
“He’s, first of all, someone very positive, someone great to have around,” Perez told reporters in Melbourne, as per RacingNews365.com. “He never stops smiling. I think it’s great for the team.
“We are in a very unique position to have Daniel around with the amount of experience he has. He’s been doing a very good job for us.”
Leclerc feud with Sainz underlined by ex-Ferrari chief
Charles Leclerc cannot stand it when Carlos Sainz finishes ahead of him and risks turning Ferrari against him by kicking up ‘a lot of fuss’, according to former technical director Joan Villaldeprat.
Leclerc has only managed to earn a total of six points in the Drivers’ Championship so far this season after a difficult start to the campaign, during which he has claimed just one top-10 finish.
Sainz, meanwhile, finds himself in fifth position overall with 20 points to his name and is seemingly a far more consistent performer than Leclerc as things stand.
Villaldeprat believes that Leclerc will need to start working harder and avoid throwing his toys out of the pram in order to re-establish himself as the lead driver at Ferrari.
“Leclerc has been sold that he is number one and, when he sees Carlos in front of him, no matter how much good vibes they have, it makes him sick to his stomach,” Villadeprat told El Confidencial.
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F1 fans call for Hamilton title award
Formula 1 fans have made their feelings clear to former FIA race director Michael Masi by urging the Australian chief not to return to the sport, according to a new poll.
Masi played a huge role in orchestrating one of the biggest sporting controversies in the history of motorsport after denying Lewis Hamilton the title in 2021, with Max Verstappen triumphing on the final lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and F1 fans are keen to him to steer clear of a possible return.
In an exclusive new poll conducted by Express Sport, readers were asked to give their view on whether Masi should be welcomed back into the paddock after he was recently seen at the Australian Grand Prix, sparking speculation of a shock return.
However, the public have been clear in their opposition to the 44-year-old making his way back to F1 after 5,272 readers participated, with a huge 68 per cent insisting they do not want Masi to return to the sport.
Mercedes talks over Hamilton replacement ‘an open secret’
Mercedes have been in discussions with Charles Leclerc over a sensational move to the team as Lewis Hamilton’s replacement, according to reports in Italy.
The Monegasque is said to be far from happy with the Scuderia’s efforts on the track after collecting only six points from his first three races, amid a reported ongoing feud with team-mate Carlos Sainz.
And Italian journalist Leo Turrini claims that Mercedes’ talks with the 25-year-old are already out in the open as the German team may not believe George Russell can lead the teams to titles on his own.
“That Leclerc is talking to Mercedes is the open secret,” Turrini claimed. “Everyone knows it, from the remote garage in Maranello to the Indian Ocean. In his [Hamilton’s] unfinished career, he showed flashes of pure class. He is the first to know that time is passing.
“Russell is very, very strong. But if Hamilton were to stop, whoever pays in Stuttgart might not accept another Bottas alongside a driver who is not yet a world champion.”
Hamilton takes unwanted Verstappen record
Lewis Hamilton’s wait for a race win means he has now exceeded Max Verstappen’s longest gap between victories as the Mercedes star aims to end his drought.
The seven-time champion last won at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in December 2021 – some 26 races ago. And it means the Mercedes star has now gone 72 weeks without taking the top step of the podium.
According to F1 Stats Guru, it is the same gap Verstappen had between his first and second race wins in Formula 1, from the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix to the 2017 Malaysian Grand Prix.
And that means unless Hamilton can win in Baku this weekend, he will be handed the unwanted dishonour of taking Verstappen’s record away from him.
F1 team bosses fear Baku ‘mayhem’ in sprint race
Red Bull chief Christian Horner has expressed his concern over the new sprint race format debuting at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with Williams boss James Vowles predicting ‘mayhem’ in Baku this weekend.
Horner has been strongly opposed to the sprint format coming to Azerbaijan due to the unpredictable nature of the circuit and potential impact on teams’ budgets, with the cost cap more of an issue than ever before. And there are still issues to be ironed out.
“The reality is it’s absolutely ludicrous to be doing the first sprint race of the year at a street race like Azerbaijan,” Horner said. “But I think from a spectacle point of view, from a fan point of view, it’s probably going to be one of the most exciting sprint races of the year.
“From a cost gap perspective, all you can do is trash your car and it costs a lot of money around there. One race is enough in Baku, so to have two – there could well be some action there,” Horner said.
Vowles has also warned of the difficulties involved and revealed there the new rules are yet to be ratified as team bosses continue talks with F1 officials.
“Irrespective of whether the rules change or not, a sprint race weekend at that tight, twisty track where you go through the castle section is going to cause a little bit of mayhem. There’s going to be difficulties,” he told the team’s official website.
Ferrari face fresh blow in Baku
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has admitting the team won’t be bringing updates to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as they try to make up for lost time after a disappointing start to the season.
The Scuderia are already 97 points behind Red Bull after three races, with Charles Leclerc already suffering from two DNFs in the opening races of the season.
But the Frenchman insists that Tifosi fans will need to be patient as Ferrari roll out their upgrades in the coming races.
“I think that we will have a flow of updates that some will come… Not at Baku, because Baku we have the aero package for the level of downforce, [and] with the Sprint race it’s not the easiest one. But from Miami, Imola, not Monaco, but Barcelona – each race will have an update on the car,” he told F1’s official website.
“We are sticking to the plan, but we’ve made some adjustments, I think, in terms of balance and behaviour. It was much better in Melbourne and we’ll continue in this direction.
“I don’t know if you can speak about… It’s not a B-car, if it’s what you want to say. We won’t come with something completely different; we’ll continue to update this one and we’ll try to update massively.”
Hamilton backed to give Verstappen fight
A large percentage of F1 fans still believe Lewis Hamilton can win a record-breaking eighth Drivers’ Championship this season, despite Red Bull’s current advantage over Mercedes.
The Silver Arrows are well adrift of their rivals this season just as they were last year.
In 2022, the first season in his entire career, Hamilton failed to win a single race. That came a year after he claimed eight race wins and missed out on the title by a mere eight points to Max Verstappen.
Regardless of Verstappen and Red Bull’s massive advantage currently, F1 fans are still not completely giving up on Hamilton’s chances.
In Express Sport’s latest poll, 47 per cent of readers said the 38-year-old can still win an eighth title.
FULL STORY
Good morning!
Hello and welcome to Express Sport’s LIVE coverage as we build up to this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
After three weeks of rest due to the Chinese Grand Prix cancellation, there will be plenty to get through in the build-up to Friday’s qualifying for the sprint race.
So stick wtih us as we bring you all of the latest news from the F1 world.
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