Motorsport News May 12, 2022

Ferrari’s World championship leader Charles Leclerc has urged his Italian team to push through car tweaks after being defeated by Max Verstappen’s Red Bull in the maiden Miami Grand Prix last weekend. Although Leclerc qualified on pole position for the Scuderia, World champion Verstappen grabbed the advantage during the first stint and was uncatchable thereafter. The gap between Leclerc and Verstappen at the top of the F1 points table has closed to just 19. After being defeated in Florida, Leclerc said: “We need to keep pushing. Upgrades will be very important throughout the year. And I hope now that we can do a step up from the next race onwards. But it’s been tight since the beginning of the season.” The first race at the Miami International Autodrome drew widespread praise, although some…

Formula 1 was certainly embraced by the residents of Miami last weekend, and a big noise was made about the maiden grand prix on the grounds surrounding the Hard Rock Stadium. But this was America, so of course the noise would be super-sized. Amid all the razzmatazz and self-congratulatory back slapping that the event was actually happening, it was hard to get a gauge on whether this venture was a success or not. But the motor racing fans, who were drowned out by the sound of cameras clicking on the high-profile celebrities cramming the grid, would realistically say it wasn’t. The track was a triumph, we were told. No, it wasn’t. We were told it was a circuit that had been through hundreds of different designs before the final layout was contrived,…

As Max Verstappen departed the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens last Sunday, he was probably musing on his good fortune. As the sun-kissed crowds continued to party late into the night, accompanied by a soundtrack provided by a host of famous DJs, the Dutchman could be satisfied with a solid performance. His victory and extra point for fastest lap was an impressive turnaround from where he had been on Friday. His weekend at the newly constructed Miami InternationalAutodrome started badly as more reliability issues with his Red Bull restricted his on-track running. With a low grip surface and tricky, off-camber corners this was not a venue to miss track time. It meant Verstappen was at a disadvantage when it came to qualifying and he made a mistake on his final…

German marques Porsche and Audi will join the Formula 1 grid from 2026, when new powerplant regulations come into force. Both firms are under the Volkswagen Group umbrella and its chief executive officer Herbert Diess revealed the news in a YouTube broadcast last week, shortly after Motorsport News had closed for press. Porsche is expected to tie up with Red Bull, which has recently created its own powertrains division in the wake of Honda’s departure from the top level of the sport. Audi, meanwhile, is thought to be eyeing up buying an existing outfit. McLaren has ruled itself out, with its boss Zak Brown stating that the team will remain as it is, while other outfits thought to be in discussions with Audi include Sauber (Alfa Romeo), Aston Martin and Williams. Both Porsche…

Seven-time title winner Lewis Hamilton has been given a two-race exemption over some of the jewellery he wears after the FIA demanded that all drivers remove all items when they are in the grand prix cockpit. The sport’s governors have clamped down on jewellery and have also checked all the drivers’ fireproof underwear to make sure they fitted with the regulations. Hamilton lashed out at the FIA’s decision ahead of the weekend, and he said that he has some items that can’t be easily removed. “It is like a step backwards,” he said on Friday. “You think about the steps we are taking and the more important issues we need to be focusing on.” Hamilton’s view was supported by AlphaTauri driver Pierre Gasly and Aston Martin ace Sebastian Vettel. After Hamilton’s meeting with…

Two-time champion Jamie Chadwick wrapped up a brace of victories in the opening rounds of the W Series in Miami last weekend. Victory in the first race was taken on the final green-flag lap of a safety car-affected event. Chadwick, in her Jenner Racing machine, had lost her early lead to rival Emma Kimilainen, but battled back ahead on the final tour. Kimilainen was spun out of second place at the final hairpin, which led to second-place finisher Marta Garcia being penalised. That allowed Brit Jessica Hawkins to take a career-best second. Chadwick dominated the second race to fend off Nerea Marti, while Alice Powell recovered from an accident in race one to complete the podium. “I was much happier with my race two win,” said Chadwick. “I didn’t feel like I truly deserved…