GP Racing UK June 2021

some big reputations are on the line

@BenAndersonF1 The ramifications of 2020’s driver market merry-go-round now play out in front of our eyes. They suggest Formula 1 is tougher than ever – even for drivers with phenomenal reputations, now under threat like never before. To hear competitors as renowned as Fernando Alonso and Daniel Ricciardo – both Monaco Grand Prix winners – say they feel they are extracting the maximum from their new cars, only to glance at the timing screens and see they are half a second or so off their respective young team-mates – who are both yet to win a race never mind a world title – is quite astonishing. Alonso was ahead of Ocon throughout Monaco practice, until Ocon got Pirelli’s tyres into a better temperature range during qualifying. But even if Monaco exaggerated things, Ocon…

contributors

MARK GALLAGHER In addition to his regular column on page 29, Mark analyses how the big three teams are coping with F1's budget cap. See page 60 CHARLES BRADLEY Motorsport.com's global editor-in-chief investigates who the richest people in F1 are and what's in their wallets (p32) BEN EDWARDS Former racer Ben explains that using fantastic car control isn't necessarily the quickest way round a track (p22) STUART CODLING Codders finds out what ex-Sauber and Haas driver Esteban Gutiérrez is up to now (p54), and takes a look at the McLaren MP4/1 (p80) Thanks to Luca Colajanni, Russell Day, Jacques Heckstall-Smith, Silvia Hoffer Frangipane, Vicky Lloyd, Bradley Lord, Gemma Lusty, Rosa Herrero Venegas, Richard Wilson…

don’t let that strap dangle

I really liked McLaren’s one-off Gulf livery for the Monaco Grand Prix. It beautifully evokes the spirit of motor racing. This is a classic shot at the exit of Casino Square where there are just two holes for photographers to lean through. Usually you have to get there a couple of hours early, but the upside of the pandemic was being alone here this year. You feel quite exposed as you lean out and you need to make sure your camera strap is tucked in as the cars go by! At this point in second practice the more committed drivers are starting to come over right near the wall. It’s a great place to experience the sheer speed of an F1 car. Where Monte Carlo, Monaco When 3.03pm, Thursday 20 May 2021 Details Canon EOS-1D…

max is the leader of the pack

Winning the Monaco Grand Prix put Max Verstappen in the lead of the world championship for the first time in his career. You could say it’s about time, since this is his seventh season in F1 and his 124th grand prix – even though he’s still only 23… Monaco always presents challenges in terms of getting to places and the COVID restrictions have added to that, but it was still possible to get on the start-finish straight after the race to photograph the celebrations. The Red Bull mechanics are an incredibly competitive group of people and you can see their joy here as well as Max’s after what was a well-earned victory. Where Monte Carlo, Monaco When 5.05pm, Sunday 23 May 2021 Details Nikon D6, 24-70mm lens, 1/320th @ F6.3…

an aston-ishing array of emporia

This is a classic Monaco shot but, on a sunny day on one of those rare years where there aren’t too many people around, why not? You stand on the inside of the track with your back to Rothschilds’ bank and the cars rocket by up the hill. On the street map this is where the Avenue d’Ostende connects to the Avenue de Monte Carlo, but of course on the track it all falls under the blanket section of ‘Beau Rivage’, named after the exclusive apartment complex nearby. The iconic Hotel de Paris and its designer clothing outlets exude a kind of moneyed timelessness. There are other street circuits on the calendar but only Monaco looks like this… Where Monte Carlo, Monaco When 12.29pm, Thursday 20 May 2021 Details Canon EOS-1D X MkII, 16-35mm…

charles kerbs his enthusiasm

You’ve probably read quite a lot over the past year about photographers being frustrated by various COVID-related regulations but this is one shot which wouldn’t have happened without them! Just a few minutes earlier I was standing somewhere else but was reminded by security that, as Aston Martin’s photographer, my bailiwick was confined to the area around that team’s pit. I’d just arrived there, by the barriers overlooking the exit of the swimming pool complex, and was bringing my camera up to my eye as I heard the initial ‘clonk’ of Leclerc’s right-front wheel hitting the barrier. Quite a lucky piece of timing… Where Monte Carlo, Monaco When 3.00pm, Saturday 22 May 2021 Details Canon EOS R5, 100-500mm lens, 1/1300th @ F5.6…