F1 Canadian Grand Prix 2022 – Return to Gilles’ backyard
Max Verstappen looks to emphasize his dominance from pole position at today’s Canadian Grand Prix with the testing conditions throwing another interesting wrinkle as he targets a second world championship. The Red Bull driver was untouchable in the rain as mistakes and mechanical issues rained on the parade of his closest challengers.
The Gilles Villeneuve Circuit saw Fernando Alonso secure second in qualification for Alpine, Carlos Sainz starts third for Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton, despite his very public complaints about the state of the Mercedes W13 car, is back near the top of the field, with the seven -time world champion seizing fourth for the Silver Arrows. Special praise should also come for Haas team, who locked out the third row of the grid thanks to Kevin Magnussen in fifth and Mick Schumacher in sixth.
Do not expect Alonso to play it safe from the start today, which makes for a fascinating prospect when lights go out: “The goal is to lead the race in lap one. Turn One, maximum attack. And then after that, they can go and they can fight – but it will be nice, sweet to lead the race.” While Verstappen added: “Fernando is getting a little bit old, but he’s still very fast,” Verstappen said. “So I know he starts very well, you know, so I have to be ready. To be on the front row together with Fernando; I used to look at F1 as a little kid, seeing Fernando being up there and winning his races and championships and putting it on pole. So to be sharing the front row is a nice thing.” Follow all the latest updates as we build towards this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix:
Christian Horner claims F1 title fight will end up in court if FIA doesn’t act on cost cap
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has claimed that up to half of Formula 1 teams will breach the sport’s cost cap if governing body the FIA does not opt to raise it, and warned that the battle for the 2022 championship could end up in court.
All ten F1 teams are limited to an annual budget of $140m to run their 2022 season, comprising costs spent in every area including car parts, staff salaries, and shipping. The cost cap is designed to prevent teams from overspending and causing themselves financial problems, but Horner says the cost-of-living crisis and rises in inflation are an exceptional circumstance which mean the cap should be raised significantly.
“The way you design your car is within your control,” Horner told Sky Sports F1 after practice for the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal. “You are in control of your own destiny. We’re not in control of what’s going on in the world right now, with fuel cost rises, inflation going up to 11%. That’s a direct impact on staff, commodities, supply of parts. I think it’s a case of force majeure. It’s not about income, it’s about this one-off effect of inflation that effects people.”
Jack RathbornJune 19, 2022 2:15 p.m.
Lewis Hamilton buys retro games console to get his racing fix ahead of Canadian Grand Prix
The 37-year-old required assistance to get out of his Mercedes after his car bounced up and down at high speed throughout the 51-lap Azerbaijan Grand Prix last weekend.
Mercedes ran their machines close to the ground in Baku to produce lower downforce.
But the move exaggerated the bouncing – also known as porpoising – with the FIA, the sport’s governing body, now taking the decision to step in and attempt to make the sport safer.
Jack Rathborn19 June 2022 14:00
George Russell says Mercedes ‘have a lot of work to do’ to avoid painful Canadian Grand Prix
George Russell says Mercedes still “have a lot of work to do” to catch up to the frontrunning teams in Formula 1 after struggling in the opening practice sessions for the Canadian Grand Prix.
The Silver Arrows have been the fastest team in Formula 1 every season since 2014, but are off the pace of frontrunners Ferrari and Red Bull this season, and Russell ended up only seventh fastest at the end of the second round of practice running in Montreal on Friday night.
Mercedes have been struggling after transitioning to F1’s new set of technical regulations, which have undergone their biggest revision in a generation. A return to ground effect aerodynamics for the first time since the 1980s has brought with it the unexpected aerodynamic quirk known as porpoising, which is the name given to the phenomenon whereby cars bounce up and down violently at high speeds on long straights.
Jack RathbornJune 19, 2022 1:45 p.m.
Max Verstappen masters conditions to take pole position at Canadian Grand Prix
Max Verstappen stormed to a scintillating pole position for the Canadian Grand Prix as he dominated in changeable conditions to continue his quest for a second world championship.
The Red Bull driver was untouchable in the rain as mistakes and mechanical issues rained on the parade of his closest challengers.
With the Gilles Villeneuve Circuit drying out throughout qualifying, Verstappen was the man who mastered the conditions, clocking an impressive time of one minute 21.299 seconds as Formula One delivered on its return to Montreal following a three-year hiatus.
Fernando Alonso will start second for Alpine, the experienced campaigner also getting on top of the weather to take his first front-row start in over a decade.
Jack RathbornJune 19, 2022 1:30 p.m.
F1 Constructors championship latest standings
6. Alfa Romeo Racing, 41.
Jack RathbornJune 19, 2022 1:15 p.m.
F1 Drivers championship latest standings
1. Max Verstappen, Netherlands, Red Bull Racing, 150 points.
2. Sergio Perez, Mexico City, Red Bull Racing, 129.
3.Charles Leclerc, Monaco, Ferrari, 116.
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.
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.
Jack RathbornJune 19, 2022 1:00 p.m.
Lewis Hamilton elated with ‘awesome’ fourth at wet Canadian Grand Prix qualifying
Reigning champion Verstappen was untouchable amid the showers as mistakes and mechanical issues rained on the parade of his closest challengers.
With the Gilles Villeneuve Circuit drying out throughout qualifying, Verstappen was the man who mastered the conditions, clocking an impressive time of one minute 21.299 seconds as Formula One delivered on its return to Montreal following a three-year hiatus.
Jack Rathborn19 June 2022 12:45
F1 starting grid for Canadian Grand Prix
- Max Verstappen – Red Bull
- Fernando Alonso – Alpine
- Carlos Sainz-Ferrari
- Lewis Hamilton-Mercedes
- Kevin Magnussen-Haas
- Mick Schumacher-Haas
- Esteban Ocon – Alpine
- George Russell-Mercedes
- Daniel Ricciardo – McLaren
- Zhou Guanyu – Alfa Romeo
- Valtteri Bottas – Alfa Romeo
- Alexander Albon-Williams
- Sergio Perez – Red Bull
- Lando Norris – McLaren
- Pierre Gasly – Alpha Tauri
- Sebastian Vettel-Aston Martin
- Lance Stroll – Aston Martin
- Nicholas Latifi – Williams
- Charles Leclerc-Ferrari
- Yuki Tsunoda – Alpha Tauri
Jack Rathborn19 June 2022 12:27