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Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
‘What do you want me to say?' – Lewis Hamilton looks close to tears in live TV interview after ‘terrible' race
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) LEWIS HAMILTON looked as though he might burst into tears as he gave blunt answers in his post-race interview in Barcelona. The seven-time world champion tugged on heartstrings as he blamed himself for a 'terrible' performance at the Spanish Grand Prix. 3 Lewis Hamilton was damming in his post-race interview after the Spanish GP 3 Hamilton finished the race outside the podium in P6 Credit: Alamy 3 The seven-time world champion has endured a bedding in period at the Italian team in his debut season Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Things were looking up for Hamilton after qualifying on Saturday, where he secured fifth - his joint best result. But soon into the race his teammate Charles Leclerc was snapping at his heels and he was told to give his place up to the Monegasque driver after just nine laps. It was a suckerpunch moment for the Brit who finished in sixth after Max Verstappen's 10-second time penalty. He had been overtaken by his old Mercedes teammate George Russell and, to rub more salt in the wounds, Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg. READ MORE IN F1 RUSS OF BLOOD Verstappen admits Russell ram 'was not right' after F1 rival slams move He said after the race: "Well what do you want me to say? I've had a really bad day and have nothing to say. It was a difficult day, 'There's nothing else to add to it. It was terrible. There's no point explaining it. It's not your fault. I just don't know what to say." When told whether the team can find some answers, he added: "I'm sure they won't - it was probably just me." Hamilton's former teammate Nico Rosberg said: "it's hard to watch" the Ferrari driver struggle. He added: "Sunday was a horrible day for him because he was just slow out there, which is very unusual, "Yes, sometimes he's off in qualifying but in races he's usually really awesome and the race was shockingly bad. "He doesn't have answers either. Was there damage on the floor? These floors are so sensitive and there can always be a bit there and you lose a lot of time. "When you don't have any answers, it's really tough as a driver then you see your team-mate race on their way to third place on the podium. In light of the whole season he's had so far, it's a very dark situation."
Fox Sports
04-04-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Test Patterns: Scott Dixon Sends Late Message on IMS Road Course
INDYCAR Scott Dixon sent a small reminder to the rest of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers testing Thursday, March 27 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course: I'm still here. Dixon's Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Alex Palou has captured plenty of attention after winning the first two races this season. But six-time series champion Dixon isn't shrinking from the challenge posed by Palou, as he turned the quickest lap of an eight-driver private test in the final five minutes the 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course was open. Drivers from all four teams – AJ Foyt Racing (Santino Ferrucci, David Malukas), Chip Ganassi Racing (Dixon, Palou, Kyffin Simpson), Dale Coyne Racing (Jacob Abel) and Juncos Hollinger Racing (Conor Daly, Sting Ray Robb) – all turned laps to prepare for the Sonsio Grand Prix on Saturday, May 10 on the IMS road course that kicks off the Month of May at the track. This wasn't an Open Test, so no times and speeds were released, but it's still time for some itemized deductions: Dixon Sends Message Sure, it's only testing, but Dixon had to be satisfied with edging his unbeaten-in-2025 teammate by slightly more than a tenth of a second in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. And the fact he pulled ahead on the last of his 90 laps of the day also must be gratifying. It's easy to forget with all the attention on Palou that Dixon has produced a very solid start this season. He finished second at St. Petersburg and 10th at The Thermal Club and is third in the standings, 41 points behind leader Palou and two behind second-place Pato O'Ward. The Iceman remains in good shape in his quest for a series record-tying seventh championship. Winning the Sonsio Grand Prix – an event Palou won in 2023 and 2024 – would be an excellent springboard toward that goal. Daly Steps Up It's sort of odd: Daly cut his proverbial racing teeth in road racing, including winning a GP3 race in 2012 at Barcelona during the Spanish Grand Prix Formula One race weekend. Yet Indiana native Daly is regarded by some as an oval specialist in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES because his only career pole came at Iowa Speedway, and he has produced three straight top-10 finishes the last three years in the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. Daly was third quickest in testing March 27 on the IMS road course in the No. 76 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet, only about two-tenths of a second shy of the leading pace set by Dixon. That should remind the 'Conor is an oval guy' crowd that this driver is capable of producing results on tracks with left turns only and with left and right turns. Remember, Daly's best career finish in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES came on the old street circuit at Belle Isle in Detroit, where he placed second in 2016. Progress for Simpson It's not easy being just a second-year driver in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. It's even tougher when your only yardsticks under the same paddock canopy are six-time series champion Dixon and three-time and two-time reigning champion Palou. That's Simpson's reality. Palou won the first two races of this season, while Dixon finished second and 10th. INDY NXT by Firestone graduate Simpson placed 18th and 15th in the same two races. But Simpson, just 20, made progress during testing Thursday at IMS. He ended up fourth overall, just slightly more than two-tenths of a second behind Dixon and less than a tenth behind current series demigod Palou. Foyt Lands New Partner Malukas and Ferrucci ended up a solid fifth and sixth in the running order Thursday, with Malukas a tenth of a second ahead of his teammate and only three-tenths behind Dixon. But the day already was a win for AJ Foyt Racing before the checkered flag flew to finish testing. The team announced earlier in the day a new partnership with the Alzheimer's Association to draw attention to the nonprofit organization's critical work in advancing research and providing free care and support programs for millions of people impacted by Alzheimer's disease and all other dementia. Activation of the partnership starts with the next event, the 50th Acura Long Beach Grand Prix on Sunday, April 13. Ferrucci will carry an Alzheimer's Association logo on his No. 14 Chevrolet all season. Fans attending races can engage with the Alzheimer's Association through on-site activations, including educational displays, donation opportunities and special appearances by the organization's supporters. recommended
New York Times
21-02-2025
- Automotive
- New York Times
Charles Leclerc, a constant for Ferrari, faces the biggest test of his F1 career: Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari's 2025 Formula One driver lineup commands attention. The O2 roared to life on Tuesday night as the three individuals dressed in red walked on stage. On the left of team principal Fred Vasseur was the team's future, Charles Leclerc, who has called Ferrari his home since joining the team in 2016 as part of its driver academy. And on Vasseur's right walked seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, the newest addition to the legendary team. Advertisement Ferrari always garners attention, but this new chapter with Hamilton has raised it to another level. All eyes are watching how one of the biggest names in racing will adapt to Ferrari, considering it's his first team change since he left McLaren for Mercedes in 2013. But in the next garage over is a driver who could disrupt Hamilton's bid for a record eighth world championship. Leclerc, 27, has been a constant for Ferrari and showed what he could do with a competitive car, though one that he said 'needed more performance.' With three wins, three pole positions and 13 podium finishes to his name in 2024, the Ferrari driver came within 18 points of Lando Norris, who many people described as in a title fight with Max Verstappen. But considering Hamilton's talent and experience and a car that's an 'extension of 2024,' according to Vasseur, can Leclerc hold his own and beat his new teammate — and even throw his hat in the ring for the world championship? 'As a driver, I've got full trust in my ability. Having said that, it's very difficult because I haven't had any comparison with Lewis in the same car at the same time,' Leclerc said. 'It's a huge challenge, probably one of the biggest of my career. 'To have him as my teammate is a really, really big motivation for me to learn from him, but also to show what I'm capable of, and that motivates me.' Leclerc's talents have always been captivating, though not error-free. He safely secured the 2016 GP3 title (beating Alex Albon by 25 points) and won the Formula Two championship in his inaugural season a year later, this time by a safe 72 points. He entered F1 the following season, racing for Sauber before Ferrari brought him on in 2019 as Sebastian Vettel's teammate. Those weren't exactly Ferrari's golden years, as its last constructors' title came in 2008 and drivers' championship the year before. While teams such as Mercedes thrived, Ferrari struggled with its car, ending 2019 second but 235 points behind Mercedes and finishing in sixth place in 2020 (the season that saw engine rule changes). The team's performance may have plummeted, but Leclerc quickly rose, beating Vettel in both seasons they were teammates. Carlos Sainz, who started with Ferrari in 2021, was a closer competitor at times — the two finished six points apart in 2023, the year Sainz secured the season's only non-Red Bull win. Team mistakes, driver errors, reliability issues and other mishaps outside his control happen, but looking at the bigger picture (rather than zooming in season-by-season) reveals Leclerc has held an edge over his Ferrari teammates. The question is how Hamilton and Leclerc will fare. They have yet to drive on track against each other in equal machinery, which makes it difficult to judge in these early stages. The two have undergone testing during the offseason and had the shakedown of Ferrari's SF-25 car at its Fiorano Circuit on Wednesday. It won't be until Australia for the season opener that we'll see how the two compare, as teams split their drivers' preseason testing shifts at Bahrain between one car. Advertisement But early signs indicate there are similarities between Leclerc and the 40-year-old Briton. 'Something I noticed — we have a very similar driving style, which is a really good thing because I'm pretty sure we will need similar things from the car. At least, these are my initial feelings,' Leclerc said. 'Still to be confirmed because we haven't driven that much together, but the little I've seen is that we tend to drive quite similarly.' Having complementary driving styles will inevitably be helpful. Teams can see differences in the data and from the simulator, but some aspects of what the driver is feeling in the car cannot be replicated. Receiving similar feedback from both drivers could help Ferrari save time determining which development path to take, particularly since the regulations change in 2026 and all teams must shift their focus before the season's end. Plus, that development suiting both Leclerc and Hamilton could help Ferrari contend for the title in a competitive-looking grid. 'One of the most important aspects of the driver feedback on the car is effectively describing the limitation of the car on tracks and describing what it needs to go faster. So, most of the development nowadays is done virtually. And the virtual is not the real,' said Loic Serra, Ferrari's chassis technical director. 'This element of what do we need to do to make the car faster, which is pretty much the human, maybe the human can describe this. This is a thing where we can extract most from the driver itself.' Many factors impact whether a team or a driver can win either title. Last season, Ferrari had an engine reliability issue in Canada and an upgrade misstep in Spain. By Monza, it was on the right track and competitive — but, as Leclerc pointed out, 'We were just not competitive enough for too big of a part of the season.' Advertisement The goal is to build on last year's momentum and start this season on the right foot, fighting and being 'on par, at least, with the guys in the front.' This season's grid is anticipated to be tight, with razor-thin margins. Abu Dhabi qualifying was close, and although teams will have made changes to their cars (some more than others), many expect to pick up where F1 left off in December. 'At the end of 2023, we knew which characteristics of the car we wanted to tackle because there were some issues that were very clear and that we had to change,' Leclerc said. 'In 2024, it was a very different situation because the car was very healthy in general. Just when we had the upgrade problem, there were some things that we wanted to change, but after that, we've had a very good car. 'We just needed more performance. So that's where we focus, really, for this new car — to do small steps in every single thing and not focusing on one particular thing.' Whether Ferrari can contend for the constructors' championship also impacts Leclerc's chances at making a run for the drivers' title. Leclerc can see multiple drivers vying for the drivers' championship if the season is as close as anticipated. 'But, of course, I believe in myself,' Leclerc added. There may be a buzz around Maranello with Hamilton's arrival, but Leclerc is focusing on himself and controlling what he can, not changing his approach. He feels ready to fight for the title, but as he noted, 'Only time will tell.' After having 'too many wasted opportunities where I wanted to try and do a miracle instead of taking some very big points home and just accepting that the performance was not there to win or to do a podium' in 2023, Leclerc 'changed quite a lot' with his approach heading into last season. Looking at 2024, he feels 'there haven't been many weekends where I've left something on the table.' Now, he's 'fine-tuning' the details for 2025, such as how he works with his engineer. And he's noted how his new teammate approaches things. Advertisement 'It's super cool to analyze how he works day to day with his engineers. What are the comments that he makes? What are the things that he takes, where he puts particular attention? It's been a very successful approach,' Leclerc said. 'He's the most successful driver in Formula One so I've been trying to learn as much as I can from Lewis in this first few weeks.' The same is happening in the other garage. Hamilton has seen how Leclerc operates in the Ferrari family that's been his home for nearly a decade, and acknowledges that the Monegasque won't be easy to beat. 'Charles, we've got a great relationship. I'm just trying to observe how he works. He's very, very professional. He's well-loved within this team, super comfortable, he jumps in and he's on it straightaway,' Hamilton said. 'He's very fast. You've seen his qualifying laps that he's put in, put great races together. I told you in Bahrain, him, many years ago that he's got such a bright future ahead of him.' There's a 13-year age gap between Hamilton and Leclerc, and the Briton is heading into his 19th season. Is Leclerc's bright future on hold with Hamilton on board? How Ferrari handles the driver dynamic will be a talking point and Hamilton isn't writing off Leclerc's talent. 'He's very mature for a 27-year-old, probably more mature than I was at 27. It is not going to be easy to beat him, especially in his home. But we'll work together and collaborate to make sure the car is working and the team is moving forward.'
BBC News
15-02-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Formula E's Jake Hughes on his 'love' for West Midlands home
When he was a teenager, Jake Hughes dreamed about driving really, really fast at racing tracks around the 15 years later, the Formula E driver said that despite enjoying his fast-paced career, he always looked forward to returning home to the West Midlands."It is my home, it's my reference point for where things start and end. It's where I feel happy," he told BBC Radio 30-year-old, who lives in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, and was born in Birmingham, said he loved the region but rarely meets anyone from the area involved in racing. "I spend a lot of time with racing drivers and engineers from all different walks of life, cultures and countries but don't actually meet many from Birmingham," Hughes said. "My best friend is a racing driver and we always say the same thing that not a lot of people actually visit here."Hughes currently races for the Maserati MSG Racing, having joined the team ahead of the 2024/25 season after two years with McLaren. His Formula E stint began in 2022 after years of competing in multiple championships, including Formula 2 and the GP3 said he got into karting when he was about 15 or 16, after becoming a fan of supercars, Top Gear and Formula described the age he got interested in motorsport as "very late" due to most drivers typically starting at about seven or eight years old."I knew already back then how cool of a job it was. Fast forward 15 or 16 years and it's basically been half my life," he added. He said it was a "very pinch-me lifestyle", describing the nature of Formula E racing as "chaotic", which makes it difficult for him to map out his season."But I've learnt to take it day by day and give my best performance - that should be enough," he said."I feel much freer mentally than I probably used to."Hughes currently sits in 16th place in the Formula E standings with one point and is competing in rounds three and four of the series in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, this weekend. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
