Latest news with #Leclerc
France 24
an hour ago
- Automotive
- France 24
Hamilton targets first Ferrari podium
The 40-year-old seven-time world champion, who switched from Mercedes to Ferrari this year, qualified fifth on Saturday and will line up alongside his 'silver arrows' successor Kimi Antonelli on the third row of Sunday's grid. Leclerc qualified seventh. For Hamilton it was a dramatic change of fortunes after describing his car as "not driveable' in practice on Friday when former Mercedes team-mate, 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg, suggested his age was slowing him down. "I had a floor problem in FP2 on Friday," explained Hamilton. "So, I lost a lot of down-force and the balance of the car shifted. We managed to fix it and the car is much more driveable and enjoyable today. "To get into Q3 and the top five, I'm very happy with that and I'm looking forward to tomorrow. I can race in this car! "The long run will be challenging for everyone and choosing which tyres and which strategy are best. But we'll see. My goal is to get a podium. I haven't had one for so long – so that's my target." Hamilton last secured a podium finish, the 202nd of his career, in Las Vegas last November. He will seek his first podium in 10 races. The Circuit de Catalunya, venue for the Spanish race, is one of his favourites. He has won a record-equalling six times, shared with Michael Schumacher, and taken pole six times. He has won 105 races in his career. Team-mate Leclerc said he chose to conserve tyres and did not make a second flying run in Q3. "I had no tyres left so I didn't go out again. I knew it would be difficult but I made my own choice and I hope it pays off tomorrow."
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Ferrari: Bold Bid to Steal Horner from Red Bull Unsuccessful Amid 2025 Season Chaos
Ferrari Horner F1 The turbulence at Scuderia Ferrari appears far from over, despite a promising second-place finish for Charles Leclerc at the recent Monaco Grand Prix. Fueling speculation about the team's frustration with the 2025 season's performance, or lack thereof, are reports that Ferrari's bosses recently attempted to poach Red Bull's long-time team boss, Christian Horner. Ferrari reportedly approached Red Bull principal Christian Horner Credit: Jay Janner/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK According to Bild newspaper, this move, which Christian Horner reportedly declined, having also turned down Ferrari years ago, suggests that the company's leadership, including figures like John Elkann, is considering whether to retain current team boss Fred Vasseur. Vasseur himself has admitted that the team hasn't had the best start to the championship and has performed worse than expected. 'We performed worse than expected. That's very clear,' Vasseur said after Monaco. 'We have to be honest with ourselves.' The reports that Ferrari tried unsuccessfully to lure Christian Horner to the Scuderia certainly paint a different picture than the public statements made by others on the team. Advertisement Related: Red Bull boss Christian Horner cleared following probe Charles Leclerc takes P2 at Monaco, but technical issues remain charles leclerc monaco gp ferrari While Leclerc's P2 in Monaco was a positive in an already tumultuous season, especially given pre-weekend low expectations, it came on a unique circuit primarily featuring slow corners where compromises made for high-speed tracks are less necessary. Leclerc himself expressed confusion about the sudden performance jump, acknowledging, 'We still need to understand why…it's an unknown, I don't quite know why we are so fast in slow-speed suddenly.' Leclerc believes this pace is likely not to produce positive results at other tracks. Ferrari remains hopeful that upcoming changes, such as a new front wing technical directive taking effect in Spain this weekend and potential rear suspension modifications in July, might help put the car package in a better place. Despite these welcome changes, Deputy Team Principal Jerome d'Ambrosio cautioned against expecting a single 'magic trick' to transform performance. Advertisement Related: Monaco Grand Prix 2025: F1's biggest winners and losers from Round 8 Ferrari also has an unhappy, frustrated Lewis Hamilton lewis hamilton ferrari 2025 saudi arabian grand prix Adding to Ferrari's complex season is the struggles of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who arrived at Maranello with high hopes. Hamilton described his Monaco race, where he finished fifth, as 'miserable' and felt he was left 'in no man's land' due to the large gap between his position and the race leaders. Finishing 51 seconds behind winner Lando Norris and well adrift of Leclerc, Hamilton couldn't explain the significant gap. Hamilton's race was hampered by a three-place grid penalty for impeding Max Verstappen in qualifying, which caused more angst between the driver and his crew. Beyond track performance, tensions and communication problems with his race engineer, Riccardo Adami, have been evident, leading to confusing exchanges during the race. Some experts, such as former F1 test driver Ho-Pin Tung and GT3 driver Indy Dontje, have called for Adami's ousting, citing a lack of performance and the crucial need for a strong driver-engineer relationship. Advertisement 'He now has a seven-time world champion in the car, and he expects something from you. Adami just doesn't perform. Hamilton can expect to have the best of the best,' Dontje told Motorsport-NextGen. 'Vasseur replaced Charles Leclerc's engineer at Ferrari. I don't understand why they don't intervene now. Hamilton should be able to demand that.' Former F1 driver Nick Heidfeld suggests that age may be a factor in Hamilton's performance, noting that compared to Leclerc, he is currently lagging, especially in qualifying. Heidfeld believes that while Hamilton hasn't lost his talent, adapting to a new car and team environment becomes harder with age. This aligns with former F1 champion Jacques Villeneuve's view that Hamilton currently lacks a personal bond with Ferrari, unlike his connection to Silverstone, and that fitting in at Maranello is notoriously tricky. Related: Ferrari Monaco GP Thriller: Leclerc's close call fuels excitement, disappointment and scrutiny Ferrari's future remains uncertain Despite Leclerc publicly backing Vasseur, the reported attempt to hire Horner and the team's admitted struggles highlight the significant pressure on Ferrari's leadership to find solutions and deliver consistent performance in what has been a disappointing 2025 season so far. Advertisement If the technical changes made to the SF-25's front wing for the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend, and rear suspension modifications, supposedly on the docket for later in July, don't improve their fortunes, big changes could be on the horizon. In that case, Ferrari may focus its efforts entirely on 2026, essentially waiving the white flag. Related: 'Ferrari is 2025's biggest disappointment,' former F1 driver says
South Wales Guardian
5 days ago
- Automotive
- South Wales Guardian
Lando Norris reveals Monaco Grand Prix success is a dream realised
The 25-year-old converted his scintillating lap-record pole position on Saturday into victory on Sunday as he held off local hero Charles Leclerc and overcame the strategy puzzle of a mandatory two-stop race. Norris became McLaren's 16th Monaco winner but their first since Lewis Hamilton in 2008 and cut team-mate Oscar Piastri's championship lead to three points after the Australian finished third. Monaco is the jewel in the Formula One crown and undoubtably the famous prestigious on the calendar and Norris was overjoyed to etch his name into the history books. 'Seeing the chequered flag and winning in Monaco is something I dreamed of when I was a kid,' Norris said. 'The view of the team and seeing everyone, my mum and dad down below… it's the feelings inside, which are really the special ones. 'There are many things that I think everyone dreams of – it's getting to Formula 1, winning a race in Formula 1 and winning a race in Monaco. And we achieved it today. 'I think the best bit is that my kids one day will be able to tell everyone that I won in Monaco. That's probably the thing I'm most proud about. 'It's the meaning, the history, the people that have won here in the past. When Lando has the bottle in hand, no one is safe from the spray 🤣#McLaren | #M7AReborn | #MonacoGP 🇲🇨 — McLaren (@McLarenF1) May 25, 2025 'They don't always go on to be champions, but most of them have. And just to know in 30 years' time, I can say 'I mastered Monaco that one year' – or hopefully a few more – but that one year is something I look forward to saying.' Norris survived a scare when he locked up at turn one but stayed ahead of Leclerc and he remained in control of the race despite the mix of pit-stop strategy. The FIA introduced a mandatory two-stops for this year in a bid to spice up the race on a track where overtaking is nigh-on impossible. Max Verstappen left his second stop until the penultimate lap, backing Norris up into Leclerc and taking his chance on a red flag playing into his hands. That did not materialise as he finished fourth and Norris was able to savour his Monaco moment. The British driver has been open about his frustration over qualifying struggles which left him trailing in the championship race and he has been criticised for making mistakes under pressure. Norris insists he always had belief and feels he now has positive momentum to take into the Spanish Grand Prix next weekend. 'I was more proud of yesterday than I almost was of today,' Norris added. 'Not just because a pole in Monaco sets up a win but the accomplishment of doing it, no matter what the track would have been, was something I'm more proud about. TEAM 🧡#McLaren | #M7AReborn | #MonacoGP 🇲🇨 — McLaren (@McLarenF1) May 25, 2025 'To kind of give myself that momentum, that boost, definitely makes me feel better going into Barcelona next week. 'People have their own opinions, they can do all of those things. Thing is, none of them are true, 99 per cent of the time. So, it's all crap. 'I don't mind what people write as long as I know the truth and my team know the truth.' Lewis Hamilton gained two places to finish fifth for Ferrari.
North Wales Chronicle
6 days ago
- Automotive
- North Wales Chronicle
Lando Norris reveals Monaco Grand Prix success is a dream realised
The 25-year-old converted his scintillating lap-record pole position on Saturday into victory on Sunday as he held off local hero Charles Leclerc and overcame the strategy puzzle of a mandatory two-stop race. Norris became McLaren's 16th Monaco winner but their first since Lewis Hamilton in 2008 and cut team-mate Oscar Piastri's championship lead to three points after the Australian finished third. Monaco is the jewel in the Formula One crown and undoubtably the famous prestigious on the calendar and Norris was overjoyed to etch his name into the history books. 'Seeing the chequered flag and winning in Monaco is something I dreamed of when I was a kid,' Norris said. 'The view of the team and seeing everyone, my mum and dad down below… it's the feelings inside, which are really the special ones. 'There are many things that I think everyone dreams of – it's getting to Formula 1, winning a race in Formula 1 and winning a race in Monaco. And we achieved it today. 'I think the best bit is that my kids one day will be able to tell everyone that I won in Monaco. That's probably the thing I'm most proud about. 'It's the meaning, the history, the people that have won here in the past. When Lando has the bottle in hand, no one is safe from the spray 🤣#McLaren | #M7AReborn | #MonacoGP 🇲🇨 — McLaren (@McLarenF1) May 25, 2025 'They don't always go on to be champions, but most of them have. And just to know in 30 years' time, I can say 'I mastered Monaco that one year' – or hopefully a few more – but that one year is something I look forward to saying.' Norris survived a scare when he locked up at turn one but stayed ahead of Leclerc and he remained in control of the race despite the mix of pit-stop strategy. The FIA introduced a mandatory two-stops for this year in a bid to spice up the race on a track where overtaking is nigh-on impossible. Max Verstappen left his second stop until the penultimate lap, backing Norris up into Leclerc and taking his chance on a red flag playing into his hands. That did not materialise as he finished fourth and Norris was able to savour his Monaco moment. The British driver has been open about his frustration over qualifying struggles which left him trailing in the championship race and he has been criticised for making mistakes under pressure. Norris insists he always had belief and feels he now has positive momentum to take into the Spanish Grand Prix next weekend. 'I was more proud of yesterday than I almost was of today,' Norris added. 'Not just because a pole in Monaco sets up a win but the accomplishment of doing it, no matter what the track would have been, was something I'm more proud about. TEAM 🧡#McLaren | #M7AReborn | #MonacoGP 🇲🇨 — McLaren (@McLarenF1) May 25, 2025 'To kind of give myself that momentum, that boost, definitely makes me feel better going into Barcelona next week. 'People have their own opinions, they can do all of those things. Thing is, none of them are true, 99 per cent of the time. So, it's all crap. 'I don't mind what people write as long as I know the truth and my team know the truth.' Lewis Hamilton gained two places to finish fifth for Ferrari.
Dubai Eye
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Dubai Eye
Norris beats Leclerc to Monaco pole, Hamilton demoted
Lando Norris put Formula One champions McLaren on pole position for the Monaco Grand Prix in track-record time on Saturday, with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc alongside on the front row for his home race. Norris's championship-leading team mate and rival Oscar Piastri qualified third for an often processional fixture that has been won only 10 times since 1950 by a driver starting lower than third. Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton was fourth fastest after crashing in final practice, but the seven-times world champion was then handed a three-place drop for impeding Red Bull's Max Verstappen. That moved Verstappen, twice a Monaco winner, up to fourth instead. Norris was quickest initially after two flying laps on the soft tyres in the final phase when they went out on track earlier than rivals. He then had to go even faster with a late third attempt to deny Leclerc, who had gone top with his final effort but ended up 0.109 slower, a fourth Monaco pole in five years. The Briton did it with a stunning effort of one minute 09.954 seconds around the treacherous and twisty metal-fenced streets, a big moment for his title hopes. "It's been a long time coming. I feel good. I don't think you realise how good this feels after quite a few struggles in the last few months," said Norris, whose qualifying pace has been a weak point. "Monaco is a beautiful place. The hardest track to do it and up against the hometown hero." The pole was Norris's career 11th, second of the season and first since the opener in Australia, a race he won. Norris is 13 points behind Piastri after seven races but overtaking is very difficult in Monaco, although a second pitstop is mandatory this year, and pole position in the principality is a huge advantage. "I think I've hit more walls this weekend than in my whole career. I've just been struggling to get into the groove," commented Piastri. "We have been doing some digging this weekend and to come out with a third is pretty good." Leclerc, quickest in all three practice sessions, had been fastest through the first phase but Norris was quicker in the second. "We know that we don't quite have the car to go for wins this year but this weekend the car felt good and starting second here, it's going to be tricky to take that first place," said the Monegasque. French rookie Isack Hadjar will start fifth for Racing Bulls with Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso sixth and Esteban Ocon eighth for Haas. Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson qualified ninth and Alexander Albon completed the top 10 for Williams. Qualifying turned into a nightmare for Mercedes, with Italian rookie Kimi Antonelli crashing and qualifying 15th while George Russell's car stopped in the tunnel with a suspected electrical problem. Russell, fourth in the standings and one of only four drivers to have scored in every race this season, will start 14th. The session was red-flagged with 10 minutes to run in the second phase as marshals pushed the Mercedes out into the sunlight and down an escape road. "I hit a bump on the run out of Turn One and lost power. It felt like something electronic just disconnected," said Russell. "I tried everything I could to get the car back to the garage and then restart it when I stopped in the tunnel. Unfortunately, there was nothing more we could do." Oliver Bearman, who collected a 10-place grid penalty in Friday practice for failing to slow under red flags, was only 17th fastest. Aston Martin's Lance Stroll, who already had a one-place drop from Friday practice, picked up a further three-place penalty for impeding Alpine's Pierre Gasly. Gasly should now start 17th with Argentine rookie teammate Franco Colapinto 18th.
