Latest news with #RacingBulls
The Star
5 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Star
Motor racing-Piastri completes McLaren practice sweep in Spain
Formula One F1 - Spanish Grand Prix - Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain - May 31, 2025 McLaren's Oscar Piastri during practice REUTERS/Albert Gea BARCELONA (Reuters) -Formula One leader Oscar Piastri was fastest in final Spanish Grand Prix practice on Saturday with McLaren teammate Lando Norris making it a dominant one-two at the top of the timesheets. Piastri's fastest time of one minute and 12.387 seconds completed a sweep of practice for the reigning champions and was a strong statement of intent for later qualifying. The Australian was also fastest in Friday's second session while Norris, winner in Monaco last Sunday, set the pace in the first. Norris, three points off the lead after eight of 24 races, was 0.526 slower than the Australian as McLaren shrugged off tighter front wing flex tests introduced at the Circuit de Catalunya. The Briton made a mistake on one quick lap that would otherwise have put him much closer to Piastri. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was third fastest, ahead of Mercedes' George Russell and Red Bull's reigning champion Max Verstappen. Rookies Isack Hadjar and Kimi Antonelli were sixth and seventh for Racing Bulls and Mercedes respectively with local hero and double world champion Fernando Alonso eighth for Aston Martin but 1.027 slower than Piastri. Ferrari's seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton, winner a record-equalling six times in Spain but complaining on Friday that the car was 'not driveable', was ninth after another difficult session. "Downshifts are not working properly, mate. Something's wrong with the gear shift," the Briton complained over the team radio. Liam Lawson completed the top 10 for Racing Bulls ahead of qualifying for Sunday's race at 1400 GMT. (Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Christian Radnedge)
1News
17 hours ago
- Automotive
- 1News
Liam Lawson delivers double top 10 finish during Spanish GP practice
Kiwi Formula One driver Liam Lawson has made an impressive start to the Spanish Grand Prix weekend, clocking two top 10 finishes between the two practice sessions at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The 23-year-old Racing Bulls driver, who scored a career-best finish last weekend in Monaco, was sixth fastest in Free Practice 1, and 10th fastest in Free Practice 2, showing an encouraging pace across the day. Lawson called the result "a good start to the weekend". "It's a good base to build on," he said after practice. "But obviously, tomorrow is what counts." "We'll keep working on improving the car. Everybody is chasing it, everybody's car was probably a little bit further away at the start of FP1, because of the new front wing. ADVERTISEMENT 'For everybody, for every team, it's different. For us, our car is in a good place right now. 'But we expect everybody to keep improving.' Liam Lawson during practice in Spain. (Source: Getty) The Spanish Grand Prix weekend marks the debut of a new technical directive regarding front wing flexibility, with most teams using FP1 largely as a data-gathering mission. The Kiwi driver ran all three tyre compounds during the sessions but didn't set a lap time in his initial run due to the car being fitted with an aero rake — a tool used to analyse airflow during regulation changes. During the final 20 minutes of FP1, Lawson posted a 1.14.339 on a fresh set of soft tires to go sixth fastest, just 0.045s behind championship leader Oscar Piastri. Lawson finished ahead of teammate Isack Hadjar, who ended the session in P8. In FP2, Lawson again looked comfortable and clocked a fasted lap time of 1.13.494, finishing P10 ahead of Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari. ADVERTISEMENT McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri topped both sessions, respectively, with reigning world champion Max Verstappen for Red Bull also remaining near the front. Lawson will be looking to continue his strong form in Qualifying on Sunday morning (2am NZT), where 24 of the last 34 races in Barcelona have been won from pole position. The race will take place Monday morning at 1am (NZT).
RNZ News
20 hours ago
- Automotive
- RNZ News
Lawson 'positive' after Spanish GP practice; Piastri fastest
Liam Lawson driving for Racing Bulls in practice for the Spanish Grand Prix. Photo: Photosport Liam Lawson has produced two top-10 finishes in practice for the Spanish Grand Prix while Formula One world championship series leader Oscar Piastri was quickest overall. New Zealand driver Lawson pronounced himself happy with twin sessions for Racing Bulls that saw him place sixth and then 10th fastest at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Like the rest of the field, he needed to adjust to new wing foil specification introduced this week by F1 bosses to meet stricter flex tests. He was pleased to continue his resurgent form after notching his first points of the season at last weekend's Monaco Grand Prix, when he placed eighth. "It's been a positive day and a good start to the weekend. We've got a strong base to build on, but obviously tomorrow afternoon (qualifying) is what really counts," he said. Kiwi Formula 1 driver Liam Lawson. Photo: photosport "We'll keep working on improving the car. Everybody's chasing it and I think we were all a bit further away at the start of FP1 (first practice session) because of the new front wing, however we'll still be chasing the balance. "I could definitely feel the difference in the car and we're in a good place right now, but obviously we'll be expecting every team to improve." Piastri kept McLaren on top in the second session after teammate and title rival Lando Norris set the pace earlier in the afternoon. The Australian lapped the Circuit de Catalunya with a quickest time of one minute 12.760 seconds after Norris, winner in Monaco, set a best of 1:13.718. Australian Oscar Piastri of the McLaren F1 team. Photo: PHOTOSPORT Red Bull's Max Verstappen, last year's winner, was second and third respectively in the sessions with Mercedes' George Russell Piastri's closest rival in practice two - 0.286 slower - with Norris fourth (+0.310) Norris has closed the gap to Piastri in the standings to only three points after eight of 24 rounds and will retake the lead on Sunday if he wins. Verstappen, who took his first F1 win at the circuit in 2016, missed some 20 minutes of the first session with mechanics working to change the car's rear suspension. Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton - winner a record-equalling six times in Spain - was third on the timesheets in practice one but only 11th later on when teammate Charles Leclerc was fifth fastest. Friday was the first sighting of the new front wings but there was no immediate indication of any significant change. Christian Horner and Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing. Photo: PHOTOSPORT "I think it's going to take more than one session to see if there is an impact. Or if so, how it's affected the different cars," said Red Bull team boss Christian Horner. "It didn't sound from the drivers' comments too different to a normal Friday." Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli was sixth fastest in practice two with Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso seventh and Alpine's Pierre Gasly eighth. - Reuters
France 24
a day ago
- Automotive
- France 24
Norris quickest in opening practice for Spanish GP
Five days after his triumph in the Monaco Grand Prix, the 25-year-old Briton clocked a best lap in 1 minute 13.718 seconds to outpace the Dutchman by 0.367secs. Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton and his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc were third and fourth ahead of championship leader Oscar Piastri in the second McLaren and impressive rookie Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls. With the track temperature rising close to 50 degrees Celsius and the air at 33, the session offered few clues as to any change in performance following the introduction of a new rule restricting front wing flexibility. Piastri leads Norris by three points in the drivers' title race ahead of the ninth round of the 24-race season with Verstappen third, 22 points adrift, but seeking a fourth consecutive victory on one of favourite tracks. Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, who was 13th in his Aston Martin, launched an impassioned defence, meanwhile, of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya which appears set to be ditched after 33 years of hosting the Spanish Grand Prix. A new street circuit in Madrid is expected to be confirmed soon as host of the 2026 edition. "I don't think that we will lose Barcelona, that's my opinion and my wish as well," said Alonso who is an ambassador for Barcelona F1.
1News
2 days ago
- Automotive
- 1News
Liam Lawson aiming for more points at Spanish GP
Kiwi F1 driver Liam Lawson is hoping for another points finish when he lines up on the grid for the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend. The 23-year-old scored his first points of the season at the Monaco Grand Prix on Monday, crossing the line in eighth after both Racing Bulls executed a perfect team strategy – delivering double points and moving the team closer to Haas in the constructors' standings. Lawson received high praise from his team after he spent much of the race holding up the pack to allow teammate Isack Hadjar to stay in sixth place. Lawson said finishing in the points for a second weekend in a row was his goal in Barcelona. "We're bouncing off a great weekend in Monaco for the team, so we're ready to set our sights on scoring points again in Barcelona," he said. ADVERTISEMENT He said it was a "nice feeling" to finally have points on the board after a difficult start to the season. "It was a very, very good weekend for the team from my side personally. It wasn't perfect, but obviously we have another weekend to try and keep improving," he said. Liam Lawson in Monaco during qualifying. (Source: Getty) A new FIA technical directive would be introduced in Spain, aimed at reducing front wing flexibility from 15mm to 10mm. A more flexible front wing can reduce a car's drag while travelling down straights, before increasing downforce when braking into a corner, giving better grip. Lawson said the "biggest thing' for all teams this race weekend would be adjusting to the new regulations. 'It's going to affect everyone in a different way, so for me it's just trying to do our job and make our car as good as possible. He said it was 'hard to know' how the car would perform this weekend. The track, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, is known for its mix of low and high-speed corners. It's a familiar track for many drivers, having previously hosted pre-season testing. ADVERTISEMENT 'We're just going to try and put our car in the best possible position,' Lawson said. Lawson said it "feels good" to be rounding out the triple header in Spain. "It's a track we've tested a lot over the years, so feels very familiar to all the teams and drivers. "Normally it's quite a close race, but with some changes in the regulations to adapt to, we're set for an interesting weekend."
