Author: quyen1

IMAGO / Action Plus

The F1 world went into a shock when Max Verstappen had to retire from the Australian Grand Prix owing to a mechanical failure. In Lap 3 of the race, smoke started coming off the rear right of Verstappen’s car, signaling an alarm for the Dutchman. Moments later, he complained of fire, leading to Red Bull retiring the car. Speedweek quoted the words of Helmut Marko as he expressed happiness stemming from his team’s dismal outing in Australia.

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Marko claimed Red Bull‘s weekend was not off to the strongest of starts. They struggled in training and were behind some teams. Overall, the Milton Keynes-based team did not show signs of superiority everyone had become accustomed to. Hence, the Qualifying positions of both their drivers were a “fantastic team achievement.”

“Unfortunately, our Australia weekend did not start well in the trainings. We were clearly behind. No trace of a superiority like in the first two races.”

The DNF gave way to a glum mood within the Red Bull camp. Team members were dejected with the fact that they had suffered the first mechanical DNF in nearly two years. However, the mood soon uplifted as they realized they wouldn’t have to face constant questions of winning all the races. Marko added he was “glad that this issue was resolved so early.”

Because no one expected them to struggle with reliability, Verstappen’s DNF gave fans hope of an exciting race ahead. Hardly anyone immediately believed that Verstappen was retiring from the race, bringing his 43-race point scoring streak to an end.

Max Verstappen disappointed with the DNF as Red Bull consistently improved his car

Heading into Grand Prix in Australia, Max Verstappen was confident that he could extend his winning run to 10 races. Despite a sluggish start to the weekend, the RB20 kept improving, but it would all go south for the Dutchman when the race started.

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A disappointed Verstappen spoke to the media, as APNews quoted him expressing his sentiments. The 26-year-old claimed that he knew there would come a time when he would have to retire from a race. However, he did not expect it to be the race in Australia, especially since his last retirement came at this particular venue two years ago.

Adding to his statement, Verstappen outlined the unpredictable nature of F1. With a consistently improving car, a mechanical issue was the last thing anyone expected. Meanwhile, Helmut Marko pointed out the ever-changing dynamics in the F1 world. After two dominant displays, struggling to compete at the front was something Red Bull did not expect.

Hence, Marko feels Ferrari was the clear no. 2 team behind them. Mercedes have been greatly inconsistent in the last two or three seasons. McLaren, on the other hand, works better or worse “depending on the track,” the Austrian said.

Credits: IMAGO / Motorsport Images

The latest season of F1 has fans geared up for potentially exciting prospects following the Australian Grand Prix. A race win from Carlos Sainz has fans hoping for more such instances, leading to closer competition this time around. While the on-track prospects have given a ray of hope to the fans, the off-track developments have left them disappointed. Series such as McLaren’s ‘Unboxed’ and Red Bull Racing’s ‘Behind the Charge’ have both been discontinued for 2024.

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‘McLaren Unboxed’ became a revolutionary series in the world of motorsports with its content. The makers of the show gave fans an exclusive behind-the-scenes peek at the McLaren facility. Insights from race weekends were an adored part of the series. Unboxed also allowed F1 drivers to become more ‘humanized’ as it highlighted their mistakes, jokes, and other humorous elements, adding to the show’s appeal. The McLaren show became particularly popular among the youth because viewers were able to relate with youngsters Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.

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Red Bull joined the trend and launched their version of a BTS show. Hundreds of thousands of fans enjoyed the show as it gave them a chance to know more about their favorite team. However, all of the fans now stand disappointed because of the discontinuation of both shows.

Per an update on X by user Matt, the FOM intervened in the shooting of these series. They limited the amount of Behind the Scenes content that teams can release on YouTube. The primary reason behind the same stands as potential overlapping with what Drive to Survive is capturing. However, fans of the sport and series aren’t happy with the decision.

Fans react to McLaren discontinuing their shows

While Drive to Survive played a pivotal role in bringing a new audience to F1, many of those people now prefer to stay away from the series. They claim the ‘human element’ is vanishing from the series, with drama playing the titular role. Hence, the discontinuation of the McLaren BTS series has fans enraged.

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Some fans detailed the significance of the series in their lives.

Meanwhile, one fan demanded the return of the series.

McLaren Unboxed became a groundbreaking series with other motorsports disciplines also taking inspiration. Amid the rising ‘dramatization’ of DTS, a Behind the Scenes series was much more appealing to fans. However, it no longer stands as an avenue for fans to enjoy.

Credits: IMAGO / Motorsport Images

Max Verstappen and Red Bull had a weekend to forget in Australia. The Dutchman was chasing his 10th win in a row for the second time in less than a year. Unfortunately, when smoke and fire started pouring out of his car, Red Bull asked him to retire. Now, team principal Christian Horner explains what caused this fire, and why Verstappen had to retire.

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Horner told Motorsport Italia, “There was a problem: the caliper blocked the disc from the start of the race and, therefore, heat accumulated. Already on the second lap, it was as if Max had a handbrake on at turn three which allowed Carlos to pass him and then we started to see smoke and, therefore, fire.”

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Verstappen started the race in his usual dominant fashion. He kept Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and McLaren’s Lando Norris at bay after having a perfect launch and led the pack heading into turn 1. Till lap two, everything was fine when suddenly, Verstappen saw Sainz in his mirrors.

The Spanish driver roared past him and this was when things began to change for the 26-year-old. He looked to be in trouble and within moments, smoke was coming out of the back of his RB20. Soon after, the right rear end of Verstappen’s car caught fire and the three-time world champion was asked to stop racing.

He eventually crawled back to the pits to retire his car. With this, Max Verstappen and Red Bull lost out on a huge chunk of points. While it is still early days, it brings Ferrari just 4 points behind them in the championship standings.

Ferrari capitalizing on Red Bull nightmare

While Max Verstappen retired for the first time in 44 races, Ferrari basked in glory. The Prancing Horse had their first 1-2 finish since Bahrain 2022, and this boosted their confidence tremendously, heading into the Japanese GP.

Just two weeks ago, Sainz underwent an appendicitis surgery. Still, he drove a stellar race and grabbed his third F1 race win, ahead of Charles Leclerc, who finished P2. This helped the Italian team grab a mammoth 44 points in a single weekend and close the gap to Red Bull in the Constructors’ standings.

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In the Driver’s Championship, Max Verstappen still leads the pack with 51 points, but Leclerc is now close in P2 with 47. Sainz is P4 with 40 points, six behind Sergio Perez in third, but it is pertinent to note that the Madrid-born driver missed out on the entirety of the Saudi Arabian GP because of his surgery.

The RB20 remains the car to beat, and Verstappen remains the favorite to win the subsequent races. Whether Red Bull’s reliability issues are one-off, or will be a regular occurrence, could define the flow of the rest of the season.

Ferrari boss Fred Vasseuer said (as per Formu1a.uno) that he won’t be getting carried away by the 1-2 finish as the team needs more upgrades to reach Red Bull’s level. Therefore, the upcoming race in Suzuka might prove how much of an improvement Ferrari has actually made.

Credits: IMAGO / Motorsport Images

Lewis Hamilton, known for his love of music, delved into its professional world when he featured in Christina Aguilera’s song ‘Pipe’. Using the pseudonym XNDA, Hamilton’s performance reached the ears of almost everyone in the F1 community except for Daniel Ricciardo, who heard it a while later. However, the Honey Badger was visibly awed when he finally came across it.

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Ricciardo featured in an interview when he was a Renault driver, and the host asked him if he listened to Hamilton’s song with Aguilera. The Perth-born driver did not, so they played the song in the car that the former was driving. Ricciardo paused, heard the song, and gave out a wide smile, with the stamp of approval, “Well done.” 

When Aguilera and Hamilton released the song, the seven-time world champion wanted to remain anonymous. He revealed he was XNDA in 2020, two years after the song came out but many fans found out the singer’s real identity long before. “Insecurities, fear, and overthinking” were the main reasons behind him choosing to remain anonymous.

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It seems that Ricciardo was one of those people, who didn’t know who XNDA was. Upon hearing ‘Pipe’ featuring Lewis Hamilton, however, the honey badger loved the performance his fellow driver put in.

Lewis Hamilton’s love for music

Hamilton is a huge fan of music. Because of his popularity away from the track, he is close to several stars in the music world including Shakira and Rihanna. In fact, some of his most treasured moments in the off-season include him, just “vibing to” music.

In an episode of F1’s Chequered Flag Podcast, Hamilton speaks about his love for the same. He speaks about having his own studio, and revealed his plans during the off-season, “In the evening or after dinner I’ll pop up and I’ll play some music, or at my stuff vibing out.”

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Hamilton’s future teammate when he joins Ferrari, Charles Leclerc, is also a huge music fan. The Monegasque spends his free time playing the piano and has even released three singles to date. Potentially, could the two link up off-track at Ferrari and come up with some musical masterpiece for fans to enjoy?

Credits: IMAGO / NurPhoto and IMAGO / ZUMA Wire

When the world came to know of Lewis Hamilton moving to Ferrari at the end of the 2024 season, everything came to a standstill. Many refused to believe the news, while others had a hard time reeling back from the shock. No one knew how to react to the news but understood the significance of the move. Toto Wolff was among the people who took a major hit from the news. However, speaking to Fox Sports Australia, the Austrian admitted to not being disappointed with the news.

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He claimed that Hamilton‘s decision to move to Ferrari was a natural one. Nearing the sunset years of his career, Hamilton needs to ensure he leaves on a high and earns as much as he can. Hence, the big-money move to Ferrari made sense to him.

“I think sports people have a limited shelf life when they are at the peak of their performance, the peak of their earning power. And that is maybe 10 or 15 years, and they got to do it. And it’s that limited amount of time where you want to win as many races and earn as much as possible. That’s why I understand that he says, ‘I got to go a different path. I need to reinvent myself.’”, Wolff said.

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Wolff and Hamilton would meet with each other for coffee every day. It was a normal thing for them to do, but when the season kicked off, the duo’s coffee ‘date’ wasn’t what Wolff expected. Hamilton told Wolff that he would be leaving for Ferrari, which did not shock him. The 52-year-old understood that the decision came as a result of Mercedes’ short-term contract with Hamilton.

Mercedes’ slump played another role in Hamilton switching teams. The Silver Arrows have been off to a terrible start to 2024, sitting outside the top 3 in the constructors’ championship. The race in Australia added to their woes, as neither of the team’s drivers was able to finish the race. Hence, they ended the 3rd race weekend of the season on the same points they began with.

Plenty of names popping up to replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes

Amid the ongoing struggles at Mercedes, their biggest task remains to find a worthy replacement for Lewis Hamilton. With George Russell expected to become the new ‘lead’ driver at Mercedes, Wolff has a lot of prospects to consider. Williams’ Alex Albon is one such driver.

The former Red Bull driver could become a real asset to Mercedes, and he is someone the German outfit can look at for a long-term partnership. Fernando Alonso could also become a Mercedes driver, bringing in the experience that Hamilton will take away with him. However, the longevity of the move would be questionable.

Mercedes Academy driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli is another prospect for the team to look at. However, he is still too young and inexperienced to take up a full-time driving role in F1. Rumors also arose of Carlos Sainz driving for Mercedes after his entourage was seen engaging in conversation with Wolff.

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Certain reports also suggest Wolff is keeping one eye on Max Verstappen, should the opportunity arise to sign him. The Dutchman has often been at war with the Mercedes outfit, but Wolff is willing to let go of all of that to house another world champion at Mercedes.

Credits: IMAGO / Eibner and IMAGO / PanoramiC |
L: Toto Wplff R: Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton will leave Mercedes for Ferrari in 2025, leaving behind a huge hole at the Brackley-based outfit. Life without the seven-time world champion could prove to be difficult, but Mercedes boss Toto Wolff had some interesting choice of words for his departing star driver.

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Wolff appeared in an interview for Fox Sports Australia during the Grand Prix weekend in Melbourne last weekend. There, the host, Jess Yates, asks Wolff about how he will approach facing Hamilton, who will suit up for Ferrari from next season onwards.

To this, the Austrian boss replied, “I think, first, I can’t imagine him in red. I don’t think it suits him.” 

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Currently, Mercedes are miles behind Ferrari in terms of performance in the race. While Ferrari went on to finish 1-2 in Melbourne, the Mercedes drivers finished point-less due to a double retirement. Still, Wolff aims to topple the Maranello-based outfit in the coming months and he had a warning for Lewis Hamilton regarding the same.

“I told him, you’ve got to really picture of our rear wing because that’s the perspective you’re gonna have,” he added. Of course, Wolff’s comments were intended in a light-hearted manner but this is something he would definitely be dreaming of.

Toto Wolff and Mercedes hoping for a resurgence

Mercedes came into the 2024 season hopeful of their chances of getting the better of Ferrari and McLaren. But as things stand, they are behind both. Ferrari finished 1-2 in Albert Park and McLaren took a 3-4; thus, both teams capitalizing on Red Bull’s misery.

Mercedes meanwhile, ended up having the worst weekend they could possibly think of, getting a double DNF. Hamilton had to retire halfway through the race due to a power-unit failure, whereas Russell’s race ended on the penultimate lap as the young Briton crashed while trying to pass Alonso.

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After the Grand Prix, Wolff admitted that there are no short-term remedies to the problems Mercedes is facing at the moment. All they can do is believe in themselves, as Wolff hopes for a McLaren-like resurgence in the coming few months.

Credits: IMAGO / HochZwei

Lewis Hamilton is leaving a huge vacuum at Mercedes for 2025 and the million-dollar question on everyone’s minds is – Who will replace the seven-time champion? Toto Wolff has seldom faced such driver conundrums given the relative stability at the Brackley-based team for several years. Although, now that the situation has come up, Wolff has shortlisted a few candidates who can take the wheel besides George Russell next year.

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Speaking with Fox Sports Australia, Wolff commented on how they have Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who is part of their young driver stable. However, the Mercedes boss doesn’t want Antonelli to take extra pressure and rush him into F1. He said, “We also don’t wanna drown him, jumping so quickly in an F1 car at 17”.

Thus, Wolff is also thinking about the available experienced drivers who can replace Hamilton. The 52-year-old stated, “Well obviously there is Fernando, who is very exciting, and Carlos, very good. So there’s a few ones”.

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The Austrian boss also highlighted that he is not going to rush this decision for Hamilton‘s replacement. He jokingly remarked that he may play the “bride” that is “hard to get”.

Now, Hamilton’s loss is a huge deal, as the Briton has been the North star for Mercedes for over a decade. George Russell is more than capable of taking over that lead driver’s role from him. However, depending on who drives beside him, his role may change too.

Fernando Alonso is a natural leader and has become the #1 driver, going into any team. Similarly, Carlos Sainz is no slouch and four years senior to Russell and thus may look to overshadow the Russell as well. Although, Mercedes have a greater goal. So, driver dynamics need to be good and put on the back burner.

Toto Wolff knows luring drivers to come to Mercedes won’t be easy

Mercedes have always been a top team fighting for wins and championships. So, to see them struggle to finish in the points is a rare sight. This situation has become a norm since 2022 and the Silver Arrows are no longer the force they were once.

Thus, Hamilton’s departure and its repercussions won’t be easy to handle for Toto Wolff. Some drivers would want to join Mercedes but even they have ambitions to win and the Brackley team is far from doing so right now.

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One such driver is Max Verstappen who is dominating F1 currently with Red Bull. There have been reports linking him to Mercedes amid the internal turmoil at the Austrian outfit. However, Wolff knows that Verstappen won’t take a downward step to Mercedes, come what may.

He even stated this when asked if he would want the Dutchman in the Mercedes car for 2025. Wolff said, “He is extraordinary but we will give him a car that’s a handful”. The Austrian boss wants to develop a better car and “be out there and say [to Verstappen], ‘this is a car you can drive, because it’s also going fast’”.

If not Verstappen, Wolff can certainly lure a Sainz or an Alonso, both of whom are desperate to fight for wins and titles. While Alonso’s case has been clear, his fellow Spaniard needs a decent team after his Ferrari departure.

Recently, Sainz’s contingent including his manager and his father Carlos Sainz Sr were spotted chatting with Toto Wolff. The Madrid-born driver is a free agent and is actively looking for a good drive next season. So, Mercedes could be a good landing spot for him, in a straight swap with Hamilton.

Credits: IMAGO / HochZwei

Mercedes had a disastrous outing at the 2024 Australian GP. First, Lewis Hamilton retired from the race after his power unit just gave up. Meanwhile, George Russell, on the penultimate lap of the Grand Prix, however, whilst chasing Fernando Alonso for P6, lost control of his W15 into turn 7 and had a meeting with the barriers. In the end, the team came away from Melbourne pointless with a double DNF. In the aftermath of a horrible weekend for the team, Mercedes’ social media admin took to X (formerly Twitter) to post a ‘self-burn’ as they posted a picture with an updated logo of the Silver Arrows.

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However, in the comments section of the screengrab, Toto Wolff seemingly commented, “a smile might be good” to which the Admin replied, “Nothing to smile about in my smile.” The replies on X suggest that the Admin had struck a chord with the fans as the post echoed their own sentiments and feelings after the weekend’s results.

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The W15 is the third iteration of the all-new ground effect cars that the sport introduced from the 2022 season onwards. And from the very get-go, the Brackley team have struggled for pace, balance, and results. Mercedes hoped that this year, with all the lessons learned from the previous years, they would’ve closed the gap with their rivals ahead. But the early results, from the first three races of the season, have proved otherwise.

Despite these setbacks, team principal, Wolff has cited the example of McLaren, who last year this time were bottom of the pack. But currently, they are in terms of out-and-out pace one of the fastest cars on the grid. The Austrian hopes that his team, too, can pull out a magic upgrade out of the bag to get them fighting once again for wins and championships.

Can Mercedes turn their fortunes around like McLaren in 2024?

After three races, the 2024 season has been the worst start that Mercedes have had in the latest era of the sport that kickstarted in 2022. Currently, they sit 4th in the Constructors’ championship with only 26 points to their name.

Despite their double DNF in Melbourne, the W15 has not been able to compete with the likes of McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull on pace and their championship standing is unfortunately a true reflection of their troubles.

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But the team have bigger problems to deal with. They have got their basic foundations wrong with the current rules. As a result, the car, no matter what they try to do, is always unpredictable and a mess to handle for the drivers. Both, Russell and Hamilton have made their feelings known as the seven-time champion has also claimed that he has no confidence behind the wheel of the W15.

The sport will introduce its engine-specific rule change in 2026. The last time F1 embarked on an engine-related regulation change [in 2014], the Silver Arrows dominated. With 2026 just two more seasons away, that might be the best bet for the 8-time champions to return to their glory days once again.

Credits: IMAGO / PanoramiC

Lewis Hamilton can become the designated fashionista of the F1 grid. Following his amazing fashion sense, many drivers have begun to unleash their unique sense of style in the F1 paddock. Although, this does not bother Max Verstappen who is more or less often in a Red Bull merchandise outfit or a plain T-shirt. Thus, when asked at a fan event in Australia about who is the best-dressed driver on the grid, Verstappen was quite nonchalant and scoffed at the question.

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In a YouTube video by the Australian Grand Prix channel, Verstappen and Perez are answering some Grill the Grid rapid-fire questions by Ariana Bravo. When she asked the Dutchman about the best fashionista driver, he said, “Depends on what you like.”

Even Perez agreed with this notion. But Bravo kept at it to ask who according to Verstappen’s style quotient he could call the best-dressed driver. The three-time champion said, “Ah couldn’t care less so.”

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On the screen at the interaction event, there were three drivers whose pictures were shown to the Red Bull duo. It consisted of Lando Norris, Zhou Guanyu, and Lewis Hamilton. Verstappen commented on seeing those casual stylish outfits, “I mean I think that looks S**t. Everyone has a different style right”.

It was not sure which driver’s outfit the 26-year-old mocked. However, it was clear that he doesn’t like to flaunt such extravagant outfits.

Max Verstappen is not a fashion monger like his peers

Whenever one sees Max Verstappen in the paddock, he is often wearing a Red Bull-themed T-shirt or jacket, besides his race suits. If the Dutchman decides to go casual, the extent of his casual outfits only goes up to a plain white or blue T-shirt and blue jeans. Rarely, does Verstappen wear a funky outfit, mostly for some big parties or occasions.

Meanwhile, other drivers often show their funky style when coming to the paddock. One such driver is Zhou Guanyu, who has started to wear some really cool and unique outfits. Zhou also featured on the GQ cover lately, such has been the popularity for his fashionable outfits.

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Even Verstappen’s former teammate Daniel Ricciardo loves to unleash some of his style. The Aussie has his entrepreneurial brand – Enchante that produces some high-quality clothing. So relative to many of his peers, Verstappen is not a fashion-driven individual.

The stakes are even higher for Friday night’s main event between Oscar Valdez and Liam Wilson. The WBO announced earlier today that the interim super featherweight title will be on the line. The full champion is Emanuel Navarrete, but he is scheduled to fight for the lightweight title in May, so if he is successful, the thinking is that he will vacate, making Friday’s winner the full champion. Valdez was looking for this type of opportunity, so now it’s up to him to take full advantage of it if he can beat Wilson.

Here is an excerpt from the press release sent by Top Rank.

Per the WBO, “If Navarrete is successful in winning the vacant WBO Lightweight championship and determines to retain the WBO Lightweight championship, the WBO Jr. Lightweight Interim champion shall be elevated to ‘Full Champion’ status…”

In Friday’s co-feature, an undisputed minimumweight queen will be crowned, as WBC/WBA/Ring Magazine champion Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada and WBO/IBF queen Yokasta Valle battle to unify all the belts. Valdez-Wilson, Estrada Valle, and a loaded undercard will stream live and exclusively in the United States on ESPN+.

“This not only promises to be a sensational fight, but with the WBO Interim title on the line, the winner will have tremendous opportunities in a loaded weight class,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum.