In the round-up: Carlos Sainz Jnr says it is getting harder for McLaren to compete in the fight for third place in the constructors’ championship.
What they say
Sainz and Norris finished seventh and eighth which moved McLaren ahead of Racing Point, but Daniel Ricciardo’s third place meant Renault jumped both of them.
Ricciardo got a lot of points. The fight for third keeps getting tougher and tougher.
Our qualifying wasn’t great but our race pace actually was really good. I felt like I was quicker than all the guys in front of me. It’s just that for some reason today it was very difficult to overtake.
I could only overtake Lando. And then after that I couldn’t pass Kvyat and the guys in front of me. But I think it was the same for everyone.
Quotes: Dieter Rencken
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Social media
Notable posts from Twitter, Instagram and more:
We've got a new picture sequence showing how @MercedesAMGF1 pulled a chunk of Vettel's Ferrari out of @ValtteriBottas's car at his second pit stop. It had been there since lap two:https://t.co/qmmv5WFwhG
Pics: @XPBImages / @jamesmoy #F1 #ImolaGP
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Links
More motor racing links of interest:
Scoppia pneumatico a Verstappen Gp Imola (RMC Motori via YouTube)
Brands Hatch to stage final race weekend on 14/15 November (BTCC)
"The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has ratified that ‘Elite Sport’ will be able to continue behind closed doors during this latest period of lockdown. The BTCC is included in that category."
Silverstone season Finale to go ahead under English lockdown (Sportscar365)
"The final round of the 2020 season will take place behind closed doors, as originally planned, following the verification of motor racing’s status as an ‘Elite Sport’ that can continue through the new Covid-19 control measures that come into effect on Thursday."
Dale Earnhardt Jnr Joins iRacing as Executive Director (iRacing)
"For more than 20 years, Dale has been a passionate advocate of sim racing whose efforts to improve the product have dramatically shaped our direction as a company and relationships throughout the sport for the better."
How Latifi went from Ontario go-karts to a very unusual F1 rookie season (The Globe and Mail)
"Money has to come from somewhere; thereʼs no one who’s racing completely for free,” he says. “That’s one of the things that can make racing so difficult; it’s a sport that, you know, is unfortunately not purely reliant on your results and what you do on the track."
A difficult single-seater debut and a thrilling title win: the moments which made Jack Aitken (F2)
"Five minutes went by and the mechanics managed to get it fired up, but on my first flying lap I put it in the wall at Druids corner, which is a really, really fast right-hander. I cracked the car in half - it was quite a big shunt, no half measures."
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Comment of the day
Is the delay in Lewis Hamilton’s contract extension about something other than money?
I wonder if the sticking point is about the message Hamilton wants to put out to the world on human rights and racism rather than money.
Sounds silly, but what if he’s looking for the livery to remain black next year and for more commitments from Mercedes around diversity and standing up for human rights in places like Bahrain and China.
Maybe the delay is Hamilton’s demands aren’t for Wolff to sign off on himself. We know Hamilton has realised he can do more in his role this year and that maybe what he’s looking for in his twilight years of the sport, leaving a lasting legacy.
Slowmo
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On this day in F1

- 35 years ago today Keke Rosberg won his final race as a Williams driver at Adelaide, followed by the two Ligier drivers, third-placed Philippe Streiff making only his sixth grand prix start
Levente (@leventebandi)
3rd November 2020, 1:42
Ah Streiff. Another lost talent :(
David Bondo
3rd November 2020, 3:48
F1 is the wrong platform if you want to protest political or social causes you deem worthy.
Nothing has been achieved via a slogan on a t-shirt, much like nothing has been achieved with a retweet or liking a post on Facebook.
Nitzo (@webtel)
3rd November 2020, 6:06
I dont want to be Daniel right now. He is in a car that can regularly fights for a place in the top 6 at the moment yet going to a team that is on a gradual downward slope.
Since Italy, Renault have scored 64 points to McLaren’s 36 !! What more, Racing Point have scored 52 points in this period. All three teams have had three retirements each.
In my opinion, that crazy race in Italy is whats keeping McLaren in the hunt for P3 in the constructor’s championship.
Nell (@imabouttogoham)
3rd November 2020, 6:53
Don’t forget Stroll got a podium on that GP too.
Methinks Mclaren are behind the development race as they’re also putting time into the Mercedes engine switch.
I wonder if they think the prizemoney is more important than getting a wee bit more aero time due to the handicap of placing 5th behind RP and Renault.
Balue (@balue)
3rd November 2020, 9:17
@webtel You forget that Ricciardo in a McLaren would likely do the same as what he’s doing now in the Renault. Even Abiteboul has hinted that their performances as in large part to the Australian’s driving. With a Mercedes engine in the McLaren for next year, he should be in just as good place as now, or even better.
As for development, McLaren are even during this tight championship fight changing front end concept with their new parts, which is quite bold and could pay dividends later, even if it has slowed them down a bit on introduction. And on the other side, Renault could just as easily be clinging on to their new ‘sweet spot’, not risking any development changes, and might lose it for next year’s car made by new tech director Pat Fry and have to take a step back, whereas McLaren is more settled now with James Key. Of course cars will be evolutions, but still.
Nitzo (@webtel)
3rd November 2020, 13:57
@balue
Your optimism is contagious. I hope Daniel comes good in a Mclaren Mercedes. That extra jolt of power + developments over the winter should help them.
And i agree that Daniel has over-achieved in that RS20. But the machinery is improved enough to enable him to do just that. Carlos is no slouch. Neither is Lando; i am sure they are doing their best to get their cars over the line. It will be an interesting end to the championship.
@imabouttogoham
They arent going to shy away from money at any cost (!)
That said, this seems to be a contest of fine margins and they cant afford go easy.
Though not pertinent to the WCC, on the track they are slowly moving away the fight they were in — vs RP and Renault and are now entering into a different fight with Ferrari, SAT and Albon. Not nice.
Jere (@jerejj)
3rd November 2020, 7:34
The post about Jack Aitken: I feel like I’ve read it on this site in a round-up before.
The driver story of Nicholas Latifi is interesting reading, although there are some weird stuff or notes in the post:
”Contracts between racing teams and their two drivers are not disclosed.”
Isn’t this the case everywhere, though, and by everywhere, I mean all sports? I don’t find the upcoming budget cap controversial either, nor the lack of a draft a la NHL, NBA, and some other sports leagues in North America. Covering the engineering details and unique features is also perfectly normal to try and avoid rivals getting to know something they could use for their benefit.
Patrick (@paeschli)
3rd November 2020, 7:44
RE COTD: Maybe Mercedes are fed up with Hamilton? Whatever Mercedes’ does, it’s never enough for Lewis. Mercedes wants to sell cars in Bahrein and China as well. Having a more ‘corporate’ driver might fit better with the Mercedes brand.
anon
3rd November 2020, 18:04
@paeschli the thing is, this sounds an awful lot like the sort of thing that was being said last time that we had negotiations between Hamilton and Mercedes over a new contract. When those negotiations were going on for a while, we heard people making all sorts of wild predictions about what might happen, only for Hamilton and Mercedes to sign a new contract with comparatively little fuss in the end.
After all, even contracts which were supposedly meant to be dead certs still took a long time before they were formally announced. We’ve seen how Leclerc’s initial contract talks with Ferrari took several months, even though many thought that was a formality, and other drivers have also seen their contract talks go on for quite an extended period of time even under normal circumstances.
No offence, but in at least some cases it comes across as these sorts of comments being more of a way of people wishing to see Hamilton out so Verstappen can be gifted his seat instead (because apparently domination by Mercedes would be more palatable if it was Verstappen who was dominating).
OOliver
3rd November 2020, 8:45
RE COTD
You started out with a suggestion of why Hamilton may not have signed up, then you go on to add your own pet project to his supposed stance.
Human rights is a universal issue of which no country is not guilty.
Even countries that proclaim human rights as one of their virtues go on to abuse others in other countries or also enable the abuse of others.
In the business of human rights there are very few clean hands.
Balue (@balue)
3rd November 2020, 9:22
COTD: Funny with the site’s unashamed fandom
Only Facts!
3rd November 2020, 9:52
COTD: Mercedes is talking to Verstappen, more likely the reason for the delay.
Whatever Hamilton signs now must take the next Verstappen move in consideration. Will Verstappen come in 2022 and replace Hamilton? One year contract and embassador role after that… Will they drive together (I doubt it)… Then 30mil each instead of the 40/10 ratio?
Mercedes as a company getting more involved into Hamilton’s fight? It would be the tail wagging the dog.
chimaera2003 (@chimaera2003)
3rd November 2020, 13:05
I am not sure either that MB would allow their entire CSR strategy to be dedicated by one person. Whilst I can see MB offering some small concessions (like maybe keeping the car black but the FE team are going back to silver), this is bigger than Lewis alone.
If this is the reason (big if) for a delayed contract then if MB called Lewis bluff and Lewis decided to leave, is Lewis really going to spend the rest of his days telling the world that MB are racist whilst figuratively dining out on all his achievements with them?
David
3rd November 2020, 10:53
“We like the cars, the cars that go BOOM!”
The bang from Max’s tyre is something I’ve never heard picked up by the TV coverage. You just see the debris and the loss of control.
MaddMe (@)
3rd November 2020, 16:18
There is rear angle footage of the tyre fail available too and it’s clear that the tyre suddenly gives out, no indications of damage, just a complete failure from the inner sidewall.
Qeki (@qeki)
3rd November 2020, 12:00
Some wise words there from our other canadian. Good article by the way.
Qeki (@qeki)
3rd November 2020, 16:56
I was thinking about the whole Albon/Red Bull/Alfa Tauri situation.
I think Schumacher jr. is the other racing for Haas next season but what about Albon. If he (and probably will) gets fired from Red Bull why he can’t go to Haas.
He has the thai money behind him and he is much more experienced in F1 than Mazepin. Of course that could make a huge impact on Red Bulls financial side but Haas need that money too and it seems like Albon and Red Bull aren’t going to continue their journey.
Jere (@jerejj)
3rd November 2020, 21:48
@qeki Nikita Mazepin is a top candidate because of his father’s future influence in the team, so not really a chance for Albon, (or Kvyat, Perez, or Hulkenberg for that matter.)