In the round-up: George Russell says Robert Kubica was unlucky with the circumstances of his temporary return to Formula 1 and hopes he gets another chance.
In brief
Kubica unlucky with return – Russell
Russell and Kubica were team mates at Williams during 2019. Kubica started the last two races as a substitute for Kimi Raikkonen, who is set to return to the car at Sochi next week.“It’s always good to have Robert on the grid,” said Russell. “Robert is a fantastic guy, a great driver. I hope he gets another shot in Formula 1.
“I feel sorry for him because he got thrown in for FP3 onwards in Zandvoort and then he arrives at Monza and it’s a sprint event and you don’t have the time to improve the car. For any driver, that’s very, very difficult.
“But every time he jumps in, he makes the most of the situation. I think he did a good job this weekend and in Zandvoort. I hope we see him in Formula 1.”
Norris pleased Ricciardo’s struggles are over
Ahead of the Italian Grand Prix McLaren trailed Ferrari by 181.5 points to 170, and Norris had scored more than twice as points as team mate Daniel Ricciardo. However Ricciardo’s return to form and victory at Monza has pushed McLaren ahead of their rivals in the standings.
Norris said Ricciardo is “definitely a lot closer for sure” than he was earlier in the season. “It’s also good for me in a way – as much as I hate it because you just want to beat everyone in every circumstance – it’s only going to push me more and push the whole team more and help us as a team with the constructors as well.
“We’re racing against Ferrari who’ve got two extremely good drivers so to beat them week in, week out, it’s been a tough first half of the season for us when Daniel has been struggling a little bit. But now he’s come through a bit more and I think he’s showing what Daniel can do and everyone knows he can do, and the reason he came to McLaren, it’s only going to be better for all of us.”
FRE’s Colpainto loses win over track limits infringement
Formula Regional Europe racer Franco Colapinto has lost his victory in Sunday’s race at the Red Bull Ring due to a track limits infringement. The series organisers handed him a 10-second time penalty four days after the race after studying the onboard cameras from all 33 cars.
Championship leader Gregoire Saucy inherited the victory, his eighth of the season, while Colapinto fell to fourth place behind Gabriel Bortoleto and Zane Maloney. It was another blow for Colapinto, who withdrew from the Monaco race weekend after being excluded from the results of qualifying.
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Social media
Notable posts from Twitter, Instagram and more:
Unfortunately no testing today with @AlpineF1Team and @kvyatofficial due to a car technical issue. #F1 #fia
— Pirelli Motorsport (@pirellisport) September 16, 2021
- Find more official F1 accounts to follow in the F1 Twitter Directory
Links
Motor racing links of interest:
Ricciardo on his lack of sleep since Italian Grand Prix win (BBC)
"With the restarts and the craziness of the racing these days, I was always trying to save a little bit, just in case there was another restart. Could I have won by 20 seconds? I'm not saying I could have, no, but I was just doing what I had to."
A makeshift migrant camp on Spain’s abandoned Formula 1 circuit (Al Jazeera)
"When the Formula 1 race began in 2007, the president of the region, Francisco Camps, said it would not cost the people of Valencia a single euro, and the total price was more than 300 million euros ($353m)."
The big Gran Turismo 7 interview (Eurogamer)
"In regards to Gran Turismo and car culture - car culture is something that has been continuing for the last 150 years or so. It's our mission to preserve these cars in a drivable state in a big museum format. And of course, we include cars like the Taycan and Tesla. But I think our mission first and foremost is to preserve the entirety of this great car culture that we have today for the future generations to come."
Schumacher documentary a disappointing tribute to an extraordinary life (The Age)
"This is the worst kind of “delicacy” – abrogating the filmmaker’s responsibility to inform the viewer, out of some misguided sense of duty to the subject."
One Good Thing: I didn’t watch any sports. Then I watched Netflix’s Drive to Survive (Vox)
"Under the new ownership of Liberty Media, the sport has been trying to reach out to new fans. (This in contrast to the approach from one previous owner, Bernie Ecclestone, who favoured—and I am not making this up—rejecting social media and young fans in order to focus on appealing to septuagenarians.)"
We always endeavour to credit original sources. If you have a tip for a link relating to single-seater motorsport to feature in the next RaceFans round-up please send it in via the contact form.
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Comment of the day
If F1 really doesn’t want gimmicks, reverse grid races are the wrong way to go, says @StefMeister:
If they were to ever do a reverse grid race I’d simply stop watching as reverse grids are to me one of the very worst gimmicks and something I have long said would be a red line for me, A gimmick too far. It would also fly in the face of Liberty, Ross and Stefano constantly saying they aren’t looking at gimmicks and don’t want gimmicks. A line Ross repeated on Sky over the weekend. That is something I’m going to hold them to.
In terms of making them a separate thing rather than how they decide the grid for the grand prix, I’d still be against that because I still don’t like how having extra races at certain events with points on offer then make some race weekends more important and more valuable than others. For me every race should run to the same format with the same amount of points available.
Looking at this season for example I still fail to get why Silverstone, Monza and Brazil (should the final sprint be held there) are more valuable with six extra points on offer than other races. There’s nothing special about those venues, There’s no reason for them to be more valuable just as there was no reason for Abu Dhabi to be more valuable thanks to double points in 2014.
We’ve had two of these weekends now and I simply don’t like the format, I don’t like how it changes and affects the way the weekend feels/plays out and I simply don’t like the sprint itself or the extra points it offers at select venues. It simply doesn’t work for me and none of the suggestions I’ve seen do anything but make me like the format even less than I already do.
@StefMeister
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Brendon (@brendon)
17th September 2021, 0:40
For those that are unhappy with The Sprint qualifying, it’s probably worth signing up to F1 Fan Voice and filling out the recent survey. Whilst there are a few badly worded questions, there are enough that give you the option to clearly give your disapproval. They’re all multiple choice questions and one area for comments at the end. It’s an official feedback channel, so hopefully it would factor into the decision to not keep the Sprint for 2022 and beyond.
petebaldwin (@)
17th September 2021, 1:55
I did it for a while but I got fed up with answering the “which sponsors did you see” questions. Every race was the same – a few questions about the race and the 20 questions about which sponsor logos i noticed.
Jimmi Cynic (@jimmi-cynic)
17th September 2021, 6:47
I unhappily signed up to F1’s happy voice place. And voiced my complete displeasure with their Not-A-Race Sprint Qualification format.
While it might be an official channel, I’m cynical enough to believe Liberty will ignore what doesn’t suit their commercial agenda. But it felt good to rail against their pathetic marketing attempt at ‘fan’ engagement.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
17th September 2021, 9:07
@brendon I used to be in F1 Fan Voice. I quit because of the pervasive, blatant bias, the moderators pretending not to know bias was even possible on a survey and almost total disregard of the results of any survey in the way F1 communicated. (I think they reacted to one survey where they expected lots of praise for “We Race As One” and then got blasted by nearly everyone for no walking the talk… …by clamming up, doing even less and starting to issue warnings to people who attempted to walk the talk).
I refuse to be treated as a rubber stamp for things I disapprove.
Mayrton
17th September 2021, 9:45
To be frank these surveys are the epiphany of target seeking. The questions inherit bias and an upfront agenda. It creates the feeling of participation but really they are just confirming their own chosen directions. I was fanatic about them never missing one, but have stopped completely as I have also never ever gotten any form of personal feedback from them. Missed opportunity of Liberty. If you go for a concept, be sincere about it
bosyber (@bosyber)
17th September 2021, 18:12
Well explained why you (and exactly why I too) aren’t (anymore) in F1 Fan Voice Mayrton and @alianora-la-canta
jeff
17th September 2021, 11:51
The actions of (and lack of punishment for) the majority of drivers in qualifying was far more embarrassing than anything else in recent times in f1
Red Pill (@redpill)
17th September 2021, 3:17
I’m with @StefMeister on his comment in regards to sprint races; sounds like @KeithCollantine may feel the same?
Congrats to Kubica, I think he did great at Zandvoort and Monza especially under the circumstances but I’m not so sure he’ll get another seat when we have so many young & talented drivers also looking for a deserved ride. I hope Kubica keeps driving and succeeds in other race series. Felt really bad for him while watching him finishing first on the last lap at 24hr Le Mans but then his engine failed just before the finish line.
Jelle van der Meer (@)
17th September 2021, 8:41
“Congrats to Kubica, I think he did great at Zandvoort and Monza especially under the circumstances but I’m not so sure he’ll get another seat when we have so many young & talented drivers also looking for a deserved ride.”
Fully agree – at the moment too many young & talented drivers don’t even get a chance in F1 due to rich kids (or with big sponsor) who are often less talented jumping the queue and/or people that are in F1 stay too long and/or return.
jeff
17th September 2021, 11:52
Just look at the current #2 at mercedes – he only has a seat in f1 because toto wolff had shares in williams and runs merc.
That’s just as bad as the rich kids issue
ferrox glideh (@ferrox-glideh)
17th September 2021, 22:58
So jeff, you don’t think Russell is deserving of an F1 seat?
Artur
20th September 2021, 10:11
Isn’t Bottas current #2 at Mercedes?
Mog
17th September 2021, 4:56
Im getting a negative vibe from Norris re Ricciardo
Optmist (@optmist)
17th September 2021, 7:47
+1 yup..
Robbie (@robbie)
17th September 2021, 15:37
I’m not.
ferrox glideh (@ferrox-glideh)
17th September 2021, 22:59
I think Norris is too cool to worry about it, and he is already past it.
Neel Jani (@neelv27)
17th September 2021, 6:02
Reading and watching those pics of the Valencia street track, it pains me to see once a Formula 1 track, now left in shambles and a mere skeleton of its past
Qeki (@qeki)
17th September 2021, 21:08
@neelv27 It was one of my favorite tracks and I think it is too underrated. It had almost everything you can hope for. Fast and challenging last sector. Twisty (well it was mainly 90 degree cornes but still. Bridge crossover, Awesome city just next to track, Harbour. I still miss it but it seems that they won’t be racing there anymore.
Jere (@jerejj)
17th September 2021, 6:26
Unlikely he’d become a regular F1 driver again.
The first Valencia street race was in 2008, but a slightly eerie and strange feeling looking at the images.
I agree concerning the reverse grid idea, but I’m okay with Sprint format except for Saturday practice.
Mayrton
17th September 2021, 7:01
Or maybe we could stop with the Kubica thing. I think everyone has done its best but the added value is not there. Time for young talent to fill these roles
jff
17th September 2021, 7:55
If another ‘I’ll stop watching’ comment makes it to CotD then I’ll stop visiting this site :P
drmouse (@drmouse)
17th September 2021, 8:38
Lol. Tbh I’m with you: I’ve heard people say they’ll stop watching F1 for all sorts of reasons on this site, and the vast majority are still here after the things they talked about were done. If people have stayed through DRS, double points finales and the longest period of dominance by an F1 team in history, they’re not going to leave because of a reverse grid sprint race.
That said, I don’t think it’s going to happen, at least not without separating it from the main race. While I, personally, believe a well-designed reverse (or semi-reversed) WDC order sprint race would be a perfect qualifying format for many reasons (assuming the new regs work to massively improve overtaking), I don’t think there’s enough support for it for it to happen.
anon
17th September 2021, 8:50
The double points finale was also dropped after being tried once, so I would say that is a flawed comparison.
jff
17th September 2021, 9:55
But the people who stopped watching wouldn’t know, would they?
jeff
17th September 2021, 11:57
If it wasn’t for DRS the following races in the last 10 seasons would have had no overtaking:
All of them
Balue (@balue)
18th September 2021, 7:58
Simply not. It all just depended on the track.
Balue (@balue)
17th September 2021, 9:23
Tired of this blatant ageism, and how in this PC era it could possibly be an acceptable form of discrimination.
As if something is sullied just by being popular with older people and not with the young, as if one is the ‘right kind of people’ and the other not, just by nature of their bodies.
mack41
17th September 2021, 14:31
For the continued health of F1 having it popular among a wide range of ages is better than just older people. It’s not ageism. Don’t be a snowflake :P
Balue (@balue)
18th September 2021, 7:54
It wasn’t ‘just older people’, it was the expressed disgust at something promoted for a despised group, and not the more worthy one.
ferrox glideh (@ferrox-glideh)
17th September 2021, 23:01
Unfortunately for us old timers, this is the way things have always been. I,for one, have begun to yell at clouds.
Balue (@balue)
18th September 2021, 7:56
@ferrox-glideh Seems more like affected by the propaganda putting down yourself like this. Sadly typical to see older people excusing their existance, but I guess not easy when the discrimination is so prevalent and accepted.
ferrox glideh (@ferrox-glideh)
20th September 2021, 14:11
Actually, I could not care less about ageism, as there is nothing to be done about it. I ignore it and move on, for life is too short to worry about things that one cannot change. I guess you didn’t get the Grandpa Simpson reference above.
F1oSaurus (@)
17th September 2021, 9:23
The whole older generation Raikkonen, Vettel, Hamilton are leaving are rumored to be ready to leave (besides Alonso I guess) but for some reason the daft notion that Kubica should be in F1 keeps floating around. On this blog at least it seems a popular delusion.
Clearly no team wanted him anymore really. Especially after the debacle at Williams. Even when he brought a lot of money. How would that have changed?
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
17th September 2021, 10:08
He went up against russell, it’s a bit like schumacher, he was heavily criticized on his mercedes comeback, even I was disappointed by him despite being my favourite driver, then we saw how good rosberg was and it turned out schumacher was performing like in 2006, minus the time loss because of age related decline and lack of recent racing experience, so being destroyed by russell, who is among the current top drivers, doesn’t mean kubica is a bad driver currently, he could fit in the midfield.
jeff
17th September 2021, 11:56
When did we see “how good rosberg was”?
Was it in those seasons where Hamilton battered him week in week out?
Or maybe the one season Rosberg won the title which was down purely to reliability on Hamilton’s car.
Worst. champion. ever
Nandy
18th September 2021, 15:59
Rose tinted goggles here.
More often than not, Rosberg was right up there with Ham every single race.
You don’t win seven races in a row against what some consider a goat and making him look very ordinary, and not be extremely talented.
F1oSaurus (@)
19th September 2021, 10:05
Not when most of them were when Hamilton had technical issues with the car or got punted off
F1oSaurus (@)
19th September 2021, 10:06
@esploratore1 Come on the way Kubica was destroyed by Russell was a total embarrassment. There are plenty drivers with actual potential out there that should take “his” seat.
Broccoliface
17th September 2021, 10:36
Re: COTD, I’d say success ballast is on the highest tier of gimmickry, along with things like fan boosts and penalty loops. Reverse grids for me are on a lower tier, perhaps even below DRS in terms of negativity.
jeff
17th September 2021, 11:54
Reverse grid sprint race:
“Hi F1 teams. We want you to perform the best you can at all times in F1, however, we will punish you if you do.”
Adam (@rocketpanda)
17th September 2021, 12:21
Stopping watching over a reverse grid is pretty childish to be honest.
The sport is full of gimmicks and regularly tries new ones. Through the time I’ve been watching F1 the qualifying format has been tinkered with and changed multiple times – sometimes well, sometimes not so well. The sport attempting new things isn’t something to be afraid of and it doing something different is to be encouraged.
How do you claim to be the ‘pinnacle of motorsport’ without ever attempting something new? Have a bit of a fun.
Roger Ayles (@roger-ayles)
17th September 2021, 14:17
@rocketpanda How is it childish to stop watching if they do something you are fundamentally against?
I’d call that voting with your wallet & will be doing the same if they continue to take the sport in an artificial gimmick filled direction. Reverse grids are the worst kind of gimmick & no top tier category should ever be considering them let alone the one that is supposed to be the pinnacle of the sport.
It would also be a sign that they don’t care about or listen to the fanbase which has consistently over the years firmly rejected such a gimmick in every poll & survey that has raised the question. There was that big GPDA one a couple years ago that had & significantly large pool of participants in which I think 90%+ voted against reverse grids.
And when the proposal came back up in more recent years it also gained very little support from fans who can see it for the abhorrent gimmick it is!
#LibertyOut #NoToGimmicks #ReverseGridsAreAwfulGimmick #FansAgainstGimmicks #GetLetterboxesOffF1Cars #BanDRS #BringBackRealRacingTires #BanLiberty! #FansWantPureRacing!
Robbie (@robbie)
17th September 2021, 15:29
@rocketpanda @roger-ayles I am not for reverse grids and am glad that they were rejected in the last season or two. I don’t expect them to happen just because Binotto and one of his drivers is still suggesting them.
One thing I think we can all agree on is that we all have a vote in that we can attend races and watch them on TV, or not. Nothing would send a bigger message to Liberty than a mass exodus of fans that’s for sure. Not saying it will happen, and I have no thoughts whatsoever of stopping watching personally, but in terms of peoples’ general distrust of things like F1 Fan Voice, the ultimate voice and meter for F1 is attendance at races and viewership on TV and on streaming services.
Adam (@rocketpanda)
17th September 2021, 15:30
The format has changed many times over F1’s history. Things have been banned, restored, banned again. Change is part of life whether you like it or not so either learn to roll with it or stagnate in solitude. If you’re for abandoning something for a reason as inane as a reverse grid then do it and stop watching. Goodbye!
Robbie (@robbie)
17th September 2021, 16:29
@rocketpanda For sure. Personally my number one overwhelming feeling is that I am just grateful that we even have F1. That’s my starting off point. After that, I am just happy to soak in the history of F1 unfolding as we speak, warts and all, and we know there have been lots of those throughout the years. Currently I don’t understand how the massive good and necessary changes that are happening under Liberty and Brawn can be trumped by a Sprint Qualifying trial or even by a reverse grid which I would not prefer. Overwhelmingly I am grateful for F1, and grateful that an entity actually took over from BE and actually rallied the teams to understand and implement the necessary changes that were vital to us all having F1 to enjoy for years to come.
Whining about the little fringe things after the whole superstructure has been corrected is akin to Mom/Dad buying daughter/son a new car for their birthday, then saying all you have to do is go to the dealership and pick out a colour, and daughter/son saying “How dare you make me suffer the indignity of going to choose the colour of the car you just bought me.”
Dave
18th September 2021, 18:55
Angriest rant of all time!
Dave
17th September 2021, 18:04
Re Russell: If full-time, then low possibility.
Re FREC: Took 4 days…what an embarrassment.
Re COTD: Reverse grid still mentioned in September 2021…