In the round-up: Oscar Piastri says he’s not content with simply driving on a similar level to his team mate Lando Norris.
Show which drivers and teams you are supporting
Which F1 drivers and teams are you supporting this season? Here's how you can show your support for your favourite on the grid on RaceFans:
- Log in with your RaceFans account (sign up here if you don't have one)
- Select Edit My Profile from the top-right menu
- Select F1 Teams and Drivers
- Make your selections then click Save Changes
In brief
Piastri not content with being close to team mate Norris
McLaren rookie Oscar Piastri says he is eager to try and beat his more experienced team mate Lando Norris instead of simply matching him.
Piastri qualified directly behind Norris in both Silverstone and the Hungaroring and out-qualified Norris in grand prix qualifying at Spa-Francorchamps. However, Piastri says he’s not content with simply performing on a similar level to Norris.
“I don’t want to just be close to Lando, of course,” Piastri said. “I want to try and beat him.
“It’s not an easy task. I think we all know how good Lando is, but I don’t want to just settle there. It’s been nice to be so close, but until you’re beating your team-mate, you’re always going to feel like there’s more to come.”
Lundqvist to make IndyCar oval debut
Rookie IndyCar driver and last season’s Indy Lights champion Linus Lundqvist will step into Simon Pagenaud’s Meyer Shank Racing car for this weekend’s oval race at Gateway.Pagenaud has missed the last six IndyCar races after a violent accident in practice at Mid-Ohio. Lundqvist has stepped in for Pagenaud at Nashville at the most recent race at the Indianapolis road course. His race at Gateway will be his first on an oval.
“I know that it is going to be tough and tricky, but I know the team is going to give me a good car to have a solid result like we had at Indy,” Lundqvist said.
“I’m also very much looking forward to working with Helio [Castroneves] as a teammate. Working with him on an oval is something that every driver would want to do and I’m just going to learn from it as much as I can this weekend.”
F1 esports champion Blakeley wins first car race
Reigning F1 esports world champion Lucas Blakeley won his first race in cars at Brands Hatch in British Formula Ford 1600 at Brands Hatch.
Blakeley, who won the 2022 F1 esports pro championship with McLaren last year, has been competing in the Formula Ford series for the last two seasons. He took victory in the third race at Brands Hatch Indy at the weekend, winning from fourth on the grid.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
Links
Motor racing links of interest:
Max Verstappen's work out, fitness diary and diet (GQ)
''Everyone is just fit in their own sport. For example, if I go and play a football match for 90 minutes, I'm completely destroyed because it's a different sport in terms of what you need and my muscles are not used to that. If a football player drove in one F1 race, they'd also be completely destroyed. It's just how you train your body for what you need.''
Video: The AMR Technology Campus build from above (Aston Martin)
'Working closely with our partners, we have been able to take this construction to new levels, to consider all elements of day-to-day and working life in the build and to unlock the full potential of our new home.
With time, the team will be able to expand further into the new areas of the Technology Campus, most notably the wind tunnel which is due to open in 2024. Check out the latest updates from the project, shot from above with spectacular drone images.'
Would You Rather with Frederik Vesti (F2)
''I would choose the Indy 500 just because it’s an individual victory and I think with what I'm doing currently in Formula 2, I'm used to that individual fight for the victory. I quite like to have all the pressure and to deal with that. I’d just need the whole milk for the win.''
Roberto Faria on his helmet design (F3)
''So we asked if they could be a little more creative with it. The green is also good because it matches the Brazilian flag at the front, this was also a good thing. We like the carbon here on the ‘F’. To be honest, when I asked for the helmet I didn’t realise the letter ‘R’, I only saw the ‘F’. But when they pointed it out I was like ‘oh that looks really nice, that’s cool.''
Compact calendar announced for second season of Formula Regional Middle East Championship (FRMEC)
'The Formula Middle East Championship certified by FIA returns for a second season in 2024, with entries for the compact, UAE-based, six-week season already fully subscribed. The season gets underway on January 10, 2024, with a two-day test at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit, and concludes at the Dubai Autodrome on February 16-18'
Pushing the boundaries of electric motorsport | Formula E's evolution (Formula E via YouTube)
Formula E tracks how its car technology has evolved over its nine seasons to date.
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 to us via the contact form.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
Social media
Notable posts from Twitter, Instagram and more:
How was your Sunday?
I did 100miles @sbtgrvl. Cramped a lot in the end. Finished 20/1000. Had some fun pushing myself, sometimes beyond the limit, which just gives you new perspectives of life 😊#VB77 @canyon_bikes @SRAMroad
📷 @ThomasMaheux pic.twitter.com/244EpHiuke— Valtteri Bottas (@ValtteriBottas) August 21, 2023
🍯🦡👀🔜#F123 pic.twitter.com/ZaEjivwnfH
— EA SPORTS™ F1® (@EASPORTSF1) August 21, 2023
📺 NASCAR is close to a broadcast deal with Netflix for a docuseries around this season's playoffs.
🔜 Aware of the success of IndyCar's '100 Days to Indy', NASCAR is looking to set itself up to have the next 'Drive to Survive'. pic.twitter.com/4KMpotGcB9
— Vincenzo Landino (@vincenzolandino) August 21, 2023
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
- Find more official F1 accounts to follow in the F1 Twitter Directory
Comment of the day
With Fernando Alonso admitting his inability to capture a third world title with Ferrari remains the biggest disappointment in his career, MichaelN admires Alonso’s razor-sharp mentality…
Alonso is a great example of a particular trait that seems to be necessary to be a good sportsman: they are very good at isolating their own contribution from external influences, and just focus relentlessly on doing the best job now and next time without getting too bogged down about previous results that they may or may not have had much influence over.
Arguably Alonso takes it a bit too far, because there were definitely moments in 2010 and 2012 where he single-handedly dropped the ball and cost himself points – and in doing so perhaps even the championship. But regardless, it’s impressive to see him still on it 20+ years after his debut. I doubt many people can bring themselves to care that much, and be that dedicated, for that long.
MichaelN
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday to Master Firelee and Kart22!
F1 frog (@f1frog)
22nd August 2023, 7:40
@willwood I wrote an article about Crashgate, and all the other instances of cheating in F1 history, and how they would change their championships under Bernie Ecclestone and Felipe Massa’s rule about the entire race being expunged from the history books when one team cheats. Would you be interested in including it as a ‘motor racing link of interest’? Thank you.
https://f1frogblog.wordpress.com/2023/08/21/the-ecclestone-massa-alternate-history-of-f1/
Facts&Stats
22nd August 2023, 8:49
Great analysis and write up, @F1Frog.
I’ll plan to read the other articles as well.
No worries there. Toto can easily confess they cheated in any of the 2021 races where Verstappen beat Hamilton on points, resulting in nullifying that race’s result and giving Hamilton his 7th F1 title back ;)
Or even better, they can even join Massa’s legal claim whilst admitting they cheated in Bahrain, Canada, France, or Brazil.
MichaelN
22nd August 2023, 12:06
It’s a nice write-up of all of F1’s many controversies over the years. Three not mentioned might be:
In 2011, there was quite a bit of back and forth over whether or not the blown diffusers were legal. Eventually the FIA declared they should be heavily restricted, and arguably the only ‘proper’ race that season was the English GP. Which Ferrari won (albeit with some help from Red Bull’s pitstop shenanigans). After the race they reverted their decision after loud complaining from the usual folks, and the races went back to being dominated by the Renault powered Red Bull, which engine was particularly well suited to the concept.
In 2012, Red Bull arguably ‘cheated’ with their floor design in the early season (until Monaco?). They were kindly invited to make changes, and were allowed to keep all their points.
In 2014, Red Bull cheated exceeding by fuel flow regulations in the first race. They blamed the supplier of the sensor, the FIA disagreed, Red Bull claimed everyone was also cheating, again the FIA disagreed, and Ricciardo was booted from the podium in the Australian GP. In a somewhat ironic twist, Hamilton started the V6 Turbo era with the all-conquering Mercedes engine with… an engine-related DNF. So removing the race wouldn’t matter to the championship.
MarcusAurelius (@marcusaurelius)
22nd August 2023, 20:39
@f1frog. Nice one!
David BR (@david-br)
23rd August 2023, 1:28
Excellent article @f1frog !