In the round-up: Fernando Alonso says wind and traffic contributed to him failing to make the top 10 in qualifying at the British Grand Prix.
In brief
Alonso frustrated by wind and traffic in Q2
Alonso said he failed to make the cut for Q3 at Silverstone due to poor positioning on-track and the blustery conditions he experienced.“It was tricky, it was windy out there,” he explained. “I think we had a little bit more pace in the car, but the traffic was not an easy thing to deal with today.
“The first run in Q2, we were a little bit out of sync with other cars and in run two, the out lap was a little bit messy.
“So it’s the way it is, it probably didn’t change much [about] our final position. It [would have been] nice to be in Q3 and unfortunately, we were not.”
Piastri sets blistering lap to take his first F2 pole
Oscar Piastri has taken pole in Formula 2 qualifying, the Renault junior’s first pole position since graduating to F2 this season.
Formula 2’s format means that Piastri will start tenth in the first sprint race tomorrow, with pole for that race taken by Christian Lundgaard via the reverse grid. Piastri will assume his pole postion on Sunday, for Formula 2’s higher-points-paying feature race.
Speaking after qualifying, Piastri said his Saturday strategy would consequently be about maximising both races. “I think the first aim is always to stay in the top ten so that you get in the reverse grid. We’ll see what our race pace is like tomorrow.
“Generally, it’s been strong throughout the year and I think our pace this weekend has been pretty strong too. Hopefully, we can make up a few spots, but with this format you can very much make up for it if you finish inside the top ten. So, the aim is to make no unnecessary risks and hopefully we make up some places.”
Powell on pole for second time in 2021 season
Alice Powell took pole for the W Series race at Silverstone, beating Fabienne Wohlwend by just over three-and-half tenths of a second. The two traded times throughout the session, with Powell managing to set her best lap in the final three minutes of W Series’ half-hour qualifying session.
Points leader and defending champion Jamie Chadwick will start third, with 2019 title rival Beitske Visser alongside her. This is Powell’s second pole position of the season, after she converted her first to a lights-to-flag victory in W Series opening Austria round.
Abbi Pulling, making her W Series debut, placed eighth in her first qualifying session in an F3 car.
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Social media
Notable posts from Twitter, Instagram and more:
Right or wrong, driving into @SilverstoneUK this morning to see full campsites and homemade flags fluttering in the wind stirs something in the heart… So glad to have you back fans 🥰 #BritishGP
— Jack Aitken – 한세용 (@JaitkenRacer) July 15, 2021
What a feeling… your support was something else today!
We did that together. Thank you. 🇬🇧❤️
— George Russell (@GeorgeRussell63) July 16, 2021
- Find more official F1 accounts to follow in the F1 Twitter Directory
Links
Motor racing links of interest:
Formula 1 boss Ross Brawn says hydrogen could be future fuel (BBC)
"'Maybe hydrogen is the route that Formula 1 can have where we keep the noise, we keep the emotion but we move into a different solution,' Brawn told the BBC."
"Channel 4 will provide a free-to-air coverage for fans in the United Kingdom on Formula E's return to London for a first E-Prix in the city since 2016's visit to Battersea Park. Fronted by Vernon Kay, both London races will be shown live on Channel 4, as well as available via its on-demand streaming platform All4."
"New investors, funds managed by the Private Equity and Credit Groups of Ares Management Corporation and Public Investment Fund (PIF), have committed to invest a total of £400 million in McLaren Group Limited in the form of Preference Shares and equity Warrants, bringing capital as well as significant financial and strategic expertise to McLaren"
Bad weather at the Circuit Spa-Francorchamps (Circuit Spa)
"The track itself has not been impacted but its bordering areas do not allow us to ensure that the trackday planned today can go ahead in the safe conditions necessary for motorsport activities: trees are in danger of falling, safety fences need to be replaced and the digital infrastructure for track safety has to be restored to operating conditions."
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
When it comes to looking at the 2025 regulations, David makes the point that there’s every chance whatever new power unit decision is made will require chassis design changes. If that happens only a few years after 2022’s changes, under a cost cap, it could hurt teams.
1. I really think now is the wrong time to commit to a new engine architecture. The future of powered transport is up in the air right now, if F1 makes the wrong call they will commit to a powertrain that may have no relevance to manufacturers.
2. It’s madness to have another major change in chassis architecture after only three years in a cost controlled environment. Surely a team would want a degree of stability for say, six years plus from 2022 to even consider an entry?
F1 will almost certainly have to become an electric formula. Or a simplified hybrid with a pre-charged battery and less fuel in the tanks. Hydrogen and alternative fuels just aren’t on the agenda of the manufacturers. And let’s stick with rear-wheel-drive and wings for now.
David
Happy birthday!
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On this day in motorsport
- 50 years ago today Jackie Stewart romped to victory on home ground at Silverstone, pulling well clear of his rivals in the points standings
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
17th July 2021, 0:38
Lets talk about the atrocious camera work this Friday. Some interesting new shots ruined by poor hyperactive directing, as usual, unfortunately some of the old vantage points are gone or barely used, the shot on stowe looking at hangar was barely used. Lots of track level shots, some spider shots, all ruined by frantic shaking. Hard to judge a lap or I don’t know appreciate, enjoy an f1 car pushed to the limit when you can’t frame the car in shot. I can only watch onboards now. Will they ruin onboards too, they are silky smooth, in the late 80’s they were as shaky as today’s broadcast.
Euro Brun (@eurobrun)
17th July 2021, 3:52
I noticed that they really gave up the second that the clock hit 0:00 atctge end of P1. There were still cars completing laps, but we had a shot of an empty pit lane for 40s.
They do baffle me all round. I work in the broadcast sector too, yet I genuinely don’t understand FOMs logicat times.
theRealMax (@millionus)
17th July 2021, 7:54
Yeah that slow pan while cars were going round the track, jeeeeesss. Almost threw something at the telly.
Jere (@jerejj)
17th July 2021, 10:31
@peartree @eurobrun @millionus
I didn’t really have an issue with TV directing yesterday. I normally only have that on Monaco weekends.
Balue (@balue)
17th July 2021, 10:41
It’s bad, but we’ve had worse this season.
The onboard of Russell’s Williams was good I thought. Don’t know why. Maybe it was zoomed in.
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
17th July 2021, 23:00
@balue onboards are fine, silky smooth, somehow there was an earthquake trackside.
Mashiat (@mashiat)
17th July 2021, 0:56
Shame Alpine have given Ocon a 3 year deal when they have a gem like Piastri in their books. I know Piastri could come in for Alonso, but I certainly wouldn’t trust Ocon as the team leader. An Alonso-Piastri lineup for 2022 and potentially bringing Ricciardo back for 2023 or signing up Perez/Gasly (whoever Red Bull discards) would have been the better option for me. Brivio was supposedly great at shaping young talents (in MotoGP), time to show it in F1 now.
Jere (@jerejj)
17th July 2021, 10:32
@mashiat They can always terminate/buy out the contract if they want.
Mashiat (@mashiat)
17th July 2021, 14:06
@jerejj Of course they could, but it wouldn’t be cheap given the length of contract unless there are stipulations in the clauses that allow Alpine to sack him for no fee before the end of the contract. I hope they had enough sense to have something like this, but let’s be honest here, Alpine/Renault hasn’t really been the epitome of competence for years now.
Euro Brun (@eurobrun)
17th July 2021, 3:46
Cheer up Fernando, it’s not like you can’t improve your position before the race!
Euro Brun (@eurobrun)
17th July 2021, 3:54
Makes sense for Ch4 to show the London E-Prix, considering BBC will be chock full of Olympics coverage at that point. If only Ch4 would take it full time and broadcast it on a real channel, not red button / online only.
Tommy C (@tommy-c)
17th July 2021, 4:28
George Russell was incredible “qualifying” that Williams in 8th, and ahead of a ferrari! It seems a shame that he’ll almost certainly fall back during the sprint race and so technically his qualifying position will be well down… Although I hope not!
Balue (@balue)
17th July 2021, 10:43
At least Ocon is not at the back so I guess the chassis change helped
Balue (@balue)
17th July 2021, 10:46
The McLaren page is probably the most annoying I’ve seen to date