In the round-up: Charles Leclerc insists that having Brad Pitt and Lewis Hamilton’s movie production crew in the paddock will not be a distraction for him or his fellow drivers.
In brief
Movie crews won’t disrupt paddock, Leclerc insists
A film production crew, Dawn Apollo Films – set up by Lewis Hamilton – will be filming on location in the F1 paddock across the rest of the 2023 season as part of a movie about Formula 1 starring Brad Pitt.
Asked by RaceFans whether having the filming crews around the paddock would be a distraction to drivers and teams, Leclerc replied: “No, I don’t think it is.”
“In the end, one more camera or one less camera, I don’t think we realise it that much,” Leclerc continued.
“I think it’s amazing for the sport, though, I think it’s great. It gives us a really big visibility, big reach to people that might not know or might not be interested so much into Formula 1 just for them to understand it in a better way, in a more lucrative way and with the movie I think is the best possible way. So no or at least for me, it won’t add any pressure, but I don’t think for anybody, as we are getting used to having cameras around.”
Reports elsewhere suggesting Pitt will be driving an F1 car in official session as part of filming plans are not correct – the actor will instead be driving either a modified F2 or F3 car which will be driven only outside of official track activity.
Hamilton to run pride flag on Miami helmet
Lewis Hamilton says he will race with a pride flag on his helmet once again this weekend in Miami in support of the LGBTQ+ community in the midst of a ongoing statewide suppression of their rights.The Floridian state legislature has passed a series of bills and laws to target rights of LGBTQ people in the state. Asked by RaceFans if questions should be asked about whether it was appropriate to be racing in Miami, which is in Florida, Hamilton said it was “not for me to decide something like that.”
“I have read about some of the decisions that have been made in government here, and I do not agree with it and I do not support it,” Hamilton continued. “And I really do continue to stand with the LGBTQ community. I continue to wear the rainbow flag on my helmet this weekend. And I just really want to continue to support the community here and let them know that I stand with them. And I hope that they continue to fight against it.
“It’s not the people of Miami that are making these decisions it’s the people in government, and that’s the issue. I think all I can do, this sport is going to be here whether I am or not. So while I’m here I’m just going to try and continue to be supportive and just by being here and having them on my helmet, hopefully that speaks volumes.”
Sargeant excited for first car race on home soil
Williams rookie Logan Sargeant says he is looking forward to racing in the United States for the first time in cars.
The Florida-native left the USA in his karting days to compete in Europe. While competing in Formula 4, Formula Renault, FIA F3 and Formula 2, Sargeant never raced in his home nation until this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix.
“It’s amazing to be here,” said Sargeant. “I’ve probably had about a thousand ticket requests at this point – no, maybe a hundred.
“It’s going to be nice to actually take part in my first ever car race in America – that will be pretty cool. Just to see the American fans, our friends and family here. The atmosphere I know is always good in America – the American fans put out. So I’m excited to have that home atmosphere for the first time and really just enjoy every part of the weekend.”
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Links
Motor racing links of interest:
Andretti planning European feeder series program (Racer)
"We would set up shop over in England where we’re going to have the engineering shop for the F1 team. If the F1 deal comes through, I want to do Formula 3 and Formula 2 as well. I want to be in control of bringing our drivers up through the system, because then you know what kind of equipment they have and how they’re being treated."
Don’t have tickets to the Miami Grand Prix? Here are some fun (and free!) fan events (Miami Herald)
"Hyde Beach claims to be hosting the ''ultimate pool party'' for Grand Prix groupies on Sunday, and it certainly sounds festive. Twenty-foot-wide LED screens will display the action while guests dance, dine, sip and swim. A highlight of the cookout is a ''Winner’s Circle Burger'' made with 100 percent wagyu beef topped with truffle aioli, pork belly and pickled red onions and 24K gold (edible) flakes. This Instagrammable meal will set you back $100, but at least admission is free with RSVP,"
Tommy Hilfiger's Life in the (Very) Fast Lane (GQ)
"Fast-forward to the '80s, after I started my brand, my partner, Lawrence Stroll, who now owns Aston Martin and oversees the Aston Martin team, introduced me to Team Lotus, an English team competing, and they needed a clothing sponsor. So we became the clothing sponsor, and we dressed the team. We created these really cool uniforms. We went to the races. We had a big logo on the car and it sort of reintroduced me to the sport. We were going to races in Monte Carlo and Monza and Montreal, and more exotic places than Watkins Glen. And a couple of years later, the Ferrari team thought they needed an apparel partner So we met the powers that be at Ferrari, and designed all the uniforms for the pit crew, for the drivers, for the travelling team."
Can synthetic fuels save racing as we know it? Probably, but their promise likely ends there (ESPN)
"Instead of drilling crude oil out of the ground, P1's synthetic fuels use ethanol from waste biomass and renewable-energy-sourced captured carbon and hydrogen from electrolysis of water. Waste biomass ethanol avoids farming new crops for fuel, so is an environmental bonus, while the captured carbon should -- in theory -- make what comes out of burning the fuel cycle neutral."
10 Things F1 Driver Logan Sargeant Can't Live Without (GQ Sports via YouTube)
"From his Williams Racing helmet and an Eminem CD to a ton of Miami sports memorabilia and his passport, these are the Logan Sargeant's essentials."
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.
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Social media
Notable posts from Twitter, Instagram and more:
team message following the violent rain storm that hit the city of Faenza and the Emilia-Romagna region. pic.twitter.com/CKre5kGLj3
— Scuderia AlphaTauri (@AlphaTauriF1) May 4, 2023
This one’s for the 305 🌴 pic.twitter.com/GggB1ntTxi
— Logan Sargeant (@LoganSargeant) May 4, 2023
Two kids with a dream. Go well at your home GP mate 👊#OP81 #RoadToF1 #MiamiGP pic.twitter.com/SAIDq8Fm5O
— Oscar Piastri (@OscarPiastri) May 4, 2023
Twitter of the year right here https://t.co/uqjo4AXx73
— Tony Kanaan (@TonyKanaan) May 4, 2023
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- Find more official F1 accounts to follow in the F1 Twitter Directory
Comment of the day
With Pastor Maldonado being announced as a team mate players can sign to their MyTeam in the upcoming F1 23 game, @qeki wants to recreate the grand prix winner’s finest hour…
Red flags, totally new F1 World and now Maldonado. Can we finally create our own 2012 Spanish GP and burn the whole Williams garage down?
Qeki
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday to Sush Meerkat, Daniel Dumlao and Aimal!
DB-C90 (@dbradock)
5th May 2023, 2:11
It’ll be interesting to see of the FIA regard Hamilton’s helmet as a political statement.
XM
5th May 2023, 6:58
It definitely is, whatever FIA decides. My question is why do it here? Why not in Saudi Arabia where their right is even more severe than the US? More and more I feel what Hamilton does apart from racing is just for show. Look at what Seb has done during his time in the sport. Now that speaks volumes.
SjaakFoo (@sjaakfoo)
5th May 2023, 8:04
Because even Hamilton has to deal with personal risk. It’s nice to want things, but Saudi Arabia would have no issue doing anything from grounding Lewis’ plane from leaving or just straight up killing and dismembering someone in another country because they’re critical of them. So yeah, no helmet in Saudi Arabia, and everyone knows why.
Illusive (@illusive)
5th May 2023, 8:49
@sjaakfoo I mean if the Saudis tried anything funny on Lewis for that is akin to killing any sports event in their country in future. All these investment on sports from these middle east countries is to increase their PR with the west or potential outside investors for life after oil or else they might end up in bad situation if their monarchs dont dole out the goodies.
SjaakFoo (@sjaakfoo)
5th May 2023, 13:35
A dispute with WWE led to them grounding a plane full of wrestlers who then missed the next TV show.
And nothing happened.
Dane
5th May 2023, 10:27
It strikes me as very over the top. Florida’s law everyone freaked about last year stopped young school kids from learning LGBTQ stuff under under 8 years old. If you looked around the F1 calendar I’d bet you’d find gay folks in Miami are among the least oppressed.
Phil Norman (@phil-f1-21)
5th May 2023, 11:41
There has been many more oppressive laws passed by the Florida state legislature at the best of DeSanits, e.g. extending this age rule about LGBTQ being mentioned in schools upwards and virtually banning drag performances for some reason. I suggest you catch-up on the news.
The LGBTQ community is being very much targeted. Not to mention some of the most restrictive abortion laws in the U.S. and banning books. Very Nazi Germany.
All I can say is well done Lewis Hamilton!!!
Sonny Crockett (@sonnycrockett)
5th May 2023, 13:12
Well said.
Leroy (@g-funk)
5th May 2023, 13:36
DeSantis and the Florida legislature are more concerned that someone talking about their LGBTQ+ lifestyle may “turn” kids gay (which I hope we can all agree is complete fiction that is peddled only by the intellectually deprived) than they are about the guns literally killing those same kids. It is pure Kafkaesque dystopia.
SjaakFoo (@sjaakfoo)
5th May 2023, 14:44
@g-funk I wish, even just here people still manage to downplay common decency and acceptance as “politics” and “it’s not that bad, all they want is people to not talk about it with kids” as if it’s not actively emotionally harming LGBTQ kids that their identity is made into a taboo not to be talked about like we’re living in the 1950s.
Good on Lewis for doing this, is the only proper response here, one would think. But alas.
Leroy (@g-funk)
5th May 2023, 15:08
@sjaakfoo It’s actually worse than the 1950s. A teacher in Florida was recently fired for teaching 6th-grade students about Michaelangelo’s David because the parents thought it was “pornographic”. This is some regressive, dark-ages level thinking we are dealing with here. All it does is harm kids and make them less prepared to live in the modern world, interacting with people whose backgrounds may not align 100% with their own.
I only wish more drivers than Lewis would join him in these displays of solidarity with communities under attack by right-wing extremists.
Dane
6th May 2023, 3:52
Again, the drag show thing just prohibits performances where children are attending. I guess I don’t get why doing a sexualized show for kids is the hill the LGBTQ community wants to fight over. The gay community in Miami has much more rights than other places F1 has raced like Jeddah, Bahrain, China, Turkey, Hungary or Russia.
elchinero (@elchinero)
5th May 2023, 13:44
GREAT for Lewis! I hope that he can weather the (possible) storm. He’s bigger than U.S. Steel.
Martin
5th May 2023, 10:56
Being against discrimination is a political statement?
Umm? https://www.athleteally.org/lewis-hamilton-saudi-arabia-reforms/
ferrox glideh (@ferrox-glideh)
5th May 2023, 15:18
“Why do it here?” Because Florida needs to be held accountable for it’s government’s terrible decisions, it will stand as an example to other places with the same policies.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
5th May 2023, 22:54
Possibly due to several other FIA regulations having been explicitly or implicitly reversed since Saudi Arabia, thus making resistance to this regulation start to look feasible.
Jere (@jerejj)
5th May 2023, 7:30
Good news & Pitt driving in an official session without a super license was never going to happen in the first place, so people shouldn’t have got misled by reports.
Hopefully, everyone can stay safe in Emilia-Romagna.
Nice helmet design & cute image by Piastri.
Herta’s joke is good, though, & perhaps even TOTY-worthy.
bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
5th May 2023, 8:52
Nice little dig from Colton.
Qeki (@qeki)
5th May 2023, 9:18
Thanks for the COTD @willwood
Unicron (@unicron2002)
5th May 2023, 9:39
The ‘on this day’ event has totally depressed me… can it really be 20 hears ago that I went to Brands Hatch as a 20 year old to watch Champcar?!
It was the first time I had been to Brands Hatch and it view me away… however the race sent me to sleep. Not a classic, and that’s putting it mildly.
Dave Hunt
5th May 2023, 9:45
I was just thinking the same thing. As a 30 yr old going to Brands the sound of the Champ Cars were amazing but it wasn’t the best idea to host the race on the short circuit only. A good experience though.
Nulla Pax (@nullapax)
5th May 2023, 13:52
Charles – you are in the USA – it doesn’t matter if the film crews disrupt you – just don’t get in their way.
OK?
Rhys Lloyd (@justrhysism)
6th May 2023, 0:10
Replacing fossil-fuels with synthetic-fuels is more environmental than replacing every vehicle on the road with an EV equivalent at enormous resource cost.
The most environmentally friendly thing we can do is keep our old bangers in service for as long as possible and run them on carbon-neutral fuel.
But of course then we’re not buying/consuming new shiny things so we can’t have that. Will somebody please think of the economy!