F1 Qatar Grand Prix news live: Max Verstappen awaits penalty for Lewis Hamilton accident

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Mercedes requests a Verstappen / Hamilton Battle review

Catch up on the latest Formula 1 news with Max Verstappen eagerly waiting to see if Lewis Hamilton’s crash at the Brazilian Grand Prix will be penalized.

The seven-time world champion won Sunday’s race in fine fashion after a great comeback, but championship leader Verstappen got away with running his rival off the road as they battled for pole position late in the race.

The hosts noted the incident before looking at the footage and choosing not to launch an official investigation, a decision Mercedes chief Toto Wolff later described as “laughable”. However, Mercedes has since been granted the right to review leaving Verstappen’s fate up in the air once again. If the FIA ​​rules against him, the Dutchman could face a retroactive time penalty that could cost him points or drop the net at the next race in Qatar this weekend.

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Oscar Piastre, the 20-year-old Formula 2 champion, is set to be out of the race next year after he missed the second drive at Alfa Romeo of rival Juanio Cho.

The Australian won the Formula 3 title the first time it was introduced last year and looks set to do the same in Formula 2 this campaign, but his chances of instant progression to Formula 1 were thwarted when the Swiss team opted to make Cho the first ever full-fledged player. The Chinese driver’s time in Formula 1 history.

Instead, Piastre will spend 2022 focusing on his role as test and reserve driver with Alpine, aiming to secure his racing seat for 2023 when Fernando Alonso’s contract expires.

“I want to focus on getting to Formula One,” Biastri told the media in Qatar ahead of this week’s Formula One race. “I think being on the alpine circuit as often as I can, even if I’m not racing, is equal if not more beneficial. [than racing in another series] Towards my goal of entering Formula 1.”

Dan Austin November 18, 2021 11:47

Alonso: Relationship with Hamilton ‘coldest’

Alpine driver Fernando Alonso says his relationship with Lewis Hamilton has become “cooler” in recent years.

The two battled badly in one season as McLaren teammates in 2007, culminating in either driver winning the championship as Kimi Raikkonen won the title in Ferrari, which was the slowest car for most of the season.

“After that we were very young and very competitive and we needed some kind of guidance and we didn’t get it,” said the 40-year-old Spaniard. “It was an easy conclusion for the 2007 season, we respected each other a lot and understood each other a lot as well.

“Now we have this respectful relationship, but it’s probably much cooler than it used to be. We have different opinions about different things. Lewis has a different lifestyle than many of us and that separates us.”

Dan Austin November 18, 2021 11:40

1637235075 Hosts review new footage from the Hamilton and Verstappen accident

As part of Mercedes’ appeal which will be heard at a hearing with the FIA ​​in Qatar this afternoon, the hosts will be shown footage of Max Verstappen and their teammates Lewis Hamiltonth unable to make it in Brazil last weekend.

FIA Formula 1 race director Michael Massey confirmed after the race that the stewards were unable to see the front camera on Verstappen’s car, which would have shown whether he had tampered with his steering to intentionally force Hamilton off the track.

The footage is now available and will form the core of the case in favor of retroactive action against Verstappen.

Dan Austin November 18, 2021 11:31

1637234037 Giovinazzi’s move to Formula E.

Cho’s arrival means Antonio Giovinazzi can no longer make it to the Formula 1 racing seat, and the 27-year-old’s age means he probably won’t be returning to the top level of open-wheel motorsport anytime soon.

Teammate Kimi Raikkonen is retiring from motorsports after the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi, but Giovinazzi has announced he will join US Formula E team Dragon Penske Racing as the main driver alongside former F2 man Sergio Sit Camara for 2022.

The Italian was once part of Ferrari’s young driver program and served as a test and reserve driver for the team in 2018, but he has failed to impress consistently since taking a full-time race seat at Alfa in 2019. His highest-placed finish was fifth in Brazil at his rising season.

Dan Austin November 18, 2021 11:13

All you need to know about new F1 driver Guanyu Zhou

Earlier this week, it was announced that Formula 2 champion and young alpine driver Guanyu Zhou would finish last in the Formula 1 2022 grid, replacing outgoing Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi.

Zhou will become the first full-time Chinese driver in the sport when he lines up for the season opener in Bahrain next March, and Valtteri Bottas will participate after the Finn was replaced by George Russell at Mercedes.

The 22-year-old is second in the Formula 2 standings, his third season in the series, but is 36 points behind young Australian Oscar Piastre at the top of the standings.

There has been some controversy that Zhou, who provides significant financial support to the Swiss team from a variety of Chinese sponsors, has secured the race seat on the Piastri, who many believe could be in the same class as recent F2 graduates including Russell, Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc.

Dan Austin Nov 18 2021 11:05

1637232988 Why could Qatar be a turning point for Hamilton

Lusail Circuit appears to favor Mercedes’ machinery over Red Bull, and while nothing can be taken for granted, Hamilton could take a massive step forward this weekend.

If Mercedes can dominate, with Hamilton winning, fastest lap and Bottas beating Verstappen to finish second and leaving the Dutchman third, that would leave Red Bull’s only three-point advantage.

With two high-speed tracks in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and Yas Marina in the United Arab Emirates, such a small shortfall would make Hamilton the favorite to secure the crown.

Dan Austin November 18, 2021 10:56

1637232072 Ferrari chief backs reverse grid racing in sudden turn

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto says Lewis Hamilton’s performance in the Interlagos sprint has convinced him that reverse grid racing should be taken into account for the future of Formula 1.

Despite opposition from the likes of Hamilton himself and four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel, the Italian says the excitement it brings to witness a quick breakthrough on the field from behind can make it a regular occurrence.

“I think it is [increase drama] Honestly, because of a lot of excess, and a lot of fun,” he told Motorsport.com.

“I think we should really think about it, and that’s clear what the sprint race is like. Having seen what’s going on, I think it’s even indisputable.”

Dan Austin November 18, 2021 10:41

1637231407 Brandl questions Mercedes’ chances of appeal

Formula 1 commentator and former McLaren driver Martin Brandel is highly skeptical about Mercedes’ chances of success in their appeal against Verstappen’s driving in Brazil.

“These allegations rarely change the decision,” he wrote to Sky Sports.

“In any case, Red Bull would say they sped off at the end, so any five-second penalty that puts them behind Bottas would be unfair – Max would have been driving faster, which Mercedes would say would be Valtteri. Hamilton has remained very calm about the crash and the call. the subsequent wireless to tell him no further action from the hosts. I strongly suspect that his determination to overtake Max rose at that point.”

Dan Austin November 18, 2021 10:30

1637230857 There is still a risk of infection with the Corona virus for Hamilton and Verstappen

There are plenty of concerns that will dominate the minds of Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton as the title race comes to the wire, including the reliability of their machines, potential upgrades to their rival’s car, and the uncertainty of racing at entry-level tracks in Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

One thing that cannot be taken for granted, though, is that both drivers will not be affected by Covid-19 for the last few races.

Hamilton missed the Sakhir Grand Prix last season thanks to a positive test, while Kimi Raikkonen missed Zandvoort for the same reason.

A positive test would almost certainly cost any of the championship drivers.

Dan Austin November 18, 2021 10:20

Mercedes resumes FIA hearing in Qatar

The big news today is that Mercedes will present its case to the FIA ​​at a hearing at 2pm this afternoon as they seek a retroactive penalty for Max Verstappen.

The Dutchman went too far into Turn 4 as Lewis Hamilton was trying to overtake from the outside, forcing the seven-times world champion off the road and exposing his charge on the field. The Briton eventually succeeded, after 11 laps, and the circuit hosts decided there was no unnecessary investigation.

Mercedes strongly disagrees, however, and team principal Toto Wolff called the decision “laughable”.

Dan Austin November 18, 2021 10:11

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