2023-11-21 13:09:22
8:12 a.m
Why did Ocon disregard the Alpine team orders?
Esteban Ocon impressed with a strong fourth place in Las Vegas. However, this was overshadowed by the fact that in one situation he overtook his teammate Pierre Gasly, even though the team had issued a ban on overtaking.
Ocon received instructions on the radio to maintain his position behind Gasly – but still passed. Opposite Sky He justifies the action after the race by saying that he simply didn’t understand the instructions.
“Hold position,” the team demanded on the radio, but Ocon asserted: “I only heard ‘position’.” The Frenchman also makes it clear: “If the team had asked me to give the position back, I would of course have done so immediately.”
However, that didn’t happen because while Gasly had problems with the tires and fell out of the points, Ocon finished fourth. In the end there were seven places between the two Alpine drivers.
14:00 clock
Quitting time!
And that’s it again for today’s ticker. We’re changing things up a lot, tomorrow my colleague Norman Fischer welcomes you to a new edition and from Thursday Kevin Scheuren will be there for you again just in time for Media Day in Abu Dhabi.
Have a nice rest of your Tuesday and see you then!
1:55 p.m
Krack: Crisis has made Aston Martin even stronger
After a strong start to the season, Aston Martin has been pretty worn out this season. According to team boss Mike Krack, this didn’t cause unrest in the team – quite the opposite!
“I think it showed the real qualities of the team, of Fernando and Lance, that we stuck together,” he emphasizes, explaining that it was “really difficult times.”
“And I think the relationship has become even stronger as a result,” says Krack happily. At the start of the season it still felt like a “honeymoon,” the team boss reveals.
But even in the tough times, we stuck together afterwards.
1:37 p.m
The biggest lead in history
One thing is already certain: Max Verstappen will set another Formula 1 record in Abu Dhabi this weekend! Because the Dutchman will end the season with the biggest lead a world champion has ever had.
To date, this record is still held by Sebastian Vettel, who was 155 points ahead of Fernando Alonso at the end of the 2013 season. Verstappen is now 276 points ahead of his teammate Sergio Perez!
Even in the “worst case scenario”, namely if Perez wins, sets the fastest lap and Verstappen is eliminated, the world champion will end the season with a lead of at least 250 points.
1:16 p.m
Test: Haas with Fittipaldi and Bearman
In exactly one week, i.e. on the Tuesday after the season finale in Abu Dhabi, there will be another test at the same location. This consists of two parts, namely a “normal” tire test and one specifically for young drivers.
This means: All teams are allowed to use two cars each. Haas has now announced that none of the regular drivers will drive there. Ferrari junior Oliver Bearman will once again complete the junior test, with Pietro Fittipaldi driving the other car.
“Pietro’s reliability is always appreciated by the team, especially when we are still collecting data and knowledge for next season. That’s why it’s good that he is continuing his testing work after the tire test in Silverstone,” said team boss Günther Steiner.
Let’s wait and see which other drivers we’ll see in the car in a week. In most cases, the young drivers will probably be the drivers who will already be in the car in FT1.
12:56 p.m
Two years ago today…
…Lewis Hamilton won the first Formula 1 race in Qatar. Thanks to his victory, he came within eight points of leader Max Verstappen in the world championship.
What no one knew back then: it would be Hamilton’s penultimate victory in Formula 1 to this day. He was only able to win the following race in Saudi Arabia.
The record world champion has been winless in the premier class since December 5, 2021.
12:37 p.m
Vasseur: New battery didn’t bring any performance
Ferrari had hoped to be able to change the battery on Carlos Sainz’s car without penalty after the accident in the first Vegas training session that was not his fault. But that wasn’t possible, and so the Spaniard had to move ten places back on the starting grid.
You can’t just swap a set of tires or an engine for a new one because it’s about performance, explains Vasseur. “But there is no performance in the battery,” he clarifies.
This means: According to Vasseur, the new battery did not provide any additional power on the weekend compared to the old one. The team boss had therefore hoped to be able to claim a case of “force majeure”.
But according to the race stewards, that wasn’t possible.
12:14 p.m
The duel between the two Alpine pilots…
… by the way, you can also see it again in the video here. Unfortunately without the corresponding radio messages…
11:56 a.m
Saying yes in the craziest paddock of the season!
Kevin Scheuren takes you in our new video on a short tour of the paddock at the Grand Prix in Las Vegas and shows, among other things, the chapel where Jacques Villeneuve got married and the “Holy Grail” of Formula 1, the paddock!
Saying yes in the craziest paddock of the season!
Kevin Scheuren takes you on a short tour of the paddock at the Grand Prix in Las Vegas and shows, among other things, the chapel where Jacques Villeneuve got married and the “Holy Grail” of Formula 1, the paddock. More Formula 1 videos
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