Tt racers

MANAMA: Valtteri Bottas looks increasingly on borrowed time at Mercedes after George Russell showed the Formula One world champions just how good he can be. Russell, 22, was drafted in as a late replacement for Lewis Hamilton at Sunday's Sakhir Grand Prix when the seven-times champion tested positive for COVID-19, but at times it looked like the older Briton was at the wheel. Apart from qualifying, when Bottas took pole by a whisker, Russell had the measure of the Finn and could have won but for a team error and misfortune. "We learned that George Russell is somebody to count on in the future," Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said. "He has all the potential and all the ingredients that a future star needs." Russell, the 2018 Formula Two champion, has a long-term contract with Mercedes and has been learning the ropes at struggling Williams. The future looks bright for him. Less so for Bottas, who after being regularly beaten by one British driver, now has to worry about … [Read more...] about Formula 1: Bottas looks to be on borrowed time at Mercedes

MANAMA: Romain Grosjean’s fiery Bahrain Grand Prix crash came as a wake-up call that drove home the reality of Formula One’s dangers, his Haas team mate Kevin Magnussen said on Thursday (Dec 3) . Grosjean careered off the track at high speed on the opening lap of last Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix. The Frenchman's car speared into the barriers in a 53G impact, that split it in half, and burst into flames bringing the race to a temporary halt. “It didn’t quite feel right to go back and race after that,” Magnussen told reporters via video conference at the same Sakhir desert track which will host a second race around its shorter outer circuit this weekend. “Suddenly you wake up from this dream world where you walk around thinking that nothing’s going to happen and you see a crash like that and it just suddenly becomes real.” READ: FIA launches probe into fiery Grosjean crash at Bahrain Grand Prix Magnussen, 28, is one of the sport’s hardest racers and has made no secret of … [Read more...] about Formula 1: Grosjean crash a wake-up call for Haas team mate Magnussen

MANAMA: Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton's late stand-in George Russell ended his first day atop the timesheets with the fastest time for Mercedes in Friday practice for the Sakhir Grand Prix. The 22-year-old, put into Hamilton’s seat after his fellow Briton tested positive for COVID-19, could not have asked for a better start to his debut with the world champions after lapping fastest in both of the day’s two sessions. Russell headed Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in both. He also finished ahead of team mate Valtteri Bottas, who was nursing damage to his Mercedes in the opening 90 minutes and had a lap time, which would have been faster than Russell’s best, deleted for exceeding track limits in the second session. The Finn ended the two sessions fourth and 11th, respectively. “I’ve found it good,” Russell, whose 54.546 seconds benchmark from the opening session stood as the fastest time of the day, told Formula One TV. “I’m working with the best in the business and I’m … [Read more...] about Formula 1: Hamilton stand-in Russell sets practice pace on Mercedes debut

LONDON: Brazilian Pietro Fittipaldi geared up for his Formula One debut on Friday with some words of advice from double world champion grandfather Emerson, who made his first grand prix appearance half a century ago. "I had advice from him, from my whole family," said the Miami-based 24-year-old, who is standing in at the Haas team for injured Romain Grosjean after the Frenchman's fiery crash. "I have a family of racers. My uncle Christian, I spoke to him, I spoke to my uncle Max Papis who also raced in F1...they said the main thing is to just go out there and enjoy it and then 'pedal to the metal', just deliver." Emerson Fittipaldi, the first in a line of Brazilian champions, made his grand prix debut with Lotus at the July 1970 British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch and won the championship in 1972 and 1974. Pietro's great uncle Wilson also competed in Formula One in the 1970s. First cousin once removed Christian raced for Minardi and Arrows in the 1990s. The latest … [Read more...] about Fittipaldi’s advice to his F1 grandson: Pedal to the metal

LONDON: Ferrari's Charles Leclerc says he would bet on George Russell winning Sunday's Sakhir Grand Prix when the Briton makes his Mercedes debut as Lewis Hamilton's replacement in the penultimate race of the season. Russell, 22, has yet to score a point in 36 races with struggling Williams but he could go from zero to hero in Bahrain after seven-times world champion Hamilton tested positive for COVID-19. Mercedes have won 13 of the 15 races this season - Hamilton 11 and Valtteri Bottas two - and been on pole position in all but one. "I think he will show how much of a good driver he is this weekend," said Leclerc when asked what Russell might be capable of achieving. "A podium at least, but I have some hope of a win. I mean, it's very optimistic but I know he's very good. I could bet on a win." The Monegasque is one of a group of young racers who grew up together and progressed through the junior rankings - and who still have a close bond maintained this year through … [Read more...] about Formula 1: Leclerc would bet on Russell winning in Hamilton’s car