In the round-up: Liam Lawson says he always expected to return to a Formula 1 race seat this season.
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In brief
Waiting for an F1 seat “a bit horrible” – Lawson
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner told Lawson last year that he would have the opportunity to race for one of the Red Bull-affiliated teams after stepping in for Daniel Ricciardo. Lawson said Horner had promised him a race seat at some point the following year, so he always believed it was a real possibility.
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However, Lawson said he did not know which driver he might replace until the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, when it became clear Ricciardo would not complete the season at Red Bull’s second team, RB.
“As you know Formula 1 is a rollercoaster and every weekend things change. One minute it looks really good and then it doesn’t — it all depends on how the guys are actually going. It’s a bit horrible to be honest because you’re sitting there wondering what your chances are of driving and it completely depends on how the guys that are currently driving are doing. You don’t want somebody’s downfall to be your way in, but for me to drive somebody has to leave, obviously.”
Wharton to F3…
Former Ferrari junior James Wharton will step up to Formula 3 next year with ART. Wharton finished runner-up to Ferrari Driver Academy member Rafael Camara in the Formula Regional European series this year and won three of the final four races.
…while Leon joins Prema
Noel Leon, previously part of Red Bull’s junior programme, will remain in F3 and join the leading Prema team next season. Leon raced for Van Amersfoort this year and finished 10th in the championship, though he was not among the season’s winners.
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Links
Austin’s Circuit of the Americas prepares to show off its repaired track for F1 drivers (Austin-American Statesman)
‘It will feel like a totally different track to the drivers. We’d done quite a few patchwork things over the years, but I know the big repave was overdue. This should lead to really fast lap times and some records.’
Hy-Vee departs Rahal Letterman Lanigan (Racer)
‘Hy-Vee will, however, continue to sponsor its home state Iowa Speedway doubleheader, but vehicle sponsorships and sponsorships of other races – as it did with IndyCar’s return to Milwaukee – will not go forward.’
The Ineos Effect: hit and miss as Jim Ratcliffe’s tentacles have gone global (The Guardian)
‘Financially, Ratcliffe and Ineos will have few complaints. Last year they took a share of a £75m dividend from the team, largely through healthy sponsorship revenues. On the track it has been downhill since Hamilton’s controversial loss to Max Verstappen in 2021.’
Las Vegas businesses brace for impact as F1 bridges return, roadblocks begin (Fox 5 Vegas)
‘They put like a wall in front of our business, and nobody can come, nobody can see,’ said Jimmy Singh, owner of Las Vegas Souvenirs and Gifts. ‘This year, they don’t have that much construction, but still, I know like 3 or 4 months, we have to go through the struggle.’
Our new home: Silverstone (F1 Grand Prix Drivers’ Club)
‘For the past three years, Grand Prix Drivers Club President, Emanuele Pirro, Club Secretary, Theo Huschek and vice-Presidents Mario Theissen and Tim Schenken have been in discussion with Silverstone Circuits Limited with a view to moving the Club secretariat to our own office at Silverstone in partnership with the British Racing Drivers Club.’
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Social media
Notable posts from X (formerly Twitter), TikTok and more:
I expect a race trophy to reflect the place the event is held at.
This has no apparent connection to the USA. It’s not even obvious how it relates to the sponsor. It looks like a cheap knock-off Lego minifigure.
— Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
https://twitter.com/HailieDeegan/status/1845904814015725604
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- Find more official F1 accounts to follow in the F1 Twitter Directory
Comment of the day
MichaelN says the real talking point for this weekend’s race is:
Has Red Bull managed to recover its form?
They need to be ahead of Ferrari and Mercedes to take the fight to McLaren, in which case Verstappen’s superior form should be enough to stave off any threat from Norris through the end of the season. Norris has wasted so many opportunities this year, so it’s hard to imagine him suddenly getting things together for the final set of races. But it’s also not impossible, so he still has a realistic chance at the title. And if Norris keeps winning races and Verstappen ends up behind the likes of Leclerc, Hamilton, and Piastri, things in the championship table can turn around quite quickly.
It’s quite inconceivable that Red Bull gets back ahead in the constructors’ championship. But if they also lose the drivers’ after such a dominant start to the season, this campaign has to rank as one of the biggest flubs in F1 history.
MichaelN
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday to Fer No. 65, Sebastiaan Huizinga and Carlos!
On this day in motorsport
- Born today in 1983: Future Formula 1 driver Bruno Senna, on the same day fellow Brazilian Nelson Piquet won his second world championship