Latest news with #Alpines
7NEWS
03-07-2025
- Automotive
- 7NEWS
Oscar Piastri sees funny side after caught sledging Alpine on team radio during Austrian GP
McLaren's Formula One championship leader Oscar Piastri says cursing at former employers Alpine over the radio at last weekend's Austrian Grand Prix was just a humorous way of expressing his frustration. The Australian made a comment after having to go off-track to avoid Renault-owned Alpine's Argentine driver Franco Colapinto. 'Alpine still managed to find a way to (expletive) me over all these years later, huh,' he told race engineer Tom Stallard in an exchange not broadcast on television at the time. Piastri said at a McLaren fan event in London's Trafalgar Square on Wednesday that his swearing had just been spur of the moment. 'It was just kind of a frustrating coincidence. My qualifying got hampered by an Alpine. I got impeded in the race by both the Alpines, so it was kind of just a build-up of a few things,' he said. 'And it was more out of frustration. 'I still have a lot of friends at Alpine, a lot of people that I respect a lot. 'It was just kind of an ironic coincidence that the things that hampered me a bit in the weekend were all with Alpine. But, yeah, more just me trying to express my humour and frustration in the race.' Piastri joined McLaren after being named by Alpine as their driver for 2023, only for the Australian to very publicly reject the seat with a statement that has become part of Formula One lore. Then Alpine team boss Otmar Szafnauer questioned the driver's integrity and threatened legal action, but McLaren won easily when the matter went to the contract recognition board. Alpine are last in the championship and still going through turmoil, while McLaren won the constructors' title last year and are runaway favourites again. Meanwhile, Lando Norris insists it will not be a failure if McLaren team-mate Piastri beats him to the world title. Norris' championship charge is back on track following his win from pole position at the previous round in Austria. But he still remains 15 points adrift of Piastri going into his home race at Silverstone this weekend. With Norris and Piastri pulling clear of their rivals in the individual standings — and McLaren 207 points ahead in the battle for the constructors' title — Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has already declared a two-horse race for the championship. There was a party atmosphere at a huge fanzone event at London's Trafalgar Square on Wednesday, where the two world title contenders were the main attraction. Norris started the season as the championship favourite, but when asked if he thought it would be a failure if he did not land his maiden world crown this year, the British driver replied: 'I'd have to say I didn't succeed in achieving my goal, but I don't think you can ever call it a failure because I don't believe like I've failed anything. 'I will feel like I didn't live up to what I believed I could have done or the level I should have reached at certain times. But that's not a failure by any means. 'If things were much easier, and you don't achieve your goal, maybe you can call that a failure, but when it is such a long season, competing against the best in the world, I don't think you can ever call not winning the title a failure.' Now in his seventh season on the grid, Norris will make his 140th Formula One start at Sunday's British Grand Prix. Mistakes by driver and team saw Norris fall short in his bid to beat Red Bull's Max Verstappen to the title last year. The errors have carried over for Norris this year, particularly in qualifying, which leaves question marks over his championship credentials. Norris excelled in Austria, where he held off Piastri in an epic duel, but he has never won consecutive races. He said: 'It is only normal you feel the pressure from the outside world, but that's not different for me this year. 'It's more the desire, almost too much desire inside, to want to do such a good job every weekend. I want to do so well, I want to deliver for the team and I want to win. I kind of put myself under too much pressure. Norris will be among four British drivers on the grid this weekend, but there is a case to be made the McLaren man is the most popular of the quartet. Norris has sold out his own 10,000-seated area - the Landostand - at Stowe corner for the weekend. 'It's very cool because I got it before Lewis (Hamilton) and George (Russell) so that's the best bit,' added Norris with a smile. 'It is incredible. Originally there was a select amount of seats, they sold out almost too quickly, so we had to buy and then sell a load more.'
The Advertiser
03-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
Curses, foiled again, but Piastri sees the funny side
McLaren's Formula One championship leader Oscar Piastri says cursing at former employers Alpine over the radio at last weekend's Austrian Grand Prix was just a humorous way of expressing his frustration. The Australian made a comment after having to go off-track to avoid Renault-owned Alpine's Argentine driver Franco Colapinto. "Alpine still managed to find a way to (expletive) me over all these years later, huh," he told race engineer Tom Stallard in an exchange not broadcast on television at the time. Piastri said at a McLaren fan event in London's Trafalgar Square on Wednesday that his swearing had just been spur of the moment. "It was just kind of a frustrating coincidence. My qualifying got hampered by an Alpine. I got impeded in the race by both the Alpines, so it was kind of just a build-up of a few things," he said. "And it was more out of frustration. "I still have a lot of friends at Alpine, a lot of people that I respect a lot. "It was just kind of an ironic coincidence that the things that hampered me a bit in the weekend were all with Alpine. But, yeah, more just me trying to express my humour and frustration in the race." Piastri joined McLaren after being named by Alpine as their driver for 2023, only for the Australian to very publicly reject the seat with a statement that has become part of Formula One lore. Then Alpine team boss Otmar Szafnauer questioned the driver's integrity and threatened legal action, but McLaren won easily when the matter went to the contract recognition board. Alpine are last in the championship and still going through turmoil, while McLaren won the constructors' title last year and are runaway favourites again. McLaren's Formula One championship leader Oscar Piastri says cursing at former employers Alpine over the radio at last weekend's Austrian Grand Prix was just a humorous way of expressing his frustration. The Australian made a comment after having to go off-track to avoid Renault-owned Alpine's Argentine driver Franco Colapinto. "Alpine still managed to find a way to (expletive) me over all these years later, huh," he told race engineer Tom Stallard in an exchange not broadcast on television at the time. Piastri said at a McLaren fan event in London's Trafalgar Square on Wednesday that his swearing had just been spur of the moment. "It was just kind of a frustrating coincidence. My qualifying got hampered by an Alpine. I got impeded in the race by both the Alpines, so it was kind of just a build-up of a few things," he said. "And it was more out of frustration. "I still have a lot of friends at Alpine, a lot of people that I respect a lot. "It was just kind of an ironic coincidence that the things that hampered me a bit in the weekend were all with Alpine. But, yeah, more just me trying to express my humour and frustration in the race." Piastri joined McLaren after being named by Alpine as their driver for 2023, only for the Australian to very publicly reject the seat with a statement that has become part of Formula One lore. Then Alpine team boss Otmar Szafnauer questioned the driver's integrity and threatened legal action, but McLaren won easily when the matter went to the contract recognition board. Alpine are last in the championship and still going through turmoil, while McLaren won the constructors' title last year and are runaway favourites again. McLaren's Formula One championship leader Oscar Piastri says cursing at former employers Alpine over the radio at last weekend's Austrian Grand Prix was just a humorous way of expressing his frustration. The Australian made a comment after having to go off-track to avoid Renault-owned Alpine's Argentine driver Franco Colapinto. "Alpine still managed to find a way to (expletive) me over all these years later, huh," he told race engineer Tom Stallard in an exchange not broadcast on television at the time. Piastri said at a McLaren fan event in London's Trafalgar Square on Wednesday that his swearing had just been spur of the moment. "It was just kind of a frustrating coincidence. My qualifying got hampered by an Alpine. I got impeded in the race by both the Alpines, so it was kind of just a build-up of a few things," he said. "And it was more out of frustration. "I still have a lot of friends at Alpine, a lot of people that I respect a lot. "It was just kind of an ironic coincidence that the things that hampered me a bit in the weekend were all with Alpine. But, yeah, more just me trying to express my humour and frustration in the race." Piastri joined McLaren after being named by Alpine as their driver for 2023, only for the Australian to very publicly reject the seat with a statement that has become part of Formula One lore. Then Alpine team boss Otmar Szafnauer questioned the driver's integrity and threatened legal action, but McLaren won easily when the matter went to the contract recognition board. Alpine are last in the championship and still going through turmoil, while McLaren won the constructors' title last year and are runaway favourites again. McLaren's Formula One championship leader Oscar Piastri says cursing at former employers Alpine over the radio at last weekend's Austrian Grand Prix was just a humorous way of expressing his frustration. The Australian made a comment after having to go off-track to avoid Renault-owned Alpine's Argentine driver Franco Colapinto. "Alpine still managed to find a way to (expletive) me over all these years later, huh," he told race engineer Tom Stallard in an exchange not broadcast on television at the time. Piastri said at a McLaren fan event in London's Trafalgar Square on Wednesday that his swearing had just been spur of the moment. "It was just kind of a frustrating coincidence. My qualifying got hampered by an Alpine. I got impeded in the race by both the Alpines, so it was kind of just a build-up of a few things," he said. "And it was more out of frustration. "I still have a lot of friends at Alpine, a lot of people that I respect a lot. "It was just kind of an ironic coincidence that the things that hampered me a bit in the weekend were all with Alpine. But, yeah, more just me trying to express my humour and frustration in the race." Piastri joined McLaren after being named by Alpine as their driver for 2023, only for the Australian to very publicly reject the seat with a statement that has become part of Formula One lore. Then Alpine team boss Otmar Szafnauer questioned the driver's integrity and threatened legal action, but McLaren won easily when the matter went to the contract recognition board. Alpine are last in the championship and still going through turmoil, while McLaren won the constructors' title last year and are runaway favourites again.
Perth Now
02-07-2025
- Automotive
- Perth Now
Curses, foiled again, but Piastri sees the funny side
McLaren's Formula One championship leader Oscar Piastri says cursing at former employers Alpine over the radio at last weekend's Austrian Grand Prix was just a humorous way of expressing his frustration. The Australian made a comment after having to go off-track to avoid Renault-owned Alpine's Argentine driver Franco Colapinto. "Alpine still managed to find a way to (expletive) me over all these years later, huh," he told race engineer Tom Stallard in an exchange not broadcast on television at the time. Piastri said at a McLaren fan event in London's Trafalgar Square on Wednesday that his swearing had just been spur of the moment. "It was just kind of a frustrating coincidence. My qualifying got hampered by an Alpine. I got impeded in the race by both the Alpines, so it was kind of just a build-up of a few things," he said. "And it was more out of frustration. "I still have a lot of friends at Alpine, a lot of people that I respect a lot. "It was just kind of an ironic coincidence that the things that hampered me a bit in the weekend were all with Alpine. But, yeah, more just me trying to express my humour and frustration in the race." Piastri joined McLaren after being named by Alpine as their driver for 2023, only for the Australian to very publicly reject the seat with a statement that has become part of Formula One lore. Then Alpine team boss Otmar Szafnauer questioned the driver's integrity and threatened legal action, but McLaren won easily when the matter went to the contract recognition board. Alpine are last in the championship and still going through turmoil, while McLaren won the constructors' title last year and are runaway favourites again.
Reuters
21-03-2025
- Automotive
- Reuters
Hamilton takes first pole for Ferrari in China sprint race
SHANGHAI, March 21 (Reuters) - Lewis Hamilton smashed the Shanghai circuit lap record on his way to a stunning first sprint race pole for Ferrari in China on Friday, with Red Bull's reigning champion Max Verstappen alongside on the front row. The seven times world champion produced a best time of one minute 30.849 seconds with last year's winner Verstappen a mere 0.018 slower in the first sprint race qualifying of the Formula One season. McLaren's Oscar Piastri qualified third with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc fourth, Mercedes' George Russell fifth and McLaren's championship leader Lando Norris sixth. The sprint pole was Hamilton's first of any sort since joining Ferrari from Mercedes and marked a remarkable turnaround from finishing 10th in a disappointing season-opener in Australia last weekend. "I didn't expect that result but I'm so happy and so proud," said the 40-year-old. "The last race was a disaster for us and we knew there was more performance in the car but weren't able to extract it. I'm a bit in shock." Verstappen said second was a morale boost for the team but expected it would be hard to keep the McLarens behind even over a reduced distance. "I'm very happy. In practice, we were quite a bit off so I'm very happy to be on the front row," he added. Norris had looked set for a fast time but made a mistake and ran wide, forcing the Briton to abort his lap. "I locked up in the last corner. We just struggled a bit more now, just not quick enough, simply. Struggled a lot with the car," he said. "When the wind's blowing then we struggle a lot more....I think the car is still good and in a good window. Maybe not good enough for pole, but we can definitely go forward." Italian rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli will start seventh, ahead of Racing Bulls' Yuki Tsunoda, Williams' Alex Albon and Lance Stroll for Aston Martin. British rookie Oliver Bearman made a strong return for Haas after an error-strewn opener in Melbourne and will line up 12th on Saturday's grid and ahead of Williams' Carlos Sainz in 13th. The same could not be said for Red Bull's Liam Lawson, whose difficult start as Verstappen's new teammate continued with last on the sprint grid and complaining he could not get the tyres working. Neither of the Alpines made it through the first phase of qualifying, with Frenchman Pierre Gasly lining up 17th and Australian rookie Jack Doohan 16th.
Bloomberg
20-02-2025
- Automotive
- Bloomberg
Renault Is Rivaling Mercedes in Close Race No One Saw Coming
Thanks for reading Hyperdrive, Bloomberg's newsletter on the future of the auto world. Renault and Mercedes-Benz are an unlikely pair for comparison. The former largely competes for mid-market car buyers and sells far more cheap Dacias than expensive Alpines. Mercedes, on the other hand, has vowed the last few years to lean into German luxury like never before.
