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Irish Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Irish Daily Mirror
Irish prodigy Alex Dunne gushes with emotion when he sees Dad after F1 debut
Irish racing prodigy Alex Dunne gushed with emotion as he met a proud father following his Formula 1 racing debut on Friday. Dunne was let drive for Team McLaren in place of Lando Norris for this afternoon's FP1 session and exceeded the lofty expectations thrown his way as he clocked the fourth fastest time, behind only George Russell, Max Verstappen, and Oscar Piastri. And the 19-year-old was emotional throughout the day as he embraced his father, Noel. "I don't even know where to start. Super, super happy. It's safe to say it went pretty well," Dunne told McLaren's social media team after the session. "We knew going through the session that the goal wasn't necessarily for performance, it was more to help out with the car, help Lando, and help the team improve as much as they can for FP2, FP3, and then onwards into the weekend. To have the pace that I had and show was I am capable on the F1 stage is something pretty special." On concluding the session, a delighted Dunne said: "I want to thank everyone. A little boy's dream came true; that was definitely the best day of my life. Thanks, everyone, [it] means a lot." By competing on Friday, Dunne is the first Irish racing driver to feature on the stage since Ralph Firman in 2003, and there will be justifiable hype surrounding the Offaly teen. Dunne currently sits top of the Formula Two standings, and a strong finish to the season, accompanied by some more opportunities, could mean he could make a real name for himself in the sport. McLaren team boss Andrea Stella took time to speak to Sky Sports after the race, where he branded Dunne 'diligent' and 'impressive' while also tempering expectations, saying his fast lap times came later when his fuel was down.
Belfast Telegraph
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Jonathan Rea endures tough day on return to action: ‘I don't feel amazing'
Rea has been out of action since injuring his left foot in a crash in testing at Phillip Island in Australia at the end of February. He was given the all-clear to race this weekend by the WSBK Medical Director but the record-breaking six-time world champion said it was a challenging comeback after such a long period out of the saddle. Rea set his fastest lap in 1'30.547, which was 1.3 seconds down on pacesetter and championship leader Nicolo Bulega ( Ducati). 'It's been a difficult day but firstly, my foot feels fine riding,' Rea said. 'I had a couple of areas where my foot was in the wrong position and when I ride with my big toe on the foot peg it feels quite painful but generally it's fine. 'Of course, it's been a long time off the bike and physically, I didn't feel amazing. 'However, I expected that to an extent and need some race fitness back. 'The R1 is quite different to when I last rode it and we worked through FP1 and FP2 with the same tyre set-ups to find the rhythm and still I didn't feel fully comfortable. 'We made some changes but nothing has really ticked the box yet to let me stop the bike in the way I really want to, so that's the focus for tonight to give me more confidence to reach the apex. 'We'll try to make a step tomorrow but – even if it's really tough – it's great to be back with the team and re-starting the journey to being fully competitive.' Rea is competing at Cremona for the first time after he was ruled out of last year's inaugural round at the new WSBK venue because of injury. Italian Bulega led the times by 0.307s from BMW's Toprak Razgatlioglu, who is also making his debut at Cremona this weekend after he, too, missed the 2024 race through injury. Bulega finished second in the standings in a sensational rookie season in World Superbikes last year and currently leads Razgatlioglu by 21 points going into the fourth round. The first race today is scheduled for 1300 BST with tomorrow's races at 1000 BST and 1300 BST.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Assessing Tsunoda's first day in the Red Bull cockpit at F1's Japanese GP
Motorsport photo After the expectation comes the reality. Yuki Tsunoda's first day actually driving Red Bull's diva-ish RB21 Formula 1 machine, as opposed to piloting an ersatz version of it in a simulator, answered some questions while leaving others hanging. Advertisement Very few of those matters outstanding were Tsunoda's fault, though, owing to the second practice session being punctuated by four red-flag periods. These not only cost him track time in a car whose performance peaks are notoriously difficult to access, they prevented him from performing a qualifying simulation on soft tyres. As such, while a glance at the FP2 times suggests calamity – team-mate Max Verstappen posted the eighth fastest lap while Tsunoda was 18th, nearly two seconds slower – the reality is more nuanced. In FP1 they had been much closer in terms of overall lap time: fifth and sixth with Tsunoda just 0.107s off Verstappen. Veritably it was a day for those who regard themselves as F1's bellwethers to perform what's known in the trade as a 'reverse ferret'. Having proclaimed Tsunoda the new messiah after FP1, they pivoted to derision – the new pariah? – as FP2 came to a close. Advertisement The real picture was always going to be challenging to decode, since part of the Suzuka track has been resurfaced and will therefore evolve differently over the course of the weekend, and Tsunoda was going to have to feel out those areas where the real RB21's behaviour differs from the one he's driven in the simulator. 'Feel' being the operative word here since even the most sophisticated simulator can only transmit some seat-of-the-pants sensation because it can't recreate g-loadings other than those caused by major changes of direction. Not only that, if Red Bull could recreate in the simulator the RB21's rear-end twitchiness as the driver leans on the front axle, it would be well along the road to understanding how to fix that trait in the real car. Also, Red Bull had introduced three minor aerodynamic changes with a view to cleaning up airflow around the rear end: a reprofiled engine cover and cooling exit, an enlarged rear brake duct outlet, and a new rear wishbone shroud. Teams now have to document such changes and Red Bull's spiel claimed the engine cover and brake duct changes were principally for reliability reasons, but such amendments can and do have performance implications. Disrupted FP2 gave Tsunoda little time in the Red Bull Disrupted FP2 gave Tsunoda little time in the Red Bull Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images Advertisement At the end of FP1 Tsunoda came on the radio to describe the car as 'interesting'. He didn't make the same observation as Verstappen, which was that he felt like his RB21 was 'flexing' through sector two, the area that starts at the Degner curves and runs to midway along the back straight. Of course, the car may not actually have been flexing, but producing sensations analogous to that – the second Degner, the Hairpin and the Spoon are areas where the RB21's tendency to lurch from understeer to oversteer will manifest themselves. Verstappen may just have been trying to express the feeling as viscerally as possible. Tsunoda, as the new boy, won't have been keen to denigrate the car on his first day. And, in any case, as Liam Lawson found to his cost, it is what it is. Still, there was a slightly hangdog quality to Tsunoda's demeanour when F1 TV caught up with him after FP2. 'FP1 was better than expected – FP2, yeah, I didn't set a lap time,' he said. 'I think there's lots of work to do, we slightly… struggled, something to look through in the data from FP2 more, but overall it's OK. Advertisement 'I just have to build up confidence more. It [the RB21] is a bit different to the simulator – what I felt. To be honest, a little more than I was expecting in terms of car feeling. 'But it's always going to be a bit different in the real car. It [the car's tendency towards snap oversteer] was just a little more exaggerated in the real car, feeling a bit more tricky.' Tsunoda admitted to finding a larger-than-expected difference between sim and reality Tsunoda admitted to finding a larger-than-expected difference between sim and reality Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images The four red flags in FP2 were disruptive to everyone but the stoppage prompted by Fernando Alonso's off-track excursion was the one that cost Tsunoda, who had only just gone out on soft tyres to attempt a performance run. Following that, the team adjusted its run plan and sent him out on a race simulation. Advertisement While that will have been useful in terms of learning how the car balance changes over the race, missing the push-laps could prove to be damaging. Suzuka, for all that fans and drivers venerate its brilliance, is a tough track on which to overtake. Qualifying is (almost) everything here given the challenge of passing on track, which leaves FP3 as Tsunoda's last opportunity to feel his way towards the RB21's limits before qualifying. At the moment his loudest fan is former Racing Bulls boss Franz Tost, a guest pundit this weekend on the Austrian TV channel ORF. 'Yuki has incredible natural speed,' thundered Tost. 'I've been saying that for years. Now, he just needs to put it all together properly.' Advertisement If he doesn't, will Tost be the next pundit to pivot? Photos from Japanese GP - Practice Lando Norris, McLaren Lando Norris, McLaren Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images General view General view Clive Rose / Getty Images Clive Rose / Getty Images Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing Bryn Lennon - Formula 1 Bryn Lennon - Formula 1 Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Clive Mason - Getty Images Clive Mason - Getty Images Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Rudy Carezzevoli / Motorsport Images Rudy Carezzevoli / Motorsport Images Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Jayce Illman - Getty Images Jayce Illman - Getty Images Ryo Hirakawa, Alpine reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa, Alpine reserve driver Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images General view General view Clive Rose / Getty Images Clive Rose / Getty Images Lily Zneimer, girlfriend of Oscar Piastri, McLaren Lily Zneimer, girlfriend of Oscar Piastri, McLaren Jayce Illman - Getty Images Jayce Illman - Getty Images Jack Doohan, Alpine Jack Doohan, Alpine Clive Mason - Getty Images Clive Mason - Getty Images Alex Albon, Williams with his girlfriend, Lily Muni He Alex Albon, Williams with his girlfriend, Lily Muni He Kym Illman (Getty Images) Kym Illman (Getty Images) Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber Bryn Lennon - Formula 1 Bryn Lennon - Formula 1 George Russell, Mercedes George Russell, Mercedes Clive Mason - Getty Images Clive Mason - Getty Images Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images General view General view Clive Rose / Getty Images Clive Rose / Getty Images Jean Alesi in the Paddock Jean Alesi in the Paddock Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Ryo Hirakawa walks in the paddock with his family Ryo Hirakawa walks in the paddock with his family Kym Illman (Getty Images) Kym Illman (Getty Images) Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team Clive Mason - Getty Images Clive Mason - Getty Images Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Mark Thompson - Getty Images Mark Thompson - Getty Images Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes Clive Mason - Getty Images Clive Mason - Getty Images Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team Clive Mason - Getty Images Clive Mason - Getty Images Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Mark Thompson - Getty Images Mark Thompson - Getty Images Fans Fans Bryn Lennon - Formula 1 Bryn Lennon - Formula 1 Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing Mark Thompson - Getty Images Mark Thompson - Getty Images Car of Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing Car of Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing Philip Fong - AFP - Getty Images Philip Fong - AFP - Getty Images Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team Peter Fox - Getty Images Peter Fox - Getty Images Alex Albon, Williams Alex Albon, Williams Bryn Lennon - Formula 1 Bryn Lennon - Formula 1 Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team Peter Fox - Getty Images Peter Fox - Getty Images Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Mark Thompson - Getty Images Mark Thompson - Getty Images Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari MOHD RASFAN-AFP via Getty Images MOHD RASFAN-AFP via Getty Images Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Rudy Carezzevoli / Motorsport Images Rudy Carezzevoli / Motorsport Images Ryo Hirakawa, Alpine Ryo Hirakawa, Alpine Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Philip Fong - AFP - Getty Images Philip Fong - AFP - Getty Images Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber Andy Hone / Motorsport Images Andy Hone / Motorsport Images Oscar Piastri, McLaren Oscar Piastri, McLaren Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Rudy Carezzevoli / Motorsport Images Rudy Carezzevoli / Motorsport Images Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Clive Rose / Motorsport Images Clive Rose / Motorsport Images Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Andy Hone / Motorsport Images Andy Hone / Motorsport Images Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Carlos Sainz, Williams Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Carlos Sainz, Williams Members of team Ferrari Members of team Ferrari Philip Fong - AFP - Getty Images Philip Fong - AFP - Getty Images George Russell, Mercedes George Russell, Mercedes Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls, Laurent Mekies, Racing Bulls Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls, Laurent Mekies, Racing Bulls Rudy Carezzevoli / Motorsport Images Rudy Carezzevoli / Motorsport Images Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Oscar Piastri, McLaren Oscar Piastri, McLaren Steven Tee / Motorsport Images Steven Tee / Motorsport Images Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Mark Thompson - Getty Images Mark Thompson - Getty Images Alexander Albon, Williams Alexander Albon, Williams Peter Fox - Getty Images Peter Fox - Getty Images Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes Andy Hone / Motorsport Images Andy Hone / Motorsport Images Ryo Hirakawa, Alpine Ryo Hirakawa, Alpine Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Mark Thompson - Getty Images Mark Thompson - Getty Images Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images George Russell, Mercedes George Russell, Mercedes Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Team Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Team Rudy Carezzevoli / Motorsport Images Rudy Carezzevoli / Motorsport Images Carlos Sainz, Williams Carlos Sainz, Williams Clive Rose / Getty Images Clive Rose / Getty Images Oscar Piastri, McLaren Oscar Piastri, McLaren MOHD RASFAN-AFP via Getty Images MOHD RASFAN-AFP via Getty Images Pierre Gasly, Alpine Pierre Gasly, Alpine Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari MOHD RASFAN-AFP via Getty Images MOHD RASFAN-AFP via Getty Images Carlos Sainz, Williams Carlos Sainz, Williams Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images Lando Norris, McLaren Lando Norris, McLaren Clive Rose / Getty Images Clive Rose / Getty Images Lando Norris, McLaren Lando Norris, McLaren Clive Rose / Getty Images Clive Rose / Getty Images Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Clive Rose / Getty Images Clive Rose / Getty Images Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing crash Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing crash Rudy Carezzevoli / Motorsport Images Rudy Carezzevoli / Motorsport Images Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing crash Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing crash Rudy Carezzevoli / Motorsport Images Rudy Carezzevoli / Motorsport Images Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images Jack Doohan, Alpine crash Jack Doohan, Alpine crash Bryn Lennon - Formula 1 Bryn Lennon - Formula 1 Jack Doohan, Alpine crash Jack Doohan, Alpine crash Bryn Lennon - Formula 1 Bryn Lennon - Formula 1 Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Bryn Lennon - Formula 1 Bryn Lennon - Formula 1 Lando Norris, McLaren Lando Norris, McLaren Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team Peter Fox - Getty Images Peter Fox - Getty Images Lando Norris, McLaren Lando Norris, McLaren Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Bryn Lennon - Formula 1 Bryn Lennon - Formula 1 Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Rudy Carezzevoli / Motorsport Images Rudy Carezzevoli / Motorsport Images Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Mark Thompson - Getty Images Mark Thompson - Getty Images Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber Andy Hone / Motorsport Images Andy Hone / Motorsport Images Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team Peter Fox - Getty Images Peter Fox - Getty Images
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Lewis Hamilton finishes fifth in second practice session behind Charles Leclerc
Lewis Hamilton finished fifth in practice for the Australian Grand Prix as his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc led the way in Melbourne. Leclerc ended Formula One's first running of the new season 0.124 seconds ahead of McLaren driver and home favourite Oscar Piastri. Lando Norris, billed as the pre-season championship favourite, topped the opening session. However, he had to settle for third later in the day, 0.141 sec off Leclerc's pace. Ending the our first practice day on a high 👌 — Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) March 14, 2025 RB's Yuki Tsunoda and Isack Hadjar finished fourth and sixth respectively, with world champion Max Verstappen only seventh for Red Bull, six-tenths back. Four hundred and six days after his shock move from Mercedes to Ferrari was announced, Hamilton finally made his much-anticipated debut for Ferrari here at a sun-lashed Albert Park. Prior to Friday's running, Hamilton – out-qualified and out-scored by team-mate George Russell at the Silver Arrows last year and with just two victories from his last 69 appearances – insisted he was not feeling the pressure of a transfer billed as the biggest in the sport's 75-year history. Despite hinting that he will need time to adapt to his new surroundings, he also added that he has nothing to prove. The 40-year-old ended the first one-hour session down in 12th – complaining that he was struggling to turn the car – before improving to fifth, albeit 0.420 seconds behind new team-mate Leclerc. The evidence of pre-season testing suggested McLaren and Ferrari will start the year as the teams to beat, and practice did little to dispel that with the drivers from both sides occupying four of the first five places. Verstappen is bidding to win a fifth consecutive title, but he appeared short of confidence in his Red Bull and finished 0.624 sec behind Leclerc. Liam Lawson in the other Red Bull was only 17th of the 19 runners. George Russell was 10th for Mercedes, six places ahead of new team-mate Kimi Antonelli. British teenager Ollie Bearman was unable to complete a lap in second practice after he crashed out of the opening running. It's Charles Leclerc who ends FP2 with the fastest time 💪 1️⃣ Leclerc2️⃣ Piastri3️⃣ Norris#F1 #AusGP — Formula 1 (@F1) March 14, 2025 Bearman made three appearances last season, one for Ferrari and two for Haas, to land a promotion to the grid this year – one of six rookies in 2025. However, Bearman ended up in the wall with 22 minutes left after he ran through the gravel on the exit of Turn 10 and hit the wall. The right-rear wheel tore off his Haas with the front-right tyre crumpling underneath. 'I am sorry,' said the 19-year-old on the radio before he emerged from his cockpit following the high-speed crash. Bearman's mechanics spent the next hours fixing his car, but they were unable to get it ready in time for the day's concluding running.
