Latest news with #RacingBull
CNA
4 days ago
- Automotive
- CNA
Mekies hails sacked Horner for his support
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium :New Red Bull Formula One team boss Laurent Mekies praised predecessor Christian Horner on Friday and revealed the Briton had been supportive and kept in touch since his sudden sacking two weeks ago. Mekies has been promoted from sister team Racing Bull to become only the second Red Bull principal since the energy drink brand entered the sport in 2005. "Yes, we have spoken," the Frenchman told reporters at the Belgian Grand Prix, his first race at the helm. "He has been nothing other than supportive, even in the extremely difficult context for him. "He was the first one to text, he was the first one to call. I think again this morning or yesterday, we texted each other again." Mekies said nobody would replace Horner as a character and he certainly would not try to do the job in a similar manner to the Briton, who had been in charge at Milton Keynes for more than 20 years. Instead, he said he would seek to "empower" more of his staff and rely on the existing strengths within the team. Horner has not spoken publicly since his July 9 sacking, although he did address factory staff before leaving. Mekies said he had been contacted "out of the blue" by Red Bull's head of corporate projects Oliver Mintzlaff and motorsport consultant Helmut Marko to offer him the job of principal. His immediate response was to ask for time to consider, and then he put the phone down. "First thought obviously goes to, in this moment as well, to Christian," he explained. "Because it's not something that, you know, I could have expected. And he had been nothing else than extremely supportive with me these last two years." Mekies said he had then called back and accepted the challenge. "You just say, of course. You know, if you think you need me there, I will go there." Mekies said providing the team's four-times world champion Max Verstappen with a fast car was a priority, as that would then resolve other issues about his future plans, and morale was holding up. "The focus is very much to, as we said earlier, try to get to know the team as quickly as possible in order to see how we can support, how we can build the next step of competitiveness in order to get a fast car," he said.
Reuters
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Reuters
Mekies hails sacked Horner for his support
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium, July 25 (Reuters) - New Red Bull Formula One team boss Laurent Mekies praised predecessor Christian Horner on Friday and revealed the Briton had been supportive and kept in touch since his sudden sacking two weeks ago. Mekies has been promoted from sister team Racing Bull to become only the second Red Bull principal since the energy drink brand entered the sport in 2005. "Yes, we have spoken," the Frenchman told reporters at the Belgian Grand Prix, his first race at the helm. "He has been nothing other than supportive, even in the extremely difficult context for him. "He was the first one to text, he was the first one to call. I think again this morning or yesterday, we texted each other again." Mekies said nobody would replace Horner as a character and he certainly would not try to do the job in a similar manner to the Briton, who had been in charge at Milton Keynes for more than 20 years. Instead, he said he would seek to "empower" more of his staff and rely on the existing strengths within the team. Horner has not spoken publicly since his July 9 sacking, although he did address factory staff before leaving. Mekies said he had been contacted "out of the blue" by Red Bull's head of corporate projects Oliver Mintzlaff and motorsport consultant Helmut Marko to offer him the job of principal. His immediate response was to ask for time to consider, and then he put the phone down. "First thought obviously goes to, in this moment as well, to Christian," he explained. "Because it's not something that, you know, I could have expected. And he had been nothing else than extremely supportive with me these last two years." Mekies said he had then called back and accepted the challenge. "You just say, of course. You know, if you think you need me there, I will go there." Mekies said providing the team's four-times world champion Max Verstappen with a fast car was a priority, as that would then resolve other issues about his future plans, and morale was holding up. "The focus is very much to, as we said earlier, try to get to know the team as quickly as possible in order to see how we can support, how we can build the next step of competitiveness in order to get a fast car," he said. "And hence, to make it an easy call for Max."
Perth Now
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- Perth Now
Piastri's lead cut to three points as Norris strikes
Nobody said it was going to be easy, and any thoughts of Oscar Piastri marching to a maiden world championship along a straight and smooth path were scattered to the four winds around the tight and twisting turns of Monaco. The great Australian hope had his overall lead in the standings trimmed to just three points as McLaren team-mate Lando Norris sped to his first win in Monte Carlo. "Monaco, baby, yeah baby!" a euphoric Norris said on the radio. "It feels amazing. This is what I did dream of when I was a kid." It was Norris's first Grand Prix victory since the first race of the season, in Australia, and glory in Monaco meant that, at a stroke, he had taken 10 whole points out of Piastri's lead. Piastri's feeling for the iconic circuit is probably less enthusiastic. Starting third on the grid, that was precisely where he finished up, home favourite Charles Leclerc depriving him of second place on the podium. When the Australian took his fourth win in six races in Miami at the start of May, he opened up an ominous-looking 16-point gap on the leaderboard. Now he heads to Barcelona for next weekend's Spanish Grand Prix with his top placing under real threat. World champion Max Verstappen, who fended off the McLarens to win last time in Imola, also finished where he started in fourth. Lewis Hamilton, knocked down to seventh on the grid after impeding Verstappen in qualifying, was a rare gainer as he placed fifth and Racing Bull's rookie Isack Hadjar was sixth in his best result so far. Mercedes had a dismal afternoon in the Mediterranean sunshine, after a nightmare in qualifying, with George Russell 11th and Italian rookie Kimi Antonelli 18th and the last car still running. The virtual safety car was deployed on the opening lap when Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto went into the tyre wall at Portier, the turn before the tunnel, as Antonelli passed on the inside. Aston Martin's double world champion Fernando Alonso was the second retirement, pulling off on lap 38 with a smoking car to continue his scoreless run for the season. With PA
Telegraph
06-04-2025
- Automotive
- Telegraph
Lewis Hamilton demands Ferrari changes amid ‘underperformance' compared to team-mate Charles Leclerc
Lewis Hamilton implied that his side of the Ferrari garage was 'underperforming' compared to that of team-mate Charles Leclerc after his difficult start to his Ferrari career continued with a seventh-place finish at the Japanese Grand Prix. Hamilton, who qualified eighth in Suzuka, said he now wanted to see 'positive changes' from his new team at next weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix. 'I'm really hoping in the next race we'll see some positive changes,' Hamilton said. 'Through the first three races there's been a bit of a deficit between both sides of the garage on some elements of the car. On my side, underperforming. So it's good to know. 'With what I had, that is the best result I could get.' The seven-time world champion, 40, tried a different strategy from the rest of the top 10 in Japan, going out on hard tyres and then using the mediums for his second stint. Hamilton managed to gain a place early on, passing Racing Bull's Isack Hadjar. But he was unable to make further inroads, finishing three places and 13 seconds behind team-mate Leclerc, and behind both Mercedes drivers. Ferrari came into this season with many expecting them to be title challengers but, despite Hamilton's sprint win in China, the Scuderia have struggled for race pace. They were also hit by a double disqualification in China, for breaching regulations on skid block wear and car weight. Hamilton said his old team, Mercedes, were definitely quicker than Ferrari in Suzuka, with George Russell and Kimi Antonelli both finishing within a few seconds of Leclerc, albeit unable to get past. 'My pace, I think, was maximum today,' Hamilton added. 'I didn't have anything else in the car. 'Underperformance happening at the rear of the car this weekend and obviously qualifying position is key. 'But I think I probably would have been overtaken by Mercedes if I was any further ahead. 'I'm hoping the next race we will be closer. It will definitely be interesting, for sure. 'I just hope we're a little bit closer but I think we are probably the fourth-fastest at the moment and we are a little bit off the other guys in terms of performance, downforce level-wise. 'So we've got some work to do to close the gap. 'Mercedes are faster than us, which is why you saw them so close to Charles. They just have more pace than us at the moment. 'When I was behind him [Kimi Antonelli], he was just so much quicker through certain parts of the circuit – I couldn't follow.'
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Yuki Tsunoda's fast start shows Red Bull were right to ditch Liam Lawson
Yuki Tsunoda was so relaxed he looked like he had been 'chilling in a Japanese garden', Jacques Villeneuve said - AP/Hiro Komae There is only so much you can extrapolate from one and a bit practice sessions on a day when the only thing really catching fire was the grass around the Suzuka circuit. But it is fair to say that Yuki Tsunoda's first day in a Red Bull was a qualified success. Advertisement All eyes were on the Japanese after the team's dramatic decision to parachute him in for Liam Lawson after only two races of the season. To go sixth-fastest in FP1, only 0.1 seconds slower than his new team-mate Max Verstappen, in a car that is supposedly so sensitive that no one else can handle it but the Dutchman, was therefore impressive. There are caveats of course. Verstappen was not happy with his set-up, saying he had no front end and complaining of his car 'flexing' in the slow speed corners. FP2 was a write-off after all the red flags. It is a tiny sample size etc etc. Tsunoda could yet be crushed in qualifying on Saturday, and the speculation and the pressure would all start up again, just as it did for Lawson. But it does not feel like it will. Tsunoda already looks as if he is starting from a much more comfortable and confident place than his predecessor ever reached. Advertisement He sounds it too. When he was informed at one point of his speed relative to George Russell, Tsunoda responded: 'Yeah, I think let's focus on ourselves. I don't need much reference time.' 'Calm and measured,' was how Anthony Davidson, the former Honda driver, described his radio communications. Not words which have been used very often in the past where Tsunoda is concerned. Davidson was impressed, too, by the way in which Tsunoda committed to his laps, attacking corner entries and getting out of shape a couple of times. 'He showed his intent,' the Briton noted, approvingly. 'He showed the commitment that we all expected from him, getting the car all out of shape on the exit of turn 11 and then again through the chicane, the rear end getting away from him early on in FP1 as he was finding his feet in this notoriously tough car to drive. A long way to go but I think we can say his first day was a good one.' Max Verstappen was unhappy with his set-up and complained of his car 'flexing' - Manami Yamada/Reuters With Lawson having an OK-ish day in the Racing Bull – three-tenths behind new team-mate Isack Hadjar in FP1 before, ironically, managing to be one of the few drivers to put in a push lap on soft tyres in FP2, finishing above Verstappen in the Red Bull – you can see the wisdom of Red Bull's switch. Advertisement Lawson should be able to rebuild his confidence in the Racing Bull. Tsunoda looks as if he is better equipped to handle the pressure. 'Lawson could never go as fast as Yuki' Former world champion Jacques Villeneuve was another to note the calmness with which Tsunoda approached his task, despite the huge crowds and attention on him. 'It looks like he spent his week in a Japanese garden, chilling and relaxing, because we're not used to seeing him so relaxed,' the Canadian admitted on Sky Sports. 'And answering so calmly on the radio. Maybe it's the fact he has been promoted. He feels comfortable. Like he is where he's supposed to be. But so far he's doing the right job.' Advertisement We will get a fuller picture on Saturday when the lap times are for real. But for now, those who felt Tsunoda was always the right choice for Red Bull will be feeling vindicated. Franz Tost, his former team principal at Racing Bulls, was one of them. He has already seen enough. 'I would have gone with Yuki Tsunoda from the start,' he told Austrian broadcaster ORF. 'I said that already – I made it clear last autumn. Why? Yuki is much faster than Lawson. You could give Lawson 100 years, and he still wouldn't be as fast as Yuki. And Yuki is more experienced, so what's the issue? It's a very simple decision. It's definitely a confirmation that the right call was made.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
