In the last season, after nine stages, Carlos Sainz had 12 points, while this year he has half that amount. Nevertheless, the Spanish driver firmly stated that he is doing everything he can to help his team and wants to succeed specifically behind the wheel of a Williams car…
Carlos Sainz: “We already have answers to some questions related to the speed deficit in Silverstone, and the team is doing everything in its power to address the issues that have been hindering us since the beginning of the year. The FW48 car does not allow us to perform at the level we expected, while other teams are faster than Williams in developing and implementing technical innovations.
We are trying to achieve improvements, but it is already clear that this year is incredibly difficult and is perhaps only contributing to character building. We understand that the car still lacks speed, its efficiency is below what we calculated, although we are gradually managing to achieve at least a slight increase in downforce.
I hope that in the upcoming stages in Belgium and Hungary we will make some progress – both through setup work and through small technical innovations. If we succeed, it will be a promising sign, although we understand that everything we have learned this season will be embodied in the 2027 car. Realistically speaking, we will only be able to make significant progress next season.
We have to admit that we were not able to understand the new technical regulations as well as we understood the previous ones. Moreover, our freedom of action is now limited by budget constraints…”
As the rumor mill is truly spinning at this stage of the season, there are various talks about Sainz's future, but today in Spa he assured that his plans are only tied to Williams: “I am not thinking about what opportunities may arise and where. At this stage, my preferences regarding the future are crystal clear: I want to succeed with this project. You have no idea how much effort I am putting into it, and I am currently focused solely on it.”
Carlos Sainz: “We already have answers to some questions related to the speed deficit in Silverstone, and the team is doing everything in its power to address the issues that have been hindering us since the beginning of the year. The FW48 car does not allow us to perform at the level we expected, while other teams are faster than Williams in developing and implementing technical innovations.
We are trying to achieve improvements, but it is already clear that this year is incredibly difficult and is perhaps only contributing to character building. We understand that the car still lacks speed, its efficiency is below what we calculated, although we are gradually managing to achieve at least a slight increase in downforce.
I hope that in the upcoming stages in Belgium and Hungary we will make some progress – both through setup work and through small technical innovations. If we succeed, it will be a promising sign, although we understand that everything we have learned this season will be embodied in the 2027 car. Realistically speaking, we will only be able to make significant progress next season.
We have to admit that we were not able to understand the new technical regulations as well as we understood the previous ones. Moreover, our freedom of action is now limited by budget constraints…”
As the rumor mill is truly spinning at this stage of the season, there are various talks about Sainz's future, but today in Spa he assured that his plans are only tied to Williams: “I am not thinking about what opportunities may arise and where. At this stage, my preferences regarding the future are crystal clear: I want to succeed with this project. You have no idea how much effort I am putting into it, and I am currently focused solely on it.”
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Last year's film F1 The Movie, which we have mentioned several times, became a very successful commercial project, grossing $634.1 million worldwide, and rumors that a sequel featuring its heroes might appear in the future began even then.
British actor Damson Idris participated in the latest episode of the podcast Beyond the Grid and hinted that negotiations about this are already underway. In the film, he played the racer Joshua Pearce, who is younger than the main character, played excellently by Brad Pitt.
"The negotiations are ongoing, and although I can't say much about it, these are very interesting discussions," Idris shared. "The main goal is to ensure that both Formula 1 and the fans have something to be proud of. I think that thanks to the first film, that goal was achieved.
I know people who have watched it 19 times! The charm of F1 The Movie, in my opinion, is that for the first time in a long time, there is a film that the whole family can go to. It can be watched with grandparents, with children, with friends – any combination is possible.
Such films don't come around often. I think that's why it became so successful, and films like F1 The Movie are very important."
When the 34-year-old actor and producer was directly asked if he would be interested in starring in a sequel if the decision is made to continue this project, Idris replied: "Definitely, I would agree immediately. Just for the chance to get back behind the wheel of those cars and race on those tracks.
And I need to work on my speed because I would be really upset if someone said, 'Damson, you've gotten slower!' Overall, it would be great. And no more banana smoothies with peanut butter because I'm planning to lose even more weight!
This film changed my life. I was a young actor known only for the TV series Snowfall, and when F1 The Movie came out, you could say my career took off at rocket speed. I believe the roles I now agree to should give me the same feelings I experienced in the Formula 1 film – they should open up new areas and provide opportunities to acquire new skills.
And I also want to boast during family Christmas dinners that I am a Formula 1 racer! Even if only my two-year-old niece believes me!..”
British actor Damson Idris participated in the latest episode of the podcast Beyond the Grid and hinted that negotiations about this are already underway. In the film, he played the racer Joshua Pearce, who is younger than the main character, played excellently by Brad Pitt.
"The negotiations are ongoing, and although I can't say much about it, these are very interesting discussions," Idris shared. "The main goal is to ensure that both Formula 1 and the fans have something to be proud of. I think that thanks to the first film, that goal was achieved.
I know people who have watched it 19 times! The charm of F1 The Movie, in my opinion, is that for the first time in a long time, there is a film that the whole family can go to. It can be watched with grandparents, with children, with friends – any combination is possible.
Such films don't come around often. I think that's why it became so successful, and films like F1 The Movie are very important."
When the 34-year-old actor and producer was directly asked if he would be interested in starring in a sequel if the decision is made to continue this project, Idris replied: "Definitely, I would agree immediately. Just for the chance to get back behind the wheel of those cars and race on those tracks.
And I need to work on my speed because I would be really upset if someone said, 'Damson, you've gotten slower!' Overall, it would be great. And no more banana smoothies with peanut butter because I'm planning to lose even more weight!
This film changed my life. I was a young actor known only for the TV series Snowfall, and when F1 The Movie came out, you could say my career took off at rocket speed. I believe the roles I now agree to should give me the same feelings I experienced in the Formula 1 film – they should open up new areas and provide opportunities to acquire new skills.
And I also want to boast during family Christmas dinners that I am a Formula 1 racer! Even if only my two-year-old niece believes me!..”
Aston Martin F1 is preparing a radically upgraded car for the Hungarian stage of the season, and it is believed that this will be the "B-specification" of the AMR26 chassis. There are many changes, affecting the rear suspension, nose cone, and many aerodynamic surfaces, and the team hopes that this will lead to a significant increase in speed.
However, racing director Mike Krack is already concerned about the difficulties related to the shortage of spare parts for the updated version of the car. At today's press meeting in Spa, he stated that this is currently a matter of utmost importance.
"Everyone is working at full capacity to prepare these cars (for the Hungarian Grand Prix)," he said. "It's a very big project when you decide to take such a comprehensive approach, and the timelines for its implementation are always something you want to push to the very last moment.
Overall, there are huge efforts being made at the team's base in Silverstone, and since I am an optimist, I believe we will be able to prepare both cars. But, to be honest, I don't think we will have enough spare parts."
At the same time, Krack indicated that in such a case, the team is also developing some sort of backup action plan: "You always have to think through different scenarios in case some spare parts are missing. You cannot afford to depend on a situation where one particular part is lacking, so we try to anticipate action plans for various situations...
I repeat: there will not be a complete set of spare parts. But I believe that everyone has worked well to try to prevent undesirable consequences, and we have prepared plans B in case we do not manage to prepare a certain component."
The package of updates that Aston Martin will present in Hungary will be the first part of the chassis modernization project, and the second should be ready for the Dutch stage of the championship after the summer break, when Honda's engine manufacturers are also expected to present an upgraded power unit.
However, racing director Mike Krack is already concerned about the difficulties related to the shortage of spare parts for the updated version of the car. At today's press meeting in Spa, he stated that this is currently a matter of utmost importance.
"Everyone is working at full capacity to prepare these cars (for the Hungarian Grand Prix)," he said. "It's a very big project when you decide to take such a comprehensive approach, and the timelines for its implementation are always something you want to push to the very last moment.
Overall, there are huge efforts being made at the team's base in Silverstone, and since I am an optimist, I believe we will be able to prepare both cars. But, to be honest, I don't think we will have enough spare parts."
At the same time, Krack indicated that in such a case, the team is also developing some sort of backup action plan: "You always have to think through different scenarios in case some spare parts are missing. You cannot afford to depend on a situation where one particular part is lacking, so we try to anticipate action plans for various situations...
I repeat: there will not be a complete set of spare parts. But I believe that everyone has worked well to try to prevent undesirable consequences, and we have prepared plans B in case we do not manage to prepare a certain component."
The package of updates that Aston Martin will present in Hungary will be the first part of the chassis modernization project, and the second should be ready for the Dutch stage of the championship after the summer break, when Honda's engine manufacturers are also expected to present an upgraded power unit.
The Red Bull Racing team has abandoned the use of the rotating rear wing at the Belgian Grand Prix. Team principal Laurent Mekies told BBC Sport about this. According to Mekies, at Spa, Max Verstappen's and Isaac Hadjar's cars will have a rear wing that opens in the standard way when moving in a straight line. This decision was made after the team held a filming day at Silverstone following the British Grand Prix. Previously, at the races in Austria and the UK, Max Verstappen went off track because the rotating rear wing did not close completely. Red Bull Racing did not specify what the exact problem is, but since the decision has been made to abandon the use of such a rear wing, it means that the issue has not yet been resolved completely.
Lando Norris initially found himself in an unfavorable position at the Belgian Grand Prix – he will lose ten places on the starting grid as McLaren decided to change the control electronics unit on his car, marking the fourth change when only three are allowed for the season. However, the reigning world champion tries to take the situation philosophically.
Lando Norris: "There’s another race weekend ahead of us, and that’s the main thing. I will try to perform better in qualifying and the race and show the highest possible result. Also, of course, we’ll see if we can improve in any way.
Certainly, the penalty doesn’t make our task easier, but I just had bad luck in the first part of the season; my car had many issues related to different areas – with the engine, with the control electronics, and with anything else. So in terms of spare parts consumption, I’m in an unfavorable position, but that’s not up to me.
That’s life, so there’s nothing left to do but show perseverance, trying to cope with the consequences of this penalty and those that are yet to come. But definitely, it’s better to serve such a penalty at this track than at the next two. In any case, despite everything, we will try to perform well this weekend.
The team continues to implement technical innovations, and each one helps to improve, although when you look at their list, you might think they will lead to some radical changes. In reality, the rear wing we will get this weekend is just a very small step forward. According to calculations, we’re not even talking about half a tenth of a second.
For now, we’re only talking about a very slight increase in speed. Let’s hope that the technical innovations we will receive at the races in Budapest and Zandvoort might give a bit more, but we are putting in maximum effort. Accelerating developments in such matters is impossible, so we have to pay a certain price.
The team continues to work hard; we are trying to do everything we can, and I think we achieved the best possible result in Silverstone. Although we are unlikely to win races in the near future, you never know how circumstances may unfold – it’s not out of the question that a good opportunity may arise if luck is on our side, and we will be capable of higher speeds than expected.
But for now, we have to show patience, and as a driver, I am doing everything I can."
Lando Norris: "There’s another race weekend ahead of us, and that’s the main thing. I will try to perform better in qualifying and the race and show the highest possible result. Also, of course, we’ll see if we can improve in any way.
Certainly, the penalty doesn’t make our task easier, but I just had bad luck in the first part of the season; my car had many issues related to different areas – with the engine, with the control electronics, and with anything else. So in terms of spare parts consumption, I’m in an unfavorable position, but that’s not up to me.
That’s life, so there’s nothing left to do but show perseverance, trying to cope with the consequences of this penalty and those that are yet to come. But definitely, it’s better to serve such a penalty at this track than at the next two. In any case, despite everything, we will try to perform well this weekend.
The team continues to implement technical innovations, and each one helps to improve, although when you look at their list, you might think they will lead to some radical changes. In reality, the rear wing we will get this weekend is just a very small step forward. According to calculations, we’re not even talking about half a tenth of a second.
For now, we’re only talking about a very slight increase in speed. Let’s hope that the technical innovations we will receive at the races in Budapest and Zandvoort might give a bit more, but we are putting in maximum effort. Accelerating developments in such matters is impossible, so we have to pay a certain price.
The team continues to work hard; we are trying to do everything we can, and I think we achieved the best possible result in Silverstone. Although we are unlikely to win races in the near future, you never know how circumstances may unfold – it’s not out of the question that a good opportunity may arise if luck is on our side, and we will be capable of higher speeds than expected.
But for now, we have to show patience, and as a driver, I am doing everything I can."
Silverstone became only the second round of the season where Gabriel Bortoleto managed to earn points, but the Brazilian Audi driver hopes that the streak of misfortune is behind him and that he will be able to fight for points in both Grands Prix that are to be held before the summer break.
Gabriel Bortoleto: "At the previous round, we were able to earn points again – I think this is good for all of us, for our team, as there were several races before where we couldn't achieve that. It was frustrating because we knew the car was capable of a decent pace, but for one reason or another, we couldn't put everything together.
However, the weekend in Silverstone went quite well, we had a decent qualifying and race, and we were also able to improve our start. All of this was encouraging, and we hope that in the next two rounds we can build on that success.
However, the track in Spa has a lot of straights, and because of this, we might find ourselves in a difficult position, as we know our car doesn't perform well in those sections of the track where everything depends on engine power. However, there are also quite a few corners here, so it will be interesting, although the task is to try to improve in all aspects.
I'm very curious to see how we will do this weekend, as this is one of those rounds of the season where I really can't predict how our car will perform. The best approach is to start the practice sessions, believe whether we have the right approach to energy usage, understand what level we are at, and act accordingly."
Gabriel Bortoleto: "At the previous round, we were able to earn points again – I think this is good for all of us, for our team, as there were several races before where we couldn't achieve that. It was frustrating because we knew the car was capable of a decent pace, but for one reason or another, we couldn't put everything together.
However, the weekend in Silverstone went quite well, we had a decent qualifying and race, and we were also able to improve our start. All of this was encouraging, and we hope that in the next two rounds we can build on that success.
However, the track in Spa has a lot of straights, and because of this, we might find ourselves in a difficult position, as we know our car doesn't perform well in those sections of the track where everything depends on engine power. However, there are also quite a few corners here, so it will be interesting, although the task is to try to improve in all aspects.
I'm very curious to see how we will do this weekend, as this is one of those rounds of the season where I really can't predict how our car will perform. The best approach is to start the practice sessions, believe whether we have the right approach to energy usage, understand what level we are at, and act accordingly."
Last year, Oscar Piastri was considered one of the main contenders for the title, and he indeed led the personal standings for quite a while. However, starting from the autumn stages of the season, the Australian driver clearly lost ground, and in the end, the world champion became Lando Norris, his teammate at McLaren.
This year, as Formula 1 transitioned to new generation cars, the Woking team does not look its best, with its drivers yet to secure a victory, and after nine stages, Piastri is in 6th place in the personal standings, trailing Norris by 15 points. One of the actively discussed topics is Oscar's future prospects, as there are rumors that Max Verstappen could take his place at McLaren.
The management of the British team and Mark Webber, Piastri's manager, categorically deny this, but the rumor mill continues to churn, as it always does in the middle of the year.
Now, the 25-year-old driver himself, who has 9 victories and has stood on the podium 28 times over three and a half seasons, has also commented on this topic.
"If we're talking about me, I'm just trying to fully focus on my work – that's the main thing right now," Oscar said while participating in the Checkered Flag podcast. "I know that I will continue to race for McLaren in the foreseeable future, and I know that the team is happy with me. I also enjoy working with this group, and we have developed a good relationship.
Overall, from my perspective, all of this is just noise, and I don't intend to react to it. I'm just trying to stay focused and perform as well as I can. For me, that's the most important thing, and let others talk and entertain themselves as they wish."
A couple of months ago, Piastri had to comment on rumors that he was allegedly already negotiating with Red Bull – of course, he denied everything then as well. Formally, Verstappen's contract with this team runs until 2028, but, firstly, contracts often include special clauses allowing for early termination under certain conditions, and secondly, the history of Formula 1 knows many examples that if it's really necessary, any agreements can be renegotiated.
This year, as Formula 1 transitioned to new generation cars, the Woking team does not look its best, with its drivers yet to secure a victory, and after nine stages, Piastri is in 6th place in the personal standings, trailing Norris by 15 points. One of the actively discussed topics is Oscar's future prospects, as there are rumors that Max Verstappen could take his place at McLaren.
The management of the British team and Mark Webber, Piastri's manager, categorically deny this, but the rumor mill continues to churn, as it always does in the middle of the year.
Now, the 25-year-old driver himself, who has 9 victories and has stood on the podium 28 times over three and a half seasons, has also commented on this topic.
"If we're talking about me, I'm just trying to fully focus on my work – that's the main thing right now," Oscar said while participating in the Checkered Flag podcast. "I know that I will continue to race for McLaren in the foreseeable future, and I know that the team is happy with me. I also enjoy working with this group, and we have developed a good relationship.
Overall, from my perspective, all of this is just noise, and I don't intend to react to it. I'm just trying to stay focused and perform as well as I can. For me, that's the most important thing, and let others talk and entertain themselves as they wish."
A couple of months ago, Piastri had to comment on rumors that he was allegedly already negotiating with Red Bull – of course, he denied everything then as well. Formally, Verstappen's contract with this team runs until 2028, but, firstly, contracts often include special clauses allowing for early termination under certain conditions, and secondly, the history of Formula 1 knows many examples that if it's really necessary, any agreements can be renegotiated.
Liam Lawson has scored points in seven out of the nine completed Grands Prix. The Racing Bulls driver is satisfied with his results and believes he has made progress compared to last year.
Liam Lawson: "The season is going very well, and the car is working great. I think what makes me happiest is the progress itself. Every time we bring updates or focus on a certain direction, we manage to implement what we planned and achieve the speed increase we were looking for. So everything is really going very well.
Of course, this is motorsport, and sometimes things happen that you can't influence. But right now I'm trying to focus on everything that depends on me. This approach is yielding results, which is very pleasing.
I think I've taken a step forward this year. But at the same time, it's a natural result of accumulated experience. The more races you participate in, the more you learn and improve.
If you compare me to the moment when I just debuted in Formula 1, I've learned a lot since then. I'm trying to maximize my own potential, and I feel very good right now."
Speaking about the chances of scoring points in Spa, Liam was optimistic: "I hope it's possible. This track is generally similar to Silverstone, and we were competitive there, so there’s no reason why we shouldn't be strong here. We have prepared new items, and there will even be more on Arvid's car. Let's see what effect they will have. I hope they will help us."
Liam Lawson: "The season is going very well, and the car is working great. I think what makes me happiest is the progress itself. Every time we bring updates or focus on a certain direction, we manage to implement what we planned and achieve the speed increase we were looking for. So everything is really going very well.
Of course, this is motorsport, and sometimes things happen that you can't influence. But right now I'm trying to focus on everything that depends on me. This approach is yielding results, which is very pleasing.
I think I've taken a step forward this year. But at the same time, it's a natural result of accumulated experience. The more races you participate in, the more you learn and improve.
If you compare me to the moment when I just debuted in Formula 1, I've learned a lot since then. I'm trying to maximize my own potential, and I feel very good right now."
Speaking about the chances of scoring points in Spa, Liam was optimistic: "I hope it's possible. This track is generally similar to Silverstone, and we were competitive there, so there’s no reason why we shouldn't be strong here. We have prepared new items, and there will even be more on Arvid's car. Let's see what effect they will have. I hope they will help us."
In the last stage in Silverstone, George Russell reduced his deficit in the personal standings from Kimi Antonelli to 25 points. On Thursday in Spa, the Mercedes driver mentioned that he had to change his driving style due to the characteristics of the new generation car, and this affected his results in the first half of the season.
George Russell: "It's great that the gap has narrowed, but I don't really think about it. My task is to achieve the best possible result and show the highest level.
To be honest, at each stage we are still learning a lot and continue to look for extra speed. We are still figuring out the new power units, cars, and tires, but I feel I am in a good position.
In any car, you naturally adapt your driving style as needed. When I raced in Formula 4, Formula 3, Formula 2, and in Formula 1 for Williams, and then in the previous generation cars, my style generally matched the requirements of all those cars. However, this year we have seen a number of characteristics that my style doesn't quite fit yet in terms of working with the power unit and tires.
As a result, I have to set up the car in ways I have hardly set it up before. Because of this, I have to drive the car more consciously, rather than relying on reflexes, and that is also a downside in some sense. So I hope that I will get through this learning phase now, after which I can use the knowledge gained to my advantage.
It's probably similar to a golfer who changes their swing technique. At first, they may struggle a bit, then they relearn the new technique, and after that, they play better. I think I am currently at a similar stage."
George Russell: "It's great that the gap has narrowed, but I don't really think about it. My task is to achieve the best possible result and show the highest level.
To be honest, at each stage we are still learning a lot and continue to look for extra speed. We are still figuring out the new power units, cars, and tires, but I feel I am in a good position.
In any car, you naturally adapt your driving style as needed. When I raced in Formula 4, Formula 3, Formula 2, and in Formula 1 for Williams, and then in the previous generation cars, my style generally matched the requirements of all those cars. However, this year we have seen a number of characteristics that my style doesn't quite fit yet in terms of working with the power unit and tires.
As a result, I have to set up the car in ways I have hardly set it up before. Because of this, I have to drive the car more consciously, rather than relying on reflexes, and that is also a downside in some sense. So I hope that I will get through this learning phase now, after which I can use the knowledge gained to my advantage.
It's probably similar to a golfer who changes their swing technique. At first, they may struggle a bit, then they relearn the new technique, and after that, they play better. I think I am currently at a similar stage."
On Friday at Spa, three drivers worked with Aston Martin. Lance Stroll completed both practice sessions, while Jack Crawford replaced Fernando Alonso in the first one. In both sessions, the Aston Martin drivers were over five seconds behind the leaders, and in the traditional press release summarizing the day, the team's press service decided not to give the floor to Fernando Alonso.
Lance Stroll (21st): "Right now, all our attention is focused on preparing for Saturday's sessions and the race, and we will continue to work on improving the car. We know what positions we are in, so it’s important to do everything possible and overcome the difficulties we faced this weekend.
Friday's practices went as expected, but I hope we can make a step forward in Hungary."
Jack Crawford (22nd in the first session): "It was great to get out of the pits today and complete my first laps in Spa behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car. It's a completely different track compared to those I worked on in previous practices.
We know that we are not as competitive as we would like at the moment, but we completed the planned program and gathered useful information. Such sessions are important for both my professional growth and for the team."
Lance Stroll (21st): "Right now, all our attention is focused on preparing for Saturday's sessions and the race, and we will continue to work on improving the car. We know what positions we are in, so it’s important to do everything possible and overcome the difficulties we faced this weekend.
Friday's practices went as expected, but I hope we can make a step forward in Hungary."
Jack Crawford (22nd in the first session): "It was great to get out of the pits today and complete my first laps in Spa behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car. It's a completely different track compared to those I worked on in previous practices.
We know that we are not as competitive as we would like at the moment, but we completed the planned program and gathered useful information. Such sessions are important for both my professional growth and for the team."
Esteban Ocon is waiting for the weekend in Spa with little optimism...
Esteban Ocon: "The last races have been challenging for our team. Of course, we want more. And this weekend we brought some new updates. I hope they work.
In Silverstone, we squeezed everything we could out of the car. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough. I finished the race in 13th place, but the car couldn't compete with the other midfield teams. We need to work on our speed. I hope the updates will help us with that."
Esteban Ocon: "The last races have been challenging for our team. Of course, we want more. And this weekend we brought some new updates. I hope they work.
In Silverstone, we squeezed everything we could out of the car. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough. I finished the race in 13th place, but the car couldn't compete with the other midfield teams. We need to work on our speed. I hope the updates will help us with that."
Kimi Antonelli finished Friday's practice in Spa with the best time, completing a lap of the 7-kilometer Belgian track in 1:45.944. Meanwhile, George Russell, his teammate at Mercedes, ended up in 8th place on the timesheet with a result that was 1.285 seconds slower.
Kimi Antonelli (1st): "We made significant changes to the car's setup, and compared to the first practice, its behavior has noticeably improved. Of course, it's always good when you manage to find the right direction in working with the car, but there is still a lot to do, including working on my driving style.
Overall, the second session went better, and now we are starting to prepare for tomorrow. Of course, the weekend in Silverstone also went quite well, but in the end, we didn't score any points at all. It's clear that a new weekend begins in Spa, where we face different challenges. But the task remains the same – to conduct each session as effectively as possible to achieve the best result.
Certainly, the first day of the weekend ended well, but now we need to work hard to prepare better for tomorrow."
George Russell (8th): "Friday in Spa didn't go particularly smoothly for us. In the first session, we overestimated the level of grip, which meant that the car was initially set up poorly. Because of this, there were balance issues, and although we managed to gather useful information, the start of the weekend can't be called ideal.
Therefore, before the second session, we had to do a lot of work and make several changes to the setup, which allowed us to achieve certain improvements.
But we can still improve, especially on one fast lap, and we'll focus on that this evening. The pace on long runs was more confident, which is encouraging for the remaining two days of the weekend."
Kimi Antonelli (1st): "We made significant changes to the car's setup, and compared to the first practice, its behavior has noticeably improved. Of course, it's always good when you manage to find the right direction in working with the car, but there is still a lot to do, including working on my driving style.
Overall, the second session went better, and now we are starting to prepare for tomorrow. Of course, the weekend in Silverstone also went quite well, but in the end, we didn't score any points at all. It's clear that a new weekend begins in Spa, where we face different challenges. But the task remains the same – to conduct each session as effectively as possible to achieve the best result.
Certainly, the first day of the weekend ended well, but now we need to work hard to prepare better for tomorrow."
George Russell (8th): "Friday in Spa didn't go particularly smoothly for us. In the first session, we overestimated the level of grip, which meant that the car was initially set up poorly. Because of this, there were balance issues, and although we managed to gather useful information, the start of the weekend can't be called ideal.
Therefore, before the second session, we had to do a lot of work and make several changes to the setup, which allowed us to achieve certain improvements.
But we can still improve, especially on one fast lap, and we'll focus on that this evening. The pace on long runs was more confident, which is encouraging for the remaining two days of the weekend."
Kimi Antonelli finished Friday's practice in Spa with the best time, completing a lap of the 7-kilometer Belgian track in 1:45.944. Meanwhile, George Russell, his teammate at Mercedes, ended up in 8th place in the standings with a result that was 1.285 seconds slower.
Kimi Antonelli (1st): "We made significant changes to the car's setup, and compared to the first practice, its behavior has noticeably improved. Of course, it's always good when you manage to find the right direction in working with the car, but there's still a lot to do, including working on my driving style.
Overall, the second session went better, and now we are starting to prepare for tomorrow. Of course, the weekend in Silverstone also went quite well, but in the end, we didn't score any points at all. It's clear that a new weekend begins in Spa, where we face different challenges. But the task remains the same – to conduct each session as effectively as possible to achieve the best result.
Certainly, the first day of the weekend ended well, but now we need to work hard to prepare better for tomorrow."
George Russell (8th): "Friday in Spa didn't go particularly smoothly for us. In the first session, we overestimated the level of grip, which meant that the car was initially set up poorly. Because of this, there were balance issues, and although we were able to gather useful information, the start of the weekend can't be called ideal.
Therefore, a lot of work had to be done before the second session, and a number of changes were made to the setup, which led to certain improvements.
But we can still improve, especially on one fast lap, and we'll focus on that this evening. The pace on long runs was more confident, which is encouraging ahead of the remaining two days of the weekend."
Kimi Antonelli (1st): "We made significant changes to the car's setup, and compared to the first practice, its behavior has noticeably improved. Of course, it's always good when you manage to find the right direction in working with the car, but there's still a lot to do, including working on my driving style.
Overall, the second session went better, and now we are starting to prepare for tomorrow. Of course, the weekend in Silverstone also went quite well, but in the end, we didn't score any points at all. It's clear that a new weekend begins in Spa, where we face different challenges. But the task remains the same – to conduct each session as effectively as possible to achieve the best result.
Certainly, the first day of the weekend ended well, but now we need to work hard to prepare better for tomorrow."
George Russell (8th): "Friday in Spa didn't go particularly smoothly for us. In the first session, we overestimated the level of grip, which meant that the car was initially set up poorly. Because of this, there were balance issues, and although we were able to gather useful information, the start of the weekend can't be called ideal.
Therefore, a lot of work had to be done before the second session, and a number of changes were made to the setup, which led to certain improvements.
But we can still improve, especially on one fast lap, and we'll focus on that this evening. The pace on long runs was more confident, which is encouraging ahead of the remaining two days of the weekend."
Cadillac positively assessed the results of the first day of the racing weekend in Spa. The team believes that they were able to reduce the gap from their competitors on the Belgian track.
Valtteri Bottas (19th): "Overall, it was a positive and productive day. We completed all the planned work on the setups and conducted a large number of different tests. There were no issues with the car, which allowed us to maximize our time on the track.
In Spa, we are a bit closer to the midfield teams, which is encouraging. There is a lot to analyze this evening, but we gathered useful information and will focus on finding ways to improve and take the next step forward tomorrow."
Sergio Perez (20th): "It's great to be back in Spa, although the feel of the track in the new generation cars is now completely different. We had a solid day, working with different tire compounds and varying amounts of fuel in the tanks, although both sessions were interrupted by red flags.
We still need to work on the balance and energy consumption throughout the lap. The team will address this tonight to improve in tomorrow's qualifying."
Valtteri Bottas (19th): "Overall, it was a positive and productive day. We completed all the planned work on the setups and conducted a large number of different tests. There were no issues with the car, which allowed us to maximize our time on the track.
In Spa, we are a bit closer to the midfield teams, which is encouraging. There is a lot to analyze this evening, but we gathered useful information and will focus on finding ways to improve and take the next step forward tomorrow."
Sergio Perez (20th): "It's great to be back in Spa, although the feel of the track in the new generation cars is now completely different. We had a solid day, working with different tire compounds and varying amounts of fuel in the tanks, although both sessions were interrupted by red flags.
We still need to work on the balance and energy consumption throughout the lap. The team will address this tonight to improve in tomorrow's qualifying."