In the round-up: Max Verstappen says his home race win at Zandvoort was the highlight of his 2021 title campaign.
In brief
Verstappen: high-pressure Zandvoort win “really nice”
Verstappen, who won 10 races during the 2021 Formula 1 season, said that the Dutch Grand Prix was a particular stand-out for him, during his maiden championship season.The Red Bull driver controlled the race on F1’s return to the country it last raced in 36 years earlier.
“The memory in Zandvoort with my home crowd winning, there was a lot of pressure on me to win it, but then to do it was really nice,” said Verstappen. “But luckily, there were a lot of good memories throughout the season.”
Formula E agrees financial limits for teams and manufacturers in Gen3
Formula E has agreed new financial limits, putting in place a hard cost cap for teams where it had previously relied on an overall cost limitation on cars.
The current (2021-22) season is the last for the ‘Gen2’ chassis. For the subsequent two years, teams will be limited to €13 million spending per season, with some exceptions such as driver salaries (consistent with the Formula 1 cost cap). Powertrain manufacturers will have €25 million to spend on research and development over a two-year period.
The 2021-22 calendar was also updated to remove unconfirmed rounds and delete the previously-listed return to Sanya, China. The Berlin and Rome rounds will become double-headers, replacing those events.
Formula 2 post-season testing line up finalised
Formula 2’s post-season testing entrants have been confirmed, with several drivers making moves up to or within the series. Formula 3 champion Dennis Hauger, who won his title with Prema steps up to their F2 squad and Juan Manuel Correa – who was severely injured during the Spa crash which claimed the life of Anthoine Hubert – returns to F2 machinery for the first time since 2019.
New F2 entrants Van Amersfoort Racing will run junior series veteran Jake Hughes for the first two days of testing, before his car will be taken over by Cem Bolukbasi.
Driver | Team |
---|---|
Jehan Daruvala | Prema |
Dennis Hauger | Prema |
Jack Doohan | Virtuosi |
Marino Sato | Virtuosi |
Logan Sargeant | Carlin |
Liam Lawson | Carlin |
Juri Vips | Hitech |
Marcus Armstrong | Hitech |
Theo Pourchaire | ART |
Frederik Vesti | ART |
Clement Novalak | MP Motorsport |
Felipe Drugovich | MP Motorsport |
Guilherme Samaia | Charouz Racing System |
Juan Manuel Correa | Charouz Racing System |
Roy Nissany | DAMS |
Ayumu Iwasa | DAMS |
Ralph Boschung | Campos |
Olli Caldwell | Campos |
Jake Hughes | Van Amersfoort Racing |
Cem Bolukbasi | Van Amersfoort Racing |
Amaury Cordeel | Van Amersfoort Racing |
Calan Williams | Trident |
Teppei Natori | Trident |
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Social media
Notable posts from Twitter, Instagram and more:
@LewisHamilton at Windsor Castle after receiving his knighthood from the Prince of Wales. pic.twitter.com/uK8Chnge4G
— Richard Palmer (@RoyalReporter) December 15, 2021
Would have thought, given the events of Sunday, having an independent panel/body would be better for an analysis or 'clarification exercise'. Else it is just the FIA looking into the FIA. #F1
— Phillip Horton (@PHortonF1) December 15, 2021
Took the 2012 Indy 500 winning helmet out for a wee look. Brought back fantastic memories!
It’s exactly as it went into the @TroyLeeDesigns bag on 27th May 2012, milk stains and all. #Indianapolis500 #Indy500 @GanassiChip @CGRTeams @PushyLoose @BigMachine @scottborchetta pic.twitter.com/MxJTX8pfkQ— Dario Franchitti (@dariofranchitti) December 15, 2021
- Find more official F1 accounts to follow in the F1 Twitter Directory
Links
Motor racing links of interest:
Drugovich's guest column: my potential is for much more (Formula 2)
"I knew that I didn't have the speed in some of the races, but I was trying to compromise for that by being too aggressive and it just wasn't working. It was about finding a balance to extract the most from the car without going over the top."
"Nothing has been decided on this issue but it is being looked into. Michael is very good but needs a better team around him."
Emma Raducanu is nailed on for SPOTY but Hamilton’s omission from shortlist is a sham (The Sun)
"Hamilton was gracious, glorious and hard-done-by when robbed of a record eighth world title in Abu Dhabi on Sunday."
F1 is at a crossroads ahead of Mercedes' appeal (Daily Mail)
"That Hamilton had all but won the drivers' championship in less than the epic circumstances promised, was ultimately too much for Masi and his F1 paymasters. So they rewrote his script. That's their choice; but sport isn't The Truman Show."
We always endeavour to credit original sources. If you have a tip for a link relating to single-seater motorsport to feature in the next RaceFans round-up please send it in via the contact form.
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Comment of the day
As Mercedes continue to deliberate over filing or withdrawing their right to appeal, Dan G says it’s a question of how it will be perceived, either way.
I honestly think they’re weighing up if it’s worth it. There’s bound to be talk of them being sour losers, and Mercedes the car company won’t want that to be associated with that. Plus as Horner said, Merc is getting the prize money for finishing first in the constructors’ championship.
On the other hand, there’s a real issue of F1 losing credibility if this approach of manufacturing “drama” isn’t addressed. But even that might not be bad for Mercedes; it attracts eyeballs, and thus sponsors.
I’m sure there are many parties involved in the decision to appeal.
@dang
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday to Johnny86, Ovviamente, Matthew Nowell, Kiefer Hopkins, R.J. O’Connell and Godwin Joseph!
Kribana (@krichelle)
16th December 2021, 0:14
COTD: I wonder if F1 realizes that there are fans like me who watch the sport for the speed of the cars, the track, the engineering side of the sport and the technique in driving the cars. It is not just all crashes, relations among the F1 personnel, overtakes and the battle for 1st place. I have no interest seeing two cars crash each into other even watching live on the track because the cars cost the teams a lot of money and effort into building the cars. They better not have something similar in 2022 because I want to just vomit whenever I hear that entertainment is more important than the sport.
Tristan (@skipgamer)
16th December 2021, 0:25
I’m sure they do, and I’m sure there’s a contigent that appreciates that. But growth is the staple of the modern capitalist world. If the audience isn’t growing, then the product isn’t valuable. They need to appeal to more; the younger, the shorter attention span, the more tech-savvy, the other races and genders.
Sterile doesn’t sell.
Alberto
16th December 2021, 10:05
I can really relate to your statement as I do watch it for the same reasons. If you look at F1 as a business venture, people like us are already a customer and small in numbers. Hardcore F1 fans are much fewer in between compared to the rest of the entertainment consumers. There is a bigger market out there and they need to appeal to a more general audience. I think the appeal of growing in popularity (hence revenue) outweighs the benefits of keeping a smaller populations desire for pure hardcore racing. Also let’s not forget F1 is owned by Liberty Media. Their business is media not competition.
Bulgarian (@bulgarian)
16th December 2021, 0:19
Jay’s words are the highlight of 20021 season:
Tristan (@skipgamer)
16th December 2021, 0:27
Nah, that’s pretty laughable. F1 has always been corrupt, the teams go in eyes wide open. It’s a game of out corrupting the opposition. The sporting aspect is the side-show.
Tristan (@skipgamer)
16th December 2021, 0:29
Great cotd, consisely sums the situation up. There is much for Mercedes to lose by going through with the appeal. Can’t wait for the news of their decision.
Bulgarian (@bulgarian)
16th December 2021, 0:49
By accepting FIA’s cheating, Mercedes will allow FIA to cheat ever more shamefully!
BasCB (@bascb)
16th December 2021, 6:56
Yeah, I agree that the CotD really does get the realistic angle on what is currently going on @skipgamer.
Shakey (@shakey66)
16th December 2021, 9:02
@skipgamer I don’t agree entirely. Mercedes could play both sides of the coin:
a) Position the appeal to the effect that they do not intend for the result of the WDC title to be overturned, therefore saving embarrassment for themselves, RBR, and the FIA.
b) State that they will pursue the appeal in order to establish if the FIA’s governance of the sport is robust, and get independent clarification on why unprecedented actions were taken, and assurance that action will be taken to ensure the sport is being governed correctly.
Think of it another way, while to ‘sore loser’ argument may damage the brand in some peoples eyes, would the wider Mercedes Benz organisation want to be associated with, and invest in, a motorsport that is now so publicly perceived to be corrupt?.
Alan Dove
16th December 2021, 9:19
They are appealing the race result. It’s hard to go into an appeal based on the race result with the intention of not changing the race result. They have no grounds to change the race result so it will moist likely be dropped when the lawyers figure this out.
Shakey (@shakey66)
16th December 2021, 10:25
I’m looking at it from the perspective that Mercedes argued there had been a breach of Article 48.12, which if upheld would/could subsequently change the result. It’s semantics, but they are essentially challenging the rule and it’s application, not directly the result, although that’s the intent. Agreements and plea bargaining is common practice pre-litigation, so its not unprecedented, but i take your point and maybe i’m missing something.
I have no idea if they have grounds to change the results or not. I guess that’s why we’re all waiting for the experts to decide next steps.
rodewulf (@rodewulf)
16th December 2021, 2:32
A lot of sensationalist tabloid-like or real tabloid stuff but to this date no mention to what Latifi has been going through online lately, shame on this site! No excuses even by British specialised media standards, as some have already offered thier take on it. Pro-Hamilton bias is driving too much an agenda around here!
BasCB (@bascb)
16th December 2021, 6:57
Must say I am quite baffled by such papers claiming anyone is “hoping Masi can be salvaged” when I seriously doubt anyone inside the FIA even considered he would have to go @rodewulf!
Red Andy (@red-andy)
16th December 2021, 7:13
@bascb Yes, it was always pretty desperate expecting that Abu Dhabi would be used as a pretext to get rid of Masi (which, let’s face it, the people calling for it have always wanted anyway – AD didn’t change any minds in that regard).
He did exactly what was expected of him – ensured that the championship ended under green flag conditions and in a straight fight between the two protagonists. If the opportunity to do that was there, he was always going to take it.
BasCB (@bascb)
16th December 2021, 7:46
Yup @red-andy
jff
16th December 2021, 7:30
Round-up today:
Daily Mirror
The Sun
Daily Mirror
erikje
16th December 2021, 8:32
Wow, that sounds like real journalism.
JustSomeone
16th December 2021, 6:47
Is that 9 year old, dried-up milk on Dario’s helmet ?!?
Ruben
16th December 2021, 8:42
Alledgedly..
MacLeod (@macleod)
16th December 2021, 8:18
Lewis got a knighthood but i thought he already got a knighthood or is this a other one?
MacLeod (@macleod)
16th December 2021, 8:22
Nevermind it’s a otherone.
erikje
16th December 2021, 8:34
No, it’s just the official side that was postponed by a covid19
Red Andy (@red-andy)
16th December 2021, 9:18
@macleod The knighthood was issued in last year’s honours list (and is effective immediately, allowing Lewis to use the style “Sir Lewis” etc) but the formal ceremony was only yesterday.
Similar to how Max Verstappen became F1 world champion on Sunday but will formally collect his trophy tonight at the FIA Gala, we hope.
David (@djarvis)
16th December 2021, 8:49
Can someone tell me what the Sun and Daily Fail have reported, there’s no chance I’m clicking on their gutter journalism links to give them some advertising revenue
HRT (@vvans)
16th December 2021, 13:36
The fact that those two papers make up the majority of the roundup shows how far into tabloid country this website has come as of late.
The toxic atmosphere on this website the last few weeks, but especially since last Sunday, makes it very hard (and sad) for me to read. That goes for both the comment section as well as the content.
I hope when things cool off a little bit I can go back to enjoying this website, which used to be a nice place for enthusiasts to enjoy F1 together.
JL (@j-l)
16th December 2021, 22:35
Sadly, I have to wholeheartedly agree.
Hohum
17th December 2021, 0:52
IT’S THE “ROUNDUP” of what is being reported in the press, YOU DECIDE if you want to read it.
baasbas
17th December 2021, 9:20
“Roundup”.. .that’s being generous. “Scraping the bottom of the barrel” would be more accurate