SAKHIR, Bahrain: Fernando Alonso on Friday qualified in sixth place for Saturday’s season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix and declared he felt “great” two days after hinting at retirement.
The 42-year-old Aston Martin driver said he had not expected to be so competitive, but added that he hoped he might be in contention to repeat his surprise podium finish last year.
The two-time world champion on Wednesday said he would decide his future after the “first few weeks or races” because of the demands of this year’s unprecedented 24-race calendar.
“Well, first of all, I need to decide if I want to keep racing and that will be the first thing that I need to decide — in a few weeks or a few races,” he said when asked if he was interested in joining Mercedes to succeed Lewis Hamilton next year.
“I feel great now, but I know it’s a demanding calendar and in 2026 there are a different set of regulations as well, which maybe are tempting or maybe not, I don’t know.”
After qualifying, however, the evergreen Spaniard, who has adopted a new diet and fitness schedule, said: “I feel great. I didn’t expect we would be that competitive, to be honest.
“Winter testing was ok, but I think we are not in the pace of the leaders.
“Free practice was competitive, but we found also last year that sometimes in free practice we are running in a different engine mode and in qualifying everything is a bit more realistic.
“It’s going to be difficult in the race, very tight in a group which will damage the tires even more when you are in traffic. So, I think it’s going to be a question mark for everyone. Let’s see.”
He made no further comments about his future, having declared that 24 races is “well over the limit.”
“When I started, we had 16 races, then it was 18 and then I think Liberty (the American owners of F1) came and we had 20 in a season and that was the limit, 20 races, but now we are up to 24.
“It isn’t sustainable for the future, I think, not for anyone.”
Alonso feeling great after hinting at retirement
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Alonso feeling great after hinting at retirement
- “I feel great now, but I know it’s a demanding calendar and in 2026 there are a different set of regulations as well,” said Fernando Alonso
- “I feel great. I didn’t expect we would be that competitive, to be honest”
Verstappen tops times in opening practice, faces grid penalty
- Verstappen clocked a best lap in one minute and 43.372 seconds and remained unchallenged at the front of the field throughout the session
- Carlos Sainz was ninth for Ferrari and Lance Stroll 10th for Aston Martin
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium: Max Verstappen, who faces a 10-place grid penalty for Sunday’s race, topped the times for Red Bull ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in Friday’s opening free practice at this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix.
Five days after his sweary outbursts on team radio at the Hungaroring, the series leader and three-time world champion did his talking on the track by outpacing Piastri, who claimed his maiden Formula One victory in Hungary, by 0.531 seconds.
Verstappen clocked a best lap in one minute and 43.372 seconds and remained unchallenged at the front of the field throughout the session as he began his bid to end a three-race winless run by claiming his fourth consecutive Belgian triumph.
Williams’ Alex Albon was third fastest, ahead of the Mercedes of George Russell and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, Sergio Perez of Red Bull and Lando Norris in the second McLaren.
Carlos Sainz was ninth for Ferrari and Lance Stroll 10th for Aston Martin.
On a warm, if cloudy, summer’s day following an earlier rain shower in the Ardennes, Russell was the first man out, but it was Verstappen who set the first top time on hard tires in 1:44.706, Piastri soon clocking into second place, seven-tenths adrift of the Dutchman.
Norris, both Ferrari drivers and Hamilton, like the Australian, were initially on softs while Esteban Ocon, fresh from announcing his switch to Haas next year, was stuck in the Alpine garage as the team worked on a suspected water leak.
As Verstappen began to trim his time, his 10-place grid penalty for taking a fresh engine was confirmed along with one for RB’s Yuki Tsunoda who will start from the back of the grid after taking more power unit components.
By midway through the session, Perez had joined Verstappen on track and switched to softs, taking fifth place, but complained that his car was unresponsive. “I’m really struggling to know what the car is doing on entries,” he reported.
At this stage, Verstappen topped the times ahead of Piastri and Alex Albon, whose Williams was showing real potential, and the two Mercedes of Russell and Hamilton, with Leclerc sixth ahead of Perez.
With nine minutes remaining, and most drivers on softs after running qualifying simulation laps, Hamilton ran wide at Les Combes before pitting. “I’ve got to come in,” he said. “The bouncing is really bad.”
Russell had complained only minutes earlier that he had ‘no rear end’, but the drivers’ grumbles failed to hid the fact that they had shown inconsistent pace in the opening session run in conditions more suited to their package.
Late-night gamer Verstappen eyes redemption at Belgian Grand Prix
A week after ranting on the team radio in Budapest, Max Verstappen heads to the Belgian Grand Prix warned to take “nothing for granted” and advised by Red Bull to give up late-night simulation racing during race weekends.
The series leader and three-time world champion departed Hungary in a petulant mood after finishing a frustrated fifth, swearing on team radio and in post-race interviews, having gone to bed at three am before the race.
It was his and Red Bull’s third consecutive race without a win and he will need to deliver a more composed and professional performance on his preferred circuit on Sunday to avoid extending his winless run to four for the first time since 2020.
Another defeat and his commanding supremacy of the past, he won 19 of 22 races last year, will be forgotten.
“Hungary was a tricky race and a weekend to forget and move forward from,” said Dutchman Verstappen, whose combative manner did not go unnoticed.
“We have been working to optimize our performance and get the best out of the car that we possibly can.
“Spa has always been my favorite track with fast corners and lots of opportunities to overtake. The fans are also great and we get a lot of support there,” he added.
After winning the last three Belgian Grands Prix, Verstappen will be seeking to return to form with a fourth victory, but he may have to start from the back half of the grid if, as expected, Red Bull, fit his car with a fifth new engine of the season.
The limit for new power units is four, but Verstappen has proved at Spa in the past that he can overcome grid penalties when he seizes the momentum.
Born in Belgium to a Belgian mother, but grew up in the Netherlands, Verstappen always enjoys passionate backing from the local crowd and he may need it as he bids to extend his lead, trimmed to 76 points last Sunday, ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris.
Coincidentally, Norris, who was also involved in some colorful ‘team orders’ radio exchanges last Sunday, also has a Belgian mother and he will be seeking to reduce the gap further by winning on Sunday, after handing victory last weekend to his team-mate Oscar Piastri following instructions to do so.
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has warned the threat from McLaren, the in-form team with the fastest car, and both Mercedes and Ferrari, could wreck their season if they cannot respond and gather points more emphatically than they have.
“We’re just going to develop the fastest car we can, and that’s what we’ll continue to do,” said Horner.
“In the drivers’ championship, obviously Max has a good lead — but that can diminish very quickly, so, nothing can be taken for granted.”
The team’s influential director Helmut Marko, a close adviser and confidante to the world champion, told speedweek.com: “We agreed that he would no longer run simulations so late in the future.”
Most attention may be focussed on the leading title contenders, but that will suit Piastri who showed commendable assurance as he claimed his maiden victory last Sunday.
“Spa’s not been the happiest of hunting grounds for us recently, but I’m confident we’ll be strong,” said the 22-year-old Australian.
“We’ve got a car that’s become a real all-rounder so I’m super confident and I think the team should be as well.”
After winning his home British race and then finishing third for Mercedes last weekend, seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton will also be a challenger on a track where he has won four times as will Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who took pole last year and won in 2019.
Porsche’s Wehrlein takes Formula E title in London
LONDON: Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein clinched the electric Formula E championship at the final round of the season in London on Sunday as the hopes of Jaguar duo Mitch Evans and Nick Cassidy were dashed.
The German former Formula One driver had started the day three points clear of Evans and seven ahead of Cassidy but the New Zealanders failed to make up the ground in the season 10 finale.
Wehrlein finished second to Nissan’s race winner Oliver Rowland at London’s ExCel with Evans taking third and Cassidy retiring with a puncture.
Jaguar won the teams’ title, their first, while Porsche took the inaugural manufacturers’ championship.
Oscar Piastri claims maiden win at quarrel-hit Hungarian Grand Prix
- Finished ahead of his McLaren team-mate Lando Norris
- Piastri, 23, won by 2.141 seconds with seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton finishing third for Mercedes
BUDAPEST: Oscar Piastri claimed his maiden Formula One victory on Sunday when he finished ahead of his McLaren team-mate Lando Norris, after a vexed radio argument produced an extraordinary finish to an incident-filled Hungarian Grand Prix.
In a race of fluctuating fortunes and many quarrels on and off the track, the McLaren duo secured a comprehensive one-two after starting from the team’s first front row lockout since 2012, Norris finally obeying team orders to hand his team-mate his first career win.
Piastri, 23, won by 2.141 seconds with seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton finishing third for Mercedes to claim his record 200th podium finish.
He survived a late collision with Red Bull’s three-time champion and series leader Max Verstappen, who flew off, but recovered to finish fifth.
Charles Leclerc came home fourth and Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz sixth, sandwiching a grumpy Verstappen who was called to see the stewards to explain his collision with Hamilton.
Sergio Perez finished seventh for Red Bull, having started 16th on the grid, ahead of George Russell in the second Mercedes, who started 17th, and RB’s Yuki Tsunoda. Lance Stroll was 10th for Aston Martin.
“It’s very special,” said Australian driver Piastri.
“I dreamt of this as a kid and if it was a bit complicated at the end, I did put myself in the right position at the start of the race.
“It’s a hell of a lot of fun racing with McLaren. This is an incredible feeling.”
Norris was first to congratulate his team-mate, after he had appeared to reject team orders and allow the Australian to pass in the closing stages.
“Well done, a good 1-2 and lots of good points for the team. Well deserved,” he said.
Norris had made an uncertain start and he, Piastri and Verstappen were three abreast into Turn One where Piastri exited in the lead as the Dutchman ran wide and cut back into second place, gaining a clear advantage and pushing Norris down to third.
This prompted an exchange of messages before race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase told Verstappen to allow Norris to pass, a command that clearly irked him.
“So, you can just run people off the track?” barked the Dutchman.
By lap 10, Piastri led Norris by 2.7 seconds with Verstappen third adrift by two seconds ahead of Hamilton and the two Ferraris, led by Leclerc.
Hamilton eventually reeled off a series of fastest laps to rise to third, but Verstappen on younger tires reeled him in, waiting to pounce as the Briton endured a lurid slide out of Turn 12 before pitting again on lap 41 after fending off the Dutchman.
At the front, Piastri was in cruise mode ahead of Norris with Verstappen third, 11.5 seconds adrift. Hamilton rejoined fifth behind Sainz, but with Leclerc, on new mediums, on his tail.
Norris pitted again for mediums on lap 46, rejoining fourth ahead of Hamilton, followed by Piastri on 47, handing the lead to Verstappen with Norris up to second, but told to “re-establish the order at your convenience.”
Verstappen made his second stop, for mediums, on lap 50, rejoining fifth behind Leclerc, but adrift of the Ferrari by 4.5.
In the lead, Norris was reminded of his team instructions and responsibilities as Piastri closed in.
“We know you’ll do the right thing,” said McLaren, but Norris, knowing he could reduce Verstappen’s championship lead, stayed silent when told not to stress his tires.
“Tell him to catch up, please,” he said.
As McLaren’s tensions boiled over, Verstappen lunged down the inside of Hamilton at Turn One on lap 63, but locked up and clipped the Mercedes. The collision sent him airborne briefly before he bounced clear and wide before rejoining in fifth.
McLaren then issued an ultimatum to Norris.
“There are five laps to go. The way to win a championship is not by yourself. It is with the team. You are going to need Oscar and you are going to need the team.”
With three laps remaining, Norris slowed dramatically to gift Piastri the lead.
Lando Norris on pole as McLaren lock out ‘sweet’ Hungarian Grand Prix front row
- Red Bull’s three-time champion Max Verstappen had to settle for third
BUDAPEST: Lando Norris grabbed pole position ahead of his team-mate Oscar Piastri for the Hungarian Grand Prx on Saturday as McLaren locked out the front row of the grid for the first time since 2012.
Red Bull’s three-time champion Max Verstappen had to settle for third and the second row in the tense wet-dry qualifying
The 24-year-old Briton, who is 84 points behind Verstappen in this year’s title race, clocked a best lap in one minute and 15.227 seconds to outpace the Australian by 0.022 seconds.
Verstappen was three-hundredths of a second adrift in third ahead of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, who leaves the team at the end of the year, and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes, who will replace him.
Charles Leclerc, in the second Ferrari was sixth ahead of two-time champion Fernando Alonso and his Aston Martin team-mate Lance Stroll and the RBs of Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda, who had survived a high-speed crash earlier in Q3.
It was Norris’s second pole in four races and the third of his burgeoning career as he gains front-running experience in his bid to challenge Verstappen who, on Sunday bids to complete a hat-trick of Hungarian wins.
“I’m very happy with that and it wasn’t easy at all in difficult conditions so ending up on top is the best for us all and a great result for the team,” said Norris.
“We have come into this weekend confident we can do a good job so to be on pole is sweet.”
“It’s the first 1-2 for McLaren for a long time and an amazing result for us,” said Piastri. “I had a tricky day yesterday so for me it is nice to bounce back.”
Verstappen said: “I tried. We have been behind the whole weekend and I tried to make it as close as possible, but it wasn’t enough. I would have liked a bit more grip...”
After Friday’s sweltering conditions for practice, qualifying began in much cooler weather with temperatures and light rain falling.
The McLaren pair were first out on soft slick tires along with Kevin Magnussen in his Haas.
George Russell was also struggling before the session was red-flagged when Sergio Perez smacked the wall at Turn Eight, having lost control and made a sideways slide into the barriers in the second Red Bull.
For the under-pressure Mexican driver, it was another Q1 setback in a sequence of bad qualifying outings and came just seconds after Russell had saved his car sliding off at the same place as the rain intensified.
After a 12-minute break, the action resumed with Perez hanging on in ninth from his earlier efforts, before he suffered his fourth Q1 exit in six outings as he embarked on two racing weekends that many observers believe offer him a last chance to save his seat at Red Bull.
In a frantic finale to Q1, on a damp circuit, Russell managed to jump from 14th to 10th but it was not enough as others improved to leave him 17th and out, taking an early exit for the second year running at the Hungaroring along with Perez, 16th, Zhou Guanyu of Sauber and the two Alpines of Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly who stayed in the pits.
Unexpectedly, Daniel Ricciardo was fastest for RB in the changing conditions while Norris was only 13th.
“I’m sorry about this session guys,” said Russell, who had asked for more fuel to prolong his running to three laps. “That one is on me.”
The Q2 segment started with Sainz on top, until Hamilton and then Verstappen took over, the Dutchman in 1:15.770, nine-tenths faster than Hamilton’s pole in 2023. Piastri went second only 0.015 off the pace.
On his second run, Norris took command in 1:15.540 while Hamilton struggled to survive in 10th and Haas’s Nico Hulkenberg, Valtteri Bottas of Sauber, Williams’ Alex Albon, Sargeant and Magnussen missed the cut to the top-ten shootout.
All this left Norris and Verstappen to scrap for pole, as rain was forecast, and the Dutchman led them out to clock 1:15.555 before Norris cut that time by 0.328 with his lap in 1:15.227. It was provisional pole, as rain began to fall.
The world champion pushed to improve but stayed third as Yuki Tsunoda crashed at Turn Five in his RB to prompt a red-flag stoppage. It was a big accident, but the Japanese driver was unhurt.
Two minutes and 13 seconds remained, enough time for one more flying run as the marshals cleared the debris. In the event, as it drizzled, only Ricciardo improved his time to take ninth from his team-mate.
