A return to the Imola Circuit for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix may have been unable to produce a modern classic in Sunday’s race, but certainly challenged the entire grid.

Ultimately, it was Max Verstappen who prevailed for the 59th time in his F1 career, edging the chasing McLaren of Lando Norris to the line to deny the Briton consecutive victories.

While there were some signs of convergence amongst the front-running teams, several veteran drivers including Fernando Alonso and Sergio Perez struggled to get on top of their weekends.

So, who excelled in the first European round of the season and who leaves Emilia Romagna under pressure?

Max Verstappen: 9.5

Qualified: P1, Race: P1

Throughout practice, Red Bull and Max Verstappen appeared on the back foot. Unable to get the RB20 in the right window, rival teams knew there was a real opportunity to keep the Dutchman off the top step for a second race weekend running.

McLaren looked to have the advantage in both single-lap and race performance, however, that was no answer for the expertise of the three-time World Champion.

Having clinched pole position by the narrowest of margins, Verstappen built an early lead but was kept honest for the entire race distance. With Norris closing in the latter stages, the Dutchman eeked out the remaining performance from his tyres to keep the Briton at bay and to take victory by just seven-tenths of a second.

Sergio Perez: 5

Qualified: P11, Race: P8

While Verstappen was able to course-correct Red Bull’s weekend in Imola, the same cannot be said about team-mate Sergio Perez.

A crash at Variante Alta in FP3 saw the Mexican miss out on some much-needed practice before suffering a shock Q2 exit after using two sets of Soft tyres to avoid a Q1 dumping.

The race was not much better for Perez who again let mistakes creep in during the opening stint with a trip through the gravel at Rivazza 1.

His attempted charge through the field would only reach as far as eighth place at the flag in a lacklustre weekend for Perez.

Lando Norris: 9.5

Qualified: P3 (Started P2), Race: P2

Off the back of a maiden Grand Prix victory in Miami last time out, McLaren returned to Imola as favourites to challenge championship leaders Red Bull for the win.

Oscar Piastri marginally bettered Norris in qualifying, but a grid drop for the young Aussie promoted Norris to a front-row start.

McLaren and Norris had no response to the pace of Verstappen in the early stages of the race, but the newest F1 race winner was able to dig deep in the latter tranche to chip away at the Dutchman’s lead to come close, but not quite close enough, to a second consecutive win.

Oscar Piastri: 9

Qualified: P2 (Started P5), Race: P4

Oscar Piastri was the faster of the two McLaren drivers in Imola, threatening Verstappen for pole position on Saturday. However, it was McLaren’s pit wall that cost the sophomore a shot at victory on Sunday owing to a grid drop for impeding in qualifying following a late radio warning.

With overtaking opportunities hard to come by in Imola, track position dictated the action’s course on Sunday. Having placed Carlos Sainz under pressure, Piastri was able to undercut the Spaniard in the pits before getting caught behind Charles Leclerc.

Despite the qualifying infraction, it was still a highly positive weekend for Piastri whose performance ought to merit a podium, or more, last weekend.

Charles Leclerc: 9

Qualified: P4 (Started P3), Race: P3

Charles Leclerc was boosted to third on the grid following the application of Piastri’s grid penalty, offering Ferrari the chance to snatch a podium from the stronger McLaren.

Despite possessing the third-fastest package in Imola, the Monegasque driver was able to get the most from the Ferrari to maintain track position and outclass and out-perform team-mate Carlos Sainz. Finishing just seven-seconds behind race winner Verstappen despite a clear disadvantage provides promise for the upcoming rounds.

Carlos Sainz: 7

Qualified: P5 (Started P4), Race: P5

Carlos Sainz’s fast start to the 2024 campaign appears to have fizzled out, with the Spaniard branding Imola a race of damage limitation.

The outbound Ferrari driver was always a step behind Leclerc and struggled to keep in touching distance of his team-mate ahead of the first pit stop, falling into the clutches of Piastri. While able to keep the position on track, he would lose it in the pits as McLaren opted for the undercut.

Lewis Hamilton: 7

Qualified: P8, Race: P6

Once again, Lewis Hamilton found himself behind George Russell in qualifying trim, but the seven-time champion enjoyed a better race day despite an off-track excursion at Acqua Minerale.

Hamilton was quick to pass Yuki Tsunoda at the start and a longer opening stint helped him jump team-mate Russell who made a second stop to protect position against Sergio Perez.

George Russell: 7.5

Qualified: P6, Race: P7

Understandably, George Russell was frustrated to have fallen behind Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton in Sunday’s race.

The Briton had the upper hand over the multiple world champion throughout the weekend, but when it came down to it, Russell was Mercedes’ best tool to protect a solid points haul.

A six-lap tyre offset meant that Mercedes could have fallen vulnerable to Perez in the latter stages, leading to a second stop for Russell to keep Perez at bay. Frustrating for George, but the best outcome for the team.

Lance Stroll: 7.5

Qualified: P13, Race: P9

Upgrades are yet to provide a boost to Aston Martin’s performance in 2024, meaning that Stroll’s P13 in qualifying was as high as the team could have expected to be placed on the grid for Sunday following struggles on the opposite side of the garage.

An inverse strategy helped the Canadian to break his way into the points despite contact on the opening lap at Tosa.

Fernando Alonso: 4

Qualified: P19 (Started: Pits), Race: P19

Fernando Alonso endured a rare weekend to forget in Imola where, frankly, almost everything that could have gone wrong did.

Scruffy practice sessions culminated in a crash in FP3 before again finding himself off track at Tamburello in Q1. The Spaniard was unable to find improvements and missed out on a final attempt after running low on fuel.

The race therefore became a test session for Alonso who was unable to make forwards progress through the field, save for jumping Logan Sargeant with an undercut only to retire in the final few laps.

Yuki Tsunoda: 8

Qualified: P7, Race: P10

Yuki Tsunoda and RB enjoyed a brilliant home race weekend for the Faenza-based squad, despite Tsunoda feeling somewhat disappointed with his P7 in qualifying.

A poor start saw him knocked back a couple of places before the first corner, but he and the team did well to recover a position from Hulkenberg through strategy. Despite losing places to those overcutting on the alternate strategy, it was still a strong weekend and a very important point secured for RB.

Daniel Ricciardo: 6.5

Qualified: P9, Race: P13

Daniel Ricciardo was able to join his team-mate in Q3, although a couple of tenths adrift of Tsunoda’s pace. Ricciardo too dropped two places off the line after a poor start, confronting the Aussie with a tough task to recover points.

He too lost ground to the overcutting Stroll before dropping a place to Kevin Magnussen on the final lap.

A respectable drive, but lacked the sharpness of that of his team-mate.

Nico Hulkenberg: 8

Qualified: P10, Race: P11

Yet another blinding qualifying session from the veteran Hulkenberg saw Haas an unlikely Q3 advancement last weekend. Hulkenberg ran as high as eighth in the early stages and ended up heading a train in his out-positioned VF-24.

However, Hulkenberg did well to hold position through his consistency, only dropping three through strategy to conclude a very strong weekend.

Kevin Magnussen: 7

However, the Dane battled from a lowly grid spot to climb the order and finish a highly respectable 12th.

Esteban Ocon: 6.5

Qualified: P12, Race: P14

Another strong qualifying performance for Alpine and Ocon, however, a straight-line deficit would make things tough on Sunday.

Despite the limitations of the Alpine, Esteban delivered a commendable race to hold 14th ahead of team-mate Gasly.

Pierre Gasly: 6

Qualified: P15, Race: P16

Pierre Gasly demonstrated good pace in Imola but was unable to put it all together in qualifying and resigned to 15th on the grid.

A lack of safety car interference and a bold two-stop strategy failed to vault the Frenchman up the field despite the apparent pace.

Guanyu Zhou: 6

Qualified: P17, Race: P15

Points continue to look far off for Sauber with Both of its drivers well off the pace in qualifying at Imola, and Zhou two-tenths slower than team-mate Valtteri Bottas to boot.

All was not lost for Zhou, though, who was able to utilise the alternate strategy to pick up a couple of places on Sunday.

Valtteri Bottas: 6

Qualified: P16, Race: P18

While stronger than Zhou, Bottas’ weekend remained fairly anonymous. An early pit stop left him vulnerable towards the end of the race, seeing him drop down the order to P18.

Logan Sargeant: 5

Qualified: P20 (Started P19), Race: P17

With Sargeant’s future at Williams facing increasing scrutiny from all, Imola didn’t exactly inspire much hope.

He failed to set a valid lap time in qualifying and with team-mate Alex Albon’s race undone at the first stop, Logan was unable to pick-up the baton for Williams.

Alex Albon: 6

Qualified: P14 , Race: DNF

Last week it was announced that Alex Albon has extended his stay at Williams but it has been a tough weekend since for the Anglo-Thai driver.

An issue on Friday saw him miss out on running in FP1 and a lack of grip in qualifying resulted in a mid-order start. His race was effectively ended at the first stop when the front-right wheel was not attached correctly, leaving Albon to trundle around to get the issue resolved.

From then, Sunday became a test session before an early finish with the car withdrawn later on.

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On a weekend which marked his 110th start, Lando Norris finally clinched a maiden Formula 1 victory at the Miami Grand Prix.

A major upgrade package from the papaya team and a well-timed Safety Car propelled McLaren to the top step of the podium since Daniel Ricciardo claimed victory at Monza in 2021.

While there was jubilation for many in Miami, several already under-pressure drivers were unable to leave Florida with a positive note on their report cards.

Lando Norris – 10

Sprint: Qualified: P9, Race: DNF

Grand Prix: Qualified: P5, Race: P1

At long last, Lando Norris leaves a Grand Prix weekend as a Formula 1 winner. While perhaps yes the timing of the Safety Car helped propel the Briton to victory, his pace prior to the stoppage was amongst the best on circuit once he found clear air.

Norris was able to stretch his legs at the restart and build a gap to the chasing Max Verstappen in a perfectly managed race from McLaren.

The Sprint race was far from perfect for Norris after a poor Shootout performance which contributed to him getting caught in the opening lap melee, however, his Grand Prix performance dispelled Saturday’s woes with ease.

Oscar Piastri – 8.5

Sprint: Qualified: P6, Race: P6

Grand Prix: Qualified: P6, Race: P13

Whereas Norris was benefitted by the timing of the Safety Car, McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri was hampered by the intervention.

Piastri exhibited class when battling his way to second-place in the opening stanza of Sunday’s race and did very well to fend off the Ferraris for some time too. However, his race came undone when he pitted before the stoppage seeing him lose track position.

Contact from Carlos Sainz during an ambitious lunge from the Spaniard saw Piastri pick up front wing damage, sentencing the Aussie to a lowly finish on an afternoon where he had the pace to join his team-mate on the podium.

Max Verstappen – 9

Sprint: Qualified: P1, Race: P1

Grand Prix: Qualified: P1, Race: P2

Verstappen had a perfect start to the weekend, claiming pole for the Sprint before cruising to yet another Sprint win on Saturday. He followed that up with Grand Prix pole before controlling the race from the front.

However, the Dutchman wasn’t entirely happy with the RB20 in Miami, proven when on Lap 21 he clouted a bollard when skipping the chicane while leading. A subsequent pit-stop saw him lose track position which was consolidated by the Safety Car’s deployment just a few laps later.

Unusually, Verstappen had no answer for Norris and had to settle for P2 but the Dutchman still extends his championship lead on what was otherwise a strong weekend for the Red Bull driver.

Sergio Perez – 6.5

Sprint: Qualified: P3, Race: P3

Grand Prix: Qualified: P4, Race: P5

After a reasonably solid start to the season, Sergio Perez’s Miami Grand Prix was rather unspectacular. The Mexican was no threat for his team-mate in single lap performance, and only really seemed to threaten Verstappen on the approach to Turn 1 when a massive lock-up almost saw him collect the championship leader.

Perez simply did not have the pace to challenge in the race and was kept on his toes by a feisty Lewis Hamiton in the closing stages.

Charles Leclerc – 8.5

Sprint: Qualified: P2, Race: P2

Grand Prix: Qualified: P2, Race: P3

After a spin in FP1 saw Charles Leclerc miss out on much of the sole practice session, the Ferrari driver bounced back in style to claim second on the grid for the Sprint Shootout. Leclerc backed up his Friday performance with second in the Sprint race itself.

Leclerc was again second fastest for qualifying proper, but a poor getaway saw him nearly lose position off the line but that became a reality on Lap 4 when Piastri breezed past with DRS assistance.

The Ferrari driver found himself stuck behind Piastri until he boxed and was later caught in the same predicament behind Verstappen. A strong weekend for Leclerc, but lacked the incisiveness to take that next step.

Carlos Sainz – 6

Sprint: Qualified: P5, Race: P5

Grand Prix: Qualified: P3, Race: P5

Carlos Sainz endured a scrappy weekend in Miami which saw him unable to pass the RB of Daniel Ricciardo during the Sprint.

The 2024 race winner found similar frustration in the main event when grew frustrated when team-mate Leclerc was unable to pass the McLaren of Piastri in the opening phase.

Frustration grew for Sainz when it became his turn to attempt to pass the Australian. An audacious divebomb saw Sainz collect the front wing of the McLaren and earning the Spaniard a time penalty and a penalty point on his license.

Lewis Hamilton – 8

Sprint: Qualified: P12, Race: P16

Grand Prix: Qualified: P8, Race: P6

Once Lewis Hamilton was able to find his tyres in the right operating window, Miami was a positive exercise for the Mercedes driver.

The Sprint race was an eventful affair for Hamilton who was involved in the four-car incident at the opening corner. Able to continue, he found himself in a ferocious scrap with the Haas of Kevin Magnussen before sparring with the other Haas of Nico Hulkenberg on Sunday.

Once he had navigated the extremely wide Haas’, Hamilton was able to challenge the faster cars ahead en route to 6th place in one of his strongest Sunday’s of the year so far.

George Russell – 7

Sprint: Qualified: P11, Race: P12

Grand Prix: Qualified: P7, Race: P8

It was a difficult weekend for George Russell despite seemingly getting the better of his team-mate in qualifying.

Having lost ground off the line in both the Sprint and the Grand Prix, Russell was unable to get on top of the tyres in Miami costing him dearly when battling on track and finishing 18 seconds adrift of Hamilton at the line.

Yuki Tsunoda – 8

Sprint: Qualified: P15, Race: P8

Grand Prix: Qualified: P10, Race: P7

While Daniel Ricciardo reaped all the plaudits for RB in the Sprint, Yuki Tsunoda, who also claimed a point in the Sprint, led the Red Bull junior team’s charge on Sunday.

Starting 10th, Tsunoda was well placed to pick up places from those in faster machinery who struggled to exploit their pace advantage in Miami.

Tsunoda outpaced Russell’s Mercedes in the final stint to claim seventh at the line and his consistency sees him maintain his edge over team-mate Ricciardo.

Daniel Ricciardo – 7

Sprint: Qualified: P4, Race: P4

Grand Prix: Qualified: P18 (Started P20), Race: P15

It was a weekend of two halves for Daniel Ricciardo who drove emphatically on Saturday to claim a much needed result for RB during the Sprint.

But come Qualifying, Ricciardo suffered a shock Q1 exit worsened by a grid drop carried over from the Chinese Grand Prix. Ricciardo struggled to make progress during the race despite many drivers struggling and getting caught up in incidents. The Australian’s rating is heavily bolstered by his Sprint performance.

Fernando Alonso – 7

Sprint: Qualified: P8, Race: P17

Grand Prix: Qualified: P15, Race: P9

2023’s version of Fernando Alonso was missing from a sizeable chunk of the Miami Grand Prix weekend with the Spaniard outqualified by team-mate Lance Stroll on both occasions.

Alonso believed that the team had headed in the wrong direction with its setup tweaks, but the two-time champion was able to salvage a couple of points with a strong final stint and a late pass on Esteban Ocon.

Lance Stroll – 5.5

Sprint: Qualified: P7, Race: DNF

Grand Prix: Qualified: P11, Race: P17

Lance Stroll has long been under pressure when compared to his veteran team-mate Fernando Alonso but the Canadian emerged with the upper hand in qualifying trim.

Stroll wasn’t entirely innocent in the first lap incident that led to his retirement from the Sprint and he later struggled to make ground during the Grand Prix despite promising pace. A penalty for an illegal overtake on Alex Albon only worsened his weekend.

Esteban Ocon – 8

Sprint: Qualified: P13, Race: P15

Grand Prix: Qualified: P13, Race: P10

It was another strong weekend for both Alpine drivers after a dismal start to the 2024 campaign for the French marque.

The team perhaps could have extracted more from qualifying, but a stellar battle with Pierre Gasly in the technical middle sector provided brilliant entertainment during the opening lap on Sunday.

Strong pace helped Ocon pass Hulkenberg and Alonso however the pace started to diminish in the latter stages, seeing him cede position to the Aston Martin but clinging on to tenth to collect the team’s first point of the year.

Pierre Gasly – 7.5

Sprint: Qualified: P16, Race: P9

Grand Prix: Qualified: P12, Race: P12

Boosted by the upgraded Alpine, Gasly did well to adjust to the altered Alpine and was expected to fall behind Ocon who already has one race with the revised car under his belt.

That being said, Gasly came close to clinching a point on Saturday and edged Ocon in Grand Prix qualifying to boot. Pit strategy saw him lose track position and a chance to battle for the final point positions.

Nico Hulkenberg – 8

Sprint: Qualified: P10, Race: P7

Grand Prix: Qualified: P9, Race: P11

It was another strong weekend for Nico Hulkenberg who managed to pick up an important couple of points for Haas in the Sprint.

Hulkenberg was in the fight early on Sunday before an early pitstop saw him slip down the order and lose ground to his midfield rivals.

A final stint on the Medium compound saw the pace return for Hulkenberg, although the strategy was proven to be the wrong call. Still, a highly impressive weekend from the eventual Audi driver.

Kevin Magnussen – 5

Sprint: Qualified: P14, Race: P18

Grand Prix: Qualified: P19 (Started P18), Race: P18

Off the pace compared to Hulkenberg, Magnussen picked up a host of penalties in Miami and edges closer to a potential race ban.

Haas and the Dane resorted to dirty tactics in the Sprint to help preserve Hulkenberg’s points haul while Sunday saw him come to blows with Logan Sargeant, pitching the American into the barriers.

Guanyu Zhou – 7

Sprint: Qualified: P17, Race: P11

Grand Prix: Qualified: P20 (Started P19), Race: P14

A poor qualifying performance on Saturday saw Zhou on the backrow of the grid and some three-tenths adrift of Valtteri Bottas’ pace.

There were signs of promise in the first half of the race as Zhou passed both Bottas and Magnussen, however a final stint on the Soft compound saw him tumble back down the order.

Valtteri Bottas – 6

Sprint: Qualified: P18, Race: P14

Grand Prix: Qualified: P16, Race: P16

A quiet weekend for the Finn not helped by Sauber’s struggles in Miami. Starting on the Soft tyre certainly didn’t help his afternoon either, with the fastest tyre instead sending him backwards down the order.

Alex Albon – 6

Sprint: Qualified: P20, Race: P13

Grand Prix: Qualified: P14, Race: P19

Williams’ poorly optimised package meant that the team was always in for a tough weekend in Florida with Albon unable to deliver any of the heroics that he may have been capable of last year. A late lockup saw Albon plummet to last of the runners with optimism dwindling for the team.

Logan Sargeant – 5

Sprint: Qualified: P19, Race: P10

Grand Prix: Qualified: P17, Race: DNF

Coming into the weekend, Logan Sargeant garnered plenty of attention approaching his home race, but also with rumours swirling of an impending snub in favour of Kimi Antonelli.

On track, it was a mixed bag for Sargeant who finally got the better of Albon in a qualifying session on Friday before driving to 10th in the Sprint, albeit without the reward of points.

He ran well during Sunday’s race until he was clouted by Kevin Magnussen in the first sector, sending him rearwards into the barriers and out of the running.

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The FIA has issued an update to the Formula 1 sporting regulations in the hopes of tackling issues that have occurred during the opening races of the 2024 season.

Changes to the sporting regulations are aimed at addressing jump starts and ensuring teams do not sit out practice sessions affected by wet weather.

Lando Norris escaped a penalty in Saudi Arabia for jumping the start as the McLaren driver was deemed to have not moved by the FIA transponder fitted to his car.

At the time, it appeared that Norris was set to be penalised for the infringement, but the FIA has now responded by issuing a new rule for the Miami Grand Prix onwards.

The stewards will now be able to penalise a car for jumping the start even if the FIA transponders fail to pick up any movement with the revision removing mention that the judgement must be made “by an FIA approved and supplied transponder”.

A driver will be penalised for a jump start should they be found to move “after the four-second light is illuminated and before the start signal is given by extinguishing all red lights.”

A new rule has also been added by the FIA to encourage teams to conduct meaningful running in rain-affected practice sessions as opposed to protecting their limited number of intermediate tyres for later on in the weekend.

Article 30.5(g) dictates that “From the five sets of intermediate tyres allocated to each driver under Article 30.2 (a) ii, if [first, second or third practice) is declared wet, one set of intermediate tyres must be electronically returned no later than two hours after the end of [third practice].”

A wet FP2 session in Japan last month saw just nine drivers post a lap time during the entirety of the hour-long practice session prompting displeasure from many, including F1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali.

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Formula 1 team bosses have welcomed changes to the F1 Sprint format which have made the compacted weekends ‘more forgiving’.

Last weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix played host to the first Sprint race of the F1 season and also gave a first glimpse at a slightly revised format.

Under the new format, Friday’s running consists of a sole Free Practice session followed by the Sprint Shootout before heading into Saturday’s Sprint and Grand Prix qualifying ahead of Sunday’s main race.

The change in format has also opened up parc ferme restrictions allowing teams to make adjustments to car setups between the two Saturday sessions.

“This reopened parc ferme will certainly be used for tuning the balance of the car,” McLaren team boss Andrea Stella said.

“Sometimes, this could be large changes if you see you are significantly off. The possibility to reopen parc ferme after the sprint has two implications.

“The first one is that the weekend is slightly more forgiving. Because if you got some ride heights wrong, or you see that the balance needs adjustments based on the tyre behaviour, for instance, you can do it.

“And this, at the same time, I think allows you to be slightly more aggressive in the first place in terms of what direction to take, or, for instance, in terms of ride heights, because you can compensate,” Stella explained.

“And we actually from a purely engineering point of view found this interesting because we had the opportunity to see the balance in the sprint.

“Obviously, if there were some silver bullets, we would have deployed them already. So, we talked about not much more than some fine-tuning. But it’s interesting from an engineering point of view that you can do it. This change for us is very welcome.”

Aston Martin performance director Tom McCullough discussed some of the options the team faced before even arriving in Shanghai.

“We had a lot of those discussions coming into the event [such as] rear wing level set-up [etc],” McCullough began to explain.

“But ultimately doing a 19-lap [sprint] stint is still hard and you can’t really make too big a change compared to the main race.”

McCullough believes that some of the tweaks made by teams between the Sprint and Grand Prix were greater than those expected at other Sprint events due to an absence of data. Following a hiatus from the calendar, this year’s running of the Chinese Grand Prix was the first since 2019.

“It was maybe bigger here just because we’ve not been here for so long,” McCullough continued.

“The 2019 cars when we were last here had rear ride heights three times the rear ride heights we are running now and the stiffness of the car, everything’s so different the tyres, the aero.

“We all simulated and prepared, [and] the track grip itself was maybe worse – more rear limiting than in the past which I think we kind of predicted just to have these tyres and how the generation of cars are working.

“[Aston] sort of walked where we thought, ‘you get one run [in FP1], bang you make some changes before sprint quali’, but after the sprint race really you learn the most in high fuel long running. A 30-odd-kg long run, you learn.

“And then we were like, ‘Right, what’s going to happen when we put another 70kg of fuel in, which are the tyres we’re gonna have to look after what do we need to do, bang, make some changes’.

“They weren’t big changes, really. Everyone up and down the pit lane would have made [those] changes.”

The biggest midweek turnaround came from Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg who fell from 13th to last in the Sprint Race.

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu revealed that Hulkenberg’s setup for the Sprint “actually made the car worse”, however a setup change ahead of the Grand Prix saw the German able to salvage a point on Sunday.

The F1 Sprint format will make a return at the Miami Grand Prix this weekend.

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Formula 1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali has disclosed that he would encourage adding the Sprint format to further weekends in future F1 calendars.

The F1 calendar comprises six Sprint events, the first of which was hosted in China with the upcoming Miami Grand Prix set to host the second next weekend.

Although the revised schedule adds additional competition to a weekend, the Sprint format has received mixed reviews as it places extra strain on the teams.

A new format for the Sprint weekend allows teams to make set-up tweaks between the Sprint race and grand prix qualifying, something that was outlawed before.

The Chinese Grand Prix Sprint provided an exciting encounter, owing to a mixed grid following a Sprint Qualifying which took place under changeable conditions.

That has prompted Domenicali to suggest that there are grounds to extend the Sprint allotment to more venues on the current 24-round roster down the line.

“The qualifying Sprint in those incredible conditions [in China], we had a lot of running [in the rain] and that reminds us that we have the duty to make sure that every day there is some action on the track to respect the fans that are coming here and want to have fun,” the F1 CEO told Sky Sports F1.

“Why not?” Domenicali responded when asked if there was a possibility of adding more F1 Sprint events to an already extensive calendar.

“I would say this is great because it keeps the tension on every day and this is something that will be discussed in the future.

“Now, let’s see how this year with the sprints will go. But that’s a point of discussion for sure that I want to discuss in the next F1 Commission.

“We need to avoid any possibility to have a situation like Japan with cars not running [because of weather conditions].

“This is not good for the people that are coming to see us and see the drivers. I am sure that the teams will understand that we need to find solutions.”

Reigning World Champion Max Verstappen admitted that the format change has strengthened the F1 Sprint weekends, but also warned chiefs of the risks of overdoing it.

“The sprint format was better. A bit more straightforward, I would say,” said Verstappen who won both the Sprint and Grand Prix in China.

“But let’s not overdo it as well, because we are already doing 24 races a year, six of these sprint events as well.

“I get it. I guess it sells better and better numbers on TV, but it’s also more stress on the mechanics and everything.

“You have to deal with it, but let’s not think that now we need 12 of those because it will take its toll on people as well.”

McLaren driver Lando Norris weighed in, adding: “I don’t think it’s too bad for us as drivers, honestly. I don’t think we can be the ones to complain at all.

“It’s the hundreds of mechanics and engineers that have to travel so much. It’s not healthy for them.

“It is not sustainable. So, the problem is not with us. People should look out more for the rest of the team.”

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Lawrence Stroll is involved in initial discussions regarding him selling a minor stake of up to 25% in the Aston Martin Formula 1 team, according to reports this week.

Stroll is looking to cash in on the sport’s exponential growth in recent terms and is open to selling as much as a quarter stake in the business, Bloomberg has written.

The Canadian billionaire’s ownership of the Silverstone-based squad remains separate from his controlling stake in the Aston Martin Lagonda luxury road car division.

It is believed that Stroll intends to shore up the team’s $1 billion valuation following the sale of a minority stake to US private equity firm Arctos Partners in November.

“From time to time and more recently following the Arctos Partners investment, the team is contacted by interested parties,” a spokesperson revealed to Bloomberg.

While interest in the 10 incumbent F1 teams on the grid continues to grow, the same cannot be said about Aston Martin Lagonda whose stock continues to decline.

The luxury car brand has seen its stock fall by a third since the start of the year and is 80% down on when Stroll, now executive chairman, took control of the group.

Two-time F1 champion Fernando Alonso announced earlier this month that he had penned a multi-term renewal with Aston Martin to remain for the next rules reset.

Aston Martin, which sits fifth in the Constructors’ Championship at present, will embark upon a partnership with Honda in 2026 as it bids to become a title contender.

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For the first time since 2019, the Formula 1 circus returned to Shanghai for the Chinese Grand Prix and the first Sprint weekend of the season.

Despite a minor setback during Friday’s Sprint Shootout, it was championship leader Max Verstappen who twice emerged victorious at the Shanghai International Circuit.

While Verstappen again cantered to the top step, things weren’t as straightforward for those caught amongst the midfield so, without further ado, how did the field fair upon the sport’s return to China?

Max Verstappen – 9.5

Sprint: Qualified: P4, Race: P1

Grand Prix: Qualified: P1, Race: P1

Verstappen was again the dominant force despite emerging fourth fastest in the Sprint Shootout having struggled to find grip in tricky conditions.

Come Saturday, Verstappen was back to his best and eased to victory in the Sprint with a 13-second margin over second-placed Lewis Hamilton before snatching pole for the Grand Prix with a three-tenth advantage over team-mate Sergio Perez.

The Dutchman again found himself with a healthy winning margin on Sunday despite two full Safety Car interventions in what was a brilliantly managed race from the Red Bull driver.

Sergio Perez – 7

Sprint: Qualified: P6, Race: P3

Grand Prix: Qualified: P2, Race: P3

Perez too struggled in Sprint qualifying and was unable to place himself higher than sixth on the grid before failing to carve his way back through the field with the same urgency as Verstappen.

A return to third in the Sprint was a solid result from the Mexican driver who went on to qualify alongside his team-mate for Sunday’s race.

However, Perez ceded position to Fernando Alonso early on, allowing Verstappen to find comfort out front. While he was able to reclaim the spot from Alonso, the timing of the Safety Car saw him lose out to Lando Norris who was able to escape the grasp of the far superior Red Bull.

Lando Norris – 9.5

Sprint: Qualified: P1, Race: P6

Grand Prix: Qualified: P4, Race: P2

Lando Norris’ hold on the top spot was shortlived during the Sprint after a blinding start from Mercedes rival Lewis Hamilton. A moment in the opening complex saw Norris slip off track and fall down the order.

Norris’ attempt to reclaim the Sprint lead at Turn 1 was perhaps his only misstep before earning a much-deserved eighth second-place finish of his F1 career on Sunday.

McLaren and Norris capitalised on the timing of the Safety Car to jump Perez after which the young Briton’s assured driving saw him build the gap until the finish line.

Oscar Piastri – 7

Sprint: Qualified: P8, Race: P7

Grand Prix: Qualified: P5, Race: P8

Oscar Piastri was always a step behind team-mate Norris in Shanghai, however on his first visit to China with Formula 1, the Australian can be excused for the disadvantage.

Piastri’s Sprint qualifying was hampered by a momentary car issue while in qualifying for the Grand Prix, he was just a tenth adrift of his more experienced team-mate.

His Grand Prix was then ruined after the RB of Daniel Ricciardo was sent flying into his rear diffuser but Piastri deserves plaudit for keeping Hamilton at bay despite carrying diffuser damage.

Charles Leclerc – 8.5

Sprint: Qualified: P7, Race: P4

Grand Prix: Qualified: P6, Race: P4

Having been outperformed by his outbound team-mate in recent weeks, Charles Leclerc was able to reverse the tide in China.

The Ferrari was the weakest it has been this season, yet Leclerc impressed with two hard-fought fourth-place finishes. The Monegasque found himself locked in a costly battle with his stablemate in the opening exchanges on Sunday, sending both Ferraris down the order.

Leclerc’s recovery was strong albeit aided by the timing of the Safety Car windows to salvage a strong points haul.

Carlos Sainz – 7.5

Sprint: Qualified: P5, Race: P5

Grand Prix: Qualified: P7, Race: P5

Since the news of his imminent Ferrari departure broke, Carlos Sainz has been one of the standout performers this season but his Chinese Grand Prix weekend failed to meet the same high standard he has set himself.

That being said it was still a strong weekend for the Spaniard who was marginally bettered by Leclerc in single lap and race performance.

The Spaniard escaped major drama with his high-speed spin in qualifying but found himself with damage after battling Fernando Alonso in the Sprint while understeer hampered his progress on Sunday.

George Russell – 7.5

Sprint: Qualified: P11, Race: P8

Grand Prix: Qualified: P8, Race: P6

Results have remained hard to come by for Mercedes in 2024, but once again it was George Russell who was able to extract the most from the W15.

Low tyre temperatures led to a disappointing Sprint Qualifying performance but Russell was able to fight back to a points finish.

A top 10 start on Sunday led to a straightforward race for the Briton with sixth place the maximum reward given the limitations of the Mercedes.

Lewis Hamilton – 7

Sprint: Qualified: P2, Race: P2

Grand Prix: Qualified: P18, Race: P9

Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton endured a weekend of two halves upon his return to China.

The Sprint pointed towards a strong weekend for Hamilton who nailed the launch to emerge as the race leader after Turn 1, however the Mercedes driver was powerless in fending off Verstappen.

Come Sunday’s race, Hamilton found himself towards the rear after a costly mistake at the hairpin in qualifying but an excellent fight back through the field meant the Mercedes driver was rewarded with a couple of points for his efforts.

Fernando Alonso – 7

Sprint: Qualified: P3, Race: DNF

Grand Prix: Qualified: P3, Race: P7

Fernando Alonso twice dragged the Aston Martin to third on the grid, however he was unable to match those lofty heights in race conditions.

An overly ambitious attempt to reclaim a position from Carlos Sainz in the Sprint led to retirement after suffering a puncture. Sunday’s race was stronger for the Spaniard, but his strategy was compromised by a limited tyre selection. A bonus point for fastest lap offered some solace.

Lance Stroll – 4

Sprint: Qualified: P15, Race: P14

Grand Prix: Qualified: P11, Race: P15

Stroll’s pace deficit to Alonso was exposed again, lapping some half-a-second slower than the Spaniard in SQ2. The Canadian offered some excitement in the Sprint with some daring overtakes only to end 14th.

He again failed to join his team-mate in advancing to Q3 but was set for a strong points finish until a bizarre lapse of concentration saw him ram Daniel Ricciardo under the Safety Car.

Rightfully, Stroll was penalised for the incident despite his attempts to offload blame onto the RB driver.

Nico Hulkenberg – 8

Sprint: Qualified: P13, Race: P19

Grand Prix: Qualified: P9, Race: P10

The first half of Nico Hulkenberg’s weekend was fruitless having gone in the wrong direction with the cars setup.

However, a poor sprint showing was juxtaposed by another top-ten finish for the Haas driver in the Grand Prix after benefitting from Stroll and Ricciardo’s prang.

Kevin Magnussen – 5

Sprint: Qualified: P12, Race: P10

Grand Prix: Qualified: P17, Race: P16

Having claimed tenth in the sprint, Magnussen’s weekend took a turn for the worse from then on.

The Dane was sent out too late for a final attempt in qualifying resulting in a Q1 exit while Hulkenberg would progress to Q3.

A dive bomb on Yuki Tsunoda resulted in needless contact, ending the RB driver’s race and warranting a penalty from the stewards for the misdemeanour.

Esteban Ocon – 7.5

Sprint: Qualified: P17, Race: P13

Grand Prix: Qualified: P13, Race: P11

Ocon was boosted by a much-needed upgrade in China with a new floor shedding some weight from the hamstrung Alpine A524.

While he was outperformed by Pierre Gasly in the Sprint Shootout, Ocon benefitted greatly in race settings en route to a season-best P11 on Sunday.

Pierre Gasly – 7

Sprint: Qualified: P16, Race: P15

Grand Prix: Qualified: P15, Race: P13

There were signs of promise for Pierre Gasly and Alpine despite having not received the same floor upgrade as compatriot Ocon.

Still, Gasly advanced into Q2 for the first time this season and a P13 finish matched his best performance of the year. On paper, it was another mediocre weekend for the French outfit but advancements are being made and, with time, points are surely on the horizon.

Alex Albon – 7

Sprint: Qualified: P18, Race: P17

Grand Prix: Qualified: P14, Race: P12

The Shanghai circuit didn’t do Williams any favours on the weekend as Albon, who again outperformed his machinery, struggled with degradation in the final stages of the race.

An early first stop didn’t do much to help his hopes of points on Sunday which are proving much harder to come by for the Anglo-Thai driver this year.

Logan Sargeant – 5

Sprint: Qualified: P20, Race: P18

Grand Prix: Qualified: P20, Race: P17

Barring his P18 finish in the Sprint, Logan Sargeant rounded out the field in all competitive action in his maiden F1 weekend in China.

The American struggled to get to grips with the temperamental Williams, highlighted by a spin in Q1 after finding a bump in the track.

Parc ferme changes led to a pitlane start, and he was always a step behind his counterpart.

Guanyu Zhou – 6

Sprint: Qualified: P10, Race: P9

Grand Prix: Qualified: P16, Race: P14

As the first Chinese driver in Formula 1, Guanyu Zhou received a warm welcome on home soil and reciprocated that with a strong Sprint showing for Sauber.

However, a lock-up at the hairpin ended hopes of returning to the final phase of qualifying and instead resulted in a Q1 exit and a mid-order finish in the Grand Prix.

Valtteri Bottas – 6.5

Sprint: Qualified: P9, Race: P12

Grand Prix: Qualified: P10, Race: DNF

Valterri Bottas had the edge over his team-mate in China, twice breaking into the top ten in qualifying.

Despite his heroics behind the wheel of the Sauber, both races were dampened by misfortune. In the sprint, his chances were scuppered after collecting wing damage from a brush with Zhou while an engine failure curtailed his search for points on Sunday.

Daniel Ricciardo – 6.5

Sprint: Qualified: P14, Race: P11

Grand Prix: Qualified: P12, Race: DNF

After a dismal start to the season, the Chinese Grand Prix marked the first weekend on which Ricciardo had the edge over team-mate Yuki Tsunoda.

Ricciardo credited a new chassis for his stronger weekend, and having come close to a top-ten finish on Saturday, the Australian had high hopes for Sunday.

Those were dashed by the clumsy clout from Stroll under Safety Car conditions, ending the RB driver’s race. He also picked up a needless grid drop for the Miami Grand Prix after re-overtaking Hulkenberg under the Safety Car.

Yuki Tsunoda – 5.5

Sprint: Qualified: P19, Race: P16

Grand Prix: Qualified: P19, Race: DNF

Yuki Tsunoda struggled to get his Chinese Grand Prix weekend underway and was always a step behind Ricciardo despite having the edge over his more experienced team-mate to this point.

His first F1 race in China was hampered by setup concerns and a lack of grip while his Grand Prix was written off when he was clouted by the Haas of Kevin Magnussen.

The post Motorsport Week’s F1 2024 Chinese GP Driver Ratings appeared first on Motorsport Week.

Mercedes driver George Russell has raised concerns over driver comfort with increased levels of dirty air contributing to helmet turbulence in the 2024 Formula 1 season.

Dirty air has increasingly become a topic of conversation with the current generation of F1 machinery, limiting how closely drivers can follow each other in the ground effect era.

However, Russell has raised concerns over driver comfort with increasing wake levels leading to helmets lifting in high turbulence.

“It’s been a bit of a theme this year,” the Mercedes driver told Motorsport.com after once again reporting helmet issues during the Japanese Grand Prix.

“But I have had no problem with helmets in practice and qualifying, and then as soon as we get to the race with all the turbulence and cars around there’s lots of buffeting and struggling a bit in this regard.

“The cars are definitely harder to follow recently than they have been in the past.”

After an eventful race in Suzuka, Russell crossed the line in seventh place as Mercedes continues to search for a podium with its W15.

The Mercedes drivers have noted bouncing issues with the W15 throughout the early stages of the campaign, but Russell found himself with a steering vibration to boot last time out.

“Yeah, I’m not too sure where that came from. There may be a small flat spot, I just need to assess it,” he said.

Despite having faced issues during the race, the Briton was able to place McLaren rival Oscar Piastri under pressure and pass the Australian in the closing stages.

The pair made contact at the final chicane with Russell was placed under investigation by the FIA stewards for the incident. However, the Briton escaped punishment with no further action taken.

“It was a good race, a good battle. Obviously, I had a little bit of a late lunge on him,” he explained.

“Felt like I gave him enough room, but made a bit of contact at the apex. I was a bit surprised to see him go straight on, but at the end, I managed to pass him away.

“It was so tight between the four teams after Red Bull, and you’re seeing only a tenth and a half or two-tenths splitting probably six cars in qualifying and ultimately it feels like you finish where you start. So we had a bad day yesterday [qualifying] and paid the price today.

“I think it made sense to start on the hard [at the restart], it just gave us this flexibility. But I lost loads of time behind Lewis at the beginning.

“Once we pitted the pace was quite strong I think, in line with Charles [Leclerc] and Lando [Norris]. So had we started a few positions higher it would have been a different race.”

The post Russell reveals increased turbulence causing F1 helmet issues appeared first on Motorsport Week.

Max Verstappen has voiced concerns over whether Formula 1 is heading in the right direction with plans for active aero for the sport’s 2026 regulation overhaul.

The pre-existing framework for the next generation of F1 cars will see smaller and lighter cars with a 50/50 split between internal combustion and electrical power.

While engine regulations for 2026 are set in stone having enticed brands such as Audi to enter the series for the first time, chassis regulations are still to be finalised.

The FIA has touted a switch to active aero systems; however, initial plans for a moveable rear wing have raised widespread doubts amongst both teams and drivers.

Trials with the adaptive rear wing system have taken place in teams’ simulators, but the change in aero balance is leading to a higher risk of spins accelerating on straights.

As a result, the FIA is now considering the implementation of a moveable front wing in addition to an active rear wing to make the change in aero balance more manageable.

Verstappen criticised the plans for the rules revamp, stating: “I mean, I think we’ll have to deal with some compromises on some tracks, you know, where you use a lot of energy per lap.

“And of course, you know, with the potential like active aero and stuff. I’m not sure if we should head into that direction. That’s what it’s looking like at the moment. 

“Hopefully, we can optimise all these kind of things

“For me, it’s more important to just try and fight the weight of the cars, try and optimise that instead of all these tools and tricks to try and help the overtaking or following.

“There must be different ways to be able to do it. I guess, also, with the engine regulation that they went into, they kind of need to do that to create the top speed and basically you know where the battery stops deploying and stuff. And yeah some tracks will work a bit better some tracks probably it’s a bit more on the edge. 

“Of course people will try to counter my arguments but I guess we’ll find out anyway and in ‘26, but also I’m not really thinking, of course, too much about it because we have a lot of work in the seasons up until ‘26. But we’ll see if we can improve it a bit.”

Ferrari rival Carlos Sainz weighed in on the discussion, adding: “I think it’s all a consequence of the engine regulations. In the end, if you have a lot more energy requested from the electric powertrain, you’re going to need to have, in a way, active aerodynamics to compensate. 

“And there is where it all starts to get messy with the overtaking and the active aero and how you can do that to help the car to go quicker on the straight and spend less time full throttle.”

However, Sainz was cautious to criticise plans for the regulation reset without seeing the finalised framework in action.

“Until we try them, I think it’s unfair to criitcise or back the regulations,” he continued.

“At the same time, if it has attracted manufacturers, big manufacturers like Audi, into the sport, I think it’s something that it has to be appreciated and put into context.

“My personal view is that these cars now are probably just too big and too heavy. If I would have to change something for tomorrow, it would be that. And then the suspension, I think the suspensions are becoming a big talking point in a lot of the tracks and how we brought them into some corners and how taxing it can be for the driver.”

Sainz, whose F1 future is yet to be determined beyond 2024, also suggested that the FIA should consider the implementation of active suspension to improve driver health and safety.

“If we are going to have active aero, why not active suspension to protect the back of the drivers and to protect our own health and the safety of certain tracks?

“it’s clear that right now we are asking way too many things to the tracks and to the circuits, to the organisations, to change many small bumps that before we wouldn’t even feel with the ‘21 car, and now we just can spin or have a pretty big accident because of those situations.

“So if I would have to ask or add one thing for the ‘26 would be something to protect us a bit on that front.”

The 2026 aerodynamic regulations are set to be confirmed by the end of June this year.

The post Verstappen unsure F1 heading in right direction on 2026 rules appeared first on Motorsport Week.

Lando Norris has considered adopting an “opposite” approach to ensure that he maximises the potential of McLaren’s Formula 1 cars on a regular basis in qualifying.

With slim margins separating the top five Constructors over a single lap in 2024, securing grid position has become more pivotal to enhancing drivers’ race prospects.

Norris criticised his efforts towards the end of last term as he squandered multiple opportunities to secure pole positions, culminating in him labelling his work “s***”.

The Briton has admitted he’s been unable to get on top of that aspect of a weekend with the current ground effect cars, prompting him to ponder a changed approach.

Expanding upon the reasons for his troubles, Norris believes the rules overhaul has left him struggling to attack in the manner he did the previous spec cars he started with.

“In qualifying, I’ve always been wanting to push quite a bit more in certain areas and kind of want to go out and just be attacking. And I have to do the complete opposite,” he said.

“It’s a hard one to get my head around because I want to go out and find another level in qualifying, and you just can’t do that with these tyres and with our car. You almost have to drive it the opposite way.

“So there’s something, almost from being used to the cars a few years ago, that’s kind of punishing me now and not adapting quick enough. But that’s something that’s up to me.

“That’s my job to adapt and to do a better job on, but also just with how our car is, how you have to drive it, it’s always been said and it continues to be quite a tricky car to drive.

“So to execute a perfect qualifying lap every single time is not an easy thing to do and that’s also like we said something we’re working on.”

Norris discussed a loss of feeling behind the wheel of the McLaren coinciding with the rules change and is still trying to understand how best to adapt his approach on track.

“If you ask me now, ‘how do I drive a low-speed corner’, I’ve got no idea, I don’t,” he continued. “One day it’s like this; the next day it is like that. I struggle with just the confidence of knowing exactly how to improve in all cases.

“When it does click, it clicks, and I can have a good quali. But yeah, I just lost a little bit of that feeling over the last couple of years of going out in quali and attacking and putting in the laps that I want to put in.

“It’s hard to make myself not push and not be attacking when you’re competitive and you want to go for a better lap.”

Last season, McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella advised Norris to drive at 99% during qualifying; but Norris believes his struggles are not solely tied to his approach.

“It’s like I can’t even drive at 100%,” he added. “100% works one lap in 10.

“So, when you want to go into Q3 and put your best lap on, it might be that one lap you have to drive at 98% all of a sudden. It’s just a complicated thing, and difficult to be on the limit.

“Depending on a couple kilometres an hour wind, or the tyres being a bit hotter or a bit colder, it changes how much you’re able to push in every single corner. So, you have to think of these things.

“Like, okay, the winds changed this little amount, it means I have to brake one metre earlier and you have to do this. And it isn’t an easy thing to be on top of all the time.

“It’s stuff I’m working on, stuff I’ve improved a bit over the last couple of weeks. Last weekend [in Australia] was a bit more of the indication, the first indication of, okay, when it clicks, this is what we can kind of do.”

Although simulator work could help iron out the issues, Norris admits that that could prove difficult without replicating the emotional aspect of a real qualifying session.

“It’s tough, because not always is it the best correlation,” said Norris of the work that can be done in the simulator back in Woking.

“There are certain techniques and abilities of trying to drive relaxed. Those are the kind of things you can do on the simulator.

“But recreating that exact emotion of when you’re in the car, and you’re going for a quali lap, it’s not easy to replicate such a thing on a simulator.

“A bit of it is trial and error, of just trying to make it a normality. The thing is when I drive, I drive so subconsciously, that the less I think of driving, the better I drive.

“If I just go out, and I’m watching the grandstands, this is normally when I’m doing a better job. But I’m naturally just going out and pushing.

“So, when you have to try and change your subconscious and try and just chill, it’s not an easy thing to change. That’s something that just gets developed over the years. And it’s not easy to just revert on.

“It’s just drifted away from me probably over the last year and a bit: the older regulation, it was easier to drive and to find the limit.

“Every day is a new day, there’s always new challenges and new issues. But that’s part of it; it’s the same for everyone. I just think that at times it’s been tricky with our car.

“But my job as a driver is to do the best I can on adapting to it myself as well.”

The post Norris discusses need for ‘opposite’ approach to F1 qualifying appeared first on Motorsport Week.