#autosport show

[swpics]

Supposed to be the top form of motorsport, why was all the innovation taken out of Grand Prix racing? Now most cars look like clones of each other. In the 1970s there was plenty of Innovation, 6 wheels, Fan cars and even this Lotus 56B Gas Turbine, seen at AutoSport Show 2016. See Classic and Competition Car 65, previous issues page, for more from AutoSport show. Free to read at www.classicandcompetitioncar.com

[jack-doohan]

JAMES HINCHCLIFFE - 2013 Milwaukee IndyFest from Milwaukee Mile

Cc: @omigodyall 💚

[otrocorte]

Vamos sigue sigue higo sigue sigue

[zechauto]

Used car sales & rental car service  in Frankfurt am Main

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gebrauchtwagenhändler frankfurt

[umgeorge]

Press con questions that weren't shown:

Q: (Jenna Fryer – Associated Press) George, were you guys blindsided by this or have any idea that it was coming or under consideration, that a change in Race Director was coming? GR: No, no idea whatsoever. So, yeah, as I said, it was a bit of a bit of surprise.

Q: (Luke Smith – The Athletic) George, has there been any response from the FIA or the FIA president to what the GPDA put out? GR: No. Not at the moment, which I'm a little bit surprised about, to be fair. But maybe there'll be something to come. Who knows?

Q: (Ben Hunt – Autosport) It's obviously very disappointing to learn from you that there's no transparency at all from the FIA. Was there any response about where the money's going from for all these fines and all that sort of stuff? Because that's another key element which we would quite like to know as well. GR: No, I think ultimately for us, when we were hearing from the FIA a couple of years ago, when it came to the Presidential elections, they were talking about transparency, talking about where the money is going to be reinvested into grassroots racing, which we're all in favour for. And of course, when it comes to some of these large fines, there's a number of drivers on the grid who can comfortably afford these fines. There's maybe some rookies on the grid that if they're handed a $1 million fine, you know, they can't afford this. But if we know where that's being sort of reinvested and if it's going into grassroots or into some training programs, then we get it. As I said, I think we just want the transparency and understanding of what was promised from the beginning.

Q: (Kevin Scheuren – Motorsport-total.com) A question to George as well on that topic. Isn't it a bad sign that you need to open up a social media account to make your voices heard as a collective? Because it sometimes seems, looking from the outside, that the individual, if the individual has an opinion on stuff, he faces repercussions. Now you have to work as a collective. Are you more or less a pawn in this game? Do you drivers feel sometimes more or less as a pawn in this game, not taken serious? GR: I think we've probably learned from the past that whenever we have spoken up, let's say internally, it hasn't gone anywhere. And as I said, as drivers, we only want the best for the sport. We want to improve it, especially on safety grounds, but whenever it comes to, you know, decisions in the race, we only want to help. And it's been a couple of years now that not much has changed when we have sort of given some views forward. And I guess we all wanted to show that we are collectively united. And maybe that will show how seriously we feel as a whole on the subject.

Q: (Andrew Benson – BBC Sport) George, it's been seven years since the GPDA had put out a public statement of this kind about something they were concerned about. What level of confidence do the drivers have in the leadership of the FIA at the moment? GR: I mean, I'm not too sure to be honest. We recognise everybody's working as hard as they can to do the best job possible. There is obviously a huge amount of change within the FIA quite regularly, so it's clearly not the most stable of places. And maybe that's why it's been a bit challenging to get some of the changes that we've wanted implemented. Of course, everyone has their own side to their own story. But as I said, I think if we feel that we're being listened to and some of the changes that we are experiencing, requesting, are implemented, because ultimately we're only doing it for the benefit of the sport, then maybe our confidence will increase. But yeah, I think there's a number of drivers who feel probably a bit fed up with the whole situation. And it only seems to be going in, to a degree, the wrong direction.

Q: (Jordan Bianchi – The Athletic) For all three drivers: you returned to Vegas this year. A year ago, there was a lot of hype and excitement about this race. I'm curious, now that you come back here for a second time, what's the atmosphere like that you guys have kind of experienced so far? Kevin, let's start with you.

GR: Yeah, I mean, it definitely feels strange, this Grand Prix, just living in the night. And like Kevin says, the atmosphere builds up during the course of the weekend. So, yeah, let's see how it goes.

Q: (Anna Cordera – Momentum Racing) George, I'd like to ask you, you've been racing with Lewis for almost three years. What do you think is going to be different now you being the veteran of the team racing with Kimi, regarding the development of the car? GR: Yeah, I mean, ultimately, for most F1 teams, you have near on 1,000 people who are working towards building these two cars, yet you only have two drivers driving it. So, I think, let's say, in Lewis, in my case, it was never that Lewis had a stronger voice. The team listened to us both equally because both of our opinions were extremely important. And the same going into next year. You know, Kimi's new. He's fresh. And I'm sure he's going to have a lot of great ideas to bring to the table. So, you know, I am the more experienced of the two, but we will both get equal voices the same way, and we will both equally contribute towards the development the same way as it was with Lewis and I.

Q: (Ian Parkes – New York Times) Sorry, another question to you, George. George, is it that difficult to try and get a sit-down face-to-face meeting with the President of the FIA to discuss all these issues, that you have to go down the route that you did with that message? GR: It's definitely not difficult to get a sit down, but I think getting things to change or getting promises upheld seems slightly more challenging. So, it's maybe the FIA or the president didn't recognise how seriously we all felt. So I think that's why over the course of 20 races this year and also even last year we spoke about a number of topics, all of the drivers, we all feel pretty similar. We all know what we want from the sport and the direction it's been heading and we probably feel that we want to do a small U-turn on a number of topics and just want to work together with the FIA on this. And that's just what we've felt has not been happening at all, at least directly from the President.

[lecsainz]

TAKE ME

parings: mick schumacher x vettel!reader

request: hiya could u do a mick x vettel! reader (seb’s niece or smth) where they attend an autosport award show together w seb and he just couldn’t keep his eyes of her bc of the low back/high slit of the gorgeous dress he tries not to be touchy bc seb is there but succumbs to a quickie in the bathroom while seb is claiming his award really im in desperate need of some mick content 😫

authors note: oh my god my first smut with mick 🫣 idk what to put here 🤷‍♀️

warnings: (+18) smut, minors dni!

✩. . . masterlist !

Y/N knew it was a bad idea to wear the dress her secret boyfriend had picked out for her. It was a stunning gown with a high slit and a low back, revealing almost her entire back. She thought it was perfect for the occasion, a Formula 1 gala dinner with her favorite uncle, Sebastian Vettel.

But she hadn't anticipated how her boyfriend would react to her in the dress. Mick Schumacher and Y/N Vettel had been secretly dating for six months, keeping their relationship hidden from almost everyone. Well, everyone except for Toto Wolff, who had caught them kissing at a race. Mick had decided to ditch his role as Toto's apprentice that day and sneak off with Y/N for a quick make-out session in the tire warehouse. The memory still made her blush with embarrassment.

It had been a few weeks since they had seen each other, and now, at the Autosport Award show, Y/N found herself watching Mick's every move from across the room. Was it her imagination, or had Mick gained a few more muscles since they last met?

"Vettel!" Toto greeted the older man standing beside him, and Y/N felt her cheeks flush with a rosy hue. She tried to focus on the conversation, but her attention kept drifting back to Mick.

Seb glanced at her and then followed her gaze to where Mick was standing. He raised an eyebrow with a knowing smile, causing Y/N to turn even redder. She had a feeling her uncle was onto something, and it made her want to sink into the floor.

As the evening went on, Mick's eyes seemed to be constantly drawn to her. He was talking to people, engaging in conversations, but his gaze kept finding its way back to her. She tried her best to act natural, chatting with the people around her, but her heart raced every time she caught Mick looking at her.

Eventually, Mick excused himself from his conversation and made his way over to her. His smile was both charming and mischievous as he approached her.

"Hey," he said, his voice low and intimate. "You look absolutely stunning tonight."

Y/N felt her cheeks heat up again as she replied, "Thank you. You clean up pretty well too."

He chuckled softly, his eyes dancing with amusement. "Couldn't take my eyes off you, honestly. That dress is... wow."

She bit her lip, trying to suppress her own grin. "You like it?"

Mick leaned in a little closer, his lips almost brushing her ear. "I more than like it. But you're making it really hard for me to behave."

She felt a shiver run down her spine at his words, her heart skipping a beat. Mick had always been a charmer, but tonight, he was particularly irresistible.

"Behave?" she teased, her voice barely a whisper.

He pulled back slightly, his eyes locked onto hers. "Yeah, you know... not get touchy when your uncle's around."

Y/N laughed softly, the sound tinged with nervous excitement. "Right, right. We wouldn't want to give Seb a heart attack."

Mick grinned and took her hand, his thumb caressing the back of her palm. "But seriously, after this event, how about we go somewhere a little more private?"

Her heart raced at the suggestion, and she nodded, unable to hide her own playful smile. "I'd like that."

Seb's voice cut through the conversation, and Y/N's heart skipped a beat. She wasn't sure how long he had been standing there, but she instantly felt her cheeks heat up under his gaze.

"Hey, Mick, Y/N," Seb greeted, his grin playful as he looked between them. "Am I interrupting something here?"

Mick's grip on her hand tightened slightly, but he managed to keep his composure. "Nah, just having a chat."

Seb raised an eyebrow, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Just a chat, huh? Well, don't let me stop you. Carry on."

Y/N felt her embarrassment intensify under Seb's teasing, and she bit her lip, unable to meet his gaze. "Hi, Uncle Seb."

"Hi, Y/N," he replied with a knowing smile. "Having a good time?"

She nodded, still feeling a little flustered. "Yeah, it's been great."

Seb chuckled, clearly enjoying her discomfort. "Well, don't let me keep you from enjoying the party. I'll catch up with you two later."

As he walked away, Y/N let out a nervous breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Mick squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"Don't worry, he's just messing with us," he said with a wink.

Y/N couldn't help but laugh, her nerves easing a bit. "I know, but it's still embarrassing."

Mick leaned in, his lips brushing against her ear as he whispered, "I think you look even more adorable when you're embarrassed."

Her cheeks flushed again, and she playfully swatted his arm. "Stop it, Mick."

He grinned, his fingers intertwining with hers. "You know I can't resist."

Just as Y/N was about to respond, a waiter carrying a tray of champagne glasses brushed past her, and before she knew it, she felt a cold splash against her dress. She gasped, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Oh no," she murmured, her gaze dropping to the champagne stain on her dress.

Mick's eyes followed her gaze, and he quickly took in the situation. "Hey, it's alright. Accidents happen."

Y/N felt a mixture of frustration and embarrassment, and she glanced around, trying to figure out what to do. "I need to clean this up before it sets."

Mick nodded, his expression understanding. "I'll come with you."

She gave him a grateful smile as they made their way towards the restroom. Once inside, Y/N looked at herself in the mirror, feeling a little defeated.

"Great, just what I needed," she muttered, dabbing at the stain with a paper towel.

Mick stepped closer, his fingers gently brushing hers as he took the paper towel from her hand. "Let me help."

As he carefully worked to clean the stain, Y/N's heart raced. She couldn't help but be struck by how considerate and caring Mick was, even in such a simple moment.

"Thank you," she said softly, meeting his gaze in the mirror.

He smiled, his eyes warm. "Anytime."

As the stain faded, Y/N realized how close they were standing. The air seemed to buzz with a newfound tension, and she found herself holding her breath.

"Mick," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

He met her gaze, his eyes searching for something. Without a word, he leaned in, his lips capturing hers in a gentle kiss. It was slow and sweet, a promise of things to come.

When they finally pulled away, Y/N's heart was racing, but a smile tugged at the corners of her lips. Mick grinned, his fingers tangling with hers.

"I think champagne stains might be my new favorite thing," he teased.

N laughed softly, the tension that had been building between them now palpable in the air. "Well, it's certainly one way to make an event memorable."

Mick's gaze was intense as he looked at her, and she felt her breath catch. "Do you trust me?"

Her heart skipped a beat, and she nodded, her voice barely a whisper. "Yes."

Mick's lips found hers once again, but this time the kiss was anything but gentle. It was fiery and urgent, a hunger that had been building between them finally unleashed. Y/N's fingers tangled in his hair as she kissed him back with equal fervor, their bodies pressed close.

As their kisses deepened, Mick's hands roamed over her body, igniting sparks of desire with every touch. He backed her towards the bathroom counter, his lips never leaving hers. With a swift movement, he lifted her up onto the counter, his hands gripping her waist possessively.

Y/N's head was spinning, her senses overwhelmed by the taste of him, the feel of his hands on her skin. She wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him even closer. Mick's kisses trailed down her jawline, his breath hot against her skin, before he found the sensitive spot on her neck that made her gasp.

"Mick," she moaned, her fingers digging into his shoulders.

He responded by pressing his body against hers, the friction between them igniting a fire deep within her. Mick's lips found hers once more, a demanding kiss that left them both breathless.

Desire pulsed between them, the urgency of their need pushing them to the edge. He pulled away just long enough to catch his breath, his eyes dark with want as he looked at her.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked, his voice husky.

Y/N nodded, her own desire mirroring his. "More than sure."

Their kisses reignited with a renewed intensity, their bodies pressed together in a dance of passion. Mick's hands roamed over her, his touch setting her skin on fire.

As their desire escalated, Y/N's fingers worked to undo the buttons of his shirt, her touch eager and hungry. Mick's own urgency mirrored hers as he kissed her fiercely, his fingers tracing the curves of her body with an intoxicating mix of tenderness and hunger.

Their mouths met in a series of heated kisses, each one leaving them both craving more. Mick's lips trailed down her neck, his breath hot against her skin, igniting a trail of fire wherever he touched. Y/N's fingers found their way to his hair, pulling him closer as a soft moan escaped her lips.

"Mick," she whispered, her voice a mixture of need and desire.

He looked at her with eyes darkened by the intensity of their passion, his own longing reflected in his gaze. Without a word, he lifted her off the counter, his lips claiming hers once more as he carried her towards the bathroom door.

As they stumbled out of the bathroom, caught up in the heat of the moment, they didn't notice the figure standing by the entrance. Toto Wolff's surprised expression quickly turned into an amused grin as he cleared his throat, effectively interrupting their heated embrace.

Mick froze mid-step, his eyes widening as he realized they had an audience. Y/N's face turned a shade of red that matched her dress as she buried her face in Mick's chest, her embarrassment palpable.

Toto chuckled, his tone teasing. "Well, I guess I won't be needing that bathroom anytime soon."

Mick cleared his throat, his cheeks tinged with a blush as he awkwardly shifted his weight. "Uh, yeah. Sorry about that, Toto."

Y/N peeked up at Toto from behind Mick, her voice muffled. "Hi, Toto."

Toto raised an eyebrow, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Having a good time, are we?"

Mick let out a nervous chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, you could say that."

Toto grinned, patting Mick on the shoulder. "Well, I'll leave you two to it. Don't let me interrupt."

As Toto walked away, Y/N let out a sigh of relief, her face still flushed. Mick chuckled, his arm around her shoulders as he pulled her closer.

"Well, that was... unexpected," Mick said, his lips brushing against her hair.

Y/N groaned, hiding her face in his chest. "I can't believe he caught us again."

Mick laughed, tilting her chin up to meet his gaze. "Hey, at least it's a memorable way to be caught."

She rolled her eyes playfully, her embarrassment fading as she looked at him. "You're impossible."

Mick grinned, his fingers brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "And you're irresistible."

Their lips met in a sweet, tender kiss, the world around them fading as they focused on each other. In that moment, the outside world ceased to matter, and all that existed was the connection between them – a connection that had ignited in a bathroom and had grown into something much deeper and more meaningful.

And as they kissed, all thoughts of being caught or interrupted were replaced by the overwhelming feeling that they had found something truly special in each other's arms.

[minkyungseokie]

Racing for Two | James Vowels

synopsis; James wants Y/n to stay home since she's ready to pop at any moment, but she wants to be there to support her grid children

warnings; pregnancy, there’s a ten-year-gap between James and reader (34 and 44)

note; requested

note2; still not very happy with James after he benched my boy Logan because Alex crashed, but I'm still gonna write for him. I added a part where he finds out

I’m am not knowledgeable enough about pregnancy as I’ve never been pregnant, so she gets over her morning sickness pretty quickly. I also apologize because this went in a different direction than where I meant for it to

Autosports Masterlist | Main Masterlist | James Masterlist

I do not give anyone permission to change, copy, or put my work on any other platform. It will only be on top, so if you see it, please report it. Or let me know.

Y/n groaned, hand on her stomach.

The woman had woken up feeling odd and as soon as she stood up, she had become nauseous. That led her to where she was now, bent over the toilet and puking her guts out, "Are you okay, love?" James questioned, entering the bathroom worriedly, crouching down behind her and putting a hand on her back.

"I'm okay, sweetheart. I might just have come down with a bug. Or I ate something bad." Y/n waved off his concern, "Are you sure?" James asked, "Yeah, I'm fine. Can you help me up?" Y/n asked, holding her hand out for James to grab. James grabbed the hand Y/n was holding out and helped her up, "Darling, if you're not feeling well, you don't have to come with me to the track. You can stay here and rest." James said, "James, I'm fi—"

Y/n turned and rushed to hunch over the toilet again, "I think you should stay here. You aren't feeling well and it's only free practice." James insisted, "But I want to see Alex, Logan, Oscar, and Lando. You know they've been looking forward to seeing me." Y/n groaned. "I'm sure they'll understand that you're not feeling well. If you feel better by tomorrow, you can join us for FP3 and Quali." James promised.

Y/n groaned again, "Fine. I'll stay here, but I'm ordering room service." She sighed, standing up and picking up her toothbrush. James walked up behind her, wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her temple, "I'm sorry, I know you wanted to cheer your...grid kids on, but you're not feeling well. Your health is more important than anything, dear." James muttered, lips still pressed against Y/n's temple.

Y/n huffed and spat out the foam, "I guess you're right. It's only qualifying, I'll be able to join you Sunday." The woman agreed. She turned in James' arms and wrapped her arms around him, "It's okay. Order yourself something when you're hungry and make sure to get some rest, okay?" James asked, "Okay." Y/n agreed.

"I have to go now, but I'll send someone to check on you." James spoke, gathering his things, "I'll be fine, love. Have a good day. I love you." Y/n hummed, gently pulling James down by the back of his neck, "I love you too." James said, pressing his lips to hers, "Make sure you eat."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Give the boys luck from me, yeah?" Y/n let out, walking towards the bed they shared and lying down, "I will." James assured, walking out of the hotel.

Y/n picked up the phone and ordered something light to eat as she wasn't as hungry as she usually was. "Some toast and turkey bacon should be sufficient," Y/n mumbled, putting the phone back onto the receiver. Y/n sat back with a sigh, reaching for the remote to turn on a show  while she waited for the food to arrive.

Once it arrived, Y/n opened the door and took the food from the woman at the door. The smell of the food hit her nose and she began to feel nauseous until she had to drop the plate and run to the bathroom, "Ma'am? Ma'am, are you okay?" The employee asked, running into the restroom after her. The employee rubbed Y/n's back, "Ma'am are you sick? Do you need me to get anything?" She asked sweetly, "No, I'm good. I think I might be coming down with something. Although, I don't feel sick other than the vomiting." Y/n panted.

The employee's eyes widened and she began to look around, spotting signs of another person, "Ma'am, are you here with someone?" The woman, whose nametag read Kaila, asked. "My husband. Why? You don't need to call him. I'm only throwing up." Y/n assured, "Oh, no. I-- That's ...that's not what I meant. You are throwing up, but you don't seem to have a fever. You threw up at the smell of your food... There's only one thing I can think of." Kaila said. "What?" Y/n asked, "Hold on. I'm going to go get something. I'll knock on the door." Kaila informed before walking out of the hotel room, "What the fuck?" Y/n muttered.

She stood up and cleaned up the food that had fallen in her rush to get to the bathroom, "What do I eat now?" Y/n huffed, throwing the food in the trash and putting the plate on the dresser near the door.

Y/n sat back onto the bed and grabbed the remote again, "I guess I'll just have to watch some television until my stomach settles." Y/n sighed.

Y/n had forgotten that the employee had told her that she would be coming back until ten minutes later, when there was a knock on the door. "Hello, ma'am. I'm sorry for intruding like this, but I've bright you some stuff." Kaila rushed into the room, seeing the black plastic bag she had in her hand. "Pardon me, but this is highly inappropriate behavior. I—" Y/n started, "I know that this is unprofessional behavior of me, but I realized something." Kaila said, pulling out a few boxes.

"What are— Are...are those pregnancy tests?" Y/n asked, "Yes, I have been through this before. Believe it or not, I'm a mother of three, so I think I'm able to realize when one might be pregnant. Now that I look at you, you are kind of glowing. Go to the bathroom and take these." Kaila ordered, shoving the tests into Y/n's hands, "But I don't need to pee." Y/n protested.

Kaila sighed and left the room, coming back with bottles of water on her hands, "There you go. Drink and pee. I'll leave it to you. Have a good day, ma'am." Kaila placed the waters on the dessert and rushed out of the room. "What the hell was that?" Y/n questioned, looking at the door in confusion before looking at the water bottles.

With a sigh, Y/n snatched a water bottle and began drinking it slowly so she wouldn't throw it up immediately. As soon as she needed to use the restroom, she grabbed one of the boxes and took the test. "Now to wait." Y/n hummed, placing the test in the sink and setting a timer on her phone. It would be a few hours until James came back, so she wouldn't have to worry about him coming back and catching her before she was ready.

What was she going to do if she was pregnant? She knew that she and James weren't getting any younger and if they were to have children, it'd have to be before she turned at least forty. How would James feel about having a child? Y/n knew he'd want one, but they didn't really talk about when they wanted.

The timer went off, snapping Y/n out of her thoughts. Y/n stood up, taking a deep breath and entering the bathroom. She picked up the test with the screen upside down, "Whatever it is, I'm going to accept it. I'm going to be happy even if I'm not pregnant." Y/n assured herself before flipping the test over.

Pregnant

Y/n covered her mouth, tears welling up within her eyes and a lump sticking in her throat, "Holy shit. I'm pregnant. I'm having a baby!" Y/n cheered, holding the test to her chest. She was worried about how James would react, but at the same time, she was too excited to care. It would devastate her if James didn't want the baby, but she wasn't going to get rid of it. She was sweet on grabbing and raising the child, even if she has to do it by herself.

"Screw this." Y/n said, grabbing her purse, a jacket, and ordered an Uber. She wasn't planning on waiting to tell James about their growing family. She didn't want to wait, she wanted to share her joy with her husband immediately and maybe even her surrogate grid children.

She excitedly hopped out of the Uber and made her way towards the paddock entrance with her pass around her neck. "Hey, Mrs. Vowels!" A Aston Martin engineer greeted, "Hey!" Y/n greeted back. Y/n rushed through the paddock, not pausing for anyone, but making sure to greet anyone who greeted her. "James!" Y/n called out to her husband, who was talking with her grid children, Logan and Alex.

"Mama Vowels! I thought you were feeling sick." Logan greeted, hugging Y/n, "We thought you wouldn't be here. James told us that you were sick." Alex added also hugging Y/n. "I did, but..." Y/n dig into her purse and pulled out the test, "I wanted to tell you this as soon as possible."

James took a tissue and grabbed the test, "My love, are you... you're—" "I'm pregnant!" Y/n interrupted. James pulled his wife to his chest and kissed her while Logan and Alex cheered in a very Logan and Alex way. “Congratulations!” A few engineers cheered as the couple embraced each other, “Come here.” Y/n beckoned, pulling the two into the hug.

“Why are we hugging? What’s everyone cheering for?” The familiar voice of Lando Norris spoke up. The group broke apart and looked to Y/n, who had tears streaming down her face. Y/n held up the test, “We’re having a baby!” She said, “Congratulations!” Lando’s quiet Aussie teammate finally spoke up, “That’s amazing. Congratulations.” Lando said, giving the soon-to-be mother a big smile.

“I’m going to have another kid.” Y/n breathed, “What do you mean another?” Alex questioned, “You four are my kids. What do you mean? I’ve shipped you as soon as I met you guys.” Y/n said as if it was obvious.

“Well, I’m happy to be apart of your family.”

Y/n stepped out of the car with the help of her husband, clad in maternity clothing and her stomach protruding. "You know that you could've stayed home." James told her, putting a hand on her back to make sure she was okay while walking, "I know that I don't have to, but you're in the UK, so why would I not come and support my boys?" Y/n asked, rolling her eyes as she waddled into the paddock.

"Hey, I didn't think you'd be here seeing as you look like you're about to pop any second." Lando joked, jogging up to them as they passed the McLaren garage with Oscar trailing behind. "I didn't want to miss your home race, Lando. Even if "I'm about to pop" I'd never miss out for the world." Y/n tittered, before groaning. "What's wrong? Are you okay? Do you need anything?" James questioned, "It's nothing. My feet just feel like they're on fire." Y/n answered.

"You can sit in the McLaren garage if you need to." Oscar offered, "I think you should, love. You can come to the Williams garage when you feel like you can walk without your feet hurting." James said. "Thank you, boys, but I'll be fine. I think I make it to Williams. I want to be with my husband." Y/n rejected, "Are you sure? I don't mind walking to the garage alone. You can go rest." James reassured.

"No, I want to be with you. If I do go into labour, I want to be nearby." Y/n explained, "Okay, then shall we get you to the garage?" James questioned, guiding Y/n to the Williams garage and immediately getting a chair for her to sit. "Do you need anything? Water? Snacks?" James inquired, "Can I have some ice cream if we have any?" Y/n asked, "I'll go get that for you." James said, kissing Y/n's forehead.

"Thank you." Y/n said, watching James walk away, "Hey, Mama Vowels. How are you feeling?" Alex asked, holding a bottle of water out for her. "I'm swollen and in pain, but I'm happy to be here." Y/n answered happily, "Your due date is near isn't it? Are you sure it's safe for you to be here when your water can break at any moment?" Logan asked. "You both are worth it. I can give birth at any moment, yes, but I'm not going to miss you both racing." Y/n

 scoffed playfully.

As James was coming back, Y/n felt a tightening sensation within her abdomen, "I got your ice cream." James announced, holding the packaged ice cream out for Y/n, "Are you okay, Mama Vowels?" Logan asked, bending down as the woman stared ahead of her blankly. "Mama Vowel?" Alex called, "Love?" James spoke, putting a hand on her shoulder. Y/n then felt a pop and what felt like a waterfall gushing down her leg. Y/n looked up at her husband with widened eyes and a slack jaw.

"My water broke."

[slutforpringles]

👀 Preeeetty interesting that Motorsport Total (part of the Autosport/Motorsport family) have reported on the Perez/Liberty Media rumours and I think both the fact that they've 1) even mentioned it and 2) haven't immediately debunked it, shows they clearly think there's some credibility or element of truth behind them.

I am very interested to see how this story plays out, especially with how this narrative so perfectly correlates with how just about every single 'main' F1 media/podcast/commentary's reaction to Perez staying at RBR was so utterly surprised and perplexed, to the point that they were questioning what went on behind closed doors. SMM on The Race podcast is now looking almost prescient with his questioning of what was going on; "Like I said, I hope and I expect that we will learn more about this in the coming days, then we can relay that as much as we can to all of you people that are listening because there has to be some rationale to this that that we're missing."

[coimbrabertone]

MotoGP Silly Season Predictions - Plus Larson Waiver Talk.

As recently as this morning, I was planning on this week's blogpost being about the Kyle Larson waiver situation over in NASCAR, however, MotoGP then decided to do everything all at once and launched silly season into high gear.

So, with regards to Larson, I'll just say one thing: he raced in the Indianapolis 500 competitively and made NASCAR look good mere years after Jimmie Johnson, unfortunately, struggled in a Chip Ganassi Indycar on road and street circuits - and there were a lot of jokes at NASCAR's expense after their seven-time world champion spun out every race. So how does NASCAR repay him? Utter silence over whether or not he'll get a playoff waiver.

Kyle Larson is the 2021 champion, took his car to the owner's championship final four as a result of playoff shenanigans in 2022, and then made the final four in 2023 again. He is considered one of the top talents in NASCAR and he has the results to back it up. So why is there controversy over him getting a playoff waiver for this year?

Because Kyle Larson prioritized the Indianapolis 500 last weekend.

I talked about this in my Motorsports Christmas blogpost, but the Indy 500 was rain delayed and Kyle Larson stayed there to compete, and only then he flew out to Charlotte. Now, Kyle Larson landed, was ready to get into the car, but then it started raining in Charlotte too. Just before midnight, as the track was drying, NASCAR controversially decided to call the race, thus Kyle Larson was not able to relieve Justin Allgaier in the #5 and resume the rest of the Coke 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

NASCAR is mad because every other weekend of the year, they're the biggest show in racing, they can throw their weight around and try to chase NFL ratings while all other racing series are considered a niche. That's true every weekend except Memorial Day weekend, when the Indianapolis 500 reigns supreme. The whole existence of the Charlotte 600 is to compete with Indy.

Larson prioritized the bigger race and that made NASCAR made, because they're used to getting their egos stroked.

Larson is one of the best drivers in NASCAR and the double attempt brought good publicity to both sports. He had already won his way into the playoffs and made an effort to get to Charlotte for the end of the 600 - give him a waiver. If not, well, you face the possibility that Austin Cindric is in the playoffs after his shock win at Iowa, and one of the top drivers in the series isn't.

I like Austin, I'm glad he won, but he's nowhere near the same level as Kyle Larson. If he can compete for the championship and Kyle can't, then it makes the NASCAR playoffs look even less legitimate than they already are.

Anyway, that turned into a longer rant than I intended, so I'll leave it there. Now onto the main topic for today: MotoGP silly season.

Yesterday at Mugello, Enea Bastianini spent the final laps of the race charging from fourth to second, overtaking Marc Marquez for third and then pulling off an audacious last corner pass on Jorge Martin for second. This meant that Enea finished just eight tenths off leader Pecco Bagnaia for a factory Ducati 1-2.

So naturally, Ducati has decided to replace him.

Marc Marquez, who finished four and last out of these three, is going to the Ducati Lenovo Team, according to Autosport.

This was all but confirmed when, a few hours later, Aprilia confirmed the signing of Jorge Martin for Aprilia. Jorge Martin who finished third and got overtaken by Enea Bastianini in the final corner, mind you.

Now, of course, Ducati is not judging this off of one race alone and I acknowledge - as I did in two recent blogposts - that Enea has had a rotten time on the factory Ducati seat. That being said, seeing him lose Ducati to Marc Marquez, who finished last of the main three, and then lose out on the Aprilia seat to the guy he overtook in the final corner. It stings.

That being said, some news out of this weekend might offer a possibility for Enea to have a bit of a soft landing from the factory seat anyway. Let me explain:

Earlier in this weekend, Marc Marquez spelled out his demands in an interview. He said that he was not interested in going to Pramac, saying that he didn't want to switch from a satellite team (he's currently riding a 2023 Ducati at Gresini Racing) to another satellite team (Pramac runs 2024 Ducatis, same as the factory team, with factory contracted riders, they are still customers, however). Instead, Marquez said that the best option was a factory team, and if not that, then a factory bike at minimum.

Translation: Marc Marquez wanted the factory team for 2025, and if he couldn't get that, then he wanted a 2025 Ducati at Gresini, remaining at his current team.

In response, Gino Borsoi, who is the team manager at Pramac, insisted that his team had a contract for two factory-spec Ducati GP25s next year. This was somewhat of a surprise for a number of reasons, one: Ducati announced late last year that they signed Moto2 rider Fermin Aldeguer for 2025, and it seemed like the natural landing spot for him was going to be Pramac...until it emerged later on that Ducati wanted to start Fermin out on a 2024 bike. Two: regardless of which spec Ducati Fermin is going to be on, Pramac has been heavily linked to Yamaha lately.

The Japanese bikes are struggling in MotoGP right now and, ever since RNF switched to satellite Aprilias for 2023, Yamaha has not had a satellite team. Four bikes capturing data instead of two could really help Yamaha right now, so they've been linked to pretty much every Ducati satellite team the last few months. VR46 with the romanticism of a Valentino Rossi and Yamaha reunion, Gresini until they renewed their deal, and most recently, with Pramac.

Yamaha was desperate and the rumor has been that they offered very generous terms to Pramac.

So, the news that Pramac may stay with Ducati after all is a shock to the media, but it does not seem to have been much of a shock to Ducati. Ducati had been working on a way to keep both Martin and Marquez, and it seems that they wanted to offer Pramac the chance to run MotoGP's biggest star - Marc Marquez - as a reason to stay...and potentially a reason to accept taking on a rookie Aldeguer on a year-old bike as well.

Now that Marquez is going to the factory team instead and Jorge Martin has snatched the open Aprilia seat, I see an opening. Ducati can send Enea Bastianini to Pramac, keeping him on a factory spec bike while giving Pramac another frontrunning rider. Aldeguer joins as Bastianini's teammate, on a GP25 if that's what it takes to keep Pramac in the fold, because Marc Marquez will be in the factory team so freeing up a GP25 won't be as important.

What about VR46 and Gresini then? Well, I think Marco Bezzecchi's current season has been a bit of a disaster, so he won't really have much of a chance to get a factory ride next year, so staying at VR46 seems likely. Furthermore, his struggles mean that Bezzecchi probably isn't going to have much luck demanding Ducati gives him a GP25, so status quo is probably the most likely outcome there. It's unfortunate for Bezzecchi, but the sheer reality is that, with all these hot riders on the market, his options seem to be either stay at VR46, or make a more or less lateral move to Trackhouse Aprilia.

Then Franco Morbidelli, another Valentino Rossi academy product, can drop from Pramac into the other VR46 seat.

Where does Fabio DiGiannantonio go then? Well, with Marquez going to the factory, Fabio can now return to Gresini and be reunited with Frankie Carchedi. Thus, restoring the 2023 lineup of Fabio DiGiannantonio and Alex Marquez.

So, to sum things up, I think Ducati can keep all three of its satellite teams and all eight bikes like this:

Ducati Lenovo (GP25): Pecco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez.

Pramac (GP25): Enea Bastianini and Fermin Aldeguer.

VR46 (GP24): Marco Bezzecchi and Franco Morbidelli.

Gresini (GP24): Fabio DiGiannantonio and Alex Marquez.

Maybe Pramac will go to Yamaha after all, maybe my predictions will look radically wrong in a few weeks. I don't know how it'll turn out, but this is the scheme I've thought up in my mind.

I need to do something since with Marc Marquez at Ducati and Jorge Martin at Aprilia, my two favorite teams now have my two least favorite riders and I'm trying not to dwell on that part.

So yeah.

Oh, also this weekend Indycar raced at Detroit, but uhh...the less said about that, the better.

[thissying]

FORMULE 1 Magazine, 2017, number 6

former go-kart opponents about Max

Jordy Lievens karted against Verstappen from 2006 through 2009

"At Spa I once had a good weekend. During practices and the races I had made a fairly strong impression. Max said: "Wow, he's fast!" Even then you knew you were doing a good job if Max Verstappen said something like that about you. I started my karting career when I was about seven years old, at the same time as Max. In my first race he lapped me but at the end of the season the gap was smaller. With the rest of the field anyway, because nobody could beat Max. The rest of us fought for second place. The number of races he didn't win could be counted on one hand. And that would be because of a rare mistake, or engine failure.

"At first we didn't really know who Max was and that his dad had been a Formula 1 driver. After some time we found this out. My dad and I even bought a go-kart from Max and Jos. We went to pick it up at their workshop. Our jaws were on the floor: racks full of karts, their own test bench, engines to choose from. If you compared that to us… I had one kart per season. When we weren't driving, I played at the track with the other drivers my age. Max was a very friendly boy. You could chat with him and you wouldn't be able to tell he was head and shoulders above the rest.

"Now that Max has made it into F1, I follow him with extra interest. I did race against him for years after all. Despite being from Belgium, I'm more of a Max supporter than a Stoffel Vandoorne one. Simply because of all the experiences and memories from the past. A while ago friends of mine met Max. The mentioned my name and he remembered me. As long as he hasn't forgotten me, I'm satisfied."

Bas Lammers karted against Verstappen in 2012 and 2013

End of 2013 I was at the start with Max in Las Vegas. That's where they have a traditional kartrace right in the city center, in the parking lot of the Rio hotel. The very best go-karters from America and Europe participate. Max won all the heats. He just had to finish first in the final and then he'd win ten-thousand dollars. He had a great start but his engine stalled. Huge bad luck even though everyone was already blown away by him. That year Max and I drove in the European and World Championships. He won both. He really was superior. Everywhere we came, Max was was on it from the first practice. For us, he was the reference point. On very rare occasions he made a mistake; we had to take advantage of that immediately. He did get defeated sometimes because nobody is unbeatable, but it took a lot of effort.

"Before I karted against Max, I'd driven Formula Renault. That went well but I didn't have the right people around me to help me along in autosport. That's why I returned to go-karts. When I raced against Max there for the first time in 2012, it was clear right away that he was exceptionally quick. But I knew that right from the beginning. I talked to Jos every now and then on the track and knew he puts everything aside if he wants something.

"From the moment Jos put Max in a go-kart it was clear: he had to go to Formule 1. Max did everything to get there as well. He was always busy watching race footage. After every practice and race he cleaned his go-kart. I'm very happy and proud that I had the privilege to race with Max. Most F1 drivers left karting a long time ago, but not Max. That's why he's actually a go-karter in an F1 car. He is one with his car like he was one with his kart. He shows that karting has taught him a lot, which makes me very proud as well."

[imgeekgirlfan]

Down The Road (F1 x Reader) SMAU Season 1

>> Down The Road 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩

➡  Previous Part : Next Part

Taglist: @raizelchrysanderoctavius , @laura-naruto-fan1998 , @jpg3 , @tsukishimawhore , @minkyungseokie , @roseseraj , @bbhyuneee , @omgsuperstarg @roseseraj (If you want to be added in this fic, just tell me in reply )

A/N : I got huge inspiration after reading Zendaya's definition of Hunter Schafer in the 2021 TIME100 NEXT, and I vowed to include this scene in my fic. LOL, Time Magazine practically became the main plot for this Episode. I'm putting a lot of effort into every detail, so if you like it, don't forget to like and reblog

Episode 4 will be the final part of Lewis Hamilton. After this, the series will move on to a new season with new storyline and new main characters. Stay tuned for Season 2 of the "Down The Road" series!

note ; As you can see, I want my SMAU to be as realistic as possible. So there will be both positive and negative comments from F1 fans. Just to show you that the social network has people with various attitudes, not everyone has a positive attitude.

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Season 1 : ── 𝐃𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐲 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐬 ── (Lewis Hamilton x Reader) S1 : E03 𝑅𝑢𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑠

The year 2024 started with a lot of news and a lot of rumors, especially for Formula 1 drivers. Y/N, in particular, has had to deal with a great deal of attention since last year when she made it clear that her goal was to clinch this year's championship. This has subjected her to considerable pressure, not only from her performance on the track but also regarding her personal life. The rumors about her relationship with Lewis Hamilton don't seem to be fading away easily; in fact, they are growing more intense with time.

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Source : @autosport

The year 2023 is coming to an end, confirming Max Verstappen as the new world champion of the year. He secured a memorable victory at the Qatar Grand Prix, considered one of the toughest F1 races this year. There were several tense moments on the track, with one of the most talked-about incidents being the collision between Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, teammates, resulting in missed opportunities for both to be on the Podium

However, two other drivers who have made a lasting impact this year and are worth mentioning are Oscar Piastri and Y/N YLN, the two rookies in the world of Formula 1. They have consistently impressed in various races and are closely watched by experts as potential contenders who could challenge Verstappen for the championship title in the near future.

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Source : @TIME

As a woman who runs and drives in the world of Formula 1, @Y/N a standout racer in Formula 1, is not only known for her exceptional performances throughout 2023 but also as a global icon for women. She defies stereotypes and inspires us all. Her ambitions to become the Formula 1 World Champion next year are exciting. invite us all to follow and support her with excitement in the coming year. Congratulations to Y/N on making the #TIME100Next list for 2023.

@LewisHamilton on @Y/N #TIME100Next : 

I truly believe anyone lucky enough to meet Y/N will feel the immense light that is constantly radiating from her. She makes everyone in her orbit feel seen. I’ve had the privilege of watching her tap into every facet of her courage as a girl driver in Formula 1, and I am lucky to call her one of my special ones. Her ability to solve on-the-spot problems, compete in a male-dominated industry fearlessly, and continuously set impressive records is truly remarkable. Additionally, her beautiful heart, honesty, and selflessness, which are rare qualities in the world of Formula 1, leave me so impressed that I'm at a loss for words.

Y/N is so special in so many ways that I could go on forever, but this truly is only her beginning. There is no limit to the wins she will create.

Hamilton is a seven-time Formula One world champion

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Source: Y/N's Instagram (update)

“I can't believe it! I've made the Time magazine cover as #TIME100Next2023 Thank you @lewishamilton for the beautiful description”

Y/N shared a moment of joy after being selected as TIME 100 Next 2023. Fans, friends, and even fellow F1 drivers joined in to show their support. and the one who drew the most attention was Lewis Hamilton, who wrote an entry for her. This has generated a strong and hot response from the media, reigniting discussions about their romance rumors (again)

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Source: Lando Norris's Instagram (update)

“Thank lil sis @Y/N for friendship bracelets. I won't take it off for sure (except when you're not around)”

Lando Norris shared a new photo on Instagram wearing friendship bracelets made by Y/N, symbolizing their strong friendship as friends from the same academy who are now both Formula 1 drivers.

Furthermore, Norris's post also helps reduce the rumors about the relationship between Y/N and Lewis Hamilton, which have been widely discussed since the release of TIME Magazine.

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Source : Twitter (update)

Fans noticed that @Charles_Leclerc was seen wearing friendship bracelets made by @Y/N at the #BahrainGP after he commented to her on Lando's Instagram last week, saying he wanted friendship bracelets like Lando too.

Some fans view it as a lovely relationship between Formula 1 racers, while others have pointed out the incident when Lewis Hamilton's accidental sharing of a photo of him wearing friendship bracelets on his Instagram Story. and compared it to Leclerc and Norris, suggesting that the rumors about Y/N dating Hamilton are trivial.

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Source : @ClutchPoints

This year's Bahrain Grand Prix Formula 1 race was exceptionally intense and special, with the special appearance of two Latin pop stars, Úrsula and Shakira, both of whom are currently rumored to be romantically linked with Formula 1 racers, Y/N and Lewis Hamilton.

What makes this even more interesting and complex is that Y/N and Hamilton were previously rumored to be in a romantic relationship with each other before they seemingly drifted apart last year. Now It seems like both of them have moved on to new romances, especially considering the clear distance they've maintained throughout the competition, and the arrival of both pop stars further solidifies that they are each embarking on new relationships, closing the door of romantic rumor between the two drivers once and for all.

However, the new relationships might not be smooth. According to insiders, Shakira herself has been rumored to be nurturing a romance with another star, Tom Cruise. While Úrsula and Y/N have rumors circulating that they had an argument before the female singer flew back to Los Angeles the next day, maybe both Y/N and Hamilton are more suitable to be single than in a relationship with someone? What are your thoughts? Feel free to leave your comments!

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𝙏𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙪𝙚𝙙 (in the next chapter)

If you like it, don't forget to like and reblog for me.

cr. https://x.com/autosport/status/1711339473470984517?s=20https://x.com/autosport/status/1711367295988084833?s=20https://x.com/autosport/status/1711122194044948778?s=20https://twitter.com/autosport/status/1711373281268207634https://firstsportz.com/f1-news-fans-baffled-as-lewis-hamilton-creates-an-instagram-burner-account-with-a-cryptic-username/https://twitter.com/TIME/status/1362015022927409154https://x.com/TIME/status/1362034951424778245?s=20https://twitter.com/i/events/1575120720597745667https://twitter.com/TIME/status/1362016250449326083https://twitter.com/PopBase/status/1710763206497714284https://clutchpoints.com/tom-cruise-shakira-lewis-hamilton-love-triangle-rumors-racinghttps://x.com/f1memorod/status/1712185898409087051?s=20

[watercolor-hearts]

Simi for the send the shop thing? ❤️

Seb/Kimi

who hogs the duvet

Seb

who texts/rings to check how their day is going

I think they both do it.

who’s the most creative when it comes to gifts

Seb

who gets up first in the morning

First I wanted to say Kimi but to be honest I'm not sure. 😃 But I think Kimi likes bringing Seb coffee in the bed.

who suggests new things in bed

100% Seb. No question.

who cries at movies

Seb. And Kimi knows when it'll happen because Seb gets really snuggly and wants Kimi to hug/hold him. ❤

who gives unprompted massages

Kimi

who fusses over the other when they’re sick

They both do. (But I have to say Kimi because of my most important Simi story. ❤)

who gets jealous easiest

Seb

who has the most embarrassing taste in music

That's difficult because I don't really know what kind of music they like. 😃

who collects something unusual

I think Seb but I don't know what. But he seems to be the type to collect something unusual.

who takes the longest to get ready

Seb (Especially if I think of enby Seb before the Autosport Gala. 😃)

who is the most tidy and organised

Seb

who gets most excited about the holidays

Seb

who is the big spoon/little spoon

Seb is the little spoon, Kimi is the big spoon most of the time

who gets most competitive when playing games and/or sports

Seb

who starts the most arguments

I don't think they argue a lot, they're mature enough not to do it.

who suggests that they buy a pet

Seb

what couple traditions they have

Dinners with candle light and slow dancing after.

what tv shows they watch together

I don't really know but they watched Heartstopper in one of my stories. 😃

what other couple they hang out with

I'm not really sure.

how they spend time together as a couple

They go on dates, watch movies/series together, cook together sometimes, things like that.

who made the first move

Seb

who brings flowers home

Seb picks flowers on the way home, Kimi buys them for Seb.

who is the best cook

I wanted to say Seb but think it could be Kimi's secret skill. 😃

[umlewis]

lewis hamilton, p3, during the post-qualifying press conference, spain - june 22, 2024 (transcript under the cut)

Interviewer: "Lewis, welcome back to the top three. It's good to have you back in here. Look, how sweet has today been for you, from a performance point of view?" Lewis: "I think it's been okay. It's good to be back up here. I miss being on this sofa, although it's not from IKEA. [laughs] No, but generally it's great to see that we're progressing and, really, you've seen over the last couple of races that we're slowly climbing closer to the guys up front. So I think there was a little bit more performance in the car today, but it's really on the knife edge, and so we've got some improvements to make to the car. But yeah, as I said, I'm really happy to be in this… P3's a pretty good spot to be in for the start, with that long straight down to turn one." Interviewer: "And, Lewis, you're just a tenth of a second off pole position. Did you expect to be that close, coming in?" Lewis: "Three-tenths off. Yeah, so it's a pretty big chunk. For a track like this, it's not too bad. As I said, through the lap there's a little bit of time, I think. I probably could have been two-tenths, but still, they have a slight advantage. But for us to be that close on a track like this is a real good showing that we're going in the right direction. As I said, we've got some improvements that we need to bring over the next few races in order for us to be properly in range of those guys." Interviewer: "Okay, so you're three-tenths off pole. Do you think you can challenge for the victory tomorrow?" Lewis: "I think it would be very difficult. I think these two will be very quick, but position is everything, so I think we'll… Also there's two of us, so hopefully we can apply pressure as a team to both of the cars ahead in order to maybe play out something in strategy and slowly climb up. I think it's all about degradation tomorrow and how you look after the tires, so we won't know until we get into that first run." Interviewer: "I was going to say, what was your deg like during practice?" Lewis: "It was pretty decent. I don't know if it was as good as Max's, but I'll try and make it better tomorrow."

[time jump] Journalist: "Hi, question for Lewis. Pilar for Paddock Magazine. Congratulations, Lewis. Welcome back. You have mentioned you don't really feel you have the pace to fight for the victory, but how realistic is it to believe that you could fight for the podium, considering you have one Red Bull and two Ferraris behind, in terms of pace?" Lewis: "I think the bigger concern, probably, is the Ferraris behind us. Obviously we were all within half a tenth, I think, from third to fifth. I think it was fifth or sixth. And they had an upgrade this weekend, so I think their long pace looked quite strong, so I think it's more working together as a team and trying to hold position, at least. If we happen to have more pace available to us and we're able to hold onto these guys, then it's game on, but we really won't know until tomorrow. And degradation is always key here, and when you have a really good rear end you can save your balance, but you can save the rear tires, so that's going to be key for tomorrow."

[time jump] Journalist: "Alex Kalinauckas, Autosport. There's been various occasions so far this season where you've looked really quite strong in practice and then, come qualifying, it's not come together. Not the case at this event. I just wondered, what do you think made the difference this time?" Lewis: "I still feel like I lost performance going into the… I still lost a little bit, going into quali. It's all about perspective. Maybe they just moved forwards, but I definitely feel like there was a little bit more. But just as you start to push the car, it doesn't like it. So in practice, when you leave a little bit of margin the car feels quite nice, but it's when you start to really lean on it to try and get that extra bit of lap time out where we really struggle, and I think it's all in the tires. So you saw in P1, I was seven-tenths down due to an issue with the blankets, and then we got it sorted for the following sessions. So it puts you a little bit on the back foot, but yeah, otherwise the car, as I said, it's good that we're up here and it's the best qualifying I've had this year, so I'm really grateful for it."

[time jump] Journalist: "Vladimir Rogovets, SB Belarus Segodniya. This track today hasn't the last chicane and you have today good result. Is it better without chicane? Is it better for you or for your car?" Lewis: "I've not driven this car on the old track, but I think we've been relatively good in the low speed, so I don't know. I think these last two corners are more enjoyable. The last corner is full gas at 280, or something like that, kilometers an hour, which is amazing, and it's really, really challenging, on the knife edge, heart in your mouth sort of corner, so much, much better than the small chicane that we used to have. And I think it's better to follow and should provide better racing. I think it did already last year. So whether or not our car is as good as theirs in the high speed, I'll look at the dadta, but it's probably relatively close."

[chibrary]

ARTICLE: "The plane journey that convinced Ferrari on Leclerc" (Autosport Plus, 2018)

While Ferrari is doing all it can to help minimise the pressure - with boss Maurizio Arrivabene saying this week that the only goal for next year is for Leclerc to gain experience and 'absorb' the tricks of the trade - there is a feeling that in reality it secretly expects much more.

To realise why that is, you have to wind back the clock a little and understand that the decision to sign Leclerc was not some spur-of-the-moment call forced upon Ferrari because it was in a rush to sign somebody.

Ferrari made its decision on the eve of the Italian Grand Prix to pick Leclerc over Kimi Raikkonen not because it had to, but because it wanted to.

Leclerc's speed was obvious. The need to potentially shake up the internal dynamic at Ferrari was real.

And those fears about it being too early for Leclerc, of a young man not able to cope with intense pressure and at risk of being burned out and thrown onto the scrap heap before he hit his peak? The team management's minds had already been put at ease on that front.

It is often said that the qualities of an individual are found not when they are celebrating success, but when they have to pick themselves up from the bad moments.

And in Leclerc's case, it was the way he was able to cope with the death of his father in 2017 that proved a defining moment in convincing Ferrari that he had all it takes to deal with the pressure of racing for the Prancing Horse.

For someone who was as close to his father as Leclerc was, that loss last year was deeply painful. And, coming in the middle of an intense battle for the Formula 2 crown, it could have been enough to trigger a loss of concentration and a drop in form.

But amid all the personal heartache Leclerc was suffering, Arrivabene recalls meeting him on the Ferrari charter flight to Baku that week, and how the youngster's attitude there left him in no doubts about his star qualities.

"I asked him how he was after losing his father a few days before," explains Arrivabene. "He replied that he wanted to win the race, and then go home for the funeral. That is exactly what he did.

"If a guy can handle these moments, I do not think that he will have problems adjusting to the pressure of F1."

Leclerc has spoken openly about how the emotional rollercoaster of that weekend - the crying in the helmet after he took pole position and then the wins - meant those were days where he grew up a lot.

It is important to remember though that Baku was not the first time in his career Leclerc has faced supreme challenges. He knows full well how to keep his head under control when things are not going the way he may have hoped.

There was the risk as he started out his career of being unable to continue karting because the funds were drying up. Only a bit of help from his brother Lorenzo's best friend, Jules Bianchi, in convincing Nicolas Todt to try to help, made the difference.

Even today Todt remembers a very nervous Leclerc being dressed in a super smart black suit for their first meeting... and impressing throughout.

Then there was the difficult time in the middle of his 2015 European Formula 3 campaign. Taking a seat in the Van Amersfoort team that Max Verstappen had shone so strongly for in '14, Leclerc began the season in fine form with a series of wins in the first half of the year.

But something - most likely related to a senior engineer departing mid-season for personal reasons - changed within the team and Leclerc found himself suddenly on the back foot over the second half of the year. Where once he was battling in the top three week in and week out, suddenly he was fighting to be in the top 10.

Leclerc had to dig deep to try to recover; find answers about what had gone wrong, as he came home fourth overall in the standings.

But a super strong showing in Macau, where he finished second right behind winner Felix Rosenqvist, suggested he had kept his focus and unlocked the answers that were needed.

That time also marked Leclerc's arrival in the Ferrari Driver Academy, which helped him both progress as a driver and also show more evidence that when the intensity and pressure increase, he just gets better.

As manager Todt recalls: "Ferrari has helped him in many ways. Physical, mental preparation and also the contribution of the simulator played an important role. Of course, even more pressure has come, as is normal when you are part of the Ferrari world.

"But we have found that the greater the pressure that Charles is subject to, the greater his performance on track. That is a fundamental aspect, because today in the paddock I think that all the drivers have excellent sporting skills. But what makes the difference is the head, and on this front Charles I think is very solid."

Vettel will not be unaware of how fast and how mentally strong Leclerc is. Even if he hadn't seen it for himself, he has probably been told well in advance by Arrivabene why Ferrari is convinced it has the right man.

Did that prompt Vettel's recent suggestions that it will be important that the pair of them work together - rather than against each other - for the good of the team? Is he seeing a shift in the sands at Maranello as things will be different to how they were with Raikkonen? Only Vettel knows the answer to that.

[race-week]

Why are people rating norris so high. what did he do for autosport to rank him 3rd. piastri was so close to him this year that he probably won't even beat his teammate next year

He got more second places than any other driver?

Norris: 6

Perez: 4

Hamilton: 3

Alonso: 3

Leclerc: 3

He was also 4th in regards to the number of podiums this season (Verstappen: 21, Perez: 9, Alonso: 8, Norris: 7, Hamilton: 6, Leclerc: 6)

I think you could argue about the positioning of Leclerc, Hamilton and Norris - I think that the rankings from P3 to P5 are kind of interchangeable depending on what you specifically value.

He made some mistakes this season but every driver has done so, and when he made a mistake in qualifying he rectified it in the race.

Piastri had a really strong season as a whole but you can tell that there are weaknesses there compared to Norris. They are close in qualifying for the most part but not so much in the race and that shows in the points tally, but I expect that this gap will close some more next year.

Just to be clear I’m talking about the 2023 F1 driver rankings by Autosport - the overall motorsport ones are very biased towards F1 and I don’t really agree.

[umgeorge]

george russell, p1, is interviewed during the post-race press conference, belgium - july 28, 2024 (transcript under the cut)

Interviewer: "Very warm welcome to the top three finishers of the FIA Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix! In third place, Oscar Piastri; in second place, Lewis Hamilton; and, taking his third victory in Formula 1 and his second of the 2024 campaign, our winner, George Russell. Well, George, that was an extraordinary victory. Was it your best in Formula 1 so far?" George: "Yeah, for sure. It was such a difficult race. We spoke so much this morning about the two-stop, the three-stop, but suddenly the tires, the car felt really, really good. I got into this groove. And especially when I got into the lead, there was no backmarkers in front, no other cars in front, and it kind of felt like driving a simulator. It was quite weird. And I was looking at the gap to Lewis and the rate he was catching me and I just thought, there's no reason why we can't stay out here and do this one-stop and try and make it work. So yeah, super proud of the job we all did." Interviewer: "34 laps on that final set of tires. At what point did you think the win was actually on?" George: "I think it was about fifteen laps to go, to be honest. I think when Oscar pitted, and Charles and Lewis, I was just watching the TV screens every lap, down after Eau Rouge, and just looking at the gap every single lap and they just weren't catching me as quick as I expected, and my lap times were just improving every single lap, and that was far from what we all anticipated. But it just goes to show how difficult it is to predict. I think every lap we were driving, twenty drivers, full gas around this circuit and it was just getting faster and faster. The grip was improving, and the tires just felt really in a great state, so… But I was still questioning why nobody else did it. I thought, I must be missing something here because everybody's peeling into the pits. But yeah, such a great race." Interviewer: "How nervous were you in those closing laps? Did you think Lewis was going to get past?" George: "I definitely thought he was going to be very close, but equally I recognise how difficult it is to overtake here. We're all running these skinny rear wings; the drag isn't substantial. But I just want to acknowledge what a great race Lewis drove. He was really controlling it at the beginning, and the strategy was such a difficult call for everybody, and definitely that one stop was a real surprise. But I'm so proud of the team. One-two is just a huge result." Interviewer: "You say the strategy is a difficult call. Who made the call? Was it you in the cockpit, or was it the pit wall?" George: "Team effort." Interviewer: [laughs] "Well, look, George, Mercedes have now won three of the last four races. What's possible?" George: "Three of four? Is it three of four? Wow." Interviewer: "What's possible in the second half of this season?" George: "I think the competition was really high today. I don't know what the gaps were at the end, but it felt like the pace between myself, Lewis, Oscar, and the Red Bulls… Charles as well. It was so, so close, which was a real surprise for everyone, so it's going to be a real battle."

[time jump] Journalist: "Jake Boxall-Legge, Autosport. Question for both George and Lewis, please: First of all, congratulations. As you said, night and day turnaround from Friday. Just to go into, I guess, what changes you made from Friday, your team boss suggested that it was perhaps something mechanical that you guys had got wrong with set-up. What did you actually end up changing and what was the ultimate effect? George: "Yeah, we've got… Yeah, it was… Yeah, top secret. [laughs] Yeah, it was a lot of things we changed in the car. We've got a lot of things we can play around with. I think we just had it in the wrong window on Friday. We obviously reversed on the floor because we just wanted to rule that out as well. But I've got no doubt in Zandvoort we'll be returning to the new aero package and getting the car in a slightly different window, mechanically." [time jump] Journalist: "Jake Boxall-Legge, Autosport, again. George, a question to you again, please: Just want to talk about your strategy a little bit. We heard some of your radio traffic. You told the team to consider the one-stop and you sounded pretty low conviction when you said yes to the ultimate command. Was there any other kind of discussions about that, or was it pretty much, 'I would like a one stop, please. Thank you very much?'" George: "It was quite back and forth over the course of three laps, and I think it's difficult because when you feel something in your gut you have to go with it. But when every single driver and team is pitting to go onto a different alternative strategy, and after all the data we had on Friday suggested a one-stop was not even close to being viable, you do kind of question that a couple of times, thinking, 'Are we missing something here? Like, why isn't anybody else doing this?' But I just sort of felt at one with the tires, and I managed it a little bit at the beginning and I knew that would give me a bit of money back at the end, and that was… I think it sometimes goes to show, we've got so many sensors and data points on the car, but there's only twenty of us driving these F1 cars and sometimes you feel it, you can feel how the tire is sliding over the track, and you've just got to trust your gut sometimes."

[time jump] Journalist: "Phil Duncan, PA. Lewis, you said you didn't want to stop for the second time. Did you say to the team you only wanted to do one stop, and obviously, how much does it hurt not winning today? Because you looked odds on to win for much of the race. And just to George, Toto called you the tire whisperer, so how much was this down to you actually driving those tires, saving those tires, or just the strategy?" [time jump] George: "Yeah, I think it's… You've clearly got to manage the tires if you wanna do something that's so sort of off-piste. It goes hand in hand. It was great. The team sort of backed me up and put their faith in me to do the one-stop. And then obviously when you're behind the wheel you've got to deliver it and manage in certain corners, push in others, and also at the end I knew Lewis was catching me, but I knew I needed to be quick in three corners, and that was the last two corners and the first one. I knew if I could save the tires in the middle sector and nail it in those three corners, it would be very difficult for Lewis to pass into turn five. So yeah, team effort."

[time jump] Journalist: "Taylor Powling, Motorsport Monday. Question to George: You mentioned yesterday that Mercedes have struggled at Spa more often than not in the last few years. Does the turnaround that you made today, is that the biggest indicator of the progress you've made this season, even more than Silverstone, perhaps?" George: "I really need to look into it, because this season's really quite strange, when we've been slightly off the pace in Austria and Barcelona-we didn't have the answers then-and when the pace was so exceptionally quick in Montreal and Silverstone, we had some ideas why it was quick, but not to the magnitude that it was. So for sure we think there's some correlation with the temperature. It's obviously not the warmest here. There was a bit of cloud cover, so I think that is probably still the correlation we're seeing." Interviewer: "Thank you. Yep! Another one." Journalist: "Dan Lawrence, Motorsport Monday. Another question for George: Mercedes are in a really good run of form at the moment. Would you say that, as your position, potentially, as team leader next season, is the second half of this season really about putting the building blocks in place to go for a consistent title run in 2025? Thank you." George: "Yeah, absolutely. I think, for all of us, it's been a difficult couple of years getting the car into a place where we can consistently fight for victories. But I'm so motivated, so excited for the second half of the season, which is ultimately building up towards 2025. And when you look at the competition now, there's no reason why we can't fight, and if the season started in Montreal the championship standings would be looking very, very different. So it's going to be great. I think there's so much motivation from all the other teams to get back to the front-from McLaren, from Ferrari, from ourselves-so for sure it's not going to be easy, and hopefully we see a good fight on our hands into next year."