In the F1 in brief section, F1Maximaal.nl keeps you informed of the latest news from the premier class of motorsport that just does not qualify for an extensive mention, but is of course still relevant to mention on the website.
Protests bring uncertainty to the Monaco Grand Prix
The pension reforms in France seem to put pressure on the going ahead with the Monaco Grand Prix. The CGT, one of the largest trade union groups in France, has announced ‘100 days of action and anger’, RTL France reports. CGT threatens power cuts during major events: ‘The Cannes Film Festival, the Monaco Grand Prix, the Roland-Garros Tournament, and the Avignon Festival could end in the dark! We’re not letting go!’ The Monaco Grand Prix, which logically does not take place in France itself, should take place in five weeks, on May 26.
Steiner disagrees with Verstappen’s criticism: ‘Don’t know what Max means’
Günther Steiner cannot accept Max Verstappen’s criticism of sprint races in Formula 1. The two-time world champion is not a fan of the format changes in the sport, but according to Steiner they are happening precisely to protect the interests of the fans. “I don’t know what Max means by messing with the format,” the Haas team boss is quoted by The Independent. “Hitting sprint races is not messing with the format. It changes the format, but in favor of the fans. In the end, Formula 1 is nothing without the fans, so we have to make them happy, because without them we can’t survive.”
McLaren is setting up its own development program for young drivers
Following the lead of several other teams in motorsport’s premier class, McLaren has now launched a development program to help young drivers rise to the top, the team has announced. The aim of the program is to train drivers and help them from the karts to become professional drivers. Emanuele Pirro, former Formula 1 driver, will lead the program. “With McLaren’s large portfolio, we are well positioned to help young talent on their way to roles as full-fledged drivers, or test and development drivers,” said McLaren CEO Zak Brown.
Suspect arrested for violent robbery at Doornbos
It was recently announced that Robert Doornbos had fallen victim to a violent robbery, in which his Rolex was designated as the target. At the time, the police did not want to disclose anything about a suspected perpetrator, but De Telegraaf now reports that a suspect has been arrested for some time. The suspect was already arrested on March 31, but due to the ongoing investigation, this was only shared later. Police are still looking for a second suspect.
Ricciardo to do demonstration run at Nürnburgring with F1 car for first time since 2011
On behalf of Red Bull Racing, Daniel Ricciardo has been hired this year to drive demonstration runs, among other things. The Australian is therefore the right person to do this run at the Nürnburgring, where Red Bull will compete on behalf of Mercedes with an F1 car for the first time since Michael Schumacher in 2011. The rare honor of driving a car from the premier class around the 21 kilometer long circuit is therefore reserved for Ricciardo. The run will take place on September 9, RaceFans reports.
Ecclestone fraud lawsuit launched for staggering amount
Former Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has arrived in court in London today as his fraud trial begins. The 92-year-old Brit would not have reported about 460 million euros in overseas assets to the tax authorities. The Public Prosecutor claims that it has a thick file full of evidence. Ecclestone was charged with bribery in 2014. At the time, the wealthy Briton settled for an amount of 75 million euros.
Silverstone inspiration for new job in Australia
Motorsport Australia has plans to build a new circuit southwest of the Australian F1 city of Melbourne. The Australian state of Victoria has made money available for this and wants to gain inspiration from the Silverstone circuit, reports the Dutch branch of Motorsport.com. The Motorsport Federation of Australia has announced that they will work with the Australian state government to look at the construction of a new circuit in Avalon, a town about 50 kilometers from Melbourne. A 150-acre piece of land near the Avalon airport has been allocated to the circuit.
Motorsport Australia eventually wants to become the owner, so that they can put the money earned from the events back into motorsport. “We see this as a game changer,” said Motorsport Australia CEO Eugene Arocca. “With this location, we are able to do a lot of things that we still have to pay money for, such as renting circuits, all of which revolve around growing the sport. It won’t just be a circuit, but the circuit will have everything on it.’ The new circuit also hopes to host events for the World Endurance Championship, Formula E, and the TRC World Tour.
Hülkenberg can expect a bonus at the podium: ‘More than a bottle of beer or wine’
Guenther Steiner has told Essentially Sport that Haas driver Nico Hülkenberg can expect a significant bonus if he manages to score a podium for the American team. In Australia he seemed to come close when he was in P4 and Carlos Sainz was given a time penalty from third place, but the race management decided to take the result of a lap earlier. It is something the German has not yet achieved in Formula 1, and would be a great achievement for the team. “I’m not talking about driver contracts, but he will definitely get something. I can be open about it, he won’t be mad. It will be more than a bottle of beer or wine.’
Ferrari disappointed with FIA decision: ‘More discussions about F1’s fairness’
Ferrari has issued a statement in response to the FIA’s decision to sweep the ‘right to review’ off the table. The Italian racing stable says it is disappointed with the choice of the governing body, but the Scuderia accepts the decision. “We look forward to engaging with the FIA, F1 and the teams to ensure our sport gets the fairness and consistency it deserves,” the statement read on Twitter. Ferrari thought it had provided sufficient evidence, but that turned out not to be the case.
Abu Dhabi 2021 Petition Nearly One Hundred Thousand Signs
Despite it being almost two years since the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with everyone knowing what happened, there are still those who are making an effort to change the result. An online petition on the change.org website demanding that Lewis Hamilton be the 2021 champion has suddenly received a lot of attention, Sports Illustrated reports. Within one week, the petition received 20,000 signatures and is now approaching 100,000 signatures. That makes the Abu Dhabi 2021 petition the most signed petition in Formula 1 history.
Drugovich takes part in Formula E rookie test on behalf of Maserati
Felipe Drugovich will compete in Formula E’s rookie test in Berlin next Monday. The Aston Martin reserve driver will have the chance with the Maserati team. Last season’s Formula 2 champion is looking forward to the test in the racing class. “Formula E is a class that has always fascinated me. It will be interesting to find out how an all-electric car compares to other single-seaters I’ve driven in recent seasons. It is a great honor to play an active role in the development of such an iconic brand in its first season in this World Championship.”
