In the round-up: Lewis Hamilton believes Mercedes can build on the improvements they made throughout last season when they embark on their 2023 campaign.
In brief
Hamilton has “great hope” for 2023 after strong end to season
Lewis Hamilton believes Mercedes can build on the improvements they made throughout last season when they embark on their 2023 campaign.
He endured his first ever winless season last year in Mercedes’ uncompetitive W13 chassis. However following a poor start to the year the team became regular contenders for podium finishes and took a single win, courtesy of Hamilton’s team mate George Russell, in Brazil.
Hamilton said that gives him hope 2023 will be better for the team. “I know how hard it is to be at the top and to stay there,” he told Bild. “We want to get back to the top.
“What gives us great hope is the end of this season. The last few races have shown a clear positive trend and prove that with perseverance we can achieve anything.”
The seven-times world title winner added he is keen to bow out of the sport as champion. “I think retiring as a world champion is a dream that every athlete has – and so do I.”
Schwartzman fastest in IndyCar Sebring test
Ferrari junior driver Robert Shwartzman was fastest of four drivers in a private IndyCar test around the Sebring short course on Wednesday.Driving with Chip Ganassi, Shwartzman was quicker than Dayle Coyne’s Sting Ray Robb, Chip Ganassi’s Kyffin Simpson and Penske’s Dane Cameron.
“Overall, it was very positive, very productive,” Shwartzman told Racer. “I was very curious to get to know the car. I’m very happy that my expectations were beaten. As for the physical and driving style, it’s a quite nice car to drive.”
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Links
Motor racing links of interest:
Gran Turismo 7 Confirmed as PlayStation VR2 Launch Day Title (GT Planet)
"Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO Jim Ryan has confirmed that Gran Turismo 7 will be a launch-day title for the new PlayStation VR2 on February 22. Although Ryan didn’t confirm the extent of GT7’s VR2 support, the teaser video shown with the sequence suggested much wider capabilities, showing an at-least 12-car race featuring Gr.1 race cars at Road Atlanta."
Brown believes Ricciardo could return to McLaren but praises ‘sensational’ Piastri (Independent)
"We think Oscar is going to be a sensational racing driver. If you look at his career to date he’s won a lot of championships in his first year, which always tells you a driver is special."
Roy Nissany: A race in my words (F2)
"The one that taught me the most was the Baku Feature Race in 2018, I stared at the back twice and I made my way up. I was lucky with Safety Cars and pit stops so I was running P4/P3 in my first year in F2. The drivers are more alert at that track and a bit more nervous, especially when it’s your first time there and the first time in the top three or four at the beginning of the year. "
Tickets on sale for historic first Formula E race in India (Formula E)
"Hyderabad joins in on the action for the first time in the series' history, with India welcoming all-electric motorsports to the country. Mahindra Racing will lead the pack at their home race as the drivers go wheel-to-wheel, get ready for the most electrifying form of motorsport."
Gran Turismo – Exclusive Sneak Peek (Sony Pictures Entertainment via YouTube)
"Based on the inspiring true story of an impossible dream, watch this exclusive sneak peek of Gran Turismo Movie. Exclusively in movie theatres this summer. "
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Social media
Notable posts from Twitter, Instagram and more:
This is the huge story in @F1 today and the official Formula 1 website isn't touching it. That tells you a lot.https://t.co/y80TC4FsDy#F1
— Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine) January 5, 2023
“Many people wrote to my father […] it was a demonstration of great love for Ferrari.” Piero Ferrari tells us about his experience with the rediscovery of dreams. #Ferrari #KeepOnDreaming pic.twitter.com/fHg3so5gme
— Ferrari (@Ferrari) January 5, 2023
20 & 27 for 2023! 🔢#HaasF1 pic.twitter.com/RUAi6UPczi
— MoneyGram Haas F1 Team (@HaasF1Team) January 5, 2023
Actually 2 announcements tomorrow 🤩
— Pietro Fittipaldi (@PiFitti) January 5, 2023
Sitting comfortably, @alo_oficial? pic.twitter.com/MzxR1lo9Jv
— Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) January 5, 2023
Here are your 24 Hours of #LeMansVirtual Stars of the Show⭐️
180 of motorsport's highest-level athletes will descend onto the Circuit de la Sarthe next weekend, with famous faces from both the real world and virtual world featuring on your screens📺
Who are you cheering on? pic.twitter.com/Yfxn5gEibk
— Le Mans Virtual (@LeMansVirtual) January 5, 2023
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- Find more official F1 accounts to follow in the F1 Twitter Directory
Comment of the day
With Andretti announcing they are partnering with Cadillac for an attempted entry into Formula 1, @bascb is looking forward to seeing how the pairing will fare in Formula 1…
Sure, we will see how (and even IF) they make it to the grid. And we will have to see how they will be doing once they get there. But we did not expect much from Haas and they haven’t done all that bad, I would say. Andretti is as big a name in USA Motorsports, and the name means more in F1 than Haas, AND he’s bringing a big manufacturer with him.
I am looking forward to seeing them join in. Probably makes most sense to get there by 2026 with the new engines, just like Audi will with their own engine. It does make me wonder even more whether Honda will really get back into the sport though (who is going to run their engines if RBR goes their own way? Buy Alpha Tauri?)
BasCB
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday to Sparckus, Martin Rasmussen and Dion!
On this day in motorsport
- 55 years ago today Chris Amon won the non-championship New Zealand Grand Prix at Pukukohe for Ferrari after Jim Clark’s Lotus hit engine trouble
Proesterchen (@proesterchen)
6th January 2023, 1:34
Time to bring out the numbers again?
Race 01 – 2022 Bahrain GP – Q – pole LEC 1:30.558 – best Merc HAM 1:31.238 +0.680 / +0.75%
Race 23 – 2022 Abu Dhabi GP – Q – pole VER 1:23.824 – best Merc HAM 1:24.508 +0.684 / +0.82%
Proesterchen (@proesterchen)
6th January 2023, 1:35
Sorry, Abu Dhabi was Race 22 of the 2022 F1 season.
Jeffrey Powell
6th January 2023, 6:57
I make you correct I looked at the qualifying times a few weeks ago because my impression was the overall differentials had shown very little difference between Mercedes and Pole over the year. I think Lewis is suffering from wishful thinking, was this in an interview situation or just a post, because this would have been a very legitimate point to raise. Maybe he is just feeling as the car was evidently much easier to drive in the second half of the season that justifies his remarks but certainly just looking at end of year differentials without a quantum leap from Merc. the start of 2023 looks very difficult for them.
Alberto
6th January 2023, 10:56
I do see your point with laying out data like this but there is a difference between statistics and actuarial science.
wooky
6th January 2023, 15:07
you should compare best lap times in the races to see the progress.
Proesterchen (@proesterchen)
6th January 2023, 15:33
Why? Fastest laps are famously noisy data while qualifying runs put everyone on the same track, with the same tyres, and within a very small window of time for optimal comparability.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
6th January 2023, 15:41
While these statistics show a different picture, you can’t ignore mercedes improved later on in the season, and had the best car in brazil, which hadn’t happened all year, maybe it’s also because of ferrari getting worse that it feels they did better in the 2nd half.
Tommy C (@tommy-c)
6th January 2023, 23:06
Qualifying isn’t everything though. By your reckoning, Mercedes had the best car in 2013 but we know that’s not the case. They were undoubtedly more competitive towards the end of 2022 than they were at the start. Will they be ready to consistently fight for wins from round 1 this year? Maybe, maybe not, but with the stability of regulations, I’d sure expect them to be closer than the start of last year.
Todfod (@todfod)
9th January 2023, 9:40
@proesterchen
I think you need more than two data points to prove your argument. Maybe map the qualifying differences of all the races and look at the trend. It was kind of obvious that Mercedes did close the gap.. heck, they managed to out qualify Red Bull as well.
Proesterchen (@proesterchen)
9th January 2023, 16:46
Feel free to supply any additional statistics that you feel support your argument.
S
6th January 2023, 6:49
It tells you that it isn’t really much of a story.
There have been (at least) dozens of ‘teams’ (some real, some not) who have equally publicly expressed similar interest in entering F1 over the decades. The vast majority didn’t….
The official F1 site is famously slow and usually very selective in regard to what they report, anyway. They tend not to report on things they don’t like or that don’t make them look good…..
When (or more likely, if) it happens – you can bet they’ll be talking about it – because they’d have no choice.
Mayrton
6th January 2023, 8:13
This will require a Prost (Williams) kind of opportunity for him. It is possible. He has not exactly been shy of luck in the past, so who knows.
bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
6th January 2023, 10:36
Prost was almost given that title in some regards. I don’t know if Frank ever spoke so openly about it. I know Nigel has. But I’d be interested to hear the full story of the shenanigans from all those still with us in the ‘Mansell – Senna – Prost- I want a Williams merry go round. If someone were to interview them and get their recollections of the events I’d certainly watch.
But I suspect Alain might have just been shrewdest at the end of day.
Red Andy (@red-andy)
6th January 2023, 8:29
Is this the first hint we’ve had from Hamilton that the 2023 season might be his last in F1? He’s previously been emphatic that he doesn’t want to carry on racing into his forties, although more recently he has suggested that he might keep going for a few more years after all.
His current contract with Mercedes expires at the end of this season. Aim for the eighth, and then retire?
Todfod (@todfod)
9th January 2023, 9:42
@red-andy
I think he wants one more season where he’s got the car to compete for a WDC… and to be honest.. he deserves it, especially after the Abu Dhabi 2021 debacle. Will be great for the fans as well to see Lewis vs Max again, but this time with a really quick and upcoming talent as Lewis’ teammate. The season would be spectacularly entertaining!
Moi
6th January 2023, 15:02
Nico lived the dream :D
Mayrton
7th January 2023, 9:39
Good call from Nico. Not unexpected at all as we could clearly see the dynamic between the two following Lewis’ antics (and again in 2021 vs another competitor). Lewis is genuinely not a nice person to compete with. It is his right (or rather choice) as an athlete, but there are other means to winning.
G
7th January 2023, 19:11
You only have to watch 2015 USA GP 1st lap and the cool down room to realise that in 2021, Lewis just couldn’t take the same being done to him.
Nulla Pax (@nullapax)
6th January 2023, 16:08
Just stick in there and give us a show Lewis.
Your rabid fanatics need it and I love to see your haters crying ;)
Win or lose you are a driver worth watching and that is all the show I need :)