Grosjean on difficult return to Enstone in 2012
Romain Grosjean said returning to the Enstone-based team in 2012 was difficult because he felt Renault had effectively told people he was not good enough for Formula 1 after dropping him following his seven-race spell at the end of 2009. Grosjean said: "Renault became Lotus, but it was the same engineers, it was the same team manager, it was like, 98% of the people were the same. It was not easy, because you come into a place that they basically told everyone that I wasn't good enough for Formula 1, and then you come back to a place that like, that's what they thought of you."
Grosjean felt Renault ‘told everyone I wasn't good enough for F1’ before return
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Ricciardo on how stepping away changed his view of F1 life
Daniel Ricciardo says he only realised how “far from normal” a Formula 1 driver’s race-weekend lifestyle was once he stepped away from the sport after leaving RB. Ricciardo said: "I was in the F1 bubble for so long. I got used to how intense the schedule was, the paddock, all of it, and that became normal. But now that I'm outside of it, I'm like 'Oh, that was far from normal'. The schedule was that down to the minute."
Daniel Ricciardo reveals post-F1 career shock: 'That was far from normal'
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Dodds on F1 drivers attending Monaco to see Gen4 car
Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds said several Formula 1 drivers will attend this weekend’s Monaco double-header and are keen to see the new Gen4 car, which will be on display. Dodds said: "There'll be a lot of them here over the weekend, because we know that — they've asked us to look after them over the weekend, so we will. The ones I speak to are all asking, 'Will we get to see the Gen4 car, right?' So I think it's going to be interesting because they're all intrigued. You can see there's a high level of intrigue... they're all coming to have a look, which is cool for us."
Interview: F1 drivers to attend Monaco Formula E as new beast to be unleashed
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Towriss on Cadillac exceeding expectations in Formula 1
Cadillac F1 CEO Dan Towriss said critics branding the team as backmarkers “don’t know much about Formula 1”, arguing Cadillac has exceeded expectations. Towriss said: "Just seeing the way the team fits in and the respect that we have earned in the paddock with the performance we have brought so far, I think we did exceed a lot of expectations. To those who said, 'You're a backmarker,' I'm saying you don't know much about Formula 1. What this team has been able to achieve in such a short space of time is truly incredible."
Cadillac's Towriss rejects backmarker label: ‘You don't much about F1'
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Krack on Aston Martin frustration after poor start to season
Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack said there is “a lot of frustration” to manage at the team and stressed the need to be “reflective of reality” after a poor start to the season. Krack said: "We are all racers and we don't want to drive at the back of the field. So year on year, you want to improve, but you also have to be reflective of reality. When you see that you have problems, there's no point in being frustrated, but you have to acknowledge that it is a human reaction."
Aston Martin highlight 'reality' F1 task: 'A lot of frustration'
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Marko on Horner opposing Verstappen's 2016 Red Bull promotion
Helmut Marko says Christian Horner was against Red Bull’s decision to promote Max Verstappen after just four races of the 2016 season, when Daniil Kvyat was dropped back to Toro Rosso. Marko said: "Team principal Christian Horner disagreed with promoting Max after just four races in 2016; he was against it. Just as many rivals and critics put me through the wringer and said that Max was still far too young and that this was a dangerous move."
Helmut Marko shares insight into shock Max Verstappen promotion: 'Christian Horner disagreed'
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Binotto on McNish representing Audi at races
Audi team principal Mattia Binotto said newly appointed racing director Allan McNish has been an “easy plug-in” for the team and will represent Audi at races when Binotto is not present. Binotto said: "Being racing director, I can fully trust him because of his experience. Already this morning, he was an easy plug-in in our organisation and that somehow helped me. I'm not there at all races and he is the one that will represent the team when being on track and again, he will do very well. I have no doubt."
Audi detail 'plug-in' advantage over major F1 team hire
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Vowles on FW48 weight reduction and cost-cap limits
Williams team principal James Vowles says the team has completed the engineering work to take weight out of the FW48 but cannot introduce all the new parts at once because of Formula 1’s cost-cap constraints. Vowles said: "Now the importance of that is the next stage, we have to be able to produce those parts. And what I indicated is one of the limitations of the cost cap. And again, the cost cap is a very good thing but the limitation is I simply can't produce all of those bits overnight. We could, but it would have cost us a tremendous amount."
James Vowles explains why Williams cannot immediately fix FW48 weight issue
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Russell on accidental origin of his viral T-pose
George Russell says his viral ‘T-pose’ was created by accident during the late-night photo shoot for Formula 1’s 2023 opening titles. Russell said: "So, this was the F1 intro that I did in 2023. It wasn't intentional at all. It was actually out of boredom and tiredness. It was about 11:30 at night. We were on this long photo shoot, and I just put my hands up on the side of the wall, just waiting for my next shot and the producer was like, 'That's pretty cool.'"
George Russell reveals how viral 'T-pose' was accidentally created
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The Lotus 72 was "an extension of my body," Emerson Fittipaldi reveals
Jenson Button opens up on mental toll of a Formula 1 career
Verstappen on reaching Nürburgring 24 Hours Top Qualifying 3
Max Verstappen said it was “incredibly tough” to make it through to the final pole shootout at the Nürburgring 24 Hours after he drove in Top Qualifying 2 and needed a top-seven result. Verstappen said: "Our goal was to reach the Top Qualifying 3. That is obviously not easy with the competition out there. It is incredibly tough, there are a lot of fast cars, but we just barely managed to get in between them. So that last lap was just good enough."
Max Verstappen reacts as 'incredibly tough' Nurburgring target achieved
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Rushbrook on Ford's Red Bull commitment amid departures and Verstappen questions
Ford Performance director Mark Rushbrook said Ford’s commitment to Formula 1 and its partnership with Red Bull is “not any single individual”, even with personnel departures at the team and questions around Max Verstappen’s future. Rushbrook said: "We came to Formula 1 to be in Formula 1 and we chose Red Bull because of who they are as a team, as a culture, not any single individual. And again, we love Max, we love the fact that he's racing in a Red Bull Ford powered vehicle. We would hate to see him leave, but that wouldn't change our commitment to the sport."
Ford on Gianpiero Lambiase exit and Max Verstappen future: “F1 commitment not based on one person”
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Binotto on not being so negative about F1's 2026 regulations
Audi F1 CEO and team principal Mattia Binotto says people should not be “so negative” about Formula 1’s 2026 regulations, which he believes have delivered a “great show” for fans. Binotto said: "If you look and you watch the races, for the fans it has been a great show as well. Overtaking since the very first race, close fights, which is not obvious when you've got such a big discrepancy in the regulations... Overall, I think it's a good format... So overall, I don't think we should be so negative."
Mattia Binotto tells F1 critics ‘don't be so negative’ as F1 V8 return gathers momentum
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FIA revises 2026 engine assessment window
The FIA has confirmed its 2026 Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities system for underperforming power unit manufacturers will now begin after the Canadian Grand Prix, after the original first assessment window was disrupted by the cancelled Bahrain and Saudi Arabian rounds. In an FIA statement, the governing body said the opening analysis period "has therefore been adjusted and is now formed of the season's first five races (Australia, China, Japan, Miami and Canada)", with the results to be communicated "no later than two weeks after the Canadian Grand Prix".
FIA releases ‘ADUO' timelines ahead of the 2026 F1 Canadian GP
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Jenson Button says Lando Norris' mental health honesty shows "a lot of strength"
Lewis Hamilton Ferrari future sparks Oliver Bearman warning from David Coulthard
Alpine on sponsor talks
Amid speculation that Gucci could replace BWT as Alpine’s title sponsor from 2027, with BWT’s current deal thought to expire at the end of this season, Alpine has not confirmed any agreement and said it is “constantly looking for new partnership opportunities and in contact with a wide range of brands and companies as potential partners”, adding that such talks “are however always kept confidential and they are disclosed only when confirmed and agreed by all parties.”
BWT out, Gucci in? Alpine breaks silence on shock 2027 tie-up
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McNish on judging Audi's 2026 start at year end
Audi racing director Allan McNish says the team should be judged “at the end of the year” after what he described as a mixed start to the 2026 Formula 1 season. McNish said: "I think we've got to remember as well, this is race four for a new team. Sauber was there before, but it's also the integration of the Audi power unit into that system as well. Therefore, judge us at the end of the year."
Allan McNish warns against premature Audi F1 judgements
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Christian Horner and Toto Wolff raising the stakes in latest F1 scrap
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Alpine appoint Jason Somerville deputy technical director
Alpine have appointed Jason Somerville as their new Deputy Technical Director, with the former FIA Head of Aerodynamics starting on 15 May and reporting to Executive Technical Director David Sanchez. Somerville returns to the Enstone operation after a previous stint in its aerodynamics department in 2010-11, and has also worked at Williams, Toyota and Formula One Management, where he helped develop the 2022 technical regulations.
Alpine name new Deputy Technical Director
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Verstappen reaches Nürburgring 24 pole shootout
Max Verstappen booked his place in the Nürburgring 24 Hours pole shootout after a strong lap in Top Qualifying 2, setting an 8:14.4 to safely progress in sixth.
Max Verstappen qualifies for Nurburgring 24 Hours pole battle
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Verstappen Racing Mercedes reaches Top Qualifying 2
The Verstappen Racing #3 Mercedes progressed safely from Top Qualifying 1 to Top Qualifying 2 at the Nürburgring 24 Hours on Friday, with Lucas Auer setting an 8:14.871 to confirm its place in the next stage.
Nürburgring 24 Hours qualifying: Team Verstappen advance from intense TQ1
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Mekies on Red Bull's work to improve car consistency
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies said the team used a deep data analysis after the Japanese Grand Prix and the five-week break to put its car into a more consistent operating window for the drivers. Mekies said: "After Suzuka on Sunday night, we said to each other, look, regardless of our performance deficit overall in terms of development, compared to where we were late last year, regardless of that, we do not give, at the moment, a consistent car to our drivers, a car they can push with confidence, lap to lap, corner to corner. That was most of the work that has been done in this five weeks' break."
Red Bull reveal details behind F1 car breakthrough after 'serious' loss
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