- Formula 1 - Season 2019 -

[genius83]

Pirelli concludes first test of 18-inch F1 tyres
Pirelli says it covered over 200 laps of running on the first prototype of its new 18-inch tyres for the 2021 F1 season.

Racing Point have “tricks up our sleeve” for Singapore
Racing Point team principal Otmar Szafnauer expects the team to make a significant step forward with its last major upgrade of the season at next week’s Singapore Grand Prix.

Renault hope to promote a junior driver by 2021
Renault managing director Cyril Abiteboul says the team wants to promote a driver from its roster of academy talent to F1 by 2021.

Monza Q3 farce unlikely to be repeated this year – Verstappen
Formula 1 is unlikely to see a repeat of the bizarre scenes at the end of qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix according to Max Verstappen.

Haas reveals first image of car without Rich Energy branding
Haas has revealed the first image of one of its cars following the removal of former title sponsor Rich Energy.

Crashgate corner could disappear from Singapore Grand Prix track
A four-corner stretch of Singapore’s Marina Bay circuit could be altered for future races due to planned construction work in the city.

Here is the Timing Schedule for this weekend's Singapore GP:

Singapore GP
Friday
Practice Session 1   13:30 To 15:00
Practice Session 2   17:30 To 19:00

Saturday
Practice Session 3   15:00 To 16:00
Qualifying Session   18:00 To 19:00

Sunday
Race                 17:10 To 19:10

[genius83]

“Difficult to guess” which remaining races Ferrari could win
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto admits it is hard to see which of the remaining races this year the team could win.

Why Red Bull vs Ferrari is now the championship fight to watch
After Red Bull showed Pierre Gasly the door during the summer break they made it clear they believe they can take the fight to Ferrari in the second half of 2019.

F2 and F3 add Zandvoort but drop Paul Ricard for 2020
Formula 2 and Formula 3 will support the revived Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort next year.

F1 should go back to a 16-race calendar – Vettel
Sebastian Vettel says the record 22 races on the 2020 F1 calendar is too many, and wants to see it reduced by six.

New DRS zone added for Singapore Grand Prix
A new DRS zone has been added to the Marina Bay circuit to increase overtaking opportunities during this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix.

F1 responds to criticism of television broadcasts
Formula 1 has responded to criticism of the quality of recent race broadcasts including occasions where live action was missed because of replays or shots of crowd footage.

‘No simple rules fix’ for F1’s Monza Q3 farce
Formula 1 will hold further discussions on how to prevent a repeat of the farcical situation during qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix.

Race stewards aren’t tough enough in junior categories – Norris
Lando Norris says drivers should be punished more severely in the junior categories to teach them discipline before they reach F1.

Grosjean secures new Haas deal for 2020
Haas has confirmed Romain Grosjean will remain at Haas next year, ending speculation he might lose his seat to Nico Hulkenberg.

Vettel: 2019 “not the worst” time of my career
Sebastian Vettel says his difficult 2019 campaign is not the worst period he had been through in Formula 1.

Magnussen not a factor in Haas’s decision to take Grosjean over Hulkenberg
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner says he did not pass up the chance to sign Nico Hulkenberg because he was concerned about pairing him with Kevin Magnussen.

Kubica heading for Williams exit at end of season
Robert Kubica will not continue to drive for Williams in the 2020 F1 season, RaceFans understands.

Kubica confirms he will leave Williams at end of season
Robert Kubica has confirmed he will not continue to drive for Williams in the 2020 F1 season.

Leclerc doesn’t feel he’s Ferrari’s ‘number one’
Charles Leclerc says he doesn’t feel like Ferrari’s ‘number one’ driver despite winning the last two races and moving ahead of his team mate in the championship.

Albon expects he’ll be “a bit off the pace” at start of weekend
Alexander Albon says it will take him time to get on terms with team mate Max Verstappen at this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix.

Top-three finish was possible at Monza – Verstappen
Max Verstappen believes Red Bull were quick enough to challenge Ferrari and Mercedes in the Italian Grand Prix, but couldn’t show it because of their grid penalty.

Ferrari adds cape with nose update in Singapore
Ferrari has followed a popular design trend with its new nose for this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, at a track where the team suspects it could struggle.

Hulkenberg would take on “killer” Verstappen at Red Bull
Nico Hulkenberg says he is prepared to go up against Max Verstappen at Red Bull if he gets the chance.

Magnussen: Grosjean’s feedback helped Haas solve car problem
Kevin Magnussen says Romain Grosjean helped Haas understand the problems it has experienced with its car by persuading them to remove one of their updates.

Verstappen begins Singapore weekend on top as Bottas crashes
Max Verstappen put Red Bull on top in the first practice session for the Singapore Grand Prix, but Ferrari were close behind.

Singapore GP
Practice Session 1
Pos Driver             Car                    Time      Gap    Laps
 1  Max Verstappen     Red Bull/Honda         1:40.259s  -      22
 2  Sebastian Vettel   Ferrari                1:40.426s 0.167s  23
 3  Lewis Hamilton     Mercedes               1:40.925s 0.666s  26
 4  Valtteri Bottas    Mercedes               1:41.336s 1.077s  14
 5  Alexander Albon    Red Bull/Honda         1:41.467s 1.208s  24
 6  Nico Hulkenberg    Renault                1:41.812s 1.553s  26
 7  Carlos Sainz Jr.   McLaren/Renault        1:41.966s 1.707s  20
 8  Lando Norris       McLaren/Renault        1:42.180s 1.921s  19
 9  Daniil Kvyat       Toro Rosso/Honda       1:42.305s 2.046s  26
10  Pierre Gasly       Toro Rosso/Honda       1:42.377s 2.118s  24
11  Daniel Ricciardo   Renault                1:42.527s 2.268s  20
12  Romain Grosjean    Haas/Ferrari           1:42.630s 2.371s  23
13  Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari     1:42.677s 2.418s  15
14  Kimi Raikkonen     Alfa Romeo/Ferrari     1:42.786s 2.527s  13
15  Lance Stroll       Racing Point/Mercedes  1:42.791s 2.532s  28
16  Kevin Magnussen    Haas/Ferrari           1:43.150s 2.891s  22
17  Robert Kubica      Williams/Mercedes      1:43.336s 3.077s  28
18  Sergio Perez       Racing Point/Mercedes  1:43.369s 3.110s  23
19  Charles Leclerc    Ferrari                1:43.618s 3.359s  12
20  George Russell     Williams/Mercedes      1:43.993s 3.734s  29

Russell copying Hamilton’s techniques to raise his game
George Russell has been learning from Lewis Hamilton’s approach to Formula 1 and adopting some of the world champion’s techniques to improve his race performances.

F1 proposes replacing engine grid penalties with ballast penalties
Formula 1 is considering whether to introduce a new system of ballast penalties for drivers who exceed the maximum number of power unit components.

Hamilton and Verstappen well ahead in second practice
Lewis Hamilton relegated Max Verstappen to second place by the end of Friday practice in Singapore, but the pair were well ahead of the rest of their rivals.

Singapore GP
Practice Session 2
Pos Driver             Car                    Time      Gap    Laps
 1  Lewis Hamilton     Mercedes               1:38.773s  -      29
 2  Max Verstappen     Red Bull/Honda         1:38.957s 0.184s  29
 3  Sebastian Vettel   Ferrari                1:39.591s 0.818s  31
 4  Valtteri Bottas    Mercedes               1:39.894s 1.121s  30
 5  Alexander Albon    Red Bull/Honda         1:39.943s 1.170s  30
 6  Charles Leclerc    Ferrari                1:40.018s 1.245s  31
 7  Carlos Sainz Jr.   McLaren/Renault        1:40.145s 1.372s  33
 8  Nico Hulkenberg    Renault                1:40.324s 1.551s  30
 9  Lando Norris       McLaren/Renault        1:40.361s 1.588s  35
10  Pierre Gasly       Toro Rosso/Honda       1:40.637s 1.864s  32
11  Daniil Kvyat       Toro Rosso/Honda       1:40.713s 1.940s  32
12  Daniel Ricciardo   Renault                1:40.811s 2.038s  30
13  Sergio Perez       Racing Point/Mercedes  1:40.875s 2.102s  29
14  Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari     1:41.128s 2.355s  35
15  Lance Stroll       Racing Point/Mercedes  1:41.128s 2.355s  31
16  Kimi Raikkonen     Alfa Romeo/Ferrari     1:41.232s 2.459s  28
17  Romain Grosjean    Haas/Ferrari           1:41.392s 2.619s  26
18  George Russell     Williams/Mercedes      1:41.445s 2.672s  35
19  Kevin Magnussen    Haas/Ferrari           1:41.564s 2.791s  30
20  Robert Kubica      Williams/Mercedes      1:42.177s 3.404s  35

Albon expects “difficult” race after 0.9s gap to Verstappen
Alexander Albon expects his first Singapore Grand Prix will be a “difficult” race after lapping almost a second slower than his team mate and crashing on his first day at the track.

Perez reprimanded for incident with Magnussen
Sergio Perez has been given a reprimand after the stewards judged he was responsible for his incident with Kevin Magnussen during second practice.

Hamilton’s car ‘feels better than it has for a while’
Lewis Hamilton said his car felt “much better” in Singapore but his team mate was unhappy with his balance after lapping over a second slower than him.

“It would be even worse”: Ballast penalty plan fails to impress teams
A proposal to introduce ballast penalties as a replacement for grid penalties when drivers use too many engine components has failed to impress team bosses.

[genius83]

Flying Leclerc edges Hamilton in final practice
Charles Leclerc put Ferrari on top ahead of qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix, leading Lewis Hamilton by two-tenths of a second in final practice.

Singapore GP
Practice Session 3
Pos Driver             Car                    Time      Gap    Laps
 1  Charles Leclerc    Ferrari                1:38.192s  -      15
 2  Lewis Hamilton     Mercedes               1:38.399s 0.207s  15
 3  Sebastian Vettel   Ferrari                1:38.811s 0.619s  13
 4  Valtteri Bottas    Mercedes               1:38.885s 0.693s  16
 5  Alexander Albon    Red Bull/Honda         1:39.258s 1.066s  14
 6  Max Verstappen     Red Bull/Honda         1:39.364s 1.174s   9
 7  Carlos Sainz Jr.   McLaren/Renault        1:39.507s 1.315s  14
 8  Lando Norris       McLaren/Renault        1:39.719s 1.517s  13
 9  Nico Hulkenberg    Renault                1:40.118s 1.926s  15
10  Daniel Ricciardo   Renault                1:40.153s 1.961s	12
11  Lance Stroll       Racing Point/Mercedes  1:40.209s 2.017s  11
12  Pierre Gasly       Toro Rosso/Honda       1:40.239s 2.147s  15
13  Kimi Raikkonen     Alfa Romeo/Ferrari     1:40.953s 2.761s  16
14  Sergio Perez       Racing Point/Mercedes  1:40.985s 2.793s   4
15  George Russell     Williams/Mercedes      1:41.156s 2.964s  13
16  Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari     1:41.169s 2.977s  14
17  Kevin Magnussen    Haas/Ferrari           1:41.494s 3.302s  12
18  Romain Grosjean    Haas/Ferrari           1:41.542s 3.350s  12
19  Robert Kubica      Williams/Mercedes      1:41.954s 3.762s  13
20  Daniil Kvyat       Toro Rosso/Honda        -         -       3

Power cut cost Alfa Romeo almost an hour
Kimi Raikkonen revealed how a power cut severely disrupted Alfa Romeo’s start to the Singapore Grand Prix weekend.

Grosjean says his six-year-old son talked him into staying in F1
Romain Grosjean says he was in two minds about whether to continue in Formula 1 until he talked about it with his young son.

F1 teams concerned 2021 aerodynamics rules are too restrictive
Formula 1 teams have expressed concern the new aerodynamic regulations for the 2021 season offer them too little freedom to innovate.

New F1 cars will be “barely quicker than F2” in 2021
Formula 1 cars will be up to seven seconds slower under new regulations to be introduced in 2021, one team has estimated.

F1 safety changes considered for 2020 in response to “massive” Hubert crash impact
Formula 1 could make safety changes to its cars as early as next year in response to the Spa Formula 2 crash which claimed the life of Anthoine Hubert.

Kvyat will stay at Toro Rosso in 2020, says Marko
Daniil Kvyat will continue to drive for Toro Rosso in the 2020 F1 season, according to Red Bull’s motorsport consultant Helmut Marko.

[genius83]

Leclerc takes Singapore pole from Vettel with final lap
Charles Leclerc took pole position for the Singapore Grand Prix away from his team mate Sebastian Vettel with the final lap of qualifying.

Singapore GP
Qualifying Session
Pos Driver             Car                    Time      Gap
 1  Charles Leclerc    Ferrari                1:36.217s  -
 2  Lewis Hamilton     Mercedes               1:36.408s 0.191s
 3  Sebastian Vettel   Ferrari                1:36.437s 0.220s
 4  Max Verstappen     Red Bull/Honda         1:36.713s 0.596s
 5  Valtteri Bottas    Mercedes               1:37.146s 0.929s
 6  Alexander Albon    Red Bull/Honda         1:37.411s 1.194s
 7  Carlos Sainz Jr.   McLaren/Renault        1:37.818s 1.601s
 8  Daniel Ricciardo   Renault                1:38.095s 1.878s
 9  Nico Hulkenberg    Renault                1:38.264s 2.047s
10  Lando Norris       McLaren/Renault        1:38.329s 2.112s
11  Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari     1:38.697s 2.480s
12  Pierre Gasly       Toro Rosso/Honda       1:38.699s 2.482s
13  Kimi Raikkonen     Alfa Romeo/Ferrari     1:38.858s 2.641s
14  Kevin Magnussen    Haas/Ferrari           1:39.650s 3.433s
15  Daniil Kvyat       Toro Rosso/Honda       1:39.957s 3.740s
16  Sergio Perez       Racing Point/Mercedes  1:38.610s 2.403s
17  Lance Stroll       Racing Point/Mercedes  1:39.989s 3.762s
18  Romain Grosjean    Haas/Ferrari           1:40.277s 4.060s
19  George Russell     Williams/Mercedes      1:40.867s 4.650s
20  Robert Kubica      Williams/Mercedes      1:41.186s 4.969s

Leclerc: ‘I thought I was in the wall two or three times’ on pole lap
Charles Leclerc said he was surprised his final lap in Q3 was quick enough for pole position after making at least two significant mistakes.

Reverse grid would be “complete bull***t” – Vettel
Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton were scathingly dismissive of a suggestion Formula 1 could introduce reverse grid races.

Verstappen criticises F1 bosses over 22-race 2021 calendar
Max Verstappen criticised Formula 1 bosses over plans to expand the schedule to 22 races.

Renault under investigation for MGU-K breach on Ricciardo’s car
Daniel Ricciardo’s qualifying position for the Singapore Grand Prix is in jeopardy as the stewards are investigating whether his car breached the technical rules.

Bottas complains Hamilton spoiled his preparation for final qualifying lap
Valtteri Bottas was unhappy with Lewis Hamilton’s driving at the end of qualifying in Singapore after Hamilton overtook him moments before they began their final laps.

[genius83]

Ricciardo excluded from qualifying for MGU-K rules breach
Daniel Ricciardo has been excluded from the results of qualifying for contravening the rules governing his MGU-K.

Ricciardo disqualified over ‘one microsecond advantage’ says Renault
Renault says it accepts the stewards’ decision to exclude Daniel Ricciardo from qualifying but stressed he did not gain a significant advantage from the infringement.

Bottas: Maybe Hamilton thought I slowed down “just for fun”
Valtteri Bottas says he doesn’t understand why Lewis Hamilton overtook him immediately before they started their final flying laps in qualifying.

Verstappen: No “easy fix” for Red Bull’s start problems
Max Verstappen says the start problems Red Bull have had in recent races still haven’t been solved.

Ferrari didn’t just get lucky, says Wolff
Ferrari’s surprise pole position for the Singapore Grand Prix showed they must never be discounted, says Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff.

Ferrari strategy helps Vettel to first win in over a year
Sebastian Vettel scored his first Formula 1 victory for more than a year after Ferrari’s strategy helped him jump ahead of Charles Leclerc in Singapore.

Singapore GP
Race Results
Pos Driver             Car                    Laps Time	        Gap
 1  Sebastian Vettel   Ferrari                 61  1:58:33.667s  -
 2  Charles Leclerc    Ferrari                 61  1:58:36.308s    2.641s
 3  Max Verstappen     Red Bull/Honda          61  1:58:37.488s    3.821s
 4  Lewis Hamilton     Mercedes                61  1:58:38.275s    4.608s
 5  Valtteri Bottas    Mercedes                61  1:58:39.776s    6.119s
 6  Alexander Albon    Red Bull/Honda          61  1:58:45.230s   11.663s
 7  Lando Norris       McLaren/Renault         61  1:58:48.336s   14.769s
 8  Pierre Gasly       Toro Rosso/Honda        61  1:58:49.114s   15.547s
 9  Nico Hulkenberg    Renault                 61  1:58:50.385s   16.718s
10  Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari      61  1:58:51.422s   17.855s
11  Romain Grosjean    Haas/Ferrari            61  1:59:09.003s   35.436s
12  Carlos Sainz Jr.   McLaren/Renault         61  1:59:09.641s   35.974s
13  Lance Stroll       Racing Point/Mercedes   61  1:59:10.086s   36.419s
14  Daniel Ricciardo   Renault                 61  1:59:10.327s   37.660s
15  Daniil Kvyat       Toro Rosso/Honda        61  1:59:11.845s   38.178s
16  Robert Kubica      Williams/Mercedes       61  1:59:20.691s   47.024s
17  Kevin Magnussen    Haas/Ferrari            61  2:00:00.189s 1:26.522s
 -  Kimi Raikkonen     Alfa Romeo/Ferrari      49  Collision
 -  Sergio Perez       Racing Point/Mercedes   42  Retirement
 -  George Russell     Williams/Mercedes       34  Collision

Here is the World Standings after Singapore GP:

World Championships Standings
Drivers Standings
Pos Driver             Points
 1  Lewis Hamilton      296
 2  Valtteri Bottas     231
 3  Charles Leclerc     200
 4  Max Verstappen      200
 5  Sebastian Vettel    194
 6  Pierre Gasly         69
 7  Carlos Sainz Jr.     58
 8  Alexander Albon      42
 9  Daniel Ricciardo     34
10  Daniil Kvyat         33
11  Nico Hulkenberg      33
12  Lando Norris         31
13  Kimi Raikkonen       31
14  Sergio Perez         27
15  Lance Stroll         19
16  Kevin Magnussen      18
17  Romain Grosjean       8
18  Antonio Giovinazzi    4
19  Robert Kubica         1
20  George Russell        0
Constructors Standings
Pos Constructor            Points
 1  Mercedes                 527
 2  Ferrari                  394
 3  Red Bull/Honda           289
 4  McLaren/Renault           89
 5  Renault                   67
 6  Toro Rosso/Honda          55
 7  Racing Point/Mercedes     46
 8  Alfa Romeo/Ferrari        35
 9  Haas/Ferrari              26
10  Williams/Mercedes          1

“It’s not fair” fumes Leclerc as Ferrari tactics hand win to Vettel
Charles Leclerc told Ferrari their tactics were “not fair” as he lost victory in the Singapore Grand Prix to his team mate.

Bottas accepts team’s call to keep him behind Hamilton
Valtteri Bottas says he accepted Mercedes’ instruction for him to slow down to ensure he didn’t jump ahead of his team mate in the race.

Hamilton says he could have won “easily” after “painful” defeat
Lewis Hamilton says Mercedes’ defeat in the Singapore Grand Prix was “painful” because the team had the pace to win easily.

Angry Ricciardo felt “disgraced” by disqualification
Daniel Ricciardo said he felt “disgraced” by the stewards’ decision to disqualify him from the results of qualifying in the Singapore Grand Prix.

Russell: Grosjean wrong to say he had no room to avoid crash
George Russell rejected Romain Grosjean’s claim he could not have avoided the collision between the pair in the Singapore Grand Prix.

[genius83]

Here is the Timing Schedule for this weekend's Russian GP:

Russian GP
Friday
Practice Session 1   13:00 To 14:30
Practice Session 2   17:00 To 18:30

Saturday
Practice Session 3   14:00 To 15:00
Qualifying Session   17:00 To 18:00

Sunday
Race                 16:10 To 18:10

[zia1288]

With six races to go, what is the position of engine units, and other parts for the teams?

[genius83]

Leclerc pips Verstappen as practice begins in Sochi
Charles Leclerc narrowly led Red Bull rival Max Verstappen in the first practice session for the Russian Grand Prix.

Russian GP
Practice Session 1
Pos Driver             Car                   Time       Gap    Laps
 1  Charles Leclerc    Ferrari               1:34.462s   -      20
 2  Max Verstappen     Red Bull/Honda        1:34.544s  0.082s  25
 3  Sebastian Vettel   Ferrari               1:35.005s  0.543s  20
 4  Valtteri Bottas    Mercedes              1:35.198s  0.736s  28
 5  Lewis Hamilton     Mercedes              1:35.411s  0.949s  22
 6  Alexander Albon    Red Bull/Honda        1:35.484s  1.022s  22
 7  Nico Hulkenberg    Renault               1:35.740s  1.278s  21
 8  Daniel Ricciardo   Renault               1:36.287s  1.825s  20
 9  Sergio Perez       Racing Point/Mercedes 1:36.321s  1.859s  27
10  Romain Grosjean    Haas/Ferrari          1:36.516s  2.054s  23
11  Carlos Sainz Jr.   McLaren/Renault       1:36.523s  2.061s  28
12  Pierre Gasly       Toro Rosso/Honda      1:36.538s  2.076s  25
13  Kevin Magnussen    Haas/Ferrari          1:36.596s  2.134s  21
14  Lance Stroll       Racing Point/Mercedes 1:36.714s  2.252s  26
15  Kimi Raikkonen     Alfa Romeo/Ferrari    1:36.770s  2.308s  22
16  Lando Norris       McLaren/Renault       1:36.844s  2.382s  30
17  Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari    1:37.328s  2.866s  18
18  George Russell     Williams/Mercedes     1:38.520s  4.058s  27
19  Daniil Kvyat       Toro Rosso/Honda      1:38.550s  4.088s   5
20  Robert Kubica      Williams/Mercedes     1:38.670s  4.208s  29

FIA cancels plan to impose standard F1 brakes in 2021
The FIA has cancelled a tender inviting a company to supply standard brakes and braking systems for the 2021 F1 season.

Russell would welcome Hulkenberg as team mate
George Russell says he would welcome Nico Hulkenberg as his team mate next year if the Renault driver joins Williams.

Mercedes planning to run Ocon in extra tyre test
Esteban Ocon will have a last chance to drive a Mercedes Formula 1 car in next week’s tyre test before he joins Renault for next season.

Verstappen leads Leclerc in second practice
Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc swapped places at the top of the times sheets in the second practice session at Sochi, with the Red Bull driver coming out on top.

Russian GP
Practice Session 2
Pos Driver             Car                   Time       Gap    Laps
 1  Max Verstappen     Red Bull/Honda        1:33.162s   -      29
 2  Charles Leclerc    Ferrari               1:33.497s  0.335s  33
 3  Valtteri Bottas    Mercedes              1:33.808s  0.646s  22
 4  Lewis Hamilton     Mercedes              1:33.960s  0.798s  32
 5  Sebastian Vettel   Ferrari               1:34.201s  1.039s  32
 6  Pierre Gasly       Toro Rosso/Honda      1:34.971s  1.809s  26
 7  Sergio Perez       Racing Point/Mercedes 1:34.998s  1.836s  31
 8  Nico Hulkenberg    Renault               1:35.026s  1.864s  33
 9  Lance Stroll       Racing Point/Mercedes 1:35.176s  2.014s  31
10  Alexander Albon    Red Bull/Honda        1:35.216s  2.054s  18
11  Lando Norris       McLaren/Renault       1:35.223s  2.061s  33
12  Daniil Kvyat       Toro Rosso/Honda      1:35.337s  2.175s  38
13  Kevin Magnussen    Haas/Ferrari          1:35.351s  2.189s  26
14  Daniel Ricciardo   Renault               1:35.370s  2.208s  28
15  Kimi Raikkonen     Alfa Romeo/Ferrari    1:35.374s  2.212s  34
16  Romain Grosjean    Haas/Ferrari          1:35.593s  2.431s  31
17  Carlos Sainz Jr.   McLaren/Renault       1:35.635s  2.473s  29
18  Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari    1:36.004s  2.842s  29
19  George Russell     Williams/Mercedes     1:36.785s  3.623s  38
20  Robert Kubica      Williams/Mercedes     1:37.838s  4.676s  36

Verstappen wondering if he should have taken engine penalty in Singapore
Max Verstappen think he might have been better off taking an engine penalty in Singapore after leading Friday practice in Sochi.

Hamilton hoping for rain after tough start in Sochi
Lewis Hamilton says he hopes the forecast rain arrives in Sochi tomorrow following a difficult first day of practice for Mercedes.

Kvyat may defy “joke” rule by using new helmet for home race
Daniil Kvyat says he may break a rule which prevents drivers from using more than two different helmet designs during a season.

Using Ferrari’s veto on 2021 rules would be “a shame” – Binotto
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto says it would be “a shame” to block F1’s 2021 rules changes by using its controversial veto right, but has not ruled it out.

[genius83]

Why the FIA has cancelled its plan for standard F1 brakes in 2021
The FIA’s announcement that it has withdrawn its tender for a standard supplier of braking materials and systems is highly significant.

Hamilton relates to Leclerc’s Singapore frustration
Lewis Hamilton says Charles Leclerc is learning the same lessons at Ferrari that he got when he started his Formula 1 career at McLaren.

Leclerc explains car changes which led to his breakthrough
Charles Leclerc says the breakthrough in his performance this year came when he began adapting the car to his driving style, instead of the other way around.

Leclerc heads Ferrari one-two in final practice
Charles Leclerc kept Ferrari on top in final practice for the Russian Grand Prix as Max Verstappen had a scruffy end to the session.

Russian GP
Practice Session 3
Pos Driver             Car                   Time       Gap    Laps
 1  Charles Leclerc    Ferrari               1:32.733s   -      14
 2  Sebastian Vettel   Ferrari               1:33.049s  0.316s  15
 3  Lewis Hamilton     Mercedes              1:33.129s  0.396s  19
 4  Valtteri Bottas    Mercedes              1:33.354s  0.621s  18
 5  Max Verstappen     Red Bull/Honda        1:34.227s  1.494s  12
 6  Romain Grosjean    Haas/Ferrari          1:34.308s  1.575s  17
 7  Alexander Albon    Red Bull/Honda        1:34.371s  1.638s  21
 8  Nico Hulkenberg    Renault               1:34.421s  1.688s  13
 9  Lando Norris       McLaren/Renault       1:34.527s  1.794s  15
10  Kevin Magnussen    Haas/Ferrari          1:34.546s  1.813s  15
11  Pierre Gasly       Toro Rosso/Honda      1:34.564s  1.831s  16
12  Daniel Ricciardo   Renault               1:34.586s  1.853s  14
13  Carlos Sainz Jr.   McLaren/Renault       1:34.607s  1.874s  18
14  Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari    1:34.766s  2.033s  15
15  Sergio Perez       Racing Point/Mercedes 1:34.860s  2.127s   7
16  Lance Stroll       Racing Point/Mercedes 1:34.898s  2.165s  16
17  Kimi Raikkonen     Alfa Romeo/Ferrari    1:35.714s  2.981s  19
18  George Russell     Williams/Mercedes     1:36.011s  3.278s  18
19  Daniil Kvyat       Toro Rosso/Honda      1:36.081s  3.348s   4
20  Robert Kubica      Williams/Mercedes     1:36.942s  4.209s  19

Mercedes agreed McLaren engine deal because it wanted “more competitive customers”
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has explained why the team agreed to supply engines to McLaren again in 2021, seven years after their previous supply deal ended.

Toro Rosso planning name change to Alpha Tauri
Formula 1 teams have been asked to approve a new name for Toro Rosso from the 2020 season.

McLaren to drop Renault power for Mercedes in 2021
McLaren and Mercedes will reunite in the 2021 season after McLaren confirmed it will end its Renault customer engine supply.

Leclerc makes it four-in-a-row with crushing Sochi pole
Charles Leclerc held sway throughout qualifying for the Russian Grand Prix and claimed his fourth consecutive pole position by four tenths of a second.

Russian GP
Qualifying Session
Pos Driver             Car                   Time       Gap
 1  Charles Leclerc    Ferrari               1:31.628s   -
 2  Lewis Hamilton     Mercedes              1:32.030s  0.402s
 3  Sebastian Vettel   Ferrari               1:32.053s  0.425s
 4  Valtteri Bottas    Mercedes              1:32.632s  1.004s
 5  Carlos Sainz Jr.   McLaren/Renault       1:33.222s  1.594s
 6  Nico Hulkenberg    Renault               1:33.289s  1.661s
 7  Lando Norris       McLaren/Renault       1:33.301s  1.673s
 8  Romain Grosjean    Haas/Ferrari          1:33.517s  1.889s
 9  Max Verstappen     Red Bull/Honda        1:32.310s  0.682s
10  Daniel Ricciardo   Renault               1:33.661s  2.033s
11  Sergio Perez       Racing Point/Mercedes 1:33.958s  2.330s
12  Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari    1:34.037s  2.409s
13  Kevin Magnussen    Haas/Ferrari          1:34.082s  2.454s
14  Lance Stroll       Racing Point/Mercedes 1:34.233s  2.605s
15  Kimi Raikkonen     Alfa Romeo/Ferrari    1:34.840s  3.212s
16  Pierre Gasly       Toro Rosso/Honda      1:33.950s  2.322s
17  George Russell     Williams/Mercedes     1:35.356s  3.728s
18  Alexander Albon    Red Bull/Honda        1:39.197s  7.569s
19  Robert Kubica      Williams/Mercedes     1:36.474s  4.846s
20  Daniil Kvyat       Toro Rosso/Honda       -          -

[genius83]

Trouble at Ferrari lets Hamilton in to lead Mercedes one-two
Lewis Hamilton scored his ninth victory of 2019 after Ferrari hit trouble in the Russian Grand Prix.

Russian GP
Race Results
Pos Driver             Car                   Laps Time         Gap
 1  Lewis Hamilton     Mercedes               53  1:33:38.992s  -
 2  Valtteri Bottas    Mercedes               53  1:33:42.821s    3.829s
 3  Charles Leclerc    Ferrari                53  1:33:44.105s    5.212s
 4  Max Verstappen     Red Bull/Honda         53  1:33:53.102s   14.210s
 5  Alexander Albon    Red Bull/Honda         53  1:34:17.340s   38.348s
 6  Carlos Sainz Jr.   McLaren/Renault        53  1:34:24.881s   45.889s
 7  Sergio Perez       Racing Point/Mercedes  53  1:34:27.720s   48.728s
 8  Lando Norris       McLaren/Renault        53  1:34:36.741s   57.749s
 9  Kevin Magnussen    Haas/Ferrari           53  1:34:37.771s   58.779s
10  Nico Hulkenberg    Renault                53  1:34:38.833s   59.841s
11  Lance Stroll       Racing Point/Mercedes  53  1:34:39.813s 1:00.821s
12  Daniil Kvyat       Toro Rosso/Honda       53  1:34:41.488s 1:02.496s
13  Kimi Raikkonen     Alfa Romeo/Ferrari     53  1:34:47.902s 1:08.910s
14  Pierre Gasly       Toro Rosso/Honda       53  1:34:49.068s 1:10.076s
15  Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari     53  1:34:52.338s 1:13.346s
 -  Robert Kubica      Williams/Mercedes      28  Withdrew
 -  George Russell     Williams/Mercedes      27  Mechanical
 -  Sebastian Vettel   Ferrari                26  Power Unit
 -  Daniel Ricciardo   Renault                24  Accident damage
 -  Romain Grosjean    Haas/Ferrari            0  Collision

Here is the World Standings after Russian GP:

World Championships Standings
Drivers Standings
Pos Driver             Points
 1  Lewis Hamilton       322
 2  Valtteri Bottas      249
 3  Charles Leclerc      215
 4  Max Verstappen       212
 5  Sebastian Vettel     194
 6  Pierre Gasly          69
 7  Carlos Sainz Jr.      66
 8  Alexander Albon       52
 9  Lando Norris          35
10  Daniel Ricciardo      34
11  Nico Hulkenberg       34
12  Daniil Kvyat          33
13  Sergio Perez          33
14  Kimi Raikkonen        31
15  Kevin Magnussen       20
16  Lance Stroll          19
17  Romain Grosjean        8
18  Antonio Giovinazzi     4
19  Robert Kubica          1
20  George Russell         0
Constructors Standings
Pos Constructor            Points
 1  Mercedes                 571
 2  Ferrari                  409
 3  Red Bull/Honda           311
 4  McLaren/Renault          101
 5  Renault                   68
 6  Toro Rosso/Honda          55
 7  Racing Point/Mercedes     52
 8  Alfa Romeo/Ferrari        35
 9  Haas/Ferrari              28
10  Williams/Mercedes          1

Williams retired Kubica’s car to conserve parts
Williams retired Robert Kubica from the Russian Grand Prix to save parts for future races.

Qualifying races plan has “unanimous support” from teams – Brawn
The controversial plan to hold ‘qualifying races’ at some rounds of the 2020 F1 season has the “unanimous support” of teams, according to the sport’s motorsport director Ross Brawn.

Vettel confirms Ferrari had pre-race agreement for start after defying team orders
Sebastian Vettel confirmed Ferrari had an agreement in place for how the drivers would manage the first corner after he was told to let his team mate overtaking him during the Russian Grand Prix.

“Stupid, idiotic steward” cost Magnussen eighth place
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner hit out at the stewards over the penalty which cost Kevin Magnussen eighth place in the Russian Grand Prix.

Leclerc: Ferrari told Vettel to give up lead because starts “were identical”
Charles Leclerc says Sebastian Vettel was told to give him the lead back in the Russian Grand Prix because they made “identical” starts to the race.

Raikkonen accepts blame for jump start after another “nightmare” race
Kimi Raikkonen accepted responsibility for his jump start penalty in Sochi but said his Alfa Romeo’s performance has been poor since the summer break.

Ferrari denies it pitted Leclerc early to get him ahead of Vettel
Ferrari denied Charles Leclerc’s pit stop was timed to move him ahead of his team mate, who had ignored an instruction to let him through earlier in the race.

Magnussen: FIA made a mistake with penalty for cutting “crap corner”
Kevin Magnussen says he feels “let down by the FIA” over his penalty for failing to rejoin the track correctly when he went off at turn two.

Ferrari ‘100 metres away’ from avoiding VSC for Vettel’s retirement
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto said the Virtual Safety Car period which cost them victory in Russia could have been avoided if Sebastian Vettel’s power unit problem had developed a hundred metres later.

Wolff: Mercedes wouldn’t have won without VSC
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff doubts his team’s strategy would have allowed them to beat Ferrari if it hadn’t been for the Virtual Safety Car.

Leclerc had “100% trust” Ferrari would give him the lead back
Charles Leclerc says he had complete faith that Ferrari would swap him and his team mate’s positions after he let Sebastian Vettel by at the start.

Leclerc defends call for extra pit stop which cost him second place
Charles Leclerc defended the decision to make an extra pit stop during the Russian Grand Prix, even though it cost him second place.

Ferrari told Vettel five times he would have to let Leclerc by
Ferrari repeatedly told Sebastian Vettel to let his team mate overtake him in the Russian Grand Prix until he stopped replying to their radio messages.

McLaren would have been fifth and sixth without Safety Cars – Seidl
McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl says the caution periods during the Russian Grand Prix cost the team the chance to beat one of the Red Bulls.

Ferrari power gains show F1 is an engine formula again – Wolff
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff says Ferrari’s resurgence shows Formula 1 has become “an engine formula” again.

Kvyat helmet dispute could prompt rules rethink
FIA race director Michael Masi says the sport will look at how it enforces restrictions on drivers’ helmet artwork after Daniil Kvyat was denied permission to use a special design for his home race last weekend.

Hamilton eager to drive 2021 F1 cars despite criticism
Lewis Hamilton says he wants the chance to drive F1’s new generation of cars in 2021, despite having criticised some aspects of the forthcoming rules changes.

[asharab.butt]

Hope memes are allowed

[genius83]

Vettel returns to Italy for Binotto meeting and Tony Kart test
Sebastian Vettel visited the Ferrari factory on Tuesday following his retirement from the Russian Grand Prix.

Todt not capping number of races on F1 calendar
FIA president Jean Todt says he does not see a need to set a maximum number of races on the F1 calendar providing they are all high-quality events.

Williams sponsor Orlen wants answers over Kubica’s Russian GP withdrawal
Williams sponsor PKN Orlen wants answers from the team over why it pulled Robert Kubica’s car out of Sunday’s Russian Grand Prix.

Mercedes take fewest soft tyres for Japanese Grand Prix
Mercedes have opted for fewer soft tyres any of their rivals for next week’s race in Japan, where teams will use Pirelli’s hardest selection of tyres.

Second new F1 team expresses interest in 2021 entry, naming Wehrlein as “potential” driver
Formula 1 could have two new teams on the grid in 2021 as the CEO of Formula 2 squad Campos has confirmed he is looking at entering the championship after next season.

F1 says it has “no serious discussions” with any potential new teams
Formula 1 Management has damped speculation that one or more new teams could join the championship after a second potential entrant revealed its plans.

Williams clarifies reasons for Kubica and Russell’s retirements in Sochi
Williams has given further detail on the reasons both of its drivers retired from the Russian Grand Prix after its sponsor Orlen raised questions over Robert Kubica’s withdrawal from the race.

Russell would “bet my parents’ house” 2020 Williams will be ready on time
George Russell insists he has full confidence Williams will have their new car ready for the 2020 F1 season in time.

New car park track proposed for 2021 Miami Grand Prix
Another new route for a potential Formula 1 circuit in Miami has been proposed around the Hard Rock Stadium

FIA officially approves record-breaking 22-race 2020 F1 calendar
The 2020 F1 calendar has been officially ratified by the sport’s governing body, the FIA.

Hamilton: Mercedes not favourites to win any of the remaining races
Mercedes aren’t favourites to win any of the five remaining races this year, says Lewis Hamilton.

McLaren target sixth in championship for Sainz
McLaren is targeting sixth place in the drivers’ championship for Carlos Sainz Jnr.

Drivers warned bosses ‘don’t turn F1 into American wrestling’ – Verstappen
Formula 1 drivers warned the sport’s bosses against introducing changes which would make it seem “artificial and fake”, Max Verstappen has said.

Todt admits 2021 budget cap will have “no influence” on most F1 teams
Formula 1’s new budget cap for the 2021 season will have no effect on most of the teams on the grid, FIA president Jean Todt has admitted.

Honda not tempted to revive factory F1 team under budget cap
Honda has no plans to revive its Formula 1 factory team under the new budget cap rules due to arrive after next season.

Naoki Yamamoto to make F1 debut in practice on Friday
Two-times Japanese Super Formula champion Naoki Yamamoto will make his Formula 1 debut with Toro Rosso this weekend.

Mission Winnow name returns to Ferrari
Ferrari has revived its controversial and little-seen Mission Winnow title for the first time in in five months ahead of this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix.

Why Sochi may yet lose the Russian Grand Prix to Igora Drive
During the run-up to the Russian Grand Prix RaceFans revealed the event may be forced to move after the 2020 F1 season due to planned changes at the Sochi Autodrom.

Here is the Timing Schedule for this weekend's Japanese GP:

Japanese GP
Friday
Practice Session 1   06:00 To 07:30
Practice Session 2   10:00 To 11:30

Saturday
Practice Session 3   08:00 To 09:00
Qualifying Session   11:00 To 12:00

Sunday
Race                 10:10 To 12:10

[genius83]

Pirelli nominates 2020 tyres after three-team test
Pirelli has decided to use the new compounds it has developed for the 2020 F1 season after conducting an extra test involving three teams at the Circuit de Catalunya.

Williams problems were “under the radar” at start of hybrid era – Russell
Williams’ poor 2019 season has given them the opportunity to tackle long-standing problems which were present during the its most recent periods of success, says George Russell.

Teams concerned greater risk of crashes in qualifying races could increase costs
Teams are concerned a plan to test qualifying races at a limited number of rounds in the 2020 F1 season could increase their costs at a time the sport is trying to save money.

Verstappen in high-level talks over Honda’s F1 future
Max Verstappen met with senior management from Red Bull and Honda at the Hungarian Grand Prix to discuss the Japanese manufacturer’s plans for the future of its F1 programme.

F1 braced for “violent” Super Typhoon Hagibis at Suzuka
Super Typhoon Hagibis, a “violent” storm currently heading towards Japan from the south, is being “closely monitored” by all parties involved in running this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix.

Leclerc: Ferrari will ensure team orders are obeyed
Charles Leclerc says Ferrari will make sure their drivers follow team orders after Sebastian Vettel repeatedly disobeyed instructions during the Russian Grand Prix.

F1 support races cancelled due to Super Typhoon Hagibis
Two Formula 4 races supporting Formula 1’s Japanese Grand Prix have been cancelled due to the threat from Super Typhoon Hagibis.

“No way we can drive” if typhoon hits, say drivers
Formula 1 drivers expect the arrival of Super Typhoon Hagibis will prevent them from taking to the track on Saturday at Suzuka.

Hamilton: Sochi shows Vettel is “clearly not” Ferrari’s number one any more
Lewis Hamilton believes Ferrari have switched the focus of their efforts from one driver to another, and doubts they’ve made the right choice.

Kubica: “We were very lucky” not to have parts problem sooner
Williams were fortunate not to encounter problems with a parts shortage earlier in the season, according to Robert Kubica.

Vettel and Norris reveal special helmets for Suzuka
Sebastian Vetteal and Lando Norris have revealed special helmet designs for this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix.

“I didn’t fit in very well” – Verstappen drives Honda’s first race-winning F1 car
Max Verstappen drove a special piece of Honda’s Formula 1 heritage ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix weekend.

Bottas expects “decent step” from Mercedes upgrade
Valtteri Bottas expects to see a clear benefit from Mercedes’ new aerodynamic parts, including updated sidepod wings, in the Japanese Grand Prix.

Vettel urges F1 to keep fans in mind if Saturday is a wash-out
Sebastian Vettel urged the Japanese Grand Prix organisers to keep to ensure fans are given adequate warning if Saturday’s track action is to be cancelled.

Vettel admits he was wrong to defy team orders
Sebastian Vettel has admitted he was wrong to disobey Ferrari’s instruction to let Charles Leclerc overtake him in the Russian Grand Prix.

Raikkonen: F1 looks “ridiculous” not running on very wet tracks
Formula 1 was better equipped to run in very wet conditions 18 years ago than it is today, according to Kimi Raikkonen.

[genius83]

Qualifying delayed to Sunday due to Super Typhoon Hagibis
Qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix will take place on Sunday as all track running on Saturday has been cancelled due to the threat from Super Typhoon Hagibis.

Steiner faces investigation over “idiotic steward” radio message
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner is being investigated by the FIA stewards for his radio messages at the end of the Russian Grand Prix.

Mercedes well ahead as Bottas leads one-two in first practice
Valtteri Bottas was ahead by almost a second over his closest non-Mercedes rival as practice began for the Japanese Grand Prix.

Japanese GP
Practice Session 1
Pos Driver             Car                   Time      Gap    Laps
 1  Valtteri Bottas    Mercedes              1:28.731s  -      26
 2  Lewis Hamilton     Mercedes              1:28.807s 0.076s  25
 3  Sebastian Vettel   Ferrari               1:29.720s 0.989s  26
 4  Charles Leclerc    Ferrari               1:29.912s 1.181s  20
 5  Max Verstappen     Red Bull/Honda        1:30.046s 1.315s  22
 6  Alexander Albon    Red Bull/Honda        1:30.375s 1.644s  24
 7  Carlos Sainz Jr.   McLaren/Renault       1:30.702s 1.971s  21
 8  Sergio Perez       Racing Point/Mercedes 1:30.810s 2.079s  21
 9  Lance Stroll       Racing Point/Mercedes 1:30.959s 2.228s  27
10  Lando Norris       McLaren/Renault       1:31.001s 2.270s  24
11  Romain Grosjean    Haas/Ferrari          1:31.283s 2.552s  25
12  Kimi Raikkonen     Alfa Romeo/Ferrari    1:31.307s 2.576s  27
13  Nico Hulkenberg    Renault               1:31.426s 2.695s  29
14  Daniel Ricciardo   Renault               1:31.563s 2.832s  25
15  Kevin Magnussen    Haas/Ferrari          1:31.785s 3.054s  22
16  Daniil Kvyat       Toro Rosso/Honda      1:31.920s 3.189s  23
17  Naoki Yamamoto     Toro Rosso/Honda      1:32.018s 3.287s  30
18  George Russell     Williams/Mercedes     1:32.800s 4.069s  23
19  Robert Kubica      Williams/Mercedes     1:33.484s 4.753s  27
20  Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari    1:36.887s 8.156s   4

Second practice times could set Suzuka starting grid
The Formula 1 stewards have taken the unprecedented step of announcing the times set in today’s second practice session could decide the grid for Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix.

Teams back decision to delay qualifying due to typhoon
The decision to postpone F1 qualifying to Sunday due to the threat from Super Typhoon Hagibis has been backed by team bosses.

Steiner fined €7,500 for “stupid, idiotic steward” comment
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has been fined €7,500 by the FIA for his outburst on the radio during the Russian Grand Prix.

Yamamoto “doesn’t fit the criteria” for race seat – Horner
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner praised Naoki Yamamoto’s practice run for Toro Rosso but played down the possibility he could gain a race seat in Formula 1.

Hamilton: Busy Friday practice showed more tyres would be “better for fans”
The opportunity to use more tyres during today’s practice sessions shows an improvement F1 should consider, says Lewis Hamilton.

Leclerc “surprised” by gap to Mercedes at Suzuka
Charles Leclerc said he was surprised Mercedes comfortably out-paced Ferrari in Friday practice at Suzuka.

Yamamoto pleased he was quick enough to gain useful data
F1 newcomer Naoki Yamamoto was pleased to be quick enough in his first session for Toro Rosso to provide useful data for the team.

Binotto unsure Ferrari can stop another team orders row
Ferrari may not be able to prevent a repeat of the team orders row which took place between its drivers in Sochi, team principal Mattia Binotto has admitted.

Bottas takes ‘provisional pole’ from Hamilton in second practice
Valtteri Bottas headed the second practice session for the Japanese Grand Prix, which could decide the times for Sunday’s race grid.

Japanese GP
Practice Session 2
Pos Driver             Car                   Time      Gap    Laps
 1  Valtteri Bottas    Mercedes              1:27.785s  -      33
 2  Lewis Hamilton     Mercedes              1:27.885s 0.100s  34
 3  Max Verstappen     Red Bull/Honda        1:28.066s 0.281s  24
 4  Charles Leclerc    Ferrari               1:28.141s 0.356s  28
 5  Sebastian Vettel   Ferrari               1:28.376s 0.591s  37
 6  Alexander Albon    Red Bull/Honda        1:28.402s 0.617s  34
 7  Carlos Sainz Jr.   McLaren/Renault       1:29.051s 1.266s  29
 8  Sergio Perez       Racing Point/Mercedes 1:29.299s 1.514s  28
 9  Pierre Gasly       Toro Rosso/Honda      1:29.354s 1.569s  34
10  Lando Norris       McLaren/Renault       1:29.358s 1.573s  35
11  Kimi Raikkonen     Alfa Romeo/Ferrari    1:29.477s 1.692s  29
12  Daniil Kvyat       Toro Rosso/Honda      1:29.512s 1.727s  35
13  Romain Grosjean    Haas/Ferrari          1:29.553s 1.768s  28
14  Lance Stroll       Racing Point/Mercedes 1:29.597s 1.812s  27
15  Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari    1:29.651s 1.866s  33
16  Kevin Magnussen    Haas/Ferrari          1:29.749s 1.964s  31
17  Daniel Ricciardo   Renault               1:29.859s 2.074s  30
18  Nico Hulkenberg    Renault               1:30.334s 2.549s  29
19  Robert Kubica      Williams/Mercedes     1:30.916s 3.131s  35
20  George Russell     Williams/Mercedes     1:31.071s 3.286s  36

[genius83]

“Monkeying around” put Renault pair at risk of row nine start
The Renault drivers will start the Japanese Grand Prix from 17th and 18th on the grid if qualifying cannot be run on Sunday morning.

Ferrari are over-complicating their driver tactics, says Marko
Ferrari over-complicated their tactics at the start of the last race by telling Sebastian Vettel to let Charles Leclerc overtake him, according to Red Bull motorsport consultant Helmut Marko.

Hulkenberg’s F1 hopes fading as Alfa near 2020 decision
Nico Hulkenberg’s chances of remaining on the grid for the 2020 F1 season appear to be fading.

Bottas blames himself for points gap to Hamilton
Valtteri Bottas says Lewis Hamilton’s consistency is the reason he’s so much further ahead in the drivers’ championship.

F1 should take inspiration from two-day Suzuka format – Hamilton
Formula 1 should consider adopting the compressed, two-day schedule which has been forced upon it at Suzuka, says Lewis Hamilton.

Hamilton deserves sixth world championship, says Vettel
Sebastian Vettel says there is no question Lewis Hamilton deserves to win the world championship, which he looks increasingly likely to do for a sixth time this year.

@All
No Practice Session 3 and Qualifying today because of Super Typhoon "Hagibis", Qualifying is scheduled at 6 AM tomorrow morning.

[sial_ali]

Vettel gets pole position

Let's see if they can one up Mercedes in the race

[genius83]

Vettel storms to record-breaking pole at windy Suzuka
Sebastian Vettel set a new track record as he beat team mate Charles Leclerc to pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix.

Japanese GP
Qualifying Session
Pos Driver             Car                   Time      Gap
 1  Sebastian Vettel   Ferrari               1:27.064s  -
 2  Charles Leclerc    Ferrari               1:27.253s 0.189s
 3  Valtteri Bottas    Mercedes              1:27.293s 0.229s
 4  Lewis Hamilton     Mercedes              1:27.302s 0.238s
 5  Max Verstappen     Red Bull/Honda        1:27.851s 0.787s
 6  Alexander Albon    Red Bull/Honda        1:27.851s 0.787s
 7  Carlos Sainz Jr.   McLaren/Renault       1:28.304s 1.240s
 8  Lando Norris       McLaren/Renault       1:28.464s 1.400s
 9  Pierre Gasly       Toro Rosso/Honda      1:28.836s 1.772s
10  Romain Grosjean    Haas/Ferrari          1:29.341s 2.277s
11  Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari    1:29.254s  -
12  Lance Stroll       Racing Point/Mercedes 1:29.345s  -
13  Kimi Raikkonen     Alfa Romeo/Ferrari    1:29.358s  -
14  Daniil Kvyat       Toro Rosso/Honda      1:29.563s  -
15  Nico Hulkenberg    Renault               1:30.112s  -
16  Daniel Ricciardo   Renault               1:29.822s  -
17  Sergio Perez       Racing Point/Mercedes 1:30.344s  -
18  George Russell     Williams/Mercedes     1:30.364s  -
19  Kevin Magnussen    Haas/Ferrari           -         -
20  Robert Kubica      Williams/Mercedes      -         -

Error one of several factors in “f***ing joke” crash – Kubica
Robert Kubica said his driving error was only part of the reason he crashed at the start of qualifying at Suzuka.

Hamilton: Ferrari ‘turn it up to another level we can’t compete with’
Lewis Hamilton says Mercedes couldn’t compete with the extra power Ferrari unleashed at the end of qualifying in Japan.

Chassis change puts Kubica’s race in jeopardy as three teams work on repairs
Williams say they are confident Robert Kubica will be able to take part in the Japanese Grand Prix after changing his chassis following his crash in qualifying.

Frustrated Magnussen rues “embarrassing” qualifying crash
Kevin Magnussen described his crash in qualifying as “embarrassing” and said it spoiled his chance of scoring a better result in the Japanese Grand Prix.

[genius83]

Bottas victory clinches team’s title for Mercedes
Valtteri Bottas scored his third victory of 2019 after passing both Ferraris off the line at the start of the Japanese Grand Prix.

Japanese GP
Race Results
Pos Driver             Car                    Laps Time         Gap
 1  Valtteri Bottas    Mercedes                52  1:21:46.755s  -
 2  Sebastian Vettel   Ferrari                 52  1:22:00.098s   13.343s
 3  Lewis Hamilton     Mercedes                52  1:22:00.613s   13.858s
 4  Alexander Albon    Red Bull/Honda          52  1:22:46.292s   59.537s
 5  Carlos Sainz Jr.   McLaren/Renault         52  1:22:55.856s 1:09.101s
 6  Daniel Ricciardo   Renault                 51  1 Lap
 7  Charles Leclerc    Ferrari                 51  1 Lap
 8  Pierre Gasly       Toro Rosso/Honda        51  1 Lap
 9  Sergio Perez       Racing Point/Mercedes   51  1 Lap
10  Nico Hulkenberg    Renault                 51  1 Lap
11  Lance Stroll       Racing Point/Mercedes   51  1 Lap
12  Daniil Kvyat       Toro Rosso/Honda        51  1 Lap
13  Lando Norris       McLaren/Renault         51  1 Lap
14  Kimi Raikkonen     Alfa Romeo/Ferrari      51  1 Lap
15  Romain Grosjean    Haas/Ferrari            51  1 Lap
16  Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari      51  1 Lap
17  Kevin Magnussen    Haas/Ferrari            51  1 Lap
18  George Russell     Williams/Mercedes       50  Not running
19  Robert Kubica      Williams/Mercedes       50  2 Laps
 -  Max Verstappen     Red Bull/Honda          14  Accident damage

Here is the World Standings after the Japanese GP:

World Championships Standings
Drivers Standings
Pos Driver              Points
 1  Lewis Hamilton        338
 2  Valtteri Bottas       274
 3  Charles Leclerc       221
 4  Max Verstappen        212
 5  Sebastian Vettel      212
 6  Carlos Sainz Jr.       76
 7  Pierre Gasly           73
 8  Alexander Albon        64
 9  Daniel Ricciardo       42
10  Nico Hulkenberg        35
11  Sergio Perez           35
12  Lando Norris           35
13  Daniil Kvyat           33
14  Kimi Raikkonen         31
15  Kevin Magnussen        20
16  Lance Stroll           19
17  Romain Grosjean         8
18  Antonio Giovinazzi      4
19  Robert Kubica           1
20  George Russell          0
Constructors Standings
Pos Constructor             Points
 1  Mercedes                 612
 2  Ferrari                  433
 3  Red Bull/Honda           323
 4  McLaren/Renault          111
 5  Renault                   77
 6  Toro Rosso/Honda          59
 7  Racing Point/Mercedes     54
 8  Alfa Romeo/Ferrari        35
 9  Haas/Ferrari              28
10  Williams/Mercedes          1

Stewards explain why Vettel avoided a jump start penalty
The Japanese Grand Prix stewards have explained how Sebastian Vettel was able to avoid a penalty for a suspected jump start.

Chequered flag error means race distance is cut and Perez scores points despite crashing
The official Japanese Grand Prix results will not include the final lap of the race due to an error with the chequered flag signal.

Mercedes considered leaving Hamilton out and telling him to let Bottas past
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said it was a “50-50 call” whether to bring Lewis Hamilton in for a second pit stop in the Japanese Grand Prix.

First-lap collision with Verstappen “just a tricky situation” – Leclerc
Charles Leclerc says he collided with Max Verstappen because he lost grip behind other cars at the start.

Leclerc relegated to seventh after two time penalties, Ferrari fined
Charles Leclerc has been given two time penalties following his collision with Max Verstappen in the Japanese Grand Prix.

Racing Point protest Renault’s brake system
Renault is facing a protest from rival team Racing Point over the legality of the braking system it used in the Japanese Grand Prix.

Gasly and Perez cleared over last-lap collision
Pierre Gasly and Sergio Perez will face no action over the stewards for the last-lap collision which left the Racing Point driver in the barriers.

Leclerc accepts blame for ‘ruining Verstappen’s race’
Charles Leclerc has accepted blame for his first-lap collision with Max Verstappen in the Japanese Grand Prix.

Suspension problem left Gasly “really afraid the last few laps”
Pierre Gasly was concerned about his car’s handling in the final laps of the Japanese Grand Prix due to a rear suspension problem.

Hamilton believes one stop would have worked after strategy “f***-up”
Lewis Hamilton said he could have made a single-stop strategy work after criticising his team’s decision to make two pit stops during the Japanese Grand Prix.

“System error” caused early chequered flag signal which cut Japanese GP short
A “system error” caused the chequered flag signal to be displayed too soon, causing the Japanese Grand Prix to be cut short by one lap.

Renault’s finishing positions remain provisional after Racing Point protest
The FIA is to begin an examination of hardware, software and data from Renault’s Formula 1 car following a protest from Racing Point over the legality of their braking system.

[genius83]

Wolff dedicates Mercedes’ sixth constructors’ title to Lauda
Mercedes’ team principal Toto Wolff dedicated the team’s sixth consecutive constructors’ championship victory to three-times world champion Niki Lauda, the team’s non-executive director who died earlier this year.

Kubica: Williams ‘crossed boundaries” by removing new wing from car
Robert Kubica says “boundaries were crossed” when Williams decided to remove its new specification front wing from his car before qualifying.

Why the stewards did a U-turn on investigating Leclerc-Verstappen clash
The Japanese Grand Prix stewards reversed their decision not to investigate the collision between Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen because “new evidence” became available.

Norris: Albon incident could have been “something a lot worse”
Lando Norris said his collision with Alexander Albon could have turned out worse but he didn’t think his rival should have had a penalty.

Use a traditional chequered flag to end the race, says Vettel after timing blunder
Formula 1 should use a real chequered flag instead of an electronic one to signal the end of a race, Sebastian Vettel has said after yesterday’s Japanese Grand Prix was accidentally ended a lap early.

Ferrari not lacking anything to beat Mercedes to titles – Vettel
Ferrari has everything it needs to beat Mercedes to championship titles, says Sebastian Vettel.

Hamilton: Mercedes’ engine development ‘not great’ this year
Mercedes need to improve their engine development after losing ground to Ferrari during 2019, Lewis Hamilton believes.

Mercedes and Ferrari prefer medium tyres for Mexican GP
Mercedes and Ferrari have selected relatively few soft tyres for next weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix.

Leclerc was not given more lenient penalty by mistake, FIA confirms
Charles Leclerc was not incorrectly given a more lenient penalty when Ferrari failed to bring his damaged car into the pits during the Japanese Grand Prix, the FIA has confirmed.

“I feel like giving up on everything” Hamilton laments on social media
Lewis Hamilton has expressed despair at the state of the world in a series of social media posts which were then quickly deleted.

F1 claims it has agreement to race at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium in 2021
An “agreement in principle” has been reached to hold a round of the 2021 F1 season in the City of Miami.

Yamamoto was given special exception for Suzuka practice run
The FIA made a special exception for Naoki Yamamoto to participate in practice for the Japanese Grand Prix.

FIA will make concessions to avoid ‘GP1’ cars in 2021 – Steiner
The FIA is prepared to relax its planned changes to the 2021 technical to give teams greater design freedom, according to Haas team principal Guenther Steiner.

‘We can’t continue with these brakes, I was ready to retire’ Russell warned Williams
George Russell warned Williams his car’s erratic braking performance was almost dangerous and he was considering retiring because of it in a series of radio messages during the Japanese Grand Prix.

[genius83]

Minor changes to 2021 rules following teams’ concerns over ‘GP1’ cars
Formula 1 is preparing to publish its planned 2021 regulations in time to meet the deadline for agreement at the end of this month.

Qualifying races plan fails to gain full support of teams
A plan to introduce qualifying races at three rounds on the 2020 F1 calendar has failed to win the unanimous support needed to ensure it will go ahead, RaceFans has learned.

Hamilton hopes F1 won’t need DRS in 2021
Lewis Hamilton hopes changes to Formula 1 cars planned for 2021 will mean the sport doesn’t have to rely on the Drag Reduction System to assist overtaking.

Kubica could get practice outings in 2020 Haas deal
Robert Kubica is considering a role at Haas which would involve driving for them in practice sessions during the 2020 F1 season.

Ferrari’s Singapore upgrade helped Vettel’s qualifying performance
Sebastian Vettel says the upgrade Ferrari introduced for its car at the Singapore Grand Prix helped him get more out of the SF90 in qualifying.

McLaren now confident it can beat Renault to fourth
McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl says the team has “everything in its hands” to beat Renault to fourth place in the constructors’ championship following their performance in Japan.

Will Hamilton’s ‘wokening’ bring his F1 career to an early end?
Earlier this year Lewis Hamilton put his private jet, which had starred in various Instagram posts chronicling a lifestyle of very conspicuous consumption, up for sale.