#DutchGP FP2: @CharlesLeclerc leads @ScuderiaFerrari one-two. #F1

Leclerc Dutch GP FP2 – Charles Leclerc lead from team-mate Carlos Sainz in a Ferrari one-two in FP2 at the Dutch GP as Sir Lewis Hamilton completed the top three for Mercedes. Points leader Max Verstappen was eighth in the session for Red Bull.

 

 

The second 60-minute practice session got underway in sunny conditions at the Circuit Zandvoort, but a 15-minute delay due to two red-flags halting action in the FIA Formula 2 qualifying session, the on-track supporting category taking place just before Free Practice 2.

 

Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll lead the field out and posted the first-place benchmark with a 1:14.370 using the C2 yellow side-walled medium compounds.

 

Most of the field used that rubber during the early proceedings, including McLaren’s Lando Norris, Leclerc and Sainz, who each relegated Stroll down with faster efforts.

 

Shortly after Sainz set his 1:13.544, Verstappen came through to complete his initial hot-lap of the day following his gearbox problem in opening practice.

 

The Red Bull driver was given the C3 red-marked soft tyres, which he put to good use and posted a 1:13.465 taking P1.

 

The pack spent most of the opening quarter building up, with home-favourite Verstappen remaining fastest, but not gaining time on his following tours on the red-branded rubber.

 

Sainz then reclaimed top of the pile on a 1:13.412 to edge back in-front of the Dutchman, as did Leclerc moments later to slot in behind his Ferrari team-mate, before a period of inactivity as the drivers on the harder compounds returned to the pits for the swap to C4 softs.

 

After Williams Racing’s Alexander Albon came up the order on that tyre whilst most of the field were still in the pits, Sainz was the first of the front-runners to emerge on the softs.

 

The Spaniard flew to gain purple in all three sectors to lower his benchmark to 1:12.349, despite enduring a heavy kerb strike as he went out wide through the second-to-last corner.

 

Verstappen was next to post his qualifying simulation time, using a fresh set of the tyre he had started FP2 on, but his effort came with a big 0.697 second deficit to Sainz.

 

This left a huge gap to fill, with Mercedes’ George Russell at first moving into second before he was demoted down by Norris, who managed to better Sainz’s effort in sector one, and Hamilton in the other Mercedes W13 entry, which had radio problems during the early FP2 running.

 

Past the mid-way point, Leclerc, who had been one of the last drivers to return to the pits and take off the C2 yellow-branded mediums earlier on, finally emerged on the C3 soft tyres for his flying lap.

 

Although the Monegasque-driver did not top the times in all three sectors, Leclerc managed to pull together a string of personal bests, which added up to a 1:12.345, that wound up a very narrow 0.004 seconds in-front of team-mate Sainz.

 

Hamilton’s 1:12.417 effort meant the top three were covered by only 0.072 seconds as the high-downforce Circuit Zandvoort returned Ferrari and Mercedes to better hunting territory after Red Bull flew at Spa-Francorchamps last time out.

 

Stroll and Alpine’s Fernando Alonso also placed ahead of Verstappen before the teams switched to the traditional long-race runs towards the end of FP2.

 

Behind Verstappen was the other Alpine A522 entry of Esteban Ocon and McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo, who spent most of the final stages in the pits due to a lead on the left-hand side of his Mercedes-powered MCL36 racer.

 

Scuderia AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda placed outside the top ten in 11th and the Japanese driver caused the session’s only red flag after sliding off into the gravel trap exiting turn ten, the long-left hairpin just before the end of sector two.

 

This lead to a seven-minute stoppage as the AT03 was recovered, after which the field returned to the track to complete the final four minutes of running.

 

Red Bull’s Sergio Perez took 12th in the classification and ahead of Haas F1 Team’s Mick Schumacher who ended the session 13th.

 

Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel finished Free Practice 2 in 14th on the time-sheets and in-front of Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu who was 15th and AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly who placed 16th in the order.

 

Williams Racing’s Albon and Nicholas Latifi ended the day 17th and at the rear respectively as Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas and Haas F1 Team’s Kevin Magnussen split the pairing in 18th and 19th.

 

You can see the full Formula 1 Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2022 Free Practice 2 Results Classification at the link:

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Piastri joins McLaren Racing in 2023

 

 

Piastri McLaren 2023 – McLaren Racing have announced the signing of 2021 FIA Formula 2 World Champion Oscar Piastri on a multi-year deal to partner Lando Norris for the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season following a decision from the Contract Recognition Board, which ruled that the Australian had a valid contract with the Woking-based outfit for next year.

 

The CRB met on Monday in relation to the dispute between McLaren and Alpine over which of the two teams held a valid contract for Piastri, the 2021 F2 world champion and current Alpine reserve driver – with the Enstone-based outfit claiming, after the departure of Fernando Alonso to Aston Martin in August, that Piastri would drive for them next campaign, only for the Australian to pour cold water on the claim.

 

Just before Free Practice 2, sports governing body, the FIA, announced that the tribunal had “issued a Unanimous Decision that the only Contract to be recognised by the Board is the Contract between McLaren Racing Limited and Mr Piastri dated 4 July 2022”.

 

The ruling also said: “Mr Piastri is entitled to drive for McLaren Racing Limited for the 2023 and 2024 seasons.”

 

The 21-year-old from Melbourne, Australia has had a solid motorsport record, winning the 2019 Formula Renault Eurocup before going on to claim the 2020 FIA Formula 3 World Championship and last year’s FIA Formula 2 World Championship in successive rookie seasons.

 

Piastri partners Norris to complete the Woking based-outfit’s 2023 driver line-up, after the team announced a multi-year contract extension to the latter’s contract last campaign.

 

Piastri explained:

 

“I’m extremely excited to be making my F1 debut with such a prestigious team as McLaren and I’m very grateful for the opportunity that’s been offered to me. The team has a long tradition of giving young talent a chance, and I’m looking forward to working hard alongside Lando to push the team towards the front of the grid. I’m focused on preparing for my F1 debut in 2023 and starting my F1 career in papaya.” Piastri concluded. Credit to McLaren Racing for the quote.

 

McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown added:

 

“Oscar is one of the up-and-coming talents coming through the feeder series into F1 and we are delighted to see him join the team for 2023. Winning both F3 and F2 in successive rookie seasons is a real achievement and testament to his talent in single-seater racing. In Lando and Oscar we have a young, exciting F1 line-up with a huge amount of potential, standing us in good stead to achieve our future ambitions. Oscar is an exciting addition to the McLaren family, and we look forward to seeing him grow with our F1 team.” Brown concluded. Credit to McLaren Racing for the quote.

 

BWT Alpine F1 Team’s statement following the CRB’s decision read:

 

“BWT Alpine F1 Team thanks the Contract Recognition Board (CRB) for convening on Monday and we acknowledge the decision they have made. We consider the matter closed on our side and will announce our full 2023 driver line-up in due course. Our immediate focus is the Dutch Grand Prix and securing points in our fight for fourth in the Constructors’ Championship.”

 

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#DutchGP FP1: @GeorgeRussell63 heads @MercedesAMGF1 1-2 as @Max33Verstappen hits trouble. #F1

#F1 @Heineken #DutchGP 2022 Preview.