Nicolas Lopes, Author at Motorsport | Pit Debrief

Verstappen keeping “realistic” about chances of winning F1 Dutch GP after being three tenths down in qualifying

Nicolas Lopes10 months ago10 months ago06 mins

Max Verstappen goes into Sunday at the 2024 Dutch GP looking to score a fourth consecutive race win at his home turf, but is well aware that he needs to keep expectations “realistic” after lapping over three tenths slower than pole-sitter and closest championship opponent Lando Norris in qualifying. The reigning three-time world champion had…

Wolff: Mercedes made clear “mistake” that resulted in Russell’s DSQ from F1 Belgian GP

Nicolas Lopes11 months ago11 months ago010 mins

Mercedes F1 team principal and CEO, Toto Wolff admitted the team made a mistake with its calculations that ultimately stripped George Russell of what had been a hard fought win around Spa-Francorchamps, as the Briton made an unusual one-stop strategy work to his favour to cross the line first, before being disqualified by having an…

Verstappen admits winning from P11 was never “realistic” given the RB20’s pace at F1 Belgian GP

Nicolas Lopes11 months ago11 months ago08 mins

Max Verstappen was fastest in qualifying for the 2024 Belgian GP, but had to start the race from P11 following a 10-place grid drop for changing his power unit above the allowance for the season, and could only recover to fifth on the road (which would become fourth after George Russell’s car being disqualified after…

F1 | Belgian GP | FP3 | Verstappen tops rain-soaked final practice ahead of Piastri; Stroll crashes out

Nicolas Lopes11 months ago11 months ago06 mins

Final practice for the 2024 Belgian GP got underway in very wet conditions around Spa-Francorchamps, as the rain hit the circuit just minutes before the session started. Reigning world champion Max Verstappen was the first car out on track, unsurprisingly sporting a set of the green-walled intermediate tyres – and immediately found conditions difficult, running…

F1 | Belgian GP | FP2 | McLaren responds with 1-2 ahead of Verstappen; Perez down in P9

Nicolas Lopes11 months ago11 months ago05 mins

Cloudy skies met the drivers and teams for the start of second practice for the 2024 Belgian GP, as most drivers headed out on the medium tyres for their opening runs, with penalty-bound Max Verstappen continuing his strong form from FP1 to lead the opening runs, a tenth of a second clear of Lando Norris…

Norris admits he “clouded” Piastri’s first F1 win with team orders row that “went on for too long”

Nicolas Lopes11 months ago11 months ago017 mins

A few days after a somewhat controversial Hungarian GP that saw Oscar Piastri secure his maiden grand prix victory after a team orders row that dominated the radio chatter in the last 20 laps of the race, both drivers have now had time to react ahead of this weekend’s Belgian GP. Lando Norris spent much…

Stella: Norris demonstrated “racer” spirit but played “team role” in F1 Hungarian GP team orders row

Nicolas Lopes11 months ago11 months ago012 mins

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella dismissed claims Lando Norris took too long to let Oscar Piastri through in the late stages of the race, after the Australian got undercut by his team-mate in the final round of stops after leading the race since the start. Norris reluctantly let Piastri go with just three laps of…

Verstappen: I got “shit thrown at me” in Austria for same move that Hamilton did in Hungarian F1 GP clash

Nicolas Lopes11 months ago11 months ago07 mins

Max Verstappen was left unimpressed after colliding with Lewis Hamilton late on at the Hungarian GP, expressing his frustration for getting “shit thrown” at him for moving under braking at the Austrian GP, as he felt Hamilton did the same in the late stages in Budapest. The Dutchman was already frustrated with the strategy that…

F1 | Hungarian GP | FP1 | Sainz leads Verstappen and Leclerc; Zhou impresses with P5

Nicolas Lopes11 months ago11 months ago08 mins

In a sweltering hot Hungaroring, with track temperatures in excess of 58°C, the drivers and teams got to work in the first practice session for the 2024 Hungarian GP. Oliver Bearman took the wheel of one of the Haas cars in place of Nico Hulkenberg, to make his third FP1 appearance of the season. Another…

“It’s probably higher than it’s ever been” — Norris says there’s a lot of “confidence” in McLaren F1 team

Nicolas Lopes11 months ago11 months ago011 mins

After a spate of strategic errors from the team last time out at the British GP, Lando Norris has defended the squad, saying the team can only improve from here after learning from the past mistakes, which are “simple things” that will come as the team spends more time battling at the very front of…