The Ferrari engine’s driveability is the biggest difference with the Mercedes.

in short

Bottas is pleased with the Ferrari’s “smooth” power unit.

Bottas is driving a non-Mercedes engine in Formula 1 for the first time since 2013 following his switch to Alfa Romeo. He says the Ferrari V6 hybrid turbo engine is like the Mercedes.

“When I compared the power to last year’s engine, it’s very similar in terms of power level,” he said. “Last year there were reliability issues. I think I had eight engines last year. Now this year I’m up to six. So close it can be! “

However, there is one significant difference, Bottas added. “Drivability with the Ferrari is really smooth. I think that’s the biggest difference, the drivability I feel is improved with the Ferrari.

Piastiri “cut off the hand that fed him”

Alpine chief executive Laurent Rossi said the team had a deal in place for reserve driver Oscar Piastri to join Williams at the Miami Grand Prix in May next year. The 21-year-old Formula 2 champion has slammed his move to McLaren.

“Some draft contracts were not delivered in time, so he cut off the hand that fed him and played with us,” Rossi told Auto Motor & Sport.

The team hopes to appoint Piastieri as Fernando Alonso’s replacement after reaching an agreement with Alonso. Rossi added that the team was only prepared to offer Alonso a one-year contract due to his age. “He drives at a very high level,” Rossi said. “For me he is one of the best drivers of all time.

But he is 41 years old. In two years he will be 43. You can’t plan that far ahead.

Leclerc “The Lost Thing” – Todd

Former Ferrari team principal Jean Todt said the team’s top driver, Charles Leclerc, had “something to lose” in chasing the title. “I hope he gets it soon,” added Todt in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Asked if it was the car, Todt reiterated, “Something was missing.”

Motorsport UK banned the course writer for 10 years

Motorsport UK confirmed that the secretary of the course, Derek Stanley, had suspended his license and banned him for a further 10 years, following complaints about his behavior towards female officials. The decision was made following a meeting of the National Court last month.

The court heard that Stanley sent a number of messages to Marshall, including a ‘funny’ video, which threatened his behaviour. The court, along with other female officials, noted that “it has become clear that this situation has occurred in the past” and as recently as August 2020 “has given assurances that it will not happen again.”

The court said there was “nothing to suggest that Stanley’s conduct involved anything other than verbal comments and messages” but said “Motorport UK owed a duty of care and protection to all those present at the event”. Stanley’s behavior would be considered unacceptable by the UK Motorsport Authority.

“The Clerk of the Course is the face and representative of Motorsport UK at any event he or she presides over. “It is never acceptable for a male official to behave in an event that makes his fellow female officials feel uncomfortable. Continuing such unwanted attention by sending messages of questionable content is also reprehensible.

The court’s full decision can be read in the current issue of Motorsport UK’s Revolution magazine.

happy birthday!

Happy birthday to David!

This day in motorsport

30 years ago today, Nigel Mansell scored the final victory of his championship-winning season in a Williams Renault FW14B at Estoril, with team-mate Ricardo Patres lucky to escape injury in a mid-air crash.