Carlos Sainz hailed an "amazing" first Formula One victory as the Spaniard finally earned top step on the podium by winning a dramatic British Grand Prix.
His Ferrari took the glory at Silverstone, some 12 years after Sainz won on the track in his fledgling Formula BMW days, a world away from the elite level of motorsport.
The 27-year-old overtook team-mate Charles Leclerc after a safety car delay, which followed a lap-39 breakdown for Esteban Ocon.
While Leclerc, Sergio Perez, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso fought for the lower steps of the podium, Sainz stayed out of trouble and powered to the chequered flag.
This was his 150th grand prix, and despite achieving a flood of podium finishes, a win had been elusive until now.
"It's amazing. A first race win, 150 races later, with Ferrari in Silverstone. I cannot ask for more," Sainz said.
"It's a very special day, a day I shall never forget. Lewis was on it today, I heard, but we managed to hold on and I'm incredibly happy.
"It was not easy. I struggled quite a bit with the balance, especially on the first stint with the medium tyre, Max [Verstappen] was forcing us to push a lot through the high speed. I opened the front left, but even with all that I stayed believing that it could happen. I needed to stay in the race.
"All of a sudden the safety car gave me the opportunity to get back on it, and we did it. You can imagine the nerves on the safety car restart knowing it was my chance and getting it done and then the win."
Reflecting on the drama behind him, Sainz said: "There was a lot going on, yeah?
"Silverstone has been a bit of a special place for me. I had a first ever race win for me in Formula BMW in 2010, first pole position here back in 2010, and suddenly 12 years later I achieve exactly the same but in Formula One with Ferrari."
Perez took second place, with Hamilton third
Mexican driver Perez suffered damage to the front wing of his car on the first lap, finding himself sandwiched between Verstappen and Leclerc, but recovered admirably from having to dive into the pits for repairs.
"It was a great comeback," Perez said. "We didn't give up, and we kept pushing. Then the opportunity came at the end, and we took it.
"It was a great fight with Charles and then with Lewis. It was an epic final lap, and it was a good fight within us."
Susie Wolff urges F1 teams to back initiatives to help develop female drivers
Ex-Williams driver Susie Wolff has urged Formula One team principals to back new initiatives designed to accelerate the debut of the championship’s next female driver – someone she predicts is a 12 to 14-year-old girl today.
Wolff is now the managing director of the F1 Academy, the all-female single-seater series which debuted in April and next season will join F1 race weekends, ultimately aiming to launch drivers into higher levels of competition.
It has been almost 50 years since a woman – Lella Lombardi – started an F1 Grand Prix. Wolff is adamant one will do so again, but believes the success of corresponding efforts rests in ensuring they are not seen as segregated from the sport as a whole.
“That day will come. Of that I have no doubt because we’re doing too much and we’re putting (up) too many strong foundations for it not to happen,” the former Formula E Venturi Racing team principal and CEO told the PA news agency.
“When I was announced in my new role in Bahrain I met all the team principals and I said ‘please don’t look at this as a woman’s initiative run by a woman. This is for the greater good of this sport. It’s for the greater good of your platform, for the business, but we have the chance to also inspire other industries by getting this right.’
“The success of F1 Academy and Discover Your Drive will come down to the collective, it will come down to the whole community of the sport getting on board and really understanding that this will be for the greater good of all of us.
“But I will be hugely, hugely proud when I see a woman either on track or off track and they are in a top position because of F1 Academy. That will definitely be a moment where we can take a moment of real pride.”
F1 Academy Discover Your Drive, launched this week, is a global initiative targeted at girls.
Central among the programme’s ambitions is talent identification. In the UK, that means closing a considerable gap, with females accounting for just five per cent of all senior Motorsport UK race-license holders.
The first phase will begin with six Motorsport UK venues, with plans to expand to 35 next year.
Instructors have been trained to identify promising girls aged 8-12, who will be offered development sessions designed to facilitate a move into junior karting – potentially the first step on a road to F1 like it was for Brits Lando Norris and George Russell.
Spotting talent at an early age is a critical component for Wolff, who was 12 when she started believing motorsport could be her career, and in 2014 became the first woman in 22 years to take part in an F1 race weekend when she took the wheel for a practice session at Silverstone.
She said: “That’s the age that if you want to get to the pinnacle of the sport, you need to start having an idea of, ok, I need to do this more often.”
Wolff eventually hopes to see some of those girls in F1 Academy, which consists of seven three-race rounds. Five are on current F1 circuits, including the season finale alongside the United States Grand Prix in Austin.
The incentive for the eventual champion is tantalising, while the prospect of joining the F1 calendar in 2024 looks to benefit the entire grid.
“Our winner is guaranteed to move on,” Wolff vowed. “We will put the budget together for her to progress. I’m not committed to which series because I want it to be the best progression for the driver.
“But I think moving onto the global stage brings much more possibilities for the drivers to get backing and make sure they’re finding people that will help them further in their career.
“Because in the end not everyone is going to make it to Formula 1, but if they can go on to be successful in a different category or area, then I think that is still something that can still be seen as a success for the Academy.”
Fraser McConnell Returns for 2023-24 Nitrocross Season on June 16
Fraser McConnell will return to Dreyer & Reinbold Racing for the 2023-2024 Nitrocross season.
After an outstanding performance in the previous year, McConnell's return to the team is expected to further elevate their competitive edge and reinforce their position as one of the frontrunners in the championship.
McConnell, who finished an impressive third in the drivers' championship last year, proved his exceptional skills and unwavering determination. His innate talent combined with his unwavering commitment to excellence has made him a formidable force in the Nitrocross arena. With his return, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing is poised to build on their recent successes and secure their position as a leading contender in the upcoming season.
Having first joined forces with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing last year, McConnell's partnership with the team proved to be a harmonious alliance, with both sides mutually benefitting from the collaboration.
His strong work ethic and relentless pursuit of victory seamlessly aligned with the team's commitment to pushing the boundaries of performance and achieving success at the highest level.
McConnell expressed his enthusiasm regarding his return to Dreyer & Reinbold Racing.
"I'm beyond excited to be back with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing for the upcoming Nitrocross season. The team's dedication and unwavering support have played a significant role in my success, and I'm looking forward to continuing our journey together. We have unfinished business, and I'm determined to bring home the championship title this year," he said.
Team owner, Dennis Reinbold, shared his excitement regarding McConnell's return.
"Fraser's talent on the track is unparalleled, and we are thrilled to have him back for the 2023-24 Nitrocross season. His exceptional performance last year showcased his potential, and we firmly believe that with his skillset and dedication, he will be a major factor in the championship fight. We are fully committed to providing him with the resources and support necessary to excel and look forward to another fantastic season ahead,” Reinbold said.
Fraser McConnell and the Dreyer & Reinbold Racing crew will return to racing for round one of Nitrocross on June 16th & 17th in Jay, Oklahoma.
Max Verstappen says Lewis Hamilton title fight ‘would be great for the sport’
Max Verstappen said he would welcome the challenge of an “amazing” championship rematch with Lewis Hamilton.
Verstappen raced to a crushing victory at the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday following yet another one-sided display in his dominant Red Bull machine.
Hamilton finished runner-up to Verstappen with George Russell third in the other Mercedes.
Verstappen has won five of the opening seven rounds to establish a commanding 53-point title lead over team-mate Sergio Perez.
But Mercedes’ upturn in form at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya has provided Hamilton with renewed hope that his dream of a record eighth world title is not over.
Hamilton, who has not won a race since his contentious championship defeat to Verstappen at the 2021 season finale in Abu Dhabi, said in Barcelona that he would continue in Formula One for as long as possible in order to fight Verstappen for the title again.
Verstappen is on course to race to a hat-trick of titles this season, but when asked how excited he would be about the prospect of going toe-to-toe with Hamilton next year, Verstappen replied: “It would be great for the sport.
“If there are more teams fighting upfront, and that is what they want to achieve, then honestly that would be amazing.
“Hopefully throughout the year it will get closer, and maybe next year there will be more teams up there.”
Hamilton has only six months to run on his Mercedes contract and the British driver, 38, met with team principal Toto Wolff on Monday in the hope of rubber-stamping a new deal.
The meeting is understood to be one of a series of discussions between Hamilton and Wolff, and not thought to be a definitive moment in negotiations.
It is anticipated that Hamilton’s extension will be a multi-year deal, extending Hamilton’s stay in F1 beyond his 40th birthday.
“I am focused on making sure we have the car next year to challenge Red Bull from day one,” said Hamilton, who is already 83 points behind Verstappen in the standings.
“I am working as hard as I can with this team and I see so much strength with the team. They are still so hungry.
“These guys will take two seconds to enjoy themselves on Sunday and then they will be back in the books trying to figure out how we can win the next race and that is what I love about them.”
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