Emerson Fittipaldi is one of only two men who knows exactly the emotions Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton will experience as they do battle in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
Verstappen and Hamilton head into the final grand prix of the Formula One season tied at the top of the standings on 369.5 points.
Red Bull's Verstappen has a slight advantage, having won more races – a potentially pivotal tie-breaker – and taken pole on Saturday, but he will start alongside Hamilton on the front row.
At the 1974 United States Grand Prix, Fittipaldi lined up next to title rival Clay Regazzoni – albeit in eighth and ninth – in the only previous example of the top two being all square heading into the last race of the year.
"[There was] incredible pressure on myself, on the team, on my family, on my friends, on the sponsors," Fittipaldi told Stats Perform.
"When you think [about] going to the last race on equal points, I don't even call it a race, I call it like a duel.
"And knowing that only one is going to be world champion, there's no other chance. After two hours, someone is going to be world champion – one or the other.
"There was tremendous pressure, with all my race experience. I raced in Indianapolis, everywhere, the Brazilian Grand Prix, Monza – where I decided my first world championship.
"I had never experienced so much pressure in my career. I only slept like three hours the night before."
Now as an outsider, though, Fittipaldi is relishing seeing F1's two modern superstars go toe-to-toe in the most highly anticipated grand prix in years.
"I know that's going to happen on Sunday with Max and Lewis," the Brazilian said. "They will have so much pressure. The teams are under tremendous pressure and remember the families, the sponsors, the public.
"It will be a fantastic grand prix to watch. And this is why I say it's one of the best situations ever for a Formula One grand finale – it will be a grand finale, for sure."
Daniel Ricciardo admits he does not deserve his F1 seat if poor form continues
Daniel Ricciardo said he has been assured by Red Bull that he is not set to lose his seat – but admitted if he continues to get his “arse whooped” he does not deserve to be in Formula One.
Following a troubled start to his first full season back on the grid, Ricciardo, 34, arrives for this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix as a driver under pressure.
Ricciardo was handed a reprieve by Red Bull’s junior outfit, RB, midway through last season, after he was dumped by McLaren.
But he has failed to get up to speed in 2024, out-qualified by team-mate Yuki Tsunoda at every event, and without a point to his name.
He also crashed out on the first lap in Japan a fortnight ago, and Red Bull team principal Christian Horner – integral in bringing him back into the fold – said here in Shanghai that Ricciardo has “under-performed” so far this season.
It has even been suggested that a failure to turn his troubling form around could see Ricciardo replaced by Red Bull reserve driver Liam Lawson as early as the next race in Miami.
But in an interview with the PA news agency, Ricciardo said: “Everybody in the team is shutting that down. The black and white, is that I have a contract.
“However, I have to earn my spot. I don’t want these results to continue for a year, and for me to say: ‘well I should be here because it is on paper’. I am not going to be happy with that. At the end of the day, if I am getting my arse whooped I don’t deserve to be here.
“I want to get back to a place where I know I can be, and I feel confident I can get there. I am aware I have to get the results. But from my side, I am not a rookie trying to prove something or to establish myself. I do have a history in this sport. I do have a track record that says I can win.
“But if we get to December and I have not been able to extract that then maybe I will be like, ‘fine I am done with this’ or ‘I am not good enough’, but I certainly don’t feel like that in my heart.”
Ricciardo’s stock fell after two poor years with McLaren, and his career looked over when his contract was cancelled at the end of 2022. But an upbeat Ricciardo believes his troubled spell with the British team has allowed him to remain positive amid his current disappointing run.
“I went through this at McLaren and I bought into the noise because I ended up losing the belief,” he said. “I would question myself: ‘F***, maybe I have lost that edge? Maybe I can’t do it anymore?’
“But now I sit here in a different place because I do feel rejuvenated. That is why it is frustrating because in my head it makes no sense.
“If I do well here and in Miami, all of a sudden it is forgotten about. I don’t get caught up in it, but deep down, I know I have to do better.”
Ricciardo announced at his comeback race in Hungary last year that his dream is to return to Red Bull where he raced to seven of his eight career wins between 2014 and 2018.
But recent results have seen him looking over his shoulder, rather than as a potential replacement for Sergio Perez, who is out of contract at the end of the year, or even Max Verstappen, whose future with the all-conquering, but scandal-hit team, remains uncertain.
“Is it still a goal (to re-join Red Bull)? said Ricciardo. “Of course. But where I sit right now, I don’t want to talk about it because I know I have to do better.
“I am also aware that if I start talking about that, all the responses, will be like, ‘mate, focus on where you are’, which is the truth.
“And look, can anything happen in F1? Yes. But my prediction is that Max stays (at Red Bull).”
Lewis Hamilton won’t be swayed by haters as he looks forward to Ferrari switch
Lewis Hamilton said “people continue to talk s***” about him amid his worst start to a Formula One season.
The 39-year-old has scored just 10 points from the opening four rounds following his Mercedes team’s misfiring campaign.
Hamilton has failed to finish in the top six so far, and crossed the line a distant ninth at the last round in Japan a fortnight ago.
Hamilton, who is moving to Ferrari next year, was asked if Mercedes’ early-season troubles vindicated his decision to quit the team, which carried him to six of his record-equalling seven world championships.
“I don’t feel like I need my decision vindicating,” he said. “I know what is right for me, and that hasn’t changed from the moment I made the decision.
“There’s not been a moment that I’ve questioned it, and I’m not swayed by other people’s comments.
“Even today, there’s people continuing to talk s***, and that will continue on for the rest of the year.
“I’ll have to just do what I did the previous time (when he moved to Mercedes from McLaren). Only I can know what’s right for me, and this (joining Ferrari) will be an exciting time for me.”
Hamilton, who was speaking ahead of this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix – the first staged here since 2019 – was asked what he meant by “people taking s***”.
“Just read what’s out there,” he replied.
Hamilton will be 40 when he makes his debut for Ferrari in Australia next March.
Fernando Alonso announced last week that he will remain in the sport beyond his 45th birthday after agreeing a contract extension with Aston Martin. The Spaniard, 43 in July, will become the oldest driver of the modern era.
And Hamilton added: “I’m going to be racing for quite some time still, right into my 40s, so it’s definitely good Fernando is still around and keeps going on for a bit longer.
“I never thought I’d be racing into my 40s. I’m pretty sure I said I wouldn’t. But life is such a crazy trick. I don’t feel like I’m nearing 40. I feel like I’m pretty young.
“It’s a real positive that Fernando is staying because it means I’m not the oldest driver here.
“But also Fernando is one of the best drivers we’ve had in the sport so for him to continue to be here and continue to have the output that he’s had just shows what’s possible.”
Hamilton, who has won a record six times in China, will be back on track on Friday in qualifying for the first sprint round of the season.
In a rejig of the format this year, the grid for Sunday’s main event will now be determined after the 19-lap race which gets under way at 11:00am (4am BST) on Saturday.
Alonso capable of winning historic treble with 'exceptional' Bayer Leverkusen – Ramelow
Xabi Alonso is capable of guiding 'exceptional' Bayer Leverkusen through the remainder of the season unbeaten en route to winning a historic treble.
That is according to former Leverkusen defender Carsten Ramelow, who told Stats Perform that Alonso is undoubtedly the key to their success.
Bayer were crowned champions of Germany at the weekend for the first time in their 120-year history with five Bundesliga games still to play.
Not only have Alonso's side dodged defeat in the league, they have also not lost any of their 14 DFB-Pokal or Europa League matches.
With a 2-0 lead heading into their Europa quarter-final second leg against West Ham, and with Kaiserslautern awaiting them in the domestic cup final, the treble is very much on.
"The season they have played is phenomenal," Ramelow said. "Their streak is sensational and it looks like they will do this until the end.
"Every team has a bit of a lapse, but Leverkusen have been exceptional in every competition. They can still win everything. Things are looking really good."
Former Real Sociedad B coach Alonso took over Leverkusen in October 2022 with the club second from bottom in the Bundesliga.
The Spaniard guided them to sixth last season and has taken them to the title in his first full campaign at BayArena, ending Bayern's run of 11 successive crowns.
Ramelow, who spent 13 years as a Leverkusen player, has hailed the part Alonso has played in the greatest season in the club's history.
"I heard a lot of people talk about him how much of a worker he is, and that he is also very companionable," Ramelow said. "The whole package is in perfect harmony.
"I think that the coach has big merit in this. When he arrived in Leverkusen, he was facing a few problems, which is normal.
"I think you have to give managers some time in this day and age. That's also what they did with him. He explained his philosophy and idea very well to the team.
"The boys execute that really well. And I also think he’s a great guy who acts as an example for his players – both on and off the pitch."
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