Hamilton takes to Twitter after Alonso compared Max Verstappen's two championships favorably to Hamilton's seven.
- American Logan Sargeant Falls One Lap Short
- China’s 2023 F1 Hosting Hopes Fading
- Hamilton’s Little Alonso Dig
- De Vries Gets Abu Dhabi Test
- (Too) Busy Mexico City Paddock
Fans didn’t notice, but Formula 1 drivers have had enough with overcrowded conditions in the paddock in Mexico City.
That, along with American Logan Sargeant falling just one lap shy of a Super License point lead the day-after leftovers from a busy F1 Mexican Grand Prix.
Autoweek rounds up some of the key talking points from Mexico City:
American Logan Sargeant Falls One Lap Short
Logan Sargeant completed 96 km in a Formula 1 practice session in Mexico City.
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Florida native Logan Sargeant returned to Williams’ FW44 for his second practice run in a week, amid the American’s impending 2023 Formula 1 debut.
Under Formula 1 regulations, a young driver receives a Super License point if they complete a clean 100 km (62 miles) during practice. However, due to red flags caused by other drivers during a Friday FP1 practice session with Williams in Mexico City, Sargeant amassed just 96 km—meaning he fell one lap short.
Nonetheless, Sargeant is on a healthy 30 points and is in line to comfortably reach the 40-point threshold if he has a smooth final Formula 2 weekend in Abu Dhabi. And he is still learning. Williams has said that Sergeant will replace Nicholas Latifi—if Sargeant can complete is Super License requirement.
“I was definitely a lot more comfortable,” said Sargeant after his session. “Everything slowed down a lot and it was easier to build a rhythm and learn the track. All in all, it was a good step forward and good progress from last weekend (in Austin).”
China’s 2023 F1 Hosting Hopes Fading
The pandemic has kept Formula 1 from China since 2019.
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China has not featured on Formula 1’s calendar since 2019 due to the pandemic and the country’s Covid Zero policy—to which Chinese president Xi Jinping recently re-committed— means it effectively remains cut-off from the remainder of the world.
There are still strict entry measures, and quarantine, which is currently immutable for Formula 1.
Next year’s event is scheduled for April 16, but it is understood that it is an unlikely proposition. In the case that such a scenario unfolds. Formula 1 would not replace China, reducing the calendar from 24 to 23 Grands Prix, which still remains a record.
One schedule change should China fall off the calendar would be for Azerbaijan, scheduled for April 30, to move one week earlier. That would avoid having Azerbaijan and Miami race on back-to-back weekends. Few in the paddock are looking forward to that back-to-back scheduling.
Hamilton’s Little Alonso Dig
Lewis Hamilton is not one to get short-changed on social media.
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Fernando Alonso has taken to making sly remarks at some of his opponents across the years and in an interview with Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf he suggested that Max Verstappen’s two titles were worthier than Lewis Hamilton’s seven.
Once the headline was out, Alonso made an attempt to clarify his comments, insisting drivers shouldn’t be compared, but Hamilton got his dig at Alonso with a very cheeky post on Twitter.
— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) October 30, 2022
“It does make me giggle a little bit to be honest, but I have tried to be really respectful over the years and for example, when you’ve ever asked me about who has been the better driver for me I’ve always tried to give praise,” said Hamilton when asked about the post. “But it’s definitely interesting to see the comments that are made, but it doesn’t really matter. So that’s why I just kind of put the thumbs up.”
De Vries Gets Abu Dhabi Test
Nyck de Vries practices with Mercedes in Mexico City.
Jam MediaGetty Images
Nyck de Vries has been a busy man.
De Vries has fulfilled young driver duties for employers Mercedes, Aston Martin and Williams, had a private outing with Alpine, and also made an impressive last-minute race debut for Williams which captured the attention of AlphaTauri.
With Mercedes having released de Vries for 2023, AlphaTauri will run de Vries for a full day at the post-season young driver test in Abu Dhabi on November 22. That means De Vries will end up driving for half of the 10 teams in a window of around three months.
(Too) Busy Mexico City Paddock
Lewis Hamilton (center) makes his way through a crowded paddock in Mexico City.
Peter J FoxGetty Images
Drivers and the FIA are set to talk at the next briefing in Brazil over paddock overcrowding.
Formula 1’s popularity has ballooned in recent years but there were more than a few occasions of drivers being seriously accosted when trying to manoeuvre their way around what remains a work environment. Drivers are cognizant of the need to satisfy fans but frequently in Mexico City, especially among the leading contingent, they were mobbed.
Several spoke afterward of the need for fans, particularly adults, to respect boundaries, with security having been tightened due to the situation. Mexico City’s paddock is one of the most vibrant and enthusiastic of the campaign, but for 2023 there will surely be some additional measures put in place.
Keyword: F1 Mexican Grand Prix Leftovers: Paddock Overcrowding, Hamilton Takes Dig at Alonso