Today’s F1 News Delivered Faster Than a Pit Stop
The Swiss arbitration court has ruled on the dispute between the Haas Formula 1 team and Uralkali over their terminated sponsorship agreement following Russia's 2022 Ukraine invasion. Uralkali, which had paid $13 million for the 2022 season, sought a refund after Haas ended the sponsorship and dismissed Nikita Mazepin. Uralkali claimed Haas violated the contract, but the court found that Haas had "just cause" to terminate the agreement due to the geopolitical context. Consequently, Haas is allowed to keep the portion of the sponsorship fee covering the period up to the termination date and refund the balance to Uralkali.
Click here to read the full article by Alex Kalinauckas (msn.com)
Oscar Piastri is struggling to keep up with McLaren teammate Lando Norris at the Spanish Grand Prix. Piastri's qualifying performance was lackluster, as he finished tenth after running wide on his lap. He believes there's an underlying issue causing his slower pace throughout the weekend and feels the need for investigation. Piastri identified the final sector as particularly challenging, citing unpredictability and a lack of confidence in the car.
Click here to read the full article by Jake Nichol & Aaron Deckers (racingnews365.com)
Verstappen wants Red Bull to boost their car's performance after Norris beat him to pole position for the Spanish Grand Prix by a slim margin. He pointed out that Red Bull's rivals are making more updates and stressed the need for his team to do the same. Verstappen admitted he's been pushing harder to compensate for the car's lack of speed but emphasized the importance of finding more performance to win the championship.
Click here to read the full article by Filip Cleeren & Ronald Vording (motorsport.com)
McLaren's F1 hospitality unit suffered an electrical fire scare in Barcelona, which necessitated evacuation and hospitalizing one team member. Though the damage was contained, McLaren will seek alternative hospitality for future races, starting with the Austrian Grand Prix. While plans for the British Grand Prix remain uncertain, McLaren's priority is ensuring a temporary solution for their hospitality needs.
Click here to read the full article by Lewis Larkam (crash.net)
Haas' Chloe Chambers secured her debut win in the F1 Academy series by dominating the weekend's second race. She snatched the lead from Pulling at the start and never looked back, winning comfortably by over six seconds. Despite Pulling's attempts to close the gap, Chambers' consistent performance, including setting the fastest lap, kept her in control.
Click here to read the full article by Will Wood (racefans.net)