The FIA has reduced the punishments for driver swearing after backlash. At the start of the year, the FIA introduced changes to the regulations that imposed hefty fines for drivers caught swearing in any FIA-sanctioned series. Along with reducing the fines that can be imposed, the FIA has also authorized stewards to suspend punishments for first-time offenders. It also amended the regulations to allow stewards to handle “uncontrolled” environments (such as on-track radio) from controlled environments (such as press conferences), helping to ensure drivers will not be harshly punished for comments made during the heat of the moment.
Anthony Hamilton, the father of seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton, is set to take on a new role with the FIA. According to reports, Hamilton has been working as an advisor for the FIA over the past 18 months for an upcoming young driver programme the FIA is working on. Although no official announcement has been made, it’s understood that Hamilton will have an official role with the programme. It is expected that the FIA will announce this role when they launch their FIA Young Driver Development Pathway next month.
Martin Brundle was awarded his OBE by Prince William at Windsor Castle this week for his services to motor racing and sports broadcasting. Making his F1 debut in 1984, Brundle moved to the broadcasting booth shortly after his F1 career ended in 1996. Originally working alongside Murray Walker at ITV, Brundle eventually joined Sky Sports F1 alongside David Croft. He is a popular figure in Formula One with his iconic grid walks.
This year’s British Grand Prix will make history as the first race weekend to host Formula 1, Formula 2, Formula 3, and Formula 4. This comes after Formula 4 added a non-championship round to the British Grand Prix weekend. It will consist of two races, 25 minutes each. Any teams currently participating in British Formula 4 can compete.
The final trailer for the upcoming F1 movie was released this week ahead of the movie’s planned theatrical debut on June 27. The movie stars Brad Pitt, a promising F1 driver from the 1990s until a big accident. Now, 30 years later, he is convinced to return to the sport by his former teammate, who owns a struggling F1 team.
Oscar Piastri led the way in the opening free practice session of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix weekend, narrowly beating teammate Lando Norris, Williams driver Carlos Sainz, and Mercedes driver George Russell. Lewis Hamilton also managed to get within 0.1s of the pace set by the lead McLaren. Charles Leclerc was back in the car after missing Thursday’s media duties due to illness. He was involved in an early incident with Fernando Alonso, getting in the Spaniard’s way. The session was shortened by a red flag after Gabriel Bortoleto put his Sauber into the barriers in turn 18.
McLaren found themselves on top again at the end of the second free practice session, with Oscar Piastri again leading the way. The lead shuffled between Carlos Sainz, George Russell, and Max Verstappen before settling firmly in McLaren’s hands. Pierre Gasly finished an impressive P3 on the timing sheets, but was 0.276s off the pace of Piastri. As with the previous session, a late red flag largely neutralized the running. This time, Isack Hadjar found himself stuck in the gravel on the outside of the Tamburello Chicane.
McLaren continued their dominance on Saturday morning, with Lando Norris topping the session ahead of Oscar Piastri. Max Verstappen was the only other driver to get within 0.5s of Norris’ pace. Kimi Antonelli showed strong pace in front of his home crowd, claiming P4 ahead of Charles Leclerc. Ferrari was fined €5,000 for adjusting tyre pressures during Friday’s practice sessions, breaking the sport’s strict rules on tyre pressures and temperatures.
Oscar Piastri returned to the top on Saturday afternoon, claiming pole position ahead of Max Verstappen. Q1 started with early drama as Yuki Tsunoda suffered a huge accident in the opening minutes. The Japanese driver took too much kerb through the Variante Villeneuve section, slamming into the barriers and causing the car to roll over. Fortunately, he walked away unharmed. Franco Colapinto, gearing up for his first race with Alpine, was set to make it into Q2 but crashed heavily at the Tamburello Chicane. To make matters worse for the Argentine, he was also penalized one grid slot for entering the fast lane too early during the red flags. Q2 was much less chaotic, with Carlos Sainz setting the quickest time. Ferrari suffered a shocking double exit, with neither driver managing to make it into Q3. Kimi Antonelli was also a surprise elimination, despite some strong pace during practice. Q3 saw Piastri narrowly beat Verstappen, with George Russell and Lando Norris making up the second row.
Max Verstappen secured his 65th career victory in Imola, beating both McLarens. Despite a poor start, Verstappen took the lead on the opening lap with a spectacular overtake in the opening corners. The leading pair created a large gap to the rest of the field. Oscar Piastri pitted for tyres, but Verstappen stayed out to stretch his stint. Midway through the race, a virtual safety car was deployed for a mechanical failure on Esteban Ocon’s Haas. This helped drivers who hadn’t pitted, like Verstappen, Alex Albon, and Lewis Hamilton, while hurting drivers like Lando Norris, who had made his pitstop seconds before the VSC was deployed. Shockingly, Piastri made a second pitstop under the VSC, giving up track position to his teammate. A late safety car for Kimi Antonelli’s broken-down Mercedes led to another round of pit stops, with Norris rejoining behind his teammate. The mixture of fresh and old tyres made for an entertaining few laps, with Norris jumping to P2 after a very close overtake. Click here to read a full summary of the race.
The race at Imola kicked off the second triple-header of the season. Next on the calendar is the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix. We will see if the new two-stop strategy will improve the racing on May 25.
It can be challenging for even the most avid fans to keep up with the fast-paced world of Formula One. The Weekly F1 Recap is a series published each Monday that breaks down the action, both on and off the circuit, into bit-sized pieces. It's perfect for casual and experienced fans alike.
