On Sunday, June 24, 2018, the French Grand Prix, the eighth race of the Formula 1 World Championship, will take place at the Paul Ricard circuit in Le Castellet. The Formula 1 World Championship returns to France after a ten-year hiatus. The last race, in 2008, was held at the Magny-Cours circuit. On May 12, 2008, Bernie Ecclestone had announced that from the 2009 championship, the Grand Prix would no longer be held at Magny-Cours. Therefore, in the absence of other credible candidates, the Grand Prix was not included in the calendar for the 2009 season. In June 2012, the return of the Grand Prix was proposed, to be held at the Paul Ricard circuit, probably at the end of August; however, the lack of necessary economic support to ensure the event's execution led to the abandonment of the project. In May 2014, the owners of the French Magny-Cours circuit announced their intention to return to the World Championship calendar to host the Grand Prix starting from the 2015 season, but Bernie Ecclestone denied the possibility of Formula 1 returning there in the immediate future. Despite this, two years later, Ecclestone himself indicated the likelihood of a race at Paul Ricard for the 2018 season, a prospect that eventually materialized. This circuit had already hosted races valid for the Formula 1 World Championship on fourteen occasions, the first in 1971, with Jackie Stewart winning in a Tyrrell-Ford Cosworth. In the following years, the track alternated with other French circuits as the venue for the race. From 1985, Paul Ricard became a fixed venue for the Grand Prix for a few seasons. The last edition held on the track was in 1990, won by Alain Prost in a Ferrari. The Paul Ricard track returns to a configuration similar to the one used until 1985. The length is 5.842 meters, with the addition of the section leading to Saint Beaume turn and a chicane (turns 8 and 9) that breaks the long Mistral straight. In the weekend preceding the race, Fernando Alonso (along with Sébastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima) wins the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He becomes the fifth Formula 1 World Champion to win the endurance race. The last active Formula 1 driver to win the race was Nico Hülkenberg in 2015.
"Obviously, it was fantastic, truly a dream to be there, experiencing Le Mans and doing it with a team like Toyota. There was competition between our two cars; perhaps we found a better setup, were luckier than them, and we won. But now, I focus on Formula 1 and this consecutive race triple".
The Spanish driver is asked about his night driving stints, during which he managed to close much of the gap (about two and a half minutes) that separated him from the sister car, driven by José Maria Lopez:
"At night, you necessarily have to concentrate on traffic, and you have no knowledge of the gap to your opponents. I was just trying to put together laps as fast and clean as possible, but I had no idea whether I was gaining ground or not. I found out only after the end of the stint when they told me I had gained almost a minute and a half. It was very nice; this year there were only two hybrid cars, but many more LMP1 prototypes than last season. So the competition was still tight".
Fernando gained insights from his experience at the 24 Hours of Le Mans to assess what doesn't work in Formula 1:
"Le Mans is different from F1 because the race is always very unpredictable, and regardless of your package, you always have to be perfect in driving, always fighting with the whole team that must always work together and at its best. If we look at the various categories, often the favorite of the eve doesn't win because there can be problems, accidents, technical issues. In Formula 1, this unpredictability is missing... We can qualify at most seventh and then confirm the seventh place in the race. That's the problem".
As for the Triple Crown and the future, which seems to be split between IndyCar - to attempt the assault on the Indy 500 - and the Formula 1 circus:
"Honestly, I don't think about it much. I talked about it last year on the eve of my Indy 500 because it's obviously a very attractive goal, and I wanted to be a more complete driver. At the moment, however, I don't dwell on it too much. What will I do next year? We have to wait a couple of months to see what direction all the parties involved in the Formula 1 project will take and also what the choice of the line-up of the top teams will be. Everything else, obviously, IndyCar and the Triple Crown, is fascinating, but for now, I'm having a lot of fun, enjoying every moment here, and I see no reason to think about what I'll have to do next year".
Speaking of the Triple Crown, the discussion continues with an analysis of which of the three races is the most difficult to win:
"It's not easy to make a comparison since these are very different yet equally complicated events to win. Perhaps the simplest is the Monaco Grand Prix because it's true that if in that year you have the best package available and make a good lap on Saturday, then 99% of the work is done. The other two, however, are even more difficult but equally special since great preparation is required, and these events are held only once a year. At Le Mans, every time you get in the car, you cover practically the distance of a race and a half, but without a week of rest to recover".
One of the most important themes of the French weekend is also the announcement of the agreement between Honda and Red Bull for 2019 and 2020.
"I'm not surprised at all. I think it's difficult to judge from the outside, but I'm very happy for Honda that their commitment, shown since the first day they returned to Formula 1, has been rewarded in this way. I don't know how their engine is now, but I know how the Renault one is. And I also know that last year, at this point in the championship, we had practically zero points. I can look at the present; the past doesn't interest me".
The final comment is about the French Grand Prix, with the return of Paul Ricard to the calendar and expectations decidedly diminished compared to seven days ago at Le Mans:
"I know how F1 works and what the target is and the maximum position we can aspire to. We try to improve and develop the car in every race, and we are optimistic about the upgrades on the engine and chassis side. Of course, we still want to continue the streak of consecutive points finishes, which was interrupted by retirements in Monaco and Montreal. The track? I don't know it, and honestly, I haven't driven on the simulator... I'll wait until tomorrow to get to know it. I came here only once in 2003 when we did a few laps for a photo session with Renault, but it was the short layout, and I don't remember anything. Sometimes there are high expectations for the show that are then met, other times the race is more boring, but beyond all, we are very happy that the Grand Prix is back on the calendar, and we are optimistic about the success of the event".
Sebastian Vettel, on the other hand, does not like the track at all, saying:
"There are better tracks in France; if the race were to be confirmed in the calendar, I would like it to be held elsewhere. I walked the track as I do every Thursday, the asphalt is new, and I don't know what to expect; it doesn't particularly excite me".
But, as anticipated, the most important topic discussed in the Paul Ricard paddock is the announcement made on Monday, June 18, 2018, where the Red Bull Racing team declares to have reached an agreement with Honda for the supply of the Japanese power unit in the 2019/2020 biennium. The team's principal of the Anglo-Austrian team, Christian Horner, declares:
"This multi-year agreement with Honda is the beginning of an exciting new phase where Red Bull will try to compete not only for victories in individual races but also for what is always our main goal: the World Championships. We believe that this collaboration will allow us to compete at an even higher level, and after careful consideration, we are confident that this partnership with Honda is the right direction for the team. We have been impressed by Honda's commitment to F1 and their rapid progress made recently with Toro Rosso; their ambition matches ours. We look forward to working with Honda in the coming years and racing together for more achievements in Formula 1".
And he adds:
"Honda's agreement with both Red Bull Formula 1 teams offers enormous potential. Honda will have access to a large amount of data from both, and this will ensure the possibility of faster, more effective, and competitive development".
Great satisfaction emerges especially from the words of Takahiro Hachigo, the president of Honda, who just a year ago had to absorb the harsh blow of the double divorce from McLaren and Sauber:
"Having established an excellent relationship with Scuderia Toro Rosso, we have decided to extend our involvement in Formula 1 to the other Red Bull family team starting from the 2019 season. Having two teams means we can expand our presence in Formula 1 with two 'data banks' that will assist us in our work. We believe that working with Toro Rosso and Red Bull Racing will bring us closer to our goal of winning races and championships, building two solid partnerships. The negotiations took place very quickly, thanks to Red Bull's open and respectful approach towards us, which led to a fair agreement for both parties".
The final words expressed by Christian Horner concern the end of the partnership with Renault:
"We would like to thank Renault for the cooperation of the last 12 years, a period during which we have experienced incredible moments together. Sometimes we had differences, but Renault has always worked tirelessly and to the best of its abilities to provide us with a competitive power unit. We would like to thank the Renault team, and especially the guys who work in our box at every race, who always ensure their maximum commitment, and we look forward to ending our partnership with excellent results. Our goal for the remainder is still to achieve the best possible results in the 2018 championship, and we wish Renault Sport the best for the future".
Max Verstappen is also happy, pointing out that Red Bull Racing will have an engine tailored to its needs:
"Honda will basically work only for Red Bull and Toro Rosso, so the power unit will be entirely designed around our car. I think it's also very good. I believe in it [this partnership], and the team clearly believes in it because they have signed the agreement".
Verstappen also mentions the visit to the Japanese engine manufacturer's factory, which impressed him:
"It's really impressive how they built all the structures, tools, and everything else. I talked to them (with the Red Bull management) for a long time about what I thought. Obviously, I knew [the switch was about to happen] before you did; they always kept me well informed because I like to understand what will happen to the team in the future".
Even for teammate Ricciardo, the choice of Honda is positive, although he is not yet sure what the best choice was to make:
"Honestly, I still don't know. Obviously, this year Renault still has a lot of work to do. I know we don't have the qualifying modes yet, but our race pace, once we save all the fuel and everything else, makes us look much more competitive, so they are improving. As you can see, Honda seems to be improving with Toro Rosso. I think it's fair to say that both are on the rise - it's just that we still don't know who will get to the top first. Obviously, Red Bull believes Honda is the right choice".
Max Verstappen, after the excellent third place in Montreal, looks at the French Grand Prix with confidence, although he doesn't know what to expect precisely since he has never driven on the Paul Ricard track.
"It's difficult to talk about expectations for this race. Basically, it will depend on how we have prepared, but we will only find out in the coming days; teams will improve a lot between Friday and Sunday; there are a few straights that are not ideal for us, but the curves match well with the characteristics of our car. Pole position? I don't know; it will be more difficult than getting it in Monaco for us. It's challenging to pinpoint a place to overtake here, but I think with a couple of DRS zones, something will be possible; we'll find out. I've never raced here; tomorrow will be a learning day; we'll see how the tires and the car behave; the track seems similar to Barcelona; I don't expect too many problems. In Canada, I had fun; I hope I can do the same here".
The theme of the day, however, is obviously the switch of Red Bull from the current Renault power unit to Honda in 2019.
"At the moment, I don't have particular expectations for this new partnership. I'm focused on 2018, so we'll see what happens. I've been to Japan; it seemed like a beautiful factory; it was nice to walk around and notice the differences between the Renault and Honda factories; it's very impressive what they have built, how they work, they seem very efficient. The extension of my contract? It had nothing to do with this agreement. I think in choosing, they looked at the steps forward made this year, especially the improvements made, I believe especially in Canada. Looking at how they have developed, they put the right people in the right places. Honda will work only with the Red Bull teams, the engine will be designed specifically for my car; I think it's a positive thing".
Finally, a comment on who he would like by his side at Red Bull next season:
"I get along very well with Daniel (Ricciardo). But I don't decide my teammate, but it would be nice to race with him again".
For the French Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton will be able to use the upgraded Mercedes power unit, and he is aware of the importance of this event to turn around his team's World Championship. Simultaneously, Pirelli will bring slightly thinner tires, already used in Spain. In the hospitality of the Anglo-German team, the Englishman shows determination:
"Losing the championship lead doesn't worry me. I mean, we're not giving our best. There is a long way to go and many things to improve".
Lewis is eager to test himself on the Le Castellet circuit:
"I don't drive in the simulator, but I have already driven here during the Pirelli tests. Racing on a new track is very exciting. If we look at the previous races, it has been a close battle. We hope to do better than in Canada. I believe that other teams have also learned from Barcelona".
No news on the contract renewal:
"Not much has changed; when everything is done, I will inform you. At the moment, we are not talking much; it will be done. Surely it is much closer than before, but there are no particular negotiations underway".
Hamilton has already competed in the French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours with McLaren, but he hints at liking the Paul Ricard scenario:
"With all due respect to Magny-Cours, this place is fantastic. The climate is wonderful, there is great organization. This is one of the most beautiful areas in the world. Being at the top in my sport and representing my country is great".
For his part, Sebastian Vettel arrives in Le Castellet as the leader of the World Championship, with a one-point advantage over his rival, Lewis Hamilton. The French race will therefore be an important juncture of the championship, the first stage of a triptych that will see F1 on track also in Austria and Great Britain within just 21 days. The German driver will have to get used to the Paul Ricard in the shortest possible time:
"I haven't actually used the current layout; I was there ten years ago, but we used the short version to prepare for Monte Carlo. And two years ago, it was a wet weather test".
During a press meeting, Sebastian Vettel is asked for his opinion on the use of the Mercedes Spec 2, already postponed in Canada:
"I can't speak for them, and I don't know how big their step forward was or will be. If it's more power, it is, if not, then no".
Vettel doesn't hide his concerns about the competitors:
"I think they are very strong, regardless, and some races may favor your car, and others may not. For example, with the advantage they had in Barcelona, even if they used an old engine, they would be unreachable even with all the horsepower at our disposal and all possible aerodynamics".
In France, as mentioned, Pirelli will bring slightly thinner tires, those already used in Montmelo. Sebastian, however, is confident:
"I don't know if it depended more on horsepower or aerodynamics in Spain; I think it's a combination of things. They had a great weekend there and put everyone behind. But in other weekends, it was the opposite. We found the answers to the problems in the tests we did on Tuesday after the race, so all we have to do is see how this week and the next ones go".
On Friday, June 22, 2018, during the first free practice session, Lewis Hamilton sets the fastest time using Ultrasoft tires, just over 0.1s ahead of his teammate Valtteri Bottas. The driving of the pilots is influenced by strong gusts of wind. Daniel Ricciardo sets the third-best time, while the Ferraris conclude the session with the fourth and fifth times. Max Verstappen, the other Red Bull driver, is seventh after technicians had to replace the floor of his car. At the end of the session, Marcus Ericsson goes off the track at Signes, hitting the barriers on the side of the track. His Sauber, in addition to being damaged, is also hit by a rear-end fire. During FP2, Lewis Hamilton is the only driver to go below the 1'32"0 limit. The track conditions, with asphalt at a temperature of 51 °C, do not allow the drivers to improve compared to the times set in the first session. Behind the World Champion is not Valtteri Bottas, his teammate, blocked by serious water loss problems on his car, but the two Red Bull Racing cars.
The two Anglo-Austrian cars precede the two Ferraris, with Sebastian Vettel unable to complete any fast laps. The session is interrupted, with 46 minutes to go, due to the left rear wheel loss on Sergio Pérez's Force India; the car stops in the middle of the track, requiring intervention from the marshals. The car is subsequently repaired, and the Mexican manages to return to the track in the final part of the session. Ericsson, on the other hand, cannot take part in this session after the morning incident. To continue the weekend, the Swede has to replace the chassis, the engine, and also the gearbox. Force India, due to Pérez's accident, is fined 15.000 euros, to which another suspended fine of 85.000 is added. Mercedes surprised fans and experts, announcing that what was brought to France is not just the specification that should have been introduced in Canada but an even more updated power unit, called 2.1. And the Anglo-German cars immediately appeared convincing in the first free practice day in Le Castellet, being the fastest on the track in both sessions, as admitted by Lewis Hamilton at the end of the practices:
"This place is beautiful, it's really sensational to race here. It's always a challenge when you arrive at a new circuit, and I love the challenge of getting in tune with the track before anyone else. There are many different trajectories you can take, and it's complex to find reference points on the track. Apart from the colored lines, it's hard to tell where you are. You can feel that the new engine is fresh, but we can't quantify its potential before tomorrow when everyone can push their power units to the maximum. I am grateful for the hard work done in Brixworth; they have really pushed hard to bring this engine here, so I have to thank them. I hope we can do something great with the new specification. Overall, it was a good session, now we have to confirm these performances over the weekend".
And Valtteri Bottas adds:
"I like the circuit, but it's a very difficult and technical track, especially when I think about Turn 6 and Turn 7. FP1 was good for us, while FP2 was a bit complicated. I did only a few laps, and then I had a water leak that the team is investigating. Unfortunately, I couldn't do long runs. Today we ran the new engine, which was fresh, but we haven't run it at full speed yet, so it's still to be discovered. We seemed competitive in both sessions, but we know that Ferrari doesn't show its real performance on Fridays".
Regarding the race pace, Lewis Hamilton's simulation saw him as the fastest with an average time on Supersofts, while with Ultrasoft tires, he seemed consistent with a full tank, although with a slightly higher average time than Sebastian Vettel's. The degradation of the Pirelli tires brought for the Le Castellet race was surprisingly low, despite the high temperatures on the track on Friday. From the long-run tests, many drivers expressed optimism about the possibility of planning a single pit stop, considering the cooler weather expected for Sunday. In this sense, the reduction from 80 to 60 km/h of the pit lane speed can also influence, another factor that will encourage teams to study the single pit stop. A situation already known in 2018, which risks being characterized by the monotony of the races and the difficulty in making overtaking maneuvers. Lewis Hamilton is decidedly unhappy with the tire choices made this season and launches a harsh attack on Pirelli:
"Here, they brought Ultrasoft, then Supersoft, and Soft. They all seem the same; there isn't much difference between them. There will be some graining. But compared to last year, these tires are much harder. Even if they said they made them softer, I don't believe it. They predicted before the weekend that they could do stints of 35-40 laps, which is a considerable number".
The British driver becomes the spokesman for a protest in which he would like to involve the fans:
"It will be a not very exciting one-stop race. But if you are a fan and want more pit stops, you should vote, protest. I'm sure F1 would feel this pressure".
But the tire aspect is not the only one Hamilton focuses his discontent on. Hamilton seems decidedly unenthusiastic about the current structure of free practices:
"It's a bit frustrating because on Fridays, Ferrari is always a second behind, being on a different fuel level. Everyone has different amounts of fuel, and it's easy to end the day without clearly understanding the level of competitiveness on the track. They should change the rule - another rule to change - and make everyone go out on the track with the same damn amount of fuel. Because for fans, it's certainly confusing".
It's an almost traditional Friday for Sebastian Vettel. On the first day on the track of the French Grand Prix, the German did not impress in absolute performance, but the race pace simulations in the afternoon leave hope, so much so that at this moment, the Ferrari driver was the best. In the end-of-day statements, Vettel confirms the sensations from the outside, not without reiterating his little enthusiasm for the Paul Ricard track:
"I think all in all it's not the most exciting track. It's quite complicated, and technically, you have to get certain passages right. I struggled quite a bit this afternoon in the qualifying simulation, while in the long run, I was able to do some better laps. Let's see, I think the car has more potential available, but I couldn't get it out. Hopefully, we'll find something tonight".
In Canada, where he then dominated by taking pole position and victory, Vettel had turned the weekend with work at the end of Friday's free practice. A situation he hopes will be repeated in France after today's double fifth place:
"On the clean lap, we seem a bit behind; on the race simulation, the times seemed good to me. Rather than studying the data, I have to understand what I have to do with the car, what the car needs. On the clean lap, I couldn't put things together, so I didn't do good laps, so I'm not too stressed about it. Usually, in qualifying, we can recover, but as I said tonight, I have to understand what I have to do with the car, and besides, we have to understand what to do to make it faster".
Max Verstappen doesn't hide the difficulties of adapting to the Le Castellet circuit. In the first free practice session of the French Grand Prix, he couldn't find the rhythm with the Ultrasoft compound, finishing over a second behind Lewis Hamilton.
"FP1 was difficult for me; after two laps, I damaged a tire, which became unusable. Much will depend on the tire usage window, given that the tires are very sensitive to heat. Our speed seems good, and I completed the planned program. In the second session, we changed a lot on the car, and I can reasonably say that I am satisfied, even if, like every Friday, you can't be completely happy. Mercedes is the fastest. We still have a lot to improve, but it was a good start".
On Saturday, June 23, 2018, the third and final free practice session is limited by rain, which begins to fall on the circuit after about ten minutes from the start. Only thirteen drivers set valid lap times. Valtteri Bottas sets the fastest time with Ultrasoft tires, followed by Carlos Sainz Jr. and Charles Leclerc. Kimi Räikkönen makes a braking error during this phase. With rain, only seven drivers try wet-weather tires. A few hours later, the qualifying session takes place with an air temperature of 22 °C and a dry track. Lance Stroll is the first to set a valid time in the first phase. Later, he is surpassed by the two Haas drivers and Valtteri Bottas, although the best time is set by the other Mercedes driver, Lewis Hamilton. Not advancing to Q2 are Stroll, Sergej Sirotkin, Stoffel Vandoorne, Brendon Hartley, and Fernando Alonso. In Q2, rain returns to disturb the track, forcing drivers to try to set a time that ensures passage to Q3 as soon as possible.
At the end of the first attempt, Lewis Hamilton is once again the fastest. The rain intensity, however, is not very strong, so it does not affect performance. Mercedes and Red Bull Racing set their best times with Supersoft tires, while Ferrari opts for Ultrasoft. Marcus Ericsson, Pierre Gasly, Sergio Pérez, Nico Hülkenberg, and Esteban Ocon are eliminated. Charles Leclerc enters, for the first time, the decisive phase of qualifying. In the final phase, Lewis Hamilton immediately sets the fastest time, while Romain Grosjean makes an error that leads to a collision with the wall, prompting a red flag. Before the restart, Bottas is second, ahead of Vettel and Verstappen. In the remaining 7 minutes and 49 seconds of the session, only the Mercedes drivers manage to improve their times. Thus, Lewis Hamilton secures pole position. Hamilton has successfully exploited the new Spec 2.1 brought to France by Mercedes, clinching the third pole position of the season, just ahead of his teammate Valtteri Bottas. However, the English driver does not seem entirely satisfied:
"The qualifying session was quite straightforward, quite simple, to be honest. Q1 and Q2 were particularly good for me, but Q3 was okay. I could have done better, but I'm very happy to have secured pole; I've been working on it for a long time, and there's always a lot of pressure because we are always very close".
Hamilton also quantifies the tenths lost:
"I left three on the table. I was three-tenths down before entering Turn 12, so it's frustrating. Throughout the qualifying session, I had about half a second advantage, and closing in one-tenth is not something I can boast about in my resume".
In the race, Hamilton will start with Supersoft compound tires, like Bottas, and will have to watch out for Ferrari's different strategy, with Vettel starting on Ultrasoft tires from the third position. Thanks are extended to the team:
"They did a great job; we put together the car we needed. Also, our bosses were watching us, so it was a good day".
A final note is given for Charles Leclerc's impressive eighth performance:
"I'm very impressed; he did a fantastic job. I'm happy for him".
Valtteri Bottas, starting from the second position, says:
"It wasn't a bad lap, but not perfect either. I struggled to do perfect laps this weekend. We lost almost all of FP2, we practically didn't run in FP3. I tried to recover ground turn after turn, but the second place is good for us. Surely, this engine gives good sensations, it seems very fresh and powerful; the team has certainly done a fantastic job, and we hope to prove its goodness tomorrow".
Sebastian Vettel did not manage to challenge the Mercedes drivers in qualifying but is confident of having a chance to win the race, as he will start with Ultrasoft tires, unlike the direct rivals who have opted for Supersoft.
"Qualifying started a bit slow for us, with complicated weather conditions, but then we improved. I hoped to improve in my last attempt, but at the beginning, I tried to push a lot, and maybe I overdid it a bit. I forced a little too much, so I lost some ground, then I tried to recover all the time, but I didn't have a great feeling even at the end of the lap. I realized it wasn't as fast as the previous one; in fact, I was slower. I thought I could take a tenth, a second on Bottas' time, but in the end, both of them improved, and it wouldn't have been enough".
Vettel is optimistic, thanks also to the excellent race pace demonstrated in Friday afternoon simulations:
"We have a good car; we showed it yesterday. We also have a different tire strategy, so we'll see what we can do. This is not Barcelona; I don't think we'll have problems with the tires. We'll start with a softer tire, but I don't think we'll be forced into an extra stop. Maybe it took us a bit to find the rhythm, but in the end, I believe we'll have a good car tomorrow. Giovinazzi and Kvyat helped us a lot in the simulator".
Finally, a thought is directed towards the peculiar aspect of Paul Ricard, a circuit that Vettel does not hide his dislike for:
"Despite all the colored escape routes, we don't have particular problems driving on the track. The only difficulty is given by the lack of reference points".
The less brilliant moment of Kimi Raikkonen continues, once again sixth in qualifying after a session where errors were not lacking.
"Throughout Q3, I couldn't put together even one decent lap. The first one wasn't bad, but then I got a bit sideways in the fast right turn. Perhaps the track was a bit damp due to the rain; that's how it went. Actually, we didn't do badly; we just couldn't put together the perfect lap, that's the only reason we didn't get a decent time".
In the race, the two Ferraris will be the only cars among the top teams to start with Ultrasoft tires. A strategic difference from Mercedes and Red Bull, which according to Raikkonen may not have a significant impact on the final result:
"We've seen in other races that some drivers started with different tires, but there were no drastic changes in strategy. It might be a little better, but we'll see how it goes tomorrow".
Mercedes Team Principal, Toto Wolff, is pleased with Lewis Hamilton's pole position and Valtteri Bottas's second place. A result he did not expect to achieve:
"This sport is a roller coaster of emotions, and after the difficulties we faced two weeks ago in Montreal, it's fantastic to have both cars on the front row here at Paul Ricard. In recent weeks, the team has put blood, sweat, and tears into our development programs, and the package this weekend is the first part of the work coming to fruition. The star of the show was the new power unit, which is the result of a great effort by the entire Brixworth staff. That being said, we didn't come here expecting to put our cars in first and second place on the grid, so I'm really proud of what we've done after being caught off guard in Canada. However, points are given on Sundays. There's uncertainty about the weather, and we've adopted a different approach to tire strategy than Ferrari, so there are many questions to answer before considering this a job well done".
Mercedes Technical Director, James Allison, analyzes aspects related to performance in Saturday's practice:
"This was a slightly unnerving qualifying session from a weather perspective, with the ever-present threat of rain, but a bit less so from the perspective of our pace, as the car performed well with both drivers in all sessions. It's really nice to have secured the second complete front row of the year and start from the best possible position to make up for the disappointment of two weeks ago in Canada. This was also the first time during the weekend when we allowed the new power unit to stretch its legs, and the hard work done was a helpful component of our advantage. We are quite happy to start the race with Supersoft tires, but from the analysis of Friday's long runs, we know that the whole race will be a head-to-head, so we hope it can be a trouble-free race, especially in the first few corners".
Both Ferrari and Mercedes drivers will have to be careful of Max Verstappen, as the Dutchman secured the fourth position in the qualifying for the French Grand Prix with a Red Bull that still lacks speed on the straights.
"The conditions were not the best, but I felt the car fairly well, though I don't think we maximized the potential".
Verstappen explains, arriving a bit late in front of the press microphones due to doping testing. Speaking of his driving style, Max confirms that aggressiveness on the curbs is necessary to be fast:
"Yes, you have to; otherwise, you are much slower. I ran with a different wing than Daniel, and I think I made the right choice. Q3 was not very good. I had too much understeer, so you can't attack in all the corners. It's something you notice in the last sector. Simply, today we were not fast enough".
Looking ahead to the race, Verstappen adds:
"Vettel will have the Ultrasoft tires that have more grip at the start, but then we'll have to understand when he decides to stop to change them. Normally I should be able to do a longer stint with the Supersoft. We'll see tomorrow, where, of course, I intend to do my best".
Red Bull Racing Team Principal, Christian Horner, confirms that the choice to use a lighter setup did not yield the expected results:
"On Max's car, we slightly reduced the aerodynamic load before qualifying. We've practically reached Spa's levels, but we're still losing seven-tenths on the straight. In any case, both drivers did an excellent job, so we can have a good race starting from the fourth and fifth positions".
Regarding the tires, Horner is also convinced that choosing to start with the Supersofts was an excellent decision:
"I think Mercedes has an advantage in this race. I believe their car suits this type of asphalt well, and I think our race will be with Ferrari. They will start with a different tire, so it will be interesting to see what could be the best strategy. Overtaking will be difficult, so tactics will play a crucial role in trying to gain positions".
On Sunday, June 24, 2018, at the start of the French Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton maintains the first position, while Sebastian Vettel tries to pass Valtteri Bottas, but the two cars collide, with the Finn spinning. Both cars are damaged but can continue the race. The cars of Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly also collide, forcing both drivers to retire. A contact between Romain Grosjean and Sergio Pérez doesn't cause significant damage to the cars. The race direction decides to deploy the Safety Car. Behind Lewis Hamilton are Max Verstappen, Carlos Sainz Jr., Daniel Ricciardo, Kevin Magnussen, Charles Leclerc, and Kimi Räikkönen. After the mandatory pit stop, both Vettel and Bottas drop to the back of the pack. At the restart, Räikkönen almost immediately passes Leclerc, while Vettel and Bottas begin their comeback. On lap 8, Räikkönen also overtakes Magnussen, and Ricciardo passes Sainz Jr. Two laps later, Sainz Jr. is passed by Räikkönen. Meanwhile, Vettel, with Soft tires, climbs to fifth place by lap 20, behind his teammate. Bottas, on the other hand, is in tenth place. On lap 23, an error by Charles Leclerc allows Nico Hülkenberg to pass and take eighth place. On lap 25, Max Verstappen makes a pit stop and returns to the track in fourth place, ahead of Vettel. On lap 26, Sainz Jr. also makes his stop. Daniel Ricciardo, however, returns to the pits on lap 28; the Australian rejoins the track behind Sebastian Vettel.
The race leader, Lewis Hamilton, waits until lap 32 before making his pit stop. The British driver hands over the lead to Kimi Räikkönen, who stops after one lap. The Finn returns behind Vettel, who has been passed by Ricciardo. After Hamilton, there are now two Red Bull Racing cars, two Ferraris, and Valtteri Bottas. On lap 38, Vettel gives way to Räikkönen. Bottas makes his second stop on lap 39, but a technical problem with the car jack slows down his return to the track. After one lap, Sebastian Vettel also stops for the second time, fitting Ultrasoft tires. Vettel remains fifth, while Bottas drops to eighth place. On lap 47, Kimi Räikkönen enters the virtual podium, overtaking Daniel Ricciardo, who has problems with the power unit. There are also problems with the front wing of the Red Bull Racing car. Carlos Sainz Jr.'s car also begins to experience power unit problems. On lap 49, the left front tire on Lance Stroll's Williams explodes at Signes. The driver ends his race in the escape route. The race direction neutralizes the race with the Virtual Safety Car for the last laps. Lewis Hamilton wins the French Grand Prix, followed by Max Verstappen and Kimi Räikkönen. Daniel Ricciardo is fourth, followed by Sebastian Vettel, Kevin Magnussen, Valtteri Bottas, Carlos Sainz Jr., Nico Hülkenberg, and Charles Leclerc. The path to Lewis Hamilton's victory, who started from pole position, was further simplified a few meters after the start, with the collision that excluded Valtteri Bottas and Sebastian Vettel from the fight for victory.
"I had a good qualifying, and at the start, I didn't make any mistakes, and I can say I'm proud of that. I didn't hesitate and managed to extend the first stint for 33 laps".
The British driver says, not missing a dig at Pirelli and their durability:
"I probably could have used those tires for the whole race because I had the pace and could manage them well".
On the podium, Lewis Hamilton discusses with Max Verstappen the incident involving Sebastian Vettel and Valtteri Bottas:
"He touched him and threw him out. Oh, it's crazy".
However, in the press conference, he clarifies his thoughts:
"We wanted a one-two because Bottas did a great job. It always hurts when someone, making a mistake, ruins your race and manages to finish ahead of you. First-turn incidents happen. Here, we are fighting for the world championship. We are not here for a Sunday drive. My view of the incident? Sebastian threw him out, plain and simple. He didn't do it on purpose; it was a racing maneuver, he made a mistake. These things can happen; the fact that he was behind me caused him a loss of aerodynamic load, and it was a miscalculation on his part. In the end, it didn't cost him much; he still finished fifth. Unfortunately for Valtteri and the team, we lost a lot of points today".
Sebastian Vettel says:
"I think I had a good start, the best of the first three. Then I had no more space. The problem was that Valtteri's start was quite good, so I couldn't go right or left because I was on the inside. I had to go off the track or go half-throttle in turn 1. I saw when I braked that Bottas and Verstappen were trying to come from the outside with more speed, I tried to get out of it, but I couldn't. I had a lock-up and lost grip".
The Ferrari driver was penalized 5 seconds by the stewards for this incident, finished fifth, and candidly admits post-race to being the sole culprit of what happened, excluding any possible involvement of Lewis Hamilton leading the race:
"No, I don't think so. It was my mistake; I got the penalty, I accepted it. It's a shame because the car was good in the race".
No controversy from the German even regarding the 5 seconds penalty received and served during the second pit stop:
"The fault is mine, whatever the penalty, it would have been fair. In the end, it didn't even count for much. It's a shame for Valtteri because I ruined his race with my mistake. It's also a shame for us because we didn't achieve the result that was possible".
Talking about the placement he could have aimed for without the incident, Vettel admits:
"Obviously, it's difficult to say how fast we would have been in a normal race, but I had a good car, so at least we could have gone on the podium".
Meanwhile, Valtteri Bottas describes what happened at the start of the French Grand Prix:
"We were side by side in braking, and I took the outside. I braked a bit late, leaving enough space for him to stay inside, but I think he simply hit me. I had a puncture that caused damage to the floor, heavily compromising my race. Regarding this race, I don't know whether to laugh or cry; I think it's better to laugh even though today's day is a bit of a summary of my season so far. Sooner or later, my moment will come; it's just a matter of time".
The French Grand Prix didn't start well from the first laps for Fernando Alonso, who lost positions to avoid the collision between the French drivers Ocon and Gasly and found himself at the back of the group. Then, the overtaking by Vettel and the subsequent spin completed what was an afternoon to forget. The Spanish driver tried to resist Sebastian Vettel, but in the middle of the corner, with little space available, he lost control, and with the left front wheel, he hit the right rear of car #5. Alonso's frustration was evident in the radio message sent a moment later to his engineers:
"I touched with Vettel. I hope he has damage! It was a stupid maneuver".
After the race, Alonso added:
"He risked a lot, and this time it went well for him, but other times it won't be like that".
Fernando Alonso was classified in P16 but stopped at lap 50 due to a problem with the left rear suspension that prevented him from finishing the race. Earlier, he had already called for the possibility of retiring:
"I have no brakes, no tires, and we are out of the points, so I don't care much".
A suffered Grand Prix, of which Alonso says:
"I started this race from the back, avoiding many accidents that happened near me. Many cars in front of mine took shortcuts, but I stayed on track and found myself last. I was still last after the Safety Car period, and then I had problems with the brakes overheating".
And he adds:
"Later, I changed the tires, but we found ourselves back in traffic for almost the entire race. Then, in the end, I had to retire due to a suspension problem. In five days, we'll have another chance to forget about what happened today and improve our position. I really hope that this weekend will remain an isolated case, and we will be able to present ourselves in better shape in Spielberg and, in particular, at Silverstone. I know there will be some news in the coming months, and I am always optimistic despite our little competitiveness this weekend".
Who can smile, but still doesn't, is Kimi Raikkonen. The Finn doesn't consider this podium on the Paul Ricard circuit special, admitting, however, to having enjoyed it:
"It's not a more important podium than one at any other time. We had a good race, we had speed. We lost a couple of positions at the start, where there was that incident at the first corner, then I had good feelings. When I entered for the pit stop, we changed the tires, and I found good feelings again. I managed to have a good, clean race, made some overtakes: I had much more fun than in the last races, where practically nothing happened".
Speaking of the hectic early moments, Raikkonen explains his point of view:
"I think everyone had a pretty similar start; we knew that it is very difficult to overtake at the first corner. It's a crucial place: if you can gain positions, it's nice, I tried, but when I saw that there was an incident and everyone went wide, in the confusion, I tried to stay away from problems, and then we managed to climb back, and it went well".
The Finnish driver was very competitive in the final stint of the race when he mounted new Supersoft tires that allowed him to quickly overtake both Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo.
"They were new tires against tires that maybe had 30 laps more, so it was quite normal".
Meanwhile, Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner says he is satisfied with the result of the French Grand Prix even if the double podium for his drivers slipped away a few laps from the end. The blame lies with some debris that damaged the front wing of Daniel Ricciardo's car, passed by Kimi Raikkonen in the final laps.
"At the end of an entertaining race, we are happy to have finished our first participation at Paul Ricard with a good points haul and a podium. Max had a good weekend, finishing in second place and getting another podium after a third place in Canada. At the beginning, he managed to avoid the incident between Sebastian and Valtteri in turn 1 and then placed behind Lewis, leading a clean race".
Verstappen, as per Horner's statements during the Canadian Grand Prix, was supposed to have slightly changed his approach starting from Montreal and is supposedly capitalizing better on his abilities, yielding better results. However, this perspective doesn't seem entirely shared by the Dutchman, who denies having revised his racing style at Le Castellet.
"You have to learn from mistakes, but you can't change your style. You can refine it, but changing it or other similar things seem like absurdities without sense".
Regarding Daniel Ricciardo's race, Christian Horner confirms that the Australian driver's car was accidentally hit by debris, compromising the functioning of the front wing.
"For Daniel, it was a shame because his car was damaged halfway through the race when the two upper elements of the wing were probably ruined by some debris. A very frustrating race for him because he seemed capable of achieving a good podium. In summary, the French Grand Prix represents a good start to this trio of races. Now we go to Austria for our home race, where we hope to be competitive and fight with the leaders in the standings".
The French Grand Prix could have offered much greater satisfaction for Ferrari, but the team principal of the Maranello-based team, Maurizio Arrivabene, looks at the positive side of the day:
"Too bad for the incident at the start, which did not allow us to express the full potential of the SF71H on a track that was not the most favorable, appearing very competitive in race pace. The good comeback and overtakes, both for Kimi and Sebastian, prove it. The team gave its best, with the right strategic choices, to put the drivers in a position to achieve the best possible result given the circumstances. With such a tight schedule, we already have to look at the Austrian Grand Prix, where we will focus on recovering lost ground".
An opportunity lost for Ferrari, one gained by Mercedes. On the Paul Ricard circuit, Lewis Hamilton takes advantage of Sebastian Vettel's impetuosity to take the lead in the Drivers' World Championship, with 145 points and a 14-point lead over the German driver of Ferrari. Moreover, following the incident with Valtteri Bottas, Sebastian Vettel suffers a deduction of two points from the Super License. In short, not a happy weekend for the Maranello team, which also sees Mercedes remain in the first position in the Constructors' World Championship with 237 points compared to Ferrari's 214. Certainly, nothing is lost; we are only at the 8th Grand Prix of the World Championship, which includes 21 events. But if Ferrari wants to aspire to win the World Championship, which has been missing from Maranello since 2007, it will have to work harder than it has done so far to achieve this feat. The risk is that in the all-private duel between Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel, both holders of four World Championship titles, the challenge may lean in favor of the English driver, who has shown in recent years to have greater concentration and a desire to win.