In the round-up: Mercedes believe the progress they made at Suzuka leaves them poised to score better results in the coming races.
In brief
Mercedes confident of better showing
Although Mercedes only finished seventh and ninth in the Japanese Grand Prix, team principal Toto Wolff expects to see Lewis Hamilton and George Russell competing for better results in the coming races.
“We had a double DNF in [Australia] and that’s not going to reflect well in the points,” he told Channel 4. “But I think our battle is with McLaren, hopefully we can catch back up to Ferrari and this is just a constant process now.
“We’ve turned the page, I believe, in how we analyse the car, how we develop it, how we’re setting it up. And that is not reflected in the result [in Japan], definitely will be in the short term future.”
Formula E to reveal ‘Evo’ car
Formula E will present a revised version of its current car, which it calls the ‘Gen 3 Evo’, ahead of its next round in Monaco next week.
The current car has produced a distinctive style of racing since its introduction last year, leading drivers to run in close company for much of the race in order to save energy. FE say the updated machine will “deliver a step-change in on-track action” when it is introduced next season.
“We’re not just launching a car; we’re continuing to shape the future of racing,” said Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds. “This next iteration not only exemplifies our dedication to innovation and pushing the limits of technology but also enhances our commitment to delivering exhilarating, competitive racing for our fans.”
Gounon to substitute for Habsburg
Alpine’s World Endurance Championship team has confirmed Jules Gounon will substitute for Ferdinand Habsburg in this weekend’s Six Hours of Imola. The team’s regular driver was injured in a crash at Motorland Aragon.
“Ferdinand will be on our minds,” said team principal Philippe Sinault. “It is a hard blow, but that is part of the life of a team, and everything is in place to ensure that he is with us thanks to modern communication methods.
“We’ve decided to replace him with Jules at Imola. It’s never easy to make your debut in such a context, but Jules was identified, selected and signed to fill this role, even though we never imagined it would happen so early like this.
“He’s fundamentally ready but still has much to learn, even if he has already demonstrated his mastery of several aspects, given his track record in GT. We honed his preparation during our latest tests with his six teammates and then in the simulator to prepare him for all our processes.”
Mini leads Formula 3 test
Gabriele Mini, who lies third in the Formula 3 standings after the first four races, headed the opening day of testing at the Circuit de Catalunya yesterday. The Alpine-backed Prema driver posted a best time of 1’28.313 on the morning of the test and came within a tenth of a second of matching it in the afternoon.
He covered a total of 39 laps – drivers have only eight sets of tyres available for the three days of running. “I love coming to a race track and not driving,” remarked Christian Mansell, sixth-fastest, on social media.
All 30 drivers participated in the test. Max Esterson brought out the red flags when he crashed towards the end of the session at turn three.
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