Mercedes until 2025 with Hamilton and Russell!
Even before the driver PK, we get what is probably the most important news of the day: Mercedes has extended the contracts with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell up to and including 2025! The team has just officially confirmed this.
Toto Wolff emphasizes: “Continuing the cooperation with our current driver pairing was an uncomplicated decision. We have the strongest driver pairing in the field and both drivers play a crucial role in the team to move us forward.”
“The strength and stability they offer are important building blocks for our future success. Our partnership with Lewis is one of the most successful in the history of the sport. It was always just a formality that we would continue together,” he emphasizes.
“His qualities as a racing driver are demonstrated by his remarkable track record, but over our years together he has become a pillar and leader of our team,” said Wolff.
Russell is “one of the leading personalities of his generation,” explains Wolff, who emphasizes: “As a driver, he combines blistering speed with the tenacity of a real fighter. But he also brings an intelligence and attention to detail that will help him to go further grow, develop and improve.”
“He fits perfectly into the team and we are very pleased that we will continue our cooperation in the coming years,” said Wolff.
special designs
Not only the car looks different at Alfa Romeo this weekend. The racing suits have also been redesigned, and Guanyu Zhou also rides with a special helmet. You can watch both here:
Norris admits: Looked like an “idiot”.
It’s about his radio statements in Zandvoort, which you can read again here. After the race, they talked about it, he now reveals and admits that he looked like an “idiot” during the radio traffic.
“But the people I talk to know that I would of course never take something like that seriously,” he clarifies, emphasizing: “We made some mistakes with our decisions and strategy. Part of it is just emotions.”
He knows that on the radio he often sounds like he’s complaining or dissatisfied. “I hate it,” he admits with a smile. Because he is actually “really relaxed” in the car, the Brit clarifies.
But sometimes it sounds completely different on the radio…
The best technical pictures …
… we have this weekend again in our own photo series for you. Click through and check back often, new snapshots are added regularly!
Photo gallery: Formula 1 technology: detailed photos at the Italian Grand Prix 2023
Gasly: Zandvoort podium was ‘very important’
The Frenchman recently clinched his first podium with Alpine in the Netherlands and reveals: “It was very important for a number of reasons.” Because earlier this year he had already lost several good results.
In Monaco he said he could have been on the podium with a better strategy, and in Australia the late red flag and subsequent crash cost him an earlier top five result.
“We were pretty unlucky,” he says, adding that it was pretty frustrating. Now, after the summer break, we have had the best possible start to the second half of the year.
“I think that can give us a good boost until the end of the year,” said Gasly, who also has fond memories of Monza. In 2020 he clinched his only Grand Prix victory so far for AlphaTauri.
Quitting time!
The (in the second part very Hamilton-heavy) PK is through. Here in the ticker it goes on but of course! We will provide you with further information and voices directly from the paddock in Monza until the evening.
Contract finalized over the weekend
A little side information: Hamilton reveals that his contract was finalized last weekend – i.e. as part of the Zandvoort race.
The Mercedes driver also jokes that there are other drivers in the PK. Because so far all the questions from the journalists present have only gone to him…
Hamilton: Abu Dhabi 2021 didn’t matter
Now the Brit is being asked if the 2021 season finale in Abu Dhabi played a role in his decision. Is that specifically the open bill that he still wants to settle?
Hamilton says there is no connection. What happened in the past cannot be changed. That didn’t play a role in his new contract and plans.
Hamilton: Actually, he didn’t want to drive that long
In the past, the record champion said that he didn’t want to drive Formula 1 until he was 40. With his new contract, of course, that was done. He is now being asked about this.
He explains that he didn’t expect to feel so good at this age and to still love racing so much, he says. That’s why he has since changed his mind on the matter.
Hamilton on new contract
“You all have to put up with me a little longer,” jokes the record champion, who of course is first asked about his new contract at the beginning of the second PK part.
“I definitely wanted to continue,” he clarifies, emphasizing that he had no doubts. He still has a few scores to settle with Mercedes, he clarifies and emphasizes that they have a clear goal.
What is meant, of course, is another world title. Hamilton also knows that it will not be easy to achieve this goal. But he still has the feeling that he can still improve.
At the end of 2025, when his new contract ends, he will be almost 41 years old.
Hardly any exciting topics
Today is once again one of those days when you have to ask the question whether a press conference on a Thursday really makes sense if there was still driving on the Sunday before?
We really learn a lot that is new. For example, Leclerc is asked for what feels like 200 times when he will talk to Ferrari about a new contract? His answer is the same as the 199 times before.
Other topics are, for example, Bottas’ activities outside the racetrack or the new Ferrari outfits. Whether you have to do an extra PK for this, everyone should decide for themselves…
Norris: Someday a teammate from Verstappen?
We already published a large article on the question today. Now Norris himself was asked about this possibility in the PK, and he explains that he is quite “open” to it.
It would be “great” to work with such a strong rider. Then he jokes that Verstappen can switch to McLaren at any time. The rumors are actually about a move from him to Red Bull …
Leclerc dreams of the home podium
The Monegasse starts in the PK, who explains before the Ferrari home game that he hopes that Monza will be “a little more competitive” than last time in Zandvoort or in Budapest before the summer break.
Because Monza is “not exactly like Spa,” said Leclerc. But the tracks are not that dissimilar, so he hopes to be able to fight for the podium at the weekend. But first you have to wait.
What do the Mercedes drivers themselves say?
We’ll find out in a moment, because Hamilton is a guest in the driver’s PK, which starts in less than 15 minutes, Russell is giving a media round, which we will also report on. Right now, however, our focus is on the press conference.
As a reminder, here are the participating drivers:
2:30 p.m.:
Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo)
Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)
Lando Norris (McLaren)
Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
3:05 p.m.:
Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri)
Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
Alexander Albon (Williams)
As usual, the most important statements are available here in the ticker!
Two cockpits gone again
So Mercedes is also planning with Hamilton and Russell in the coming years. Means: Two less potential Formula 1 cockpits for all other interested drivers. You can find out here which places are still available for 2024:
Photo gallery: The contract periods of the current Formula 1 drivers
He is back again!
Mattia Binotto is in the paddock this weekend. The Italian will not miss his home race even after leaving Ferrari. A lot of fans are wondering if you will soon see him again in an official capacity in the paddock?
There are rumors that he could switch to Alpine. At the moment, however, these are just exactly that: rumours.