Verstappen bemoans Red Bull’s Vegas wing choice, Colapinto's crash puts Vegas race in doubt, and other big updates

Verstappen bemoans Red Bull’s Vegas wing decision

Max Verstappen says Red Bull’s decision not to bring a low-drag rear wing to the Las Vegas Grand Prix has cost them two race weekends. He thinks this choice, made because of the budget cap, hurt their speed on the straights. Verstappen qualified fifth but felt they lost time both on the straights and in the corners. “In the corners and on the straights. We know that with our wing naturally you lose top speed, especially with the DRS open. It's a bit of a handicap.” He explained, “We knew that and that's something that we have to deal with on a track like this track, like Monza. But also besides that, I always felt like the tires were a bit of a struggle for us to get them in the right operating window.”

Click here to read the full article by Lewis Larkam (crash.net)

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Colapinto's crash puts Vegas race in doubt

Having suffered a high-speed crash in qualifying at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Williams has confirmed that Franco Colapinto's participation in tomorrow's Nevadan race is uncertain. Even though he reported over the radio that he was “okay” before climbing out of the car, a significant amount of debris had been scattered across the track.

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Norris focused on beating Ferrari after losing championship

Lando Norris feels the 2024 championship was lost early in the season but is proud to have kept fighting until Las Vegas. With the title out of reach, he’s now focused on beating Ferrari to help McLaren stay ahead in the constructors' championship. Norris hopes using harder tires will improve the car’s performance, as McLaren struggles with graining on softer tires. Even though he’s optimistic, he doesn’t expect any big surprises in the race.

Click here to read the full article by Jake Boxall-Legge & Filip Cleeren (motorsport.com)

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New race director wows drivers

Rui Marques was thrust into the challenging role of F1 race director after Niels Wittich's departure, which followed mounting criticism of the FIA's handling of driver concerns. Marques quickly made changes based on driver feedback, including modifying the track limits at Turn 4 and making the pit entry line more visible. Drivers praised his willingness to listen and act, with many calling his first meeting a success and his changes a positive surprise. However, the Las Vegas GP will be a true test, as Marques must maintain his credibility in a high-pressure environment.

Click here to read the full article by Josh Suttill (the-race.com)

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Rally champion takes on F1 challenge

What happens when rally champion Kalle Rovanperä trades gravel for tarmac and gets behind the wheel of an F1 car? In just 10 laps, he must quickly learn to handle the speed, precision, and downforce of one of the fastest cars in the world. Can his rally skills help him in Formula 1? There's only one way to find out.