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Tag: Charles Leclerc

  • Austin’s Formula 1 Weekend Was a High-Octane Rodeo of Speed and Spectacle

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    Race winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing. Mark Sutton – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images

    Formula 1 is back in Austin, the “Home of Horsepower.” Instead of riding bucking broncos, the world’s fastest drivers are revving 1000 horsepower V6 engines around one of the year’s trickiest tracks.

    During race weekend (October 17-19) in Austin, the city is plastered with F1 imagery, from posters of Lando Norris’ face alongside 6th Street to the full range of Pirelli tires that adorn the lobby of the Thompson Hotel.  

    It’s the one weekend in Austin where lines around the block aren’t solely reserved for BBQ restaurants. Instead, Formula 1 fanatics queue for fans zones set up around the city like, the Atlassian Williams Racing Fan Zone where they can drive esports simulators, Lewis Hamilton’s Plus 44 store pop-up and former F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo’s Enchanté pop-up.

    Matthew McConaughey participates in the grid tour before the start of the United States Formula One Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. AFP via Getty Images

    Digital luxury lifestyle concierge service Velocity Black is the official luxury lifestyle partner of the Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 team, and members get access to some of the weekend’s most exclusive offerings, including the team’s hospitality suite in The Paddock Club, a hot lap, garage tours, pit lane walks and a lunch at the Aston Martin House, where drivers casually walk by as you munch on brisket croquettes and local tostadas.

    “Whether it be VIP hospitality, garage tours and hot lap access at F1 races, fine dining experiences or exclusive entertainment, we are committed to unlocking truly unforgettable moments across the globe,” says Sylvain Langrand, CEO of Velocity Black. 

    Malin Akerman and Brittany Snow attend the Uber One Rodeo. Getty Images for Uber

    Off the track, there was a private dinner at the iconic Franklin Barbecue with an intimate live performance by Grammy Award-winner Gary Clark Jr. And should members want to beat the Austin traffic, Velocity Black  arranges helicopter transports to and from the circuit.

    “F1 and Austin have acclimated to each other,” legendary BBQ pitmaster Aaron Franklin told Observer at a private dinner for Velocity Black members. “Now, people come here specifically for F1, and are more interested in the local scene and local culture. We had the McLaren team here last night, and they’re all just a bunch of really cool nerds. I love meeting people during race weekend that I wouldn’t normally have the chance to meet.”

    Roller coasters dot The Circuit Of The Americas (COTA) and it seems like the mandatory dress code is cowboy hats and boots. When cars aren’t rounding the circuit, musical performances throughout the weekend include Kygo and Garth Brooks, Turnpike Troubadours, as well as local Austin talent.

    This year, Austin was a sprint weekend, meaning there was an extra mini-race with more points on the line for the championship battle. Track temperatures weren’t the only scorching hot thing on Saturday, as the sprint race was off to a spicy start. The crowd gasped as both McLarens made contact, forcing them out of the sprint race and any chance at points. Overall, a bad day for Oscar Piastri, currently leading the driver’s championship, as he only placed P6 in qualifying, while his teammate and championship rival, Lando Norris, came in at P2.

    Glen Powell on the grid during the F1 Grand Prix of United States at Circuit of The Americas. Formula 1 via Getty Images

    And on race day, COTA was hot as H-E double toothpicks, but celebrities still lined the track, including Matthew McConaughey, Glen Powell, Malin Akerman and Adele. Max Verstappen dominated, winning the race with Lando Norris coming in second and Charles LeClerc third. There were plenty of overtakes and on-track action, but no red flags. Although the race wasn’t as exciting as the sprint, it was consequential for the driver’s championship, with Lando narrowing the gap to Oscar Piastri by 14 points.

    And as the sun set on Austin, the city was electric with bars packed with F1 fans, and private events and parties, like the Esses Magazine one-year anniversary party with two special guests, as the Visa Cash App RB drivers Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson made an appearance. At the One Party by Uber, a musical performance by the Zac Brown Band opened with a traditional Texas rodeo.

    While partaking in a BBQ dinner, another Texas tradition, Jak Crawford, an F2 driver and Texas native told Observer, “My favorite thing about race weekend in Austin is the food. The brisket, it’s so good here.” While he hasn’t raced here yet he says, “I can’t wait to drive here, it can be a really tricky circuit.”

    Austin’s Formula 1 Weekend Was a High-Octane Rodeo of Speed and Spectacle

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    Katie Lockhart

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  • Charles Leclerc wins home Monaco Grand Prix for first time after dramatic crash in first lap mars race

    Charles Leclerc wins home Monaco Grand Prix for first time after dramatic crash in first lap mars race

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    (CNN) — It was a case of third time lucky for Charles Leclerc who finally won his home Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday, after starting the race in pole position in two previous editions.

    The Monégasque driver led from start to finish, crossing the finish-line over seven seconds ahead of second-placed Oscar Piastri.

    Ferrari’s Leclerc paid an emotional tribute to his late father after the race, telling broadcaster Sky Sports that he was thinking about him as he drove towards the finish.

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    Issy Ronald and CNN

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  • Formula 1 Is For The Girls

    Formula 1 Is For The Girls

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    I started watching
    Formula 1: Drive To Survive thanks to a short blurb in The New Yorker boasting a “Real Housewives” atmosphere, but with fast cars. As a fan of both sports and drama, I couldn’t find a reason not to give it a chance. Plus, it’s ranked in Netflix’s Top 10 shows and with five seasons already, how bad could it be?

    In the words of Bill Hader’s
    Saturday Night Live character, Stefon – it. has. everything. Attractive, young men from across the globe have come to the screen to steal my heart alongside adrenaline-pumping races following one of the most difficult sports known to man. Cue the eye rolls.



    These drivers have become the newest trend in sports. They’ve earned TikTok thirst traps and mashups, fanfictions galore, and throngs of fans everywhere they go. My entire For You Page consists of Daniel Ricciardo’s best interview moments and Charles Leclerc slo-mo getting out of a car. Alphatauri even debuted their new car at New York Fashion Week this year – these boys are
    everywhere.

    There are only 20 drivers in the world who can operate a Formula 1 car for 50-70 agonizing laps. It’s a male-dominated sport – few women are ever even interviewed in the show – but the majority of the F1 fandom is composed of women thanks to the Netflix series.

    But the Formula 1 Fever isn’t by accident. In 2016, it was purchased by Liberty Media for $4.4 billion. The sport was in major need of a revamp with a 40% drop in
    viewership from 2008-2016 – they desperately needed a younger generation of fans despite the sport’s resistance to change. When Liberty Media stepped in, a Netflix contract followed soon after, and the rest is history.

    The Cut reports, “The 2022 F1 season was the most viewed, ever, in the U.S., and the largest demographic growth was seen in young people, aged 12 to 17 and 18 to 34, and women. Women made up 352,000 viewers per race, a 34 percent growth from 2021, meaning they made up 28 percent of the 2022 audience.”

    Teams and drivers were now allowed to take to social media to promote their season – the ultimate power move to reach wider audiences. TikTok found these handsome faces and shiny new personalities and suddenly Formula 1 had a fanbase foaming at the mouth.

    @not_another_f1_fan#f1#f1tiktok#formula1#formulaone#danielricciardo♬ original sound – Lauren

    The Cut brings up a good point: Formula 1 is easy enough to follow with fewer rules and less players than the National Football League and other popularized American sports. You no longer have to ask about positions – the only positions that matter in F1 are where the drivers are starting and finishing – or pretend to care about a 50-person roster. Something so new-feeling in the United States also invites more women to watch, as football can feel like an even less inviting boys club.

    And although
    DTS fans aren’t exactly welcomed with open arms by long-time Formula 1 fans, it’s a hell of a lot easier than making a jaded effort to talk football with a bunch of guys who have been watching the sport “since day one.” The Netflix series makes F1 easier to digest. I already know that Lewis Hamilton in a Mercedes is the Tom Brady and New England Patriots of Formula 1… and that Max Verstappen for Red Bull is the one to watch.

    The Ferocity of a Fangirl

    Being a longtime fan of Harry Styles, I’m no stranger to being called a crazy fangirl. The condescending term has since been attached to new Formula 1 fans who came for the hotties and stayed for the sport. In situations where women show unyielding support and come together to push something into uber-popularity, the term “fangirl” is meant to embody the hysterical, unstable female.

    @charlesxaep#charlesleclerc#scuderiaferrari#formula1♬ original sound – charlesxaep

    And yet, because of these inconsolable women, Formula 1 is becoming insanely popular. Brands like Pacsun and Abercrombie debuted their own Formula 1 clothing lines and Netflix launched
    Full Swing, the golf version of the show. So pray tell – what, exactly, is wrong with fangirling?

    If you put 80,000 screaming men in a stadium, some of whom have flown across the country and spent half their paycheck to see their favorite player, you’d call that Football Sunday. But if you put 80,000 screaming women clawing after a boy band, it’s worrisome.

    Harry Styles said it best himself:

    “Who’s to say that young girls who like pop music – short for popular, right? – have worse musical taste than a 30-year-old hipster guy? … You’re gonna tell me they’re not serious? How can you say young girls don’t get it? They’re our future. Our future doctors, lawyers, mothers, presidents, they kind of keep the world going. Teenage-girl fans – they don’t lie. If they like you, they’re
    there. They don’t act ‘too cool.’ They like you, and they tell you. Which is sick.”

    The fervent support of women to any format – music, sports, etc. – brings viewership, money, and popularity to anything they get behind. Why anyone would want to hide Formula 1 from this success is beyond me. At the end of the day, Formula 1 – and everything else – may very well be for the girls.

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    Jai Phillips

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  • Verstappen takes 2nd straight drivers’ title with Japan win

    Verstappen takes 2nd straight drivers’ title with Japan win

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    SUZUKA, Japan — Red Bull driver Max Verstappen clinched his second consecutive Formula One drivers’ title by winning the Japanese Grand Prix in the rain at Suzuka on Sunday.

    Verstappen has been dominant all season and claimed the title with four races remaining.

    The Dutchman started from pole in pouring rain only for the race to be stopped after two laps as several cars crashed. It was resumed two hours later with 28 of the 53 laps completed and Verstappen leading the whole way.

    He was followed by teammate Sergio Perez in second and Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc. They were the only drivers who could have overtaken Verstappen for the title.

    Verstappen now has an unsurmountable lead with 366 points. Perez has 253 and Leclerc 252.

    Verstappen did not know initially that he had won the season title after the shortened race, thinking that the full 25 points for a win would not be awarded. But a short time later, the FIA — F1’s governing body — awarded full points.

    And he apologized to the crowd on the track public address system just after the race.

    “The championship obviously did not come the way this time around,” he said.

    Seconds later, television coverage declared him champion.

    At the start, Verstappen took the lead with a risky pass after a slow start but several cars further back lost control including Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, who spun and was knocked out.

    Organizers stopped the race after two laps. AlphaTaura’s Pierre Gasly complained on his radio that he passed a recovery vehicle that was allowed on to the track shortly after the safety car emerged. This incident apparently came just as the race was red flagged.

    This is a sensitive issue in Japan. In 2014, French driver Jules Bianchi collided on the course with a recovery vehicle. He was placed in an induced coma and died nine months later.

    After a two-hour delay, the races restarted and Verstappen never looked back, leading the rest of the way.

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    More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • Verstappen takes the pole in Japan with season title in view

    Verstappen takes the pole in Japan with season title in view

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    SUZUKA, Japan — Max Verstappen of Red Bull will be on pole position for Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix as he attempts to clinch his second straight Formula One drivers’ title.

    It was Verstappen’s fifth pole of the season. However, that has not been crucial for Verstappen, who has won 11 times this season — often starting from a non-pole position.

    Verstappen finished first in qualifying on Saturday with a quickest lap time of 1 minute, 29.304 seconds at Suzuka. He was followed by Charles Leclerc of Ferrari, Carlos Sainz of Ferrari, and Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez.

    Verstappen is guaranteed of taking the season title if he wins the race on Sunday and also gets a bonus point for turning the fastest lap. He could also win the championship for a second straight year without a victory depending on the other results.

    “I’m not thinking about it too much,” Verstappen said as he talked about Sunday. “I’m just taking it day by day. I think what was more important is that we have a competitive car — and clearly we had that today in qualifying. And of course it’s going to be the same tomorrow in the race.”

    “It’s a good start,” he added.

    Even if he fails, Verstappen is likely to take the title in two weeks at the United States GP in Austin, Texas. He has a massive 104-point lead over Leclerc with five races to go, including Sunday’s race.

    He’s also 106 points ahead of teammate Perez, the only other driver who has a mathematical chance to overtake him for the season title.

    Verstappen has had a dominating season. He’s already won 11 times, and if he gets two more he will match a season record for victories held by Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel. They both won 13 in one season.

    Saturday qualifying was run on a dry circuit. However, rain is predicted for Sunday in central Japan. Those were also the conditions in Friday practice.

    Race stewards later looked at an incident in the third practice session involving Verstappen and Lando Norris of McLaren. Norris was forced to swerve to avoid hitting Verstappen. Stewards gave Verstappen a reprimand but he kept pole.

    Sunday’s race result could be quickly overshadowed on Monday when the FIA — the governing body of Formula One — is expected to rule if any team violated spending-cap rules last season.

    Unsourced reports say Red Bull is one of the teams under investigation.

    The FIA could put financial sanctions on a team or, in theory, could also strip Verstappen of the title he won last season in the final race of the season. That seems unlikely and could be a public relations disaster.

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    More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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