Isaac Hadjar: It will be difficult to make up ground in the sprint.

Isaac Hadjar: It will be difficult to make up ground in the sprint.

      Racing Bulls drivers did not make the final in qualifying for the sprint in Qatar…

      Isaac Hadjar (11th): “I’m disappointed. I did a good lap, but I went off track at turn eight.

      It will be difficult to recover in tomorrow’s sprint, but we will do everything we can, and we’ll take the positive moments from today into the main qualifying.”

      Liam Lawson (17th): “Today we struggled with the balance all day. After practice we had to take quite a big step and sacrifice a lap. The results are close, I would have liked to do another lap, but that didn’t happen.

      This is a useful experience ahead of tomorrow’s sprint race and qualifying; we’ll try to achieve the best possible results.”

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Marko questions Newey's ability to succeed as the Aston boss. Marko questions Newey's ability to succeed as the Aston boss. Formula 1 | Dr. Helmut Marko has reacted skeptically to the surprising choice of Adrian Newey as Aston Martin's next team principal - while Fernando Alonso (...) "That truly took me by surprise."

Dr. Helmut Marko has cast doubt on the unexpected decision to appoint Adrian Newey as Aston Martin's next team principal, while Fernando Alonso asserts that the renowned designer had already been acting as a de-facto leader behind the scenes. In an interview with Kleine Zeitung, Marko, a close former colleague of Newey at Red Bull, expressed his astonishment. "That truly took me by surprise," he remarked. "We'll have to see how that unfolds in practice." 

Marko cautioned that the new position entails greater involvement in race weekend operations and management—an area he believes is not Newey's strongest attribute. "That is certainly not his strength," he stated. "His major strengths lie in design, car setup, and the quality of production and development. It has greatly surprised me that he will now be transitioning more toward team management."

In contrast, Alonso staunchly supported the decision, claiming that Newey had already been functioning as a leader. Speaking to AS newspaper in Qatar, he said, "He was already at the forefront of the technical development of the car and the team, pinpointing the necessary personnel and areas needing improvement. Internally, he was conducting a lot of management, while Andy was managing engine integration with the chassis."

The Spaniard emphasized the importance of Newey's leadership given the team's rapid evolution. "This team is still quite young," he remarked. "We need guidance from leaders like Adrian. We have the two most successful figures in the history of the sport—Adrian Newey and Andy Cowell." 

According to Alonso, the new title merely formalizes what had already been occurring. "He was somewhat of a behind-the-scenes leader," he noted. "He would have been in charge of everything even without the official 'team principal' designation. With Cowell concentrating more on the engine, fuel, and Honda, everyone is effectively in their role." 

Alonso did express hope that Newey would still have adequate time to focus on his evident strength—design. "The role of team principal is different these days—media, sponsors, commitments," he said. "I hope Adrian won’t have to take on all those responsibilities and can focus on the crucial aspects."

Christian Horner had been considered for the position before Newey's appointment, with reports suggesting that Newey even took his former Red Bull boss on a tour of the Silverstone factory last week. Ultimately, Lawrence Stroll did not extend an offer to him. "I don’t think we need any additional people in leadership," Alonso concluded. "But that’s not my responsibility." "That truly took me by surprise." Dr. Helmut Marko has cast doubt on the unexpected decision to appoint Adrian Newey as Aston Martin's next team principal, while Fernando Alonso asserts that the renowned designer had already been acting as a de-facto leader behind the scenes. In an interview with Kleine Zeitung, Marko, a close former colleague of Newey at Red Bull, expressed his astonishment. "That truly took me by surprise," he remarked. "We'll have to see how that unfolds in practice." Marko cautioned that the new position entails greater involvement in race weekend operations and management—an area he believes is not Newey's strongest attribute. "That is certainly not his strength," he stated. "His major strengths lie in design, car setup, and the quality of production and development. It has greatly surprised me that he will now be transitioning more toward team management." In contrast, Alonso staunchly supported the decision, claiming that Newey had already been functioning as a leader. Speaking to AS newspaper in Qatar, he said, "He was already at the forefront of the technical development of the car and the team, pinpointing the necessary personnel and areas needing improvement. Internally, he was conducting a lot of management, while Andy was managing engine integration with the chassis." The Spaniard emphasized the importance of Newey's leadership given the team's rapid evolution. "This team is still quite young," he remarked. "We need guidance from leaders like Adrian. We have the two most successful figures in the history of the sport—Adrian Newey and Andy Cowell." According to Alonso, the new title merely formalizes what had already been occurring. "He was somewhat of a behind-the-scenes leader," he noted. "He would have been in charge of everything even without the official 'team principal' designation. With Cowell concentrating more on the engine, fuel, and Honda, everyone is effectively in their role." Alonso did express hope that Newey would still have adequate time to focus on his evident strength—design. "The role of team principal is different these days—media, sponsors, commitments," he said. "I hope Adrian won’t have to take on all those responsibilities and can focus on the crucial aspects." Christian Horner had been considered for the position before Newey's appointment, with reports suggesting that Newey even took his former Red Bull boss on a tour of the Silverstone factory last week. Ultimately, Lawrence Stroll did not extend an offer to him. "I don’t think we need any additional people in leadership," Alonso concluded. "But that’s not my responsibility." Formula 1 | Isack Hadjar states that he has no delusions about what lies ahead if, as anticipated, he is elevated to Red Bull to partner with Max Verstappen for (…) Nico Hülkenberg: The balance of power could still change Nico Hülkenberg: The balance of power could still change The Sauber drivers had a decent sprint qualifying and hope for further progress as the weekend unfolds… Belgian GP director criticized for trip to Qatar. Belgian GP director criticized for trip to Qatar. Formula 1 | A new controversy in Belgian politics has unexpectedly brought the future of the grand prix at Spa-Francorchamps back into the spotlight. (…) Pirelli noticed cuts on the tires. Pirelli noticed cuts on the tires. On Friday, the drivers were unhappy with the asphalt, but Pirelli believes the situation is nevertheless better than last year, although by the end of the day they noticed tire damage… By the end of the year, Cadillac will increase its workforce to 525 employees. By the end of the year, Cadillac will increase its workforce to 525 employees. On Friday in Qatar, Cadillac team principal Graham Loudon spoke about the difficulties of hiring staff…

Isaac Hadjar: It will be difficult to make up ground in the sprint.

Racing Bulls riders didn't make it to the final in the sprint qualifying in Qatar…