F1Weekly Podcast # 1146
Play Podcast: 05-04-26f1weekly1146.mp3
ON TODAYS PROGRAM…
THE TEENAGER WINS ANOTHER GRAND PRIX!
MAX DOES A 360 AFTER LOOSING THE REAR IN TURN ONE!
THE FORMULA IS GETTING MORE EXCITING FOR SURE!
GEORGE NOW 20 POINTS BEHIND…AND
A WATCHED POT NEVER BOILS!!!…CONCER NING THE RAIN
ALEX ZANARDI GONE AT 59…WE WILL MISS YOU AND YOUR WILL TO FIGHT!
THIS WEEK’S NASIR HAMEED CORNER WE HAVE: GIACOMO AGOSTINI AND ALEXANDER ROSSI FROM MONZA BY THE HOST OF F1W IN 2010
ALEX ZANARDI
October 23, 1966 – May 1, 2026
At WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, legends aren’t just made; they are carved into the corners themselves.
Thirty years ago, at the infamous Corkscrew, Alex Zanardi delivered one of the boldest moves motorsport has ever seen. Chasing Bryan Herta in the closing laps, Zanardi saw an opportunity where none should exist.
As they crested the hill, nearly blind to what lay beyond, Zanardi committed…diving down the inside into the Corkscrew, a line few would even consider, let alone attempt. It was instinct, precision, and fearless intent, all in a single breathtaking moment.
Side by side through the drop, gravity pulling them into chaos, Zanardi merged ahead, completing a pass that defied logic and redefined what was possible on the track.
Decades later, that move still echoes through Laguna Seca, a reminder that greatness isn’t just about speed, but about daring to do what no one else will.
Alex Zanardi’s impact reaches far beyond the racetrack. He inspired generations of drivers, fans, and communities around the world, and his legacy will continue to do so for years to come. Grazie Alex.
Charles Leclerc’s day at the Miami International Autodrome has taken a turn for the worse after the stewards gave him a post-race time penalty.
Leclerc was called up by the officiating panel for three separate potential offences, triggered when the Ferrari man suffered a last-lap spin and tapped the wall.
After that, Leclerc was noted for driving his damaged car in an unsafe condition, leaving the track multiple times and gaining an advantage, and clashing with Mercedes rival George Russell at the final hairpin.
Following their investigations, the stewards opted to hand Leclerc a drive-through penalty, which – given that this was handed out after the Grand Prix – has been converted into 20 seconds being added onto his race time, dropping him down the order to eighth place.
This penalty was given for leaving the track “on several occasions without a justifiable reason”, a document released following the stewards’ hearing confirmed.
After hearing from Leclerc and a team representative – as well as the data, video and radio evidence – the findings from the stewards read: “Car 16 spun on the last lap at Turn 3 and hit the wall but continued on track.
“The driver informed us that the car appeared fine save that the car would not negotiate the righthand corners properly.
“Given this problem, he was forced to cut chicanes on the way to the chequered flag. We determined that the fact that he had to cut the chicanes (i.e. to leave the track) meant that he gained a lasting advantage by leaving the track in that manner.
“The fact that he had a mechanical issue of some sort did not amount to a justifiable reason. We accordingly impose a Drive Through penalty on Car 16, given the number of times the car left the track and gained an advantage.
“We also considered whether there was an additional breach in continuing to drive a car with an obvious and discernible mechanical issue. We determined that there was no evidence of there being an obvious of discernible mechanical issue. We therefore took no further action in relation to that potential infringement.”
In a separate investigation for Leclerc’s contact with Russell into Turn 17, the stewards deemed that no further action was necessary, stating in a document from that hearing: “Both drivers considered the contact to be minor racing incidents and we agreed.
Verstappen fights back from first lap spin to take fifth in Miami
Oracle Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen fought back from a spin on the opening lap with a determined drive into fifth place at a chaotic Miami Grand Prix that saw Visa Cash App Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad finish in 14th as both Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson crashed out of the action early.
After qualifying in an impressive second place on Saturday behind eventual Grand Prix winner and Drivers’ Standings leader Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes, Verstappen made a strong start, but was squeezed on to the kerb just two turns into the 57-lap race and spun, dropping him to ninth.
From there, the four-time Formula 1 world champion staged an impressive fight back through the field. The Safety Car was deployed on Lap 5 when team-mate Isack Hadjar crashed out of the Grand Prix and Verstappen took the opportunity to pit for hard tyres, rejoining the race in 16th place.
Verstapppen scythed through the field on the first street circuit of the season, all the way back inside the top three. However, the huge stint driven on hard tyres began to take their toll in the closing laps and despite fighting with everything he had, the Dutch driver dropped to fifth place the chequered flag.
Later on the same lap that Hadjar crashed out in the second RB22, Visa Cash App RB’s Liam Lawson was also forced to retire after making contact with Pierre Gasly’s Alpine. His rookie team-mate Arvid Lindblad drover another solid Grand Prix however, gaining vital street circuit experience in an F1 car on his way to 14th place.
MAX VERSTAPPEN – 5th
“It was a very eventful race. Unfortunately, on lap one I lost the rear and spun in the second corner, which was a shame. I recovered it well, but then we had to manage and minimise the time loss. After that we opted to do an early stop. It’s easy to say after the race, but the hard tyre wasn’t really working for us, as we didn’t have particularly good grip and struggled a bit at the end. I tried my best to hang in there, but it wasn’t meant to be. However, for sure we picked up a bit of performance, which is really promising. Overall, it was a positive weekend for us and good to be back in the mix. The car is a work in progress and we keep on pushing and keep trying to improve, so we are heading in the right direction.”
ISACK HADJAR – DNF
“It’s a tough one to take. We had a good start from the pitlane and I felt awesome the first few laps. We had very good pace early on and then the mistake came. I didn’t see it coming and everything went so fast. I was just too eager and ended up finding the limit of the track. I need to look back at what happened to understand where I went wrong. The team made a big step forward and the pace was much stronger today than we’ve had in the opening rounds, so I’m frustrated that I couldn’t score what I felt were easy points. I’m already itching to get back into the car in Canada and maximise what we now have.”
LAURENT MEIKES – CEO & Team Principal
“Our car is very different today to what it was five weeks ago in Japan, when we were 1.2 seconds off pole. It’s clear we still have a lot of work to do, but looking at our race pace today and our quali pace yesterday, I think we are on the right track. We brought upgrades, like almost everyone else, but on top of that we have been able to resolve some of the issues we had up until now and we found some lap time there too.
“I have no problem repeating myself when I say we have a fantastic team of people back in Milton Keynes and here at the race track. In my opinion its the best talent in the paddock and they must take the credit for this uptick in performance. It’s been a strong united effort at 360 degrees, chassis side and PU side.
“We also take home some very important learnings from this weekend on what to improve next and we are well aware that much more is needed in order to compete again for the top spot. Max reminded us of how incredible he is when he can push with the car, sticking the RB22 on the front row yesterday and fighting for each millimetre of track today, coming through the entire field and surviving a 50ish lap long stint on the hard. Isack did not have a clean weekend and we did not help him with the back of the grid start due to our mistake yesterday. His initial pace in the race was strong and I have every confidence we will regroup back in MK and come back stronger for a smoother weekend in Montreal.”
75th Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance to Reunite
Four Star Cars from 1933 Chicago World’s Fair.
Duesenberg’s entry, the Arlington Torpedo Sedan, featured one-off coachwork designed by Gordon Buehrig and produced by Rollston. The close-coupled sedan body was fitted to the long-wheelbase Model J chassis with power provided by the marque’s supercharged straight-eight engine, the most powerful production engine at that time. Its rumored $20,000 price tag earned it the nickname, “Twenty Grand.”
Packard presented an elegant Sport Sedan by Dietrich, enhanced with styling elements that predicted future designs. The refined second-generation V-12 engine was a study in silent, powerful propulsion, the ideal mechanical complement to a visually stunning design. It too carried a nickname, “The Car of the Dome,” a reference to the exposition’s Travel and Transportation Building where it took center stage.
Cadillac’s entry was far more contemporary, featuring a streamlined body developed by Harley Earl’s GM Art and Colour Section. Appropriately named the Aerodynamic Coupe, its advanced exterior was complemented by Cadillac’s 16-cylinder engine, offering boundless power and torque.
Most startling among the four was Pierce-Arrow’s Silver Arrow, a radical departure from the conservative firm’s traditional designs. Its V-12 engine introduced a year earlier was the obvious choice for its drivetrain, the perfect complement to the streamlined, avant garde body designed by Phil Wright.
