F1
Piastri is becoming Norris's support act – Mexican GP takeaways
Norris stamped his authority on the title fight in Mexico, as Verstappen battled back, Piastri faltered and Bearman announced himself with a standout drive
Brendon Hartley gets Ferrari F1 simulator role
F1
- Last updated: September 19th 2019
Ex-Toro Rosso F1 driver Brendon Hartley one of four at Ferrari’s simulator for 2019 Formula 1 season
Brendon Hartley will join Pascal Wehrlein, Antonio Fuoco and Ferrari test driver Davide Rigon in the Ferrari simulator for the 2019 Formula 1 season.
Two-time WEC champion Hartley drove for Toro Rosso until the end of 2018, starting with the 2017 United States Grand Prix.
Recently appointed Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto said in a statement: “Our team has taken on four undoubtedly talented drivers, who possess innate feeling, with a strong understanding of race cars and tracks.
“These are exactly the qualities required in the skilful role of driving in a simulator, one of the vital pieces of equipment in the Formula 1 of today.”
Wehrlein, 24, races in Formula E for Mahindra while 22-year-old Fuoco was a Ferrari junior driver and raced in the 2018 Formula 2 season for Charouz. Fuoco serves as Dragon’s reserve and test driver for the 2018/19 Formula E season. Rigon has been a Ferrari test driver since 2014 and has raced for Ferrari in the WEC.
New Zealander Hartley compared his 2018 season to the career of Chris Amon in a recent article on The Players’ Tribune:
“After the midway mark of the [2018] season I couldn’t help but think of my fellow Kiwi Chris Amon, who had been dubbed the ‘Most Unlucky Driver in F1 history.’
“What is it about Kiwis in F1?” wrote Hartley.
More: How good was Hartley?
“From hitting birds, being taken out on the first laps, engine penalties, suspension failures and other issues that weren’t always mentioned in public, it felt like I was going down the same path.”
Hartley also detailed the moments after his final race with Toro Rosso.
“So, going into Abu Dhabi, I knew that no matter what happened after the race I would leave the circuit with my head held high,” he wrote.
“But, like the fans, I had no idea what was going to happen. That’s the thing about the politics in F1, it can be a little bit … awkward.
“Everyone sort of walks on eggshells, and there isn’t always clarity. So I just did all I could: my job. I out-qualified my team-mate and drove to 12th on Sunday night.
“An hour later, I was summoned to a meeting.
“And a few minutes after that, I was no longer an F1 driver.”
You may also like
F1
Cost cap breach rumours sweep the F1 paddock: What you missed at Mexico City GP
An action-packed race and a change in the championship lead made for a potentially pivotal Sunday in Mexico City, but there were plenty of big topics rumbling along off-track too as the teams ticked off the latest double-header and entered the business end of the season
Mark Hughes
Mark Hughes: How Norris found serenity – with Mexico chaos behind
Lando Norris delivered a flawless Mexico City Grand Prix to take a one-point lead in the title chase, as Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri struggled to find the balance that defined the winner's dominance, as Mark Hughes explains
F1
MPH: Verstappen's dilemma - he can't afford to race like Verstappen
When he was 104 points behind in the F1 title race Max Verstappen had nothing to lose. But now he's back in contention, the opposite is true, writes Mark Hughes. Can he win the championship without risking a crash that would end his hopes?
×