SUNDAY, 27 JUNE, 2021
AN ALMOST INDEPENDENT F1 NEWSPAPER
LEARNING CURVES Sergio Pérez on a decade of F1 life lessons
02 Starting lines F1 Red Bull Ring
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Dear Formula 1 fans, Last year it was a brand new idea; this year we’re more laid back about it. In addition to the Austrian Grand Prix, the Red Bull Ring will once again host a Styrian Grand Prix in 2021. We’ve proved the concept works: two races, two weekends, one rollercoaster ride of a track, and not for a single second was anyone bored. And The Red Bulletin is back too, once more forming part of the pattern of the two weekends and bringing a different perspective on Formula 1 from beyond the ordinary racing line, with wit, razor-sharp views and an international team. This year also marks the 10th anniversary of the Red Bull Ring. And what amazing races we’ve witnessed here since grand prix racing returned in 2014. We’ve had title contenders colliding in pursuit of victory, we’ve had Max Verstappen’s brace of wins – in 2018 and 2019 – much to the delight of the tens of thousands of Dutch fans who turned the stands orange, and we’ve had races decided on the very last turn of the last lap. That’s already something of a tradition here for some forms of motorsport. MotoGP will also enjoy both a Styrian and an Austrian Grand Prix so mark August 8 and 15 in your diaries. One thing we do know for sure… The 2021 races will be just as fast and furious as the other races have been.
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WERNER JESSNER
Enjoy! The Red Bulletin Team
27 June, 2021 The Red Bulletin
The Red Bulletin 27 June, 2021
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F1 Red Bull Ring Starting lines 03
IT’S GETTING HOT AGAIN AT THE RED BULL RING!
Sergio Pérez with his Red Bull Racing RB16B Honda in the pit lane during practice prior to the Styrian Grand Prix
04 Bullhorn F1 Red Bull Ring
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27 June, 2021 The Red Bulletin
DUEL FOR THE AGES: DAVID COULTHARD The epic championship battle between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton is exactly what F1 needs…
F
or anyone who’s been following Formula 1 for a long time, even if your allegiance is directly to one team, this season is developing into the sort of epic battle the sport thrives on, an utterly fascinating duel between Max and Lewis and between Red Bull and Mercedes. And we all love that kind of competition. I remember very clearly, the former CEO of Daimler, Dieter Zetsche, acknowledging that it wasn’t good for Mercedes to dominate. He wanted to win, but he wanted to win the championship rather than every single race. Having Mercedes, Red Bull and occasionally Ferrari winning and scoring pole positions races has people buzzing and that’s exactly what we need. And it is extremely close. The 2021 Mercedes is clearly an exceptional car, continuing the lineage of winning machines that has taken them to seven Constructors’ titles, but to me the Red Bull seems more nimble. The Mercedes is a longer, lower rake car and a bit more benign in medium- to high-speed corners, and that is its strength, but it’s lacking in slower corners. However, I think they have also still got pretty good energy recovery and deployment from the power unit. And although Honda have clearly done a big step forward, there are still little inconsistencies in how the engine performs, which I think catches out their teams occasionally. But it’s a long season. There’s a mixture of tracks and it will, as we know, be the development battle that wins this championship. It is really interesting to see the fight being taken to Mercedes who have been dominant for seven years. But it’s only natural that their supremacy is being challenged. Nobody truly knows why it all comes together for a period of time anymore than they know why it doesn’t work after a period of time. It may be because good people are headhunted. It may be complacency. A wide number of factors play into it, but history shows that never is there a consistently dominant team in sport. The period of performance that Mercedes have had is quite remarkable but a lot of that has been backboned by the strength of a power unit early on that perhaps masked deficiencies elsewhere. That power allowed them to focus on the chassis and they’ve done a great job there as well and the two things aligned to create a pretty unbeatable package – until now. Red Bull on the other hand have struggled with engine relationships. That’s not to say the chassis has been perfect by any
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DAVID COULTHARD
stretch, but they’ve had other pressures. Honda have done an exceptional job in recent years and now the two elements – chassis and engine – are at the same level and capable of taking the fight to Mercedes. After that it comes down to the battle between Lewis and Max. Is Max ready to battle a seven-time world champion? Of course he is. Max doesn’t care if it’s Lewis he’s taking on; he’s not fazed by anyone or anything. He’s an incredibly high performing driver and has maturity way beyond his years behind the wheel. I think he’s more than ready. However, in Lewis Hamilton, he is up against an older version of himself. Lewis is still at the top of his game and is putting in some incredible performances. But are there little cracks beginning to show? There’s no question that there is a little bit of needle beginning to show between Max and Lewis, and between Christian and Toto. It’s beyond the team and there’s personal pride at stake. That’s great for fans and for the media who will continue to stoke that fire. Somebody will break or react at a certain point and that will ratchet up the tension even more and heighten the drama for fans. These two weekends in Austria are the latest instalment in what is a fascinating battle and on home soil I think that Red Bull and Max have to be confident. If Mercedes manage to beat them fair and square, then that might be a slightly sobering situation going forward given the nature of the track. But in my mind Red Bull Racing should be in a really good place here in Styria.
PABLO LOBATO (COVER), YANN LEGENDRE
‘Max doesn’t care if it’s Lewis he’s taking on; he’s not fazed by anyone or anything’
06 Track guide F1 Red Bull Ring
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27 June, 2021 The Red Bulletin
1. THE BRAMBILLA STRAIGHT
Did he win and fake a crash? No, he won and totalled the car. On the straight. Hurtling into the crash barrier at full tilt as he celebrated. No hands! The move immortalised Vittorio.
2. THE VIÑALES TURN
There’s also life on two wheels. Though, when in doubt, you might have to jump off your MotoGP Yamaha at 200kph because the brakes have stopped working. Styria can rarely have seen more coolness than in the case of Maverick Viñales in 2020.
PROJEKT SPIELBERG, MOTORSPORTARCHIV, PICTUREDESK.COM, GETTY IMAGES, ADOBE STOCK, GÜNTER MAIER
WERNER JESSNER
ALTERNATIVE TURNS 3
4
3. VERSTAPPEN CORNER
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After chasing down Charles Leclerc late in the 2019 race, Max Verstappen made no bones about seizing the lead from the Ferrari driver. He dived down the inside into Turn 3 and muscled past the stunned Leclerc to send the orange army wild and secure a home victory for Red Bull.
2 4. THE ALONSO-RÄIKKÖNEN STRAIGHT
When one champion ends up with another’s car on top of him in Turn 3, you know that’s racing. Kimi’s collision with Fernando in 2015 was one of the Austrian Grand Prix’s most spectacular.
1
The Red Bulletin 27 June, 2021
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F1 Red Bull Ring Track guide 07
The Schönberg straight? The Jochen Rindt turn? Or just a straightforward T1 to T10, as they call the corners in race-speak? We give areas of the Red Bull Ring the names they probably should have... 5. THE MÖNCHSBERG
As far back as 300 years ago, clergymen were mining precious metals on the mountain behind the circuit with some success. Some of the tunnels exist to this day, as the locals know. Sadly the city of Salzburg had already secured the rights to the name Mönchsberg, Monks’ Mountain.
5
6. THE BERGER TURN
This was the actual name of this corner when it ended the ambitious motorcycling career of its talented namesake. After multiple spills on his KTM RC8, Gerhard perhaps wisely hung up his severely tattered racing leathers.
7. THE JOHANSSON CREST
In the old Österreichring days there was a fullyfledged hill here. In 1987, Stefan Johansson encountered a suicidal deer during practice. The McLaren bought it too. Johansson was lucky to escape with just shock.
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8. TEAM ORDERS TURN
8 9
“Let Michael pass for the championship!” The final corner will forever be associated with Ferrari asking Rubens Barrichello, dominant on race day in 2002, to let Michael Schumacher by on the exit of the final turn. F1 fans on the main straight booed the German when he invited Barrichello to stand on top step and the incident led to the FIA fining Ferrari $1m for the “deplorable manner in which team orders were given and executed”.
9. THE DE ANGELIS HOME STRETCH
In 1982, when it felt like time was still measured in tree rings, sundials and hourglasses, Elio de Angelis in the Lotus crossed the finish line five one hundredths of a second ahead of Keke Rosberg in the Williams. It is still the closest ever finish to an Austrian Grand Prix.
08 Life lessons F1 Red Bull Ring
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27 June, 2021 The Red Bulletin
The Red Bulletin 27 June, 2021
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E N R A E L E ’V I T A H W
F1 Red Bull Ring Life lessons 09
D
SERGIO PÉREZ Routinely regarded as one of F1’s quickest drivers, SERGIO PÉREZ has at last claimed a drive at a front-running team with Red Bull Racing, thanks in large part to his wealth of experience. So, what has the Baku race winner learned about F1 in his 10-year climb to the sharp end of the grid? Here’s his guide to the ups and downs of life in F1… Words JUSTIN HYNES
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PABLO LOBATO
F
ormula 1 can be a cruel sport. When Sergio Pérez went from last to first at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix to become the first Mexican driver to win in F1 for 50 years, he did so knowing that it might be his penultimate race. Having been edged out his seat at Racing Point by Sebastian Vettel, Pérez had spent the three months prior to Sakhir in an increasingly empty search for a 2021 drive. And as available seats dwindled it increasingly looked like Checo’s decade-long journey from Sauber rookie to unsuccessful McLaren driver to Force India and Racing Point stalwart was coming to an unfortunate end. Six months on and the picture is very different. Just two weeks after saying his first win had left him “peaceful with myself” in the face of an F1 exit, the Mexican was
handed an incredible lifeline in the shape of a drive at Red Bull Racing. The journey from midfield struggler to potential Formula 1 refugee to front-runner has been educational, as Checo explains…
Sergio Pérez took his first victory as a Red Bull Racing driver at this season’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
10 Life lessons F1 Red Bull Ring
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27 June, 2021 The Red Bulletin
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WINNING IS MAS
HE UNDERSTANDS ALL GOOD THINGS MU THAT ST COME TO AN END
Checo’s flir tat ion with the F1 wi lderness during 2020 gave the Mexican the opportu nit y to put his 10 -year car eer into perspect ive an d he insists he was rea dy to wave goodbye to F1. “That period made me understand that one day this is all going to be ove r and that it’s okay, tha t it’s part of life. It also ma de me understand how fortunate I’ve been to hav e the career I’ve had ove r the past years, and to jus t enjoy what’s left, because there are certai n things that are in you r hands and others not. “In the end I got ver y com fortable with the position. Last year peo ple were asking me: ‘Ar e you ver y stressed? Are you ver y worried?’ To be honest, I wasn’t worrie d at all because whatever happened was good. If it had happened in the early years in my career , it would be ver y differ ent but if it had happened last year, then it would have been fine. It’s just part of life.”
E HOW FICKL Y B D E K C O SH BE HE WASN ’T RIVER MARKET CAN d for D 1 ra F TH E ez had ce
R acing, Pér ns and had g Red Bull in in jo to seven seaso r mer ryr r fo t Prio in o P drive / R acing redictable he Force India in F1’s unp d r he insists re a u g ye fi st n la en p not bee ap h s. at ion W hen it did ck le machin go -round. sed by its fi et ter option ri b rp a s su e’ ’t er wasn ork s. If th w 1 la w ill go for u rm n Fo r, ever yo e ve ri d a “It’s just how r fo is not fair in r a team or u k now, life out there fo Yo . gh ou an ot hers. en ir e luck ier th ar o it. So, it ’s fa h w e pl le w it h what ere are peo be comfortab position ld general. T h ou sh u that that yo it. Being in ch But I believe ’s the key to at reer, af ter su h T ca g e. bi av a h ch you su a t er ft ou A h d up w it t me that. one day I en it? really taugh if t t, ou or ab sp ed is in th e concern b I ld good years ou sh .” et hing, why and that ’s it drive or som Life goes on
SIVE
kh ir Grand Pr ix fore last year ’s Sa be ts ar st th ing 9 18 Pérez’s nt less toil but no much about rele m t level. hi es ht gh ug hi ta d t’s ha in at motorspor w to ns ea m it . about what anged ever yt hing His 190t h race ch u know you’ve yo e us ca be e siv st race is mas pret ty much your “Winning your fir t. You’ve worked ea gr ng It’s hi et m so e finally done it. achieved at point and you’v th at to th t in ge to en e be lif e whole Now you’v ost of confidence. do it n ca u yo ow also a massive bo kn st done it and you ju nce. sit uation, you’ve akes a big differe m it , lly ta en M n. you. In of n tio again and agai ep people’s perc ge an ch n’t it es do it “However, last race. You see ly as good as your on ’re e ey ar th u d yo 1 an a d ul en Form bad week drivers: they do a n you he W st. be e th even with the big ey ’re e next weekend th th.” bad drivers but th u learn to live wi yo ng hi et m so ’s come to F1 that
The Red Bulletin 27 June, 2021
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F1 Red Bull Ring Life lessons 11
1 BEYOND F E IF L IS TH ER E YET… ere B U T N OT ort and th
e sp outside th of other great life have a lot I . o d “T here’s a to t n a plore x w e I s to g thin ld like are great ht. But day I wou e ig n tl o o t a sp e th y from th passions a w a at the , rt m o I’ the sp I believe se u ca e away from b ery continue ung and v I wanted to career. I’m still yo that’s d n y ccess a peak of m ngry for su asily have u h ry e v e . I’m ere. I could options out motivated ason I’m h re e w re e h T the only re ere. in the eal elsewh only stay signed a d rmined to te osition e p d y s a k c w I in the lu m I’ there, but . F1. in w able to to stay in sport if I’m don’t need I to get y d e sa in to ble as determ w I of being a t u B a s. ing te m. ther thing for a w inn ce I can do o ra tastic to y it rtun r me a fan that oppo could offe ll u B d .” e it R at at was I k new th it y and th opportun
PRESSURE COMES FROM INSIDE
The step up to Red Bu ll Racing has given Pérez the chan ce to race for vic tor ies but that oppo rtunit y also comes with risk, in tha t for perhaps for the first time since his first, ult imately unsuccessfu l move to a major team, with Mc Laren in 2013, Checo is being measu red against the ver y best in the sport. But he says he has learned to live wi th pressure. “You just have to delive r. Don’t think about it. The pressure is from myself. I’m hungry for victories and if I’m not winning, I’m not happy with myself. So, I don’t worry too mu ch about pressure. I just want to be fully transparent with mysel f. I don’t need anyone to tell me : ‘You’ve done a great job,’ or, ‘You’ve done a bad job.’ I think I’m experienced enough to know if I’ve done the job or not.”
MORE WINS TO C
OME...
out there ns are definitely “I think more wi at home then I should be and if they ’re not staying in t in e is no po to be honest. Ther ing.” nn wi of ble pa ca if I don’t think I’m
12 Agony Aunt F1 Red Bull Ring
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27 June, 2021 The Red Bulletin
HOW DO YOU SOLVE
A PROBLEM LIKE…? High pressure, intense scrutiny, relentless mind games and vicious competition – the rigours of Formula 1 can lead to all sorts of worries. Have no fear, though, The Bulletin’s agony aunt Anna Lizst, is here to help, and judging by the sackful of letters she’s received there are plenty of paddock people in need of advice…
If that doesn’t help, eat more roughage, and wear looser underwear.
Are they green with envy?
To
The Red Bulletin
From 4timegoldengod@backwithabang.com
Dear Anna, After many years of faithful service I was unceremoniously thrown on the scrapheap by my last employer at the tender age of 33 to make way for a younger, less demanding model. I picked myself up, found an exciting new job and embarked on a new stage of my career. Everyone was supportive in my new job and made me feel special for the first time in a while. They even joked that it was perfectly alright to take my time settling in, because it made the other guy look good! That really put me at ease, I found my confidence and now I’m back to my happy-golucky, dynamic old self – I’ve even noticed that my stress-related alopecia has magically reversed! What’s the problem, you may ask. Well, now my line manager is constantly frowning at me, and the big boss won’t even speak to me. I’m so confused! Have I done something wrong? 4timegoldengod Oh dear, what a pickle. There’s nothing for it but to work hard, do your best and beat your rivals like a ginger stepchild. And if you feel any antipathy, just swan around the office like you don’t even understand what the word subtext means, but also make sure your contract is watertight or you’ll be out faster than you can say “Whyisthereanumber27onmycar?”
MATT YOUSON
Ah, Mr Arrow, if I had a Euro for every time a middle-aged man had written to me with this issue, I’d have… well, €6.50 (one desperately confused reader had a problem with aubergines). Don’t worry about it. If you fixate on these things it only makes them worse. Try to calm down, stop that vein in your temple throbbing and focus on being a better you.
Inbox: Anna Lizst Re
SHUTTERSTOCK CREATIVE, GETTY IMAGES, PICTURESEK.COM, ADOBE STOCK
Dear Anna, I’ve never had any problems with this in the past, but just lately I’ve been noticing that things aren’t quite as… rigid as I would like them to be. It’s affecting my performance and, frankly, my confidence is taking a hit too. I’m more irritable than usual and prone to rant if people innocently mention things being a bit… bendy. I’ve started obsessing about it and I’ve asked my friends to take some photos of the condition. Is this normal? Also, is it unreasonable to demand measurements too? Broken Arrow, Brackley
The Red Bulletin 27 June, 2021
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F1 Red Bull Ring Agony Aunt 13
Inbox: Anna Lizst Re
Looking for a way out…
To
The Red Bulletin
From Allfours@goat.com
Dear Anna,
Dear Anna, After many years of living in an actual madhouse, I finally managed to escape to a nice, simple life running a prestigious luxury car maker of international renown. But, like Al Pacino in Godfather III (yes, I know nobody watched it, but bear with me) just when I thought I was out, they pulled me back in. I now seem to be not simplz an inmate but am actually in charge of the asylum! I spend all my days trying to mediate between powercrazed officials, egotistical drivers, moaning promoters and mendacious team principals, all the while trying to keep the whole show from imploding. I’m not convinced my calmness and good-guy persona is enough. Should I be cracking a few skulls? Steve Sunday Ah Steve, violence is never the answer* – though the threat of violence can work wonders. Perhaps invite them all for a cup of tea to discuss their differences? Maybe find some common ground, discover that they’re really on the same page after all. And when that doesn’t work… well, have you seen the baseball scene in The Untouchables (it’s much better than Godfather II)? * unless the question is: which instrument did Stradivarius make a lot of?
I’ve been desperately trying to retire from a job that’s too easy for me for several years now, but every time I make up my mind to go, they just offer me more money. I’m really keen to start my new career as one of those fashion designer/beat poet/ vegan restaurateur/wellness guru types (a bit like Gwyneth Paltrow – but without the hoohoo-scented candles) but every time I go into the meeting determined to say ‘enough’, I somehow end up coming out having signed a one-year extension for an extra $20million dollars and my own line of trainers. Seems I’m just a boy who can’t say ‘no’ – or rather, I can say ‘no’ but only if the people delivering the crates of gold ingots are asking if they can unload them next to the Botticelli. I’ve even started making absurd demands for next year, such as my own bodyweight in Pez sweets and an armadillo that can cook a soufflé, just so they’ll have to fire me, but they just said ‘no problem’ and handed me a pen (and an armadillo in a cute hat). It’s so frustrating that I recently resorted to throwing a tantrum and mashed all the buttons on my steering wheel while my eyes were closed. They said I was probably distracted by the contract negotiations and gave me a diamond-encrusted Pez dispenser. Please help. All I really want to do is sing. Though I would like to keep the armadillo. Allfours Oh deal Mr Fours, what a mess. Usually I’d suggest you follow your heart, but in your case I suspect it may be difficult to lcate your heart behind that giant, bulging wallet. This is just acting out – you don’t really want to go or you’d have gone. So, grab that Pez, buy your armadillo a nice set of Villeroy & Boch ramekins, and stick to what you’re good at.
Dear Anna, My last relationship was a love-hate threesome with an aggressive Scandinavian and a highmaintenance French-Swiss. It didn’t end well and now I’m seeing people I know are much too young for me – but one of them came with a free engine and the other has a knockout figure – eight figures actually. They’re so needy; always looking for advice, or somebody to listen to their problems. I try to be understanding but I’m not their mother and most of the time I think they’re a useless pair of *&^%$ who should either get a *&^%ing grip or £$%! off back to £*$&shire where they &%!*^ belong. Emotionally, I don’t think I’m getting what I need from this relationship. What should I do? Netflix Fan, Kannapolis
Hmm… rebounds are always tough. You’ll get through it just fine so long as you can be calm, rational and not prone to screaming fits. You can do that, can’t you? Are you still there? Hello… hello?
14 Photo story F1 Red Bull Ring
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27 June, 2021 The Red Bulletin
FORMULA 1 STARS
IN LEDERHOSEN You could, of course, come to the Red Bull Ring the normal way. Unless, that is, your name is Verstappen, Pérez, Gasly or Tsunoda.
It all begins har mlessly enough with a Cessna 2 08 Caravan landing on Lake Grundlse e... all at sea: the lat e r in the day it is, the smalle r the boats ge t.
OUCH!
What do you mean, the Lede rhosen are too tight? The y’re a pe rf ect f it!
...and then disap pearing again. But a 1931 wooden boat promp tly comes to the rescue.
Could almost be one of us!
Rowing gives you an ap pe tit e: Yuki the f oodie decides to se rve himself.
Is that meant to be an outboard motor? Looks like my mum’s blender! Gosh, I’m thirsty today! What do you mean, you still haven’t found the satnav?!?
Oh, two Pinzgauer HighMobility All-Terrain Vehicles. Pierre, Yuki switch on the satnav!
The end is in sight! The AlphaTauri powe r s down the inside at the Red Bull Ring but Max crosses the f inish line f ir st, as e ve r . how does he do it?
“I flew,” I’ll say in the press conference. No-one need know how well I know the area.
WERNER JESSNER
On the othe r hand, whe re the re’s a Pinzgaue r , the re’s a way.
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se rgio Pé re z ge ts the legendar y of f-roade r dramatically wrong.
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