- Published
The drivers' title is sewn up, and the constructors' may well be on Sunday, but Formula 1 marches restlessly, relentlessly on.
uncertain
Formula → publish → Sunday
New world champion Kimi Antonelli says he sees the final races of the season as preparation to defend his title in 2027, and his vanquished Mercedes team-mate George Russell is working on understanding where things went wrong, with the aim of putting them right.
asserted
things → say → them
The team's main target this weekend is securing the three points more than Ferrari they need to lock away the constructors' championship, to underline their return to the form they showed for so long in the 2010s.
asserted
they → secure → 2010s
Mercedes' rivals, meanwhile, are continuing the work that has seen them turn what was a chasm in performance at the beginning of the year into a highly competitive battle between the top four teams at the end.
asserted
what → continue → end
Mercedes dominated the first third, winning seven of the first eight races.
asserted
Mercedes → dominate → races
Since then, Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull have all had their time in the sun, and out of the past 12 races, Mercedes have won six, Red Bull three, McLaren two and Ferrari one.
Only the beginnings of a competitive picture have emerged in Sao Paulo, with Antonelli and Lando Norris in an upgraded McLaren initially appearing in good shape in Friday practice, but beyond that there are a number of running narratives to maintain the interest.
asserted
Antonelli → have → interest
The Hamilton-Leclerc problem Ferrari boss has to solve
Chief among them is the tension between Ferrari drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc after they contrived to throw away a potential one-two finish in Mexico last Sunday by tangling on the first lap.
After that race, Hamilton said the team had "big problems" and needed "serious talks".
asserted
team → have → talks
Those happened on Thursday evening, after Leclerc and team principal Frederic Vasseur arrived back in Brazil having returned to Europe between races.
asserted
Leclerc → happen → races
Vasseur said on Friday: "It went well.
asserted
It → say → Friday
It was good to discuss.
asserted
It → discuss → ?
It was good to clarify our positions and now we turn the page.
asserted
we → clarify → page
They need to respect each other.
asserted
They → need → other
They are competitive with fighting spirit but they need to respect the other one and the brand and the people working back home and on track.
"
asserted
they → need → track
The message was clear and will stay clear.
asserted
message → stay → ?
Overall it is true that they are working for the team and the team has to come first.
asserted
team → work → team
It's clear we failed and we have to react but the meeting was a clear reminder that Ferrari comes first.
asserted
Ferrari → fail → ?
The magnitude of this situation is obvious, as is the difficulty in finding a solution, and the potential for further trouble down the line.
asserted
difficulty → find → line
The seven-time champion has drawn a contrast between the way Leclerc races him and the way he approaches other drivers, pointing to him ceding to Max Verstappen when they were racing side by side to the first corner in Singapore, compared with how he dealt with Hamilton in Mexico City.
"We could have easily had a one-two and so we definitely have to work towards making sure that doesn't happen again," Hamilton said, adding that he thought this was a theme between Leclerc and his team-mates that he had also seen with his predecessors Sebastian Vettel and Carlos Sainz.
uncertain
he → draw → predecessors
He also said: "Of course, there's some times you say things and maybe you might regret it afterwards, but I don't.
uncertain
I → say → it
"I've never apologised for being authentic and real.
asserted
I → apologise → ?
And I'm not going to be silenced.
asserted
I → go → ?
I have not been asked to not say anything.
asserted
I → ask → anything
I wear my heart on my sleeve and I say how I feel in the moment."
asserted
I → wear → moment
From Vasseur's point of view, this is a problem that really needs to be solved because if Ferrari can keep hold of the chassis advantage they have had this year and bring their engine up to the level of Mercedes and Red Bull, they could be title contenders next year.
uncertain
they → need → Mercedes
Hamilton said: "Naturally, it's not so easy having someone like me come into a team because I'm very outspoken and I push and push and push, push for so many changes and I'm going to be pushing for more.
asserted
I → say → more
"As long as I'm here, that's how it's going to be.
asserted
it → go → ?
I'm here to win.
asserted
I → win → ?
And to be able to win, you have to work with everyone around you.
asserted
you → win → you
"I truly believe that this team can be fighting for the championship next year.
asserted
team → believe → championship
"I'm in the process of working with the head of aero, the head of aerodynamics to make sure that we hold on to the goodness of the car we have this year and fix some of the small, subtle things that could be better.
uncertain
that → work → things
"And obviously, the power-unit, they're doing their thing and I really hope that they're able to pull through."
asserted
they → do → thing
At Red Bull, the situation is much simpler as the team build serious momentum in this final part of the season.
asserted
team → build → season
That has moved him up into second in the drivers' championship - something that looked impossible as the team floundered in the first third of the year, when they were not far off a second off the pace.
asserted
they → move → pace
"It's a big surprise to be second in the championship, but we take it," Verstappen said.
asserted
Verstappen → take → it
"We had a lot of difficulties as a team in the beginning.
asserted
We → have → beginning
The car was not where we wanted it to be.
asserted
it → want → ?
Probably also we still had to learn quite a bit from the power units, and I think we really learned a lot throughout the season.
asserted
we → have → season
"From my side, it's just you never really give up or, in terms of, like, you just never really settle for P6 or P7, right?
asserted
you → give → P6
"Even when I was in that position or fighting the midfield, I was still trying to do the best that I could get out of the situation.
uncertain
I → fight → situation
"Sometimes that is a P6 when the car is not able to perform better.
asserted
car → perform → ?
…and 31 more, not listed.
The Aporia
