Ferrari engine’s driveability is biggest difference to Mercedes

In brief

Bottas pleased with “smooth” Ferrari power unit

Following his switch to Alfa Romeo, Bottas is driving a Formula 1 car powered by something other than a Mercedes engine for the first time since 2013. He says the Ferrari V6 hybrid turbo engine is much like the Mercedes.

“If I would compare the power to last year’s engine, it feels very similar in terms of the level of power,” he said. “Last year, there was issues with reliability. I think I had eight engines last year. Now I’m up to six this year. So it could be close!”

However there is one notable difference, Bottas added. “The driveability with Ferrari is really smooth. I think that was the biggest difference, the driveability I felt was improved with Ferrari.”

Piastri “chopped off the hand that fed him”

Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi says the team had a deal in place for its reserve driver Oscar Piastri to join Williams next year as early as the Miami Grand Prix in May. He strongly criticised the 21-year-old Formula 2 champion over his move to McLaren.

“He chopped off the hand that fed him and played with us because some draft contracts weren’t submitted in time,” Rossi told Auto Motor und Sport.

The team hoped to appoint Piastri in place of Fernando Alonso, after he agreed a deal with Alonso. Rossi added the team was only prepared to offer Alonso a one-pus-one-year contract due to his age. “He drives at an extremely high level,” said Rossi. “For me he is one of the best drivers of all time.

“But he is 41 years old. In two years he will be 43. You can’t plan that far ahead.”

Leclerc “missing something” – Todt

Former Ferrari team principal Jean Todt says the team’s top driver in the championship, Charles Leclerc, is “missing something” in his pursuit of the title. “I hope he has it soon,” Todt added in an interview for La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Asked whether it was the car, Todt restated: “Something is missing.”

Motorsport UK bans Clerk of the Course for 10 years

Motorsport UK confirmed it has suspended the licences of a Clerk of the Course, Derek Stanley, and ordered no further licences should be issued to him for a 10-year period, following complaints over his behaviour towards female officials. The decision was taken following a meeting of the…