Christian Horner has announced that Yuki Tsunoda will be behind the wheel of Red Bull's latest Formula 1 car during the post-season testing in Abu Dhabi.

Yuki Tsunoda has been given the opportunity to pilot Red Bull's RB20 Formula 1 vehicle during the end-of-year trial in Abu Dhabi.

The 24-year-old driver from Japan, part of Red Bull's affiliated team RB, will have the opportunity to try out the latest Red Bull racing equipment during the post-season trial after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December.

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Tsunoda's sole prior experience in a Red Bull vehicle occurred at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, where he piloted the RB18.

Honda has been advocating for Tsunoda to have the opportunity to demonstrate his capabilities in a Red Bull, and team principal Christian Horner has officially announced that a test is scheduled to take place.

Horner mentioned in the FIA press conference on Friday at the Mexico City Grand Prix, which included discussions with media outlets like Crash.net, that Yuki is part of the junior team, a topic they have conversed about with Honda.

He is set to evaluate the vehicle during the post-season tire trial, an arrangement that has been in place for a considerable period.

"Once more, it will be beneficial to allow him to compete, providing the chance to collaborate with the engineers at Red Bull Racing and observe his performance in a Red Bull Racing vehicle."

Despite surpassing the performance of the recently dismissed Daniel Ricciardo, Tsunoda appears to have never been truly regarded as a viable option to partner with Max Verstappen.

Liam Lawson, who is stepping in for Ricciardo, is viewed as a stronger contender to fill Sergio Perez's spot should the Mexican driver's performance not improve.

Horner reiterated that Perez's contract with Red Bull remains in effect until 2025.

"He's under contract for the upcoming year, which means Checo will be our driver in 2025," he stated.

Clearly, a spot is open at VCARB, though it's occupied by drivers from Red Bull Racing who are temporarily assigned there.

"We have the advantage of having enough time to meet with Laurent [Mekies, RB team principal] and Peter [Bayer, RB CEO] to explore all possible choices."

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Marco Bezzecchi admitted to committing "two significant errors" during the "challenging" Thai MotoGP Sprint. He mentioned, "Throughout this weekend, I attempted to utilize the hard front tire, but I struggled to make it work for me."

Marco Bezzecchi managed to secure a seventh-place position in the Thai MotoGP Sprint, even though he began the race from the second row of the grid.

Bezzecchi faced a dilemma with the front tyre selection. Throughout the weekend, he had been considering his options, trying to decide between a soft-compound and a hard-compound front tyre. His choice boiled down to balancing overall confidence with how well the tyre performed when competing closely with other riders.

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Bezzecchi described the race as challenging, noting that he anticipated this difficulty. He mentioned that throughout the weekend, he attempted to work with the hard front tire but was unable to make it work effectively.

"When I use the hard front tire, my speed and confidence drop significantly."

"However, using the soft tires becomes challenging when there's hot air or other bikes ahead. Although my start was decent, it wasn't perfect, and I ended up losing a few positions early on."

"I then committed two significant errors at the third corner, veering off course twice. The second time, I went even further onto the blue paint."

"I initially fell behind, but once the pack was scattered, I managed to pass Brad Binder and Fabio Di Giannantonio again."

"After that, I started to feel slightly better."

Due to the outcomes of his Sprint, Bezzecchi intends to focus on optimizing the performance of the hard-compound front tire during the Warm Up session on Sunday morning.

Bezzecchi expressed his hope that during tomorrow morning's Warm Up, they will discover a way to utilize the hard front tire, as other riders using the hard-compound front tire seem to have an advantage in braking.

"When you're on your own, the situation is comparable, but when you're trailing and the soft tire begins to encounter warmer air, the front tends to lock up more, similar to what happens in Mandalika."

"I hope to discover a way to utilize the hard front. Additionally, since the long race requires a different strategy, we'll have to see how it goes."

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Max Verstappen's practice session in Mexico ended prematurely because of an unusual sound emanating from the engine.

Max Verstappen's session in the second practice at the Mexico City Grand Prix was abruptly ended because of a problem with his Formula 1 engine.

Verstappen managed only four laps in the second practice session without recording a time.

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The man from the Netherlands mentioned initially that he detected an unusual sound coming from his engine.

He communicated via the team radio, saying, "I continue to hear an odd sound… coming from the engine."

During that moment, Red Bull's engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, instructed him to keep going.

Not long after, Verstappen communicated over the radio once more, stating, "This sound is extremely bothersome. It can't possibly be normal."

Red Bull instructed Verstappen to enter the pit lane to examine the problem.

Following the delay due to George Russell's crash, Verstappen re-entered the circuit, only to swiftly return to the pit area.

The problem remained unresolved, preventing Verstappen from completing any significant laps during the second free practice session.

On their official X page, Red Bull announced, "Vehicle 1 won't be participating in the second free practice session while we delve deeper into an investigation of a power unit problem."

Verstappen characterized his day as "essentially pointless".

Verstappen explained, "The issue originated from the engine side, and it's currently under investigation. I'm not sure of the specifics. From my perspective, it was essentially a wasted day. We only managed to complete four or five laps, so there's not much information to go on right now."

"I never managed to perform well, managing only about four or five laps in total, and that includes some longer laps – a day to erase from memory."

Verstappen leads Lando Norris by 57 points in the F1 drivers' standings, with only five races remaining.

He widened his advantage in the championship standings following a contentious episode involving Norris during the United States Grand Prix.

Norris was found to have passed Verstappen outside the track limits at Turn 12 at COTA, which led to a penalty of five seconds.

The sanction significantly relegated Norris behind Verstappen, enabling the latter to extend his lead in the championship.

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Analysis: How Jorge Martin Evaded a Track Limits Penalty in the Thai MotoGP Sprint

Pramac Rider Escapes Penalty Threat After Receiving Track Limits Warning

During the MotoGP Thai Grand Prix sprint, Jorge Martin faced the possibility of receiving a penalty after receiving a warning for exceeding track limits. However, he managed to avoid any sanctions.

Pramac's Martin increased his lead in the championship standings to 22 points, gaining two more over Francesco Bagnaia, after securing second place in the sprint ahead of the official Ducati competitor.

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Right after passing Bagnaia at the seventh turn during the sprint's seventh lap, Martin veered off the track at the corner's exit and received a warning for exceeding track limits.

During the same spot two laps later, he veered off the track. After the sprint race, Bagnaia mentioned that he observed Martin violating track boundaries on four occasions and anticipated that he would receive a penalty.

During the 13-lap sprint, Martin exceeded the track boundaries more than four times, although the timekeepers recorded only two instances.

The initial incident occurred on the seventh lap, leading to a warning, followed by another occurrence on the ninth lap.

Martin clarified afterward that he went beyond the track boundaries twice at Turn 7, stating, "To enter the turn quickly and accelerate early, I push the limits at the exit of that corner."

The Pramac team racer mentioned that he was aware of having strategic options available, which is why he refrained from forcing his GP24 to stay within the track limits.

According to the existing rules, a motorcyclist who goes beyond the track boundaries three times in a sprint race will face a long lap penalty. Initially, they receive a warning for the first violation.

During the grand prix, a racer will receive a penalty after surpassing the track boundaries five times. A caution is given after the third violation.

Why were Martin's additional track limit breaches considered insignificant?

During the first lap, Martin veered off the track at Turn 1 after misjudging his braking while attempting to move from first to third place in front of pole position holder Bagnaia.

On the sixth lap, he replicated his previous move by following Bagnaia closely before passing the current world champion.

The FIM stewards keep an eye on track limits specifically at the green-painted sections, where going beyond the kerb is considered to give a substantial advantage.

Any region that isn't colored green isn't being tracked by the timekeeping sensors that have been operational since the 2021 season.

The kerbs at Turn 1, known as 'Misano', where Martin twice went beyond track limits during the sprint, are specifically crafted to make riders lose time as they ascend them.

Although Bagnaia anticipated receiving a penalty and admitted he might have been wrong, discussions have arisen post-race regarding Martin's crossing of the track boundaries. However, the straightforward truth is that he did not violate any regulations.

Martin encountered an issue with a track limits warning during the Emilia Romagna sprint. This early alert caused him to lose focus, which eventually resulted in him losing both the lead and the victory to Bagnaia.

Although Martin did not receive an official penalty during the sprint in Thailand, the threat of a penalty for any additional error made the race's conclusion tense for him.

In the final report from the FIM stewards on Saturday in Thailand, there was no reference to Martin or the track limits, indicating it was deemed irrelevant.

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Mexico City Grand Prix 2024 – Results from Friday's Practice Sessions

Complete outcomes from the practice sessions on Friday at the Mexico City Grand Prix, which is the 20th round of the 2024 F1 world championship.

Outcomes from the practice session on Friday for the Grand Prix in Mexico City:

In the second practice session of the F1 Mexico City Grand Prix, Carlos Sainz was the fastest on the track.

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The meeting was prolonged for an additional half hour, giving each team the opportunity to evaluate Pirelli's tires for the upcoming season.

This indicated that the session's speed was not quite indicative of the usual pace.

Max Verstappen missed part of the race because of a power unit problem.

Practice 1

In the initial practice session for the Mexico City Grand Prix, George Russell set the pace, finishing 0.3 seconds faster than Sainz.

The initial sixty minutes of the training session were chaotic, marked by two stoppages.

The initial incident occurred due to debris on the main straight, whereas the latter incident was significantly more intense.

Alex Albon spun out of control in his Williams while attempting to overtake Oliver Bearman, resulting in an accident.

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Friday Practice Outcomes for the Mexico City Grand Prix 2024

Complete outcomes from the Friday practice sessions at the Mexico City Grand Prix, which is the 20th round in the 2024 F1 global championship.

Outcomes from the Friday training session at the Mexico City Grand Prix:

Session Recap:

In the second practice session of the Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix, Carlos Sainz was the fastest on the track.

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The meeting was prolonged for an additional half-hour, providing every team with the opportunity to evaluate Pirelli's tires for the upcoming year.

This indicated that the speed of the session was not truly indicative of the norm.

Max Verstappen's track time was reduced because of a power unit problem.

In the initial practice session for the Mexico City Grand Prix, George Russell took the lead, finishing 0.3 seconds faster than Sainz.

The opening hour of practice was chaotic, marked by two red flags.

The initial incident occurred due to debris located on the start-finish straightaway, whereas the latter incident was significantly more intense.

Alex Albon spun out his Williams while attempting to overtake Oliver Bearman, resulting in a crash.

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Ducati's Unstoppable Performance in Thailand's MotoGP: What's Behind the Success?

Ducati sets new benchmarks in the 2024 Thailand sprint race

Ducati maintained its strong performance at the 2024 MotoGP Thailand Grand Prix on Saturday, securing the first eight positions in the sprint race.

Following a dominant performance at the Australian Grand Prix last weekend, where they claimed the top six positions—a feat not achieved since Honda did it in 1997—Ducati further solidified its control over the 2024 lineup on Saturday in Buriram.

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Enea Bastianini secured a victory over Jorge Martin and Francesco Bagnaia, achieving a complete podium sweep during the Saturday sprint.

The team achieved an even more impressive feat by securing the top eight positions entirely. Marc Marquez finished fourth, trailed by Alex Marquez, Franco Morbidelli, Marco Bezzecchi, and Fabio Di Giannantonio.

This marks the first instance of a manufacturer taking such action since Honda did so in Barcelona back in 1996.

KTM's Brad Binder was the highest-placed rider not on a Ducati, finishing in ninth place and earning a single point. He crossed the line 13.692 seconds behind the winner and two seconds behind Di Giannantonio, who was the last in the group of Ducati riders.

According to Binder, he believes that once the grip on his RC16 is lost, there's no chance for him to keep up with any of the Desmosedici bikes.

He mentioned that he could compete against them using new tires.

"Once I lose my hold, I no longer have the means to take any action."

"It was somewhat challenging. I was eager to join the battle with the Ducati riders, but it was similar to last week."

"We have a promising chance tomorrow to work through some issues and make progress. Let's continue pushing and see what we can achieve."

In recent races, Pedro Acosta has been the sole competitor able to match the speed of the leading Ducati riders. The Tech3 newcomer was running within the top five during the initial laps, but then he experienced a crash.

He attributes Ducati's success to having a large number of riders and the generally high skill level among them.

When questioned about Ducati's advantage, Acosta responded by saying, "It's because they have eight bikes."

"It's logical, considering we have producers with just a pair of bikes."

"We, at KTM, have four. This explains a lot about why Ducati is so powerful."

"Their riding skills are generally at an advanced level."

"When you have eight bikes, and six of those riders are capable of high speeds, it means that the overall performance level rapidly reaches its peak."

"We are consistently running behind schedule. This actually benefits them because they end up having access to far more information than anyone else."

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Ralf Schumacher believes Lewis Hamilton is significantly behind Michael Schumacher. In his opinion, Hamilton will perpetually remain far from reaching Michael's level.

Ralf Schumacher asserts that Lewis Hamilton will "never" surpass Michael Schumacher as the greatest Formula 1 driver of all time.

Hamilton has cemented his status as the most accomplished driver in the history of Formula 1, boasting seven championship titles, 105 race victories, and 104 pole positions.

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He requires another championship to surpass the record he currently holds with the iconic Michael Schumacher.

Michael's sibling, Ralf, reportedly told Gazzetta that Hamilton will never be able to match Michael.

"He will constantly be far removed from how I see things."

In Formula 1, it is the responsibility of the team to supply a car capable of winning a race.

"Everyone believed Lewis was capable of miraculous feats, but he ended up falling short of those expectations."

Ralf went on to say, "I often get questioned about whether Lewis is the greatest driver ever, given that he is surpassing numerous records set by my brother."

"I believe that Hamilton is undoubtedly the most formidable competitor of his era."

"However, it's challenging to draw comparisons between him and Michael."

"Alongside his remarkable skill, Hamilton has benefited from outstanding technical support at Mercedes. My brother hasn't always had such advantages."

Ralf Schumacher made a critical comparison between Hamilton and Max Verstappen, suggesting that Hamilton falls short.

Ralf stated that Max possesses greater talent than Lewis.

"This places him in a separate group."

"Michael was among the racers who stood out, similar to what Verstappen is currently achieving."

In 2025, if Hamilton joins Ferrari, it might become a legendary addition to his already remarkable career.

If he secures an eighth Formula 1 championship while racing for Ferrari, the team famously linked to Michael Schumacher's victories, he would hold the record for the most titles in history.

During a dominant era with Ferrari, Schumacher clinched five of his seven championships in a row.

He secured his initial pair of victories while racing for the Benetton team

After a three-year break from Formula 1, Schumacher returned to the sport to conclude his career with Mercedes. During this time, he helped establish the foundation for the team's initial phase, which eventually allowed Hamilton to lead Mercedes into a period of significant success.

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George Russell describes recent Mercedes accident in Mexico: "The vehicle began to shake…"

"The moment the vehicle began shaking on the surface, I was already losing control before I could react."

George Russell expressed his irritation following his recent accident during the second F1 practice session for the Mexico City Grand Prix, admitting "it feels like it's just one thing after another right now."

Thirteen minutes into the second practice session, Russell experienced a significant crash at Turn 8.

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Footage revealed Russell clipping the curb at Turn 8, leading to him losing grip on his vehicle and careening into the barriers after a spin.

The incident resulted in a significant holdup of the session while the barrier underwent repairs.

Given the serious nature of the collision, Russell was transported to the healthcare facility.

Fortunately, the driver of the Mercedes was unharmed and was discharged by the health facility.

Until then, the day had been going well for Mercedes, with Russell leading the pack in the second free practice session.

Discussing his recent incident, which marked his second accident in a week, Russell shared with F1TV in Mexico, "Truly, I'm at a loss. Suddenly, the car began to jerk violently on the track, and by the time I realized what was happening, I was already in a spin."

"The team is facing a hefty workload yet again this evening. Currently, it feels as though challenges are arising one right after the other."

"It's aggravating. During the first practice session, we were in top form, really quick. We attempted to follow the same trajectory, shaving off that corner, but for some reason, in the second practice session, it just began to slip away from me."

Russell emphasized the significance of the last practice session, having been absent from FP2, especially since the second practice involved testing Pirelli tyres for the upcoming season's compounds.

"He pointed out that FP2, being a Pirelli tyre test, didn't offer much in terms of useful insights for the race weekend."

"Clearly, we didn't get enough laps in. The third free practice session will be crucial. We're just hoping we can repair the car in time."

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Fabio Di Giannantonio expressed, "If enduring pain is necessary, we might as well aim for speed." He further elaborated, "I truly pushed myself to endure the discomfort…"

Fabio Di Giannantonio managed to secure an eighth-place position in the Thai MotoGP Sprint, which wasn't quite as impressive as his performance in Australia just a week prior. However, on the second-to-last day of his racing season, the Italian rider successfully turned around what initially appeared to be a challenging weekend in Buriram.

The issues stemming from the shoulder injury he sustained in Austria have resurfaced, and they will cause his season to conclude this Sunday at the Thai Grand Prix.

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On Friday, Di Giannantonio experienced problems related to his posture. By Saturday, he believed he had managed to improve this, at least partially, for both the qualifying session and the Sprint race.

"We began using a mild pain reliever today and plan to keep using it tomorrow," stated Di Giannantonio.

"I changed my mindset slightly, thinking that if I'm going to experience pain, I might as well try to push myself to go quickly. So, I made a conscious effort to endure the discomfort, since I would be feeling it regardless."

"When I'm able to manage it, I can pick up the pace significantly. However, when the pain becomes overwhelming, I revert to an incorrect posture and end up losing a lot of time."

This weekend poses a challenge — both with handling the bike and physically — yet I believe I've performed well nonetheless. We must remain focused and strive to give our best despite these circumstances.

In general, Di Giannantonio felt satisfied with his performance on Saturday. He began in Q1, successfully advanced to Q2, and managed to earn points even though he faced challenges at the start of the weekend on Friday. These challenges included not just his physical state but also his self-assurance while riding the bike.

"I'm pleased because we completely turned the weekend around since yesterday," he mentioned.

"Yesterday, we struggled with speed and confidence on the bike, but today we saw significant progress. I’m grateful to the team for their outstanding work."

"We performed well during the qualifying rounds, securing a strong start from the third row. However, during the race, I encountered significant issues with the brakes, which led to several errors on my part."

"It's unfortunate because I believe I have the speed to match Alex Marquez. However, we need to focus on the positives from the Sprint race. I feel we showed good pace, and I think we're well-prepared for tomorrow. I anticipate performing well in the race."

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Toto Wolff believes that Lewis Hamilton will manage to succeed even with the "pressure" from Ferrari. Wolff suggests that when people claim something will be very challenging, it frequently turns out to be the opposite.

Toto Wolff has rejected the notion that Lewis Hamilton might face significant challenges at Ferrari.

Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes are nearing the end of their partnership as the record-breaking Formula 1 driver prepares to join Ferrari, the sport's most triumphant team.

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Hamilton aspires to achieve an unprecedented eighth Formula 1 championship title with Ferrari. However, he would be joining a team whose current performance is not as strong as that of McLaren and Red Bull.

Mercedes team principal, Wolff, mentioned to Motorsport that he believes numerous individuals are expressing concerns about the challenges Hamilton's transition will entail.

However, in many cases, when you claim that something will be very challenging, the reality tends to be quite different.

Ferrari is an exceptional team, filled with wonderful individuals, and driven by intense emotion and passion, which creates a lot of pressure.

"I think they will manage to collaborate with one another."

Wolff supports the idea of young talent Kimi Antonelli stepping in for Hamilton during his first year in the sport.

"As rivals aiming to surpass him next year, Kimi teaming up with George Russell undoubtedly adds energy and brings a sense of youthfulness," stated Wolff.

"Having an 18-year-old in the vehicle brings a noticeable sense of joy to your organization."

However, it's clear that there would be times when the team could have gained from Lewis's expertise.

Kimi will face a challenging learning process, but the team is making the correct decision, and everyone agrees that it wouldn't have been handled any other way.

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Kimi Antonelli opted for a cautious approach during his second appearance with Mercedes in the first practice session of the Mexico City Grand Prix, seeking to avoid unnecessary risks.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli confessed that he chose to play it safe during his second official Formula 1 appearance for Mercedes, aiming to steer clear of the error he made at Monza.

Antonelli met with an early mishap in his debut FP1 session for Mercedes at the Italian Grand Prix.

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On his initial appearance representing the team, he exerted significant effort but ended up crashing at Parabolica, merely a day before his announcement as a Mercedes driver for the 2025 F1 season.

Antonelli embraced a more relaxed strategy in Mexico while filling in for Lewis Hamilton in the W15.

He commented on the session, stating, "Absolutely, it was an improvement over Monza. Today, I approached it with more composure, avoiding any risky maneuvers. My goal was to have a smooth session to gain more experience with the car and the tyres. Overall, it was quite satisfactory."

"I sensed that I hadn't reached my maximum potential, but that was a deliberate decision on my part because I aimed for a smooth session throughout."

The journey wasn't entirely smooth for the 18-year-old who encountered some debris on the track during FP1.

The fragments resulted in slight harm to his car's floor and were responsible for the initial halt of the session.

In response to inquiries about the debris, he remarked, "Honestly, I didn't actually notice it at the time, which is unfortunate since it resulted in significant damage to the floor of my vehicle. It was pretty substantial, so naturally, it wasn't the best situation. However, I was still able to complete several laps despite that."

Antonelli finished in 12th place in terms of speed, trailing Russell's leading time by 1.2 seconds.

He admitted to being "astonished" at the amount of traction the soft tyre provided during his speedy lap.

"He mentioned that with each lap, he aimed to gradually boost his confidence, especially since it was his initial experience on the track, striving to absorb as much knowledge as he could."

Certainly, when I switched to the soft compound, there was a noticeable increase in traction, partly because, while on the hard compound, I was running multiple laps back-to-back without alternating between cooling and pushing laps. Therefore, I didn't have the opportunity to test the performance on a single lap. Upon switching to the soft tires, I experienced significantly more grip than anticipated, which I didn't fully take advantage of due to my surprise at the grip levels.

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