Ricciardo Driving Red Hot Red Bull Racing Takes Monaco Pole

Photo Credit: Mark Thompson/Getty Images

Following the end of the Spanish Grand Prix where the Mercedes AMG juggernaut fell early and Red Bull Racing picked up a fantastic victory through the hands of Max Verstappen. Happening only a few weeks ago, the Formula 1 world is left wondering if the race was a one-time fluke or could it be a sign of a change at the top of the grid. As the 2016 Formula 1 championship tackle the streets of Monte Carlo for the Monaco Grand Prix, many are wishing to see prove of either possible reality coming out of Spain being proven true.

In Saturday qualifying, a different leader from a different team stood at the top for each of the three timed sessions held on the narrow street course.In Q1, Sebastian Vettel's Ferrari proved fastest while Nico Rosberg set top time in Q2 for Mercedes AMG. In Q3, Red Bull Racing driver Daniel Ricciardo mounted the pole-winning time of 1-minute, 13.622 seconds. Expressing dejection following the Spanish Grand Prix when he cited pit stop strategy as costing him the potential for battling his teammate Verstappen for the race win, Ricciardo was considerably more upbeat in Monaco. As for the other driver of the Red Bull-Tag Heuer entrants, Max Verstappen faced a rough outing in qualifying in the first grand prix following his major first-time race victory. Making contact with the wall in the first session, Vetstappen will start in 21st place.

Photo Credit: Mercedes-Benz/Daimler AG

Q3 for both Mercedes AMG cars was another oddity from the team that typically dominated qualifying. The race cars of Lewis Hamilton and current Formula 1 championship points leader Nico Rosberg reported fuel pressure problems in the final timed session. While Hamilton was unable to even log a lap early in Q3, the #44 Mercedes AMG was quickly sent back out to log in a fast time ultimately resulting in a third place starting start for the Monaco Grand Prix. On the front row with Daniel Ricciardo is Nico Rosberg who was 0.169 seconds slower than the pole winner.  

Sebastian Vettel starts fourth for Ferrari in a grand prix he won in 2011. The second Ferrari race car of Kimi Raikkonen qualified sixth on Saturday but will be starting from the 11th position following a gearbox change.

2016 Formula 1
Monaco Grand Prix
Starting Grid

Pos # Car # Driver Team Engine

1 3 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull TAG Heuer
2 6 Nico Rosberg Mercedes AMG Mercedes-Benz
3 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes AMG Mercedes-Benz
4 5 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari Ferrari
5 27 Nico Hulkenberg Force India Mercedes-Benz
6 55 Carlos Sainz Jr Scuderia Toro Rosso Ferrari
7 11 Sergio Perez Force India Mercedes-Benz
8 26 Daniil Kvyat Scuderia Toro Rosso Ferrari
9 14 Fernando Alonso McLaren Honda
10 77 Valtteri Bottas Williams F1 Mercedes-Benz
11 7 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari Ferrari
12 9 Esteban Gutierrez Haas F1 Team Ferrari
13 22 Jenson Button McLaren Honda
14 19 Felipe Massa Williams F1 Mercedes-Benz
15 8 Romain Grosjean Haas F1 Team Ferrari
16 20 Kevin Magnussen Renault Renault
17 9 Marcus Ericsson Sauber Ferrari
18 30 Jolyon Palmer Renault Renault
19 98 Rio Haryanto Manor Mercedes-Benz
20 28 Pascal Wehrlein Manor Mercedes-Benz
21 33 Max Verstappen Red Bull TAG Heuer
22 12 Felipe Nasr Sauber Ferrari

Magnificent Victory in Spain Defines Verstappen's Red Bull Debut

Photo Credit: FOTO STUDIO COLOMBO PER PIRELLI MEDIA

Fans in Spain were treated to one of the most unusual and suspenseful Grand Prix of the young 2016 Formula 1 at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The aftermath of 66 laps at the 4.655-kilometer track has seen a first-time winner emerge. Racing in his 24th Formula 1 grand prix, Max Verstappen achieved an impressive win in his debut with the Red Bull Racing team. Transitioning from the Scuderia Toro Rosso race team to Red Bull Racing, Verstappen's success came in his first competitive weekend, the 18-year-old Dutch driver swap rides with Daniil Kvyat.

The 2016 Spanish Grand Prix will be known for both Max Verstappen's triumphant and for a spectacular incident that resulted in no Mercedes AMG cars being around for the race's finish. After winning the opening four rounds of the season, Nico Rosberg's first loss in 2016 and reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton's retirement were related to an early race collision.

Hamilton started on pole with Rosberg beside him but was passed by his teammate through turn one. As the field exited turn three, Lewis Hamilton rapidly closed on the Rosberg's car (it was later discovered the #6 car of Rosberg was running in a wrong engine mode). As Hamilton motioned to pass for lead, the #6 car dived to block the advance by the #44 machine out of turn three. The slower car of Rosberg and Hamilton's faster car collided resulting in a crash taking out both Mercedes AMG vehicles. "The gap was there and, if you’re a racing driver, you go for that gap." said Lewis Hamilton following the incident. Both drivers have expressed remorse for the effect their collision had on the team. A very rare scoreless grand prix in Spain for the Silver Arrows, the last race where neither race car campaigned by Mercedes AMG finished within the points was at the 2013 United States Grand Prix.

Photo Credit: Mercedes AMG

A strong day overall for the Red Bull Racing team, the early part of the Spanish Grand Prix saw Australian Daniel Ricciardo leading the first 28 laps. A contender early, Red Bull Racing decided to place Ricciardo on a three-stop strategy as opposed to the two-stop plan exercised for Max Verstappen's car. The intended three-stop strategy would ultimately become a four pit stop race for Ricciardo's vehicle as a late race tire puncture resulting in the inability for Red Bull to position both cars on the podium. Daniel Ricciardo finished fourth and expressed displeasure after the Spanish Grand Prix on the pit stop plans that differed from Verstappen.  

Max Verstappen's path to the finish line was closely followed by the two Scuderia Ferrari team cars. Kimi Raikkonen challenged the Red Bull drivers in a match where a seasoned veteran and former Formula 1 world champion tried to find a way around who could possibly be the sport's youngest grand prix winner. Entering DRS zone in the late laps, there wasn't enough the Ferrari driver could do to deny the record-setting youngster in the Red Bull powered by a Tag Heuer badged Renault engine. Finishing the race with just a 0.616-second margin over Raikkonen, Max Verstappen's victory rewarded his new race team with their first win since 2013 (before Verstappen had arrived in Formula 1).

As Red Bull Racing was able to score a massive amount of points for the constructor's championship, the team remains in third place thanks to the double-podium result for the team placed in second place in the standings. Ferrari welcomed Kimi Raikkonen across the across the line in the runner-up spot who is now in second place in the driver's points following the first-lap retirement of Lewis Hamilton. 5.581 seconds behind the winner, Sebastian Vettel collected third-place resulting in Ferrari's first double-podium finish of the season. Prior to the completion of this race, Vettel's 2013 Brazilian Grand Prix victory was Red Bull Racing's last victory.

Photo Credit: FOTO STUDIO COLOMBO PER PIRELLI MEDIA

Crossing the line after Daniel Ricciardo's Red Bull-Tag Heuer machine was Valtteri Bottas highest-positioned Mercedes-Benz powered car finished fifth for Williams Martini Racing. Bottas' teammate Felipe Massa surged from an 18th place starting spot to claim 8th place after 66 laps in Spain. With the demise of the Mercedes AMG race cars, the Williams Martini Racing drivers Bottas and Massa now enjoy the distinction of collecting points in every race so far this season.

Scuderia Toro Rosso is the last remaining team leaving the Spanish Grand Prix with a both cars scoring points. Carlos Sainz Jr achieved his season-best finish with the Ferrari-powered Toro Rosso machine while Daniil Kvyat first race back at the team he started his Formula 1 career resulted in 10th place. Sainz finished ahead of Force India's Sergio Perez while Kvyat followed the Honda-powered McLaren of Jenson Button to the chequered flag.

Just outside of the points, honourable mention is due for Mexican driver Esteban Gutierrez. At the beginning of the race weekend in Spain, Gutierrez mentioned how team issues with Haas F1 Team have been effecting the way he has been perceived in the first races of the 2016 season. Since his teammate Romain Grosjean has posted three finishes in the points during the first five races with the rookie organization, the comments made by the Mexican Formula 1 driver were criticized. On track this weekend, Gutierrez achieved an 11th place finish.

The next race for the 2016 Formula 1 schedule is set for the streets of Monte Carlo for the Monaco Grand Prix. Planned for May 29th, the Monaco Grand Prix is the first race part of a day of racing that includes the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600.

2016 Formula 1
Spanish Grand Prix
Race Results

Pos # Car # Driver Team Engine

1 33 Max Verstappen Red Bull TAG Heuer
2 7 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari Ferrari
3 5 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari Ferrari
4 3 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull TAG Heuer
5 77 Valtteri Bottas Williams F1 Mercedes-Benz
6 55 Carlos Sainz Jr Scuderia Toro Rosso Ferrari
7 11 Sergio Perez Force India Mercedes-Benz
8 19 Felipe Massa Williams F1 Mercedes-Benz
9 22 Jenson Button McLaren Honda
10 26 Daniil Kvyat Scuderia Toro Rosso Ferrari
11 9 Esteban Gutierrez Haas F1 Team Ferrari
12 9 Marcus Ericsson Sauber Ferrari
13 30 Jolyon Palmer Renault Renault
14 20 Kevin Magnussen Renault Renault
15 12 Felipe Nasr Sauber Ferrari
16 28 Pascal Wehrlein Manor Mercedes-Benz
17 98 Rio Haryanto Manor Mercedes-Benz
18 14 Fernando Alonso McLaren Honda
19 27 Nico Hulkenberg Force India Mercedes-Benz
20 8 Romain Grosjean Haas F1 Team Ferrari
21 6 Nico Rosberg Mercedes AMG Mercedes-Benz
22 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes AMG Mercedes-Benz

Hamilton Edges Out White-Hot Teammate for Spanish Grand Prix Pole

Photo Credit: FOTO STUDIO COLOMBO PER PIRELLI MEDIA

The opening Formula 1 round on the European continent for 2016, the Spanish Grand Prix is the 5th race on a tour dominated by Mercedes AMG driver Nico Rosberg. All four races so far in this 2016 season saw the German driver take the top spot on the podium and has resulted in an sizeable early lead in the overall points championship battle. No one more than teammate Lewis Hamilton would like a chance to unseat Rosberg from the throne of Formula 1.

In qualifying at the 4.655-kilometer Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya was a tight battle between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg through all three timed sessions. Ultimately, a lap time of exactly 1 minute and 22 seconds recorded by Hamilton proved enough to take pole position for Sunday. The three-time and reigning Formula 1 champion's best time was 0.280 seconds quicker than his fellow Mercedes AMG competitor. Hamilton's third pole of the 2016 season, this qualifying outing followed two consecutive events where power unit problems caused difficulty for the #44 machine.  

The Spanish Grand Prix is the first race where the effects of a highly-publicized driver swap will be on exhibit. Following a performance at the Russian Grand Prix where Daniil Kvyat's was responsible for a first lap accident, the Red Bull Racing driver's shaky credibility led to him being removed from the TAG Heuer-powered machine. Now occupying the second Red Bull race car is sophomore hot-shoe Max Verstappen who received a promotion from the Scuderia Toro Rosso team, Kvyat was reassigned to the Toro Rosso; the Red Bull Racing affiliate team where he started his Formula 1 career in 2014.

On the time sheet in qualifying in Spain, Verstappen has appeared to pass the first step in climbing to the four-time constructor championship-winning operation with flying colours. Starting fourth at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, the 18-year-old Belgium-born Dutch driver has been suggested as a future superstar in the sport. Max Verstappen's veteran teammate Daniel Ricciardo third place effort in qualifying allows the Red Bull Racing team to fill the second row behind the Mercedes AMG cars.

Driving a Toro Rosso-Ferrari for the first time in 2016, Daniil Kvyat's qualified a respectable 13th. However, Kvyat's new teammate Carlos Sainz Jr bested him on the time chart securing the 8th place starting spot. As a Spaniard, Sainz's home grand prix start sees him placed two positions ahead of fellow countryman and three-time world champion Fernando Alonso. In 10th place, Alonso's last career Formula 1 victory came at the 2013 Spanish Grand Prix.    

Ferrari drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel fill the third row of the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix starting grid. Raikkonen's 1-minute, 23.113-second lap time was more than two-tenths of a second quicker than Vettel. Valtteri Bottas driving for Williams Martini Racing is well separated from his teammate after qualifying in 7th place on Saturday. Citing traffic, Felipe Massa in the other Williams-Mercedes was unable to log a sufficiently quick lap time to advance beyond Q1 resulting in an 18th place starting position.

The 2016 Spanish Grand Prix is set 66 laps prepared to start at 2:00 pm local time (6:00 am Eastern time).


2016 Formula 1
Spanish Grand Prix
Starting Grid

1 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes AMG Mercedes-Benz
2 6 Nico Rosberg Mercedes AMG Mercedes-Benz
3 3 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull TAG Heuer
4 33 Max Verstappen Red Bull TAG Heuer
5 7 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari Ferrari
6 5 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari Ferrari
7 77 Valtteri Bottas Williams F1 Mercedes-Benz
8 55 Carlos Sainz Jr Scuderia Toro Rosso Ferrari
9 11 Sergio Perez Force India Mercedes-Benz
10 14 Fernando Alonso McLaren Honda
11 27 Nico Hulkenberg Force India Mercedes-Benz
12 22 Jenson Button McLaren Honda
13 26 Daniil Kvyat Scuderia Toro Rosso Ferrari
14 8 Romain Grosjean Haas F1 Team Ferrari
15 20 Kevin Magnussen Renault Renault
16 9 Esteban Gutierrez Haas F1 Team Ferrari
17 30 Jolyon Palmer Renault Renault
18 19 Felipe Massa Williams F1 Mercedes-Benz
19 9 Marcus Ericsson Sauber Ferrari
20 12 Felipe Nasr Sauber Ferrari
21 28 Pascal Wehrlein Manor Mercedes-Benz
22 98 Rio Haryanto Manor Mercedes-Benz