Benetton endure disastrous qualifying
The Benetton team had a nightmare qualifying session at Spa-Francorchamps after technical problems with both cars left drivers Giancarlo Fisichella and Alex Wurz to take turns in the one spare chassis

Fisichella came out of the situation best, ending the hour in 11th place despite having not even set a qualifying time with just five minutes of the session remaining. Wurz will start 19th however.
Team boss Flavio Briatore summed it up as a "disastrous qualifying!"
"The only positive thing to come out of today was the miraculous job the mechanics did to get both Alex and Giancarlo out in the T-car," he added. "Considering the circumstances the drivers did a good job too."
The problems began when Wurz's engine blew as he neared the end of his first flying lap. He was able to go out in the T-car, but only had time to complete one run before an unrelated engine problem on Fisichella's car forced the Italian to return to the pits on foot.
Wurz had to sit out the rest of the session while the mechanics changed the car back to Fisichella's settings, eventually getting him out on track with just minutes to spare.
"On my first run my first split was faster than Hakkinen, who is now on pole," said Wurz. "What can I say! The T-car wasn't set up for me and had too much oversteer."
Technical director Pat Symonds praised Fisichella's performance.
"He performed admirably," Symonds said, "driving a car with a different set-up and knowing that he had to get into the race with a safe lap but at the same time be competitive. Circumstances like that, while of course unwelcome, are a credit to the team because of the way they handled them."
Benetton now lies fourth in the constructors' championship, having failed to score since Fisichella's second place in Canada over two months ago.

Trulli sets his sights on first win
Coulthard and Frentzen clash in qualifying

Latest news
How studying Schumacher helped make Coulthard a McLaren F1 mainstay
Winner of 13 grands prix including Monaco and survivor of a life-changing plane crash, David Coulthard could be forgiven for having eased into a quiet retirement – but, as MARK GALLAGHER explains, in fact he’s busier than ever, running an award-winning media company and championing diversity in motor racing. Not bad for someone who, by his own admission, wasn’t quite the fastest driver of his generation…
How Red Bull found more downforce for Hungary
Red Bull initially feared it would be on the back foot at Formula 1’s Hungarian Grand Prix, with the team seemingly less comfortable at high downforce circuits than previous years.
Russell: Hungary pole justifies faith in Mercedes F1 car concept
George Russell believes Mercedes’ pole position and double podium finish in Hungary last weekend justifies its decision to stick with its current Formula 1 car concept.
Alpine confident it will beat Aston Martin while Alonso is there
Alpine Formula 1 boss Otmar Szafnauer believes that his team can continue to outperform Aston Martin during Fernando Alonso’s tenure at the Silverstone squad when he switches camps for 2023.
How studying Schumacher helped make Coulthard a McLaren F1 mainstay
Winner of 13 grands prix including Monaco and survivor of a life-changing plane crash, David Coulthard could be forgiven for having eased into a quiet retirement – but, as MARK GALLAGHER explains, in fact he’s busier than ever, running an award-winning media company and championing diversity in motor racing. Not bad for someone who, by his own admission, wasn’t quite the fastest driver of his generation…
Could F1 move to a future beyond carbonfibre?
Formula 1 has ambitious goals for improving its carbon footprint, but could this include banishing its favoured composite material? PAT SYMONDS considers the alternatives to carbonfibre and what use, if any, those materials have in a Formula 1 setting
How Russell has proven he deserves to be Hamilton's Mercedes heir
He’s fast, he’s smart, and he’s already shown he’s not going to let Max Verstappen intimidate him. George Russell won’t say it, but LUKE SMITH says he’s ready to take the lead at Mercedes when Lewis Hamilton moves on to a quieter life. And – whisper it – Mercedes and Lewis are starting to think so too
The traits that fuelled Alonso's unexpected Aston Martin move
Fernando Alonso’s bombshell switch to Aston Martin sent shockwaves through Formula 1, not least at Alpine that finds itself tangled in a contract standoff with Oscar Piastri. Not shy of a bold career move and with a CV punctuated by them, there were numerous hints that trouble was brewing
The elements Ferrari must resolve to first save face, then win championships
OPINION: Ferrari's Formula 1 title hopes look all but over after another strategic blunder in last week's Hungarian Grand Prix denied Charles Leclerc the chance to fight for victory, while handing it to chief rival Max Verstappen. The Scuderia now faces intense scrutiny over what it must now do to finally become a genuine factor in championship battles
The clues about Hamilton’s F1 retirement plans revealed after Vettel’s decision
OPINION: Sebastian Vettel is set to leave Formula 1 at the end of 2022 and will, rather shockingly, be replaced by Fernando Alonso at Aston Martin. But what about the final chapter of the other driver that defined the post-Michael Schumacher era? In Hungary, Lewis Hamilton spoke about his future in the context of Vettel’s upcoming departure, which offered clues on how long it will last
Why all signs point to F1’s Monaco special relationship continuing
OPINION: With more potential venues than there are slots in future calendars, rumours have been circulating that the Monaco Grand Prix could be a casualty of F1’s expansion into new markets. But MARK GALLAGHER thinks this is highly unlikely
Hungarian Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2022
The Hungarian Grand Prix race result, after a dry race held without safety car conditions, bore little resemblance to what was anticipated after qualifying. While certain drivers were nullified by some iffy strategy calls, others shone to grasp opportunities afforded to them in the last F1 race before the summer break