Skip to main content

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Recommended for you

LIVE: F1 Dutch GP updates - Rain stops with drivers on the grid

Formula 1
Dutch GP
LIVE: F1 Dutch GP updates - Rain stops with drivers on the grid

BTCC Donington Park: Morgan beats Sutton in opener

BTCC
Donington Park (Grand Prix Circuit)
BTCC Donington Park: Morgan beats Sutton in opener

Why Norris was “surprised” to claim Dutch GP pole position

Feature
Formula 1
Dutch GP
Why Norris was “surprised” to claim Dutch GP pole position

Wolff jokes that Mercedes already has Verstappen for the "real hero races"

Formula 1
Dutch GP
Wolff jokes that Mercedes already has Verstappen for the "real hero races"

Supercars Ipswich: Feeney takes second win to secure unlikely Sprint Cup title

Supercars
Ipswich Super 440
Supercars Ipswich: Feeney takes second win to secure unlikely Sprint Cup title

What we learned from the 2026 F1 Dutch GP sprint race and qualifying

Feature
Formula 1
Dutch GP
What we learned from the 2026 F1 Dutch GP sprint race and qualifying

Verstappen suffering from "flu-like" illness as Zandvoort exposes Red Bull's fundamental problems

Formula 1
Dutch GP
Verstappen suffering from "flu-like" illness as Zandvoort exposes Red Bull's fundamental problems

Why Verstappen's 2026 Mercedes contact was very different from last year's

Formula 1
Dutch GP
Why Verstappen's 2026 Mercedes contact was very different from last year's

Heidfeld unhappy despite progress

Nick Heidfeld said he was not content with his BMW's performance in practice at the Hungaroring even though he felt the team had made progress with its latest upgrade

The German took ninth in the afternoon session but was still dissatisifed with the car's handling.

"We are making progress, although I'm not satisfied with the balance of the car yet," he said. "It is not just as I want it to be - neither on a single lap nor on a long run. You can feel the tyre compounds are now more similar to each other than they used to be, but I'm afraid the tyres are still not really good."

His team-mate Robert Kubica continued to struggle, managing only 14th place in the second session - although he had been 11th earlier on.

"The car in the morning session felt good straightaway," said the Pole. "In the first run especially I was quite happy. When there was more rubber on the track we tested some new parts and a modified front wing. In the afternoon I was not too happy with the car."

The team's engineering boss Willy Rampf said practice had only been a first hints of the development parts' potential, and that there should be more to come.

"We used some new parts today, which prior to this had only been tested in the windtunnel," he explained.

"Therefore we put a lot of emphasis on working on the set-up of the car and finding a good baseline. I think we were able to make a small step forward."

Previous article Massa laments 'very difficult' day
Next article Rosberg believes podium is possible

Top Comments