2023 Formula 1 Preview & Review.

[Fortitude]

F1 announces 24-race calendar for 2023
20 September 2022
Formula 1.

Formula 1 has announced the calendar for the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship, which has been approved by the World Motor Sport Council.

Pre-season testing has also been confirmed, and will take place over three days at the Bahrain International Circuit, from February 23 to 25.

2023 F1 calendar

Date----------------Grand Prix--------Venue

February 23-25 Pre-season testing--Sakhir

March 5------------Bahrain-----------Sakhir

March 19-----------Saudi Arabia-----Jeddah

April 2--------------Australia---------Melbourne

April 16-------------China------------Shanghai ## CANCELLED ##
PLEASE SEE posts 13 & 90.

April 30-------------Azerbaijan-------Baku

May 7--------------Miami-------------Miami

May 21-------------Emilia Romagna-Imola

May 28-------------Monaco-----------Monaco

June 4--------------Spain-------------Barcelona

June 18------------Canada-----------Montreal

July 2---------------Austria-----------Spielberg

July 9---------------United Kingdom-Silverstone

July 23-------------Hungary----------Budapest

July 30-------------Belgium----------Spa

August 27---------Netherlands------Zandvoort

September 3------Italy--------------Monza

September 17----Singapore --------Singapore

September 24----Japan-------------Suzuka

October 8---------Qatar-------------Lusail

October 22--------USA--------------Austin

October 29 --------Mexican----------Mexico City

November 5-------Brazil------------Sao Paulo

November 18------Las Vegas-------Las Vegas*

November 26------Abu Dhabi-------Yas Marina

*Subject to FIA circuit homologation


‘Speaking of the announcement of the calendar, Formula 1 CEO and President Stefano Domenicali said: “We are excited to announce the 2023 calendar with 24 races around the world. Formula 1 has unprecedented demand to host races and it is important we get the balance right for the entire sport.” ’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.f1-announces-24-race-calendar-for-2023.7oNRaq4kZ2bwTAmL7r6dqg.html

[Fortitude]

Ferrari’s Formula 1 Chief Binotto Set to Leave, Corriere Says.
(Bloomberg) -- Ferrari NV’s Formula 1 chief Mattia Binotto is resigning, newspaper Corriere della Sera reports citing company circles.
25/11/2022, 13:01
Antonio Vanuzzo,
Bloomberg News.

The supercar maker will announce his departure in coming hours, according to the newspaper. Binotto is leaving after 28 years at the iconic Italian company, Corriere said.

Ferrari’s Chief Executive Officer Benedetto Vigna may take Binotto’s role on an interim basis. Binotto started as managing director of the racing division and as head of the F1 racing team in 2019, according to Ferrari’s website.

A representative for Ferrari said the company currently has nothing to add when contacted by Bloomberg about the Corriere report.

‘Newspaper Corriere della Sera’;

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/ferrari-s-formula-1-chief-binotto-set-to-leave-corriere-says-1.1851138


Italian media: Binotto exit imminent at Ferrari
25/11/2022, ‎11‎:‎52
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Dieter Rencken

The increased speculation comes following a turbulent season of unfulfilled potential at Ferrari. Mattia Binotto has reportedly resigned from his role as Team Principal at Ferrari, following intense speculation about his position after a difficult season for the Italian team.

Italian media outlets Sky Sport and Corriere della Sera report that Ferrari will announce on Friday that the two parties are separating.

Ferrari started off 2022 on a high by winning two of the first four races, which put Charles Leclerc 24 points ahead of defending champion Max Verstappen.

‘Binotto exit imminent’;

https://racingnews365.com/italian-media-binotto-exit-imminent-at-ferrari


Binotto’s Ferrari exit imminent amid resignation reports
25/11/2022, 14:35
Hamilton Lyndon-Griffiths
Read Motorsport

Ferrari is tipped to announce the departure of team principal Mattia Binotto following reports in Italy that he will resign from his role. Question over Binotto’s future were raised on the eve of the season finale in Abu Dhabi when stories emerged Ferrari was looking to replace him with Alfa Romeo boss Frederic Vasseur.

A formal announcement could be made as early as Friday, according to Corriere della Sera, but there is no official word from Ferrari on the matter.

Ferrari president Elkann previously dismissed rumours that Binotto’s position was under threat at the Italian Grand Prix, despite seeing the team’s title hopes fading amid a failure to challenge Red Bull on a consistent basis.

‘Binotto’s Ferrari exit imminent’;

https://readmotorsport.com/2022/11/25/binottos-ferrari-exit-imminent-amid-resignation-reports/


Ferrari tipped to announce Binotto departure from F1 team
25/11/2022, 11:37
By Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Mattia Binotto is leaving his position as Ferrari Formula 1 team boss and managing director of the company’s sporting division, according to reports in Italy. After intense speculation that Ferrari was lining up to replace Binotto was emphatically rejected by the team in the build-up to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend, Binotto is said to be negotiating his exit mere days after the season finale anyway.

That his exit is to be made official today was first reported by Corriere della Sera, before being backed up by La Gazzetta dello Sport and Sky Sports Italy. In what is now set to go down as Binotto’s last race in charge of the team, Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc beat Red Bull’s Sergio Perez to second place in the race and in the championship.

That marked a relative victory at the end of a season that failed to live up to its early-year promise. But in the week after Abu Dhabi fresh reports have surfaced that Binotto is definitively out, with suggestions of a rift between himself and Elkann and a reported desire from Leclerc’s camp for a change in leadership.

‘Ferrari tipped to announce Binotto departure’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/ferrari-tipped-to-announce-binotto-departure-from-f1-team/


BREAKING: MATTIA BINOTTO RESIGNATION EXPECTED IMMINENTLY
The long-standing Ferrari employee is set to leave the Italian outfit
25/11/2022, 10:45
Katy Roberts
FormulaNerds

According to Italian media, he is set to leave Ferrari due to a lack of trust among those who lead the team. These figures include John Elkann, who has been the chairman of Ferrari since July 2018.

The news follows what was a disappointing season for the Italian team. Whilst it initially looked like they could challenge for the world title in the early races of 2022, a myriad of strategy errors and incidents helped to hand victory to Red Bull.

Binotto endured the brunt of the blame, with many criticising his handling of the team’s mistakes. With the official announcement expected later today, it seems unlikely that this will be an amicable separation. The Swiss engineer has worked in Maranello for 28 years but allegedly grew tired of the frustration directed towards him by his own colleagues.

‘MATTIA BINOTTO RESIGNATION EXPECTED’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/breaking-mattia-binotto-resignation-expected-imminently/?nowprocket=1

[Fortitude]

Mattia Binotto offers his resignation as Ferrari team principal after losing the confidence of Charles Leclerc... with Alfa Romeo boss Fred Vasseur expected to replace him
• Mattia Binotto has offered to step down as team principal of Ferrari
• Ferrari had a mixed season, winning just four races throughout the campaign
• Binotto has lost the confidence of the team's number one driver Charles Leclerc
• Alfa Romeo chief Fred Vasseur is expected to replace Binotto at Ferrari
Published: 07:03, 26 November 2022
By Jonathan McEvoy for the Daily Mail

Mattia Binotto has offered his resignation as team principal of Ferrari. In truth, if his departure is confirmed, it will be a case of being pushed rather than jumping after a mixed season, but one in which he lost the confidence of key players, including No 1 driver Charles Leclerc and chairman John Elkann. Binotto is expected to be replaced by Alfa Romeo boss, Fred Vasseur, a 54-year-old Frenchman who ran Leclerc in his junior career.

Binotto, 53, a Ferrari lifer since leaving university, is paying the price for failing to capitalise on the car's early-season pace. A number of strategy bloopers undermined the team, as well as driver error. Leclerc finished a distant second in the standings behind Max Verstappen, picking up just three wins all season.

This could have potentially been more, especially after he won two of the opening three races of the campaign. However, some dubious calls from the Ferrari pit-wall appeared to cost Leclerc at times.

‘Mattia Binotto offers his resignation’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-11471553/Mattia-Binotto-offers-resignation-Ferrari-team-principal.html


Ferrari CEO Vigna “not satisfied with second place” amid rumours over Binotto
RaceFans Round-up
Posted on 26th November 2022, 0:0125th November 2022, 22:02
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

In the round-up: Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna said he wasn’t happy with the team’s performance after they ended the season second in the constructors championship. Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna said he wasn’t happy with the team’s performance after they ended the season second in the constructors championship and Charles Leclerc took second in the drivers’ standings. “I said it after the last quarter, I am not satisfied with second place because second is first of the losers,” Vigna told CNBC on Wednesday.

“We have made some progress. I’m happy with the progress we’ve made. I’m not happy with second place. I think the team has what it takes to improve over time.” Reports from the Italian media on Friday suggest that Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto is preparing to resign from his role in the coming days. A report by the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera suggested that Binotto was set to announce he was resigning from role as early as yesterday. However, no such announcement was issued.

“Not satisfied with second place”;

https://www.racefans.net/2022/11/26/racefans-round-up-26-11-5/


Mattia Binotto reflects on Sebastian Vettel’s Ferrari ‘failure’ and decision to axe him
Saturday 26th November 2022 7:05 AM
Jamie Woodhouse

Mattia Binotto has explained why he agrees that Sebastian Vettel failed with Ferrari, and the difficulty of the decision to let him go. Vettel left Red Bull at the end of 2014 to join Ferrari, the four-time World Champion looking to put a poor 2014 campaign behind him by re-joining the title fight with Ferrari.

Vettel’s best opportunities came and went in 2017 and 2018 though, and ahead of the 2020 campaign, he was informed that would be his last with the team. Regarding his stint at Ferrari, Vettel has previously referred to it as a failure, since he did not achieve his aim of adding another World Championship to his CV and thus put Ferrari back atop the Formula 1 mountain.

“So it has been a failure for him but it has been a failure all together as a team. He has been very close, or at least the closest he has been was ‘17 and ’18 so we had a few opportunities, but we didn’t get it and I think somehow when your final objective is to do that and if you do not achieve it, it’s a failure.” There is certainly no ill-feeling at all though between Ferrari and Vettel, Binotto confirming that Vettel, who retired from Formula 1 following the 2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, remains someone who is loved throughout the organisation.

‘Mattia Binotto reflects’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mattia-binotto-sebastian-vettel-ferrari-fail/


F1 rumour: Just a matter of time before Mattia Binotto leaves Ferrari
Friday 25th November 2022 11:10 AM
Mark Scott

The rumours that Ferrari have decided to part company with team boss Mattia Binotto are refusing to go away, with Corriere dello Sport reporting ‘it is a matter of hours’ before it is all done and dusted. After a season of gaffes and missed opportunities at Ferrari, there has been an increasing amount of pressure on the Scuderia to start making personnel changes to try and address the latest slump.

Recently, it was Binotto who was back in the firing line with Gazzetta dello Sport reporting that Alfa Romeo chief Frederic Vasseur was being lined up to replace him next season. That reported was strongly denied by Ferrari but, when Binotto was asked about his future by PlanetF1 during the season finale in Abu Dhabi, he could not categorically state that he would be the person to lead the team again in 2023.

“Obviously, it is not down to me to decide,” he said, when asked by PlanetF1 in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix press conference. “But I’m pretty relaxed. The reason why I’m relaxed is that I will always have open, frank and constructive discussions with my bosses, [Ferrari] chairman [John Elkann] – not only in the short term, but the medium and the long term.”

‘Just a matter of time’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-rumour-mattia-binotto-ferrari-exit/


Team boss set to replace Mattia Binotto refuses to deny Ferrari move
It is being reported that Mattia Binotto will be sacked as Ferrari's team principal imminently.
25 November 2022
by Nick Golding

Whilst it appears that the reports from last week are in fact true, Alfa Romeo team principal Frederic Vasseur has been tipped as the next boss of the Maranello-based team, due to his relationship with both the Scuderia and star driver Charles Leclerc. Leclerc was managed by Vasseur in 2018, when the Frenchman was the Monegasque driver’s team principal.

He was asked at the Yas Marina Circuit if the reports were true during the season finale, and it’s safe to say he didn’t deny it. “I’m not going to say anything about it, you’ll find out soon enough,” Vasseur told reporters.

Whilst he didn’t openly say that the reports were correct, his wording does suggest that Vasseur is going to become the Scuderia’s next team principal, meaning Ferrari will be gaining an extremely experienced head. Binotto has reportedly had enough of Ferrari president John Elkann, who in return is believed to be lacking in trust for the current boss.

‘You’ll find out soon enough’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/team-boss-set-to-replace-mattia-binotto-refuses-to-deny-ferrari-move/

[Fortitude]

F1 facing 'three-way battle' in 2023.
"I'm assuming a three-way battle next year," former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher told Sky Deutschland.
06:56 Thu, 24 Nov 2022.
By GMM F1
Sports Mole

"I'm a bit surprised that Mercedes struggled again in Abu Dhabi so obviously their problems have not yet been fully recognised."

Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, however, is impressed with the way Mercedes upped its game in the latter phase of the 2022 season. "I don't know how they did it, but they improved the car more than anyone," he told DAZN. "Next year it will again be a fight of six drivers and three cars."

Formula 1 also may now enter the off-season period with some political calm, as Toto Wolff's controversial former lawyer Shaila-Ann Rao has stepped down as interim FIA secretary general.

'Three-way battle';

https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/formula-1/mercedes/news/f1-facing-three-way-battle-in-2023_500447.html?newsnow


F1 facing ‘three-way battle’ in 2023
06:11 Thu, 24 Nov 2022
ANDREW MAITLAND
Grandpx.news

Max Verstappen is heading into his winter break vowing to keep the coveted number 1 on his Red Bull for 2023. Throughout his title reign, Lewis Hamilton opted to keep wearing his personal number 44. “Yes, I’ll compete again with the 1,” Verstappen, 25, is quoted by Speed Week.

“I’m assuming a three-way battle next year,” former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher told Sky Deutschland. Like his son, Verstappen’s famous father Jos isn’t sure how easy it will be for Max to defend his title next year.

“The field will move closer together again, which is ultimately the goal of the regulations and this new generation of cars,” he told Viaplay. “That does not bother me. Good duels and an exciting season right to the end are fantastic.”

‘Good duels and an exciting season’;

https://grandpx.news/f1-facing-three-way-battle-in-2023/


Mercedes hopes this year's F1 struggle will make it stronger than Red Bull in 2023 — MPH
November 25th 2022
Author: Mark Hughes
Motor Sport Magazine
F1

Lewis Hamilton was glad to see the back of the Mercedes W13, but could the team's desperate search to understand its troublesome 2022 car reap dividends in the future? asks Mark Hughes

But while Mercedes has spent a season working around the limitations it baked into the car, Red Bull (and to a lesser extent Ferrari) have been developing something which was fundamentally sound in the first place. By definition it might be assumed it will be further on in its learning and ready to develop something even more effective.

But Mercedes feels that in addressing the very fundamentals in trying to understand just what was wrong with the car in the first place, it may have reached a higher degree of understanding than those whose car worked well immediately. It may have been forced to dig deeper and to have found things in that process which give a fuller understanding of ‘why’ rather than just ‘what’.

‘Glad to see the back of the Mercedes W13’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/mercedes-hopes-this-years-f1-struggle-will-make-it-stronger-than-red-bull-in-2023-mph?nowprocket=1#


Exclusive: Zhou on closing the gap to Bottas and coming back stronger in 2023
2022 F1 season
Posted on 25th November 2022, 7:1526th November 2022, 10:09
Written by Will Wood

When 2021 Formula 2 racer Zhou Guanyu was confirmed for the final spot on the 2022 F1 grid just over one year ago, reactions from RaceFans readers were mixed. Some welcomed the driver that sat in second place in the F2 standings would be promoted into Formula 1. Others were not so thrilled. “Fairly ordinary,” came one assessment. “I can’t say I’m too excited by this news,” expressed another.

But anyone who expected China’s first ever F1 racer would be one-and-done in the world championship was proved wrong when Sauber confirmed in late September that the 23-year-old would remain with the team during their final season as Alfa Romeo in 2023. “The reality is actually more or less very similar to what I expected,” Zhou replies casually.

“Firstly, when you knew that this year you’d be a Formula 1 driver, that’s something kind of a dream come true – you can’t believe it. It takes a couple of weeks, even one or two months to digest that. But then once everything becomes real, the first few grands prix, still that doesn’t feel real.

‘Exclusive: Zhou’;

https://www.racefans.net/2022/11/25/exclusive-zhou-on-closing-the-gap-to-bottas-and-coming-back-stronger-in-2023/


Mercedes and Aston Martin tech innovations outlawed by FIA for F1 2023
24 Nov 2022
Lewis Larkam

Mercedes and Aston Martin have each seen aerodynamic innovations introduced this year banned by the FIA for F1 2023.

A Mercedes front-wing endplate design and Aston Martin’s "unusual" rear-wing concept - the latter of which was first introduced at the Hungarian Grand Prix - have both been banned under the F1 technical regulations for next season.

While they complied with the regulations and were deemed legal by the FIA, both designs caused a stir because they appeared to contradict the key intention of making F1’s new era of cars easier to follow.

‘Innovations outlawed’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1017935/1/mercedes-and-aston-martin-innovations-outlawed-f1-2023

[Fortitude]

Sergio Perez assured of drive as Daniel Ricciardo returns amid Max Verstappen tension.
Daniel Ricciardo’s return to Red Bull as a third driver for 2023 has raised question marks about Sergio Perez’s future following his bust-up with Max Verstappen at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
12:10, 24 NOV 2022
BY Mark Whiley

Sergio Perez has been assured of his place at Red Bull in the wake of Daniel Ricciardo’s return to the team as a third driver. After being let go by McLaren a year before the end of his contract, Ricciardo has rejoined the Milton Keynes-based squad four years after leaving for Renault (now Alpine).

Ricciardo intends to use the move to get his career back on track after two years of struggle with McLaren with a view to getting back on the grid in 2024. That has led to speculation the Australian is eyeing up a spot in a race seat as Max Verstappen’s teammate. There has been tension between the current race drivers following Verstappen’s refusal to give up sixth place for Perez at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

The world champion ignored the team order over something Perez is alleged to have done earlier this season. “Daniel's contract is very specific for a specific reason," Horner told reporters when asked if Ricciardo could become a potential driving option. “We have a contract with Checo for the next two years and he has made a good step this year.

‘Sergio Perez assured of drive’;

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1/perez-ricciardo-verstappen-red-bull-28573490


Max Verstappen breaks silence on him ‘forcing’ Sergio Perez out of Red Bull
Red Bull’s driver pairing came to blows in Brazil following Max Verstappen’s refusal to follow team orders.
25 November 2022
by Jack Devonport

Recent links to Lando Norris and the return of Daniel Ricciardo to the team have made people question Perez’s long term future at Red Bull, but Verstappen has denied trying to force his teammate out.

“Our relationship is good,” claimed the Dutchman. “It is actually the way it has always been. I always work with GP [Gianpiero Lambiase] on a setup and it’s usually taken by the other side of the garage.”

“Nothing is said but that’s okay in a team, both cars must be good. I never hold anything back.”

“Our relationship is good”;

https://formula1news.co.uk/max-verstappen-breaks-silence-on-him-forcing-sergio-perez-out-of-red-bull/


Christian Horner: Vettel and Webber easy to manage compared to Verstappen and Perez
Monday 28th November 2022 8:15 AM
Michelle Foster

Christian Horner has joked that managing the Sebastian Vettel versus Mark Webber relationship was “easy” compared to his current line-up of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.

Although there were signs of cracks in the Verstappen-Perez relationship when the Dutchman ignored team orders to help his team-mate in his battle for second place in the Drivers’ standings, it is by no means what Horner had to deal with when Vettel and Webber were team-mates.

Horner was asked by Sky Germany about managing Vettel versus Webber against Verstappen versus Perez. He replied with a laugh: “Compared to our current drivers, easy.” He added: “They (Vettel and Webber) were a great pair.”

‘Vettel and Webber easy to manage’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/christian-horner-vettel-and-webber-easy/


Verstappen Perez animosity now 'water under the bridge' for Horner
Sunday 27 November 2022 10:30
GPFans Staff

Ian Parkes - Editor-in-chief: "Everything is hunky-dory once again. The two team-mates love one another, they are happy to carry on into next season and be the best of buddies.”

"Amazing how things can turn in a week bearing in mind the animosity that was clearly present in the São Paulo paddock given Max's radio messages. Water under the bridge now as far as Christian Horner is concerned. We will see how long that lasts."

Sam Hall - Deputy Editor: "They got a talking to, we know that. As soon as the pressure is back on next year, as soon as there is a scenario where one has to help the other, it is going to flare up and we will get all the entertainment again. I don't buy for a minute that this is the end of the story."

'Water under the bridge';

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/96875/max-verstappen-sergio-perez-animosity-water-under-bridge-christian-horner/


Sergio Perez leaps to Max Verstappen's defence despite Red Bull team orders row
Red Bull's Sergio Perez insisted Max Verstappen won his first F1 championship fairly despite recent tensions between the two team-mates
08:50, Sat, Nov 26, 2022
By Tom Sunderland

The Mexican was quick to reassure Verstappen fully deserved the first of his two titles to date. "If you look at the facts, Max didn't win the championship because of that," he told The Telegraph. "We didn't get any performance benefit from it. Teams that want to take advantage of this by putting Red Bull in a bad light are just unfair. It shows that they are bad losers."

‘Sergio Perez leaps to Max Verstappen's defence’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1701811/Sergio-Perez-defends-Max-Verstappen-Red-Bull-team-row-F1


Max Verstappen doubles down on Sergio Perez team order row - 'You don't understand'
Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez were embroiled in a team orders feud after the Brazilian Grand Prix.
14:50, Fri, Nov 25, 2022
By Luke Chillingsworth

Speaking to Viaplay, he said: “I think if I did that people would still not understand. People also don’t understand what goes on behind the scenes during the season. Somehow people think I’m not a team player while I’m always very open.

Verstappen’s race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase begged his driver to slow down on the final lap in Interlagos to allow Perez through. Red Bull wanted to see the pass so the Mexican could score more points for his championship battle for P2 in the standings with Charles Leclerc.

But, Verstappen flatly refused the order as he crossed the line in P6 and hit back at his engineers over team radio. Perez also criticised his team-mate after the race, suggesting his actions revealed “who he really is”. Verstappen has now suggested the issue could have been simply down to Perez using his set-up.

‘Suggested the issue could have been simply down to Perez using his set-up’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1701590/max-verstappen-sergio-perez-red-bull-team-orders

[Jag_Warrior]

I’m hopeful that Merc and Ferrari can bring the fight in 2023. As for Ferrari, I can’t remember seeing a team snatch defeat from the jaws of victory so completely. Shameful! Nice recovery by Merc. And congratulations to Russell for a well earned maiden win.

[Fortitude]

Mick Schumacher cost Haas 'over £2.5m' just from crashing car as new light shed on F1 axe.
Mick Schumacher's time behind the wheel for Haas was an expensive one after a number of crashes.
09:18, Mon, Nov 28, 2022
By Joshua Lees

Mick Schumacher reportedly cost Haas over £2.5million in repairs following a whole host of crashes during his time with the American-based team. Schumacher’s stay at Haas came to an end at the recent Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, after his contract was not renewed ahead of the 2023 season.

Across 2022, Schumacher crashed in Saudi Arabia, Monaco and in practice in Japan with his repair cost ticking past the £2.5million mark according to Bild. Throughout the 2022 season there was plenty of frustration within the Haas setup following the German youngster’s crash record. This aspect though was clearly outweighed by Schumacher’s recklessness for the American-based team, with boss Gene Haas alluding to this on the back of the youngster’s latest crash in Japan last month.

Haas said: “In this sport, being kind of a rookie driver, the sport just doesn’t allow it. It’s just too expensive. If you make any mistakes in driver selection, or strategy, or tyre selection, it is costing you millions of dollars. I think Mick has got a lot of potential, but you know he costs a fortune and he’s wrecked a lot of cars that have cost us a lot of money that we just don’t have.

‘Schumacher crashed in Saudi Arabia, Monaco and in practice in Japan’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1702334/Mick-Schumacher-Haas-crashing-car-axe-F1-news


Mick Schumacher’s crashes cost Haas - and cost him his F1 seat - this is the financial impact…
27 Nov 2022
James Dielhenn

Mick Schumacher reportedly did more than €3 million worth of damage to his car in the 2022 season. This cost was part of the reason that Haas have decided not to renew his contract for next year, and to replace him with Nico Hulkenberg who will sit alongside Kevin Magnussen in the F1 2023 driver line-up, according to German newspaper Bild.

The son of Michael Schumacher was regularly criticised by team principal Guenther Steiner for the frequency of his crashes and the financial impact on Haas. Schumacher crashed this year in Saudi Arabia and Monaco, then in practice in Japan. However, due in part to the prestige of his iconic family legacy, Haas were able to attract numerous sponsors to their team because of their allegiance with Schumacher.

It is unclear whether these same sponsors will remain with Haas in 2023 when Schumacher has gone - some have already decided to withdraw, Bild report. But Haas’ new title sponsor is a game-changer for them. ‘Moneygram’, an American fintech company, will be the team’s main sponsor next year. The team will be renamed Moneygram Haas F1 Team.

‘Cost him his F1 seat’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1017857/1/agonising-financial-cost-mick-schumacher-s-crashes


Hill reveals thinking behind Schumacher Haas exit
Monday 28 November 2022 11:52
Sam Hall

Former F1 champion Damon Hill believes Mick Schumacher's inability to handle the pressure of the sport was behind Haas' decision to release the driver.

With the weight of his seven-time champion father's name, Schumacher was always going to be under more pressure than other drivers of his age. Reflecting on the F1 Nation podcast that this had shown on the track, Hill said: "Mick was under a lot of scrutiny, a lot of pressure and I think that it got to him in the end.

"I don't know where he gets his advice from but I think he probably found Formula 1 was harder than he thought, and there were other aspects to it that you only get from years in the sport which Nico Hulkenberg has had, and therefore, he can concentrate on delivering for the team. The team ultimately needs people who can just do the job without putting them under stress."

‘A lot of pressure’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/96882/damon-hill-mick-schumacher-pressure-haas/


Mick Schumacher’s cagey response over working relationship with Guenther Steiner
Sunday 27th November 2022 8:31 AM
Jon Wilde

Asked about his relationship with Steiner, Schumacher, quoted by Motorsport.com, said: “Well, I mean, we actually have an okay relationship and I think it will stay that way.”

But when questioned about how much support the 57-year-old Italian had provided him with, Schumacher, who spent two seasons with Haas, preferred to talk about how supportive Sebastian Vettel had been instead.

“I had Sebastian’s backing,” said Schumacher in response to a direct question about support from Steiner.

‘Cagey response’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mick-schumacher-guenther-steiner/


Mick Schumacher 'felt pressure of being Michael Schumacher's son' as F1 axe explained
Failed Haas experiment Mick Schumacher 'felt the pressure' of being Michael Schumacher's son during his two-season tenure with the team, according to his boss.
15:40, Wed, Nov 23, 2022
By Tom Sunderland

Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has acknowledged Mick Schumacher felt the pressure of performing in his dad's shadow before being fired by the Formula 1 outfit earlier this month. The only son of F1 legend Michael Schumacher has long been tipped to make an impact in the sport but is now left without a seat ahead of the 2023 campaign.

“If I said I didn’t feel any pressure, that would be a complete lie,” said Steiner. “As Mick felt it, so do we. First and foremost, of course, it’s about our team. That belongs to Mr. Haas and I have to work for him, so I can’t work for everyone else. And for me, Mick is just Mick. I respect the Schumacher name, but you can’t score points with me.”

Steiner went on to concede Schumacher's famous family ties weren't always for the positive, both for him personally and the team as a whole. “It definitely got a lot of media attention,” added the Italian. “I don’t know if it did anything financially. It certainly didn’t do any harm, but it didn’t happen that we got rich from it. On the contrary; it is a blessing and a curse. It took a lot of energy and sometimes also brought a lot of pressure. Just like it’s a blessing and a curse for Mick.”

'Felt pressure’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1700596/Mick-Schumacher-pressure-Michael-Schumacher-s-son-F1-axe-explained

[Fortitude]

Haas chief Guenther Steiner takes swipe at Mick Schumacher's uncle over "public fight".
Ralf Schumacher has been vocally critical of Haas and Steiner personally over the past few months, as the team principal held the future of his nephew's F1 career in his hands
18:20, 24 Nov 2022
By Daniel MoxonF1 Writer
The Mirror

Guenther Steiner has accused Ralf Schumacher of trying to drag Haas into "a public fight" after the former Formula 1 racer's constant criticism over the team's treatment of his nephew.

The six-time F1 race winner has been very vocal all season about the team, especially as they were weighing up their options for their driver lineup for 2023. Mick Schumacher was the young man who held the seat, but it was announced last week that he will be replace by Nico Hulkenberg next year.

Among other complaints, the 23-year-old's uncle accused Steiner of being overly critical of the young German after a spate of expensive crashes which knocked his confidence, and also suggested it was the team's lack of performance and strategy errors which were affecting his results.

‘Constant criticism’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/steiner-ralf-schumacher-haas-mick-28578090


Guenther Steiner claims Ralf Schumacher wanted a ‘fight’
Haas finally announced their 2023 driver line-up last week, with Nico Hulkenberg replacing Mick Schumacher.
by Jack Devonport
24 November 202224 November 2022

Some have questioned Haas’ decision to replace a young up and coming driver with someone coming towards the end of their career, with Mick Schumacher’s uncle Ralf being very vocal about his thoughts on the matter.

The former F1 driver accused Steiner of stalling his decision, claiming that Haas never valued his nephew and suggesting that they have made a poor choice to replace him. Steiner has now hit back at these claims, telling the media that he has no interest in getting involved in a media fight with Schumacher.

“He wanted to cause a public fight,” he said. “I’m not interested in that. I do what I do and he can say whatever he wants.”

‘Public fight’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/guenther-steiner-claims-ralf-schumacher-wanted-a-fight/


Mick’s uncle Ralf ‘wanted public fight’ – Steiner
06:11 Thu, 24 Nov 2022.
ANDREW MAITLAND
Grandpx.news

Gunther Steiner has hit back hard at axed Haas driver Mick Schumacher’s outspoken uncle Ralf. In the media, the pair have been at loggerheads in the second part of the 2022 season amid team boss Steiner’s criticism of Mick’s performance and apparent dithering over his 2023 contract.

“We didn’t play any game for three months that we knew what we were doing and didn’t tell him,” Steiner told Sport Bild, having signed up 35-year-old Nico Hulkenberg to replace Schumacher next year. “We looked for a long time to see what was best for us and took our time. That wasn’t delaying.”

‘Didn’t play any game’;

https://grandpx.news/micks-uncle-ralf-wanted-public-fight-steiner/


Mick's uncle Ralf wanted public fight says Steiner
10:49 Thu, 24 Nov 2022.
GrandPrix.com

Gunther Steiner has hit back hard at axed Haas driver Mick Schumacher's outspoken uncle Ralf. In the media, the pair have been at loggerheads in the second part of the 2022 season amid team boss Steiner's criticism of Mick's performance and apparent dithering over his 2023 contract.

"Of course he had suspected something - he doesn't live behind the moon," Steiner said. But he also lashed out at Mick's uncle Ralf Schumacher, a former F1 driver who is now an outspoken pundit for German television Sky Deutschland.

According to Steiner, Ralf wanted to "cause a public fight". "I'm not interested in that," he insisted. "I do what I do and he can say whatever he wants. I'm not interested in answering that because I'm not a self-promoter. "My decision was certainly not influenced by Ralf's behaviour."

‘He doesn't live behind the moon’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/micks-uncle-ralf-wanted-public-fight-says-steiner.html


Haas’ Guenther Steiner: “We battled all year long through a rollercoaster of ups and downs”
November 22, 2022
By Paul Hensby

Perhaps the biggest high point came in the São Paulo Grand Prix when Magnussen secured his maiden pole position, and Steiner, the Team Principal at Haas, says the aim next year is now build on what they have achieved in 2022 and move even further up in the Constructors’ Championship.

“We finished the Constructors’ Championship in P8 which this morning was the objective,” Steiner said after Sunday’s Grand Prix.”

“That’s what we did, we battled all year long through a rollercoaster of ups and downs but in the end, we ended up going forward in the championship which is important and the aim for next year is to make the next step. The race today was not what we wanted but finishing eighth overshadowed everything.”

‘Build on what they have achieved in 2022’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/11/haas-guenther-steiner-we-battled-all-year-long-through-a-rollercoaster-of-ups-and-downs/

[Fortitude]

Ferrari Announcement.
Maranello (Italy), November 29, 2022 – Ferrari N.V. (NYSE/EXM: RACE) (“Ferrari” or the “Company”) announces that it has accepted the resignation of Mattia Binotto who will leave his role as Scuderia Ferrari Team Principal on December 31.
08:28 Tue, 29 Nov 2022.
GlobeNewswire (Press Release)

Benedetto Vigna commented: “I would like to thank Mattia for his many great contributions over 28 years with Ferrari and particularly for leading the team back to a position of competitiveness during this past year. As a result, we are in a strong position to renew our challenge, above all for our amazing fans around the world, to win the ultimate prize in motorsport. Everyone here at the Scuderia and in the wider Ferrari community wishes Mattia well for the future.”

Mattia Binotto said: “With the regret that this entails, I have decided to conclude my collaboration with Ferrari. I am leaving a company that I love, which I have been part of for 28 years, with the serenity that comes from the convinction that I have made every effort to achieve the objectives set. I leave a united and growing team. A strong team, ready, I’m sure, to achieve the highest goals, to which I wish all the best for the future. I think it is right to take this step at this time as hard as this decision has been for me. I would like to thank all the people at the Gestione Sportiva who have shared this journey with me, made up of difficulties but also of great satisfaction.”

The process is underway to identify Scuderia Ferrari’s new Team Principal and is expected to be finalised in the new year.

‘Ferrari announces that it has accepted the resignation of Mattia Binotto’;

https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/11/29/2563685/0/en/Ferrari-Announcement.html


Mattia Binotto releases emotional statement as Ferrari accept resignation from F1 role
Ferrari have committed to a change of management after a troubled 2022 season.
08:49, Tue, Nov 29, 2022
By Charlie Gordon
Daily and Sunday Express

Outgoing Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has penned an emotional statement after the Prancing Horse accepted his resignation. Drivers Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc endured a troubled 2022 season as numerous poor team decisions allowed Max Verstappen to race into the distance and clinch the title.

"With the regret that this entails, I have decided to conclude my collaboration with Ferrari," said Binotto in a statement released by Ferrari. "I am leaving a company that I love, which I have been part of for 28 years, with the serenity that comes from the convinction that I have made every effort to achieve the objectives set.

"I leave a united and growing team. A strong team, ready, I’m sure, to achieve the highest goals, to which I wish all the best for the future. I think it is right to take this step at this time as hard as this decision has been for me. I would like to thank all the people at the Gestione Sportiva who have shared this journey with me, made up of difficulties but also of great satisfaction."

‘Mattia Binotto releases emotional statement’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1702821/mattia-binotto-emotional-statement-ferrari-f1-news


'Replacing Mattia Binotto isn't going to solve Ferrari's F1 problems'.
Mattia Binotto has carried the can for Ferrari's 2022 failings by resigning as F1 team principal. But a new boss won't solve the team's fundamental problem which has dogged it for more than a decade, says Mark Hughes in our season review podcast
November 29th 2022
Author: Motor Sport
F1

His team produced the fastest car at the start of the season: the F1-75 won four grands prix and Charles Leclerc finished second in the drivers’ championship. But it wasn’t good enough. Mattia Binotto’s departure from Ferrari leaves it once more in search of a leader who can put Formula 1‘s most famous team back at the top of the championship.

Since Jean Todt’s reign as team boss ended 15 years ago, Ferrari has failed to claim a drivers’ title. The missed opportunity in 2022 appears to have heralded the axe for Binotto, who received the dreaded vote of confidence a fortnight before his resignation, which is not thought to have been entirely voluntary.

The team is looking in the wrong place though, if it wants to fix a fundamental flaw that has hampered it for years, says Mark Hughes in our F1 season review podcast. Motor Sport‘s F1 editor argues that Binotto has revived the team’s creativity since replacing the divisive Maurizio Arrivabene in 2019 and that making him a scapegoat for its problems is dodging the real issue that has seen a series of strategic errors made during the season.

‘Not going to solve Ferrari's F1 problems'

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/replacing-mattia-binotto-isnt-going-to-solve-ferraris-f1-problems?nowprocket=1#


The way Ferrari is run just doesn’t work in modern F1
14:58 Tue, 29 Nov 2022.
By Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

As Ferrari prepares to name its fifth Formula 1 boss in less than a decade, it feels further than ever from what a modern team needs to be. Either Binotto’s ‘resignation’ is a smokescreen for a bigger powerplay, or Binotto has felt forced into an act that is far from willing. As he puts it, leaving Ferrari is a “regretful” decision to have to make. Neither outcome is good for Ferrari.

Ferrari’s history is littered with evidence it has never quite worked in the way that a Formula 1 team needs to, with the obvious exception being the period of domination spearheaded by Jean Todt, Ross Brawn and Michael Schumacher – pretty much the only time in the team’s history that the Scuderia was shielded from any wider politics within Ferrari.

Now, though, Ferrari looks more out of touch with the demands of F1 than ever. Ferrari is not alone in having an F1 team that is simply part of a bigger empire. But it is unique in how often it seems to be directly interfered with and how its team boss is left vulnerable in a way their contemporaries are not.

‘Fifth Formula 1 boss in less than a decade’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/the-way-ferrari-is-run-just-doesnt-work-in-modern-f1/


Ferrari’s season of missed chances led to “difficult” criticism for Binotto
2022 F1 season
Posted on 30th November 2022, 7:1530th November 2022, 6:45
Written by Ida Wood

After a season of errors and missed opportunities, Ferrari have lost not only a chance to win a world championship, and many race wins, but now its team principal too. Speaking after the final round in Abu Dhabi, little more than a week before he stepped down, Mattia Binotto admitted the criticism he faced during the season had been “difficult” at times.

“It has certainly been a difficult one because criticism [has] never obviously been accepted or, let me say, [has] to be managed more than accepted,” he explained. “And more than that, I think [it’s] for me to try to keep the team focused and concentrated on the job.”

“So, the criticisms are there to distract a team, and [how to] keep a team focused is never obvious. So it has been difficult, but I think that will make me only stronger in the future.”

‘Lost its Team Principal’;

https://www.racefans.net/2022/11/30/how-ferraris-missed-chances-prompted-difficult-criticism-for-binotto-in-2022/


FERRARI LEGEND ROSS BRAWN SET TO MAKE A SENSATIONAL COMEBACK?
At the end of the 2022 season, Brawn stepped down from his role as Managing Director for Formula One, after the implementation of the new 2022 regulations.
14:04 Mon, 28 Nov 2022.
Rhiannon Temporal
FormulaNerds

The Italian media are suggesting that Ross Brawn could return to Ferrari and replace Mattia Binotto. Famously, Brawn played a significant role in the seven world championships of Michael Schumacher, as the Brit followed the German driver from Benetton to Ferrari. His time at the Italian team remains the most successful period for the outfit, in terms of both drivers’ and constructors’ world championships.

But Brawn’s success did not stop there. In 2009, he led his self-named team, Brawn GP, to constructors’ and drivers’ championship victory in the team’s debut and only season in Formula One. Could Ross Brawn be the change that Ferrari needs to launch a successful championship bid in 2023?

But is it too late to secure Brawn? While the role of Ferrari team principal is one of the most sought-after jobs in the paddock, is Brawn ready for the quiet life? In his recent column on the Formula One website, the former team principal looks back on his successful career in motorsport. Reflecting specifically on his most recent role, as Formula 1’s Managing Director of Motorsports, Brawn said the following:
“My time in Formula 1 is now coming to an end. I’ll miss the involvement I’ve had, the comradeship and the friendship you get in the environment of F1.”

‘Is it too late to secure Brawn?’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/ferrari-legend-ross-brawn-set-to-make-a-sensational-comeback/?nowprocket=1

[Fortitude]

Newey gives insight into Red Bull's 2023 F1 challenger.
Adrian Newey has provided an insight into Red Bull's car design philosophy for the 2023 season, which the team hope will allow them to defend both championship crowns.
Today, ‎15‎:‎20
Author RacingNews365 Staff

When asked about Red Bull's design direction for 2023, Red Bull's Chief Technical Officer Newey revealed that the team will proceed with the current philosophy. "We will continue to develop our concept because we know it best," Newey told Auto Motor Und Sport. "But I don't dare say whether our way is the best way. It's quite possible that someone else will turn the corner with a better idea."

The change in technical regulations has generated more variation in car design than anticipated, which Newey believes signals more design opportunities ahead. "It means that none of us is absolutely right and there must be something better," added Newey. "You can never isolate things like wings or the sidepods. Everything only works as a package.”

"A Ferrari side box will not fit our underbody and vice versa. There's always an interaction between these elements." Newey also cautioned that big design breakthroughs can happen at any time, pointing to the 'double diffuser' example from 2009. "We all don't know yet where we'll end up bumping up against as we develop our own concepts," commented Newey.

‘Insight into Red Bull's car design philosophy’;

https://racingnews365.com/newey-gives-insight-into-red-bulls-2023-f1-challenger


Adrian Newey has spotted a crucial clue in the approach to sidepod design
Wednesday 30th November 2022 5:00 PM
Michelle Foster

With three completely different sidepod designs making up the top-three teams in the standings, Adrian Newey says that shows “none of us is absolutely right and there has to be something better”.

The 2022 F1 championship heralded the arrival of a new era for the sport, F1 doing away from over-car airflow in favour of ground effect aerodynamics to create downforce.

That, together with simpler wings, was introduced in the hope that it would lead to closer racing by creating a cleaner aerodynamic wake that would make it easier for the car behind to follow.

‘There has to be something better’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/adrian-newey-smaller-than-expected-gaps/


F1 tech podcast: CFD secrets with Red Bull’s experts
The Race
30/11/2022, 13:59

Computational fluid dynamics – better known as CFD – is a key simulation tool for all Formula 1 teams. But what is it, how is it used and why is it so important?

The Race F1 Tech Show is joined by two of the key architects behind Red Bull’s success – chief designer Craig Skinner and Ansys chief technologist Christophe Bianchi – to explain how this complex but powerful tool is used to extract performance.

Before that, with F1 teams now in full flow working on their car designs for 2023, former F1 technical director Gary Anderson tells host Edd Straw how they go about tackling the unique new car challenges faced at this time of year.

‘F1 tech podcast’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/f1-tech-podcast-cfd-secrets-with-red-bulls-experts/


Red Bull pinpoints 2022 moment that took Ferrari's 'breathing space'
Christian Horner has identified a key moment from the 2022 season that he felt turned the title race in Red Bull's favour.
29/10/2022, ‎15‎:‎30
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Dieter Rencken

Christian Horner believes Red Bull's Formula 1 domination of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix weekend was a key turning point against rivals Ferrari. Horner identifies turning point. "We never lost sight of what our target was," Horner explained to media, including RacingNews365.com.

"By the time that we got to Imola and winning the Sprint and the Grand Prix with our first one-two of the year, that was able to put the pressure back on Ferrari and it didn't give them any breathing space. We just then kept efficiently developing the car, managing to lose a little bit of weight and Max has just been in sensational form this year.”

‘Key moment’;

https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-on-2022-turning-point-we-took-away-ferraris-breathing-space


Christian Horner Excited to Bring Daniel Ricciardo “back into the Red Bull family”
By Joe Briley
November 29, 2022

Horner firstly gave his welcome message to Ricciardo, and honoured his “enormous talent and brilliant character”. “It is great to bring Daniel back into the Red Bull family. He has enormous talent and such a brilliant character; I know the whole factory is excited to be welcoming him home.“

Horner went on to detail the work that Ricciardo would do with team and how his vast experience will help them battle for both championships next season.

“In his role as test and third driver, Daniel will give us the chance to diversify, assisting in the development of the car, aiding the Team with his experience and knowledge of what it takes to succeed in F1. We’re very pleased to be working with Daniel again and look forward to everything he will bring to the Team in 2023.”

“Back into the Red Bull family”;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/11/christian-horner-excited-to-bring-daniel-ricciardo-back-into-the-red-bull-family/

[Fortitude]

JACQUES VILLENEUVE MAKES BOLD FORMULA 1 2023 PREDICTIONS.
The 1997 world champion also speculates whether Sebastian Vettel will get “restless” and wish to return to the sport. According to Jacques Villeneuve, 2023 will be an important season for Perez, and he expects “the best Lewis”
09:01 Tue, 22 Nov 2022.
Rhiannon Temporal
FormulaNerds

2023 will be an important year for Sergio Perez. It has been a tale of two halves for Perez in 2022. While the Mexican driver has celebrated two victories and 11 podiums, he does finish the year 149 points adrift from his teammate. Villeneuve did not mince his words whilst reviewing Perez’s season, he said: “Perez was strong early in the season. After that, I thought he was invisible.” Could we see Perez leave Red Bull if he fails to keep up with two-time world champion Max Verstappen? The arrival of Daniel Ricciardo and the lingering threat of Lando Norris.

Are we about to see the best version of Lewis Hamilton in 2023? Another driver discussed in Villeneuve’s column is the seven-time world champion, Hamilton. The 1997 champ makes the bold prediction, that: “Next year, I expect a lot from Lewis Hamilton. We are going to see the best Lewis yet.”

He believes that Hamilton not scoring a pole position or race win in 2022 will motivate the Mercedes driver. And that failing to achieve either a pole or a victory within a season, “will have done something to him.”

‘BOLD FORMULA 1 2023 PREDICTIONS’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/jacques-villeneuve-makes-bold-formula-1-2023-predictions/?nowprocket=1


Formula 1 2023 – a way too early preview…
10:38 Sun, 27 Nov 2022.
by Motorsport Week
Motorsport Week

It’s been just over a week since the 2022 Formula 1 season ended, with a final battle between Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Red Bull’s Sergio Perez for the second spot in the championship leader board. The Monegasque driver pulled off an incredible race in Abu Dhabi, getting the edge over the Mexican, who still recorded the best season of his career to date.

But now it’s time to move past this season and focus on the next one, where the rest of the grid will try to catch up with Red Bull and Verstappen. Today, we’re going to take a way-too-early preview for the 2023 Formula 1 season.

‘Way too early preview’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/11/27/formula-1-2023-a-way-too-early-preview/


Formula 1: Early 2023 world championship favorite revealed
The 2022 Formula 1 season is in the books, and the odds for the 2023 world championship have been revealed. Who is the favorite?
10:38 Sun, 27 Nov 2022.
Motorsport Week

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen capped off a dominant championship-winning season with a record 15th victory, and it is no surprise that the two-time reigning champion is the early favorite to win a third consecutive title in 2023.

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, is listed as the second favorite for 2023. He is coming off of a career-worst season in 2022, one which saw him fail to win a race for the first time in his 16 seasons in the sport and one which saw him fail to finish in the top five in the standings for the first time.

2022 runner-up Charles Leclerc is listed as the third favorite. Early in the 2022 season, the Ferrari driver was the betting favorite, but a string of errors — driver errors, mechanical errors, strategy errors, etc. — following a hot start ultimately knocked him out of contention.

‘Early 2023 world championship favourite’;

https://beyondtheflag.com/2022/11/22/formula-1-early-2023-world-championship-favorite-revealed/


F1 TV Tech Talk - Sneak peak into 2023 Formula 1 cars
23 Nov 2022
Formula 1.

F1 Technical experts Sam Collins and Craig Scarborough take a closer look at the forthcoming tweaks to the technical regulations which will alter the aerodynamics and safety of next year's machines. Watch the full episode on F1TV.com

‘Sneak peak’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.f1-tv-tech-talk-sneak-peak-into-2023-formula-1-cars.1750280988445818206.html


Chinese Formula 1 Grand Prix in 2023 ‘to be cancelled’ ["not certain" to take place]
November 23, 2022
Gavin Hamilton

F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali previously said the scheduled race was "not certain" to take place.

F1 declined to comment on the matter and the race has not yet been officially called off, but the decision was "an inevitability".

A cancellation would be particularly disappointing at this time as China's first full-time Formula 1 driver, Zhou Guanyu, is currently taking part in the series and is yet to race in his home country.

‘ "not certain" to take place’;

https://www.sportbusiness.com/news/chinese-formula-1-grand-prix-in-2023-to-be-cancelled/

[Fortitude]

The sad logic behind Ferrari’s latest act of F1 scapegoating.
Mattia Binotto deserves credit for the many good things he’s done at Ferrari recently, including helping to fix the woefully uncompetitive first iteration of the manufacturer’s turbo hybrid V6 and then adeptly taking over full technical leadership of the Scuderia after James Allison left unexpectedly during 2016.
By Ben Anderson
The Race
1st Dec. 2022, 13:02

The cars Ferrari produced under Binotto’s technical direction (2017-19) were its most competitive since 2012, when Fernando Alonso came within four points of winning the world championship. Sebastian Vettel was a title contender for much of 2017 and 2018, and the 2019 car made Charles Leclerc a grand prix winner.

Binotto took overall charge of Ferrari’s F1 operations in 2019 (Maurizio Arrivabene carried the can for the championship failures of the preceding two seasons) and undertook two significant restructurings through 2020 and 2021 to get the team firing on all cylinders again for F1’s new ground affect era.

Binotto delivered a spirited defence of his own record in Abu Dhabi, saying Ferrari under his leadership met its 2022 target to return to competitiveness. That much is true – but having started the season with the absolute fastest car on the grid, and one which scored more pole positions across the season than any other, Ferrari singularly failed to capitalise on the advantage it gained from spending two seasons in the wilderness.

‘The sad logic’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/the-sad-logic-behind-ferraris-latest-act-of-f1-scapegoating/


Mika Hakkinen offers thoughts on Mattia Binotto's Ferrari exit
Published: 1 Dec 2022, 13:41
By George Dagless
Give Me Sport

Mika Hakkinen has given his view on Mattia Binotto’s exit from Ferrari and addressed speculation it was because he and Charles Leclerc didn’t get on. Speaking to Sky Sports at the official launch party of the F1 Arcade in London on Wednesday night, the ‘Flying Finn’ said it’s not about people liking each other in F1 anyway, so long as the job is done in terms of winning:

“I always thought when I was in Formula 1, it’s not a question about if you don’t like somebody, it’s a question of how good they are, how committed they are, how clever they are – that’s what matters.”

“It doesn’t matter if you like them or not. That’s nothing to do with your success. You have to work in a team. You have to respect people’s talent, knowledge, and commitment. I don’t know. I doubt it’s the true story.”

‘Mika Hakkinen offers his thoughts’;

https://www.givemesport.com/88090488-mika-hakkinen-offers-thoughts-on-mattia-binottos-ferrari-exit


Mattia Binotto 'never' had the backing of Ferrari boss amid team tensions
Ferrari is on the search for a new team principal after parting ways with Mattia Binotto.

07:58, Thu, Dec 1, 2022
By Luke Chillingsworth

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto “never” had the backing of chairman John Elkann, according to reports in the Italian media. According to Italian newspaper Calciomercato, Binotto and Elkann were like “water and oil” with the Ferrari chief not getting involved. They claim Binotto “never had the support” of the Ferrari president on the bigger issues such as the team’s stance on the Red Bull budget cap fiasco.

They conclude that Binotto received “no real support” from the owner during his spell at the team. However, ahead of the final race weekend, Ferrari had released a statement claiming any rumours of Binotto leaving were unfounded. A statement from Binotto earlier this week read: “With the regret that this entails, I have decided to conclude my collaboration with Ferrari.

"I am leaving a company that I love, which I have been part of for 28 years, with the serenity that comes from the conviction that I have made every effort to achieve the objectives set. I leave a united and growing team. A strong team, ready, I'm sure, to achieve the highest goals, to which I wish all the best for the future. I think it is right to take this step at this time as hard as this decision has been for me.”

‘Never had the backing of Ferrari boss’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1703857/mattia-binotto-ferrari-resigns-john-elkann-news-latest


‘Calmer guys’: Ferrari lambasted for sacking Mattia Binotto
Ferrari have confirmed that team principal Mattia Binotto has resigned, but a replacement is yet to be announced.
30 November 2022
by Jack Devonport

Despite the team releasing a statement last week rubbishing claims that Binotto was set to get the axe, Ferrari will now be on the lookout for a replacement following their team principal’s resignation. Former F1 driver Heikki Kovalainen believes that Ferrari will regret Binotto’s departure, claiming that there is more to blame for Ferrari’s shortcomings than just their boss.

“Binotto to me comes across as a good leader, he’s been of the calmer guys at Ferrari,” he stated. “I think there is something still missing from the Ferrari team that is causing this chaos and panic at times, at crucial moments of the weekend.”

In such a brutal and cut-throat sport, Kovalainen believes that the constancy and calmness brought by not chopping and changing key staff could have made the difference for Ferrari, who he now thinks might struggle. “If you look at the recent history, the last few years have been a bit more steady and stable at Ferrari than in the past when the team principal was changing more often,” suggested Kovalainen.

‘Ferrari lambasted for sacking Mattia Binotto’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/calmer-guys-ferrari-lambasted-for-sacking-mattia-binotto/


F1 boss urges Ferrari to find a solution after Binotto's resignation
1/12/2022, ‎10‎:‎15
Author Jake Nichol

Stefano Domenicali was speaking after Ferrari announced the resignation of Mattia Binotto as Team Principal. Formula 1 boss Stefano Domenicali has urged Ferrari to "find a solution" after the resignation of Mattia Binotto as Team Principal.

"Of course when you are second in Ferrari, it is something that is not enough," Domenicali explained to Sky Sports F1. "I was in the same position many years ago, and I want [Binotto] to stay focused and believe in himself.”

"I don't want to get into the dynamic of the team, but for sure, I want to wish him the best for the future. I really hope that Ferrari will find the right solution to stay on-track and focus, as they [have done] a big recovery from where they were two years ago (sixth in the 2020 season).”

‘Find a solution’;

https://racingnews365.com/f1-boss-urges-ferrari-to-find-a-solution-after-binottos-resignation

[Fortitude]

F1 confirms Chinese GP is off, Portugal set to join 2023 calendar?
Formula 1 has confirmed the cancellation of the Chinese Grand Prix for the fourth straight year in 2023 due to Covid-19.
02 December 2022
Ben Issatt


While the rest of the world has been opening up during this year, China has continued with a zero-Covid approach leading to large-scale lockdowns for just a handful of cases and mandatory quarantine for visitors.

After growing unrest in recent days, there have been signs that the country is starting to ease some measures. But F1 along with promoters and authorities in Shanghai have decided to call off the race once again due to "ongoing difficulties".

And it appears the location in pole position to fill that slot is Portimao, which hosted two races as part of Covid-affected calendars in 2020 and 2021. "Portugal once again on the F1 route," commentator Joao Carlos Costa tweeted on Thursday.

‘F1 confirms Chinese GP is off’;

https://www.insideracing.com/formula-1/16503-f1-confirms-chinese-gp-is-off-portugal-set-to-join-2023-calendar


Six potential replacements for the scrapped Chinese Grand Prix
13:24, 2 DEC 2022
BY Mark Whiley

Daily Star Sport looks as six potential alternatives for the race… Portimao, Portugal: The Portuguese circuit ticks many of the boxes having come onto the schedule during the pandemic-effected 2020 and 2021 seasons. Sepang, Malaysia: The Sepang circuit, which hosted F1 between 1999 and 2017, is missed by many fans and drivers, having dropped off the calendar due to rising hosting fees and declining ticket sales.

Mugello, Italy: Another recent temporary addition due to Covid, although it was only used once. A narrow circuit that is more suited to bikes, it produced an eventful, crash-strewn race in 2020. Istanbul Park, Turkey: Another favourite with the drivers, the Istanbul Park Circuit returned to the calendar for 2020 and 2021 and would be ready to go again if required.

Paul Ricard, France: The Paul Ricard circuit has only just dropped off the calendar, despite hosting a successful race in 2022. Germany: Given the country’s motorsport heritage, it’s a travesty that Germany doesn’t have a spot on the calendar. In Hockenheim and the Nurburgring, it has two popular and historic circuits that are synonymous with the sport.

‘Six potential replacements’;

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1/f1-chinese-gp-cancelled-portimao-28638777


F1: Algarve due to replace China on 2023 calendar
2nd December 2022
By Michael Bruxo
Portugal Resident

The return of Formula 1 racing to the Algarve next April is just a few details away from being confirmed. This is according to SportTV motorsports commentator João Carlos Costa, who has reported on his Twitter page that the decision to replace the Chinese Grand Prix with a race at the Algarve International Racetrack is “imminent.”

However, there are still “small details to be sorted out before the FIA World Council takes place on December 9 in Bologna,” according to the motorsports insider.

The official announcement would come as an early Christmas present for motorsports fans in Portugal, who have been longing for the return of F1 action to the country since the Algarve was chosen as a replacement circuit for two races in 2020 and 2021.

‘Small details to be sorted’;

https://www.portugalresident.com/f1-algarve-due-to-replace-china-on-2023-calendar/


2023 Chinese Grand Prix cancelled due to Covid as F1 'assessing alternative options'
F1 has decided to scrap the race whch was last held back in 2019.
By Luke Chillingsworth
11:17, Fri, Dec 2, 2022

A record-breaking 24-race calendar was introduced last season with F1 still likely to press ahead with the plans at a different venue. According to Sky Sports F1, there are several circuits interested in taking the slot.

These include Portimao who hosted the Portuguese Grand Prix for two consecutive seasons during Covid. The Algarve track appears to be the favourite with the details possibly finalised within days, according to SportTV’s motorsport commentator Joao Carlos Costa.

Turkey’s Istanbul Park was also drafted into the calendar for 2020 and 2021 after other races cancelled due to restrictions. Circuits which popped in during the pandemic also included Germany’s Nurburgring and Italy's iconic Mugello.

‘F1 'assessing alternative options' ’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1704474/chinese-grand-prix-cancelled-coronavirus-news


Where could F1 race if it replaces the cancelled Chinese Grand Prix?
2023 F1 season
Posted on 2nd December 2022, 13:52
Written by Keith Collantine

The most surprising thing about the cancellation of the Chinese Grand Prix is that it was ever on 2023 Formula 1 calendar to begin with. Portugal’s Autodromo do Algarve was one of the first tracks to be named as a potential venue. The same could also apply to the Paul Ricard circuit which was dropped from the calendar after this year’s race.

One neater solution might be to add a race as a return stop after the Australian Grand Prix on April 2nd. But a suitable venue would need to be found. Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit seems a viable option, but the venue has cooled on F1 since holding its last race in 2017. South Africa was a candidate for a race on the 2023 calendar and the continent remains a target for F1.

Each possibility involves some compromises. But there remains the possibility F1 won’t choose any of them. If it embarks upon next season without a replacement the series will have a four-week gap between the championship’s rounds in Australia and Azerbaijan: a ‘spring break’ to go along with the summer and winter hiatus. Given the packed schedule which follows it, many teams might welcome that.

‘Each possibility involves some compromises’;

https://www.racefans.net/2022/12/02/where-could-f1-race-if-it-replaces-the-cancelled-chinese-grand-prix/

[Fortitude]

WOLFF: MERCEDES NOT EXPECTING 2023 RESURGENCE TO BE A GUARANTEE.
Toto: "And I am 100% sure that this was a difficult year that was necessary for us to re-motivate and re-energise the organisation."
• 11:18 Thu, 01 Dec 2022.
• Hamilton Lyndon-Griffiths
• Read Motorsport

“The regulation changed, we got it wrong,” Wolff conceded. “But all the other pillars are still in place and we have to tune the systems and understand. And I am 100% sure that this was a difficult year that was necessary for us to re-motivate and re-energise the organisation.

“We won eight [championships] in a row, more than 100 races. And this has again made us come back down to the ground, made us appreciate how it feels when you win in Brazil, and also understand how difficult it is to recover – not from [losing] a race like we’ve had it before, but from many races that were just not good enough.

“So I think we will be looking back in a few years and saying ‘that was absolutely necessary’. My perspective is not one season and it’s not two years, my perspective is looking back in 10 years and saying ‘we’ve been there constantly’.

‘NOT EXPECTING 2023 RESURGENCE TO BE A GUARANTEE’;

https://readmotorsport.com/2022/12/01/wolff-mercedes-not-expecting-2023-resurgence-to-be-a-guarantee/


Toto Wolff tells fans what to expect from Lewis Hamilton and George Russell in 2023
• 17:12, 27 Nov 2022
By Benjamin Goddard
The Mirror

After tasting victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix in the penultimate race of the season, Mercedes principal Toto Wolff expects his drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell to be hungry for more next term.

Speaking to Sky Sports, the Mercedes chief said he was proud at how the team turned their terrible season around. He said: “Not a blip for a race but a full season. You keep pushing so hard, the engine came along really well and I'm proud of what we achieved there.”

"On the chassis side there were more bad moments than good ones but the good ones were spectacular like a week ago (Brazilian GP). It made us feel how good it can be and now we're just pushing forward for next year. It's raw, it's bad and it's okay to feel like this but next year we are back.”

‘Be hungry for more next term’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/toto-wolff-expects-2023-wins-28595733


TOTO WOLFF REVEALS DISAPPOINTING TRUTH ABOUT MERCEDES’ F1 ENTRY FOR 2023
The 'Silver Arrows' have had a bumpy ride in 2022...quite literally. Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff explains why...
17:20 Sun, 27 Nov 2022.
Cambridge Kisby
FormulaNerds

“[I’m] never confident,” Wolff told GPFans.com. “I’m a glass-half-empty guy, never believing the job we are doing is good enough.” Mercedes just missed out on a P2 finish in the constructors’ standings after struggling heavily with the new car regulations that took effect at the start of the 2022 season. The bouncy W13, Mercedes’ 2022 F1 entry, caused serious headaches for the Brackley-based outfit and even posed alarming physical threats to Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, both of which suffered from back injuries.

Wolf added: “I’m not sure at all whether we can bounce back to a position where we can compete for a championship. You need to acknowledge the competition is strong, but we will do everything in our power – everything – to set our objectives high and try to reach them.”

Reports have suggested that Mercedes’ entry for 2023 will be very aesthetically similar to the car we saw bounce around the world in 2022. With the FIA’s new regulations implemented to reduce porpoising, Mercedes will get a brand new chance to get it right in 2023, which could allow Mercedes to challenge at the front of the grid once again.

“I’m not sure at all whether we can bounce back…”;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/toto-wolff-reveals-disappointing-truth-about-mercedes-f1-entry-for-2023/?nowprocket=1


'WE ARE BACK' TOTO WOLFF MAKES 2023 PROMISE TO LEWIS HAMILTON AFTER WORST F1 SEASON
Lewis Hamilton ended up sixth in the Drivers' Championship for his worst-ever finish in an F1 season.
00:03, Tue, Nov 22, 2022
By Stuart Ballard

Toto Wolff has promised Lewis Hamilton that he won't have to worry about a repeat of his worst-ever season in F1 heading into 2023 after the Brit ended the championship in a career-low sixth. Apart from a spectacular weekend in Brazil which saw George Russell win his first F1 race, Mercedes will want to quickly move on from the W13 and put a disappointing 2022 campaign behind them.

"First of all, we're gonna put these cars in reception at Brackley and in Brixworth to remind us every single day how difficult it can be," Wolff told Sky Sports. "But thank you everyone, this is a character-building season. Not a blip for a race but a full season.”

"You keep pushing so hard, the engine came along really well and I'm proud of what we achieved there. On the chassis side there were more bad moments than good ones but the good ones were spectacular like a week ago. It made us feel how good it can be and now we're just pushing forward for next year. It's raw, it's bad and it's okay to feel like this but next year we are back."

'We are back';

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1699097/Lewis-Hamilton-F1-retirement-Toto-Wolff-Abu-Dhabi-Grand-Prix-F1-standings


Toto Wolff sends warning to Lewis Hamilton and George Russell
1 December 2022
by Jack Devonport

“The regulation changed, we got it wrong,” admitted Wolff. “But all the other pillars are still in place and we have to tune the systems and understand. And I am 100% sure that this was a difficult year that was necessary for us to re-motivate and re-energise the organisation.

“We won eight [titles] in a row, more than 100 races. And this has again made us come back down to the ground, made us appreciate how it feels when you win in Brazil, and also understand how difficult it is to recover – not from [losing] a race like we’ve had before, but from many races that were just not good enough.”

While a race win would have been a huge relief for the team, it is worth noting that both Ferrari and Red Bull were fully focused on developing their 2023 cars while Mercedes continued to upgrade the W13.

‘Re-motivate and re-energise’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/toto-wolff-sends-warning-to-lewis-hamilton-and-george-russell-for-2023/

[Fortitude]

Alpine's 2023 lineup 'better' than original plan – boss.
Team boss Otmar Szafnauer says Alpine's 2023 teammate is "better" than the Renault-owned team's original plan.
05:47 Tue, 22 Nov 2022.
By GMM F1
Sports Mole

The Enstone based team had intended to pair the continuing Esteban Ocon with Oscar Piastri next year - before rookie Piastri denied his 2023 contract was valid and he signed with McLaren. "I am happy because our lineup with Esteban and Pierre (Gasly) is better than it would have been if we had won that (Piastri) case," Szafnauer told AS newspaper.

He was asked, however, if Fernando Alonso alongside Ocon would have been even better. "Good question," Szafnauer answered. "This year we have had a great driver lineup, Fernando has done a fabulous job and he is still super-fast. I'm happy with my lineup but ask me next year and I'll answer."

On the face of it, 41-year-old Alonso is leaving Alpine in frustration at a year filled with reliability breakdowns. Nonetheless, when standing next to Ocon at a fan event in Abu Dhabi, he said he would miss the team. "Lie!" Frenchman Ocon joked. "He said he's happy to go!"

'Better than original plan’;

https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/formula-1/renault/news/alpines-2023-lineup-better-than-original-plan-boss_500278.html?newsnow


Alpine’s 2023 lineup ‘better’ than original plan – boss
06:11 Tue, 22 Nov 2022
ANDREW MAITLAND
Grandpx.news

Team boss Otmar Szafnauer says Alpine’s 2023 teammate is “better” than the Renault-owned team’s original plan. The Enstone based team had intended to pair the continuing Esteban Ocon with Oscar Piastri next year – before rookie Piastri denied his 2023 contract was valid and he signed with McLaren.

“I am happy because our lineup with Esteban and Pierre (Gasly) is better than it would have been if we had won that (Piastri) case,” Szafnauer told AS newspaper. He was asked, however, if Fernando Alonso alongside Ocon would have been even better.

“Good question,” Szafnauer answered. “This year we have had a great driver lineup, Fernando has done a fabulous job and he is still super-fast. I’m happy with my lineup but ask me next year and I’ll answer.”

‘Alpine’s 2023 lineup ‘better’ than original plan’;

https://grandpx.news/alpines-2023-lineup-better-than-original-plan-boss/


Szafnauer: Alpine 2023 line-up better thanks to Piastri exit
24/11/2022 at 15:52
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Alpine team boss Otmar Szafnauer believes that all things considered, his team has gained from Oscar Piastri's departure from Enstone and Pierre Gasly's arrival, as the latter is a faster driver than the former. Last summer, Alpine initially reacted to the announcement of Fernando Alonos's shock move to Aston Martin by promoting Piastri to a race seat in F1 with the Enstone squad for 2023.

Alpine's intentions of pairing Ocon with Gasly were initially met with a fair degree of skepticism given the bad blood that existed between the two drivers, and which goes all the way back to their karting days. However, a lot of water has flowed under the bridge since the duo's early days of banging wheels in the frantic ranks of karting. Both drivers recently said that they can work together at Alpine, and Szafnauer sought a vote of confidence from both men.

"Hopefully, what they say is true, and I believe it is," said the Alpine team principal. "I've talked to both of them, and they both say the same thing. I've talked to Esteban more than Pierre, as I know [him] more, and I asked him: 'Do you think this is an opportunity to rekindle your friendship?' He said: 'Yeah, never say never, let's see what happens', so he is definitely open to it.”

‘Alpine 2023 line-up better’;

https://f1i.com/news/461811-szafnauer-alpine-2023-line-up-better-thanks-to-piastri-exit.html


‘I was overworked’: Ocon happy to see Alonso leave Alpine, but new threat looms in 2023
November 30th, 2022 6:18 pm
Michael Lamonato from Fox Sports

Esteban Ocon says he’s glad to see Fernando Alonso leave Alpine after having to bear more than his fair share of the load alongside the decorated Spaniard.

Alonso returned to Formula 1 after a two-year sabbatical as the French team’s star signing to replace Daniel Ricciardo. The two-time champion’s signature was considered a signal of intent that Alpine expected to maintain its forward momentum as it rebuilt itself into a race-winning force.

But hosting the notoriously prickly Spaniard hasn’t always made for smooth sailing at Enstone. Alonso’s frustration with Alpine’s chronic unreliability this season has boiled over several times, and his ferociousness on the track has frequently led to episodes of friendly fire with teammate Ocon.

‘Ocon happy to see Alonso leave Alpine’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/i-was-overworked-ocon-happy-to-see-alonso-leave-alpine-but-new-threat-looms-in-2023/news-story/cd6b7b87f4c9e3ee72a67bb7d85020e6


GASLY: ALPINE HAS BEEN “WELCOMING IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY”
What did Gasly expect before stepping into the A522 for the first time?
01:08 Fri, 02 Dec 2022.
Lena Ferle
FormulaNerds

Pierre Gasly leaves the Red Bull family for Alpine in 2023. In his first test in the A522, he was “very positively surprised” by the potential for the coming season.

According to motorsport.com, he explained the first drive in the Alpine car: “It was kind of surprising at the start, but we managed to get everything we wanted.”

“Very quickly I felt comfortable in the car, and I understand now why they finished fourth in the teams’ championship. It all makes sense for me, so I’m very excited for what’s coming.”

“WELCOMING IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY”;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/gasly-alpine-has-been-welcoming-in-the-best-possible-way/?nowprocket=1

[Fortitude]

Mercedes will be out to seek F1 vengeance in 2023.
The first form guide for the 2023 Formula 1 season is still a long way off, but Mercedes will already be looking to place high on predictions lists and escape the ‘No Man’s Land’ area it found itself in throughout much of the 2022 campaign.
15:50 Fri, 02 Dec 2022.
by Fergal Walsh
Motorsport Week

Mercedes has travelled a long way from its start-of-season woes, and has set its sights on getting a grip on stability that will provide it with the means to develop accordingly. “I think we much better understand what the problems were [at the start of 2022], we’ve been peeling onion layer after onion layer off discovering more issues and more problems,” Wolff said.

“But I think we’ve come to the point where we understand pretty well why the car is not performing. Like I said, the correlation is there for some tracks. It’s all in the fine details of how can we make the car work aerodynamically, how can we improve the ride height and make it more stable as a basis. It’s multiple factors that contribute to a car that is simply just not good enough.”

“If we are able to sort that out over the winter, at least we can provide a stable platform to the drivers and we can develop it from there.” But Mercedes is a winning team – its setup from 2014 to 2021 arguably ranks as the greatest F1 constructor of all time. Its place on the grid is anywhere but the top, and it will be determined to prove that once more in 2023.

‘Seek F1 vengeance’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/12/02/mercedes-will-be-out-to-seek-f1-vengeance-in-2023/


Marko backs Mercedes F1 to return to form in 2023
03/12/2022, 12:19
by Fergal Walsh
Motorsport Week

Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko says he is expecting Mercedes to return to front-running competition during the 2023 Formula 1 season.

Marko believes that Mercedes will have a stronger overall package than Ferrari when the 2023 campaign gets underway. “Ferrari is strong, but Mercedes will be stronger in the overall package. Especially with a driver like Lewis Hamilton. He’s still a top driver,” Marko told SportsBild. “True, Ferrari also has a very good driver in Leclerc, but he still makes mistakes.”

“Mercedes has fought its way up to us over the year,” he said. “They’re not on a par with us yet, but they have more wind tunnel time to develop the car. I’m not too worried, though. We’re on a good track for 2023 and, with Max, we have the best driver in the field.”

‘Marko believes that Mercedes will have a stronger overall package than Ferrari’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/12/03/marko-backs-mercedes-f1-to-return-to-form-in-2023/


Nico Rosberg predicts slow start to Mercedes 2023 season but backs them for title push
Saturday 3rd December 2022 11:00 AM
Sam Cooper

Nico Rosberg suspects Mercedes will be slow off the mark in 2023 but has backed his former team to be amongst the championship contenders. Having had the season that they have had, Rosberg believes pressure fell away from Mercedes as they accepted the role of hunter rather than hunted. Looking towards 2023, the German believed that could work in Mercedes’ favour as they can focus on the sole goal of overtaking Red Bull.

“I think the pressure has come off the team a little bit now because it’s kind of accepted they are not the best and fastest at the moment. They’re the ones chasing the best which is a different situation. So now the hunt is on.”

“For Mercedes, I think they’re massively motivated and they have this wonderfully clear targets which is beat that Red Bull next year, try and get them over the winter. That’s a huge driving force.”

‘Amongst the championship contenders’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/nico-rosberg-predicts-slow-start-mercedes-2023-season/


George Russell dismisses Lewis Hamilton’s excuse for being outpaced by him
Lewis Hamilton has suggested that his early season poor form was due to his "guinea pig" role within the team.
2 December 2022
by Jack Devonport

George Russell was seemingly able to extract a reasonable amount of performance from the car, as he secured consistent top six finishes and a flurry of early podiums. Lewis Hamilton on the other hand was struggling, being lapped by Max Verstappen at Imola as the seven-time world champion struggled to find the pace of Russell in his W13.

Hamilton has explained his early season form, suggesting that due to his greater experience he was acting as a guinea pig for the team, taking part in drastic set-up experiments as the team looked to find their missing performance.

“For sure, at the start of the year, Lewis made more drastic set-up changes within the confines of the car, but that was purely because I was in a happier place and he was still trying to find a set-up that suited him.” Russell hitting back at Hamilton’s claims may come as a warning sign to Mercedes, who are no strangers to their drivers falling out when the have the chance to compete with each other.

‘Was in a happier place’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/george-russell-dismisses-lewis-hamiltons-excuse-for-being-outpaced-by-him/


George Russell hints Lewis Hamilton 'would have been different' if Mercedes were winning
George Russell has opened up on his relationship with Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes.
14:55, Fri, Dec 2, 2022
By Luke Chillingsworth

George Russell has admitted his relationship with Lewis Hamilton “would have been different” this year if Mercedes were battling for race wins and titles. The former Williams star stressed connections within the team may not have been as strong without the period of uncertainty. However, Russell also revealed there had been some “tension” as the team desperately tried to find a solution to their lack of pace.

He told the High Performance Podcast: “I think for sure the dynamic would have been slightly different had we arrived at the first race and had the fastest car on the grid. A lot of questions were asked. There’s been a huge amount of late nights throughout this season. A lot of tension at times between drivers teams, designers with regards to, are we on the right tracks?”

“Do we need to be doing something different? Do we need to be more drastic? Do we need to follow the same path as what we are on and continue doing what we know best? These were very difficult conversations that we come away from them closer together and we’ve got such great leadership in Mercedes that we are now all pushing in one direction.”

‘Huge amount of late nights’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1704580/george-russell-lewis-hamilton-mercedes-news-latest

[Fortitude]

TeamTalk: Binotto departure a big blow to Ferrari.
Michele Lupini: So. They fired Binotto. What a cock-up!
11:14 Sat, 3 December, 2022
NewsDesk
Grand Prix 247

“Sure, we criticised him. I mean, he opened himself up to it, no? Yet we always remained cognisant of Mattia’s empathy, his leadership. And crucially, his deep, deep understanding of the Maranello politic. Which is why we called for him to be supported. To take some of the pressure away.

“Not fire him! For goodness’ sake! But there we go. He’s gone. And left an enormous vacuum that frankly cannot be filled. Not today, not next week, not next year. And not even by 2025. Which means its idiot management has now put Ferrari’s next world champion off for good few more years. If not forever. Some of us were excited, hopeful for that for 2023. No more. “So, how do we sort this. Honestly the only plausible way to now fix Ferrari, is to break the Scuderia down.”

“Rebuild it from the bottom up. Like Montezemelo did back in the ’90s. But that needs a big balled bastard. Ferrari doesn’t have one of those. Has not had any coglione since the cows came home. “So, what to do? There are probably just three people who can sort this. Steal Woolf or Horner. Or take the flak and bring Briatore in! Then take the best key personnel there is. The modern Todt Brawn, Byrne, et al. Even Max.

‘What a cock-up!’;

https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/12/03/teamtalk-spotlight-on-binotto-departing-ferrari-f1-resignation/


Montezemolo 'worried' about Ferrari situation.
Former Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo admits he is "worried" about his former team.
05:29 Fri, 02 Dec 2022.
By GMM F1
Sports Mole

Specialist German reports claim Sauber-Alfa Romeo team boss Frederic Vasseur has now turned down Ferrari's invitation for him to replace axed team boss Mattia Binotto. McLaren's Andreas Seidl and Red Bull's Christian Horner also reportedly said no, with many insiders believing the role is akin to a poisoned chalice at the Maranello-based marque.

Di Montezemolo, who so successfully led Ferrari until he was ousted in 2014, commented: "I'm sorry about the situation at Ferrari and I'm worried. In these moments, since I really care about Ferrari, I prefer not to comment other than to note that it seems to me to be a company without a leader."

‘Luca di Montezemolo admits he is "worried" ’;

https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/formula-1/ferrari/news/montezemolo-worried-about-ferrari-situation_501077.html?newsnow


Ferrari priorities questioned by departing team boss
Sunday 4 December 2022 07:30
Sam Hall
GPFans

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has questioned the team's priorities after budget constraints limited development across the past F1 season. Speaking before announcing his resignation, Binotto was asked why the team had been unable to match Red Bull in terms of development, to which he replied: "There have been a few factors.”

"The first, in terms of development, Red Bull had a clear route which was the weight of the car, which was not our case, and they knew what to tackle to get performance out of the car itself. "For us, it was more complicated because it was really through aero developments and the aero concept.”

"The development we did was not sufficient. We stopped very early, not only by choice but for expenditure reasons. Have we made the right choice in stopping so early in terms of priority? I don't know. More than that, we could have done better development than we did, which we need to review.”

‘Ferrari priorities questioned’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/97253/mattia-binotto-ferrari-budget-development-priorities/


Brundle: Binotto exit at Ferrari 'a little bit strange'
02/12/2022 at 15:39
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Sky F1 pundit Martin Brundle admits that Mattia Binotto's departure from Ferrari, with no immediate replacement lined up by the Scuderia, "looks a little bit strange".

Speaking in London at the Guild of Motoring Writers’ Annual Awards dinner on Thursday night, Brundle admitted to being puzzled by how Binotto's exit had played out, with seemingly no replacement plan in place.

"You're working for a country there at Ferrari, not just a team, of course," commented the former F1 driver. They've lost their chief technical officer and their team principal, so unless they have got somebody very, very good to replace him straightaway, it all looks a little bit strange. But that's the nature of it."

‘With no immediate replacement lined up’;

https://f1i.com/news/462192-brundle-binotto-exit-at-ferrari-a-little-bit-strange.html


Can trigger-happy Ferrari harness all the talent at its disposal? – MPH
With change at the top once more for Ferrari, can it avoid wasting all the ability which runs throughout the team?
MARK HUGHES
December 2nd 2022

Ferrari in its wisdom has made its ‘choice’ and “accepted” Mattia Binotto’s resignation. It’s done and there is no sign that the football club mentality of the upper management is about to change anytime soon. There is no-one of the necessary calibre willing to take the team principal job to succeed long term within that environment. But it’s quite possible that short term, at least, the team’s prospects are reasonably good.

In the adjacent garage the team had been intending to also fit Carlos Sainz with inters. “No!” he insisted strongly, before instructing them to fit him with soft-compound slicks and to get him down to the end of the pitlane as soon as possible, if not sooner. This was the third time in the season that we know about that Sainz had intervened in correcting choices the team was about to make – and each time he was proven right.

In Monaco there was his insistence that he go straight through from wets to slicks, missing out the intermediate phase. That prevented him from being passed by both Red Bulls rather than just one. Then there was the Silverstone restart when he had to calmly explain why wasting his new tyres trying to hold the pack off the old-tyred Leclerc’s back wasn’t going to work and that the only way the team was going to win this race was to let Sainz push on and have Leclerc in the defensive position.

‘Trigger-happy Ferrari’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/mark-hughes/can-trigger-happy-ferrari-harness-all-talent-at-its-disposal-mph?nowprocket=1

[Fortitude]

Helmut Marko details Max Verstappen's special skill which saw him beat Sergio Perez.
Helmut Marko has revealed Max Verstappen is now better at saving his tyres than Sergio Perez in a major advantage for the Dutchman.
09:35, Fri, Dec 2, 2022
By Luke Chillingsworth

Perez has often been credited for being able to preserve his tyres better than others allowing him to run longer stints. However, Red Bull chief Marko claims Verstappen has now adopted the skill and could now be better than the Mexican. This has helped Verstappen to cruise to the title in 2022 with a staggering 15 race wins to his name.

Marko said: “Max has gradually become a tyre whisperer. We give him a certain plan and he executes it optimally. In Abu Dhabi, for example, with Max we had already assumed a one-stop.

“From the same considerations we had gone for a two-stop with Perez, although that first stop of his still came earlier than we expected.” Red Bull’s team principal Christian Horner stressed Perez's tyre issues during his first stint at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix affected his race.

‘Helmut Marko details Max Verstappen's special skill’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1704425/helmut-marko-max-verstappen-sergio-perez-red-bull-news


Marko doubts Perez's 2023 title credentials
04/12/2022, ‎07‎:‎55
Author Jake Nichol

Red Bull driver boss Helmut Marko has doubts over whether Sergio Perez has the ability to challenge Max Verstappen for the 2023 Formula 1 title. Marko: I don't think anybody can challenge Verstappen.

Despite completing his best ever season in F1statistically, Marko is unsure whether Perez can push on and challenge Verstappen, who will be seeking a third world title in 2023. "Checo can certainly win a race or two," Marko explained to Bild. "But at the moment I don't see that he can challenge Max for a whole season.”

"In general, I don't see that anyone can currently do this." The Austrian veteran also outlined exactly where Red Bull need to improve in 2023, despite coming off the back of their strongest ever season in F1. "We want to be similarly dominant in 2023, and even if it is very difficult, there is always room for improvement," Marko added.

‘Marko: I don't think anybody can challenge Verstappen’;

https://racingnews365.com/marko-doubts-perezs-2023-title-credentials


Coulthard: Verstappen doesn’t give a sh!t about what we say
4 December, 2022
Paul Velasco

David Coulthard is adamant that Max Verstappen is already among the greats of Formula 1, but warns that his two titles could be all he gets if he does not have a winning car but could also be the first of many.

But Coulthard warns: “The Verstappen era may be over after two titles, not because he’s not a brilliant driver, but he may not have a title-winning car in the coming seasons. Nobody knows that in advance. “Lewis could have been a nine-time instead of a seven-time F1 champion. At the same time, he has often been in a good car, and someone like [Fernando] Alonso has not.”

“Alonso should have had more than two titles but his choices and the racing gods have put him in the position where he will drive for Aston Martin next year and the chances of him becoming champion are slim,” predicted the Scot.

‘Max Verstappen is already among the greats of Formula 1’;

https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/12/04/coulthard-verstappen-doesnt-give-a-sht-about-what-we-say/


HILL: VERSTAPPEN WILL BECOME “A TARGET” AFTER TWO CHAMPIONSHIP WINS
Damon Hill spoke on the F1 Nation Podcast about Max Verstappen's two world championships
18:25 Wed, 30 Nov 2022
Abby Bathurst
FormulaNerds

On the F1 Nation Podcast, Damon Hill spoke about Verstappen and the two championships he has under his belt. Hill, a former Formula One driver himself, said: “Not everybody loves a winner, their expression is or the idea is once you’re leading, you’re in a happy place. But there’s also this other thing, which is in this business, all the other teams want to bring you down.”

Hill continued commenting on the flip side of a driver’s success. He said: “So you become a target, and it can be sometimes baffling why people don’t celebrate when you’re doing really well. But there is that flip side to being successful.”

‘Other teams want to bring you down’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/hill-verstappen-will-become-a-target-after-two-championship-wins/?nowprocket=1


Max Verstappen warned next season 'won't be straightforward' as surprises predicted
TWO-TIME F1 world champion Mika Hakkinen has forecasted a tougher title defence awaits Red Bull's Max Verstappen in 2023.
10:00, Thu, Dec 1, 2022
By Tom Sunderland

TWO-TIME F1 world champion Mika Hakkinen has forecasted a tougher title defence awaits Red Bull's Max Verstappen in 2023.

Red Bull superstar Max Verstappen will "see some surprises" and encounter a more difficult test in his bid for a third straight F1 crown next year. That's according to two-time world champion Mika Hakkinen, who believes the sport's changing regulations open up opportunities for other outfits to impress.

"He [Verstappen] has done a great job with a great team and great engineers," the Finn told Sky Sports. "Regulations of Formula 1 are different now than it used to be in my time, or used to be three or four years ago. That gives a lot of opportunities to other teams for success.”

‘Next season won't be straightforward’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1703919/Max-Verstappen-2023-season-F1-Red-Bull-Mika-Hakkinen


Why Verstappen expects a closer title fight in 2023
‎02‎ ‎December‎ ‎15‎:‎20
Author Michael Butterworth
Co-author Dieter Rencken

World Champion Max Verstappen says he expects a closer championship battle in 2023, as other teams get to grips with the new generation of F1. Speaking after yet another dominant win in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Verstappen acknowledged Red Bull's superiority over the whole of 2022, but cautioned that other teams would close the gap on the drinks-backed outfit.

"I do think it will be closer," Verstappen told media, including RacingNews365.com. "People are understanding the cars a lot more, and over time, all the teams will just edge closer. From our side, it's been a really positive weekend, so that's really encouraging also for next year.”

"But we also know now, over the winter, we really have to keep pushing and keep trying to find performance and understand the tyres even more, because the tyres will change a bit for next year. So, let's see how we are going to manage all of that."

‘Max Verstappen expects a closer title fight’;

https://racingnews365.com/why-verstappen-expects-a-closer-title-fight-in-2023

[Fortitude]

Why McLaren's development is 18 months behind schedule.
McLaren Technical Director James Key says the pandemic has put his team 18 months behind their development curve.
04/12/2022, ‎11‎:‎05
Author Michael Butterworth
RacingNews365

Key and Team Principal Andreas Seidl joined McLaren at the beginning of 2019 as the team embarked on a restructuring after an underwhelming few years that included an ill-fated engine partnership with Honda.

McLaren's fortunes gradually improved from 2018 onwards, as the team's points tally increased year-on-year, ultimately scoring their first Grand Prix win since 2012 with Daniel Ricciardo's victory in the 2021 Italian Grand Prix.

But the team slipped back in 2022, scoring only 159 points to 275 in 2021, and falling behind Alpine in the final Constructors' Championship, and Key lamented that the onset of the pandemic had affected McLaren's development plans.

‘Development is 18 months behind’;

https://racingnews365.com/why-mclarens-development-is-18-months-behind-schedule


McLaren forced to sell heritage Formula 1 cars to Bahrain amid financial trouble
The McLaren Artura has experienced delivery delays, causing the team to look for further funding.
2 December 2022
by Jack Devonport
Formula1News

McLaren are one of the most prominent supercar manufacturers in the world, producing some of the most impressive pieces of machinery over the course of their existence. The McLaren Artura is set to be one of the most impressive supercars produced by the British company, but the process to create and roll out the Artura has been far from straightforward.

The car manufacturer have been forced to seek emergency funding numerous times over the past couple of years to aid with the Artura project, recently raising £125 through convertible preference shares from Ares Management Corporation and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

McLaren have recently reported a loss of £203 million over the previous nine months, nearly three times the figure from the year prior.

‘Forced to sell heritage Formula 1 cars’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/mclaren-forced-to-sell-heritage-formula-1-cars-to-bahrain-amid-financial-trouble/


Seidl unconcerned over McLaren's driver dynamic
‎03‎ ‎December‎ ‎13‎:‎55
Author Michael Butterworth
Co-author Dieter Rencken

McLaren will have a new driver line-up next year, as Oscar Piastri replaces Daniel Ricciardo in partnering Lando Norris. But team boss Andreas Seidl says the change won’t affect the team’s approach or dynamic.

Seidl dismissed concerns that a different line-up may change the team dynamic for the worse. "Each driver is different, and that could end up in a different relationship between two guys, but that doesn't necessarily mean that one or the other type of relationship is better or worse," Seidl told media, including RacingNews365.com.

"In the end, the way Lando is as a guy, [and] the way we got to know Oscar so far, I don't expect any issues there. We have one common mission together, we want to make sure that the work everyone is putting in and the commitment everyone is putting in, that we simply keep moving forward as a team."

‘McLaren's driver dynamic’;

https://racingnews365.com/seidl-unconcerned-over-mclarens-driver-dynamic


McLaren: 2022 season underlined team's operational weakness
01/12/2022 at 18:11
Michael Delaney

Andreas Seidl says McLaren's troubled start to its 2022 campaign underscored a few operational weaknesses that remain embedded in the team.

Seidl suggested that McLaren's predicament may have a bearing on the development of team papaya's 2023 MCL37.

"To a certain degree, it probably even had an impact on the development of next year's car, because we couldn't start it as early as we would have liked," he concluded.

‘McLaren's predicament’;

https://f1i.com/news/462162-mclaren-2022-season-underlined-teams-operational-weakness.html


Palou: Excited to be a McLaren reserve F1 driver in 2023
1 December, 2022
Associated Press

Alex Palou was confirmed as a Formula 1 reserve driver for McLaren Racing on Thursday, bringing to an end a prolonged battle for the IndyCar champion and the F1 team. The Spaniard, who won the 2021 IndyCar championship for Chip Ganassi Racing said, in July, he was declining to return to Ganassi next year and instead would drive for McLaren.

In his role as a reserve driver, Palou will support McLaren whenever it does not conflict with his responsibilities in the final year of his IndyCar contract with Ganassi. He will officially move to McLaren at the end of the upcoming IndyCar season and drive either for Arrow McLaren SP in IndyCar or move completely into an F1 role.

“I’m excited to be part of the McLaren team as one of their reserve drivers in 2023,” Palou said. “I can’t wait for the involvement with next year’s car. I look forward to continuing my development as a driver and I appreciate the trust McLaren have in me with this new role next year.” Palou has four wins and 15 podiums through three IndyCar seasons and is the only Spaniard to win the championship.

‘Excited to be a McLaren reserve F1 driver in 2023’;

https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/12/01/palou-excited-to-be-a-mclaren-reserve-f1-driver-in-2023/


Could McLaren switch to Porsche power in F1 2026?
Wednesday 30th November 2022 8:15 AM
Sam Cooper

McLaren’s Zak Brown has been discussing a possible move away from Mercedes engines to Porsche for the 2026 season. Porsche, along with Audi, have made their intentions to be on the grid in 2026 clear but while the latter has agreed a deal to take over Sauber, it still remains to be see just what form Porsche’s entry will take.

Volkswagen, who own Porsche and Audi, have made it clear they are looking to partner Porsche with an existing team rather than create their own and they could even enter the sport solely as an engine supplier.

Currently, there are four engine suppliers in F1 in the form of Red Bull Powertrains, Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari but with the new power unit regulations coming in 2026, others are expected to join.

‘Porsche power’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mclaren-switch-porsche-power-f1-2026/

[Fortitude]

One of Ferrari’s old F1 drivers is the new boss it needs.
And then there are the politics that come with the job, building relationships with the FIA and FOM. Could Gerhard handle this aspect? You bet.
Dec 3 2022
By Jim Wright

The resignation and departure of Mattia Binotto from the Ferrari Formula 1 team shouldn’t be a great surprise. Sure, he had a number of good qualities and he managed to turn the Ferrari super-tanker around and get it back on course to challenge for wins. But the next step, putting together a genuine world championship challenge, is a step too far for his experience and character.

Step forward Gerhard Berger. The amiable but no-nonsense Austrian is the perfect man to lead Ferrari back to world championship honours. What I learnt in that three-year spell working for Gerhard was that he had a very clear way of analysing a challenge and that he had a real skill for identifying the major issues and addressing those issues head on, quickly, simply and without any turning back.

To achieve this, he had a really impressive network of personnel with which he had previously worked or admired from afar. From mechanics to engineers to production personnel, they were all in Gerhard’s Rolodex and between Gerhard and his super-efficient and loyal PA, they could reach anyone that mattered within the motorsport world. And he was ruthless.

‘Ruthless’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/one-of-ferraris-old-f1-drivers-is-the-new-boss-it-needs/


F1 legend Berger linked with top Ferrari job
DECEMBER 5, 2022
ANDREW MAITLAND
Grandpx.news

F1 legend Gerhard Berger is being linked with the vacant top job at Ferrari’s iconic team.

The 63-year-old, who had two separate stints at the wheel of the Italian team’s Formula 1 cars in the 80s and 90s, has most recently been boss of the German touring car series DTM.

The news comes just after Mattia Binotto was ousted as Ferrari team principal, with the Maranello team’s former technical director Ross Brawn also linked with the role.

‘Gerhard Berger is being linked’;

https://grandpx.news/f1-legend-berger-linked-with-top-ferrari-job/


Binotto says Ferrari lack 'winning mentality' from Schumacher era.
05 December 2022
Ben Issatt
Inside Racing

Speaking earlier this year, Binotto was asked what main thing Ferrari missed in its pursuit to end the wait for championship success, one that enters its 15th year in 2023. “That winning mentality that was there in the Schumacher era and which pushed you to do better after every victory,” he told Motorsport Italia.

"To win, you have to keep progressing and improving and to do that we have to give 120% if not 130%. We come from very difficult seasons, from sixth place in the 2020 Constructors’ Championship. These were years that marked us because we suffered pressure and criticism, and in a way they shaped us.”

“We promised we would be competitive again and we have kept that promise, but what I want to say is that between having a performing car and drivers and the ability to consolidate the ability to materialise every situation, there is still a step to go.”

‘We have to give 120% if not 130%’;

https://www.insideracing.com/formula-1/16507-binotto-says-ferrari-lack-winning-mentality-from-schumacher-era


‘Next season’s engine will be the bomb’ – Steiner reveals Ferrari optimism
05/12/2022, 17:18
by Rob Kershaw
Motorsport Week

Haas Team Principal, Guenther Steiner, has revealed positive talks with incumbent Ferrari boss, Mattia Binotto, regarding next season’s power unit.

Steiner hinted that a nifty bit of machinery will be installed into the back of the Ferrari, Haas and Alfa Romeo cars next year after the manufacturer team turned its attention to that department towards the back end of the 2022 campaign.

“On Thursday I met Mattia Binotto and he told me that next season’s engine will be the bomb,” said the Italian at the ceremony for the Lorenzo Bandini Award, which was won by Magnussen. “In Emilia Romagna, there is a lot of support for Ferrari. And if it [the engine] is competitive, it will be positive for us too.”

‘Ferrari optimism’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/12/05/next-seasons-engine-will-be-the-bomb-steiner-reveals-ferrari-optimism/


Sainz lists two main targets for Ferrari success
Monday 5 December 2022 13:15
Ewan Gale

Carlos Sainz has revealed Ferrari's two main targets for next season after the team fell away to second in the F1 constructors' standings over the course of 2022.

The Spanish driver clinched his first pole position and victory in F1 at the British Grand Prix, the highlight in what was otherwise a rollercoaster of fortunes across the year that started with two retirements in the first four races.

"On my side, I want to start the season a lot stronger, a bit more like I finished this one," added Sainz. "Being a better driver with more knowledge, and getting a lot more knowledge of this generation of cars, should make me stronger next year.”

‘Two main targets’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/97012/carlos-sainz-ferrari-two-targets/

[Fortitude]

AlphaTauri’s Performance Drop-off in 2022 Disappointing for Technical Director Jody Egginton.
They finished two points behind the Haas F1 Team, but Egginton says everyone will be looking to address the slide and come back fighting in 2023.
November 22, 2022
By Paul Hensby
Chequered Flag

“It’s been a long season and unfortunately, we have not been able to deliver the level of performance of the previous two years in 2022, but the entire team is totally focused on addressing this for next year,” Egginton insisted.

Egginton also took time to thank Gasly for his ‘work and dedication’ throughout his time with the team, with the Frenchman now departing to join the BWT Alpine F1 Team next season.

“Finally, on behalf of the team I would like to thank Pierre for his hard work and dedication, he has been an important part of our success in recent seasons, and we wish him well in 2023,” he said.

‘Come back fighting in 2023’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/11/alphatauris-performance-drop-off-in-2022-disappointing-for-technical-director-jody-egginton/


I was stressing consistently’: Yuki Tsunoda opens up ahead of new team-mate battle
Yuki Tsunoda claimed just four points finishes in 2022, compared to seven in his debut season.
6 December 2022
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

“I think overall this year I’m pretty happy about how I progressed every race and I think probably I can continue, or even more, this momentum.” 2023 is set to be a huge year for Tsunoda, who will likely be dropped at the end of the season if he fails to deliver.

Team principal Franz Tost is a firm believer that a driver needs three years in F1 to show their full potential, meaning Tsunoda must perform. He will also have a new team-mate alongside him, with Gasly having departed for Alpine.

Nyck de Vries will be partnering Tsunoda next season for what will be his rookie year, with their perhaps being pressure on the 22-year-old to beat the Season Seven Formula E World Champion.

‘I was stressing consistently’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/i-was-stressing-consistently-yuki-tsunoda-opens-up-ahead-of-new-team-mate-battle/


Tsunoda relaxed after 2022 F1 season
Monday 5th December, 2022 - 1:21pm
By Mat Coch

Yuki Tsunoda is more relaxed after completing the 2022 season, his second with Scuderia AlphaTauri in F1. The Japanese driver burst onto the scenes with high expectations, though experienced a difficult debut campaign.

“I think overall I’m pretty happy, especially I would say now I’ve been relaxing in the race week, especially Thursday, Friday. I didn’t know how to approach [them] and I was stressing consistently, especially last year and rushing everything. That makes a little bit of stress, or was frustrating, and made it a little bit difficult. But now I can kind of relax and I know how to adapt to any situation,” he added.

Tsunoda will become the de facto team leader at Scuderia AlphaTauri next season as Nyck de Vries joins the team. The Dutchman has just one race start to his name and joins the squad in place of the Alpine-bound Pierre Gasly.

‘Tsunoda will become the de facto team leader’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2022/12/05/tsunoda-relaxed-after-2022-f1-season/


How ‘sole agent’ De Vries has forged his own path to F1
Dec 4 2022
By Sam Smith

Nyck de Vries would have driven for Maserati in Formula E and Toyota in the World Endurance Championship in 2023. On a professional basis outside of the Formula 1 bubble, that would have been a very healthy position for him to be in. But a few days is a long time in motorsport.

That outlook changed considerably within a few days at Monza in September and was then solidified by his AlphaTauri deal a few weeks later. That De Vries, who effectively managed himself in 2022 and had in fact done so for a while, inked a full-time F1 deal after his breakthrough Italian Grand Prix performance is absolutely one of the best feel-good stories of this year.

Having followed his career closely for the last four years I’ve seen most of his races in Formula E, the WEC and the European Le Mans Series. He is relentless in his competitiveness, displaying tenacious skill and a work ethic that should bring him a long F1 career. He positioned himself expertly for a career pivot that many have tried and failed before. But my goodness he was forced to work for it.

‘Forged his own path to F1’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/how-sole-agent-de-vries-has-forged-his-own-path-to-f1/


‘Really for nothing’: Nyck de Vries makes admission about AlphaTauri deal
Nyck de Vries will have his first full-time race seat in Formula 1 next season after impressing in 2022, particularly at the Italian Grand Prix.
by Jack Devonport
30 November 202230 November 2022

Nyck de Vries became hot property in Formula 1 following his stunning weekend in Monza earlier this year, when the Dutchman was forced to deputise for Alex Albon who was battling with appendicitis. The 27-year-old reportedly only found out that he would be racing for Williams just minutes before the final practice session, which makes his point scoring finish and demolition of teammate Nicholas Latifi even more impressive.

“In all honesty, I no longer saw Formula 1 as a realistic opportunity, but I kept grabbing the opportunities that came my way,” admitted the 27-year-old. “I was there and I’ve been travelling to races for the last two years, but really for nothing. With that attitude I just sat in the VIP lounge on Saturdays having a coffee.”

De Vries will be joined by Logan Sargeant and Oscar Piastri as the rookies on the grid next season, as a new wave of Formula 1 drivers look to stamp their authority on the sport.

‘Hot property’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/really-for-nothing-nyck-de-vries-makes-admission-about-alphatauri-deal/

[Fortitude]

Ferrari to reveal Binotto successor by Christmas.
Italian specialist publications report that the Maranello based outfit has now made a decision, with current Alfa Romeo team principal Frederic Vasseur believed to be the frontrunner.
07/12/2022, 06:00
By GMM F1
Sports Mole

"Was it really necessary to change the man at the top?" former Ferrari winner and F1 legend Mario Andretti told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "I'd have to know more about it before making an informed judgement. What is clear to me is that there needs to be a change in strategy, but when you have such a fast car, you don't need to be drastic about it.

"It is true that we saw certain stupidities and I don't know who was responsible for that. When I think about how Leclerc was sent onto the track in Brazil with intermediates - mamma mia!" If appointed as Binotto's successor, Ferrari will break its recent tradition of appointing Italian bosses who are ultimately ousted - such as Maurizio Arrivabene, Marco Mattiacci and Stefano Domenicali.

"I have a positive opinion of Binotto and I think he should have stayed," former Ferrari boss Cesare Fiorio told Italy's Autosprint. "In the F1-75, he has put a competitive and advanced machine on the asphalt. He is a very good engineer, but as a team principal he still needed some experience. But I do believe that he was doing it better and better over time. I would have found a way to keep Binotto on the team," Fiorio added. "On a technical level, he really achieved the goals."

‘Successor by Christmas’;

https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/formula-1/ferrari/news/ferrari-to-reveal-binotto-successor-by-christmas_501410.html?newsnow


Ferrari set to announce Mattia Binotto replacement as 'decision has been made'
• 21:50, 6 Dec 2022
By Daniel MoxonF1 Writer
The Mirror

Ferrari have reportedly made their decision over who should replace outgoing team principal Mattia Binotto. The report claims Frederic Vasseur, the widely-tipped favourite to take the job, has indeed been selected. The 54-year-old, currently team principal at Alfa Romeo, is set to be announced before the end of the year.

While vastly experienced, the Ferrari job will not be an easy one for Vasseur. Expectation at Ferrari is always extremely high, as is the pressure if results fall below those lofty ambitions – he will become the team's fifth team principal since 2014.

The F1 Insider report also claims he could face some resistance from Nicholas Todt, Leclerc's manager. His brother Jean, another former Ferrari chief, worked with Vasseur in the past with the ART Grand Prix team in junior categories, but their current relationship is believed to be strained.

'Decision has been made';

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/ferrari-binotto-replacement-2023-vasseur-28671378


Binotto’s exit could start a Ferrari decline, not a recovery
Dec 6 2022
By Josh Suttill and Mark Hughes

Mattia Binotto’s (most likely) forced exit from Ferrari may be the “beginning of deeper problems” for Formula 1’s most famous team rather than the start of any sort of recovery. Although its title collapse led to Ferrari receiving great criticism, its 2022 season – with four race wins and second in the constructors’ championship – marked the second successive major step up the F1 pecking order after it finished sixth in 2020 and then a distant third in 2021.

But Ferrari threw the “baby out with the bath water” and made “absolutely the wrong the decision” by sacking Binotto, according to Hughes. “You’re getting rid of the guy who brought you the technical success,” he added.

“And regardless of where you think he should have been made team principal in the first place or not, you can’t then demote him, you can’t then send him back to being technical director, it’s not going to work. It’s the wrong move, it’s being made for the wrong reasons.

“Baby out with the bath water”;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/binottos-exit-could-start-a-ferrari-decline-not-a-recovery/


'I'm worried': Ex-Ferrari boss damning verdict as search continues for Binotto replacement
Ferrari is on the hunt for a new team principal after Mattia Binotto resigned last week.
By Luke Chillingsworth
07:45, Wed, Dec 7, 2022

Former Ferrari boss Luca di Montezemolo has claimed he is “worried” about the Scuderia after they let go of team principal Mattia Binotto. The ex-Ferrari chief stressed the team was “without a leader” after a difficult year saw the Prancing Horse miss out on a title challenge.

Di Montezemolo told the Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport: “I’m sorry about the situation at Ferrari and I’m worried. In these moments, since I really care about Ferrari, I prefer not to comment. Other than to note that it seems to me to be a company without a leader.”

‘Worried’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1706296/ferrari-team-principal-mattia-binotto-news-f1-luca-di-montezemolo


Is Ferrari’s next F1 team boss right under their noses after Mattia Binotto exit?
Tuesday 6th December 2022 5:00 PM
Oliver Harden

A respected Formula 1 observer believes the solution to the problem at Ferrari is right under their noses in the shape of senior performance engineer Jock Clear.

However, former Ferrari and Williams team manager Peter Windsor has put forward the name of Clear, best known as Jacques Villeneuve’s race engineer during his title-winning season in 1997 and who joined Ferrari from Mercedes in 2015.

Speaking via his Twitch channel, Windsor claimed Clear has all the attributes required to succeed in arguably the most important job in Formula 1. He said: “If you want my honest opinion, I think they’re underusing Jock Clear.”

‘Ferrari’s next F1 team boss’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/jock-clear-ferrari-team-boss/

[Fortitude]

Formula 1 announces venues for six F1 Sprint events across 2023 season.
Formula 1 has revealed the venues that will play host to the six F1 Sprint weekends during the 2023 campaign, with the number of events doubling from the three staged in 2021 and 2022.
07 December 2022, 11:49
Formula One - Official Site

F1 Sprint sees the standard one-hour qualifying session shifted to Friday, setting the grid for a 100-kilometre dash on Saturday, which in turn sorts the starting order for Sunday’s main event.

Next year, the Sprints will be held in Azerbaijan (Baku City Circuit), Austria (Red Bull Ring), Belgium (Spa-Francorchamps), Qatar (Losail Circuit), the United States (Circuit of The Americas) and Sao Paulo (Interlagos).

‘Six F1 Sprint events’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.breaking-formula-1-announces-venues-for-six-f1-sprint-events-across-2023.4tvAAXFGdkoHKE8Onjh8Ya.html


Hungaroring announces redevelopment plan to compete with F1’s new tracks
2023 Formula 1 season
Posted on 6th December 2022, 12:44
Written by Ida Wood

The Hungaroring has announced an extensive redevelopment plan for facilities at the track which has hosted Formula 1 since 1986.

The venue also confirmed race day tickets for next year’s Hungarian Grand Prix have already sold out. The sale of 100,000 tickets for Sunday’s action over seven months before the event reflects a strong increase in interest. It took until April for race day tickets to sell out this year.

The circuit’s current contract to host F1 races ends in 2027. It has announced a “strategic development programme” which will initially focus on redeveloping utility infrastructure such as water supply and cabling across the site, and also creating new buildings such as a reception hall, a control centre and a ‘customer area’.

‘Hungaroring redevelopment plan’;

https://www.racefans.net/2022/12/06/hungaroring-announces-redevelopment-plan-to-compete-with-f1s-new-tracks/


2023 FIA Sporting Calendars approved by the World Motor Sport Council
07.12.22, 16:16
FIA (Press Release)

The following FIA sporting calendars for 2023 have been approved by the World Motor Sport Council when it convened in Bologna today, Wednesday 7 December, or earlier during the year by e-vote.

‘Sporting Calendars approved’;

https://www.fia.com/news/2023-fia-sporting-calendars-approved-world-motor-sport-council-0


FIA confident 2023 floor tweaks will mean porpoising ‘will be a step less’
Wednesday 7th December 2022 2:00 PM
Michelle Foster

With porpoising making a return at the season finale in Abu Dhabi, Nikolas Tombazis says he has “no doubt” the FIA did the “right thing” introducing a limit and tweaking next year’s floor regulations. Porpoising was the buzz word of the 2022 season, Formula 1’s first campaign with cars that use ground effect aerodynamics to create downforce.

Tombazis, the FIA head of single-seaters, told Motorsport.com that he has “no doubt we did the right thing. “We tried to find a pragmatic, short-term solution and a medium-term solution. It won’t necessarily dissipate [porpoising] completely, but it will be a step less.”

Tombazis had recently revealed to Auto Motor und Sport that F1 “had a few cases where the teams had to improve after the first practice session” having exceeded the AOR metric. He, however, would not name the teams involved.

‘FIA confident 2023 floor tweaks’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fia-confident-2023-floor-tweaks-porpoising-step-less/


Podcast: Judging F1’s rules revolution, with FIA’s Tombazis
07/12/2022, 13:05
The Race

The 2022 F1 season brought with it a sweeping set of technical regulation changes aimed at improving racing. So now, with a full year of racing complete, can we say the new rule-set had the desired impact?

On this week’s episode of The Race F1 Tech Show, host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson debate that question, before the FIA’s head of single seater technical matters Nikolas Tombazis – a chief architect of the new rules – gives his own verdict on how things went and where the regulations might be heading next.

‘Judging F1’s rules revolution’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/podcast-judging-f1s-rules-revolution-with-fias-tombazis/


FIA welcomed Ben Sulayem with court case and $20 million deficit!
07/12/2022 at 09:23
Michael Delaney

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has revealed that his first order of business when he took office a year ago was to deal with an unexpected legal case and a $20 million cash deficit!

It appeared that the FIA, under Todt's guidance, had developed and then imposed the Halo cockpit protection device in Formula 1, and eventually in every single seater category that it sanctions without, without holding a legitamate patent on the mandatory component.

This led the Halo's creator, one Jens H. S. Nygaard, to haul the FIA in front of a court of law in the United States for a potential patent infringement. "Imagine yourself being elected in the role after all these years of trying, everybody having a party on the night of the 17th (December), then you go to the office on the 18th and at 10 o’clock in the morning, the first thing you meet is your legal people and they say you have a big court case with the halo," recounted Ben Sulayem, quoted by Motorsport.com.

‘Court case and $20 million deficit’;

https://f1i.com/news/462395-fia-welcomed-ben-sulayem-with-court-case-and-20-million-deficit.html

[Fortitude]

Sir Jackie Stewart: Ferrari weren’t able to win as much as perhaps they should have.
After two seasons without a single grand prix win, Sir Jackie Stewart says it was “good for motorsport” to see the Scuderia back on top of the podium this past season.
Wednesday 7th December 2022 5:00 PM
Michelle Foster

Paying the price for their engine scandal from 2019, Ferrari were down on power and performance in 2020 and began their climb back to the front of the field last year.

Sir Jackie Stewart: “Ferrari, I think it’s good for motorsport to see Ferrari back the front end, but so far, they haven’t been able to win as much as perhaps they should have.”

‘Ferrari back the front end’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/jackie-stewart-ferrari-more-wins/


What next for Mattia Binotto? Five possible destinations after Ferrari F1 exit
Thursday 8th December 2022 8:30 AM
Oliver Harden

The problem with appointing Mattia Binotto as team principal back in 2019 was that it was effectively the beginning of the end of his Ferrari career. At some point down the line, he would be blamed for the Scuderia’s latest glorious failure and he would pay for it with his job.

That – with an inevitably so great Ferrari really should have seen it coming – was what happened last week as Binotto announced his resignation following the Prancing Horse’s failure to maintain their strong start to the 2022 Formula 1 season.

But Ferrari are arguably the biggest losers here having allowed one of the great creative technical minds of modern F1 to slip through their grasp. Binotto will not be short of offers to return to the pit lane, so here’s our list of five possible destinations…

‘Audi, Mercedes, Red Bull Powertrains, Aston Martin, Formula 1’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/mattia-binotto-destinations-ferrari-f1-exit/


Wolff: 'Too much porcelain broken' for Binotto to move to Mercedes
19:47 Wed, 07 Dec 2022.
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Toto Wolff has ruled out the possibility of Mercedes recruiting former Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto in the future, insisting there is "too much broken porcelain" between the two men.

As the figureheads of the two biggest F1 teams on the grid, Binotto and Wolff often found themselves on opposing sides of a multitude of issues since 2019.

Speaking on the latest Beyond the Grid podcast, Wolff admitted that, as the figureheads of the the two biggest teams in F1, Binotto and himself "had our moments" in the past few years, although he also acknowledged that they had found themselves "in a much better place" this season.

'Too much porcelain broken';

https://f1i.com/news/462440-wolff-too-much-porcelain-broken-for-binotto-to-move-to-mercedes.html


Ferrari set to confirm Vasseur as new team principal
Thursday 8 December 2022 06:55
Ian Parkes

Ferrari is set to appoint Fred Vasseur as its fifth team principal in just 15 years, GPFans understands. Scuderia chairman John Elkann and CEO Benedetto Vigna have identified Vasseur as the man they feel can add a degree of ruthlessness inside the team.

The Frenchman is renowned for his no-nonsense style, a factor that has been part of his tenure at Alfa Romeo since his appointment as boss, as well as managing director and CEO of Sauber Motorsport, in mid-July. Vasseur's name has been linked with the position for a few weeks, but sources with good knowledge of the situation have confirmed the 54-year-old will replace Mattia Binotto.

Whether Vasseur's more gruff approach will work inside Ferrari after Binotto's easier-going manner remains to be seen as he seeks to emulate the golden touch of another Frenchman who last carried Ferrari to unprecedented success in Jean Todt.

‘Ferrari set to confirm Vasseur’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/97558/ferrari-fred-vasseur-new-team-principal/


Mario Andretti’s advice to the next Ferrari boss: You don’t always have to prove you’re smart
Thursday 8th December 2022 7:00 AM
Michelle Foster

As Mattia Binotto paid the price after Ferrari’s 2022 title quest imploded, Mario Andretti has asked was that “really necessary”. Formula 1’s first season under the all-new technical regulations heralded the return of Ferrari as race winners and even championship contenders. At least it did until it didn’t.

In an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, Andretti asked: “Was it really necessary to change the man at the top? “You would need to know more about it to be able to make an informed judgement but what is clear to me is that there needs to be a change in strategy.”

“When you have such a fast car, you don’t have to frantically do something different. There were scenes in which the opponents rolled out on soft tyres, but Ferrari drove on medium-hard. The other top teams never do that. You don’t always have to prove you’re particularly smart.”

‘You don’t always have to prove you’re smart’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mario-andretti-advice-next-ferrari-boss-dont-prove-smart/

[Fortitude]

Lewis Hamilton snubbed by F1 team boss for 2023 title challenge in 'three-way battle'.
"I expect a three-way battle between Max, Charles Leclerc and George Russell, which is already stronger than Lewis Hamilton.” AlphaTauri boss Franz Tost.
05:45, Thu, Dec 8, 2022
By Stuart Ballard

AlphaTauri boss Franz Tost has brutally snubbed Lewis Hamilton in his prediction for next year's title battle with George Russell labelled "already stronger" than the seven-time world champion. Mercedes were off the pace in 2022 and had to watch as Red Bull ran away with the Constructors' Championship.

Tost believes it will be a three-way battle for the championship next year in what could prove to be a historic season. But the AlphaTauri team principal doesn't believe Hamilton will be up there challenging.

‘George Russell, already stronger than Lewis Hamilton’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1706776/Lewis-Hamilton-F1-news-Franz-Tost-George-Russell-Max-Verstappen-Charles-Leclerc


Martin Brundle gets F1 wish as FIA consider major rule change for 2023
Martin Brundle could see his wish for DRS changes granted within months as the FIA considers making major changes to the rules for 2023.
14:40, Thu, Dec 8, 2022
By Luke Chillingsworth
Daily and Sunday Express

The Sky Sports commentator claimed during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that DRS zones had to be shortened as overtaking had become too easy. However, the FIA has now admitted they are considering tweaks after noticing passes had become too straightforward.

Speaking to Autosport, the FIA’s head of single-seaters, Nikolos Tombazis, suggested the DRS should not be providing a guaranteed pass. He explained: “In some races, we may well need to actually reduce the DRS zones.”

“We don’t want overtaking to be, as we say, inevitable or actually easy. It still has to be a fight. If it happens too quickly, if you just see a car approaching and then going by and disappearing, it's actually worse than being at the back and fighting. It needs the right balance to be found there.” F1 introduced new regulations at the start of the season in a bid to increase overtaking.”

‘DRS changes’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1707087/martin-brundle-f1-fia-rule-changes-news-latest


Silverstone adopts new barrier design used in Miami to move fans closer to track | 2023 F1…
2023 F1 season
Posted on 8th December 2022, 12:398th December 2022, 12:39
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

A new barrier at the home of the British Grand Prix promises to allow fans a better view of the track at one of Silverstone’s main action spots. The new fence on the approach to Brooklands corner (turn six) on the outside of the circuit has been positioned around 15 metres closer to the track. The change has been made possible by the introduction of a fence which is also used at the Miami International Autodrome which was newly-built this year to host its first F1 race.

The barrier, designed by Geobrugg, has been homologated by the FIA and FIM, the governing bodies of car and motorbike racing. It complies with the FIA’s tests for circuit debris barriers, which must withstand being struck by a car at an angle of 20 degrees and speed of 120kph. They are also tested by firing a 780 kilogram ball from a cannon at 60kph.

Silverstone’s new barrier runs along the Wellington straight on the drivers’ left-hand side for 248 metres. F1 drivers will pass by at over 300kph before braking for Brooklands. “With the speed of the straight and the new safety aspects of Formula 1, it was the right time to move to the Geobrugg system,” said Silverstone circuit manager Lee Howkins. “We want to make sure we’re giving the fans the best experience and the best views.”

‘Silverstone adopts new barrier design’;

https://www.racefans.net/2022/12/08/silverstone-adopts-new-barrier-design-used-in-miami-to-move-fans-closer-to-track/


Zandvoort extends deal to host Dutch Grand Prix until 2025 | 2023 F1 season
8th December 2022, 6:548th December 2022, 7:02
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

The Dutch Grand Prix will remain on the Formula 1 calendar until at least 2025 after the series agreed a new deal with the Zandvoort circuit. The event was first part of the world championship schedule in the fifties but returned last season after a 36-year absence, which was extended by the postponement of its planned 2020 race due to the Covid-19 pandemic. A further two races have been added to its initial three-year deal, meaning the event will return in 2024 and 2025.

Tickets for next year’s race on August 27th have already sold out, the race promoter confirmed. “The Dutch Grand Prix has quickly established itself on the calendar as a fan favourite, bringing incredible energy and a great fan experience every year,” said F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali. “The sold-out events in the last two years have raised the bar in terms of organisation, entertainment, and sustainability, and we are delighted to extend our relationship with them.”

Former F1 driver Jan Lammers, who is now sporting director at the Dutch Grand Prix, said the event will continue to be the “ultimate race festival”. We want the world to experience again how we as the Netherlands organise an event. It is unique that we are on the calendar with world cities like Las Vegas, Monaco, and Sao Paulo.”

“Ultimate race festival”;

https://www.racefans.net/2022/12/08/zandvoort-extends-deal-to-host-dutch-grand-prix-until-2025/


FIA bans unraced Mercedes front wing design
2023 F1 season
Posted on 8th December 2022, 13:18
Written by Keith Collantine

A front wing design which Mercedes produced during 2022 but did not race has been banned by the FIA. Mercedes debuted a new front wing design as part of a package of upgrades at the United States Grand Prix. However it did not race the new wing in its original form due to concerns it could be subject to a protest from rival teams.

The team described its wing as having a “reduced camber front wing tip and additional slot gap separators.” However while the 2022 rules permitted slot gap separators to be added for “primarily mechanical, structural or measurement reasons,” those on the Mercedes wing appeared to offer an aerodynamic benefit.

Mercedes decided against risking a protest over the wing and removed the slot gap separators before the new wing was run for the first time at the Mexican Grand Prix.

‘Mercedes front wing design’;

https://www.racefans.net/2022/12/08/fia-bans-unraced-mercedes-front-wing-design/

[Fortitude]

Road closures in place for Red Bull Homerun event in Central Milton Keynes.
The Milton Keynes-based Red Bull Racing F1 team will be hosting an event in Central Milton Keynes to celebrate winning the Driver’s and Constructor’s Championships in 2022.
22:17 Fri, 09 Dec 2022
• Charles Crook
CitiBlog

During the event, their F1 race drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez will drive demo runs on Midsummer Boulevard in the city centre in a free-to-enter event. Supporting drives will also be done by Red Bull-backed motorsport athletes in motorcycle freestyle, drift racing, NASCAR and WRC categories.

The event will start from 12pm and run until 3pm, with the F1 drives to take place from 1:10pm and 2:40pm. As part of the Red Bull Homerun event, roads will be closed for public use during the event.

‘Red Bull Homerun’;

https://citiblog.co.uk/2022/12/09/road-closures-in-place-for-red-bull-homerun-event-in-central-milton-keynes/


Horner left laughing over "incredible" $6million FIA bill
Friday 9 December 2022 17:27 - Updated: 17:29
Ian Parkes & Ewan Gale
GPFans

Christian Horner has joked he was unaware of the "incredible" bill payable to the FIA racked up by Red Bull after winning this year's F1 constructors' title.

Last year's champions Mercedes faced a $577,278 entry fee [a premium is paid by the championship-winning team] plus $6,926 for every point scored - with the total paid equalling just over $4.8million But for Red Bull, who scored 759 points this term in addition to a likely hike in the obliged fees, the total is likely to be $6million.

Speaking at the FIA prize-giving gala in Bologna, assessing the season, Horner said: "It is very special, particularly the season we have had, we have broken all our own records. These two [Verstappen and Perez] have been amazing this year, particularly Max has had an outstanding season. The effort that has gone in behind the scenes, the biggest regulation change in 40 years, and the whole team just rose to that challenge magnificently.”

‘ "Incredible" bill payable to the FIA’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/97696/christian-horner-laughing-forgotten-fia-bill/


Horner collects Red Bull’s championship trophy and dedicates it to Mateschitz | 2022 F1 season
2022 F1 season
Posted on 9th December 2022, 23:59
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has collected their constructors’ championship trophy and dedicated their success to the company’s late co-founder. Dietrich Mateschitz, who launched the Red Bull soft drink in the eighties and poured money into motorsport in order to market it, passed away on the eve of the United States Grand Prix, when his team clinched the title for the fifth time in their history.

After collecting the trophy, Horner dedicated the team’s victory to Mateschitz, pointing out how many drivers featured during the FIA’s end-of-season ceremony had been backed by Red Bull. “What I would like to say tonight is that I’ve watched a lot of videos and I think on all of those videos across all of these different championships, we’ve seen the Red Bull logo on so many cars in so many championships,” said Horner. “And I’d like to dedicate this this championship, this trophy, to a very special man that has done so much for motorsports and done so much for Formula 1.”

“He was a fan of motorsport, foremost and utmost. He gave so many drivers in the room tonight an opportunity in so many categories. He gave thousands of engineers and technicians, mechanics and I think arguably has done more for motorsport than any other person in history. So tonight, I’d like to dedicate this to to Dietrich Mateschitz.”

‘Dietrich Mateschitz dedication’;

https://www.racefans.net/2022/12/09/horner-collects-red-bulls-championship-trophy-and-dedicates-it-to-mateschitz/


Red Bull's F1 legacy analysed: Their nine drivers of 2022
13:02 Fri, 09 Dec 2022.
Author Michael Butterworth
RacingNews365

RacingNews365.com takes a short view back to the past to look at the careers of the nine current F1 drivers to have driven for Red Bull-linked teams. Of the 22 drivers who competed in the 2022 F1 season, nine of them have been part of Red Bull-backed teams at some point in their F1 careers.

The drinks company is well known for its patronage and sponsorship of motorsport and extreme events, and several promising drivers have enjoyed a leg up into F1 thanks to the firm's support.

But who has had the most successful stint under the Red Bull umbrella, and who has been cast aside? RacingNews365.com has trawled through F1's archives to take a look at how successful each driver has been with the backing of the drinks company.

‘Red Bull's F1 legacy analysed’;

https://racingnews365.com/red-bulls-2022-f1-legacy-analysed


Adrian Newey says Red Bull ‘possibly put too much work into last year’s’ car
Friday 9th December 2022 5:00 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Having to balance upgrading last year’s car versus designing this year’s all-new RB18, Adrian Newey says Red Bull “possibly put too much work” into last year’s with the title on the line. But that they won the Drivers’ title with Max Verstappen meant “we got one of the two jobs done”.

Last season, the final year under Formula 1’s old technical regulations, Red Bull found themselves in the thick of the title fight with Verstappen taking on Lewis Hamilton for the crown. Although this year’s RB18 was quick out of the blocks, Verstappen challenging for the win in Bahrain, it had a few issues as it was not only overweight but unreliable.

The team set about fixing the latter before focusing on bringing down the car’s weight, Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko recently revealing almost all their 2022 upgrades were made with weight in mind. As the season progressed the RB18 became the car to beat, Verstappen taking 15 of 22 wins while Sergio Perez added two to the team’s tally as they romped to their first championship double since 2013.

‘Too much work into last year’s’ car’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/adrian-newey-red-bull-too-much-work-2021-car/

[Fortitude]

Red Bull celebrate titles with Milton Keynes demo run for 30,000.
Formula 1 world champions Max Verstappen and Red Bull marked their historic 2022 season with a demonstration run in Milton Keynes, where their factory is based.
RaceFans Round-up
Posted on 11th December 2022, 0:0110th December 2022, 22:15
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Verstappen successfully defended his drivers’ championship in 2022 while Red Bull took their first constructors’ crown for nine years, with the team winning 17 of the 22 races. The team held a celebration event in Milton Keynes with an estimated 30,000 watching Verstappen and team mate Sergio Perez demonstrate the team’s RB7.

“To be able to bring both the drivers’ and the constructors’ trophies home to our city of Milton Keynes, after such an incredible season, is a very proud moment,” said team principal Christian Horner.

“What better way to celebrate these achievements than with the city that’s been our home since the very beginning. We would like to thank all of the council and authorities in Milton Keynes for everything they have done to make today possible but most importantly, we would like to thank the fans.”

‘An estimated 30,000 watching Verstappen and team mate Sergio Perez demonstrate the team’s RB7’;

https://www.racefans.net/2022/12/11/racefans-round-up-11-12-5/


2022 title win 'better and more rewarding' - Verstappen
10/12/2022 at 14:44
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Max Verstappen has been comparing and contrasting his emotional responses to his two world championship successes. The Red Bull driver was speaking at the FIA's prize giving ceremony in Bologna, crowning a dominant season for both the team and the driver.

"We had a very tough start to the year. I said at one point that I didn’t believe in the title anymore, but then you could see how the team really stuck together and we managed to turn things around very quickly.”

“All the wins we have achieved is something I never could have imagined in my life. After last year, already winning ten, I was like, ‘if I can ever do something like that again, that would be amazing’.

‘Better and more rewarding';

https://f1i.com/news/462587-2022-title-win-better-and-more-rewarding-verstappen.html


F1 star Sergio Perez insists he isn't worried about Daniel Ricciardo joining Red Bull in 2023: 'He's a great guy...it doesn't change anything'
• Sergio Perez insists he isn't worried about Daniel Ricciardo joining Red Bull
• Perez says he is happy to have the Aussie at Red Bull as a third driver for 2023
• The Mexican Formula 1 star says Ricciardo will contribute a lot to the team
Published: 04:07, 11 December 2022 |
By James Cooney For Daily Mail Australia

Sergio Perez says he's not bothered by Daniel Ricciardo's return to Red Bull next season as a third driver, saying the move 'doesn't change anything' for him at the Formula 1 team.

Perez signed a new two-year contract with Red Bull earlier this year, but having a driver of Ricciardo's ability and experience waiting in the wings might have concerned the Mexican star - but he insists he is happy with the outcome. 'I'm pretty relaxed,' Perez told Sky Sports.

'I mean, we live under a lot of pressure all the time. It doesn't change anything from my side, I think it's a great achievement for the team to have a driver like Daniel and he's going to contribute a lot to our team. He's a great guy, he's one of the guys that I get on [with] the most in the paddock, so I think it's just great to have Daniel in the team, and from my side doesn't change anything.'

‘One of the guys that I get on [with] the most in the paddock’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-11525363/F1-star-Sergio-Perez-insists-isnt-worried-Daniel-Ricciardo-joining-Red-Bull-2023.html


Christian Horner calls F1 rivals 'old farts' and explains the feeling of beating Mercedes
Christian Horner is the youngest team principal in F1.
07:00, Sun, Dec 11, 2022
By Mikael McKenzie

Christian Horner has cheekily joked that his rival F1 team principals are "old farts" because he is the youngest boss in the paddock. The 49-year-old took charge of Red Bull in 2005 when their late owner Dietrich Mateschitz bought out Jaguar Racing. Horner has been in the job one year longer than AlphaTauri boss Franz Tost and seven years more than his arch-rival Toto Wolff. All of the remaining team principals have been appointed in 2016 or later.

Despite his longevity in the sport, Horner is still able to keep his hundreds of employees firing on all cylinders to ensure Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez have the best car in the business. But how does he stay so motivated?

"Working with a great group of people. Competition, it's all about winning. That motivates me a lot and the people I work with, the phenomenal drivers ect," Horner said during a Pokerstars event at Red Bull's Milton Keynes HQ.

'Old farts';

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1706757/Christian-Horner-Mercedes-Red-Bull-F1-news


Signed Max Verstappen car gifted by Honda goes up for auction
Saturday 10th December 2022 10:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

A Honda Civic gifted to and driven by Max Verstappen, complete with signatures from the two-time champ, has headed for auction. Verstappen has now firmly established himself as Formula 1’s driver to beat after a truly dominant 2022 campaign.

This Civic Type-R GT features the signature of Verstappen on both the dashboard and rear of the car, making it a truly special and unique piece of machinery. It also holds an insurance certificate from Monaco and a full service history is available.

Sander Houdel, car expert at Catawiki, said: “Max Verstappen is hugely popular and will go into history as one of the youngest and most talented drivers in the world. If this car is treated right, it has a big potential to increase its value over the years”.

‘Up for auction’

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-verstappen-honda-civic-auction/

[Fortitude]

Russell sets ambitious 2023 F1 target.
"The mindset now is we can definitely fight for the championship next year," said the 24-year-old.
Friday 9 December 2022 11:12
Sam Hall
GPFans

"We see no reason why we can't go out there and I think if we hit our targets we have in place over the winter, we will be in a really competitive place. Even if we don't start off with the fastest car, I am very confident we will have a car that is a lot closer than it was this year.”

"As [team principal] Toto [Wolff] said, we have lost so much development throughout this year just trying to solve the porpoising.”

"You compare that to Red Bull, who didn't have the issue, you are seeing now how we are able to close that gap pretty rapidly."

‘Ambitious 2023 F1 target’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/97651/george-russell-f1-2023-championship-target/


George Russell: ‘If I have the right car beneath me, I can beat Lewis Hamilton’
Friday 9th December 2022 7:45 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

After beating Lewis Hamilton in his first season, George Russell has stated his belief that with the right car beneath him, he can beat any driver on the grid.

“I never doubted myself,” he said as per The Race. “I always believed in myself. But if you go with the mindset ‘I’m going to beat Lewis Hamilton 95% of the time’, you’re going to come away disappointed. I learned how I need to go about it when he is extraordinarily fast.”

“I still need to continue to focus on myself because I still maintain the belief that if I’ve got the car beneath me, and the set-up and the tyres in the right place, working how I want it to work, I can beat him and I can beat anyone else on this grid. And that’s the belief you have to take.”

‘If I have the right car beneath me’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/george-russell-can-beat-lewis-hamilton/


George Russell makes bold claim about defeating Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton was outscored by George Russell in the 24-year-old’s first season with Mercedes.
10 December 2022
by Jack Devonport
Formula1News

“I still need to continue to focus on myself because I still maintain the belief that if I’ve got the car beneath me, and the set-up and the tyres in the right place, working how I want it to work, I can beat him and I can beat anyone else on this grid. And that’s the belief you have to take.”

Mercedes will be braced for an internal title challenge in 2023, as Russell’s confidence will most likely see the 24-year-old size up a potential title charge should he have the car to do so, rather than play a similar role to Valtteri Bottas who would often wingman Hamilton.

Looking back at the season, Russell has boldly claimed that had small things gone his way, Hamilton would not have beaten him in many races over the course of the season.

‘Braced for an internal title challenge in 2023’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/george-russell-makes-bold-claim-about-defeating-lewis-hamilton/


George Russell explains psychological edge which aided him in Hamilton Mercedes battle
George Russell opens up on his battle with Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes.
10:14, Wed, Dec 7, 2022
By Luke Chillingsworth
Daily and Sunday Express

George Russell has revealed he had a psychological advantage which helped him beat Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes in his debut year. The former Williams star became only the third team-mate to beat the seven-time champion over the course of a season behind Jenson Button and Nico Rosberg.

“So psychologically, you need to set yourself up for small failures. I’m not going to beat him every single session, every quali, every race, that’s just absolutely not going to happen. But having a year like we’ve had this year, I don’t know what the numbers are, but it probably is 55/45, roughly. And that’s an incredibly successful year, and almost equivalent to maybe what the 95/5 was for me previously.

‘Psychological edge’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1706402/george-russell-lewis-hamilton-mercedes-battle-news-latest


Hamilton 'no longer number 1' at Mercedes
07:18 Fri, 09 Dec 2022.
By GMM F1
Sports Mole

Lewis Hamilton has lost his de-facto status as Mercedes' 'number 1' driver in Formula 1.
That is the view of Sascha Roos, the long-time commentator for Sky Deutschland's coverage of the sport.

"I didn't think Russell would score more points than Hamilton in his first year," 50-year-old Roos said. "I expect more from Hamilton in 2023 but I put it in pencil whether he is the undisputed number 1. I think it's a similar situation at Mercedes now as in the time when Nico Rosberg was next to Hamilton," he added.

"At that time, to the outside world, it was always emphasised that Rosberg and Hamilton were on equal footing. But internally, Hamilton was preferred. In my opinion. When Valtteri Bottas came in, Hamilton was the clear number 1 to the outside. But Russell is not Bottas. Russell is more likely to enjoy Rosberg's status."

‘De-facto status as Mercedes' 'number 1' driver in Formula 1’;

https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/formula-1/mercedes/news/hamilton-no-longer-number-1-at-mercedes_501589.html?newsnow


Hamilton responds to fears of Rosberg repeat with Russell
Friday 9 December 2022 15:32
Sam Hall

Lewis Hamilton has calmed fears of a potential rift with Mercedes team-mate George Russell should the pair vie for F1 title honours next year. He said: “The equilibrium in the team, in terms of the working relationship, is strong. I’m a lot older and I’ve been with the team for so long, so managing whatever challenges we come up with moving forward, we’ve been through so much that I don’t think it’s going to be a problem.”

Asked to assess his team-mate's job in his first season as a Mercedes factory driver, Hamilton added: "You have to say that it’s impressive what he did this year, the consistency he had and how he arrived and just hit the ground running.

“It’s not like he arrived in a completely brand new team. He was, just the previous couple of years, sitting right behind me and watching the work I was doing with the engineers, with Riki [Riccardo Musconi], who is now his number one.

‘Calmed fears’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/97654/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-nico-rosberg-rival-repeat-george-russell/


Mercedes chief explains how Russell handled 'big step'
10/12/2022, ‎08‎:‎05
Author Jake Nichol

Mercedes' James Vowles has explained exactly how George Russell handled the step up to the team in 2022. Mercedes strategy chief James Vowles has detailed how George Russell met the targets the team set for him following his promotion from Williams.

"George did a very good job this year, he is against the best in the world and that's your reference," Vowles explained in a Mercedes season debrief video. "What is very clear is that at the beginning of the year when we had a car that was difficult, Lewis was using his wealth of experience to help us in order to improve the car and really move us forward.”

"In that period, George was just really focussed on learning, embedding himself into the team and he scored a number of results really that benefitted him as a result of that. Irrespective of his qualifying pace, his race pace was very, very strong throughout the year.”

‘The step up to the team’;

https://racingnews365.com/mercedes-chief-explains-how-russell-handled-big-step

[Fortitude]

Leclerc has ‘full trust’ in Ferrari over Binotto successor.
Charles Leclerc insists he has “full trust” in Ferrari’s senior figures when it comes to selecting the successor to its Formula 1 team boss Mattia Binotto.
10:05 Sun, 11 Dec 2022.
by Phillip Horton
Motorsport Week

Speaking at the FIA Gala Leclerc praised the departing Binotto as “he believed in me right from the very start, and [gave me] a very long contract” and pointed to being “inside the Scuderia for many years, contributing to the success the team had in the past years.”

Leclerc stressed that choosing a successor is “obviously not my decision” and that “we are trying to focus our job on the simulator to have the best race car for next year”, highlighting that it will be down to Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna and Chairman John Elkann.

“Obviously the last few weeks have been a bit difficult for the team and we are in a transition time at the moment,” he said. “But on that I have the full trust on Benedetto and John to take the right decision, but I am sure that 2023 will be another step forward and hopefully get closer to the goal we all want in the team which is to be world champion.”

‘Leclerc has ‘full trust’ in Ferrari’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/12/11/leclerc-has-full-trust-in-ferrari-over-binotto-successor/


Mattia Binotto called Charles Leclerc personally to inform him of resignation
Sunday 11th December 2022 10:00 PM
Sam Cooper

Charles Leclerc revealed that Mattia Binotto called him to inform him that he would be stepping down shortly before it was made public. The Ferrari boss announced he would be leaving the team at the end of the season following their best campaign since 2019 but one that was full of disappointment.

Repeated mistakes led to tensions being high at the team and at one point, Binotto was seen visually dressing down Leclerc after the latter had lashed out against the team’s decisions. There was plenty of speculation that Leclerc was behind the move to force Binotto to resign but he has denied that, saying he thanked him for bringing him to the team and wished the 53-year-old all the best for the future.

“Mattia called me to announce that he will stop,” Leclerc said during the FIA prize giving gala. “I respect his decision and I can only thank him. Obviously he has believed in me right from the start, he extended me with a very, very long contract, and before being team principal he was also inside the Scuderia for many, many years and he has contributed to the success the team had in the past years.

‘Mattia Binotto called Charles Leclerc personally’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mattia-binotto-called-charles-leclerc-resignation/


Leclerc would welcome Vasseur as new Ferrari F1 team principal
11:28 Sat, 10 Dec 2022.
• Hamilton Lyndon-Griffiths
Read Motorsport

Charles Leclerc would be open to working with Alfa Romeo Formula 1 boss Frederic Vasseur should he be chosen as Mattia Binotto’s replacement at Ferrari next year. Last month Ferrari announced Binotto had resigned from his post as team principal after four seasons and would leave the team at the end of December.

Leclerc has history of working with Vasseur in both Formula 2 and his rookie F1 season at Sauber in 2018, and when asked if his former boss would be a good option, he praised Vasseur’s “straightforward” and “honest” approach. “I mean, Ferrari is a very different team to any other teams,” Leclerc said, as quoted by Motorsport.com. “I can only comment on my experience with Fred which obviously has been good.”

“I’ve been working with Fred already from the junior categories, where he has believed in me, and then we’ve always had a good relationship. But apart from that, obviously this shouldn’t influence any of the decisions. He has always been very straightforward, very honest. And this is something that I liked from Fred. Whether it will be him or not, I don’t know. And we’ll see hopefully in the in the next few months.”

‘Leclerc would welcome Vasseur’;

https://readmotorsport.com/2022/12/10/leclerc-would-welcome-vasseur-as-new-ferrari-f1-team-principal/


Leclerc backs Vasseur for Ferrari hot seat
Saturday 10 December 2022 09:00
Ian Parkes
GPFans

Charles Leclerc would welcome the "straightforward, very honest" Frederic Vasseur as the new Ferrari team principal. The Monégasque driver has plenty of prior experience working with Vasseur in GP3 when racing for ART and latterly during his debut F1 season with Sauber, the team now running as Alfa Romeo.

“I have been working with Fred already from the junior categories where he has believed in me and we have always had a good relationship. “But apart from that, obviously, it shouldn’t influence any of the decisions.”

“He has always been very straightforward, very honest and this is something that I like from Fred. Whether it will be him or not, I don’t know, and we will see, hopefully, in the next few months.”

‘Leclerc backs Vasseur’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/97707/charles-leclerc-fred-vasseur-ferrari-team-principal/


Frederic Vasseur “buys home” near Maranello ahead of Ferrari switch - but he’s given a “short life” warning
12 Dec 2022
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Frederic Vasseur has been warned that Ferrari bosses don’t usually last very long as he prepares to take over the top job at the F1 team. Alfa Romeo team principal Vasseur, the man who gave Leclerc his F1 debut at Sauber, is expected to take over.

He has bought a new home near Maranello, the Ferrari HQ in Italy, according to Blick. Peter Sauber, the ex-F1 boss, told Blick about Vasseur’s move: “If you get an offer from Ferrari, then you have to go! But if you know the history of Ferrari – back to the company founder Enzo – then you know that the team bosses usually have a short life. With the exception of Jean Todt, who ruled there for over twelve years.”

Red Bull boss Christian Horner had also make a withering remark about the frequency with which Ferrari change team principals. The iconic Italian team have not crowned an F1 drivers’ champion since Kimi Raikkonen in 2007.

‘Frederic Vasseur “buys home” near Maranello’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1018222/1/new-ferrari-boss-buys-house-near-maranello-given-short-life-warning

[Fortitude]

Fernando Alonso sends warning to F1 rivals and predicts "massive" change in 2023.
Fernando Alonso made little attempt to hide his confidence as he predicted a "massive" change in his personal fortunes for 2023.
17:23, 9 Dec 2022
By Daniel MoxonF1 Writer
The Mirror

Alonso endured a tough season this year and did little to hide his frustration by the end of it, having been hampered by a litany of reliability problems with Alpine.

Judging by his comments towards the end of this season, that move could not come quick enough. After his infamous clash with team-mate Esteban Ocon in the Brazil Sprint last month, he made it clear he could not wait to get into "the green car", as he often referred to it.

"I should be 60 points ahead of any other midfield driver this year," he added. He will be hoping to have the chance to prove it next year, joining an Aston Martin team which not only has ambition to match his own, but have also committed to giving him a multi-year contract.

‘Alonso tested a "green car" for the first time after the final race of the season’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/fernando-alonso-2023-aston-martin-28697067


Alonso makes Aston Martin prediction after luckless season.
Fernando Alonso has predicted a "massive" change of fortune in 2023 after enduring relentless reliability problems this past F1 season.
Friday 9 December 2022 06:42
Sam Hall
GPFans

Speaking before the São Paulo Grand Prix, Alonso initially joked: "After ’22, I will have massive luck next year on everything."

He added: "It has been amazing this year. Twenty races, and to have problems in nine or something, it’s nearly 50 percent of the races.”

Alonso added his sixth retirement through reliability issues at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, a result that left him ninth in the drivers' standings and 11 points behind team-mate Esteban Ocon.

‘Nearly 50 percent of the races’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/97429/fernando-alonso-aston-martin-prediction/


McCullough Believes 2023 Championship Challenge Not Realistic for Aston Martin
December 10, 2022
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag

Tom McCullough insists it is unrealistic that the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team can challenge for the FIA Formula 1 World Championship in 2023, and he says Fernando Alonso accepts that.

McCullough says it would be great for Aston Martin to begin challenging the top three teams on the grid – Oracle Red Bull Racing, Scuderia Ferrari and the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team – on a regular basis, and from there, only then can they think of fighting for championships.

“I think fighting for World Championships next year is, let’s be realistic, that isn’t going to happen,” McCullough is quoted as saying by PlanetF1.com. “We’re on a journey. We are growing as a team. We’re getting stronger as a team. I think Fernando is going to add significantly to that as well. And he’s realistic, you know. He’s on the journey with us. If we can fight the top three teams next year, I’m sure we’ll be happy with that.”

‘2023 Championship Challenge Not Realistic’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/12/mccullough-believes-2023-championship-challenge-not-realistic-for-aston-martin/


Aston Martin target AMR25 as first challenger to benefit from new wind tunnel
Sunday 11th December 2022 2:00 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Aston Martin have predicted it will be 2025 before fans see the benefit of having their own wind tunnel, but it may take longer for the full effect to be seen. The team broke ground on their new factory in September 2021 having used the ‘Team Silverstone’ base since 2018 when Lawrence Stroll and his team Racing Point purchased the Force India team which was in administration.

The base, which is over the road from the Silverstone circuit, first came into being in 1990 when it was built for use by the Jordan F1 team, but 32 years have passed since then and while the name on the front of their building has frequently changed, the base largely has not.

With aspirations above their current station, Aston Martin, funded by Stroll and his ambitious goal to be a title contender, announced the creation of a new £150 million to £200 million campus around the site of the current base which will house a new factory as well as their own wind tunnel.

‘AMR25 first challenger to benefit from new wind tunnel’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/aston-martin-target-amr25-wind-tunnel/


‘He pushed us in every area’ – Aston Martin expect to reap the rewards of Vettel’s efforts in coming seasons
12 December 2022
Formula One - Official Site

Sebastian Vettel helped Aston Martin “lift their game” during his two years on board despite results being hard to come by, according to the team’s Performance Director Tom McCullough.

Vettel recently walked away from the sport after a difficult spell at the Silverstone outfit, with a podium finish at the 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix one of few on-track highlights – and a far cry from the four world titles he achieved with Red Bull and the regular wins he bagged at Ferrari.

However, Vettel was clear that despite “failing” in their ambitions together, he felt “very happy and proud” of the work carried out as Aston Martin work towards becoming a winning force in the future.

‘Aston Martin expect to reap the rewards of Vettel’s efforts’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.he-pushed-us-in-every-area-aston-martin-expect-to-reap-the-rewards-of.7xprchOQfWI3nqUZW4gLe.html

[Fortitude]

Sainz claims Ferrari mastery behind 2023 optimism.
Carlos Sainz believes he has now "mastered" the new generation of F1 car which has sparked a renewed level of optimism ahead of the 2023 season.
Sunday 11 December 2022 13:30
Ewan Gale
GPFans

Carlos Sainz believes he has now "mastered" the new generation of F1 car which has sparked a renewed level of optimism ahead of the 2023 season. Asked about his feelings entering the winter break, Sainz replied: “Honestly, I’m a lot more optimistic and confident than I was half [a season] ago.

"The last run of races, the pace I had, the tyre management, the race pace, the quali, everything was a lot smoother, a lot more competitive, back to a level that I know I’m capable of driving. I’m back to a level that I should have been at the beginning of the year and this leaves me obviously with optimism.”

"Also with a feeling that I have finally mastered this car and these regulations and that whatever type of car comes next year, I am ready to drive it. I’ve changed many things in my driving. I’ve had to reset a lot of things on my systems. I wish I wouldn’t have [to have] done it but it has also made me a more complete driver so I’m ready to go for it.”

‘Ferrari mastery behind 2023 optimism’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/97650/carlos-sainz-ferrari-mastery-2023-optimism/


Sainz says long-standing partner gave Ferrari an 'advantage'
09/12/2022 at 16:11
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Carlos Sainz believes Ferrari's oldest technical partner gave the Scuderia an advantage this season in one crucial area. "This season it was mandatory to race with 10% bio ethanol fuel," Sainz explained, quoted by RacingNews.365.

"Looking at this season, I think it gave us an advantage that Shell is so strong with creating the fuel with 10% bio ethanol. They have experience with it and have worked hard in recent years to create the highest quality version. Because they have created an excellent product, as a driver the difference from last year was not noticeable.”

"This is because they have worked hard in the last few years on the project with 10% bio ethanol and they will do the same with creating the 100% sustainable fuel in 2026." Quite remarkably, Shell, which is working with Ferrari to help reach F1's net zero carbon targe by 2030, has been associated with the Italian manufacturer since 1929, the year the Scuderia was founded by Enzo Ferrari.

‘Ferrari an advantage';

https://f1i.com/news/462527-sainz-says-long-standing-partner-gave-ferrari-an-advantage.html


Carlos Sainz identifies two areas Ferrari need to improve for 2023
Friday 9th December 2022 9:15 AM
Sam Cooper

Having seen himself go from title contender to P5, Carlos Sainz has identified where Ferrari fell down in the 2022 season. “First of all, we have to get better in the Grands Prix,” the Ferrari driver said according to the Dutch edition of Motorsport.com.

“We had a recurring thing, so we didn’t make good starts. In that fight [with Lewis Hamilton in Abu Dhabi] I lost five or six seconds [due to a poor start].” Sainz also stated that more must be done to improve the car throughout the season with the F1-75 arguably the quickest at the start of the campaign but then lagging behind both Red Bull and Mercedes by the final race in Abu Dhabi.

“We simply didn’t develop well,” the Spaniard said. “Rome wasn’t built in a day, though. You also have to look at where we came from. If you look at the progress over the past two years, it’s great to see.”

‘Two areas Ferrari need to improve for 2023’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/carlos-sainz-identifies-areas-ferrari-improve-2023/


Sainz learned the most from 'challenging' 2022 campaign
05/12/2022 at 14:51
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Carlos Sainz says his 2022 campaign with Ferrari with his most challenging season yet in Formula 1, but also the one from which he has learned the most since his debut in the sport in 2015.

"It’s been a very challenging start to the season with me immediately on the back foot and heading into challenges that I probably didn’t expect to have," he said, quoted by Formula 1.com. "But I’m honestly very proud, the way that I recovered the season, the way that I managed to stay motivated, even with all the ups and downs that I had, with all the setbacks that we had.”

"As a team, as an individual, with so many DNFs, we still managed to turn the season around and now I’m driving again at the level that I know I’m able to drive. I’m going to take the positives and keep that as a positive."

‘Most challenging season’;

https://f1i.com/news/462339-sainz-learned-the-most-from-challenging-2022-campaign.html


Ferrari duo Sainz and Leclerc test for Pirelli at Fiorano
7 December, 2022
Paul Velasco
Grand Prix 247

While most Formula 1 drivers are chilling during the off-season, Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc returned to the wheel of the Ferrari F1-75, at Fiorano on Tuesday, for the first of two Pirelli test days, in preparation for the 2023 season.

Sainz got going at around 11 am in the morning, taking advantage of the wet asphalt after the night’s rain as Pirelli adjusted the run plan to the conditions, starting the test with the intermediate tyres (green stripe) and then changing to slicks.

This outing was the second Pirelli test of the post-season. Last weekend Pirelli began tested at Paul Ricard, with Robert Kubica on duty in the Alfa Romeo C42, with intermediate and extreme rain tires. After these two days with Ferrari, AlphaTauri will test dry tyres in Portimao, from December 14 to 15. The last of the year.

‘Pirelli test at Fiorano’;

https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/12/07/ferrari-duo-sainz-and-leclerc-test-for-pirelli-at-fiorano-f1/


Carlos Sainz thanks Mattia Binotto as boss heads for Ferrari exit
Published: 30 Nov 2022, 13:51
By George Dagless
Give Me Sport

Carlos Sainz has taken to Twitter to thank Mattia Binotto for his efforts in light of the news he’s handed in his resignation at Ferrari. Binotto leaves the Scuderia at the end of the calendar year after it was confirmed that he would be leaving his post earlier this week. Charles Leclerc posted in light of the news on Instagram, and Sainz has done similar, taking to Twitter to post his message of thanks to his now outgoing boss.

Grazie Mattia. It’s been a pleasure to work alongside you to push the team and ourselves forward through thick and thin. Thanks for the great memories and moments we shared in and out of a racing track and all the best in your future endeavors! Carlos Sainz.

‘Grazie Mattia’;

https://www.givemesport.com/88090087-carlos-sainz-thanks-mattia-binotto-as-boss-heads-for-ferrari-exit

[Fortitude]

Wolff makes "more potent" Mercedes vow for 2023.
Toto Wolff has backed Mercedes to provide a "more potent" F1 title threat in 2023 despite conceding the difficulty of closing the gap to Red Bull.
Monday 12 December 2022 06:40
Sam Hall
GPFans

Mercedes ended the year third in the constructors' race and 244 points adrift of the championship winners after struggling to get on top of its porpoising problems. Team principal Wolff has refused to shy away from the fact Mercedes "underestimated" the phenomenon but believes better things are on the way with the W14.

“I am always a glass-half-empty guy and I see the risks," Wolff told the 'Beyond the Grid' podcast. As a matter of fact, if you are trying to be logical, Red Bull was very dominant throughout the season. They have won 15 races or more.”

“It is going to be very difficult to have a development slope that is steeper than theirs and also that of Ferrari, but I believe in the organisation. And fundamentally, it is not about a lack of downforce, but it is about making that downforce work on the car."

‘On the way with the W14’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/97529/mercedes-2023-toto-wolff-prediction/


Wolff dismisses "stupid pill" behind Mercedes 2022 failure
Sunday 11 December 2022 06:00
Sam Hall
GPFans

Toto Wolff is adamant Mercedes 'did not take a stupid pill' when designing the W13 despite delivering a blunt assessment of his team's shortcomings this year.

"My assumption of why a team would function - that I learned back in the Williams days - is that you have to have the right infrastructure, the financial resource, good drivers, a powerful engine, the right organisation, and enough time to put it all together.

“These ingredients would make sure that you are competitive. Winning can be something else, and winning a championship is a different thing, but we have all of that."

"Stupid pill";

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/97527/mercedes-toto-wollf-2022-assessment/


‘Mercedes didn’t suddenly take a stupid pill, we got the W13’s concept wrong’
Friday 9th December 2022 3:30 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

The team’s 2022 car, the W13, has been described as everything from a “diva” to an “onion” such were its layers of problems, porpoising at the forefront of the list. But even after that was minimised, the team still had to peel away one issue after another, Mercedes making the most progress of any team in the latter part of the championship.

“We got it wrong,” Wolff admitted on the Beyond The Grid Podcast. “I think even the best people can get it wrong. We underestimated the effect when running the car very low, and others have done a better job whether they knew the effect from past days or they were simply more focused on this particular area of car behaviour. I don’t know.”

“But in the organisation nobody is shy to say that we’ve done a bad job here. Very easy. There is no hiding, no seeking for explanation how we ended up there. I mean, all of us are saying we got this very wrong and others got it very right.”

‘Nobody is shy to say that we’ve done a bad job’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mercedes-didnt-stupid-pill-concept-wrong-toto-wolff/


Toto Wolff maybe put too much pressure on Mercedes over W13 issues
Sunday 11th December 2022 9:15 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff put perhaps too much pressure on the team at times in 2022, but hopes to see the benefits of this moving forward. “And I think we had our moments. When I look back, there was a certain degree of pressure, maybe too much that I put on the organisation at times, but it made me learn, learn about the strengths and the weaknesses of the organisation.”

“And at the end, it comes back to the sentence ‘the days we lose are the days our competitors will regret because we learn the most’ and hopefully the future will be proof of that. Asked if it was at the start of the season where he applied the most pressure, Wolff responded: “No, I think when it sank in that we didn’t really understand how to fix some of the car issues.”

“And it wasn’t that it was the porpoising or whether it was a suspension problem, it was basically every stone you turned around had a problem.”

‘Too much pressure’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-too-much-pressure-mercedes/


Hamilton Verstappen Abu Dhabi controversy to haunt Mercedes "forever" - Wolff
Monday 12 December 2022 14:56
Sam Hall
GPFans

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has conceded the controversial climax to the 2021 title fight between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen will haunt the team "forever".

The 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will live in infamy alongside the 1990 decider between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost and the 1994 equivalent of Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill as one of the most controversial title deciders in history.

"Abu Dhabi 2021 is going to affect us for a long time, or forever maybe," Wolff told the Beyond the Grid podcast.

‘Haunt Mercedes forever’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/97813/lewis-hamilton-max-verstappen-abu-dhabi-controversy-haunt-mercedes-forever-toto-wolff/

[Fortitude]

Williams team principal Capito and technical director Demaison step down.
Williams have announced that team principal Jost Capito and technical director Francois-Xavier “FX” Demaison are both stepping down from their positions.
2022 F1 season
Posted on 12th December 2022, 17:04
Written by Will Wood

Capito led Williams since the multiple world championship-winning team was purchased by Dorilton Capital in 2020. Over two full seasons in 2021 and 2022, Williams finished eighth and last in the constructors’ championship, respectively.

Williams confirmed that both Capito and Demaison will leave their posts during the off-season. Capito, a former Volkswagen director of motorsport, had been set to retire before accepting an offer to join Williams first as CEO, then as team principal from June of 2021.

Capito is the second team principal to step down since the end of the season. Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto offered his resignation at the end of the month following Ferrari’s disappointing end to the 2022 season, where the team’s championship challenge faded and rivals Red Bull claimed both world championship titles.

‘Stepping down from their positions’;

https://www.racefans.net/2022/12/12/williams-team-principal-capito-and-technical-director-demaison-step-down/


Ralf Schumacher ‘surprised’ by Jost Capito’s exit, blames ‘impatient’ investors
Wednesday 14th December 2022 11:00 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Ralf Schumacher has weighed in on this week’s team boss moves, saying Williams didn’t give Jost Capito enough time while McLaren’s dual leadership may have prompted Andreas Seidl’s exit.

While all the focus in the off-season was on Ferrari, Formula 1 fans waiting to learn who would replace Mattia Binotto as the Scuderia’s next team boss, Williams shocked everyone when they announced on Monday night that Capito would be leaving.

“The position will be filled internally,” he told Sky Deutschland of Capito’s departure. “I’m surprised that Jost had to go. I could imagine that the investors were a little angry and not happy with the progress. You can also see that from the fact that other important people in the team also had to go. I’m sorry for Jost. I think the executive floor were too impatient, he should have had a little more time.”

‘Impatient investors blamed’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ralf-schumacher-surprised-jost-capito-exit/


Eccentric Capito leaves a Williams team divided. Is it 2 years overdue?
Jost Capito's departure from Williams suggests it's looking for a reset after two years of quirky management that alienated much of the F1 team, writes Chris Medland
December 14th 2022
Author Chris Medland
Motor Sport Magazine

Sometimes, announcements come out of the blue and really catch you by surprise. The first reports of Mattia Binotto’s departure from Ferrari were like that, as it didn’t really seem like there was huge unrest in terms of working for the team principal, even if the Scuderia’s performances weren’t always up to scratch this year.

Jost Capito “stepping aside” at Williams was less surprising, but also had been less openly discussed as being on the cards. It’s not that I can claim to know it was coming, but there had been plenty of signs that all was not well at Grove.

Some of those signs just seemed funny, and a somewhat eccentric approach to management that might well have worked in the right environment. It was hard not to laugh when told that Capito insisted a race weekend meeting in the garage each Friday morning would end with him repeating “Let’s go…” for the team to reply: “Racing!”.

‘Plenty of signs that all was not well at Grove’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/eccentric-capito-leaves-a-williams-team-divided-is-it-2-years-overdue?nowprocket=1#


ANALYSIS: Why Williams split with Capito and Demaison – and what’s next for the team from Grove?
12 December 2022
Lawrence Barretto
F1 Correspondent & Presenter
Formula One - Official Site

It’s all change at Williams, with Team Principal Jost Capito and Technical Director FX Demaison leaving Formula 1’s second most successful team. F1 Correspondent Lawrence Barretto looks at why the duo are moving on and what lies ahead for the British team…

Capito made sweeping changes after 100 days in charge, reorganising the technical team and attempting to change the culture. He also put a focus on trying to enhance the brand – with a big push to boost their profile in the United States of America. However, his recruitment of Demaison – who he worked with at Volkswagen and was known to have experience of ground effect and simulation – appears to have been seen as an error by the new owners.

The car underperformed this year – and sources say the team have been anticipating 2023 will be another difficult year based on the current design. There has been high turnover within Williams over the last couple of years, either because staff have been let go or they have chosen to leave – and that has made gelling the operation more challenging.

‘Williams ANALYSIS’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.analysis-why-williams-split-with-capito-and-demaison-and-whats-next-for-the.7xPxPCYzu6A4I75EAbTnNI.html


Williams shake-up will wreck or save its ‘open heart surgery’
Dec 13 2022
By Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race.

At the end of the 2022 Formula 1 season, Williams chief Jost Capito said the team’s long-term rebuild was like performing open heart surgery on a patient while they ran a marathon.

It paints an evocative image that highlights the complexity of the task at hand for a team in a massive transition, trying to turn years of underinvestment and poor results into a successful future.

That task, it turns out, is one that Capito’s not the best person for, according to Williams owner Dorilton Capital. And neither is FX Demaison, the technical director Capito hired, for both are leaving the team after two seasons.

‘Williams shake-up’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/williams-shake-up-will-wreck-or-save-its-open-heart-surgery/


Abrupt exits suggest Williams wants a quick course correction
Dec 12 2022
By Edd Straw
The Race

When Jost Capito arrived as Williams CEO in February 2021, it was seen as a key step in what was a long-term strategy for the Formula 1 team under Dorilton Capital. The fact that he and, significantly, technical director Francois-Xavier Demaison are leaving after just two seasons can only mean a significant change of direction.

Exactly how dramatic remains to be seen. Certainly, the results on the track weren’t as hoped for, with Williams managing just eight points and a distant last in the constructors’ championship in 2022. Given Demaison’s ground effect and simulation expertise, sharpened during his VW career where he worked under Capito, had been talked up it’s clear that there was disappointment in how the car performed.

‘Williams want a quick course correction’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/abrupt-exits-suggest-williams-wants-a-quick-course-correction/


Is Susie Wolff the perfect F1 team principal for Williams?
14 Dec 2022
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

With vacancies at Alfa Romeo and Williams, who could become their new team bosses for F1 2023? It’s been a crazy couple of days in F1 with a series of big announcements.

It was all started by Williams’ announcement on Monday, announcing the departures of Jost Capito and technical director FX Demaison. On Tuesday, Frederic Vasseur was confirmed as Ferrari’s new team boss before a shock move from Andreas Seidl to join Sauber as their CEO.

McLaren decided to promote former Ferrari engineer Andrea Stella as their team principal following Seidl’s departure.

‘A crazy couple of days in F1’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/feature/1018308/1/susie-wolff-perfect-f1-team-principal-williams

[Fortitude]

Martin Brundle’s verdict on Ferrari team boss change: ‘Mercedes and Red Bull will be smiling'.
Martin Brundle believes Mercedes and Red Bull will view Ferrari’s change of team boss as good news, because it will “destabilise” their F1 rival.
15 Dec 2022
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Former F1 driver-turned-pundit Brundle has questioned the timing of Ferrari’s decision to make such a fundamental change, and suggested it will leave the Italian outfit in a state of “limbo”. I'm not quite sure why Ferrari would choose now to have a month without a boss,"

Brundle told Sky. "I do think they should have given Binotto more time. If I was Mercedes or Red Bull right now, I'd be smiling because continuity is everything. As Formula 1 seasons get longer and more intense, you have to be careful of these sea changes of personnel.”

“Mercedes have got real continuity, as have Red Bull in key personnel. Fred Vasseur has got to go in and find his way, get established, understand, and it's a tall order.”

‘Mercedes and Red Bull will be smiling';

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1018346/1/brundle-s-verdict-ferrari-change-mercedes-and-red-bull-will-be-smiling


Nico Rosberg criticises Ferrari for axing Mattia Binotto
14 December 2022
by Jack Devonport
Formula1News

2016 F1 champion Nico Rosberg has now questioned Ferrari’s decision to replace Binotto as team principal, claiming that continuity is key to success in Formula 1.

“That is one of the most difficult jobs in the world. It will be tough for Ferrari because it’s not like there are many people on the market that are up to the job,” explained Rosberg. “The role is complicated everywhere, much more there because you have incredible pressure. Let’s see what solution they find…”

“Is it right to change? I don’t know, but I know that continuity is a value in Formula 1. Mercedes and Red Bull have not changed most of the key people for ten years. That’s what Ferrari lacks. Being a ream principal is one of the hardest jobs in the world.”

‘Continuity is a value in Formula 1’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/nico-rosberg-criticises-ferrari-for-axing-mattia-binotto/


Vasseur: The new man at the heart of the Ferrari crucible
14/12/2022 at 13:00
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Frédéric Vasseur has been announced as the new Ferrari team principal following Mattia Binotto's resignation from the post. It'll be a huge challenge for the 54-year-old Frenchman, but he's had years of experience achieving success. Will he now be able do the same for the Scuderia in 2023?

Vasseur is a relative newcomer to Formula 1, having only stepped into the Grand Prix paddock in 2016 when he took over as team principal at Renault. But by then he was by no means a stranger to motorsport in junior championships, having already played a major role in finding and developing some of the sport's future greatest talents, skills that would carry him far - all the way to one of the top jobs in F1.

Vasseur had brokered a deal for ART to run under the iconic Lotus brand in 2011 and 2012, and by now he was looking to spread his wings. His latest venture Spark Racing Technology won the contract to construct 40 chassis for the inaugural Formula E season in 2013, and in 2016 he finally reached the F1 summit when he was appointed team principal at Renault.

‘Ferrari crucible!’;

https://f1i.com/magazine/462766-vasseur-the-new-man-at-the-heart-of-the-ferrari-crucible.html


The key issues the new Ferrari boss must sort out
10:09 Wed, 14 Dec 2022.
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Incoming Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur has been tasked with leading the Scuderia back to championship glory. Here are the main issues he must deal with. All the ingredients were there for Ferrari in the 2022 Formula 1 season to have a crack at claiming either championship title.

Here are the main problems he faces in trying to achieve that. Keeping Leclerc onside. Perhaps the most pressing issue of all facing Vasseur is his star driver Leclerc - and keeping him happy. Fix the race strategy issues. To paraphrase Oscar Wilde in The Importance of Being Earnest, 'to lose one race due to bad strategy, Mr Binotto, may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose two or three looks like carelessness.'

Better development throughout the season. This is a team who know how to make a good racing car. But in 2022, something of a brick wall was hit. While the F1-75 was the fastest car at the beginning of the season, upgrades brought to it did not add the desired performance as Red Bull streaked away and Mercedes began to nibble away.

‘Oscar Wilde in The Importance of Being Earnest’;

https://racingnews365.com/vasseurs-ferrari-in-tray-leclercs-future-whipping-and-management


Ferrari 'set back three years' as Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen set for 2023 fight
Ferrari have replaced former Team Principal Mattia Binotto with Fred Vasseur following a 2022 season that promised much but came to little.
09:21, Wed, Dec 14, 2022
By Fraser Watson

Ferrari have set themselves "back three years" with their decision to part ways with long-term Team Principal Mattia Binotto, according to one former F1 driver. On Tuesday, it was confirmed that Binotto was to be replaced by Alfa Romeo's Frederic Vasseur, with the Frenchman to begin his role on January 9 2023.

It's a change that would have seemed inconceivable just three races into F1's new era, with Charles Leclerc registering wins in Bahrain and Australia. However, him and teammate Carlos Sainz only won two more Grand Prix races between them as Max Verstappen proceeded to dominate the campaign. Ex-driver Christian Danner thinks that Ferrari would have been better served re-assessing their issues, rather than making such a seismic change. And the former Arrows man also warned the team had overlooked the one factor needed to be successful in the sport.

“There is a magic word in Formula 1, how to be successful, and that means continuity,” he told AvD Motor & Sport magazine from Sport1. “Even if things aren’t going so well, it’s better to analyse the problems, maybe even restructure them, but to continue working within a large structure." And Danner thinks the drastic change has scuppered any Ferrari hopes of challenging for the F1 title in 2023 and beyond: “I fear that Mattia Binotto’s departure will set Ferrari back three years.”

‘Ferrari three year set back!’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1709229/Ferrari-Lewis-Hamilton-Max-Verstappen-2023-F1-news

[Fortitude]

Frederic Vasseur given Ferrari sack warning just hours after replacing Mattia Binotto.
Frederic Vasseur has already been warned that he could soon be facing the sack at Ferrari after officially becoming their new team principal on Tuesday.
09:02, Wed, Dec 14, 2022
By Archie Griggs
Daily and Sunday Express

Frederic Vasseur was officially confirmed as Ferrari's new team principal on Tuesday. The 54-year-old took over at the Maranello-based outfit after stepping down from his role at Alfa Romeo to replace Mattia Binotto, who parted ways with Ferrari at the end of last month.

However, the Frenchman has already been warned by Peter Sauber, founder and retired former owner of the eponymous team currently branded as Alfa Romeo, that he could soon be ditched if he fails to live up to expectations from the outset.

"If you get an offer from Ferrari, you have to go," Sauber told Swiss newspaper Blick. "But if you know the history of Ferrari, back to the company founder Enzo, then you know that the team bosses usually have a short life. With the exception of Jean Todt, who ruled there for more than 12 years."

‘Could soon be facing the sack at Ferrari’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1709263/Frederic-Vasseur-Ferrari-sack-warning-Mattia-Binotto-F1-news


Sauber fire surprising warning at Fred Vasseur for joining Ferrari.
Peter Sauber: “If you know the history of Ferrari- back to the company founder Enzo – then you know that the team bosses usually have a short life.”
14 December 2022
by Jack Devonport
Formula1News

Christian Horner, Ross Brawn and Andreas Seidl were all reportedly on Ferrari’s radar, with chairman John Elkann reportedly favouring a high-profile appointment to replace Binotto. With Horner loyal to Red Bull, Brawn retiring and Seidl taking up a role with Sauber, Ferrari have chosen to appoint current Alfa Romeo team principal Fred Vasseur as their successor for Mattia Binotto.

With Ferrari struggling to compete with the consistency of Red Bull in 2022, the team will be hoping that an internal restructure will be able to play a key part in allowing the team to mount a more meaningful title charge in 2023.

Mattia Binotto’s reign at Ferrari lasted three years, meaning that still only three team principals out of 22 have lasted longer than the Swiss since Ferrari joined Formula 1.

‘Team bosses usually have a short life’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/sauber-fire-surprising-warning-at-fred-vasseur-for-joining-ferrari/


Peter Sauber thanks McLaren for releasing Andreas Seidl.
Current Alfa Romeo team principal Frederic Vasseur will be switching to Ferrari in January, leaving his role to be filled.
15 December 2022
by Nick Golding

Vasseur held two roles at Alfa Romeo, as well as being the team’s boss; he was also CEO of the Sauber Group, a role which has been accepted by McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl.

Seidl’s move from McLaren to Sauber has seen the Woking-based side’s executive director of racing Andrea Stella promoted to the team boss role, something Alfa Romeo are yet to decide upon.

Sauber also thanked McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown, who allowed Seidl to leave the British side despite being contracted until 2025. Sauber is “excited” to see the direction that Seidl takes the team, with the German having an impressive “track record”.

‘Peter Sauber thanks McLaren’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/peter-sauber-thanks-mclaren-for-releasing-andreas-seidl/


Former F1 driver takes aim at Bottas after Seidl move
15:05 Wed, 14 Dec 2022.
Author RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

Following the news that Andreas Seidl will move to Sauber as CEO, Ralf Schumacher believes time is limited for Valtteri Bottas with the team soon to enter a new era with Audi.

After the surprising move from McLaren's Andreas Seidl to move away from the team to take up a new role as CEO of Sauber, questions have arisen over the future plans of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu. Bottas has previously said he would like stick around for the evolution of the project, but Ralf Schumacher believes the Finn may not be around to see the transition to Audi.

"I'm curious to see what ideas Andreas Seidl has with the drivers, there are also rumours," he told MotorsportTotal. "Zhou is more or less set, brings a lot of money with him, which is significant until 2026, when Audi really comes in. But Bottas, you hear a bit, is counted on and should not necessarily stay there too long."

‘Questions have arisen’;

https://racingnews365.com/former-f1-driver-takes-aim-at-bottas-after-seidl-move


Bottas issues verdict on maiden Alfa Romeo campaign
Thursday 8 December 2022 16:09
Sam Hall

Asked to assess his year, Bottas said: "[It was] up and down. We started really strong, then we suffered with quite a few reliability issues and some bad luck as well. And some teams were able to maybe out-develop us a bit, in a way. But I think we were able to regain some momentum."

Alfa Romeo finished second-last in the constructors' standings with just 13 points in 2021. But by the fourth race of the year, Bottas had exceeded this total on his own but he warned this is a "long-term project".

"We're focusing for the years ahead, and for the years ahead of us we see we can make good progress," he added. "So overall positive if we look at where the team comes from in the last few years."

‘Focusing for the years ahead’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/97604/valtteri-bottas-alfa-romeo-verdict/

[Fortitude]

Norris reveals McLaren plan for F1 revival.
Lando Norris claims McLaren is formulating an improved plan to rejoin the top ranks of F1 after losing out to Alpine this year.
Wednesday 14 December 2022 10:55
Ewan Gale
GPFans

The Woking-based team had enjoyed a three-year resurgence from 2019-2021, finishing fourth, third and fourth in the constructors' championship, before F1 revamped the technical regulations for this year. "We understand where we need to improve but that is the easy part," said Norris.

"The hard part is achieving a car that actually performs doing those things, and there is a very good plan in place. When I have spoken to James [Key, McLaren technical director] there is a better, structured plan to combat this, to understand it."

Norris faith in wind tunnel gains. McLaren is undergoing an upgrade to its infrastructure at its technology centre, primarily with the construction of an in-house wind tunnel. Norris remains hopeful the improvements at its base will provide welcome progress on track.

‘Wind tunnel gains’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/97795/mclaren-plan-f1-comeback-lando-norris/


Andrea Stella Appointed McLaren Team Principal after Andreas Seidl Departure
December 13, 2022
By Joe Briley
The Checkered Flag

“I joined McLaren in 2019 and have really enjoyed working with Zak and the team,” said Seidl. “We have achieved some good results, and I will always have fond memories, with Monza being a personal and career highlight.”

“The team is on a great trajectory, and I would like to thank everyone for their support, trust and commitment. Thanks to Zak and the shareholders for their understanding of my personal decision to move on to another challenge. I wish Andrea and the team all the best for the future.”

“I feel privileged to take on the Team Principal role as the next stage of being part of the McLaren F1 Team,” said Stella. “I am grateful to Zak and the Shareholders for their trust in me and to all my colleagues and those who have supported me throughout my F1 career.”

‘Andrea Stella Appointed McLaren Team Principal’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/12/andrea-stella-appointed-mclaren-team-principal-after-andreas-seidl-departure/


[B]New McLaren boss Stella pinpoints important area of improvement.
07:01 Thu, 15 Dec 2022.
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Dieter Rencken
RacingNews365

Andrea Stella will step up to McLaren Team Principal in 2023, and has highlighted a key area he feels needs improvement. Incoming McLaren boss Andrea Stella believes the team must address its aerodynamic deficiencies to rival Formula 1 teams.

Stella was appointed as Team Principal following the departure of Andreas Seidl to become Sauber CEO in preparation for Audi's arrival in 2026. Seidl was instrumental in deciding to upgrade McLaren's ageing wind-tunnel at their Woking HQ, which should be available for use in 2023.

And while he was keen to highlight the infrastructure improvements being made at McLaren, former Ferrari man Stella pointed out that the squad needs to improve in the aerodynamic department.

‘Important area of improvement’;

https://racingnews365.com/new-mclaren-boss-stella-pinpoints-key-area-of-improvement


Who is our new Team Principal, Andrea Stella?
14:53 Thu, 15 Dec 2022.
McLaren - Official Site

Detail-orientated, but with a focus on the big picture – here's what to expect from the Italian. Twenty-four hours is a long time in Formula 1, and although it may seem like a lot has changed within a short period, the wheels of Andrea Stella's trajectory to Team Principal have not only recently started turning, they've been in motion for some while.
The Italian's roles, responsibilities and value to McLaren have grown ever since he first set foot into the McLaren Technology Centre and walked the famous white corridors back in 2015.

He has long been seen both internally and externally as a potential leader of a team. Whilst the decision to promote him was not taken lightly, it was well-earned, and the most rational, continuity-based selection in keeping with our current direction. His skills were well-known to the team, and his DNA was already imprinted on McLaren – and vice versa.

‘Detail-orientated’;

https://www.mclaren.com/racing/team/who-our-new-team-principal-andrea-stella/


Brown promises McLaren continuity under Stella
15/12/2022 at 08:19
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

McLaren CEO Zak Brown says that the appointment of Andrea Stella as the new team principal of the F1 teams means that there will be no break in the the team's programme to return to the top of the sport.

Stella will replace Andreas Seidl in the role, who this week was announced as the new CEO of Sauber Motorsport ahead of its partnership with Audi that commences in 2026. For Brown. Stella was an obvious choice rather than headhunting candidates from outside the organisation, which could have caused disruption to the team's development.

“The response I’ve had from the racing team about Andrea’s appointment has been predictably very well received," Brown said this week. "“Andrea was always our number one choice to lead the team moving forward. This feels like we won’t miss a beat versus introducing someone from the outside, because it takes quite a while to get up to speed."

‘McLaren continuity’;

https://f1i.com/news/462804-brown-promises-mclaren-continuity-under-stella.html

[Fortitude]

Williams warned it is 'stuck in the past' and facing long road to recovery.
Outgoing Williams technical director François-Xavier Demaison believes the team faces a long road back to success as in ways it is 'stuck in the past'.
Wednesday 14 December 2022 17:25
Sam Hall
GPFans

Williams is one of the most successful teams in F1 history, sitting fourth in terms of race victories and second only to Ferrari with its haul of nine constructors' titles. Assessing Williams' past season in November prior to his exit, Demaison said: "The cars did not really change since the upgrade we did for Silverstone. "For many reasons, we did not really concentrate our effort on this car, but more on the long transformation we are doing in Grove. This is our priority.”

"We maximised the opportunity we have and then we concentrate on the long term and improve our team. That's the main thing. For sure I'm a racer, I'm not happy with being 10th in the championship, but I think it's something we have to accept at the moment and really build for the future."

"We've been investing a lot of money and effort in the modernisation of the company. For many reasons, mostly financial, Williams has been stuck a bit in the past, so that was the priority - invest in the wind tunnel, invest in the factory and invest in people. So we are slowly getting to where we are but to build a team you need two to three years and to get the maximum out of this team, it’s another two to three years. It’s a long journey."

'Stuck in the past'

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/97916/stuck-in-the-past-williams-road-to-recovery/


Albon warned to push Williams harder
Thursday 15 December 2022 17:20
Sam Hall
GPFans

Departed Williams technical director François-Xavier Demaison has claimed that Alex Albon is 'too nice' and should push the team harder.

Praising Albon's technical ability, Demaison, who left his role at the same time as CEO and team principal Jost Capito ahead of the new year, said: "It was a really good help for us because we are only engineers and we need drivers to give us a direction.

"And because of his experience, it’s helped us and given us the right direction. So, it’s really a good help and he’s a nice person – sometimes too nice. He needs to be a bit harder with the team and push us a bit more – but I’m working on this."

‘Push Williams harder’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/98004/alex-albon-williams-warned/


Albon: Securing F1 stay was main aim for 2022
04:54 Thu, 15 Dec 2022.
by Phillip Horton
Motorsport Week

The Anglo-Thai spearheaded Williams’ challenge in 2022, scoring points on three occasions, and was retained by the team on a multi-year deal.
“If I look truthfully, the main thing I wanted when I got back into F1 was to stay in F1,” said Albon.

“It sounds a silly thing to say, but it’s true; when you have a one-year contract there’s no guarantee , and that box has been firmly ticked. In terms of myself, driving, and getting that confidence back behind the wheel, and getting into rhythm of the car, being on the limit, feeling like I’m in control, I do feel I’ve got that back,” said Albon.

“I do feel I’ve done a good job this year and feel like I’ve proven myself to what I know I can do. Of course I still want to push on and get good results and impress and show the team what I can do, but for this year, having the year out, all things considered I feel it has been a positive year – it’s maybe even gone better than I expected.”

‘Securing F1 stay’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/12/15/albon-securing-f1-stay-was-main-aim-for-2022/


[B]Ralf Schumacher surprised by Williams management shake-up
14/12/2022 at 15:43
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Schumacher, who reckons the position of team principal will be filled internally, believes that Williams' upper management lacked patience. "I’m surprised that Jost had to go," Schumacher told Sky Germany.

"I imagine the investors were a little angry and not happy with the progress. You can also see that from the fact that other important people in the team also had to go. I’m sorry for Jost. I think the executives were too impatient, he should have had a little more time."

‘Williams management shake-‘;

https://f1i.com/news/462796-ralf-schumacher-surprised-by-williams-management-shake-up.html


SARGEANT FELT “LESS PRESSURE THAN EXPECTED” IN SEARCH OF F1 SUPERLICENCE.
The American driver had to make sure that he finished at least sixth in the Formula 2 championship to secure the 40 superlicence points needed to compete in Formula 1
19:07 Thu, 15 Dec 2022.
Nathan Hartley
FormulaNerds

Sargeant was announced as Nicholas Latifi’s replacement at Williams during the United States Grand Prix. However, the American still needed to secure enough superlicence points to be able to compete in Formula 1 in 2023. The 21-year-old had to ensure that he did not drop below sixth in the drivers’ championship to secure the 40 points required.

The Formula 2 championship was close and unpredictable, giving Sargeant a lot of pressure to perform. The American did just that, finishing fourth in Abu Dhabi, securing his place in Formula 1 next season.

Jost Capito was an admirer of the American. However, himself and his Technical Director FX Demaison are now leaving before the 2023 season. Could that have a negative impact on the 21-year-old driver?

“LESS PRESSURE THAN EXPECTED”;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/sargeant-felt-less-pressure-than-expected-in-search-of-f1-superlicence/?nowprocket=1

[Fortitude]

Just like dad: Schumacher goes from Ferrari to Mercedes.
Mick Schumacher agrees to become reserve driver for Mercedes F1 team. Former Haas driver finished 2022 season 16th with 12 points.
2022-12-15 17:36:05
Son Güncelleme

Mick Schumacher has agreed to become a reserve driver for Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team. "I am thrilled to be part of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team as their reserve driver for 2023, and I am committed to give it my all to contribute to their performance in this very competitive and professional environment," Schumacher said on Thursday.

Toto Wolff, team principal and CEO of Mercedes, said: "Mick is a talented young driver and we’re delighted to have him join the Team. He is a hard worker, has a calm and methodical approach and is still hungry to learn and improve as a driver. These are all important qualities."

‘Just like dad’;

https://www.turkiyenewspaper.com/sports/13633


Mick Schumacher explains plan to help Lewis Hamilton after bagging exciting Mercedes role
Mick Schumacher has detailed how he plans to help Lewis Hamilton after landing an exciting role at Mercedes.
17:00, Fri, Dec 16, 2022
By Ben Parsons

Mick Schumacher has detailed how he plans to help Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell after being handed an F1 lifeline. The German driver has landed the reserve driver role at Mercedes and will work on the team simulator and stand in for Hamilton or Russell if either of the Brits are unable to race.

He will now be tasked with developing the W14 with diligent work in the simulator, providing maximum support for Hamilton and Russell in their pursuit of race wins. And Schumacher believes his insight into the new technical regulations will help to get the best of the incumbent Mercedes drivers.

“I guess it is not as common to have a reserve driver that has been driving in the new era of cars,” he said on the Mercedes Youtube channel. “I know the new tyres, I know what the car is about and what it needs in terms of driving style. Hopefully I will be able to contribute to that but also see what the drivers need from the outside and obviously the simulator work is going to be very important. We have a lot to do and hopefully I will be able to contribute the knowledge I have, but also gain a lot of knowledge myself that I can use for the rest of my career and life.”

‘Ttasked with developing the W14’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1710491/Mick-Schumacher-Lewis-Hamilton-Mercedes


Mick Schumacher says he can be a "top F1 driver" despite two points results from 43 races
The first two years of Schumacher's Formula 1 career did not go to plan and now he is left without a race seat for the 2023 season, after he was replaced by Haas
22:52, 15 Dec 2022
By Daniel MoxonF1 Writer
The Mirror

Mick Schumacher insists he can develop into a "top driver" despite being axed from the Formula 1 grid after two seasons with Haas. Schumacher has signed up as Mercedes reserve driver for 2023, but that role is one he hopes will be temporary as he looks to return to the grid as quickly as possible.

And if he can do so, he still backs himself to show his ability. "Many people have already said it but I think it is worth saying again – nobody was fully a complete driver in Formula 1 after two years and there is a lot to learn still”, said the defiant 23-year-old.

"I intend to learn those bits and pieces and I'm sure that, once I put everything together, as I have shown in junior categories, I'm sure that I can be a top driver in Formula 1 as well. For me personally, I know the trend which was there is what matters. You can see that consistent improvement across the course of the season and I have achieved some of the things that I wanted to achieve.”

‘Two points results from 43 races’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/mick-schumacher-mercedes-2023-future-28745692


New Mercedes signing Schumacher a victim of "brutal" F1 - Wolff
Friday 16 December 2022 06:30
Sam Hall
GPFans

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff believes new recruit Mick Schumacher is a victim of F1 'brutality' after losing his race seat for 2023. Schumacher was confirmed on Thursday [December 15] as Mercedes' new reserve driver for the coming season.

Speaking before confirming Schumacher in his new role, Wolff told the 'Beyond the Grid' podcast: "I really like Mick and I like the family, how they have raised their kids with this unbelievably famous name, and I think he deserves a chance. He won the junior series and that is not easy.”

"Things can go against you in your first years in Formula 1 and he was under pressure to deliver and that doesn't help and Formula 1 is brutal. So maybe, in a way, having a year off as a third driver similar to what Daniel [Ricciardo] does can be good to reassess yourself, bring yourself into a better place and then hopefully, find a seat again."

‘Victim of "brutal" F1’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/97985/mercedes-mick-schumacher-victim-brutal-f1-toto-wolff/


Nico Rosberg predicts game over for Mick Schumacher in F1 without 2024 return.
To Rosberg’s point, if Schumacher is not on the Formula 1 grid once more in 2024, then the cards really would need to fall perfectly for him to make a comeback. Fortunately, that very well could happen courtesy of Audi.
Friday 16th December 2022 8:30 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com08:59 Fri, 16 Dec

If Mick Schumacher does not make it back onto the Formula 1 grid for 2024, then Nico Rosberg does not see how he ever will. Speaking on Sport1’s AvD Motor & Sport magazine, Rosberg said: “It was great to have Mick Schumacher on the grid and interesting to follow his performances in the premier class.

“Unfortunately, it was extremely difficult for him because he had the worst car in the field for long stretches. It’s difficult to set highlights there.” Rosberg feels the recently confirmed reserve spot at Mercedes is a good next step in Schumacher’s career, but if it did not lead to a place on the 2024 grid, then he does not see how Schumacher will make that return.

“Reserve driver at Mercedes, that’s a good option to stay in F1 and keep the chances of coming back somewhere in 2024,” said Rosberg. “But Schumacher would also need a good sponsor to support him financially in his comeback to the grid. If nothing comes of it in 2024, then that would probably be the end with Formula 1.”

‘Worst car in the field’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/nico-rosberg-mick-schumacher-f1-return/

[Fortitude]

First details of Ferrari’s 2023 F1 car revealed.
In essence, the car body of the 675 (as per the internal design code), will be characterised by different volumes compared to the F1-75, in favour of a lower drag.
17 December 12:00PM
Author Paolo Filisetti
Co-author Luke Murphy
RacingNews365

With teams committing to their concepts for next season, RacingNews365.com technical analyst Paolo Filisetti explains the Red Bull-inspired evolution going on with Ferrari's 2023 car, and their reasons for optimism.

We have repeated it several times, the Ferrari of 2023 will not be a revolution, at least on a visual level, compared to the F1-75. This does not mean, however, that the aerodynamic concept will replicate its predecessor, quite the opposite.

In practice, if we consider the bodywork which on the F1-75 extended behind the engine cover, narrowing into a semi-circular section (of variable diameter depending on the layout / ambient temperatures), should be replaced by horizontal vents which it will extend all the way over the rear suspension members.

‘675 (as per the internal design code)’;

https://racingnews365.com/first-details-of-ferraris-2023-f1-car-revealed


Frederic Vasseur to 'poach F1 staff' for Ferrari as Schumacher backs him for three reasons
Frederic Vasseur isn't likely to arrive at Ferrari alone after replacing Mattia Binotto as team principal...
19:47, Thu, Dec 15, 2022
By Alex Turk

Ralf Schumacher has backed new Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur to pinch some 'confidants' from Alfa Romeo. Ferrari announced the 54-year-old as Mattia Binotto's replacement on Tuesday after a dire end to the 2022 campaign, failing to win a single race since Charles Leclerc's Austrian Grand Prix success in July.

An official statement from Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna read: "We are delighted to welcome Fred Vasseur to Ferrari as our Team Principal. Throughout his career, he has successfully combined his technical strengths as a trained engineer with a consistent ability to bring out the best in his drivers and teams. This approach and his leadership are what we need to push Ferrari forward with renewed energy."

Schumacher doesn't think he will be alone in switching Alfa Romeo for Ferrari ahead of the 2023 season, tipping him to bring some allies from Switzerland. He told Sky Germany: "Fred will have credit for now, and the question will be who he can bring with him. He will definitely take some confidants from Sauber to Ferrari because there will also be some restructuring there."

'Poach F1 staff';

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1710090/Frederic-Vasseur-F1-news-Ferrari-Ralf-Schumacher-Alfa-Romeo


Ferrari given simple instruction for new team chief Fred Vasseur as Ted Kravitz weighs in.
Vasseur is the man chosen to replace Mattia Binotto as Ferrari team principal from next season and, despite the Italians' recent track record, needs time to get his plan working
22:23, 15 Dec 2022
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
The Mirror

Ted Kravitz believes Ferrari have snapped up "a good replacement" for outgoing team principal Mattia Binotto – but also had a piece of advice for the Italian team. "They've got a good replacement for Mattia Binotto," he said of Ferrari's choice. "He's a winner in the lower Formula, not yet in F1, but with his own team in F2 and F3, Vasseur has won races and championships.”

"He speaks Italian, he's been with Alfa Romeo-Sauber of course, a Swiss team with Italian backing, so he speaks the language. And crucially he knows and has a good working relationship with Ferrari's main championship challenger and star, Charles Leclerc.”

"They worked together at Sauber before, so I think it's a good solution, a good appointment for Ferrari with Vasseur coming in for Binotto." But while he clearly feels there is a lot of potential for this move to work, Kravitz stressed that it only has a chance of doing so if the new boss is given the time he needs.

‘Snapped up a good replacement’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/fred-vasseur-ferrari-kravitz-leclerc-28745257


Why Vasseur’s hiring recalls Todt’s – and what Ferrari must get right now
2023 F1 season
Posted on
16th December 2022, 7:1516th December 2022, 8:58
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Mattia Binotto’s departure from Ferrari was announced by the team as a “resignation”. However it was interpreted by many as being ordained from above within the organisation. Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna made clear his unhappiness with the team’s performance shortly before Binotto’s exit became public knowledge. “I am not satisfied with second place because second is first of the losers,” he said.

There was some sympathy for Binotto, who at 53 has spent over half his life at Ferrari including four seasons in the pressure-cooker environment of the top job. More co-operative with the media than his predecessor, Binotto was understandably well-liked. But Ferrari concluded the results were not up to scratch and, despite the team’s championship position improving for the second year in a row in 2022, it was not hard to see why. The new technical regulations introduced last season represented a major opportunity, one which Ferrari failed to capitalise on.

When Todt took over Ferrari in 1993 the team was in a much worse position than Vasseur will find it when he takes over next month. The team hadn’t won a race since 1990, and wouldn’t until Gerhard Berger delivered the first victory under Todt the following season. Still, it took until 1999 for the first constructors’ championship trophy to arrive – 16 years since their last, the team’s longest ever drought, which it is drawing ominously close to exceeding.

‘Vasseur’s hiring recalls Todt’s’;

https://www.racefans.net/2022/12/16/why-vasseurs-hiring-recalls-todts-and-what-ferrari-must-get-right-now/


More ‘restructuring’ to come at Ferrari after Mattia Binotto exit
Ferrari’s 2022 season could have, and maybe should have been one for the history books, as the Scuderia got off to a flying start in Bahrain, easily boasting the fastest car on the grid and bringing home a one-two finish.
17 December 2022
by Jack Devonport
Formula1News

F1 boss Stefano Domenicali has claimed that although Binotto did a reasonable job during his time as Ferrari team principal, second place is not good enough for the Scuderia.

This means that expectations will be high for Vasseur right off the bat when he joins Ferrari in the new year, with the Frenchman already being warned by his current employers of Ferrari’s sacking culture, with only three team principals managing to last more than three years in the hotseat.

Having not won the constructors’ championship since 2008, the major regulation changes that came with the start of the 2022 season will provide the team with a chance to get back to winning ways, as a new era provides new opportunities.

‘Expectations will be high for Vasseur right off the bat’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/more-restructuring-to-come-at-ferrari-after-mattia-binotto-exit/


Sainz Expecting New Boss Vasseur is ‘Going to Do Well’ as Ferrari Team Principal
December 17, 2022
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag

Frédéric Vasseur will do a good job as Team Principal of Scuderia Ferrari, according to one of his new drivers, Carlos Sainz Jr. “I’ve heard very good things about him,” Sainz is quoted as saying by Motorsport.com. “I know him personally, he already wanted to sign me to go to Renault. I spoke to him yesterday [Tuesday], I called him and I had my first contact as a Ferrari driver. I know he’s going to do well.”

Sainz knows that anyone coming in following a change of management has ‘extra motivation’ and he believes this will be the case at Ferrari with Vasseur coming in. However, it is important to give him time to make his mark on the team, with big changes unlikely to happen overnight.

“Whenever someone new arrives, he has extra motivation, wanting to do well for himself and for the team,” said the Spaniard. “You have to give him time to see how the team works, know what changes are needed. Ferrari is very big and I know it will take time. It doesn’t happen from one day to the next.”

‘Going to Do Well’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/12/sainz-expecting-new-boss-vasseur-is-going-to-do-well-as-ferrari-team-principal/

[Fortitude]

Aston Martin announce 2023 F1 car launch.
Aston Martin became the first team to set a date for the launch of their 2023 Formula 1 car, the AMR23, as it will be revealed to the world on February 13, 2023.
19 December, 2022
NewsDesk
Grand Prix 247

The AMR23 will be the third car produced by the team under the Aston Martin moniker (They used to be Racing Point and Force India before) and will be driven by two-time F1 Champion Fernando Alonso who is new to the team in 2023, and long-serving driver Lance Stroll.

The 2023 Green car will be the second chassis built to the new ground-effect regulations that were introduced to the sport in 2022, and the team would be hoping that it marks an improvement from its predecessor, the AMR22, that was a disappointment with the team giving it a major redesign mid season at the 2022 Spanish Grand Prix.

The team revealed that the new for 2023 car will be revealed at their new Silverstone campus, which will the give the F1 world the first look at their ambitious project of building a new headquarters that was commissioned by team Chairman Lawrence Stroll as he aims to convers the team into Title contenders.

‘Aston Martin became the first team to set a date for the launch’;

https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/12/19/aston-martin-announce-2023-f1-car-launch/


Stroll urges Aston to keep going 'in the right direction'
19/12/2022 at 14:50
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Lance Stroll applauded Aston Martin for the strong development work that led to the AMR22's upswing in performance in the second part of 2022, but the Canadian says his team now needs to uphold its momentum into the start of 2023.

Stroll praised his team for the good work, and hopes that Aston will pick up at the start of 2023 where it left off in Abu Dhabi last month. "I think the guys have done a great job at improving the car," he added. "We've definitely... made big steps in the right direction. And it's just about… keeping on going in that direction, really, in the future."

But the 24-year-old who will be paired with a new teammate next season, namely Fernando Alonso who replaces Sebastian Vettel, also took away from 2022 the crucial importance of having clean races to make the most of every opportunity that may come Aston's way.

'In the right direction';

https://f1i.com/news/463046-stroll-urges-aston-to-keep-going-in-the-right-direction.html


F1 2022 tech review: How Aston Martin saved itself from wrong concept call
Aston Martin ended the Formula 1 season in a super close fight with Alfa Romeo in the constructors' championship.
Dec 19, 2022, 11:50 AM
By: Matt Somerfield
Co-author: Giorgio Piola
Motorsport.com

But while it ultimately missed out on beating its rival on countback, even getting in that battle was impressive considering how challenging the start of its year had been. The 2022 campaign proved to be a down-and-up season for the British marque, as it abandoned its launch sidepod concept design early on after being unable to get the performance out of it that it had hoped for.

Aston Martin's first interpretation of the 2022 regulations saw the team adopt a high waisted, completely undercut sidepod solution, with a square inlet and a slew of cooling gills along the bodywork's back. The AMR22 featured completely revamped bodywork from the Spanish Grand Prix onwards, with the team opting to follow in the footsteps of Red Bull and abandon its high-waisted sidepod solution.

The floor was also changed as part of the Spanish Grand Prix update package. And, much like the bodywork changes, was very similar to the design seen on the Red Bull. This included the marriage of the two outer floor fences, which had only been seen on the RB18 beforehand. Aston Martin introduced a new floor in Singapore, once again taking cues from the developments already put in place by Red Bull on the RB18.

‘Saved itself from wrong concept call’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-2022-tech-review-how-aston-martin-saved-itself-from-wrong-concept-call/10412790/


Fernando Alonso feeling 'at a very good level' ahead of Aston Martin stint
Published: 19 Dec 2022, 15:54
By George Dagless
Give Me Sport

Fernando Alonso says he is now feeling at a ‘very good level’ after his second year in F1 since his return to the grid in 2021. The Spaniard left the sport at the end of 2018 and did not come back until the start of 2021, with him driving in series like WEC and IndyCar during that period.

He says he is back at a very good level in terms of his driving, too, after admitting he was not sure how well he would get back into the swing of things upon returning at the start of 2021: “Coming back to the sport is never a guarantee that you will be okay and competitive and you still enjoy everything in Formula 1,” the two-time world champion said.

“I think last year I was not maybe 100 percent happy with the performance and with how the season went. This year, I’m much more happy with the car and with the performance itself and much more I think ready for the next challenge.”

‘Feeling at a very good level';

https://www.givemesport.com/88096161-fernando-alonso-feeling-at-a-very-good-level-ahead-of-aston-martin-stint


Fernando Alonso explains the lengthy gap between Alpine and Red Bull
Monday 19th December 2022 10:00 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Outgoing Alpine driver Fernando Alonso has claimed the team are lacking “a little bit everywhere” compared to Formula 1 Constructors’ Champions Red Bull.

Alonso, who will replace the retired Sebastian Vettel at Aston Martin next season, believes a range of different factors have resulted in the significant performance gap between the best and the rest.

Asked to identify the areas in which Alpine are losing a combined total of one second per lap to Red Bull, Alonso told German publication Auto Motor und Sport: “A little bit everywhere. The second is made up of the sum of many small advantages. More downforce, less drag, more power, better tyre management, pit stops, the execution of race procedures.”

“A little bit everywhere”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernando-alonso-alpine-lacking-f1-red-bull/


Alonso: Returning F1 drivers can’t underestimate the challenge
19/12/2022, 09:09
by Fergal Walsh
Motorsport Week

Fernando Alonso says that drivers attempting a Formula 1 comeback shouldn’t underestimate the challenge it presents. Alonso says that coming back to F1 after a period away from the cars poses a significant challenge to drivers.

“Coming back to the sport is never a guarantee that you will be okay and competitive and you still enjoy everything in Formula 1,” Alonso said. “So I had some concerns, obviously, two years ago, when I did the demo here [in the Renault R25], before the Young Driver test in 2020.”

“I think last year it was not maybe 100 per cent happy with the performance and with how the season went. This year, I’m much more happy with the car and with the performance itself and much more I think ready for the next challenge.”

‘Formula 1 comeback Drivers, shouldn’t underestimate the challenge it presents’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/12/19/alonso-returning-f1-drivers-cant-underestimate-the-challenge/

[Fortitude]

FIA bans drivers from making ‘political statements’ without permission.
Formula 1 drivers and other participants in FIA events have been banned from making “political statements” without the permission of the governing body.
2023 F1 season
Posted on 20th December 2022, 7:1520th December 2022, 8:24
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

The FIA has banned “the general making and display of political, religious and personal statements or comments notably in violation of the general principle of neutrality promoted by the FIA under its Statutes, unless previously approved in writing by the FIA for International Competitions, or by the relevant ASN for National Competitions within their jurisdiction.”

The FIA has previously taken steps to prevent F1 drivers from using the attention races attract to highlight causes which concern them. Drivers were prevented from wearing T-shirts during the podium ceremony after Lewis Hamilton displayed one bearing the message “Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor” after winning the 2020 Tuscan Grand Prix.

Other drivers have made political statements using their race wear. Sebastian Vettel was criticised by Canadian politicians when he wore a helmet featuring the messages “Stop mining tar sands” and “Canada’s climate crime” at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve this year. He did not wear the design for the grand prix.

‘FIA bans drivers from making political statements’;

https://www.racefans.net/2022/12/20/fia-bans-drivers-from-making-political-statements-without-permission/


FIA President warns social media abuse could damage sport 'beyond repair'
16 December 9:50AM
Author Anna Francis
RacingNews365

Several months on from F1 launching the Drive it Out initiative – aimed at tackling any form of abuse in the sport – FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem has reiterated that he is determined to fight "toxic" social media abuse, having warned of the consequences of ignoring it.

Speaking at the FIA and FIM Women in Motorsports Conference, the President voiced his concerns of "toxic" abuse on social media. "I'm going to fight it, and I'm going to fight it with all the power that I have," he told media, including RacingNews365.com, at the event.

"We are getting the support. One of our stewards from Spain was abused on social media – that cannot be accepted. "If we allow this to happen, it's only a matter of time [until] the damage to our sport will be beyond repair."

‘I'm going to fight it with all the power that I have’;

https://racingnews365.com/fia-president-warns-social-media-abuse-could-damage-sport-beyond-repair


Ex-FIA race director Michael Masi secures new motorsport role for 2023
Thursday 15th December 2022 10:27 AM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Former FIA Race Director Michael Masi has secured a new appointment for the upcoming 2023 motorsport season.

Having left the FIA earlier this year, Michael Masi’s return to his native country has meant the former FIA Race Director has focussed on securing roles on the motorsport scene in Australia.

Having been the catalyst behind the controversial Abu Dhabi Grand Prix season finale in 2021, Masi was not retained in his position of FIA Race Director for 2022 as FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem introduced sweeping changes for this season.

‘Sweeping changes’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/michael-masi-secures-new-motorsport-role-for-2023/


FIA presses ahead with plans for wet weather wheel arches
18/12/2022 at 13:03
Andrew Lewin
RaceFans

The FIA's single-seater technical director Nikolas Tombazis has been giving more details about the governing body's plans to introduce new wet weather wheel arches - possibly as early as the second half of the 2023 season.

The initiative is in response to the embarrassing events of last year's Belgian Grand Prix, where rain made it impossible to hold the race in safe conditions and the event terminated after a handful of laps behind the safety car.

"Spa in 2021 still left scars on the sport because it was very unfortunate circumstance," Tombazis acknowledged. "It would have been ten times worse, I think, if we'd gone all the way to Japan and had to pack up and come back.

‘FIA presses ahead’;

https://f1i.com/news/462964-fia-presses-ahead-with-plans-for-wet-weather-wheel-arches.html


FIA re-assessed after Yuki Tsunoda black and orange flag ‘overreaction’
Sunday 18th December 2022 8:00 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

The FIA will reduce the use of black and orange flags after the sporting body’s technical chief admitted there had been an “overreaction” following the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Yuki Tsunoda was shown the flag, often dubbed the ‘meatball’ flag, after only one half of his rear wing opened in the DRS zone in Baku.

The FIA deemed this to be unsafe so ordered Tsunoda into the AlphaTauri pits where the team used tape to tie down the wing.

‘Meatball flag’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fia-reassessed-yuki-tsunoda-black-orange-flag/


FIA developing ‘prototypes’ in unprecedented solution for heavy rain
The 2021 Belgian Grand Prix was stopped after a couple of laps, due to the intensity of the rain and the conditions of the circuit.
18 December 2022
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

FIA single-seater technical director Nikolas Tombazis has confirmed that wheel arches are being considered going forward when heavy rain appears, in order for the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix to never be repeated. For a sport deemed to be the pinnacle of motorsport, the championship has looked embarrassing in recent years when met with a wet race.

At the Japanese Grand Prix towards the end of the most recent season, a lengthy red flag interval was required whilst heavy rain pounded the Suzuka International Circuit. The Monaco Grand Prix was also red flagged for a considerable amount of time, again as a result of rain.

‘Pinnacle of motorsport, looked embarrassing in recent years’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/fia-developing-prototypes-in-unprecedented-solution-for-heavy-rain/

[Fortitude]

Haas hit “significant landmark” with their F1 2023 car.
Haas have become the first team to announce that they have passed the FIA’s safety tests for F1 2023.
12 Dec 2022
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Like in 2021, Haas have been quick to announce this “significant landmark” as they prepare for next year. All teams are required to pass the FIA's safety and crash tests in order for them to be officially homologated ahead of the new campaign.

The American team announced the news on Twitter: “The chassis and nose for the VF-23 have passed their FIA tests and are officially homologated - a significant landmark in the development of our 2023 car.” The VF-23 will be Haas’ eighth car having made their F1 debut back in 2016.

After a disappointing campaign in 2021, where they failed to score a single point, Haas pinned their hopes on 2022. They started the season strongly with Kevin Magnussen finishing fifth at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix. Things quickly tailed off as they fell down the order as Haas struggled to develop their car.

‘Haas have become the first team’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1018242/1/haas-hit-significant-landmark-their-f1-2023-car


Haas beat F1 rivals to important milestone
12 December 12:00PM
Author Michael Butterworth
RacingNews365

Haas say the nose and chassis for their 2023 car have been homologated after passing FIA safety tests.

This would make Haas the first Formula 1 team to have received the green light from motorsport's global governing body to proceed with their 2023 challenger.

‘Haas F1 Green Light’;

https://racingnews365.com/haas-beat-f1-rivals-to-important-milestone


Haas’s sacrificial F1 gamble paid off – but it still underdelivered
Dec 12 2022
By Mark Hughes
The Race

Haas came back into respectable contention this season, having effectively sacrificed the 2020 and ’21 seasons as placeholders while it awaited the opportunity provided by the new regulations. It no longer invariably propped the rest of the grid up and returned to something more like the competitive level it had previously enjoyed.

But from the perspective of a car which could regularly make Q2 and occasionally Q3, just eight points finishes (with a total score of 37, for eighth in the constructors) must count as slightly disappointing.

The results didn’t do full justice to the Ferrari-powered and influenced VF22’s competitiveness, largely because the team’s still-small budget didn’t allow for any significant development and because the second car, driven by Mick Schumacher, scored only twice amid a series of expensive accidents.

‘The team’s still-small budget’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/haass-sacrificial-f1-gamble-paid-off-but-it-still-underdelivered/


Guenther Steiner says Haas would not sell ‘hot property’ F1 spot to Andretti
Saturday 3rd December 2022 7:30 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Guenther Steiner has confirmed Gene Haas is not interested in selling his team to any interested buyers, especially now that owning a team is “hot property”.

The popularity of Formula 1 has increased significantly in the period since Haas joined the grid in 2016, with the entertainment on track and the release of Netflix’s Drive to Survive helping cultivate a new audience for the sport.

Combined with the new cost cap era in Formula 1, limits on team spending are now in place to try and curb unlimited amounts of money being poured into car development on grounds of both competitive fairness and financial stability.

‘Would not sell ‘hot property’’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/guenther-steiner-haas-hot-property/


Mick Schumacher slams F1's 'lack of patience' after son of icon Michael axed by Haas
Mick Schumacher will not be on the grid in 2023 but could find himself in a reserve role as he tries to save his F1 future.
07:38, Fri, Dec 9, 2022
By Luke Chillingsworth

Mick Schumacher has criticised Haas for having a lack of patience and not letting him develop into a top driver. The German was axed by the American squad ahead of the final race of the season after just two years in the cockpit.

Experienced former F2 star Nico Hulkenberg will take his drive with Schumacher possibly eyeing up a test driver role at Mercedes. However, the 23-year-old claims he should have been given one more season for the chance to show off his real skills.

‘Mick Schumacher slams F1's 'lack of patience';

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1707309/mick-schumacher-f1-haas-contract-deal-news-latest

[Fortitude]

Red Bull verdict on main 2023 F1 title threat.
Red Bull motorsports advisor Helmut Marko has outlined Mercedes and "special" Lewis Hamilton as the biggest threat to the team ahead of the 2023 season.
Tuesday 20 December 2022 16:00
Ewan Gale
GPFans

The Austrian underlined Lewis Hamilton's effect on the Silver Arrows despite the Briton experiencing the first winless year of his F1 career this year.

In contrast, Red Bull waltzed to a first title double since 2013, with Max Verstappen beating Ferrari's Charles Leclerc by 146 points in the drivers' standings, whilst the Scuderia finished a staggering 205 adrift in the constructors'.

Asked who he felt would be the main challenger to Red Bull next year, Marko told AMuS: "Definitely Mercedes. They are the more stable team and they have Hamilton.”

‘Mercedes and "special" Lewis Hamilton’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/98248/red-bull-highlight-special-lewis-hamilton-2023-threat/


Brazil clash ‘set a marker’ between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen for 2023
Wednesday 21st December 2022 7:00 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

The collision between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen at last month’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix set the tone for the potential resumption of their rivalry in the 2023 Formula 1 season. That is the opinion of respected F1 reporter Mark Hughes, who believes Verstappen and Hamilton both race differently against other drivers on track.

The pair clashed in the early laps of the penultimate race in Brazil, with Verstappen incurring a five-second time penalty before claiming Hamilton had no intention of leaving him space at the Senna S.

Appearing on Motor Sport Magazine’s season review podcast, Hughes said it is noticeable that Verstappen races differently against other drivers, such as Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, and pointed out that Hamilton is also inconsistent in combat against his 2021 title rival.

‘Set a marker’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-hamilton-max-verstappen-2023-brazil-marker/


Max Verstappen fires warning to Sergio Perez with comment on Valtteri Bottas
Max Verstappen issued some comments that may rile up Sergio Perez, as well as former Mercedes star and now Alfa Romeo driver Valtteri Bottas.
21:00, Tue, Dec 20, 2022
By Liam Llewellyn

“Every year he starts fresh,” Verstappen said of Bottas. “But after a few races you realise it’s not going to happen again and you accept your role. He still finished on podiums, he won a few races and took pole positions.”

“You just have to accept that the driver next to you is just a bit better. That’s fine, that can happen. It’s important that he accepted it. Some drivers can’t do that and then it goes completely wrong.”

“Then they don’t survive for very long. I’m not going to name names, but you have to accept your role. You can’t live in a fairytale world.” Verstappen’s comments could also be seen as a thinly-veiled dig at Red Bull teammate Perez, who he refused to give up a position for at last month’s Brazilian GP.

‘Max Verstappen fires warning’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1711998/Max-Verstappen-Sergio-Perez-Valtteri-Bottas-f1-news


Red Bull look back at stellar year - but something controversial is missing
Tuesday 20 December 2022 14:55
Ewan Gale
GPFans

During Red Bull's video, numerous moments are recounted, such as the title-clinching highs in Japan and the United States, as well as Verstappen's best wins and Perez's finest moments. But it is during the review of the Mexican's triumphs that there is a startling omission.

Perez's greatest achievement in F1 to date, winning the Monaco Grand Prix, is omitted other than a single clip of him jumping into the pool in celebration and a dubbed-over piece of team radio from Horner. This only adds fuel to the fire of what is perceived to be a falling out between Perez and Verstappen during that weekend that ultimately led to the team orders furore in Brazil.

During the review, as a clip shows Perez standing in celebration at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Verstappen says: "That's Saudi, the pole." "It was a great lap, a massive lap," adds Perez, before Horner describes it as the "best lap of your career".

‘Startling omission’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/98271/red-bull-stellar-year-2022-sergio-perez-monaco-grand-prix-missing/


Ninth place “not acceptable” for AlphaTauri – Marko
RaceFans Round-up
Posted on 21st December 2022, 0:0120th December 2022, 19:11
Written by Ida Wood
RaceFans

AlphaTauri sank to ninth in the championship this year, its worst result since 2018 when it competed as Toro Rosso. Marko said the team were “beaten below their value” in an interview with Auto Motor und Sport.

“For the potential, technically and financially, ninth place is not acceptable,” said Marko. “They made a lot of mistakes in strategy. The car had too little downforce. At the moment we are in the process of taking stock and looking at which screws we have to turn.”

Oliver Mintzlaff, who has taken charge of Red Bull’s sports division following the death of Dietrich Mateschitz in October, sees the need for improvement at the team, said Marko.

“Not acceptable”;

https://www.racefans.net/2022/12/21/racefans-round-up-21-12-5/

[Fortitude]

FIA hit with scathing attack - "a meddlesome bloated bureaucratic quagmire".
The FIA has been labelled a "bloated bureaucratic quagmire" by IndyCar driver Dalton Kellett following the announcement that drivers will need prior written consent before making a political stand.
Wednesday 21 December 2022 11:05
Ewan Gale
GPFans

F1 drivers, led in large by Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel, have made their voices heard in recent times, with t-shirts adorned with slogans becoming more and more frequent.

The FIA has addressed such protests with an amendment of the regulations to bring them more in line with the International Sporting Code and the International Olympic Committee's charter, with drivers now obliged to seek consent in writing before taking any stands. This has been met with a backlash from fans and voices from within the paddock, though none as scathing as that from Kellett.

The Canadian said in a Twitter post: "When I started in racing, the FIA seemed like a necessary [even commendable] organization that strove to improve safety and protect fair competition. "These days, it’s become a meddlesome and bloated bureaucratic quagmire.”

‘FIA meddlesome bloated bureaucratic quagmire’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/98299/fia-scathing-attack-meddlesome-bloated-bureaucratic-quagmire-dalton-kellett/


'Shame on the FIA': F1 drivers urged to fight free speech ban
14:37, Dec 21 2022
Jeremy Wilson and Luke Slater
Stuff.co.nz

Rob Koehler, the chief executive of Global Athlete, said that the FIA had no moral authority to limit drivers’ free speech. “Without athletes, the sport does not exist,” said Koehler. “It is blatantly hypocritical to tell athletes to stick to their sports and stay out of politics while the FIA consistently leverage politics to their advantage.

“Freedom of expression is a basic fundamental human right and sport rules cannot supersede human rights. Many people look up to athletes as agents of change. The example set by the FIA is that every child, youth and adult watching the sport should remain silent on social justice issues. It is simply wrong. Shame on the FIA. Athletes are humans first, athletes second.” Koehler then also highlighted how Olympic and Paralympic athletes had stood up to governing bodies.

“It is also clear that the FIA is taking a page out of FIFA's playbook to silence athletes,” he said. “In 2020 athletes took a stand against the IOC and IPC to force them to relax their rules on freedom of expression. I hope the drivers do the same. This is brutal.”

'Shame on the FIA';

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/motorsport/300771223/shame-on-the-fia-f1-drivers-urged-to-fight-free-speech-ban


FIA political demand a damaging mistake
Tuesday 20 December 2022 11:40
Sam Hall
GPFans

The FIA has taken further steps to muzzle drivers racing in sanctioned competitions by now demanding written permission before they can make political statements during race weekends. Freedom of speech is a basic human right and although there will be those that welcome the FIA's move to distance sport and politics, there are undoubted negative consequences.

It is unclear why the FIA has chosen now as the moment to ban unapproved political messaging, but it is possible one of the motivating factors could be the increase in grand prix venues deemed to be controversial choices. Bahrain has long been viewed in this category but the recent additions of Saudi Arabia and Qatar have caused eyebrows to be raised.

It has led to suggestions that F1 is being used for sports-washing purposes given the atrocious human rights records of these countries. Is it also coincidental the FIA has made its move just days after the conclusion of the highly successful but controversial FIFA World Cup in Qatar?

‘Damaging mistake’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/98235/fia-political-demand-damaging-mistake/


FIA sets time limit on when former presidents may join F1 teams.
The new article 9.17 of the International Sporting Code defines restrictions in activities that are applied to its presidents and deputy presidents of sport once they leave their posts.
2023 F1 season
Posted on
21st December 2022, 8:1421st December 2022, 7:33 | Written by Ida Wood

The rule is intended to prevent any team gaining the benefit of confidential information such individuals might have gained during their time at the sport’s governing body. The FIA’s higher officers are privy to sensitive details concerning the activities of teams, such as the disclosures made in their budget cap submissions.

The new rule states: “A competitor entered in a FIA championship may not engage or use the services of a former president of the FIA or a former FIA deputy president for sport (whether as an employee, independent contractor, consultant, or otherwise) until six months have elapsed since the date that they ceased to hold the post of president or deputy president for sport (as applicable), and in any event the aforementioned competitor may not, without time limit, obtain, benefit from or use confidential information obtained by a former president of the FIA or a former president-delegate for sport of the FIA during their mandate.”

Jean Todt, who was replaced by current FIA president Muhammed ben Sulayem 12 months ago, is the only living person to formerly occupy the role and is also the FIA’s honorary president. He continues to work on many of the non-racing matters he was previously responsible for, concentrating his efforts on leading the United Nations’ work on improving road safety.

‘FIA sets time limit’;

https://www.racefans.net/2022/12/21/fia-sets-time-limit-on-when-former-presidents-may-join-f1-teams/


Ben Sulayem confident FIA diversity work is on 'right track'
21 December 5:05PM
Author Anna Francis
RacingNews365

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem included a focus on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion as part of his manifesto when running for the role one year ago. The President is pleased with the work that the governing body has done since in this area.

"I was a driver for 20 years and I think we took our sport for granted in a good way, that we never looked at there [being] a difference between men and women there," he told media, including RacingNews365.com.

"I had a British female co-driver with me. We didn't win very much because the car was not good, but we never thought we [had] to go and do extra to have women [involved], because we were mixed together in the organisation side, [as well as with] the stewarding and drivers, co-drivers, marshaling.”

‘FIA diversity’;

https://racingnews365.com/ben-sulayem-confident-fia-diversity-work-is-on-right-track

[Fortitude]

Szafnauer makes bold Alpine development claim.
Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer has outlined the rapid-fire changes he made to halve the development time of upgrades.
Wednesday 21 December 2022 15:40
Sam Hall
GPFans

Szafnauer joined Alpine in February as part of a management restructuring exercise for the F1 team. Taking on the manufacturer's 100-race plan to become regular podium contenders, the 58-year-old acted quickly to identify and rectify what he viewed to be key problems holding the team back.

Speaking to selected media, including GPFans, Szafnauer said: “One of the big things I did when I first got here was to look at how long it takes us to bring upgrades to the track, and it took us a long time, longer than I was used to at other places.

“We had just a bit of a sub-group to look at how we can do things differently simultaneously, release things a little bit early from the tunnel, start the engineering work early at the expense of sometimes having to re-do it because things change, but most of the time not, and just saving time.”

‘Bold Alpine development’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/98325/otmar-szafnauer-alpine-development/


The F1 engine ‘headache’ Alpine couldn’t solve in-season
10:02 Wed, 21 Dec 2022.
By Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Alpine’s reliability problems with its 2022 Formula 1 engine were mainly rooted in “auxiliary” components including one that caused a “headache all season long”. The Renault works team overhauled its power unit ahead of the engine freeze that kicked in this year, having had a performance deficit in recent seasons.

That involved such a high workload and a late sign-off for the final 2022 design that Renault cut short the usual full validation process, willingly risking problems if it meant extra performance because the engine freeze does allow changes to address reliability concerns.

his manifested itself in several race-ending or weekend-compromising problems for the Alpine team over the course of the year, mostly on Fernando Alonso’s car – much to the two-time F1 world champion’s irritation, which he voiced more loudly as the season progressed.

‘F1 engine headache’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/the-f1-engine-headache-alpine-couldnt-solve-in-season/


Alpine Beating McLaren Shows Importance of Both Drivers Scoring Heavily – Szafnauer
December 22, 2022, 07:18
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag

Otmar Szafnauer says the BWT Alpine F1 Team finishing fourth in Constructors’ Championship during the 2022 FIA Formula 1 World Championship showed just how essential it is to have two drivers scoring heavily.

When comparing his Alpine to the McLaren F1 Team, Szafnauer admitted it was pleasing that both Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso were regular top ten finishers during 2022, with the former scoring fifty-three per cent of the points total.

This compared to Daniel Ricciardo scoring just twenty-three per cent of McLaren’s total, with the majority of their points going the way of Lando Norris.

‘Both Drivers Scoring Heavily’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/12/alpine-beating-mclaren-in-2022-shows-importance-of-both-drivers-scoring-heavily-szafnauer/


Parc Ferme: Lies, damn lies and Alpine statistics
21 December, 2022
Sean Stevens
Grand Prix 247

A few years down the line people may glance at the historical standings in the Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship and conclude that the BWT Alpine F1 Team made progress in 2022 by securing fourth place – a slot higher than in 2021. So much so that the French team‘s CEO Laurent Rossi seemed to think this was all progress but I’m not so sure.

Statistically, this would be an accurate assertion. However, like many things about the team, it flattered to deceive. In 2021 they actually won a Grand Prix and got on the podium at another. This year the closest they came to silverware was fourth. The Alpine A552 wasn’t a bad car, well at least the chassis wasn’t. It was slippery in a straight line and often run with low downforce wing settings, enhancing this attribute further. However, despite having good mechanical traction, it was not able to generate Ferrari, Red Bull, or even Mercedes levels of floor aero grip.

Its biggest weak point though was its Power Unit (PU) a bomb, but not in a good way. Frequently unreliable, it precipitated a whole host of DNF’s throughout the season. While avoidance may not have pushed them higher than their final finishing position in the championship, it would certainly have enabled them to definitively beat McLaren. Instead, they barely scraped ahead.


‘More bomb and less boom’;

https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/12/21/parc-ferme-lies-damn-lies-and-alpine-statistics/


Ocon: Renault engine one of Alpine's 'good assets'
20/12/2022 at 13:06
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Esteban Ocon believes that Alpine's Renault power unit was one of the French outfit's best assets during the 2022 season. At the end of last year, following a season in which the Renault power unit had been the weakest of the four engines on the grid and ahead of a PU regulation freeze, Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi directed Renault to go all-in on the development of its 2022-spec engine.

Engineers at Viry-Châtillon were ordered to prioritize performance over reliability in a bid to bridge the power gap with its rivals. The result was a much more competitive car and engine for Alpine, which finished fourth in F1's Constructors' standings, although reliability issues weighed at times on results, especially on Fernando Alonso's side of the garage.

‘Alpine's 'good assets';

https://f1i.com/news/463082-ocon-renault-engine-one-of-alpines-good-assets.html

[Fortitude]

A warning shot sent to underperforming AlphaTauri with changes hinted at.
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko is not happy with how sister team AlphaTauri performed in 2022, with the next steps now being considered.
Wednesday 21st December 2022 12:59 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

2021 served as seemingly the perfect base for AlphaTauri to step up to new heights as they scored their highest points tally for a season with 142, in the same year that Red Bull returned to the title fight as Max Verstappen secured his first World Championship.

But while Red Bull maintained such heights in 2022 at the start of the new regulatory era, recording a comfortable title double, AlphaTauri slipped to P9 in the Constructors’ standings, finishing with just 35 points and ahead of only Williams. And this could spell trouble for some of the AlphaTauri personnel. Marko was asked by Auto Motor und Sport whether Red Bull would be impacted by the recent swarm of team boss changes in Formula 1?

He said all was stable at Red Bull, but then shifted to AlphaTauri, where he believes change is needed. “Everything remains calm for us,” said Marko. “There have been initial talks with our new boss [following the passing of Dietrich Mateschitz], Mr Mintzlaff, and there is agreement that it would not make sense to restructure a successful package like Red Bull Racing.

‘A warning shot’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/helmut-marko-warns-alphatauri-changes/


Helmut Marko disappointed with AlphaTauri's 2022 performance
Published: 21 Dec 2022, 11:30
By George Dagless
Give Me Sport

“For the potential, technically and financially, ninth place is not acceptable,” said Marko to AMuS. “They made a lot of mistakes in strategy. The car had too little downforce. At the moment we are in the process of taking stock and looking at which screws we have to turn.

“Initial talks have been held with our new boss, Mr Mintzlaff, and everyone agrees that it wouldn’t make sense to rebuild a successful package like Red Bull Racing. “Where there is a need, there is AlphaTauri. This was not satisfactory in the past year.”

Typically frank words from Marko and we’ll soon see what AlphaTauri can do in 2023 to try and start climbing the standings once more.

‘Helmut Marko disappointed’;

https://www.givemesport.com/88096787-helmut-marko-disappointed-with-alphatauris-2022-performance


Helmut Marko outlines plans for major changes at F1 team ahead of 2023
Helmut Marko has hinted at major changes at one F1 team next season.
09:34, Wed, Dec 21, 2022
By Luke Chillingsworth
Daily and Sunday Express

Helmut Marko has confirmed one of Red Bull's two F1 teams will be set for major changes after an unsatisfactory season. The Red Bull chief confirmed sister team AlphaTauri may have to rebuild after struggling in 2022. The team dropped from sixth in the Constructors’ Championship in 2021 to P9 last season.

AlphaTauri scored over 100 fewer points with drivers Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda unable to consistently challenge. Marko fired the threat when asked if there would be any changes to another team after the appointment of new boss Oliver Mintzlaff.

Gasly has stressed the car’s weight was a major issue for their lack of success. However, he admitted the team’s performance did not meet his expectations coming into the campaign. He commented: "I really thought we would have our chance with the budget cap coming in, so we would have no reason not to outperform all the midfield teams.”

‘Plans for major changes at F1 team’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1712154/helmut-marko-changes-red-bull-alpha-tauri-news-latest


Red Bull are ‘not interested’ in AlphaTauri sale to Andretti
Thursday 22nd December 2022 9:00 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Michael Andretti said Red Bull have no interest in selling AlphaTauri to them despite reports the team is up for sale. Given F1’s popularity, there would presumably be no shortage of owners willing to buy AlphaTauri and in Andretti it seemed like the perfect customer, but Michael Andretti has revealed Red Bull are “not interested”.

“No, they’re not interested,” Andretti told IndyStar of Red Bull’s willingness to hold talks on Alpha Tauri. “But we’re working every day (to earn clearance for their own team). I’m still confident. We’re getting close. We haven’t gotten the ‘OK’ yet, but we’re getting really close.”

AlphaTauri and before that Toro Rosso was used as a springboard for young drivers in the Red Bull academy to earn their stripes before a move to the senior team but it has been a long time since that has happened. Alex Albon was the most recent Red Bull academy graduate to be given a shot but he lasted a year and a half before being turfed out for the experienced Sergio Perez.

‘Not interested in AlphaTauri sale’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/red-bull-not-interested-alphatauri-sale-andretti/


‘Shocked’ Franz Tost Defends Pierre Gasly Amid Penalty Points Dramas
December 22, 2022
By Paul Hensby

Franz Tost has defended Pierre Gasly after the Frenchman picked up ten penalty points during the 2022 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season, with the Scuderia AlphaTauri Team Principal insisting the Frenchman is far from a dangerous driver. A driver will automatically be banned from a Grand Prix should they acquire twelve penalty points, and Gasly is only two points away from that, with none of those points dropping off until after the sixth round of the 2023 season.

Only five of Gasly’s points were on-track clashes with other drivers, with two for a clash with Lance Stroll in Spain, another for forcing the same driver off track in Mexico City, and two for a collision with Sebastian Vettel in Austria. He earned two more for speeding under a red flag during the Japanese Grand Prix, two for failing to stay within ten car lengths of the car in front during the United States Grand Prix, and one more for track limit offences in Austria.

‘Franz Tost has defended Pierre Gasly’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/12/shocked-franz-tost-defends-pierre-gasly-amid-penalty-points-dramas/

[Fortitude]

Sergio Perez class act as Mexican sends Christmas present to all 1,400 Red Bull employees.
To show his appreciation, the driver gave a Mexican-inspired gift to every one of his colleagues by giving each a bottle of Tequila.
15:29 Wed, 14 Dec 2022.
Daily and Sunday Express

Sergio Perez has shared his festive spirit, sending a Christmas present to all 1,400 Red Bull employees. Perez played an important role in Red Bull’s first Constructors’ Championship in nine years, after finishing second behind teammate Max Verstappen in the drivers’ standings.

The Mexican star has been quick to recognise that the team’s success has not just been down to the work of himself and teammate Verstappen on the track. As a result, Perez also had every other Red Bull employee in his thoughts following a year to remember. To show his appreciation, the driver gave a Mexican-inspired gift to every one of his colleagues by giving each a bottle of Tequila.

The Tequila is produced by Patron, a company Perez has a brand deal with. Along with the bottle of booze, the gift bag also came with a message from the 32-year-old. It read: “Thank you for all of your hard work and support this season. I'm so proud to be part of the Red Bull family. Wishing you a wonderful holiday. Enclosed, please enjoy a bottle of the number one super premium tequila in the world, Patron tequila. Looking forward to next season. Salud! Checo Perez.”

‘Christmas present to all 1,400 Red Bull employees’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1709486/Sergio-Perez-christmas-present-Red-Bull-employees-F1-news


Perez targeting more success in 2023 after 'intense' start at Red Bull
11:50 Thu, 22 Dec 2022.
Author Anna Francis
Co-author Dieter Rencken
RacingNews365

As he prepares to enter into his third season with Red Bull, Sergio Perez has spoken of his confidence that things are heading in the "right direction". Sergio Perez admits that he is feeling "more prepared" for 2023 as he becomes increasingly comfortable at Red Bull following an "intense" start.

"It started very difficult, with the reliability [problems] that we had early on in the beginning of the season," Perez told media, including RacingNews365.com, at the FIA Prize Giving ceremony. "But I think, later on, we were quite competitive. We were very consistent. Then we [had] a few bad races that put us behind Max, but we still managed to get some good points, good podiums, a few wins.”

"I think we got our season back on track for the final eight or so races, so it was an intense battle towards the end with Charles [Leclerc] and Ferrari [for P2 in the World Championship]. It was a lot better [in 2022]," Perez explained when asked how much more comfortable he had been at Red Bull during his second year at the squad.

‘Confidence that things are heading in the "right direction".’;

https://racingnews365.com/perez-feeling-more-prepared-for-2023-after-intense-start-at-red-bull


Perez’s apparent slump was really about Verstappen’s rise
Dec 22 2022
By Edd Straw
The Race

The intra-team battle between Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez at Red Bull in 2022 is an illuminating case study in what makes the greatest Formula 1 drivers so remarkable. For while the Red Bull RB18 was unquestionably the best car of the season, it ultimately required Verstappen’s brilliance to extract the most from it.

Early in the season, when the car was understeer-limited, particularly in the slower corners, the gap between Verstappen and Perez was far smaller than expected. Perez bagged pole position in Jeddah and was denied a shot at victory by the safety car being deployed just after he had made his first pitstop, then he won on the streets of Monaco.

As late as the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on the streets of Baku in June, he beat Verstappen to pole position. However, come Sunday Verstappen’s race pace was markedly better so even though he was instructed not to make his team-mate’s life too difficult, Perez was always destined to lose that race. So what went wrong for Perez? Partly, that’s the wrong question. Really, we should ask what went right for Verstappen.

‘Intra-team battle’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/perezs-apparent-slump-was-really-about-verstappens-rise/


F1: Sergio Perez unfazed by Daniel Ricciardo's arrival at Red Bull
15:35 Thu, 22 Dec 2022.
By George Dagless
Give Me Sport

2023 is going to be a fascinating year at Red Bull as they look to defend their Constructors’ crown, whilst both drivers go in hunt of the title.

Daniel Ricciardo is also back in the mix in Milton Keynes, too, with him taking on a reserve driver role that will see him undertake sim duties and marketing obligations.

It’s the beginning of the Aussie’s year away from the F1 grid where he looks to discover just how much he is missing the sport and, indeed, whether he wants to get back in to it for 2024.

‘Unfazed by Daniel Ricciardo's arrival’;

https://www.givemesport.com/88097239-f1-sergio-perez-unfazed-by-daniel-ricciardos-arrival-at-red-bull


Report: Red Bull not putting pressure on Perez - Marko
05:57 Thu, 22 Dec 2022.
By GMM F1
Sports Mole

Dr Helmut Marko has denied that Red Bull is "trying to put pressure" on Sergio Perez. Towards the end of the season, it became clear that the relationship - or the appearance of a relationship - between Max Verstappen and Perez was breaking down.

Fairly promptly after that, it emerged that McLaren refugee Daniel Ricciardo was reuniting with Red Bull for 2023 in a third driver role - with some wondering if Mexican Perez was now on notice despite his two-year contract extension. However, top team official Marko said Australian Ricciardo has mainly been brought on board in a marketing role.

"We must not forget that we are a very, very big team," said the Austrian. "We have more sponsors than any other team and that comes with a lot of obligations. We also want to increase our market share in America and who better to do that than Ricciardo. He has a big smile and his 'shoey' is known everywhere.”

‘Red Bull not putting pressure on Perez’;

https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/formula-1/red-bull/news/red-bull-not-putting-pressure-on-perez-marko_502510.html?newsnow

[Fortitude]

Ferrari to unveil its new F1 car for 2023 on Valentine’s Day.
The team become the second of the ten on the grid to confirm their launch date for next year’s car. Aston Martin’s AMR23 will appear the day prior to Ferrari’s launch, on Monday 13th February.
2023 F1 season
Posted on 22nd December 2022, 12:45
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Ferrari have announced their new car for the 2023 Formula 1 season will be unveiled on Valentine’s Day, Tuesday 14th February. While the official designation of the 2023 car is yet to be announced, Ferrari revealed that their upcoming model has the internal code number of 675. This year’s Ferrari F1 car was designated the ‘F1-75’ to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Ferrari racing in Formula 1-level competition.

‘Valentine’s Day Launch’;

https://www.racefans.net/2022/12/22/ferrari-to-unveil-its-new-f1-car-for-2023-on-valentines-day/


Leclerc expects three-way F1 title fight in 2023 as he predicts Mercedes' resurgence
15:16 Thu, 22 Dec 2022.
GMM
Wheels24

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc anticipates Mercedes will step back up to the plate in 2023, though he is not seeing another team who could tag along with them. The new-for-2022 Technical Regulations, working in tandem with the budget cap, was to create a more level pack competing in overtaking-friendly challengers.

However, the grid actually spread out slightly for that first season, Red Bull and Ferrari establishing themselves as the pacesetters, with Mercedes only challenging on occasion, their highlight being a one-two finish in Sao Paulo - their only victory of the season.

So as the regulations head into their second season and hopefully set about converging the grid somewhat, Ferrari driver Leclerc expects Mercedes to bring themselves back into play. Still, looking at the midfield outfits, he does not see another team ready yet to step up.

‘Three-way F1 title fight in 2023’;

https://www.news24.com/sport/motorsport/formulaone/leclerc-expects-three-way-f1-title-fight-in-2023-as-he-predicts-mercedes-resurgence-20221221


Ferrari F1 2023 launch date set
Friday 23rd December, 2022 - 9:23am
By Damion Smy
Speedcafe

Ferrari will launch its 2023 Formula 1 car on February 14. Internally known at Maranello as Project 675, the car replaces the F1-75 which saw the Scuderia’s drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz secure second in the Constructors’ World Championship for the team, holding off a resurgent Mercedes although more than 200 points adrift of victors Red Bull Racing.

Ferrari confirmed the Valentine’s Day date via its social media channels, with the design of its 2023 contender again set to benefit from legendary designer, Rory Byrne, who continues as a consultant to the team.

‘Legendary designer’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2022/12/23/ferrari-f1-2023-launch-date-set/


Ferrari power unit to be upped by 30hp for 2023 – report
Friday 23rd December 2022 11:45 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Ferrari will reportedly be able to extract 30 horsepower extra from their power unit as they take another shot at title glory.

The 2022 campaign did not exactly go to plan for Ferrari. Initially it was doing, as they began the season with an F1-75 clearly capable of championship success, but things would soon unravel.

As Ferrari shot themselves in the foot with strategy and reliability issues, plus some rather costly driver errors, like Charles Leclerc crashing out of the lead in France, Red Bull took it all in their stride as they turned the campaign into a one-horse race.

‘Extract 30 horsepower extra’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrari-2023-power-unit-extra-30hp/


Charles Leclerc set for boost to 2023 title hopes with Ferrari set for major upgrade
13:03 Fri, 23 Dec 2022.
By Luke Chillingsworth
Daily and Sunday Express

Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz could chase down Max Verstappen in 2023 with the team set for a major power unit upgrade. Ferrari could be set for a 30bhp boost for next season, according to reports from SoyMotor. Engine developments have already been frozen until F1’s new rules come into effect from 2026.

However, extra pace can be found through improved reliability which is the focus of Ferrari’s plans for the winter. Italian journalist Leo Turini claims Ferrari were not running their car at full power all season due to reliability concerns.

‘Major upgrade’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1713279/charles-leclerc-title-boost-ferrari-upgrades-news

[Fortitude]

AlphaTauri to unveil 2023 livery in New York City.
AlphaTauri will reveal their new livery for the 2023 season in an unveiling in New York City in the United States, the team have announced.
2023 F1 season
Posted on 23rd December 2022, 17:11
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

The Red Bull junior team confirmed that they will hold a livery reveal in the financial capital of the United States on Saturday 11th February. In a post on social media, the team confirmed the date of the unveiling, but marked the event as a “livery launch”, suggesting the team’s 2023 chassis would be officially made public at a later date.

The team shared no details about the livery launch event or if it would be a public event that fans could attend. AlphaTauri are the third team to announce a launch date for the 2023 car or livery, after Aston Martin and Ferrari. Yesterday, Mercedes posted a video teaser of their W14 being fired up for the first time.

AlphaTauri’s announcement appears to confirm that their 2023 car will be designated ‘AT04′, continuing the convention of all their cars since being rebranded to AlphaTauri in 2020.

‘New York City Launch’;

https://www.racefans.net/2022/12/23/alphatauri-to-unveil-2023-livery-in-new-york-city/


AlphaTauri to launch 2023 car in New York
24/12/2022 at 10:21
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

The Faenza-based squad has chosen New York Fashion Week in the Big Apple to pull the covers off its 2023 livery. While the presentation will take place in parallel with the launch of AlphaTauri's latest line of fashion wear, the team will likely roll out its new AT04 just before the start of pre-season testing in Bahrain on February 23.

AlphaTauri is the third team to announce its 2023 season presentation, with Aston Martin and Ferrari set to unveil their contender on February 13 and 14 respectively.

The team has undergone a driver change with long-standing team member Pierre Gasly moving to Alpine and replaced by F1 rookie Nyck de Vries who earned his spot with AlphaTauri thanks to his remarkable one-off and top-ten finish with Williams in last September's Italian Grand Prix at Monza. On the other side of the AlphaTauri garage, 22-year-old Yuki Tsunoda will embark on his third F1 season.

‘Launch 2023 car in New York’;

https://f1i.com/news/463288-alphatauri-to-launch-2023-car-in-new-york.html


AlphaTauri announce 2023 livery launch date – and confirm name of new car
23 December 2022
Formula One - Official Site

AlphaTauri have announced they will be holding a launch event in New York City to reveal their new livery for the 2023 season. The new car will be raced by Yuki Tsunoda, who will be competing in his third season in Formula 1, and rookie Nyck de Vries, who replaces the Alpine-bound Pierre Gasly.

Former Formula 2 and Formula E champion De Vries was a Mercedes reserve driver and stepped in at the last minute to replace Williams driver Alex Albon when he was struck down with apendicitis at the Italian Grand Prix in September.

De Vries immediately looked at home, qualifying P13 and racing to a points finish of P9 on his debut – a performance so impressive that shortly afterwards he was signed up for a full-time seat for next season alongside Tsunoda.

‘2023 livery launch date’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.alphatauri-announce-launch-date-and-confirm-name-of-2023-car.62fnxLk0Q9AAfZPjkryBvy.html


Nyck de Vries makes first big decision of F1 career as he targets Sergio Perez seat.
Nyck de Vries will make his full-time F1 debut with Alpha Tauri in 2023.
15:17, Fri, Dec 23, 2022
By Luke Chillingsworth
Daily and Sunday Express

De Vries is known for working without a manager and running his own accord but stressed engagements have surged since he penned the deal. The former Formula E champion commented: “I was just looking for someone I trust and know well. In addition, I did not want management that is very outspoken and visible.

“For me, the relationship between the team and myself is very important. Guillaume will therefore not sit in between. But he will relieve me of all kinds of things that play in the background.”

“If there's one thing I've learned in the last two or three weeks, it's that you suddenly have a lot of friends, people you've never really heard of before. Everyone offers you all sorts of things, everyone wants to be involved in the story.”

‘Targets Sergio Perez seat’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1713374/nyck-de-vries-f1-career-sergio-perez-alpha-tauri


De Vries signs up business manager for F1 career
23/12/2022 at 16:36
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

For the first time in his motorsport career, Nyck de Vries has entrusted his affairs to a business manager, the AlphaTauri F1 rookie signing up Frenchman Guillaume Le Goff to look after his affairs.

Le Goff is no stranger to the F1 paddock as the former ART Grand Prix engineer's company - named The Grid - also handles the interests of Pierre Gasly, the man de Vries is replacing at AlphaTauri.

But de Vries is also well acquainted with Le Goff, having worked alongside the latter during his Formula Renault days.

‘De Vries signs up business manager’;

https://f1i.com/news/463265-de-vries-signs-up-business-manager-for-f1-career.html

[Fortitude]

Watch: Mercedes 2023 F1 car fires up.
Mercedes have shared their first broadcast of their 2023 car, the W14, firing up for the first time.
22 December 7:29PM
RacingNews365

The team from Brackley are aiming to recover from a below-par season and return to championship-challenging form for 2023.

Their shared social media footage shares the soundtrack of their latest Mercedes power unit, one which they hope will power them to victories next year.

‘The W14’;

https://racingnews365.com/watch-mercedes-2023-f1-car-fires-up


Mercedes' F1 2023 car tipped to look ‘quite different’ after getting 2022 concept "wrong"
22 Dec 2022
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Speaking in Sky F1’s 2022 season review, Chandhok tipped Mercedes’ car to look the most different at pre-season testing in Bahrain.

“They got the concept wrong, they’ve been very open about it,” Chandhok said. “For me, one of the most intriguing things when we all go to Bahrain pre-season testing next year, is what does the 2023 Mercedes look like?”

“Because out of the cars that have run this year, they are the ones that will look quite different.”

‘W13: Got the concept wrong’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1018450/1/mercedes-f1-car-tipped-look-quite-different-2023


Mercedes fire up Lewis Hamilton's 2023 F1 car for first time as Brit prays for better
Lewis Hamilton is hoping for a better car in 2023 after being plagued by issues throughout 2022.
07:12, Fri, Dec 23, 2022
By Fraser Watson
Daily and Sunday Express

Mercedes have released a video of engineers firing up their new car ahead of the 2023 season. The Silver Arrows endured a torrid time for much of 2022, with both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell plagued by the issue of porpoising for the early parts of the campaign. Hamilton even failed to make it out of Q1 in Saudi Arabia, and his struggles prompted rumours he was considering retiring at the end of the year.

Fans of the Silver Arrows seemed to approve, with the video racking up just short of 5,000 likes in a matter of hours. But many were left hoping the launch didn't flatter to deceive like it did in 2022: "As I said last year for the W13, let's hope this is the sound of success... Hope It doesn't age badly this time," wrote Red Carter.

Victor Marucci wrote: "Welcome W14! I Wish you a World Championship in 2023! Keep Pushing guys!" while Gonzalo Palafox added: "Last year this moment was very exciting, the season was disappointing so congratulations on the W14 but let's see what happens this season."

‘Brit prays for better’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1713032/Mercedes-Lewis-Hamilton-2023-F1-car-news


Mercedes fires up new W14 F1 2023 car
09:37 Fri, 23 Dec 2022.
By: Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

Shortly before factory staff disappeared for the Christmas break, Mercedes hit its target of getting the W14 fired up at Brackley before the holidays. In a short video published by Mercedes, the team teased the firing up of the car – but made sure to reveal no clues about potential changes to its design. Mercedes is coming off the back of a disappointing F1 season, where it failed to win a world championship title for the first time since the turbo hybrid era began in 2014.

Towards the end of the season the team was much more on top of what it needed to do, and a final push of updates from the United States Grand Prix helped it eventually claim a 1-2 finish in Brazil. The W13 stood out from its rivals in having a ‘zero-pod’ concept, but its main Achilles heel was that it had been designed to produce maximum downforce as close to the ground as possible. That choice proved unworkable in the real world, thanks to the impact of bumps and porpoising with the new ground effect models. Mercedes has duly had to change tact.

Speaking recently, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said analysis of what had gone wrong with the W13 had prompted a change of direction for the team in 2023. “The DNA of the car is going to change for next year, that’s clear,” said Wolff. “It doesn’t necessarily mean that our bodywork is going to look very different. But certainly what is part of the DNA of the car, the architecture of the car, will change for next year.”

‘W14 DNA Changer!’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/mercedes-fires-up-new-w14-f1-2023-car/10414074/


Lewis Hamilton can finally win eighth F1 title in 2023 due to Red Bull and Ferrari issues
Lewis Hamilton might just be able to roll back the years in 2023 after failing to compete for Grand Prix victories over the last 12 months.
05:30, Sun, Dec 25, 2022
By Archie Griggs
Daily and Sunday Express

Lewis Hamilton is still waiting for his next realistic opportunity to become the most decorated Formula One driver of all time by winning a record-breaking eighth Drivers' Championship title after failing to set the milestone this year. The 37-year-old was simply unable to compete with Max Verstappen over the course of the campaign, with Mercedes lacking pace in comparison to the likes of Red Bull and Ferrari in a surprising twist after their eight-year stronghold at the top of the pecking order.

The likes of Christian Horner and Adrian Newey have already warned that Red Bull could lose up to five-tenths of lap time as a result of the sanctions that were handed down to them by the FIA after a lengthy investigation process earlier this year. This could allow Mercedes to force themselves back into the equation in terms of battling for the end-of-season honours, especially if they manage to get their own house in order between now and the start of the 2023 campaign.

‘Can finally win’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1712325/Lewis-Hamilton-eighth-title-2023-Red-Bull-Ferrari-F1-news

[Fortitude]

Ranking the six F1 Sprint Races for the 2023 Season
December 25, 2022
By: Arturo Aguirre
Last Word On Sports

1) Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Interlagos. Without a doubt, Interlagos stands clear as the best Sprint circuit for the 2023 season. 2) Austrian Grand Prix, Red Bull Ring. The ten-turn track is one of the shortest and quickest tracks on the F1 calendar.

3) Belgian Grand Prix, Spa-Francorchamps. Spa’s iconic Eau Rouge and long straights provide intense battles that allow teams to show their cars’ true power. 4) Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Baku City Circuit. With the high speeds this track possesses, there is always the possibility of a safety car making an appearance either during the race or even the Sprint.

5) United States Grand Prix, Circuit of The Americas. The most recent Grand Prix in Austin did deliver a great race, and it can build on it with an exciting Sprint Race to create chaos. 6) Qatar Grand Prix, Lusail Circuit. Although the first race did not provide much for fans, the circuit holds loads of potential. The judgment of whether or not a Sprint Race is entertaining in Qatar will come as soon as it concludes.

‘Ranking the six F1 Sprint Races’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2022/12/25/ranking-the-six-f1-sprint-races-for-the-2023-season/


FORMULANERDS’ 2023 F1 SEASON PREDICTIONS.
Some of the FormulaNerds team reveal their predictions and hot takes ahead of the 2023 F1 season. Will there be any consistent selections?
15:09 Sun, 25 Dec 2022.
Samuel Coop
FormulaNerds

The 2023 F1 season-opening round in Bahrain is already only two and a half months, so it’s time to turn attention to who the big winners – and losers – of next year might be.

‘Some Controversial Predictions!’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/features/formulanerds-2023-f1-season-predictions/?nowprocket=1


Tech Draft: A look back at 2022 Formula 1 with an eye on 2023
23 December, 2022
Mark Kay
Grand Prix 247

The management of the sporting aspects of F1 in 2021 left the FIA open to much criticism, particularly after the Abu Dhabi debacle, and so for 2022 the season was to have a rotation of two Race Directors from event to event, with Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas selected for the job. However, it became evident during the season that the rotation of the role was responsible for a lack in continuity in the sporting decisions, such as track limits.

However, the need to change back to a single Race Director was forced upon the FIA after the extremely dangerous and embarrassing incident at the 2022 Japanese Grand Prix when the use of recovery vehicle on the circuit whilst race cars were circulating, albeit under mitigated conditions, occurred in torrential conditions. For 2023, the technical changes will be minimal, with the primary change being an increase in static ride height by 15mm, being brought in to help mitigate “porpoising” further.

Whilst this will certainly reduce ultimate downforce loadings, the broader impact to lap speed and close proximity racing will be minimal, if anything at all. As we look forward to another exciting season of F1 racing ahead of us in 2023 I would like to extend my best Christmas wishes to all the readers and their families and friends, and for a happy and prosperous New Year.

‘An eye on 2023’;

https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/12/23/tech-draft-a-look-back-at-2022-formula-1-with-an-eye-on-2023/


The seven drivers out of contract at the end of the F1 2023 season
Monday 26th December 2022 9:00 AM
Henry Valantine

The F1 2023 season will not begin until March, but ‘silly season’ is never far away regarding driver moves – and this year will be no exception. Lewis Hamilton - Don’t expect to see Hamilton’s name on this list for too long, if the noises from Mercedes and the man himself are to be believed. Logan Sargeant - America’s newest Formula 1 driver will be given a chance to impress at Williams next season, as Sargeant makes the step up from Formula 2.

Yuki Tsunoda - Tsunoda admitted his surprise at even being given a second season in Formula 1 after a troubled first half of his rookie year in 2021, but a general improvement in showing alongside Pierre Gasly at AlphaTauri earned him what could be a make-or-break third year in F1 2023. Kevin Magnussen - Magnussen returned to Formula 1 with what Guenther Steiner described colourfully as a “f***ing Viking comeback” with an excellent P5 finish in Bahrain, returning to the sport on short notice on a multi-year deal to replace the sacked Nikita Mazepin at Haas.

Nico Hulkenberg - ‘Hulkenback’ was made permanent after a series of cameo appearances as Aston Martin’s reserve driver, with Hulkenberg being chosen over Mick Schumacher to partner Magnussen at Haas next season. Zhou Guanyu - A points-scoring debut for Zhou at Alfa Romeo underlined his potential after his move up from Formula 2, and he impressed enough alongside Valtteri Bottas to be given another year with the team for F1 2023.

‘Seven drivers out of contract’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/f1-2023-driver-contract-expiry/


Jordan’s original Formula 1 factory to be demolished next summer
2023 F1 season
Posted on 20th December 2022, 12:4820th December 2022, 12:50
Written by Ida Wood
RaceFans

Aston Martin plan to knock down their former headquarters, which has been used by Formula 1 teams since 1991, next year. The old base is being destroyed to make way for the new facility Aston Martin is building at a cost of up to £200 million.

Eddie Jordan Racing’s eponymous boss commissioned the creation of the factory, which sits on a road opposite British Grand Prix venue Silverstone, in 1990 when he wanted to take his successful junior single-seater team into F1.

It was used by Jordan from his team’s debut in 1991 through to the end of 2005, when it was sold to the Midland Group. The team raced as Midland in 2006, as Spyker in 2007 and then as Force India from 2008 to 2018. When a Lawrence Stroll-led consortium then bought the team after it faced financial struggles, it rebranded to Racing Point and then last year became Aston Martin.

‘Jordan’s original Formula 1 factory to be demolished’;

https://www.racefans.net/2022/12/20/jordans-original-formula-1-factory-to-be-demolished-next-summer/

[Fortitude]

Bottas leads the field on Boxing Day in Adelaide.
Valtteri Bottas opted to burn off his Christmas dinner calories and toxins with a competitive bike ride in Adelaide on Boxing Day.
4:07 Mon, 26 Dec 2022.
F1i.com

The Finn entered a local criterium event organized at the bay and the Alfa Romeo charger was on it from the get-go, leading the field on the short but technical course.

And for good measure, Botta's better half - pro-cyclist Tiffany Cromwell - won top spoils in the women's road race!

‘Burn off his Christmas dinner’;

https://f1i.com/images/463359-bottas-leads-the-field-on-boxing-day-in-adelaide.html


Sauber deny Alfa Romeo left in the dark over Audi deal
Friday 23 December 2022 14:20
Ian Parkes
GPFans

Former Sauber CEO Fred Vasseur has confirmed that Alfa Romeo was "aware" the team was in discussions with Audi before announcing its F1 exit plan. Sauber will race as the Audi factory team from 2026 when the new power unit regulations come into force.

The outfit has competed with Alfa Romeo sponsorship since 2018, with a full naming rights package agreed upon from the following campaign. But the forthcoming season will be the last of the relationship, as the Italian marque clears the way ahead of a new era for the team.

Asked if Alfa Romeo had been "in the loop" with regard to discussions, speaking to GPFans as team boss prior to his recent Ferrari appointment, Vasseur said: "They were aware.

‘Alfa Romeo was aware’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/98345/sauber-alfa-romeo-in-the-dark-audi/


Bottas embraced new life at Alfa: 'I'm able to follow what I want to do"
24/12/2022 at 13:41
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Valtteri Bottas is as dedicated to his job as the next Formula 1 driver, but away from the track the Finn's life at Alfa Romeo has given him a lot more freedom, and he's happy about that.

After five years with the mighty Mercedes team during which he won all ten of his career wins in Formula 1, Bottas moved to Alfa Romeo-Sauber at the start of 2022. On the sporting front, the Finn's transfer to Hinwil was obviously a downgrade, but an inevitable one if he wanted to remain in F1.

But in terms of Bottas' life away from the race track and his mental comfort, leaving Mercedes for Alfa took a lot of corporate weight off his shoulders and perhaps a few restraints, leaving him freer to take advantage of his downtime as he sees fit.

‘New life at Alfa’;

https://f1i.com/news/463304-bottas-embraced-new-life-at-alfa-im-able-to-follow-what-i-want-to-do.html


Zhou Guanyu’s Points Finish on Debut ‘Shut up’ a lot of People – Frédéric Vasseur
December 27, 2022
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag

Frédéric Vasseur says it was pleasing to see Zhou Guanyu ‘shut up’ a lot of people by scoring a top ten finish on his FIA Formula 1 World Championship debut in the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix.

Zhou became the first Chinese Formula 1 driver when he joined Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN ahead of the 2022 season, the twenty-three-year-old forming an all-new line-up at the Hinwil-based team alongside Valtteri Bottas, the duo replacing Kimi Räikkönen and Antonio Giovinazzi.

Many critics called Zhou a pay driver ahead of his debut after stepping up from FIA Formula 2, but he put in a strong performance across his debut weekend, scoring a tenth place finish at the Bahrain International Circuit, a result that his outgoing Team Principal Vasseur was delighted to see.

‘Shut up a lot of People’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/12/zhou-guanyus-points-finish-on-debut-shut-up-a-lot-of-people-frederic-vasseur/


Chinese F1 racer Zhou Guanyu's rookie season in review
'I've really enjoyed my first season': Zhou Guanyu's 2022 F1 races in review
12:21 Sun, 25 Dec 2022.
Chen Rong
CGTN

China's first F1 racer Zhou Guanyu finished 18th with six points in his rookie season with Alfa Romeo. The 23-year-old gained one point in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix (GP), four points in the Canadian GP and another one point in the Italian race.

As the only F1 rookie this season, Zhou was the winner of the Autosport's Rookie of the Year Award, a prize given to the top voted racer by Autosport readers as announced on December 4. Other candidates included Toyota's World Endurance champion Ryo Hirakawa of Japan, IndyCar podium finisher Christian Lundgaard of Denmark and F2 race winner Logan Sargeant of the United States.

‘Enjoyed my first season’;

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2022-12-25/Chinese-F1-racer-Zhou-Guanyu-s-rookie-season-in-review-1g3qZh3SyZi/index.html

[Fortitude]

First details of Red Bull's 2023 challenger uncovered.
At the heart of the RB19 project is the overall lightening of the car to immediately reach the minimum regulatory weight. The chassis in the lower-rear part will be shaped to allow for the partial housing of the cooling system.
27 December 12:10PM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Paolo Filisetti
RacingNews365

Details of the RB19
While maintaining a strong "family feeling" with the previous car, next years challenger has followed two guidelines that will characterise its profound renewal. Weight reduction was the basis of the initial objectives of the project, already starting from the ideas, which were never materialised with its actual adoption, of the lightened chassis which had been widely discussed over the course of the summer.

The monocoque of the RB19 will be characterised by a reduced weight compared to its predecessor of about three kilograms. The floor, driven by the new regulation where the “elbow” (the section connecting with the venturi channels) is raised by 10mm and the side profile in front of the rear wheels raised by 15mm, will also be lighter than the previous one, while maintaining a high degree of stiffness in relation to the shape of the sides, which will prevent deformation in the peripheral portions.

The gearbox case and placement of the suspension elements, should be characterised by a lower narrowing, increasing the section of the lower Venturi channels. In terms of upper aerodynamics, the general layout of the sidepods, while maintaining strong points of contact with the 2022 model, will be characterised by a refinement of the cut-outs under the sidepods, which create a 'double floor' effect. There will be an extension towards the rear of these cut-outs, at the base of the sidepods.

‘The heart of the RB19 project’;

https://racingnews365.com/first-details-of-red-bulls-2023-challenger-unveiled


Red Bull chief engineer doubts cars will have identical appearance in 2023
Tuesday 27th December 2022 6:00 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Red Bull’s chief engineer Paul Monaghan says he doesn’t believe the top cars will all be physically similar in 2023, despite the rules maturing. With the ground-effect rules coming into their second year after being introduced for 2022, the winter off-season allows the teams to rectify any weaknesses identified with the design concepts of their cars.

“Simply put, no,” he told media at the end of the 2022 season. I don’t think the cars will have an identical appearance. I don’t think we’re at that point, yet. The regulations govern the shape more closely than they used to. But there are some differences, particularly if you look at the Mercedes, the Ferrari, and the Red Bull car.”

“There are some significant differences. There are regulation changes coming along for next year, are we going to all have the same solution at race one? I doubt it. That doesn’t seem to be the way of our sport. So I think there will be differences there. They will be smaller in magnitude to those we’ve seen in say, 2010, 2011, ‘12, and so on, (referring to the last major aero rules change, introduced in 2009) and so forth. That’s the evolution of the sport and so be it.”

‘Doubts cars will have identical appearance in 2023’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/red-bull-doubt-2023-cars-identical-looks/


Pedro de la Rosa doubts Sergio Perez’s Monaco crash was deliberate.
13:31 Mon, 26 Dec 2022.
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Pedro de la Rosa doesn’t believe it’s “in the DNA” of a driver to crash on purpose, casting doubt on Sergio Perez’s Monaco incident. The Spaniard doesn’t believe there’s any truth to the suggestion that Sergio Perez crashed his Red Bull on purpose in the final minutes of Monaco qualifying back in May.

The debate over whether the crash may have been deliberate has swirled around ever since, but De La Rosa doesn’t believe there’s any meat to the rumour. “I think that Checo [Perez] did nothing wrong in Monaco, he did nothing on purpose,” De La Rosa told Motorsport.com at the Las 500 Millas de Palou.”

“It is very difficult for him [if] a driver crashes on purpose. Another thing is that you park the car. But it’s not in the DNA of a driver to crash.” After a brief war of words through the media as the situation escalated directly after the race at Interlagos, a clearing of the air had been managed by the time the teams arrived in Abu Dhabi for the season finale.

‘Pedro de la Rosa doubts Sergio Perez’s Monaco crash was deliberate’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/pedro-de-la-rosa-doubts-sergio-perezs-monaco-crash-deliberate/


De la Rosa doubts Perez crashed on purpose in Monaco
16:15 Tue, 27 Dec 2022.
by Fergal Walsh
Motorsport Week

Ex-Formula 1 driver Pedro de La Rosa has brushed away suggestions that Sergio Perez crashed on purpose at the Monaco Grand Prix earlier this year. During the final laps of Q3, Perez spun at the Portier corner and blocked the track before being hit by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz.

The session was red-flagged and no driver was able to improve their times. Perez ended the session in third place ahead of team-mate Max Verstappen in fourth. Following a team order debacle between the Red Bull pair at the Brazilian Grand Prix toward the end of the season, it was rumoured that Verstappen refused to hand Perez the position back as revenge for Monaco.

“I think that Checo [Perez] did nothing wrong in Monaco, he did nothing on purpose,” de la Rosa told motorsport.com. “It is very difficult for him [if] a driver crashes on purpose. Another thing is that you park the car. But it’s not in the DNA of a driver to crash.”

‘Pedro de La Rosa has brushed away suggestions’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/12/27/de-la-rosa-doubts-perez-crashed-on-purpose-in-monaco/


Vettel in Talks With Red Bull F1 for ‘Top Management’ Role: Marko
It appears that the four-time F1 world champ could be following Daniel Ricciardo back to Milton Keynes.
PUBLISHED Dec 27, 2022 3:00 PM
byJerry Perez
The Drive.

Sebastian Vettel has made it a little over 30 days into retirement before being tipped for a Formula 1 return. However, if Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko's words are anything to go by, the German racer could be headed for a very different position than he last held at Milton Keynes.

According to a report by Sky Sports F1, Marko openly said that the four-time world champion could be destined for a "top management" position. In fact, the soon-to-be 80-year-old claimed that conversations had been held between the two.

"It is not impossible that he will come back for a top management position," Marko told Sky. "We had a conversation and if he could get a top management position, that would appeal to him. That became clear during the conversation. He would certainly have the potential and the personality for it, but for now we'll let him plant a few trees," he added.

‘Top Management Role’;

https://www.thedrive.com/news/vettel-in-talks-with-red-bull-f1-for-top-management-role-marko

[Fortitude]

STARTING FROM FRESCO: HOW FERRARI AND LECLERC COULD BECOME F1 WORLD CHAMPIONS IN 2023.
Could the 15-year wait for an F1 world title finally be over?
15:06 Tue, 27 Dec 2022.
Cambridge Kisby
FormulaNerds

Ever since Kimi Raikonnen broke British and Spanish hearts in 2007, completing an epically unexpected title run, Ferrari have been searching for their next great title hope. Whilst many would look at 2022 as a false hope, it equally may have just been a false start.

It’s highly likely that many Tifosi joined Charles Leclerc in his ear-splitting scream of disappointment in late July, as he crashed his Ferrari out of both the lead of the French Grand Prix and any contention for the Drivers’ World Championship. Previously, the Monegasque driver had led the title race by a 46-point-margin, before cacca hit the metaphorical wiper blades.

A sequence of cataclysmic events after the French tragedy meant life got gradually worse for Ferrari and Leclerc. Both the team and driver had to settle for second best in both championships. But 2023 has the chance to be significantly different.

‘15-year wait’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/starting-from-fresco-how-ferrari-and-leclerc-could-become-f1-world-champions-in-2023/?nowprocket=1


Frederic Vasseur tipped to do "big things" at Ferrari with 'no bulls***' approach
21:33 Tue, 27 Dec 2022.
By Daniel MoxonF1 Writer
The Mirror

Frederic Vasseur has been tipped to achieve "big things" in charge of Ferrari despite some reservations over his appointment. Former Formula 1 driver Giedo van der Garde is firmly among those who approve of the move. Giving his thoughts on the overall situation, he expressed the belief that Binotto jumped ship before he was pushed and backed Vasseur to deliver for the Scuderia.

"Vasseur put the right people in the right place [at Alfa Romeo-Sauber]. He is a true leader and will be able to take Ferrari to new heights. He's someone who can bang his fist on the table and doesn't like bullsh*t. He can be tough. That is why I really think he is the right man for Ferrari. He always tells it like it is. He does not play political games, but is straightforward. If someone is not functioning well, he can be very rigorous and say: either you will do better, or you will be replaced by someone else.”

“He always goes for the best possible performance. And as a Ferrari team boss you have to project that. Binotto is very professional and has done some really good things at Ferrari in recent years, but it's also about winning mentality, and that is much more present with Vasseur. He will have to look at the complete picture, address the points that did not go well last season and, just like with Alfa, put the right people in the right place. That will take some time, but give him that time."

'No bulls*** approach’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/fred-vasseur-ferrari-team-principal-28825147


Ferrari - has the right call been made hiring Fred Vasseur?
Tuesday 27 December 2022 12:00
Ewan Gale
GPFans

Ferrari has seemingly taken a gamble in looking beyond Maranello and hiring Fred Vasseur as its new team principal. Junior formula pedigree. Valtteri Bottas, Esteban Ocon and Charles Leclerc were guided to glory as part of Vasseur’s operation in GP3, proving the Frenchman has what it takes to control a winning team.

Management skills proven on wider scale. Vasseur was able to obtain the contract from the FIA to create the 40 chassis needed for the inaugural Formula E season, with that partnership continuing through the initial specification of machinery.

Junior management blossoms into F1 expertise. In that time, Vasseur struck deals with Alfa Romeo to head the Sauber operation and cement the team’s position on the grid when previously, the outlook had been bleak. Such is the success under Vasseur’s leadership, former Mercedes driver Bottas joined to help steer the team into a new era, and earlier this year it was announced that Audi would join forces with Sauber to create its works outfit from 2026.

‘The right call’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/98353/ferrari-fred-vasseur-team-principal-right-call/


Ferrari CEO to play major role in running F1 team after Mattia Binotto sacking
Frederic Vasseur will start his new job as Ferrari team principal in January, as he prepares for his most challenging gig yet.
27 December 2022
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

During Mattia Binotto’s four-year tenure, neither Vigna nor Ferrari chairman John Elkann were seen in an ‘active’ position, with the pair having very much taken a back seat.

It appears, though, that Vigna is tired of this and is keen to be a more prominent part of the Maranello-based team, who will be wanting to bounce back from a mixed 2022 campaign.

2022 was a year which saw Ferrari return to the top momentarily, before being given yet another huge wake-up call, after a plethora of strategic errors.

‘Vigna is tired of this’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/ferrari-ceo-to-play-major-role-in-running-f1-team-after-mattia-binotto-sacking/


Ferrari's Vigna reportedly set for more active role alongside Vasseur
27/12/2022 at 10:33
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Ferrari chief executive Benedetto Vigna is expected to take on a significantly more active role in 2023 with the Scuderia alongside newly appointed team boss Frédéric Vasseur, according to a report from Italy.

While the 54-year-old is very much his own man, a report from Motorsport.com's Italian affiliate contends that his management role will be closely scrutinized by Ferrari's top brass and especially by CEO Vigna who will apparently assume an active role alongside Vasseur.

Vigna's involvement with Ferrari's Gestione Sportiva would mark a departure from how the manufacturer has managed the Scuderia efforts in the past, that is with little input and influence over whoever was in charge of the team's destiny.

‘Set for more active role’;

https://f1i.com/news/463380-ferraris-vigna-reportedly-set-for-more-active-role-alongside-vasseur.html


Sainz: New year, new car, we have another chance in 2023
28 December, 2022
Paul Velasco
Grand Prix 247

Despite the hammering Ferrari took this past Formula 1 season, and the uncertainty of a new boss for the future, Carlos Sainz is optimistic that 2023 could be their year.

Sainz admitted to MotoriOnline that Red Bull’s relentless and effective development program ambushed the Scuderia: “You never expect that, especially when you have a good car to start with. I would have liked to have felt a little more at ease at the start of the season.

“Together with Charles, we could’ve tried more to put Verstappen under pressure. Red Bull are dominant now but at the start of the season, they certainly weren’t, and that’s where they’ve done an amazing job,” acknowledged Sainz, referencing how well the RB18 evolved during the 22 races of 2022.

‘New year, new car’;

https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/12/28/sainz-new-year-new-car-we-have-another-chance-f1-2023/


Sainz: 2022 the year I’ve learned the most since rookie season
09:30, 29 Dec 2022.
by Fergal Walsh
Motorsport Week

Carlos Sainz says that the 2022 Formula 1 season saw him take on high volumes of information, which was only rivalled by his rookie campaign in 2015.

Sainz endured a difficult start to the 2022 season as he struggled to come to grips with Ferrari’s challenger amid the introduction of new technical regulations. The Spaniard was often unable to compete with team-mate Charles Leclerc, who won two of the opening three races.

As the season wore on, Sainz was able to take steps forward and achieved his first pole position and grand prix victory at the British Grand Prix.

‘Learned the most’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/12/28/sainz-2022-the-year-ive-learned-the-most-since-rookie-season/

[Fortitude]

Why Wolff expects 'very difficult' challenge for Mercedes in 2023.
While he remains hopeful that Mercedes can return to form in 2023, team boss Toto Wolff acknowledges that they have a challenging task ahead of them.
07:06 Mon, 26 Dec 2022.
Author Anna Francis
RacingNews365

Toto Wolff admits that Mercedes face a "very difficult" task in 2023 in terms of closing the development gap to Red Bull and Ferrari.

The 2022 season proved to be a difficult one for the Silver Arrows, with the W13 being affected by issues including porpoising from an early stage in the campaign.

While there were signs of progress – along with a victory for George Russell at the penultimate race of the year in Brazil – the team finished third in the Constructors' Championship after being unable to match the pace of their rivals at the front of the pack.

‘Very difficult challenge for Mercedes in 2023’;

https://racingnews365.com/why-wolff-expects-very-difficult-challenge-for-mercedes-in-2023


Wolff compares Mercedes success to "eight Christmas evenings"
29 December 8:00AM
Author Luke Murphy
GPFans

Wolff agreed with Elliott's comments on the reaction to the Brazil win, and added that he found the victory "fulfilling", despite the team's familiarity with success. "For me, it's like having eight Christmas evenings in a row, the eighth time is not going to be as exciting like the first time," added Wolff.

"I remember saying 'okay, this was another race victory, good, we're very happy, we performed well, we debriefed like it was our first', but I think it's human nature that you kind of become used to it. That's why bouncing back in Brazil and seeing the emotions of the team. I had so much pride.”

“It's interesting to look at ourselves and see that it is an emotion that I haven't seen coming. It's tremendously fulfilling in a way, although it was one race victory, and we finished third in the constructor championship, we weren't really on pace with the others, but it is another piece of the jigsaw [for us] to eventually come back and fight at the very front."

"Eight Christmas evenings";

https://racingnews365.com/wolff-surprised-by-brazil-victory-emotion-after-being-used-to-winning


Toto Wolff wants Nyck de Vries to earn Red Bull seat so Mercedes can "fight it out".
Mercedes and Red Bull have become bitter rivals in recent season, with team principals Wolff and Christian Horner even developing a public feud of their own at times.
18:21, 28 Dec 2022
By Daniel MoxonF1 Writer

Toto Wolff made the surprise admission that he hopes Nyck de Vries will one day race for his team's bitter rivals Red Bull. He added: "I hope that he stays there, and I hope that he's successful in AlphaTauri. I hope he will be good enough to make it into a Red Bull seat one day, because he deserves that. And then we will take it like sportsmen, and we will fight it out."

Even though De Vries is leaving for a Red Bull contract, Wolff has made it clear Mercedes wish nothing but success for the Dutchman. There was a light-hearted moment after the Abu Dhabi season finale last month when Mercedes staff literally delivered the racer to the AlphaTauri garage on a trolley. And before the AlphaTauri move was completed, the Austrian made it clear he felt De Vries belongs on the F1 grid.

When assessing the racer's debut performance at Monza, where he secured Williams' best result of the season, Wolff declared: "Niki [Lauda] would have taken off his hat. "I think if one of the teams who still have a free seat don't pick him up now, then I don't understand the world anymore." Williams and Alpine were said to be considering him, but of course it was AlphaTauri who won the race for his signature after an in-person meeting with Helmut Marko.

"Fight it out";

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/wolff-de-vries-mercedes-alphatauri-28830769


Mercedes technical boss backed after "baptism of fire"
Thursday 22 December 2022 05:30
Ian Parkes
GPFans

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff believes Mike Elliott's "baptism of fire" will stand him in good stead for his future as technical director. After the team's first non-championship winning season since 2013, speaking in an end-of-season interview with GPFans, Wolff said: "Mike used the phrase 'baptism of fire' for him. It couldn't have been more difficult.”

"On the other side, it was a development that will be very crucial for him long term. It's made him better as a technical director." Explaining that Elliott has a shoulder to lean on in predecessor Allison, Wolff added: "You must bear in mind James is still there, as CTO, so oversees all of the technical co-ordination between HPP and MGP.

"So he is always there as a sparring partner, mentor and sounding board for Mike, and some of the other technical leaders. Added to that, we have a very stable group of top engineers that have been there for a long time in their roles, and that hasn't changed. Everybody is moving up but Mike was the first one to take this role as a technical director so the performance group is the same as it was before."

“Baptism of fire";

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/98313/toto-wolff-mercedes-technical-director-mike-elliott-baptism-of-fire/


Toto Wolff makes surprising claim about Mattia Binotto’s Ferrari exit
Fred Vasseur will replace Mattia Binotto as Ferrari team principal in 2023, after the Swiss handed in his resignation earlier this month.
20 December 2022
by Jack Devonport
Formula1News

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has now made the surprising claim that Mattia Binotto should have lost his job earlier, admitting that he expected the Swiss to be sacked sooner. “I think Mattia and I had our moments, it’s no secret over these many years, but in a way we consolidated that in 2022,” began Wolff.

“We were in a much, much better place. But it was always clear he was under tremendous pressure. Being a team principal at Ferrari, you’d better have a good contract for your exit! Now, probably the unavoidable happened, but he held onto it longer than I thought.”

“You’re representing Ferrari, you’re representing the whole country. They ride you up and they ride you down, but with brutality.”

“Should have lost his job earlier!”;

https://formula1news.co.uk/toto-wolff-makes-surprising-claim-about-mattia-binottos-ferrari-exit/

[Fortitude]

Which team has the most experienced driver line-up in F1 2023?
The F1 2023 season will have plenty of intrigue and, as ever, drivers with varying levels of experience up and down the grid.
Wednesday 28th December 2022 11:45 AM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Aston Martin: Fernando Alonso (355) + Lance Stroll (122) = 477. Had Sebastian Vettel stayed with the team, Aston Martin would still have topped this list – but Alonso’s arrival only extends their lead at the head of the F1 2023 experience charts in terms of race starts.

Red Bull: Max Verstappen (163) + Sergio Perez (235) = 398. While both Aston Martin drivers came into Formula 1 as teenagers, Max Verstappen broke the record for becoming the sport’s youngest ever driver and race winner when he took those accolades in 2015 and 2016 respectively.

Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton (310) + George Russell (82) = 392. Lewis Hamilton crossed the 300-start barrier last season, but it was his toughest year in Formula 1 to date, with the seven-time World Champion going a full year without a victory for the first time in his illustrious career.

‘Most experienced driver line-up’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/f1-2023-teams-drivers-race-starts/


The five drivers under the most pressure heading into F1 2023
29 Dec 2022
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Sergio Perez heads into his third year with Red Bull on the back of his best season yet. Two wins and 11 podiums put Perez third in the final drivers’ championship, narrowly missing out on the runners up spot to Charles Leclerc at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Perez has proven to be a dependable number two, particularly in 2022, when Red Bull’s overweight RB18 seemed to suit his driving style. Once Red Bull reduced the weight and cured the inherent understeer problem, Perez went backwards, struggling to even get within 0.5s of Max Verstappen in the mid-part of the year.

Things did get better for Perez at the close of the season, putting in a stellar drive to win in Singapore ahead of Leclerc. With Ferrari and Mercedes likely closing in on Red Bull, Perez can’t afford to be over three-tenths behind his teammate.

‘Five drivers under the most pressure’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/feature/1018290/1/five-drivers-under-most-pressure-heading-f1-2023


F1 drivers’ height and weight: A full rundown of the 2023 grid
Thursday 29th December 2022 9:00 AM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Here is each one of the 2023 Formula 1 drivers’ height and weight at the beginning of the new season. In Formula 1, even small details such as a driver’s height and weight can be of utmost importance as it dictates how much ballast their car needs, as well as how affecting how that ballast can be positioned.

In general, the shorter and smaller a driver is, the better it is for the car designers to ensure an optimal package, even in terms of how the airflow around and above their helmets can be directed.

Unsurprisingly, the driver’s weights are also maintained to a huge degree throughout the season, as necessitated by the sport’s minimum weight requirements for a suited and booted driver sitting in his car.

‘F1 drivers’ height and weight’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/f1-drivers-height-weight-2023/


Button makes epic prediction for 2023 F1
Tuesday 27 December 2022 09:00
Sam Hall
GPFans

Jenson Button has boldly predicted an "epic" 2023 season is in store as the recently introduced technical regulations and budget cap begin to yield results. Since the introduction of the V6 hybrid power units in 2014, there has only been one title race that has gone the distance with more than one team involved in the battle.

But with the cap and aerodynamic testing rules preventing teams from establishing an unassailable margin, the 2009 champion is hopeful of a tighter contest next term. Asked about his optimism for a fight between three teams at the front, Button told Sky Sports' 'Any Driven Monday': “It’s going to take a couple of years.

"Even with the cost cap, for the teams that are closer to the rear to really fight at the front, but it’s possible, definitely. There’s no reason why they can’t, especially if they have the right personnel and the right driver line-up. Anything is possible.”

‘Epic 2023 season’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/98350/jenson-button-prediction-2023-f1/


Romain Grosjean delivers his Ferrari prediction ahead of F1 2023 season
Thursday 29th December 2022 6:30 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Romain Grosjean has stated his disbelief at Ferrari’s 2022 season but has backed them for a big return to form in 2023. “I think Ferrari is going to be strong next year,” the 179-race starter said. “I think they definitely had a very fast car in qualifying.”

“Charles has been doing a great job, he made a few mistakes, but it’s always when you try to catch up that you make mistakes. If you’re at the front and things are very smooth, it’s kind of easier than when you’re trying to catch up because there were a few things that put you on the backfoot.”

“So I’m very impressed with Charles and I think Ferrari’s going to learn from this year and I think they will be in the mix next year.”

‘Romain Grosjean delivers his Ferrari prediction’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/romain-grosjean-2023-ferrari-prediction/

[Fortitude]

Which driver is the early favourite for the F1 2023 title?
While opportunities for a Leicester City-style shock are nigh-on impossible to pull off in Formula 1, the new aerodynamic regulations introduced should, eventually, lead to a more open playing field in future seasons with at least more than two potential winners of the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships.
Friday 30th December 2022 9:00 AM
Editor
PlanetF1.com

1 – Max Verstappen. Somewhat unsurprisingly, Max Verstappen is being backed to make it three Drivers’ Championships in a row. 2 – Lewis Hamilton. Current second favourite is a seven-time World Champion that goes by the name of Lewis Hamilton.

3 – Charles Leclerc. Next in line is Charles Leclerc, the man who screamed potential World Champion after winning two of the opening three races in F1 2022. 4 – George Russell. The prospect of making the jump up from the back of the grid to the front and expected to perform from the get-go is a daunting one

5 – Carlos Sainz. We now start making the net a little wider as we look at the drivers who are with big teams but remain relatively unfancied at this stage to launch their own title tilts. 6 – Sergio Perez. Rounding off the drivers at the top three teams – Red Bull, Mercedes, Ferrari – is Sergio Perez

‘Early favourite for the F1 2023 title’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-2023-odds-driver-title/


2023 F1 car convergence splits opinion
Friday 30th December, 2022 - 2:00pm
By Daniel Herrero
Speedcafe

Opinions are split as to whether or not Formula 1 car designs will converge in 2023 given teams now have a year of experience with new aerodynamic rules. Sweeping changes were introduced to the championship this year, with ground effects returning in what Red Bull aero guru Adrian Newey claimed pre-season was the biggest shift in four decades.

It led to constructors adopting a variety of approaches with Mercedes, for example, going down the path of a radical ‘zeropod’ design. With a year of learning under their belt, there is a school of thought that cars will be more similar in shape in 2023 as they hone in on an optimal solution.

“Well, you see the speed of the blue car?” noted François-Xavier ‘FX’ Demaison, who was the Technical Director at Williams until recently, in reference to the Red Bull RB18. “Quite sure, it’s already seen many cars go that direction, so I’ll be surprised if [there are] not more and more cars heading in the same direction. You can’t avoid it. It’s motorsport; you always copy the fastest car. That’s Formula 1.”

‘2023 F1 car convergence’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2022/12/30/2023-f1-car-convergence-splits-opinion/


Mercedes vows to ‘maintain scepticism’ ahead of 2023 F1 season
30th Dec 2022, 07:47
by Fergal Walsh
Motorsport Week

Mercedes says that it will “maintain scepticism” over its position in the pecking order for the 2023 Formula 1 campaign following a difficult 2022 season.

Mercedes’ Technical Director Mike Elliott says that the team is not anticipating that it will return to the head of the pack for the start of the 2023 season.

“I think the interesting thing is how we move forward from here and I think we’ve got to maintain that scepticism and be honest with ourselves that we were behind at the end of the year,” he said.

‘Maintain scepticism’

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/12/30/mercedes-vows-to-maintain-scepticism-ahead-of-2023-f1-season/


Ferrari send message to Mercedes and Red Bull with first comment on new 2023 F1 car
Ferrari are hoping to make a stronger challenge for the drivers' and constructors' championships in 2023.
18:12, Thu, Dec 29, 2022
By Sam Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Ferrari are ‘very happy’ with their car for 2023 and will have a ‘competitive start’ in a major warning to Mercedes and Red Bull. McLaren team boss Andrea Stella has shared his inside knowledge of the world championship battle ahead of the new season.

Ferrari expect a better season than last, having fallen away from the world drivers’ championship battle in 2022. Several big team and individual mistakes cost Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, with Mercedes nearly pipping them to second place in the constructors’ championship.

Speaking to Gazetto dello Sport, Stella said of Ferrari’s new vehicle: "I expect a big reaction from Mercedes, even though I know that at Ferrari they are very happy with the new car and so they will definitely have a competitive start.” Ferrari replaced Mattia Binotto with Fred Vasseur after their collapse in 2022. Vasseur has already made some big promises as the Frenchman seeks to challenge Mercedes and Red Bull.

‘BIG promises’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1715053/Ferrari-Mercedes-Red-Bull-new-car-Formula-One-news


‘Team Player’ De Vries ‘Richly Deserved’ Formula 1 Move for 2023 – Ian James
December 29, 2022
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag

Ian James, the Team Manager of the McLaren Formula E Team and the former Team Principal of the Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team, says Nyck de Vries has ‘richly deserved’ his move to the FIA Formula 1 World Championship in 2023.

James says Mercedes had their eye on him early on and were keen to bring him into their line-up, and AlphaTauri have acquired a driver who is not only very quick but also an extremely good team player for 2023. “I think it’s so richly deserved,” said James to Motorsport.com. “He was somebody that we took a look at before coming in for Season 6 and recognised his qualities, not only as a driver, but as a team player.”

“Any team that he drives for is going to benefit from that approach. He has a way of saying what needs to be said, pointing out where improvements can be made, but doing it in a diplomatic fashion that doesn’t get people’s backs up. And that’s quite an important quality in a driver, and especially as a driver that’s going into a team which maybe hasn’t quite realised its full potential yet and has room to grow.”

‘Richly deserved move’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/12/team-player-de-vries-richly-deserved-formula-1-move-for-2023-ian-james/

[Fortitude]

Lewis Hamilton’s warning shot to F1 2023 rivals: ‘We’re still the best team’.
“Going into the winter, the team knows that we’re on the right track. And we are still the best team. We will get back to having this more consistent I think next year and I’m excited for that battle.” Lewis Hamilton.
Saturday 31st December 2022 9:00 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Hamilton also explained that after Brazil, Mercedes were able to see their ‘North Star’ in terms of a development focus over the winter for the W14. Asked if the mighty improvement was a good sign for the W14’s development, Hamilton said: “Definitely is a great, great sign.

“For a long, long period of time, we couldn’t really, truly understand what the problem was or how to fix it. And it was difficult, because we kept trying and trying and trying and every time something new came, we still had the problems we had. So this is really, really huge.

“We know where our North Star is, we know where we need to put all our efforts in to this winter.”

‘North Star Mercedes’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-hamilton-warning-shot-f1-2023/


Toto Wolff vows Mercedes will come back in ‘more potent form’ in F1 2023
31 Dec 2022
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Toto Wolff believes Mercedes will be back in “a more potent form” in F1 2023 as the team looks to return to fighting for world titles.

“I’m always a half empty glass guy, and I see the risks,” Wolff told the Beyond The Grid podcast. As a matter of fact, if you’re trying to be logical, Red Bull was very dominant throughout the season.”

“It’s going to be very difficult to have a development slope that is steeper than theirs, and also Ferrari – but I believe in the organisation. Fundamentally, it’s not about a lack of downforce, but a problem in making that downforce work on the car.”

‘More Mercedes potency’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1018324/1/wolff-vows-mercedes-will-come-back-more-potent-form-f1-2023


One New Year’s resolution for each F1 team ahead of 2023 season
Saturday 31st December 2022 7:00 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

The beginning of a new year brings an opportunity to start afresh and put right the mistakes of the previous 12 months. That applies to the F1 teams, who often stress the need to improve from season to season. Here, we suggest one New Year’s resolution for each of the 10 teams from Williams, bottom of the F1 pile in 2022, to Constructors’ Champions Red Bull…

Williams: Stop peeling off the paintwork. AlphaTauri: Rediscover the old Red Bull ruthlessness. Haas: Stand by a struggling driver. Aston Martin: Commit to a single car concept. McLaren: Let racing drivers be racing drivers.

Alpine: Improve the engine. Mercedes: Be bolder with strategy. Ferrari: Put the harsh lessons of 2022 into practice. Red Bull: Keep the peace

‘A PlanetF1.com Guidance Briefing’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/new-years-resolution-f1-2023-teams/


Alpine F1 Reliability Issues Caused by Water Pump, Solution Coming in 2023
30 Dec 2022, 16:51 UTC • By:
Bogdan Bebeselea

Renault’s engine chief Bruno Famin explained the issue was not with the core design of the power unit, but rather the auxiliaries, “We have not got a really major issue on the engine itself, on the ICE.”

He continued by stating, “We had problems in Singapore, which is a fact. It was very strange, in fact, because to have two different problems in eight laps difference was quite incredible, but we had it. All the other problems we had were much more on the auxiliaries side; water pump, fuel pump. And this is something we are quite optimistic that we will be able to solve for ’23.”

He reckons that for the 2023 season, addressing these issues will be enough and the performance of the power unit will not have to be toned down. The team has made strides to improve their auxiliary components in 2022, and it seems to be the core concept of the water pump that was a problem.

‘Solution Coming in 2023’;

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/alpine-f1-reliability-issues-caused-by-water-pump-says-renault-solution-incoming-in-2023-207465.html


The ‘$5 million GP ticket’: Why Las Vegas is raising the stakes on F1 tour packages.
2023 F1 season
Posted on 28th December 2022, 8:3028th December 2022, 8:30
Written by Ida Wood
RaceFans

Tickets to the Las Vegas Grand Prix, the new addition to the 2023 F1 calendar, aren’t cheap to begin with. And for those prepared to pay top-dollar, the casino-hotels backing the race are touting lavish packages with eye-watering price tags. Last month it announced an F1-endorsed ‘Million Dollar All-Access Experience’ at a cost of – surprisingly enough – $1,000,000 (£830,000). The “personally curated” package for six people ($166,666.67 per person) begins with the event’s opening ceremony on Wednesday and ends when the race does late on Saturday night.

For the seven-figure the six race attendees receive access to Wynn’s private hospitality within F1’s VIP Paddock Club, luxury transport to and from the paddock and the city airport to their hotel throughout their four-night stay and access to all of Wynn’s facilities as well as a three-litre jeroboam bottle of champagne. But that $1 million package has already been relegated, seemingly, to second-best. The Caesars Palace resort on the pit straight down the road has announced a $5 million (£4.1m) “Emperor Package” for the grand prix weekend.

Another of the race’s founding partners, Caesars’ package includes five nights in a three-bedroom villa and another checklist of lavish luxuries. They include 24-hour butler service and a terrace to which 75 people can be invited to watch the track action. There are also 12 Paddock Club tickets, dinner for a dozen from a celebrity chef and an invitation to a performance by singer Adele. Will any buyers be found for either of these giga-expensive F1 viewing opportunities? Or for any more elaborate and expensive packages other hotels may cook up?

‘$5 million GP ticket’;

https://www.racefans.net/2022/12/28/the-5-million-gp-ticket-why-las-vegas-is-raising-the-stakes-on-f1-tour-packages/

[Fortitude]

F1’s changing more in 2023 than you might think.
The new Formula 1 season gets under way in just two months, and despite 2023 not being a year of profound rules upheaval of the scale of last year there are plenty of significant changes.
1st Jan 2023.09:55
By Edd Straw
The Race

Whether it’s driver changes, calendar shuffles, rules tweaks or format modifications, here’s our guide to what’s new for F1 2023.

‘The Race Guide’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/f1s-changing-more-in-2023-than-you-might-think/


F1 2023 quiz - How much do you know about the coming season?
Sunday 1 January 2023 07:30
Ian Parkes
GPFans

The 2023 season will be the second to run to F1's new aerodynamic regulations. There is still plenty of shuffling ahead as the teams who got it wrong last year, try to recover while many drivers will have to become accustomed to new machines after switching teams.

So, as we head into the New Year, how much do you know about what is to come? Try our 20-question quiz to see if you're a champion [18-20 correct], a podium finisher [15-18 correct answers], a midfield runner [8-14] or a backmarker fighting for scraps [seven or below].

‘20-question quiz’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/98664/f1-2023-quiz/


Which team has the best and worst driver line-up for F1 2023?
1 Jan 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

With all the drivers confirmed for the F1 2023 season, Crash.net's Lewis Larkam ranks which team he believes has the best (and worst) line-up for the upcoming campaign…

‘Best and worst driver line-up’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/feature/1018442/1/which-team-has-best-and-worst-driver-lineup-f1-2023


10 storylines to be excited about ahead of the new F1 2023 season
Sunday 1st January 2023 7:00 AM
Henry Valantine

Happy New Year to you, and we are that bit happier to see January come around because we are edging ever closer to the F1 2023 season beginning in earnest…

While there could be no doubting the winners of the 2022 titles, given the dominant fashion in which Max Verstappen and Red Bull took Drivers’ and Constructors’ glory last season, there are so many unanswered questions which will keep us all guessing as we build up to the new season here on PlanetF1.com.

So, in that spirit, we have had a think about the things we are most looking forward to seeing once the new cars hit the track in Bahrain for pre-season testing, before F1 2023 eventually gets underway at the start of March. With so many different subplots to keep an eye on, here’s our top 10 elements of the season to look out for early on.

‘10 storylines to be excited about’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/10-exciting-storylines-f1-2023-season/


F1 2023: WHICH CHANGES WILL SHAKE UP THE CIRCUS?
Technical regulations, tyres, venues, and rookie drivers are all set to freshen up the paddock for another season of racing
1st Jan 2023, 06:24
Dalila Zanardo
FormulaNerds

New year, new circus. Technical regulations, venues, and rookie drivers will freshen up the paddock once again, as the 2023 F1 season offers up yet another blank slate. In a field that seems set to become even closer, what are the changes that will shake up the grid?

‘SHAKE UP THE CIRCUS’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/features/f1-2023-which-changes-will-shake-up-the-circus/?nowprocket=1


New race, team, manufacturer? What F1 will target in 2023.
1st Jan 2023, 06:02
By Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Formula 1’s growth has been relentless over the last couple of years and there is reason to expect that will continue in 2023 with prospective new races, teams, and manufacturers.
Crowd figures at grands prix are through the roof, F1 has more interest than ever from potential host venues, and various entities are knocking at the door because they want to get in on the act.
It is extremely likely that, over the next 12 months, F1 will announce deals that allow it to expand even further.

‘F1 has more interest than ever’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/new-race-team-manufacturer-what-f1-will-target-in-2023/

[Fortitude]

Red Bull Might Expect Stiff Competition in the 2023 F1 Season Says Adrian Newey.
“We also have to talk about how Red Bull is going to be affected in terms of development for their 2023 car.” autoevolution
1 Jan 2023, 23:56 UTC • By:
By: Bogdan Bebeselea
autoevolution

The new regulations compound the issue, as winning the Constructor’s Championship means that the Milton Keynes-based team already had the least time at its disposal. Despite the situation, Chief Technical Designer Adrian Newey believes the impact is not going to be too severe, “If we’re really smart and always putting the right things on the model, then, of course, it doesn’t make much difference.”

Even with the odds stacked against Red Bull, Newey hinted at a silver lining, “We focused on trying to get the fundamentals right, trying to get the package in the way that would include suspension, front and rear suspension, the layout of the monocoque, the layout of the radiators and so forth.”

‘Trying to get the fundamentals right,’;

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/red-bull-might-expect-stiff-competition-in-the-2023-f1-season-says-adrian-newey-207551.html


Christian Horner expects to see more Red Bull and Ferrari-esque cars in F1 2023
Sunday 1st January 2023 9:00 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

When the covers come off the 2023 challengers, Christian Horner expects many to be looking like the Red Bull or Ferrari.

Red Bull also will receive the least amount of wind tunnel time out of all the teams, not only because of winning the Constructors’ title, but also due to their extra reduction as a result of committing a minor breach of the 2021 cost cap. “It’s tough because it is a handicap,” Horner told Channel 4 in reference to Red Bull’s upcoming development restrictions.

“But I think what you’ll see in ’23 is that the cars do converge, and I’m sure there’s a few more cars that will look a bit like a Red Bull or a Ferrari. I think having got this number one on the car, having regained the Constructors’ World Championship is a huge motivation to maintain at that level.”

‘See more Red Bull and Ferrari-esque cars’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/christian-horner-red-bull-ferrari-f1-2023-cars/


What to expect from F1 2023
Sunday 1 January 2023 12:00
Ewan Gale
GPFans

Verstappen aims to join elite F1 group. Max Verstappen may have proven himself as a generational talent last season, such was the level of his performance, but a further level to his greatness is within reach for the Dutchman.

Vasseur to help steer Ferrari to success. Following the upheaval at Ferrari, a new perspective from eyes coming from outside the Scuderia could be the spark needed at Maranello.

Mercedes to ride wave of 2022 momentum. Alpine’s A522 was an extremely quick car and, when the environment allowed, it was able to compete with at least Mercedes and Ferrari.

‘What to expect’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/98679/what-to-expect-from-f1-2023/


Podcast: The big storylines we expect from F1’s 2023 season
13:51 Sun, 01 Jan 2023.
The Race

We tackle the big questions of the 2023 Formula 1 season in our first edition of The Race F1 Podcast of the new year.
Scott Mitchell-Malm and Mark Hughes join Edd Straw to dissect the big talking points and storylines that will define the upcoming season, with car launches just six weeks away.
The chances of Ferrari and Mercedes re-emerging as genuine title threats, as well as the impact of Red Bull’s aerodynamic testing restrictions limitations, are discussed in detail.
We also ask how Fernando Alonso’s move to Aston Martin will work, and look at the possible technical trends for the 2023 cars.
The fate of Williams is also questioned, as well as how F1’s trio of rookies – Nyck de Vries, Oscar Piastri and Logan Sargeant – will fare.

‘F1’s 2023 Season Expectations’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/podcast-the-big-storylines-we-expect-from-f1s-2023-season/


Every F1 driver's New Year's resolution for 2023
01 January 6:00PM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

It's time for some New Year's resolutions for the F1 class of 2023 as RacingNews365 takes a look at what each driver must do in the coming year.

Max Verstappen. Resolution: To avoid radio outbursts that could cause lengthy debates. How to do it: Keep frustrations firmly private so they don't boil over onto the track.

Sergio Perez. Resolution: Finish closer to Verstappen in the standings and avoid Ricciardo replacement chatter. How to do it: Close the gap in qualifying.

Charles Leclerc. Resolution: Start acting like the team leader he is meant to be. How to do it: Be assertive and ruthless when it comes to strategy especially - and cut out the silly crashes.

‘RacingNews365 New Year's resolutions’;

https://racingnews365.com/every-f1-drivers-new-years-resolution-for-2023

[Fortitude]

FIA to invite entries from potential new Formula 1 teams.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem says motorsport’s governing body will actively launch a process to find possible new teams to join the Formula 1 grid in future seasons.
2023 F1 season
Posted on 2nd January 2023, 17:40
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Formula 1 has maintained just 10 teams on the grid since the departure of Manor at the end of 2016. However, the United States-based Andretti organisation has been open of its intentions to bid for an entry into Formula 1 as an 11th team. In a statement shared on social media, Ben Sulayem stated the FIA would begin a process of searching for possible new entries in the sport at his bequest. “I have asked my FIA team to look at launching an expressions of interest process for prospective new teams for the FIA F1 World Championship,” read Ben Sulayem’s statement.

Beyond Andretti, over recent months Hong Kong-based Canadian billionaire Calvin Lo has also discussed his interest in establishing his own Formula 1 team to join the grid as a new entry. Currently, under the Concorde Agreement, any new entrants to Formula 1 must pay a fee of $200 million (£164.8m) to be divided between the existing teams. Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has previous stated his belief that Formula 1 does not require an 11th team in order to continue to remain successful.

Only one entirely new team has entered Formula 1 in the previous ten years: Haas, which joined the world championship in 2016. Prior to that, Formula 1 saw four brand new teams granted permission to join in the same season in 2010 – Virgin, Lotus, HRT and USF1. However, USF1 failed to appear on the grid at all, and none of the teams which did enter were still in the sport by 2017.

‘FIA to invite entries’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/01/02/fia-to-invite-entries-from-potential-new-formula-1-teams/


F1 set for four major rules changes ahead of 2023 season
F1 is set to introduce a range of new rules for the 2023 season.
13:10, Mon, Jan 2, 2023
By Luke Chillingsworth
Daily and Sunday Express

The regulation now reads: “Classified drivers who have accrued more than 15 cumulative grid position penalties, or who have been penalised to start at the back of the grid, will start behind any other classified driver. Their relative position will be determined in accordance with their Qualifying Classification.”

F1’s minimum ride heights have been raised by 15mm for 2023 in a bid to reduce the effects of porpoising. Other technical changes include a raising of the diffuser throat to make the car more tolerant of ride height changes.

New sensors will also be installed to measure the car's vertical forces more accurately on top of the existing measures introduced at last year’s Belgian Grand Prix. The minimum weight of the cars will also drop from 798kg to 796kg while roll hoops must be able to withstand stronger impacts after Zhou Guanyu’s British GP horror shunt.

‘Four major rules changes’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1716043/f1-rule-changes-fia-2023-season-news-latest


10 things to be excited for as F1 gears up for 24 races and 6 Sprints in 2023
02 January 2023
Staff Writer
Samarth Kanal
Formula One - Official Site

It's a new year and the 2023 Formula 1 season is almost upon us. Just in case you weren't raring to go, here are 10 – well, quite a few more than 10 – reasons to be excited for the upcoming campaign...

1. Ferrari and Mercedes on the hunt. 2. Verstappen defending his crown. 3. Rookies on the grid and proven drivers changing seats. 4. A close quarters midfield battle. 5. Viva Las Vegas.

6. A record-breaking calendar. 7. Six Sprints. 8. The road to F1. 9. F1 Academy. 10. More fun off the track.

‘10 things to be excited for’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.10-things-to-be-excited-for-as-f1-gears-up-for-24-races-and-6-sprints-in.2sFaphuPkMnIz8mnt3EEuF.html


F1 set for surprise Grand Prix in 2023?
02 January 10:40AM
Author Dieter Rencken
Co-author Michael Butterworth
RacingNews365

The Chinese Grand Prix was to be absent from F1 in 2023 for the fourth year in a row. But RacingNews365.com understands that the race may yet be run this year.

The Chinese Grand Prix may be set to reappear on the Formula 1 calendar in 2023 – just weeks after it was confirmed that the Shanghai race would not take place this year.

Despite the country's Covid-zero policy preventing the Chinese Grand Prix from taking place since 2019, Formula 1 is known to be keen to keep the Shanghai race on the calendar, and in November 2021 extended its contract with the Chinese Grand Prix until 2025.

‘F1 set for surprise’;

https://racingnews365.com/f1-set-for-surprise-grand-prix-in-2023


Will F1’s TV and ticket sales boom continue into 2023?
News Focus
Posted on 2nd January 2023, 11:58
Written by Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

The rising popularity of Formula 1 looked almost unstoppable last year and has affected every area of the sport. The series signed multi-year TV agreements and announced a record-breaking 2023 F1 calendar. Lucrative expanded partnerships were announced with the likes of Amazon Web Services. It finally landed a new manufacturer as Audi announced it will step in when the next generation of power units arrive. Around the world, grand prix events were sold out.

It’s almost six years since Ecclestone was ousted and Liberty Media took control of the sport. Since then new audiences have been attracted through Netflix’s Drive to Survive, and younger audiences flocked to races, helped by the growing rivalry between Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton. The Covid-19 pandemic has been a factor throughout much of this, but F1 was one of the first sports to get up and running again after the first half of its 2020 season was cancelled.

Are there any downsides to F1’s growth? As the calendar continues to expand with 23 rounds next season – six due to be Liberty’s much-vaunted sprint format – the demand on teams will rise, arguably having a greater impact on those towards the rear of the field. “For a driver [the extra races] doesn’t matter,” Haas driver Kevin Magnussen explained. “For the team, for the mechanics, for the catering people, I think already now it’s too many. “It’s different [for] some of the biggest teams they can shift around so some people go half a season, and another set of mechanics go half so they get a lot of races off. It’s very tough on small teams, they’re made of something special.”

‘The rising popularity of Formula 1’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/01/02/will-f1s-tv-and-ticket-sales-boom-continue-into-2023/

[Fortitude]

Fernando Alonso predicts ‘good times are coming’ with Aston Martin in F1 2023.
Fernando Alonso spoke very highly of the Aston Martin project and expects the good times to roll at his new team.
Sunday 1st January 2023 12:30 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Fernando Alonso spoke very highly of the Aston Martin project and expects the good times to roll at his new team.

The two-time World Champion has now embarked on a fresh career journey having left Alpine and begun a multi-year deal with Aston Martin, the team intent on climbing out of the midfield and challenging at the front of the grid in the coming years.

And it is a project which Alonso has very much bought into, the Spaniard heading to Aston Martin with “new motivation” and a sense that the “good times are coming”.

‘Good times are coming’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernando-alonso-good-times-aston-martin/


Explosive combination? What may decide Alonso/Aston dynamic.
3rd Jan 2023, 06:43
The Race

Fernando Alonso has had a knack for drama throughout his long Formula 1 career and has never had any qualms over blunt comments about his teams, team-mates or engine suppliers when displeased.

Judged by his excitement over the prospect of joining Aston Martin from Alpine and his ebullient mood after his first test with the team in Abu Dhabi, this new-for-2023 relationship will be all sunshine and success.

But on the other hand, Aston Martin has underachieved since the launch of its F1 project in 2021, it has a no-nonsense and very ambitious team owner, who also happens to be the father of Alonso’s team-mate, and it will be at least a year or two before its factory move pays off.

‘Explosive combination?’

https://the-race.com/formula-1/explosive-combination-what-may-decide-alonso-aston-dynamic/


Video: Aston Martin welcome Alonso ahead of 2023 F1 season
02 January 2023, 6:00PM
Author RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

Aston Martin have shared a video to welcome Fernando Alonso to the team for 2023. Following the New Year celebrations, the British squad opted to mark the occasion by sharing a short clip of Alonso putting on an Aston Martin cap and announcing himself to the camera.

It was confirmed back in July that the two-time World Champion would replace the retiring Sebastian Vettel for the 2023 season, where he will partner Lance Stroll as the team look to continue their progression. Alonso went on to test for Aston Martin at the 2022 post-season testing in Abu Dhabi.

‘Aston Martin have shared a video to welcome Fernando Alonso’;

https://racingnews365.com/video-aston-martin-welcome-alonso-ahead-of-2023-f1-season


Can Alonso push Aston Martin to greatness?
Monday 2 January 2023 13:30
GPFans Staff
GPFans

Fernando Alonso will lead Aston Martin next season after making the switch from Alpine. The two-time champion has replaced Sebastian Vettel as the experienced head in the team after the German retired from F1 at the end of last year.

The Silverstone-based marque set its sights on a five-year plan to challenge for race wins and championships when rebranding in 2021, although could only finish seventh in the standings last year. So is Alonso the right driver to push the team forward? Let us know your thoughts.

‘GPFans Poll’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/98686/can-alonso-push-aston-martin-to-greatness/


Fernando Alonso bullish on Aston Martin
2 January 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Alonso’s switch to Aston Martin wasn’t expected, with most having been certain that the Spaniard would remain at Alpine; however, the French outfit’s offer is believed to have not been what the 41-year-old wanted.

His switch to Aston Martin is on a two-year deal with the option for a third, which means Alonso could be in Formula 1 until he is 44 years old. Aston Martin will have a challenge on their hands with Alonso onboard; however, they have also got a driver who can take them towards their goal of becoming a front running side thanks to his vast experience.

“With Aston [Martin], their project is amazing what they are doing in terms of recruiting people, facilities, investment. So yeah, I think good times are coming.”

‘Aston Martin will have a challenge on their hands with Alonso onboard’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/fernando-alonso-bullish-on-aston-martin/


Alonso experience to overrule Aston Martin 'arrogance'
Sunday 1 January 2023 15:00
Sam Hall
GPFans

Dan Fallows has urged Aston Martin to take full advantage of Fernando Alonso's "varied experience" in a bid to push the F1 team up the order. Aston Martin has made a number of key personnel signings in recent times in its bid to become champions, with technical director Fallows one of the leading names to join following his recruitment from Red Bull.

Asked if this experience is something Aston Martin can tap into, Fallows said: "Yeah, potentially. We are very open-minded about the direction we grow in. I've come from a background with Red Bull. We have people who've come from Mercedes and some other teams and obviously, Fernando's got a very varied experience as well."

Aston Martin made a slow start to the 2022 campaign but introduced a significant aerodynamic upgrade at the Spanish Grand Prix which saw the AMR22 briefly nicknamed the 'Green Red Bull' for its similarities to the RB18.

‘Take full advantage of Fernando Alonso’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/98691/fernando-alonso-experience-aston-martin-arrogance/

[Fortitude]

30 more horsepower for Ferrari? First details of F1 2023 cars emerge.
Ferrari will enjoy a 30 horsepower increase from the power unit as they fixed the reliability issues that plagued their campaign.
3 Jan 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

A narrower Ferrari for F1 2023. The article also revealed that Ferrari have adopted a narrower car design.

La Gazzetta dello Sport state that the “aerodynamic concept will be largely different” and they will introduce a new gearbox.

‘30 more horsepower’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1018539/1/30-more-horsepower-ferrari-first-details-f1-2023-cars-emerge


Damon Hill: Ferrari have less work to do than Mercedes ahead of F1 2023
Tuesday 3rd January 2023 8:00 AM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Speaking after the season finished, the 1996 World Champion believes Ferrari should have an advantage over Mercedes when it comes to chasing down Red Bull once the new year gets underway. “[Ferrari] have got less to do than Mercedes have,” Hill said on Sky Sports F1.

“Mercedes have come out with a car that clearly they’ve misunderstood something and they’re going to have to reset, whereas Ferrari came out with a car that was pretty good to start with.”

“They didn’t capitalise through the season, and so they’ve got less, I think, of an uphill struggle for next year than Mercedes have.”

‘Ferrari have less work to do’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/damon-hill-ferrari-mercedes-2023-work/


Ferrari “banned” from meeting about 2026 regulations - and have lost $55m in sponsors income
3 Jan 2023
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Ferrari’s preparations for the new F1 season are off to a terrible start - they were reportedly barred from a crucial meeting about the 2026 regulations, then lost $55m in income from sponsors.

But behind-the-scenes there has been chaos after they were the only team to be denied entry to a meeting on December 15 about engine regulations for 2026, according to RacingNews365.

Ferrari were banned from attending the meeting because they had not confirmed their intention to be a part of the 2026 rules. Several power unit suppliers missed an October 15 deadline to confirm their entry for 2026, but Ferrari were the only supplier to miss an extended deadline in November.

‘Ferrari “banned” from meeting’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1018537/1/ferrari-banned-key-f1-meeting-and-lose-55m-income


Ferrari faces $55 million hole after loss of sponsors
03 January 3:25PM
Author Dieter Rencken
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Ferrari faces a hole of $55m hole in its sponsor portfolio after splitting with two premium partners, RacingNews365 has learned. Announcements are expected shortly.

Ferrari and crypto company Velas will not continue their partnership after an acrimonious first year, RacingNews365 has learned. The blockchain brand has been removed from Ferrari’s partner list, as has the logo of chip semi-conductor company Snapdragon. Both were ranked as premium sponsors of the Scuderia.

Ferrari announced a long-term deal with crypto company Velas in late 2021, with branding appearing on cars and driver suits. However, a source close to both companies has indicated that Ferrari did not comply with clauses that permit Velas to create NFT images, while the latter is said to be in financial breach. According to the source legal action is being contemplated by the parties.

‘Ferrari faces $55 million hole’;

https://racingnews365.com/ferrari-faces-55-million-hole-after-loss-of-sponsors


FERRARI EXCLUDED FROM 2026 F1 ENGINE REGULATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING
Prior to submitting their formal intention to register to the new rules, Ferrari were prohibited from joining their peers at a meeting on the 2026 engine regulations
3rd Jan 2023, 12:01
Samuel Coop
FormulaNerds

Ferrari were not permitted to attend a recent Engine Advisory Committee meeting, which is focused on the F1 powertrain regulations from 2026 onwards, according to RacingNews365.com.

It appears that the Italian team were barred for not declaring their intention to sign up for the new rules. F1’s current engine regulations run till the end of 2025. Ferrari missed the deadline on two separate occasions – the original 15th October 2022 date and the extension given until the end of November.

It is believed that Ferrari objected to how Red Bull Powertrains would be viewed as a new supplier. This was due to the fact that they previously had access to Honda’s intellectual property. However, the IP was not used and was been returned to Honda. This came after the two parties decided to not take their partnership into the new generation of F1 engines.

‘FERRARI EXCLUDED’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/ferrari-excluded-from-2026-f1-engine-regulations-committee-meeting/?nowprocket=1

[Fortitude]

Four F1 teams rejected Nyck de Vries as AlphaTauri star looks to prove them wrong in 2023.
De Vries will finally race regularly in F1 having waited a long time since winning the F2 championship, and the Dutchman has revealed he had plenty of setbacks along the way.
19:44, 3 Jan 2023
By Daniel MoxonF1 Writer
The Mirror

De Vries' big chance finally came after an excellent F1 debut with Williams. The pressure was off considering how little preparation time. Not only did he qualify in the top 10 – after a swathe of grid penalties for other racers were taken into account – but he finished ninth in his first ever F1 race in the worst car on the grid, matching Williams' best result of the entire year.

Suddenly, every team who still had a 2023 race seat vacancy was chasing the Dutchman. After weighing up his options, De Vries signed a Red Bull contract to race for sister team AlphaTauri and, despite all the setbacks, that little bit of hope he still held for an F1 seat paid off. He told DAY1 : "I had a lot of frustration and that's also been the reason why I was always able to do it all with a lot of pleasure and motivation, because I was very happy with what I did have.”

“Deep down, I always kept a certain faith, despite being rejected four times in the last year. In 2021, I was allowed to win the Formula E championship, then we were very close but didn't succeed either. That little bit of hope [speaking to teams] was enough to keep the belief and the drive and not give up."

‘Four F1 teams rejection’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/nyck-de-vries-rejections-alphatauri-28867366


Who is Nyck de Vries? All you need to know about the new AlphaTauri star
Sunday 1st January 2023 6:30 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

It has not been the most conventional of routes into Formula 1 for Nyck de Vries, but at last he is here as an AlphaTauri driver. De Vries is a racer who has been around the Formula 1 paddock for a few years now, having served as a reserve driver for Mercedes and appeared in free practice sessions for several of their customer teams, though a place on the grid had never come his way.

It almost did as talks with Williams over a 2022 driver progressed, though that seat ultimately went to Alex Albon. No matter though, as it was the ill Albon who De Vries replaced to make his qualifying and race debut at the 2022 Italian GP, De Vries’ cameo appearance impressive enough to inspire Dr. Helmut Marko to whip the chequebook out and sign him to AlphaTauri for 2023.

‘All you need to know’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/nyck-de-vries-career-facts/


Formula 1: Have Red Bull taken away Toto Wolff’s ‘insurance policy’?
11:37 Tue, 03 Jan 2023
by Asher Fair
Beyond the Flag (Weblog)

Nyck de Vries was once seen as Toto Wolff’s Formula 1 “insurance policy” at Mercedes. Now he is with AlphaTauri. Could he be Red Bull’s next new driver?

Earlier in the year, fellow Dutch racing driver Tom Coronel stated that he believed de Vries was Toto Wolff’s “insurance policy” in the event that Lewis Hamilton either decided to retire after the 2022 season or not re-sign with Mercedes — whether that meant retiring or moving elsewhere — beyond 2023.

While Mercedes have expressed no concerns about de Vries taking knowledge to their bitter rival, could this ultimately come back to haunt them in the long run? Two-time reigning world champion Max Verstappen is under contract with the team through the 2028 season after signing a massive extension earlier this year, and teammate Sergio Perez later agreed to an extension to remain with the team through 2024.

‘Insurance policy’;

https://beyondtheflag.com/2023/01/03/formula-1-red-bull-taken-away-toto-wolff-insurance-policy/


Nyck de Vries’ ex-boss opens up on his ‘diplomatic’ character after Red Bull move
AlphaTauri have replaced the Alpine-bound Pierre Gasly with Nyck de Vries in 2023.
31 December 2022
by Jack Devonport
Formula1News

De Vries won the 2020-21 Formula E championship with Mercedes and his former boss Ian James has suggested that the 27-year-old is a nailed on success in Formula 1. “I think it’s so richly deserved,” said the former Mercedes-EQ boss.

“He was somebody that we took a look at before coming in for season six and recognised his qualities, not only as a driver but as a team player. “Any team that he drives for is going to benefit from that approach.”

He has a way of saying what needs to be said, pointing out where improvements can be made, but doing it in a diplomatic fashion that doesn’t get people’s backs up. “I think that he’s going to be very well positioned, notwithstanding Formula 1 is a different series. It’s brutal, and I think he’s going to have his work cut out, but his character I think will stand him in good stead.”

‘Diplomatic character’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/nyck-de-vries-ex-boss-opens-up-on-his-diplomatic-character-after-red-bull-move/


De Vries selects race number on FIA 2023 entry list
15/12/2022 at 14:33
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Nyck de Vries has chosen to use lucky 21 as his race number when he steps up to Formula 1 full time in 2023 with AlphaTauri. All regular drivers get to chose a permanent competitor number which they keep for the duration of their time in the championship. Esteban Gutierrez was the last driver to use #21 until 2016.

2023 car numbers, drivers and teams
Car number Driver name Team name Engine
#1 Max Verstappen Oracle Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT
#2 Logan Sargeant Williams Racing Mercedes
#4 Lando Norris McLaren Formula 1 Team Mercedes
#10 Pierre Gasly Alpine F1 Team Renault
#11 Sergio Perez Oracle Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT
#14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team Mercedes
#16 Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari
#18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team Mercedes
#20 Kevin Magnussen MoneyGram Haas F1 Team Ferrari
#21 Nyck de Vries Scuderia AlphaTauri Honda RBPT
#22 Yuki Tsunoda Scuderia AlphaTauri Honda RBPT
#23 Alexander Albon Williams Racing Mercedes
#24 Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN Ferrari
#27 Nico Hulkenberg MoneyGram Haas F1 Team Ferrari
#31 Esteban Ocon Alpine F1 Team Renault
#44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes-AMG Petronas 1e Team Mercedes
#55 Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari
#63 George Russell Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes
#77 Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN Ferrari
#81 Oscar Piastri McLaren Formula 1 Team Mercedes

‘Lucky 21’;

https://f1i.com/news/462856-de-vries-selects-race-number-on-fia-2023-entry-list.html

[Fortitude]

Leclerc and Vasseur’s familiarity no problem for me – Sainz.
Carlos Sainz Jnr doesn’t believe he will be at a disadvantage because his new Ferrari team boss already has years of experience working with his team mate.
2023 F1 season
Posted on 2nd January 2023, 7:33
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Sainz is satisfied Ferrari have chosen the right person to take over from Binotto. “From what they’ve told me and from how I’ve known him, I think he’s the right man,” he told Autosprint. Vasseur arrived in F1 with Renault in 2016, then joined Sauber the following year. That team has been branded as Alfa Romeo since 2019.

“Everyone in the paddock knows him and I’m sure he’ll do well,” Sainz continued. “There will be an adjustment period, but Fred knows Formula 1 very well and also Ferrari. Now there will be this preparation phase to then start working fully with him.”

Leclerc and Vasseur’s familiarity with each other is no cause for concern, said Sainz. “I don’t think I’m starting from scratch. As I said, I’m sure I’ll get on well with him and he’ll be happy with me when he sees me work, with my relationship with the team and with Charles.

‘No problem for me’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/01/02/leclerc-and-vasseurs-familiarity-no-problem-for-me-sainz/


Sainz: Close relationship between Vasseur and Leclerc 'useful' for Ferrari
02/01/2023 at 08:37
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Carlos Sainz believes that Charles Leclerc's long-standing friendship with incoming Scuderia chief Fred Vasseur won't put him at a disadvantage and will prove "useful" for Ferrari.

In the coming days, Vasseur will take the helm of the Scuderia, with the former Sauber-Alfa Romeo team boss succeeding Mattia Binotto who handed in his resignation at the end of November.

The Spaniard isn't the least bit concerned by such a scenario playing out, and has welcomed Vasseur's arrival at Ferrari. "I think his well-tested relationship with Leclerc will be very useful to everyone, also to accelerate his adaptation here."

‘Useful for Ferrari’;

https://f1i.com/news/463612-sainz-close-relationship-between-vasseur-and-leclerc-useful-for-ferrari.html


Sainz: Ferrari can overhaul Red Bull in 2023.
11:06 Thu, 29 Dec 2022.
Hamilton Lyndon-Griffiths
Read Motorsport

Carlos Sainz says Ferrari is “not so far behind” Red Bull as its rivals dominant 2022 season suggests, believing it can challenge them for the Formula 1 title next year. Despite Ferrari’s failure to sustain its title bid, Sainz has faith the Scuderia can strike back in 2023 with a more consistent package. “I feel we have chances,” Sainz said, as quoted by RacingNews365.com.

“Red Bull has been dominant, but they’ve been dominant without being clearly ahead in pure qualifying pace and race pace. So I don’t feel like we are so far behind in terms of car development and car performance.”

“If you think about it, I was on pole in Austin, so it means that we were one-two in Austin in qualifying. So it must be that our car is actually not that far from the Red Bull.”

‘Ferrari can overhaul Red Bull’;

https://readmotorsport.com/2022/12/29/sainz-ferrari-can-overhaul-red-bull-in-2023/


Why Sainz believes Ferrari 'aren't far away' from Red Bull
29 December 2022
Author Luke Murphy
Co-author Dieter Rencken
RacingNews365

Carlos Sainz believes that 2022 Constructors' champions Red Bull are a closer target than what the season results suggested. Carlos Sainz believes that Ferrari can be optimistic of their chances of overhauling Red Bull next season, despite their rival's convincing championship win in 2022.

"I feel we have chances," Sainz told media, including RacingNews365.com. "Red Bull has been dominant, but they've been dominant without being clearly ahead in pure qualifying pace and race pace. So I don't feel like we are so far behind in terms of car development and car performance.”

"What we need to focus on is in trying to understand next year’s tyres [and] see how we can be quicker in the race because it's clear that the Red Bull is particularly quick in the race compared to us," added Sainz. "For the strategy, race execution, tyre management, [they are other steps] that we want to take next year that we are already working on it.”

"I feel we have chances";

https://racingnews365.com/why-sainz-believes-ferrari-arent-far-away-from-red-bull


Sainz aiming to ‘make things more complicated’ for Verstappen
Tuesday 27th December, 2022 - 3:00pm
By Daniel Herrero
Speedcafe

Carlos Sainz believes he can “make things more complicated” for Max Verstappen if he starts the 2023 F1 season as he finished 2022. “My target is next year to start at the level that I am now, which is a pretty decent level, and make things more complicated to Max.”

Despite acknowledging the dominance of Red Bull Racing with the RB18, Sainz does not make challenging them in 2023 to be an insurmountable task. “New year, new car, new regs even with the floor…” he noted.

“We have another chance and I fully trust that the team will produce another great car like the car that we had this year and that we will learn from the mistakes done this year. I will learn from the mistakes I did this year and we will be more in the fight and ready to fight. I’m looking forward also for Merc; It looks like they’re going to join us at the front.”

‘Make things more complicated’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2022/12/27/sainz-aiming-to-make-things-more-complicated-for-verstappen/


Sainz: 'Consistency' with Ferrari key to fighting for world title
26/12/2022 at 09:13
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Carlos Sainz says he'll be seeking "a more linear" season with Ferrari in 2023, insisting that only consistency will allow him to fight for the world title.

Sainz says he absolutely needs to add consistency – a quality in enjoyed in 2021 - to his ability to win to be able to challenge for the world title in the future. "My goal is to be consistent," he said. "To win races, I already know what it is, but if you want to fight for the world championship, you have to be consistent.”

"If you're at the front, the worst result is fifth or sixth, but with six or seven retirements that we've had, a series of points will go away that make you miss the world championship - although it's also true that Verstappen and Red Bull have been stronger. I believe that by learning those couple of lessons and going back to being the consistent Carlos of 2021, who I think will finish all the races, you can fight for the world championship."

‘Seeking "a more linear" season’;

https://f1i.com/news/463342-sainz-consistency-with-ferrari-key-to-fighting-for-world-title.html

[Fortitude]

Alpine to launch their 2023 F1 car in London on 16th February.
Alpine have become the fourth Formula 1 team to announce the launch plans for their 2023 car. They will present the new A523 on February 16th.
2023 F1 season
Posted on 4th January 2023, 15:32
Written by Ida Wood
RaceFans

The launch will take place in London. It will be Alpine’s third F1 car since the rebranding of the Renault team ahead of the 2021 season, when it took on the name of its sister sports car brand. The French-owned, British-based team rose to fourth place in the constructors’ championship last year, despite failing to repeat the win they scored in 2021.

Their best result was only a fourth place, achieved by Esteban Ocon at the Japanese Grand Prix, but they scored in 19 races out of 22 and had both cars finish in the points on 11 occasions. Ocon will be partnered this season by Pierre Gasly, who joins the team from AlphaTauri after Fernando Alonso left for Aston Martin.

There will however be continuity in the management of Alpine this year, with several changes to how the team is run having been made since it became Alpine. Otmar Sazfnauer will continue to be team principal, and is now one of the longest serving in F1 despite only starting his job in February 2022, while Pat Fry is chief technical officer and Matt Harman is technical director.

‘Alpine launch their 2023 F1 car’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/01/04/alpine-to-launch-their-2023-f1-car-in-london-on-16th-february/


Alpine announces 2023 F1 launch date
Thursday 5th January, 2023 - 8:38am
By Daniel Herrero
Speedcafe

Alpine has announced its 2023 F1 launch date and the name of the car which it will field in this year’s world championship. The A523 will be launched on February 16 in London, the team announced via social media.

The upcoming season will be the team’s third as Alpine, after a rebranding from Renault to the French firm’s sportscar subsidiary. The A523 moniker for the Anglo-French squad’s new car is no surprise, given its predecessors are the A521 and A522.

As it stands, AlphaTauri will be first to launch its 2023 Formula 1 effort, although likely with livery only, in New York City on February 11, before Aston Martin on February 13 and Ferrari on the following day. The other six teams are yet to announce their plans.

‘2023 F1 launch date’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/01/05/alpine-announces-2023-f1-launch-date/


Alpine announce 2023 launch date and reveal name of new F1 challenger.
This year's Alpine A523 will be launched on February 16 in London, the team confirmed on Wednesday.
04 January 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Gasly, who joins from AlphaTauri, tested the A522 at Yas Marina Circuit after the 2022 season had concluded, and said at the time: "Firstly, thanks to the entire team for making me feel so welcome over the last two days and I’m feeling ready to begin this next chapter in my career.

"I’m looking forward to visiting everyone at Viry and Enstone, debriefing on this test, before working towards our objectives alongside Esteban for the 2023 season."

The team's CEO Laurent Rossi said that their P4 in the standings in 2022 was an "important" step for the constructors as they look to push on towards fighting for the championship. "I mean, it's always better to finish P4 than P5, no doubt," said Rossi at the end of last season.”

‘February 16 in London’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.alpine-announce-2023-launch-date-and-reveal-name-of-new-f1-challenger.5pOzQaq7LoilRL0qSwbtpH.html


Alpine announces launch date for 2023 F1 car
15:14 Wed, 04 Jan 2023.
by Fergal Walsh
Motorsport Week

It's nearly time to meet the A523…
Save the date 16.02.23#Alpine #A523 pic.twitter.com/fWMBr20jIH
— BWT Alpine F1 Team (@AlpineF1Team) January 4, 2023

‘It's nearly time’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/01/04/alpine-announces-launch-date-of-2023-f1-car/


Everything we know about 2023 F1 car launches so far
15:26 Wed, 04 Jan 2023.
By Josh Suttill
The Race

F1 2023 launch dates so far
AlphaTauri – February 11
Aston Martin – February 13
Ferrari – February 14
Alpine – February 16

‘2023 F1 car launches so far’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/2023-f1-car-launch-dates/

[Fortitude]

Andretti and Cadillac announce plans to enter Formula 1.
Andretti has formally announced it intends to submit an entry to compete in the Formula 1 world championship in collaboration with General Motors brand Cadillac.
2023 F1 season
Posted on 5th January 2023, 15:535th January 2023, 16:22
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

The two companies plan to submit an Expression of Interest when the FIA begins the process which was announced by president Mohammed Ben Sulayem last week. Its F1 operation would be based in the US with a “support facility” in the UK. “We are continuing to grow Andretti Global and its family of racing teams and always have our eyes on what’s next,” said Andretti. “I feel that we are well suited to be a new team for Formula 1 and can bring value to the series and our partners, and excitement for the fans.”

The FIA is yet to confirm how its process for admitting new teams will be structured. Andretti said “we will continue to follow procedures and steps put forth by the FIA during the evaluation process. “In the meantime, we continue to optimistically prepare should we be fortunate enough to have Andretti Cadillac formally approved as a Formula 1 contender.”

Ben Sulayem immediately responded to Andretti’s announcement on social media. “I welcome the news of the Cadillac Andretti partnership and the FIA looks forward to further discussions on the FIA F1 World Championship Expressions of Interest process,” he said. GM president Mark Reuss said the car making giant “is honoured to team with Andretti Global on this historic moment in racing.”

‘Andretti and Cadillac announce plans’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/01/05/andretti-and-cadillac-announce-plans-to-enter-formula-1/


The four teammate pairings likely to give us drama in F1 2023
5 Jan 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

With the 2023 F1 season fast approaching, Crash.net looks at the four teammate pairings likely to give us drama this year. Red Bull. Before the 2022 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, it’s unlikely Red Bull’s pairing of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez would ever be considered for such a list.

Mercedes. In most people’s opinions, including mine, Mercedes have the best driver line-up on the grid. Hamilton is still hungry for an eighth world title, while Russell - at just 24 - feels ready to take his first. Alpine. One team near certain of friction between their teammate pairing is Alpine. Esteban Ocon has a knack of irritating his teammates - ask Perez or Fernando Alonso.

Aston Martin. In performance terms, Alonso and Lance Stroll is a bit of a mis-match, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be drama. Both drivers aren’t afraid to get close with their teammate, backed up by Alonso and Stroll’s incidents with their respective teammates in 2022.

‘Four teammate pairings for drama’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/feature/1018599/1/four-teammate-pairings-likely-give-us-drama-f1-2023


F1's 2023 race calendar dilemma with China seeking U-turn despite Portugal deal.
China was included on the 2023 race calendar when first announced before being removed in December – now, with Covid restrictions easing, the Asian country wants to be involved again.
17:17, 4 Jan 2023
By Daniel MoxonF1 Writer
The Mirror

F1 chiefs made it clear at the time that they were hoping to replace it (Chinese Grand Prix). "Formula 1 is assessing alternative options to replace the slot on the 2023 calendar and will provide an update on this in due course," was the closing line of the official statement.

And so, they turned to Portugal. It was one of very few viable options when taking into account logistics, weather and venue availability and, as reported by GPFans, an agreement was struck which would see the F1 circus head to Portimao again.

Problem solved? Well, not quite, because China has since made some pretty big changes. Covid measures are being scrapped across the country from next week with leaders moving away from the controversial zero-Covid policy, despite a significant spike in cases over the past two months.

‘China seeking U-turn despite Portugal deal’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/chinese-grand-prix-2023-portugal-28875830


Charles Leclerc will ‘fancy himself’ against Max Verstappen again for F1 2023 title
Thursday 5th January 2023 11:00 AM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Can Charles Leclerc make an extra step up in 2023? Leclerc was pragmatic about how his 2022 eventually panned out, saying at the FIA’s Prize Giving Gala back in December: “Obviously we’ve seen the images, quite a lot of frustrating moments, but also some some very good ones.

“Obviously, we cannot forget from how far we’ve come. 2020 and 2021 had been two very difficult years for the team, but we kept pushing and it’s still great to finish second this year.

“We didn’t quite make it, but we’ll work harder than ever to try and challenge the Red Bull guys for longer next year and hopefully, come back on top.”

‘Frustrating moments, but also some some very good ones’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/charles-leclerc-max-verstappen-2023-fight/


Guenther Steiner ‘cautiously confident’ about Haas success in F1 2023
Wednesday 4th January 2023 10:00 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

“I think we are in a better place,” Steiner explained on the Beyond The Grid podcast. “In 2018, we had a very good year, ‘19, our car was not up to what we wanted it to be. And then ‘20 came, we quite a few backward hits, I would say, in a very short period of time.

“[In] ‘19, our car wasn’t good. We tried to recover, then 2020 came, we got again, a slap in our face, because we didn’t know if we [could] continue. “And then we had to come up with ‘21 with having two rookie drivers. But now it’s ’22, we’ve made a big step. So I think in one or two years, our aim is to be where we left off in ‘18.”

Haas have expanded their staff with a new base set up at Maranello, led by former Ferrari chief designer Simone Resta, who came on board as the team’s technical director. Guenther Steiner believes the gelling process among new staff at Haas will stand them in good stead for the 2023 season.

‘Cautiously confident’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/guenther-steiner-haas-2023-success/

[Humber]

The Andretti Autosport/ Cadillac website announcement.

https://www.andrettiautosport.com/news/andretti-global-and-general-motors-team-up-in-f1-pursuit?fbclid=IwAR1iDk3wqphVBUui8JMMvRXE7ufdyTYLT SClstEvLlIi1nfK9H9ew5ktaFs

[Fortitude]

Andretti-Cadillac announcement gets a cooler reception from F1 than FIA.
“Any new entrant request requires the agreement of both F1 and the FIA,” the spokesperson (commercial rights holder) added.
2023 F1 season
Posted on 5th January 2023, 17:34 | Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

But while Ben Sulayem was quick to claim credit for the interest on the behalf of the governing body, the reaction from the commercial rights holder was decidedly cooler. A spokesperson noted other potential new entrants have been in discussions with the series. “There is great interest in the F1 project at this time with a number of conversations continuing that are not as visible as others,” they said. “We all want to ensure the championship remains credible and stable and any new entrant request will be assessed on criteria to meet those objectives by all the relevant stakeholders.”

Andretti previously made attempts to take over existing teams. However it came up short in its pursuit of Force India in 2018, which was purchased by Lawrence Stroll and turned into Aston Martin, and Sauber in 2021, as it was unable to reach a satisfactory agreement.

Since then Michael Andretti’s operation has focused its energies on entering as a new team. However the existing competitors fear the expansion of the grid may dilute the value of the existing competitors. For this reason F1 introduced a rule requiring new teams to pay a $200 million “anti-dilution” charge on entering in 2021. Nonetheless, many team bosses reacted cautiously to the possibility of Andretti joining the grid.

‘A cooler reception’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/01/05/andretti-cadillac-announcement-gets-a-cooler-reception-from-f1-than-fia/


F1 chiefs issue blunt response to Andretti-Cadillac link-up ahead of possible new team.
Responding to the major announcement that Andretti had sealed a deal with Cadillac ahead of their planned F1 entry, the sport issued a tepid statement to temper the excitement.
18:57, 5 Jan 2023
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
The Mirror

Formula 1 bosses moved to make it clear they would have the final say over any new team after Andretti Autosport announced its link-up with Cadillac. But even though all signs now point to a successful Andretti bid, F1 chiefs have served a timely reminder that their place on the future grid is not guaranteed. "There is great interest in the F1 project at this time with a number of conversations continuing that are not as visible as others," a statement read.

Though those "not as visible" bids were not named, there have been plenty of automotive brands and private projects linked with F1. Porsche remain interested despite the collapse of their Red Bull deal, while carmakers as diverse as Ford, Hyundai and BMW have been named as possible interested parties. Hong Kong billionaire Calvin Lo wants to bankroll a new Asian team and recently spoke to Mirror Sport about his plans.

And he is not the only interested party from the East, with the Panthera Team Asia project also raising funds to submit a bid to the FIA. There is space on the grid – current rules allow for up to 26 cars per race, meaning there is room for 13 teams. But whether or not the existing 10 would give their blessing to any new outfit under current dilution legislation is a questions which remains unanswered.

‘Tepid statement’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/andretti-cadillac-f1-team-response-28885772


F1 issues stern response in wake of Andretti and Cadillac partnership
Thursday 5th January 2023 5:15 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Formula 1 issued a reminder that new entrants require their agreement as well as the FIA’s, in the wake of Andretti announcing its partnership with General Motors to launch a bid to get into the sport.

“There is great interest in the F1 project at this time with a number of conversations continuing that are not as visible as others,” read Formula 1’s statement.
“We all want to ensure the championship remains credible and stable and any new entrant request will be assessed on criteria to meet those objectives by all the relevant stakeholders.
“Any new entrant request requires the agreement of both F1 and the FIA.”

‘Stern response’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-response-andretti-cadillac-partnership/


Podcast: Why Andretti and Cadillac’s F1 bid is so compelling
21:57 Thu, 05 Jan 2022.
The Race

We explain why the Andretti and General Motors Cadillac Formula 1 team bid is so compelling in the latest edition of The Race F1 Podcast.
Scott Mitchell-Malm and Jack Benyon join Edd Straw to examine how the new team will work and the background behind this new alliance.
Andretti’s plans to have facilities in both North America and Europe, and the progress it’s made with recruitment are discussed.
We also evaluate the chances of it actually getting an F1 entry, and what it means for potential driver Colton Herta.

‘So compelling’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/podcast-why-andretti-and-cadillacs-f1-bid-is-so-compelling/


Andretti Cadillac F1 bid won’t use GM power
Friday 6th January, 2023 - 11:15am
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

The joint effort between Cadillac and Andretti Global to enter F1 will not use a General Motors power unit. There remains no clarity on when, or even if Andretti Cadillac would enter the sport. “It’s going to depend on the Expression of Interest, how long that takes, and where we are at the time,” Andretti said of a potential entry date.

“But we are going to be on track as soon as it all makes sense to be on track. It is still an FIA Series,” he added when if support from FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem was enough to get the new team on the grid. “The President has definitely showed that you really would like to have an 11th team at least on the grid.”

“He is a racer and he understands the importance of that for the series itself. We feel very confident that, once the Expression of Interest goes out, especially having a great partnership with Cadillac, we have a very, very, very good shot at checking every box and being able to be on the grid soon.”

‘Expression of Interest’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/01/06/andretti-cadillac-f1-bid-wont-use-gm-power/


Why F1 would be foolish to reject Andretti Cadillac entry
Thursday 5 January 2023 16:06 - Updated: 16:10
Ewan Gale
GPFans

Andretti Global has made its desire to join the F1 grid well-known over the past 12 months but whilst initial pushes were met with resistance, this latest development threatens significantly alters the landscape.

Such worries were behind the $200million anti-dilution fee introduced in the last Concorde Agreement, which aims to protect the loss of financial input teams receive from F1 in prize money, given an 11th team would take a share of the existing fund. So how has the announcement of a collaboration with Cadillac changed Andretti's F1 outlook?

What the present teams had suggested, notably Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, is that a powerhouse manufacturer would allay any dilution fears due to the value the name itself would add to the sport, increasing revenue worldwide.

‘Foolish to reject Andretti Cadillac entry’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/99005/andretti-cadillac-f1-entry-foolish/

[Fortitude]

McLaren confirm February 13th launch date for MCL37.
McLaren will launch their 2023 Formula 1 contender, the MCL37, at the McLaren Technology Centre on February 13th.
2023 F1 season
Posted on 6th January 2023, 15:10
Written by Ida Wood
RaceFans

The launch will be broadcast online from 5pm local time. The Mercedes-powered machine will be driven by Lando Norris and F1 rookie Oscar Piastri, who has been signed after Daniel Ricciardo was dropped by the team a year before his contract with them was due to end.

The new car will be unveiled by the drivers and Andrea Stella, who took over as McLaren’s team principal last month when Andreas Seidl left for Sauber.

McLaren is going into their third year with Mercedes as power unit supplier, a relationship which has resulted in one win and five other podium finishes since it started in 2021. However the team has only visited the podium once in the last 30 grands prix.

‘McLaren confirm February 13th launch date’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/01/06/mclaren-confirm-february-13th-launch-date-for-mcl37/


McLaren latest to confirm 2023 F1 launch plans.
It will unveil its new package at the McLaren Technology Centre on February 13.
06/01/2023, 15:11
by Phillip Horton
Motorsport Week

McLaren is the latest team to confirm the launch plans for its 2023 Formula 1 programme. It is the first confirmed case of two teams launching their 2023 cars on the same day, with Aston Martin also due to unveil its new package on February 13.

McLaren enters 2023 with a revised driver pairing after recruiting rookie Oscar Piastri to partner the experienced Lando Norris.

‘McLaren Launch’;

https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/?search=f1+2023&lang=en&searchheadlines=1


McLaren sneakily gives away launch date
Friday 6 January 2023 13:36 - Updated: 14:12
Ewan Gale
GPFans

McLaren has sneakily revealed the launch date of the new MCL37. The Woking-based team will hope to build from a disappointing first year under F1's new technical regulations, where it fell backward in the constructors' championship to finish behind rivals Alpine in fifth.

But the launch date for the challenger tasked with taking McLaren back into the fight for regular podiums has been revealed, although you would have to search through a recent social media post - and then zoom in on an image - to find it.

Within a selection of pictures posted by the team, a post-it note on a computer reads "Launch deadline, 13.02".

‘McLaren sneakily gave away launch date

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/99047/mclaren-f1-2023-launch-date/


Brown: Closing gap to top three is McLaren's 2023 aim
04/01/2023 at 15:58
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

McLaren CEO Zak Brown says that his team is focussing on closing the gap to the top three teams in the Formula 1 constructors championship next season and stopping their recent downward slide in the standings.

McLaren was third in 2020, a season which saw a particularly poor performance from Ferrari. The following season they dropped to fourth, and in 2022 they were also pipped by Alpine by 14 points.

That left them in fifth overall, a long way from where McLaren wants to be. Dismissing the challenge from Alpine, Brown said that the target for this season would be to catch up to Mercedes and cutting the gap to the top-placed teams.

‘: Closing gap to top three’;

https://f1i.com/news/463705-brown-closing-gap-to-the-top-three-mclarens-2023-aim.html


McLaren target fourth place in 2023 after “disappointing” fall to fifth
2022 F1 season
Posted on 31st December 2022, 12:3631st December 2022, 12:37
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown says the team’s fall to fifth place in the constructors’ championship in 2022 was a “disappointing” result. Brown admitted he was dissatisfied with McLaren’s outcome for the season. “[It was a] tough season, for sure,” he told Speedcafe. “Fifth is disappointing coming off of fourth and, prior to that, a third.

“We had our challenges. We definitely had some good weekends – a nice podium by Lando. Then of course, we really struggled to come to grips with Daniel to maximise his performance. So as you guys are well aware that was difficult through, really, the entire season in the media that was around that.” McLaren lured Oscar Piastri away from Alpine, where he was a reserve driver, to replace Ricciardo next year.

“We have two data points that we pay most attention to: One is how close are we to the the team that’s winning and, if that team is not Mercedes, our other data point – given what a great team Mercedes is and we share the same engine – is how close are we to Mercedes,” Brown explained.

‘McLaren target fourth place’;

https://www.racefans.net/2022/12/31/mclaren-target-fourth-place-in-2023-after-disappointing-fall-to-fifth/

[Fortitude]

George Russell’s Mercedes W14 wishlist suggest zero-pods are here to stay.
George Russell has “a lot” on his wishlist for how his 2023 Mercedes will be, but a change of sidepod philosophy is not on there.
Thursday 5th January 2023 8:00 AM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Addressing a question from PlanetF1.com specifically on the zero-pod concept which made the W13 stand out from the crowd, at least aesthetically, the Briton said his team were prioritising other areas of the car to look at for 2023.

“I think our issues don’t really have a lot to do with the sort of sidepod philosophy,” Russell said. “We may be wrong, but I’m quite confident it’s not the reason for our lack of performance this year.

“To be honest, we’re focused on other features of the car as opposed to the sidepods necessarily.”

‘George Russell’s Mercedes W14 wishlist’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/george-russell-mercedes-w14-wishlist/


Lewis Hamilton told he's been ousted as Mercedes No 1 by George Russell after poor 2022
George Russell edged out Lewis Hamilton in the 2022 standings.
14:56, Thu, Jan 5, 2023
By Luke Chillingsworth
Daily and Sunday Express

George Russell has taken Lewis Hamilton’s position as Mercedes' number one driver, according to F1 fans in a new poll. Thousands of supporters have said the seven-time champion's role at the team has diminished after his disappointing 2022. And over half of respondents in an Express Sport poll (57.6 per cent) feel Hamilton has now been overtaken by Russell at Mercedes. Meanwhile, Just 42.4 per cent still feel he is the main star as the Silver Arrows try to close the gap to Red Bull in 2023.

Russell admitted he would have been “incredibly proud and happy” to beat Hamilton in the standings ahead of the season. However, he hinted the result had lost some of its awe due to his P4 finish in the Drivers’ Championship. And over half of respondents in an Express Sport poll (57.6 per cent) feel Hamilton has now been overtaken by Russell at Mercedes. Meanwhile, Just 42.4 per cent still feel he is the main star as the Silver Arrows try to close the gap to Red Bull in 2023.

Russell admitted he would have been “incredibly proud and happy” to beat Hamilton in the standings ahead of the season. However, he hinted the result had lost some of its awe due to his P4 finish in the Drivers’ Championship. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff took a similar line after the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, claiming the standings were “irrelevant”. He explained: “They were not racing for a world championship. They haven't raced for victories apart from Brazil. I don't think for any of the team it matters whether they finish second, third, fourth or fifth." Russell enjoyed success early on with three podiums from the first nine races.”

‘Been ousted as Mercedes No 1’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1717488/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-george-russell-news-latest


Nico Rosberg rubs salt into Lewis Hamilton’s wound after George Russell impresses
George Russell finished two places above his teammate Lewis Hamilton in the 2022 drivers’ championship.
6 January 2023
by Jack Devonport
Formula1News

Former Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg, who shared a tense and sometimes toxic relationship with Hamilton during his time with the team, has praised Russell for his start to life with Mercedes, claimed that his feats should not go under the radar.

“It’s his first year at Mercedes, an incredibly consistent year with such a difficult car,” said the German. “He finished top five in almost every race this year, it’s incredible, so you’ve just got to give your respect to that.”

“And with Lewis Hamilton as a teammate, to beat him over the course of a whole year, I think George just did a really incredible season, always fast. Lewis always has these special days, very often, when he’s just untouchable. And even then, George was always right behind him at the very least, and if not in front of him.”

‘Always right behind him at the very least’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/nico-rosberg-rubs-salt-into-lewis-hamiltons-wound-after-george-russell-impresses/


Video: Hamilton and Russell tour Mercedes’ engine factory.
09:45 Fri, 06 Jan 2023.
by Fergal Walsh
Motorsport Week

Mercedes’ Formula 1 drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, accompanied by team boss Toto Wolff, recently visited the organisation’s engine factory in Brixworth. See what they got up to!

‘Mercedes’ engine factory tour’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/01/06/video-hamilton-and-russell-tour-mercedes-engine-factory/


Betrayal: George Russell photographed partying with Lewis Hamilton’s nemesis
George Russell outscored Lewis Hamilton in his first season as a Mercedes driver last year.
3 January 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Fernando Alonso and George Russell have shocked F1 fans by celebrating the New Year together, as the Mercedes driver shared a picture of the pair partying the night away via his Instagram account.

With Russell being 17 years younger than Alonso, and with the Brit being 24 years old, their friendship has come as a surprise to many; however, in the paddock it is very well-established.

Russell has often spoken very highly about the double World Champion, whom he enjoyed an excellent battle with at the 2021 Austrian Grand Prix. On that occasion, Russell was attempting to claim a points finish for Williams, only for the wily old fox to snatch P10 at the Red Bull Ring for Alpine.

‘George Russell partying with Lewis Hamilton’s nemesis’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/betrayal-george-russell-photographed-partying-with-lewis-hamiltons-nemesis/

[Fortitude]

PERSONALITY TEST: Which F1 driver should you support in 2023?
The 2023 Formula 1 season is almost here and with 20 drivers on the grid, you might be wondering which one to root for – particularly if you're new to the sport.
07 January 2023
Formula One - Official Site

We've devised a not-at-all-scientific way to find out which driver you should support in 2023...

They're not just the fastest drivers in the world, but the greatest personalities in sport – just check out our Grill The Grid series for proof. So while they spent the off-season resting and training, we spent the time thinking up 10 pointed questions that will match you to your new favourite Formula 1 driver.

Perhaps this quiz will make you question your allegiances (we doubt it) or trigger a deep realisation that you have more in common with a certain driver than you think (again, we doubt it). Either way, scroll down to take the 10 questions, and make sure to share the results with your friends!

‘Not-at-all-scientific way to support a F1 Driver’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.personality-test-which-f1-driver-should-you-support-in-2023.1kMR8MEXCWQ7KraUWVyLnw.html


The extraordinary cost every F1 driver must pay to compete in 2023
7 Jan 2023
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

F1 drivers will be hit with a colossal bill - just to compete in the 2023 season. There is a basic registration fee of €10,400 (£9,148 / $11,047) per driver, plus an extra €2,100 (£1,847 / $2,230) per point from the previous season.

This means Max Verstappen is faced with a staggering bill of more than $1m just to enter the 2023 season.

‘Extraordinary cost’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1018553/1/extraordinary-cost-every-f1-driver-must-pay-compete-2023


F1 2023 predictions: The next move for the seven out-of-contract drivers
Saturday 7th January 2023 11:00 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Seven Formula 1 drivers, including seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton, are entering the final year of their contracts in 2023. The futures of some drivers are easier to call than others and we’ve had a go at predicting whether the drivers – listed in the order in which their current teams finished in the 2022 Constructors’ Championship – will stay or go come the end of the year…

If Hamilton is to be believed, his signing of a new contract with Mercedes is an inevitability with the seven-time World Champion revealing in Mexico last October that he is planning to sign a new multi-year deal. The likelihood is that the new arrangement – set to take Hamilton into his forties – will be signed, sealed and delivered before the new season begins.

Yet with Hamilton having so much credit in the bank at Mercedes that any contract he signs won’t be worth the paper on which it is written, his future is potentially more delicately poised than it first appears and is likely to be determined by his and the team’s performances on track.

‘F1 2023 predictions’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-2023-predictions-seven-out-of-contract-drivers/


No more grid drops? Formula 1 to introduce new power unit penalty for 2023
Teams have been accused of making tactical power unit changes in recent seasons.
7 January 2023
by Jack Devonport
Formula1News

Every season each F1 team has a set number of engine components that they are allowed to use. Wear and tear, failures and crashes can all lead to a team having to change some of these components going into a race weekend, sometimes even going over the allowed limit.

Teams could be forced to serve a time penalty during the race of up to 30 seconds depending on how many components they have changed, meaning that drivers would suddenly lose track position during a Grand Prix, making it extremely difficult to recover the lost positions.

It has also been suggested that a points deduction could be the appropriate way to deal with such a misdemeanour, with points automatically being taken away from a drivers’ tally as soon as they go over the parts limit.

‘No more grid drops?’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/no-more-grid-drops-formula-1-to-introduce-new-power-unit-penalty-for-2023/


Formula 1 driver could already be facing a ban in 2023
11:36 Fri, 06 Jan 2023.
by Asher Fair
Beyond the Flag (Weblog)

Due to FIA rules, one Formula 1 driver is already at risk of being banned from a race near the beginning of the 2023 season. Entering the 2023 Formula 1 season, 17 drivers have at least one penalty point to their name, with 15 of those drivers set to compete throughout the upcoming 23-race campaign.

Just five drivers — Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr., Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas, AlphaTauri rookie Nyck de Vries, and Williams rookie Logan Sargeant — are totally unscathed heading into the new season.

The driver who leads everyone with 10 penalty points, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, is just two points away from being issued a one-race ban, as any driver who reaches 12 points must sit out the next race.

‘Facing a ban in 2023‘;

https://beyondtheflag.com/2023/01/06/formula-1-driver-already-facing-ban-2023/

[Fortitude]

Lewis Hamilton contract latest: What's been said and could F1 superstar quit in 2023?
Lewis Hamilton is yet to put pen to paper on a new contract with his current deal expiring at the end of the year.
05:20, Sun, Jan 8, 2023
By Stuart Ballard

Lewis Hamilton's future in F1 remains a mystery with the seven-time world champion yet to officially sign a new contract with Mercedes. Express Sport brings all the latest updates from what has been said by both Hamilton and Toto Wolff on the contract and how long it could be.

“It won't be a huge time now, but I will definitely stay.” Toto Wolff echoed Hamilton's comments, but refused to put a timeline on when discussions will likely take place.”

He said: “Well, the job list is pretty long in what is needed to be done. But certainly, Lewis’ contract is one of the topics that we will tackle over the winter. But there is no firm deadline. Lewis is part of the team and the team is part of Lewis. There is no reason to not continue.”

‘Contract latest’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1718218/Lewis-Hamilton-contract-latest-update-Toto-Wolff-F1-news-Mercedes


First details of the Mercedes W14 revealed
06 January 6:00PM
Author Paolo Filisetti
Co-author Luke Murphy
RacingNews365

Following their failure to capitalise on the regulation changes in 2022, what have Mercedes done to try and bring themselves back into contention? RacingNews365 technical expert Paolo Filisetti explains.

To understand whether the W14 the Mercedes car for the 2023 season will be a direct evolution of its predecessor, or otherwise, it is important starting from last year’s car. This approach makes even more sense, after recent statements from Toto Wolff, about its continuity in terms of visible shape, that contrast, at least partially.

The rumours supported also by sources internal to the team, that the W14, will be a conceptual revolution under many points of view. The Mercedes W13 was for most of last season a single-seater from which it was difficult to extract the potential.

‘Sources internal to the team’;

https://racingnews365.com/first-details-of-the-mercedes-w14-revealed


Wolff Praises Hamilton Mentality after Tough 2022 Campaign with Unpredictable W13
January 6, 2023
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag

Wolff, the Team Principal at Mercedes, feels Hamilton’s personality traits were extremely admirable even if the team were unable to deliver him a car to challenge for his eighth World Drivers’ Championship, and he handled a tough season well.

“Extremely tough, because we have given him a tool that wasn’t capable of winning,” Wolff said on Formula 1’s Beyond the Grid podcast. “On top of that, the drivers had a car that was unpredictable, unstable, good at times, not good at others – not really something you can work with and develop.”

“But as a personality, how he has gone through the season is really admirable. There were times when the team felt down because of the non-performance and this is where he picked the people up and motivated them, and that is truly management and personality traits that I have not seen with a professional sportsman before.”

‘Personality traits were extremely admirable’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2023/01/wolff-praises-hamilton-mentality-after-tough-2022-campaign-with-unpredictable-w13/


Toto Wolff sends warning to Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc
George Russell claimed Mercedes' only win in 2022, with Lewis Hamilton having endured a woeful year.
7 January 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has warned Red Bull and Ferrari that the team’s 2023 car, the W14, is “full of surprises”, as the Silver Arrows look to get back to winning ways in the upcoming campaign.

Wolff revealed that the W14 interestingly looks the same as the woeful W13, but that it certainly isn’t the same as their 2022 challenger. “It’s full of surprises,” Wolff told reporters.

“I’m pretty much like you, I go into the wind tunnel and it looks like this year’s car but they say to me it’s very different underneath. It’s about the airflow, it’s about the weight distribution, it’s about the aero map. Our car fundamentally changed mid-year. We changed the concept but we couldn’t see anything on the bodywork.”

‘Full of surprises’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/toto-wolff-sends-warning-to-max-verstappen-and-charles-leclerc/


Wolff reveals how Hamilton 'spectacularly lifted Mercedes'
Friday 6 January 2023 10:44
Ian Parkes
GPFans

Toto Wolff has hailed the "spectacular" ability of Lewis Hamilton to lift Mercedes during a torrid 2022 season. Speaking in an end-of-year interview with GPFans, Wolff said: "He rose to a level that went much beyond what Lewis was before, for the team, and in the car.”

"We all have our bad moments, and when one of us had it, then Lewis picked us up. I remember debriefings where he said afterwards, 'Guys, let's not be down. Let's pick ourselves up. There is more to come, more to win. Let's go!'”

"And the other way round. We keep supporting him when there is a tough session or a tough race as we had, so I would say spectacular team behaviour." Expanding on this, Wolff said: "I must say that before we would call drivers contractors, they come and go. But that is totally different with Lewis. He is a valuable and recognised team member.”

‘Rose to a level that went much beyond…’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/98970/toto-wolff-lewis-hamilton-mercedes-lifted-team/

[Fortitude]

Gary Anderson: What each F1 team needs to improve for 2023.
The design and development process of the 2023 Formula 1 cars will have got under way long ago, and with launches only a month away it’s now down to the final crucial details and the build process.
9th Jan 2023, 06:50
By Gary Anderson
The Race

Once a car is up and running and you’ve competed in four or five races, you will know where you stand as far as performance is concerned. From there, it’s about ‘accepting’ that and pressing on with whatever developments might sort your problems. There’s no magic bullet, so while you might be able to put a temporary bandage on your problems, you will never fix them completely without a new car.

I use the word ‘accepting’ above, as many teams fail to do that. This delays everything, so while the development group should have been deciding on which direction to go in with the new car from about July last year, some wouldn’t have been getting on with it until much later. That can very easily compromise 2023.

‘F1 team improvements’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/gary-anderson-what-each-f1-team-needs-to-improve-for-2023/


F1 2023 calendar ‘couldn’t have been put together much more expensively’
Sunday 8th January 2023 8:00 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Team personnel have bore their frustrations with the F1 2023 calendar with one director stating that it “couldn’t have been put together much more expensive.” The 2023 season will take place in 20 countries across five continents and while there had been hope for a regionalised order, those hopes have come to nothing.

There are particular egregious examples of Formula 1 failing to live up to its commitment to lowering its impact on the environment. A trip to Miami is sandwiched in between races in Baku and Italy. Meanwhile, the Canadian Grand Prix follows the Spanish Grand Prix and proceeds Austria. The last three races alone will require the team to travel 14,000 miles.

All of this comes at a time of increased focus on the human impact on the environment with scientists warning there is not much time left to prevent permanent effects of climate change. F1 have committed to greener ways of working such as with a sustainable fuel and being carbon neutral by 2030 but the 2023 calendar suggests that for now, this will remain a problem area.

‘F1 2023 calendar’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-2023-calendar-expensive/


Winging It F1 Podcast | Biggest F1 2023 Talking Points
January 8, 2023
By Nigel Chiu
Total Motorsport

New year, a new season of Formula 1 and the return of the Winging It F1 Podcast. Nigel Chiu, Adam Dickinson and Freddie Coates take a look at some of the key talking points to expect.

A new year of Formula 1 is ready to rumble with Max Verstappen and Red Bull looking to defend their titles from 2022.

‘Winging It’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/winging-it-f1-podcast-biggest-f1-2023-talking-points/


Ben Sulayem to Andretti-Cadillac F1 bid
2023 F1 season
Posted on 8th January 2023, 13:53
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem says he is “surprised” by the “adverse reaction” to Andretti and Cadillac’s announcement that they will team up for a bid to join Formula 1 as a new entry.

“An 11th team means a 10% dilution for everybody else,” said Wolff. “If one is able to demonstrate that, then we should all be sitting at the table and cheer for such an entry. But that hasn’t been demonstrated yet.” However, in a post on social media today, FIA president Ben Sulayem expressed his view that the Andretti-Cadillac application was only a positive thing for Formula 1.

“It is surprising that there has been some adverse reaction to the Cadillac and Andretti news,” Ben Sulayem said. “The FIA has accepted smaller, successful organisations in recent years. We should be encouraging prospective F1 entries from global manufacturers like GM and thoroughbred racers like Andretti and others. Interest from teams in growth markets adds diversity and broadens F1’s appeal.”

“Surprised” by “adverse reaction”;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/01/08/ben-sulayem-surprised-by-adverse-reaction-to-andretti-cadillac-f1-bid/


Brutal failure of F1’s last influx of new teams is a warning
Jan 5 2023
By Edd Straw

Genuine new teams are a rarity in 21st century Formula 1, as despite regular rebadging of existing operations, the challenge of building up a constructor from scratch is almost prohibitively difficult. But with the FIA keen to open a formal process for expressions of interest, there’s the possibility that for the first time since 2010, multiple newcomers could join the grid in the coming years.

Four teams were granted entries as the 2010 entry expanded to 13 teams, meaning the F1 grid should have hit 26 cars for the first time since 1995. Infamously, USF1 collapsed before it ever participated in an F1 race, although Lotus Racing, Virgin and HRT made it. Or at least, they did for a time, as all had vanished by 2017.

The F1 political landscape was dramatically different back then. During the first decade of the 21st century, F1 mostly comprised manufacturer teams that drove independent teams to the brink of extinction. The OEMs invested heavily and built an enormous power base, leading to the threat of the GPMA (Grand Prix Manufacturers’ Association) breakaway that was a long brandished as a weapon in the battle between the teams, F1 and the FIA.

‘Brutal failure of F1’s last influx’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/brutal-failure-of-f1s-last-influx-of-new-teams-is-a-warning/

[Fortitude]

Red Bull Should ‘Fear’ Mercedes in 2023 F1 Season: Marko.
According to Autosport, Red Bull team advisor Helmut Marko spoke about next year's competition and named Mercedes as a bigger threat than Ferrari.
PUBLISHED Jan 8, 2023 11:17 AM
By Nico DeMattia
The Drive

Red Bull's dominant 2022 season was literally one for the record books, as both the team and its star driver Max Verstappen broke a few F1 records along the way to clinching both the driver's and manufacturer's championships well before the end of the season.

While Ferrari finished P2 in both the manufacturer's and driver's standings, it was a distant second. So distant, in fact, that Red Bull doesn't seem particularly afraid of Ferrari for the upcoming 2023 season. Instead, Red Bull is more concerned with another rival—Mercedes.

"I would say that we should fear Mercedes more," Marko said. "Mainly because they have an advantage over Ferrari in terms of strategy and reliability." Marko's feelings aren't without merit. Last season, Ferrari's cars and drivers were more than capable of being every bit as dominant as Red Bull but countless breakdowns and strategy missteps saw an incredibly promising team squander its chances of victory.

‘Mercedes as a bigger threat than Ferrari’;

https://www.thedrive.com/news/red-bull-should-fear-mercedes-in-2023-f1-season-marko


Helmut Marko reveals bizarre tradition about RB-19 development
Mercedes have shown that they have already fired up the W14 for the first time, sending a warning to Red Bull ahead of next season.
4 January 2023
by Jack Devonport
Formula1News

While Red Bull will be working with considerably less wind tunnel testing time than their rivals after the team were punished for breaching the 2021 cost cap, chief advisor Helmut Marko has revealed Red Bull’s strange tradition when preparing for a new season.

“We have a tradition at Red Bull that we don’t really finish the car until the very last moment,” said the Austrian. “But the concept of the car is already there. We can indeed build on a very successful 2022 car.”

“We are of course sitting with this reduction of hours in the wind tunnel, that means we have to work very efficiently as a team. All the things we try out have to hit the mark immediately.”

‘Bizarre tradition’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/helmut-marko-reveals-bizarre-tradition-about-rb-19-development/


Marko confident RBR's 'good basic package' can prevail again in 2023
03/01/2023 at 08:27
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Helmut Marko isn't expecting 2023 to be another walk in the park for Red Bull Racing, but the Austrian believes that the team's "good basic package" and F1's unchanged technical regulations leave it well positioned to prevail again this season.

"We are of course sitting with this reduction of hours in the wind tunnel," the Red Bull motorsport boss told Servus TV. "That means we have to work very efficiently as a team. "All the things we try out have to hit the mark immediately. "But fortunately, the technical changes for next year are not that big. It means we have a good basic package."

And Marko says RBR will rely once on its trump card – one Max Verstappen – to keep its momentum going in 2023. "The team also stays together and Max is still getting slightly better," he said. "As a result, we can go into the new season cautiously optimistic.

‘Good basic package';

https://f1i.com/news/463664-marko-confident-rbrs-good-basic-package-will-prevail-again-in-2023.html


Retired F1 Champ Sebastian Vettel Might Be Destined for New Role at Red Bull.
As a driver, Vettel won four Formula 1 championships with Red Bull Racing. Now, according to Helmut Marko, a "top management" job could be next.
Jan 3, 2023
By Fred Smith
AutoWeek

Sebastian Vettel left Red Bull Racing for Ferrari in 2015, ending a seven-year partnership with the team and its Scuderia Toro Rosso junior program that produced 39 Formula 1 wins and four consecutive championships.

Vettel's stint with Ferrari was a relative disappointment, racking up 14 wins and no titles over six seasons before Vettel ultimately raced for two more years at Aston Martin. Now, about a month after retiring as a driver at just 35, Vettel may be on his way back to Red Bull.

That juicy rumor comes from none other than Helmut Marko, the long-time lead of the team's driver development program. Marko, whose legacy is built largely on both hiring Vettel and putting him in a place to succeed, told the German-language Sky Sports F1 that the team is open to a role for its former driver.

"Top management" job could be next’;

https://www.autoweek.com/racing/formula-1/a42388746/retired-f1-champ-sebastian-vettel-might-be-destined-for-new-role-at-red-bull/


‘I’m pretty much at my best’ – Perez setting his sights on title challenge in 2023
09 January 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Sergio Perez believes he drove better than ever towards the end of the 2022 F1 season, form the Mexican is determined to carry through to 2023 and use to push for the championship.

Perez noted an up-and-down relationship with the RB18 as he reflected on the campaign, though feels his performances over the final sequence of flyaways – which included a victory and three further podiums in six races – stand him in good stead.

“I’m constantly working on it. I think it really depends on how comfortable I am at the start of the season with the car, as I was in the beginning of the season, then it slipped away,” Perez said of his form throughout 2022. I think as Formula 1 drivers, we are constantly working for new challenges all the time. But I do feel, at this time, I’m pretty much at my best. I really want to carry it on and start next year on a very high [level].”

‘I’m pretty much at my best’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.im-pretty-much-at-my-best-perez-setting-his-sights-on-title-challenge-in.2Liw1TMu0Og3xfOFTwcXl0.html

[Fortitude]

Ferrari 'blocking' Mattia Binotto from joining another F1 team after getting rid of boss.
Mattia Binotto reportedly cannot join another F1 team right now after Ferrari parted ways with their former Team Principal at the end of the 2022 campaign.
19:55, Mon, Jan 9, 2023
By Fraser Watson
Daily and Sunday Express

Any teams planning to move for Binotto will have to bide their time, due to a reported contract clause that restricts him signing elsewhere.

Formula1a.uno have reported that Binotto and Ferrari have agreed on a 12-month 'gardening leave' period following his departure. The 53-year-old's contract wasn't due to expire until 2023, meaning he will technically remain bound to the Italian giants until it runs out at the end of this year.

However, Binotto will reportedly not have to do any work for Ferrari or even represent the team during this period. He has also reportedly been compensated financially for agreeing to the gardening leave, and it remains to be seen if he will target a return to the sport in 2024.

‘Gardening leave';

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1718976/Ferrari-Mattia-Binotto-constructors-F1-news


Ferrari criticised for the ‘incomprehensible’ decision to let Mattia Binotto go
Friday 6th January 2023 5:00 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Former Formula 1 driver Christijan Albers has slammed Ferrari’s ‘incomprehensible’ decision to part ways with Mattia Binotto at the end of the 2022 season.

Albers, who made 46 F1 appearances between 2005 and 2007, has been left baffled by the changes at Ferrari and has hinted Binotto was the scapegoat for the team’s failure to sustain their strong start to the season. He told Dutch publication De Telegraaf: “I find it incomprehensible that Ferrari has parted with Binotto.

“Okay, officially he quit himself, but everyone knows how it works. I feel that a scapegoat was sought and someone’s head had to be taken off. Then you quickly end up with the team boss. “Still, Binotto has been instrumental in making Ferrari competitive again. Everyone forgets how bad that team was roughly a year ago.”

‘Ferrari criticised’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrari-incomprehensible-decision-mattia-binotto/


Ferrari stops Binotto from taking on F1 role until 2024 – report
16:21 Mon, 09 Jan 2023.
by Fergal Walsh
Motorsport Week


A report from formu1a.uno states that the Italian squad has upped its financial package to Binotto that extends his gardening leave from six to 12 months.

The Italian’s wealth of F1 experience could be valuable to other teams on the grid – or even organisations that will arrive in time for the new 2026 regulations. However, Ferrari has now blocked that possibility until at least 2024.

‘Gardening leave extended’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/01/09/ferrari-stops-binotto-from-taking-on-f1-role-until-2024/


Binotto might’ve been right about Ferrari’s biggest failing
Jan 2 2023
By Matt Beer
The Race

In what turned out to be his last media appearance as Ferrari Formula 1 team principal, Mattia Binotto was asked to identify the main lessons his squad was taking from 2022 and what it would change for 2023.

“I don’t think there is only one [lesson], because in the end our ups and downs were coming from different areas,” he began. “First, reliability. That’s our top priority because in order to win you need to be reliable and that has not been the case in the season, as a balance of the season itself.”

“The second is the speed of the car, because while we have been very competitive in quali, that has not always been the case in the race itself. And our race pace, whether it is from tyre degradation or pure race pace, was not sufficient for a better position.”

‘Main lessons his squad was taking from 2022’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/binotto-mightve-been-right-about-ferraris-biggest-failing/


Former Ferrari boss feels Audi shouldn’t let Mattia Binotto ‘get away’ from them
Saturday 7th January 2023 8:00 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Former Ferrari sporting director Cesare Fiorio believes Audi should do everything in their power to persuade Mattia Binotto to be involved in the German manufacturer’s Formula 1 project for 2026.

Binotto resigned from his role as Ferrari team principal at the end of last season after the Scuderia failed to capitalise on their strong start to 2022, with Max Verstappen and Red Bull storming to both World Championships.

Nevertheless, 2022 still represented Ferrari’s strongest season in years with Binotto’s work on the inventive F1-75 car crucial to returning the team to race-winning contention under the new regulations.

‘Audi should do everything in their power’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/former-ferrari-boss-audi-mattia-binotto/

[Fortitude]

FIA president believes Aston Martin ‘are on the way’ to becoming a race-winning team.
FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem has backed Aston Martin to become Formula 1 race winners, saying they “should be able to do it” in time.
Tuesday 10th January 2023 11:45 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Under owner Lawrence Stroll, Aston Martin are investing heavily in the Formula 1 team’s future with a new £200m “game-changing” F1 factory as well as a new wind tunnel.

However, the team has predicted it won’t be until 2025 that the effects of the infrastructure upgrades are felt out on track as the wind tunnel will only be operational midway through the 2024 season.Ben Sulayem reckons the P1s will come at some stage.

“They should be able to do it, they are investing for it, they are on the way and they have a driver ready like Fernando so I think so,” he told Motorsport.com. “But,” he added, “winning is very complicated. It’s the same with Ferrari. It’s not because they’re slow, management or reliability or both are also important.”

‘Becoming a race-winning team

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fia-president-believes-aston-martin-race-winning-team/


Aston Martin want to reduce their ties to Mercedes
Aston Martin failed to improve in 2022, finishing seventh for the second year running since their introduction into Formula 1.
8 January 2023
by Jack Devonport
Formula1News

It is not uncommon for the smaller teams in Formula 1 to purchase parts from the front runners, as both teams look for a mutually beneficial relationship. Haas and Alfa Romeo enjoy this type of relationship with Ferrari while AlphaTauri obviously hold a strong partnership with their sister team Red Bull.
Since rebranding from Racing Point in 2021, Aston Martin have maintained a health relationship with Mercedes, being powered by the Silver Arrows and purchasing key parts such as the gearbox from Toto Wolff’s team. While Mercedes have been nothing but reliable in their partnership with Aston Martin, team principal Mike Krack has explained why it may be beneficial for his team to begin to go their own way and create their own parts.

“When you have the ability to make everything yourself, you can make things faster and if you can, make them also cheaper,” Krack told reporters. “It means that you can make more or you can have maybe one or two upgrades more than before due to time and also due to financial reasons. So from that point of view, I think it’s a good step.”

‘Reduce their ties to Mercedes’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/aston-martin-want-to-reduce-their-ties-to-mercedes/


Aston Martin claim Nico Hulkenberg learned from former team-mate
Nico Hulkenberg's last season racing full-time in Formula 1 was in 2019 for Renault.
by Nick Golding
10 January 2023
Formula1News

Aston Martin Performance Director Tom McCullough has hailed the team’s former reserve driver Nico Hulkenberg as a “class act”, with Haas having received a “naturally gifted driver” for 2023.

With Hulkenberg having performed so well at such short notice, McCullough rates the new Haas driver as a “very talented” individual with “solid experience”. “He was thrown right in at the deep end at a time that we were scratching our heads a bit with a car,” McCullough said, quoted by RacingNews365.com.

“He obviously turned up in Bahrain, just straight into FP3, I think. [There was] not a lot of time, seat fit, compromises, straight in there. He’s a very talented, naturally gifted driver. You put him in a qualifying or a race situation and ask him to go extract the most out of the car, [and] he’s pretty good at doing that, whatever he drives and has driven over the years.”

“Class act”;

https://formula1news.co.uk/aston-martin-claim-nico-hulkenberg-learned-from-former-team-mate/


Alonso voted F1's best 'new' signing
Sunday 8 January 2023 09:00
Sam Hall
GPFans

Fernando Alonso has been voted as the driver who will perform best at his new team in the coming F1 season after moving from Alpine to Aston Martin.

To find out, we asked GPFans readers 'Which driver will perform best at their new team in 2023?'.
Poll results
Fernando Alonso - 51 percent
Pierre Gasly - 17 percent
Nyck de Vries - 12 percent
Oscar Piastri - 11 percent
Nico Hulkenberg - six percent
Logan Sargeant - four percent

‘Best 'new' signing’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/98985/fernando-alonso-2023-drivers-poll-result/


New Silverstone Factory to be a ‘Game Changer’ for Aston Martin – Mike Krack
January 7, 2023
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag

The Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula 1 Team’s new Silverstone factory will be a ‘game changer’ according to Team Principal Mike Krack.

The new factory, which is due to open in May, will enable everyone to work under one roof without the need of using remote locations, while their own wind tunnel should be ready to use in 2024. “The fact that you can talk to people without having to arrange meetings, it facilitates the dialogue massively,” Krack is quoted as saying by Motorsport.com.

“The remote locations that we have, so you either need to pick up the phone or organise something, sometimes this is a natural barrier of more exchange. And the other thing is also logistics, we should not forget to bring things from left to right or A to B, it will be massively different and massively easier. From that point of view, I fully agree with using the word game changer, for team dynamics and logistics.”

‘Game changer’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2023/01/new-silverstone-factory-to-be-a-game-changer-for-aston-martin-mike-krack/

[Fortitude]

Williams to hold ‘season launch’ event on February 6th.
The team will hold a pre-season presentation, which is expected to included a livery launch, on February 6th.
2023 F1 season
Posted on 11th January 2023, 14:1511th January 2023, 14:17
Written by Ida Wood
RaceFans

Williams have announced the earliest date yet for a 2023 launch event, though it remains to be seen when their new car will be presented. Having been the last-placed team in the constructors’ standings four times in the last five years, Williams are in the process of making several changes ahead of the 2023 season in an attempt to improve their form.

Sargeant will partner Alex Albon, who is embarking on his second season with Williams – and fourth season in F1 – having scored half of the team’s points last year.

The 2023 season will mark the 10th season that Williams have used Mercedes engines, and the partnership has resulted in 16 podiums so far. Williams have now gone 216 grands prix without a victory, the longest losing run in their 46-year history. Testing for the new season will begin on February 23rd.

‘Season launch’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/01/11/williams-to-hold-season-launch-event-on-february-6th/


Williams sets date for 2023 F1 livery unveiling
11th January 2023, 14:18
by Phillip Horton
Motorsport Week

That is five days before the next confirmed launch event, AlphaTauri, and a week before a host of teams are set to present their new cars. Williams has not communicated when its car for the 2023 season will be shown to the public.

The positions of Team Principal and Technical Director currently remain vacant at Williams following the departures last month of Jost Capito and Francois-Xavier Demaison respectively.

‘Livery unveiling’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/01/11/williams-sets-date-for-2023-livery-unveiling/


Williams announce earliest 2023 car launch to date for early February
Wednesday 11th January 2023 2:11 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Williams have become the latest team to confirm their 2023 Formula 1 car launch plans, set for Monday 6 February at 2pm GMT.

As it stands, this would now make them the first team to unveil their 2023 colours to the world, with Williams confirming their launch will be live streamed on their official app and website.

The Williams statement said of the launch: “You’ll hear from our new F1 driver duo Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant, the supremely talented Williams Racing Driver Academy and, of course, we’ll reveal our 2023 livery.”

‘Williams announce earliest 2023 car launch’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/williams-announce-f1-2023-car-launch/


Williams grabs launches pole
11/01/2023
NEWS STORY
Pitpass

As it stands, Williams will be the first team to reveal its 2023 contender, as the Grove outfit announces early launch date.

The wraps will come off the - yet to be designated - cat at 14:00 (GMT) on Monday 6 February.

‘Grabbing launches pole

https://www.pitpass.com/74369/Williams-grabs-launches-pole


Divisive boss, abrupt exit: Has Williams suffered lasting damage?
11th Jan 2023, 07:11
The Race

Even before Capito’s departure, there were plenty of signs of discord within the team. Scott Mitchell-Malm’s concern is that the former Volkswagen motorsport chief’s brief period in charge of Williams has actually set it further back and given his successor a much bigger job.

“I’m worried about how much has gone on behind the scenes, in terms of: who else has left that is obviously less of a high profile headline departure?” said Mitchell-Malm.

“I’ve heard quite a few stories of the type of people that have either been removed over the last 12-18 months or who have just walked away – from all aspects of the Williams business as well, not just the race team but on the marketing and comms side, all the different elements of Williams.”

‘Divisive boss, abrupt exit’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/divisive-boss-abrupt-exit-has-williams-suffered-lasting-damage/

[Fortitude]

A major F1 headache isn’t going anywhere in 2023.
Porpoising will continue to lie in wait, ready to catch out those who are too aggressive or easily taken in by appealing downforce figures that could be generated in simulation.
11th Jan 2023, 12:46
By Edd Straw
The Race

Porpoising dominated the first half of the 2022 Formula 1 season, but despite the progress made by teams in conquering it and the related bouncing problems, it is a spectre that will likely continue to haunt teams while the current ground effect regulations are in place.

Last year, it was about understanding and mitigating the problem and some teams, notably Mercedes, were fundamentally limited by porpoising. The extent of the difficulties caught many out, but with the knowledge built in 2022, there’s no reason for teams to be taken by surprise again. That’s why one of the key factors of F1 car design is going to be avoiding creating the conditions that lead to porpoising.

Porpoising can never truly be vanquished because the laws of physics are immutable. The mechanism is well understood and while there can be multiple triggers, in general terms it occurs at high speeds when the prodigious downforce generated pulls the car too close to the ground. There comes a point when either because of proximity to the ground – possibly even with the floor hitting the track surface – or the speed of the airflow beneath the underfloor, there is an aerodynamic stall.

‘Porpoising can never truly be vanquished’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/a-major-f1-headache-isnt-going-anywhere-in-2023/


23 Burning Questions to Ponder for the 2023 F1 Season.
Jan 10, 2023
By Phillip Horton
AutoWeek

It's never too early to start daydreaming about what we might see this coming Formula 1 campaign.

‘23 Burning Questions’;

https://www.autoweek.com/racing/formula-1/g42433783/23-burning-questions-to-ponder-for-the-2023-f1-season/


WATCH: How the F1 technical regulations are changing in 2023
11 January 1:05PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

There are some major technical changes coming in 2023, as RacingNews365.com explains in this video. The breed of Formula 1 car introduced in 2022 was revolutionary as ground effects were harnessed for the first time since the 1980s.

Out went the old designs - which some drivers have said they preferred driving - for machines whose downforce is created by sucking the car to the track via strong 'Venturi tunnels' from the underbody.

One unintended consequence was that porpoising was back as well - with it being a very well-known side-effect of ground effect designs. Fortunately for Red Bull, chief designer Adrian Newey was around in the the 1980s - on the sportscar and IndyCar scene - and so had prior knowledge of how to ace the design, and more pertinently, what to avoid.

‘F1 technical regulations are changing’;

https://racingnews365.com/watch-how-the-f1-technical-regulations-are-changing-in-2023


Road to Formula 1: 10 rising stars that you should keep an eye on in 2023
Wednesday 11th January 2023 7:00 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

As excitement builds for F1 2023, the same is true for the series below as a stacked line-up of young talent prepares to battle it out. For all the youngsters who start out on the daunting and very, very expensive ladder to Formula 1, only a small minority actually make it all the way to the point of calling themselves a Formula 1 driver.

As is to be expected, the quality of junior drivers ebbs and flows with time, but looking at the pool ahead of 2023 competition, it is hard to remember a time when so many star prospects are in action, all with the very real chance of emerging as a Formula 1-worthy racer.

So, if you were questioning whether or not the junior series will be worth watching in 2023, yes, they will be! And as you tune in, here are 10 talents who we recommend you keep a very watchful eye on.

‘Road to Formula 1’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/10-rising-stars-2023-season/


Why does an American car-making giant suddenly want to be in Formula 1?
2023 F1 season
Posted on 6th January 2023, 13:377th January 2023, 10:28
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

It may not have surprised many that, once FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem announced he would begin a process to bring new teams into Formula 1, the Andretti Group would be the first to confirm their interest.

None of the four current General Motors brands – Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC and Buick – have been seen in F1 before. GM did not need the world of grand prix racing to become one of the ‘big three’ American carmakers with annual revenues north of $127 billion (£107bn). GM president Mark Reuss referred to the “growing global appeal” of F1 in yesterday’s announcement. There is plenty of evidence of that, including rising television viewership and sold-out races.

Much of F1’s growth is happening in GM’s backyard. Entering its sixth year of US ownership, the Liberty Media-run series has successfully courted American interest by relocating race coverage to ESPN, launching the Netflix series Drive to Survive and adding further US rounds in Miami and, from this year, Las Vegas.

‘American car-making giant’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/01/06/why-does-an-american-car-making-giant-suddenly-want-to-be-in-formula-1/

[Fortitude]

Frederic Vasseur tipped to do "big things" at Ferrari with 'no bulls***' approach.
Frederic Vasseur has been tipped to achieve "big things" in charge of Ferrari despite some reservations over his appointment.
21:21, 27 Dec 2022
By Daniel MoxonF1 Writer
The Mirror

Vasseur's appointment as Ferrari team principal has divided opinion, but one former F1 driver is confident the Frenchman will be a successful hire for the Scuderia.

Former Formula 1 driver Giedo van der Garde is firmly among those who approve of the move. Giving his thoughts on the overall situation, he expressed the belief that Binotto jumped ship before he was pushed and backed Vasseur to deliver for the Scuderia.

"I think they gave him a choice: either we say we've thrown you out, or we do it in a nice way and you say you've resigned yourself," he said. "And so it ended up being the second one. But it was clear that he had to leave. He is a very nice guy and has built a very good car, but Ferrari did throw away some wins this year. And whichever way you look at it, he was responsible for that as team boss.”

‘'no bulls***' approach’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/fred-vasseur-ferrari-team-principal-28825147


Ferrari Vasseur agenda on first day in office
Monday 9 January 2023 10:57
Ewan Gale
GPFans

Fred Vasseur has now officially started as Ferrari's new team principal [from Jan 9]. Vasseur now finds himself as the fifth person to take on the most pressurised position in F1 over the past decade, so what are his priorities?

Strategy. Entering through the doors at Maranello, once Vasseur has dealt with the pleasantries associated with the first day on the job, one of his primary tasks is likely to be calling a meeting with strategy chief Iñaki Rueda. Reliability. This was a major limiting factor for Ferrari at the end of the year, with Binotto conceding the power units were turned down in order to save the components.

Budget cap. It is no secret Ferrari hit the budget cap ceiling midway through the past season, severely restricting its ability to compete in the second half of the year. Ferrari board. As evidenced by the turnover of the team principal post, Ferrari's hierarchy can be hard to please.

‘Priorities’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/99147/ferrari-fred-vasseur-agenda-first-day-in-office/


Pundit questions whether Fred Vasseur can cope with Ferrari’s ‘mystical forces’
Monday 9th January 2023 1:00 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Dutch pundit Olav Mol has doubts about whether Frederic Vasseur is the right man for the role of Ferrari team boss, given the “mystical forces that work” within the Scuderia. But Mol isn’t so sure Ferrari have made the right decision.

“I do not know,” he told Motorsport.com when asked if Vasseur was up for the challenge. “He is in a larger organisation than Sauber when at Renault and it didn’t work out there. I seem to remember it was mainly because of all sorts of political things.’

“Then I think: Welcome to Ferrari. If there is politics anywhere, it is at Ferrari with all those mystical forces that work in the team and a family that has something to say. I don’t envy Fred in that respect, he may have grown in recent years. I wish him that success.”

‘Mystical forces’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/frederic-vasseur-ferrari-mystical-forces/


Formual 1: Vasseur starts a new era for Ferrari with big targets
05:43 Tue, 10 Jan 2023.
The Straits Times

LONDON – Frederic Vasseur started work at Maranello on Monday as the fifth Ferrari Formula One team principal in less than a decade and with the weight of history adding to a burden of expectation.

Only the second Frenchman to run the oldest and most successful team in the sport, Vasseur follows on from departed Mattia Binotto but with the giant shoes of compatriot Jean Todt yet to be filled.

Todt presided over a golden age at the Scuderia, arriving at the Gestione Sportiva in 1993 as general manager and embarking on a transformation that led to a period of domination with Michael Schumacher.

‘New era for Ferrari with big targets’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/formual-1-vasseur-starts-a-new-era-for-ferrari-with-big-targets


Time for Frederic Vasseur to fix Ferrari’s problems
Frederic Vasseur has worked with Charles Leclerc multiple times in the past, with the Frenchman having supported the Monegasque's junior career.
10 January 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Former Alfa Romeo boss Frederic Vasseur has officially started his role as the new team principal of Ferrari, following the resignation of Mattia Binotto in December. Vasseur joins Ferrari at a time when the Scuderia have real promise, should they play their cards right in the upcoming season.

Vasseur will take to Ferrari his ability to make bold decisions and make changes when necessary, with the Frenchman likely to be completely aware that the job he’s taken on has been likened to a poisoned chalice. The first thing he needs to address is the team’s power unit reliability issues, with the side having endured too many engine failures in 2022.

Vasseur will need to work incredibly hard to eradicate the team’s strategic errors, with Leclerc in particular having lost several victories following strategic blunders. The only other thing for Vasseur to do is to give Leclerc and Sainz the belief that they can win the World Championship, but most importantly, how to deal with the pressure.

‘Time to fix Ferrari’s probems’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/time-for-frederic-vasseur-to-fix-ferraris-problems/

[Fortitude]

Mercedes reveal W14 digital launch on February 15th.
Mercedes’ F1 W14 car, which it will race in the 2023 Formula 1 season, is to be launched on Wednesday 15th February during a live digital event.
2023 F1 season
Posted on 12th January 2023, 12:1512th January 2023, 12:21
Written by Ida Wood
RaceFans

The team announced that their new car will be launched through a live stream broadcast across the team’s social media channels.

After winning only one grand prix last year, Mercedes will be hoping to recapture their former success with their new design after overcoming several of the problems and the design misdirections they took in 2022 under the first year of F1’s new technical regulations. Mercedes finished third in the constructors’ championship last season, failing to win any of the two world titles for the first time in the V6 turbo hybrid era.

Mercedes are currently the only team scheduled to unveil their new challenger on Wednesday 15th February.

‘W14 digital launch’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/01/12/mercedes-reveal-february-15th-launch-date-for-w14/


Mercedes become latest F1 team to reveal launch date for 2023 car
12 Jan 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Mercedes will launch their F1 2023 car - the W14 - on February 15. Mercedes will show off their new challenger in a special digital event from Silverstone ahead of a likely shakedown.

The launch will be available to watch live via Mercedes’ various social media channels as they hope the W14 is a title-challenger. Mercedes endured their worst season since 2012 last year, taking just one win and one pole position during the entirety of the campaign.

‘Latest F1 team to reveal launch date’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1018830/1/mercedes-become-latest-f1-team-reveal-launch-date-2023-car


Mercedes reveals date of 2023 F1 car launch
12th Jan 2023, 12:33
The Race

Mercedes has added to a packed week of 2023 Formula 1 car launches by announcing it will reveal its W14 on February 15.

It will launch the car it hopes will return it to championship contention in the same week as Alpine, McLaren, Ferrari and Aston Martin.

After it won 15 of a possible 16 championships during the first eight years of the hybrid era, Mercedes stumbled in 2022 with a W13 that was riddled with porpoising problems and ultimately only delivered one grand prix victory.

‘2023 F1 car launch’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/mercedes-reveals-date-of-2023-f1-car-launch/


LISTEN | Mercedes fires up new F1 engine, Toto Wolff optimistic over 2023 chances
12th Jan 2023, 11:37
Charlen Raymond
Wheels24

The 2023 Formula 1 season will get underway in Bahrain in just under two months. Though it is exciting times as we look forward to what promises to be an exciting year, not everyone will have their confidence shooting through the roof.

The Formula 1 driver who needs to improve most in 2023 is…

Formula 1: The Undercut. Get a Monday morning wrap of the top key talking points, insightful post-race analysis and the latest driver and team point standings.

‘Toto Wolff optimistic’;

https://www.news24.com/sport/motorsport/formulaone/the-formula-1-driver-who-needs-to-improve-most-in-2023-is-20230112


F1 FACTORY RETHINK WAS THOUGHT AMID MERCEDES W13 WOES
Mercedes endured their toughest season in Formula 1 since the turbo hybrid era had been introduced in 2014, finishing third in the constructors' championship after winning eight consecutive constructors' championships
17:10 Tue, 10 Jan 2023.
Nathan Hartley
FormulaNerds

Mercedes trackside engineer Andrew Shovlin revealed Mercedes’ thoughts of investing in new tools for their factory in Brackley. The thought was lightened due to the W13’s multiple problems during the 2022 Formula 1 season.

Mercedes’ 2022 car ended up being the team’s worst car since the turbo hybrid era began in 2014. The German manufacturers became a dominant force, winning eight consecutive constructors’ titles.

The Brackley team discovered early in pre-season testing – like many teams- that porpoising was a real issue. However, the Silver Arrows were affected the most with the bouncing. The problem lead to the team needing to upgrade their design tools to counteract any future problems of porpoising aerodynamically.

‘F1 FACTORY RETHINK’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/f1-factory-rethink-was-thought-amid-mercedes-w13-woes/?nowprocket=1

[Fortitude]

F1 SET TO CONTINUE WITH TWO RACE DIRECTORS IN 2023.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has indicated that Formula 1 will continue to have more than one race director in 2023 after a new approach last year.
11:11 Thu, 12 Jan 2023.
• Hamilton Lyndon-Griffiths
Read Motorsport

F1’s governing body made a raft of changes to its race operations in the wake of the controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, including splitting the role of race director.

Following the departure of Michael Masi, F1 drafted in Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas to alternate during the season, with both highly experienced in the race director position in other motorsport categories.

But after an investigation over a recovery vehicle being released on to the track during the rain-soaked Japanese Grand Prix, Wittich saw out the final four races alone.

‘TWO RACE DIRECTORS’;

https://readmotorsport.com/2023/01/12/f1-set-to-continue-with-two-race-directors-in-2023/


MICHAEL ANDRETTI REVEALS TIMELINE FOR POTENTIAL F1 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE CHALLENGE
Thursday 12th January 2023 10:00 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Mr Andretti, who has led the team to success in IndyCar, believes the Andretti name could quickly emerge as one of the leading powers in F1. He told Forbes: “We are coming in, in a serious way.

“It will take a long time to get there, but eventually we want to be one of the top teams in Formula One. Our end goal is to be competing for the World Championship five or six years down the road.

Andretti revealed that he has not been disheartened by the relatively lukewarm response within F1 to his potential arrival, adding: “You have to stay focused on your job and not listen to the naysayers. I actually use the naysayers as motivation. It’s always fun to shut them up.”

“We are coming in, in a serious way”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/michael-andretti-f1-title-challenge/


‘FORMULA 1: DRIVE TO SURVIVE’ SEASON 5 COMING TO NETFLIX IN FEBRUARY 2023
Published on January 12th, 2023, 12:02 pm EST
by Kasey Moore
What's On Netflix

In case you didn’t know, Netflix renewed Formula 1: Drive to Survive for a fifth and sixth season meaning that Netflix F1 Championship seasons of 2022 and 2023 will be covered too.

The show has been cited as being one of the many reasons the sport is growing, particularly in the United States. Season 5 is set to be another cracker with lots of storylines and threads to follow.

The big changes going into the season were the big regulation changes which notably changed how cars can follow each other and led to more overtaking. They’ll no doubt touch on the controversy of the Red Bull cost cap breach and cover many teams’ trials and tribulations throughout the year.

‘Formula 1: Drive to Survive’;

https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/formula-1-drive-to-survive-season-5-is-coming-to-netflix-in-february-2023/?nowprocket=1


VERSTAPPEN RETURNS TO DRIVE TO SURVIVE AS SEASON FIVE LAUNCH DATE IS CONFIRMED
2023 F1 season
Posted on 12th January 2023, 15:2312th January 2023, 17:23
Written by Keith Collantine

The fifth series of Netflix’s popular Formula 1 documentary Drive to Survive will appear on February 24th, the championship has announced. Drive to Survive first appeared in 2019 and has been credited with expanding F1’s audience in recent years, particularly in the USA. However the Netflix series has also been criticised for misrepresenting some events. Lando Norris said last year some parts of the programme were “definitely not correct.”

Max Verstappen was among those who accused the programme makers of “faking a lot of stuff” in Drive to Survive. He refused to contribute to the series after its first edition, but after talks with F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali last year Verstappen indicated he had changed his position and said “you’ll see more of me” in the upcoming series.

Verstappen appears in the trailer for the new series, being interviewed for the programme. He won the world championship for the second time during 2022, clinching the title with four races to go. He suffered a difficult start to the season, however, retiring from two of the first three races.

“You’ll see more of me”;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/01/12/drive-to-survive-season-five-launch-date-confirmed/


Ferrari will have a competitive start to the 2023 F1 season - McLaren team boss
13th Jan 2023.07:17
TEAMtalk media
Wheels24

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella believes his former colleagues at Ferrari are "very happy" with how their 2023 Formula 1 car is progressing.

Stella worked for the Scuderia for 15 years as an engineer for Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen, latterly spending five seasons with Fernando Alonso as his race engineer before leaving with the Spaniard to move to McLaren in 2015 to continue his partnership with him.

‘Competitive start’;

https://www.news24.com/sport/motorsport/formulaone/ferrari-will-have-a-competitive-start-to-the-2023-f1-season-mclaren-team-boss-20230113


Red Bull reportedly made 154 staff redundancies due to F1 cost cap rules
13th Jan 2023, 08:00
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Red Bull were left with a smaller workforce than Mercedes after reportedly making redundancies due to the F1 cost cap when it was introduced.

The team led by Christian Horner were at the centre of the first scandal since the budget caps came in when, last year, they were found guilty by the FIA of breaching the 2021 cap and were fined.

The difficulties for teams to comply with the new rules have been laid bare by a Motorsport-Total.com report claiming that 154 people were made redundant from Red Bull Racing and Red Bull Technologies between 2020 and 2021. They did not all necessarily work on behalf of the F1 team.

‘154 staff redundancies’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1018911/1/explained-how-154-redundancies-kept-red-bull-within-f1-cost-cap

[Fortitude]

EXCLUSIVE: Mercedes suffer a huge blow ahead of the new F1 season, with chief strategist James Vowles set to leave Lewis Hamilton and Co to become team principal of Williams.
Vowles will take up the position vacated by Jost Capito, who left last month
Published: 12:04, 13 January 2023
By Jonathan McEvoy for the Daily Mail
Mail Online

Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes team have been dealt a serious blow ahead of the new season with the impending departure of chief strategist James Vowles to become team principal of Williams.

Sportsmail understands that the 43-year-old engineer's departure will be announced later today. Toto Wolff, boss of Mercedes, spoke in a Zoom press conference at 1pm this afternoon to address the Vowles situation.

Mercedes boss Wolff paid tribute to his outgoing chief strategist, by saying: 'James has been a highly valued member of our team in his role as motorsport strategy director, playing an integral part in our success in recent years,' said Wolff. His departure is major headache as the Silver Arrows look to claim back the ground they lost to Red Bull and Max Verstappen last year.

‘Huge blow’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-11631733/Lewis-Hamiltons-Mercedes-suffer-huge-blow-ahead-new-F1-season.html


F1: Williams announce James Vowles as new Team Principal
Published: 13 Jan 2023, 12:27
By George Dagless
Give Me Sport

Williams have got a new Team Principal lined up for the 2023 Formula 1 campaign, with James Vowles joining them from Mercedes.

Indeed, after around a month with no-one in the post, Mercedes’ James Vowles will join the team on February 20th, leaving his position as Motorsport Strategy Director at the Silver Arrows, a role he has held for over four years.

Vowles comes in as a hugely experienced figure having spent over two decades in Formula 1 and his knowledge and expertise, built up from his time in Brackley for the likes of Mercedes, Brawn, Honda and BAR, will surely come as hugely useful for a Williams team trying to close the gap to the rest of the field in front of them.

‘James Vowles’;

https://www.givemesport.com/88104540-f1-williams-announce-james-vowles-as-new-team-principal


James Vowles: His best and worst strategy decisions for Mercedes in F1
13 Jan 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

With James Vowles making the shock switch to Williams from Mercedes as their new F1 team principal, we take a look back at some of his best and worst strategy decisions.

James Vowles has been Mercedes’ chief strategist since 2010, remaining with the Brackley team from their days as Brawn GP. Vowles has played an integral role in Mercedes’ run of success during the V6 hybrid era.

As we reflect on his time with Mercedes, Crash.net has picked out some of his most memorable strategy decisions that often allowed Lewis Hamilton to win and ultimately take the title.

‘Best and worst strategy decisions’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/feature/1018943/1/james-vowles-his-best-and-worst-strategy-decisions-mercedes-f1


Williams hires Mercedes strategy chief as new F1 team boss
13th Jan 2023, 12:27
By Matt Beer
The Race

The Williams Formula 1 team has recruited Mercedes strategy chief James Vowles as its new team principal. Williams went into 2023 with vacancies in both its main team management roles after the abrupt departure of team principal Jost Capito and technical chief Francois-Xavier Demaison last month.

The first of those has now been filled with the appointment of 43-year-old Vowles, who will leave his Mercedes strategy director position to lead Williams.

“I cannot wait to start with Williams Racing,” said Vowles. “It’s an honour to join a team with such an incredibly rich heritage. The team is an icon of our sport, one I greatly respect, and I am very much looking forward to the challenge.”

‘Williams Formula 1 team recruitment’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/williams-hires-mercedes-strategy-chief-as-new-f1-team-boss/


Williams’ Mercedes signing suggests a fundamental change
Jan 13 2023
By Edd Straw
The Race

James Vowles’s appointment as Williams team principal is proof of a fundamental change of direction for the team given what it suggests about its structure. “There’s no intention at the moment of bringing in a CEO,” said Vowles. “There is a very strong management structure and board structure already in place at Williams that may or may not complete all these roles.

“But certainly at the moment what we’d all like to do is get me settled down, understand where we stand and then take a review of that decision in some time to come.” In asking the question why has Williams has gone down this road, there are some obvious conclusions. Firstly, Vowles is a Wolff ‘disciple’. He’s worked alongside Wolff for the past decade and is part of the brain trust at the top of the team.

Secondly, it hints at where the owners of Williams see gains needing to be made. Williams is not only a team that has long struggled on-track, without a podium finish since 2017 and only finishing off the bottom of the constructors’ championship once in the last five years, but also that has encountered internal difficulties. The ownership therefore will see establishing a cohesive team culture as essential.

‘Fundamental change of direction’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/williams-mercedes-hire-suggests-a-fundamental-change/

[Fortitude]

Red Bull announce New York launch of 2023 F1 challenger.
The RB19 will be driven by Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez once again as they seek to retain their titles.
13 January 5:06PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Red Bull's 2023 Formula 1 challenger - the RB19 - will be unveiled on February 3rd in a special launch event in New York.

The car will be driven by two-time World Champion Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez as the Milton Keynes squad look to defend their two titles won in 2022.

Red Bull's sister team AlphaTauri are set to also launch in New York, with Mercedes set to unveil their W14 challenger on February 15th.

‘New York launch’;

https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-announce-new-york-launch-of-2023-f1-challenger


Red Bull to launch RB19 in New York on February 3rd
2023 F1 season
Posted on 13th January 2023, 16:1313th January 2023, 16:14
Written by Ida Wood

Red Bull have announced their car for the 2023 Formula 1 season, the RB19, will be unveiled to the world in New York on February 3rd.

Red Bull will be the first of the energy drink’s two teams to launch in the American city, with junior team AlphaTauri also launching in New York on February 11th. The team announced it will be unveiling a “new car” on the date, as opposed to last year when the team originally revealed its 2022 livery on a showcar before the actual RB18 was first seen publicly during a filming run.

The successor to the double title-winning RB18 car from 2022 will be Red Bull’s 19th chassis since joining F1 in 2005 and will make its race debut in the Bahrain Grand Prix on 5th March. The RB19 will be powered by a ‘Honda RBPT’ engine, with the branding reflecting former engine supplier Honda’s continued support of Red Bull’s new in-house powertrain division.

‘New York on February 3rd’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/01/13/red-bull-to-launch-rb19-in-new-york-on-february-3rd/


Red Bull picks early date for 2023 F1 launch in New York
13th Jan 2022, 16:21
The Race

Red Bull will hold what it describes as its 2023 Formula 1 ‘season launch’ in New York. The event will take place on February 3, the earliest date announced by any team so far – beating Williams by three days.

Sister team AlphaTauri is also holding its 2023 unveiling in New York, but eight days later than Red Bull on February 11. Though Red Bull’s tweet announcing the event date used the phrasing “new kit, new car”, it’s known that AlphaTauri’s equivalent will feature a 2023 livery on its 2022 car and that only renders of the new design will be issued on the day.

Last year Red Bull used a very basic version of its 2022 car for its launch event before a significantly different design broke cover when pre-season testing began. Red Bull goes into 2023 fresh from its first world championship double since its 2010-13 domination, and with lead driver Max Verstappen chasing a third straight drivers’ title.

‘Red Bull picks early date’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/red-bull-picks-early-date-for-2023-f1-launch-in-new-york/


Red Bull to launch their 2023 season in New York as double title defence beckons
13 January 2023
Formula One - Official Site

F1 world champions Red Bull have announced that they will hold a ‘season launch’ in New York early in February, as the team look to continue their recent run of success.

On Friday, Red Bull took to social media with the message ‘New kit, new car, New York’, confirming a ‘season launch’ in the Big Apple on February 3.

Recently reflecting on Red Bull’s return to double title-winning ways, and bagging a fifth constructors’ crown, Horner said: “We went through that pain [of losing]. [In] 2013, we finished a very dominant streak and [2014], with the change in the regs, we were nowhere, and we never lost belief.”

‘Double title defence beckons’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.red-bull-to-launch-their-2023-season-in-new-york-as-double-title-defence.52rPlOo5RLy180m1F4qrzT.html


Red Bull pip Williams with early February launch date in New York City
Friday 13th January 2023 4:08 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Red Bull are set to be the first team to unveil their 2023 car as they announce a February launch date for the RB19 in New York City. The choice of venue further demonstrates the focus on the US market from Formula 1 with three races, including a debut for Las Vegas, set to be hosted in the country this season.

With the RB18 proving to be Red Bull’s most successful car ever and the ninth most successful of any team in Formula 1 history, the RB19 certainly has a lot to live up to and will have to do so on the backfoot.

The RB19 has been designed with 10% less wind tunnel time following the team’s minor cost cap breach and Red Bull have also been punished as a result of achieving top spot in the 2022 Constructors’ standings.

‘RB19 certainly has a lot to live up to’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/red-bull-launch-date-rb19/

[Fortitude]

Formula One presenter Jennie Gow, 45, reveals she suffered 'serious stroke' which has affected her speech - and is 'desperate' to recover and return to work.
• Jennie Gow revealed on social media that she had suffered a 'serious stroke'
• The Formula One broadcaster said that the stoke has affected her speech
• Journalists and F1 teams tweeted messages of support following Gow's news
Published: 17:53, 13 January 2023
By Christian Oliver For Mailonline
Mail Online

Formula One presenter Jennie Gow, who regularly appears on the Netflix series Drive To Survive, revealed that she is recovering from a 'serious stroke'. Gow, 45, said she suffered the stroke two weeks ago which has affected her speech.

The broadcaster and sports journalist thanked medical staff at Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey and St Geroge's Hospital in west London for taking care of her. Fellow journalists as well as motorsport teams echoed messages of support for Gow.

‘Serious Stroke';

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11632811/F1-presenter-Jennie-Gow-reveals-suffered-stroke-affected-speech.html


Broadcaster Jennie Gow suffered ‘serious stroke’ impacting her speech
January 13, 2023, 4:02 pm
By Press Association
The Press and Journal

“I’m desperate to make a full recovery and return to work, but it might take some time. Thank you to the medical teams at Frimley and St George’s and my family and friends who’ve got me through the last fortnight.”

A host of sports commentators took to social media to wish Gow a speedy recovery, including former BBC Breakfast presenter Dan Walker, who said: “Jennie… take care of yourself. So sorry to hear this. I hope you’re doing ok.”

She also appears as an F1 expert on Drive To Survive, which returns to Netflix on February 24. It will recap Max Verstappen’s road to title glory after winning his second world championship in 2022. The series, in its fifth iteration, has been credited with increasing F1’s popularity and is one of the major sports documentary success stories in recent years.

‘Serious stroke impacting her speech’;

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/lifestyle/motors/5272345/broadcaster-jennie-gow-suffered-serious-stroke-impacting-her-speech/


Media: Jennie Gow survives serious stroke
January 13, 2023
Motorsport Radio

Broadcaster and Journalist Jennie Gow announced on social media that she had a serious stroke two weeks ago. The popular motorsport presenter posted the news with the help of her husband.

From all the team at Motorsport Media and Motorsport Radio, Jennie, We’re sending you positive thoughts and We wish you return to full health soon.

‘Get well soon’;

https://motorsport.radio/media-jennie-gow-survives-serious-stroke/


Jennie Gow Suffers “Serious” Stroke; BBC & ‘Drive To Survive’ Presenter Says Speech Impacted
12:51 Fri, 13 Jan 2023.
By Jake Kanter
International TV
Deadline Hollywood

The journalist has appeared in the past two seasons of Drive To Survive and has been plugging Season 5 of the Netflix show, which drops on February 24.

Gow’s Twitter message prompted a flood of well wishes. “Jennie, so desperately sorry to read this and sending all my love and strength. You WILL get through this but take all the time you need,” said fellow F1 presenter Laura Winter.

McLaren F1 tweeted: “Wishing you a speedy recovery, Jennie. The entire team sends their love and strength as we look forward to seeing you back in the paddock.”

Drive To Survive’;

https://deadline.com/2023/01/jennie-gow-suffers-stroke-bbc-drive-to-survive-presenter-off-work-1235220944/


Drive to Survive and BBC Radio F1 presenter Jennie Gow recovering from stroke
01/13/2023
By Phillip Bupp

"I'm desperate to make a full recovery and return to work, but it might take some time."

Many in the F1 community showed their support of Gow as she works to make a full recovery and get back to the track.

‘Jennie Gow recovering from stroke’;

https://awfulannouncing.com/international/jennie-gow-stroke-f1.html

[Fortitude]

Gary Anderson: How Vowles can fix F1’s worst team.
He joins Williams when it is in disarray. Owner Dorilton Capital, which bought the team in 2020, wants to see improvement.
09:28 Sat, 14 Jan 2023.
By Gary Anderson
The Race

Overseeing strategy for a top Formula 1 team is no easy task, especially when there are people like us waiting for things to go wrong so we can explain how we would have done it better.

But the pressure James Vowles has been under in that role at Mercedes will be nothing compared to what he faces in joining Williams as team principal, which will be the biggest challenge of his F1 career.

That doesn’t mean winning races yet but Williams needs to step up to feature in the final part of qualifying regularly. If that’s achieved then there’s a decent chance of grabbing a few points consistently, and if you get enough of those you move off the bottom of the constructors’ championship.

‘Fixing F1’s worst team’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/gary-anderson-how-vowles-can-fix-f1s-worst-team/


Williams F1 boss Vowles denies he’s forming Mercedes ‘B-team’
11:06 Sat, 14 Jan 2023.
by Fergal Walsh
Motorsport Week

Williams’ Formula 1 Team Principal James Vowles denies that he is forming a ‘Mercedes B-team’ as he takes on the leading role within the squad. Vowles departs Mercedes having played a key role in its success throughout the turbo-hybrid era, helping it win eight consecutive Constructors’ Championships.

His arrival follows the departure of Jost Capito, who opted to retire at the conclusion of the 2022 campaign. The Williams team has endured a difficult run of form, often languishing close to or at the root of the pecking order across the last several years.

Vowles is not the first ex-Mercedes employee to take on a challenge at Williams, as Paddy Lowe joined the team in 2017 before leaving two years later.

‘James Vowles denies that he is forming a ‘Mercedes B-team’.’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/01/14/williams-f1-boss-vowles-denies-hes-forming-mercedes-b-team/


Williams procures iconic F1 sponsor
14 January 12:05PM
Author Anna Francis
Co-author Dieter Rencken
RacingNews365

Gulf Oil have hinted at a return to Formula 1, having previously partnered with McLaren. The iconic Gulf Oil brand have hinted at a return to F1, with RacingNews365.com understanding that a deal with Williams will be announced shortly.

The company previously acted as a sponsor for McLaren and a special livery was featured on the team's cars reflecting the colours of the brand at the 2021 Monaco Grand Prix.

However, the partnership came to an end in 2022 and Gulf are now set for a return with Williams. The brand gave a hint of an impending comeback via their social media channels, having shared a message about "big F1 news coming soon".

‘Iconic F1 sponsor’;

https://racingnews365.com/williams-procures-iconic-f1-sponsor


Why new Williams boss James Vowles is perfect match for troubled F1 team
January 14th 2023
Chris Medland
Motorsport Week F1

Few expected former Mercedes strategist James Vowles to be named new Williams F1 team principal, but his career gives him the ideal experience to turn around Williams, writes Chris Medland

Kudos to Williams and Mercedes. It’s been the off-season and therefore there are fewer opportunities to bump into F1 team members and get whispers of what’s going on, but the news that James Vowles would be the new Williams team principal seemed to catch everyone out.

And Vowles has a big job on his hands. As highlighted in a previous column, Jost Capito’s tenure came to an end with a divided team, with many not backing his management style but others frustrated by a reluctance of the personnel to adapt to change.

‘Perfect match for troubled F1 team’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/why-new-williams-boss-james-vowles-is-perfect-match-for-troubled-f1-team?v=79cba1185463&nowprocket=1


F1: James Vowles ‘incredibly proud’ to join Williams Racing as team principal
19:04 Fri, 13 Jan 2023.
Mary-Kate Findon
The Independent

James Vowles says he is “incredibly proud and excited” to be joining Williams Racing as team principal. The former Mercedes strategy chief has been appointed the role ahead of the 2023 Formula 1 season.

He is replacing Jost Capito who stepped down as team principal in December.
“I feel privileged to be part of this team and hugely motivated,” he said in a video announcing the news. He said he “hasn’t lost the hunger, ambition, or desire to win,” and is excited for the challenges ahead.

‘Incredibly Proud’;

https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/sport/f1-james-vowles-williams-racing-vbd652916

[Fortitude]

Toto Wolff Sees the Value of the GM-Andretti F1 Entry, Other Teams Could Follow Suit.
“Cadillac and GM, that's a statement. Certainly, them joining forces with Andretti is definitely a positive." Toto Wolff
Published: 14 Jan 2023, 15:03 UTC
By: Bogdan Bebeselea
autoevolution

Lately, we’ve been seeing a lot of hype around Formula 1 extending its roster, but the big teams inside the sports were quick to try and shut that project down. However, it seems that Andretti’s partnership with GM through Cadillac could pave a smoother way.

When it comes to the world’s biggest circus, a lot of things revolve around backstage politics and finances. This happened to also be the key reason a few teams were opposed to having a new contender on the grid.

Clearly, the Mercedes boss sees the value this alliance could bring to the sport, and this could potentially encourage other teams to support Andretti’s entry as well. The United States is one market that F1 has struggled to break into for many years now. And the involvement of Andretti, as well as GM, could be the final piece of the puzzle the sport needs to find success in the U.S.

‘Seeing the value of the GM-Andretti F1 Entry’;

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/toto-wolff-sees-the-value-of-the-gm-andretii-f1-entry-other-teams-could-follow-suit-208407.html


Toto Wolff provides response after Andretti join forces with GM for F1 bid
Saturday 14th January 2023 4:00 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Toto Wolff has spoken publicly for the first time since Andretti’s partnership with General Motors was confirmed but remained sceptical about the bid.

Michael Andretti, son of Mario and the one leading the venture, believed the General Motors partnership had ticked the final box that needed ticking but it would appear Wolff was not so sure. “With Cadillac and GM, that’s a statement,” Wolff said, according to RacingNews365.com.

“Them joining forces with Andretti is definitely a positive, it gives it another angle that may or may not be beneficial for Formula One. Nobody would ever question GM’s or Cadillac’s pedigree in motorsport, and as a global auto company.”

‘Andretti join forces with GM’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-andretti-cadillac-reaction/


Wolff declares Andretti-GM F1 alliance ‘a statement’
Sunday 15th January, 2023 - 3:51pm
By Daniel Herrero
Speedcafe

Toto Wolff believes that Andretti Global and General Motors made “a statement” with the announcement they have joined forces in an attempt to enter Formula 1. “We’re always open to the sport growing, but the truth behind it is the sport financially needs to become more and more successful,” he remarked.

“Whoever joins in that environment needs to bring with it effectively the growth that is required in order for everyone else to be in a better position, or at least a neutral position, and I think it’s been the statement from the outset, from the beginning.”

“There are a lot of lovely things about Andretti and about Cadillac. It just needs to have a good understanding of how it will grow the sport, in what way, and what the growth will be.”

‘A lot of lovely things’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/01/15/wolff-declares-andretti-gm-f1-alliance-a-statement/


Andretti’s tie-up with Cadillac “definitely a positive” for F1 bid – Wolff
2023 F1 season
Posted on 13th January 2023, 16:30
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

Andretti’s claim to a place on the Formula 1 grid has been strengthened by its tie-up with Cadillac, says Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff.

Many existing F1 team principals, including Wolff, reacted coolly to Andretti’s pursuit of an entry into F1. Wolff pointed out last year “an 11th team means a 10% dilution for everybody else” in terms of their income and that Andretti needed to show his entry could “add value” to F1.

Last week FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem announced he intended to begin a process to examine new entries into F1. Andretti formally announced his plans to enter soon afterwards, and revealed he had secured the backing of America’s largest car producer General Motors through its Cadillac brand.

‘Andretti’s claim to a place on the Formula 1 grid’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/01/13/andrettis-tie-up-with-cadillac-definitely-a-positive-for-f1-bid-wolff/


Inside story of F1 failure Toto Wolff doesn't want repeated as FIA plan expansion anyway
Things could be set to change in F1 very soon.
06:01, Sun, Jan 15, 2023
By Luke Chillingsworth

Toto Wolff is one of several team bosses to have reservations about increasing the number of entrants in F1 as Andretti look to join as an 11th team. Wolff says there are fears the new entry could dilute the sport and wouldn't help increase the value of F1.

His reservations have some merit after F1’s disastrous attempt to expand the grid over a decade ago. The move came about after FIA President Max Mosely aimed to push through a $40million budget cap tier.

However, the budget formula never materialised despite 15 applications from teams across the world. The three chosen constructors - Manor, Lotus and Camps Racing - were successful but then faced increased costs and struggled on track.

‘Budget formula never materialised despite 15 applications from teams across the world’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1720428/f1-toto-wolff-andretti-fia-expansion-2010-news-latest

[Fortitude]

Which 2023 F1 launch are you most excited for?
It is always an exciting time of year with early expectations based almost solely on the look of the car.
Monday 9 January 2023 13:06
Sam Hall
GPFans

There is a word of warning, however, as some teams are almost certain to use a show car in the reveal, showcasing a new livery while keeping design secrets hidden.

This was the case for a number of teams, including Red Bull, as the first interpretations of the all-new technical regulations were revealed last year.

With this in mind, which teams launch are you most looking forward to in the coming weeks? Let us know in the poll and give us your early predictions in the comments below!

‘F1 launch excitement’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/99161/which-2023-f1-launch-are-you-most-excited-for/


F1 2023 car launches and livery reveals: dates and locations
January 13th 2023
Author Motor Sport

Here are all of the latest dates and times for all of the 2023 car launches ahead of the new Formula 1 season.

Team Launch Date
Red Bull February 3
Williams February 6
AlphaTauri February 11
Aston Martin February 13
McLaren February 13
Ferrari February 14
Mercedes February 15
Alpine February 16
Haas TBC
Alfa Romeo TBC

‘F1 launch season is fast approaching;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/f1-2023-car-launches-and-livery-reveals-dates-and-locations?v=79cba1185463&nowprocket=1


How glitzy car launches can help sustain the F1 boom
13:07 Wed, 11 Jan 2023.
MATT KEW
Motorsport.com

It was only a handful of years ago that showy Formula 1 car launches appeared to be a dying art. Unveils had become little more than afterthoughts. Never mind appearances by the Spice Girls and Jamiroquai; forget demonstration runs in major cities; there wasn’t even a split livery as a talking point.

No, official reveals were largely reduced to whipping off a dust cover on the first day of pre-season testing while a press release was sent out but lost almost immediately amid the on-track running.

But, as another small indicator of F1’s current popularity boom, there’s been something of a recent return to form. In these times of ‘more is more’, there’s an appetite for any kind of spectacle. Car launches provide another source.

‘Appeared to be a dying art’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/how-glitzy-car-launches-can-help-sustain-the-f1-boom/10419480/


Andretti hail "racer" FIA president's F1 bid backing
Sunday 15 January 2023 15:00
Sam Hall
GPFans

Andretti Global owner Michael Andretti has welcomed the public support of FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem as the outfit pushes to become the 11th team on the F1 grid.

Andretti held a short-notice press conference in early January in which it announced a partnership with General Motors and Cadillac, adding much-needed value to its F1 pursuit.

The reveal came days after Ben Sulayem had asked the FIA to look at launching an expression-of-interest process to expand the grid beyond its existing 10 teams. But while there was a broadly positive reaction on social media to the announcement, this has seemingly not been mirrored inside the sport as there has been a tempered response

‘Andretti hail "racer" FIA President’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/99208/michael-andretti-fia-president-mohammed-ben-sulayem-f1-bid-backing/


F1’s last entry by US car giant was a masterclass in failure
Jan 8 2023
By Gary Anderson
The Race

Formula 1 is inching towards another manufacturer boom, with Audi coming in, Cadillac linking up with Andretti, Honda and Porsche in the 2026 rules mix and maybe even Ford and Hyundai too.

But when Gary Anderson heard Cadillac’s thoughts about F1 in the Andretti announcement, it gave him unpleasant flashbacks to the last time a giant US automotive group felt it knew what it took to succeed in F1.

Gary alluded to some of the misery of his Ford/Jaguar experience in his analysis of Cadillac’s approach on Friday. In an updated version of an article first published on The Race in 2020, here’s his full inside story of how Jaguar got it so wrong.

‘Masterclass in failure’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/ford-jaguar-failed-team-us-manufacturer/


Exclusive: Panthera also pushing for F1 spot, will build Asian academy and aiming for 2026 launch
Saturday 7th January 2023 7:00 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

The Panthera Team Asia F1 project is gearing up for another run at an F1 spot and this time, it may come off. In 2019, Panthera announced themselves as another team wanting a slice of the F1 pie. With the goal of becoming the team of Asia, they set about jumping through the necessary hoops to get on the grid but, as it did with all other walks of life, COVID scuppered their plans.

“It’s been a rollercoaster,” Team principal and co-founder Benjamin Durand exclusively told PlanetF1.com. “We could have given up a long time ago on this project, but we believe in it.” But what has spurred Durand and his team to keep pressing on? A belief that Asia is the next great market for F1 to conquer.

Since Liberty Media’s acquisition of the sport in 2017, all eyes have been on the US with a sustained push to make F1 part of American life. Three races in the US, a US racer and potentially an all-American team all point to progress but it is on the other side of the globe where Durand feels attention has been lacking. “We still think that the Asian market and Chinese market are the next markets to be developed,” he said.

‘Panthera Team Asia F1 project’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/panthera-pushing-f1-2026-spot/

[Fortitude]

F1 2023 predictions: Which driver will win each team-mate battle in 2023?
Only four teams on the Formula 1 grid will begin the 2023 season with an unchanged line-up from last year.
Tuesday 17th January 2023 6:00 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

The fact that three of those teams were Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes – the only ones to win a race in 2022 – is evidence that stability is a key strength in F1.

The changes from last season to this carry no shortage of intrigue, so we’ve put our neck on the line by predicting the winner of each team-mate battle in 2023…

‘Team-mate battles’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/f1-2023-predictions-team-mate-battle/


F1 chief issues verdict on 'error generator' sprints
Tuesday 17 January 2023 06:35
Sam Hall
GPFans

F1 chief technical officer Pat Symonds has delivered his verdict on the sprint weekend format that is set to feature on six occasions this season.

Speaking at Autosport International, Symonds reflected: "There are those who like it and there are those who dislike it. But to me, what we do is we have a competition. What I like about a competition is when it's not predictable. Oxford were playing Arsenal in the FA Cup the other week and they were holding them 0-0 to half time and that sort of thing is great.”

"With a normal grand prix weekend, Friday does not provide any competition and therefore, what's the attraction of it? We're here to compete. In addition, the teams are so good with their simulation these days, having all the time on Friday, they're got two hours of running to fine-tune the car, make sure that everything's good, and what that leads to is predictability."

'Error generator sprints’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/99582/f1-sprint-pat-symonds-verdict-error-generator-sprints/


Takeover of the tech-heads: new trend in F1 team bosses
January 16th 2023
Author Adam Cooper
Motor Sport Magazine

F1 team principals often used to be former racers who owned their squad, but the model is rapidly changing in favour of staff with engineering or management qualifications, writes Adam Cooper

The appointment of James Vowles as Williams team principal reflects an intriguing recent trend in the sport, and as such perhaps it shouldn’t have been as much a surprise as it was.

More than ever before the current crop is predominantly comprised of guys with strong hands-on engineering or technical experience, rather than folk from the commercial or marketing side. The days of a Flavio Briatore figure calling the shots appear to be long gone.

‘Tech-head Takeover’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/takeover-of-the-tech-heads-new-trend-in-f1-team-bosses?v=79cba1185463&nowprocket=1


WATCH: From Michael Schumacher unretiring to Robert Kubica's resilient return – The top 10 driver comebacks in F1 history
16 January 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Nico Hulkenberg’s return to the grid in 2023 made us think about the times a familiar face has come back to the sport. So, we dug through the archives and found some of the most notable driver comebacks in Formula 1 history.

Over the years, we’ve seen a number of world champions, like Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, Nigel Mansell and Niki Lauda, find the allure of driving an F1 car again all too hard to turn down.

We’ve also seen some incredible comeback stories – such as Robert Kubica’s brave return to the grid in 2019, after the Polish driver suffered horrific injuries in a rally accident eight years earlier.

‘Top 10 driver comebacks’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.watch-from-michael-schumacher-unretiring-to-robert-kubicas-resilient-return.5fRokmO6gCZDnIVafEPAMJ.html


F1 set for crunch meeting to ‘tidy up’ 2026 power unit regulations
16 Jan 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

F1 chief technical officer Pat Symonds has revealed a key meeting will take place later this month to finalise the 2026 power unit regulations.

Last August, governing body the FIA approved the new cycle of F1 engines that will feature increased electrical power and 100% sustainable fuels when they are introduced in 2026.

Audi have already announced an entry as an engine supplier and sister Volkswagen Group brand Porsche remain interested in making an F1 power unit. Meanwhile, the Andretti Group recently stated their intention to join the F1 grid together with General Motors through their luxury brand Cadillac.

‘Crunch meeting’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1019083/1/f1-set-crunch-meeting-tidy-2026-pu-regulations

[Fortitude]

Chinese GP Demise Means Two Long Breaks in 2023 F1 Season.
Formula 1 will have an April break in addition to the traditional summer break in August in 2023.
Jan 17, 2023
By Phillip Horton
AutoWeek

It means that there will be a four-week gap during the early stages of the season between races in Australia on April 2 and Azerbaijan on April 30. Formula 1’s 2023 schedule has finally been ratified after championship organizers confirmed that China’s canceled event will not be replaced.

It means that there will be a four-week gap during the early stages of the season between races in Australia on April 2 and Azerbaijan on April 30, which are rounds three and four, respectively. A request for Azerbaijan to move its date forward a week, to April 23, was dismissed by the local promoter.

It is understood that Formula 1 also explored the possibility of including a round in Portimao, Portugal on China’s April 16 date but ultimately opted against doing so.

‘Two Long Breaks’;

https://www.autoweek.com/racing/formula-1/a42537254/chinese-gp-demise-2023-f1-season/


F1 reduces races to 23 after axing Chinese Grand Prix
Shanghai loses out for the fourth year in a row despite lifting Covid restrictions
17 JANUARY 2023 - 21:22
ALAN BALDWIN
Financial Mail

London — Formula One will have 23 races this season, still a record and one more than last year, with the sport facing a four-week gap in April after deciding not to replace the cancelled Chinese Grand Prix.

The race in Shanghai, originally scheduled for April 16 as the fourth of 24 rounds, was axed last month for the fourth year in a row due to strict local measures to curb the spread of Covid-19.

F1 had said then that it was assessing alternative options, with various venues touted in the media including Portugal’s Portimao circuit that was used as a replacement in 2020 and 2021 for races cancelled during the pandemic.

‘F1 reduces races to 23’;

https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/sport/other-sport/2023-01-17-f1-reduces-races-to-23-after-axing-chinese-grand-prix/


Chinese GP hopes ended as F1 sticks to 23-race schedule
January 17, 2023
SportBusiness Staff
Sport Business

Formula 1 has today (Tuesday) confirmed that its 2023 season will remain at 23 races, ending hopes of the Chinese Grand Prix returning to the schedule or an alternative event being found.

On December 2, F1 announced that the Chinese GP would be missing from the race calendar for the fourth consecutive season. The motor-racing championship confirmed the news following talks with the promoter and relevant authorities.

It said the 2023 Chinese GP would not take place due to the “ongoing difficulties presented by the Covid-19 situation”.

‘F1 sticks to 23-race schedule’;

https://www.sportbusiness.com/news/chinese-gp-hopes-ended-as-f1-sticks-to-23-race-schedule/


F1 not replacing canceled Chinese GP; 23 races in 2023
Published: 14:09, 17 January 2023
By Associated Press
Mail Online

LONDON (AP) - Formula One confirmed Tuesday that it will not replace the canceled Chinese Grand Prix, leaving the 2023 season at what is still a record 23 races. "Formula 1 can confirm the 2023 season will consist of 23 races. All existing race dates on the calendar remain unchanged," F1 said in a brief statement.

Countries such as Turkey and Portugal have stepped in as replacement F1 hosts when the last three seasons were affected by the pandemic. A replacement race on the Chinese GP's April 16 date - between Australia and Azerbaijan on the schedule - could have made it difficult for teams to change their travel and transportation plans at relatively short notice.

‘F1 not replacing canceled Chinese GP’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-11644603/F1-not-replacing-canceled-Chinese-GP-23-races-2023.html


How serious a setback is F1’s five-year absence for its growth in China?
2023 F1 season
Posted on 17th January 2023, 13:4517th January 2023, 13:46
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Today’s confirmation the Chinese Grand Prix will not be reinstated to the 2023 Formula 1 calendar means the world championship will be absent from the country for at least five years. While F1’s enthusiasm for racing in China appears undimmed, is the feeling mutual? In 2019, the 16th year that F1 had visited China, three-day crowds at the grand prix stood at 160,000. That was only around 40% of capacity at the vast Shanghai circuit, and well short of the record-breaking figures F1 had at many venues last year.

The strong attendance figures at grands prix since 2021 may be partly due to a post-pandemic surge in interest among millions of fans who were unable to watch races in person during the year-and-a-half of events being held behind closed doors while there was lockdowns across the globe and not just in China. But with no Chinese GP for five years how many locals will be clamouring for F1’s return and how many will have forgotten about it?

The good news for F1 is it finally has its first driver from the country: Zhou Guanyu. Unfortunately he has now seen his home event cancelled in both of the years he has been racing in F1. There will be many in F1 hoping another strong season from the Shanghai native will persuade Alfa Romeo to keep him on from a third year and ensure he is on the grid for the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix – if it happens.

‘How serious a setback’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/01/17/how-serious-a-setback-is-f1s-five-year-absence-for-its-growth-in-china/

[Fortitude]

Lando Norris predicting a lengthy wait before first F1 title challenge.
Few would doubt his talent but Lando Norris believes he is still some way off from competing for a Formula 1 World Championship.
Thursday 19th January 2023 7:23 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

In 2019, he scored his first points. In 2020, he stood atop the podium for the first time and in 2021, he improved that tally to four including a career-high P2 at Monza. But while 2022 saw him stagnate with just a single podium and 38 points fewer than he acquired the year previous, there are few who would argue that was down to the ability of Norris.

The Brit has been occupying the ‘best of the rest’ category for a while now, picking up six seventh place finishes in 2022, but while some say a title battle is soon on the horizon, Norris himself is a little more hesitant.

“With everything I’ve learned, maybe I could win a race, but I’m unlikely to win a championship until possibly that time,” he told GQ magazine of his contract end date in 2025. “I know I need to be at the absolute top of my game in those years.”

‘Lengthy wait’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lando-norris-f1-title-challenge-prediction/


NORRIS DISCUSSES DOUBTS ABOUT BEING GOOD ENOUGH FOR F1
Even in Formula 1, the topic of mental health is often still taboo. Norris is fighting against the stigma.
19 Jan 2023, 08:40
Lena Ferle
FormulaNerds

Since Norris first set foot in Formula 1 in 2019, he has repeatedly struggled with mental health issues. For several years now, he has spoken openly about it. Norris wants to use it to help other people open up.

Norris and his team McLaren are working with the mental health charity Mind. Since the start of this collaboration, Norris has made several appearances on television shows. On “This Morning”, he talked about how mental health affected him in the early stages of his Formula 1 career.

‘DISCUSSING DOUBTS’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/norris-discusses-doubts-about-being-good-enough-for-f1/?nowprocket=1


Brown reveals Norris' only bad habit that 'frustrates' him
19 January 10:25AM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Zak Brown has admitted that the one thing about Lando Norris that occasionally "frustrates" him is the Briton's punctuality. "What frustrates me about Lando?" said Brown in an interview with GQ magazine.

"He’s been five minutes late more than once. If we’re supposed to leave at 8.00, it might be 8.07." It's a minor problem for the team boss though, who insists that Norris is very good at integrating himself within the team and has matured since joining.

He added: "The great thing about him is he is very honest and owns everything. And he’s definitely improved.” Norris' calm nature is the thing that has impressed Brown the most, with the team CEO believing that his driver will be World Champion within the next "10 to 15 years" of his career.

‘Briton's punctuality’;

https://racingnews365.com/brown-reveals-norris-only-bad-habit-that-frustrates-him


Lando Norris got on 'pretty well' with Daniel Ricciardo despite Drive To Survive 'tension'.
11:30, 18 JAN 2023
BY Mark Whiley
Daily Star

Lando Norris has opened up about his relationship with now-former McLaren teammate Daniel Ricciardo, insisting they got on “pretty well”. Recent series of the hit F1 documentary Drive To Survive have suggested tension between Norris and his last two stablemates, Carlos Sainz and Ricciardo.

Norris’s negative portrayal in the Netflix series has attracted criticism, most notably from F1 world championship Max Verstappen, who boycotted the show over what he saw as fabricated events and rivalries, although he made himself available for interview for series five, which airs next month.

‘Got on pretty well';

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1/lando-norris-ricciardo-f1-netflix-28985215


Lando Norris admits what he 'hated' about Daniel Ricciardo relationship at McLaren
Lando Norris has opened up on his relationship with Daniel Ricciardo at McLaren.
09:46, Thu, Jan 19, 2023
By Luke Chillingsworth
Daily and Sunday Express

Lando Norris has admitted he and Daniel Ricciardo both “hated” being beaten by each other on race weekends. But Norris also stressed the pair also didn't enjoy getting the better of each other as a result of their great relationship.

Norris added they got on “pretty well” and “respected each other” away from the race track. The Brit told GQ Magazine: “Carlos [Sainz] and I get on extremely well. I kind of grew up with him. Daniel I got on with pretty well. He and I were the perfect competitors: we hated beating each other like we hated getting beat by one another.

“Away from the track we respected each other massively. I keep it separate; I can be the biggest competitor I need to be on the race track, but I can also respect and be good mates with other people.” His comments come after Netflix’s Drive to Survive producers hyped up a rivalry between Norris and Ricciardo. In the series, Norris asks his engineers to tell Riccardo to hurry up as he is driving too slow.

‘Opened up on his relationship with Daniel Ricciardo’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1723336/lando-norris-daniel-ricciardo-mclaren-f1-news

[Fortitude]

De Vries in legal dispute ahead of full F1 debut.
Ahead of his first full Formula 1 season, Dutch rookie Nyck de Vries has found himself at the centre of a legal dispute.
19 Jan 2023, 06:13
Grandpx.news

The supposed terms of the deal involved payment of 3 percent interest per year, plus 50 percent of de Vries’ earnings once he got to Formula 1. Reportedly, the loan would be waived if de Vries did not make it to Formula 1 by the end of 2022, prompting the dispute.

In reality, the Dutch driver made his one-off grand prix debut at Monza last year, in the ill Alex Albon’s place. That performance attracted the attention of Dr Helmut Marko, who decided to sign de Vries for the full season at Red Bull-owned Alpha Tauri this year. According to de Vries’ lawyers, he reportedly repaid about EUR 190,000 to Schothorst while test driver at Mercedes.

The Alpha Tauri driver’s lawyer, meanwhile, said de Vries made a proposal to repay the full loan in addition to the EUR 190,000 already paid, which was rejected by Schothorst. The Amsterdam court is set to issue the judge’s ruling in writing on 3 February, with Schothorst having demanded the full disclosure of de Vries’ contracts between 2018 and 2022.

‘50 percent of de Vries’ earnings’;

https://grandpx.news/de-vries-in-legal-dispute-ahead-of-full-f1-debut/


De Vries sued by former investor who helped fund F1 career
Thursday 19 January 2023 09:03
Sam Hall
GPFans

Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf has now reported that this outing has caused De Vries legal problems, with real estate millionaire Jeroen Schothorst demanding considerable remuneration for investments in the 27-year-old's junior career.

It is reported that Schothorst lent EUR 250,000 to De Vries through his Investrand investment company in 2018 to fund an F2 campaign. In the summons issued after Schothorst initiated proceedings, it is indicated that the loan to De Vries would accumulate three percent interest per year with a payment of fifty percent of income from his F1 activities.

If De Vries had not made it to F1 by the end of 2022, it is reported that this loan would have been waived. So far, De Vries has repaid almost EUR 190,000 due to his activities as a test and reserve driver.

‘De Vries sued’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/99729/de-vries-sued-f1-monza-legal-dispute/


Nyck de Vries reveals huge family sacrifice as he finally gets to live his F1 dream
After a longer wait that he would have hoped for and many years of hard work and sacrifice, de Vries will finally race regularly in Formula 1 this season with AlphaTauri
21:41, 16 Jan 2023
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
The Mirror

It has been a long time coming for Nyck de Vries, but this year will be the first in which he is finally a regular fixture on the Formula 1 grid.

The first race of the season in Bahrain won't be his debut – that came unexpectedly at Monza last year, and gave him the opportunity to shine that he grasped with both hands. That cameo for Williams in Italy went a long way in helping the Dutchman to finally live out his F1 dream.

After all, De Vries has been waiting a long time. He went through the same rigorous process every young driver experiences as he worked his way up the junior formulae, but even after winning the 2019 Formula 2 championship there was still no place in the top category for him.

‘Huge family sacrifice’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/nyck-de-vries-family-alphatauri-28970839


'Max is my big brother in the F1 paddock', says de Vries
15/01/2023 at 15:11
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Ahead of his first full season in Formula 1, Nyck de Vries has been talking about his close relationship with Dutch compatriot and fellow world champion Max Verstappen.

"Max and I have known each other since a very young age as we grew up karting at a similar time, although we’ve never actually raced against each other," de Vries said in an AlphaTauri website Q&A session.

"We have a great relationship, the way we grew up in racing, with our fathers being very involved and karting through Europe has been very similar and we have a great respect for each other.”

'Max is my big brother’;

https://f1i.com/news/464202-max-is-my-big-brother-in-the-f1-paddock-says-de-vries.html


Nyck de Vries opens up on ‘big brother’ Max Verstappen
Nyck de Vries will replace Pierre Gasly at AlphaTauri this season, with the Frenchman moving further up the grid to join Alpine.
14 January 2023
by Jack Devonport
Formula1News

“Max and I have known each other since a very young ages, as we grew up karting at a similar time, although we’ve never actually raced against each other,” he said.

“The first time we actually raced together was in Monza last year, and we happened to be next to each other on the grid, so that was amazing.”

“We have a great relationship, the way we grew up in racing, with our fathers being very involved and karting through Europe has been very similar and we have a great respect for each other. We’re obviously from the same country, speak the same language and we just get along.”

‘Big brother’ Max Verstappen’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/nyck-de-vries-opens-up-on-big-brother-max-verstappen/

[Fortitude]

Ferrari reportedly gains ‘at least one second’ with 2023 F1 car.
Ahead of the 2023 Formula 1 season, it is reported that Ferrari’s challenger could be over one second faster than its predecessor.
19th Jan 2023, 12:06
by Fergal Walsh
Motorsport Week

fans of Ferrari may have something to look forward to this year, as Formu1a.uno writes that its car is over a second faster than the 2022 F1-75 in the simulator.

Over the winter break, key areas of improvement that the team has been focused on are improving engine reliability as well as performance gains in medium and low-speed corners.

Ferrari has made a major change through the team boss role, with Frederic Vasseur replacing Mattia Binotto, who departs the company after over two decades. Ferrari is looking to bring an end to its title drought, which stretches back to the 2008 campaign when it topped the Constructors’ Championship.

‘Ferrari’s challenger could be over one second faster’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/01/19/ferrari-reportedly-gains-at-least-one-second-with-2023-f1-car/


Ferrari gain “at least one second” with F1 2023 car? Latest rumour emerges from Maranello
19 Jan 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

There are already positive noises coming out of the Ferrari camp ahead of the F1 2023 season, if reports in Italy are to be believed.

Italy’s Formu1a.uno report that Ferrari’s 2023 F1 car - dubbed project 675 - is at least one second faster than its predecessor in the simulator.

According to the report, sources within the Maranello team have revealed Ferrari’s simulations predict “at least” a one second gain with their 2023 car compared to the F1-75.

‘Project 675’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1019218/1/ferrari-gain-least-one-second-f1-2023-car


New 2023 Ferrari reportedly 'one second faster' in simulator
19/01/2023 at 15:26
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Enrico Gualtieri remains in charge of engine development, including the design of Ferrari's future power unit that will be produced according to F1's 2023 engine regulations.

But Gualtieri is now assisted by Davide Mazzoni who returned to Ferrari last November after several years with Maserati to deal exclusively with the 2023-spec unit's Internal Combustion Engine.

After last year's spell of reliability issues, Ferrari's efforts have been largely directed at improving durability, with its engineers undertaking long sessions on the test bench at Maranello with results that warrant a "cautious optimism" according to Formu1a.uno.

‘Long sessions on the test bench at Maranello’;

https://f1i.com/news/464388-new-2023-ferrari-reportedly-one-second-faster-in-simulator.html


Ferrari said to have gained "at least" a second
19/01/2023
NEWS STORY
Pitpass

Reports coming out if Italy suggest Ferrari's 2023 contender is at least a second quicker than its predecessor.

While the claim is based purely on simulator work it will give hope to the tifosi, drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz and all those who want to see Red Bull given a run for its money this season.

With an engine freeze in place, the only changes that can be made to the engine relate to reliability, safety, cost saving and minor changes in order to allow the power unit to be installed correctly. Improvements cannot be made to the performance of the engine.

‘Claim is based purely on simulator work’;

https://www.pitpass.com/74397/Ferrari-said-to-have-gained-at-least-a-second


Ben Sulayem: 'Only a matter of time' before Ferrari wins championship
19/01/2023 at 10:39
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem believes that it's "only a matter of time" before Ferrari returns the F1 title to Maranello. "The decision was made on the basis of performance," commented Ben Sulayem when asked in Saudi Arabia last week about Ferrari's prospects.

"When Ferrari won they had a lot of diversity, but it’s not about whether Italians are better than French or Germans. It’s about finding the right person. Even if all teams have the same engine and the same team boss, only one team can win at the end," he added.

"Whether they have the right ingredients, no one knows except Ferrari itself. But winning races and winning championships is not something new for Ferrari. It’s only a matter of time until they win again."

'Only a matter of time';

https://f1i.com/news/464375-ben-sulayem-only-a-matter-of-time-before-ferrari-wins-championship.html

[Fortitude]

Alpine 'suspicious' about Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari developments before new F1 season.
Alpine's F1 executive director has shared his thoughts on F1's top teams supposedly making gains during the offseason.
14:13, Thu, Jan 19, 2023
By Liam Llewellyn
Daily and Sunday Express

Alpine F1 have grown suspicious of their biggest rivals during the offseason with the new campaign fast approaching. The French-based outfit finished fourth in the 2022 Constructor standings and they will be keen to close the gap to Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes this season.

“In reality the modifications to increase the reliability of the engine, even without a direct performance purpose, also helps the power,” the report reads. “And Ferrari seems to be the one ahead from this point of view.”

As a result Apline are reportedly 'suspicious' over their rival's increase in horsepower, while their power unit changes haven't brought any performance gains. Commenting on the subject, Alpine executive director Bruno Famin, the head of the team’s engine base in Viry-Chatillon in France, explained to The Race: “There is no real margin to be honest because, by rule, you cannot improve the performance of the engine.

‘Suspicious';

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1723490/Alpine-suspicious-Mercedes-Red-Bull-Ferrari-developments-new-F1-season-news


Alpine ‘suspicious’ of F1 rivals amid engine improvements – report
15:20 Thu, 19 Jan 2023.
by Fergal Walsh
Motorsport Week

Alpine is said to be “suspicious” of rival power unit manufacturers who have reportedly unlocked performance through reliability improvements. Gazetta dello Sport reports that Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull have made gains on their engines ahead of the 2023 season.

Gazzetta writes that “in reality the modifications to increase the reliability of the engine, even without a direct performance purpose, also helps the power. “And Ferrari seems to be the one ahead from this point of view.” It says that Ferrari has found a 30hp increase, with rivals Mercedes and Red Bull being boosted by 16hp and 10hp respectively.

Speaking recently to The Race, Alpine executive director Bruno Famin outlined that performance gains from reliability corrections are known to the FIA, who monitored the situation in 2022. “Behind the reliability issue you often have a potential performance gain, of course,” he said. “The limit is not exactly always super clear. Now I am expecting the FIA to be a bit stronger in the future.”

“Suspicious”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/01/19/alpine-suspicious-after-rivals-reportedly-improve-engine-horsepower/


Alpine urge FIA to take action against Ferrari, Mercedes and Honda trickery
Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull will all have a more powerful engine in 2023, despite their being an engine freeze on performance upgrades.
18 January 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Alpine executive director Bruno Famin has questioned “what is a pure, genuine reliability issue?” Following reports from Italy that Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes have all increased the power of their power units.

“The process in 2022 with the FIA and the other PU manufacturers has been quite good, it has been transparent at least in that everybody was aware of the request and this is very good. It has been well managed by the FIA. “Now I am expecting the FIA to be a bit stronger in the future. It has been quite tolerant in ‘22 and I think it was quite normal because everybody was affected by a reliability issue.”

“We had 30, 40, 50, 70 requests from the different manufacturers. Then everybody was affected by this kind of problem. I am expecting the FIA to be a bit stronger in the future, but I have no new information.”

‘Urge FIA to take action’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/alpine-urge-fia-to-take-action-against-ferrari-mercedes-and-honda-trickery/


Alpine reportedly ‘suspicious’ after rivals find horsepower gains through reliability fixes
Wednesday 18th January 2023 12:15 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

At a time when F1’s engine manufacturers may only make changes to their power units to improve reliability, Alpine are said to be “suspicious” of rivals who have found extra horsepower. That, Gazzetta dello Sport reports, is a huge concern as all three of their rival engine manufacturers – Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull – have reportedly made gains.

Alpine executive director Bruno Famin, the head of the team’s engine base in Viry-Chatillon in France, recently explained to The Race: “For example, we can imagine changing the inlet line or exhaust line to allow our colleagues from Enstone to make better aerodynamics. This is where we are working. We’re working of focus in the use of the energy management, but here again we are going to be very limited as we’re going to have only one software version per year now.

“We are pushing like that, but it’s more on the on the drivability. We are going through the ideas to progress, which is very small margins. It’s not pure performance, it’s more drivability and integration/aero gains.” But while Alpine fell short, Ferrari have 30hp extra as last season they were forced to decrease the power as they tried to avoid yet more DNFs with their unreliable engine.

‘Suspicious’

https://www.planetf1.com/news/alpine-reportedly-suspicious-rivals-find-horsepower/


Alpine outline their ‘100-race plan’ after Fernando Alonso misery
Alpine finished as the best of the rest in 2022, holding off a late charge from McLaren.
16 January 2023
by Jack Devonport
Formula1News

When Renault rebranded to Alpine in 2022, many fans were excited to see exactly what the team could achieve, especially after they managed to bring the legendary Fernando Alonso out of retirement to race for the team.
Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi claimed that the team had a 100-race plan in place, but never actually described the details of this plan or where he expects his team to be in the near future.
The team have been impressive since joining the sport, finishing fifth and fourth in their two seasons in Formula 1, achieving a win and a podium along the way as well.
Alpine look to be a team on the rise under the major regulation changes that came into effect last year, as without their major reliability woes, the French team could have scored over 100 more points, with Alonso alone being forced to retire from six races.

‘100-race plan’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/alpine-outline-their-100-race-plan-after-fernando-alonso-misery/

[Fortitude]

Aston Martin find “clever innovations” in F1 rule loopholes - Good news for Fernando Alonso?
Loopholes within the F1 rules have enabled Aston Martin to find “clever innovations” on their 2023 car.
20 Jan 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Hopes for 2023 are high at the Silverstone-based outfit after they were boosted by the arrival of Fernando Alonso, with the two-time world champion replacing fellow multiple world champion Sebastian Vettel, who has retired. Aston Martin are aiming for a marked improvement following two underwhelming seasons and a disappointing seventh-place finish in the 2022 F1 constructors’ championship.

Although there are no major rule changes for the upcoming campaign - unlike the regulation overhaul in 2022 - Aston Martin’s deputy technical director Eric Blandin has suggested there are loopholes teams can take advantage of.

“We've implemented a few clever innovations on the new car – they're the icing on the cake,” Blandin said in an interview on the official Aston Martin website. “They’re a nice-to-have, but not a must-have.”

“Clever innovations”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1019262/1/aston-martin-s-clever-innovations-f1-rule-loopholes-alonso-s-big-chance


Aston Martin says its 2023 F1 car is more than 90 per cent new
20th Jan 2023, 09:47
by Fergal Walsh
Motorsport Week

Speaking in an Aston Martin pre-season interview, deputy technical director Eric Blandin outlined how fresh the AMR23 will be compared to its predecessor. “We took all our learnings from last year’s car and applied them to this year’s car,” he said.

“So much of the AMR23 is new, it’s completely different from the AMR22. We’ve changed more than 90 per cent of the parts and more than 95 per cent of the aerodynamic surfaces are different.”

‘90 per cent new’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/01/20/aston-martin-says-its-2023-f1-car-is-more-than-90-per-cent-new/


ASTON MARTIN VOWS “NO EXCUSES” FOR 2023
This year's car is set to be "completely different" to Aston Martin's 2022 contender.
20th Jan 2023, 15:39
Jasmine Hughes
FormulaNerds

The Silverstone-based team has a “few little things” up its sleeve as Aston Martin finds “loopholes” it can use to its advantage.

A positive outlook for 2023. In Blandin’s view, Aston Martin’s F1 project is now “coming together”. With new state-of-the-art facilities on the horizon, the team’s future in F1 is looking bright.

“You can feel the energy. Even if we don’t get it right this year or next year, or don’t make the step forward we’re aiming for, we will eventually,” he said. “There’s a strong feeling, a belief, that we’re on the right path. It’s going to take a few years to become championship contenders, but soon we will have everything we need to be successful.”

“NO EXCUSES”;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/aston-martin-vows-no-excuses-for-2023/?nowprocket=1


Fallows: Aston Martin won’t ‘replicate’ F1’s big teams to beat them
11:09 Tue, 17 Jan 2023.
Hamilton Lyndon-Griffiths
Read Motorsport

Aston Martin cannot just “replicate” Formula 1’s big three teams if it aspires to be fighting at the front of the grid, says technical director Dan Fallows. “The important thing for us is to make sure that we don’t just replicate what our competitors are doing,” said Fallows, as quoted by The Race.

“We don’t believe that’s going to help us overtake the likes of Mercedes, Red Bull, and Ferrari.
“We have to develop our own way of doing things. That does take time, but we’ve got a hugely ambitious group of people.”

“One of the things about seeing the new factory come together is it demonstrates this momentum, this vision, this wish to accelerate the process of moving up the grid and get into a winning situation.”

‘Cannot just “replicate” ‘;

https://readmotorsport.com/2023/01/17/fallows-aston-martin-wont-replicate-f1s-big-teams-to-beat-them/


F1: Fernando Alonso shows off incredible reactions with light speed test
Published: 20 Jan 2023, 08:58
By George Dagless
Give Me Sport

Fernando Alonso embarks on his 21st Formula 1 season this year with Aston Martin and it looks as though his reactions are as sharp as ever.

Many want to see Fernando out in front battling with the likes of Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and old rival Lewis Hamilton because there’s a genuine belief he’s still absolutely got what it takes to win races providing the car he is in is good enough.

It remains to be seen what the AMR23 that Aston produce is like, then, with it due to launch on February 13th, but it’s clear Fernando has kept himself in top shape both physically and mentally over the off-season ahead of another busy year on the grid.

‘Incredible reactions’;

https://www.givemesport.com/88106989-f1-fernando-alonso-shows-off-incredible-reactions-with-light-speed-test

[Fortitude]

Haas boss Guenther Steiner targeting 5th in F1 standings ahead of new season.
Guenther Steiner believes the gelling process among new staff at Haas will stand them in good stead for the 2023 season.
16:11 Thu, 12 Jan 2023.
Wheels24

Such has been their rate of progress, in fact, that Steiner hopes to see Haas climb back to their 2018 peak of fifth place in the Constructors' standings in the next couple of seasons. "I think we are in a better place," Steiner explained on the Beyond The Grid podcast.

"As I say, I'm cautiously confident looking at next year that these guys did a good job again, but not because they just worked together for a year, they're just getting better, or the organisation is getting better. They're just more efficient. “

“They know each other. They know their weak points, their good points, everything. So they're working just like a team now, and that should give us a better car for the future – and that is where we came up in the last two years."

‘Targeting 5th’;

https://www.news24.com/sport/motorsport/formulaone/haas-boss-guenther-steiner-targeting-5th-in-f1-standings-ahead-of-new-season-20230112


Guenther Steiner sends reassuring message about Haas’ future in F1
Sunday 15th January 2023 10:00 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

With a new title sponsor on board, Guenther Steiner believes Haas fans do not have to worry about the future of their team in the sport.

Formula 1 is one of the most expensive sports on the planet to compete in and Haas have one of the smaller budgets on the grid in comparison to those further up the field.

While at times that has made Steiner’s life in particular more difficult (need we mention the boat?), the 57-year-old can breathe a little easier now that the team has a new title sponsor.

‘Reassuring message’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/guenther-steiner-haas-future-f1/


STEINER “COULDN’T CARE LESS” ABOUT FERRARI B-TEAM COMMENTS
The debate around technical relationships between teams reared its head once again last season
09:34 Tue, 17 Jan 2023.
Katy Roberts
FormulaNerds

Over Haas’ satisfactory 2022 season, Guenther Steiner ignored suggestions of a controversial team relationship with Ferrari. The American team has repeatedly faced criticism surrounding its technical collaboration with the legendary constructor.

In 2018, both Force India and McLaren spoke out against the partnership after Haas arrived at testing with a car resembling the previous season’s Ferrari. McLaren’s Zak Brown has frequently been one of the biggest critics.

However, the so-called A and B-team system is a great way for smaller teams to enter the sport, according to Ross Brawn. “If you are good, you are a copycat; if you are doing bad, nobody cares,” Steiner told Autosport. “It’s like, alright then, keep on saying it, we have heard this before. It’s a broken record. It doesn’t do anything to me. I couldn’t care less about it.”

“COULDN’T CARE LESS”;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/steiner-couldnt-care-less-about-ferrari-b-team-comments/?nowprocket=1


Guenther Steiner lashes out over Ferrari dig as Haas critics are "like a broken record"
Haas team principal Steiner rarely minces his words, and he stayed true to form as he was asked about those who criticise his team's links with engine suppliers Ferrari
22:26, 17 Jan 2023
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
The Mirror

Guenther Steiner takes no notice at all of those who dismiss Haas as nothing more than a Ferrari 'B-team'. Steiner, in his usual unflappable way, says he couldn't care less what other have to say about his team. He told Motorsport-Total : "We have got used to it. If you're good, you're a copycat. If you're bad, nobody cares.”

"It's like, 'alright, keep saying it, we've heard it before'. It's a broken record. It doesn't bother me. I don't care at all." While Haas have benefitted from that Ferrari relationship, their efforts last season were hampered by reliability issues from those power units.

But Steiner appears confident those woes are now over. "It should be okay now with the new power units that are coming in, and hopefully for next year it is resolved because we had quite a few issues this year, with a few crashes and then power unit problems, they have not helped us," he told Mirror Sport at the end of October.

"Like a broken record";

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/guenther-steiner-haas-ferrari-relationship-28981463


Guenther Steiner snaps back at criticism of Haas' Ferrari relationship - 'Don't care'
F1 team Haas enjoy a close relationship with Ferrari.
19:08, Wed, Jan 11, 2023
By Fraser Watson
Daily and Sunday Express

Gunther Steiner has insisted he doesn't care about scepticism over the relationship between his Haas team and Ferrari. The American outfit have long purchased engine parts off the Scuderia, whilst also acquiring staff members. They also have a 'hub' at Ferrari’s Maranello base in Italy.

The likes of Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff, Alpine’s Otmar Szafnauer and McLaren’s Andreas Seidl have all previously raised Haas’ close ties to Ferrari. However, none have submitted an official complaint to the FIA on the matter.

The issue of replicating in F1 kicked off in 2020 when Racing Point (now Aston Martin) produced a car dubbed the ‘pink Mercedes’ for its resemblance to the W10 from 2019. As a result, Racing Point were docked 15 Constructors’ points and fined £359,000 for copying the brake ducts.

'Don't care';

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1720008/Guenther-Steiner-Haas-Ferrari-F1-news


‘You are a copycat’: Guenther Steiner hits back at cheating claims
Haas entered Formula 1 in 2016, bringing an American owned team to the paddock under the leadership of Guenther Steiner.
17 January 2023
by Jack Devonport
Formula1News

The A and B team style of management in Formula 1 has been a very successful one for numerous teams, with the likes of Ferrari and Mercedes partnering with smaller teams on the grid to share parts.

Haas’ technical partnership with Ferrari has been heavily criticised in the past, as the team’s success during its first couple of seasons in the sport was credited to Ferrari. McLaren and Force India both protested against Haas’ relationship with Ferrari in 2018, as the car produced by the team looked awfully similar to the car produced by the Scuderia the season before.

Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has now hit back at these copying claims, suggesting the rival teams only use this partnership as an excuse when Haas are doing well and fall silent when the team are less successful.

‘Hits back at cheating claims’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/you-are-a-copycat-guenther-steiner-hits-back-at-cheating-claims/


‘Rich people’: Guenther Steiner fires thinly veiled jibe at Toto Wolff
2023 is set to be the longest season in the history of Formula 1, with 23 races having been confirmed following the cancellation of the Chinese GP.
by Nick Golding
12 January 2023
Formula1News

Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has admitted that the American side are “not as privileged” as the “rich” teams on the grid, with the Italian revealing that there are no plans for mechanics and engineers to be rotated during the upcoming season.

Steiner actually enjoys going to all of the races and has even stated that he’ll only miss a race if he’s “sick”. “I’m not as privileged as them, you know, I have to go to the races, actually – these are the rich people which can afford not to go because they’ve got so many people working for them,” Steiner said on Formula 1’s Beyond the Grid podcast.

“And to be honest, I don’t dislike to go to races. This is what I’m doing, what I like most. Going racing, it’s one of the things I do like. I will go, hopefully, with 24 races you never know if you’re sick on one race or something – I hope I’m not – and I will go to all the races.

“I have to go to the races”, “This is what I’m doing, what I like most”;

https://formula1news.co.uk/rich-people-guenther-steiner-fires-thinly-veiled-jibe-at-toto-wolff/

[Fortitude]

A reality check for anyone expecting a closer 2023 F1 season.
It is going to take time for the field to close up, but there are reasons to expect it to do so. This is the most comprehensive rules overhaul in F1 history and given it’s such a complex sport, it will inevitably require years, rather than months, for the full effect to be felt.
Jan 21 2023
By Edd Straw
The Race

One of the main objectives of Formula 1’s recent rule revolution is to close up the field. Conventional wisdom states the longer the rules are stable, the closer the competition gets, so the hope is things will get tighter in 2023.

Historically that trend is broadly true, although it’s never quite as linear as that. Both a look back at F1’s past and the current situation in F1 suggests it won’t be that clear-cut and even though it’s hoped 2023 will be closer, there could be a painful reality check for those expecting it.

F1’s 2022 regulations aimed to make the field more competitive in multiple ways and it is realistic to expect them to have a positive effect. This objective has been attacked not only technically, but also through the financial and sporting regulations, as well as the Concorde Agreement that binds together the teams, the FIA and commercial-rights holder Liberty Media.

‘A reality check’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/a-reality-check-for-anyone-expecting-a-closer-2023-f1-season/


F1 rule changes - The feud between three team bosses over 2023’s biggest update
F1 have altered with their ride height rules for 2023.
10:01, Sun, Jan 22, 2023
By Luke Chillingsworth
Daily and Sunday Express

Toto Wolff, Christian Horner and ex-Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto were all involved in a tense feud over one of F1’s major rule changes. The three team bosses had a “heated exchange” at the Canadian Grand Prix after the FIA issued a technical directive to combat porpoising issues.

New rule changes launched a metric to measure oscillations to ensure cars were not being run too close to the floor. This was eventually brought in from the Belgian Grand Prix but the directive also promised a technical meeting to define more long-term solutions to the issue.

The FIA have since adopted a string of new rule changes for 2023 in a bid to improve safety. Ride heights will be raised by 15mm for this season while more stringent lateral floor deflection tests and sensors will also be introduced. The car’s underfloor diffuser throat will also need to be raised from the start of the new season.

‘The feud between three team bosses’;

https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/?search=f1&lang=en&searchheadlines=1


Liberty Media rejects huge bid from Saudi Arabia to buy F1
Liberty Media have made it clear that Formula 1 is not for sale
January 22, 2023
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Liberty Media have reiterated that F1 is not for sale after rejecting a huge bid from Saudi Arabia to purchase Formula 1. The American media group bought the sport for $4.4 billion in 2017.

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which also owns Newcastle United, reportedly bid over $20 billion in an attempt to buy the sport, as part of Saudi Arabia’s ever-growing sporting sphere of influence.

They reportedly remain committed to the project of buying F1 and would be one of the frontrunners if Liberty does look to sell its asset in the coming years, but have been rebuffed for the time being.

‘Reportedly bid over $20 billion in an attempt to buy the sport’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/liberty-media-reject-huge-bid-saudi-arabia-buy-f1/


Why Time Is Becoming a Factor in Andretti F1 Bid
Mario Andretti says that son Michael Andretti's Formula 1 effort will need decision from F1 in the next few months.
Jan 20, 2023
By Global Motorsport Media
AutoWeek

Formula 1 needs to give the Andretti-Cadillac F1 is entering a critical phase and that time is starting to matter. So says 1978 Formula 1 world champion Mario Andretti, whose son Michael Andretti is bidding to bring his Andretti Autosport empire into the sport with General Motors' backing.

However, while FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem has shown support for the new team to enter F1—most likely in 2026 when the sport's new regulations kick in—the bid is facing major opposition from existing teams who fear a dilution of their value and official income.

It means that, for the moment, the Andretti bid has the brakes on.

‘Time Is Becoming a Factor’;

https://www.autoweek.com/racing/formula-1/a42595421/why-time-is-becoming-a-factor-in-andretti-f1-bid/


Six F1 teams which could have more team-mate tension than Ocon v Gasly
Saturday 21st January 2023 7:00 AM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Pierre Gasly against Esteban Ocon at Alpine is one of the big F1 duels we are all looking forward to in 2023, but the new Alpine driver does not see what the fuss is about when their fractious relationship is spoken of.

Gasly has been keen to play down any talk of tension between them, however. “I think this is a subject that is talked about far too often,” he told the French edition of Motorsport.com. “We get along well. We may not be best friends, but we can go through a door together.”

“When I go over the paddock and the relationships between other team-mates, there are certainly relationships that are worse than ours. If the relationship between Esteban and me needs to be discussed, you can talk about 60 per cent of the paddock.” So with Gasly inviting talks about six other teams in the paddock, we got our heads together for a think about which teams he could be referring to.

‘Six F1 teams’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/six-f1-teams-possible-driver-tension/

[Fortitude]

Sergio Perez will be an F1 world champion, claims father.
Sergio Perez will one day win the Formula 1 driver's championship, his father Victor has claimed.
Sunday 22 January 2023 23:01
Paul Macdonald
GPFans

In an interview with Mexican outlet En Cancha MX, Antonio Perez Garibay discussed his son's exploits and his development into becoming Max Verstappen's Partner at Red Bull. He believes that his son needs to up his game, but that he also has the capacity to compete – and ultimately win – the world title in the future.

Perez Sr. said: "These last two years have been the most important for him. The best thing is his relationship with Red Bull. "It must be remembered that Checo was not at this level and he found it, after he lost everything at Force India and Racing Point, when he was fired and left without a job, but these two years they have been the most important in all terms for Checo.”

"This is an experience that is very difficult for Mexico to repeat and we have to enjoy it. I tell you that the best of Checo Perez – we have not seen it yet. He has much more to give, and surely with the passage of time Mexico will have a F1 champion."

‘One day, Formula 1 driver's champion’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/99913/sergio-perez-will-be-an-f1-world-champion-claims-father/


What Perez needs to do to take title fight to Verstappen
Monday 16 January 2023 13:20
GPFans Staff

Former Red Bull driver David Coulthard has revealed what Sergio Perez must do to take the fight to team-mate Max Verstappen for the F1 drivers' title this year. Coulthard explained: "For Checo to look at how many victories Max had and how many he had, it's not like he is just having to polish a few corners.

"This is a major rewrite, a software update. If you use the same ingredients in the cake you will get the same cake. You need to change it if you want something different."

"He has access to the data of the world champion," added Coulthard. "He can see where he's quicker, and where he's slower. Checo will be quicker in some areas. It's just Max is putting it all together more often than not."

‘A major rewrite, a software update’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/99552/sergio-perez-max-verstappen-title-fight-david-coulthard/


HOW SERGIO PEREZ PLANS ON WINNING THE TITLE IN 2023
Sergio Perez is eyeing a title-winning 2023 season as he works on consistency and strength
10:10 Tue, 10 Jan 2023.
Catherine Micallef
FormulaNerds

The Mexican joined the Austrian outlet in 2021 after he unleashed a racing force like no other in his last season with Racing Point in 2020. He proved to be a great “second driver” by helping slow down other drivers such as Lewis Hamilton and contributing to Max Verstappen’s title winnings in 2021. In 2022, Perez was essential in Red Bull’s mission to win Constructors’ too.

Perez is not wasting time. The season might be taking a break, but the Mexican is working non-stop to ensure he’s prepared for the 2023 season. At age 32, he feels like he’s at his prime and is determined to win even more. He told Formula 1: “I’m constantly working on it. I think it really depends on how comfortable I am at the start of the season with the car, as I was in the beginning of the season, then it slipped away.”

“I think as Formula 1 drivers, we are constantly working for new challenges all the time. But I do feel, at this time, I’m pretty much at my best. I really want to carry it on and start next year on a very high [level]. Certainly, [2022] started really well. [We had] some reliability issues in the beginning, but things were looking on track. We were in the mix for the championship early on. I had a couple of bad races that really put me [out of] contention for the championship, so there is some work to do in that regard, together with the team.”

‘HOW SERGIO PEREZ PLANS ON WINNING’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/sergio-perez-win-title-2023/?nowprocket=1


Sergio Pérez's best moments of 2022.
30 Dec 2022
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Even though Red Bull driver Sergio Pérez missed out on second place in drivers' championship, Mexican still had an exceptional season as he conquered the streets of Monaco and Singapore. Sit back and enjoy some of Checo's defining moments in 2022.

‘Sergio Pérez's best moments’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.sergio-perezs-best-moments-of-2022.1752927597750062624.html


Horner: Brazil team order row 'a mistake on our part'
21/01/2023 at 17:07
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Christian Horner has admitted that the row that blew up between Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez about team orders at the Brazilian Grand Prix had been down to Red Bull failing to foresee how things would play out. Looking back, Horner acknowledged that it was the team which had been responsible for the breakdown in Verstappen and Perez working together on that occasion.

“I think the root cause of the problem was we had never envisaged being in a situation, being in the final few laps, being in sixth and seventh place in that Grand Prix,” Horner said. “It was something that, as we hadn't envisaged it, we hadn't discussed it before the race, and I think that was a mistake on our part," he admitted.

"We should have thought through, or tried to think through every single scenario. I think that was a mistake as a team that we didn't discuss it and come up with a very clear plan," he noted. "Obviously it was unfortunate what happened."

‘Mistake on our part';

https://f1i.com/news/464465-horner-brazil-team-order-row-a-mistake-on-our-part.html

[Fortitude]

Massa: Ferrari have 'many, many problems' to fix.
Felipe Massa believes Ferrari needs to fix 'many many problems' to give Charles Leclerc a chance of winning this year's F1 title.
Monday 23 January 2023 06:59
Paul Macdonald
GPFans

Ferrari's questionable strategy decisions plagued its 2022 season despite a strong start, and Massa, speaking in an interview with Polish site Swiatwyscigow.pl, said in order to win a title, certain situations have to be perfect – something Ferrari must bear in mind. "First of all, I think Charles is doing a fantastic job," said Massa. "He's a great driver, he really deserves to be in a competitive car. He deserves to have the opportunity to fight for the championship as a driver.”

"But yeah, I think they need to fix the problem. They need to improve the things that are not working, on the strategy but also on so many other things. They have mechanical issues at the beginning of the season. They had problems in the pit stop, many, many problems with the strategy.”

"In the end, to win the championship, everything needs to be perfect. For me, when you have a season like this, it's important to fix things in the right way. If you start to change things and you change in the wrong way, that is not good. So, you need to change things in the right way and fix them quickly. You need to fix now until the last race to be better for the next season."

‘Everything needs to be perfect’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/99924/ferrari-problems-felipe-massa/


Ex-F1 star disagrees with Charles Leclerc as new Ferrari boss told to act 'like a parent'.
Ferrari's strategic errors cost them a shot at the title in 2022.
11:30, Mon, Jan 23, 2023
By Luke Chillingsworth
Daily and Sunday Express

Former F1 driver Emmanuele Pirro has claimed Ferrari shouldn’t favour Charles Leclerc amid a team orders row at the Prancing Horse. Ex-boss Mattia Binotto refused to prioritise Leclerc last season as he maintained equal footing at the Scuderia.

However, it is a move which is understood to have led to the downfall of Binotto and Leclerc’s relationship as Max Verstappen and Red Bull cruised to the crown. But, new team boss Frederic Vassuer has been urged to stand strong to make sure the team achieves the best results.

He also called on Leclerc to “make the difference" himself instead of asking for favours. Speaking to Corriere dello Sport, Pirro said: “It depends on the drivers you have available “In Red Bull, the problem doesn’t even arise, with Verstappen so much stronger than Perez. With team-mates who can be compared today such as Hamilton-Russell or Leclerc-Sainz, the team principal must support those who are more in difficulty, like a parent with a weaker child.”

‘Act like a parent';

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1724999/emmanuele-pirro-charles-leclerc-ferrari-frederic-vasseur-news-latest


‘Charles Leclerc a better bet for 2023 F1 title than Lewis Hamilton, George Russell’
Monday 23rd January 2023 3:00 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

A respected Formula 1 observer believes Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc is a better bet to be crowned World Champion in 2023 than Mercedes pair Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. Speaking via his Twitch stream, former Williams and Ferrari team manager Peter Windsor sees Verstappen as the strong favourite to make it three in a row in 2023, but sees more scope for improvement at Ferrari and Mercedes as F1 enters the second season of the ground effect regulations.

He said: “As far as how [Ferrari] will go in 2023, I’m not sure that is in the hands of either Charles Leclerc or Freddy Vasseur. It’s in the hands, ultimately, of the technical team. No matter how much the new coach can say, ‘we’ve all got to work hard, we’ve got to focus on this, we’ve got to do this, we’ve got to do that’, ultimately it comes down to talent and it comes down to brainpower.”

“It doesn’t come down to resources, it doesn’t come down to money. It comes down to talent and brainpower, which is why Red Bull are as good as they are because it’s ultimately Adrian Newey’s design team that creates that car. So how good a car will the technical department at Ferrari create in 2023 based on what they had in ’22 and bearing in mind the regulation changes are relatively small and we’re fixed now on power units? The logical thing to say is that Ferrari will be a bit nearer Red Bull probably.”

‘Talent and brainpower’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/charles-leclerc-2023-f1-title-lewis-hamilton-george-russell/


Ferrari definitely needed 2023 shakeup says Alesi
JANUARY 23, 2023
GrandPrix.com

Ferrari needs to rely on a pair of French talents to put the fabled team back on track in Formula 1. That is the view of Jean Alesi, one of the most well-known former French F1 drivers who famously raced for the Italian team in the 90s.

"Certainly, in order for the team to move forward, it is necessary to implement changes for the better in a number of aspects," Alesi said. The most obvious change for 2023 was the axing of Ferrari's Italian team boss Mattia Binotto, as he is replaced with Alfa Romeo's French principal Frederic Vasseur.

But Alesi says Vasseur will now work very closely with Ferrari's existing sporting boss Laurent Mekies - who is also French. "I believe Vasseur will have to rely a lot on Laurent," he said. "He has been working at Ferrari for several years and is ideally suited for the role of helping the new leader to figure out which areas need to be reformed and which do not need to be changed.”

‘2023 shakeup’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/ferrari-definitely-needed-2023-shakeup-says-alesi.html


How Ferrari added to FIA organisational "crisis"
Monday 23 January 2023 10:47
Ronan Murphy
GPFans

Former F1 driver and FIA steward Emanuele Pirro has revealed how Ferrari played a part in the governing body's "crisis" following the death of Charlie Whiting. Long-time F1 race director Whiting passed away in the build-up to the Australian Grand Prix in 2019.

Pirro, who left F1 to forge a successful endurance racing career, has explained how Ferrari's decision to hire Laurent Mekies as racing director threw the FIA into further disarray. "With Whiting gone, the system went into crisis," Pirro told Corriere della Sera. "Laurent Mekies, who was supposed to replace him, was taken by Ferrari."

Following Masi's departure, Pirro added: "Wittich and Freitas were the best available, but alternation cannot work. You have to create a long bench because the race director can only grow in that room, you cannot recruit him from outside."

‘FIA organisational "crisis" ‘;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/99948/ferrari-fia-organisational-crisis/


Ferrari "politics" blamed for Mick Schumacher's 2023 F1 absence amid AlphaTauri admission
Schumacher might have been offered another seat on the 2023 F1 grid despite being axed by Haas, but the chief of the interested team has blamed Ferrari for that not happening
18:51, 23 Jan 2023
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer

Franz Tost has admitted he would have liked to sign Mick Schumacher to race for AlphaTauri this season. But, as he explained, there was a reason why such a move didn't materialise. Schumacher was released by Haas at the end of last season after just two seasons, leaving the German to take up a reserve role with Mercedes rather than another race seat.

AlphaTauri had already signed Nyck de Vries by that point, to replace Pierre Gasly. But even if that wasn't the case, long-serving team principal Tost explained there was another key reason why there was never any hope of signing Schumacher.

‘Ferrari "politics" blamed’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/mick-schumacher-ferrari-blocked-alphatauri-29031302

[Fortitude]

Haas goes for earliest 2023 F1 reveal date so far.
The Haas VF-23 will debut its colours in what it has acknowledged is a livery launch only on January 31, with the team having promised a “rebranded livery” when it originally announced its MoneyGram partnership.
25th Jan 2023, 14:20
By Valentin Khorounzhiy
RaceFans

Of course, many of the actual 2023 cars – rather than ‘show cars’ or simple livery reveals – will only make their proper appearance closer to, or even right before the February 23 start of, pre-season testing in Bahrain. The Haas livery unveiling is scheduled for 2pm GMT next Tuesday.

In addition to Magnussen and Hulkenberg, the team recently confirmed it has retained two-time F1 grand prix starter Pietro Fittipaldi in a reserve role – with the Miami-born Brazilian eligible to drive the VF-23 in the two practice session each team is required to make available to rookies.

F1 2023 LAUNCH DATES
Haas – January 31 (livery reveal)
Red Bull – February 3
Williams – February 6 (season launch)
Alfa Romeo – February 7
AlphaTauri – February 11
Aston Martin – February 13
McLaren – February 13
Ferrari – February 14
Mercedes – February 15
Alpine – February 16

‘Haas VF-23 Debut’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/haas-goes-for-earliest-2023-f1-reveal-date-so-far/


Haas confirm 2023 F1 season launch
25 January 3:10PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Haas will reveal their 2023 livery on Tuesday 31st January ahead of the new season. The online event will see the team unveil how the new branding will look on the car, after they revealed a new logo that incorporates their title sponsor MoneyGram.

MoneyGram was confirmed as the team's main sponsor on a multi-year deal at the US Grand Prix last year, following the termination of their agreement with Russian sponsor Uralkali at the beginning of 2022.

The team is expected to unveil their actual car to be driven by Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg at pre-season testing, which starts on the 23rd February.

‘Haas Launch’;

https://racingnews365.com/haas-confirm-2023-f1-season-launch


Steiner explains reservations on Haas fielding US F1 driver
16:48 Tue, 24 Jan 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has professed that he retains an interest in signing Logan Sargeant for the future but has warned they will only consider recruiting an American driver once they have acquired Formula 1 experience elsewhere.

“Absolutely we would like to see it, but I think the answer is not a simple ‘what would it take?’. I mean, what would it take is a consequence”, the team boss told Texan television station KVUE.

“So I think what we need to see is to make a development of an American driver, which is very difficult.”

‘Reservations’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/01/24/steiner-explains-reservations-on-haas-fielding-us-f1-driver/


Steiner Still Wants American Racer to Join Haas in F1, Links Sargeant with Future Move
January 25, 2023
By Paul Hensby

Guenther Steiner insists the MoneyGram Haas F1 Team would like to see an American driver join the team in the future, and he has hinted that Logan Sargeant could be that driver once he earns experience within the FIA Formula 1 World Championship.

However, the fact there are currently no drivers from the United States with Formula 1experience meant they went with Nico Hülkenberg alongside Kevin Magnussen for 2023.

With Formula 1 becoming ever more popular in the United States and Haas being the only American team on the grid, they have always been linked with American drivers since they joined the grid in 2015. This link has been increased in 2023 with American sponsors MoneyGram joining Haas, while there will also be three races in the country in Miami, Austin and Las Vegas.

‘American Racer’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2023/01/steiner-still-wants-american-racer-to-join-haas-in-f1-links-sargeant-with-future-move/


F1: Pietro Fittipaldi retained by Haas as reserve driver
Published: 24 Jan 2023, 18:00
By George Dagless
Give Me Sport

Haas have confirmed that Pietro Fittipaldi will be retained by the team as their reserve driver for the coming year. The team sees a change to its driver line-up for 2023 with Nico Hulkenberg replacing Mick Schumacher alongside Kevin Magnussen.

Part of the reason behind the switch was due to Guenther Steiner wanting more experience behind the wheel of his two cars, and it seems as though Haas have opted to go with a familiar face in terms of their reserve role as well.

Indeed, Fittipaldi has been with the team for several seasons now and has regularly taken on testing and reserve driver duties, though without ever looking massively close to getting a full-time drive with the team – with him taking on sportscar duties as well.

‘Pietro Fittipaldi Reserve Driver’;

https://www.givemesport.com/88108502-f1-pietro-fittipaldi-retained-by-haas-as-reserve-driver

[Fortitude]

Marko claims Mercedes F1 atmosphere ‘tense’ after Vowles exit.
Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko claims that there is unease within the Mercedes Formula 1 team following the exit of James Vowles.
25th January 2023, 11:47
by Fergal Walsh
Motorsport Week

When asked if he was worried that Vowles could shape Williams into a B-team for Mercedes, Marko said: “No, I have completely different information. Vowles went of his own accord and – so it is said – even takes good engineers with him. My sources tell me that’s why the mood at Mercedes is so tense.”

However, while Marko was cautious over whether Vowles’ exit could hurt Mercedes form next year, the Austrian states that he expects the Brackley-based outfit to be Red Bull’s biggest competitor this year.

“We’ll see,” he said. “However, I still believe that Mercedes will be our biggest challenger when it comes to defending our title.”

‘Mercedes F1 atmosphere tense’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/01/25/marko-claims-mercedes-f1-atmosphere-tense-after-vowles-exit/


How Williams Hired Away Mercedes’s Strategy Director, James Vowles
January 17, 2023 6:49 PM
By Madeline Coleman Sports Illustrated
News & Observer, North Carolina

Throughout his 21-year F1 career, he’s been part of more than 120 race victories and played key roles in winning nine constructors’ championships. Williams Racing’s announcement of hiring James Vowles as the Formula One team’s new team principal shocked many, but it wasn’t because he’s not a qualified candidate.

He’s overseen more than 120 race victories and played a key role in nine constructors’ titles. And for the last 13 years, he’s been with Mercedes in key engineering and strategy roles, working his way to being the motorsport strategy director. Now, Vowles replaces Jost Capito, who stepped down as Williams’s CEO and team boss in December. Vowles told select media that the conversations between the Grove outfit and himself began “over the last month or so,” adding that it wasn’t a complete “cold call” given the relationships within F1.

“From my perspective, the conversation just started picking up initially because it’s an incredible opportunity and I feel like I can add to it,” he said, per formula1.com. “And really from both sides, both Williams and myself, we concluded that the fit is very, very good after a number of meetings with the board. We actually found a way of working, a way of thinking, a way of approaching things, culture, people, systems, was incredibly aligned.”

‘How Williams Hired James Vowles’;

https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/article271302202.html#storylink=mainstage_card


Vowles taking engineers from Mercedes
JANUARY 25, 2023
Motorsport Week

"Vowles went of his own accord and, so it is said, is even taking good engineers with him. My sources tell me that's why the mood at Mercedes is so tense," the Austrian added.

‘Taking engineers’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/vowles-taking-engineers-from-mercedes.html


ANALYSIS: Why Williams made Mercedes’ James Vowles their new Team Principal
16 January 2023
Lawrence Barretto
F1 Correspondent & Presenter
Formula One - Official Site

Williams are F1’s second most successful team in terms of constructors’ championships won, but have struggled to replicate that form and compete at the front since the turn of the century. They have finished last three times in the last four years.

Owners Dorilton Capital decided late last year that things needed to change, and thus parted ways with Capito – while removing FX Demaison from his role as Technical Director. At the time, they didn’t have a replacement ready to go, with sources suggesting there were more than 10 under consideration.

Vowles was high on their list – and Dorilton moved swiftly, getting the deal over the line in a month or so. Vowles says he told Mercedes boss Toto Wolff of the offer “a few weeks ago, into the New Year” and said the Austrian, as he expected, was “incredibly good” about the news.

‘New Team Principal’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.analysis-why-williams-made-mercedes-james-vowles-their-new-team-principal.2xTCdtCdOnuNDLDEEzejN5.html


‘Like a divorce’: James Vowles opens up on Mercedes exit as he denies claim
James Vowles will join Williams as their team principal at the start of next month.
16 January 2023
by Jack Devonport
Formula1News

While a move from being a strategy director to a team principal may seem as a massive leap, Vowles has explained that he has been working towards this role for a while and that he feels more than ready for his Mercedes ‘divorce’.

“Fortunately, I’m not seeing it… it is a leap, it is a jump, but I don’t think it’s a massive leap,” he claimed. “I think this journey towards team principal has been one that has been in my head for many years, and Toto and Mercedes have been incredibly kind in order to provide me a pathway to get there.”

“However, it’s the same if I asked any of you to change what you’re doing and move onto a different organisation, even perhaps if you’re doing the same job. The best analogy I can use so far is almost like a divorce. It’s hard. That’s a lot of people that are incredibly close to me, that I’ve grown up with.”

‘A Divorce’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/like-a-divorce-james-vowles-opens-up-on-mercedes-exit-as-he-denies-claim/

[Fortitude]

TEAM GUIDE: Aston Martin's complex F1 roots – and how they're aiming to fulfil lofty title ambitions.
Welcome to the beginner’s guide to Aston Martin – the British marque aiming for World Championship success, with ex-Red Bull expertise and a two-time champion at the wheel…
26 January 2023
Samarth Kanal
Staff Writer
Formula One - Official Site

Fernando Alonso #14: 2 World Championships, 32 wins, 98 podiums, 22 pole positions, 2061 points, 355 starts
Lance Stroll #18: 3 podiums, 1 pole position, 194 points, 122 starts

Double world champion Fernando Alonso joins Aston Martin for this year after spending two seasons with Alpine, the team formerly known as Renault and with whom Alonso won his two titles in 2005 and 2006. The Spaniard spent 2019 and '20 pursuing other motorsports before deciding on a return to F1.

The oldest driver on the grid joins 24-year-old Canadian Lance Stroll, who is about to begin his fourth full season with the team. Lance made his F1 debut with Williams back in 2017 and joined Racing Point in 2019 after Force India were purchased by a consortium led by his father.

‘Aiming to fulfil lofty title ambitions’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.team-guide-aston-martins-complex-f1-roots-and-how-theyre-aiming-to-fulfil.465QgZKQ9XcBDcD54VT4xR.html


Krack: Aston 'credible and acting' in F1 while rivals 'talk'.
Aston Martin team boss Mike Krack says his team walks the walk in Formula 1, while its mid-field rivals just "talk".
26/01/2023 at 14:54
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Krack insists Aston's actions are well aligned with its ambitions and rhetoric. "The green team stands out because we are expanding, we are very serious about our ambitions", he told Spain's AS.”

"It’s not just words, we are building a new headquarters, a new wind tunnel, we have hired a lot of very good people. It’s a matter of making everything work together, but the potential of our project is absolutely real.”

"There are teams that say yes, that in three years they will be winning, that in a hundred races they will be winning, but what are they doing to win?" Krack's remarks appeared to be directed at McLaren and Alpine, two teams that comprehensively outpaced Aston last season.

‘Aston Martin team walks the walk in Formula 1’;

https://f1i.com/news/464675-krack-aston-credible-and-acting-in-f1-while-rivals-talk.html


Aston Martin takes aim at rival midfield teams for lack of ambition
26/01/2023, 10:41
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Aston Martin Team Principal Mike Krack has criticised the Formula 1 competition for what he’s perceived as continued talk without the necessary action when it comes to making gains towards the front of the grid. Alonso surprised many when he opted to trade Alpine for Aston Martin over the winter.

However, Krack states the British marque’s newest recruit held absolutely no reservations about investing in the project being assembled at his new home. “That’s why Fernando was clear about it so quickly, in fact we didn’t even have to convince him, he already knew it. He has his contacts everywhere,” said Krack. “We are credible, we are not only talking, we are acting.”

While Sebastian Vettel became the next high-profile name to exit F1 at the end of last year, Alonso is still going strong at the age of 41 and Krack believes the Spanish driver can remain behind the wheel by the point in which the team hopes to be on an equal pedestal with the sport’s elite.

“He has his contacts everywhere”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/01/26/aston-martins-krack-takes-aims-at-rival-midfield-teams-for-lack-of-ambition/


New Alonso-influenced Aston Martin is ‘95% different’ says deputy tech chief, as he promises ‘clever innovations’ to AMR23
23 January 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Aston Martin have two-time champion Fernando Alonso at the wheel and a brand new challenger set to be unveiled very soon – and the team's deputy technical chief Eric Blandin has hinted that the AMR23 will be a massive departure from last year's car.

"We took all our learnings from last year's car and applied them to this year's car. So much of the AMR23 is new, it's completely different from the AMR22. We've changed more than 90 per cent of the parts and more than 95 per cent of the aerodynamic surfaces are different," said Blandin in an interview on Aston Martin's website.

"We've implemented a few clever innovations on the new car – they're the icing on the cake. They're a nice-to-have, but not a must-have. It's great when you find a small loophole and can use it to your advantage, but it's not often you can base an entire car around it. Instead, it's essential to get the basics right, and then you can add things."

‘95% different’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.new-alonso-influenced-aston-martin-is-95-different-says-deputy-tech-chief-as.3col0CZie6TMdhKW41Hj5V.html


No grand targets despite signing Alonso says Krack
JANUARY 26, 2023
GrandPrix.com

Wins and the Formula 1 title are not yet on Aston Martin's radar for 2023. That is the insistence of boss Mike Krack, even though the Silverstone based team is now heralded as one of the most aggressively-developing and ambitious midfield teams on the grid.

"You say that he does not have many years of F1 left but I am not sure he agrees with that," Krack told the Spanish publication. "If you have someone with this level of motivation, as we have seen with Valentino Rossi, and it's combined with the motivation, dedication and the physical and mental preparation and his talent and experience, I don't think it means time is running out."

The risk, of course, is that Alonso will put too much pressure on Aston Martin. "I've only heard good things about him," Krack laughed. "You hear stories of course but I like to live my own experience and until now I have only had good relations. I don't expect any problems with Fernando as long as we give him a fast car and we are transparent."

‘No grand targets’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/no-grand-targets-despite-signing-alonso-says-krack.html

[Fortitude]

VASSEUR REVEALS DECISION BEHIND FERRARI F1 STRATEGY TEAM NOT BEING REPLACED.
The Maranello team lost out on several points due to strategy errors during the 2022 Formula 1 season.
27th Jan 2023, 15:05
Nathan Hartley
FormulaNerds

Like Binotto, Vasseur believes that the strategy department wasn’t entirely to blame. Instead the Frenchman believes that there are deeper issues within the team, affecting their potential performance. However, Vasseur still admits that the strategy needs to be improved, hence why discussions are being made within the team. The 54-year-old thinks that Ferrari’s solution involves more than just personnel at the strategy front.

Whilst speaking to Motorsport.com, Vasseur explains what changes he planned to make at the Maranello outfit before the season started. “When you are speaking about strategy or aerodynamics or another topic, you have to avoid being just focused on the top of the pyramid.”

“Very often, when you are speaking about strategy, it’s much more a matter of organisation than just the guy who is on the pitwall. I’m trying to understand exactly what’s happened on every single mistake and what’s happened last year. And to try to know if it’s a matter of decision, if it’s a matter of organisation, or of communication?”

‘Wasn’t entirely to blame’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/vasseur-reveals-decision-behind-ferrari-f1-strategy-not-being-replaced/?nowprocket=1


Vasseur 'really convinced' Ferrari has everything to win F1 title
27/01/2023 at 09:34
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

New Ferrari team boss Frédéric Vasseurs says the Italian outfit has "everything it needs" to win the F1 title but it has to put "everything together" to do the job. "I'm really convinced that Ferrari today, and, for sure, my experience is limited to the last two weeks, but we have everything to win," Vasseur said on Thursday in his first meeting with the media.

"We have to put everything together to do a good job, but we have everything to be able to win. You can have a look on the results of the last decades that the wheel is always running, and it's just a matter of continuous improvement for me.”

"If we are doing a better job than the others in a couple of months or years, then we will be able to win. Nothing is set in stone. If you have a look at some teams that were in a very dominant situation a couple of years ago, they are nowhere today.”

'Really convinced';

https://f1i.com/news/464701-vasseur-really-convinced-ferrari-has-everything-to-win-f1-title.html


Ferrari 'wakes up' for the new season at Fiorano
25/01/2023 at 17:07
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

The Ferrari team has been holding its traditional three day 'wake up test' to launch the new racing year, with outings for Carlos Sainz, Antonio Giovinazzi and Robert Shwartzman at the team's test track in Fiorano.

Teams aren't allowed to use newer specification cars in private tests, other than very limited running on 'filming days' intended to produce sponsorship and marketing footage.

The private 'wake up test' has become something of a tradition for Ferrari, and has proved useful for drivers, mechanics and engineers alike to get back into the swing of things.

'Wakes up'

https://f1i.com/news/464621-ferrari-wakes-up-for-the-new-season-at-fiorano.html


F1: Frederic Vasseur addresses suggestions of Ferrari favouring one driver over the other
Published: 27 Jan 2023, 10:30
By George Dagless
Give Me Sport

Frederic Vasseur has said that it has been made ‘crystal clear’ to both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz that Ferrari will not have a number 1 driver, at least to start with this coming F1 season.

The Prancing Horse burst out of the starting gates in 2022 with two wins from the opening three Grands Prix but, soon after, it began to stumble with reliability issues, strategy errors and mistakes creeping in.

Indeed, as they faltered, Red Bull grew stronger and stronger and, before too long, the championship was a foregone conclusion.

‘Crystal clear’ no number 1’;

https://www.givemesport.com/88109505-f1-frederic-vasseur-addresses-suggestions-of-ferrari-favouring-one-driver-over-the-other


Vasseur reveals talks with Binotto and Todt in preparation for Ferrari start
2023 F1 season
Posted on 27th January 2023, 14:50
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

New Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur revealed he has spoken to two notable predecessors in preparation for taking over the role. He has already met with Mattia Binotto, who has been replaced by Vasseur after four years in charge of the Scuderia. Vasseur was approached to take over his position shortly after last year’s season finale.

“The process was crystal clear,” Vasseur told selected media including RaceFans. “Even if we had some rumours in the press before Abu Dhabi or during Abu Dhabi, we didn’t discuss before. We had the first discussion the week after Abu Dhabi and it was very, very quick as a process.”

“Then I had a call with Mattia and I even met Mattia during the handover and we had a one-to-one discussion and I [will] thank Mattia for this because I appreciated the move from Mattia. They had to wait for me to discuss together, it was really appreciated from my side.”

‘Vasseur reveals talks’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/01/27/vasseur-reveals-talks-with-binotto-and-todt-in-preparation-for-ferrari-start/


‘Joke’ 30bhp Ferrari gain claims highlight a sensitive F1 issue
27th Jan 2023, 07:06
By Mark Hughes
The Race

New Ferrari Formula 1 boss Frederic Vasseur insists that rumours of a 30bhp performance boost from the 2023 power unit are ‘a joke’ and that all power unit development during the off-season has been concentrated on fixing the reliability issue which blighted the team’s 2022 season.

This distinction between reliability and performance upgrades has always been set to be a particular bone of contention, from the time of the specification freeze last year. Vasseur says that the early indications from dyno testing suggest the reliability problem has been brought under control.

“So far it looks OK,” he says, “but the reality of the track is a different aspect. A couple of issues the teams – not just Ferrari – were seeing was coming from track issues, bouncing vibration and we’ll have a much better picture in testing in Bahrain.”

‘ ‘Joke’ 30bhp Ferrari gain’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/joke-30bhp-ferrari-gain-claims-highlight-a-sensitive-f1-issue/

[Fortitude]

F1’s new qualifying rule change could backfire after 2016 update went badly wrong.
F1 is set to introduce a series of changes next season.
07:01, Sat, Jan 28, 2023
By Luke Chillingsworth
Daily and Sunday Express

F1 will trial a new qualifying format for 2023 in the first change since the disastrous 2016 update. The new rule will see teams forced to run on certain tyre compounds during each segment of qualifying at two events next season.
It means competitors will be forced to use the hard tyre in Q1, medium tyre in Q2 and soft tyre in Q3. The system moves away from the current rule where drivers can make the decision themselves over which compound to use.

The update is a bid to improve F1’s sustainability with the number of tyre compounds reduced from 13 to 11 per driver at the select races. Lawmakers believe drivers will use a wide variety of tyres, including the hard which is rarely used due to its low performance.

An FIA statement read: “This will be done to evaluate the impact of the reduction in tyre allocation on track-running, with the overall intention to move to more sustainable use of tyres in the future." Pirelli boss Mario Isola also backs the new plan, suggesting teams would “save a lot of tyres” under the proposals.

‘Qualifying rule change could backfire’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1726605/f1-qualifying-rule-changes-fia-news-latest


F1: FIA chief gives update on potential new arrivals on grid
Published: 27 Jan 2023, 10:49
By George Dagless
Give Me Sport

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has said that only Andretti have made their intentions known ‘directly’ about potentially joining the F1 grid. Ben Sulayem called for expressions of interest from parties to potentially join the F1 grid in the future, and Andretti were quick to respond.

They’ve been vocal about their intentions to try and join the sport for some time, though the feeling from a number of the teams and F1 towards their plans has felt lukewarm at best.

Indeed, the FIA’s standpoint has been considerably more positive, with president Mohammed Ben Sulayem making no secret over his hopes that Andretti can be successful and join, with them teaming up with General Motors to potentially form an Andretti Cadillac outfit.

‘Only Andretti’;

https://www.givemesport.com/88109507-f1-fia-chief-gives-update-on-potential-new-arrivals-on-grid


FIA accused of "targeting" Lewis Hamilton and slammed by House of Lords peer.
More strong opposition to the FIA's new protest ban has emerged, this time from Lord Scriven who asserts that the F1 governing body's move will "shield host countries from scrutiny".
19:06, 27 Jan 2023
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer

The FIA has been accused by a House of Lords peer of "targeting" Lewis Hamilton with its "suppression of Formula 1 drivers' voices". Motorsport's governing body has controversially changed the regulations so any driver who wants to protest or make a political statement on a race weekend will need to seek advance permission. Hamilton is one of those who has most often used his platform to highlight social injustice.

The FIA says the move was made to bring its policies in line with other major sporting organisations like FIFA and the IOC. But its critics have slammed the move and say it supresses the right the drivers have to protest. Scriven wrote: "It is very clear to me that this policy targets Sir Lewis Hamilton, your most outspoken driver, whose comments on countries with abysmal rights records, particularly Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, would have undoubtedly not been well received by these corrupt and abusive regimes.

He also went on to accuse president Mohammed ben Sulayem of being "discourteous and unprofessional" for ignoring a joint-letter he co-signed a year ago. Scriven questioned by the FIA chief had not responded to their concerns over the human rights implications of racing in Gulf countries.

The Mirror

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/fia-lewis-hamilton-protest-ban-29070868


FIA only rented out F1 rights says president
JANUARY 26, 2023, 09:32
GrandPrix.com

This week, F1's American owner Liberty Media lashed back at Ben Sulayem after he said the FIA is "cautious" about reports that Saudi Arabia is interested in buying the sport for $20 billion. Formula 1's legal department slammed the FIA chief's comments as "unacceptable", insisting Liberty Media has the "exclusive right" to "exploit the commercial rights".

F1 concluded by threatening potential legal action against the FIA, indicating that the new-in-2022 president of the Paris-based federation has kicked off a period of potential internal conflict. Dubai-born Ben Sulayem, however, appears reluctant to back down for now.

"The championship is ours," he is quoted by Auto Motor und Sport as saying at the Monte Carlo rally. "We have only rented it out." Indeed, just over 20 years ago, a 100-year lease deal was agreed between the FIA and former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone for what the German magazine described as a "ridiculously low" $300 million.

‘100-year lease deal’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/fia-only-rented-out-f1-rights-says-president.html


FIA could use ‘Don King Clause’ in escalating row with F1
26 Jan 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

The FIA could reportedly use a ‘Don King Clause’ to block a potential future sale of F1 amid an escalating row between the two parties.

It is understood the clause was inserted into the 100-year lease deal - bought two decades ago for $360m by former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone - by ex-FIA president Max Mosley and hands the FIA veto power over any sale.

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem appeared to reference the clause, named after the controversial boxing promoter, during his recent appearance at the Monte-Carlo Rally.

‘Don King Clause’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1019497/1/fia-could-use-don-king-clause-escalating-row-f1

[Fortitude]

Haas 2023 F1 car launch. Haas – launch date: January 31. The launch date for Haas's 2023 VF-23 car and livery, plus all the driver line-up and key personnel.
January 26th 2023
Author Motor Sport
Motor Sport Magazine

The team has looked to address the above areas for the upcoming season. The reliability bugs associated with any new generation of cars will have been ironed out to some extent, whilst it’s strongly rumoured the Ferrari power unit’s issues have been addressed, meaning it can be turned up to full song once again, potentially making it the most powerful in the pitlane.

In signing Nico Hülkenberg, the team will hope solid points finishes can move further up the constructors’ standings once more. Consistency, not pace, was what it lacked in 2022.

‘Haas 2023 VF-23’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/haas-2023-f1-car-launch?v=79cba1185463&nowprocket=1


Haas banks on experienced line-up as it seeks another step forward in 2023
2023 F1 preview: Haas
Posted on
30th January 2023, 12:58
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Tomorrow Haas will become the first to step into the spotlight to reveal their new livery for 2023 – though not an actual VF-23 chassis. It’s fitting they should raise the curtain, as arguably no F1 team has been transformed in the sport’s new ground effect era as much as they have.

Haas are determined not to suffer the same fate in 2023 and are willing to take unpopular decisions to strengthen their driver line-up. The young and unpolished Schumacher has been jettisoned from the team to the ire of many of his many admirers. In his place, none other than Nico Hulkenberg earns another opportunity in Formula 1 at the fifth different team of his career.

In many ways, Hulkenberg is the opposite of Schumacher; an experienced veteran considered to be a safe and reliable pair of hands in the cockpit. When it comes to the madness of the midfield, it’s hard to think of anyone with more laps in and around the minor points places than the 35-year-old.

‘Step forward in 2023’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/01/30/haas-banks-on-experienced-line-up-as-it-seeks-another-step-forward-in-2023/


Mick Schumacher could have 'been a hero' like dad Michael as F1 boss slams Haas decision.
Mick Schumacher was dropped by Haas ahead of the 2023 season with Nico Hulkenberg stepping in.
10:16, Fri, Jan 27, 2023
By Luke Chillingsworth

Mick Schumacher could have followed in his father Michael’s footsteps and become a “new hero” for German F1 fans, according to F1 team boss Franz Tost. The AlphaTauri team principal claims big names like Schumacher Sr “trigger a boom” in interest as he did did back in the noughties.

He told Sport1: “One thing is certain: people need heroes, and they need them made of flesh and blood, not metal. Back then, you wanted to see Michael Schumacher win and not the engine or the Mercedes car. Only heroes trigger a boom. As Michael Schumacher showed.”

Demand for F1 in Germany has waned in recent years despite a run of dominance from home team Mercedes. However, a German driver has not won an F1 Grand Prix since Sebastian Vettel topped the podium at the 2019 Singapore Grand Prix.

‘Could have’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1727038/mick-schumacher-michael-haas-f1-news-latest


Guenther Steiner suggests Haas ready to sign Williams driver
Haas had an all-new driver line-up in 2021, with both Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean being sacked.
28 January 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

“Of course I would like to see an American driver with us,” Steiner said to American broadcaster KVUE.

“I think what we need to see is the development of an American driver, which is very difficult. We had the last two years ago with two rookies, last year with one inexperienced driver. And we as a team are still very young.”

“And for us at the moment there is more performance to be gained for the team to make it better, to get ready, because at the moment there is no American driver with experience in F1. Therefore, we decided not to take an American again.”

‘Haas ready to sign Williams driver’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/guenther-steiner-suggests-haas-ready-to-sign-williams-driver/


Foul-mouthed F1 boss Guenther Steiner learned English 'in the pub' after ditching lessons
Drive To Survive cult hero and Haas F1 team principal Guenther Steiner has explained the unique way he learned English as he started out in his motorsport career
10:24, 27 JAN 2023
BY Mark Whiley

Potty-mouthed F1 team boss and Drive To Survive legend Guenther Steiner has revealed how he learned English - by going to the pub. The Haas team principal has developed a cult following for his appearances in the hit Netflix documentary series, which has brought new audiences to F1, particularly in the United States.

Steiner is best known for his no-nonsense approach and fruity language, which he often uses towards his drivers and even in conversation with team owner Gene Haas. He enrolled for lessons but gave up after one class and decided a drinking establishment would be the best place to learn English instead.

“But I had to speak with other mechanics. I went to one class and left after one hour, thinking, ‘I’m not going to f****** do that again’, and went straight to the pub, where I learned a lot more by actually speaking to people. But I think when you speak two languages growing up, it’s easier for you to learn another language.”

‘Learned English 'in the pub';

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1/guenther-steiner-language-f1-haas-29064684

[Fortitude]

GALLERY: Take a closer look at the all-new Haas livery for the 2023 F1 season.
Haas kicked off the F1 launch season on Tuesday by releasing several digital renders of their 2023 livery, which represents a striking new look for the American-led operation.
31 January 2023
Formula One Official Site

Haas have switched things up for the VF-23 by moving to a black base with white features and red highlights.

New title sponsor MoneyGram takes centre stage, with the payment company’s logos covering both front wing and engine cover, where the numbers of Kevin Magnussen and new team mate Nico Hulkenberg also slot in.

Haas’s new car will break cover later in the month, with the teams heading to Bahrain for pre-season testing from February 23-25.

‘All-new Haas livery’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.gallery-take-a-closer-look-at-the-all-new-haas-livery-for-the-2023-f1-season.3jloUKSln2T9dsLPNKnBy9.html


Guenther Steiner’s assessment of new VF-23 livery as Gene Haas reveals F1 2023 target
Tuesday 31st January 2023 3:37 PM
Toby Miles
PlanetF1.com

Team principal Steiner is hoping to take another step into the midfield battle this year with Kevin Magnussen and new signing Nico Hulkenberg spearheading their challenge. The 57-year-old approves of the livery, too.

“I obviously share everyone’s enthusiasm around the livery unveil, not least as it’s a checkpoint in the preseason calendar which means we’re another step closer to doing the thing we actually want to be doing – and that’s go racing,” Steiner said. “I like the livery, it’s undoubtedly a more elevated and modernised look which is fitting as we move into a new era alongside MoneyGram as our title partner.”

“It’s an exciting time of year for Formula 1 and it’s great that we’re first out the gate to showcase our livery but our attention is firmly on getting the VF-23 on-track and preparing for the season ahead. We really have something to build on following last year’s performances. The whole organization has been working hard to reach this point and obviously in Kevin (Magnussen) and Nico (Hülkenberg) we have two proven points-scoring talents locked in behind the wheel. I can’t wait to get started.”

‘Guenther Steiner’s assessment’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/steiners-livery-haas-2023-target/


Haas set date for shakedown of the VF-23 F1 car
31 January 3:30PM
Author Luke Murphy
RacingNews365

Haas have confirmed that their new 2023 car will hit the track for the first time in mid-February.

Following a reveal of their livery for the coming season, the Haas team will shakedown the VF-23 at the Silverstone circuit on February 11.

This will be less than two weeks before the start of preseason testing, when Haas will likely reveal the full design of the 2023 car.

‘Haas shakedown’;

https://racingnews365.com/haas-set-date-for-shakedown-of-the-vf-23-f1-car


Gene Haas confident 2023 car will deliver points
31/01/2023 at 17:09
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

“I was very pleased to welcome MoneyGram as title partner for the 2023 season and beyond," Haas said after the digital launch of the livery.

“We head into a new season buoyed by some strong team performances last year and a return to points paying finishes," he continued. "The aim for the 2023 season is naturally to do that more consistently and with Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hülkenberg I certainly believe we’ve got an experienced driver pairing more than capable of delivering those points on a Sunday.

“It’s been thrilling to experience two global organisations truly come together as one team to form the MoneyGram Haas F1 Team,” responded Alex Holmes, MoneyGram Chairman and CEO. "As we both usher in a brand-new era with a clear plan and vision in place, we’re prepared to work closely together to reach new heights this year," he added.

‘2023 car will deliver points’;

https://f1i.com/news/464918-gene-haas-confident-2023-car-will-deliver-points.html


F1: Grading the 2023 MoneyGram Haas Livery
January 31, 2023
By: Jack Oliver Smith
Last Word On Sports

MoneyGram Haas F1 Team has become the first Formula 1 outfit in 2023 to break cover with their digital livery launch. LWOS Livery Rankings. The black is a refreshing change. But both white and red continuing in the color scheme spoil the overall look a bit. Perhaps one of the two along with the black may have been a better option.


The VF-23 will make its debut next week at Silverstone when Haas will hold a shakedown test.
So here it is, the #VF23 livery, the first of our title-partnership with @MoneyGram #HaasF1 #MoneyGramDrivesYou pic.twitter.com/RGyeUZXDbP
— MoneyGram Haas F1 Team (@HaasF1Team) January 31, 2023


Team Principal Guenther Steiner said: “I obviously share everyone’s enthusiasm around the livery unveil, not least as it’s a checkpoint in the preseason calendar which means we’re another step closer to doing the thing we actually want to be doing – and that’s go racing. I cannot wait to get started.”


‘Grading the 2023 MoneyGram Haas Livery’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2023/01/31/f1-grading-the-2023-moneygram-haas-livery/


Guenther Steiner makes surprise "changes" claim about Haas after 2023 F1 livery reveal.
17:12, 31 Jan 2023
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
The Mirror

Guenther Steiner may have a much larger budget to play with at Haas these days, but he insists it will not mean any structural changes within the team. He told Motorsport.com, the extra cash will be poured straight into car development in the hope of pushing themselves further up the grid. "We want to invest the money in the car," the team principal said.

"At the moment, whatever we have got, we invest in the car. There is nothing that you want to do outside at the moment. The system we have got, we just want to stabilise it and just make sure that we use everything to make the car go quick, nothing else.”

"We are not focusing on other stuff, [saying] 'oh we want to do this ourselves' – no. Let's stabilise how we do it now, and then if we want to change something, change it after, because otherwise if you try to do too much, we trip over.

‘Extra cash will be poured straight into car development’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/haas-2023-livery-guenther-steiner-29098494


‘Surprise "changes" claim’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/haas-2023-livery-guenther-steiner-29098494


All the angles: Take a closer look at the all-new Haas VF-23 livery
Tuesday 31st January 2023 2:30 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Speaking about the new car, team principal Guenther Steiner said; “I obviously share everyone’s enthusiasm around the livery unveil, not least as it’s a checkpoint in the preseason calendar which means we’re another step closer to doing the thing we actually want to be doing – and that’s go racing,” he said.

“I like the livery, it’s undoubtedly a more elevated and modernised look which is fitting as we move into a new era alongside MoneyGram as our title partner. It’s an exciting time of year for Formula 1 and it’s great that we’re first out the gate to showcase our livery but our attention is firmly on getting the VF-23 on-track and preparing for the season ahead.

“We really have something to build on following last year’s performances”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/closer-look-new-haas-vf-23-livery/


Steiner hails 'elevated' and 'modernised' look for 2023 Haas
31 January 3:22PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Haas Team Principal, Guenther Steiner, has hailed the "elevated" and "modernised" look for their 2023 challenger.

The team unveiled the new colours for the VF-23 which will be driven by Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen, which features a more prominent black and red. It follows their rebrand to 'MoneyGram Haas F1 Team' after bringing the US-based money transfer company onboard as a title sponsor last year.

“I obviously share everyone’s enthusiasm around the livery unveil, not least as it’s a checkpoint in the pre-season calendar which means we’re another step closer to doing the thing we actually want to be doing – and that’s go racing,” remarked Steiner.

‘Guenther Steiner, has hailed the "elevated" and "modernised" look’;

https://racingnews365.com/steiner-hails-elevated-and-modernised-look-for-2023-haas


STEINER ON HAAS: “IT’S A WORK IN PROGRESS”.
The Team Principal discussed his choices for the future of the team as well as the past season ahead of the new car's launch.
07:24 Tue, 31 Jan 2023.
Dalila Zanardo
FormulaNerds

Haas Team Principal Gunther Steiner admitted he believes his team can still grow and build consistency, although “difficult” 2022 was better than the past seasons. 2023 then will see a new focus for the American team, which is launching its new single-seater today at 2 pm.

Discussing the past season, Haas Team Principal Gunther Steiner admitted 2022 was not an easy year, as quoted by Autosport: “If you could have more equal [form], it would be better. But as long as you can have some highs, it’s good. It takes a lot of energy out of you, the ups and downs, because you have got these highs where you are flying, and you’ve got these lows where you need to recover. So it’s very difficult. But in the end, it’s better having a rollercoaster than having just downs like 2021.”

“IT’S A WORK IN PROGRESS”;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/steiner-on-haas-its-a-work-in-progress/?nowprocket=1

[Fortitude]

11 F1 tech themes to watch out for in 2023 launch season.
Everyone is on tenterhooks to discover the design trends that emerge for the second generation of the revived ground-effect regulations in 2023.
1st Feb 2023, 07:46
By Edd Straw and Gary Anderson
The Race

Design convergence - Given this is only the second year of the new ground effect regulations in F1, teams will have the chance not only to work extensively on their cars through the season but also to observe the development trends throughout the grid.

Front wing loading - The front wing is the first thing the airflow hits and is critical to the airflow structure going over the rest of the car.

Raised floor edges - Teams have a tendency to keep an innovative floor-edge design hidden at launches, but we do know changes are coming – with regulations requiring the floor edges to be raised by 15mm.

‘Front suspension configuration, Rear suspension configuration, Cooling package, Side impact structure solution, Sidepod concept, Rollover structure, Weight, Loopholes’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/11-f1-tech-themes-to-watch-out-for-in-2023-launch-season/


F1 driver contracts ending in 2023: who has to impress to stay on grid?
February 1st 2023
Author: Cambridge Kisby
Motor Sport Magazine

Seven drivers are due to head into the 2023 F1 season with less than a year left on their contracts. But with each at different points in their F1 career, what do they need to do to keep their seat safe?

The 2023 F1 season is fast approaching and with it comes another opportunity for every driver to move up the grid – but some in particular will need to make a serious impression.

A dramatic and memorable ‘silly season’ midway through the 2022 campaign saw six teams change driver line-ups, marked by the shock retirement of Sebastian Vettel and the controversial exchange between Alpine and McLaren over Oscar Piastri. 2023 has the potential to deliver similar off-track action.

‘Who has to impress’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/f1-driver-contracts-ending-in-2023-who-has-to-impress-to-stay-on-grid?v=79cba1185463&nowprocket=1


Why one F1 team boss is “convinced” Mohammed Ben Sulayem drama will stop soon
1 Feb 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

New Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur believes the start of the new F1 season will come at a good time for under-fire FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

Ben Sulayem has dominated the F1 media headlines during the off-season over a range of issues. He started the year off by announcing the FIA’s desire for new teams to join the sport by opening the "expressions of interest"

Andretti-Cadillac shortly after announced their intention to join F1 by 2026 - something that was met by a lukewarm reception by F1. The drama continued as he took to social media again to question the “inflated” reported $20bn by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.

‘Ben Sulayem drama will stop soon’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1019739/1/why-one-f1-team-boss-convinced-ben-sulayem-drama-will-stop-soon


Marko warns caution over potential Saudi F1 bid
01 February 10:20AM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko feels there is one major sticking point of a potential F1 sale to Saudi Arabia. Helmut Marko believes that caution is needed over Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) potentially buying Formula 1 from current owners Liberty Media.

Rumours surfaced last week that PIF had tabled a $20 billion bid to obtain the rights to F1, having also taken control of Newcastle United Football Club in the English Premier League in 2021 - the same year the first Saudi Grand Prix was held at Jeddah.

While admitting that the fact F1 attracting takeover interest was a "good sign," Austrian Marko believed a culture clash with Saudi Arabia would prove a problem.

‘Marko warns caution’;

https://racingnews365.com/marko-warns-caution-over-potential-saudi-f1-bid


February's key F1 diary dates
Wednesday 1 February 2023 11:50
Stuart Hodge
GPFans

The arrival of February means the nine remaining F1 launches are just around the corner as excitement for the coming season ramps up.

Launch dates 2023 cars
Team 2023-------Car Reveal Date
Red Bull Racing--Friday 3 February
Williams----------Monday, February 6
Alfa Romeo------Tuesday, February 7
AlphaTauri-------Saturday 11 February
Aston Martin-----Monday, February 13
McLaren----------Monday, February 13
Ferrari------------Tuesday, February 14
Mercedes---------Wednesday, February 15
Alpine------------Thursday, February 16

‘Excitement for the coming season ramps up.’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/100368/february-2023-dates-f1-season-bahrain-testing-car-launches-drive-to-survive/

[Fortitude]

Classic video: Red Bull RB7 driven through New York streets.
Red Bull might be conducting a 2023 launch in New York this month, but it's not the first time that the team have taken to the streets of the famous city.
02 February 10:20AM
Author Luke Murphy
RacingNews365

Red Bull will be launching their 2023 season in New York later this month, but that won’t be the team's only association with the 'Big Apple'.

Ahead of the inaugural Miami Grand Prix last season, Sergio Perez took part in the team's promotional video to drive from New York to Miami.

This particular video came around ten years after Sebastian Vettel completed a similar stunt on the city streets.

‘Driven through the New York streets’;

https://racingnews365.com/classic-video-red-bull-rb7-driven-through-new-york-streets


Mark Hughes: Red Bull prowess stems from a very different ruleset
Feb 2 2023
By Mark Hughes
The Race

Even before the introduction of last year’s radically new Formula 1 aero regulations Red Bull was on a very productive development path, as evidenced by the season-long fight with Mercedes in 2021 after seven years of playing second (or third) fiddle.

But the advent of the new regulations last year coincided with Red Bull’s dominance. Partly of course this was down to key errors made by Mercedes in the conception of its car – but also quite possibly because the new regulations were a great fit with the direction Red Bull’s aerodynamic development was already heading.

To explain, let’s rewind back to 2020 when Red Bull’s RB16 spent most of the season being soundly thrashed by Mercedes in a car that only Max Verstappen could make vaguely competitive and which Alex Albon struggled with. But towards the end of the season the car came on increasingly strong, Albon’s deficit to Verstappen reduced significantly and at the final round Verstappen was able to win from pole.

‘Very different ruleset’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/mark-hughes-red-bull-prowess-stems-from-a-very-different-ruleset/


Red Bull’s Christian Horner: Cost-cap penalty has driven team to become more “efficient and effective”
February 1, 2023
By Ashley Cline
The Checkered Flag

Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner revealed that the team is feeling the impact of the cost-cap penalty they received after going over budget for the 2021 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season. Between a seven million dollar fine and a significant reduction in wind tunnel time, Horner told RACER that the team has had to become more efficient in their development strategy.

“We’re probably 25% almost of the way through that penalty, and of course it has an effect. It’s limiting significantly, the amount of runs that we can do in our wind tunnel over each quarter. And I think that the team are they’re having to adapt to that.”

“And it just means you have to be a bit more focused, and more disciplined in what we put through the testing process within the tunnel or within our simulation tools.”

‘More “efficient and effective”!’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2023/02/red-bulls-christian-horner-cost-cap-penalty-has-driven-team-to-become-more-efficient-and-effective/


Team races on with Mateschitz ‘spirit’ – Marko
2nd February 2023, 07:46
Grandpx.news

Dr Helmut Marko wants Red Bull to defend its Formula 1 titles this year with the "spirit" of the energy drink's late founder Dietrich Mateschitz. "It was the second big loss," Marko, who was widely regarded as Mateschitz's right hand man in all Red Bull's F1 matters, told RTL.

"I miss him a lot. We want to build on the successes of 2022 now, continuing to lead the team in the legacy of Dietrich and defend the world championship with his spirit."

Since Mateschitz died, Marko admits he now has to "make decisions alone". "I no longer have this opportunity to exchange ideas at the same level," he added.

‘Spirit of the energy drink's late founder Dietrich Mateschitz’;

https://grandpx.news/team-races-on-with-mateschitz-spirit-marko/


Red Bull car launch: Date, time and how to watch live
Thursday 2 February 2023
Stuart Hodge
GPFans

The waiting is almost over, F1 fans. This Friday, Red Bull Racing pulls the cover off the RB19, the car with which Max Verstappen will look to land a third world title in a row and Sergio Perez will hunt for a maiden crown.

At the time of writing, the Austrian team has revealed very little about the launch. All we know so far is that the will be held in New York and will start at 2pm UK time.

The show can be followed live for free via Red Bull TV, the streaming service of Red Bull Racing and you can also download the app. We also know that Verstappen, Perez and team boss Christian Horner will be present and will speak to the press after the launch. Anything else will come as a surprise!

‘The waiting is almost over, F1 fans’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/100544/red-bull-f1-car-launch-2023-date-time-watch-live-stream/

[Fortitude]

Is James Vowles the right man to turn Williams around?
James Vowles was announced as Williams' new team principal in mid-January, but is he the right person for the job?
January 31, 2023
By Ed Spencer
Total Motorsport

For over a decade, Vowles has been an integral part of the Mercedes machine that has dominated F1, with his performances as chief strategist helping the team win seven constructors championships. Vowles was also head of strategy at Brawn GP when they won the 2009 world championship, meaning that whatever team he’s at, he can turn them into winners overnight.

Vowles won’t have it easy, but with this being his first team principal job and being handpicked by Dorilton, he could be given more time than his predecessors. In an era of continued manufacturers’ interest, Williams is a team unique to F1 as it receives engines from Mercedes with no added factory support.

‘The right man?’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/james-vowles-turn-around-williams-f1-2023/


Why Wolff is certain Vowles won't be 'fooled' at Williams
02 February 3:15PM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Luke Murphy
RacingNews365

Incoming Williams Formula 1 Team Principal James Vowles will not "be fooled" in his new role, according to Toto Wolff.

" is such a niche position, because you need to have the commercial understanding, the political perspectives and not be fooled by what you've been told by someone in the technical or engineering area," Wolff told media, including RacingNews365.com.

"James ticks many of those boxes, and on the commercial side he was involved in many of the activities that we've done in the past few years. Before the last step was done, he came to me and said: 'What do you think about it?,' and [more often than not], we were very aligned.”

‘Won't be fooled';

https://racingnews365.com/why-wolff-is-certain-vowles-wont-be-fooled-at-williams


[B]Photo: Could this be Williams’ new-look 2023 livery?
Williams are set to unveil their 2023 challenger on February 6, in an event hosted by F1 presenter Will Buxton.
1 February 2023
by Nick Golding


With Haas having kicked-off the 2023 launch season on Tuesday, several more launches are set to take place in rapid fashion, starting with Red Bull’s on Friday. Following Red Bull’s launch on February 3 is Williams, who will reveal their 2023 challenger and potentially a new livery on February 6.

As always, fans have created concept designs as to what they think, or at least hope the Grove-based outfit’s 2023 car will look like. A theme amongst many is a design that includes the famous colours of Gulf Oil, following speculation that the company are set to join Williams for the 2023 campaign.

Gulf Oil have teased about a return to F1 on their social media channels since announcing their departure from McLaren at the end of last season, with Williams seemingly being the most likely partner for the company.

‘Famous colours of Gulf Oil’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/fan-predicts-williams-2023-livery/


Williams F1's latest £36m move speaks volumes about owners Dorilton Capital.
Struggles for performance on the track and difficulties attracting financial partners have led to rumours that Dorilton might look to sell Williams, but their most recent move suggests otherwise
20:15, 20 Jan 2023
By Daniel MoxonF1 Writer
The Mirror

Dorilton Capital appears to have injected another £36m into Williams as the historic team's Formula 1 woes continue.
The team has a glorious history of success in the sport and has employed some of F1's best-ever drivers, but glory is not a word often used in association with Williams these days. Sadly, the once-great racing brand has largely been making up the numbers in recent years. Problems on and off the race track have led to some suggestions that Dorilton might be keen to sell. But the latest development regarding the team's financial situation appears to be a hint that the investment group is here to stay – for now, at least.

Shares totalling £36m were issued by Williams on December 22nd last year. It is not known exactly who those shares were issued to but, given a very similar number of shares were issued to Dorilton the previous year, it is not unreasonable to suggest the owners have again pumped cash into the team.

Dorilton Capital who bought the team in 2020, were fully aware of the problems. Financial performance was poor in 2019, when Williams was first put up for sale, and the Covid pandemic only exacerbated that issue. Even now, they continue to struggle to attract big sponsorship deals.

‘Williams F1's latest move’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/williams-f1-finances-dorilton-capital-29011522


Who is Logan Sargeant? F1's new US star profiled
Wednesday 1 February 2023
Sam Hall
GPFans

Logan Sargeant will become America's first full-time F1 driver since 2007 when he lines up on the grid to begin the Bahrain Grand Prix in March. Sargeant joined the Williams Driver Academy in 2021 at the United States Grand Prix when he was still racing in F3.

Shortly after, the American got his first taste of F1 machinery when he got behind the wheel of the FW43B at the post-season test in Abu Dhabi. Sargeant made his debut in an official F1 session almost exactly a year after joining the Williams set-up when he took to the track in FP1 at the Circuit of the Americas.

‘Logan Sargeant?’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/100499/who-is-logan-sargeant-us-f1-driver-2023/

[Fortitude]

Red Bull Racing unveils 2023 RB19 livery.
Red Bull unveiled its car on Friday at a presentation that took place in New York, at the Classic Car Club in Manhattan.
03/02/2023 at 14:58
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Red Bull title sponsor Oracle once again occupies the prime real estate on the team's 2023 machine which appears little changed from last season's livery and which will be steered by two-time world champion Verstappen and teammate Sergio Perez.

While Friday's launch was a livery-only presentation, Red Bull will likely unveil its genuine RB19 when pre-season testing kicks off in Bahrain on February 23.

‘2023 RB19 livery’;

https://f1i.com/news/465051-red-bull-racing-unveils-2023-rb19-livery.html


In photos: Every angle of the new Red Bull RB19 F1 livery
03 February 4:02PM
Author RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

Red Bull have released pictures of the livery for their F1 car for the 2023 season, the RB19.

The Milton Keynes team unveiled the design in a special launch ceremony in New York on February 3rd.

The uncovering of their final design for the upcoming season will take place at a later date.

‘Every angle’;

https://racingnews365.com/in-photos-every-angle-of-the-new-red-bull-rb19-f1-livery


How we know this isn’t Red Bull’s real 2023 F1 car
Feb 3 2023
By Rosario Giuliana
The Race

World champion team Red Bull Racing called the Formula 1 car it unveiled in New York on Friday the RB19. But what went on stage in the American city was – as expected – a presentation of the 2023 livery, with some new sponsors, placed on the car of 2022.

Gary Anderson’s view: It’s obvious from Red Bull’s launch of what it calls the RB19 that it thinks we are all idiots. What a waste of time, effort and money for all concerned. Being honest about what it was doing in New York would be very easy because it was simply done to release the news about Ford.

Red Bull will unveil the real RB19 at the tests that begin on February 23 in Bahrain. Red Bull had already disappointed fans – eager to see the first ground effect Red Bull designed by Adrian Newey – by presenting at its 2022 launch a mock-up car almost identical to the one shown by the FIA to announce the new rules, but still calling it the RB18.

‘Gary Anderson’s view’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/how-we-know-this-isnt-red-bulls-real-2023-f1-car/


‘We’re the hunted now’ – Red Bull launch 2023 F1 car as Max Verstappen aims to win third straight title
Friday 3 Feb 2023 2:55 pm
Callum McAvoy
Metro.co.uk

Red Bull have launched the RB19, the car they hope can defend Max Verstappen’s Formula 1 title, at a flashy launch show in New York on Friday. They are the first team to reveal their 2023 challenger, after Haas unveiled the livery for the VF-23 last Monday.

‘We go from being the hunter to the hunted now. That is added motivation,’ team principal Christian Horner said. ‘It is going to be an incredible season, our rivals for sure haven’t stood still. We are going to have to be at the top of our game.”

‘Ferrari are going to be competitive, Mercedes are going to be there, there are some other teams that could make some big progress as well.’ Verstappen commented: This is the first time I’ve seen the car! I think our livery has been pretty similar for a couple of years now but I’ve always found it a cool looking car.

‘We’re the hunted now’;

https://metro.co.uk/2023/02/03/red-bull-launch-2023-f1-car-as-max-verstappen-looks-to-defend-title-18213592/?ito=newsnow-feed


Why the Red Bull-Ford partnership is a perfect fit
03 February 4:45PM
Author Dieter Rencken
Co-author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Following Red Bull’s split from Porsche in September the reigning champions today announced a technical partnership with Ford, which returns to F1 after an absence of over 20 years. RacingNews365 Editorial Director Dieter Rencken explains why the deal is about more than merely sticking the Blue Oval on a tappet cover.

As analysed here in December, there are compelling reasons for Ford to enter Formula 1 as technical partner to Red Bull Powertrains: not only does the Blue Oval, currently splitting itself into Ford Blue (internal combustion engined vehicles or ICE) and Ford Model e (battery electric vehicles or BEV) divisions, gain an expedited, cost-effective dual-stream presence on the F1 grid, but does so as partner to F1’s reigning double champions.

Clearly the FIA’s 2026 power unit regulations, designed for 1000bhp with a 50/50 ICE/hybrid split, and the sport’s burgeoning popularity (particularly in the USA, Ford’s major market) are the primary drawcards, with the opportunity to ‘buy’ into an FIA-registered, turn-key PU operation owned by the eponymous energy drinks brand provides obvious global marketing opportunities beyond those provided by F1.

‘A perfect fit’;

https://racingnews365.com/why-the-red-bull-ford-partnership-is-a-perfect-fit-for-f1s-future-technologies


Video: ‘Our Time’ – Ford returns to Formula 1 with Red Bull Racing
3rd Feb 2023, 16:28
by Ryan Wood
Motorsport Week

After more than 20 years, and as F1 transitions to a new and more electrified future, now is the time for Ford to make its long-awaited return to Formula 1.

‘Our Time’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/02/03/video-our-time-ford-returns-to-formula-1-with-red-bull-racing/


Horner cautious over 'big progress' of F1 rivals
Friday 3 February 2023 15:20
Sam Hall
GPFans

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has warned of the challenges that will face the outfit this term. "Our rivals, for sure, haven’t stood still, so we’re expecting Ferrari to be competitive, Mercedes are going to be there. There are also some other teams that could make big progress as well."

“This time of year, it’s all a big unknown and it’s a question of focusing on ourselves, doing the best that we can, and then in Bahrain in a couple of week's time we’ll get to see everybody’s car and we’ll realise have we missed something, have we not? “

“Then we’ll set off on this 23-race journey from March to November. There are going to be highs and lows along the way, I’m sure, but we’re in a good place and looking to carry on that momentum from last year.”

"Our rivals, for sure, haven’t stood still,”;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/100669/red-bull-christian-horner-f1-rival-progress/


Max Verstappen: Red Bull working flat out to make it three in a row
3rd February 2023, 17:39
Sky Sports

Max Verstappen says Red Bull are 'working flat out' to be in the best shape possible to make it three driver championships in a row.

‘Red Bull working flat out’;

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/f1/12802361/max-verstappen-red-bull-working-flat-out-to-make-it-three-in-a-row

[Fortitude]

Sergio Perez: 'I will try everything I can' to win 2023 title.
Sergio Perez reflects on an 'important day' for Red Bull and sets out his goals for 2023.
04 Feb 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Everything I can'

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.sergio-perez-i-will-try-everything-i-can-to-win-2023-title.1756864965412501381.html


Perez in Verstappen demand over Red Bull-Brazil fallout
Saturday 4 February 2023 05:43
Ewan Gale
GPFans

Sergio Perez has insisted "it is not all about me and Max" as last year's difficulties with Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen linger. Asked if talks had been held over the winter to address the subject, Perez replied: "It is important to work as a team.”

"In that regard, it is very clear. We want to maximise the team efforts. It is not all about Max and myself, it is about the team. We have so many people back at the factory giving everything for us so we have to respond in that regard."

Perez lost confidence with his set up midway through the campaign last year, taking him firmly out of championship contention as Verstappen stormed clear. "I have done a lot of work over the winter to make sure we understood those [issues]," said Perez. "We took some directions with the set-up that were perhaps the wrong ones and towards the end of the year, we understood them."

‘It is about the team’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/100676/sergio-perez-max-verstappen-red-bull-demand-brazil/


Martin Brundle responds to Christian Horner's 'strongest ever driver line up' comments
22:44 Fri, 03 Feb 2024.
Sky Sports

Sky F1's Martin Brundle gives his take on Christian Horner's comments that Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen are Red Bull's strongest ever line up in Formula One.

'Strongest ever driver line up';

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/f1/12802614/martin-brundle-on-christian-horners-strongest-ever-line-up-comments


Verstappen “hopes I can be happy” after watching new Drive to Survive season
RaceFans Round-up
Posted on 4th February 2023, 0:013rd February 2023, 22:17
Written by Will Wood

In the round-up: Max Verstappen says that he “hopes I can be happy” after agreeing to collaborate with the producers of Drive to Survive ahead of the new season of the Netflix documentary series. Asked by RaceFans if he’d been given any assurances by the show’s producers about how he would be portrayed, Verstappen said he “hopes I can be happy” after he watches it back.

“I spoke with them, of course, before I was going to give an interview with them,” he said. “I hope they understood my message and I also know, especially being a world champion, that you have to be part of something like that.”

“I think I gave them like 30 minutes, or an hour of an interview. I hope they’re going to use it well – I don’t know when I’m going to watch it. But I hope they’re happy and I hope I can be happy after watching it. And I know that it’s important to Formula 1 as well for growing the sport in general.”

‘I hope they understood my message’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/02/04/racefans-round-up-04-02-5/


Red Bull is savaged by fans after underwhelming 2023 F1 car launch where host gets Aussie driver's name HORRIBLY wrong: 'Did she just introduce Daniel Retardo?'
• Aussie F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo has returned to Red Bull for the 2023 season
• He is a reserve driver at the team behind Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez
• Host of season launch got his name wrong in awkward gaffe on live television
Published: 22:21, 3 February 2023
By Josh Alston For Daily Mail Australia

However it was the moment when co-host Giselle Zarur mis-pronounced new signing Daniel Ricciardo on a live broadcast on Sky Sports that the event really sunk to new lows.

'Welcome one of the friendliest drivers in the F1 grid, Daniel Retardo, to Oracle Reb Bull Racing,' she said as the Aussie driver stood there awkwardly.

‘Sky Sports that the event really sunk to new lows.’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-11711449/Red-Bulls-underwhelming-2023-F1-car-launch-host-gets-Daniel-Ricciardos-horrible-wrong.html

[Fortitude]

Formula 1: Red Bull make history ahead of title defense.
Reigning Formula 1 world champions Oracle Red Bull Racing launched their 2023 season in the United States, becoming the first team to do so.
4th Feb 2023, 12:11
by Asher Fair
Beyond the Flag (Weblog)

For the first time since 2014, Oracle Racing Bull Racing are set to enter a Formula 1 season as reigning world constructor champions, having won the title for the first time in nine years last year to end Mercedes’ reign of dominance.

The Milton Keynes-based team launched their 2023 challenger, the RB19, in New York City on Friday morning, becoming the first team ever to launch their season in the United States amid the sport’s meteoric rise in the country.

The launch was a broadcast to more than 30 countries across the globe and streamed by thousands of fans worldwide.

‘Red Bull make history’;

https://beyondtheflag.com/2023/02/04/formula-1-red-bull-make-history-ahead-title-defense/


'Chinese wall' between Honda and Red Bull after Ford deal
04 February 12:20PM
RacingNews365

"We have an agreement and great relationship with Honda until the end of 2025," Horner told select media, including RacingNews365.com, at the New York launch event. "There's no crossover of intellectual property, all the Honda engines are produced in Japan and everything on the RB Powertrains side is very much focused on 2026.

"So there is a clear Chinese wall between the two activities, but we're obviously going to be working with Honda over the next few years to achieve the best results that we can. "They are fully committed, so it is very straightforward, and the relationship with Honda conclude at the end of 2025.

"We have a homologated engine, so it's effectively frozen. "Honda supply that engine, they own all of the IP, so we don't see inside the engine or anything like that. We will be doing our best with Honda to try and defend and achieve further race wins and championships."

'Chinese wall';

https://racingnews365.com/chinese-wall-between-honda-and-red-bull-after-ford-deal


Max Verstappen corrects Helmut Marko’s ‘absurd’ claim about installing simulator on £12million private jet
Saturday 4th February 2023 12:30 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen said Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko must have misunderstood when saying that a simulator was installed on his private jet.

There are plenty of air miles covered when it comes to being a part of Formula 1, so when Marko revealed on Sport1 that Verstappen had installed a simulator on his private jet, it sounded like a very productive, and outlandish, idea.

However, Verstappen said that Marko got a little mixed-up when he said plane, Verstappen saying the idea of having a sim on his private jet is “absurd”. Instead, Verstappen said the plan is for a new sim to be installed at his motorhome for him to use at the European races.

‘New sim to be installed at his motorhome’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-verstappen-corrects-helmut-marko-jet-sim/


Horner explains why Red Bull signed with Ford
Red Bull's Christian Horner has explained why the team decided on Ford as their next engine supplier
February 4, 2023
By Ed Spencer

Ford has a rich history of racing in F1, producing the innovative DFV engine and helping power Benetton’s Michael Schumacher to his first title in 1994, which would be Ford’s last.

Speaking at the launch of the RB19 in New York City to Total-Motorsport.com and selected media outlets, Horner explained what the partnership with Ford will look like and what both parties are set to gain. “It’s a very different relationship to what we discussed with Porsche; this is a purely commercial and technical deal,” said Horner.

“There’s no exchange of any shares or participation within the business. It’s a straightforward agreement where we can share access to r&d, particularly on the EV side. On the commercial side, obviously, with Ford being so prevalent in the US, it’s, as a commercial partner, it enables us to help achieve even more penetration in that market.”

‘Straightforward Agreement’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/christian-horner-red-bull-signed-ford-f1-2026/


Red Bull budget cap penalty won’t be ‘big limiting factor’ in title fight – Verstappen
2023 F1 season
Posted on 4th February 2023, 16:00
Written by Will Wood and Claire Cottingham

Max Verstappen does not believe Red Bull’s aerodynamic testing penalty for breaching the 2021 budget cap will determine whether they can defend their world championships or not. “Yes, of course I’ve thought about it, but I think we have a lot of very competent people in our factory,” Verstappen told media including RaceFans. “And of course it makes things a little bit harder.

“But I also look at it like this, I prefer to be in the position we are in than always finishing second or third in the championship because that’s way more depressing. So we have a lot of good people and I’m sure we have to be a little bit more precise of what we are doing in the wind tunnel, but I don’t expect it to be a big limiting factor in if we’re going to win the title or not.”

‘Won’t be big limiting factor’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/02/04/red-bull-budget-cap-penalty-wont-be-big-limiting-factor-in-title-fight-verstappen/

[Fortitude]

Is this the year Williams break free from the back of the grid?
Fortunately for Vowles, Williams is not a team caught in a death spiral where he must desperately grasp the controls in a bid to right the ship.
2023 F1 team preview
Posted on 5th February 2023, 13:47
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

What kind of a Formula 1 team is Williams Racing? For the last two-and-a-half years, Williams Grand Prix Engineering, formerly owned by its founder family, has been in a state of transition. Its new owners, American investment firm Dorilton, have invested considerable time, effort and funds to rebuild neo-Williams in their own image.

After just two seasons, team principal Jost Capito has been relieved of his position, alongside the team’s technical director Francois Xavier-Demaison. Taking Capito’s place in leading Williams is James Vowles, a key figure of Mercedes’ strategy team whose history at the Brackley factory dates back long before the German manufacturer first claimed it as their home.

Vowles may not have held such a senior role in Formula 1 before, but he has the ringing endorsement of his former team principal Toto Wolff, who could not have been more glowing in his assessment of Vowles’ potential to bring a culture of success back to Williams again. “James has been around for a long time, he’s seen it all – the intelligent things and the less intelligent things,” Wolff said when Vowles’ move was first announced. “I have no doubt that Williams choosing James is a fantastic move for them.”

‘Break free from the back’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/02/05/is-this-the-year-williams-break-free-from-the-back-of-the-grid/


The ‘highest priority’ at the heart of Williams’s problems
5th Feb 2023, 12:46
By Edd Straw
The Race

Williams’s latest new Formula 1 era starts on Monday when it holds its 2023 season and livery launch. It’s a teaser of sorts, as new team principal James Vowles doesn’t start work for a further fortnight and the 2023 car won’t be seen just yet either.

But in the wake of the departures of Jost Capito and FX Demaison, and given Williams’s return to the bottom of the championship order in 2022, Monday’s event will still feel like the first look at the shape the team might now take. Vowles has set instilling the correct culture in Williams as his “highest priority” in his new role.

While culture can be difficult to pin down, even tougher to implement successfully and easiest to define by its failures than its successes, it is at the heart of what needs to change at Williams if it is to escape perennial Formula 1 backmarker status.

‘Highest priority’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/the-highest-priority-at-the-heart-of-williamss-problems/


Capito blames 'exhaustion' for Williams F1 departure
04/02/2023 at 14:27
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Former Williams F1 team principal Jost Capito has said that 'exhaustion' led to his decision to leave his role at the end of the 2022 season. In an interview this week with AutoBild, Capito insisted that his decision to step down had been his and his alone, and for personal reasons.

He told the German publication that he had only intended to spend a relatively short time at Williams, and that the packed race schedule had only made him more convinced that the role needed someone younger.

“From the outside of course you don’t have the insight," he commented. "But I originally said that I would do this for two years, possibly a third. But it takes longer than two or three years to bring the team back to the top," he acknowledged. "And in the meantime there are so many races [on the calendar] that it’s relatively exhausting.”

'Exhaustion blamed’;

https://f1i.com/news/465127-capito-blames-exhaustion-for-williams-f1-departure.html


Jost Capito delivers his verdict on his Williams replacement James Vowles
Sunday 5th February 2023 11:00 AM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Jost Capito has praised new Williams team principal James Vowles and said he has given his congratulations, after taking over his role at the team.

“Yes, I’ve already worked closely with James, also with Mercedes and their drivers,” Capito told Auto Bild in Germany.

“He’s incredibly competent, I like him a lot and he’s also a great person. I congratulated him accordingly, of course.”

‘Delivers his verdict’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/jost-capito-james-vowles-williams-verdict/


Alex Albon opens up on F1 career almost ending
Alex Albon competed in the DTM in 2021, after being dropped by Red Bull at the end of 2020 following an 18-month stint with the Austrians.
26 January 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Alex Albon has admitted that signing his long-term contract with Williams was “one of the best feelings”, with the Thai driver’s Formula 1 career having looked to be potentially over after he was dropped by Red Bull at the end of 2020.

Albon’s Formula 1 career has been an “up-and-down rollercoaster”, with the Thai driver having initially stormed onto the scene in 2019 with AlphaTauri.

The Thai driver performed strongly in his rookie season, with the 26-year-old having claimed five points finishes from his first 12 races with the team. His performances were so good, in fact, that he was promoted mid-season to Red Bull to replace Pierre Gasly, who returned to the sister team.

“Up-and-down rollercoaster”;

https://formula1news.co.uk/alex-albon-opens-up-on-f1-career-almost-ending/

[Fortitude]

FIA VS F1: HOW FAR WILL THIS DANGEROUS GAME GO?
Fallout between governing body and commercial rights holder risks placing F1 in a precarious position.
18:08 Sun, 05 Feb 2023.
James Phillips
FormulaNerds

The unpleasant saga of F1 threatening to take legal action against the FIA has been truly tragic to watch unfold. The recent culmination of President ben Sulayem of the FIA and F1’s gamesmanship indicates a plague of spite festering beneath the surface on both sides. To fully understand the reasons why the powers that be are constantly attempting to gain the upper hand over the other, it is important to understand what is at stake. The answer is, of course, simple, money and power. But there is more to this than meets the eye.

F1 has seen unprecedented growth since the introduction of Drive to Survive in 2019. A legion of new fans has entered the sport bringing more revenue. Manufacturer interest in the sport continues to grow which is another potential avenue to exploit F1’s popularity. The sport has rarely had things so good. Even the events of Abu Dhabi 2021 generated headlines and income for the sport despite the infamy. All news is good news after all.

With F1 now a goldmine, who is the power that looks after the sport? This is where F1 has done the traditional act of shooting itself in the foot. The problem is, the FIA and F1 are two very different organisations, with set principles. Both at present cannot perform the same role, and this is leading to friction and very public disagreements.

‘Money and power’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/features/fia-vs-f1-how-far-will-this-dangerous-game-go/?nowprocket=1


F1 warned against causing race calendar backlash
Sunday 5 February 2023 13:54
Paul Macdonald
GPFans

Formula 1 has been warned against adding too many races to the calendar in future, amid fears of burnout from fans, teams and drivers alike. The 2023 season will feature 23 races, but Liberty Media have expressed a desire to extend this further, with a 25-race season mooted in the near future.

It would be no surprise given Liberty's desire to maximise its race weekends, as well as showcase the sport in an increasing manner in the US, where it will race three times this year.

But head of the Grand Prix Drivers Association, Alex Wurz, believes that F1 must be careful to ensure that all parties - both inside and outside of the paddock - are invested in such a move before it is considered.

‘Race calendar backlash warning’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/100758/f1-warned-race-calendar/


F1 calendar meltdown warning as Montoya lays in on Ferrari - GPFans F1 Recap
Sunday 5 February 2023.
Stuart Hodge
GPFans

Formula 1 has been warned against adding too many races to the calendar in future, amid fears of burnout from fans, teams and drivers alike.

The 2023 season will feature 23 races, but Liberty Media have expressed a desire to extend this further, with a 25-race season mooted. Head of the Grand Prix Drivers Association, Alex Wurz, though, believes that F1 must tread carefully

‘F1 calendar meltdown’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/100780/f1-calendar-montoya-ferrari-gpfans-f1-recap/


F1 send furious letter to FIA - president accused of 'unacceptable interference'
Tuesday 24 January 2023 13:54
Ian Parkes
GPFans

F1 chiefs have accused Mohammed Ben Sulayem of behaving "in an unacceptable manner" after the FIA president aired his opinion over the valuation of the sport. Via his personal Twitter account, Ben Sulayem fired off a series of tweets on Monday describing a $20billion price tag placed on F1 as "inflated".

That was in response to reports from finance news agency Bloomberg earlier this month that Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund had tabled such a bid to acquire F1 from Liberty Media last year. Ben Sulayem stated that "any potential buyer is advised to apply common sense, consider the greater good of the sport and come with a clear, sustainable plan - not just a lot of money."

He added that it was the duty of the FIA "to consider what the future impact will be for promoters in terms of increased hosting fees and other commercial costs, and any adverse impact that it could have on fans". In a letter from F1 legal head Sacha Woodward Hill, along with Renee Wilm, who is the chief legal and administrative officer of the Liberty Media Corporation, which controls the sport's commercial rights, Ben Sulayem has effectively been accused of meddling.

‘Furious letter to FIA’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/100038/f1-furious-letter-fia-president-accused-of-unacceptable-interference/


Vettel hopes F1 drivers 'show courage' after "nonsense" FIA ban
05 February 1:30PM
Author Luke Murphy
RacingNews365

Sebastian Vettel has provided his reaction to the FIA's decision to enforce stricter regulations on drivers speaking out and making statements on a variety of topics. Sebastian Vettel hopes that the F1 drivers can 'show courage' after the FIA's decision to ban drivers from making "political, religious and personal statements".

The four-time World Champion has become the latest high-profile F1 figure to speak out against the FIA's decision to restrict driver statements. When asked if he was happy to be away from the sport under the new restrictions, he added that he saw no logic in the FIA's decision to change the regulations.

"There might have been a bit of trouble then," responded Vettel. "Of course, it always depends on what question you are asked and what the topic is. But I think it is absolutely important to take a stand on some issues and we have seen in recent years that more and more people have taken a stand. It doesn't make much sense [for the FIA] to go against that now."

'Show courage';

https://racingnews365.com/vettel-hopes-f1-drivers-show-courage-after-nonsense-fia-ban

[Fortitude]

Williams F1 Launches 2023 FW45 for American Logan Sargeant's Rookie Season.
Williams on Monday presented the livery which will adorn its FW45 for the 2023 Formula 1 season.
Feb 6, 2023
By Phillip Horton
AutoWeek

Williams’ FW45 will run for the first time during a shakedown at Silverstone next Monday (February 13) with both American F1 rookie Logan Sargeant and veteran Alex Albon getting seat time.

Williams has made significant aerodynamic changes during the off-season in a bid to combat the underlying weaknesses of its off-the-pace FW44. The sidepod concept has been heavily evolved, facilitated by alterations to the power unit cooling layout, while modifications have been made to the front suspension layout.

Mercedes remains as Williams’ power unit partner. Commercially, Williams has been bolstered by a new partnership with Gulf Oil, along with United States-based partners Stephens and Michelob Ultra. Williams has also undergone managerial changes during the offseason.

‘Williams F1 Launches 2023 FW45’;

https://www.autoweek.com/racing/formula-1/a42776259/williams-f1-launches-2023-fw45-for-american-logan-sargeants-rookie-season/


Gulf plan to go “bigger and better than before” with Williams branding deal
2023 F1 season
Posted on 6th February 2023, 15:40
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Williams’ new sponsor Gulf says it has plans to go “bigger and better” than it has in its previous involvement in Formula 1. Gulf were officially announced as a new sponsor of the Williams team in a “long-term” partnership at the reveal of the FW45 livery on Monday.

Gulf describe their partnership with Williams as the “next chapter of our iconic motorsport story” and have confirmed they will also support the Williams driver academy and esports teams as part of their partnership. While Williams’ F1 team and its junior driver programme will use similar liveries this year, Gulf CEO Mike Jones says the company has intentions of highlighting their brand creatively with its new partner.

“Anything we do in the future has got to be bigger and better than before,” Jones told media including RaceFans at the launch of Williams’ 2023 livery. We have a lot of Gulf fans around the world. We have a lot of requests for our livery. We want our livery to be special. We’re launching a number of fan-centric activation plans. We always feel that Gulf is the fans’ favourite and we really want our fans to be part of that. So of course we’re looking at different solutions for that right across the Formula 1 spectrum and we’ll be launching activation plans in the near future.”

‘Gulf is the fans’ favourite’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/02/06/gulf-plan-to-go-bigger-and-better-than-before-with-williams-branding-deal/


Sidepod shape will be “most obvious change” on Williams’ F1 2023 car
6 Feb 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Williams revealed their 2023 livery on Monday ahead of the FW45 making its first physical appearance at a Silverstone shakedown next week. “It’s going well, the car build is in progress,” Williams’ head of vehicle performance Dave Robson told media including Crash.net at the team’s season launch.

“Quite large chunks of the car’s systems have been tested independently and now the whole car is currently coming together, getting ready to run it very soon. So the car build is going well. In terms of differences compared to the FW44, the whole car is an evolution in terms of its physical appearance. There’s obviously a few changes from the regs, otherwise you’ll see it soon.”

“Probably the most obvious change compared to last year is around the sidepod shape, which is something we started the process of part-way through last year with the Silverstone package.”

‘Sidepod shape obvious change’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1019950/1/sidepod-shape-will-be-most-obvious-change-williams-f1-2023-car


Why F1 fans haven’t got the Gulf Williams livery they wanted
Feb 6 2023
By Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

The addition of the Gulf logo to an otherwise familiar Williams Formula 1 livery will no doubt disappoint fans hoping for the return of a classic colour scheme. The Gulf deal has been rumoured for several weeks and seemed to be accidentally confirmed in advance of Monday’s launch by a partner page on the Williams website being set live by mistake.

It led to expectations of Williams incorporating Gulf’s classic blue-and-orange colours into its 2023 car livery, especially as the team has recent form for reviving a traditional sponsor given it ran Martini colours from 2014 to 2018.

Gulf is one of motorsport’s most historically recognisable sponsors, emerging in the 1960s and 1970s in endurance racing, with the likes of Ford’s GT40 and Porsche’s 917 appearing in its colours at the Le Mans and Daytona 24 Hours, and then in F1 and US racing series with McLaren.

‘Gulf’s classic blue-and-orange colours’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/williams-f1-2023-launch-why-f1-fans-havent-got-the-gulf-williams-livery-they-wanted/


Mark Hughes: The Williams flaw its 2023 F1 car should fix
Feb 6 2023
By Mark Hughes
The Race

Williams’s initial interpretation of the major aero Formula 1 regulations reset of 2022 – with a version of the ‘zero’ sidepod concept and wide outer floor channels – was quickly found to be seriously wanting and the team effectively redesigned the whole sidepod area in time for the mid-season British Grand Prix.

Williams’s head of vehicle performance Dave Robson at the end of last year. “We saw there was opportunity to do something better – not just short-term better but something with more potential going forwards – and hence that’s what we did.” Williams would have liked to have done more, but was restricted by cost.

Ideally, the sidepods would have been more tightly sculpted to better feed that sensitive area around the rear brake duct, but the existing cooling radiator had to be retained. With that limitation removed for this year’s car, that’s where the biggest visual change will be seen when the actual FW45 appears for the first time next Monday. “The whole car [FW45] is an evolution in terms of its physical appearance,” said Robson.

‘The Williams flaw’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/williams-2023-f1-launch-mark-hughes-the-williams-flaw-its-2023-f1-car-can-fix/


Albon doubts Williams can emulate Haas’ leap up the order in 2023
2023 F1 season
Posted on 6th February 2023, 14:08
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Williams driver Alexander Albon does not expect the team to make a big step up the grid in 2023, similar to Haas last season. Heading into his second year with Williams, Albon is confident the team has made improvements on the weaker areas of last season’s FW44 but does not expect a major step up the order for the team.

“I’d say at the start of the year, I don’t think it will be something like Haas, let’s say, when they came out the blocks and straight away were very competitive,” Albon told media including RaceFans at the team’s launch event today. “We have changed quite a lot with the car in terms of its philosophy and the areas where we’re trying to change the through-corner behaviour of the car. That might take a bit of time to understand and optimise.”

“On my side, my main target is to see progress,” he said. “I think if we can improve from where we were last year – I mean, you can easily say that’s not hard – but in this world, it is a race and with these new regs changing so much, the downforce and everything, it’s not the same as it was last year. Of course teams have still managed to recoup the loss and of course, improve on top of that. But it’s not to say the other teams are doing a better job.”

‘Changed quite a lot with the car in terms of its philosophy’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/02/06/albon-doubts-williams-can-emulate-haas-leap-up-the-order-in-2023/

[Fortitude]

Albon hopes Vowles hire can move Williams F1 forward.
Alex Albon hopes the previous title-winning experience James Vowles will bring from Mercedes to Williams with his recent appointment as their new Team Principal can propel the side forward in the upcoming years.
7th Feb 2023, 08:29
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

After Jost Capito departed the role at the end of last season, Williams made the shock announcement that they had poached Vowles from his long-standing position of chief strategist at the Mercedes team to take up the vacancy.

Although Albon has admitted he retained a good relationship with Capito and the timing of the change is far from ideal, the former Red Bull racer is excited to get working with an established name like Vowles, who became an integral part of the most successful team in Formula 1 history.

“Yeah, obviously in terms of timing it’s tricky. Just because of this being almost the peak month for getting ready for next year,” Albon said. “While obviously, I liked Jost very much and we had a great relationship together. He was obviously the person that brought me into the sport, or back into the sport, so I have a lot of time for him.”

‘Title-winning experience James Vowles’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/02/07/albon-hopes-vowles-hire-can-move-williams-f1-forward/


Alex Albon: Williams in a better position but there’s still a long road ahead
07 Feb 2023 2:15 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Once again propping up the standings last season, Alex Albon admits Williams have “got a long road ahead” but believes they’re “definitely” in a better position now than they were 12 months ago.

Last season the arrival of Formula 1’s all-new ground effect aerodynamic cars didn’t herald the recovery Williams had hoped, instead the team once again found themselves bottom of the log.

Their fourth P10 in the past five seasons, Williams are a long way from their last spate of glory days in the 1990s when Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve were winning World titles.

‘Williams in a better position’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/alex-albon-williams-better-position-but-long-road-ahead/


Williams could sport full Gulf livery
07/02/2023
NEWS STORY
Pitpass.com

Gulf Oil CEO admits that company's deal with Williams could echo McLaren and see the Grove outfit run a full Gulf livery at a selected race.

Be it the papaya and blue that adorned the Ford Mirages and GT 40s and the fabulous Porsche 917s of the late 60s and early 70s, or the 'plain' papaya of the works McLaren F1 and Can-Am cars of the same era, the Gulf livery has been sported by some of motor sport's most iconic race cars over the years.

James Bower, the commercial director for the Grove team, says the 9-time Constructors' Champions are very much open to ideas. "We agreed on a presence that will run throughout the entire season, and you've seen that today," he said. "We think that's going to be very effective.”

‘Full Gulf livery’;

https://www.pitpass.com/74451/Williams-could-sport-full-Gulf-livery


Williams F1 Team Unveils New 2023 Livery on Old Race Car and It’s Ok to Be Sick of It
Published: 7 Feb 2023, 08:33 UTC • By:
Sebastian Toma
autoevolution

A substantial change for 2023 comes in the shape of a brand-new color finish, which makes the entire racing car matte instead of glossy. The new design will provide a fresh look on the grid, but the team is competing for points, not looks. At this point, everyone at Williams is hoping to see their car as further forward as possible, especially when the race is over, but that is a matter for a different day.

In case you have failed to notice the obvious, Williams has shown the FW44 with the new livery, meant for 2023, but stay tuned: the team will reveal its car for this season later this month. The FW45 will be revealed on February 13th, which might be a bit late if you are out shopping for gifts, but who are we to judge?

For now, we do know that the FW45 will come with a modified front suspension layout, as well as changes to the major external aerodynamic elements. Williams F1 team representatives have highlighted that the FW45 is a development of the car that was used in the previous season.

‘Williams has shown the FW44 with the new livery’;

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/williams-f1-team-unveils-new-2023-livery-on-old-race-car-and-its-ok-to-besick-of-it-209896.html


James Vowles arrival is not a sign of Williams following a Haas model
07 Feb 2023 4:00 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Vowles was one of the big-name moves during Formula 1’s off-season, the Briton swapping his Mercedes chief strategist role for that of Williams’ new team principal. Williams’ head of vehicle performance Dave Robson insists Williams will remain an independent outfit.

“We are happy with the cooperation with Mercedes,” he said, “but Williams has always been a highly independent team. “They provide us with some amount of hardware that is extremely good but we need to take the rest of it forwards on our own, or at least be prepared to do that. “I don’t think we want to follow a Haas model.”

But while Vowles’ arrival means Williams will have a brand new team boss, one who has never been in the role of team principal, Robson is confident the Briton has already learned the job working alongside Toto Wolff at Mercedes. “I think it’s very important for the team to have someone who now finishes off that journey and brings us forward again,” said Robson.

‘Williams will remain an independent outfit’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/williams-not-following-haas-model/

[Fortitude]

Alfa Romeo show off 2023 C43 F1 car with a striking new livery.
Alfa Romeo unveils their new car for the 2023 season, the C43, with a bold red and black livery taking over from the red and white colour scheme.
07 Feb 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘C43 F1 car with a striking new livery’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.alfa-romeo-show-off-2023-c43-f1-car-with-a-striking-new-livery.1757175597592570406.html


Alfa Romeo C43 is ready for the 2023 Formula One season
It's an evolution of 2022's C42 race car
Feb 7th 2023 at 10:27AM
RONAN GLON
Autoblog

Following rival Red Bull's lead, Alfa Romeo has become the second team to unveil the car it will race in the 2023 season of Formula One. (Haas has revealed its livery, but so far not the new season's car.) Called C43, the single-seater Alfa stands out from its predecessor with a new aerodynamic profile and a redesigned livery, among other changes.

The C43's red and black livery is the work of the Alfa Romeo Centro Stile, which is the same design center that draws the storied Italian company's road cars. Alfa Romeo describes the C43 as an evolution of the C42, its predecessor, and it notes that a technical team led by Jan Monchaux developed it around a new, Ferrari-sourced power unit. It features several updates and numerous new parts, though full details haven't been released, and Alfa Romeo hopes the changes made to the C43 will allow its team to improve during the 2023 season.

"This car is an evolution of last year's, reflecting the new regulations and introducing major changes in the areas where we found improvements to be needed. I hope it's going to be quicker than the successful car we had last year, that's what matters most, and more reliable as well: We have put a lot of effort in this direction," said Monchaux, the technical director of Alfa Romeo's Formula One team.

‘Alfa Romeo C43’;

https://www.autoblog.com/2023/02/07/alfa-romeo-c43-2023-f1-race-car-revealed/?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9jLm5ld3Nub3cuY28udWsv&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAInadgCzouXMpTtSfZ-gugJm6w423zAcxHQL3QSZPeFjfLhuI6ZK7zUMwhf4Tl5lG6JLW rjdgADCsylplAbWAofJNKr5LKURP8h01xpqbUUTw2wp38Fbn6J HQbBSHAI71oiw8fi4yCVCzrB2Sfwzk_OxwQxCv_EwhSTVwDsXH XsA


It's not nice to be in my shoes right now, admits Alfa's technical director
07/02/2023
NEWS STORY
Pitpass

The reveal out of the way, Alfa Romeo technical director, Jan Monchaux can't wait to get the C43 on track, though he admits that this is a nerve-wracking phase of the new car's life. "First of all, during the winter test, we want to be on the track at all times, not spending our time in the garage with some stupid small mistakes or issues that prevent us from running," he told the media at today's reveal of the Swiss outfit's 2023 contender.

"So it's not nice to be in my shoes right now," added the former Toyota (F1) and Audi aero man, "because everything could be good, and the next minute you have another issue to tackle and to sort. So I'll be glad when we are in Barcelona, and the car is running, and hopefully running smoothly, so that we can get into serious work."

Speaking at the launch, Valtteri Bottas confirmed that "high-speed load and balance" was just one of the problems encountered with the C2 last season, this together with porpoising and cooling issues. "The rear end is certainly where we spent most effort, most time to make up ground for us, in terms of topology of the rear and opening the door to further development," admits Monchaux. "Especially on the bodywork side, which was not possible last year, because we had a quite extreme cooler arrangement.”

‘Glad when we are in Barcelona’;

https://www.pitpass.com/74456/Its-not-nice-to-be-in-my-shoes-right-now-admits-Alfas-technical-director


Video: The F1 design cues Alfa’s taken from Red Bull and Ferrari
Feb 7 2023
The Race

A striking new livery is one of the standout features of the C43 that Alfa Romeo has revealed for the 2023 Formula 1 season.

But looking beyond the new scheme reveals some significant technical developments – and more that are only likely to be revealed with time – that add up to what the Sauber-run team is describing as a “brave” concept.

Design convergence was always likely to be a theme of 2023 now we’re in the second year of F1 regulations, so it’s no surprise to see Alfa Romeo taking inspiration from last year’s top two teams, Red Bull and Ferrari, as our latest video explains.

‘Design convergence’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/video-red-bull-ferrari-f1-design-cues-alfa-romeo/


Gary Anderson: This C43 doesn’t match ‘brave’ Alfa Romeo claims
7th Feb 2023, 16:58
By Gary Anderson
The Race

Alfa Romeo is the first Formula 1 team to sort of introduce its new car for 2023. I’m pretty sure there will be many changes before it first hits the track but at least the main architecture of the car is there.

For Sauber, which operates Alfa Romeo and will slowly merge into a fully-fledged Audi F1 team, this year needs to be a step in the right direction to show it is worthy of that huge investment.

The initial investment for Audi, which now owns 25% of Sauber, will allow the team to work right up to the cost-cap level – and as Audi is not fully taking over until the new power unit rules come into play for 2026, it will also allow for three years of investment in its facility to bring it up to date. So what of its car for 2023, the C43? Here’s a comprehensive look at it, starting at the front.

‘C43 doesn’t match ‘brave’ Alfa Romeo claims’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/gary-anderson-this-c43-doesnt-match-brave-alfa-romeo-claims/

[Fortitude]

F1 rocked as FIA boss Mohammed ben Sulayem 'quits' key role in letter to team bosses.
Mohammed ben Sulayem's decision comes as tensions rise between the FIA and F1.
09:37, Wed, Feb 8, 2023
By Luke Chillingsworth
Daily and Sunday Express

Mohammed ben Sulayem has reportedly decided to quit the hands-on running of the governing body amid tensions with F1 chiefs. The FIA boss said he would only concentrate on “strategic matters” with head of single-seaters, Nikolas Tombazis taking over the “day-to-day” running. However, it is understood Ben Sulayem will remain in his role as FIA president despite calls for him to resign. It comes after strained relations between the FIA and F1 after a series of conflicts on the eve of the new season.

Ben Sulayem revealed the new approach in an apparent letter to team bosses. According to the Daily Mail, it reads: “My stated objective was to be a non-executive president via the recruitment of a team of professional managers, which has now been largely completed. Therefore, going forward, your day-to-day contact for all matters on F1 will be with Nikolas (Tombazis, director of single-seater racing) and his team, while I will focus on strategic matters with my leadership team.”

German site Sport1 had reported that F1 owners Liberty Media was pushing for Ben Sulayem to stand down from his role. They had apparently lined up former Prodrive and Motorsport UK boss David Richards as his replacement. It comes after Ben Sulayem’s decisions came under fire from F1 chiefs, team bosses and drivers. F1 stars such as Max Verstappen and Valtteri Bottas have slammed an FIA decision to silence driver protests ahead of races.

‘F1 rocked’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1732065/f1-news-fia-mohammed-ben-sulayem-latest


EXCLUSIVE: FIA chief Mohammed ben Sulayem RELINQUISHES hands-on control of Formula One with the president facing a fight to stay in office amid tensions with officials over 'grandstanding' and controversial comments
• FIA chief Mohammed ben Sulayem has relinquished hands-on control of F1
• The president has come under fire over his conduct and controversial remarks
• He faces a fight to stay in office with allies taking him to task over his approach
Published: 09:15, 8 February 2023
By Jonathan Mcevoy For Mailonine

FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem has taken the extraordinary step of relinquishing hands-on control of Formula One, Sportsmail can reveal. The embattled former rally champion from the United Arab Emirates – the most powerful figure in world motorsport – made the unexpected concession in a letter sent to team principals late on Monday afternoon. He remains president of the governing body.

However, Sportsmail understands that 61-year-old Ben Sulayem faces a fight to extend his term of office beyond his first four-year tenure, as opposition inside his organisation and Formula One more broadly has mushroomed since he assumed his post in succession to former Ferrari boss Jean Todt in December 2021.

Key allies have taken him to task over what they perceive to be his grandstanding approach, and his apparent acknowledgement of these realities resulted in his letter, seen by Sportsmail, in which he said: 'My stated objective was to be a non-executive president via the recruitment of a team of professional managers, which has now been largely completed.”

‘Tensions with officials over grandstanding';

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-11725005/FIA-chief-Mohammed-ben-Sulayem-RELINQUISHES-hands-control-Formula-One.html


FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem gives up hands-on control in shock letter to F1 team bosses
8 Feb 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

According to the Daily Mail, Ben Sulayem wrote: “My stated objective was to be a non-executive president via the recruitment of a team of professional managers, which has now been largely completed.

“Therefore, going forward, your day-to-day contact for all matters on F1 will be with Nikolas (Tombazis, director of single-seater racing) and his team, while I will focus on strategic matters with my leadership team.”

Despite taking more of a back seat from F1, the report goes on to say that Ben Sulayem is expected to remain in his role as FIA president amid an apparent desire from some quarters for him to resign.

‘Gives up hands-on control in shock letter’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1020036/1/fia-president-gives-control-shock-letter-f1-team-bosses


Domenicali: 'Formula 1 will never put a gag on anyone'
08/02/2023 at 10:33
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Formula 1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali has responded to the FIA's clampdown on drivers expressing political statements, insisting the sport "will never put a gag one anyone".

The FIA recently amended its International Sporting Code which now includes a provision that bans drivers from expressing or displaying "political, religious and personal statements", unless they have been previously approved by the FIA.

The move is seen by many as a censorship effort aimed specifically at Lewis Hamilton who has often used F1's platform to call the public's attention on social injustice and inequalities. But all drivers up and down the ranks are concerned by the governing body's measure.

'Formula 1 will never put a gag on anyone';

https://f1i.com/news/465362-domenicali-formula-1-will-never-put-a-gag-on-anyone.html


F1 FIA war intensifies as Domenicali sensationally backs drivers
Wednesday 8 February 2023 08:24
Ewan Gale
GPFans

The civil war between F1 and the FIA has taken another turn as the sport's CEO Stefano Domenicali has backed the drivers over the clampdown on political messaging. The FIA has tweaked the International Sporting Code in order to make it obligatory that drivers seek written consent before making any political stand during a race weekend.

Speaking to The Guardian, Domenicali has firmly taken the side of F1's drivers, insisting: “F1 will never put a gag on anyone. Everyone wants to talk, so to have the platform to say what they want in the right way the better it is.”

“We have a huge opportunity because of the position of our sport which is more and more global, multicultural and multi-valued. We are talking about 20 drivers, 10 teams and many sponsors, they have different ideas, different views.”

‘F1 FIA war intensifies’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/100921/f1-fia-war-intensifies-as-domenicali-sensationally-backs-drivers/

[Fortitude]

Alfa Romeo explain similarities between C43 and Red Bull’s dominant RB18.
Alfa Romeo were inspired by the championship-winning RB18, drawing on the Red Bull design to resolve last year’s cooling issues with the new C43.
08 Feb 2023 1:00 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Last season Alfa Romeo suffered 10 retirements in 22 races on their way to sixth place in the Constructors’ Championship. While some of those could be attributed to crashes and others to the dismal reliability of their Ferrari power unit, the car’s cooling system was responsible for almost half the DNFs. It had technical director Jan Monchaux searching for a solution.

Revamping the rear of the car for the 2023 season, Monchaux revealed the team drew inspiration from Red Bull, solutions they would have liked to have put into place last season but it wasn’t possible given the difference in the rear suspension. “Which you can see,” he continued.

“I mean, it’s quite obvious, but for us it wouldn’t have been possible last year. Even if we had said we wanted it, we couldn’t make it, because coolers were so extreme, and the rear suspension wouldn’t have allowed that.”

‘Alfa Romeo explain similarities’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/alfa-romeo-similarities-c43-red-bull-rb18/


F1 history made by Alfa Romeo after 2023 launch
Wednesday 8 February 2023 14:09
Ewan Gale
GPFans

Alfa Romeo has made history by putting the car used for its 2023 season launch up for auction. The C43 was unveiled by race drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu at Sauber's Hinwil-based factory on Tuesday [February 7].

Significantly, it was the first of the four launches so far to show off the 2023 challenger in at least partial glory, instead of purely demonstrating liveries.

But for the first time, the launch car is being put up for sale immediately, with F1 Authentics overseeing the auction. "For the first time in history, we're making an F1 launch car available to the public. This C43 chassis, as built by F1 Authentics, is now officially up for auction."

‘F1 history’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/100947/f1-history-made-by-alfa-romeo-after-2023-launch/


2023 Alfa Romeo F1 Car is Already a Contender for Best on the Grid
9 Feb 2023 | News
Ben McKimm,
Man of Many

The livery has been designed by Alfa Romeo’s Centro Stile, and we think it does a great job of showcasing the gorgeous logo of the Italian brand. Fans have been quick to point out that the car looks a little Ferrari-like in its approach, with the front wing, rear wing, and side skirts all appearing in black. However, the upper half of the livery blends red and black perfectly, intertwining the Quadrifoglio, or “Four Leaf Clover” to the upper duct.

What do the drivers think? Valtteri Bottas is excited, saying “The C43 is finally here, and I cannot wait to bring it on track. I really like our new livery, I think it’s stunning, and a fine evolution from last year’s one.” Meanwhile, Zhou Guanyu echoed the same sentiment, “I think we are sporting a beautiful new design for 2023, and I’m looking forward to driving the car in Barcelona in the next days, before properly getting the season started with winter testing in Bahrain.”

The first race of the 2023 F1 season will start in Bahrain at the Bahrain International Circuit on Monday the 6th of March at 2 am AEST before it moves to the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Saudi Arabia on Monday the 20th of March at 4 am AEST.

‘Contender for Best on the Grid’;

https://manofmany.com/entertainment/sport/2023-alfa-romeo-f1-car?nowprocket=1


Zhou more comfortable ahead of second F1 season
Thursday 9th February, 2023 - 3:20pm
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Alfa Romeo Sauber driver Guanyu Zhou heads into his second season more confident than he did in his rookie F1 campaign in 2022. Zhou scored a world championship point on debut in Bahrain last year, adding five more over the course of the year.

Predictably, there were some teething issues; in both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Zhou he allowed the revs to drop too low, which put the car into anti-stall. He learned from those, and aside from a terrifying crash at the British Grand Prix put in a solid account of himself. Embarking on his second season in F1, the Chinese driver is more sure of himself with 22 races now under his belt.

“What was very clear, last year, I was super nervous and intense,” he said. “Now, I feel a bit more understanding with the team, with Formula 1 cars. I’m arriving into the first test [shakedown] in Barcelona and then Bahrain, I’ll be feeling a bit more comfortable and a bit more knowing what’s coming.”

‘Zhou more comfortable’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/02/09/zhou-alfa-romeo-sauber-f1/


Alfa Romeo without a team principal – what does it mean?
Thursday 9th February, 2023 - 2:15am
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

When Alfa Romeo announced Alessandro Alunni Bravi as its team representative last month it prompted two obvious questions – Alessandro who, and what is a team representative? In fairness to Alunni Bravi, the 49-year-old from Italy is well-equipped to take on a bespoke role within the day-to-day running of the Alfa Romeo operation, in addition to his position as managing director that he took up last year.

A civil lawyer by education, Alunni Bravi has served as general counsel to the Sauber Group since he joined the company almost six years ago. In the eyes of new Sauber CEO Andreas Seidl, he will be regarded as a safe pair of hands, as well as trusted eyes and ears when it comes to dealing with the FIA and Formula 1.

Alunni Bravi is also no stranger to the pit wall as he was managing director and team manager at Coloni Motorsport in 2002 and 2003 before then serving as general manager of the WRC’s Rally Italia Sardinia event.

‘Without a team principal’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/02/09/alfa-romeo-alessandro-alunni-bravi-team-representative/

[Fortitude]

A SECOND TEAM HAS SIGHTS SET ON JOINING F1.
Andretti might have competition — there's another team with eyes on a spot on the F1 grid.
10th Jan 2023, 07:02
Jasmine Hughes
FormulaNerds

Panthera Racing have confirmed that progress is currently underway on an Expression of Interest application to the FIA.

As reported by PlanetF1, Panthera Team Asia is officially “working on” a bid to join Formula 1. The team has had their eyes on a spot on the grid since 2019— though these plans were put on hold with the outbreak of COVID-19. With the FIA announcing the launch of an Expressions of Interest process for prospective F1 teams, an opportunity has opened up for Panthera to join the grid.

Few details are currently known about the Asian-based team’s bid. However, Panthera’s co-founder and team principal Benjamin Durand shared that further information about the Expression of Interest bid will be revealed “soon”.

‘A SECOND TEAM’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/panthera-interest-joining-f1/?nowprocket=1


Panthera Team Asia start Expression of Interest process to join F1
Thursday 9 February 2023 12:30
Paul Macdonald
GPFans

Benjamin Durand, team principal and co-founder of Panthera Team Asia, has confirmed that the team is in the process of signing up for the FIA's Expression of Interest process to bring new entrants into Formula 1. In January Durand announced his interest in taking his team into F1, saying: "We still think that the Asian market and the Chinese market are the next developing markets.

"They all look west, no one looks east. Now Formula 1 focuses a lot on the US, which is normal because it's growing, but once that market is there Asia and Africa will be the next big market for F1, especially with Zhou [Guanyu] in the championship.

"It's been a rollercoaster; we could have given up on this project a long time ago , but we believe in it." Now, Panthera Asian F1 has confirmed that they are 'in the process' of signing up for the new Expression of Interest process, and that they are 'expecting more news soon'.

‘Expression of Interest’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/101006/panthera-team-asia-formula-1-entrant/


Haas against Andretti joining F1 as Guenther Steiner says 11th team brings 'just risk, no benefit'
Last Updated: 10/02/23 11:40am
Sky Sports

Haas boss Guenther Steiner tells Sky Sports F1 that an 11th team would bring "no benefit" or "upside" and only risks; Andretti announced plans to enter Formula 1 in 2026 last month after partnering with General Motors and Cadillac

Guenther Steiner says Haas are against Andretti joining the Formula 1 grid as there is "just risk, no benefit" from an 11th outfit. Andretti confirmed plans to bring an "all-American team" to F1 after partnering with General Motors and its luxury brand Cadillac in January, with the sport's governing FIA welcoming an entry from 2026.

Their arrival, however, also needs approval from F1 themselves as well as the teams. So far, Andretti have admitted that only McLaren and Alpine are their "allies" backing their bid.

‘Haas against Andretti joining F1’;

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/12807397/haas-against-andretti-joining-f1-as-guenther-steiner-says-11th-team-brings-just-risk-no-benefit


Horner suggests alternative method for Andretti to join F1
10th Feb 2023, 09:08
by Fergal Walsh
Motorsport Week

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has suggested that Andretti Global should look at taking over an existing Formula 1 team rather than establish its own outfit. Andretti has been in discussions with F1 for some time regarding setting up an 11th squad on the grid.

Horner pointed out that some of the sport’s most successful teams, including his own Red Bull squad, once existed as a separate entity.

“Red Bull Racing was Jaguar, which was Stewart Ford,” he told the Daily Mail. “You look at Mercedes, that goes all the way back through Honda to British American Racing to Tyrell. “Aston Martin go back to being a Jordan team. That has been the procedure for many years.

‘Alternative method’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/02/10/horner-suggests-alternative-method-for-andretti-to-join-f1/


Johnny Herbert doesn’t ‘see why there’s a problem’ with Andretti joining the F1 grid
06 Feb 2023 10:45 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Former F1 driver Johnny Herbert is perplexed as to why “there’s a problem” with Andretti Cadillac Racing joining the Formula 1 grid, believing it is “important” for the sport to have another American team.

“I don’t see why there’s a problem,” the former driver turned pundit told Total-Motorsport.com. “When I started we had 26-car grids and it looked brilliant. I liked battling with more cars. It also gives more opportunities to other drivers to be on the grid at the same point.

“There is always talk about teams being greedy and guarding the money pot they get. I get that. But for F1, the most important thing is having another team, an American team.”

‘Doesn’t see why there’s a problem’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/johnny-herbert-why-theres-a-problem-andretti-joining-f1/

[Fortitude]

Red Bull’s 2023 F1 car hits track, but secrecy continues.
Red Bull’s RB19 Formula 1 car has made its track debut at Silverstone, but the champion team’s secretive approach to the 2023 pre-season continued.
19:13 Fri, 10 Feb 2023.
By Matt Beer
The Race

In a repeat of its 2022 tactics, Red Bull held its launch event using a show car that will bear little resemblance to what actually appears for testing, and has now held a shakedown run without – at least so far – offering any publicity images from it. It only released a short video clip on its social media channels in which the car cannot be seen clearly.

Red Bull later put out a short video clip of world champion Max Verstappen giving his initial take on how the day had gone. “I’ve just driven the RB19 for the first time,” he said. “Of course it’s a filming day but it was a good first impression.

“Everything worked very well, everything worked very smoothly, so that’s exactly what you want from a day like this.” Outside official testing, F1 teams are limited to two runs of up to 100km – usually referred to as ‘filming days’ – with their current machinery during the season.

‘RB19 secrecy continues’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/red-bulls-2023-f1-car-hits-track-but-secrecy-continues/


Verstappen pleased with “really smooth” first run in new Red Bull at Silverstone
2023 F1 season
Posted on 10th February 2023, 17:4410th February 2023, 22:58
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

World champions Red Bull have run their new car for the first time in secret at Silverstone. Max Verstappen was pleased with his first run in the team’s new car. “Of course it was a filming day but I think it was a first good impression,” he said. “Everything worked really well, everything worked really smooth.

“So that’s exactly what you want from a day like this and now I’m of course very excited to go to Bahrain.” Red Bull held a season launch event in New York last week at which they presented a show car which they referred to as the RB19. They previously confirmed the car displayed was not their true 2023 design.

Team principal Christian Horner said the car presented in New York “isn’t a total reflection of what will hit the track in Bahrain in a couple of weeks’ time” when pre-season testing begins. “The car that was shown today obviously will be somewhat different when you see it in Bahrain,” he added.

‘ “Really smooth” first run’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/02/10/verstappen-pleased-really-smooth-first-run-new-red-bull-silverstone/


Red Bull complete secret shakedown of 2023 car
10 February 6:05PM
Author Luke Murphy
Co-author Dieter Rencken
RacingNews365

Red Bull have given their 2023 car, the RB19, a first test outing with a shakedown session at the Silverstone circuit. Red Bull's car for the 2023 season, the RB19, took the track for the first time in a shakedown session at the Silverstone circuit, without prior warning.

The car was driven by Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez at the home of the British Grand Prix, with official 'third' driver Daniel Ricciardo sitting out this particular test session.

The Milton Keynes team were able to complete a 'filming day', permitted under the regulations, with Pirelli demo tyres, which is common practice among teams prior to testing.

‘Secret shakedown’;

https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-complete-secret-shakedown-of-2023-car


Sergio Perez has pushed Red Bull’s RB19 development in a ‘certain direction’
10 Feb 2023 12:15 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Sergio Perez believes this year’s RB19 is more suited to his driving style, having bemoaned last year’s upgrades favoured his team-mate Max Verstappen. Asked at the team’s launch if he could avoid last year’s mid-season slump, he replied: “Yes, certainly. There are things that we are going to work on.

“We believe that the car is already going to be better. I’ve been pushing the team in a certain direction, and we believe we’re heading in that direction. “But we’ll see. Once we get the car, it’s all about adapting ourselves to the car and try to maximise it.”

Perez concedes his side of the garage made mistakes last season, most notably with the set-up of the car which cost him performance. He believes those lessons learned will stand him in good stead for 2023.

‘Adapting ourselves to the car to maximise it’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/sergio-perez-red-bull-rb19-development-certain-direction/


Sergio Perez wants to battle Max Verstappen in 2023.
Sergio Perez won two races compared to Max Verstappen’s 15 in 2022.
10 February 2023
by Jack Devonport
Formula1 News

When speaking about his ambitions for the 2023 season at the Red Bull season launch in New York, Perez has claimed that he cannot rely on help from others this season, insisting that it is only up to him to be successful.

“I’m 100% responsible for that [my own success] to work together with my team, to have a good plan, to follow it,” he told The Drive. “And to be able to find the consistency throughout the whole season that will be the main key for us.”

The 33-year-old has recently suggested that after two seasons of adapting to driving a winning car, he finally feels capable of mounting a serious title challenge in 2023, even if it involves battling with Verstappen.

‘Only up to him to be successful’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/sergio-perez-wants-to-battle-max-verstappen-in-2023/

[Fortitude]

What Alfa’s track running has revealed about its 2023 design.
The Alfa Romeo C43 became the first genuine 2023 Formula 1 car to hit the track on Friday, revealing key details that were hidden when the car was launched earlier this week.
Feb 10 2023
By Edd Straw
The Race

The real car features a floor-edge treatment similar to that of the Red Bull RB18. It also features a slot in front of the rear wheel echoing that introduced by Ferrari and also used by Aston Martin and, for a period, Red Bull last year.

The launch show car and renders also had different rear suspension configurations, but the car that ran at Barcelona continues to have pushrod rear suspension. This is possible because while Alfa Romeo uses Ferrari gearbox internals, it makes its own casing both for cost-cap efficiency reasons and to have greater freedom in suspension geometry.

As the team promised, the front end of the car has not changed significantly. The front wing is a similar shape to last year, with the slightly wavy mainplane design continuing to be used and offering relatively consistent load across the span of the wing. The front wing endplate has a similar edge to the one introduced by Haas last year.

‘First genuine 2023 Formula 1 car to hit the track’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/what-alfas-track-running-has-revealed-about-its-2023-design/


Bottas feedback steering Alfa Romeo in ‘right direction’
Saturday 11th February, 2023 - 12:58am
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Speaking at the team’s launch earlier in the week about his role in the development of the car and the feedback he provides, Bottas said: “It’s definitely been interesting. Like I’ve said multiple times, in this team, I feel like my role has been very different to what I have ever had really in Formula 1. [I’ve had] a bit more involvement, a bit more information going through me in a way.”

“Obviously, the work started early last year together. I tried to give all my experience and technical knowledge that I could from the past and then that work continues. Throughout last year, whether it was an issue with the car balance or whatever, we are always feeding back [information] the best we can and when I am at the factory, I like to get updates on how things are going.”

Bottas has confirmed being free to pose “any ideas or questions” that lead to open conversations and aid with the feedback. “It’s a really open situation in the team and I love to know always as much as I can about all the details with the new car,” added the 33-year-old Finn. “It’s fair to say, the setup direction we have gone with, the development of the car balance throughout the whole of last year has gone in the right direction and that work continues.”

‘Bottas feedback’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/02/11/valtteri-bottas-alfa-romeo-feedback/


First laps of a 2023 F1 car are complete as Alfa Romeo test C43 at Barcelona
10 Feb 2023 4:34 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Alfa Romeo have become the first team to give their 2023 car a rundown by taking the C43 to the track in Barcelona, in what they described as a “pivotal moment” in their development. The Swiss outfit broke the tradition of car unveilings this week when instead of revealing a dummy car, they showed off their actual contender for the 2023 season.

While Alfa still have time to make changes before the start of the season in Bahrain, they decided not to do like many other teams and produce a car that would have little resemblance to the one they use in the first race. The C43, which featured a striking new black and red design, took to the track for the first time on Friday as Valtteri Bottas, Zhou Guanyu and Théo Pourchaire put in some laps at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

The Spanish track has traditionally been the testing ground of choice for the F1 teams given its European location but in 2023, official pre-season testing will take place in Bahrain. It was Bottas who was given the honour of being the first one to drive with Alfa tweeting a video of the Finn emerging from the garage in the sunny Spanish conditions.

‘The Swiss outfit broke the tradition of car unveilings, showing off their actual contender for the 2023 season’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/alfa-romeo-test-c43-barcelona/


Gary Anderson: Sauber’s new F1 structure looks as clear as mud
16:40 Fri, 10 Feb 2023
By Gary Anderson
The Race

When you are running a Formula 1 team, or any business for that matter, you need to set up a clear management structure. There are different ways to organise this, but if you do it right everyone knows what they are responsible for and who they ultimately answer to.

The Alfa Romeo team is going through some major changes. The Alfa Romeo deal concludes at the end of 2023 and Audi has already bought 25% of the Sauber team, a stake that will grow to majority ownership by the time it becomes the works Audi team in 2026.

With Frederic Vasseur leaving his role as team principal to join Ferrari and Andreas Seidl joining from McLaren as Sauber Group CEO, there were also big personnel changes over the winter. As part of this, Sauber has appointed Alessandro Alunni Bravi as what it calls ‘team representative’.

‘Looks as clear as mud’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/gary-anderson-saubers-new-f1-structure-looks-as-clear-as-mud/


Where 2023 Alfa Romeo F1 car has borrowed from rivals: C43 aero analysis
February 9th 2023
Author Kyle Forster (Kyle Forster worked as an aerodynamicist at Mercedes-AMG F1 from 2018-2020 and runs the JKF racing engineering consultancy.)
Motor Sport Magazine

Alfa Romeo provided the first glimpse of a 2023 Formula 1 car at its launch event. Aerodynamicist Kyle Forster finds plenty of detail to delve into. The Alfa Romeo C43 is our first look at a launch car that clearly has elements of a 2023 car. It’s definitely got some carryover elements from last year, as well as some things that are hidden and de-featured, but there’s a lot to discuss that could very well be seen on the real thing.

The front wing is not hugely different to last year – in fact looks like it’s completely unchanged – so this is likely just for the reveal unless Alfa Romeo has had a particularly bad off-season in the wind tunnel. I would expect this to change a fair bit for testing.

Here’s a quick recap of what it’s likely doing: it’s very heavily centre-loaded, which means Alfa is likely trying to extract a large amount of the front balance of the car from this region and not using it to generate a huge Y250-like vorticity (named after the 250mm neutral area either side of the nose, which featured on cars until last year).

‘2023 Alfa Romeo F1 car has borrowed from rivals’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/where-2023-alfa-romeo-f1-car-has-borrowed-from-rivals-c43-aero-analysis/?v=79cba1185463&nowprocket=1

[Fortitude]

How to watch the launch of McLaren's 2023 MCL60 F1 car.
McLaren are set to become the latest F1 team to unveil their 2023 car, the MCL60. Here's how you can watch the event live.
13 February 8:00AM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

With the unveiling of the McLaren MCL60 Formula 1 car, it will mark the halfway point of launch season in 2023. The Woking squad are set to take the covers off the car named to celebrate 60 years since founder Bruce started his eponymous squad, in a break with the sequential numbering scheme, meaning the MCL37 must wait until 2024.

The McLaren MCL60 launch will be at 17:00 UK time on Monday 13 February. This is 12:00 Eastern Time or for those in Australia – homeland of new driver Oscar Piastri – it is a 04:00 start on Tuesday morning for those on Australian Eastern Standard Time.

McLaren are presenting the launch on their YouTube channel from 17:00 UK time on Monday 13 February. You can view the event by clicking here. Alternatively, the launch is set to be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 in the UK from the McLaren Technology Centre.

‘Watch the event live’;

https://racingnews365.com/how-to-watch-the-launch-of-mclarens-2023-mcl60-f1-car


'Time is right for McLaren to succeed in F1 — and Oscar Piastri is key'
February 12th 2023
Author Adam Cooper
Motor Sport Magazine

The 2023 season is an important one for McLaren, which launches its car tomorrow, and there’s no question that the team has to show signs of forward progress.

Logic suggests that the time is right for one or the other of McLaren, Alpine and Aston Martin to close the gap to the top three, and potentially take the fight to them on a regular basis.

McLaren is also one of several competitors heading into this season with a new team principal, with Andreas Seidl gone to Sauber and Andrea Stella promoted from his previous role – in essence head of the team’s race weekend operations – to that of overall boss.

‘McLaren to succeed in F1’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/time-is-right-for-mclaren-to-succeed-in-f1-and-oscar-piastri-is-key/?v=79cba1185463&nowprocket=1


McLaren must reverse its recent slide in 2023 to hold on to rising star Norris
2023 F1 team preview
Posted on 12th February 2023, 19:0012th February 2023, 15:07
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown’s rebuilding of the team following his arrival at the end of 2016 hit a couple of significant snags last year. It began promisingly, yielding third place in the 2020 world championship, the team’s best result for eight years. The following season McLaren finally returned to the top step of the podium at Monza.

That was achieved with a car which had been converted to use a Mercedes engine in place of a Renault. So with a reset of the technical regulations coming for 2022, and the technical team having the opportunity to integrate their power unit in a ground-up design, better things were expected.

They did not materialise. The team fell to fifth in the championship standings, scored not much more than half its 2021 points tally, and mustered just a single podium appearance, at Imola. Though to their credit, they were the only other than Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes to achieve a top-three finish.

‘McLaren must reverse its recent slide’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/02/12/mclaren-must-reverse-its-recent-slide-in-2023-to-hold-on-to-rising-star-norris/


Norris interview: How he became the driver that buried Ricciardo
Feb 13 2023
By Edd Straw
The Race

Superficially, McLaren driver Lando Norris’s Formula 1 development has stagnated. In 2019, he spent much of his impressive rookie season finishing in the bottom half of the points and exactly the same was true in 2022. Given McLaren’s timeline for emerging as a frontrunner longer-term, he’s set to harvest plenty more results to add to his haul of 42 finishes from sixth to 10th.

The key word here is superficially. If you delve a little deeper, the 23-year-old has evolved significantly in his four seasons in F1. Without doing so, he couldn’t have demolished Daniel Ricciardo so comprehensively last year in a tricky-to-drive McLaren. It didn’t show in the results, but Norris delivered his most consistently impressive season yet in 2022 with a myriad of high-class drives usually rewarded only with a modest number in the results column.

We’re likely to have to wait a little longer before Norris can be tested at the front of the F1 field, so for now we can only evaluate him based on the challenges he has faced. And as much as demolishing Ricciardo over two years – with the advantage growing in the second of those seasons – has enhanced Norris’s reputation, there comes a point where this is of limited value.

‘The driver that buried Ricciardo’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/norris-interview-how-he-became-the-driver-that-buried-ricciardo/


McLaren Might Partner With Honda in F1 Again: Report
After its rough breakup in 2017, McLaren and Honda have apparently made initial contact over a 2026 engine deal.
PUBLISHED Feb 11, 2023 6:30 PM
By Chris Rosales
The Drive

The phrase “nothing is impossible” has been taken to new, stratospheric heights: McLaren and Honda are in the earliest stages of forging a possible engine partnership for 2026. This comes after its unbelievably rough stint together as McLaren-Honda from 2015 to 2017 that resulted in McLaren’s worst seasons for a long time and Honda’s broken reputation as an engine manufacturer.

According to The Race, initial contact has been made between the two former technical partners to possibly strike up an engine deal for 2026. It’s in its very earliest stages with no real formal talks, but both are exploring their options every team on the grid is seeking the best possible match for the upcoming 2026 ruleset devoid of the costly MGU-H.

There are interesting politics here, with the previous McLaren-Honda partnership ending as badly as anything, while its ‘80s and ‘90s partnership with Ayrton Senna was the stuff of legends. 2017 was a difficult time for McLaren, with the team swamped internally with infighting that led to the ousting of Ron Dennis, who was instrumental to the success of the team in the ‘80s and ‘90s. McLaren also took the position of blaming Honda for its performance deficit in the early days of the V6 turbo-hybrid era. Though Honda was unreliable and underpowered back then, McLaren learned the hard way that the Honda power unit was not their only problem after a switch to Renault.

‘McLaren and Honda have apparently made initial contact’;

https://www.thedrive.com/news/mclaren-might-partner-with-honda-in-f1-again-report

[Fortitude]

How to watch the launch of Aston Martin's 2023 F1 car.
Aston Martin are set to launch their 2023 season, with the team expected to show off their new car ahead of pre-season testing.
13 February 8:55AM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Aston Martin are the next team in line during this busy week of car launches which also includes McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes and Alpine. It is expected that the squad will be showing off the actual AMR23 at the event, alongside drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll. Here is everything you need to know about the event.

The Aston Martin launch will be taking place at the team's headquarters in Silverstone, UK on Monday 13 February at 19:00 GMT. This will be 20:00 CET. It is expected that Aston Martin will show off the actual AMR23 chassis, after Deputy Technical Director Eric Blandin confirmed this would be the case.

"We will unveil the actual car, just as we did last year," he said in an Aston Martin interview. "The car we reveal at our new factory in Silverstone on 13 February will be the real AMR23. We're not going to disappoint fans."

‘Team expected to show off the actual AMR23 chassis’;

https://racingnews365.com/how-to-watch-the-launch-of-aston-martins-2023-f1-car


Will Alonso’s arrival kick Aston Martin into a higher gear in 2023?
F1 2023 team preview
Posted on 13th February 2023, 7:0012th February 2023, 20:36
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

The Silverstone squad had always punched above its weight, so the natural strategy was for the team to bulk up in order to join the real heavyweights. But serious levelling-up requires serious investment and Aston Martin’s benefactors have injected over £200m into an all-new, state-of-the-art factory to transform them from perennial midfield runners to genuine contenders.

Sitting alongside its previous facility on the same plot, the 40-acre, three-building factory will feature a new wind tunnel, swanky new staff offices and a new design, research and development hub tailor-made for F1’s new budget cap age. While not all of it will be completed in 2023, the main building is due to open up for the first time later this year – the first big step on what Aston Martin hope will be a journey to becoming title contenders.

Fernando Alonso’s switch from Alpine to Aston Martin was a shocking move eclipsed only in drama by Oscar Piastri refusing his subsequent call-up by Alpine in order to sign for McLaren. Alonso joins his sixth factory of his F1 career even hungrier for that elusive third world championship than ever before. F1’s most experienced ever driver is under no illusion that he may have to wait even longer to get a chance. “I’m not thinking about timeframes and how long it will take the team to win races,” Alonso said. “I will take it race by race, season by season. What’s important is that we keep making progress.”

‘Kick Aston Martin into a higher gear’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/02/13/will-alonsos-arrival-kick-aston-martin-into-a-higher-gear-in-2023/


Fernando Alonso on what Aston Martin need to do to become F1 World Champions
11 Feb 2023 4:00 PM
Mark Scott
PlanetF1.com

Fernando Alonso has said it is going to take some outside-of-the-box thinking for Aston Martin to achieve their dream of winning the World Championship. Alonso is the new man to spearhead Aston Martin towards the upper echelons of the F1 grid after jumping ship from Alpine and replacing the now-retired Sebastian Vettel.

The Spaniard knows a thing or two about winning silverware in F1 having won two World Championship titles and believes the key to success is constant evolution through creative thinking. If you stand still in F1, you will get left behind. “We have to use our ingenuity and be creative in everything we do,” Alonso said.

“You have to reinvent yourself every season, every race, to try to outperform your competitors – this is the biggest challenge for any F1 team. It starts with an idea. But when will it be possible? What do you need to do to make it possible? This is what you have to keep asking yourself. This is what you have to keep working towards. We have the talent in this team. When we go racing, we need to execute every race to perfection – to maximise the results from the ingenuity that has gone into the car.”

‘On what Aston Martin need to do to become F1 World Champions’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernando-alonso-aston-martin-f1-world-champions/


Christian Horner is hearing ‘big numbers’ from a potential surprise F1 2023 rival
12 Feb 2023 7:45 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

When discussing possible surprise rivals for Red Bull in F1 2023, Christian Horner namedropped a very confident Aston Martin team. The chasing pack then will be looking to stop Red Bull’s roll going any further, with Ferrari and Mercedes expected to be their main challengers. But, could any of the remaining seven teams step up?

Now armed with the services of two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin are investing heavily in their facilities and workforce for a push to the top of Formula 1, with the AMR23 challenger therefore needing to be a marked improvement on its predecessor.

And with the bullish Aston Martin talking “big numbers”, it makes them one to watch for Horner. Asked by Auto Motor und Sport if a surprise contender could emerge in F1 2023, Horner replied: “You never know, I mean Alpine made progress in the second half of the year. Aston Martin, we keep hearing big numbers coming out of there in their expectations, so you just don’t know in terms of what the running order will be.”

‘Very confident Aston Martin team’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/christian-horner-big-numbers-aston-martin/


Fernando Alonso makes HUGE Lance Stroll claim
Sunday 12 February 2023 16:00
Stuart Hodge
GPFans

Fernando Alonso believes his new Aston Martin team-mate Lance Stroll has the potential to become an F1 world champion one day. Two-time king of the grid Alonso has signed a multi-year deal to spearhead the iconic brand's bid to reach the summit of the sport one day.

Now 41 years old and the elder statesman on the 2023 grid, Alonso understands that the famous green livery may not achieve those heady heights while he is still behind the wheel. He believes though that his 24-year-old Canadian team-mate can continue to carry the torch.

Speaking in an UNDERCUT interview on the team's website, Alonso said: "I will still be very proud if the team wins without me in the car. I will be very proud of the process and my contribution to the project. "In Lance, the team has a driver who is super young, super talented and has the possibility to be World Champion. To see him achieve that and have played a part in that, whether that's behind the wheel or not, will be special for me."

‘HUGE Lance Stroll claim’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/101159/fernando-alonso-lance-stroll-world-champion/

[Fortitude]

McLaren presents 2023 F1 car and livery for 60th celebratory year.
McLaren has revealed the first glimpse of its 2023 Formula 1 car livery as it prepares to celebrate its 60th anniversary since forming under founder Bruce McLaren.
13th Feb 2023, 17:26
Hamilton Lyndon-Griffiths
Read Motorsport

Having ended a nine-year victory drought in 2021, McLaren slid to fifth place in the constructors’ championship last season. The Woking-based team initially struggled to adapt to the new rules before clawing back performance through the season, securing its only podium finish of 2022 at round four in Imola.

A year-long battle with Alpine eventually swung in its rivals favour, losing out on P4 in the constructors’ standings at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. 2023 is a year of change for McLaren as it welcomes a new driver and sees a major shift to its management structure.

Lando Norris heads McLaren’s refreshed driver line-up, looking to build on an impressive 2022 campaign that saw him finish seventh in the drivers’ championship despite the team moving further adrift of F1’s frontrunners. Norris will be partnered by rookie Oscar Piastri after Daniel Ricciardo’s exit, who arrives with huge expectation having won in every junior category he has competed in on route to F1.

‘2023 F1 car and livery for 60th celebratory year’;

https://readmotorsport.com/2023/02/13/mclaren-presents-2023-f1-car-and-livery-for-60th-celebratory-year/


F1: McLaren set top four goal as they unveil MCL60.
13th Feb 2023, 17:31
By George Dagless
Give Me Sport

McLaren are aiming to top the midfield in 2023. McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella has said that they are aiming to be in the top four this coming F1 season.

The Woking-based team finished the 2022 campaign in P5 in the standings with a slow start to the year really costing them, whilst ultimately they just did not have the pace to really consistently beat Alpine, who came fourth, and the fact it was as close as it was in the end was real testament to the efforts McLaren put in.

They're hoping for a better season in 2023, then, and it is clear that the aim is to finish at least one place higher in the table come the end of the upcoming campaign, as they try and close the gap to the established top three of Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari.

‘Set top four goal’;

https://www.givemesport.com/f1-mclaren-set-top-four-goal-as-they-unveil-mcl60/


VIDEO: McLaren show off their striking MCL60
13 February 6:30PM
Author RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

McLaren has released a video of their striking new MCL60 which will be driven by Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

After lifting the covers off their 2023 challenger, McLaren has released a video showing off the detail of their MCL60.

The team is celebrating the 60 years since it was founded by Bruce McLaren in 1963, with the car sporting a striking papaya orange livery with blue streaks and 'exposed carbon' look.

‘McLaren show off their striking MCL60’;

https://racingnews365.com/video-check-out-the-new-mclaren-mcl60


McLaren "not entirely happy" with launch-spec F1 2023 car
13 Feb 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

New McLaren boss Andrea Stella says the team are “not entirely happy” with their 2023 F1 car but is hopeful early-season developments will bring “a good step”.

While team principal Stella said McLaren have addressed most of their targeted areas for improvement, he admitted some elements of their 2023 car were not fully capitalised after the team “realised a little late into the development some really strong directions”.

Addressing media at the MTC including Crash.net, Stella said: “We have to say that assessing our performance last year and looking at competitors, we identified multiple areas of opportunities. “The good news is that pretty much all of them have been addressed. I wouldn’t want to be too specific, but certainly they have to do predominantly with the aerodynamics.”

"Not entirely happy";

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1020211/1/mclaren-not-entirely-happy-launchspec-f1-2023-car


The McLaren MCL60 has arrived, now it is time to take a closer look
13 Feb 2023 5:19 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

McLaren kicked off a busy day of Formula 1 launches with the reveal of the MCL60, and it certainly is sporting a lot of black. As McLaren move on from their MCL36 challenger of 2022, their new model for the 2023 campaign, the MCL60, on first glance has us playing a game of spot the difference, with a plentiful list of similarities between the MCL36 and MCL60.

The resemblance though is not quite as extreme as the one seen between the Red Bull RB18 and RB19, with this McLaren MCL60 sporting some unique visual characteristics to call its own. So, let’s delve into some of these details. Black has sadly become a key colour for many Formula 1 teams in this new regulatory era, as the scramble to find ways of shaving weight off the cars has made the paint job a cheap way of saving some grams.

It is little surprise then to see the MCL60 going in heavy on the black, a challenger named specifically to mark the team’s 60th anniversary. There is also a nice mark to the significance of this year in the team’s history at the bottom of the nose cone.

‘McLaren MCL60 has arrived’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mclaren-mcl60-gallery/

[Fortitude]

Aston Martin debut the AMR23.
Aston Martin revealed their new green machine from their Silverstone headquarters.
13th February 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Heading into their third season as Aston Martin, the team will be looking to improve on the P7 they’ve achieved in the championship in the past two years and also make a return to the podium after Sebastian Vettel’s P2 in Baku 2021. The AMR23 sees the team once again bedecked in their British racing green with darker carbon fibre elements on the lower portions of the car.

Aston Martin say that their new challenger is a “considerable evolution” on the AMR22 and their Technical Director, Dan Fallows, says they have improved on last season’s car in “every critical area” as they try to take the fight to the frontrunning teams.

“The design team was adamant that it wanted to tackle these regulations without compromise,” Fallows said. “We want to move up the grid and start challenging the teams at the front – and you can’t do that by sitting back and being conservative.

‘Tackle these regulations without compromise’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/aston-martin-debut-the-amr23-80893


TECH ANALYSIS: Unpacking the 'aggressive' new Aston Martin AMR23
13 February 2023
Special Contributor
Mark Hughes
Formula One - Official Site

Aston Martin have taken the covers off their brand-new challenger, the AMR23 – but how different is their new design compared to last year's car? F1 technical expert Mark Hughes has a look... Aston Martin’s new AMR23 embodies a clear break in technical leadership for the team, with Dan Fallows having been involved in the new car’s gestation from the start while previous chief Andy Green has moved on to a non-F1 part of the team, heading up Aston Martin Performance Technologies.

Fallows has overseen an extremely aggressive approach to improving on the team’s 2022 performance. Not only is it aerodynamically quite different, but the mechanical aspects have been completely overhauled and a very rigorous approach has been taken in getting the car down to the weight limit.

Fallows has overseen an extremely aggressive approach to improving on the team’s 2022 performance. Not only is it aerodynamically quite different, but the mechanical aspects have been completely overhauled and a very rigorous approach has been taken in getting the car down to the weight limit. Visually, the car bears a very strong visual resemblance to last year’s Red Bull RB18 in its post-Monza update form. The sidepod and engine cover contours are remarkably similar.

‘Aston Martin AMR23’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.tech-analysis-unpacking-the-aggressive-new-aston-martin-amr23.2CNfWh0iTNGMAdp3xtgqwx.html


Gary Anderson: Red Bull influence clear on new Aston Martin
Feb 13 2023
By Gary Anderson
The Race

Most of the 2023 Formula 1 cars we’ve seen so far have had sidepods that are a cross between Ferrari and Red Bull’s designs from last year. But you could easily say that the Aston Martin AMR23 is more of a Red Bull than the others.

Obviously under the skin they are all a bit different but we can only comment on what we see and last year the big visual differences was in the sidepods: the bulbous Ferrari solution, the detailed Red Bull and the zero sidepod Mercedes. Strangely (or perhaps not) we haven’t seen many of the latter so far this year.

On the Aston Martin you can see the bulge for the lower side impact structure (SIP) (highlighted with the yellow ellipse), the undercut flow lines and the laid-back radiator inlet are all Red Bull-style. One of the interesting features on the Aston Martin sidepod upper surface is the deep gulley. Alpine had something similar last year – see comparison below – and we have all seen what we have called the Ferrari ‘bathtub’ sidepod top.

‘Aston Martin AMR23 is more of a Red Bull than the others’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/gary-anderson-red-bull-influence-clear-on-new-aston-martin/


‘Bold and aggressive’ AMR23 has more going on than just the Red Bull-esque sidepods
14 Feb 2023 7:30 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

With a touch of Red Bull for the sidepods and a sweep of Mercedes at the rear, Aston Martin technical director Dan Fallows has called the new AMR23 “bold and aggressive”. The former Red Bull aero chief spoke to the media as Lance Stroll and his new team-mate Fernando Alonso unveiled their 2023 car.

It was notably different to last year’s AMR22. The car features a new sidepod design, heavily revised front wing and a different engine cover that comes with a larger roll hoop inlet. “We went into this year trying to be bold and aggressive, to try to take on the lessons from last year,” declared Fallows.

“We want to move up the grid and start challenging the teams at the front – and you can’t do that by sitting back and being conservative.” Pundits were quick to note that the AMR22 has been influenced by Red Bull’s championship-winning RB19, Fallows having joined Aston Martin in April last season after parting ways with Red Bull.

‘Bold and aggressive’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/bold-and-aggressive-amr23-more-then-red-bull-sidepods/


Video: ‘Aggressive’ start from Aston Martin’s vital new recruit
Feb 14 2023
The Race

Aston Martin’s 2023 Formula 1 car is visually striking, “aggressive” in its creators’ own words, and a landmark in the ambitious development of the team. That’s because it’s the first car overseen by perhaps its most important recent recruit. And we’re not talking about Fernando Alonso.

We’re in fact talking about technical director Dan Fallows, one of a swathe of new personnel who have joined Aston Martin in recent times. He arrived in April last year from Red Bull, which was very reluctant to let him go, and he has overseen the Aston Martin AMR23 from its inception.

Given his background and Red Bull’s dominance of F1 last year, it’s no surprise that the car takes plenty of design cues from the all-conquering RB18. But that’s not to say it’s a copy, far from it, as there’s also some inspiration from Mercedes and what Aston Martin hopes are its own fresh ideas that will give it a car capable of fighting at the front of the midfield this year.

‘Aston Martin’s vital new recruit’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/video-aggressive-start-from-aston-martins-vital-new-f1-recruit/


‘Super motivated’ Alonso spent four hours in sim before Aston Martin launch
Tuesday 14th February, 2023 - 10:30am
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Aston Martin performance director Tom McCullough has revealed Fernando Alonso spent four hours in the sim ahead of the F1 team launching its 2023 car. McCullough has described Alonso as “super motivated” upon his winter arrival from Alpine, with the two-time Formula 1 champion displaying an early level of determination that is driving forward Aston Martin.

In that regard, the 41-year-old is putting in the time and the effort, starting with the sim, as he embraces his latest new working environment. “When you have a new driver you get his input, and that’s what we’ve spent most of the winter really doing,” said McCullough to invited media, including Speedcafe.com.

“It’s still going on. Fernando spent four hours in the simulator ahead of everything else he was doing (for the launch). That’s the sort of push we are getting from him. He’s massively motivated, pushing us all really hard because he wants to do really well, just like we do.”

‘Super motivated’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/02/14/fernando-alonso-aston-martin-launch/


Fernando Alonso: 'Leading the midfield' is the aim for 2023 after the winter of 'physical and mental' preparation.
14 Feb 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Fernando Alonso feels more 'optimistic' than ever before in his first season with Aston Martin team and hopes to 'fight for some podiums' in 2023.

'Leading the midfield';

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.fernando-alonso-leading-the-midfield-is-the-aim-for-2023-after-the-winter-of-physical-and-mental-preparation.1757750007075532711.html

[Fortitude]

TECH ANALYSIS: Ferrari's 2023 SF-23 – A complete redesign or subtle evolution?
14 February 2023
Special Contributor
Mark Hughes
Formula One - Official Site

Ferrari launched their brand-new SF-23 on Tuesday and it seems they've continued with last year's philosophy. Mark Hughes looks at why the Scuderia have focused on improving, rather than overhauling, their design.

"Our 2023 car is an evolution of the one we raced last year, but in reality, it has been completely redesigned," said Head of Chassis Area Enrico Cardile as he outlined the changes. "On the aerodynamic side, we increased vertical downforce to adapt further to the new aero regulations and achieve the desired balance characteristics. The suspension has also been redesigned, to support aerodynamics and increase the range of adjustments that can be made to the car at the track.

"The most obvious changes are in the area of the front suspension where we have moved to a low track rod. The front wing is also different, as is the construction of the nose, while the bodywork is a more extreme version of what we saw last season."

‘TECH ANALYSIS’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.tech-analysis-ferraris-2023-sf-23-a-complete-redesign-or-subtle-evolution.7qUstZ2bHNORVuddhNCb06.html


‘Brave’ Ferrari has rescued 2023 F1 launch season
Feb 14 2023
By Matt Beer
The Race

“I don’t want to speak about the others,” said Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur of rivals’ 2023 Formula 1 car launches. But then he pretty much did anyway. And then Carlos Sainz well and truly emphasised the point.

It wasn’t just the media invited to Fiorano. The Tifosi were there too, in their own grandstand. And the car wasn’t just on display, it fired up and did its shakedown – under 15km ‘demonstration run’ regulations – in front of the live audience. And its drivers weren’t hanging around either. “I think it was amazing – and I’m going to allow myself to give praise to the team for what they could organise,” said Sainz.

“Formula 1 needs these kinds of events, where you bring all the media and fans and partners and engineers and mechanics, all together, and do a proper presentation with the car running without too much privacy. We were brave as a team to do it. It’s the first ever installation lap we did with that car. It can always go bad. We took the risk and I hope you enjoyed it because I definitely did.”

‘Proper presentation with the car running without too much privacy’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/brave-ferrari-has-rescued-2023-f1-launch-season/


Ferrari detail evolution design process behind its new 2023 F1 car
14/02/2023, 15:30
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Ferrari’s technical chiefs have opened up on the detailed changes made to the team’s brand-new challenger for 2023, the SF-23. The Italian team began the latest ground effect era by emphatically securing a 1-2 at the opening race of 2022, but its F1-75 quickly fell behind in the development rate as the season progressed against a rapidly improving Red Bull outfit.

“Our 2023 car is an evolution of the one we raced last year,” Ferrari’s Head of Chassis Area, Enrico Cardile, clarified after the launch of the team’s new car at Fiorano. “But, in reality, it has been completely redesigned. On the aerodynamic side, we increased vertical downforce, to adapt further to the new aero regulations and achieve the desired balance characteristics.”

“The suspension has also been redesigned, to support aerodynamics and increase the range of adjustments that can be made to the car at the track. The most obvious changes are in the area of the front suspension where we have moved to a low track rod. The front wing is also different, as is the construction of the nose, while the bodywork is a more extreme version of what we saw last season.”

‘Ferrari detail evolution design’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/02/14/ferrari-detail-evolution-design-process-behind-its-new-2023-f1-car/


Frederic Vasseur announces significant Ferrari changes after strategy errors
Ferrari were plagued by strategy mistakes last season as Charles Leclerc's hopes were damaged.
15:42, Tue, Feb 14, 2023
By Luke Chillingsworth
Daily and Sunday Express

Frederic Vasseur has confirmed Ferrari will make changes to their strategy team after a range of errors last season. The Frenchman suggested the Italian marque would be making “small adjustments” ahead of the new season.

The former Alfa Romeo principal previously claimed he would not be making wide-scale changes but has since accepted some tweaks were necessary. He explained: “Yes we will make some small adjustments.”

“What I said last time is that you see just the visible part of the iceberg. When you spoke about strategy, you were speaking about strategist and strategy. But it's not just one person pushing on a button. It's software, it's the team at the factory, and it's also [a] process on the pit wall. It's a complete picture rather than about one person."

‘Significant Ferrari changes after strategy errors’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1734705/frederic-vasseur-ferrari-strategy-news-latest


Ferrari drivers’ early verdict after SF-23’s ‘high-risk’ debut.
14th Feb 2023, 15:54
By Josh Suttill and Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Speaking after his first two laps with the SF-23 at Ferrari’s 2023 launch at the team’s Fiorano test facility, Leclerc tentatively said he felt things had moved in the right direction. “It feels good, it feels a little bit different,” Leclerc said when asked by The Race for his first impressions of the SF-23.”

“But to be honest, it’s difficult, especially on track now to really feel the differences because it’s only two laps. I wasn’t pushing that much, I tried to but obviously, we’ve also demotored [turned the engine down] etc, so it’s difficult to get a proper feeling but from the work we’ve done, I think we’re going in the right direction.”

“We took a lot of the 2022 car’s weaknesses and tried to work on them, especially on the simulator, we’ve had some really positive signs. But we still need to wait until the test in Bahrain, when we’ll push the car for consecutive laps, to see whether this progress is also valid in reality.”

‘Feels good, it feels a little bit different’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/ferrari-drivers-early-verdict-on-2023-f1-car/


Can Vasseur change Ferrari’s ‘stable’ culture?
14 February 6:00PM
Author Dieter Rencken
Co-author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

During today’s Ferrari SF-23 launch it was all wide smiles and hearty laughter, but these don’t win world championships. RacingNews365 Editorial Director Dieter Rencken examines incoming team boss Frédéric Vasseur’s to-do list and wonders whether the Frenchman will be empowered to make sorely needed changes.

This begs the question: What does Vasseur - a man steeped in motor racing and in Formula 1, but with smaller, less pressure-packed teams - need to do to stay the distance required to deliver Ferrari’s first title(s) in 15 years?

On the surface, Ferrari has it all: top dollars, top facilities, top drivers, top staff. However, these the Scuderia oft had access to, being by-products of Maranello Mythology that attracts the best to what is otherwise a rural Italian town. Virtually every top F1 engineer or driver either served the Prancing Horse or regrets being unavailable when the call came. Through circumstances at Sauber Vasseur was a free man at end-2022.

‘Need to do to stay the distance required to deliver?’

https://racingnews365.com/can-vasseur-change-ferraris-stable-culture


Gary Anderson: Ferrari has innovations the FIA might query.
When you see the facilities that Ferrari has at Fiorano, including the test track, it is almost impossible to understand why it could ever be beaten.
14th Feb 2023, 14:12
By Gary Anderson
The Race

As well as complying with the regulations, there’s always the question of what’s called ‘primary purpose’. So if there’s something on the car that is legal and ostensibly for one reason – in this case maintaining the slot gap – but the FIA believes it’s for another – for example aerodynamic gain – then you can hit trouble.

It looks like Ferrari has generated more of a one-sided aerodynamic profile, a bit like an upside down wing. This is optimised to control the airflow coming off the trailing edge of the front wing and realign it as well as possible to improve the performance of the leading edge of the sidepod.

The actual body profile in the coke bottle area – where the body narrows towards the rear tyres – is a little more bulbous, taking up some of the coke bottle opening. This is one area that varies dramatically on the Ferrari from the other cars we have already seen, and I’m not sure I am a fan of this solution.

‘It is almost impossible to understand why it could ever be beaten’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/ferrari-2023-f1-car-launch-gary-anderson-ferrari-has-innovations-the-fia-might-query/

[Fortitude]

How to watch the Mercedes W14 2023 F1 launch.
The covers are coming off the Mercedes W14 2023 F1 car - here's how you can watch live!
15 February 8:00AM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

After being dethroned in 2022, Mercedes will be hoping that their new W14 Formula 1 car will have them back fighting for titles in 2023. The W13 secured only one win through George Russell as Lewis Hamilton went winless for the first time in his F1 career and recorded a career-worst sixth in the standings.

A fundamental car problem with the floor hindered the W13 throughout the year, meaning it could not cope with Red Bull or Ferrari. Mercedes are adamant that they have identified and will fix the problem on the 2023 car - time will tell...

Mercedes will be launching the W14 2023 F1 car from 09:15am UK time on Wednesday 15th February from Silverstone. That is 04:15am Eastern Time. The car is expected to be shaken-down by one of the drivers shortly after the covers are taken off.

‘The covers are coming off’;

https://racingnews365.com/how-to-watch-the-mercedes-w14-2023-f1-launch


Can Mercedes bounce back from troublesome W13 with W14 success?
15 Feb 2023 6:00 AM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

F1 2023 launch season continues, and it is now the turn of Mercedes to show off their new challenger, with the W14 set to be unveiled on Wednesday.

The Silver Arrows saw their eight-year Constructors’ Championship winning streak end in convincing style last season with the arrival of ground effect aerodynamics in Formula 1’s rules overhaul, with Red Bull and Ferrari comfortably quicker than the sport’s previous dominant force for much of the year.

Chiefly, the troubled Mercedes suffered with ‘porpoising’, the aerodynamic oscillations which see the cars bottom out and ‘bounce’ off the track surface, causing great discomfort to Lewis Hamilton and George Russell in terms of driving experience, but their lack of raw pace compared to their front-running rivals also made for a long, difficult season by their standards last year.

‘Bounce back’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mercedes-w14-launch-2023-car-preview/


What Mercedes can do to ensure 2023 renaissance
Tuesday 14 February 2023 22:56
Jack Walker
GPFans

The 2022 F1 season saw Mercedes endure their worst year since 2011, finishing third in the constructors’ championship with only one win to their name.

The 'zero-sidepods' concept. Technical director Mike Elliott has previously shared his “surprise” that no other team found the loophole in the new F1 regulations that allowed the zero-sidepod concept to be used.

Reliability is key. Mercedes only suffered from one DNF caused by a mechanical failure in the whole of last season, that coming in the closing laps on Hamilton’s car in Abu Dhabi, which was a much better record than their rivals.

‘2023 Renaissance’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/101350/mercedes-bounce-back-2023-improvement-hamilton-russell-wolff/


Will Mercedes finally conquer porpoising – and regain their lost crown?
2023 F1 team preview
Posted on 14th February 2023, 18:4215th February 2023, 6:37
Written by Will Wood
18:44 Tue, 14 Feb 2023.

When winning becomes a win of life, nothing is more painful than losing. For almost 160 grands prix and eight seasons, Mercedes’ supremacy in Formula 1 was near-absolute. Any who dared to challenge their might were quickly humbled. Until Max Verstappen and Red Bull fought them to the brink of defeat in 2021.

The final laps of the deciding race “robbed Lewis Hamilton of a deserved world championship”, in the words of team principal Toto Wolff. Disgusted by the events which cost their driver an unparalleled eighth championship – while nonetheless acknowledging Verstappen as a worthy champion – Mercedes channelled that anger over the winter. The W13, the first of a bold new ground-effect era, was to be the most aggressive car Brackley had produced.

But that intense desire to remind the paddock who the best in the world truly was only made their eventual failure all the more painful. The 2022 season was nothing short of a disaster for the former all-conquering Mercedes team. Rather than fighting to reclaim what Red Bull took from them, their radical design approach produced far more problems for their drivers than benefits it provided. Hamilton and new team mate George Russell rarely found themselves capable of competing for wins.

‘When winning becomes a win of life, nothing is more painful than losing’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/02/14/will-mercedes-finally-conquer-porpoising-and-regain-their-lost-crown/


Lewis Hamilton to benefit as Mercedes 'find horsepower gain' despite Alpine suspicion
Alpine are said to be suspicious of their F1 rivals over the improvements they have been able to make to their engine performance, despite the 'freeze' currently in place
20:54, 14 Feb 2023
By Daniel MoxonF1 Writer
The Mirror

Mercedes may benefit from up to 10 horsepower more of power from their engines this year after making reported progress over the winter. The Silver Arrows will uncover their W14 car, to be drive again by Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, on Wednesday. They will be desperately hoping it will be more competitive than its predecessor, which left Mercedes adrift of Red Bull and Ferrari in the 2022 standings.

How competitive their latest creation will be be remains to be seen. However, if a report from Italy is to be believed, Mercedes will be able to count on a more powerful engine. In doing so, Mercedes will apparently "gain a double-digit value". The report comes after it was claimed that Ferrari could have up to 30 horsepower more in their own power units – a rumour which was recently dismissed as a "joke" by new team boss Frederic Vasseur.

Meanwhile, Alpine are said to be suspicious of their fellow constructors amid ongoing power unit work to improve reliability. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the Enstone outfit are concerned that Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull might all be pushing the rules despite the engine 'freeze'.

'Find horsepower gain';

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/mercedes-engine-gain-alpine-suspicion-29218418

[Fortitude]

Mercedes take in first laps with W14 in Silverstone shakedown.
The Silver Arrows unveiled their return to the black colour scheme on their livery from the 2020 and ’21 seasons with the launch of the W14 at Silverstone in the morning, before Russell got behind the wheel to take in laps of the Northamptonshire track in the afternoon.
15 Feb 2023 3:53 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Mercedes have shared the first photo of the W14 on track as George Russell took in laps of Silverstone as the team took part in a shakedown on Wednesday.

Russell and Lewis Hamilton will have both had the opportunity to drive the car on Wednesday, though Mercedes also had to share the track with Silverstone-based Aston Martin, who were separately conducting their own shakedown of the AMR23 just a stone’s throw from their factory.

Taking part in a press conference after his allotted running, Russell reported no major issues from the W14 on its initial runs, but when asked if the porpoising which plagued its predecessor last year was present on this year’s challenger, he remained coy, saying: “We’ll see next week”, in reference to the more extensive three-day pre-season test in Bahrain from 23-25 February.

‘W14 in Silverstone shakedown’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mercedes-w14-silverstone-shakedown/


Fans think Mercedes have found a loophole in FIA rules after unveiling stunning car for 2023 season
15/02/2023, 14:09
Marcus Chan
SPORTbible

Fans think Mercedes have found a potential loophole within the FIA rules after unveiling their car for the upcoming 2023 season. On Wednesday morning, Mercedes revealed their car for the new F1 season, reverting to a stunning black livery after racing in silver in the last campaign.

After dominating the sport from 2014 to 2021, Mercedes fell to third place last year after their car failed to live up to expectations. This time around, they are hoping the new W14 will be able to close the gap between themselves and rivals Red Bull and Ferrari. Perhaps unsurprisingly, fans have been getting excited over the new car and the new livery.

One fan on Reddit has also managed to pick out the fact that Mercedes may have found a loophole in the FIA regulations which will help the performance of the car. The fan posted pictures of the car’s new front wing and said: “Mercedes have managed to ingeniously connect the front wing to the end plate slot, keeping the concept alive after FIA banned it for this season.”

‘Found a loophole in FIA rules’;

https://www.sportbible.com/formula-1/mercedes-new-car-fia-rules-loophole-251413-20230215


Gary Anderson: The course corrections in Mercedes’ F1 2023 design
Feb 15 2023
By Gary Anderson
The Race

Last year, the big visual difference between the Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes was the sidepod concept. Ferrari has stuck with its concept, albeit with a few refinements, and we haven’t seen the Red Bull in detail yet, but the big question was always whether Mercedes would make a change.

Now we’ve seen the Mercedes W14, we can say it has stuck with its 2022 philosophy for 2023 but with some differences. Any technical analysis of the car at this stage comes with warnings about the fact we can only judge it based on what we’ve seen so far. F1 teams have conned the world before and I’m sure will again, but we have at least seen the real car and can judge the direction taken.

Technical director Mike Elliott has talked about the main objectives of reducing weight (hence the black paintjob), achieving a more consistent balance across the speed range and improving the aerodynamic characteristics. There have been changes not only to the shape of the car but also to the suspension geometry and cooling.

‘Course corrections’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/gary-anderson-the-course-corrections-in-mercedes-f1-2023-design/


Mercedes launch sees the team back as the Black Arrows
15th February 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Mercedes became the latest team to uncover their 2023 challenger as they debuted an all-black W14 at Silverstone earlier today. Unpainted carbon fibre is a feature of many cars this season as teams do everything they can to cut weight. Mercedes ran black painted cars in 2020 and 2021 to show their support for diversity and equality, but this time the more functional reasoning for the choice does harken back to when they acquired the “Silver Arrows” nickname.

“When you look at where the story of the Silver Arrows came from,” CEO & Team Principal, Toto Wolff said, “it’s that the Mercedes was put on track – the race car it was white, overweight, a little bit of our story last year – and they scratched off the paint, and it ended up with bare aluminium, and the car made the weight.

“So we came back, we really tried to get the weight off the car in every single bit and therefore on the paint side we committed in gaining the grams by leaving the car matte carbon, and history repeats itself. Just in this case it’s a modern material, carbon, and not aluminium, and it’s black.”

‘Black Arrows’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/mercedes-launch-sees-the-team-back-as-the-black-arrows-80916


‘So far so good’ says Russell after Mercedes complete W14 shakedown at Silverstone
15 February 2023
Formula One - Official Site

The new Mercedes W14 has made its debut on track with George Russell in the cockpit of the car at Silverstone. Aafter taking the W14 on track for a shakedown run at Silverstone, following the car's launch on Wednesday morning. "So far so good, everything ran very smoothly [in the shakedown] and it’s just great to get behind the wheel and see the car in the flesh."

Russell added that this year's shakedown was far better than that of 2022, when a storm and torrential downpours made for "absolutely crazy" conditions at Silverstone. "It’s been a smooth day, but it’s just so difficult to say [where we stand]," said Russell.

"Last year we came away from that shakedown not with so many thoughts to be honest – we were so compromised by weather – but you’ve got to take the results for today with a pinch of salt and make sure there’s no major scares and just make sure the car’s running OK into Bahrain. That’s going to be the true test. As much as we want to get the most out of it, a day like today, it’s kind of meaningless."

‘So far so good’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.so-far-so-good-says-russell-after-mercedes-complete-shakedown-of-new-w14-at.5igSuddfb2dDuD3ZQqo6Fz.html

[Fortitude]

Video: Mercedes’ 2023 F1 car choices – and its lack of optimism.
Mercedes revealed its 2023 W14 Formula 1 car on Wednesday, and while there were lots of interesting features to talk about on the car, there wasn’t a huge amount of optimism around the team.
Wed, 15 Feb 2023
The Race

Mercedes gave off a vibe of knowing it could still start the season behind, and even though it has retained its unique sidepod design, there were hints that this could change in the early races of the year when the first car updates are introduced.

Glenn Freeman, Scott Mitchell-Malm and Edd Straw discuss all the interesting features on the W14, including the team’s performance-related decision for going back to running a black livery, in our latest video:

‘Lack of optimism’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/video-mercedes-2023-f1-car-choices-and-its-lack-of-optimism/


Mercedes find ‘estimated’ 0.3s with weight saving for F1 2023?
16 Feb 2023
Connor McDonagh

With Mercedes returning to a black livery for 2023 in a bid to save weight, could they return to being a title challenger again in F1? According to a report from corriere.it, Mercedes could have found an estimated 0.3s in lap time by the weight they have saved with their new W14.

Explaining this decision, Toto Wolff told media including Crash.net: “We are on the weight limit what or we wanted to achieve and obviously when we looked at all the weight savings, everybody needed to make a commitment.

“So it is really a performance issue, but then there is not tonnes of weight you can save on the paint but it shows the intent of what we do and the narrative is just right, not only because of the historical context of how the Silver Arrows were created but also our attempt in painting the car back several years ago is still valid. So it all kind of made sense.”

‘0.3s with weight saving’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1020328/1/mercedes-find-estimated-03s-weight-saving-2023


Back in black: The win-or-bust gamble that risks ending the Mercedes era
February 16th, 2023 1:12 pm
Michael Lamonato from Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)

The Silver Arrows are back in black for 2023. Mercedes pulled the covers off its 2023 challenger, the W14, in a slick but understated online launch this week to reveal it was returning to the darker hues of its 2020–21 cars. But the decision was about more than just style. As is increasingly the trend in Formula 1, much of the car is unpainted carbon fibre in a desperate measure to reach the minimum weight.

The opportunity for a livery redux was just a bonus. And squeezing the most out of what it’s got is the name of the game for Mercedes this year, for while the colour might be significantly different, the car’s geometry still shares the fundamental DNA of last year’s problemed machine.

Despite slipping from the constructors championship in 2021 to a distant third last year with just a solitary win, Mercedes is doubling down on the concept it debuted under the 2022 rules. Team designers are adamant the performance is in there to be unlocked by some key off-season changes. If they’re right, Brackley will be launched back into the fight for regular wins.

‘Win-or-bust gamble’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/back-in-black-the-winorbust-gamble-that-risks-ending-the-mercedes-era/news-story/990de5750f09bdcb8edf663c09a9d277


Toto Wolff admits unique Mercedes sidepods may ‘change a little bit’ in early races
16th Feb 2023, 08:39
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Toto Wolff has said the ‘zero-pod’ design at Mercedes may not last forever in its current guise, as upgrades are applied to the new W14. “Throughout last season, we have analysed it back and forth, whether it was right or not and obviously you can see the sidepods are very different to any other car, but we believe that this is not the performance relative part,” Wolff explained to media including PlanetF1.com at the launch of the W14.

“Obviously, there is no such thing as a holy cow here. We are looking at everything and, on the sidepods, this is the first iteration, and when we’re going through the first few races, that’s going to change a little bit.”

“But like Mike [Elliott, technical director] said in the launch, [if] you want to change your concept completely then [you’re] making not one step back, but probably two, three – and that’s why we stayed where we are. And I love the fact that we are bold, we stayed bold, and we are just continuing to follow what the science says for us.”

‘Analysed it back and forth’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-mercedes-sidepod-changes/


This is what will happen to Mercedes’ hated W13 F1 car from 2022
16 Feb 2023
Connor McDonagh

Mercedes’ troubled W13 F1 car will remain in the team’s factory reception as a “symbol of boldness and courage”. Mercedes endured a season to forget - by their high standards - winning just one race during the entirety of 2022. However, the W14’s predecessor has found a new home at Mercedes’ base in Brackley.

The W13 will remain in the team’s lobby, so any staff or visitors will be able to see it on entry. Speaking after yesterday’s launch, Wolff told media including Crash.net the reasons for this decision. “Yeah it’s going to go in the lobby but I’ve changed my approach a bit. I wanted to put it in the lobby as a reminder that you must not rest on your laurels, but I want to place it in the lobby as it is a symbol of boldness for me, and courage.”

We took a radical design direction last year and we dared, and we failed. So for me that shows a lot about the mindset of the team, in how it is important to cope with success and failure, and I wouldn’t want us to go in any shape or form conservative in the future. I want us to take calculated risks and be bold.”

“You must not rest on your laurels”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1020345/1/what-will-happen-mercedes-hated-w13-f1-car-2022

[Fortitude]

Alpine end F1 2023 launch season with an all-French flavour in London.
Alpine will bring F1 2023 launch season to a close on Thursday evening with a London unveiling of the A523, but their new line-up will no doubt bring plenty of national pride from across the English Channel.
16 Feb 2023 6:00 AM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

After the drama that surrounded Fernando Alonso’s departure, Oscar Piastri being named an Alpine driver, then legally not becoming an Alpine driver, France’s Formula 1 constructor will be fielding an all-French line-up as Esteban Ocon is joined by long-time racing rival Pierre Gasly.

The next challenge for them now will be to produce a more reliable power unit in the A523, with the team having openly admitted last year they were looking for peak performance in designing their 2022 engine and looking to add reliability later – much to Alonso’s chagrin, after his multiple retirements in his final season with Alpine.

But in terms of colour scheme, Alpine – as they prepare to launch their third Formula 1 car under Renault’s sporting moniker – teased a blue front wing picture on social media on Wednesday, with tinges of the exposed carbon with which we have become accustomed to seeing on the 2023 cars, done in pursuit of weight saving.

‘All-French flavour’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/alpine-a523-f1-launch-preview/


Gasly gives initial feedback after Alpine shakedown
15/02/2023 at 08:17
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Pierre Gasly offered a positive first impression of Alpine's new A523 after sampling his new mount at Silverstone on Monday ahead of the car's official presentation on Thursday. Alpine completed a 100 km 'filming day' at Silverstone to conduct a systems check and shake down of its 2023, with both Gasly and team mate Esteban Ocon taking to the track onboard the new machine.

Together, the French duo completed an aggregate 17 laps of Silverstone, with Alpine reporting that the outing had gone "without any issues". "It’s a fantastic feeling to be driving again, especially in my new colours of Alpine," commented Gasly who joined the Enstone squad after six seasons with the Red Bull family.

"Today was about getting an initial feel for the car and it felt very good on the laps I drove. "I know everyone at the team has worked tirelessly to develop the car over the winter and it’s a proud moment to drive it today and see everyone’s faces in the garage.

‘Initial feedback’;

https://f1i.com/news/465851-gasly-gives-initial-feedback-after-alpine-shakedown.html


2023 Alpine F1 car launch: live stream from 8pm
February 16th 2023
Author Motor Sport
Motor Sport Magazine

2023 Alpine launch date: February 16 Alpine will reveal its 2023 entry on February 16 in London, alongside its all-French driver line-up of Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly.

The team followed up a promising season in 2021 with an even better one in 2022, finishing ahead of McLaren in the constructors’ standings but still trailing a struggling Mercedes.

Ocon and former team-mate Fernando Alonso were involved in several heated exchanges toward the latter end of the 2022 campaign, thought to be one of multiple factors that led to the Spaniard’s move to Aston Martin for 2023.

‘Alpine F1 car launch’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/2023-alpine-f1-car-launch/?v=79cba1185463&nowprocket=1


How to watch Alpine launch their 2023 F1 car
16 February 8:55AM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

The final 2023 F1 car launch is upon us, as Alpine unveil the A523. Here's how you can watch it live. The class of 2023 is nearly complete as the final Formula 1 car launch is upon us. Alpine have seen the other nine cars revealed, either through liveries (looking at you, Red Bull) or the actual real thing (most of the others).

The A523 is set to be driven by Esteban Ocon and new teammate Pierre Gasly, who joins from AlphaTauri in what promises to be an interesting dynamic. Both drivers have already had a taste of their 2023 machine during a recent shakedown at Silverstone, with 17 laps completed. For the record, Ocon logged nine laps and Gasly eight...

‘The final launch’;

https://racingnews365.com/how-to-watch-alpine-launch-their-2023-f1-car


Alpine shakes down 2023 F1 car ahead of launch
Feb 13 2023
By Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Alpine has completed a shakedown of its 2023 Formula 1 car ahead of launching the A523 this week. The Renault works team is revealing the car on Thursday evening at an event in London. Ahead of that, it joined Williams on Monday in shaking down its 2023 challenger at Silverstone.

Esteban Ocon and new signing Pierre Gasly split the 100km running between them on the filming day – one of two such promotional events afforded to teams each season. Alpine claims the car ran “without any issues”, as Ocon drove first before Gasly took over, while technical director Matt Harman called it “another milestone ticked”.

“I’m pleased the day ran so smoothly,” said Harman. “Esteban drove first in the morning to check all the systems were working properly as well as completing the usual install programme for the car. Pierre was then in the car in the afternoon for the first time in the A523 and completed eight stable laps to get an initial feel in his new surroundings.”

‘Alpine shakes down;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/alpine-shakes-down-2023-f1-car-ahead-of-launch/


No problems for Alpine in pre-launch shakedown for new A523 2023 F1 season
Posted on 13th February 2023, 18:12
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Alpine ran its new A523 for the first time today at Silverstone. The team confirmed it encountered no problems with its latest car. The A523 is due to be presented in a launch event in London in three days’ time. Esteban Ocon and his new team mate Pierre Gasly shared driving at the track which plays host to the British Grand Prix. As the shakedown run constituted one of the team’s designated filming days the pair were limited to a maximum of 100 kilometres of running.

“I’m pleased the day ran so smoothly,” said the team’s technical director Matt Harman. “Esteban drove first in the morning to check all the systems were working properly as well as completing the usual install programme for the car. Pierre was then in the car in the afternoon for the first time in the A523 and completed eight stable laps to get an initial feel in his new surroundings.”

“These days are of course limited and not representative, but we’ve certainly had a great day and we now look forward to testing in Bahrain where we expect to continue our learning of the 2023 car.”

‘Pre-launch shakedown’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/02/13/no-problems-for-alpine-in-pre-launch-shakedown-for-new-a523/

[Fortitude]

Alpine close out launch season by unveiling two liveries.
At a live event in London, Alpine unveiled the A523 in a regular livery as well as a special all-pink version that they’ll start the season with.
17th February 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

As they did last year, Alpine will run their BWT pink version of the car at the first three rounds of the year – Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Australia – before changing to their official blue and pink version. There’re a lot more black areas on this season’s design, as with most other cars this year as teams leave areas unpainted to save a little bit of weight.

Alpine’s Technical Director, Matt Harman, then gave a thorough run down on what the team has changed from last year’s A522 to create the A523 for the upcoming season. Working his way from front to back, Harman gave a fascinating five minute summary of what had been done which included big changes to the heat rejection system, aka cooling, and rear suspension which helped them to achieve an underweight car.

“We’ve taken some of the cooling system that we’ve normally had on the centerline and we’ve reduced it because we want to try and control some of this mass flow going to the rear of the car. Normally we would just take that amount of face area and we’d put it in the side pod, but actually the teams have worked really aggressively at improving the efficiency of that system.

‘Thorough run down on what the team has changed’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/alpine-close-out-launch-season-by-unveiling-two-liveries-80942


How Alpine’s changed its F1 car design for 2023
23:44 Thu, 16 Feb 2023.
By Edd Straw
The Race

The highlight of Alpine’s 2023 Formula 1 car launch was the appearance of technical director Matt Harman. Even though the cars he was walking around on stage were a show car and a largely 2022-based model (the renders Alpine released online being the more representative indication of the 2023 design), his talk through the key areas of change on the A523 gave us plenty to go on, along with our own observations from the shots released of the car shaking down at Silverstone on Monday.

The car does feature some striking changes. The nose has changed structurally, which Harman said was to offer more freedom to change elements of the front wing – both in terms of speed and how the airflow is fed to the suspension behind.

“We’ve looked quite extensively at changing the nose concept,” said Harman. “There’s a very different structure in here which gives us more freedom to change more elements of the front wing, particularly more quickly, and allow us to control that airflow more consistently into the front suspension area.”

‘Changed its F1 car design’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/alpine-2023-f1-car-launch-how-alpines-changed-its-f1-car-design-for-2023/


AS IT HAPPENED: Watch Alpine pull the covers off the new A523 at the final car launch of 2023
16 February 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Alpine brought the 2023 launch season to an end on Thursday evening when they presented their new contender, the A523, at a special event in London.

Esteban Ocon and new Alpine arrival Pierre Gasly were both be on hand for the reveal at the Printworks venue, which follows a successful shakedown at Silverstone earlier in the week.

Alpine’s presentation is the 10th and final launch event of the year, with pre-season testing and the opening round of the campaign at the Bahrain International Circuit drawing ever closer...

‘Final car launch’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.livestream-watch-alpine-pull-the-covers-off-the-new-a523-at-the-final-car.32Lg4tO8hk5LbsbwfBArqf.html


Alpine duo deliver positive first impression of 2023 F1 car
13:37 Thu, 16 Feb 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon have spoken positively about Alpine’s prospects for 2023 after testing the team’s new car for the first time at Silverstone this week.

Unlike other teams on the Formula 1 grid, the Anglo-French outfit elected to conduct an outing with its latest iteration of machinery before the official launch event, scheduled to take place in London on Thursday.

As per the regulations, Alpine was only entitled to complete up to 100km of running as part of a combined shakedown and filming day at the British venue, with Gasly and Ocon sharing the responsibility in the cockpit of the A523.

‘Positive first impression’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/02/16/alpine-duo-deliver-positive-first-impression-of-2023-f1-car/


Alpine’s 2023 F1 car has one acceptable aim. Is it achievable?
13:13 Thu, 16 Feb 2023.
By Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

At the end of last season, Alpine Formula 1 team boss Otmar Szafnauer set a clear target for 2023: “We need to be closer to third than fifth.” For a team that edged out McLaren for fourth by just 14 points and was 342 points behind the third-placed team (Mercedes), this is a hugely ambitious target.

But it’s also the only acceptable aim that Alpine can set. As F1’s ‘other’ works team it has potential that its recent midfield rivals lack. Eventually, Alpine’s aim is to be on a par with Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes. And Red Bull is ‘only’ a de facto works team. So, there’s an argument that the Renault F1 entry is one of only three with this kind of opportunity.

“We have to take a step closer to being able to win a championship,” said Szafnauer last November. “That 100-race plan [set by Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi] started at the beginning of this year, so it’s less than 80 [races] from now on. So, for us to be able to do that, we’re right now fourth, marginal to fifth, we need to do the same but be closer to third next year. We need to be closer to third than we are fifth next year. So even if we stay fourth, we’ve got to make progress.”

‘Is it achievable?’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/alpines-2023-f1-car-has-one-acceptable-aim-is-it-achievable/


Reliability fixes, efficiency gains and weight loss: Alpine explain key A523 changes
2023 F1 season
Posted on 16th February 2023, 22:5516th February 2023, 22:55
Written by Keith Collantine

Alpine’s A522 showed flashes of promise last year, including an appearance on the front row at the Canadian Grand Prix. The car was quick enough to comfortably finish fourth in the constructors championship, but they ended up prevailing in a close fight with McLaren, largely because of the number of points lost due to reliability problems.

At the launch of its successor, the A523, technical director said the team “set ourselves some aggressive targets” to improve in 2023. “Targets that were going to challenge us, but were going to deliver what we need to do to compete at the right level.”

The team has focussed its attention not only on the reliability problems it encountered, but suspension and aerodynamics changes aimed at improving the car’s efficiency. Facing the same weight-saving problems the entire grid has grappled with, Alpine claim to have been successful, and got the A523 beneath the minimum weight limit of 798kg.

‘Efficiency gains and weight loss’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/02/16/reliability-fixes-efficiency-gains-and-weight-loss-alpine-explain-key-a523-changes/


Podcast: What we learned from Alpine’s 2023 F1 car launch
Feb 17 2023
The Race

Alpine held the final event of the 2023 Formula 1 launch season and The Race F1 Podcast was there. Scott Mitchell-Malm and Edd Straw bring you their account of what it was like at the event and their impressions of the new car.

Although the launch cars on stage were just show cars, there were also images of the real car available and technical director Matt Harman’s run through of the car was the most revealing part. We discuss the key talking points from the launch and what to expect from Alpine this season.

‘What we learned’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/podcast-what-we-learned-from-alpines-2023-f1-car-launch/

[Fortitude]

Meet All The Contenders For F1's 2023 Championship Battle.
The 2023 Formula 1 season kicks off on March 3 at the Bahrain International Circuit. If you're a die-hard fan, testing begins a week earlier at the same circuit, and Drive to Survive has been scheduled to go live as pre-season testing starts.
Feb. 17, 2023 1:54 PM ET
Gerhard Horn Formula One /
CarBuzz

The various constructors started the season earlier this year with regards to unveiling the cars. Red Bull wanted to be first, but Haas scooped everyone in the days leading up to RB19's reveal. This year, the French were last.

Since all the details are available, we decided to share all the cars in one place for ease of reference. The order was determined by how the teams finished last year, and we're including the number of points scored so you'll know who needs to catch up, and by how much. As a bonus, we also include an image of last year's car so that you can spot the differences.

‘Meet All The Contenders’;

https://carbuzz.com/features/the-formula-1-class-of-2023


How to watch Bahrain testing 2023: Live stream for free from anywhere
17 Feb 2023
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

F1 Bahrain testing is February 23-25 and is the first time we'll see every 2023 car on track. This is how to watch the Bahrain testing from anywhere - including ways to get a free Bahrain testing live stream. We’ve also listed the Bahrain testing start times below.

All 10 F1 teams have launched their 2023 cars - with some revealing more information than others. But there can be no hiding place when the season begins.

In advance of the first grand prix of the season in Bahrain, all 20 drivers will be in action for three days of testing. It is the final chance to iron out problems with their cars before the real competition begins.

‘Live stream for free from anywhere’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1020443/1/how-watch-f1-bahrain-testing-2023-live-stream-free-anywhere


When does the new F1 season start in Bahrain?
18:30 Fri, 17 Feb
Sports Staff
The Independent

F1’s record 23-race calendar for this year begins with the Bahrain Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit

When does the 2023 F1 season start? The first race of the season, the Bahrain Grand Prix, takes place from Friday 3 March - Sunday 5 March at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir. Qualifying on Saturday 4 March starts at 3pm (GMT) with the race on Sunday also at 3pm (GMT).

When is pre-season testing? Pre-season testing takes place at the Bahrain International Circuit the week before the first race, from Thursday 23 February - Saturday 25 February. Running will take place between 7am and 4:30pm (GMT) on each of the three days. There will be an hour’s break midway through each session for lunch. Each driver will have one-and-a-half days worth of time in the car.

‘Thursday 23 February - Saturday 25 February’;

https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/when-does-the-new-season-start-bahrain-grand-prix-b2284564.html


F1 2023 Bahrain pre-season test: Haas first to confirm driver schedule
17 Feb 2023 11:52 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Time is of the essence in 2023 as the teams look to extract every bit of data possible from a three-day Bahrain pre-season test. Last season teams had the luxury of two pre-season tests, with an unofficial shakedown in Barcelona followed by the official pre-season outing in Bahrain as they put the 2022 challengers through their paces.

That season marked a new era in Formula 1 after an overhaul of the Technical Regulations saw ground-effect challengers return to Formula 1. But with the reveal of all 10 successors to those cars now complete, the next step for the teams is to take them to Bahrain for what will be the only pre-season test of 2023.

The test will run from February 23-25 at the Bahrain International Circuit, also host of the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix which then takes place on the following weekend. Three days is not long at all for the teams and drivers to get to grips with their new creations. Mercedes have already expressing concerns that the restricted schedule may not allow for all potential issues to be detected before lights-out on March 5.

‘Teams look to extract every bit of data possible from a three-day Bahrain pre-season test’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-2023-bahrain-pre-season-test-line-ups/


Webber delivers verdict on 2023 F1 title contenders
Saturday 18 February 2023 08:22
Jack Walker
GPFans

Former Red Bull driver Mark Webber believes Red Bull Racing are still the team to beat despite its aerodynamic testing restrictions. The Milton Keynes-based outfit stormed to both titles last year as Max Verstappen won a record-breaking 15 races.

But the team was punished with a 10 per cent reduction in ATR time as well as a $7million fine for breaching 2021’s budget cap. But despite the reduced development scope, Webber still believes his old employers remain the ones to catch.

"Red Bull is still the most dangerous team coming out of the blocks," Webber told Autosport. "I don't think anyone knows really how much that [the penalty] is going to impact them, but I'm sure they've got enough creative people there to keep it going.”

‘Webber delivers verdict’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/101558/mark-webber-red-bull-verstappen-2023-championship-verdict/

[Fortitude]

Why no team wants to be top of the timesheet in F1 pre-season testing.
It is a unique part of the F1 season, when hope springs eternal or for as long as your team isn’t the one that’s just caused the latest red flag stoppage.
20 Feb 2023 6:00 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Pre-season testing is the time of year when Formula 1 most resembles cricket, a sport normally at the opposite end of the speed spectrum. Days can be drawn out and boring, only occasionally punctuated by moments of genuine drama and curiosity that suddenly make the long periods of nothingness seem worth it all along.

The fortunes of teams and individuals rise and fall from day to day, sometimes session to session, as the picture of the new season is formed piece by piece. The key to success is scoring hundreds – 100-plus laps a day keeps the media glare away – and at the halfway point of each day’s action they pack everything away for an hour to have a spot of lunch.

For outside observers, the golden rule of testing is constantly repeated and always ignored. Don’t read too much into the headline times. Don’t read too much into the headline times because the teams, in their determination to keep secrets, cannot be trusted. There are just too many variables in play – fuel loads, tyre compounds, track conditions and, in the days testing took place in Barcelona, wind – to make accurate assessments.

‘Unique part of the F1 season’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/no-team-top-formula-1-pre-season-testing/


2023 F1 Pre-season Testing: Dates, Times, and How to Watch Live!
20th February 2023
by Aron Day
FormulaSpy

This timing takes the session beyond sunset, reflecting the night-time conditions during the opening race of the season due to be held on Sunday, 5th March.

The schedule is as follows:
Thursday 23 February
Session 1 – 07:00am-11:00am
Session 2 – 12:00pm-4:30pm
Friday 24 February
Session 1 – 07:00am-11:00am
Session 2 – 12:00pm-4:30pm
Saturday 25 February
Session 1 – 07:00am-11:00am
Session 2 – 12:00pm-4:30pm

‘The schedule’;


https://formulaspy.com/f1/2023-f1-pre-season-testing-dates-times-and-how-to-watch-live-81428


Mercedes chief worried F1 testing is "not enough" to fix issues with Lewis Hamilton's car
Mercedes spent most of the 2022 season fixing problems with their W13 rather than actually developing the car, and will be desperate to avoid several more months of the same
22:16, 17 Feb 2023
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
The Mirror

Mercedes spent most of the 2022 season fixing problems with their W13 rather than actually developing the car, and will be desperate to avoid several more months of the same. Pre-season testing will not provide enough time on track for Mercedes to identify any major issues with their new car, according to their concerned technical director.

Mike Elliott and his team spent much of last year putting out fires and fixing issues on the W13, such as the porpoising problem which was destroying their season – and Lewis Hamilton's back.

The Silver Arrows – back in black for 2023 – will be desperate to avoid a repeat performance. But the W14 did not exactly get off to an auspicious start as it hit the Silverstone track for a demo run earlier this week, with a few "niggles" cropping up.

‘F1 testing is "not enough" to fix issues’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/mercedes-w14-problems-testing-hamilton-29247074


Drive to Survive producer says the hit Netflix show wouldn't have existed without Daniel Ricciardo: 'I felt very emotional with him leaving'
• Drive to Survive producer praises Daniel Ricciardo
• Paul Martin says Aussie carried the smash-hit show
• Martin says Ricciardo may show up more in series
By James Cooney For Daily Mail Australia
Published: 04:56, 20 February 2023
Mail Online

Drive to Survive executive producer Paul Martin believes the wildly popular documentary series wouldn't exist without Aussie Daniel Ricciardo, and he was sad to see him leave.

Ricciardo, 33, became one of the most popular characters in the smash-hit show, but now that the Aussie has failed to secure a seat on the 2023 grid, it's unlikely fans will be seeing much more of him in the show. 'Without Daniel I think there probably wouldn't have been a Drive to Survive,' Paul Martin told The Post.

‘Drive to Survive’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-11770721/Drive-Survive-producer-says-F1-Netflix-wouldnt-existed-without-Daniel-Ricciardo.html


Andretti unfazed by Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s step back from F1
19 Feb 2023 2:00 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

1978 F1 World Champion Mario Andretti doesn’t think Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s step back from F1 will have any effect on Andretti’s F1 entry prospects.

Andretti outlined how he doesn’t believe the FIA President’s step back will have any impact on the team’s prospective entry. “I don’t think so,” he told PlanetF1.com.

“I mean, with the FIA, we have everything in place, they obviously have officially opened up the prospects of teams joining, and they’re evaluating every aspect of that part.”

‘Andretti unfazed’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/andretti-unfazed-mohammed-ben-sulayem-retreat-f1/

[Zico]

Honda considering formal return to coincide with new engine regulations!


Honda says it is considering a formal return to Formula 1 to coincide with the new engine regulations that will be introduced in 2026.

The company officially pulled out of F1 at the end of 2021, although its engines are still used by the two Red Bull teams and will be called Hondas again in 2023.

"For the time being, we would like to keep a close eye on where F1 is going and just see how things go," Honda president Koji Watanabe said.

"We don't have any concrete decisions on whether we will be going back."

The new F1 engine regulations will see the sport continue with 1.6-litre turbo hybrid engines, but with a change in architecture to simplify the technology. There will be a significant increase in the proportion of power provided by electricity, and the use of carbon-neutral synthetic fuels.

Honda has not yet formally committed to entering F1 from 2026 but Watanabe said the new rules were appealing as they aligned with Honda's corporate strategy.

Speaking at an official Honda news conference on Monday, Watanabe said: "Formula 1 is greatly shifting towards electrification. Given that, carbon neutrality is our corporate-wide target at Honda so we think F1's future direction is in line with our target. That is why we have decided to register as a manufacturer of a power-unit.

"We are curious about where F1 is going and how is that going to look with more electrification happening.

"We would like to keep a very close eye on that and that is why we have decided to register as a PU manufacturer. And after we made the registration, we have been contacted by multiple F1 teams."

The outline of the 2026 engine regulations was finalised in August last year, but they remain a work in progress as details continue to be ironed out.

McLaren are among the teams said to have contacted Honda about a supply in 2026, but the Japanese company would likely be of interest to many teams given that they have won the world title for the last two years with Red Bull.

Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull, Alpine and Audi are all committed to their own engine projects, but the Aston Martin, Haas, McLaren and Williams teams are all yet to sign up to power-unit partners from 2026.

Honda's decision to officially withdraw from F1 at the end of 2021 was made on the basis that it wanted to divert resources towards pursuing carbon-neutrality through "future power-unit and energy technologies, including fuel-cell vehicle and battery technologies".

But since then, Honda has had a new president, and more clarity has emerged on the 2026 rules.

Honda was named as one of six companies that had officially registered as a power-unit supplier for the period 2026-2030 by governing body the FIA this month. The others are Alpine, Audi, Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull Ford.

Red Bull is switching partners to Ford from 2026 as the US giant joins forces with the new engine plant created by the soft drinks company at their F1 base, Red Bull Powertrains.

The Honda name is formally returning to F1 this year after a season's absence, with the engine used by Red Bull officially titled a Honda RBPT.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/64704532

[Fortitude]

BREAKING NEWS: Lance Stroll set to miss entirety of F1's pre-season testing in Bahrain after bicycle crash while training in Spain: Canadian Aston Martin driver suffered 'minor injuries'.
Lance Stroll was cycling in Spain when he crashed and sustained minor injury
Published: 16:07, 20 February 2023
By Jake Fenner For Dailymail.Com
Mail Online

Canadian Formula One driver Lance Stroll will miss the whole of preseason testing after a 'minor accident' on a bicycle in Spain. In a statement, the Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One team confirmed the incident and it's impact on testing.

'Whilst pre-season training on a bicycle in Spain, Lance Stroll was involved in a minor accident and sustained injuries which will result in him sitting out the pre-season test in Bahrain,' the team's statement read.

'Lance is however expecting a quick recovery and return to driving duties. His fitness to return to the cockpit will be assessed daily and the team will issue an update ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix. The team wishes Lance a speedy recovery and looks forward to his usual energy and commitment within the team.'

‘Set to miss entirety of F1's pre-season testing’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-11772527/Lance-Stroll-set-miss-entirety-F1s-pre-season-testing-Bahrain-bicycle-crash-Spain.html


Stroll to miss F1’s Bahrain test after ‘minor accident’
20/02/2023, 15:40
By Valentin Khorounzhiy
The Race

Aston Martin Formula 1 driver Lance Stroll will miss the Bahrain pre-season test ahead of the 2023 campaign.

The team did not announce how it would allocate driving duties in Bahrain now that Stroll is sidelined. Offering all three days up to new signing Fernando Alonso, who was just recently lamenting a limited testing allowance he saw as “a little unfair”, seems logical, while the team also has the likes of new reserve drivers Felipe Drugovich and Stoffel Vandoorne on the books, though the latter will be in Cape Town for Formula E this weekend.

The season opener will take place on the March 3-5 weekend, likewise in Bahrain. Aston Martin says that it will “issue an update” ahead of the opener regarding Stroll’s fitness, and that it will be “assessed daily” in the meantime.

‘Stroll to miss F1’s Bahrain test’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/stroll-to-miss-f1s-bahrain-test-after-minor-accident/


Mystery of the RB19, the W14’s crunch moment, and Ferrari hype: F1 Bahrain testing talking points
20 Feb 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

It’s nearly time for the class of F1 2023 to hit the track for the first collective running of the year with three days of pre-season testing in Bahrain, but what can we expect to see? Red Bull’s RB19 to finally break cover.

There will be great anticipation surrounding Red Bull when the light goes green on Thursday for the opening day of action, given we are yet to see the team’s actual 2023 car in the flesh. The RB19 has been shrouded in secrecy so far this winter, with Red Bull unveiling their new livery on a showcar at their New York season launch.

Red Bull ran the car for the first time in a shakedown at Silverstone, but unlike their rivals, the world champions were very specific about what they did, or more to the point, didn’t reveal. Red Bull offered no publicity images from the event and only released a short video clip on their social media channels in which the car could not be seen clearly.

‘Mystery of the RB19’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/feature/1020485/1/mystery-rb19-w14-s-crunch-moment-f1-bahrain-testing-talking-points


What to expect from the 10 teams in F1 2023…in their own words
20 Feb 2023 5:00 PM
Toby Miles
PlanetF1.com

It’s almost time to put the off-season rumours to bed. Some slight evidence of our F1 2023 challengers’ winter progress is just around the corner. Lights out is less than two weeks away, with the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 5 following a brief three-day pre-season test at the Round 1 circuit.

While some teams opted for low-key launches that only revealed their liveries in pre-season, the likes of Ferrari were bullish in showing off what they spent the winter grafting to produce.

Each team has faced their own unique challenges in developing a 2023 challenger, but some are sounding more confident about their Bahrain pace than others.

‘Let’s take a look at the 10 Formula 1 teams’ assessment of their new machines…’

https://www.planetf1.com/news/what-to-expect-f1-2023-team-analysis/


Several F1 Teams Want Honda to Produce Their Engines Starting in 2026
20 Feb 2023, 14:26 UTC • By:
Mircea
autoevolution

Fans across the globe are eagerly waiting for the debut of the 2023 Formula 1 season, which is scheduled for March 5. In the meanwhile, several teams are making sure they will have a future in the sport by closing supplying deals with manufacturers. For instance, Honda registered as one of six power unit suppliers from 2026 to 2030.

The question is: Who will Honda build engines for starting in 2026? Or better yet, will Honda continue its journey in Formula 1? Koji Watanabe, Honda Racing Corporation’s president, told reporters in a Zoom briefing today that several Formula One teams have contacted the company.

This year, according to Reuters, Red Bull’s power unit will feature the Japanese carmaker’s name, changing from RBPT to Honda RPBT. Tetsushi Kakuda, Honda’s F1 project leader and executive chief engineer, declared that Honda had worked to address reliability issues for 2023.

‘Several F1 Teams Want Honda’;

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/several-f1-teams-want-honda-to-produce-their-engines-starting-in-2026-210619.html

[Fortitude]

Everything you need to know about F1 pre-season testing
21 February 8:00AM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Marnik Kok
RacingNews365

Nearly three months after the 2022 finale, Formula 1 is back this week with pre-season testing in Bahrain. Three days of action are planned at the Bahrain International Circuit, which will also host the season-opener next weekend, with the race on 5 March.

But first across Thursday 23 February - Friday 25 February, the 10 teams and 20 drivers will be pounding around, logging crucial data as they look to understand their brand-new designs.

Testing is a unique time in F1 with something we seldom see in the remainder of the season, so here is RacingNews365.com's guide to everything you need to know from 2023 Formula 1 pre-season testing.

‘F1 pre-season testing’;

https://racingnews365.com/how-do-formula-1-test-days-work-in-bahrain


Five key questions ahead of F1 2023 pre-season testing in Bahrain
21 Feb 2023 7:00 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Warning shot or poker face from the big three? That being said, with Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes expected to remain the leading trio, with many hoping for a three-way title fight, just how much potential are they willing to put on show for their rivals? And will they be able to hide any wounds?

Will any midfield contenders emerge for the title battle? Aston Martin also have their eyes on the ‘best-of-the-rest’ tag, while there is confidence over at the AlphaTauri camp of a far improved campaign. McLaren optimism, or lack of? The thing is, McLaren have a question mark of their own hanging over them going to Bahrain, as over in Woking the talk has been about an MCL60 that is not quite where they want it to be yet.

What about porpoising? This time last year, teams were plagued by pesky bouncing as they gathered data on these very raw new challengers, porpoising proving to be a particularly severe, long-lasting handicap for Mercedes. How will the rookies fare? With some of the experienced racers feeling the squeeze of such a short pre-season testing window, only three days, we now wait to see how the rookies are going to cope with that.

‘Five key questions’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/five-key-questions-f1-2023-bahrain-test/


Ranking the 2023 F1 driver line-ups
As the start of the new 2023 Formula 1 season closes in, which team has the best driver line-up this year?
February 20, 2023
By Nigel Chiu
Total Motorsport

The strength in depth of the 2023 Formula 1 grid is excellent, no matter who you like or dislike in this year’s field, with plenty of young talent and multiple champions in Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.

Just four teams have kept the same driver pairing from last year for 2023 as the driver market had a big shake-up following confirmation of Sebastian Vettel‘s retirement, which triggered a series of moves.

Three rookies have joined the F1 field, Oscar Piastri, Nyck de Vries and Logan Sargeant, so which team has the best driver line-up?

‘2023 F1 driver line-ups’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/ranking-2023-f1-driver-line-ups/


Formula 1 2023 rookies: Oscar Piastri, Nyck de Vries and Logan Sargeant set to embark on debut campaigns
Last Updated: 20/02/23 7:42pm
By Matt Morlidge
Sky Sports

With the start of Formula 1's biggest-ever season approaching, it is time to meet the three much-talked-about rookies who will be joining the 2023 grid.

F1 is about to embark on what promises to be a thrilling 23-race campaign, and the intrigue is only increased by the presence of three new faces.

Australian Oscar Piastri is one of the most-highly-anticipated additions to the grid in a long time, while Nyck de Vries and Logan Sargeant are also out to prove they belong at motorsport's top table.

‘Formula 1 2023 rookies’;

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/12815816/formula-1-2023-rookies-oscar-piastri-nyck-de-vries-and-logan-sargeant-set-to-embark-on-debut-campaigns


Aston Martin 'make Mick Schumacher decision' as Lance Stroll ruled out through injury
Stroll will miss the entirety of pre-season testing in Bahrain this week after suffering an accident while training for the new Formula 1 campaign on a bicycle in Spain
19:06, 20 Feb 2023
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer

The Canadian suffered "a minor accident" while cycling in Spain. His team confirmed that the Canadian would be forced to miss out on pre-season testing in Bahrain later this week, though the extent of his injuries are not currently public knowledge.

Aston Martin might be able to call upon Mick Schumacher through their relationship with engine suppliers Mercedes, but BILD reports that the German is not an option to fill in at testing. Mirror Sport has asked Aston Martin for an update on their testing plans.

‘Aston Martin Decisions’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/aston-martin-make-mick-schumacher-29267565

[Fortitude]

Aston Martin confirms Stroll F1 testing replacement.
Aston Martin has confirmed reserve driver Felipe Drugovich will step in to replace Lance Stroll during F1 pre-season testing in Bahrain this week.
Wednesday 22nd February, 2023 - 2:16pm
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

The Brazilian won the FIA Formula 2 Championship last year before joining Aston Martin in support of Stroll and Fernando Alonso for 2023.

Stroll suffered a biking incident which has meant he will miss the three days of testing, beginning on Thursday. Uncertainty initially surrounded who, or even if the Canadian would be replaced, or whether Alonso would complete all three days of running.

The team has now confirmed that Drugovich will take the wheel on Thursday morning in Sakhir. The 22-year-old will complete the morning’s running before handing the AMR23 over to Alonso for the afternoon.

‘Felipe Drugovich will step in’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/02/22/aston-martin-stroll-drugovich-f1-testing/


What to expect from F1 pre-season testing
What is F1 testing? How much can you read into pre-season testing from Sakhir ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix?
February 21, 2023
By Nigel Chiu
Total Motorsport

Formula 1 2023 is here and if you are not excited already, you almost certainly will be by Saturday evening because pre-season testing will have concluded and the Bahrain Grand Prix will be eight days away.

There might be no points or silverware up for grabs this week in Sakhir but testing is just as important as any F1 event. Max Verstappen and Red Bull are the bookies favourites but that could all change after testing.

What happens in F1 testing? It might not look like much is happening when you’re watching F1 testing from your home, but there is a lot going on and eight-and-a-half hours of running over three days is not much to play with. First of all, the teams want reliability.

‘How much can you read into pre-season testing’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/what-to-expect-f1-pre-season-testing/


FIA takes action with new rule as F1 drivers complain of burnout over 23-race season
For the first time, a winter shutdown is set to be put into place forcing F1 teams to take some time off during the off-season as a method of combatting staff burnout
19:14, 21 Feb 2023
By Daniel MoxonF1 Writer
The Mirror

The FIA has announced a mandatory winter shutdown for Formula 1 teams amid concerns over the impact longer seasons are having on staff. This year, the F1 circus will make an unprecedented 23 stops around the globe – beginning in Bahrain for pre-season testing this week before concluding in Abu Dhabi in November. The plan was to have 24 races, but the Chinese Grand Prix originally scheduled for mid-April has been cancelled.

The off-season provides respite for some, including the drivers and some other staff members not required for a while. But team factories remain a hive of activity with most staff members working flat out on preparations for the following year including car development.

In response to concerns over staff burnout, a new winter shutdown period will be introduced. Similar shutdowns in the summer have been practiced before in F1, but this will be the first time an enforced limit has been put in place over the off-season. The FIA has yet to confirm the proposed length of the shutdown, which will affect power unit production programmes as well as the teams themselves. The move is also subject to approval by the governing body's World Motor Sport Council.

‘Response to concerns over staff burnout’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/f1-winter-shutdown-fia-rule-29277091


F1 teams have suspicions about new Ferrari car as 'FIA asked about its legality'
Ferrari's new car have been questioned by their F1 rivals.
00:01, Wed, Feb 22, 2023
By Jack McEachen
Daily and Sunday Express

F1’s governing body the FIA have been reportedly asked to clarify one aspect of Ferrari’s new car and its legality ahead of the upcoming season. As each team have now unveiled their new machines before the curtain raiser in Bahrain, Ferrari’s new SF-23 was tested in front of a live audience and the team appeared proud of their innovations.

Ferrari have tweaked the S-Duct concept in order to create better airflow to the rear of the car low down and at the rear wing. However, according to Italian outlet Formu1a, several of their rivals have noted the change and requested clarification over whether the switch is legal.

Requests are not uncommon as teams often attempt to find loopholes in the technical rules, though Ferrari are said to be "certain that the solutions adopted on the SF-23 are fully within the rules". Their rivals would struggle to replicate Ferrari’s S-Duct as it concerns the design of the chassis and internal aspects of the car, while also challenges the fundamental concept of the single-seater.

‘Suspicions about new Ferrari car’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1737756/F1-news-Ferrari-new-car-Charles-Leclerc-Mercedes-Red-Bull-FIA


F1 to introduce new wet-weather tyre among other key tweaks to the regulations
22:04 Tue, 21 Feb 2023.
By Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

The Formula 1 Commission held their first meeting of 2023 in London on Tuesday ahead of the start of the new Formula 1 season, as regulatory changes including a new wet-weather tyre compound, circuit changes and other technical and financial matters were discussed.

Wet tyres and wet weather package Following successful testing by Pirelli, with the support of teams, Pirelli have arrived at a wet weather tyre which is much more performant than the previous specification – this tyre does not require the use of tyre blankets. This new tyre construction will be available from the 2023 FIA Formula 1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

Work on the wet weather aero package, which was announced last year, continues, with teams able to work on the package outside their Aerodynamic Testing Restriction (ATR) limits and outside the cost cap. Testing for the new aero kit, which is being constructed to limit water spray, is to take place in Q2 or Q3 of 2023.

‘New wet-weather tyre’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/23943

[Fortitude]

Three reasons Red Bull could be ‘nigh on unbeatable’ in F1 2023.
Sky Sports F1 pit lane reporter Ted Kravitz believes Red Bull will be “nigh on unbeatable” in 2023 for three reasons.
22 Feb 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

A lightweight chassis. Red Bull’s RB19 has so far been shrouded in mystery but Kravitz has provided some detail about their latest challenger. Kravitz has claimed Red Bull will finally introduce the lightweight chassis that was rumoured to have been developed last season but never raced.

Cost cap penalty yet to ‘bite'. Despite being hit with a 10 percent reduction on their aerodynamic testing allowance as punishment for breaching the F1 cost cap in 2021, Kravitz said Red Bull won’t feel the full impact of their penalty until later in the year, or even 2024.

The strongest driver line-up. Finally, Kravitz believes Red Bull boasts the strongest driver line-up on the entire grid, including F1’s most in-form driver, Verstappen.

‘Nigh on unbeatable’

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1020571/1/three-reasons-red-bull-could-be-nigh-unbeatable-f1-2023


Newey’s lack of "technical arrogance" in F1 a great strength, says Fallows
22/02/2023, 10:38
By: Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

Formula 1 design genius Adrian Newey’s attitude in not being "technically arrogant" has been singled out as one of the main traits that has made him so good. Despite many decades of involvement in F1, Newey remains at the top of his game and he has most recently helped play a role in Red Bull’s title successes last season.

Aston Martin’s new technical director Dan Fallows worked alongside Newey for many years at Red Bull Racing, and says it was an eye-opening experience for him seeing how he operated. Fallows reckons that it was Newey’s mindset in not believing that he had the answers to everything that was central to him adapting so well to the changing nature of F1.

"I’m one of the fortunate people to have worked under Adrian and seen his methods," explained Fallows. "He has a very clear approach to the way he designs and develops a car, particularly from the aerodynamic side of things.

'Lack of technical arrogance';

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/adrian-newey-f1-technical-arrogance-great-strength/10434765/


McLaren considering shock F1 engine deal with Red Bull
22 February 2:00PM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Luke Murphy
RacingNews365

McLaren are said to be considering forming a Formula 1 alliance with Red Bull to use their power units from the 2026 season. As previously written by RacingNews365 and now by The Independent, McLaren CEO Zak Brown visited the Red Bull Powertrains facility in Milton Keynes earlier in February with initial talks over a supply being held.

Red Bull's power units are currently supplied by Honda, but after the Japanese manufacturer decided to withdraw, Red Bull opted to form RBPT with the division set to be supported by Ford, who announced their comeback to F1 to as technical partner for the project.

Honda currently have no teams lined up to supply in 2026, although it is understood that Brown has held talks about the two reuniting - which would be nine years after they parted company. McLaren's current supply of Mercedes power units is set to run until the end of the 2025 season - the final one under this current generation of power unit rules.

‘McLaren considering shock F1 engine deal’;

https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-considering-shock-f1-engine-deal-with-red-bull


CHRISTIAN HORNER: ADRIAN NEWEY IS ONLY PART-TIME IN F1
Adrian Newey first started his career in Formula One with the March team in 1988, before moving to Williams in 1991. Newey also worked with McLaren before heading to Red Bull Racing, where he has been since 2006. Now aged 64, Newey is taking an increased step back in Formula One
February 21, 2023
Rhiannon Temporal
FormulaNerds

Adrian Newey is one of the most renowned technical geniuses in Formula One history. Newey has most recently helped Red Bull Racing achieve six drivers’ world championships and five constructors. Before his time with the Milton Keynes-based team, he had already won three drivers’ championships and four constructors’ with Williams. As well as two drivers’ championships and one constructors’ at McLaren.

He has worked with some of the most historic and successful Formula One teams and collaborated with a selection of the world’s best-ever drivers. From Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill and Ayrton Senna to Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen and Kimi Raikkonen, Newey has worked with many former World Champions.

Now, at the age of 64, Newey seems to be stepping back from Formula One. Red Bull Racing’s Team Principal, Christian Horner, spoke to Auto Motor und Sport about Newey’s role at the Milton Keynes team going forward.

‘One of the most renowned technical geniuses in Formula One history’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/christian-horner-adrian-newey-is-only-part-time-in-f1/?nowprocket=1


Christian Horner delivers bad Adrian Newey news to Red Bull’s rivals
Adrian Newey will be taking a step back from his involvement with Red Bull this season.
20 February 2023
by Jack Devonport
Formula1News

Newey will be stepping away from some of his involvement with Red Bull, as he chooses to pursue some of his other interests and projects. While many teams may be licking their lips at the chance to capitalise on Red Bull’s loss making them weaker, team principal Christian Horner has claimed that his team will actually be stronger than ever this season.

“In recent years, Adrian has stepped away from day-to-day responsibility in Formula 1 and splits his time between Red Bull Advanced Technology and Formula 1,” he told Auto Motor und Sport. “He has encyclopaedic knowledge and what we’ve seen over the last few years, how fantastic it is that the technical team led by Pierre [Wache] with Enrico Balbo, Ben Waterhouse and Craig Skinner have really stepped up.

“I really think it’s the strongest technical team we’ve ever had and that’s what allowed Adrian to do the Valkyrie project and now the RB17. Of course Adrian is still there, but not all the days. Maybe 50 percent of your time is focused on Formula 1. You are probably in the office a few days a week on average. If your attention is needed, the technical team can call you.”

‘Bad Adrian Newey news to Red Bull’s rivals’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/christian-horner-delivers-bad-adrian-newey-news-to-red-bulls-rivals/

[Fortitude]

Aston Martin trigger first red flag of F1 2023.
F1 testing lasted just nine minutes before a red flag was triggered by Aston Martin.
Thursday 23 February 2023
Ewan Gale
GPFans

Reserve driver Felipe Drugovich was behind the wheel deputising for Lance Stroll, who was injured in a cycling accident in Spain ahead of the beginning of the pre-season test.

This wasn't the first time the AMR23 hit the track with all teams completing a 100km shakedown in the build up to the test, but track action for the Silverstone-based outfit could not have started worse. Reigning F2 champion Drugovich had only just exited the pits for the first time when grinding to a halt on the exit of turn four, though there was no indication of what the failure could be.

As this is testing, the car can be recovered to the pits to be worked on and can be run once the team is confident any issue is fixed.

‘Trigger first red flag’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/101858/aston-martin-trigger-first-red-flag-of-f1-2023/


First look at 2023 Red Bull F1 car with dramatic sidepods
Feb 23 2023
By Scott Mitchell-Malm and Matt Beer
The Race

Champion team Red Bull’s RB19 2023 Formula 1 car has been revealed ahead of pre-season testing beginning in Bahrain. The RB19 was finally brought into the Sakhir pitlane ahead of the test beginning on Thursday morning, revealing a dramatic undercut tunnel on its sidepods.

Our technical consultant Gary Anderson said the RB19 had the “same suspension philosophy as 2022, a pullrod front with lots of stagger on the inboard pick-ups of the top wishbone, and a pushrod rear.”

Of the floor, he added: “It’s the first car where we can see the detail along the floor edge, and there is lots of this. It’s a very important area because of the rule changes raising this section of the floor.”

‘Red Bull F1 car with dramatic sidepods’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/first-look-at-2023-red-bull-f1-car-with-dramatic-sidepods/


First pictures: Alpine A523 hits the track in pre-season test
2023 F1 season
Posted on 23rd February 2023, 7:16
Written by Ida Wood

The Alpine A523 appeared on-track for the first time this morning as Formula 1 pre-season testing began at Bahrain International Circuit.

Alpine launched their 2023 contender in London last week, with a shakedown taking place at Silverstone a few days prior in secrecy. While the car was spotted at the circuit, it was unclear at the time whether it was the design the team would take to testing.

The A523 retains the notably wide air intake of its immediate predecessor, and Alpine have gone aggressive with the design of their exhaust housing at the rear of the car, with the sidepods dropping underneath it. Like other teams it has followed the trend of removing the supporting struts for the front wing and having it connected directly to the nose cone.

‘First pictures: Alpine A523’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/02/23/first-pictures-alpine-a523-hits-the-track-in-pre-season-test/


Live: F1 2023 pre-season testing from Bahrain
February 23rd 2023
Motor Sport
Motor Sport Magazine

This is a live article and will be updated regularly.

Pre-season testing for the 2023 F1 season is underway, with all ten teams taking to the track in Bahrain ahead of the first grand prix of the season on March 3.

Testing sessions are split over three days, beginning on today and ending on Saturday with on-track access between 7am – 11am GMT and 12pm – 4.30pm GMT.

To find out how to watch the on-track action, click here for Motor Sport’s full breakdown of F1’s 2023 pre-season test, including some intriguing storylines to watch out for over the coming days.

‘Updated regularly’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/live-f1-2023-pre-season-testing-from-bahrain/?v=79cba1185463&nowprocket=1


Pictures: 2023 F1 pre-season testing day one: Bahrain
F1 pictures
Posted on 23rd February 2023, 7:2023rd February 2023, 8:25
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Pictures from the first day of testing for the 2023 F1 season at the Bahrain International Circuit.

‘More images will be added here’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/02/23/pictures-2023-f1-pre-season-testing-day-one-bahrain/

[Fortitude]

F1 2023 Testing Results – Day 1 (Bahrain).
Here are the testing results from the ongoing testing session in Bahrain, during a very busy first day of track action.
23 Feb 2023 10:25 AM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

The first day of action for Formula 1 2023 is underway, with pre-season testing beginning at the Bahrain International Circuit on Thursday. As the venue for the first Grand Prix of the season next weekend, the Sakhir circuit’s lights turned green at 10am local time to kick off proceedings.

It’s been a remarkably steady morning, with the only red flag coming courtesy of Aston Martin’s Felipe Drugovich – the Brazilian driver is standing in for the injured Lance Stroll for testing duties. Max Verstappen and Alex Albon both had brief stints at the top of the times, but it’s Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz who has set the quickest time with just over an hour to go until the official lunch break.

Most of the teams are set to hand over to a different driver for the second half of the day, including the return of seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton as he takes over the Mercedes W14 from George Russell’s morning duties.

‘Testing Results’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-2023-testing-results-day-1-bahrain/


Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas spying on Red Bull RB19 at F1 testing in Bahrain
10:30, Thu, Feb 23, 2023
By Luke Chillingsworth
Daily and Sunday Express

Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas have been caught spying on Max Verstappen’s car ahead of pre-season testing in Bahrain. The former team-mates were caught having a glimpse at Red Bull’s new RB19 ahead of the first session in Sakhir.

Hamilton was seen peeping over the halo and into the cockpit where Verstappen took to the wheel just hours later. Meanwhile, Alfa Romeo star Bottas appeared to be looking at the car’s sidepods and front nose cone.

It was Hamilton’s second look at his former title rivals' machine after he was seen peering into the Red Bull garage earlier in the day. The seven-time champion was walking down the pitlane before stopping outside the Red Bull garage and staring in as mechanics worked on the car.

‘Hamilton was seen peeping’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1738456/lewis-hamilton-valtteri-bottas-red-bull-max-verstappen


F1 2023 Bahrain Test: Max Verstappen tops morning session as Aston Martin hit early trouble on opening day
23 Feb 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen set the pace on the opening morning of F1 pre-season testing in Bahrain, while Aston Martin hit early trouble.

The reigning world champion continued where he left off in 2022 by topping the timesheets in the first on-track session of the year as pre-season testing got underway at Sakhir.

After trading fastest laps with Carlos Sainz for much of the morning, Verstappen produced the benchmark time of a 1m32.959s in the final hour of running to put his brand-new RB19 on top at the lunch break.

‘Max Verstappen tops morning session’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1020672/1/verstappen-fastest-aston-martin-hit-early-trouble-f1-test-begins


Verstappen and Red Bull ominously top as F1 testing underway
Thursday 23 February 2023 11:27
Ewan Gale
GPFans

Max Verstappen has started the new F1 season how he finished the last by finishing fastest at the end of the opening session of testing in Bahrain.

The Dutchman finished top of the leaderboard at the Bahrain International Circuit with Red Bull enjoying a smooth morning, finishing ahead of Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon.

Times at this stage of proceedings are, however, irrelevant as teams aim to ensure systems are working as desired ahead of the season.

‘Red Bull ominously top’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/101883/f1-bahrain-pre-season-test-max-verstappen-and-red-bull-ominously-top/


Bahrain F1 testing 2023 - Day 1 results (Morning times)
23 February 12:15PM
Author RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

Max Verstappen topped the timesheets as the first session of F1 2023 pre-season testing got underway in Bahrain.

The Red Bull driver set the pace with a lap of 1:32.959, as well as completing 71 laps during the morning.

Carlos Sainz was 0.294 seconds behind in P2, while Alex Albon posted the third fastest time. A second session will take place in Bahrain at 12:15 GMT as part of the three-day test.

‘Day 1 results (Morning times)’;

https://racingnews365.com/bahrain-f1-testing-2023-day-1-results-morning-times


De Vries’ complaints after first AlphaTauri test were a “wake-up call” – Tost
2023 F1 season
Posted on 23rd February 2023, 10:27
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

AlphaTauri were emboldened to pursue drastic changes to their new car for 2023 after new driver Nyck de Vries “complained a lot” about their previous chassis.

“Always with a new driver coming, if it’s not a young driver coming from a lower series, he brings in some input, some technical ideas,” AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost said in response to a question from RaceFans during today’s test in Bahrain. “With Nyck, we were lucky that he last year was in contact with many teams and many cars.

“I think that our engineers get a good technical feedback from his side, especially after the Abu Dhabi test, where he did a lot of laps and he fortunately complained a lot about the car because this was a wake-up call for the engineers. And I hope that we can provide him with a car which performs in the way he likes it.” AlphaTauri came away from the test with “a long to-do list”, said Tost. “I liked it.”

“wake-up call” – Tost;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/02/23/de-vries-complaints-after-first-alphatauri-test-were-a-wake-up-call-tost/

[Fortitude]

Verstappen and Alonso fastest on first F1 test day.
Defending Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen was fastest on the opening day of the sole pre-season test ahead of the 2023 season in Bahrain but was only 0.029s quicker than Aston Martin’s new recruit Fernando Alonso.
Feb 23 2023
By Josh Suttill
The Race

Red Bull was the only team to keep one driver in its car for the entire day and Verstappen spent the majority of that day at the top of the leaderboard. He also completed 157 laps with no obvious issues. Verstappen led the morning session on a 1m32.959s on the yellow-side-walled C3 compound tyres and went a tenth quicker in the afternoon to top day one of the test on a 1m32.837s despite a wide moment at the final corner on his fastest lap.

Verstappen remained unchallenged until Fernando Alonso completed a series of short runs in the final hour of the session in the AMR23. The fastest of those flying laps was just 0.029s adrift of Verstappen and on the same C3 tyres as his fellow two-time F1 world champion.

Alonso and Aston Martin had to recover ground after a slow start to testing. The 2022 Formula 2 champion Felipe Drugovich – standing in for the injured Lance Stroll – had to pull the AMR23 off to the side of the track during the car’s first installation lap of the day.

‘Verstappen and Alonso fastest’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/verstappen-and-alonso-fastest-on-first-f1-test-day/


RESULTS: F1 pre-season testing times, Day 1
Friday 24th February, 2023 - 3:33am
By Speedcafe.com
Speedcafe

Get the raw facts on how each team went on the opening day of Formula 1’s three-day pre-season test in Bahrain.

Result: Formula 1 pre-season testing, Bahrain, Day 1
Pos Num Driver Team Laps Time Diff
1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull 157 1:32.837
2 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 60 1:32.866 0:00.029
3 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 72 1:33.253 0:00.416
4 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 64 1:33.267 0:00.430
5 4 Lando Norris McLaren 40 1:33.462 0:00.625
6 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 83 1:33.508 0:00.671
7 23 Alex Albon Williams 74 1:33.671 0:00.834
8 24 Guanyu Zhou Alfa Romeo Sauber 67 1:33.723 0:00.886
9 63 George Russell Mercedes 69 1:34.174 0:01.337
10 2 Logan Sargeant Williams 75 1:34.324 0:01.487

‘Raw facts’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/02/24/results-f1-pre-season-testing-times-day-1/


Ferrari worry as issue arises in F1 testing that Lewis Hamilton is all too familiar with.
Those keeping an eye on the first day of Formula 1 pre-season testing in Bahrain on Thursday were on porpoising watch after the phenomenon reared its head this time last year
16:18, 23 Feb 2023
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
The Mirror

Ferrari sparked porpoising concerns on the first morning of pre-season testing as Carlos Sainz had a bit of a bumpy ride around the Bahrain International Circuit. Speaking over TV footage of the Spaniard as he oscillated in his seat, Sky Sports pundit Anthony Davidson said: "There was an awful lot of porpoising from the car just then on the run down to the final corner.”

“It is [a bumpy track here] but I've not seen anyone's head bouncing around quite as much as Sainz. Maybe they are just trying to sneak the car down and test the limits of it. There was bouncing through Turn 12 and sparking at the rear. They are starting to test things by dropping the car lower and lower. Porpoising and bouncing hasn’t gone away this year."

Team boss Frederic Vasseur was quick to ease worries, telling reporters: "It's not at all as it was one year ago with the car bouncing like a kangaroo. Today we have on some part of the track before turn one, turn 12, it's a bit more bumpy than it was before, but it's a different issue."

‘Frederic Vasseur was quick to ease worries’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/testing-ferrari-porpoising-mercedes-hamilton-29295553


Three days’ testing is “ample” and could be cut to two – Horner
2023 F1 season
Posted on 23rd February 2023, 13:3723rd February 2023, 14:11
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

Formula 1 team principals see no need to increase the amount of pre-season testing despite complaints from some drivers that three days of running is insufficient. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said “three days is ample” under the current regulations.

“Look at the reliability we’ve had this morning,” he told media including RaceFans during the FIA press conference in Bahrain today. “I think we had one red flag very early on that was rectified pretty quickly.” Horner said limiting the amount of testing further could create more unpredictability. “These regulations are pretty stable,” he said. “I mean, one could even argue the opposite.”

“When you look at the reliability and so on you could almost say with the amount of races that the promoters are looking to cram in now, why not go two days of testing and go racing? If that does create a little bit of a more mixed field at the beginning of the season, is that such a bad thing? And you’ve got enough of the year then to sort it out.”

‘Three days testing is ample’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/02/23/three-days-testing-is-ample-and-could-be-cut-to-two-horner/


Defiant Toto Wolff claims the new Mercedes car IS good enough to carry Lewis Hamilton to an eighth world title after the Silver Arrows enjoyed a promising first day of pre-season testing in Bahrain
• Toto Wolff believes the new Mercedes car is good enough to win the world title
• The Silver Arrows enjoyed a positive first day of pre-season testing in Bahrain
• Lewis Hamilton is hoping to win his eighth world title this campaign
Published: 15:42, 23 February 2023 |
By Jonathan McEvoy For Mailonine
Mail Online

Toto Wolff proclaimed the new Mercedes potentially good enough to carry Lewis Hamilton to an eighth world title after a promising first day of pre-season testing. A year after jaws fell to the garage floor, there was a more positive air about the initial mileage in Bahrain, scene of the opening race a week on Sunday. For one, the car was not bouncing along the track like a kangaroo.

It wasn’t that the Silver Arrows led the timesheets – Red Bull’s Max Verstappen set the fastest times in both sessions – but the fact they have a car they can work with. ‘You need to provide a good car for a driver who has the ambition to win races and championships, and we have that,’ said Wolff, saying the mood was ‘very different today’ from 12 months ago.”

‘We have a solid base and will try to optimise the car, which we have not done yet. Today has been about finding if there are any areas that could be a real hindrance, such as bouncing.’

‘Defiant Toto Wolff claims the new Mercedes car IS good enough to carry Lewis Hamilton to an eighth world title’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-11785381/Toto-Wolff-claims-new-Mercedes-car-good-carry-Lewis-Hamilton-eighth-title.html

[Fortitude]

Ferrari porpoising? Fans react as SF-23 bounces in Bahrain.
It's that word again: porpoising. The Porpoising Horse. Due to copyright restrictions, we cannot show video of the bouncing Ferrari, but videos of Sainz's bumping car are circulating on social media.
Thursday 23 February 2023 14:58
Stuart Hodge
GPFans

It was hoped that we'd seen the last of it, as F1 fans, but unfortunately it may be making a very unwelcome return for 2023. Whilst most cars look more settled compared to last year's challengers, Ferrari in particular has shown the issues look set to play a part this year.

The SF-23 was visibly bouncing in a straight line, although it is as yet unclear whether this was aero or mechanical bouncing. Obviously this is the very first run of the new cars around competitors so there is still some time to tackle problems early before the new season starts next week.

For Ferrari, though, the porpoising seems to have returned and the Italian team looks to have a lot of work to have a hope of resolving it before the start of the first race.

‘The Porpoising Horse’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/101916/ferrari-porpoising-sf23-bahrain-bouncing-twitter-reaction/


Ferrari nose develops dent in first F1 testing session
Thursday 23 February 2023 11:50
Stuart Hodge
GPFans

Carlos Sainz got behind the wheel of Ferrari's new SF-23 this morning and very quickly all eyes turned to the Prancing Horse. When the car hit the Sakhir straight, a dent suddenly appeared in the nose of the Ferrari car. Then, under braking for the corner, the bodywork 'popped' back and the nose was back to normal.

It was a remarkable sight in the early stages of the first day of testing at the Bahrain International Circuit. Sainz hit the accelerator down the straight and everyone – including, Fred Vasseur, surely – was surprised to see a dent in the bodywork at the front of his nose.

How the dent happened. The dimple in the bodywork was created by air pressure at maximum velocity applied to the nose's crash structure, with Ferrari suggesting supports within the structure had failed. Sainz finished his run just under three-tenths of a second behind Max Verstappen in the standings from the morning and a bloody (or dented) nose on the first day of testing will not be what the Scuderia will have wanted in the opening session.

‘The dimple in nose's crash structure’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/101890/ferrari-sf23-dented-nose-bahrain-first-test/


Fernando Alonso in a winning F1 car would be a sensational story — MPH
February 24th 2023
Author Mark Hughes
Motor Sport Magazine

As you read this, the second day of pre-season testing will be underway in Bahrain and doubtless new headlines will be created as the anticipation for the new F1 season ramps up. But the sensation of the first day was definitely that of Fernando Alonso and Aston Martin, second-fastest on the timesheets just a few hundredths slower than Max Verstappen’s Red Bull.

Sure, we need to take that with a pinch of salt, as always with pre-season test times. But the jungle drums were already very active about the Aston Martin AMR23 before any car had turned a wheel. Team personnel talk to each other, wind tunnel numbers get quoted and sometimes these are nothing more than hot air. But sometimes, like pre-season 2009 with the Brawn, they are real. A senior team member of a top team heard the claimed Aston numbers a couple of weeks ago. “If they are real,” he said, “that car is going to be very, very quick.”

Lo and behold Fernando Alonso delivers a very big lap on the first day of testing. There is a caveat here in addition to the usual ones about fuel loads and run programmes and how they vary and how no team knows exactly what the others teams are running. Which is that Alonso set the time in the cool of the evening when the track was at its fastest at a time when Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were all doing higher-fuelled long runs. They’d set their best times in the heat of the day when the track was at least 15C hotter and less grippy.

‘Lo and behold Fernando Alonso delivers’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/fernando-alonso-in-a-winning-car-would-be-a-sensational-story-mph/?v=79cba1185463&nowprocket=1


Hamilton seizes chance to take a closer look at Verstappen's RB19
Thursday 23 February 2023 10:42
Stuart Hodge
GPFans

Red Bull Racing managed to keep the real RB19 a secret until just before the start of the first day of testing in Bahrain. But when the car was seen in person for the first time this morning, Lewis Hamilton quickly seized the opportunity to thoroughly inspect Max Verstappen's new challenger.

During the official car launch, Red Bull only revealed the new livery for next season and, when the team then organised a shakedown at Silverstone, it did so behind closed doors. Everything possible was done to keep the RB19 a secret from the competition for as long as the team could.

It was only this morning, right before the start of the first day of testing, that the real car could be seen in all its glory. Of course, a lot of outside interest was generated, including from the men who will be trying to beat it and it is customary for all drivers to look at all the cars. But Hamilton really took his time to subject the car, which Verstappen will be aiming to claim a third straight title in, to a thorough inspection.

‘Seized the opportunity to thoroughly inspect’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/101877/lewis-hamilton-f1-max-verstappen-close-look-rb19/


Bahrain pre-season F1 test: Day 2 driver line-ups
24/02/2023 at 06:15
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

One day down, two to go! Teams will resume their test programmes in Bahrain this morning, with those who made good progress on Thursday ready to begin fine-tuning their set-ups.
Everyone will be hoping for the same drama-free consistency today when the track goes green at 7:00 GMT (8:00 CET) for four hours of action, before a one-jour lunch break ensues and the running resumes at 12:00 GMT (13:00 CET) for an addition four hours of testing.

Provisional Day 2 driver line-ups for Bahrain F1 pre-season test:
Friday February 24
Red Bull
AM Sergio Perez PM Max Verstappen
Ferrari
AM Carlos Sainz PM Charles Leclerc
Mercedes
AM Lewis Hamilton PM George Russell
Alpine
AM Esteban Ocon PM Pierre Gasly
McLaren
AM Lando Norris PM Oscar Piastri
Alfa Romeo F1
AM Zhou Guanyu PM Zhou Guanyu
Aston Martin F1
AM Fernando Alonso PM Fernando Alonso
Haas
AM Kevin Magnussen PM Nico Hulkenberg
AlphaTauri
AM Yuki Tsunoda PM Nyck de Vries
Williams
AM Logan Sargeant PM Logan Sargeant

‘Provisional Day 2 driver line-ups’;

https://f1i.com/news/466430-bahrain-f1-pre-season-test-day-2-driver-line-up.html


F1 pre-season testing 2023 live: latest updates from day two in Bahrain
24/02/2023, 06:58
By Luke Slater
The Telegraph

‘Live Reporting’;

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/formula-1/2023/02/24/formula-one-pre-season-testing-2023-live-bahrain-day-two/


F1 2023 pre-season testing in Bahrain - Day 2: LIVE UPDATES!
24/02/2023, 06:50
Crash.Net

Day Two of F1 pre-season testing 2023 in Bahrain is on Friday and you can follow it here with Crash.net.

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-2023-preseason-testing-bahrain-day-2-live-updates


Live: Day 2 of F1 2023 pre-season testing
February 24th 2023
Author Motor Sport
Motor Sport Magazine

Live updates from pre-season testing ahead of the 2023 F1 season, including full testing schedule, driver lineups and the latest updates from the pitwall

‘Live: Day 2;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/live-day-2-of-f1-2023-pre-season-testing/?v=79cba1185463&nowprocket=1

[Fortitude]

Sainz puts Ferrari quickest, 0.063s ahead of Sargeant halfway through test.
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jnr put up the quickest time of pre-season testing so far in the early session on day two, but Logan Sargeant was less than a tenth of a second behind.
2023 F1 season
Posted on 24th February 2023, 11:35
Written by Will Wood

In an uneventful early session with no major dramas for any of the ten cars running, Sainz comfortably beat Max Verstappen’s best time of Thursday’s first day to go quickest overall. Sargeant was just 0.063s behind in second, with Fernando Alonso third fastest for Aston Martin.

Air temperature was a relatively comfortable 24C as cars began lining up at the end of the pitlane for the start of the second day of running. After Aston Martin announced Alonso would run the entire day for them, he was the first car out as the green light appeared to signal the beginning of the session.

Sergio Perez had sat out all of Thursday while team mate Verstappen enjoyed a full day in the Red Bull RB19, but he finally got his first real experience of the car during the early Friday session. Carlos Sainz Jnr set the first time of the day, but none of the ten teams were pushing anywhere near the limits during the opening minutes.

‘Sainz puts Ferrari quickest’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/02/24/sainz-puts-ferrari-quickest-0-063s-ahead-of-sargeant-halfway-through-test/


Ferrari leads as 2023 F1 testing hits halfway point
24/02/2023, 11:29
By Jack Cozens
The Race

Ferrari hit the front at the midway point in 2023 Formula 1 testing as Carlos Sainz pipped the soft tyre-shod Williams of Logan Sargeant to the fastest time in the day two morning session in Bahrain.

Sainz was a near-permanent feature at the head of the leaderboard and just past the end of the first hour had already eclipsed his best time from a day earlier, setting a 1m32.653s.

He went better still on his next new set of mid-range C3 tyres, with the 1m32.486s he achieved on that run standing unbeaten come the end of the session.

‘Ferrari leads’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/ferrari-leads-as-2023-f1-testing-hits-halfway-point/


F1 2023 testing: Carlos Sainz lowers pace on second morning as Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes loses bodywork
24 Feb 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Carlos Sainz set the fastest time of F1 pre-season testing so far in Bahrain, while Lewis Hamilton suffered damage to his Mercedes.

The Ferrari driver clocked a 1m32.486s - a new benchmark time of testing - on the second morning of running at Sakhir to edge Williams’ F1 rookie Logan Sargeant to the quickest time.

Sargeant bolted on a set of Pirelli’s softest tyre to post a succession of fast laps during the final hour of Friday’s opening session, but the American fell 0.063s short of Sainz’s effort from earlier in the morning.

‘Mercedes loses bodywork’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1020847/1/sainz-lowers-f1-testing-pace-hamilton-loses-bodywork


Fighting Red Bull for Bahrain GP win “will be a stretch” for Mercedes – Russell
2023 F1 season
Posted on 24th February 2023, 12:14
Written by Will Wood and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

George Russell says Mercedes are happy with where they are in pre-season testing but is cautious about their chances of fighting Red Bull in next weekend’s season opener. “In terms of feeling, it feels a step in the right direction,” Russell said. “But as we know in the sport, it’s not all about feeling – it is ultimately about lap time.”

“I think comparing to this time 12 months ago, things are running a lot smoother. Obviously when we were here last year, there were a lot of alarm bells ringing with the porpoising, unsure how to solve it. We were a bit lost – the car characteristics were not good. So I think things have been running much smoother.”

“Reliability has been been strong so far to allow us to do the test programme. For sure, we’ve got things we need to improve with the car, but I would say, generally speaking, we’re roughly where we would have expected to be at this time of year.”

“Will be a stretch”;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/02/24/fighting-red-bull-for-bahrain-gp-win-will-be-a-stretch-for-mercedes-russell/


Pictures: 2023 F1 pre-season testing day two: Bahrain
F1 pictures
Posted on 24th February 2023, 8:12
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Pictures from the second day of testing for the 2023 F1 season at the Bahrain International Circuit.

‘More images will be added here’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/02/24/pictures-2023-f1-pre-season-testing-day-two-bahrain/

[Fortitude]

F1 pre-season testing: Four things learned on day two as Mercedes dealt embarrassing blow.
Mercedes were given some unwanted food for thought on the second day of pre-season testing in Bahrain.
17:22, Fri, Feb 24, 2023
By Archie Griggs
Daily and Sunday Express

Zhou Guanyu topped the standings at the end of an eventful second day of Formula One pre-season testing in Bahrain, which saw Mercedes suffer a worrying blow as George Russell was forced to stop with a hydraulic failure in the afternoon. There were also whispers of some teething issues at Red Bull, while McLaren boss Zak Brown gave a brutally honest update on his team's development progress ahead of next weekend's season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

Express Sport looks at four takeaways from Friday's action at the Bahrain International Circuit... Mercedes suffer worrying failure - Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff was given some unwanted food for thought ahead of Saturday's final day of pre-season testing… Ferrari lay down early marker - Carlos Sainz topped the morning session on Friday to give Ferrari hope of improving on last year's pace…

Not all plain sailing for Red Bull - Red Bull ran into some problems on Friday despite topping the standings on Thursday, with an oil leak reportedly hampering Verstappen's progress in the afternoon session. McLaren set to struggle again? - It seems as though McLaren could be in for a difficult start to the new season if Zak Brown's latest comments are anything to go by, with the mood at the Woking-based outfit not entirely positive with just nine days until the first Grand Prix of the year.

‘Express Sport looks at four takeaways’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1739221/F1-pre-season-testing-day-two-Mercedes-Red-Bull-Ferrari


Mercedes F1 testing pace loss prompts ‘investigations’
19:16 Fri, 24 Feb 2023.
By Josh Suttill
The Race

Mercedes has begun “some investigations” to work out what went wrong during a challenging second day of Formula 1’s Bahrain 2023 pre-season test. Mercedes enjoyed a positive opening day on Thursday with no sign of the bouncing issues that haunted its W13 last year.

Trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin called the W14 a “much calmer and more stable” platform with “faultless” reliability on day one. However, the team lost the final hour and a half of day two when Russell ground to a halt with a hydraulics issue and didn’t return to the track.

“We’ve not had a strong second day,” Shovlin admitted at the end of Friday. But it wasn’t just Russell’s reliability drama – one which limited his running to 26 laps – that contributed to Mercedes’ Friday plight as it struggled to find the right car balance.

‘Investigations’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/mercedes-f1-testing-pace-loss-prompts-investigations/


Wolff admits Mercedes hiding full performance in F1 2023 testing
Do Mercedes have a trick up their sleeve as we approach the start of the 2023 Formula 1 season?
February 24, 2023
By Andrew Wright
Total Motorsport

Toto Wolff has said Mercedes have been holding back performance in the W14 during the first two days of Formula 1 pre-season testing ahead of the 2023 F1 campaign, which kicks off on March 3 with the Bahrain Grand Prix.

The eight-time world champions are looking to recover from a relatively dismal 2022, in which they won just one race and finished third in the constructors’ championship, but have so far failed to make much of an impression on the timesheets.

“We’re still hiding a little bit,” Wolff told Sky F1’s Rachel Brookes. “Very difficult to judge at this stage. Everybody is playing around with fuel loads and hiding on engine modes, so you can’t really judge. I think you have to wait for the three days’ running and wait for the soft tyres to come on in the afternoon, which is more representative of the conditions in Bahrain.”

‘Mercedes hiding full performance’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/wolff-admits-mercedes-hiding-performance-f1-2023-testing/


Mercedes confirm Russell hydraulic failure after red flag
Friday 24 February 2023 15:39
Ewan Gale
GPFans

Mercedes has confirmed George Russell suffered a hydraulic failure during the second session of the second day of the Bahrain pre-season test.

The British driver ground to a halt at the exit of turn 10 with just over 90 minutes remaining having been stuck in fourth gear throughout the middle sector, with a dashboard message reading 'hydraulic failure'.

‘Hydraulic failure’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/102002/mercedes-confirm-russell-failure-after-red-flag/


Hamilton struggling with Mercedes W14 – Wolff reveals 'issues'
Friday 24 February 2023 15:02
Ewan Gale
GPFans

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has conceded Lewis Hamilton was faced with balance issues during the second day of running at F1's Bahrain pre-season test.

The seven-time world champion finished the morning session eighth fastest with 72 laps to his name before handing over the W14 to George Russell for the second session. Hamilton was confined to the garage for repairs after shedding bodywork but was able to recover to complete his run plan.

But it seems that whilst Mercedes' porpoising issues have vanished with the new machinery, there are other issues at hand that have hampered the team's progress on the second day of testing.

‘Wolff reveals 'issues'!’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/101996/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-f1-testing-problems-toto-wolff/


Verstappen's Red Bull verdict after final F1 test outing
24 February 6:55PM
Author Jake Nichol

Max Verstappen's F1 pre-season test is at an end, and he is impressed with the work Red Bull have done thus far. Max Verstappen says he is "very satisfied" with the state of Red Bull and the RB19 as his pre-season testing came to an end on Friday.

"The test days [have gone] well, especially on Thursday when we drove a lot of laps [157], and were able to test a lot," explained Verstappen. "Today we focused a bit more on the details and made small steps. The car responds very well to everything we change, and we learned a lot for next weekend and also for the races after that.”

"I'm very satisfied. Every time I drove the car, I felt comfortable and we were able to go for it right away, that's also important. For me, these have been positive test days, it remains to be seen how fast we will be here at the Grand Prix, but I am positive."

‘Impressed with the work Red Bull have done thus far’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappens-red-bull-verdict-as-his-f1-test-ends


McLaren's 2023 F1 car hampered by being too draggy
18:16 Fri, 24 Feb 2023.
Motorsport.com

Team Principal Andrea Stella "Last year, we had some clear objectives in terms of development, they had to do with aerodynamic efficiency, some development related to the exploitation of the tyres, and also some other objectives to improve the balance," explained Stella.
"The reality is that most of these objectives have actually been met. But the objective in terms of aerodynamic efficiency of the car, that's the one where we are still shy of what was our target.”

"So some of the objectives have been met. Aerodynamic efficiency is still not where we would like it to be, or where we would like it to be a top-four contender. So I would say that's the one in which we are still short."

‘Too draggy’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/mclarens-2023-f1-car-hampered-by-being-too-draggy-/10436133/


Podcast: Who’s in trouble in F1 testing?
22:29 Fri, 24 Feb 2023.
The Race

McLaren’s struggle was one of the big talking points of the second day of 2023 Formula 1 pre-season testing, and it’s among the topics we delve into in the second of our daily podcasts from Bahrain.

But we also talk about the other nine teams, from Zhou Guanyu’s fastest time for Alfa Romeo and Red Bull’s serene progress through to the impressive form of Aston Martin and Mercedes’ struggles.

There’s also a look at where Williams is at in the first week of new team principal James Vowles’s time with the team.

‘Who’s in trouble’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/podcast-whos-in-trouble-in-f1-testing/


F1 pre-season testing 2023: Day 2 Highlights
24 Feb 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Highlights of the second day of F1 pre-season testing from the Bahrain International Circuit.

‘Highlights’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.f1-pre-season-testing-2023-day-2-highlights.1758737699867306425.html

[Fortitude]

Bahrain pre-season F1 test: Day 3 driver line-up.
The third day of pre-season testing in Bahrain is upon us, and with it comes the final opportunity for teams to fine-tune and improve their challengers ahead of next week's round of racing at Sakhir.
25/02/2023 at 06:15
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

The third day of pre-season testing in Bahrain is upon us, and with it comes the final opportunity for teams to fine-tune and improve their challengers ahead of next week's round of racing at Sakhir.

Red Bull is seemingly cruising ahead of its rivals, with Max Verstappen already the grand favourite to take the checkered flag come race day next weekend.

The Dutchman won't be in action on Saturday however, as Sergio Perez will have the day to himself as Red Bull's sole runner.

‘Driver line-up’;

https://f1i.com/news/466899-bahrain-pre-season-f1-test-day-3-driver-line-ups.html


F1 2023 Testing Results – Day 3 (Bahrain)
25 Feb 2023 8:38 AM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Bahrain F1 2023 Testing Results – Day 3 (11:30am local time)
1 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:31.164 17 Laps
2 George Russell Mercedes 1:31.442 21 Laps
3 Pierre Gasly Alpine 1:32.762 17 Laps
4 Sergio Perez Red Bull 1:33.167 21 Laps
5 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 1:33.329 24 Laps
6 Felipe Drugovich Aston Martin 1:33.575 16 Laps
7 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:33.655 25 Laps
8 Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo 1:38.609 21 Laps
9 Nyck De Vries AlphaTauri 1:39.218 20 Laps
10 Alex Albon Williams 1:40.908 17 Laps

‘Testing Results’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-2023-testing-results-day-3-bahrain/


Red Bull latest cause of F1 testing red flags
Saturday 25 February 2023 07:18
Ewan Gale
GPFans

The first red flag of the third day of F1 pre-season testing in Bahrain was triggered by Red Bull less than 10 minutes into the morning session. Sergio Perez was beginning his run plan with aero rakes fitted to harvest data for Red Bull's engineers when a sensor array taped to the rear of the RB19 came loose and fell off.

Whilst the loss of the sensor bore no issue for the Mexican, who continued to the pits, race control triggered a short red flag period in order to remove the sizeable debris from the racing line. The red flag was the third of the week so far, after Aston Martin and Mercedes suffered issues across the first two days.

Felipe Drugovich came to a halt after just nine minutes of the test with an electrical issue in the AMR23, whilst George Russell lost just over 90 minutes of running time when the W14 stopped with a hydraulic failure during the fourth session.

‘Red flags’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/102033/red-bull-latest-cause-of-f1-testing-red-flags/


Rivals single out Aston Martin as F1 midfield team to watch
25/02/2023, 09:01.
By: Filip Cleeren
Co-author: Oleg Karpov
Motorsport.com

Even before pre-season testing started in Bahrain there were positive rumours about Aston's aero numbers. While it is still hard to draw conclusions from the timesheets as testing rolls into the third and final day, rival drivers and teams have seen enough from Alonso's long runs and his AMR23's compliant behaviour to single Aston out as one of the teams to watch this season.

"It's clear Aston Martin did a step," said Alfa Romeo's Zhou, who shared the track with the two-time world champion for all of Friday. "Alonso seems to be very competitive over the two days, both conditions. I think he will be one of the top guys in midfield battle."

Zhou topped Friday's timetable, albeit on Pirelli's softest C5 tyres, but thinks Alfa won't be too far off either after it enjoyed a productive and trouble-free pre-season. "It seems like we both made a step and over the two days they seem to be a little bit faster, but we're close. I feel like there's still areas I can improve and there will be another tight battle."

‘Aston Martin, F1 midfield team to watch’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/rivals-single-out-aston-martin-as-f1-midfield-team-to-watch/10436280/


Interactive: Compare all 10 F1 cars of 2023 side-by-side
2023 F1 season
Posted on 25th February 2023, 7:3825th February 2023, 8:24
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Have Formula 1 teams converged on a single design philosophy in the second year since the series’ shake-up of its technical regulations? Far from it.

Satisfyingly, in a year when the cars’ geometries were expected to converge under technical regulations which limited the freedom of the designers, there are many other conspicuous differences noticeable on the cars, such as the slim airbox of Ferrari and the upswept front wing of Alpine. Over the races to come we will keep a keen eye on whether more of these differences are ironed out in year two of the current rules set, or teams produce new solutions to the same challenges.

‘Conspicuous differences noticeable on the cars’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/02/25/interactive-compare-all-10-f1-cars-of-2023-side-by-side/

[Fortitude]

Leclerc and Russell lead final morning of F1 testing
Charles Leclerc led George Russell at the halfway point of the final day of Formula 1’s sole 2023 pre-season test in Bahrain as McLaren and Alfa Romeo hit trouble.
Feb 25 2023
By Josh Suttill
The Race

The hot daytime conditions didn’t deter Mercedes and Ferrari from performing soft tyre runs in the first couple of hours of day three of the test. Leclerc ended up fastest on a 1m31.024s on the C4 tyres, a time that was within half a second of his 2022 pole position time on the C3s set in cooler night-time conditions.

Russell was 0.418s slower than Leclerc and he used the softer C5 tyres for his fastest lap. The top three was completed by Aston Martin’s reserve driver Felipe Drugovich, who still might make his F1 debut next weekend in place of the injured Lance Stroll. Drugovich was 1.051s adrift of Leclerc in third place ahead of Red Bull’s Sergio Perez who set his fastest lap on the C3 tyres.

DAY THREE MORNING TEST TIMES
1. Leclerc (Ferrari) 1m31.024s, C4, 67 laps
2. Russell (Mercedes) 1m31.442s, C5, 83 laps
3. Drugovich (Aston Martin) 1m32.075s, C5, 77 laps
4. Perez (Red Bull) 1m32.459s, C3, 69 laps
5. Gasly (Alpine) 1m32.762s, C3, 56 laps
6. Albon (Williams) 1m32.793s, C4, 53 laps
7. Hulkenberg (Haas) 1m33.329s, C3, 77 laps
8. Piastri (McLaren) 1m33.655s, C3, 44 laps
9. Bottas (Alfa Romeo) 1m36.854s, C3, 72 laps
10. De Vries (AlphaTauri) 1m38.244s, C3, 87 laps

‘Leclerc and Russell lead’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/leclerc-and-russell-lead-final-morning-of-f1-testing/


Mercedes still have some of last year’s “balance limitations” – Hamilton
2023 F1 SEASON
Posted on 25th February 2023, 12:12
Written by Will Wood and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

Lewis Hamilton says that the Mercedes W14 retains some of the “balance limitations” of last year’s car. The Mercedes driver visibly struggled with the rear of his W14 during his running in the early session yesterday. Speaking at a press conference before he took over the car for the last time in the final session of testing, Hamilton said that the team were trying to iron out some of the balance problems that had also afflicted the team’s 2022 machine.

“They’re just things that we’re working through,” Hamilton told media including RaceFans. “Some of the balance limitations that we had last year are just present. So we’re working through them.” Hamilton’s team mate George Russell covered 83 laps in today’s early session, making up in some way for the track time lost in Friday’s evening session when he suffered a hydraulic failure in the final hours. Hamilton admitted Mercedes had not enjoyed an easy test so far.

“I think it’s difficult to sum it up,” he said. “I think we’ve had a couple of difficult days. Yesterday, particularly, was difficult. The first day didn’t feel too bad, yesterday was a little bit more of a struggle. I think George has had a much better morning today, a bit like the first day. I get to go in half an hour, so hopefully we’ve got the set up in a bit of a better place.”

‘W14 retains some of the “balance limitations” of last year’s car’!’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/02/25/mercedes-still-have-some-of-last-years-balance-limitations-hamilton/


Ferrari’s Leclerc leads 1st session of last day of F1 tests
February 25, 2023 GMT
Associated Press

SAKHIR, Bahrain (AP) — Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc clocked the fastest time ahead of Mercedes driver George Russell in the first session of Saturday’s third and final day of Formula One testing.

Leclerc completed 67 laps and was .42 seconds quicker on soft tires than Russell, who did 83 laps on mediums. Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton will replace Russell in the W14 for the afternoon run. With Lance Stroll still sidelined because of a wrist injury sustained in a bicycle accident, Aston Martin again used F2 champion Felipe Drugovich and he was third fastest — about 1 second behind Leclerc.

It is unsure whether Stroll will recover in time to race next weekend in the season-opener in Bahrain, and teammate Fernando Alonso offered no indication. “No news,” the two-time F1 champion said. “It’s a private matter so I have nothing to comment.” Sergio Perez took over from two-time defending world champion Max Verstappen at Red Bull and was fourth quickest on mediums.

‘Leclerc leads 1st session of last day’;

https://apnews.com/article/sports-automobile-racing-lance-stroll-george-russell-sergio-perez-9246a1bea5edf89f71276c04c57024d6


Mini F1 pitwall gives Haas $500k more to spend on car development
February 25th 2023
Author Chris Medland
Motor Sport Magazine

Haas could save as much as $500,000 (£420,000) to redirect to its car development this season, simply by reducing the size of and construction of its pitwall. All teams have differing pitwall designs, ranging from eight seats on the AlphaTauri offering to four on the Mercedes at the Bahrain test, but all have tended to be of similar size.

However, Haas appeared on the opening day with a much smaller, lighter pitwall, featuring just three seating positions as it had amended half of its existing set-up. Those three seats — known as prat perches — are to be used by team principal Guenther Steiner, team manager Pete Crolla and chief race engineer Ayao Komatsu, with the rest of the team members who used to sit on the pitwall taking up positions in the garage or in remote locations.

The initial transportation saving is estimated by Haas to be $250,000, and it isn’t stopping there. By amending the way the pit wall is produced and can be packed, it intends to purchase six versions that can then be sent via sea freight, saving it another $250,000 compared to using air freight for transport. Steiner himself says the decision to make the change was to be able to reallocate resources to try and improve car performance.

‘Haas Mini F1 pitwall’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/mini-f1-pitwall-gives-haas-500k-more-to-spend-on-car-development/?v=79cba1185463&nowprocket=1


Sky Sports F1 legend Ted Kravitz uses pieces of cheese to show key rule change
The FIA have made a key rule change ahead of the 2023 season and Sky Sports commentator Ted Kravitz demonstrated how it will affect cars ahead of the season opener in Bahrain next weekend
11:12, 25 FEB 2023
BY Benjamin Goddard
Daily Star

Sky Sports F1 legend Ted Kravitz has used a piece of Dutch cheese to demonstrate how a key rule change will impact cars ahead of the new season. Speaking to AlphaTauri technical director Jody Eggington the commentator describes the change as the 'biggest' of this year.

The floor edges of F1 cars have been raised by 15 millimetres this season. After being refused a detailed look at the floor of the AlphaTauri car in a Sky Sports interview, Kravitz instead pulled out a block of cheese to describe the change. To demonstrate the changes, Kravitz says he needed a material that was "firm yet pliable, something that will retain its shape yet manage to be manipulated".

Kravitz said in honour of AlphaTauri's Dutch driver Nyck de Vries they would use Gouda cheese for the demonstration. The Sky Sports commentator then cut the bottom of the cheese to demonstrate the difference in floor height that the new restrictions would have on F1 cars. "We should call this section cheese and Egg-ington," joked Kravitz. Despite the new regulations Eggington said that the aim to reduce the air flow under the car was the same.

‘Cheese Analysis’;

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1/sky-sports-f1-ted-kravitz-29310330

[Fortitude]

Perez ends F1 testing how Verstappen started as Red Bull underline favourite tag.
Sergio Perez ended the Bahrain pre-season test how Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen started by finishing top of the timesheets.
Saturday 25 February 2023 16:30
Ewan Gale
GPFans

The Mexican set a fastest time of one minute, 30.305secs to finish three-tenths quicker than Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton. The seven-time world champion enjoyed a more promising afternoon in the W14 after a similar experience for George Russell in the morning, working past issues from the second day.

Valtteri Bottas overcame a gearbox issue in the morning to return to the track and pump in the third fastest time of the day, though times are difficult to read into. One thing that we can be sure of is the strength of the Red Bull RB19 with signs looking positive in both qualifying and race trim.

Ferrari duo Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz seem to be the closest challengers, though race pace leaves a lot to be desired. Leclerc morning time was good enough to stay ahead of his Spanish team-mate in fourth. Yuki Tsunoda jumped to sixth with his best effort ahead of Kevin Magnussen, with the Haas looking to be competitive in the midfield picture.

F1 Bahrain pre-season test, final day complete standings
1. Sergio Perez [Red Bull] - 1:30.305 - 133 laps
2. Lewis Hamilton [Mercedes] - +0.359s - 65 laps
3. Valtteri Bottas [Alfa Romeo] - +0.522s - 131 laps
4. Charles Leclerc [Ferrari] - +0.719s - 67 laps
5. Carlos Sainz [Ferrari] - +0.731s - 76 laps
6. Yuki Tsunoda [AlphaTauri] - +0.956s - 79 laps
7. Kevin Magnussen [Haas] - +1.076s - 95 laps
8. George Russell [Mercedes] - +1.137secs - 83 laps
9. Fernando Alonso [Aston Martin] - +1.145s - 80 laps
10. Felipe Drugovich [Aston Martin] - +1.051s - 77 laps

‘Red Bull underline favourite tag’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/102076/f1-bahrain-pre-season-testing-sergio-perez-verstappen-red-bull-favourite-tag/


Red Bull ‘very strong’, Ferrari ‘struggling in corners’ with lower-drag car says Leclerc
2023 F1 season
Posted on 25th February 2023, 13:19
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

Charles Leclerc says Ferrari have “got some work to do” and rivals Red Bull look “very strong” ahead of next week’s season-opening race. Ferrari have attempted to improve the straight-line performance of their car compared to last year. Leclerc believes they have been successful, but it has compromised other areas of their performance which they now need to improve.

“I think it was done in the right way and I think we have a less draggy car, so that should be better this year,” Leclerc told media including RaceFans in Bahrain today. “But it changed all the characteristics – all in line with what we expected – but we still need to find the right set-up for these new characteristics.”

“I expect us to be a bit quicker in the straights, maybe struggling a little bit more in the corners,” he added. “With this three days test, I can say that we are still working quite a bit on trying to find the sweet spot of the car in terms of set-up. So there’s, I hope, some margin on that still that we haven’t found the sweet spot yet.”

‘Ferrari have got some work to do’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/02/25/red-bull-very-strong-ferrari-struggling-in-corners-with-lower-drag-car-says-leclerc/


Perez beats Hamilton to top final day of F1 testing
25/02/2023, 16:46
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Sergio Perez achieved the fastest lap time as Red Bull set the pace in Bahrain on the final day of Formula 1 pre-season testing ahead of the 2023 season. Perez traded times with Lewis Hamilton late in the day, with the Mexican’s best effort of a 1:30.305 on the C4 compound enough for him to prevail by 0.3s over the lead Mercedes driver.

Charles Leclerc had led the morning session and his previous benchmark time kept him marginally ahead of Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz, as both remained inside the top five. The Ferrari duo were beaten by an impressive lap from Valtteri Bottas in the Alfa Romeo, recovering from his earlier stoppage to wound up third.

Yuki Tsunoda and Kevin Magnussen also took advantage of the cooler track conditions and grippier rubber to post quick enough times to be classified sixth and seventh respectively. The top 10 was completed by George Russell and the Aston Martin pair of Fernando Alonso and Felipe Drugovich, continuing to stand in for the injured Lance Stroll.

‘Perez beats Hamilton’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/02/25/perez-beats-hamilton-to-top-final-day-of-f1-testing/


Perez and Red Bull end 2023 pre-season F1 testing on top
25/02/2023, 16:37
By Valentin Khorounzhiy
The Race

Red Bull ended the three-day Formula 1 pre-season test in Bahrain with the fastest time courtesy of Sergio Perez. The Mexican had the RB19 all to himself for the day, after reigning champion Max Verstappen concluded his testing programme on Friday, and gradually whittled down the benchmark late on while running on the C4 compound – the second-softest tyre available.

Perez’s 1m30.305s was not just an improvement on last year’s Bahrain test but on the pole time set by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in last year’s season opener at the same venue – albeit on a softer compound. The C4 will again not be available in the Bahrain GP this year, with C1, C2 and C3 on offer instead.

An improved-seeming day from Mercedes ended with Lewis Hamilton in second place, three and a half tenths down from Perez but having set his fastest time on the softest C5 tyre. Hamilton’s former team-mate Valtteri Bottas, who like Perez had the car – in this case, the Alfa Romeo C43 – all to himself on the day, completed the top three thanks to a C5 lap half a second off Perez.

‘Perez and Red Bull on top’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/perez-and-red-bull-end-2023-pre-season-f1-testing-on-top/


Perez drives home Red Bull F1 testing advantage
Sunday 26th February, 2023 - 3:27am
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Red Bull driver Sergio Perez ended F1 pre-season testing in Bahrain with the fastest time across the three days of running. Perez’s time came with 50 minutes to run, laying down a 1:30.305s to move more than three-tenths clear of next-best Lewis Hamilton.

The Mexican had been just 0.048s quicker than Hamilton before setting three purple sectors just inside the final hour – a time that would have been good enough for pole at last year’s Bahrain Grand Prix by more than 0.2s. Perez used a set of C4 tyres on his best lap, versus the C5 – one step softer in Pirelli’s range – for Hamilton.

Perez was prolific in the final four hours in Bahrain, wracking up well over 100 laps as his personal mileage across the three days surpassed 1000km.

‘Sergio Perez was prolific’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/02/26/perez-drives-home-red-bull-f1-testing-advantage/


Red Bull boss wants Perez to build on 2022 F1 season
Sunday 26th February, 2023 - 1:53am
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner wants Sergio Perez to build on a positive 2022 campaign when the new F1 season gets underway next weekend. Perez was today in action for Red Bull in Bahrain in the last of three days of pre-season running.

“Checo had a very strong year last year, winning two grands prix and obviously all the podiums and points that he scored,” Horner said in Bahrain. “I think he’s continuing to evolve and grow within the team. He just needs to build on that and the confidence that he had last year, so an important year for Checo and the team.”

“I want to improve what I had or what I had last year,” per said of his 2023 goals. “I want to do another step and become a more complete driver in all regards in order to make the next two steps in my championship. If you want to be able to fight for the title, you’ve got to be very consistent throughout the 23 races, so that would be key.”

‘Red Bull boss wants Perez to build’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/02/26/red-bull-boss-wants-perez-to-build-on-2022-f1-season/

[Fortitude]

Conclusions from F1 2023 Testing: Red Bull favourites, Alonso’s masterstroke.
With Red Bull and Max Verstappen looking strong and Fernando Alonso shining in a much-improved Aston Martin, there are already clear clues to how the new season could develop.
26 Feb 2023 7:00 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

The standard, for better of worse, has never been higher. Pre-season testing, we are reminded every year, is not the time to chase fast laps. It is for reliability, systems/aero checks and establishing a solid foundation for the campaign ahead.

As testing stories go, nothing will ever beat the sense of dread that swallowed McLaren-Honda whole twice in three years in 2015 and ’17. Mercedes’ discovery of the bouncing monster last year came close, as did Red Bull’s power unit pain in the first winter of the hybrid era in 2014, but on each occasion the fall of the empire was cushioned by the fact that the car was still comfortably third in the competitive order.

These tales of impending doom make for the most compelling testing talking points – but this year? The tremors were few and far between, no team has been totally consumed by crisis and over three long days of testing nothing much at all happened.

‘Red Bull will start 2023 as the overwhelming favourites’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-2023-testing-conclusions/


Bad news for Verstappen’s F1 rivals as Red Bull looks better
February 26, 2023 12:06 AM
By JEROME PUGMIRE AP Auto Racing Writer
The Kansas City Star

“The car is working really well, just going through a lot of things we wanted to try. It's very interesting what we've been trying, so very positive days for me,” Verstappen said. “Overall I think it’s definitely an improvement to last year."

Perez echoed that, saying Red Bull will start "much stronger than we did last year.” Charles Leclerc won two of the first three races last season before Ferrari faded badly. He says the car feels good yet modifications are still needed. “I expect us to be a bit quicker on the straights, maybe struggling a bit more in the corners,” the 25-year-old from Monaco said. “I can say we are still working quite a bit on finding the sweet spot in terms of set up.”

“We’ve had a very intense three days of testing," Leclerc said. "We still have some work to do. Red Bull seems to be very strong.” Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton finished second Saturday, but there's room to improve. At least the ground effect — known as porpoising — which hindered the team so much in 2022 seems to have been eradicated. “It's nice to drive without the bouncing for once," Hamilton said. "But there are still some underlying things we're working through.”

‘Red Bull looks better’;

https://www.kansascity.com/sports/article272606467.html#storylink=mainstage_card


Red Bull on a charge as huge dark horse emerges; McLaren outlook downgraded again: F1 testing analysis. Perez and Red Bull set fastest time.
February 26th, 2023 5:46 pm
Michael Lamonato from Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)

There’s only one time the vibe is really relevant in Formula 1, and it’s the days between pre-season testing and the first race. Despite having three days of numbers to crunch and analyse from thousands of laps, the different climatic conditions, track states, fuel loads, engine modes, run plans and experimental parts mean that making meaningful comparisons and conclusions is always a mug’s game.

Teams have access to far more powerful analytical tools than us mere mortals, which is where the vibe comes in. After three days the 10 teams have a reasonable understanding of roughly where they’re each placed in the pack. Reading the mood in combination with the data is the best way to form conclusions from pre-season testing.

RED BULL RACING IS THE UNDISPUTED FAVOURITE
FERRARI CLOSE BUT HAS WORK TO DO
MERCEDES IS ROUGHLY WHERE IT EXPECTED
IS ASTON MARTIN A TOP-THREE CHALLENGER?
GRIM OUTLOOK FOR McLAREN — BUT WITH A FAINT GLIMMER OF HOPE
BUT THE MIDFIELD IS A MORASS

‘F1 testing analysis’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/red-bull-on-a-charge-as-huge-dark-horse-emerges-mclaren-outlook-downgraded-again-f1-testing-analysis/news-story/3cf2a57da921a5576d57c760d1168872


Our trackside verdict on every 2023 F1 car in testing
26/02/2023, 07:52
By Scott Mitchell-Malm and Edd Straw
The Race

Laptimes can mislead you in Formula 1 pre-season testing so one thing we like to trust is the behaviour of the car on track. That’s why The Race always makes an effort to spend time watching the cars trackside to get to know their traits and characteristics better.

ALPINE – HIDING ITS SPEED
WILLIAMS – BETTER BUT STILL WEAK
McLAREN – UNCONVINCING
ASTON MARTIN – AGGRESSIVE
HAAS – NO OBVIOUS VICES

ALPHATAURI – FOUND ITS FEET
FERRARI – VERY WELL-BALANCED
ALFA ROMEO – CONFIDENCE INSPIRING
MERCEDES – THREE VERY DIFFERENT DAYS
RED BULL – LOOKS A JOY TO DRIVE

‘The Race always makes an effort to spend time watching the cars trackside’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/our-trackside-verdict-on-every-2023-f1-car-in-testing/


The five winners from 2023 pre-season F1 testing
26 February 8:00AM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Pre-season testing is in the books for 2023, and RacingNews365.com has been taking a look at five of the big winners from the action in Bahrain. Max Verstappen. Verstappen is the only driver on this list, and for good reason. It was a crushing display from the two-time champion, who hardly broke sweat throughout, save for a minor oil leak costing some time on the second day.

Red Bull - It might not be as dominant as in 2022 – as seasons like that generally come about once and only once – but something catastrophic will need to happen if a sixth Red Bull logo is not added to the Constructors' trophy come December. Aston Martin - Claims that the Aston Martin is just a 'Green Red Bull' are wide of the mark.

Ferrari - What the team needed was a quiet, sensible test without either driver throwing the car at the barrier or any failures. Between them, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz got through 416 laps, third of any team without any headline hitting. Haas - The VF-23 proved a stable platform for shrewd midfield operators Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg. The team appear to have broken free of the clutches of the so-called 'Class C' stragglers at the very back and hauled themselves up. That, whichever way you look at it, s a success.

‘Five winners from 2023 pre-season F1 testing’;

https://racingnews365.com/the-five-winners-from-2023-pre-season-f1-testing


F1 testing podcast: Is Red Bull really unbeatable
Feb 26 2023
The Race

Is Red Bull really unbeatable? How close is Ferrari? Could Aston Martin really challenge Mercedes? Why was Alpine so slow?

‘These questions and many more are answered, with all 10 teams covered in detail.’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/f1-testing-podcast-is-red-bull-really-unbeatable/


Sebastian Vettel may make F1 return at season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix
Sebastian Vettel retired from Formula 1 following the end of the 2022 season last November
By Joshua Lees
21:45, Sat, Feb 25, 2023
Daily and Sunday Express

Sebastain Vettel could be set to make a shock Formula 1 return at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix just three months after retiring from the sport. Vettel announced himself as a legend of F1 throughout his career, winning four world championships in the process.

This comes following the injury of former Aston Martin team-mate Lance Stroll. Stroll missed pre-season testing earlier this week after picking up injuries after being involved in a cycling accident. It remains unknown as to whether he will be fit enough to drive in the 2023 campaign opener in Bahrain next week, but Aston Martin boss Mike Krack is no doubt keen to have his man behind the wheel come race day. If he fails a fitness test though, Krack will need to find a last-minute replacement.

‘Sebastian Vettel may make F1 return’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1739557/Sebastian-Vettel-return-Bahrain-Grand-Prix-F1-news


Vettel could be ‘Plan B’ for Aston Martin if Stroll can’t race in Bahrain
2023 F1 season
Posted on 25th February 2023, 20:10
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

Sebastian Vettel could make a shock return to Formula 1 following his retirement last year if Aston Martin require a replacement for Lance Stroll. Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack said they still hope Stroll will be able to return in time for next weekend’s race. “It’s our Plan A,” he told media including RaceFans in Bahrain today.

Reserve driver Felipe Drugovich has done two half-days in the team’s AMR23 and is one option for the team should Stroll be unavailable. The team’s other reserve driver is Stoffel Vandoorne, who was unable to participate in testing as he was competing in a Formula E round in South Africa. Krack said either of those drivers could be the “Plan B” for Aston Martin. “We have some plan Bs, but we have to decide the plan B when the plan A is not possible.”

“It is something that we will have to discuss in the next days,” he added. Asked whether recalling Vettel, who spent two seasons with Aston Martin before his retirement, was an option for the team, Krack said: “The plan B, we said already, that we will speak about next week.”

‘Vettel could be Plan B’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/02/25/vettel-could-be-plan-b-for-aston-martin-if-stroll-cant-race-in-bahrain/

[Fortitude]

ANALYSIS: The 2023 F1 pecking order after testing.
One very clear picture emerged: Red Bull looks very, very good.
Sunday 26th February, 2023 - 10:20pm
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Red Bull the class of F1 testing. Last year’s world championship winners ran faultlessly across all days, chalking up laps at will. More than that, the car was fast and, on track, it looked composed and balanced, giving the drivers confidence. Neither Max Verstappen nor Sergio Perez were shouting from the rooftops, but there is a confidence about the team that comes from the knowledge its package is good.

Rivals at the front. On the surface, the SF-23 should be there or thereabouts with the RB19, but paddock consensus is it has a bit to go to catch the Red Bull. There are questions over its tyre degradation while Charles Leclerc admitted the team has “work to do” when Speedcafe asked if the car was a potential world championship winner.

Completing the leading group is Mercedes. It was something of a Jekyll and Hyde test for the squad which looked strong on Thursday only to lose its way on Friday. However, it recovered well for Saturday which suggests it identified and understood whatever hindered it the day before. There was a blemish to its record though with a hydraulics failure for George Russell on Friday evening which cost about two hours worth of running.

‘Red Bull looks very, very good, SF-23 should be there or thereabouts, Jekyll and Hyde W14’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/02/26/analysis-the-2023-f1-pecking-order-after-testing/


The five losers from 2023 pre-season F1 testing
26 February 12:50PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

With pre-season testing over, the teams now have a better idea of where they stand against their rivals. Some, however, might be having to play catch-up. McLaren - It's never a vote of confidence when a team admits they are "not entirely happy" with the car they plan to use in testing.

Alpine - It was a very low-key start for a team that were boasting about their ambitions during their car launch. Mercedes - It's not been the worst test from Mercedes. Comparatively from last year they are looking in much better shape, but it's clear their early optimism about the W14 was masking some underlying issues that are persistent in the car.

AlphaTauri - Although AlphaTauri completed the most amount of laps out of any team – 456! – during pre-season testing, the car was not the step forward they hoped it would bring. Williams - The Williams looked similar to their 2022 car out on track, with the lack of downforce evident as Alex Albon fought to get lap time out of the FW45 during his timed runs.

‘The five losers’;

https://racingnews365.com/the-five-losers-from-2023-pre-season-f1-testing


F1 2023 driver title odds: Huge move for ‘dark horse’ Alonso as Aston Martin hype hots up
26 Feb 2023 1:15 PM
Editor
PlanetF1.com

The new season is looming large on the horizon! Let’s take a closer look at the latest F1 2023 odds to see where the early money has been heading in the driver market.

The beauty of a new F1 season is every driver and every team go back to zero points in their respective standings, sparking fresh hope of new contenders for the title – even more so after Max Verstappen and Red Bull won both at an absolute canter in 2022.

However, after an exemplary performance during pre-season testing in Bahrain, Verstappen and Red Bull still look to be the absolute class of the field and that is reflected in the current markets. But, after catching the eye of many in the paddock, Fernando Alonso and Aston Martin this year’s clear dark horses.

‘F1 2023 driver title odds’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-2023-odds-driver-title/


F1 preseason testing takeaways: Red Bull remains team to beat
26 Feb 2023, 10:07
By Luke Smith
The Athletic

Over three intense days of testing, Formula One teams had their first proper chance to understand their new cars and size up the opposition going into the 2023 season.

The testing picture is often difficult to read. Teams may deliberately look to hide or exaggerate their true level of performance by adjusting engine modes and fuel loads, while factors such as track conditions and tires make it tricky to say for certain what the pecking order looks like.

But there are still enough signs for teams to get an idea of where they stack up. “By Saturday, we know pretty well,” Haas team principal Guenther Steiner said. “Three days will give you a good picture.” So, here’s how things are looking ahead of the season-opening Bahrain GP next weekend.

‘F1 preseason testing takeaways’;

https://theathletic.com/4251908/2023/02/26/f1-preseason-testing-red-bull-formula-one/


F1 Testing: 5 key talking points as pre-season comes to an end for 2023
26th Feb 2023, 08:41
By George Dagless
Give Me Sport

The teams have been running their 2023 cars for three days in Bahrain. It's everyone's favourite game after pre-season testing to work out just who is where at the moment ahead of the first race of the year. The general consensus seems to be that reigning champions Red Bull are still on top, with Ferrari and Mercedes in behind them.

Aston Martin are being tipped to potentially be best of the rest, however, whilst Alpine could be edging out Alfa Romeo and Haas for a spot inside the top five. McLaren had a bit of a trying test and may be starting 2023 a little on the backfoot - though not as much as in 2022 - whilst both AlphaTauri and Williams look to have made strides, it's just hard to place how big they are in terms of closing up to those in front of them.

Aston Martin came into pre-season feeling relatively optimistic about making progress in 2023 and it appears that that positivity is well-placed, with them showing some decent one-lap pace and also some very strong race pace.

‘Aston Martin tipped to potentially be best of the rest’;

https://www.givemesport.com/f1-testing-5-key-talking-points-as-pre-season-comes-to-an-end-for-2023/

[Fortitude]

Gary Anderson’s verdict on each F1 team’s testing pace.
The start of the 2023 Formula 1 season is just around the corner and as we have seen from pre-season testing that corner has been been a bit easier to manoeuvre for some than others.
27/02/2023, 05:25
By Gary Anderson
The Race

Using headline times from testing is always very difficult, and includes all the normal caveats like time of day, track conditions, wind, tyres, engine modes and on top of all that fuel load. 1st – Red Bull - Visually the RB19 is an evolution of last year’s car. THE BIG QUESTIONS: Will Red Bull adopt a number one and number two driver from the get-go? After the passing of Dietrich Mateschitz, will the new structure at Red Bull’s head office want more of an input?

2nd – Ferrari +0.50% - The car is again, like the Red Bull, developed from the same DNA as last year’s, but with a push to reduce drag even if that costs a little in the corners. The big questions: Have we seen the extra power of the Ferrari engine unleashed yet? When will the loss of Mattia Binotto – who was and still is one of the best technical brains in F1 – be felt?

3rd – Aston Martin +0.73% If any team is happy to follow the lead of another team it’s Aston Martin. When the team changed to its ‘B-spec’ car midway through 2022 it followed the family resemblance of the Red Bull and this new car takes that even further. The big questions: If Aston Martin starts the season at this level, will it be able to carry it through for a full season? Will the integration of all those new people and placing them in the new factory be a distraction?

‘4th – Mercedes +1.12%, 5th – Alfa Romeo +1.49%, 6th – Haas +1.54%, 7th – Alpine +1.80%, 8th – McLaren +1.86%, 9th – Williams +1.86%, 10th – AlphaTauri +2.12%’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/gary-andersons-verdict-on-each-f1-teams-pace-after-testing/


Max Verstappen may have new rival to F1 throne as Red Bull's Christian Horner impressed
Max Verstappen is aiming to win his third Drivers' Championship title in as many seasons over the course of the upcoming campaign.
20:29, Sun, Feb 26, 2023
By Archie Griggs
Daily and Sunday Express

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has suggested that Aston Martin could be set to emerge as their biggest contenders as Max Verstappen seeks another Drivers' Championship triumph over the next few months. The Dutchman is the early favourite to claim the end-of-season honours for a third successive year after impressing in pre-season testing and will be looking to make the perfect start to his title defence by winning next weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix.

Red Bull looked a cut above their rivals over the course of last week's three-day test and will seemingly go into this year's curtain-raiser at the Bahrain International Circuit with the quickest car on the grid. However, it has been claimed by Horner that Aston Martin could be the ones to watch in 2023 after being left impressed by their simulation data and impressive testing pace.

"I think they’ve made a big step," said Horner when quizzed on Aston Martin's recent progress. "It looks like their concept of car has moved them forward and they look like they’re not too far away, so Fernando [Alonso] in particular looks very competitive."

‘Aston Martin could be set to emerge as their biggest contenders’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1739764/Max-Verstappen-new-rival-Red-Bull-Christian-Horner-F1-news


Aston Martin hold back expectations: No miracles in F1
27 February 8:00AM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Dieter Rencken
RacingNews365

The Aston Martin team looked to had have a successful three days of testing in Bahrain, but team boss Mike Krack is cautious to make any quick judgements on their form. Aston Martin have expressed caution over their form after impressing many during F1 pre-season testing.

The lap times put in by Fernando Alonso seemed to indicate that the team could be in for a change of fortunes in 2023, with the squad appearing to have made a genuine step forward for 2023. But Team Principal Mike Krack believes it is difficult to make any quick judgements on their form, given their prior expectations being quashed once they reached the first race weekend.

"It's very difficult on such a test to to make a proper judgement," he told media, including RacingNews365.com. "Last year we were P4, P4, P10 over the three days [and] we seem very similar now, and in the race weekend we were out in Q1. Just to tell you how much a test like that can give you an indication of where you are."

‘Aston Martin hold back expectations’;

https://racingnews365.com/aston-martin-holds-back-expectations-no-miracles-in-f1


Five drivers under the most pressure ahead of the F1 2023 season
26 Feb 2023 8:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

As the F1 2023 season approaches, there are some drivers under greater pressure than others to deliver a standout campaign. Oscar Piastri - As soon as McLaren decided to go through the hassle and expense of terminating the contract of Daniel Ricciardo, an eight-time grand prix winner, one year early, there was always going to be pressure on whoever took over from him.

Sergio Perez - Both Red Bull drivers expect stronger competition in F1 2023, which instantly means Perez will have to up his game if he does want to give Red Bull that first Drivers’ Championship one-two. Yuki Tsunoda - “A driver needs at least three years of learning to drive at the top level” in Formula 1 says AlphaTauri boss Franz Tost, and F1 2023 will be year three for Tsunoda.

Logan Sargeant - Carrying the weight of expectation from his nation, as well as that of Formula 1 in many ways since a competitive American driver could be lucrative, this really is a difficult task that Sargeant faces. Nico Hulkenberg - The pressure is on then for Hulkenberg to make it crystal clear why he deserves this opportunity. It is not necessarily a guarantee that Haas will be getting the same Hulk when he last appeared on the grid in a full-time capacity in 2019.

‘Five drivers under the most pressure’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-2023-five-drivers-under-pressure/


F1 teams ranked after 2023 testing
F1 pre-season testing saw some highs and lows for the team, and also gave us a glimpse as to where they stand ahead of the F1 2023 season opener in Bahrain
February 26, 2023
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

10. AlphaTauri - The most inexperienced lineup on the grid completed the most laps at testing, but the car looks nothing special. 9. Williams - One of the best signs from the test was Logan Sargeant‘s apparent comfort in the car – the rookie put in an astounding 154 laps on the second day of the test and finished the day with the seventh-best time of the day as he was able to really push the FW45. 8. McLaren - This is where the distinction between ranking and prediction starts to change things. If McLaren do finish eighth in the constructors’ championship – just three years after ending 2020 in third – it will be a massive disappointment.

7. Alfa Romeo - How things have changed since the days of Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi. Though not the outright quickest, the C43 looks friendly for Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu to drive. 6. Haas - Guenther Steiner described 2023 as Haas‘ best-ever pre-season, and the team seem really optimistic about the year to come. 5. Alpine - On paper, Alpine‘s test looked a poor one: second-fewest laps completed and slowest times of all, but it seems Les Bleus have plenty up their sleeve. 4. Mercedes - Another reminder that this isn’t a prediction for the constructors’ championship standings. Mercedes still seem to be dealing with balance issues as the car looks like it has a narrow operating window.

3. Aston Martin - Quite simply the talk of the test. Fernando Alonso‘s day three race sim was genuinely stunning and matched only by Red Bull, he seems right at home at his new team. 2. Ferrari - The team with the most question marks around them, after a pensive day one Ferrari seemed happy with their test but still look distinctly second-class to Red Bull. 1. Red Bull - Red Bull had the smoothest test imaginable – fastest lap, best long-run pace and the biggest issue they face was a loose sensor helicoptering off the back of Sergio Perez‘s car.

‘F1 teams ranked’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-teams-ranked-after-2023-testing/

[Fortitude]

Are Aston Martin ahead of Mercedes? Five key questions after F1 testing.
Could Aston Martin break into the top three?
27 Feb 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

There is huge hype surrounding Aston Martin after a strong pre-season test in Bahrain. The Silverstone-outfit turned plenty of heads over the three days, with Red Bull team principal Christian Horner joining the growing number of rivals impressed by their car’s early performance.

Fernando Alonso’s eye-catching pace over both short and long runs had rivals concerned, leaving a shared belief in the paddock that the AMR23 is a genuine step forward compared to its predecessor. "In Saturday's Bahrain GP [long runs] such as it was, it would have been Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso on the podium ahead of the Ferraris and the Mercedes,” said Sky Sports F1 pitlane reporter Ted Kravitz.

“Aston Martin had Red Bull worried from Day One, Adrian Newey (Red Bull's chief technical officer) mentioned them in the teams he's concerned about, the car is essentially good, it has some nice ideas.” While Alonso expressed caution over Aston Martin’s pre-season form, there is a real sense of exuberance at the team.

‘Ahead of Mercedes?’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/feature/1021119/1/are-aston-martin-ahead-mercedes-five-key-questions-after-f1-testing


WINNERS AND LOSERS: Who aced 2023 F1 pre-season testing and who has work to do ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix?
27 February 2023
F1 Correspondent & Presenter
Lawrence Barretto
Formula One - Official Site

Winners: Red Bull - Red Bull’s RB19 remained a secret until it broke cover on Thursday morning at pre-season testing in Bahrain – but it didn’t take long to make a name for itself. Losers: McLaren - As Red Bull soared at testing, McLaren floundered for the second successive year. It wasn’t as painful as 2022, when brake ducts caused significant woe, but they still ended the test as the least prepared team.

Winner: Fred Vasseur - Ferrari ended testing as Red Bull’s biggest rival, the Scuderia racing through their programme across three days and successfully correlating on track performance with their wind tunnel and CFD data. Losers: AlphaTauri - On paper, things don’t look too bad for AlphaTauri.

Winner: Fernando Alonso - One of the key targets for Aston Martin and their new recruit Fernando Alonso was to produce a car for 2023 that gave them a wide platform on which to develop aggressively through the season. Losers: Mercedes - It might seem strange to put a team second in the qualifying pace rankings and third in the race simulation charts in the loser section of this feature, but is a measure of Mercedes’ ultimate ambitions.

‘Winners: Williams, Loser: Lance Stroll, Winners: Alfa Romeo’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.winners-and-losers-who-aced-2023-f1-pre-season-testing-and-who-has-work-to.4QVXVGJgjdIDSp3nRBYgOj.html


Mark Hughes: What testing long runs say about F1 2023
Feb 27 2023
By Mark Hughes
The Race

These numbers are to be treated with caution because of the different times of day in which the runs were made. Those doing simulated runs on both days either improved a lot or the track was better on Saturday than Friday. Either way, with Red Bull not doing race runs on Saturday it leaves us without a good Saturday benchmark. But going off the gap between Red Bull and Ferrari on Friday and extrapolating it to Saturday, we get a competitive order something like:
1st – Red Bull
2nd= Ferrari/Aston Martin (+0.2s to Red Bull)
4th= Mercedes/Alpine (+0.6s to Red Bull)
6th= Haas/Alfa/McLaren (+1.05s to Red Bull)
9th – Williams (+ 1.25s to Red Bull)
10th – AlphaTauri (+ 1.45s to Red Bull)

There is huge scope for variation in interpreting the data, as much of it is not directly comparable. But this represents our best guess until the cars start running together and it all becomes real later this week.

‘Extrapolating Data’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/mark-hughes-what-testing-long-runs-say-about-f1-2023/


10 F1 teams ranked after testing - it's a horrific review for McLaren
27 Feb 2023
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Sky's Ted Kravitz has ranked all 10 F1 teams based on preseason testing in Bahrain, ahead of the F1 Bahrain Grand Prix, and it's a bleak read for McLaren and Mercedes fans...

10) Williams, 9) AlphaTauri, 8) McLaren, 7) Alfa Romeo, 6) Haas, 5) Alpine, 4) Mercedes, 3) Aston Martin, 2) Ferrari, 1) Red Bull

‘Norris ‘punches wall in frustration’ after McLaren’s torrid test’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1021117/1/10-f1-teams-ranked-after-testing-its-horrific-review-mclaren


Vettel F1 Comeback Ruled Out After Aston Martin Confirms Drugovich As Replacement
While it would’ve been great to see Sebastian Vettel again, it’s always nice to see a young racer get a shot.
PUBLISHED Feb 27, 2023 11:00 AM
byJerry Perez
The Drive

When Aston Martin Formula 1 driver Lance Stroll was deemed unfit to drive after injuring his wrist in a cycling accident, Sebastian Vettel was rumored to be one of his replacements for the season-opening race in Bahrain. However, after employing its reserve driver Felipe Drugovich for the preseason test, the team confirmed Monday that Drugovich would race at this weekend's grand prix should Stroll not be cleared to race.

The news comes as a bit of a shock considering Aston Martin Team Principal Mike Krack confirmed to Sky Sports he'd been in touch with Vettel after Stroll's accident. Whether the four-time world champion desired to race or not, Krack did not confirm, but it appears a brief stand-in was in the cards.

As the Formula 2 reigning champion, Drogovich isn't exactly a rookie nor is he unfamiliar with the AMR23. In fact, after clocking in 117 laps during the preseason test at Sakhir, he's far more up-to-speed with the car's performance than Stroll. It would make more sense for him to compete come Sunday than either Vettel or Stroll. However, the team won't tell him "yes" just yet.

‘Drugovich As Replacement’;

https://www.thedrive.com/news/vettel-f1-comeback-ruled-out-after-aston-martin-confirms-drugovich-as-replacement

[Fortitude]

FIA sends "crystal clear" message to Ferrari over F1 car innovation which raised eyebrows.
Clever design tricks are always closely scrutinised in pre-season as teams lobby the FIA over what they and their rivals can and cannot get away with in the regulations.
18:11, 27 Feb 2023
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
The Mirror

Ferrari have asserted that the FIA has made it "crystal clear" that its front wing design is legal for the upcoming Formula 1 season.

The FIA's reasoning for that was that the rules stated that the "primary" function of the slot gap separators must be for structural reasons rather than for aerodynamic benefits. Mercedes backed down because of it, but the rules changed this winter to give more leeway in this area.

So Ferrari seized the opportunity and incorporated the outwash-creating separators into their front wing design for the SF-23. And team principal Frederic Vasseur has explained that his team was sure to check its legality with the FIA prior to doing so.

"Crystal Clear";

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/ferrari-front-wing-legal-fia-29327816


'F1 testing full of skullduggery - some teams just want to show sponsors they're quick'.
All F1 teams completed three days of pre-season testing in Bahrain last week, with the venue now set to host the opening race of the F1 campaign this coming Sunday.
18:15, 27 FEB 2023
BY Fraser Watson Sports Trends Writer
Daily Star

One former iconic F1 owner has described the testing in the sport as "skullduggery" after all teams went through three days of preparation in Bahrain last week. But Eddie Jordan, who named his own team after his surname before becoming an F1 pundit, has dismissed any notion of testing results being significant. The Irishman instead argued the more intelligent teams hold themselves back to get a better look at how their vehicles adapt to the surface.

"There's a lot of skulduggery that goes on with the teams, they're positioning themselves," he said, in an exclusive interview with OLBG. "Some teams want to be quick and show sponsors that they're going to be competitive and show young drivers a chance.

"The really sensible teams and the teams at the top, they'll be doing long runs, they'll want to see how the tyres are reacting to the new floor regulations. The floors have been altered to stop the porpoising, and hopefully that works but you never know what comes out of the woodworks when these cars get running."

‘Lot of Skulduggery’;

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1/f1-season-testing-eddie-jordan-29327522


Martin Brundle smirks as he rubbishes Ted Kravitz's 2023 F1 prediction about Mercedes
Sky Sports pundits Brundle and Kravitz have both had their say on the balance of power among F1 teams after pre-season testing with Aston Martin looking rather strong
21:16, 27 Feb 2023
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer

Martin Brundle shared an opposing view to Sky Sports F1 colleague Ted Kravitz as he declared it is "too much to ask" for Aston Martin to beat Mercedes this year.

Some have gone even further. Kravitz feels they may well start the year ahead of Mercedes, giving them a potential platform from which Aston Martin could mount a challenge for a top three finish. "I've got them third and potentially even closer to Ferrari than that," he said after the conclusion of testing.

"That's to do with Fernando Alonso's race run. Aston Martin have Red Bull worried from day one, Adrian Newey [Red Bull's technology chief] mentioned them in the teams that he's concerned about. The car is essentially good and has some nice ideas."

‘Brundle and Kravitz’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/aston-martin-mercedes-brundle-kravitz-29328807


Explaining Mercedes’ curious lack of straightline speed in F1 testing
28 Feb 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Lewis Hamilton pinpointed straightline speed as an area for Mercedes to improve after F1 pre-season testing.

Mercedes’ W14 featured fairly lowly in the speed traps throughout the three days of testing in Bahrain, with Red Bull’s RB19 and Ferrari’s SF-23 leading the way.

The German manufacturer placed at the very bottom of the collective top speed charts, according to Auto Motor und Sport’s data.

‘W14 featured fairly lowly in the speed traps’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1021131/1/explaining-mercedes-curious-lack-straightline-speed-f1-testing


Podcast: What to expect from the 2023 F1 season
28th Feb 2023, 07:20
The Race

With the launches and testing done and dusted, we look ahead to the 2023 Formula 1 season getting under way in the latest edition of The Race F1 Podcast. We explain why Red Bull and Max Verstappen are strong favourites and ask whether Ferrari might spring a surprise and unleash the extra pace needed to get on terms.

And with Mercedes having an inconclusive pre-season, we explain what its troubles were and what the chances are of it making a leap forward for the race weekend. Fernando Alonso and Aston Martin’s hopes of a stellar start are also discussed, along with Alpine’s prospects.

We also explain why the midfield group looks set to fragment this year as teams try to close the gap to the frontrunners.

‘What to expect’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/podcast-what-to-expect-from-the-2023-f1-season/


F1 2023 predictions: Title winners, team-mate battles, driver moves and much more
28 Feb 2023 7:00 AM
Editor
PlanetF1.com

‘F1 2023 prediction time!’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-2023-predictions/

[Fortitude]

Fernando Alonso believes Aston Martin were faster than Ferrari in Bahrain race sim.
Fernando Alonso has claimed Aston Martin were “slightly faster” than Ferrari in race trim during pre-season testing, as preparations for the Bahrain Grand Prix ramp up.
28 Feb 2023 11:45 AM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Aston Martin roundly impressed during the three days of testing around Bahrain, with Alonso showing plenty of pace and reliability behind the wheel of the AMR23.

While testing times are famously not fully indicative of exactly where teams stand in the pecking order, the consensus among the teams is that Aston Martin have taken a big step forward compared to their position from last year, with Red Bull team principal Christian Horner saying Alonso looked “very competitive” from the off.

It’s not yet known exactly where Alonso and Aston Martin will stand heading into the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend, but the two-time World Champion believes he could end up right among the frontrunners, if his full race simulation on Saturday was anything to go by.

‘Aston Martin were faster than Ferrari’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernando-alonso-aston-martin-faster-ferrari/


Is Aston Martin the third fastest F1 team? De la Rosa weighs in
28th Feb 2023, 12:45
by Fergal Walsh
Motorsport Week

Since the conclusion of pre-season testing, Aston Martin has been in the headlines as it is being touted to be a high-profile player during the 2023 Formula 1 season. The team has been tipped by some to start the season as the third fastest car – ahead of Mercedes, who is looking to bounce back from its 2022 slump.

Its form over the three days was impressive, with Fernando Alonso setting the most laps (270) of any driver in the field.

Although the true pecking order will not be realised until the opening round of the year, Pedro de la Rosa, who is working as an ambassador for Aston Martin, says there is nothing wrong with the team having high aims.

‘De la Rosa weighs in’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/02/28/is-aston-martin-the-third-fastest-f1-team-de-la-rosa-weighs-in/


F1 Predictions: Which Driver & Team will make the biggest improvement?
February 28, 2023
By: Nathan Reynolds, Managing Editor
Last Word On Sports

The LWOS Motorsport staff deliver their F1 predictions on which driver and team can make the biggest step forward in 2023.

With pre-season testing wrapped up in Bahrain attention turns to the first Grand Prix of 2023. There has been a lot of movement up and down the grid both in terms of drivers, team principals, and development. In this first round of F1 predictions, our team reveals which driver and team could see the biggest improvement this season.

‘F1 Predictions’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2023/02/28/f1-predictions-which-driver-team-will-make-the-biggest-improvement/


The F1 teammate rivalries to watch in 2023
28 February 2:25PM
Author Anna Francis
RacingNews365

The 2023 F1 season is nearly upon us, with 20 drivers across 10 teams set to compete in 23 races across the globe.

Some of those drivers have found themselves in new destinations for the year ahead, with the likes of Pierre Gasly making a switch, while a few outfits – including the top three of Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes – have opted to retain their previous line-ups.

‘F1 teammate rivalries’;

https://racingnews365.com/the-f1-teammate-rivalries-to-watch-in-2023


Inside the Piranha Club, the ruthless world of F1 politics
28/02/2023, 10:08
By Luke Smith
The Athletic

If you’ve watched “Drive to Survive,” you will know that a big part of the drama in Formula One doesn’t take place on the racetrack or among the drivers. It’s about politics.

Through the regular war of words between Toto Wolff and Christian Horner to last year’s Oscar Piastri contract saga involving McLaren and Alpine, Netflix has drawn in fans by exploring the sport’s political landscape.

But away from the cameras, there is much more to F1’s political battles and gamesmanship, making it a whole discipline of itself to follow. Welcome to the Piranha Club.

‘Ruthless world of F1 politics’;

https://theathletic.com/4258479/2023/02/28/formula-1-politics-piranha-club/


Damon Hill’s theory on why Lewis Hamilton is yet to commit to Mercedes F1 deal
28 Feb 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

1996 F1 champion Damon Hill has offered an explanation as to why Lewis Hamilton has yet to pen to paper to a new Mercedes deal. “Whatever the reason, Hamilton is out of contract at the end of this season,” Hill added. “And it is going to be fascinating to see his next move.”

“While both he and Mercedes have been saying for months that he plans to carry on, the fact remains that with less than a week until the first race of the year on March 5, nothing has yet been announced. It begs the question, why? One possible explanation is that both sides are waiting to see just how competitive Mercedes are before committing to a new deal.”

“If they start 2023 miles off the pace, perhaps Lewis will be less minded to sign a new long-term deal? Or perhaps it is the team who are dragging their heels? Lewis does not come cheap. He gives Mercedes a lot but he costs them a lot too. In George Russell they have a young driver who might be capable of delivering a title in the right car.”

‘Both sides are waiting to see just how competitive Mercedes are’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1021155/1/hill-s-theory-why-hamilton-yet-commit-mercedes-f1-deal


Mattia Binotto to "land on his feet" with new F1 role when Ferrari gardening leave ends
It is believed that Ferrari paid Binotto an extra sum of money to extend his gardening leave following the Italian's resignation as team principal at the end of last season
08:03, 28 Feb 2023
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
The Mirror

Mattia Binotto will "land on his feet" after his Ferrari departure, according to his new Netflix bestie Guenther Steiner. Whatever happens, Haas team boss Guenther Steiner thinks Binotto will be just fine. And he may be the best judge of that, considering how close friends they appeared to be in the new series of Formula 1: Drive to Survive.

Both Red Bull and Mercedes have publicly distanced themselves from a potential move for the Italian. It may well be newcomers Audi who pick him up when they officially enter F1 in 2026, taking over the Sauber team which currently races under Alfa Romeo branding.

Respected Italian F1 reporter Leo Turrini recently said: "I'm sure that Binotto will be able to stay in Formula 1 after the gardening period. I am absolutely certain that he has had a proposal from Audi to lead the team that will be on the grid in the near future."

"Land on his feet";

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/mattia-binotto-next-team-f1-29329913

[Fortitude]

Bahrain confirms bumper F1 season-opener attendance.
The F1 season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix will take place in front of packed grandstands after organisers announced on Tuesday that tickets have sold out.
Tuesday 28 February 2023 15:16
Sam Hall
GPFans

There has been a swell of interest in F1 in recent years with Netflix docu-series Drive to Survive assisting the championship to attract a younger generation of fans. This interest has clearly filtered down into the on-site attendance figures with the majority of races last term selling out of tickets well in advance.

Races across Europe and America enjoyed bumper crowds last season with the Australian Grand Prix attendance also worthy of note after almost 420,000 fans visited Albert Park across the four days. While the Bahrain International Circuit does not have the ability to host this number of spectators, its capacity listed as 70,000, the grandstands will be full with not a ticket left to be had!

‘Packed grandstands’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/102254/bahrain-grand-prix-sell-out-f1-season-opener/


What time does the 2023 F1 Bahrain GP start?
All the details for the start time of the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix
February 28, 2023
By John Smith
Total Motorsport

The 2023 Bahrain GP starts at 6pm local time in Doha, which is 3pm for those in the UK, and 10am for viewers on the east coast of the USA. On the US west coast it’s lights out at 7am.
F1 fans in Australia will have to stay up late as the 2023 Bahrain GP begins at 2am on Monday morning.

What time does the 2023 Bahrain GP start?
Country Race Start – March 5
Bahrain 18:00
UK 15:00 GMT
Canada 10:00 EST / 07:00 PST
USA 10:00 EST / 07:00 PST
Ireland 15:00 GMT
Australia 02:00 AEDT*
South Africa 17:00 SAST
New Zealand 04:00 NZDT*
EU 16:00 CET

‘All the details for the start time’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/what-time-2023-f1-bahrain-gp-start/


Bahrain Grand Prix weather: Three-day outlook for the F1 2023 season opener
28 Feb 2023 9:15 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

On Friday, when the opening session of the season gets underway, that being FP1, at 1430 local time, the conditions are set to be sunny with a temperature of 24 Celsius as the peak heat of the day begins to pass. There will be a gentle breeze and humidity of around 40%.

On Saturday, it is a 1430 start again, this time for FP3, where 24c will be the temperature, perhaps climbing to 25c before the session is over. A gentle breeze will greet the drivers, with humidity at 40% and zero risk of rain.

Then it is onto Sunday, otherwise known as the first race day of F1 2023! The Bahrain Grand Prix will begin at 1800 local time, with a similar level of heat to what will have been experienced on the previous days, 22c at lights out, and perhaps losing 1c by the time the chequered flag appears.

‘Bahrain Grand Prix weather’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/2023-bahrain-grand-prix-weather/


George Russell admits double world champion Max Verstappen is the favourite to win the Bahrain Grand Prix with Red Bull leading the way in pre-season testing... but the Mercedes driver insists his team can join the title fight
• Evidence from first two days of pre-season testing shows Red Bull are firing
• Double world champion Max Verstappen was the leading man throughout
• George Russell believes Verstappen is favourite, but has faith he can win too
Published: 14:27, 24 February 2023
By Jonathan McEvoy for MailOnline

George Russell conceded that Max Verstappen is favourite to win the opening Bahrain Grand Prix a week tomorrow, but believes Mercedes can push themselves into the title fight. The evidence of the timing screens across two days of pre-season testing suggested Red Bull are firing on all cylinders, with double world champion Verstappen the leading man.

Russell, on the other hand, suffered a hydraulic failure that curtailed his running after 26 laps. The Briton offered a balanced appraisal of progress – the Mercedes is not porpoising – when he said: ‘I definitely head into the season believing I can win the championship. 'At every point of my career I have gone in believing I can do that, but you take a rational view once you get to the track.

‘We definitely believe we will eventually have a car capable of getting into that fight. Having that next weekend might be a stretch. Red Bull are looking very stable, and obviously Max is performing really well. But we have always seen the strength of Mercedes’ development rate.’

‘Insistent his team can join the title fight’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-11789505/George-Russell-admits-Max-Verstappen-favourite-win-Bahrain-Grand-Prix.html


Fernando Alonso explains why he's 'hurt' on eve of Aston Martin F1 debut at Bahrain GP
Fernando Alonso will make his Aston Martin debut at the Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend, and he had impressed during pre-season testing.
20:55, Tue, Feb 28, 2023
By Joshua Lees
Daily and Sunday Express

Formula 1 legend Fernando Alonso has admitted he is 'hurt' ahead of his debut for Aston Martin at this weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix. The Spaniard enters the 2023 campaign as the grid's most experienced driver, with the upcoming season his 21st behind the wheel.

The Spaniard was out testing the new car without his new teammate Lance Stroll. This comes after the Canadian was ruled out through injury, following an accident whilst out cycling earlier this month.

And despite returning some impressive numbers, Alonso has admitted not having Stroll behind the wheel has not been ideal for their preparation. He said: "We are learning a lot about the car, I think this car is very different compared to last year. We are changing a lot of things.

‘Not having Stroll behind the wheel has not been ideal for their preparation’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1740670/Fernando-Alonso-Aston-Martin-debut-Bahrain-GP-F1-news

[Fortitude]

“We didn’t develop fast enough” – McLaren explain efficiency problems and target fix.
Andrea Stella: “It’s not an effect of the changes of regulations and we didn’t take a step backwards,” he admitted. “We just didn’t develop fast enough.”
Posted on 1st March 2023, 12:44
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
2023 F1 season. McLaren gave the first hints at a lack of satisfaction with their MCL60
RaceFans

The team’s sub-par start to testing did not come as a shock, Stella admitted. “Our performance is pretty much where I expected it to be. No surprises. The data correlates with what we were expecting from an aerodynamic point of view.” Stella said there are also “no surprises” about their likely situation “performance-wise” and position in the pecking order, despite the difficulty of assessing times from testing.

“We know we have work to do, but if we think about this season of the season is long, there can be variations in the competitive order,” said Stella. “Like I said already at the car launch we know there’s good development rate, that’s where we are focusing. I think the start, we have to be realistic, but in terms of looking ahead to the season, we remain optimistic.”

McLaren plans to bring performance upgrades for its car in areas it believes some of its rivals are already exploiting with their 2023 designs. “In Formula 1, the material you have right now, trackside, is material that you had two or three months ago in development,” Stella explained. “So the good news is that we have good development streams going on, they will land trackside in some weeks.”

‘We know there’s good development rate, that’s where we are focusing’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/01/we-didnt-develop-fast-enough-mclaren-explain-efficiency-problems-and-target-fix/


Lewis Hamilton 'could quit F1 and retire' if Mercedes car not up to scratch.
Former world champion Damon Hill has explored Lewis Hamilton's avenues in Formula 1 as he once again heads into the final season on his current Mercedes contract, with retirement mooted as an option.
10:58, 1 MAR 2023
BY Tom Sunderland
Daily Star

The upcoming Formula 1 campaign could end up being Lewis Hamilton's last in the sport depending on the success of Mercedes' latest design. That's the notion put forward by 1996 world champion Damon Hill, who has multiple theories regarding the uncertainty surrounding Hamilton's contract. The Silver Arrows veteran is contracted at Brackley until the end of 2023, with team and driver yet to confirm any plans beyond that.

It's left Hill wondering whether Hamilton, 38, still has the same impetus to perform, though the former Williams and Jordan driver is confident the seven-time world champion could "carry on driving well into his 40s." Hamilton is currently tied with Michael Schumacher as the joint-record-holder in world championships won, and Hill questioned "will he retire" if the 2023 season finally produced that elusive eighth crown.

'Could quit F1 and retire';

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1/lewis-hamilton-f1-mercedes-retire-29341458


AlphaTauri’s Franz Tost: There’s ‘no foundation’ to report F1 team could be sold by Red Bull
1st March 2023, 14:49.
By Luke Smith
The Athletic

The boss of AlphaTauri, Franz Tost, has denied the Formula One team could be sold by Red Bull, saying recent rumors have “no foundation.”

“I had some very good meetings with Oliver Mintzlaff, who confirmed that the shareholders will not sell Scuderia AlphaTauri, and that Red Bull will continue supporting the team in the future,” Tost said. “All these rumors have no foundation, and the team has to remain focused for the start of the season to perform better than last year.”

‘There’s no foundation’;

https://theathletic.com/4264358/2023/03/01/alpha-tauri-sale-rumors-formula-1/


Eddie Jordan issues ominous F1 prediction for Lewis Hamilton ahead of new season
14:08, 1 Mar 2023
By Liam Llewellyn Sports Trends Writer
The Mirror

The F1 analyst provided fans with thoughts on what he expects to transpire at the top of the standings over the course of the upcoming 2023 campaign. F1 pundit Eddie Jordan expects Max Verstappen and Red Bull to dominate the upcoming season.

The Dutchman and his team were ruthless last year as the 25-year-old stormed to a second consecutive world title and Christian Horner and co won their first constructors crown since 2013. Lewis Hamilton, 38, who went through an entire campaign without a win for the first time in his illustrious F1 tenure in 2022, is relishing the opportunity to compete for this year’s title with his rivals.

But during a chat with The Metro, to the dismay of the seven-time world champion, Jordan expects a very similar outcome for the new season. “I think more the same. I think Max is so on top of his game, he’s so arrogant, he’s so aggressive, he’s super confident and he’s got another Adrian Newey car under him,” he said.

‘Ominous F1 prediction’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/lewis-hamilton-eddie-jordan-prediction-29344909


Andretti-Cadillac’s F1 bid takes major financial hit as $600mn payout required
Andretti-Cadillac have formally begun the process of joining the F1 grid with the FIA.
1 March 2023
by Jack Devonport
Formula1News

The Andretti-Cadillac project continues to divide opinion in Formula 1, with the FIA continuing to disagree with Formula 1 and many of the existing teams. FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has argued that companies as large as General Motors alongside Andretti can only be a good thing for the sport, making expanding the grid a no-brainer.

The current Concorde Agreement expires in 2025 and with Andretti-Cadillac highlighting 2026 as the perfect year to join F1, they will be subject to a new agreement which may see a much higher anti-dilution entry fee. With F1 growing significantly in recent years and the amount money involved in the sport increasing phenomenally, it is rumoured that the entry fee could be set to triple in the next Concorde Agreement.

This means that Andretti-Cadillac will have to fork out an eye watering $600m if they wish to join the F1 grid, granting every team $60m to ease their financial concerns. While this amount of money will certainly please the existing team bosses which are concerned about the project, it remains to be seen whether Andretti-Cadillac would be willing to pay $600m to fulfil their F1 dream.

‘$600mn payout required’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/andretti-cadillacs-f1-bid-takes-major-financial-hit-as-600mn-payout-required/

[Fortitude]

Vasseur warns: Bahrain GP will be a "completely different story" to testing.
Ferrari looked a comfortable second in pre-season testing, but new boss Frederic Vasseur is confident things can change in Bahrain.
01 March 7:00PM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Dieter Rencken
RacingNews365

New Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur says that the Formula 1 season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix will be "a completely different story" to pre-season testing. Testing in Bahrain ran throughout the morning and afternoon and into the night, with Ferrari's quickest time being set in 55 degree Celsius temperature.

However, both key sessions this weekend are set for 18:00 local time, at night when temperatures are cooler after sundown. Vasseur believes this could be a key difference, and was keen to point out that the test, was in fact, only a test.

Vasseur believes this could be a key difference, and was keen to point out that the test, was in fact, only a test. "What you have to keep in mind is that the race will be a completely different story with what we did this weekend," he explained to media including RacingNews365 during testing. "When Charles did the lap time this [test day three] morning, it was 55 degrees of track temp.”

"Completely different story";

https://racingnews365.com/vasseur-red-bull-threat-will-be-completely-different-in-bahrain-gp


Vasseur: Championship won't be 'won or lost' in Bahrain
02/03/2023 at 08:33
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com08:36

Fred Vasseur says Ferrari is well prepared for its opening stint in Bahrain, but the Scuderia boss insists the championship "won't be won or lost" this weekend.

"Testing was good and the three days last week showed that the car is matching our expectations and now we need to continue fine-tuning in order to get the most out of it," commented Vasseur. "One thing is clear: this will be the Championship with the most races ever, so no matter what the result, the title won’t be won or lost in Bahrain”.

"We know the track pretty well, but the changing air and track temperatures, as well as changing wind conditions, plus the new Pirelli tyres will make it very tricky to get the set-up of the car right. But both Carlos and Charles collected a lot of data during the three test days, so we should be well prepared for a good weekend."

‘Championship won't be 'won or lost'!’;

https://f1i.com/news/467310-vasseur-championship-wont-be-won-or-lost-in-bahrain.html


Red Bull source claims makes Ferrari claim ahead of 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix
Ferrari had the best straight-line speed during pre-season testing, whilst Red Bull had the best overall package.
1 March 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Red Bull appear to be slightly concerned about the true pace of Ferrari ahead of the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend, with the Austrians having admitted that they “really don’t know” the Italians’ true potential.

The likelihood is, though, that Red Bull will be fighting for the win, with the Milton Keynes-based team believing they “know” what Mercedes and Aston Martin are set to bring to the opening round.

They have no idea, though, what threat Ferrari will offer them, with there being a real sense of secrecy amongst the Scuderia. “Talking with a source extremely close to Red Bull, confirmed me: “we know where is Mercedes (more or less), we know where is Aston, we really don’t know where will be Ferrari!”” said F1 journalist Giuliano Duchessa.

‘Best straight-line speed’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/red-bull-source-claims-makes-ferrari-claim-ahead-of-2023-bahrain-grand-prix/


Sainz confident Ferrari can battle Red Bull on the straights in 2023
15:43 Wed, 01 Mar 2023
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Carlos Sainz is confident that the steps Ferrari have taken to improve its straight-line speed for the 2023 Formula 1 season will enable it to compete more with Red Bull.

“I don’t know the engine mode they’re [Red Bull] running and the exact rear wing compared to us, but I’m pretty confident we’ve done steps in the right direction in that sense,” he claimed.

“Part of the evolution of our car is to also try to be less draggy and try to get close to Red Bull on the straights. I hope that we can be close. Are we going to be quicker or not, or the same, or able to battle them on the straights? We don’t know,” the Spanish driver added.

‘Sainz confident’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/03/01/sainz-confident-ferrari-can-battle-red-bull-on-the-straights-in-2023/


Damon Hill feels Mattia Binotto ‘was thrown under the bus’ at Ferrari
01 Mar 2023 3:00 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Damon Hill believes Mattia Binotto was “thrown under the bus a bit” by Ferrari at the end of last season, as the former team boss tendered his resignation with the Scuderia. Hill and fellow former F1 driver Pedro de la Rosa were discussing Binotto’s departure from the team, and De la Rosa praised Binotto’s foresight that he had while in the highest-pressured job in the entire sport, while Hill felt he could and perhaps should have stayed at the team this season.

“Mattia Binotto was really good for Ferrari in the sense that he was the one of the first team principals that actually could think long term, he was brave enough to think in the mid-long term at Ferrari where normally at Ferrari, I’ve been there and every decision is orientated to the next race, next Grand Prix. But Mattia was brave enough to during 2021 [to] diminish the development progress of the car and basically concentrate on the change of regulations from 2022.”

Hill agreed with De la Rosa’s sentiment, adding that keeping Binotto on would have been beneficial for the Scuderia – perhaps even splitting duties between him and Vasseur. “I think that Mattia did a brilliant job and I think he’d been thrown under the bus a bit, frankly,” the 1996 World Champion reasoned. “But I think the reason he has gone, has been as much to do with… his real skill didn’t seem to me to be running a Formula 1 team in terms of the race strategy.”

‘Thrown under the bus’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/damon-hill-mattia-binotto-ferrari-exit/

[Fortitude]

Wolff airs Mercedes catch-up concern for F1 season-opener.
Toto Wolff feels Mercedes will again be playing catch up in this weekend’s season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix following a three-day test outing he claims was not the smoothest.
Thursday 2nd March, 2023 - 10:59pm
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Assessing what could unfold this weekend, Wolff said: “We didn’t have the smoothest winter test in Bahrain. “We had some reliability problems and struggled with the car set-up on day two. But the key objective was to learn about the car, and we did lots of learning.”

“We made good progress on the final day, which gave us directions to work on in the short period between the test and this weekend’s race. “It’s always hard to have a clear picture of competitiveness at pre-season testing, and even more so with only three days of data available,” remarked Wolff.

“Our expectations were that we would likely be playing catch-up to the front, based on how last year ended. That seems to be the case so far but we will only know for sure after this weekend.”

‘Mercedes catch-up’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/03/02/toto-wolff-mercedes-catch-up-concern-bahrain/


Wolff confident Mercedes W14 'is a car we can work with'
01/03/2023 at 15:19
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Toto Wolff says Mercedes is confident it has a car it can work with this season although it expects to play catch-up with its main rivals in the opening races of 2023. Wolff says Mercedes will likely begin its season in catch-up mode relative to Red Bull and Ferrari, but only the test of a full-scale race weekend will confirm, or not, that expectation.

It's only been about 100 days since the end of last year's F1 season, but Wolff says his troops are ready to kick into gear and go "flat out" from this weekend for the next nine months. The start of a new season is always exciting, whether you've been working in this sport for a few decades, years or weeks," he said.

"So much hard work has gone into the W14 over the winter and the anticipation to be get racing has kept on building. We will be going flat out this weekend - and are determined to keep that going to the final lap in Abu Dhabi."

‘Troops are ready to kick into gear and go flat out’;

https://f1i.com/news/467286-wolff-confident-mercedes-w14-is-a-car-we-can-work-with.html


Wolff: Mercedes 'relishing' 2023 F1 challenge
01 March 2:00PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Mercedes had a troubled pre-season testing, but boss Toto Wolff remains optimistic about their 2023 chances.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff believes his team are "relishing the challenge" of trying to wrestle back the Formula 1 World Championships from Red Bull.

"Nevertheless, we are confident we have got a car we can work with and are in a stronger position than 12 months ago. More importantly, we are relishing the challenge. This championship will be fought over 23 race weekends, and each one will give us an opportunity to improve."

'Relishing 2023 F1 challenge’;

https://racingnews365.com/wolff-mercedes-relishing-2023-f1-challenge


‘There’s a worm in there’: Reason for Lewis Hamilton not signing Mercedes contract revealed
Lewis Hamilton is yet to ink a contract with Mercedes for 2024 and beyond despite the 2023 season starting this weekend.
1 March 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Hamilton will want to see an improvement from Mercedes presumably before signing a new deal, with the 103-time race winner still having the target of claiming an unprecedented eighth title.

Whether he’s happy to continue in the sport but not be challenging for victory remains to be seen, with Schumacher predicting that Wolff could have a massive issue should the car not be able to challenge at the front.

“There’s a worm in there,” Schumacher told Sky Deutschland. “They’re not hitting their goals or they’ve set the wrong ones. The car is still difficult to drive,” Schumacher said after Bahrain testing. “But the real question is, if Lewis is still behind, what motivation is left?”

“There’s a worm in there!”;

https://formula1news.co.uk/theres-a-worm-in-there-reason-for-lewis-hamilton-not-signing-mercedes-contract-revealed/


Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff playing ‘guess what number I’m thinking of’
Lewis Hamilton is yet to extend his contract with Mercedes, something that he promised would happen over the winter break.
2 March 2023
by Jack Devonport
Formula1News

Former F1 champion Damon Hill has a theory about Hamilton’s contract situation, suggesting that he may wait to see how this season pans out before deciding his future. “For my part, I remember arriving in Melbourne at the beginning of the 1999 season and looking around at all the other drivers and thinking ‘they’re all 20 years younger than me!”

“Would I be going to a party with guys 20 years younger than me? Probably not!’ “I just didn’t want to be the ‘old guy’. I had seen that happen to my dad. He raced into his 40s and I vividly recall towards the end of his career all the talk about his age.”

Hamilton has admitted that he dreams of retiring as a world champion, supporting Hill’s theory that the legendary Brit could retire from F1 if he wins the championship this year and surpasses Michael Schumacher with eight titles.

‘Guess what number I’m thinking of’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/lewis-hamilton-and-toto-wolff-playing-guess-what-number-im-thinking-of/

[Fortitude]

Bahrain GP will exaggerate ‘league of its own’ Red Bull’s lead.
Ferrari and Mercedes drivers expect Red Bull to be “in a league of their own” in Formula 1’s season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, but there’s a faith the track may be exaggerating the gap.
Mar 2 2023
By Valentin Khorounzhiy
The Race

Speaking in the FIA press conference ahead of the first race weekend of 2023, both Mercedes driver George Russell and Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc acknowledged the evidence of testing showed Red Bull as being ahead.

“It’s definitely fair to say Red Bull are in a little bit of a league of their own this weekend in Bahrain,” said Russell. “They’ve had a…strong start,” admitted Leclerc, “Red Bull and Max seem to be very very strong.

“It’s only testing so it’s difficult to quantify by how much. But it seems that they are a bit in front compared to us. So we’ve got some work to do.” Leclerc maintained Ferrari had experienced a good Bahrain test with strong reliability and the full workload completed, but while “we didn’t show everything” the same was true for all of its rivals.

‘League of its own’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/bahrain-gp-will-exaggerate-league-of-its-own-red-bulls-lead/


Lance Stroll to make F1 return at Bahrain Grand Prix after surgery for wrist injury
2nd March 2023, 13:53
By Luke Smith
The Athletic

Lance Stroll will take part in this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix with Aston Martin after missing Formula One testing last week due to a wrist injury that required minor surgery. Here’s what you need to know:

“It was frustrating not to be out in Bahrain for the preseason test and I was disappointed to miss the three days of running,” said Stroll. “However, given the injury to my wrist, the team and I felt it was best to focus on recovery so that I would be ready for this weekend and the long season ahead.”

“It was an unfortunate accident — I fell from my bike when my tire caught a hole in the ground — but thankfully the damage was not significant and a successful minor surgery on my right wrist fixed the problem very quickly. Since then, I’ve been working hard with my team to ensure that I am fully fit to compete this weekend.”

‘Lance Stroll to make F1 return’;

https://theathletic.com/4268141/2023/03/02/lance-stroll-return-bahrain-grand-prix-injury/


Aston Martin chief calms Bahrain GP expectations after Alonso hype.
02 March 2023
Inside Racing

Aston Martin chief Mike Krack has tried to calm expectations ahead of this weekend's Formula 1 season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix. The performance of the green team was one of the biggest stories from pre-season testing last week, with many pundits suggesting Aston Martin could challenge Mercedes as the third-best team.

Aspirations could be even higher over a full race distance too, with Fernando Alonso claiming his 57-lap simulation on the final day of testing was "slightly faster" than Ferrari's. Krack though isn't getting carried away by Aston Martin's apparent potential for a podium challenge at Sakhir.

“You know these dynamics that you can sometimes get, it’s like when word goes around the children at school,” he told the media. “So I think we need to keep our feet on the ground, expectations are always high at this time of the year, everybody wants to do well. We are realists. We have clear objectives: that is to improve compared to where we were last year.”

‘Tried to calm expectations’;

https://www.insideracing.com/formula-1/16591-aston-martin-chief-calms-bahrain-gp-expectations-after-alonso-hype


Fernando Alonso sets Aston Martin target for 2023 Bahrain GP
Lance Stroll will join Fernando Alonso at Aston Martin for the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix
March 2, 2023
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Fernando Alonso played down Aston Martin‘s chances at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, and said they’re not aiming for a podium. Aston Martin were the talk of the paddock after a stunning pre-season testing, as Alonso completed a blisteringly quick race sim that was only matched by Red Bull.

However, despite several questions from journalists on whether he was aiming for the podium, Alonso refused to talk up his team’s chances. “We will give our best on the race,” Alonso told the media.

“But that’s not the target for us to be honest. It was very encouraging the results from the test and the feeling from the car, but it is just the start. I think we need to keep learning about the car, only one day and a half or two days of testing in a completely new car, new package.”

‘Aston Martin target’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/fernando-alonso-aston-martin-target-2023-bahrain-gp/


Mercedes’ new rear wing revealed ahead of F1 Bahrain Grand Prix
2 Mar 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Mercedes have brought a new medium downforce rear wing to the F1 season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

Mercedes opted to run a large double spoon rear wing throughout pre-season testing in Bahrain last week for better correlation and data collection.

The decision explained why Mercedes featured so lowly in the speed traps across the three days of running, with the German manufacturer placed at the very bottom of the collective top speed charts, according to Auto Motor und Sport’s data.

‘Mercedes’ new rear wing’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1021275/1/mercedes-new-rear-wing-revealed-ahead-f1-bahrain-gp

[Fortitude]

Lance Stroll will race in Bahrain this weekend with PINS in his wrist after undergoing surgery in the wake of pre-season cycling injury... as Canadian gets set to return in time for F1 season opener after missing testing
• Lance Stroll fell off his bicycle while cycling in Spain during the off-season
• It was touch and go whether he'd be fit to race this week - he has now confirmed
• Click here for all your latest international sports news from DailyMail.com
Published: 16:48, 2 March 2023
By Ben Nagle For Dailymail.Com
Mail Online

Canadian Formula One star Lance Stroll has confirmed he will be on the grid for the season-opening race in Bahrain this weekend - but with pins in his broken right wrist following surgery. In Bahrain on Thursday, Stroll confirmed he would be in the car for first practice tomorrow, telling reporters: 'I got surgery on the right one and the left one is just a bit banged up.

'Yeah, they're feeling good. A big push over the last 12 days since my accident to get me here. They're feeling good. I was in the sim yesterday, the day before. Feeling pretty strong.' Stroll's determination to return in time for the start of the season will have been made stronger with the impressive showing that the Aston Martin gave in testing.

When asked about the car's positive signs, Stroll noted: 'Yeah, it looks great. I think everyone's really excited. I'm excited to get back driving. It was painful to watch the test from a couch and not be in the car.' When asked if the car's impressive test was part of his reason for returning so quickly, he added: 'I want to have every chance to go racing. If I feel like I'm fit enough to race, with a bit of discomfort, I'm going to do it.’

‘Lance Stroll will race with PINS in his wrist’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-11813175/Lance-Stroll-race-Bahrain-weekend-PINS-wrist.html


Lance Stroll confirms he broke wrist in cycling accident, will drive through ‘discomfort’ in Bahrain
02 Mar 2023 2:49 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Lance Stroll has confirmed he had surgery after breaking his right wrist in a recent cycling accident, but while he is set to race with a bit of “discomfort” in Bahrain, he’s confident he will be able to perform behind the wheel of the AMR23.

“They’re feeling good, a big push in the last 12 days since my accident to get me here,” Stroll told media including PlanetF1.com in Bahrain. “They’re feeling good, I was in the sim yesterday and the day before, feeling pretty strong.”

“The first few days were rough, it looked like it was going to be tough but then in the last four, five days it’s really been improving every day,” he explained. “I was feeling good in the sim yesterday, full lock, whole range of motion, so it feels good.” Stroll also confirmed he spoke to his doctors and that they are prepared to allow him to take part in Bahrain this weekend.

‘Will drive through discomfort’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lance-stroll-discusses-cycling-injuries/


Stroll broke both wrists
02/03/2023
NEWS STORY
Pitpass

Lance Stroll has revealed that he broke both wrists in the cycling accident that prevented him from taking part in pre-season testing.

"I had surgery on my right wrist, so screws," he told reporters in Bahrain ahead of his track debut in the AMR23 this weekend. "It was just a small procedure, then physiotherapy and rehab to get me here.

"It hurts a bit but it feels good," he added, "it feels solid, nothing I haven't had before. I really felt like I could drive normally with a little bit more discomfort, but nothing that's stopping me from driving, like any excruciating pain or anything like that.

‘Stroll broke both wrists’;

https://www.pitpass.com/74576/Stroll-broke-both-wrists


Stroll reveals 'rough' injuries that nearly made him miss season opener
02 March 3:35PM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Lance Stroll has revealed the extent of the injuries he sustained in a bike crash during his pre-season training for the 2023 Formula 1 season.

"It was a private matter. There was a lot going on; I was going into surgery, dealing with rehab, I didn't have a clear answer of how long it was going to take to recover. "I was just completely focused and motivated to make it here to Bahrain."

So far Stroll has only completed a handful of laps during the shakedown of the AMR23 at Silverstone, after the team launched in early February. Despite this, the Canadian wanted to give himself every chance to race in Bahrain but conceded that he would not be there if doctors advised him to rest.

'Rough injuries’;

https://racingnews365.com/stroll-reveals-rough-injuries-that-nearly-made-him-miss-season-opener


Alonso: Stroll return a good sign, shows 'desire to win'
02/03/2023 at 14:17
Phillip van Osten

Fernando Alonso says Lance Stroll's return to the fray this weekend is "a good sign" for Aston Martin as it shows the Canadian driver's fighting spirit and "motivation to win". Alonso said his team mate's plight reminded him that he raced last year with several broken bones in both of his hands as a result of his crash in Q3 in Australia caused by a hydraulics failure on his Alpine.

"In my case, I broke a few bones in both hands last year," he recalled. "So, until August, I was not fully recovered. I had some pain, but we love driving!" Alonso praised Stroll for his desire to return to the fray as soon as possible, insisting it sent a good signal to the team.

"I don’t know exactly what Lance has. It’s a private thing… he will check on the car, obviously," added the Spaniard. "It’s already very good news that he’s here and he will try. That shows his desire to win and his motivation to win with this team. This is even fighting for whatever position we can this weekend. He’s here ready to try. That’s a very good sign."

‘Stroll return a good sign’;

https://f1i.com/news/467388-alonso-stroll-return-a-good-sign-shows-desire-to-win.html

[Fortitude]

Bahrain GP: FIA Drivers Press Conference.
Today's press conference with Nyck de Vries, Fernando Alonso, Nico Hulkenberg, Oscar Piastri, Logan Sargeant, Zhou Guanyu, Pierre Gasly, Charles Leclerc, George Russell and Max Verstappen.
02/03/2023
NEWS STORY
Pitpass

Q: Fernando, let's start with you. Time flies: your 20th season in Formula 1. How are you feeling? Fresh, ready to go?
Fernando Alonso: Yeah, feels good. I think it's always the same feeling for race one, where you obviously prepare over the winter, and we have less and less testing these days and you feel maybe not 100% ready with the car, especially if you change team. You need a little bit more time to adapt to many new things. But it's the same for everybody. So let's go.

Logan, thank you for waiting. So race one for you as well. How different is your first Grand Prix to all of the other races you've done in your career so far?
Logan Sargeant: Well, obviously, as Nico said, it's on a much bigger stage. But other than that, I feel like it's really just business as usual. Now, it's a bit more juggling preparation and media. But to be honest, you know, I feel very happy with where I was in the test. And I feel comfortable in the car. I feel like I've laid a good foundation and a base to work from so I'm relatively relaxed heading into tomorrow.

Q: Max, coming to you, you're looking relaxed. That to me is the sign of a good winter and a fast racing car.
Max Verstappen: Yeah, but it's not related to the car. I think it's important to always be relaxed.
Q: You had a good winter, what did you get up o?
MV: Yeah, it was good to spend a bit of time with family and friends and enjoy it a bit. Try not to think about Formula 1 too much. Yeah, spend a bit of time at home at some point as well. And get ready for racing again.

‘FIA Drivers Press Conference’;

https://www.pitpass.com/74578/Bahrain-GP-FIA-Drivers-Press-Conference


Hamilton, Verstappen and others convinced Aston Martin are “fully in the fight”
2023 Bahrain Grand Prix
Posted on 3rd March 2023, 7:152nd March 2023, 21:01
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

Leading Formula 1 drivers including Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen are convinced they will face a stronger threat from Aston Martin this year. The performance of the team’s new AMR23 has been the talk of testing. A race simulation run by its latest hiring, two-times world champion Fernando Alonso, convinced many in F1 that the team has made a significant step forward in the off-season.

Aston Martin ended last year tied on points with Alfa Romeo, who pipped them to seventh place in the standings thanks to a fifth-place scored by Valtteri Bottas. However he is one of several drivers who took note of Aston Martin’s pace in testing. Heading into the new season Bottas suspects his car is “not as fast as the Red Bull, not as fast as the Ferrari – and also Aston looked faster in the race sim.”

Aston Martin, which previously competed as Racing Point, dropped Sergio Perez from its line-up in 2020. Now at Red Bull, Perez still has affection for his former team, and was pleased to see their performance in testing. “They definitely have a strong car,” he said. “They definitely will be fighting. They looked very strong in testing so of course I think they’re going to be very strong through the year,” he added. “They are a great team and I would be very happy for them to be competing at the front.”

“Fully in the fight”;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/03/hamilton-verstappen-and-others-convinced-aston-martin-are-fully-in-the-fight/


Bahrain Grand Prix: What the drivers said ahead of the 2023 season opener
02 Mar 2023 9:00 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

The Bahrain Grand Prix weekend is upon us, and the drivers spent their Thursday speaking to the media as they got themselves back in the zone in time for the new season to start.

Friday practice will set the scene for the race weekend, with keen eyes set to be on Sakhir as the pace-shielding from testing finally falls away, and the drivers fully unleash their full potential in their new cars.

PlanetF1.com’s Thomas Maher is on the ground in Bahrain this weekend, and he was in the thick of the action as the drivers gave their pre-race thoughts ahead of the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix – here is just a selection of what they had to say.

‘Pre-race thoughts’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/bahrain-grand-prix-press-conference-summary/


Verstappen says RB19 is ‘100%’ better than last year’s championship-winning Red Bull as he gears up for title defence
02 March 2023
Formula One - Official Site.

When asked if he felt the team were in a better place than after testing last year, the Dutchman answered “100%,” before going on to say that they had improved “everywhere.”

“That’s the aim,” he continued. “You always try to improve it. It feels nice, well balanced. Every team lost a little bit of performance with the floor [regulation changes] but you always try to gain that back.

“I mean we had three really good days [testing], I think also just in general the progress we made over winter was really good. We need to show it this weekend, and not just this weekend but continue to develop. Every track is also a bit different in terms of the behaviour of the car but the test days were good for us.”

‘100% better’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.verstappen-says-rb19-is-100-better-than-last-years-championship-winning-red.5hhRwW2xQ0eP81hyDe87s2.html


RACE WEEKEND
FORMULA 1 GULF AIR BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX 2023
Formula One - Official Site.

https://www.formula1.com/en/racing/2023/Bahrain.html

[Fortitude]

Perez fastest as Alonso’s Aston Martin split the Red Bulls in practice.
Sergio Perez retained his position as the quickest driver in pre-season testing by topping the times in first practice in Bahrain, ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.
2023 Bahrain Grand Prix first practice
Posted on 3rd March 2023, 12:44
Written by Will Wood

Perez’s best time of a 1’32.758 was just under half a second quicker than Alonso, who himself was faster than the second Red Bull driver of Max Verstappen.

As expected, conditions were clear and warm as the opening timed session of the 2023 session got underway. All 10 cars that set a lap time in the first 10 minutes did so using the medium compound tyres, with Aston Martin’s Alonso setting the early pace with a 1’35.048. That was beaten by the Red Bull of Perez, who posted a 1’34.343 on the mediums, seven tenths faster than the Aston Martin.

The two debutants both had two different moments of concern in the early running. Logan Sargeant reported the smell of something burning in his Williams’ cockpit during his first run out in the circuit, while McLaren’s Oscar Piastri caught a snap of oversteer through turn seven early on.

‘Sergio Perez fastest in FP1’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/03/perez-fastest-as-alonsos-aston-martin-split-the-red-bulls-in-practice/


(FP1) First Practice Results – 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix
3rd March 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
•
1. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing – 1:32.758
2. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.438
3. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.617
4. Lando Norris McLaren +1.407
5. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +1.499
6. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +1.540
7. Kevin Magnussen Haas +1.644
8. Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo +1.817
9. Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo +1.931
10. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +2.159

‘Bahrain Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the first free practice ahead of this weekend’s 2023 F1 World Championship opener in Bahrain’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp1-first-practice-results-2023-bahrain-grand-prix-81567


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from first practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix
03 March 2023
Beck Hart.
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-first-practice-in-bahrain-2023.1unb2itreUhWwSQehCQbPt.html


2023 Bahrain GP FP1: Carlos Sainz manages to avoid the wall after high speed spin in first practice.
03 Mar 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was sent into a high speed spin in opening practice in Bahrain as he turned in at Turn 9. He was able to catch it before hitting the wall, but had to immediately pit for new tyres.

‘Avoiding the wall’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2023-bahrain-gp-fp1-carlos-sainz-manages-to-avoid-the-wall-after-high-speed-spin-in-first-practice.1759352595724350624.html


Ferrari beam wing trial suffers a major wobble in practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix
03 Mar 2023 1:10 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Ferrari were once again forced to remove a new beam wing from their car, this time because of excessive movement as it wobbled from side to side on Charles Leclerc’s SF-23. Not for the first time Ferrari trialled a new beam wing, opting to do comparison tests during the opening practice session of the Bahrain Grand Prix. But, as with testing, it didn’t go to plan.

Ferrari initially ran the beam wing on the final day of pre-season testing, one equipped with a mono-pylon support, but problems with the right side flap of the DRS meant they were forced to revert to their medium load wing. However, less than a week later – the opening race of the new season scheduled for the weekend after testing – and the single-pylon wing was back on the car but just Leclerc’s.

Ferrari trialled it during Friday’s opening practice with the aim of improving the stability of the SF-23. It is also expected to help with downforce. Stability, though, was questionable at best looking in from the outside with rear wing rocked from side to side.

‘Wing trial suffers a major wobble in practice’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrari-trial-beam-wing-specification-bahrain-gp/


Piastri 12th in first Grand Prix practice in Bahrain
Fri, 3 March 2023 9:23PM
Ian ChadbandAAP
The West Australian

Australian youngster Oscar Piastri has made an eventful Formula One debut at the Bahrain Grand Prix before finishing 12th quickest in his first practice session for McLaren. The 21-year-old rookie Piastri oversteered on one corner and came off the track early in the session before regaining control, making a similar error to one made by his more experienced teammate Lando Norris later in the session.

When Piastri lost control of his car on turn seven to leave the track briefly, his engineer asked over the radio, "Is the car all okay?" To which the man from Melbourne responded: "Yep, all okay, just had a snap"

‘12th quickest in his first practice session’;

https://thewest.com.au/sport/motorsport/piastri-12th-in-first-grand-prix-practice-in-bahrain-c-9933216

[Fortitude]

‘I’d be lying if I said the car doesn’t feel good’ says Alonso after leading practice.
The Aston Martin driver set a best time of 1’30.907 during the second practice session, putting him 0.169 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen.
2023 Bahrain Grand Prix
Posted on 3rd March 2023, 16:533rd March 2023, 17:50
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

Fernando Alonso says Aston Martin still have scope to improve after ending the first day of practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix with the fastest time. However the two-times world champion insisted he wasn’t focusing on the lap times ahead of the first competitive session of the new season tomorrow. “Obviously, it feels good to drive,” he said. “I will lie if I say that is not feeling good.”

“But everything is relative to what the other teams are doing. You can feel very good on one car and maybe there are three or four cars faster than you and then it doesn’t feel that good anymore. So let’s see where we are.” The team won’t have a clear picture of how competitive it is for a few more races, Alonso believes. “Obviously it’s good to see the times, that you are competitive.”

“After testing there is always a mixed feelings of where you are and still until we go into qualifying and the race and maybe the first three races on very different circuits – Bahrain, Jeddah and Australia.”

“Obviously, it feels good to drive”;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/03/id-be-lying-if-i-said-the-car-doesnt-feel-good-says-alonso-after-leading-practice/


(FP2) Second Practice Results – 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix
3rd March 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin – 1:30.907
2. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.169
3. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.171
4. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.460
5. Nico Hulkenberg Haas +0.469
6. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +0.543
7. Pierre Gasly Alpine +0.568
8. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.636
9. Lando Norris McLaren +0.663
10. Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo +0.679

‘Bahrain Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the second free practice ahead of this weekend’s 2023 F1 World Championship opener in Bahrain’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp2-second-practice-results-2023-bahrain-grand-prix-81577


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from second practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix
03 March 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

‘AS IT HAPPENED;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-second-practice-in-bahrain-2023.3l8DCaeFRgpIHQjFzQKAov.html


2023 Bahrain GP FP2: Onboard for Fernando Alonso’s fastest lap
03 Mar 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Ride onboard as Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso posts the fastest lap of second practice at the 2023 Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix, with a time of 1:30.907.

‘Fernando Alonso’s fastest lap’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2023-bahrain-gp-fp2-onboard-for-fernando-alonsos-fastest-lap.1759366794039880983.html


Alonso quickest in surprise-filled second Bahrain GP practice
3rd March 2023, 16:20
By Jack Cozens
The Race

Fernando Alonso beat the Red Bulls to the fastest time in second practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix as the hype surrounding Aston Martin’s 2023 Formula 1 car persisted.

Attempts from Alonso and Aston Martin to play down its impressive underlying pace from testing a week earlier were undermined when the two-time F1 champion split pacesetter Sergio Perez and defending champion Max Verstappen in first practice.

Alonso has now backed that up with the fastest time of the weekend in FP2, though the switch to performance running and qualifying simulations resulted in an incredibly tight lead order, with one second covering the top 13 cars and the whole field within 1.9s.

‘Attempts to play down its impressive underlying pace undermined’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/alonso-quickest-in-surprise-filled-second-bahrain-gp-practice/


Hamilton fears Mercedes worse than in F1 2022 and on "wrong track".
Lewis Hamilton thinks Mercedes could be in a worse situation than last year, as he fears the team is on the "wrong track" with its 2023 Formula 1 car.
3rd March 2023, 17:43
By: Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

Asked what he had found out on track, Hamilton said: "We've found out we're a long way off. We kind of knew that a little bit in the test, but it's a big gap. I'm trying everything I can out there. I thought that Ferrari were second," he said. "But I think on the long run, we're quite close to Ferrari, and it looks like the Aston was second.”

"We're kind of between third and fourth. So we're kind of either where we were last year, or if not a little bit further behind. It's difficult for everybody. And this is really not where I think anyone in the team wants to be, and certainly not where I believe everyone deserves to be, because everyone continues to work so hard and really are so courageous and thoughtful in the process.”

"We're just on the wrong track. So we've got to just continue to graft away and find a way to get ourselves on the right track. But right now, we're a long way off from the guys in front."

‘Worse situation than last year’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/hamilton-fears-mercedes-worse-than-last-year-and-on-wrong-path/10439127/

[Fortitude]

Leclerc: Ferrari F1 "doesn't have performance for pole" in Bahrain GP.
Charles Leclerc F1 TV: "I don't think we have the performance maybe for pole."
18:24 Fri, 03 Mar 2023.
By: Matt Kew
Motorsport.com

In the later FP2 session, which best replicates qualifying conditions, Leclerc was fourth fastest as his Scuderia team-mate Carlos Sainz ran to 14th. Leclerc was 0.46s adrift of Aston Martin pacesetter Fernando Alonso and 0.3s in arrears of 2022 title rival Max Verstappen before the shift to focus on race stint simulations.

While Leclerc expected the strong Aston pace to drop off on Saturday, the Monegasque reckoned Ferrari would still not be there to fight for pole. He told F1 TV: "I don't think we have the performance maybe for pole.

"It's still early days. I maybe think that Aston is a bit quicker than they will be tomorrow. We don't know. It's just what I think." Leclerc reckoned his team had "most work to do" in tuning the SF-23 to fix its race pace but said "there's a bit of margin" to improve.

"Doesn't have performance for pole";

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/leclerc-ferrari-dont-have-performance-for-pole-at-bahrain-gp/10439178/


Charles Leclerc rules Ferrari out of pole contention at Bahrain GP
03 Mar 2023 8:25 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Reflecting on his day at the wheel of the SF-23, Leclerc said: “Let’s say that the feeling is better than testing. “On my side testing has been very, very inconsistent in the way we run the car because we were testing loads of things. So I didn’t have much time to put the car to my liking, which I did today. And I think that went really well.”

“On the other hand, it seems that again, what we thought was confirmed, Red Bull seemed quite a bit ahead compared to everyone, Aston seems very strong too. I maybe think that Aston is a bit quicker than what they will be tomorrow. “But let’s wait and see, for now we need to focus on ourselves, try to gain a bit of performance overnight and hopefully have a great qualifying.”

“I don’t think we have the performance maybe for pole, but we can be in the mix, and whenever we have races that are a bit more difficult, we should be here and try and take every opportunity, so that’s what we’ll try to do this weekend.” Of course pole is one thing, but as Ferrari found out all too often against Red Bull in 2022, it is over a race distance where the car must perform to bring the points home.

‘Ferrari out of pole contention’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/charles-leclerc-ferrari-not-bahrain-pole-contender/


Verstappen: Red Bull ‘really bad’ in F1 Bahrain GP practice
Saturday 4th March, 2023 - 12:00pm
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Held in the sunshine, conditions in which neither qualifying nor the race will be held, the Dutchman was unable to replicate the pace he’d enjoyed during pre-season testing a week ago. “Difficult start to the day,” he confessed.

“I mean, FP1 was really bad, just couldn’t get a balance which was a bit odd because in testing, whatever we tried, okay, some things were maybe not amazing, but not that far out. So, a few things to understand.”

“Even the start of FP2 was a bit difficult, but then I think for the final run, even though not really having a good reference and confidence up until then in the car, the last was not too bad. Also the car felt a bit more connected.”

“Difficult start to the day”;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/03/04/verstappen-battled-really-bad-f1-bahrain-gp-practice/


Bahrain GP: 'Long way off and on wrong track,' admits Hamilton after more F1 woe.
Mercedes driver said he had half-expected to discover a performance deficit, but not one as alarming as revealed on Friday
07:08, 4th March 2023.
The National

A disappointed Lewis Hamilton admitted Mercedes were "a long way off" the pace and struggling to close the gap after he finished eighth in Friday's second practice at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

"I'm trying everything I can, but it is what it is and we've just go to try and work at it. We kind of knew that a little from the test, but it's a big gap," he said. "We're not strong on single lap pace or race pace. I'd say they're very similar. We're a second a lap behind Red Bull so we've got a lot of work to do."

"We're just on the wrong track so we've got to continue to graft away and find a way to get on the right track," he added. "Right now we're a long way from the guys in front. Do I believe we can close the gap? Yes, I do, but I think it's quite hard with the concept we have."

‘Half-expected to discover a performance deficit, but not one as alarming as revealed on Friday’;

https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/f1/2023/03/04/bahrain-gp-long-way-off-and-on-wrong-track-admits-hamilton-after-more-f1-woe/


Alonso Victory? 5 Things To Watch For - 2023 Bahrain GP Preview
Published ‎Mar‎ ‎03‎, ‎2023‎ ‎6‎:‎24‎ ‎PM
Inside Line F1 Podcast (Weblog)

Fernando Alons-ooooh! Will he take the top step of the podium this Sunday in the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix?
In this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, preview the first race of the 2023 Formula 1 season.
Five things to watch for:
1. 2023 cars - we will finally see them!
2. End of sandbagging
3. Fernando Alonso
4. Overtaking fest.
5. Race strategy

‘Fernando Alons-ooooh!’;

https://omny.fm/shows/inside-line-f1-podcast/alonso-victory-5-things-to-watch-for-2023-bahrain

[Fortitude]

Alonso pips Verstappen by five-thousandths of a second in final practice.
Alonso put Aston Martin on top for the second consecutive practice session, ahead of the Red Bulls of Verstappen and Sergio Perez.
2023 Bahrain Grand Prix third practice
Posted on 4th March 2023, 12:384th March 2023, 12:42
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Fernando Alonso was the fastest driver in final practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix, just five-thousandths of a second quicker than Max Verstappen. Lewis Hamilton gave Mercedes some encouragement by setting the fourth-fastest time ahead of Charles Leclerc, the fastest of the Ferraris in fifth. The top 13 cars were separated by less than nine tenths of a second.

(WHEN) …it was the turn of the two fastest from Friday, Alonso and Verstappen, to have a fast lap on soft tyres. Verstappen set a new best time with a 1’32.345 to put Red Bull on top for the first time in the hour, before Alonso retook the top spot by just five-thousandths of a second.

Perez was third-fastest again for Red Bull, exactly a tenth of a second slower than Verstappen. Hamilton ended the session fourth fastest, ahead of Leclerc’s Ferrari and team mate Russell. Stroll was seventh ahead of Sainz, with Oscar Piastri ninth and Pierre Gasly rounding out the top ten for Alpine.

‘Alonso put Aston Martin on top for the second consecutive practice session’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/04/alonso-pips-verstappen-by-five-thousandths-of-a-second-in-final-practice/


(FP3) Third Practice Results – 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix
4th March 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin -1:32.340
2. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.005
3. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.106
4. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.215
5. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.284
6. George Russell Mercedes +0.391
7. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +0.579
8. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.605
9. Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.705
10. Pierre Gasly Alpine +0.724

‘Bahrain Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the final free practice ahead of this weekend’s 2023 F1 World Championship opener in Bahrain’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp3-third-practice-results-2023-bahrain-grand-prix-81592


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from final practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix
04 March 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-third-practice-in-bahrain-2023.4A5B6Ik9HmZJFu6IdBZild.html


Alonso fastest again in final Bahrain GP practice
4th March 2023, 12:42
By Valentin Khorounzhiy
The Race

Aston Martin Formula 1 driver Fernando Alonso was quickest again in the final practice session for the Bahrain Grand Prix, once more outpacing the Red Bull duo.

Key moments:
> Alonso 0.005s ahead of Verstappen
> Mercedes fourth and sixth
> Piastri gets McLaren into top 10
> Williams, AlphaTauri slowest again

Informed that he was “still P1”, Alonso responded with a nonchalant “Ah, really? Great.” to his Aston team – and he stayed in that spot until the chequered flag, as the other Red Bull, that of Sergio Perez, came up a tenth short.

‘Informed that he was “still P1”, Alonso responded with a nonchalant “Ah, really? Great.”!’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/alonso-fastest-again-in-final-bahrain-gp-practice/


Bahrain GP: Alonso pips Verstappen by 0.005s in final F1 practice
Fernando Alonso edged out Max Verstappen by 0.005s in final practice for Formula 1's Bahrain Grand Prix, setting up a mouth-watering qualifying battle.
4th March 2023.12:47
By: Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

The sweltering afternoon conditions in Sakhir were not particularly inviting for fast times, with early laps over two seconds slower than during Friday night's FP2. After some unrepresentative efforts, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc went top with a 1m33.574s on softs, a time which was gradually improved upon by first Lewis Hamilton and then Alonso.

The Spaniard, who had caused a stir by topping FP2, led at the halfway mark with a 1m33.121s, ahead of Hamilton, Carlos Sainz and Leclerc. Verstappen was fifth at that stage, but ominously less than six tenths behind Alonso on the slower hard compound, even as he complained of having "no grip".

The pace picked up after the typical mid-session pause, with Alfa Romeo's Zhou Guanyu briefly appearing in second. It was the prelude to a flurry of faster times, led by Aston Martin's Lance Stroll. While recovering from a broken right wrist, the Canadian went top with a 1m32.010s with 15 minutes to go, establishing an Aston 1-2.

‘Alonso pips Verstappen’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/bahrain-gp-alonso-pips-verstappen-by-0005s-in-final-f1-practice/10439471/

[Fortitude]

Verstappen leads Red Bull front row lock-out after Leclerc sits out last run.
World champion Max Verstappen has secured pole position ahead of Red Bull team mate Sergio Perez for the opening round of the Formula 1 season in Bahrain.
2023 Bahrain Grand Prix qualifying
Posted on 4th March 2023, 16:21
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Verstappen improved on his own provisional pole time on his final attempt of the session to beat Perez to pole by a tenth of a second. The Red Bulls were the only cars to breach the 1’30 barrier, with the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jnr occupying the second row. Fernando Alonso will start fifth for Aston Martin.

Red Bull headed back out in the final minutes, as Alonso and the Mercedes came back in to the pits, their qualifying over. Surprisingly, Leclerc was not sent back out by Ferrari, leaving the battle for pole position as a shootout between the Red Bulls and Sainz.

Verstappen improved to a 1’29.708, lowering his own provisional pole time, but while Perez did break into the 1’29s, it was not enough to deny his team mate the first pole of the season. Sainz could only manage fourth, jumping ahead of Alonso but remaining behind team mate Leclerc. The two Mercedes finished the session sixth and seventh, with Stroll in eighth after improving on his first run in the final moments. Ocon secured ninth on the grid for Alpine, while Hulkenberg will start tenth on his return to the F1 grid.

‘Verstappen leads Red Bull front row lock-out’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/04/verstappen-leads-red-bull-front-row-lock-out-after-leclerc-sits-out-last-run/


Qualifying Results – 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix
4th March 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Q3
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -1:29.708
2. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.138
3. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.292
4. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.446
5. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.628
6. George Russell Mercedes +0.632
7. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.676
8. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +1.128
9. Esteban Ocon Alpine +1.276
10. Nico Hulkenberg Haas NC

‘Bahrain Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from qualifying ahead of the opening race of the 2023 F1 World Championship in Bahrain’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/qualifying-results-2023-bahrain-grand-prix-81596


LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix
04 March 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

‘As it happened’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-qualifying-in-bahrain-2023.3qF1Dea9dM4zy8ooYNAjzh.html


Verstappen seizes pole in Bahrain GP qualifying
Sunday 5th March, 2023 - 3:11am
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Max Verstappen has claimed pole position in a competitive qualifying session for tomorrow’s F1 Bahrain Grand Prix. Verstappen had been the favourite heading into the session following a strong pre-season, though faced competition from Ferrari, Mercedes, and Aston Martin in the lead into Qualifying 3.

When it came to the crunch, however, the Dutchman delivered on his potential to record the 21st pole position of his career. Sergio Perez will start second with Charles Leclerc third, one spot ahead of team-mate Carlos Sainz. Fernando Alonso is the lead Aston Martin in fifth, one spot ahead of George Russell.

‘Verstappen seizes pole’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/03/05/verstappen-seizes-pole-in-bahrain-gp-qualifying/


Red Bull sweeps Bahrain GP front row ahead of Ferraris
Mar 4 2023
By Josh Suttill
The Race

Max Verstappen will start Formula 1’s 2023 season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix from pole position as Fernando Alonso’s practice-topping pace translated to fifth place on the grid.

Expectations were high for Alonso after he topped FP2 and FP3 in his Aston Martin and that pace was something he appeared to substantiate in Q1 but he was clearly adrift of the pole fight by the time Q3 rolled around and he ended up fifth fastest.

Verstappen topped qualifying on a 1m29.708s, with his team-mate Sergio Perez completing an all-Red Bull front row in second place, 0.138s slower than Verstappen. The Ferrari drivers will share the second row with Charles Leclerc in third, some 0.292s shy of pole.

‘All-Red Bull front row’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/red-bull-sweeps-bahrain-gp-front-row-ahead-of-ferraris/


Qualifying: Verstappen claims first pole of 2023 in Bahrain
04/03/2023 at 16:21
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Max Verstappen successfully claimed pole position for the Bahrain Grand Prix, with Sergio Perez making it an all-Red Bull front row for tomorrow's race.

Charles Leclerc opted not to make a second run in Q3 meaning that he settled for third place, putting him alongside Ferrari team mate Carlos Sainz on the grid for the start of tomorrow's race.

Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso wasn't quite able to deliver on his practice promise but was still a strong fifth putting him ahead of Mercedes pair George Russell and Lewis Hamilton.

‘Verstappen claims first pole’;

https://f1i.com/news/467748-qualifying-verstappen-claims-first-pole-of-2023-in-bahrain.html


Qualy: Max Verstappen starts his title defence with pole position, issues for Charles Leclerc
04 Mar 2023 4:16 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen will start his title defence from pole position, the Red Bull driver leading a Red Bull lock-out of the front row at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Leclerc’s session ended with yet more drama, the driver jumping out of his car when it looked as if his mechanics were about to take the tyre blankets off. Ferrari said to be saving tyres for Sunday’s race.

That left it to Verstappen to secure pole, the reigning World Champion upping his pace to a 1:29.708 with Perez making it a Red Bull 1-2 ahead of Leclerc and Sainz. Alonso dropped to fifth ahead of Russell, Hamilton, Stroll, Ocon and Hulkenberg.

‘Ferrari said to be saving tyres for Sunday’s race’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/bahrain-grand-prix-2023-qualifying-report/

[Fortitude]

Another blunder? Charles Leclerc admits to bizarre Ferrari strategy.
Charles Leclerc has revealed that Ferrari’s bizarre Q3 strategy at the Bahrain Grand Prix was done purposefully and was not due to a technical issue, with the Monegasque having weirdly jumped out of his car with three minutes of qualifying remaining.
by Nick Golding
4 March 2023
Formula1News

With Leclerc having been in second after the initial Q3 runs, it was expected that the 25-year-old would complete a second run on his spare set of fresh Soft tyres; however, he ultimately stayed in the garage following his sole run.

As a result, he dropped to third behind Sergio Pérez who improved on his final lap, with Leclerc having opted to save a set of fresh Soft tyres for the race on Sunday. Leclerc explained the logic behind saving a set of Soft tyres for the race, with him believing that starting in third on new Soft tyres puts him in a “better place”.

‘Another blunder?’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/another-blunder-charles-leclerc-admits-to-bizarre-ferrari-strategy/


VASSEUR: ‘LECLERC? THE CHAMPIONSHIP IS NOT WON WITH POLES’
Ferrari surprised fans with a bold strategy for Charles Leclerc to save a set of tyres for the start of the Bahrain GP tomorrow
March 4, 2023
Dalila Zanardo
FormulaNerds

Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur admitted the decision to not have driver Charles Leclerc participate in the last run of Q3 was planned to save a set of soft tyres for the race, as the team expects to struggle with degradation during the Bahrain GP. Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc surprised fans by only making a first attempt at the pole position during qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix.

The choice, considered bold by many, will result in the Monegasque starting third behind both Red Bulls but with one set of new soft tyres. The decision was a strategic choice as Maranello expects to struggle with tyre degradation tomorrow, hence leading to this unusual end of Q3.

Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur: “We were first in Q1 and Q2, then with Charles, we decided to keep a set of softs for the race. If he could have fought for pole? Difficult to know, without a doubt the track is always improving. Max managed to do it, maybe we could’ve expected the same improvement from Charles and be in the fight. But it was important to focus on the race and not get carried away by emotions.”

‘CHAMPIONSHIP IS NOT WON WITH POLES’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/vasseur-leclerc-the-championship-is-not-won-with-poles/?nowprocket=1


Leclerc: I could’ve got Bahrain GP pole position
Charles Leclerc qualified third for Ferrari behind Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez at the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix
By Adam Dickinson
March 4, 2023
Total Motorsport

Charles Leclerc believes he could’ve beaten Max Verstappen to pole position for the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix if he’d been allowed a second run in qualifying. Leclerc was second and just one tenth behind Verstappen with a minute to go in qualifying, but the Ferrari driver climbed out of the car at that stage while both Red Bulls went for a final lap that put Verstappen further ahead and allowed Sergio Perez to leapfrog Leclerc.

Ferrari opted to save a set of tyres for raceday instead, and left the Tifosi wondering what if rather than celebrating a season-opening pole as in 2022. “I mean, I hate saying yes,” Leclerc told the media when asked if he could’ve beaten Verstappen. “It’s difficult to say, but for sure, seeing the margin on the first set I knew there was a bit of time to find so it will have been close.

“Also Aston Martin seems to be really, really quick in the race which is why we made that choice in Q3 I think, which I’m sure is the right choice. But let’s see tomorrow.”

‘Could’ve got Bahrain GP pole position’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-leclerc-ferrari-bahrain-gp-2023-pole-position/


Ferrari’s strategy gamble and Alonso in podium hunt – What To Watch For in the Bahrain GP
04 March 2023
Special Contributor
Chris Medland
Formula One - Official Site

We’ve pick out some key areas to keep an eye on when the lights go out at the Bahrain International Circuit…

1. Can Ferrari take the fight to Red Bull? Red Bull left pre-season testing as the clear favourites for 2023, and a front-row lock-out would back up that prediction. 2. Alonso chasing a podium but Mercedes a threat. “Now we are saying we start P5 and maybe we fight with the Ferraris for the podium,” Alonso said. “This is just incredible.”

3. Hulkenberg’s comeback potential. Hulkenberg was particularly impressive with the way he progressed through Q2 in what is a remarkably close midfield, and in the end an all-out final qualifying lap saw him exceed track limits, but the time would have left him 10th on the grid regardless. 4. The ‘midfield’ picture. Another driver to keep an eye on when it comes to performance over a race distance is Lance Stroll, who is somehow managing to drive competitively despite breaking his wrist two weeks ago and having surgery to insert screws.

‘What To Watch For’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.ferraris-strategy-gamble-and-alonso-in-podium-hunt-what-to-watch-for-in-the.6SVjzsfPrXNucLrgcPOZkI.html


Alonso “very impressive from the moment he got in the car” – Fallows
2023 Bahrain Grand Prix
Posted on 5th March 2023, 7:154th March 2023, 21:42
Written by Will Wood and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

Aston Martin technical director Dan Fallows says he and the rest of his team are “very, very pleased” with the impact Fernando Alonso has had since joining them this season. Alonso went quickest in two of the three practice sessions for the Bahrain Grand Prix before qualifying fifth for today’s race.

Fallows, expressed before qualifying how pleased the technical team at Silverstone had been by Alonso’s impact since joining at the start of the year. “He’s clearly very impressive chap,” Fallows said. “He’s incredibly motivated, incredibly competitive and he’s brought a huge amount of energy to the team.”

“I think he has been very impressive from the moment he got in the car last year. His feedback is where you’d expect it to be for somebody with his level of experience. But he has the ability to diagnose issues with the car in a way that, as an engineering team, we’re very, very pleased with.” Alonso and Aston Martin drew the attention of rival teams and drivers with an impressive pre-season testing period in which Alonso regularly featured in the top five in the timings.

“Very impressive from the moment he got in the car”;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/05/alonso-very-impressive-from-the-moment-he-got-in-the-car-fallows/


‘It’s not realistic’: Mercedes’ two-year mistake now clear as boss admits they can’t win the title
March 5th, 2023 3:32 pm
Max Laughton
Fox Sports (Australia)

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff made the frank admission on Sunday (AEDT) his team could not return to the top of Formula 1 without major changes to its car concept. Their bold design philosophy was found to be problematic, with the car having to run so low to work as intended that the porpoising made it undriveable.

That meant the car had to be raised so high it simply wasn’t as fast as the top teams, Red Bull and Ferrari. Changes across the 2022 season allowed Lewis Hamilton and George Russell to contend for podiums, and even a race win for the latter in Brazil, and the team was hopeful of making continued progress into 2023.

But the W14 has not taken the expected leap forwards, with Russell and Hamilton qualifying sixth and seventh for the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, behind Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso plus the two Red Bulls and Ferraris. Speaking after qualifying Wolff conceded this concept, even with expected growth across 2023, is not going to bring the team back into championship contention.

‘Two-year mistake, can’t win the title’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/its-not-realistic-mercedes-twoyear-mistake-now-clear-as-boss-admits-they-cant-win-the-title/news-story/954047e537b39d2738f91e43c2fb2bd3


Wolff: Mercedes must change car concept to return to top in F1
18:02 Sat, 04 Mar 2023.
By: Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

With George Russell and Lewis Hamilton qualifying sixth and seventh, Wolff said the reality of his team’s lack of performance had hit home. With the squad having pushed on with the same car concept as last year, while many rivals had gone down the Red Bull downwash solution, Wolff said it was time to admit his outfit had got it wrong.

“I don't think this package is going to be competitive eventually. We gave it our best shot all over the winter, and now we just need to all regroup and sit down with the engineers, who are totally not dogmatic about anything. There are no holy cows and we need to decide what is the development direction that we want to pursue, in order to be competitive to win races.”

“We are racers, and we are racing, and we will never give up fighting every single session to be on top,” he said. “If you look at the pecking order, today, you say, well, it's not realistic. But I'm looking at what can we find next week? What can we add to the car? What is the change of direction that we can implement? And how quickly is that, so that maybe we can turn the ship around this year? It's just first qualifying of '23. That's why I don't want to discount anything for this year, while being totally realistic that it [the car] needs a lot to change a lot.”

‘Change car concept to return to top in F1’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/wolff-mercedes-must-change-car-concept-to-return-to-top-in-f1/10439712/

[Fortitude]

‘Their car’s half ours and they found 2s’ – Mercedes aim for same progress as Aston.
Mercedes admit the leap forward made by their engine customers Aston Martin shows the progress they should be making.
2023 Bahrain Grand Prix
Posted on 5th March 2023, 9:155th March 2023, 8:48
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

Aston Martin delivered on its pre-season promise in qualifying yesterday as Fernando Alonso took fifth place on the grid with a lap which was almost two-and-a-half seconds faster than the team’s best effort at the same circuit 12 months ago.

Alonso narrowly beat the two Mercedes drivers to fifth place on the grid, pipping George Russell by four thousandths of a second. Russell said that showed what was possible for his team.

“You’ve got to take Aston Martin’s case,” he said after qualifying. “I think they probably had a good basis last year and they added a load of performance over the winter. And if it’s possible, if anybody can do it, we can do it. So I think they’re a good example of what is possible.”

‘Delivered on its pre-season promise’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/05/their-cars-half-ours-and-they-found-2s-mercedes-aim-for-same-progress-as-aston/


Alonso 'laughing' at Bahrain GP podium chance on 'unreal' weekend
05 March 2023

Inside Racing

Fernando Alonso was left "laughing" at the possibility of a podium on an "unreal" weekend at the Bahrain Grand Prix. "It was amazing. The whole weekend has been unreal for us. It was like too good to be true in every session and every performance of the car.”

"And then in qualifying, our expectation was to be around half a second from Red Bull, so it was quite right." On race day, Alonso's potential could be even higher as questions over Ferrari's tyre wear make a podium a realistic prospect.

"Let's see, yes," the double world champion said. "I'm laughing because going for a podium in race one... it feels too good to be true. But for sure, what we saw so far on our car, and also historically Aston Martin has a very good tyre management. So yeah, if we have an opportunity for sure, we will take it."

"I'm laughing because going for a podium in race one”;

https://www.insideracing.com/formula-1/16617-alonso-laughing-at-bahrain-gp-podium-chance-on-unreal-weekend


Alonso: Eight months ago Aston Martin F1 choice "was just a bet"
5th March 2023, 12:19
By: Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

Alonso shocked F1's silly season last summer when he slid into the Aston seat left vacant by the retiring Sebastian Vettel, leaving Alpine scrambling to find a replacement as it also saw junior driver Oscar Piastri move to McLaren. The 41-year-old has a history of making bold team decisions, often ending up at the wrong team at the wrong time, ever since claiming two world titles for Renault in 2004 and 2005.

"I don't know even what to say, because eight months ago the project was just a bet," he said. "But now to be race one with a completely new car - which I think we need still to unlock a lot of potential of - to be in the top five fighting with Ferrari, Mercedes, it seems a little bit unreal, but we take it for sure."

"There is a lot more to come in terms of development of this project, so I'm optimistic for that. This project has the motivation to always go for more, so there are good things coming for Aston Martin."

"Was just a bet";

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/alonso-eight-months-ago-aston-martin-f1-choice-was-just-a-bet/10439993/


Nico Rosberg claims Aston Martin poaching key Red Bull designer key to their success
Aston Martin signed former Red Bull designer Dan Fallows at the start of 2022.
5 March 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

2016 Formula 1 World Champion Nico Rosberg praised the “phenomenal job” being done by Aston Martin, with the Silverstone-based team having asserted themselves as a podium contender at this weekend’s season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

Given that they claimed seventh in the Constructors’ Championship, Aston Martin’s improvement is exceptional, with Rosberg believing it’s been made possible thanks to some instrumental signings. “It’s looking to be the case that Aston have produced a really good car,” said Rosberg on Sky Sports F1.

“Phenomenal job by them! The factory there has always produced within the means that they had. They’ve always done a great, great job very, very often. It’s been a couple of key hires that they’ve done in the last year – from Red Bull, for example, they brought in the number two aerodynamicist Dan Fallows, and he knows all about the concept of the Red Bull car for this particular set of regulations.”

“Phenomenal job”;

https://formula1news.co.uk/nico-rosberg-claims-aston-martin-poaching-key-red-bull-designer-key-to-their-success/


Helmut Marko makes concerning admission about Aston Martin
Red Bull locked out the front row during qualifying, with Max Verstappen taking pole position ahead of Sergio Perez.
5 March 2023
by Jack Devonport
Formula1News

Heading into qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix, Red Bull would have been worried about Ferrari, Aston Martin and maybe even Mercedes, with no one quite knowing the true pace of every team following testing and practice.

Red Bull’s chief advisor Helmut Marko has claimed that the Scuderia are not his team’s main worry ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix. The Austrian reportedly told Sky Germany that Red Bull actually see Aston Martin as their main rival for the race, with Ferrari’s tyre degradation being too high for them to mount a serious challenge during the race.

Fernando Alonso’s recent claims would back Marko’s prediction up, with the Spaniard telling the media after pre-season testing that Aston Martin outperformed Ferrari after running the exact same long-run test as the Scuderia.

‘Aston Martin as their main rival’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/helmut-marko-makes-concerning-admission-about-aston-martin/


“I see why Lewis Hamilton is asking questions”, says Ted Kravitz after Mercedes outpaced by Aston Martin in F1 Bahrain Grand Prix qualifying
5 Mar 2023
James Dielhenn

Mercedes lagging behind Aston Martin, who use the same power unit, is why Lewis Hamilton was critical of his team’s concept, says Sky’s Ted Kravitz.

“They were third and fourth in Q2 but ended up behind Alonso, with the same power unit,” Kravitz said on Sky. “This is the key, this is the key! Lewis said after practice: ‘This is the most we can achieve with our concept and we can’t have a Plan B under the cost cap because we can’t afford it’.”

“When you look at Mercedes’ power unit running a different concept of car at Aston Martin? And Aston Martin are ahead? I can see, you can probably see, why Lewis is asking questions.”

“This is the key, this is the key!”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1021592/1/merc-s-power-unit-faster-aston-i-see-why-hamilton-asking-questions


‘Lewis Hamilton asking questions after Mercedes lost to the Mercedes-powered Aston Martin’
05 Mar 2023 10:45 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

That the Aston Martin in the hands of Fernando Alonso had better pace than the Mercedes is, as Ted Kravitz put it, “the key” to suggest Lewis Hamilton’s comments about the W14’s concept could be spot on.

Even Toto Wolff was questioning Mercedes’ design philosophy after George Russell and Hamilton both lost out to the Aston Martin of Alonso in Saturday night’s qualifying.

Kravitz reckons losing to Aston Martin in qualifying, a car powered by Mercedes’ own power unit, could to be the “key” to triggering Mercedes into making changes.

‘Questioning Mercedes’ design philosophy’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-hamilton-questions-mercedes-powered-aston-martin/

[Fortitude]

Verstappen leads dominant Red Bull one-two as Alonso races to third.
Max Verstappen started the 2023 season in dominant fashion for Red Bull, leading home team mate Sergio Perez as Fernando Alonso took a podium for Aston Martin in third.
2023 Bahrain Grand Prix summary
Posted on 5th March 2023, 16:525th March 2023, 16:54
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

The reigning world champions never looked under pressure during the race, with both Red Bull drivers holding almost half a minute of advantage over the rest of the field. The 20 cars lined up on the grid for the first time for Formula 1’s longest-ever season, with the two Red Bulls of Verstappen and Perez leading the field from the front row. When the five lights vanished to begin the 2023 season, Verstappen led away but Charles Leclerc beat Perez on the run to turn one, moving into second place with Carlos Sainz Jnr remaining fourth. Alonso dropped from fifth to seventh behind the two Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell after he was hit by team mate Lance Stroll from behind at turn four.

On lap 40, Leclerc suddenly lost power in his Ferrari heading up the hill of turn 11, pulling off to the side of the road and into retirement. That brought out the Virtual Safety Car for a lap, while the Ferrari was pushed behind the barriers.

When the race resumed, Alonso began to catch Sainz’s Ferrari, which now occupied third place. After pressuring his rival heavily, Alonso out-dragged Sainz out of turn 10 to move into the final podium position in third. With Alonso through, Sainz was then caught by Hamilton’s Mercedes. However, Hamilton was unable to pressure the sole remaining Ferrari, and Sainz managed to pull safely clear again.

‘Dominant Red Bull one-two’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/05/verstappen-leads-dominant-red-bull-one-two-as-alonso-races-to-third/


Race Results – 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix
5th March 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing – 57 laps
2. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +11.987
3. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +38.637
4. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +48.052
5. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +50.977
6. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +54.502
7. George Russell Mercedes +55.873
8. Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo +72.647
9. Pierre Gasly Alpine +73.753
10. Alex Albon Williams Racing +89.774

‘Bahrain Grand Prix – Here are the complete race results from today’s 2023 F1 World Championship opening race from Bahrain’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/race-results-2023-bahrain-grand-prix-81615


LIVE COVERAGE: All the action from the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix
05 March 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

‘As It Happened’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-formula-1-gulf-air-bahrain-grand-prix-2023.1X5oBGNMdRKUzQyksxOygK.html


Race: Max Verstappen untouchable but the Bahrain GP was the Fernando Alonso show
05 Mar 2023 4:40 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen and Red Bull gave their rivals a masterclass, the Dutchman untouchable as he began his title defence with a victory at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix. The Aston Martin driver was the star of Sunday night’s race as he raced, overtook and beat Carlos Sainz, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell to grab his first podium for his new team.

Alonso caught Hamilton and challenged the Mercedes driver. He briefly got ahead but Alonso oversteered and slid the back end of his AMR23 with Hamilton back again. Alonso tried again, catching and passing Hamilton down into Turn 10 to run P5. This time Hamilton wasn’t able to fight back. “Yes, let’s go!”

While the Red Bulls ran 1-2 with Verstappen 10s up on Perez, Sainz came under attack from Alonso. With the Ferrari driver worried about his tyres not going the distance, Alonso tried the switchback and almost whacked the Ferrari. He tried again, up to P3 on his Aston Martin debut. Alonso pulled away from his compatriot while Hamilton closed up on the back of the Ferrari.

‘Bahrain GP was the Fernando Alonso show’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/bahrain-grand-prix-2023-race-report/


Alonso hails “hero” team mate Stroll despite first-lap clash after podium return
2023 Bahrain Grand Prix
Posted on 5th March 2023, 17:10
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Fernando Alonso finished on the podium in his first race for Aston Martin then lavished praise on his team mate Lance Stroll – despite the pair colliding on the first lap of the race. Aston Martin delivered on their pre-season promise as Alonso was the first car home behind the dominant Red Bulls. Stroll took sixth on his return to the cockpit after undergoing surgery on his wrist following a bike crash two weeks ago.

The race nearly went awry for the team on the first lap when Stroll hit Alonso at turn four while trying to pass George Russell. The pair were able to continue, but Alonso was concerned about the collision and asked whether it had been investigated. After the race it emerged Alonso had been unaware who hit him. His race engineer Chris Cronin explained the first-lap collision. “Lance was trying to get past George and as you switched back to try and get Hamilton, Lance just couldn’t quite get stopped in time,” he said. “There was no damage to either car, so all okay.”

“Okay,” Alonso replied. “I thought it was George!” “I’m so proud of you,” Alonso told the team after scoring his first podium finish since the 2021 Qatar Grand prix. This is amazing. By the way, Lance is my hero,” he added. “Amazing performance from him.”

‘This is amazing’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/05/alonso-hails-hero-team-mate-stroll-despite-first-lap-clash-after-podium-return/


'No power, no power!' Ferrari's Charles Leclerc forced to retire from F1 Bahrain GP
5 Mar 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Charles Leclerc was been forced to retire from the F1 season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix with a suspected power unit issue. The Monegasque reported he had "no power" as he ground to a halt after running in third place behind the Red Bull duo of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.

A Ferrari spokesperson said "we seem to have lost the engine on Charles' car". It marks a huge setback to Leclerc after Ferrari had already been forced to take on a new energy store before the first race of the season.

Leclerc has already used up 50 percent of his energy store allocation for the year and could be set for further engine headaches down the line, given his failure in Bahrain.

'No power, no power!';

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1021681/1/no-power-no-power-leclerc-forced-bahrain-gp-retirement

[Fortitude]

‘A second off’ – Leclerc despondent at poor Ferrari pace and DNF.
Charles Leclerc said it was impossible to find any positives from Ferrari’s Bahrain Grand Prix after he retired from the 2023 Formula 1 season opener with an engine problem, having been – in his assessment – a second off Red Bull’s pace.
5th March 2023, 17:12
By Matt Beer, Scott Mitchell-Malm and Edd Straw
The Race

Ferrari carried quiet optimism into winter testing but was more cautious about its prospects ahead of the Bahrain GP weekend. Leclerc and team-mate Carlos Sainz then qualified behind the Red Bulls on row two, and though Leclerc took second from Sergio Perez at the start, he was re-passed in the second stint and then fell away before having to retire from third.

Ferrari had put a huge emphasis on winter reliability work after problems in that area stymied its 2022 title bid. Asked by The Race how worrying it therefore was to have more reliability blows instantly, Leclerc replied: “I cannot say it feels good. Obviously there was quite a lot of work on that. We need to keep working because first race and first reliability problem, not good.”

And in response to another question from The Race about whether there had been any reliability concerns emerging from Ferrari’s factory and dyno work, he replied: “Not from what I know.” Ferrari’s poor pace is as concerning to Leclerc as the reliability drama.

‘A second off’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/not-good-leclerc-despondent-after-bahrain-gp-double-blow/


Leclerc calls on Ferrari to ‘understand what went wrong’ after painful Bahrain GP retirement
05 March 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Charles Leclerc cut a deflated figure in the immediate aftermath of the Bahrain Grand Prix as his 2023 season began with retirement and a non-score due to technical problems at Ferrari. Leclerc’s race got off to a positive start when he jumped from third to second – between Red Bull drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez – by making good use of the fresh soft tyres he saved in qualifying.

Reflecting on his race, and what was possible before retiring, Leclerc said: “We definitely had the car to fight for the podium. I mean, honestly, the podium was there. “We had a good gap behind, I was managing the pace, everything felt good, so it is a shame. Now I just hope we can look into it, understand what went wrong and don’t have this problem anymore…”

Asked if there were any positives to take from the weekend, Leclerc pointed to his and Ferrari’s decision not to complete a second run in qualifying – and bank an extra set of soft tyres – before offering a frank assessment. I mean, the first stint, the choice that we have made was the right one in qualifying yesterday. Apart from that, not much,” he summed up.

‘Understand what went wrong’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.leclerc-calls-on-ferrari-to-understand-what-went-wrong-after-painful-bahrain.76qwiRRGTlos9Bh1CDeoFK.html


Charles Leclerc out of Bahrain GP and groans over radio as Ferrari engine dies
Leclerc was on for good points and a podium finish in the Bahrain Grand Prix, but with just 17 laps to go the Ferrari star was forced to pull over as his engine died
16:14, 5 Mar 2023
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer

Charles Leclerc was clearly gutted as his engine failed while he was pushing for a podium in the Bahrain Grand Prix. Leclerc was running in third with just 17 laps to go in the first race of the season. The two Red Bulls were a long way ahead and probably would not be caught, but a place on the podium and a strong haul of points was on offer for the Monegasque.

But it was not to be for the Ferrari man. Suddenly, he was forced to pull over at the side of the track as he suffered mechanical problems. Replays appeared to show that his engine died as he attempted to go around a corner. The disappointment in his voice was obvious as he spoke over the radio as he parked his car at the side of the track. "Oh no, come on," Leclerc moaned before he asked: "What happened? No power!"

‘Groans over radio’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/breaking-leclerc-ferrari-engine-bahrain-29378651


Dejected Leclerc: I had no warning of 'complete shutdown'
05 March 6:14PM
Author Luke Murphy
RacingNews365

Charles Leclerc cut a disappointed figure in Formula 1 paddock after a late retirement from third place at the Bahrain GP. Charles Leclerc struggled to hide his disappointment at retiring from the first race of the 2023 Formula 1 season.

When asked if he had any warning about the issue, Leclerc responded: "No, I didn't. It just completely [shut down]. I cannot say that it feels good. Obviously, there was quite a lot of work done on that [over winter], but we need to keep working because first race and first reliability problems, so... not good."

Leclerc commented that Ferrari had feared after testing that Red Bull had the quicker car. "Unfortunately, after the the test, I think we were hoping that we were wrong in predicting things, but I think we were exactly right," added Leclerc. "We are very far from them in the race pace, and that was unfortunately expected."

‘No warning of complete shutdown’;

https://racingnews365.com/dejected-leclerc-i-had-no-warning-of-complete-shutdown


Leclerc concedes Red Bull 'on a different planet'
Sunday 5 March 2023 17:46 - Updated: 17:47
Sam Hall
GPFans

Charles Leclerc has conceded Red Bull are on a "different planet" after suffering late heartbreak with an engine failure at the Bahrain Grand Prix. "We are a step back and Red Bull is really on another planet, especially in the race," Leclerc told Canal+. Third was the best position we could have done. It's a shame."

Ferrari confirmed quickly after Leclerc's retirement that a suspected engine problem was to blame, shifting focus from the control electronics and energy store that the team had changed ahead of the race.

Refusing to speculate on his issue, Leclerc said: "I don't know what the problem is right now. I don't want to comment at this point. But we didn't finish the race and we'll have to look at that. There was just no power left. It's a shame because it's really on these weekends that we have to maximise the points with the potential of our car."

'On a different planet';

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/102734/bahrain-grand-prix-charles-leclerc-redbull-ferrari-another-planet/


Charles Leclerc reveals worrying Ferrari pace deficit after DNF heartbreak
05 Mar 2023 5:07 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Leclerc, speaking to media in Bahrain after his DNF, confirmed that he had “zero” warning of the impending failure, with the SF-23 shutting down “completely”. “I couldn’t do anything after that,” he added. “We need to keep working because obviously first race and first reliability problems, so not good.”

“Red Bull seems to have found something really big during the race pace. In terms of qualy pace, they are actually pretty similar to us or at least we managed to extract the lap time yesterday, but then we come to the race and we are a second every lap off the pace, which is huge.”

“Bahrain is also a very specific track, so I hope that the picture can change a little bit from the next race, but we cannot rely on that, we need to work and find something. So, we really need to work into that, plus the reliability.”

‘DNF heartbreak’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/charles-leclerc-ferrari-retires-bahrain/

[Fortitude]

Alonso praises Aston Martin for ‘second-best car’ after F1 Bahrain Grand Prix podium.
Fernando Alonso has praised Aston Martin for producing the “second-best car” after securing an “unreal” Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix podium.
March 5, 2023
Nathan Hartley
FormulaNerds

The 41-year-old produced a great performance to bring his Aston Martin AMR23 home in third, securing himself on the final step of the podium at the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix. However, the start of the race would be a bit worrying for the Spaniard. He would make contact with teammate Lance Stroll at Turn Three. Luckily, both drivers did not suffer any damage to their AMR23’s.

After the early scare, Alonso would manage his tyre as he would look to take the battle to both Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. Before the first round of pitstops, Alonso managed to get past Russell, while closing into Hamilton. After the round of pitstops, the 41-year-old was left with the task of passing former McLaren teammate Lewis Hamilton.

The two-time world champion would execute a perfectly-timed move down into Turn 10 on the seven-time world champion for fourth place. However, the Spaniard was not done there. He would then have a battle with fellow countryman Carlos Sainz – the pair almost came together during the encounter. After a stern defence from Sainz, Alonso was able to get past the Ferrari driver with DRS into Turn 11, managing to also pull away to secure the podium finish.

‘Second-best car’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/alonso-praises-aston-martin-for-second-best-car-after-f1-bahrain-grand-prix-podium/?nowprocket=1


DRIVER OF THE DAY: Alonso's ruthless podium charge gets your Bahrain vote
05 March 2023
Formula One - Official Site

He may have been hit by his team mate on the opening lap, but that didn't stop the oldest man on the grid putting in a sparkling performance in Sakhir. Winning thrilling duels with the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz, Fernando Alonso fought back in typically entertaining style to clinch a podium on his Aston Martin debut. Here’s how the voting broke down…

Fernando Alonso - 53.3%
Pierre Gasly - 6.5%
Max Verstappen - 6.3%
Lewis Hamilton - 5.5%
Charles Leclerc - 4.4%

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.driver-of-the-day-alonsos-ruthless-podium-charge-gets-your-bahrain-vote.2hGOMIa0YgnMSeM5nfp5sQ.html


Alonso gushes over Aston Martin after 'unreal' podium
Sunday 5 March 2023 17:00
Ewan Gale

Fernando Alonso has praised Aston Martin for its winter development after taking a stunning podium at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

The Spaniard finished third at the season opener to underline the confidence portrayed by the Silverstone-based outfit across the pre-season test at the same venue.

‘Alonso gushes over Aston Martin’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/102717/bahrain-gp-fernando-alonso-aston-martin-podium/


'Gladiator' Alonso rolls back the years with Bahrain overtaking brilliance
Sunday 5 March 2023 18:48
Stuart Hodge
GPFans

Fernando Alonso delivered a masterful display in the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix, showing off the very best of his overtaking skills on his way to a podium finish. For a while, Alonso was having to showcase his overtaking just to get back up to fifth, passing George Russell first on lap 13, through turns four, five and six, then he became involved in a breathtaking battle with Lewis Hamilton as the veterans locked horns.

Alonso pushed hard made a move on Hamilton, again for P5, on turn four, on lap 37 before Hamilton passed him back on the run out of the corner. A couple of laps later though, the Aston Martin driver got his revenge with a magnificent move on turn 10 as he made an audacious pass down the inside.

The Asturian then profited for Charles Leclerc's power failure to move up to fourth, and dished more misery for Ferrari when he passed compatriot Carlo Sainz on lap 45 after a lock-up by the younger man on turn 10, holding on from there to cement a debut podium for his new team.

'Gladiator';

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/102713/fernando-alonso-overtaking-f1-bahrain-gp-2023/


Impressive Alonso has brought 'huge energy' to Aston
05/03/2023 at 14:06
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Aston Martin technical director Dan Fallows has been impressed by the level of motivation and drive displayed by Fernando Alonso, and by the "huge energy" the Spaniard has brought to the team. Alonso's presence at Aston has inevitably led to comparisons with his predecessor, Sebastian Vettel. But Fallows underscored one key difference between the two F1 greats.

"They are different people, for certain, for sure," said the British engineer (Dan Fallows). "But I think Fernando has still got a huge amount of energy, he is still very, very keen to go racing. "He keeps saying that he'll just carry on as long as he can possibly go. And that's very infectious.”

"It's been great for the team for him to come around and say hello to people. We have various Spanish members of the team as well who are incredibly excited that he's arrived. So yeah, it's been great having [him] on board so far."

'Huge energy';

https://f1i.com/news/467859-impressive-alonso-has-brought-huge-energy-to-aston.html


Ted Kravitz says Lewis Hamilton is looking at Fernando Alonso as Mercedes doubts creep in
Lewis Hamilton was the seventh fastest driver in Q3 on Saturday, putting him behind his teammate George Russell.
5 March 2023
by Jack Devonport
Formula1News

After going winless in 2022, Lewis Hamilton would have hoped to have been back with a bang this year, challenging for podiums and race wins from the very start of the season. Mercedes struggled with their W13 design last season, which led to a major porpoising issue and general lack of performance.

Heading into the 2023 season, the design of the W14 does appear to have solved the violent bouncing issue but the lack of performance still remains compares to the likes of Ferrari and Red Bull. Sky Sports pundit Ted Kravitz has explained that it is Aston Martin’s performance that will be annoying the 38-year-old, as Fernando Alonso’s team are an engine customer of Mercedes.

“When you look at Mercedes’ power unit tunning a different concept of car at Aston Martin? And Aston Martin are ahead? I can see, you can probably see, why Lewis is asking questions.”

‘Mercedes doubts creep in’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/ted-kravitz-says-lewis-hamilton-is-looking-at-fernando-alonso-as-mercedes-doubts-creep-in/


‘I don’t know what he’s taking!’ – Horner praises Alonso
by Fergal Walsh
Motorsport Week

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has praised Fernando Alonso for his early season form, joking that he doesn’t know “what he’s taking”. Alonso ended the second practice session from Bahrain on top of the timesheets, after splitting both Red Bull cars in the first session.

“Their car looks great. And, you know, they had some really impressive race runs last week [in testing]. Fernando looks, you know, I don’t know what he’s taking but he’s looking great on it. He looks in looks on fire, so I think they could be a real surprise this year.”

“[Aston Martin are a] bit of a dark horse so yeah, look, it just shows that it is possible to take a jump from the mid-field to potentially further up.”

‘He’s looking great on it’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/03/04/i-dont-know-what-hes-taking-horner-praises-alonso/

[Fortitude]

Green Bull or not, Aston Martin are the full package and rivals need to take note.
Fernando Alonso romped past both the Mercedes and Ferrari cars to claim a podium finish in his first start for Aston Martin.
6 March 2023 • 12:24pm
GARY ANDERSON
FORMER JORDAN AND JAGUAR F1 TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
The Telegraph


Fernando Alonso’s podium for Aston Martin in Bahrain showed that they are well and truly in the fight to be the best team behind Red Bull. Red Bull’s one-two was a crushing way to start the season but it was Aston Martin’s progress that was the most eye-catching result in the desert. How has this happened? Firstly, they have recruited shrewdly under Lawrence Stroll’s ownership. There is no doubt that technical director Dan Fallows – who arrived from Red Bull last year – has been a crucial part of that.

Fallows worked as an aerodynamicist for many years at Milton Keynes under Adrian Newey and will have learned a lot in his time there. Last year they changed direction on their visual concept mid-way through the year after it became clear that their original car was not the best response to the sweeping regulation changes.

Their B-car was a Red Bull-driven development, and delivered results: in the first half of the season they scored 18 points, but doubled that in the second half with 37 further points. Going into 2023 they are the one team that has not been shy about putting a car on the grid that is a derivative of the quickest car out there: Red Bull.

‘The full package’;

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/formula-1/2023/03/06/green-bull-not-aston-martin-full-package-rivals-need-take-note/


Horner “flattered” by similarity between Aston Martin and Red Bull designs
2023 Bahrain Grand Prix
Posted on 6th March 2023, 12:246th March 2023, 13:06
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said it was “good to see the old car going so well” after Aston Martin emerged as the closest rival to his team in the season-opening race. Aston Martin’s new AMR23 also resembles Red Bull’s car. The team has made a larger step forward than any of its rivals over the last 12 months, cutting almost two-and-a-half seconds off its lap time in Bahrain.

Asked yesterday whether Aston Martin’s leap forward made him regret the loss of Fallows, Horner said: “No, because I think we have a wonderful team and everything has to evolve. Nothing stands still. I think that it’s flattering to see the resemblance of that car to ours,” he added. “So it was great to see the three of them on the podium.”

Aston Martin’s progress “demonstrates to all the teams that it’s possible,” said Horner. “They’ve obviously done a good job over the winter. They say imitation is the biggest form of flattery and it’s good to see the old car going so well.”

“Flattered”;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/06/horner-flattered-by-similarity-between-aston-martin-and-red-bull-designs/


TOTO WOLFF ON THE BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX: ‘ONE OF THE WORST DAYS IN RACING’
March 6, 2023
Rhiannon Temporal

The 2023 Formula One season marks the second year of Mercedes' no side-pods concept. Following the winter break, it appears that the team hasn’t made the jump they were hoping for as the Silver Arrows are now the fourth-best team on the grid. Is it finally time for a change?

In the lead-up to the race, Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff spoke to the press and seemed to indicate that Mercedes may change their car as they switch focus. A sentiment that Wolff seemed to double down on following the race. Wolff calls the Bahrain Grand Prix “one of the worst days in racing”

Following the conclusion of the season opener, Wolff was asked by Sky Sports F1 reporter Ted Kravitz to sum up their evening. The team principal responded: “Well, one of the worst days in racing, really not good at all. Just lacking pace front, right and centre.” He went on to compare Red Bull’s day to “our best years where, you know, we just pulled a second on everyone else,” calling them “the benchmark.” Wolff also went on to comment on Aston Martin, saying, “the Aston Martin is very fast. They deserve that.”

“One of the worst days in racing”;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/toto-wolff-on-the-bahrain-grand-prix-one-of-the-worst-days-in-racing/?nowprocket=1


Mercedes’ deficit to Red Bull has “doubled or tripled”, admits Wolff
2023 Bahrain Grand Prix
Posted on 6th March 2023, 10:39
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

Mercedes will tackle the question of how to respond to their poor start to the 2023 season “straight at the beginning of the week” said team principal Toto Wolff after Sunday’s race. The team’s hopes of shrinking its deficit to Red Bull were shattered in Bahrain where the reigning champions scored a dominant one-two. The first Mercedes home, driven by Lewis Hamilton, finished fifth and was 50 seconds behind winner Max Verstappen.

“When you look at where we were at the end of the season when it seemed like we caught up a lot and it was just a matter of which circuit suited us and which not,” Wolff told media including RaceFans. “I think we’ve almost doubled if not tripled the gap to Red Bull. And this is what we need to look at.”

Hamilton admitted Mercedes had the fourth-quickest car in Bahrain but Wolff said the sheer scale of their deficit to Red Bull is more troubling. “Everything in between – the Ferrari, the Aston – that’s just a sideshow. Having said that, I mean, what Aston Martin was able to achieve is a good inspiration because they came back from two seconds off the pace to be the second-quickest team, probably, on the road.

‘That’s just a sideshow’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/06/mercedes-deficit-to-red-bull-has-doubled-or-tripled-admits-wolff/


'A bit of a reality check' – Sainz worried by Ferrari's gap to Red Bull and Aston Martin after season opener
06 March 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Carlos Sainz says he and Ferrari have been handed “a bit of a reality check” after he finished fourth at the season opening race in Bahrain, with the Spaniard left concerned by the team’s pace when compared to rivals Red Bull and Aston Martin.

Sainz was able to fend off Hamilton in a late battle for fourth, but when asked whether he was frustrated not keep a hold of third place, he replied: “Not too much. I was actually surprised how long we were lasting in that position.”

The Spaniard later explained: “From the test we knew that the Red Bulls and the Aston Martins just have a lot better deg [degredation – ie, how gently they are able to treat their tyres], a lot better race pace than us, and in the end we had to settle for P4, which to be honest is not a lot better than we could have done today.

'A bit of a reality check';

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.a-bit-of-a-reality-check-sainz-worried-by-ferraris-gap-to-red-bull-and-aston.46mbJdL6FnJsOP47YqHDWK.html

[Fortitude]

Verstappen is already the heavy favourite for the F1 crown after just one race, Alonso shows class is permanent and Hamilton's Mercedes woes continue - SEVEN THINGS WE LEARNED from the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.
The first Formula One race of the 2023 season offered plenty of thrills and spills.
Red Bull's Max Verstappen made a serene start to world championship defence.
Fernando Alonso shone, while Lewis Hamilton came fifth at Bahrain Grand Prix.
Published: 16:02, 6 March 2023
By Max Mathews For Mailonline

In some ways, Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix, the curtain-raiser to the new 2023 Formula One season, offered us exactly what we expected. Red Bull leading from the front to take a one-two, Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton were off their rivals' pace, the same old issues for Ferrari.

On the other hand, the event in the Gulf kingdom also provided us thrills, spills, drama and fascinating new plotlines fans won't have seen coming. Aston Martin and Williams showing promising signs, nightmare starts for strong 2022 performers like Lando Norris and Esteban Ocon, and there was a grizzled 41-year-old on the podium.

‘Sportsmail looks at seven things we learned from the Bahrain GP.’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-11825435/F1-SEVEN-THINGS-LEARNED-Bahrain-Grand-Prix.html


Seven reasons why Max Verstappen’s Red Bull F1 team are just so bloody good
07 Mar 2023 6:00 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Best driver - The debate surrounding the greatest driver in F1 – in the present day and of all time – is highly divisive at the best of times, but can usually be answered by the posing of a simple question. Best wingman - The most disappointing thing about the Red Bull controversy in Brazil last year was that Verstappen did not seem to care much for the relationship he had just jeopardised.

Best car - When asked ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix to pinpoint the areas in which the RB19 was better than its predecessor, Verstappen’s initial one-word response would have sent a chill through the spines of his competitors. Best tech chief - Adrian Newey occupies an interesting position in the pantheon of sport’s greatest pioneers. Best team principal - Christian Horner has always recognised the importance of Newey to Red Bull. Whatever it took to keep Adrian Newey at Red Bull, Horner would do it and there is no greater tribute to his management than a passage in Newey’s autobiography on his decision to stay put in 2014, which reads like a love letter.

Best strategy - In Bahrain on Sunday, Verstappen and Perez were two of only three cars that finished in the top 10 to switch to a second set of soft tyres at the first round of stops. Best pit crew - On multiple occasions over the years Red Bull have broken the record for the fastest-ever stop, raising the bar higher still despite changes to wheel and tyre profiles as well as to rule-enforced pit procedures.

‘Red Bull F1 team are just so bloody good’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/seven-reasons-why-max-verstappens-red-bull-f1-team-are-just-so-bloody-good/


The key Aston Martin F1 pitwall move that gets you to read this article – Up/down in Bahrain
March 6th 2023
Author James Elson
Motor Sport Magazine

Aston Martin showed its ultimate poker face when dealing a disgruntled Fernando Alonso on the radio. The Spanish inquisitor demanded throughout the race to know who had biffed him from behind early on was and if a penalty had been given – but the pitwall held fast and tight lipped due to the fact that Alonso had been punted by…his paymaster’s son Lance Stroll. Sailing those choppy waters was Aston’s second-biggest win of the weekend.

It felt like an almost ‘guaranteed certainty’: massive fanfare for the return of the world’s premier motor sport category, and it turns into an absolute ‘chef’s kiss’ of a dud race – in an event which summoned the atmosphere of the early 2000s Ferrari and Michael Schumacher. Like the Scuderia in 2000, its 2021 season saw a decent battle against the reigning constructor champions, which went its way. Similar to Ferrari’s 2001, 2022 looked a tad tricky at times for Red Bull, but it was ultimately unchallenged.

Now a year on, Milton Keynes looks set to crush the opposition, mirroring the 2002 season which was misery for all but Scuderia fans. Red Bull’s previous challenger, Mercedes, is already starting to imitate McLaren — Ferrari’s rival of the era — in always emphasising the positives for next year, whilst being lacklustre in the here and now. Bahrain had all the misery of early 2000s Melbourne about it – plus the human rights issues. Here’s what was going up and down in the desert.

‘Key Aston Martin F1 pitwall move’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/aston-martins-absolutely-crucial-second-biggest-win-up-down-in-bahrain/?v=79cba1185463&nowprocket=1


Aston Martin shares race higher after results and strong F1 showing
Aston Martin's share price raced over 22% higher on Monday morning, following impressive gains last week
11:44 Mon, 06 Mar 2023.
Josh Lamb.
Proactive Investors (UK)

Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings PLC (LSE:AML) shares raced 22% higher on Monday morning building on last week’s impressive gains, boosted by a strong performance at the Bahrain Grand Prix yesterday.

Monday’s hike then came after Aston Martin secured third and sixth place at 2023’s maiden Formula One Grand Prix in Bahrain on Sunday. In London, Aston Martin shares moved as much as 22.5% in Monday's early deals to trade at 294p.

Looking ahead, City Index analyst Joshua Warner commented Aston Martin’s “outlook is improving,” given an inflation-driven hike in prices, making “2023 a key bridge year toward its goal to deliver £2bn of annual revenue” by 2024.

‘Monday’s hike then came after Aston Martin secured third and sixth place’;

https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/?search=f1&lang=en&searchheadlines=1


Our take on the extent of Mercedes’ F1 plight
16:47 Mon, 06 Mar 2023.
The Race

Mercedes Formula 1 boss Toto Wolff didn’t declare the Bahrain Grand Prix one of his team’s “worst days in racing” just because Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finished a distant fifth and seventh. He said it because this weekend was when the scale of the past champion team’s plight became obvious. Even with porpoising and bouncing solved, and having had a winter to put its 2022 learnings into its new design, Mercedes was no closer to the front.

That led to Wolff’s huge declaration after qualifying that Mercedes’ whole design concept under F1’s current aero rules – which it had stuck to, despite its poor 2022, not just for its initial 2023 package but for the major upgrade coming in May as well – had turned out to be the wrong one and would have to be reconsidered.

How did Mercedes get into that state and how long will it take to do something about it? That’s what Scott Mitchell-Malm, Edd Straw and Mark Hughes debated on The Race F1 Podcast.

‘The extent of Mercedes’ F1 plight’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/our-take-on-the-extent-of-mercedes-f1-plight/


Ferrari haunted by ghosts of F1 past as Aston Martin embarrass rivals - What we learned at the Bahrain GP
Monday 6 March 2023 11:15
Ewan Gale
GPFans

The first F1 race weekend of the year is in the books with Red Bull utterly dominant. Max Verstappen headed home team-mate Sergio Perez by 12 seconds to complete a comfortable one-two ahead of Fernando Alonso, who stunned for Aston Martin. With Red Bull and Aston Martin gleeful and Ferrari and Mercedes on the back foot, GPFans takes a look at what we learned at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Ferrari ghosts return - The Monégasque looked to have settled for third with a comfortable gap back to team-mate Sainz, who was ahead of Alonso at the time, when a power unit failure left him stranded on the side of the road. After the issues experienced with the engines last season, Ferrari fans could be forgiven for feeling empty after the opening race. Leclerc was already on his second energy store for the year after a swap before lights out.

McLaren misery - If something could go wrong for McLaren, it likely did. Oscar Piastri's eagerly-awaited F1 debut was cut short with an electrical issue just 13 laps into the race. For Lando Norris, fortunes were no better with his MCL60 forced into six pit stops in order to top up on pneumatic pressure.

‘Ferrari haunted by ghosts of F1 past’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/102787/ferrari-ghosts-aston-martin-f1-bahrain-gp/

[Fortitude]

How three-penalty Ocon’s Bahrain GP ‘spiralled out of control’.
The bizarre array of penalties that Esteban Ocon incurred during the Bahrain Grand Prix is something the Alpine Formula 1 team is adamant will “never happen again” and Ocon himself reckons is unjust.
20:46 Sun, 05 Mar 2023.
By Matt Beer and Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Ocon ended up with three separate penalties during the 2023 F1 season-opener, incurring the second while serving the first and the third while serving the second. He was initially given a penalty for an inaccurate starting position, as he lined up with his car’s right front tyre slightly out of his ninth-place grid slot.

Ocon felt he was unfairly singled out for that offence. “Four cars were also ahead [of their grid slots],” he argued. “I was not the only one out of the line. I was the most forward, that’s clear. But not the only one. So that’s a frustrating one.”

That meant a five-second time penalty, which he served at a pitstop where a damaged front wing was also replaced. He was running 12th before that stop. But the Alpine crew began work to do that before the time penalty had been fully served, which team principal Otmar Szafnauer said was due to a system problem.

‘Spiralled out of control’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/how-three-penalty-ocons-bahrain-gp-spiralled-out-of-control/


'Everything went wrong today' says frustrated Ocon after being penalised three times and retiring early in Bahrain
05 March 2023
Formula One - Official Site

It was a Bahrain Grand Prix to forget for Esteban Ocon after the French driver was not only forced to retire early from the race, but was also given three separate penalties for different offences on Sunday evening.

Ocon’s race then came to an end after he came into the pit lane and was boxed into retirement on Lap 43. And speaking after the race, the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix winner was less than impressed with his evening.

“Quite impressive how it was not our day today,” said a frustrated Ocon. “We are usually quite good on these operational things. Pit stopping, stopping at the right places, and these are things that we put a lot of effort on, so everything went wrong today for sure.”

'Everything went wrong today';

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.everything-went-wrong-today-says-ocon-after-being-penalised-three-times-and.1Obkye7mOTceYVpzCX9Bp6.html


What triggered Ocon's bizarre F1 penalty triple whammy
14:56 Mon, 06 Mar 2023.
Motorsport.com

From being out of position at the start to not serving his subsequent sanction correctly, Ocon's race turned from bad to worse when he also picked up a pitlane speeding offence.

In the end, the situation left him well outside the points and triggered the team's decision to end his race early.

How it unfoldedThe sequence of events kicked off before the start when Ocon lined up slightly.

‘The Trigger’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/what-triggered-ocons-bizarre-f1-penalty-triple-whammy/10440641/


Alpine explains how one penalty became three for Ocon
Monday 6th March, 2023 - 11:52pm
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Alpine boss Otmar Szafnauer has explained how Esteban Ocon’s Bahrain Grand Prix unravelled when one penalty became three. The Frenchman was one of three retirements in the race, his demise coming only after he felt the wrath of officials on three separate – but related – occasions.

The first of those was for a starting infringement, the second for that penalty being incorrectly served. He was then caught speeding in the pit lane to complete the trio which served to ruin his race.

“The grid penalty was I think out of position at the start of the race,” Szafnauer told media, including Speedcafe.com. “Then I think we were a half second off, or less than a half second off, before we started working on the car.”

‘One penalty became three’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/03/06/alpine-explains-how-one-penalty-became-three-for-ocon/


Pierre Gasly makes his Alpine demand very clear with radio message after Bahrain GP
Pierre Gasly managed to rescue a couple of points in his first F1 race with new team Alpine, having sparked concern with a miserable result in qualifying the previous day
16:46, 7 Mar 2023
By Daniel MoxonF1 Writer
The Mirror

Speaking over the radio after taking the chequered flag, the Frenchman seemed pleased with a good day's work. But he also laid down a challenge to his team so that he can be in a better position to fight for more points in the coming races.

His new race engineer Karel Loos said over the radio: "Nice work there mate, impressive last stint. And good to get in the points in your first race with us. We know what to work on and we'll definitely get some more points. This is a good start mate."

And Gasly replied: "Yeah, thanks guys. Really good strategy, really good pit stops. I must say that was fun! Nice race car, so if we start further up the grid we'll fight for bigger points. But yeah, nice recovery. We've got some work to do, but it's a good start."

‘Start further up the grid’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/gasly-alpine-radio-message-bahrain-29396491


Pierre Gasly on incredible recovery drive after starting from ‘Bahrain city centre’
06 Mar 2023 1:30 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Starting the Bahrain Grand Prix from the “Bahrain city centre”, Pierre Gasly put in an epic recovery drive as he raced from 20th on the grid to ninth at the chequered flag.

It was the perfect response from the Frenchman after he’d been criticised by his new Alpine team boss for a wretched qualifying performance on Saturday that left him at the very of the grid.

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s 57-lap Bahrain Grand Prix, Otmar Szafnauer told Sky Deutschland that “if you look at Pierre, he doesn’t live up to expectations” with the driver having lost his fastest lap time in Q1 for track limits.

‘Incredible recovery drive’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/pierre-gasly-v-the-right-position-next-time/


Gasly discovers Alpine 'confidence' after Bahrain recovery
14:35 Mon, 06 Mar 2023.
Thiemo Albers-Daly
GPFans

Pierre Gasly has revealed a newfound confidence at Alpine after recovering from a back-of-the-grid start to score points at the Bahrain Grand Prix. The Frenchman endured a nightmare start to his Alpine career when, after qualifying 17th - a result that saw him eliminated in Q1 - his time was deleted for a track limits infringement and he was relegated to the back.

But Gasly put this behind him on Sunday and aided by the troubles of some rival drivers, he climbed to ninth, securing two world championship points. Speaking to Canal+, Gasly said: “We know what we need to work on. After only one race, it’s obvious that the top three haven’t changed (although) there is Aston (Martin) who have taken a big step forward.”

"I don’t think we need to panic. We just need to concentrate and we’ll have to develop during the season. (Alpine) showed that they could do it last year, There is no reason why the team can’t do it this year. I’m confident and I think we have a good base to work from. There’s still a lot of work to do to get more but it’s nice to start this season in the points.”

‘Alpine Confidence';

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/102815/bahrain-grand-prix-pierre-gasly-alpine-confidence/

[Fortitude]

Quick start and Alfa Romeo’s ‘aggressive’ strategy key to points finish in Bahrain, says Bottas.
Valtteri Bottas managed not just to score points at the season opener, but to finish in the ‘best of the rest’ slot of eighth, behind the new ‘big four’ of Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes and Aston Martin – but ahead of Alfa Romeo’s midfield rivals. It was a result perhaps seemed unlikely after a less than stellar showing for the team on Saturday.
06 March 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Having been knocked out of qualifying in Q2 alongside his team mate Zhou Guanyu, Bottas's Alfa Romeo C43 didn’t look to be the class of the midfield. But as Esteban Ocon and Nico Hulkenberg tangled off the line, Bottas used all his experience to avoid the melee and emerge at the end of the first lap inside the top 10.

From there, Alfa Romeo adopted an aggressive strategy, pitting him early to avoid being undercut and despite wearing tyres in the closing stages, he was able to cling onto that eighth place at the flag. “I’m pleased, I don’t think there was much more to get today, all the cars ahead of us were clearly much faster unfortunately,” he said afterwards.

“For that I’m happy and also being aggressive with the strategy was nice. so solid first race. We have a good base car and today shows that yes we can score points with this car. There’s still obviously lots of work to do so we’ll keep working hard.”

‘Strategy key to points finish’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.quick-start-and-alfa-romeos-aggressive-strategy-key-to-points-finish-in.4GWOEmA9vyD2CaUb5536Yd.html


Alfa Romeo’s fastest lap bid with Zhou was targeted at Alpine
2023 Bahrain Grand Prix
Posted on 7th March 2023, 8:59
Written by Ida Wood and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

Alfa Romeo’s head of trackside engineering Xevi Pujolar has confirmed the team pitted Zhou Guanyu at the end of the Bahrain Grand Prix to take a point away from rivals Alpine. Pujolar explained the team’s tactical move after the race. He said Zhou’s start to the opening round was compromised when he lost four places at the start, which consigned him to a finish well outside the points-paying positions.

“With Zhou, it was just in the last part of the start pulling away, it went a bit too much [into] wheelspin and we lost some ground there,” he told media including RaceFans. “After that, we were just trying to see if we will get back into the fight, towards the mid-point of the race. That’s why also we tried with a soft [tyre strategy] in the last part of the race in the third stint.”

‘Alfa Romeo’s fastest lap was targeted’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/07/alfa-romeos-fastest-lap-bid-with-zhou-was-targeted-at-alpine/


Alfa’s Alpine-foiling tactic was impressively ruthless
7th March 2023, 09:53
By Matt Beer and Edd Straw
The Race

Alfa Romeo started the 2023 Formula 1 season as it ended F1 2022: doing everything in its power to ensure a key rival didn’t score all the points it could – even if it meant being a little unconventional and perhaps a touch sneaky.

In Bahrain last weekend there was no need for Alfa Romeo to cause any traffic jams. This time it achieved its aim by deploying its pace at the right moment. It identified McLaren and Alpine as its 2023 opposition. McLaren took care of itself with its reliability problems. Esteban Ocon took care of one Alpine with a near-comedic sequence of penalties.

‘Ruthless’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/alfas-alpine-foiling-tactic-was-impressively-ruthless/


Alfa Romeo-Alpine fight tipped to be “nasty and close” in F1 2023
6 Mar 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Sky Sports’ Ted Kravtiz believes the battle between Alfa Romeo and Alpine is “going to get nasty” as they fight for fifth in the F1 constructors’ championship. Valtteri Bottas started Alfa Romeo’s F1 2023 campaign with a P8 finish, running as high as sixth early on.

Bottas fended off a fast-charging Pierre Gasly, who stopped under the Virtual Safety Car for new softs. It means Alfa Romeo sits fifth in the constructors’ championship after Bahrain, two points ahead of Alpine.

With Aston Martin taking a big leap into the top pack, Alpine are likely to be in a battle with Alfa Romeo and McLaren, when they turn things around. Alpine could have come away from Bahrain with an additional point, with Gasly holding the fastest lap.

“Nasty and close”’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1021773/1/alfa-romeoalpine-fight-tipped-be-nasty-and-close-2023


Valtteri Bottas says Alfa Romeo can challenge Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes
Alfa Romeo looked strong during pre-season testing, putting them in the mix to challenge at the top of the midfield.
6 March 2023
by Jack Devonport
Formula1News11:38 Mon, 06 Mar

Alfa Romeo will be looking to build on their impressing 2022 by climbing higher up the midfield this season and Valtteri Bottas has admitted that his is confident of a enjoying a competitive year.

“Not as fast as Red Bull, not as fast as Ferrari and also Aston Martin looked faster in race pace,” said the 33-year-old when asked about Alfa Romeo’s car.


“But other than that, it’s really close. Like you said, the time of day makes a big difference, engine modes can make a difference up to one second per lap but taking that into account we should be in the mix

‘Can challenge Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/valtteri-bottas-says-alfa-romeo-can-challenge-lewis-hamilton-and-mercedes/

[Fortitude]

Zak Brown gives simple but BRUTAL verdict on McLaren misery.
"Bahrain wasn’t good enough. We know McLaren should be better than that, and we know we’re better than that. The team is working hard to get us back into the points in Saudi." Zak Brown.
Tuesday 7 March 2023 22:45
Stuart Hodge
GPFans

Norris talked in detail about the issues he had on Sunday, being forced to stop every 10 laps to refill his pneumatic systems. In total, Norris pitted six times while the remainder of the field executed a mix of two and three-stop plans.

Lando Norris on Bahrain misery. "We could have boxed (retired) after the first problem," he conceded. After they knew I was going to have to box every 10 laps, they knew I was going to be out of the race very quickly but we still tried to stay in it for as long as possible. That’s why we only retired with two laps to go.”

‘McLaren misery’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/102927/zak-brown-mclaren-bahrain-grand-prix-reaction-2023/


Lando Norris mocks McLaren after embarrassing Bahrain GP
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri both endured technical issues at the season-opening race in Bahrain last weekend.
7 March 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Despite the disappointment of not being able to run a normal race, Norris was in good form after the race, where he joked that the “biggest positive” of the race was all the practice his pit crew got.

“I think the best thing is the mechanics did a lot of pit stop practices. That’s the biggest positive,” Norris joked.

“Good start, good launch, made up a few positions and then we had problems from turn one basically – pneumatic problems and various other issues. That just brought out us of the race more and more, we had to pit every ten laps and that was it.”

‘Mechanics did a lot of pit stop practices’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/lando-norris-mocks-mclaren-after-embarrassing-bahrain-gp/


‘Oh my god’: Piastri reacts to ‘miserable’ F1 debut as Bahrain disaster exposes McLaren hole
March 6th, 2023 10:46 am
Zac Rayson
Fox Sports (Australia)

Aussie Oscar Piastri’s F1 debut lasted just 14 laps as his McLaren team suffered a nightmare opening race of the campaign. But he was called into the pits on lap 14 with an issue, and his car failed to restart after a steering wheel change.

“I lost the gear box,” Piastri told his race engineers on team radio. “The engine was completely dead,” Sky Sports commentator Ted Kravitz said.

“I guess he had to turn it off before he came into box but now he’s shaking his head and what a miserable start. We’re all expecting him to have a stellar Grand Prix career but this is not the first Grand Prix he wanted. He’s shaking his head.”

“I lost the gear box”;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/f1-2023-bahrain-grand-prix-oscar-piastri-retires-mclaren-issues-video-news-reaction/news-story/81b743083625aafa9c734884b7c7d77d


McLaren rookie Oscar Piastri reveals what caused his Lap 15 retirement in Bahrain
05 Mar 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Oscar Piastri’s Formula 1 debut lasted just 15 laps in Bahrain – and after the race the Australian revealed an electrical issue on his McLaren forced his retirement.

‘Electrical issue’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.mclaren-rookie-oscar-piastri-reveals-what-caused-his-lap-15-retirement-in-bahrain.1759543638018057185.html


McLaren chief fires back at critics: Pace of the car beyond expectation
Can McLaren recover from a disappointing start to the 2023 F1 season?
March 6, 2023
By Andrew Wright
Total Motorsport

Contrary to popular belief, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella thinks there were plenty of positives to take from a Bahrain Grand Prix that yielded zero points.

“I think the most positive element is that without issues, Lando would have been a strong contender for points,” Stella told reporters after the 2023 Bahrain GP.

“The pace of the car in the race was almost beyond expectation. I think in the race we see some reward of the work we did over the winter of trying to improve the interaction of the car with the tyres.”

‘Beyond expectation’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-mclaren-andrea-stella-critics-pace-car-beyond-expectation/


McLaren were quick enough for double points finish without car problems – Stella
2023 Bahrain Grand Prix
Posted on 6th March 2023, 17:056th March 2023, 21:43
Written by Ida Wood and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

McLaren’s race was ruined by technical problems for both drivers but their cars were quick enough for both to score points, team principal Andrea Stella believes. Stella said McLaren opted to keep Norris in the race despite his problem. “There was a pneumatic pressure leak on Lando’s car,” he explained. “We discovered this leak relatively soon in the race, and then we knew that it was possible to do only 10, 11 laps each time before having to refill.

“So we decided to stay in the race. We decided to try and stay at least within one lap from the leader in the last ten laps and then if there is a Safety Car try and see if there’s an opportunity. But it meant that we did six stops. I think the most positive element today is that without the issues, Lando would have been a strong contender for points,” he said.

“The pace of the car in the race was almost beyond expectation. I think in the race we see some reward of the work we did over the winter in trying to improve the interaction between the car and the tyres. This was certainly a strong position on Lando’s side.”

‘McLaren were quick enough’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/06/mclaren-quick-enough-for-double-points-finish-without-car-problems-stella/


The encouraging signs within McLaren’s nightmare start
09:12 Tue, 07 Mar 2023.
By Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

McLaren’s disastrous no-score in Formula 1’s season opener was caused by a wiring problem and a pneumatic leak, which wrecked a Bahrain Grand Prix that was “more encouraging” than expected.

Oscar Piastri’s F1 debut lasted 13 laps as an electrical issue started interfering with his gear shifts then resulted in a car shutdown that could not be resolved by a steering wheel change as hoped.

McLaren has been managing expectations since the launch of the MCL60 because this version of the car is the result of an old development direction that was abandoned late last year. A revised, much stronger design is due to arrive at the fourth race of the season in Azerbaijan, with some upgrades in Saudi Arabia and Australia before then.

‘A revised, much stronger design is due to arrive’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/the-encouraging-signs-within-mclarens-nightmare-start/

[Fortitude]

Unsettled Williams lacks 'vision of excellence' says new F1 boss Vowles.
New team principal James Vowles says that it will take years to break into the midfield fight, as he overcomes the legacy left by seasons of struggle
March 8th 2023
Author Chris Medland
Motor Sport Magazine.

Williams was clearly the 10th fastest team last season, picking up eight points in total as it only enjoyed competitive weekends on a fleeting basis. Dissent took on two forms within the team – from those unhappy at Jost Capito and his hiring approach, and from others feeling there was a resistance to change.

In just two weeks James Vowles has been understanding the magnitude of the project he has taken on. “Because of testing and because of racing the amount of days physically in the factory just haven’t been at the level required,” Vowles said ahead of the opening round. “I’ve had a chance now to walk round the facility and meet – albeit briefly, for a few seconds – individuals within the team, so I have a very, very macro-awareness of what’s there and what’s not there. But the detail behind what needs to be done across the next six months isn’t formed in my mind.”

“I think certainly a realistic step for this organisation is first and foremost, make sure that every year, we are just edging forward and not standing still. That has to be dream number one. Dream number two is that we have to set a sensible period of time in the future, and it’s years, where we start to actually break into sixth, fifth, fourth.”

‘Williams lacks vision of excellence';

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/unsettled-williams-doesnt-have-vision-of-excellence-says-new-f1-boss-vowles/?v=79cba1185463&nowprocket=1


Williams ‘survived’ 15 years of under financing
Tuesday 7th March, 2023 - 7:00pm
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

New Williams team boss James Vowles has suggested the once all-conquering F1 team has simply “survived” for the last 15 years. “The team has, over the last 15 years, been through a tremendous amount of difficulty, financially and otherwise, and it’s survived,” Vowles told selected media, including Speedcafe.com.

“But it is just survival compared to other organisations that have had finance. That’s the luxury I had prior to joining, and as a result of that you have the stark differences between where we are today, and where we need to be in the future.” Given the team’s financial constraints, Vowles believes what money his predecessors had available has been used well.

“It’s just the problem is it’s a small piece of the pie that you need to fill entirely, all of the components need to be improved, not just one,” he explained. “They’ve just been limited by the steps they’re taking, so there’s more to do but certainly the investment so far has been pretty much correct.”

‘15 years of under financing’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/03/07/williams-survived-15-years-of-under-financing/


Williams celebrates best season start in six years
13:20 Tue, 07 Mar 2023.
F1i.com

Williams crews came together at the team's factory in Grove on Monday to celebrate the British outfit's best start to an F1 season in six years. The achievement came courtesy of Alex Albon's spirited drive to P10, but rookie Logan Sargeant followed up his teammate's performance with an impeccable debut race that landed him in 12th position.

"Wow, what a fantastic way to start this season!" commented a very proud James Vowles, Williams' new team principal, after Sunday's race. "For Logan, first race ever in Formula 1 and finishing 12th – solid performance from start to finish! And for Alex, he did this incredible job, always defending to faster cars behind.”

"What I'm proud of and what I'm pleased to see is that there's a good set of foundations to work from. I think our performance will probably be up and down from here. We can't expect to have this luxury going forward. McLaren I'm sure will get everything together. But in the meantime we've got to pick every single point we can."

‘Best season start in six years’;

https://f1i.com/images/468215-williams-celebrates-best-season-start-in-six-years.html


WILLIAMS: THE HIDDEN HEROES OF THE BAHRAIN GP?
Both drivers of the Grove-based team are happy with their results
March 7, 2023
Lena Ferle
FormulaNerds

In 2017, Felipe Massa was the last Williams driver to score points at the opening race (then in Australia). Alex Albon managed to do so again after six years and a 10th place in Bahrain.
Both Albon and F1 rookie Sargeant survived the start of the Bahrain Grand Prix without any damage, allowing them to slowly but surely work their way forward. After ten laps, they were in 11th and 13th place before they pitted for the first time. The second stint also went without problems, so both Williams drivers started the last stint on hard tyres.
Sargeant and Albon fought with Gasly and Zhou for their places but emerged as the winners of the fights. Alex Albon scored the first point of the season for Williams in P10, and rookie Logan Sargeant finished the race in P12.

‘HIDDEN HEROES’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/williams-the-hidden-heroes-of-the-bahrain-gp/?nowprocket=1


What made an assured F1 debut so good in Bahrain
Mar 8 2023
By Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Logan Sargeant blended impressive commitment, opportunism and outright pace to produce an assured Formula 1 debut that set a good foundation for his rookie season. Sargeant was a left-field pick for the second Williams seat alongside Alex Albon and needed other candidates like Oscar Piastri and Nyck de Vries (his fellow F1 2023 rookies) to move elsewhere to land his F1 promotion.

When Williams signed Sargeant, he represented a wildcard kind of pick. He wasn’t the finished product in F2 but had shown enough through his junior single-seater career to see that there was some really nice raw material to work with. There is also, clearly, a real hunger to improve and crucially an ability to do so. It’s likely that many simply didn’t know quite what to expect from Sargeant in F1. But his debut was a fine early display of his credentials, even if it is only the beginning.

“From myself there’s definitely more to come,” Sargeant said. “I still have a lot to learn for sure. The team did an amazing job, guiding me through the weekend, helping me operationally, tried not to put too much on my plate, and just let me focus on the driving which is what I needed. There’s a lot to learn on that side. But I still need to keep working on my driving and adapting to this car and just maximising the performance of it.”

‘A real hunger to improve and crucially an ability to do so’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/what-made-an-assured-f1-debut-so-good-in-bahrain/

[Fortitude]

Yuki Tsunoda calls for AlphaTauri updates ‘as soon as possible’ after Bahrain GP.
When discussing specifics of what he would like to see changed on the AT04, Tsunoda said his main targets are for the car to have more grip and less drag in the coming races, reasoning that it was difficult for him to keep up his pace when following other cars during the Bahrain Grand Prix.
07 Mar 2023 3:45 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Yuki Tsunoda hopes to see “good updates” brought to AlphaTauri as soon as they can after a tricky start to the season in Bahrain.

The team looked to be competing at the back of the field alongside Williams in the early part of the weekend, and while Tsunoda was able to make headway in the midfield in the race on Sunday, he narrowly missed out on scoring a point in finishing behind Alex Albon come the chequered flag. “So frustrating that I’m just stuck behind the Williams, so close to scoring points at the end,” Tsunoda told media including PlanetF1.com in Bahrain.

“It was really hard to maintain pace or kind of okay pace. We are still far away from I think the pace we wanted, to basically drive behind the cars there is sliding around and overheat[ing] the tyres, so we just need more grip in general. Hopefully we can develop through the season but we just need more as soon as possible, good updates [as] well, since we continue like this all year.”

‘AlphaTauri updates as soon as possible’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/yuki-tsunoda-alphatauri-updates-needed/


‘It’s very frustrating’ – Tsunoda highlights ‘decisive moment’ after narrowly missing out on points in Bahrain
08 March 2023
Formula One - Official Site

AlphaTauri driver Yuki Tsunoda was left to rue what might have been at the season opening Bahrain Grand Prix, saying a poor start set the tone for a race that yielded no reward. Tsunoda lined up in 14th position in Sakhir but dropped behind both Williams drivers when the lights went out and struggled to live with their straight-line speed.

“The start was the decisive moment as I lost some positions to Williams, and their straight-line speed was too strong for us, so we couldn’t manage to overtake them. I’m happy with my tyre management, although we struggled more than we thought. As soon as we wanted to push, the tyres began to overheat, and I started to slide around and lose the rear.”

“We have more work to do to develop the car so we can consistently fight the midfield, starting with Saudi Arabia,” Tsunoda continued. “Since we struggled with high-speed performance, Saudi might be difficult, but I’m staying positive as I’m sure the team and I will be able to extract speed from the car to be able to score points.”

‘Decisive moment’;


De Vries buoyed by AlphaTauri’s midfield display
09:20 Tue, 07 Mar 2023.
by Phillip Horton
Motorsport Week

Nyck de Vries says AlphaTauri can be encouraged by its performance during Formula 1’s Bahrain Grand Prix after making his full-season debut for the team. AlphaTauri cut a low-key figure during pre-season testing while in qualifying de Vries was eliminated in Q1, though team-mate Yuki Tsunoda went on to make Q2.

AlphaTauri was firmly in the thick of the lower midfield action in Bahrain, with Tsunoda only narrowly missing out on the top 10 to Williams’ Alex Albon. De Vries classified in 14th position and was keen to draw on the positives from AlphaTauri’s Bahrain performance.

“What was important to me is that we were able to fight in the midfield and we were certainly up there in terms of pace,” said De Vries. “And that was encouraging. It’s a shame we missed out on the VSC pitstop at the end, but that’s the decision we make and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.”

‘AlphaTauri can be encouraged by its performance’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/03/07/de-vries-buoyed-by-alphatauris-midfield-display/


De Vries ‘pretty satisfied’ with his AlphaTauri debut in Bahrain
05 Mar 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Nyck de Vries might not have scored any points in the Bahrain Grand Prix, but the Dutchman was pleased with how his debut for new team AlphaTauri went and said their race pace was a positive step for the Italian team.

‘Pretty satisfied’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.de-vries-pretty-satisfied-with-his-alphatauri-debut-in-bahrain.1759547854238437305.html


De Vries 'encouraged' by AlphaTauri pace in F1's midfield
07/03/2023 at 16:17
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Nyck de Vries' second race in F1 wasn't the show-stopping performance he produced on his Grand Prix debut last year in Monza, but the Dutchman was nevertheless encouraged by AlphaTauri's pace in F1's midfield in Bahrain. A scrappy qualifying on Saturday left de Vries stuck in Q1 down in 19th position while his teammate Yuki Tsunoda produced a strong lap that gave him a pass into Q2 where he set the 14th fastest lap.

However, when AlphaTauri opted to split its strategies under the Virtual safety Car, de Vries was the odd man out, which left him struggling on old rubber during his final stint. But the 28-year-old preferred to take away from the weekend his team's overall race pace rather than his own individual performance.

"What was important to me is that we were able to fight in the midfield and we were certainly up there in terms of pace," said De Vries. "And that was encouraging. It’s a shame we missed out on the VSC pitstop at the end, but that’s the decision we make and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.”

‘E'encouraged by AlphaTauri pace’;

https://f1i.com/news/468228-de-vries-encouraged-by-alphatauri-pace-in-f1s-midfield.html


Nyck de Vries escapes Bahrain penalty after Lando Norris FP2 incident
03 Mar 2023 6:45 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

AlphaTauri debutant Nyck de Vries has escaped a penalty after a close call in the pit lane with Lando Norris in the second practice session at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

The Dutchman was released into the path of Norris’s McLaren during FP2 at the Sakhir circuit, with the British driver locking up after braking to avoid contact before complaining of an unsafe release over team radio.

The incident was the subject of an investigation by the FIA stewards, but a verdict of no further action was reached. Norris had a typically witty reply when asked how the visit to the stewards for himself and De Vries went, saying: “Great, everyone got away with everything.”

‘Bahrain penalty escape’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/nyck-de-vries-lando-norris-incident-bahrain/

2023 Bahrain GP: Race
Drivers and Team’s quotes after the race
05 March 2023
Scuderia Toro Rosso - Official Site

Yuki Tsunoda (AT04-02, Car 22)
Race: Pos. 11th
“The race pace was better than we expected, but at the same time, it’s very frustrating to just miss out on points.”

Nyck de Vries (AT04-02, Car 21)
Race: 14th
“I’m pretty satisfied with our race today. Obviously, it could have been better and there is room for improvement, but in terms of performance, our race pace was decent.”

Jody Egginton (Technical Director)
“Both Yuki and Nyck have done an excellent job tonight from lights out until the chequered flag. They managed the tyres well, provided good feedback to the pit wall, and delivered a good performance.”

Franz Tost (Team Principal)
“First of all, congratulations to Red Bull Racing for a fantastic start to the season, finishing with a one-two and so far ahead of the rest of the field. From our side, I am not satisfied with our performance. From a technical point of view, we have a lot to work on as the car isn’t on the level I expect.”

‘Drivers and Team’s quotes’;

https://scuderia.alphatauri.com/en/2023-bahrain-gp-race/

[Fortitude]

Bahrain Grand Prix: Race Recap.
MoneyGram Haas F1 Team finished with Kevin Magnussen 13th and Nico Hulkenberg 15th at the Bahrain Grand Prix, held Sunday at the Bahrain International Circuit.
March 5, 2023
Haas F1 Team - Official Site

Hulkenberg lined up from 10th place on Pirelli P Zero Red soft tires while Magnussen was the sole driver on the grid to opt for White hard tires – the Dane from 17th. Both drivers relinquished track position on the opening lap, with Hulkenberg suffering from minor contact and dropping to 15th, while Magnussen brought up the rear on his off-set strategy.

Hulkenberg came in on lap 12, the German switching to hard rubber, before another stop on lap 27, which included a front-wing change. Magnussen pitted on lap 15 for more hard tires before switching to softs on lap 30. Both drivers took the opportunity of a virtual safety car period, caused by the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc coming to a halt, to pit for a third time on lap 40, both taking on softs. Magnussen greeted the checkered flag in 13th place while Hulkenberg finished his first race for MoneyGram Haas F1 Team in 15th position.

Guenther Steiner, Team Principal: “The result wasn’t what we expected – Nico didn’t have a great start losing a front wing endplate and Kevin was, in hindsight, on the wrong tire at the start. I think race pace was better than we expected and that’s what we take away from here – there is good potential in the car. We qualified in the top 10 and maybe could even have been in the top eight if everything went perfectly.”

‘The result wasn’t what we expected’;

https://www.haasf1team.com/news/bahrain-grand-prix-race-recap-5


F1's most unwanted records: Ocon joins Moss & Hülkenberg on luckless list
March 6th 2023
Author: Cambridge Kisby
Motor Sport Magazine

Entering F1 after an abundance of success in the junior ranks, Nico Hülkenberg was widely regarded as a potential world champion in waiting, a reputation he confirmed with a surprise pole position at the 2010 Brazilian Grand Prix during his rookie campaign for Williams.

But after a string of misfortune and critical driver errors, Hülkenberg has failed to achieve the minimum of what many expected of him in his 14 years of F1 experience – a podium finish. The 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix, where Hulkenberg and Lewis Hamilton clashed while fighting for the lead, and his heartbreaking DNF at the 2019 German Grand Prix while running fourth is the closest Hülkenberg has come to showing his full potential.

But in 184 grand prix starts, Hülkenberg has only finished as high as fourth – a record that he will hope to rectify during his time with Haas in 2023 and beyond.

‘Unwanted records’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/f1s-most-unwanted-records-ocon-joins-moss-hulkenberg-on-luckless-list/?v=79cba1185463&nowprocket=1


Hulkenberg says he was going through tyres 'like a hot knife through butter' after Lap 1 contact in Bahrain
07 March 2023
Formula One - Official Site

"Yeah, a tricky race, especially in the first half," he said on Sunday. "Apparently, I had some contact with someone… on Lap 1, which I didn’t even really notice. So that’s a bit frustrating, and I think I had some stuff missing from the front wing and lost a lot of load from that, and grip… so that made the first half of the race very, very tough.”

"We tried to hang in there but I was just going through my tyres like a hot knife through butter. I think in the middle of the race we thought there was no point continuing like that – [so I] pitted for a new front wing."

Hulkenberg then accrued 15 seconds' worth of penalties for exceeding track limits, which put him 15th in the classification. While the German driver said it was useful to get a race under his belt, he maintained that his Sunday was heavily compromised by that front wing damage. "A vicious circle, then lots of blue flags, and it was just going backwards from there. Yeah, but a race distance, good info, and take that in the bag," he summarised.

‘15 seconds' worth of penalties’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.hulkenberg-says-he-was-going-through-tyres-like-a-hot-knife-through-butter.Os3ts5z3iMkSzQ68XRPoS.html


Hulkenberg’s tyres ‘like a hot knife through butter’ amid damage
15:37 Tue, 07 Mar 2023.
by Phillip Horton
Motorsport Week

Kevin Magnussen, who was eliminated in Q1 on Saturday, gained places to finish 13th, though the results meant Haas missed out on scoring points.

“I was pleasantly surprised with our race pace,” said Magnussen. “We started P17 but still made up a few positions and it felt like the pace was alright in terms of where we came from.

“I think we were struggling a lot in testing and on Friday with tyre wear and in the race it seemed like we made a step, which is positive. It wasn’t the weekend we dreamed of, but we learned a lot.”

‘Kevin Magnussen’;

https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/F1/Haas


Hulkenberg went through tyres 'like a hot knife through butter'
08/03/2023 at 14:53
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Nico Hulkenberg's says damage suffered on the opening lap of the Bahrain Grand Prix led to his Haas going through its tyres "like a hot knife through butter" during his opening stint.

Heavy tyre degradation ensued which pushed the German further down the order, sealing the Hulk's fate for the remainder of the evening. Hulkenberg took away from his complicated race return the fact that Haas was able to gather significant more data on its VF-23 over the course of the evening.

On the other side of the Haas garage, Kevin Magnussen made up for a mediocre P17 qualifying performance with a strong few opening laps that carried the Dane as high as 9th.

‘Heavy tyre degradation ensued’;

https://f1i.com/news/468279-hulkenberg-went-through-tyres-like-a-hot-knife-through-butter.html

[Fortitude]

Vasseur orders 'full investigation' into Leclerc's engine issue.
Vasseur said his team would do "a proper analysis of the situation to know what is going well and what is going wrong and to try to get the best on the issues".
05/03/2023 at 20:11
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Adding to Ferrari's engine woes was the relative performance of the Italian outfit's SF-23 in Sunday's event and its significant deficit in race trim to Red Bull's winning RB19.

"Overall, I would say that the picture is not the one expected before the race," conceded Vasseur. "If we want to win races, we need to have a clean sheet on the weekend and not small details here and there."

"But now that we have a better picture of the situation and we know exactly what we need this weekend we have to clearly make a step forward," he concluded.

'Full investigation';

https://f1i.com/news/468062-vasseur-orders-full-investigation-into-leclercs-engine-issue.html


Ferrari “never expected” engine failure which ended Leclerc’s race – Vasseur
2023 Bahrain Grand Prix
Posted on 5th March 2023, 19:247th March 2023, 9:42
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

During the winter Ferrari focused on eliminating the reliability problems which undermined their 2022 campaign. There was no prior indication of the fault which brought Leclerc’s race to an end.

“We never expected to have something like this because it’s the first time that we had it,” said Vasseur. “We didn’t face the same issue at all during the six or seven thousand kilometres that we did with the engines last week with the three teams. And we never had the same issue on the dyno throughout the winter.”

“Never expected”;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/05/ferrari-never-expected-engine-failure-which-ended-leclercs-race-vasseur/


Vasseur: Ferrari need 'clear picture' on where team are 'failing'
06 March 8:55AM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Dieter Rencken
RacingNews365

Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur believes the team need to achieve a "clear picture" on where they are "failing" after Charles Leclerc's Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix retirement.

"It's never good to start with a DNF," Vasseur told media, including RacingNews365.com, in Bahrain. "I would have preferred to finish for sure, but now I want to stay consistent in my position. I told the team before one or two weeks ago that the championship won't be over in Bahrain because of the results.”

'Clear picture';

https://racingnews365.com/vasseur-ferrari-need-clear-picture-on-where-we-are-failing


Ferrari’s Frédéric Vasseur: “We have to ensure we have no more reliability problems”
March 6, 2023
By Joe Briley
TheCheckeredFlag.co.uk

Frédéric Vasseur admitted it was not the best of starts for the Maranello-based team in Bahrain, and it will be important to understand what caused Leclerc’s failure so they can prevent it from happening again. “Of course we are disappointed, how could we not be. We knew we’d have to deal with tyre degradation, but we had not expected reliability problems.”

“It’s a shame for Charles, because in the first stint his pace was good and even with the heavy degradation on the Hard tyre, he could have brought home a third place, that would have been a good way to start the season. Carlos drove a solid race, running at a consistent pace and he gave it his all to finish fourth.”

‘Shame for Charles’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2023/03/ferraris-frederic-vasseur-we-have-to-ensure-we-have-no-more-reliability-problems/


Vasseur reveals Ferrari 'game-killer' in Red Bull Bahrain battle
Monday 6 March 2023 16:22
Sam Hall
GPFans

"I think everybody was expecting that Red Bull would be a bit further away in quali and we were there, able to match them in the first 15 laps," said Vasseur.

“For me, this was good news. The fact that they were able to do two softs and one hard when we had to do two hards and one soft, it was for sure a game-killer and we have to improve on this. But I would say the first issue for me is the reliability because we have to have zero issues.”

‘Good news’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/102827/bahrain-grand-prix-ferrari-red-bull-fred-vasseur/


Qualifying performance proves Ferrari can rival Red Bull on race pace – Vasseur
2023 Bahrain Grand Prix
Posted on 9th March 2023, 8:139th March 2023, 7:20
Written by Ida Wood and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

Vasseur said the team “don’t have to go into this direction” of changing the car’s design as its qualifying pace demonstrates it can be a threat to Red Bull on Sundays.

“I’m completely convinced about this,” he told media including RaceFans. “I never saw a car able to match the pace of another one in quali and not be able to in the race. Then it’s a matter of set-up and some choices on the car. But it’s not a matter of concept at all.”

‘Matter of set-up’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/09/qualifying-proves-ferrari-can-rival-red-bull-on-race-pace-vasseur/


Fred Vasseur ‘completely convinced’ SF-23 concept can take fight to Red Bull
08 Mar 2023 1:30 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Fred Vasseur is convinced that having taken the fight to Red Bull in qualifying, Ferrari’s problem in Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix was the “set-up” and not a fundamental flaw with the car.

Asked if the SF-23 could be upgraded to take the fight to Red Bull in grands prix, he replied to media including PlanetF1.com: “I’m completely convinced about this.”

‘Completely convinced’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fred-vasseur-ferrari-problem-in-bahrain/


Vasseur not scared of Ferrari pressure
Wednesday 8th March, 2023 - 3:00am
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Ferrari’s newest team boss, Fred Vasseur, has said he is not scared of the pressure that comes with his high-profile role. It is into that furnace that Vasseur has willingly gone, having been poached from his former role as CEO of Sauber Motorsport – a position which at the time encapsulated the team principal job for Alfa Romeo Sauber.

“I think that clearly there is more emotion, passion, and so on around Ferrari, but at the end of the day, I think all the racing teams are similar,” he explained of the differences between the two teams. We have the same DNA. It’s all about technique and performance, and continuous improvement. The approach is the same, passion is a bit higher but it’s okay.”

‘Into that furnace’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/03/08/vasseur-not-scared-of-ferrari-pressure/


‘Only one stupido’: Frederic Vasseur reacts to Toto Wolff prank
8 March 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

“It‘s Toto,” F1TV presenter Will Buxton said to Vasseur, whilst Wolff was touching his ear.

“Yeah I know. There is only one stupido doing something like this in the paddock,” Vasseur replied.

“Only one stupido”;

https://formula1news.co.uk/only-one-stupido-frederic-vasseur-reacts-to-toto-wolff-prank/

[Fortitude]

Lewis Hamilton demands Mercedes engineers are 'held accountable' for ignoring him.
Lewis Hamilton has pointed the finger at Mercedes engineers for not listening to him last season. The seven-time champion has demanded the team “own up” and admit their current concept was wrong after failing to take his advice.
07:01, Thu, Mar 9, 2023
By Luke Chillingsworth
Daily and Sunday Express

The British F1 ace stressed he “knows” what a car needs and that he had previously pushed Mercedes in a direction to solve the problems. He told the BBC’s Chequered Flag podcast: “Last year, I told them the issues that are with the car.

“Like, I’ve driven so many cars in my life, so I know what a car needs, I know what a car doesn’t need. And I think it’s really about accountability, it’s about owning up and saying ‘yeah, you know what, we didn’t listen to you, it’s not where it needs to be and we’ve got to work’.

“We’ve got to look into the balance through the corners, look at all the weak points and just huddle up as a team, that’s what we do.

'Held accountable for ignoring him’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1743644/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-engineers-news-latest


Lewis Hamilton: Mercedes ‘didn’t listen’ to me on W14, ‘I know what a car needs’
08 Mar 2023 6:00 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Lewis Hamilton has called for accountability at Mercedes as he told them what the W14 needed and he was not listened to.

Hamilton was rather encouraging in that message, but speaking in a post-race interview with Rosanna Tennant on BBC’s Chequered Flag podcast, Hamilton took a more critical stance with his team. Having raced in every Formula 1 season since 2007, Hamilton says his vast experience means he knows “what a car needs”.

However, he says that the Mercedes team has not followed through on his guidance when creating the W14, and believes that cannot be allowed to slide

‘I know what a car needs’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-did-not-listen-w14/


Lewis Hamilton labels W14 ‘average’ and ‘not alive’ after Bahrain qualifying
04 Mar 2023 5:12 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Lewis Hamilton has described Mercedes’ W14 Formula 1 car as “average” and “not alive” after finishing a distant seventh in the first qualifying session of the 2023 season in Bahrain.

Having openly questioned the wisdom of Mercedes’ car concept earlier this weekend, Hamilton revealed that he expected the team to be considerably further behind after Friday practice running.

He told media in Bahrain: “I woke up this morning thinking we were going to be a lot further behind, so the fact that we’re even getting into Q3 is great.

‘W14 ‘average’ and ‘not alive’!’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-hamilton-w14-average-bahrain-qualifying/


Lewis Hamilton reveals what Mercedes W14 is in desperate need of
Lewis Hamilton finished 51 seconds behind race winner Max Verstappen at last weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix.
6 March 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton has warned Mercedes that they must find some downforce “ASAP” if they are to challenge the frontrunners, with the 38-year-old having finished the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix in fifth.

“The team did a great job with the pit stops, just unfortunately, the car is just not there at the moment, we are lacking downforce and we have just got to work really hard to try and add that ASAP,” Hamilton said.

‘Downforce “ASAP”!’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/lewis-hamilton-reveals-what-mercedes-w14-is-in-desperate-need-of/


Hamilton 'not listened to' in Mercedes W14 development
Wednesday 8 March 2023 09:53
Sam Hall
GPFans

Lewis Hamilton has criticised Mercedes for 'not listening' after he warned them about inherent issues with its car.

"We've got to look into the balance through the corners, look at all the weak points and just huddle up as a team, that's what we do.”

'Not listened to';

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/102939/mercedes-lewis-hamilton-f1-2023/


Hamilton says Mercedes didn't listen to him on W14 design
08 March 10:00AM
Author Michael Butterworth
RacingNews365

Lewis Hamilton has suggested that Mercedes failed to listen to his advice when designing their 2023 challenger, the W14.

Team boss Toto Wolff had taken the unusual step of acknowledging even before the race that the W14 would never be truly competitive, and suggested that the team may switch its development focus onto an entirely new concept.

‘The W14 would never be truly competitive’;

https://racingnews365.com/hamilton-says-mercedes-didnt-listen-to-him-on-w14-design


Mercedes to change F1 car concept as Toto Wolff admits they got it wrong
4 Mar 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Toto Wolff has conceded Mercedes will have to change their car concept in order to return to the top in F1. And Wolff says it is now time for Mercedes to admit defeat with their distinctive concept.

“We gave it our best go also over the winter and now we just need to all regroup, sit down with the engineers who are totally not dogmatic about anything, there is no holy cows, and decide what is the development direction we want to pursue in order to be competitive to win races.”

‘Gave it our best go’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1021566/1/mercedes-change-w14-car-concept-after-hamilton-criticism


Martin Brundle senses tension at Mercedes with refusal to ditch Plan A philosophy
09 Mar 2023 6:45 AM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Martin Brundle believes things “must be tense” behind the scenes at Mercedes at the moment, after a tricky start to the season in Bahrain.

“It seems to me that Mercedes went the wrong way in 2022 and refuse to turn around,” Brundle wrote in his post-Bahrain column for Sky Sports.

“Even Lewis and Toto were openly expressing their disappointment at certain points of the weekend, and normally they only sing the praises of the teams at Brackley and Brixworth. It must be tense at the team right now; the quality is there, it just needs direction and oxygen to calm heads.”

‘Tension at Mercedes’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/martin-brundle-mercedes-tension/


Coulthard slates Wolff 'kick in the whatnots' Mercedes concept criticism
Tuesday 7 March 2023 16:05
Sam Hall
GPFans

Former F1 race winner David Coulthard has questioned where Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is coming from with his "brutal" criticism of the W14.

Speaking to Channel 4, Coulthard said: “I think it was brutal. This car has only been alive for six days, a few days of testing, three days here. I don’t know where he’s coming from with that.”

‘W14 has only been alive for six days!’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/102899/bahrain-grand-prix-david-coulthard-toto-wolff-mercedes-criticism/

[Fortitude]

MARKO AND PEREZ: THERE WERE ‘THREE RED BULLS’ ON THE BAHRAIN PODIUM.
After the podium celebrations died down, the three drivers attended the post-race press conference as usual. During the press conference, Perez took the opportunity to joke about the similarities between his car and the Aston Martin. He said: “It’s nice to see three Red Bull cars on the podium.”
March 7, 2023
Rhiannon Temporal
FormulaNerds

When Aston Martin radically changed their concept design mid-season last year, many commented on the likeness to the existing Red Bull. Now that Aston Martin has scored their first podium since 2021, Red Bull Advisor Helmut Marko and driver Sergio Perez have both commented further on the similarities between the two cars.

While Marko seems to be considering the similarities in a more serious light, the drivers do not seem to be as concerned by the likeness between the teams. Marko questions whether Aston Martin has “documentation” of the Red Bull car

Following the conclusion of the Bahrain Grand Prix, Marko questioned how Aston Martin was able to create a car with such a strong likeness to the Red Bull. Whilst talking to Servus TV, the Red Bull advisor said: “It’s true that what Fallows had in his head cannot be erased. Copying the focus is not prohibited, but can you copy in such detail without having documentation of our car?”

‘Three Red Bull cars on the podium’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/marko-and-perez-there-were-three-red-bulls-on-the-bahrain-podium/?nowprocket=1


Helmut Marko’s dig at Aston Martin’s former Red Bull crew who ‘obviously have a good memory’
06 Mar 2023 8:15 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

As Fernando Alonso lived up to pre-season hype with a third-placed finish on his Aston Martin debut, joining Red Bull on the podium, Helmut Marko has had something to say.

Marko had something to say. “If you compare the cars, the Aston Martin is most similar to our Red Bull,” he told Sky Deutschland. “There’s a reason for that. Not only did Fallows change, but also some other employees and they obviously have a good memory.”

‘Obviously have a good memory’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/helmut-marko-little-dig-aston-martin-former-red-bull-crew/


Christian Horner can’t resist light-hearted dig at Aston Martin after Bahrain GP
05 Mar 2023 6:45 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Christian Horner could not resist a light-hearted dig at Aston Martin as they joined Red Bull on the first podium of F1 2023 in Bahrain. And already the AMR23, which follows a similar concept to Red Bull’s double title-winning RB18 of 2022, is serving the team extremely well.

And now, Horner says Aston Martin have proven that it is possible, so is glad to see their RB18 has a new lease on life, so to speak. Plenty of sarcasm detected. “I think it demonstrates to all the teams that it’s possible,” he told media in Bahrain. “So, they’ve obviously done a good job over the winter. They say imitation is the biggest form of flattery, and it’s good to see the old car going so well.”

Asked if he is regretting Fallows leaving, Horner replied: “No, because I think we have a wonderful team and everything has to evolve, nothing stands still. “And I think that it’s flattering to see the resemblance of that car to ours, so it was great to see the three of them on the podium.”

‘Light-hearted dig: Good to see the old car going so well!’

https://www.planetf1.com/news/christian-horner-aston-martin-amr23-joke/


Damon Hill: ‘Aston Martin certainly won’t be getting help from Red Bull from now on’
09 Mar 2023 12:00 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Although Aston Martin exceeded pretty much everyone’s expectations in Bahrain, Damon Hill doesn’t expect them to challenge Red Bull for the title as they “won’t be getting any help from Red Bull from now”. … while Fallows had knowledge of Red Bull’s RB18, he wasn’t around for the this year’s RB19.

Hill has ruled out a title challenge from the Silverstone-based team. “I think that might be a stretch too far,” he told Sky Sports News. “They’ve exceeded everyone’s expectations, they’ve exceeded mine, and they’ve probably exceeded their own so they’re very, very delighted at the moment.

‘Won’t be getting help from Red Bull from now on’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/aston-martin-no-help-red-bull-damon-hill/


Aston Martin: Gap to Red Bull is "still substantial" after Bahrain F1 podium
09:42 Thu, 09 Mar 2023.
By: Adam Cooper
Motorsport.com

Aston Martin Formula 1 team boss Mike Krack has cautioned the gap to pacesetters Red Bull is “still substantial” despite Fernando Alonso's Bahrain Grand Prix podium. "I think the gap is still substantial," said Krack.

"We don't know how much management that Red Bull had to do and did. I think it was quite comfortable for them to just get the mandatory tyres through and cruise the race to the end. So I think we have now one good result, we have improved our car.”
"But we are fighting here with teams that are used to drive on the front, they are very used to high intensity development. So I think let's be respectful and humble, and see how it continues."

‘Gap still substantial’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/aston-martin-gap-to-red-bull-is-still-substantial-despite-bahrain-f1-podium/10441613/


Martin Brundle reveals major advantage Aston Martin have over Max Verstappen and Red Bull
Fernando Alonso is set to be a serious rival to Max Verstappen in the fight for the 2023 world championship.
9 March 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Ex-Formula 1 driver Martin Brundle believes Aston Martin could become the “major challengers” to Red Bull this season, with the Silverstone-based side set to benefit from their disappointing 2022 campaign.

The only way for Aston Martin is seemingly up, with the British outfit having more wind tunnel time this season than Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes. “Because of their lowly championship finishing position last year, under the latest rules Aston Martin have so much more wind tunnel development time than their main three rivals,” Brundle wrote in his Sky Sports column.

“It’s already a good package but if they know where to go to improve it, then by mid-season they could emerge as the major challengers to Red Bull. That’s doubly painful for Mercedes because Aston Martin have the same engine, gearbox and rear suspension and use the same wind tunnel.”

‘More wind tunnel time’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/martin-brundle-reveals-major-advantage-aston-martin-have-over-max-verstappen-and-red-bull/


Aston Martin could catch Red Bull with significant development advantage
The story of 2023 Bahrain GP was unquestionably Aston Martin but this might only be the start for the British team
March 8, 2023
By Joe Ellis
Total Motorsport

Aston Martin are the most improved Formula 1 team in 2023 and they could even have the tools to catch Red Bull by the end of the current F1 season. Fernando Alonso stormed to his 99th career podium at the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix and Lance Stroll nursed a broken toe and wrist injuries to sixth, ahead of George Russell in the Mercedes.

Lawrence Stroll bought the team in 2018 and quickly put down plans to build a brand new facility to help catapult the team. If that can find a few extra tenths per lap then it will be money very well spent for Aston Martin.

They also have 58% more wind tunnel time than Red Bull after their cost-cap punishment further reduced their ability to upgrade at a rapid rate.

‘Catapult the team’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-aston-martin-catch-red-bull-significant-development-advantage/


Alonso issues ominous 'this is just the beginning' Aston Martin warning
Wednesday 8 March 2023 14:59
Sam Hall
GPFans

Fernando Alonso has warned his F1 rivals "this is just the beginning" after a storming drive to the podium on his Aston Martin debut. "I think the most important point is that the new Aston Martin is just a new car, a new project," said Alonso. "This is just the beginning.

"You know, this is not the final car, this is just the starting car of this concept that we changed over winter. I think some of the top teams just kept the philosophy that they had last year. Red Bull or Ferrari kept more of the same shapes. Just, fine-tuning things and making perfection of that good baseline that they had.”

"For us, it was much more difficult. We have to change 95% of the car. So, I guess there is more to learn from the car, and there is more to come on our side."

"This is just the beginning";

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/102958/bahrain-grand-prix-fernando-alonso-aston-martin-warning/


Could a move to Aston Martin or Ferrari await Lewis Hamilton if Mercedes ‘stay like this?’
10 Mar 2023 6:00 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Amidst the first sign of a potential crack in his relationship with Mercedes following his criticism at the Bahrain GP, Sky Sports’ Simon Lazenby has asked whether a move to Ferrari could be in Lewis Hamilton’s future. Hamilton isn’t impressed, the seven-time World Champion revealing Mercedes didn’t “listen” to him when he told them what the car needed.

Lazenby reckons if Hamilton does decide to leave Mercedes, Ferrari would be his number one choice. “Not to Aston, but how can you rule out a move to Ferrari if [Mercedes] stay like this?” he said. “He’s so desperate, so desperate for that eighth [title], that if Ferrari did manage to stay on the coattails and they were the nearest to Red Bull.

‘First sign of a potential crack’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/aston-martin-ferrari-move-lewis-hamilton-sky-pundits/

[Fortitude]

Mercedes 'hold emergency meeting' after Lewis Hamilton criticism as 'ultimatum' given.
Tensions have reportedly flared up inside the Mercedes camp after a poor start to the new Formula 1 season in Bahrain and Lewis Hamilton's public criticism of the team.
16:40, 9 Mar 2023
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
The Mirror

"And I think it's really about accountability, it's about owning up and saying 'yeah, you know what, we didn't listen to you, it's not where it needs to be and we've got to work'."

In the wake of those words, it was reported by Italian publication Formu1a.uno that a meeting took place "late at night" at the team's factory. Technical director Mike Elliott was supposedly given an "ultimatum" placing extra pressure upon him to get the W14 into a place where it is more competitive on track.

This latest reported development will do nothing to quell concerns that there may be a rift among the big players at the Silver Arrows. But team principal Wolff's initial response to the result in Bahrain was to reassure fans that everyone is pulling in the same direction.

"Ultimatum";

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/hamilton-mercedes-wolff-elliott-ultimatum-29417007


Mercedes 'hold emergency meeting' at their factory... with team's technical director Mike Elliott being given an 'ultimatum' after Lewis Hamilton's criticism over new car
• Lewis Hamilton struggled to compete at the opening GP of the 2023 season
• The Brit was sixth and nearly a minute down on race winner Max Verstappen
• Tensions have flared up in the Mercedes camp and 'a late meeting was called'
PUBLISHED: 08:13, 10 March 2023
By CHARLOTTE DALY FOR MAILONLINE

Tensions have flared up inside the Mercedes camp, with the team's technical director Mike Elliott being given an 'ultimatum' after a disappointing start to the 2023 season, according to a new report.

Mercedes are said to have discussed their issues in depth, while Elliott, the team's technical director, was given an ultimatum as they planned for the reminder of the 2023 season, according to Formu1a.uno.

It is claimed that Hamilton's comments after the first Grand Prix of the season instigated the discussion that took place.

‘Tensions have flared up’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-11843383/Mercedes-hold-emergency-meeting-factory-Lewis-Hamiltons-criticism-new-car.html


Mercedes hold ’emergency meeting’ as Toto Wolff responds to Lewis Hamilton’s claim F1 team ‘didn’t listen’ to him
Thursday 9 Mar 2023 1:06 pm
Callum McAvoy
Metro.co.uk

Toto Wolff has played down talk of a rift between Sir Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes after he claimed the team ‘didn’t listen’ to him while developing their 2023 Formula One car. Wolff said: “The Lewis situation is you heard him on the radio. He is an integral part of the team, picking the team up and we are all sticking together and I don’t think that is going to change just because we had a start that was really bad.”

“We have won eight constructors’ championships and six drivers’ championships with him and that relationship holds. As much as being transparent as to how we need to turn the car around, it is not the point to talk about the driver situation in 2024.”

“It is far too early, we need to all push in then same direction, the drivers, the engineers, all the management rather than throwing in the towel. We have never done that and we will not do it.”

’Emergency meeting’;

https://metro.co.uk/2023/03/09/f1-mercedes-hold-emergency-meeting-in-response-to-lewis-hamilton-criticism-18413576/?ito=newsnow-feed


Wolff insists Mercedes 'sticking together' amid Hamilton frustrations
10/03/2023 at 10:41
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Toto Wolff says Mercedes' troops are "sticking together" in the wake of the team's poor start to its 2023 campaign and amid the public grievances expressed by Lewis Hamilton.

Mercedes was significantly outperformed by its dominant Red Bull rival in the opening race of the season in Bahrain, but the Brackley squad's W14 was also defeated on pure pace by Ferrari and Aston Martin.

The team is attacking its car's downforce and balance issues head-on, with changes set to be implemented in upcoming races. But its troubled start has frustrated Hamilton who warned Mercedes last year about its car's development for 2023.

‘Troops are sticking together’;

https://f1i.com/news/468363-wolff-insists-mercedes-sticking-together-amid-hamilton-frustrations.html


Mercedes ‘sticking together’ amid F1 troubles, says Wolff
11:53 Thu, 09 Mar 2023.
Hamilton Lyndon-Griffiths
Read Motorsport

Toto Wolff says Mercedes is “sticking together” in the aftermath of its struggles in Formula 1’s Bahrain Grand Prix, despite Lewis Hamilton making his frustrations clear at the situation. Lewis Hamilton conceded Mercedes had gone backwards from last year and when speaking to BBC 5 Live after the race, claimed Mercedes had ignored his input on the W14.

“Last year, there were things I told them, I said the issues that are with the car,” said Hamilton. “I’ve driven so many cars in my life, so I know what a car needs, I know what a car doesn’t need. And I think it’s really about accountability.”

“It’s about owning up and saying: ‘Yeah, you know what? We didn’t listen to you. It’s not where it used to be and we’ve got to work.'” While Hamilton’s remarks hint at tensions behind the scenes, Wolff insists Mercedes is united in its current plight and maintains a strong relationship with the seven-time world champion.

‘Sticking together’;

https://readmotorsport.com/2023/03/09/mercedes-sticking-together-amid-f1-troubles-says-wolff/


Toto Wolff responds to Lewis Hamilton accusation, denies contract is at risk
Mercedes were unable to even compete for a podium during the first race of the 2023 season.
9 March 2023
by Jack Devonport
Formula1News

Bizarrely, the Silver Arrows arrived in Bahrain with a W14 design that resembled the W13 a lot, with the zero sidepod approach being continued despite last year’s struggles.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has now admitted that continuing this approach was the wrong decision, with Mercedes now set to embark on a completely different development path after falling behind Aston Martin in terms of car performance.

Lewis Hamilton has suggested that his team should have listened to him last season, as he told Mercedes that there were issues with the car related to its design.

‘Denies contract is at risk’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/toto-wolff-responds-to-lewis-hamilton-accusation-denies-contract-is-at-risk/


Wolff: Mercedes F1 "sticking together" amid Hamilton's 'didn't listen' remarks
10:12 Thu, 09 Mar 2023.
By: Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

Toto Wolff insists his Mercedes Formula 1 team is "sticking together" amid comments from Lewis Hamilton that it 'didn't listen' to his input on the 2023 car.

After the race Lewis Hamilton told BBC 5 Live that the team "didn't listen" to his input on the 2023 car, saying: "Last year, there were things I told them, I said the issues that are with the car.

"I've driven so many cars in my life, so I know what a car needs, I know what a car doesn't need. And I think it's really about accountability. It's about owning up and saying: 'Yeah, you know what? We didn't listen to you. It's not where it used to be and we've got to work.'"

‘It's about owning up’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/wolff-mercedes-f1-sticking-together-amid-hamiltons-didnt-listen-remarks/10441623/


Toto Wolff makes damning claim about 2023 season after just one grand prix
Mercedes look significantly slower than their rivals once again this season.
9 March 2023
by Jack Devonport
Formula1News

Red Bull’s front lock lockout led to a one-two finish in Bahrain and this has caused Wolff pain, with the Mercedes boss now suggesting that while Mercedes are already out of contention for the championship, Red Bull could win every race.

“After the first Grand Prix, I also believe that they [Red Bull] will win every race this year,” he said. Wolff’s fears that Mercedes W14 may not be the correct one were confirmed in Bahrain, as Aston Martin’s AMR23 looks significantly quicker than the W14, despite having the same power unit.

Upgrades for the W14 that will see the car go down a different development pathway are already in the works, but it is expected that these upgrades will not be online until F1 heads to Imola, leaving Mercedes languishing behind their rivals for a few more weeks.

‘Damning claim’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/toto-wolff-makes-damning-claim-about-2023-season-after-just-one-grand-prix/

[Zico]

Jenson Button: Former F1 world champion signs three-race Nascar deal

"Jenson Button won six grands prix on his way to the 2009 Formula 1 title in his one season racing for Brawn
Jenson Button won six grands prix on his way to the 2009 Formula 1 title in his one season racing for Brawn
Former Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button will race in three Nascar Cup Series meetings this year.

The 43-year-old Briton, who won the 2009 title, will make his debut in the stock car series in Texas on 26 March.

Button will also take part in the inaugural Chicago Street Race on 2 July and compete at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course on 13 August.

"The most important thing for me is to enjoy it," said Button, who won 15 grands prix during a 17-year F1 career.

Button's first Nascar race will take place at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin at the end of this month where he will drive a Mobil 1 Ford Mustang for Rick Ware Racing.

Since retiring from F1 in 2017 Button has enjoyed success in other motorsport arenas, winning the 2018 Super GT Championship and also competing in endurance races including the Le Mans 24 Hours.

"I love that challenge of driving new things," Button added. "Every time an ex-F1 driver gets in a stock car these days, they struggle initially.

"It takes a while for them to get up to speed, so I don't expect to be right at the front straight away. But I'm not just doing it for fun in some one-off.

"I want to be competitive, and I know that to be competitive it's going to take a bit of time. That's why doing these three races works very well this season."

Button will also take part in the Le Mans 24 Hours 100th anniversary this year, racing a Next-Gen Nascar modified Chevrolet Camaro in a collaboration with Le Mans organisers"

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/motorsport/64912876


Pretty 😎 huh..

How long do you think before he gets competitive, will 3 races be enough?

[Bagwan]

I expect Bunsen to be up to speed pretty quickly , mid-field in the first race .

He be to maybe tenth by the third , but will struggle to get higher than that .

And , yeah , pretty cool .

[Zico]

I expect Bunsen to be up to speed pretty quickly , mid-field in the first race .

He be to maybe tenth by the third , but will struggle to get higher than that .

And , yeah , pretty cool .


I often find drivers trying a new discipline quite fascinating. Thats along the lines of what I was thinking but he sounds maybe a tad more optimistic than us. Not doubting his talents but I'd imagine it's not the kind of series you can just step into and be at the sharp end in such little time.. even as a former F1 driver.

[Fortitude]

Sky Sports presenter Simon Lazenby claims Lewis Hamilton would LEAVE Mercedes for Ferrari as he is 'desperate' to win an eighth world championship... with his current £40m-a-year deal set to expire at the end of this season.
Simon Lazenby believes Lewis Hamilton would leave Mercedes for Ferrari in an attempt to win an eighth world title.
Published: 00:40, 11 March 2023
By Abdi Rashid For Mailonline
Mail Online

'He's so desperate for that eighth, that if Ferrari did manage to stay on the coattails and they were the nearest to Red Bull. 'He's not put his pen to paper yet on his contract. He's definitely waiting to see how this year's car felt. I think the great relationship with the team and Toto will endure but I don't think you can ever rule out a move to Ferrari for racing drivers because it's their dream and he's said it before.'

‘So Desperate’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-11846859/Simon-Lazenby-claims-Lewis-Hamilton-leave-Mercedes-Ferrari.html


Could a move to Aston Martin or Ferrari await Lewis Hamilton if Mercedes ‘stay like this?’
10 Mar 2023 6:00 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

The Brackley squad admitted the W14 wasn’t up to scratch, the car lacking in downforce with Toto Wolff questioning whether the package could even be made successful down the line. Hamilton isn’t impressed, the seven-time World Champion revealing Mercedes didn’t “listen” to him when he told them what the car needed.

Out of contract at the end of this season, the Briton has yet to sign a new deal with past World Champions Jenson Button and Damon Hill speculating that’s because he was waiting to see how competitive the car was. Now that he knows, or at least has an idea, former F1 driver Karun Chandhok was asked on the Sky Sports F1 Podcast if Aston Martin could be option for Hamilton. “I don’t think that will happen,” he replied. “You’re going to tell Lawrence to sack his son. Good luck with that.”

Sky colleague Lazenby reckons if Hamilton does decide to leave Mercedes, Ferrari would be his number one choice. “Not to Aston, but how can you rule out a move to Ferrari if [Mercedes] stay like this?” he said. “He’s so desperate, so desperate for that eighth [title], that if Ferrari did manage to stay on the coattails and they were the nearest to Red Bull. He’s not put his pen to paper yet on his contract. He’s definitely waiting to see how this year’s car felt.”

‘Stay like this?’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/aston-martin-ferrari-move-lewis-hamilton-sky-pundits/


‘Mercedes are under a lot of pressure from both drivers, but more so from Lewis Hamilton’
10 Mar 2023 12:00 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Closer to the end of his career than the beginning, Naomi Schiff believes “time is of the essence” for Mercedes to get it right and give Lewis Hamilton a championship-winning car.

But as the most improved team in the back half of last season, many predicted Mercedes would at the very least close the gap on Red Bull this season. They’ve done anything but, Toto Wolff admitting their deficit to the reigning World Champions has “almost doubled if not tripled”.

“I’m sure there’s a lot of pressure internally, from both drivers, but I guess even more so from Lewis because he’s not getting any younger. He’s obviously got Fernando [Alonso] to look up to in terms of how far you can go. But time is of the essence. They [Mercedes] spent an entire season struggling and being unhappy with where they were at with the car. So to have had this whole winter period and come back even a step backwards from where they were at the last race last season, that is what is so tough to accept.”

‘W13 entire season struggling, W14 come back even a step backwards’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mercedes-driver-pressure-naomi-schiff/


Mercedes face F1 embarrassment as top bosses consider huge Aston Martin decision
Mercedes endured a difficult opening Grand Prix weekend of the season in Bahrain, while Aston Martin excelled with Fernando Alonso securing a third-placed podium finish
09:21, 10 Mar 2023
By Fraser Watson Sports Trends Writer
The Mirror


https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/mercedes-aston-martin-saudi-arabia-29420826


Hamilton says he knew 'from the moment I drove the car' that W14 would need work
10 March 2023
Formula One - Official Site

It’s no secret that Mercedes were unhappy with their performance in Bahrain, but seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton has revealed that he knew the W14 would not be up to scratch well before the race.

“Yeah, I knew from the moment I drove the car where we were, and the challenges that we would be facing. On a positive note, not having the bouncing this year is a huge plus and trying to understand what the problems were whilst having bouncing really masks so many of the [issues] – it makes it difficult to figure out what those are,” he said.

As for the problems plaguing the W14, Hamilton explained: “We are lacking a lot of downforce, and we've got a lot of work to do to add more to the car. As soon as we put more load on the front and rear, we will be able to pick up our pace. We've just got to keep working; we know we are not where we need to be. I've got to stay positive, keep my head up and keep pushing the team. I will be a positive light for them and get the best points I can."

‘W14 would need work’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.hamilton-says-he-knew-from-the-moment-i-drove-the-car-that-w14-would-need.5W5nCtZkdD0u3bIXGpL41I.html

[Fortitude]

Frederic Vasseur will sack other key members of Mattia Binotto’s team.
“Fred is dismantling Binotto’s team. For different reasons and leaving different roles, Rosato, Giacobazzi, Sanchez have already left… I very much doubt that other key figures of the Binotto era will remain where they are for a long time.” Journalist Leo Turrini.
by Nick Golding
11 March 2023
Formula1News

Vasseur, of course, has been brought in to get Ferrari back to their glory days, something which has seen several senior members of the team resign. Head of vehicle concept David Sanchez is the most recent, according to The Race, with Sanchez having been a key part of Binotto’s set-up.

Formu1a.uni believe that Sanchez is reportedly returning to McLaren after a period of gardening leave, with Turrini expecting him to not be the last member of the “Binotto era” to depart Maranello. “Fred Vasseur, in agreement with the very powerful ad Vigna, even has the duty to build a team in his image and likeness,” Turrini said in his blog.

Despite Vasseur’s arrival and seemingly immediate changes, Ferrari still endured a disappointing season-opener in Bahrain last weekend, with Charles Leclerc having retired due to yet another power unit failure.

‘Sack other key members of Mattia Binotto’s team’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/frederic-vasseur-will-sack-other-key-members-of-mattia-binottos-team/


Ferrari crisis as Charles Leclerc 'writes to board' and engineers 'send CVs to F1 rivals'
Ferrari are reportedly going through an early-season crisis after failing to trouble Red Bull at last weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix.
13:04, Sat, Mar 11, 2023 |
By Archie Griggs
Daily and Sunday Express

Ferrari have reportedly been plunged into an internal crisis after last weekend's season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix saw them remain well adrift of the pace shown by Red Bull, who recorded a dominant one-two finish to lay down an early marker in the year-long battle for supremacy.

It seems as though Leclerc feels particularly aggrieved, with Gazzetta dello Sport claiming that the Monegasque driver wrote to Ferrari chiefs to request a crunch meeting with chief executive John Elkann in the aftermath of last weekend's Grand Prix. The prospect of faltering away for a second year in a row is said to be 'unacceptable' to Leclerc, which suggests that he could finally lose patience with Ferrari if things fail to improve as a matter of urgency over the coming weeks.

There is also said to be great unrest among the rest of the team at Ferrari after the exit of aerodynamics chief David Sanchez, who has reportedly offered his resignation of his own accord in order to join McLaren. A number of Sanchez's fellow Ferrari engineers have also been accused of sharing their resumes with other F1 teams in recent months, with several members of staff believed to be considering their options. It will be crucial for team principal Frederic Vasseur to stop the rot as quickly as possible in order to avoid the situation from spiralling out of control.

‘Ferrari crisis’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1745149/Ferrari-crisis-Charles-Leclerc-engineers-F1-news


Ferrari F1 designer quits after Bahrain GP, set to defect to British team
David Sanchez was responsible for the aerodynamic concept of Ferrari's 2022 and 2023 cars.
by Nick Golding
10 March 2023
Formula1News

It has been reported by multiple media outlets in Italy that Ferrari’s head of vehicle concept David Sanchez has resigned, due to having been approached by a team based in the United Kingdom. According to Formu1a.uno, that British side is McLaren, who are under the impression that Sanchez will join the Woking-based team once he completes a period of gardening leave.

Sanchez is reported to have resigned with immediate effect, hence why he’s entered a period of gardening leave as standard at Ferrari. If true, losing Sanchez is a massive loss for Ferrari, with the Frenchman being an integral part of the team’s aerodynamic department, which he’s been promoted within since joining the Maranello-based team in 2012.

‘Ferrari F1 designer quits’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/ferrari-f1-designer-quits-after-bahrain-gp-set-to-defect-to-british-team/


Senior Ferrari F1 technical figure has resigned
Mar 9 2023
By Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

One of Ferrari’s most senior technical figures has resigned and already been linked with joining a rival Formula 1 team.

Ferrari’s head of vehicle concept David Sanchez, a highly regarded member of the team’s technical organisation, has reportedly resigned. The team did not wish to comment when approached by The Race.

‘One of Ferrari’s most senior technical figures has resigned’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/senior-ferrari-f1-technical-figure-has-resigned/


FERRARI CHIEF ENGINEER DEPARTS TEAM
Bad news for the Scuderia?
Jasmine Hughes
FormulaNerds

According to reports from Motorsport Italy, Sanchez has tendered his resignation after 10 years at the Italian team. Sanchez has been a key figure within Ferrari’s engineering team since 2012, working initially as a principal aerodynamicist. By 2016, Sanchez was made the team’s chief aerodynamicist.

The news is less than ideal and comes against a backdrop of discontent within the Scuderia. The team’s shortcomings last year lead to an overhaul of the team’s management, with previous Alfa Romeo team principal Fred Vasseur replacing Mattia Binotto. Other changes included the appointment of a new Chief Strategist, with Ravin Javin replacing Iñaki Rueda.

‘The news is less than ideal’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/ferrari-chief-engineer-departs-team/?nowprocket=1


Ferrari aerodynamics chief OUT as Bahrain fallout continues
Thursday 9 March 2023 21:10
Stuart Hodge
GPFans

Thursday's reports from Italy suggest Sanchez will now have to undergo a period of gardening leave before what Sky Sport Italia predicts will be a move to McLaren.

The shock news comes just four days after all that pre-season hype surrounding the SF-23 - the design of which Sanchez played a major part in - was obliterated in a Bahrain beatdown at the hands of Red Bull.

The departure of Sanchez from Maranello is the second big change at Ferrari in recent weeks. Last month Inaki Rueda was replaced as Head of Race Strategy by Ravin Jain.

‘Fallout continues’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/103071/david-sanchez-ferrari-f1-head-of-vehicle-concept-aerodynamics-resigns-mclaren-link/


Top Ferrari engineer set to join McLaren?
MARCH 10, 2023
GrandPrix.com

Former team boss Stefano Domenicali warned the Italian team that it must now tread a fine line. "Saying 'we are Ferrari' is no longer enough," the F1 CEO told Sportmediaset.

"They now need to work on the weak points in order to grow without becoming typically Italian and emotional. Only with determination can you get out of difficult situations," Domenicali added.

Sky Italia, meanwhile, claims that former Renault and McLaren engineer Sanchez will now return to a British team - believed to be Woking-based McLaren.

"Saying 'we are Ferrari' is no longer enough";

https://www.grandprix.com/news/top-ferrari-engineer-set-to-join-mclaren.html


Ferrari’s head of F1 vehicle design resigns
11:26 Fri, 10 Mar 2023.
Hamilton Lyndon-Griffiths
Read Motorsport

Ferrari has reportedly been hit with the surprise departure of one of its senior technical figures just one race into the new Formula 1 season.

Sanchez was seen as a key member of the Ferrari team under Mattia Binotto’s reign as team principal and played a key role in the Italian outfit’s resurgence in 2017 when he helped design the race-winning SF-70H.

The Frenchman was effectively responsible for the design and development of Ferrari’s last two cars, working on both last year’s F1-75 and its current 2023 challenger the SF-23.

‘Surprise departure’;

https://readmotorsport.com/2023/03/10/ferraris-head-of-f1-vehicle-design-resigns/

[Fortitude]

‘No panic, no knee-jerk reaction’ promise Mercedes in open letter to fans.
In an open letter to its fans, Mercedes said their performance in the opening race in Bahrain “hurt” after Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finished fifth and seventh, respectively, beaten comfortably by the winning Red Bulls.
RaceFans Round-up
Posted on
12th March 2023, 0:0111th March 2023, 22:29
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

“First, we won’t panic or make knee-jerk reactions,” Mercedes said. “We have been open and searingly honest about where we find ourselves. And we are working urgently and calmly to build our recovery plan, focusing on what needs to happen short term, medium term, and long term to win.”

“We already have developments in the pipeline for the next races – and there will be more to come. But this won’t be the work of a moment; there are no silver bullets in F1.”

“Hurt” ;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/12/racefans-round-up-12-03-6/


Mercedes make stunning statement one week on from Bahrain GP ‘hurt’.
Mercedes released a surprise statement to their fans after Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finished outside of the podium places at the Bahrain Grand Prix.
March 11, 2023
By Nigel Chiu
Total Motorsport

“Bahrain hurt,” read a statement from Mercedes. “It hurt each one of us, who head into every season determined to fight for world championships.

“It hurt the team as a whole, after pouring so much hard work into a car that hasn’t met our expectations. And we know it hurt you, our fans, too. Your passion and support are so important in driving us forward – and we know that we feel the same pain.”

“Bahrain hurt”;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-2023-mercedes-stunning-statement-one-week-bahrain-grand-prix-hurt/


Formula 1: Has Lewis Hamilton thrown Mercedes under the bus?
11:31 Sat, 11 Mar 2023.
by Asher Fair
Beyond the Flag (Weblog).

Lewis Hamilton was quoted as saying that Mercedes didn’t listen to his feedback when creating the team’s 2023 Formula 1 challenger.

All in all, only he knows what has gone on behind the scenes, so more than likely, these comments are accurate, even if not totally fair, based on his perception of what has gone on at the Brackley-based team over the last year or so during their fall from Formula 1 supremacy.

Nevertheless, there will be those who don’t take too kindly to his comments, given the fact that, for the better part of his career, he has been in a car that has been by far and away the best on the grid.

‘Under the bus?’;

https://beyondtheflag.com/2023/03/11/formula-1-lewis-hamilton-thrown-mercedes-bus/


Mercedes publish open letter to fans amidst Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari rumours
Updated: Mar 11, 2023
By Jonathan Maze
World In Sport (Weblog)

Mercedes have published an open letter to their fans following a disappointing season opener in the Bahrain Grand Prix. The race saw Lewis Hamilton finish P5 and George Russell finish two places back in P7. Their performance was so poor that they were outshone by their customer team Aston Martin who looks to be Red Bull’s nearest competition.

“In a spotlight as fierce as F1, people are quick to point fingers or look for scapegoats. But you know us better than that,” the letter writes. “Inside the team, we talk about having the courage to fail, the character to be accountable and the strength to see failure as an opportunity. We have been open and searingly honest about where we find ourselves.”

“Inside the team”;

https://worldinsport.com/mercedes-publish-open-letter-to-fans-amidst-lewis-hamilton-to-ferrari-rumours/?nowprocket=1


Mercedes confirm talks on 'accountability' after Lewis Hamilton complained about engineers
Mercedes have penned an open letter to fans after Lewis Hamilton's struggles in Bahrain.
14:00, Sat, Mar 11, 2023
By Sam Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Mercedes have confirmed that staff held ‘searingly honest’ talks after a dismal start to the Formula One season. Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton appeared to point the finger at engineers and told them to ‘own up’ with the W14 car struggling for performance at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

In an open letter to fans, the team has now admitted that a clear-the-air meeting was held between staff. It comes following reports that technical director Mike Elliott was given a brutal ultimatum over his role.

‘Brutal Ultimatum’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1745155/Mercedes-Lewis-Hamilton-F1-latest-news


Mercedes ‘isn’t the right car’ – Hamilton
Sunday 12th March, 2023 - 7:30am
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Lewis Hamilton has expressed concern the W14 developed by Mercedes this year simply “isn’t the right car”. Fifth-placed Hamilton even declared Mercedes “miles away” from Aston Martin as Fernando Alonso was third on his debut with his new team.

In addition, Hamilton stated in a post-race interview on BBC Radio 5 Live that Mercedes did not listen to his input last year with regard to the W13, and “the issues that are with the car”.

‘Isn’t the right car’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/03/12/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-not-the-right-car/


Mercedes engineers' 'view' on copying Aston Martin after Lewis Hamilton complaints
Mercedes have endured further problems with their car after beginning their 2023 season last week
05:20, Sun, Mar 12, 2023
By Joshua Lees
Daily and Sunday Express

The idea that Mercedes’ engineers could copy the model of their Aston Martin rivals has been rubbished, after Lewis Hamilton made strong complaints at last week’s Bahrain Grand Prix. It was a tricky start for Mercedes in Bahrain, as their struggles from last season continued into 2023.

'View on copying Aston Martin rubbished’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1745173/Mercedes-Aston-Martin-Lewis-Hamilton-F1-news


Mercedes to make controversial decision in favour of Aston Martin
Aston Martin have started the season in stunning fashion with a podium in Bahrain via Fernando Alonso.
11 March 2023
by Jack Devonport
Formula1News

With both Mercedes and Aston Martin using the same power unit this season, it proves that Aston Martin’s car design is what is giving them the edge over Lewis Hamilton’s team.

Rumours have now emerged that Mercedes could be considering giving Aston Martin a more powerful engine this season to allow Mercedes to get the highest possible finish as an engine manufacturer.

“Mercedes chiefs are said to be willing to pay more attention to giving [Fernando] Alonso the fastest engine if their own car fails to perform in the next two races, which take place in Saudi Arabia and Australia,” Express have reported.

‘Giving [Fernando] Alonso the fastest engine’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/mercedes-to-make-controversial-decision-in-favour-of-aston-martin/


Toto Wolff comments on Mercedes developing two cars ‘side by side’ in 2023
11 March 2023
by Jack Devonport
Formula1News

“It’s extremely difficult to catch such an advantage [to Red Bull], but it’s what we need to do. We have no choice,” said Wolff.

“We’re not going to develop two cars side-by-side, but we’re going to develop one car and we will decide that in the next days and weeks which car that will be.”

‘Side by side’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/toto-wolff-comments-on-mercedes-developing-two-cars-side-by-side-in-2023/

[Fortitude]

Ultimatum: Mercedes owners switch focus to Aston Martin.
If no improvement is seen in the next two Formula 1 Grands Prix, they will give significant help to Aston Martin, focusing instead on the customer team, away from the works Mercedes team of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.
March 12, 2023
by thejudge13

To everyone’s surprise, the Aston Martin team took the podium at the Bahrain Grand Prix thanks to Fernando Alonso’s third place. Lawrence Stroll’s team overtook the Mercedes of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton at the start of the season, whereas the gap was enormous last year. And Damon Hill can’t believe it when asked during the Grand Prix weekend.

Indeed the situation has not gone unnoticed by the board of Mercedes, the German bosses have given Toto Wolff and his team two races to improve their competitiveness. If that doesn’t happen in Jeddah and Melbourne, Mercedes’ will be told to send their best engines to Aston Martin rather than to the factory team.

It should be noted that although it is accepted that Mercedes customers are supposed to receive the same powertrains as the factory team, in reality they are not exactly the same because of the specifics of the production process. As an example, the Spanish newspaper The Objective reported that during the recent tests in Bahrain, the engine in the seven-time world champion’s car was about four horsepower more powerful than Fernando Alonso’s, even though they both had the same specification.

‘Best engines to Aston Martin’;

https://thejudge13.com/2023/03/12/ultimatum-mercedes-owners-switch-focus-to-aston-martin/


Fernando Alonso explains why Jeddah and Melbourne will be key for Aston Martin
After his podium finish in Bahrain, Fernando Alonso will now travel to Saudi Arabia for the second round of the season.
11 March 2023
by Jack Devonport
Formula1News

The Spaniard has explained that the next two rounds in Saudi Arabia and Australia will present very different challenges to the team, which could give a better representation of Aston Martin’s potential this year.

“Let’s see. I have the same feeling from testing, like it’s too good to be true and you’re always expecting that something will take you a step back and you will get back to reality,” said Alonso when asked for his revised 2023 expectations.

“But the performance seems real, so let’s see in Jeddah. I am curious to go to Jeddah and Australia. They are very different circuits, high-speed corners, very little degradation. In Bahrain, we were strong in areas maybe we don’t find in Jeddah and Australia.”

‘Next two rounds’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/fernando-alonso-explains-why-jeddah-and-melbourne-will-be-key-for-aston-martin/


Alonso fires warning to Aston Martin's rivals over 2023 car
12 March 10:10AM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers


Fernando Alonso has warned Aston Martin's Formula 1 rivals that because the AMR23 is "95% new", the team are nowhere near their potential. And the two-time World Champion believes the fact that the Aston is a fresh start holds a lot of promise for the team.

"I mean, there are a couple of areas that we have to improve that I will not share, but I think the most important point is that the new Aston Martin is just a new car, a new project," Alonso told media, including RacingNews365.com.

"This is just the beginning, this is not the final car, this is just the starting car of the concept we changed over the winter. [I have] full trust in our team, obviously they know what they are doing, so let's hopefully improve soon."

‘Aston Martin's Formula 1 rivals warned’;

https://racingnews365.com/alonso-fires-warning-to-aston-martins-rivals-over-2023-car


TREMAYNE: Aston Martin and Alonso's emergence is something we should all cheer
09 March 2023
David Tremayne
Hall of Fame F1 Journalist
Formula One - Official Site

So let’s start first with Fernando Alonso, and why the 2005 and ’06 world champion continues to be so important to the F1 scene. Number one, he is driving at least as well as he did back in those far-distant days, which is remarkable given that he’s 41 years old.

He’s never been that good at choosing his next moves, and had to leave McLaren for Ferrari given the way he chose to play Spygate in 2007 (though Ron Dennis did later persuade him to return in their final Honda phase). His relationship with Ferrari thereafter was not overly blessed, any more than that with Alpine after his recent comeback. But with Aston Martin, he may have chosen his move perfectly, and might just prove consistently to be the act that brings the most to the table after Christian Horner’s boys.

Lawrence expected this kind of form last year and was angrily disappointed. He doesn’t like losing, and I guess I wouldn’t either if I had invested so much. But the new AMR23 is the product of collaboration between a technical team led by former Red Bull aero guru Dan Fallows, whose prolonged period of ‘gardening leave’ after quitting the champion team has finally expired, McLaren and Toro Rosso refugee Luca Furbatto and Eric Blandin, whose past embraces positions as aero chief at both Ferrari and Mercedes.

‘Aston Martin and Alonso's emergence’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.tremayne-aston-martin-and-alonsos-emergence-is-something-we-should-all-cheer.01N6YQE1HHBBB47DFrjBuJ.html


Krack says 'experienced' Aston team can handle the pressure upfront
11/03/2023 at 14:39
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Aston Martin team boss Mike Krack says Team Silverstone can handle the pressure of fighting amongst F1's frontrunners thanks to its experience and "fantastic" crews.

But should that be the case, can the team handle the heat that radiates at the front of the field? "I think yes," said Krack, quoted by RacingNews365.com. "We must not forget that we are speaking about Team Silverstone. This is a very experienced team with a lot of fantastic people that have done that already."

Indeed, in its previous Force India and Racing Point guises, Team Silverstone often sparred with F1's leaders, with Sergio Perez - who scored his fourth career podium in F1 in 2014 with Force India in Bahrain - taking a remarkable win at Sakhir in 2020, on the track's outer loop configuration.

‘We are speaking about Team Silverstone.’;

https://f1i.com/news/468452-krack-says-experienced-aston-team-can-handle-the-pressure-upfront.html

[Fortitude]

Ferrari crisis deepens with boss Fred Vasseur 'fed up' already after just one F1 race.
Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur is already ‘fed up’ after a dismal start to the Formula One season, according to reports. The Italian media claims that Vasseur is struggling for influence just months after replacing Mattia Binotto as team principal.
13:12, Sun, Mar 12, 2023
By Sam Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

The Frenchman is allegedly not the individual ‘pulling the strings’ at Ferrari. Instead, CEO Benedetto Vigna has enjoyed more power over the last few months.

Vasseur has apparently been given ‘little freedom’ in his role and is reporting to Vigna. Reports in Italy claim that the pair’s relationship has soured and that there is plenty of unrest within the team.

Compared with the nine other team principals, Vasseur is said to enjoy far less power over his team. There are also apparent fears that several key figures within Ferrari could depart, reportedly following their head of aerodynamics, David Sanchez, out of the door.

‘Ferrari crisis deepens’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1745364/Ferrari-crisis-latest-Fred-Vasseur-Charles-Leclerc-Formula-One-news


F1 rumours: Laurent Mekies part of Ferrari mass exodus? Leclerc meets Ferrari president
12 Mar 2023 10:30 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Charles Leclerc reportedly met with Ferrari president John Elkann following a troublesome F1 2023 season-opener in Bahrain, while a host of staff, including Laurent Mekies, appear to be heading for the exit door.

After last season’s title challenge did not go to plan for Ferrari, the team returned to the drawing board for F1 2023 and came up with the SF-23 as they looked to take a fresh crack at reaching the Formula 1 summit for the first time since 2008.

The Scuderia then were hoping to be within range of Red Bull at the first round of F1 2023, even if they did expect Red Bull to have the edge over a race distance. As it turned out though, it was more than an edge.

‘Ferrari mass exodus’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-rumours-ferrari-staff-mass-exodus/


F1 Podcast: Is there any hope for Ferrari’s 2023 title bid?
Mar 13 2023
The Race

Ferrari never claimed it would instantly topple Red Bull going into the 2023 Formula 1 season, but it was at least very optimistic that it had solved its 2022 problems and would be a stronger challenger.

Yet it’s started this year weaker than it began 2022. Edd Straw, Scott Mitchell-Malm and Ben Anderson look at why that’s the case on The Race F1 Podcast, plus what it means for new team boss Fred Vasseur, whether the Bahrain Grand Prix might’ve been deceptive, and if Ferrari’s title bid is already over.

‘Is there any hope?’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/f1-podcast-is-there-any-hope-for-ferraris-2023-title-bid/


More Ferrari staff to quit and join rival teams
Ferrari started the 2023 season poorly, missing out on a podium finish to Aston Martin.
12 March 2023
by Jack Devonport
Formula1News

New team principal Fred Vasseur would not have wanted to start his rein in such a disappointing manner and is now reportedly eyeing a number of changes behind the scenes.

It has been reported that Enrico Cardile’s future is currently uncertain, with the head of chassis potentially on the verge of leaving the Scuderia.

Assistant team principal Laurent Mekies is also eyeing an exit from Ferrari according to reports, with Vasseur looking to completely change the team from last season.

‘More Ferrari staff to quit’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/more-ferrari-staff-to-quit-and-join-rival-teams/


Charles Leclerc ‘requests meeting’ with president as he mulls Ferrari exit
Charles Leclerc retired from third at the Bahrain GP following a power unit-related failure.
12 March 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Following Ferrari’s disastrous start to the season at the Bahrain Grand Prix, it has been reported by gazzetta.it that Charles Leclerc asked for a meeting with Ferrari president John Elkann to “receive reassurance”.

“After the nightmare Bahrain GP, Charles Leclerc requested a meeting with Ferrari President John Elkann in Maranello to discuss the situation, seeking to share his point of view and receive reassurance,” wrote Ferrari News on Twitter, as per gazzetta.it.

“Charles wants to win with Ferrari, but feels that time is running out.” Whilst the engine failure was clearly less than ideal for Leclerc and Ferrari, the biggest issue is arguably the fact that they never looked like beating Max Verstappen or Red Bull. Even before Leclerc’s retirement, the Monegasque wasn’t anywhere near Verstappen, and was even overtaken somewhat easily by Sergio Pérez for second.

‘Mulls Ferrari exit’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/charles-leclerc-requests-meeting-with-president-as-he-mulls-ferrari-exit/


The problems facing Ferrari and Mercedes that will be music to Red Bull’s ears
12 Mar 2023 7:45 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

While ex-F1 driver Karun Chandhok believes Ferrari will grow stronger in the coming races, both they and Mercedes still have issues to address.

Ferrari were looking a strong bet to join Red Bull on the podium, but an engine failure dropped Charles Leclerc out of the race when he was running P3, but not a threat to Red Bull ahead. Carlos Sainz crossed the line in P4.

“My concern for Ferrari is the fact that their reliability is already looking pretty shaky. Before the first race they had to change the control electronic unit on Leclerc’s car, then the engine went pop for a reason I don’t think has been publicly confirmed yet. So yeah, big concerns there.” Karun Chandhok.

‘The problems’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/karun-chandhok-ferrari-mercedes-f1-2023-problems/

[Fortitude]

Gary Anderson on F1 2023’s big-name early underachiever trio.
Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren have all dropped the ball to a certain extent with their cars at the start of the 2023 season.
11:37 Fri, 10 Mar 2023
By Gary Anderson
The Race

We only have Bahrain to judge performance by, but it means we can take a look at the three of them and explain the possible reasons why. Even if the regulations are relatively stable, as they were from 2022 to 2023, coming up with a detailed specification and set of objectives for a new car design is never easy.

Not only has Mercedes lost a bit of pace in relative terms since the end of last year, but it has also been leapfrogged by customer team Aston Martin. In Bahrain, it was 0.145% further off than it was on average across the last four races of 2022. Ferrari is better-placed than Mercedes on track but its problems are even worse than Mercedes. It has also lost a bit of ground to Red Bull, but the biggest hangover of last year’s troubles is the reliability that’s meant to have been fixed.

McLaren was the biggest under-performer in Bahrain – or perhaps I should say ‘non-performer’. The pre-season test at the same circuit hadn’t gone well for it either as there were continual problems with the front wheel brows that restricted the car’s running on various occasions. But even taking all that into account, we all know that Lando Norris will wring a car’s neck when he gets a chance, especially in qualifying and even that wasn’t enough to make Q3 in Bahrain.

‘Dropped the ball’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/gary-anderson-on-f1-2023s-big-name-early-underachiever-trio/


Mercedes bringing back James Allison after poor start to 2023 F1 season
Pressure is building on Mike Elliott and James Allison could be called upon to save the day.
March 8, 2023
By Joe Ellis
Total Motorsport

Mercedes are reportedly to call upon James Allison to take the lead in their 2024 Formula 1 car design after their 2023 campaigner had a difficult debut.
Allison previously worked with Mercedes from 2017 to 2021 and helped them to both drivers and constructors titles in multiple years before choosing to leave prior to the new regulations taking effect.

But Elliott has not lived up to the task and Toto Wolff is ready to bring Allison back with an SOS call for the 2024 campaign, according to the Italian version of Motorsport.com. “We know we don’t have a mechanical problem, otherwise Aston Martin would suffer too, the point is that we go well on the straight but we lose a lot of time in the fast corners,” Wolff said.

‘Bringing back James Allison’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-mercedes-bringing-back-james-allison-poor-start-2023-season/


How a 2023 F1 rule change caught McLaren out so badly
Mar 10 2023
By Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

McLaren is playing catch-up with its 2023 Formula 1 car because it realised too late that its intended design was badly impacted by the rule change that increased the height of the floor edge by 15mm. As early as September last year, McLaren realised it was in trouble and had to make drastic changes that ultimately led to its preferred version MCL60 not being ready for the start of the season.

As McLaren went down this new route it quickly found gains relative to its original design. By the time it came to signing off the launch/race one specification, the revised floor was not considered “mature enough”. It was already performing better in simulations but McLaren felt its understanding of everything was not quite as robust as it needed to be.

“We tried to get it for race one, it wasn’t mature enough,” said Key. “It performed a bit better but with these floors you’ve got to maintain stability, good correlation, everything else, to guarantee it’s going to work. It was a little bit risky for race one.”

‘McLaren caught out so badly’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/how-a-2023-f1-rule-change-caught-mclaren-out-so-badly/


What’s behind the hints of Ferrari dysfunction already?
13/03/2023, 14:43.
By Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

One race into the new era of Ferrari’s Formula 1 leadership, the biggest source of pressure in Italy is portraying an image of dysfunction and borderline chaos. The Bahrain Grand Prix was a chastening season opener for Ferrari, comfortably beaten by Red Bull on pace and with a reliability problem condemning Charles Leclerc to a race-one retirement.

Many of the high-profile changes over the winter seem a surprise. Whispers of disagreement with management – which must be code for ‘Vigna’ – suggest some departed, or want to depart, because of an internal schism. This team has always theoretically had the requisite components to conquer F1 again. But too often, Ferrari is less than the sum of its parts. That has happened again in 2023, certainly based on the start of the season.

The suggestion that some parts are actually being stripped further away, and that there is a serious undercurrent of concern throughout the organisation, creates the impression things could get worse before they get better. The press pile-on is not a dagger in Vasseur’s back so much as a serious interrogation of Vigna’s management. The portrayal across various factions of Italian media is that of an organisation that is fraying at the edges and creaking under its unique mass – or at the very least is at risk of that happening.

‘Hints of Ferrari dysfunction’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/whats-behind-the-hints-of-ferrari-dysfunction-already/


F1’s new power: Can Aston Martin turn a ‘good baseline’ into a Red Bull-beater?
2023 Bahrain Grand Prix
Posted on 9th March 2023, 12:599th March 2023, 12:59
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Red Bull’s demolition of the opposition in the first race of the 2023 Formula 1 season left many wondering whether anyone will stop them this year. But the first race of the year also confirmed the remarkable progress made by Aston Martin. The team’s new hiring Fernando Alonso delivered on their pre-season promise by following the Red Bull pair home in third place.

Before the weekend began Alonso said his team believed its new AMR23 already offered superior performance to its predecessor and should have greater potential for further development during the year. However three days later, after overcoming the Mercedes and Ferraris to third place, Alonso sounded more confident, admitting the team were in an even better position than they predicted.

Aston Martin have surprised themselves already with the performance they have shown this year. Could they end up strong enough to rival Red Bull? And what potential for improvement is there in the new combination of the rapidly expanding Aston Martin team and the ferociously competitive, success-starved Alonso?

‘Can Aston Martin turn a ‘good baseline’ into a Red Bull-beater?’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/09/f1s-new-power-can-aston-martin-turn-a-good-baseline-into-a-red-bull-beater/


Palmer backs Alonso to break F1 win drought in 2023
12:52 Thu, 09 Mar 2023.
by Fergal Walsh
Motorsport Week

Ex-Formula 1 driver Jolyon Palmer believes that Fernando Alonso could take his first race win in 10 years this season with Aston Martin. Writing in his post-Bahrain column for Formula1.com, Palmer hailed Alonso’s performance.

“Fernando Alonso has been waiting a decade for a car that he can compete with at the sharp end of Formula 1, and finally in 2023 it seems he has one,” he said. “The Aston Martin looked hooked up from the word go in pre-season.”

“It took a while for Fernando to emerge in the car, but from the very first lap I saw, he looked comfortable and was hustling on, visibly more than most others out there. By the time we got to the race weekend, there was a palpable air of excitement for Aston Martin from the neutrals in the paddock, and a fear of them from their competitors, exaggerated by their practice-topping times.”

‘Alonso to break F1 win drought in 2023’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/03/09/palmer-backs-alonso-to-break-f1-win-drought-in-2023/

[Fortitude]

Marko lauds Perez for 'surviving alongside Verstappen'.
Sergio Perez's greatest achievement at Red Bull has been to merely "survive" alongside Max Verstappen for the past two years, says Helmut Marko.
11/03/2023 at 16:03
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Perez was handed the plum seat at Red Bull Racing at the end of the 2020 season, the Mexican replacing Alex Albon who had failed to make much of an impression against Verstappen during his year and a half with the team. And Albon's predecessor Pierre Gasly lasted only half a season alongside Red Bull's blindingly fast two-time world champion.

"Sergio has survived two years alongside Max without being broken like most drivers," the Austrian told German website sport.de. "That is a great achievement." Ahead of this season, Perez outlined his main target for 2023: fighting for race wins at every race.

"I want to maximise the car potential, and I want to be fighting for the win every weekend," he explained last month. I'm really working hard for it, and that's my main target."

'Surviving alongside Verstappen';

https://f1i.com/news/468464-marko-lauds-perez-for-surviving-alongside-verstappen.html


Helmut Marko's bizarre "broken" compliment to Sergio Perez in Max Verstappen comparison
Sergio Perez is now in his third season as a Red Bull driver, and has been praised by Helmut Marko for lasting so long alongside two-time world champion Max Verstappen
11:34, 11 Mar 2023
By Joshua Lees Sports Trends Writer
The Mirror

Now into his third term, the Mexican is the world champion's longest serving Red Bull teammate, after Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly lasted just two years - two drivers Marko described as being broken by being left in the shadow of Verstappen. The Red Bull advisor did however praise his current driver.

He added: "Overall, the goal is that we want to win first and second place in the World Championship. From our point of view, it is not predetermined that that is Max." One man who is also confident the Mexican can become world champion is Perez's father Antonio.

‘Ccompliment to Sergio Perez’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/markos-sergio-perez-max-verstappen-29430208


Perez could beat Verstappen to 2023 title – Marko
14th March 2023, 06:12
Grandpx.news

Sergio Perez could “challenge” teammate Max Verstappen for the 2023 world championship. That is the wild claim of Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko, even though reigning back-to-back title winner Verstappen got his new campaign off to a dominant start recently in Bahrain.

There were clear signs of tension between Verstappen and Perez last year, but Marko actually thinks he has been one of the Dutchman’s best ever teammates. “Sergio survived two years alongside Max without being broken like most others,” he said. “That’s a great achievement.”

However, the Austrian admits that 33-year-old Perez has to acknowledge that his “teammate has no weaknesses”. Nevertheless, Perez “does not give up”, Marko added. “Overall, our goal is that we want to win first and second place in the world championship. We don’t specify that first place is for Max.”

‘Perez “does not give up”, Marko added’;

https://grandpx.news/perez-could-beat-verstappen-to-2023-title-marko/


‘He’s got to be on his A-game’ – Horner urges Perez to keep pushing to match ‘highest benchmark’ Verstappen
13 March 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Christian Horner has admitted that Sergio Perez needs to bring his “A-game” weekend in, weekend out if he hopes to challenge Max Verstappen during the 2023 campaign, describing the Dutchman as “the highest benchmark” on the F1 grid.

However, despite taking sporadic wins and regular podiums with his new outfit, Perez has often struggled to live with the raw pace displayed by Verstappen – underlined by significant differences in their pole position, victory and points tallies across the two seasons they have spent together. With 2023 marking another fresh opportunity for Perez, Horner was asked what the Mexican has got to change to challenge Verstappen at every Grand Prix weekend, to which the Red Bull team boss initially said with a smile: “His lap time.”

Horner then expanded: “Look, Max is a hell of a competitor and he’s a tough… probably the highest benchmark in F1. But Checo is now in his third year in the team, he’s confident, he’s comfortable and he’s got to be on his A-game – not just with Max. “I think the key thing in the appointment of Checo was his experience. And it had been unfair, perhaps, on the previous two guys [Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon] to bring them in so soon,” said Horner, referring to Red Bull’s previous driver line-up movements.

‘He’s got to be on his A-game’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.horner-outlines-what-perez-must-change-to-compete-with-verstappen-in-2023.7jI7fuqP9hsUxwFN6X83hJ.html


Antonio Perez adamant son Sergio will deliver World Championship for Mexico
11 Mar 2023 2:45 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Sergio Perez’s father has claimed his son has vowed to not leave Formula 1 until he brings the World Championship back to Mexico. The sight of Antonio Perez celebrating wildly at his son’s achievements has become a familiar one with Perez Snr able to watch his son battle for wins and podiums following his move to Red Bull in 2021.

Despite this, Antonio Perez revealed his son made a vow as a child to bring a Formula 1 World Championship back to Mexico before he retires. “We will have a Formula 1 champion in Mexico,” Antonio Perez told the Mexican newspaper Esto. “He said it since he was a child: ‘I will not return to Mexico until I am world champion.’

“From now until his career ends, we have to erase all these years that have passed because he never had the opportunity to fight like he is going to fight today. We are going to start to see the best of Checo Pérez, he still has a lot to give.”

‘World Championship for Mexico’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/sergio-perez-world-championship-mexico/


Sergio Perez will be F1 champion says father
MARCH 10, 2023
Grandpx.news

Sergio Perez has no intention of settling for second best in Formula 1, his father Antonio insists.

Faced with the image of Perez as a solid and mature supporting teammate for Verstappen, his father Antonio insists: "From now on, his career begins.”

"We have to erase all these years that have passed because he never had the opportunity to fight like he is going to fight now. We are going to start to see the best of Checo Perez. He still has a lot to give," he said.

"From now on, his career begins”;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/sergio-perez-will-be-f1-champion-says-father.html

[Fortitude]

‘Snappy comments from Lewis Hamilton, Toto Wolff risk Mercedes civil war’.
Craig Scarborough believes Mercedes are at a critical point. “And you have to guess, given their success over the past decade, that they know how to do that. So there’s almost like a civil war going on.”
14 Mar 2023 7:00 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff’s questioning of Mercedes’ Formula 1 car concept over the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend has been likened to a “civil war” by a respected Formula 1 technical expert.

With both drivers six tenths slower than Max Verstappen’s lap for pole position at the Sakhir circuit, team boss Wolff admitted that the team had began 2023 with the wrong concept and vowed significant changes would be coming to the W14 car. That comment came as Hamilton, the seven-time World Champion, claimed that the technical team had ignored his guidance to help Mercedes out of their issues.

He said: “Mercedes have got a really tricky choice now because they already have a development programme in hand. So we know that there’s a new floor coming for the next race. We don’t know how big a step that is, but if you were to change anything on the car the floor would be the thing that you would change first. So we’ve got that in the pipeline already and now you’ve got Toto and Lewis saying that we’re going to develop a completely new concept for this car to make it win races.”

‘Mercedes civil war’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-hamilton-toto-wolff-mercedes-civil-war/


Mercedes 'civil war going on' after 'snappy' Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff comments
Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff have both separately given an honest verdict on Mercedes' car.
16:15, Tue, Mar 14, 2023
By Lewis Winter
Daily and Sunday Express

Mercedes have a "civil war going on" following comments made by Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff about the concept of the team's car this season, it has been claimed. Both individuals have separately stated that significant changes are needed to the W14 car.

But F1 technological expert Craig Scarborough believes the comments made by the two high-profile team members suggest there is a civil war happening at Mercedes. Scarborough reckons the comments are aimed at the engineers back at their Brackley base, despite their history of success in the past.

‘Civil war’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1746288/Mercedes-civil-war-Lewis-Hamilton-Toto-Wolff-W14-car-F1-news


Eddie Jordan: Toto Wolff criticism of Mercedes F1 direction ‘disingenuous and crass’
14 Mar 2023 1:00 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Former Formula 1 team owner Eddie Jordan has blasted Toto Wolff for his “disingenuous and crass” criticism of the decisions of Mercedes’ technical staff over the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend.

Jordan said of Wolff: “He’s the CEO, he’s the boss. The buck stops with him. This is happening under his watch. To blame or criticise anybody in his design team is actually disingenuous. It’s really crass.”

‘Disingenuous and crass’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/eddie-jordan-toto-wolff-criticism-mercedes-f1-disingenuous-crass/


Mercedes boss Toto Wolff stung by Eddie Jordan after Bahrain GP comments - 'Be a man'
Toto Wolff gave his Mercedes team a reality check after a disappointing weekend in Bahrain.
14:38, Tue, Mar 14, 2023
By Charlie Gordon
Daily and Sunday Express

Former F1 team owner Eddie Jordan has laid into Mercedes boss Toto Wolff for his striking comments before the Bahrain Grand Prix. Wolff ordered sweeping changes to this year's design after several months of hard work failed to see the Silver Arrows close the gap on their rivals in Sakhir.

Jordan, who has embarked on a media career following his F1 ownership stint, did not take kindly to the comments. "He’s the CEO, he’s the boss," he told the Formula For Success podcast, via PlanetF1. "The buck stops with him. This is happening under his watch.

"To blame or criticise anybody in his design team is actually disingenuous. It’s really crass. I hate to hear that, because he must be a man.

'Be a man';

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1746230/mercedes-toto-wolff-eddie-jordan-bahrain-grand-prix-f1-news


Mercedes to make one-car development call
Saturday 11th March, 2023 - 2:45am
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Toto Wolff has revealed Mercedes is to make a call on whether to develop the car of Lewis Hamilton or George Russell going forward this F1 season.

But in terms of adopting an altogether different philosophy from the design that underwhelmed in the season-opening race in Bahrain last weekend, Wolff has indicated Mercedes’ eggs will have to be placed in one basket.

Asked as to whether it was now pretty clear which development route Mercedes should take, Wolff replied: “It is pretty clear where we should be going. We just need to make the data work. The most important is really establishing a solid baseline, saying this is where we are and there are no surprises in the direction.”

‘One-car development call’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/03/11/mercedes-one-car-development-call-lewis-hamilton-george-russell/

[Fortitude]

Alpine hoping to unlock A523’s potential at ‘unforgiving’ Saudi Arabian GP.
Otmar Szafnauer, Team Principal of the BWT Alpine F1 Team is hoping that his side can further unlock the A523’s potential this weekend at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, after enduring a mixed start to the season in Bahrain.
March 14, 2023
By Nick Golding
The Checkered Flag

Reflecting on the season-opener, Szafnauer believes his side certainly have “work ahead of us”, in a bid to discover what the A523’s “maximum” is.

“We left Bahrain with mixed feelings. On one side, we were satisfied to come away with points given Pierre raced from the back of the grid to ninth place and his drive required good decisions, a well-executed strategy and strong race pace; all of which we showed. On the other side, we made too many mistakes across the weekend, and we can all do a better job to improve on those.

Heading into this weekend’s Saudi Arabian GP, Szafnauer is aware that the Jeddah Corniche Circuit can be very “unforgiving”, given that it is the fastest street circuit on the calendar. Despite how challenging the venue is, Alpine do boast a strong track record, with Ocon having never finished lower than sixth. Gasly, too, has gone very well in Saudi Arabia in the past for Scuderia AlphaTauri, suggesting that this weekend could be a strong one for the French duo.

‘Unlock A523’s potential’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2023/03/alpine-hoping-to-unlock-a523s-potential-at-unforgiving-saudi-arabian-gp/


Alpine targets one-lap pace gains in Jeddah
12:50 Tue, 14 Mar 2023.
by Phillip Horton
Motorsport Week

Alpine says it needs to improve the one-lap pace of its A523 if it is to extract the full potential from its 2023 Formula 1 challenger.

“It’s important that we remember that we are one race into the season and we have 22 to go,” said Alpine Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer. “We’ve only been to one circuit with the car in full capacity so there’s much more to come and much more to learn and develop.”

“Our race pace looks better than single-lap pace, so we know low fuel is a key area for us to improve. Esteban did a good job to reach Q3, while Pierre has more to learn to get the tyres into the right window to maximise everything over one lap.”

‘One-lap pace gains target’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/03/14/alpine-eyes-one-lap-pace-gains-in-jeddah/


ALPINE IS READY TO ‘BOUNCE BACK’ IN JEDDAH
Alpine is set for a good weekend in Jeddah after starting poorly in Bahrain
March 14, 2023
Grace Robinson
FormulaNerds

Alpine is wanting to “bounce back” in Jeddah after a season opener which saw the team beaten down with penalties.

Otmar Szafnauer, after an eventful Bahrain Grand Prix weekend, has made his hopes for Jeddah clear. After Bahrain, the team have only two points thanks to Pierre Gasly who battled his way through from 20th to ninth. On the other side of the garage, Ocon got penalty after penalty and ended up retiring from the race.

Both drivers, especially Ocon, wanted to start the season much better and Jeddah has the potential to be more fruitful for the team. The Alpine team has great belief in their 2023 challenger and they wanted a chance to extract everything out of it.

‘BOUNCE BACK’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/alpine-is-ready-to-bounce-back/?nowprocket=1


Gasly sees much more to come at Alpine after “disappointment” of opening race
RaceFans Round-up
Posted on 15th March 2023, 0:0114th March 2023, 23:47
Written by Ida Wood
RaceFans

Gasly: Alpine had “not everything clicked together” for Bahrain. Gasly qualified last at Bahrain, while team mate Esteban Ocon made it to Q3 and started ninth on the grid. However their fortunes switched during the race, as Gasly charged up to ninth while Ocon retired following several penalties and errors by driver and team.

Nonetheless the team’s new driver believes “there’s so much more to come from myself and from the team as we have not reached 100% yet. That is why we also left Bahrain with some disappointment as not everything clicked together and it’s important we piece everything together to make sure we extract the maximum performance,” said Gasly.

‘More to come’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/15/racefans-round-up-15-03-5/


Ocon expected to bounce back in Jeddah after Bahrain bust
14/03/2023 at 17:12
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Alpine team boss Otmar Szafnauer expects Esteban Ocon to bounce back in Jeddah next weekend after "a string or errors" by team and driver undermined his race in Bahrain.

"Pierre raced from the back of the grid to ninth place and his drive required good decisions, a well-executed strategy and strong race pace; all of which we showed," commented Szafnauer in his team's Saudi Arabian GP preview.

"On the other side, we made too many mistakes across the weekend, and we can all do a better job to improve on those. I believe Esteban’s race was a one-off, a culmination of a string of errors, some on his side, some operationally, and his side of the garage will undoubtedly bounce back in Saudi Arabia.”

"A string or errors";

https://f1i.com/news/468594-ocon-expected-to-bounce-back-in-jeddah-after-bahrain-bust.html


Pierre Gasly viewing Saudi Arabian GP as ‘opportunity for redemption’
March 14, 2023
By Nick Golding
The Checkered Flag

Pierre Gasly sees this weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix as “an opportunity for redemption”, after enduring a woeful qualifying at the season-opening race in Bahrain.

“I enjoy racing in Jeddah. It’s one of the best street circuits as it’s so quick with no real slow corners and it’s a great challenge, physically, for us drivers. Qualifying there is usually very exciting, and I’m determined to do better than I did in Bahrain, and I see this as an opportunity for redemption on Saturday.”

“I’ve scored solid points in Saudi Arabia in 2021 and 2022, so it would be good to keep that trend going this year. I had a great day at Enstone last week in preparation on the simulator and I look forward to showing our potential.”

‘Opportunity for redemption’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2023/03/pierre-gasly-viewing-saudi-arabian-gp-as-opportunity-for-redemption/


F1 rumours: Ferrari’s Laurent Mekies mulling over Alpine, Liberty Media and FIA offers
13 Mar 2023 3:14 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Alpine are reportedly attempting to take Laurent Mekies away from Ferrari with the long-time employee said to want out of Maranello. Mekies began his career in Formula 3 before joining Arrows and moving to F1. He was at Minardi when the team was taken over by Red Bull and stayed on as chief engineer at Toro Rosso.

Should Mekies decide to leave then there is no shortage of suitors. Formu1a.uno reports that Alpine, Liberty Media and his former employers the FIA have all made offers to the French engineer. However, it is likely Mekies would have to serve some form of gardening leave before taking up a new role.

‘Mulling over Alp’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/laurent-mekies-alpine-ferrari/

[Fortitude]

Is McLaren’s rotten start to the F1 season cause for panic?
The car has issues beyond reliability. The team appeared to be caught on the backfoot with the regulation changes when the floor edge was raised to address porpoising.
12:49 Mon, 13 Mar 2023.
The Athletic

During preseason testing, McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown lowered expectations for the team that was in the hunt for fourth last year and finished fifth, revealing it had missed some development targets during the winter. Indeed, its drivers fared poorly in qualifying: Norris barely got out of the first round and wound up starting P11; Piastri started P18.

McLaren has reason for optimism, however. “This car will evolve pretty much race by race with some major upgrades that will come,” team principal Andrea Stella said in Bahrain. The first set of those “major upgrades” should reach the car ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, the fourth race on the calendar, at the end of April.

‘Reason for optimism’;

https://theathletic.com/4296731/2023/03/13/is-mclarens-rotten-start-to-the-f1-season-cause-for-panic/


McLaren confirm early-season F1 upgrade plan
Monday 13 March 2023 10:30
Sam Hall
GPFans

Andrea Stella has confirmed McLaren's upgrade plans for the coming races after a difficult start to the season in Bahrain. sked if the team had any immediate plans to bring developments to the track, Stella said: “There are some minor upgrades that will come already in Saudi and in Australia.

"There are little things that are coming for the next couple of races – not necessarily very noticeable but they should add some performance here and there. Then, there will be the first of the major upgrades in Baku.” The Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku comes after a three-week spring break, a period that opened up after the cancellation of the Chinese Grand Prix.

‘McLaren's upgrade plans’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/103229/mclaren-upgrades/


Why McLaren still has high hopes for F1 2023
12:52 Mon, 13 Mar 2023.
Motorsport.com

The danger of relying on an upgrade package is that when the new bits do come they don’t make a dramatic difference relative to rivals who are also making progress. However, for the time being McLaren is prepared to take the heat of a sub-par performance.
“I think we’re where we thought we’d probably be,” says technical director James Key. “I mean, it’s really tight, to be honest with you, with a slightly better or worse lap it could have gone one way or the other in quali.
“We knew we were several tenths off where we needed to be, and there is good reason for that. It’s not just sitting back and taking it easy over the winter, everyone’s worked incredibly hard.”

‘High hopes’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/why-mclaren-still-has-high-hopes-for-f1-2023/10443035/


Why Norris says McLaren is not yet a top F1 team
13:05 Fri, 10 Mar 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Pressed on whether the Baku updates could be determined as the real dawn of McLaren’s season after a difficult start Norris responded: “I hope so. But at the same time, the season will start now, it’s as simple as that.”

“As much as we want to believe that it’s starting later, it’s starting now. We’re behind where we should be and where we want to be. What we’re going to be having in Baku should be what are starting the season with if we want to be a top team, it’s where we should’ve started the season with those kind of parts that are coming.”

‘The season will start now’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/03/10/why-norris-says-mclaren-is-not-yet-a-top-f1-team/


McLaren sets June date for using new F1 wind tunnel
09:56 Fri, 10 Mar 2023.
by Phillip Horton
Motorsport.com

“We are hopeful to have the car in the wind tunnel – the new car – in June,” said McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella.

“The wind tunnel is already online for calibration [checks], it’s already commissioned, but there’s a process of calibration, installation of the methodologies, to measure the pressure and velocity field, the forces – this takes some weeks, that’s where we are.”

‘June date’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/mclaren-sets-june-date-for-using-new-f1-wind-tunnel/10441984/


Departing Ferrari F1 figure tipped to join McLaren
Mar 13 2023
By Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Ex-Ferrari head of vehicle concept David Sanchez will join a rival Formula 1 team, tipped to be McLaren, after serving a period of gardening leave. Sanchez worked at Ferrari in senior technical roles for a decade but resigned recently in a decision he has said was considered “for quite some time”.

It was revealed last week by Italian media that Sanchez had resigned and been placed on an extensive period of gardening leave. Sanchez has now confirmed he has decided to leave to join “another F1 project”.

‘Gardening leave’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/departing-ferrari-f1-figure-tipped-to-join-mclaren/


McLaren: Piastri destined to become 'one of the best drivers in F1'
13/03/2023 at 14:47
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

McLaren team boss Andrea Stella has been impressed with what he's seen so far from rookie Oscar Piastri, believing that the Aussie will develop into "one of the best drivers on the grid".

"Oscar is new to F1 but he is proven winning material in junior categories. He has been doing very well so far – we are very pleased," said Stella in Bahrain.

"The level of talent, the level of progress we have seen day by day, during testing, is very encouraging, and kind of confirms that he is a strong prospect for the future."

‘Impressed’;

https://f1i.com/news/468536-mclaren-piastri-destined-to-become-one-of-the-best-drivers-in-f1.html

[Fortitude]

Vasseur ‘not worried’ about Ferrari exodus.
"I'm having a hard time understanding why the team became a target after just one race," said the Frenchman.
06:08 Wed, 15 Mar 2023.
Grandpx.news

Frederic Vasseur says he's "not worried" about some high profile departures at Ferrari.

In the days between the opening Bahrain and Saudi Arabian GPs, Italian sources have reported about disarray behind the scenes in the wake of Mattia Binotto's departure as team boss.

What he is more concerned about is the negative media coverage of his reign so far.

‘Ferrari exodus, ‘not worried’!’

https://grandpx.news/vasseur-not-worried-about-ferrari-exodus/


Ferrari boss hits back at criticism as team becomes “target” after just one grand prix
Ferrari have endured a nightmare start to the 2023 F1 season, with Charles Leclerc having now been handed a 10-place penalty for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
22:53, 15 Mar 2023
By Fraser Watson Sports Trends Writer
Mirror.co.uk.
Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur has hit back at the criticism of his team and claimed they have become a "target" for the media.

“I’m having a hard time understanding how it is possible for the team to become a target to hit after just one race,” he told AutoHebdo. "We know what went wrong in Bahrain, but there’s nothing that can’t be improved. The correlation between the track and the simulator is good, we are aligned.”

“I’d be tempted to smile if these statements had no impact on the team,” he added. “Personally I have no problems, I know what I want to achieve and I will do it. I hear from John Elkann and Benedetto Vigna every day, I know what they expect from me.”

‘Tempted to smile’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/ferrari-saudi-arabia-grand-prix-29470335


‘Doesn’t bother me’: Frederic Vasseur finally breaks silence on Ferrari meltdown.
Multiple members of Ferrari staff are looking to depart the team after a poor start to the season.
14 March 2023
by Jack Devonport
Formula1News

With regards to staff departures, Vasseur has admitted that this was always likely to happen after he replaced former team principal Mattia Binotto. “It’s inevitable,” he said.

“There are people who were very close to Mattia and who prefer to leave, which doesn’t bother me. And there are others who have feared for a moment for their future.”

‘Inevitable’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/doesnt-bother-me-frederic-vasseur-finally-breaks-silence-on-ferrari-meltdown/


'Welcome to the new Ferrari, same as the old one' - Charles Leclerc handed Saudi GP penalty
Ferrari's reliability issues appear to have continued into 2023 and could impact their hopes of challenging Red Bull
15 March 2023 • 6:25pm
By Tom Cary, SENIOR SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
The Telegraph

Leclerc will serve the penalty due to an electrical issue with his car’s power unit. The Monegasque driver also retired from the season opener in Bahrain two weekends ago while running third, because of what Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur described as an issue with the control electronics although Ferrari are adamant the issues are separate.
“It’s something that we never experienced in the past,” Vasseur insisted of the latest problem. “I hope now it’s under control, that we have a deep analysis on this. But unfortunately, we have to take the penalty in Jeddah.”

‘Same as the old one';

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/formula-1/2023/03/15/saudi-arabia-grand-prix-2023-ferraris-charles-leclerc-handed/


Vasseur confirms penalty for Leclerc
15/03/2023
NEWS STORY
Pitpass

Charles Leclerc faces a grid penalty of at least 10-places for this weekend's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix following his issues in Bahrain.

In the hours ahead of the season opener, Ferrari replaced the Energy Store and Control Electronics on the Monegasque's car, only to see him retire from the race with an electrics-related issue.

"Unfortunately, we'll have to take the penalty in Jeddah, because we have only a pool of two control units for the season." confirmed Fred Vasseur.

‘Penalty confirmed’;

https://www.pitpass.com/74674/Vasseur-confirms-penalty-for-Leclerc

[Fortitude]

Verstappen to overcome illness as Alonso out to dismiss FLUKE claims - What to expect at the Saudi Arabian GP.
F1 returns to Saudi Arabia for the second round of the championship with fears Max Verstappen and Red Bull are set to run away with both titles.
Thursday 16 March 2023 11:01.
Ewan Gale
GPFans

Red Bull domination to continue - With Verstappen ill entering the weekend, there could be a weakness to exploit but for the RB19, while the track surface and characteristics do offer a new proposition, it is hard to look at the gap to rivals in Bahrain and bet against this car winning again on Sunday.

Aston Martin out to prove Bahrain no fluke - The aforementioned differences between Bahrain and Jeddah could catch Aston Martin out in the pecking order and a battle with Ferrari is likely needed to confirm the hype around the Silverstone-based outfit.

Ferrari and Mercedes in a lurch - Leclerc's engine penalty will add 10 places to his qualifying position on Sunday, but concerns over the fragility of the SF-23 and its integral components will continue given last year's difficulties. Team principal Toto Wolff and Lewis Hamilton have both been abnormally outward with criticism of either the team or the car, suggesting cracks are beginning to show with the lack of progress from last year.

‘What to expect’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/103465/max-verstappen-illness-fernando-alonso-fluke-claims-what-to-expect-saudi-arabian-gp/


Ferrari warn rivals they have ‘mega room for improvements’ ahead of Saudi GP
16 Mar 2023 10:45 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

With Ferrari having not got the best out of the their SF-23 in Bahrain, and updates arriving for Saudi Arabia, team boss Fred Vasseur warns there is a lot more to come.

Vasseur warned that the Scuderia still have a lot more performance to unlock in their challenger, having not been able to get the balance of the SF-23 right in Bahrain, and he hopes that upgrades brought to Jeddah will make the SF-23 stronger still.

“We struggled a bit with the balance over the weekend, it means that we have mega room for improvements on this path with our package,” said Vasseur, as per Motorsport.com.

‘Ferrari warning: ‘Mega room for improvements’!’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrari-mega-room-for-improvement/


Formula One: Verstappen favourite again in Saudi Arabia, but all eyes on Alonso
16th March 2023, 03:57
The Straits Times

JEDDAH – Max Verstappen may start as favourite, but Fernando Alonso will have widespread support this weekend when the Formula One season resumes at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
“I think that we found, in Bahrain, that we were strong in things that maybe we won’t have in Jeddah, or in Melbourne,” Alonso explained.

“So, if we are strong again, in these two races, I think we are going to have a very good year. I am curious about these races – very different circuits, with high-speed corners and very low degradation. It’s going to be very different.”

‘All eyes on Alonso’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/formula-one-verstappen-favourite-again-in-saudi-arabia-but-all-eyes-on-alonso


How to watch the F1 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix online: stream from around the world
Published 16 March 2023
By Tom Bedford
whattowatch.com

The second F1 race of 2023 is here, with the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix taking place on March 19. This guide will help you figure out where to stream it.

‘How to watch’;

https://www.whattowatch.com/news/how-to-watch-the-f1-2023-saudi-arabian-grand-prix-online-stream-from-around-the-world


New TecPro barrier added at scene of Mick Schumacher’s 270kph crash
2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Posted on 16th March 2023, 13:0416th March 2023, 13:07
Written by Will Wood

The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix organisers have added a TecPro energy-absorbing barrier to the wall at the scene of Mick Schumacher’s huge crash in qualifying last year.

The installation of the barriers is one of a series of changes made to the Jeddah street circuit for 2023, the third race to be held at the venue in the last 15 months, after drivers raised concerns about the safety of the track. Among the many modifications includes moving barriers back by several metres at turns eight, 10, 14 and 20 to improve sight lines as drivers navigate the high-speed sweeping corners. The last left-hander of turn 22 at the start of the final sector has been sharpened significantly, slowing cars for the following corners of 23 and 24.

‘New TecPro barrier’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/16/new-tecpro-barrier-added-at-scene-of-mick-schumachers-270kph-crash/

[Fortitude]

Perez expects Ferrari will give Red Bull a “very strong” challenge in Jeddah.
Sergio Perez expects Red Bull will face much stronger competition from Ferrari in Saudi Arabia this weekend compared to the season-opening race.
2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Posted on 16th March 2023, 17:50
Written by Will Wood and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

“I think it’s a very different circuit here,” said Perez. “The requirements are very different, the degradation is not as severe as Bahrain. We certainly believe that Ferrari is going to be very strong around this place. Certainly the Astons, Mercedes are going to be a lot closer to us because the requirements are very different here.”

“Looking after the tyres, I think we got it right in Bahrain,” he said. “A few teams probably didn’t optimise their cars or their strategy with the tyres as much as we were able to. But here is just very different, because here the requirements are extremely different.”

‘Ferrari will give Red Bull a “very strong” challenge’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/16/perez-expects-ferrari-will-give-red-bull-a-very-strong-challenge-in-jeddah/


Perez aiming for Saudi pole and win
17 March 8:55AM
Author Michael Butterworth
Co-author Dieter Rencken
RacingNews365

Sergio Perez says he is aiming to take pole position and convert that into a win in this weekend's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

"That's certainly my target; to try to be on pole position and try to win the race," Perez told media, including RacingNews365.com.

‘Be on pole position and try to win’;

https://racingnews365.com/perez-aiming-for-saudi-pole-and-win


Leclerc remains confident that 'something special is definitely possible' in Jeddah despite 10-place grid penalty
16 March 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Charles Leclerc is set to take a 10-place grid penalty at this weekend's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. And while he knows it's not been an ideal start to the season, following his DNF in Bahrain, the Ferrari driver is still confident that a special result in Jeddah is very much possible.

“It’s the way it is. It’s the beginning of the season. Of course it’s not the ideal start that I wish I had at the beginning, starting in Bahrain, but what can I do about it? Now we need to focus on what is ahead, what we can do to be a better team, to do better,” said five-time race winner Leclerc.

'Something special is definitely possible';

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.leclerc-remains-confident-that-something-special-is-definitely-possible-in.77UOebxXcCmM1q54IPePbx.html


Future penalties likely for Leclerc as he believes old parts are “not re-useable”
2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Posted on 16th March 2023, 17:32
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

“We had two control unit problems in Bahrain, which means that we need to take a penalty,” he told Sky. “We understand these problems but as a result I obviously need to take a penalty because I don’t think they are reusable. We don’t have the confirmation yet, but I don’t think so.”

“I think it might fit our car a little bit better on paper,” he said. “But we never know because Red Bull also have a very flexible car and they can change the car quite a lot from Bahrain to here and be extremely competitive here too.”

‘Old parts are “not re-useable”!’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/16/future-penalties-likely-for-leclerc-as-he-believes-old-parts-are-not-re-useable/


I knew Mercedes’ latest car wasn’t right the first time I saw it – Hamilton
2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Posted on 16th March 2023, 16:0316th March 2023, 17:55
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

The seven-times world champion admitted he was immediately struck by the team’s decision to persist with a different concept to the rest of the grid. While rival teams have largely converged on two different approaches to the latest F1 regulations, Mercedes continue to pursue a unique arrangement featuring extremely narrow sidepods.

“I knew that we weren’t in the right place when you saw the car for the first time, it looked still so much different to those of our competitors,” he said. “It’s always nerve-wracking in that moment, but it looked nice – obviously the colour looks nice but I honestly don’t care what colour it is as long as it’s quick. But we will hopefully mould it into a winning car at some stage.”

‘The first time I saw it…’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/16/hamilton-i-knew-mercedes-latest-car-wasnt-right-the-first-time-i-saw-it/


George Russell offers Mercedes hope for Saudi Arabian GP despite ominous Red Bull belief
George Russell and Lewis Hamilton will be up against it at the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix as Mercedes look to compete at the front of the grid with pace setters Red Bull
21:24, 16 Mar 2023
By Fraser Watson Sports Trends Writer

George Russell has given Mercedes fans a glimmer of hope for Saudi Arabia by tipping his team to fight for a podium placed in Jeddah. But he was also optimistic that the nature of the Jeddah track could see him or Hamilton finish in the top three with the Red Bull duo: "It's a very different weekend in Saudi," he said. "The track is very different and the tarmac is really different which has a much bigger effect than some people may think.

"Realistically, the performances are going to swing more than two tenths – plus or minus – for any team, so if you go with that approach then the fight could well and truly be on for the last step of the podium with Ferrari and Aston. It may not but, clearly, Red Bull had a lot of pace in hand and I see them on for another one-two finish this weekend."

‘Mercedes hope’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/george-russell-mercedes-saudi-arabia-29479829


Alonso hits back at Red Bull ‘copy’ theories
17/03/2023, 06:10
Grandpx.news

Fernando Alonso has lashed back at suggestions Aston Martin is racing a 'copy' of Red Bull's title-winning Formula 1 car. "I don't care about the comments at all," two-time champion Alonso, third in Bahrain, told Spanish media in Jeddah.

"All the teams struggle with the budget limit now, trying to improve here and there," he explained. "So when they see another that improves two seconds or a second, they have to look for how it is possible. But in a way it's good, because it is praise for the work we have done."

‘How is it possible?’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/alonso-hits-back-at-red-bull-copy-theories.html


Alonso: Friday running in Jeddah 'like a test day' for teams
16/03/2023 at 17:58
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Fernando Alonso says Friday's running in Jeddah will be like a "test day" for teams as everyone experiences for the first time with their new car a different track than Bahrain.

"There is a challenge in front of us, here in Jeddah and in Australia to see how the car operates," Alonso explained Thursday in Jeddah.

'Like a test day';

https://f1i.com/news/468740-alonso-friday-running-in-jeddah-like-a-test-day-for-teams.html

[Fortitude]

Verstappen delivers devastating marker in Saudi Arabian GP first practice.
F1's return to the Jeddah Corniche Circuit saw the two-time champion lead team-mate Sergio Perez and Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso with a lap time of one minute, 29.617secs - an effort 1.4s down on Perez's pole position lap last year.
Friday 17 March 2023 14:34
Ewan Gale
GPFans

Verstappen struggled with understeer in his RB19 when he took to the track for the first time 22 minutes into the session, yet despite recovering from a stomach bug and his difficulties behind the wheel, the Dutchman set the benchmark.

Alonso continued Aston Martin's strong start to the year with what seemed an easy ride into third, behind Perez, who complained of having 'no front end' in his Red Bull.

Lance Stroll is still on the road to recovery after breaking his wrists during pre-season but was only two-and-a-half-tenths slower than Alonso in fourth.

‘Devastating marker’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/103578/saudi-arabian-gp-first-practice-results/


(FP1) First Practice Results – 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
17th March 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -1:29.617
2. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.483
3. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.698
4. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +0.960
5. George Russell Mercedes +1.154
6. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +1.170
7. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +1.307
8. Pierre Gasly Alpine +1.332
9. Alex Albon Williams Racing +1.413
10. Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri +1.493

‘Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the first free practice ahead of this weekend’s 2023 F1 World Championship race in Jeddah’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp1-first-practice-results-2023-saudi-arabian-grand-prix-81631


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from first practice for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
17 March 2023
Becky Hart.
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site13:23

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-first-practice-in-saudi-arabia-2023.1LE8mx57DlGtjkdCbhc4ys.html


Everything that happened in Saudi Arabian GP FP1
17th March 2023, 14:48
By Josh Suttill
The Race

The two Red Bull drivers led the Aston Martins in the opening Formula 1 practice session at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Key moments:
> Verstappen fastest in his first session of the weekend
> Perez beats Alonso to second with late improvement
> Ferrari drivers take new engines

‘Everything that happened’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/everything-that-happened-in-saudi-arabian-gp-fp1/


Verstappen leads Red Bull 1-2 in opening Jeddah session
17th March 2023, 14:41
by Phillip Horton
Motorsport Week

World Champion Max Verstappen opened Formula 1’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend comfortably clear at the top of the timesheets.

Verstappen missed Thursday’s activities due to a stomach complaint but fronted proceedings during the opening one-hour practice session on Friday afternoon.

In the daytime session Verstappen clocked several times quick enough for top spot, the fastest being a 1:29.617s, ensuring he held a margin of almost half a second to Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez.

‘Red Bull 1-2’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/03/17/verstappen-leads-red-bull-1-2-in-opening-jeddah-session/


Verstappen leads Red Bull 1-2 in Saudi Arabian GP FP1
Max Verstappen dominated FP1 for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix as he led a Red Bull 1-2 from teammate Sergio Perez
March 17, 2023
By Nigel Chiu

Max Verstappen was fastest in the opening practice session for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix from teammate Sergio Perez. Verstappen, who arrived late in Jeddah due to a stomach bug, showed no signs of slowing down as set a 1:29.790 with 25 minutes remaining on the C4 soft tyres.

Then, the Dutchman went even quicker at the end of the session with a 1:29.617 on a set of soft tyres that had done multiple laps. Perez was 0.83 seconds off the pace, with Fernando Alonso a further 0.215 seconds behind in a session that was ran in the daylight, whereas qualifying and the race will be at night.

Lance Stroll left it late to move up to fourth, but was 0.960 down on championship leader Verstappen. George Russell and Lewis Hamilton were both over one second slower than Verstappen in fifth and sixth for Mercedes.

‘Red Bull 1-2’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-2023-verstappen-red-bull-1-2-saudi-arabian-gp-fp1/

[Fortitude]

Saudi Arabian GP: Verstappen pips Alonso by 0.2s in second F1 practice.
Max Verstappen grabbed the fastest time in Formula 1's second practice session ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, beating Fernando Alonso by two tenths of a second.
17th March 2023, 18:12
By: Jake Boxall-Legge
Motorsport.com

Once the early choices of medium and hard tyres were shed following the opening 20 minutes of laps, soft tyre running subsequently began in earnest as Alonso sought to topple Verstappen's current headliner.

But his 1m29.985s on the first soft-tyre run in anger was just a smidgen shy, and Perez's 1m29.902s on the same soft compound was enough to place the Mexican on top of the order.

Verstappen waited until later to do his own lap on softs, crossing the line at the half-hour mark with a 1m29.603s to put nearly 0.3s over Perez, but still had to withstand a later challenge from Alonso, who logged a 1m29.811s in another soft-shod effort.

‘Max Verstappen grabbed the fastest time’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-results-verstappen-saudi-arabian-gp-practice/10444714/


(FP2) Second Practice Results – 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
17th March 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -1:29.603
2. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.208
3. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.299
4. Esteban Ocon Alpine +0.436
5. George Russell Mercedes +0.467
6. Pierre Gasly Alpine +0.497
7. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +0.507
8. Nico Hulkenberg Haas +0.578
9. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.738
10. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.989

‘Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the second free practice ahead of this weekend’s 2023 F1 World Championship race in Jeddah’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp2-second-practice-results-2023-saudi-arabian-grand-prix-81636


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from second practice for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
17 March 2023
Becky Hart.
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

‘AS IT HAPPENED;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-second-practice-in-saudi-arabia-2023.2Om13ZVjHbar52Pg4L8h9x.html


Verstappen ahead of Alonso in Saudi Arabian FP2
17th March 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – Max Verstappen topped both of the practice session in Jeddah as Red Bull and Aston Martin continued to be the fastest teams.

The second practice, the only representative session the drivers will have before qualifying tomorrow, got underway under the lights in Jeddah. Lance Stroll led the pack out as the majority of drivers were raring to get out and circulating at the start, the exception to that though was Sergio Perez who remained in his garage for a few extra minutes.

The timesheets didn’t change and so it was Verstappen who ended fastest with a 1:29.603, just beating his FP1 time, while Alonso was just over two tenths slower for Aston Martin while Perez took P3 three tenths off his teammate’s pace. Alpine’s Esteban Ocon ended the day P4 with a 1:30.039 ahead of George Russell and the other Alpine of Pierre Gasly.

‘Verstappen ahead of Alonso’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/verstappen-ahead-of-alonso-in-saudi-arabian-fp2-81640


2023 F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – Free Practice 2 results
17 March 7:00PM
Author RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

Max Verstappen continued to set the pace around the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, ahead of Fernando Alonso and Sergio Perez.

The Red Bull driver set a fastest lap of 1:29.603s which was just 0.208s faster than Alonso. Esteban Ocon was fourth fastest 0.436s off the best time, while George Russell rounded out the top five.

‘Max Verstappen continued to set the pace’;

https://racingnews365.com/2023-f1-saudi-arabian-grand-prix-free-practice-2-results


Alonso splits Red Bulls in second Saudi Arabian GP practice
17th March 2023.18:12
By Jack Cozens
The Race

Max Verstappen remained at the head of the order in second practice for the 2023 Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, with Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin splitting the Red Bulls of Verstappen and Sergio Perez as the Ferraris again made little impression

Key moments:
> Verstappen sets best time on fourth lap on softs
> Alonso gets between Red Bulls on second run
> Alpines fourth and sixth; Russell between
> Ferraris only round out top 10

‘Ferraris again made little impression’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/alonso-splits-red-bulls-in-second-saudi-arabian-gp-practice/


Verstappen in command as traffic bedlam sparks Saudi Arabian GP qualifying fears
Friday 17 March 2023 18:01
Ewan Gale
GPFans

Red Bull's stronghold at the top of the F1 timesheets continued with Max Verstappen finishing fastest in second practice for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Verstappen's confidence with the RB19 was clear for all when the two-time champion instantly pushed to the limit, narrowly avoiding contact with the wall on the exit of the final corner during his initial medium-tyre runs.

The Dutchman set a best time of one minute, 29.603secs to finish 0.208s faster than Fernando Alonso, who continues to impress for Aston Martin. Sergio Perez was third in the second Red Bull, within a tenth of Alonso as the teams completed their representative qualifying simulations under the lights at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.

The big takeaway from the session ahead of qualifying, however, was the difficulties drivers will face with traffic. Leclerc labelled Hulkenberg 'a joke' for hugging the apex at turn 13 early in the session before further ranting on team radio in the dying embers of the hour.

‘Difficulties drivers will face’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/103610/saudi-arabian-gp-second-practice-results-report/

[Fortitude]

Fernando Alonso coy on Aston Martin chances after Saudi Arabian GP Friday.
Fernando Alonso has refused to declare that Aston Martin currently have the second-fastest car in Formula 1 after once again being the only driver to trouble the dominant Red Bulls in Friday practice at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
17 Mar 2023 8:00 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

After starting the 2023 season with a podium in Bahrain, Alonso was a fixture in the top three throughout the opening day of running in Jeddah. Having been third in FP1, seven tenths adrift of Max Verstappen’s table-topping time, Alonso rose to second – ahead of the second Red Bull of Sergio Perez – and closed the gap to Verstappen to two tenths in the evening session.

Alonso, however, stopped short of claiming his car is the second best right now. “I have no idea,” he said. “I just drive the car and [in] qualifying I see where I am.”

“But obviously, there are a lot of free practice [sessions], a lot of days between races, a lot of data to analyse and a lot of predictions and estimations for you guys to do. That’s the beauty of Formula One as well, but for us teams or drivers it’s difficult to read anything [into] free practices.”

‘The beauty of Formula One’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernando-alonso-aston-martin-chances-saudi-arabian-gp-friday/


Aston Martin boss Krack reveals Alonso 'infection'
Friday 17 March 2023 15:45
Ewan Gale
GPFans

Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack believes Fernando Alonso is "infecting" the team with his energy and motivation for success in F1.

Noted during a conversation with Sky Sports F1 after the opening session of the weekend in Jeddah that Alonso's energy levels were as high as ever, Krack said: "[He] is infecting all of us, to be honest. "It is like we are riding on a wave, it feels like, and him especially.”

"You heard on the radio during the race [in Bahrain], how he was getting himself into this mode. It is very good for us, he is very inspiring - he pushes the team forward like that and everybody is flat out to try and do as much as possible."

‘Alonso 'infection': Riding on a wave, everybody is flat out’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/103587/aston-martin-boss-mike-krack-reveals-fernando-alonso-infection/


Alonso mysterious over Aston Martin's Jeddah pace
17 March 9:10PM
Author Luke Murphy
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Fernando Alonso insists he has "no idea" about the pecking order for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, despite another strong practice outing for the team.

Fernando Alonso once again provided a strong performance during the free practice sessions to raise hopes of a podium-challenging performance from the Aston Martin Formula 1 team.

When asked about the strong showing from Aston Martin, the two-time F1 champion gave a positive reaction, but cooled expectations by pointing to the lower qualifying result of the previous race.

‘Alonso mysterious’;

https://racingnews365.com/alonso-mysterious-over-aston-martins-jeddah-pace


Helmut Marko tips Alpine to take the fight to Fernando Alonso in Jeddah
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko believes that the battle for ‘best-of-the-rest’ behind his team at the Saudi Arabian GP will see Alpine and Fernando Alonso playing key roles.
17 Mar 2023 8:45 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

It is Verstappen though who spoke of anticipating fiercer competition at Round 2 in Saudi Arabia, and while he would top both Friday practice sessions, Alonso cut the Dutchman’s advantage to two-tenths by the end of FP2. So, Marko does not seem to believe that Red Bull will be facing much of a challenge at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, but does expect plenty of competition behind, though one of the teams he mentioned are a surprise entrant into this conversation.

The team in question are Alpine, who following a troubled opening weekend in Bahrain, had said that they were in a situation where they still did not really know the actual performance level of their A523.

And their Friday pace in Jeddah suggested that it is pretty promising, Esteban Ocon having claimed P4 in FP2, four-tenths off Verstappen’s time, while the Dutchman’s former team-mate Pierre Gasly was P6, half a second adrift.

‘Alpine to take the fight’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/helmut-marko-alpine-threat-fernando-alonso-jeddah/


Red Bull retain their advantage in Jeddah but Alpine have joined the chasing pack
2023 Saudi Arabian GP Friday practice analysis
Posted on 17th March 2023, 23:2217th March 2023, 23:44
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

If there was one thing that all 10 teams and 20 drivers unanimously agreed on at the conclusion of the opening round of the season, it was that you cannot make grand assumptions about this year’s championship based on the results of opening round of the season.

While the Red Bull looked fastest in terms of one-lap pace, the relative performance between teams in the second half of the hour was far more intriguing – not least of which for the surprise appearance of Alpine among the chasing pack.

Behind the top three, it was surprising to see that the closest to their high-fuel pace was not the Mercedes or the Ferraris, but the Alpines of Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon. Both Alpines had an average stint pace of a 1’35.3, only hundredths of a second faster than Hamilton and around a tenth quicker than the second Mercedes of George Russell.

‘Alpine have joined the chasing pack’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/17/red-bull-retain-their-advantage-in-jeddah-but-alpine-have-joined-the-chasing-pack/


Alpine still feel there is ‘more on the table’ after mighty Friday in Jeddah
Alpine delivered an eye-catching display on Friday at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, but do not believe they have peaked yet.
17 Mar 2023 10:20 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Already then this is an extremely strong start for the team, with Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko tipping them to take the fight to Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso for ‘best of the rest’ behind Red Bull, Alonso of course a former Alpine driver.

And if that is a fight that Alpine are about to pick, then it is encouraging that Gasly still thinks he can extract more from the A523. “I must say I am pretty happy,” Gasly told media in Jeddah. “Strong Friday for the team, [and] we’ve got some good potential. We’ve shown some good speed. It’s very positive.”

“I can still feel there are a couple of things here and there that I am not fully happy about. So, there’s probably more on the table, but looking at the lap times, we seem to be there. So, good start.”

‘More on the table’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/alpine-can-improve-saudi-arabian-gp/

[Fortitude]

RED BULL DOMINANCE CONTINUES IN FREE PRACTICE THREE AT THE SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX.
Max Verstappen makes it three out of three after free practice three at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
March 18, 2023
Rhiannon Temporal
FormulaNerds

As the excitement for free practice three, and qualifying afterwards, builds, Mercedes remains the talk of the paddock. Following free practices one and two yesterday, Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff sat down with Sky Sports F1 to talk about his team’s drop in performance.

At the halfway point, it was also announced that Verstappen will take a brand-new gearbox for the race on Sunday. This will not result in any sort of penalty for the Red Bull driver as it is within his allocation. But the Dutch driver was complaining about his gear shifts in practice on Friday, hopefully, he will be happier following the change.

At the end of the session, it was the Red Bull of Verstappen that was back at the top of the timesheet with a 1:28.485. He was followed by his teammate in P2, who was 0.613 adrift from the Dutchman. Alonso, Lance Stroll, and Hamilton rounded out the top five. The two Ferraris were well down the order, with Leclerc finishing the session in P6, with his teammate Sainz in P10. The second Mercedes of Russell was just behind Sainz in P11.

‘RED BULL DOMINANCE CONTINUES’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/red-bull-dominance-continues-in-free-practice-three-at-the-saudi-arabian-grand-prix/?nowprocket=1


(FP3) Third Practice Results – 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
18th March 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing – 1:28.485
2. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.613
3. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.998
4. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +1.024
5. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +1.083
6. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +1.103
7. Lando Norris McLaren +1.205
8. Oscar Piastri McLaren +1.213
9. Pierre Gasly Alpine +1.216
10. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +1.276

‘Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the final free practice ahead of this weekend’s 2023 F1 World Championship race in Jeddah’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp3-third-practice-results-2023-saudi-arabian-grand-prix-81644


LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from final practice for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
18 March 2023
Becky Hart.
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

‘LIVE COVERAGE’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-third-practice-in-saudi-arabia-2023.uvNRHqFHSKoacV8DTyxCH.html


Everything that happened in final Saudi Arabian GP F1 practice
Mar 18 2023
By Valentin Khorounzhiy
The Race

Defending Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen completed a clean sweep of practice sessions for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah.
________________________________________
Key moments:
> Verstappen six tenths clear
> Red Bull in league of its own
> Aston best of the rest again
> Hamilton improves after Friday struggles
> Light at the end of tunnel for McLaren
________________________________________
Verstappen was already just a tenth off table-topping team-mate Sergio Perez after the initial runs, despite using hards to Perez’s softs, and proved untouchable after swapping to the red-walled compound himself.

‘Everything that happened’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/everything-that-happened-in-final-saudi-arabian-gp-f1-practice/


FP3: Max Verstappen bags a practice hat-trick, over six-tenths ahead of the chasing pack
18 Mar 2023 2:34 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen claimed the practice hat-trick for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend, the Red Bull driver laying down a 1:28.485 to beat the sister Red Bull by over six-tenths of a second. The good news in the mix, though, is P3 to P17 were also separated by just six-tenths.

The rush of drivers taking new parts from their season’s stock pile continued with news Verstappen had a new gearbox fitted in his RB19 while Nyck de Vries didn’t complete a single lap as his AT04 needed a new PU.

The final 20 minutes saw the traditional switch to new soft tyres as one by one the drivers did their qualifying simulations. Verstappen went quickest with a 1:28.756, 0.371s up on Perez, with Hamilton jumping up to third place with Alonso P4 in the Aston Martin.

‘A practice hat-trick’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/saudi-arabian-grand-prix-2023-fp3-report/


Lewis Hamilton hand gesture caught on camera as Mercedes star left furious at Saudi GP
Several drivers have reported similar concerns over the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend.
14:46, Sat, Mar 18, 2023
By Luke Chillingsworth


Lewis Hamilton’s angry reaction has been caught on camera as the seven-time champion struggled in Saudi Arabia. The Mercedes star made the gesture after he appeared to be held up by an Aston Martin on his hot lap. Hamilton caught the AMR23 in the run-up to the quick right-hander at turn 15 which prompted the 38-year-old to run wide. He aborted his lap but made sure to make his feelings clear as he flicked his hand in annoyance while driving past.

He took to his team radio to complain about the heavy traffic as drivers struggled to find space on the tight street circuit. His race engineer, Peter Bonnington simply responded: “Copy, Yeah, very busy now.” Hamilton has continued to lack pace in Jeddah despite winning the Grand Prix back in 2021. He was only fifth fastest on Saturday afternoon with a lap one second slower than Max Verstappen’s Red Bull.

‘Lewis Hamilton left furious’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1748028/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-saudi-grand-prix-news

[Fortitude]

Perez on pole as Verstappen hit with mechanical issues.
Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – Sergio Perez beat Charles Leclerc to pole in Jeddah after Max Verstappen’s day ended in Q2 with a driveshaft issue.
18th March 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Once the eight early runners had set their first times it was Perez in provisional pole with a 1:28.265, half a second ahead of Leclerc who set an identical time to what Alonso had managed in Q2.

Everyone was out for the final couple of minutes of the session as they tried to set themselves up to give themselves the best chance of improving. Stroll looked like he’d be challenging for the front row or even the pole after setting the fastest first sector but the remainder of the lap didn’t pan out for him so he only finished P6.

Perez remained on top and didn’t need to put in a final flyer, Leclerc took P2 but with a 10 place grid penalty will drop him back to P12 and promote Alonso on to the front row. George Russell’s 1:28.857 saw him end P4 ahead of Sainz. Esteban Ocon took P7 ahead of Hamilton while the top ten was rounded out by Piastri and Gasly.

‘Sergio Perez beat Charles Leclerc to pole’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/perez-on-pole-as-verstappen-hit-with-mechanical-issues-81661


Qualifying Results – 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
18th March 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Q3
1. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing -1:28.265
2. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.155
3. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.465
4. George Russell Mercedes +0.592
5. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.666
6. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +0.680
7. Esteban Ocon Alpine +0.813
8. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.958
9. Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.978
10. Pierre Gasly Alpine +1.092

‘Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from qualifying ahead of tomorrow’s 2023 F1 World Championship race at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/qualifying-results-2023-saudi-arabian-grand-prix-81652


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from qualifying for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
18 March 2023
Becky Hart.
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/F1/Grands+Prix/Saudi+Arabian+GP


Perez on Saudi Arabian GP pole, Verstappen starts 15th
Mar 18 2023
By Valentin Khorounzhiy
The Race

A driveshaft failure for reigning Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen left him 15th on the grid for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, with Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez on pole instead.

Verstappen had topped every practice session of the Jeddah weekend and was almost half a second clear of the chasing pack in the first qualifying segment – but suddenly slowed dramatically in Q2 before he could set a time.

He limped back to the pits but climbed out of the car with six minutes left on the clock, the issue clearly impossible to rectify in time. The Dutchman’s exit left an open goal for Perez, and though Perez didn’t go quickest by much in Q2, he then found a good chunk of time on his very first run of Q3 to go half a second clear.

‘Driveshaft failure’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/perez-on-saudi-arabian-gp-pole-verstappen-starts-15th/


Verstappen 'realistic' of Saudi Arabian GP chances after 'annoying' Red Bull reliability woe
Saturday 18 March 2023 18:07
Sam Hall
GPFans

Max Verstappen is keeping a lid on his expectations for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix following an 'annoying' reliability problem in qualifying. The Dutchman dropped out of qualifying in Q2 after a transmission problem struck.

Asked if there had been previous issues in this area, Verstappen told Sky Sports: "No, it's the first time I've heard about it as well. Coming out of turn 10 it happened, which is very annoying for it to happen. I think we'd, so far, had a really good weekend. Every session was going really well and every time we were on the track, the car was working really well.”

"Now, it will be a bit more tricky to get to the front. But it is all about scoring points. It's a very long season. Of course, I would have hoped to start a bit further up the road but we cannot change that now."

‘It is all about scoring points’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/103697/verstappen-realistic-of-saudi-arabian-gp-chances-after-annoying-red-bull-reliability-woe/


Perez on pole after Verstappen’s driveshaft fails, Alonso inherits second from Leclerc
2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix qualifying
Posted on 18th March 2023, 18:13
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Sergio Perez secured pole position for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix for a second consecutive year after team mate Max Verstappen was eliminated in 15th after a driveshaft failure.

Verstappen lost power midway through Q2, dooming him to start no higher than 15th. With the other Red Bull out of contention, Perez duly secured pole position with Charles Leclerc second for Ferrari ahead of Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin. However, Leclerc’s 10-place power unit grid penalty will see him drop to 12th, promoting Alonso onto the front row.

Despite going fastest of all through the first sector, Stroll could not trouble the front row with his final lap, moving to sixth, while Russell took to fourth with his last effort. Perez did not need to improve and abandoned his final run, while Leclerc was the only driver to come close to his pole time, moving second behind the Red Bull.

‘Perez did not need to improve and abandoned his final run’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/18/perez-on-pole-after-verstappens-driveshaft-fails-alonso-inherits-second-from-leclerc/


Leclerc unhappy with Ferrari pace despite strong qualifying in Jeddah
Leclerc will start the Saudi Arabian GP from outside the top 10 as he serves a grid penalty for changing power unit parts.
March 18, 2023
By Matt Neill
Total Motorsport

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc has said that Red Bull are on “another planet” to the Scuderia despite the Monegasque qualifying second for the Saudi Arabian GP. Leclerc will start the race in Jeddah from outside the top 10 as he serves a 10-place grid penalty after Ferrari opted to change parts on his power unit following his retirement at the Bahrain GP last time out.

He will be joined in the midfield by Max Verstappen, who was forced to retire in Q2 after his car suffered a driveshaft failure, which left the Dutchman limping back to the pits before his session was prematurely ended. And while Leclerc said while he was happy with the flying lap which put him second behind pole sitter Sergio Perez, he was less optimistic about Ferrari’s overall performance.

“On one hand, I think it’s been a very difficult weekend in terms of pace for us, but I’m very happy about my lap. I think I put everything in it. It was really, really on the limit,” Leclerc told Sky Sports F1. On the other hand, Red Bull are in another planet and we are struggling a little bit, so we need to we need to keep pushing.”

“Another planet”;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-leclerc-unhappy-ferrari-pace-qualifying-jeddah/


Perez and Alonso set for thriller as Verstappen issue rattles Red Bull
Saturday 18 March 2023 18:08
Ewan Gale
GPFans

Sergio Perez picked up the pieces for Red Bull to take his second consecutive Saudi Arabian Grand Prix pole. The Mexican took full advantage of issues for team-mate Max Verstappen, setting a time of a one minute, 28.265secs, faster than Charles Leclerc by 0.155s.

With Leclerc's grid drop, Fernando Alonso will line up on the front row for Aston Martin. The Spaniard recovered from an early spin to eventually finished third-fastest on the night, ahead of Mercedes driver George Russell.

‘Perez and Alonso set for thriller’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/103699/saudi-arabian-gp-qualifying-results-report/

[Fortitude]

Alonso eyeing victory and fast cars out of position – What To Watch For in the Saudi Arabian GP.
From some extremely quick cars starting out of position to Fernando Alonso chasing a first win in a decade, and from a five-team fight for the podium to a mixed-up midfield, we’ve picked out some key areas to keep an eye on when the lights go out at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit…
18 March 2023
Chris Medland
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

1. Verstappen and Leclerc out of position. Heading into qualifying, many observers had already assigned pole position to Max Verstappen, such was the pace advantage he had shown in FP3. He was quickest in all three practice sessions but it was earlier on Saturday when he had gone nearly a second clear of the first non-Red Bull car.

2. Can Alonso threaten a win? The Red Bull is the quicker of the two cars and Alonso knows he is the underdog, but the Aston Martin’s pace is still strong enough to put up a fight if he can take the lead off the line – and he’s been known for some rapid launches in the past.

‘3. A five-team podium fight, 4. Will there be points on the table for the rest? 5. Safety Cars and DRS battles’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.alonso-eyeing-victory-and-fast-cars-out-of-position-what-to-watch-for-in-the.6GZQIy16lm3DKMcA2npJWg.html


Fernando Alonso doesn’t believe Aston Martin can win Saudi Arabian GP
The Spaniard was rather pessimistic despite qualifying third and starting second in the race
March 18, 2023
By Joe Ellis
Total Motorsport

“I don’t think so,” Alonso said, when asked by the media if there is any chance of beating Perez in the race. “I don’t want to sound pessimistic but if we see the pace all weekend and throughout free practice as well as the Bahrain pace, we have to be honest with ourselves and know that Red Bull is a little bit ahead of everyone.”

“That [the race win] is not the target tomorrow, but as I said before, Formula 1 is not exact mathematics. Anything can happen and today it has put Verstappen P15. I expect a very tight race and I think that will be defined by small details,” Alonso continued. “One will be the start, one will be the tyre management and the other one will be the strategy.

‘Defined by small details’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-fernando-alonso-not-believe-2023-saudi-arabian-gp-win/


‘No doubt Verstappen will be on the podium, minimum’ – Alonso
2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Posted on 18th March 2023, 20:4018th March 2023, 21:51
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Fernando Alonso believes Max Verstappen will easily overcome the disadvantage of starting 15th on the grid for tomorrow’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. “I think Max will come eventually in the race,” he said. “They have this advantage – I don’t know which race it was last year that he started last, he changed the power unit and still finished P2 or even he won the race. So I think tomorrow there is no doubt that he will be in the podium, probably, minimum.”

“On pure pace, I think Red Bull is in another league and I think we have to concentrate more on the teams behind,” he said. “Ferrari will be very strong, Mercedes are strong, also Alpine they are fast here. So I think our race is just behind us.

‘On the podium, minimum’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/18/no-doubt-verstappen-will-be-on-the-podium-minimum-alonso/


Sergio Perez achieves F1 feat managed only once before with Saudi Arabian GP pole position
Perez took advantage of Max Verstappen's misfortune to park his Red Bull on pole position for the race in Jeddah – a result which caught the eye for more than one reason
22:04, 18 Mar 2023
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer.

Sergio Perez joined former Formula 1 star Jean Alesi in a very exclusive club by sticking his Red Bull on pole for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Saturday. The Mexican's performance was a great relief for his team after they watched a disaster unfold for Max Verstappen. He suffered a suspected drive shaft issues which left him unable to set a lap time in Q2, consigning him the 15th place on the grid for tomorrow's race in Jeddah.

Perez will be thrilled, especially considering how often he is forced to live in Verstappen's shadow. In taking pole, he also lived up to his reputation that he is a real force to be reckoned with on a street circuit. Speaking after the session, Perez said: "It was tricky. It was tricky that Q3, especially [after] not getting that second lap. That [first lap] was quite good, you know, it was quite clean, really clean.”

"Nailing that lap, you really feel the Formula 1 cars coming alive in this place and yeah just maximising that lap was very important, you know, because with the issue we had into the final run it was really important as the track was improving.

‘Great relief for his team’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/sergio-perez-achieves-f1-feat-29495161


‘We must make sure these things don’t happen’ says Verstappen as fault leaves him 15th
2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Posted on 18th March 2023, 18:48
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Verstappen’s radio messages after driveshaft failure
Verstappen I have a problem. Engine, mate, problem.
Lambiase Understood.
Verstappen I don’t know. I put in the clutch. Let me know what I have to do.
Lambiase Will do.
Lambiase Okay you can continue to limp home.
Verstappen It doesn’t sound good.
Lambiase Okay next car coming through Hulkenberg
Verstappen It’s almost not accelerating.
Lambiase Okay understood Max, we’ll do what we can. We’re happy for you to try and limp home if possible.
Verstappen Just give me recommendations, what gear.
Lambiase Can we have recharge on and diff 12.So you’ve got Ocon at five seconds, he’s coming through quickly.
Verstappen Any other cars?
Lambiase Just Magnussen at the moment. Eight seconds. Now six. Five. Recommend letting him through before 27, Max, in case you have an issue. Track clear behind Magnussen. And box.
Lambiase So look out for the weigh bridge.

‘Messages after driveshaft failure’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/18/we-must-make-sure-these-things-dont-happen-says-verstappen-as-fault-leaves-him-15th/


Ferrari star Charles LeClerc lauds Oscar Piastri's 'extreme talent' after the Aussie rookie's 'impressive' performance will see him start the Saudi Arabia GP at eighth on the grid
• Leclerc impressed by Oscar Piastri
• Rookie will start in eighth on grid
• Sergio Perez took pole position
Published: 22:58, 18 March 2023
By James Cooney For Daily Mail Australia and Jonathon Mcavoy For The Daily Mail
Mail Online

Oscar Piastri exceeded all expectations in the final phase of qualifying to record the ninth-best time. The Aussie, in just his second F1 race, was the only McLaren to reach the final stage - beating his teammate by ten places.

'It's impressive,' Leclerc told Speedcafe when asked about the youngster's performance. Especially after a year off and [this is his] second race, in a street track, in a very challenging one – probably one of the most challenging of the season.”

‘Oscar Piastri's extreme talent';

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-11876719/Ferrari-star-Charles-LeClerc-lauds-McLaren-rookie-Oscar-Piastri-Saudi-Arabia-GP-qualifying.html


It's all to play for at Saudi Arabian GP as Sergio Perez is new favourite to seal victory.
19:50 Sat, 18 Mar 2019.
Wheels24

Sergio Perez claimed pole position for Sunday's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to salvage pride for Red Bull after Max Verstappen was forced out of qualifying with a driveshaft failure in Q2.

The 33-year-old Mexican clocked a best lap in 1:28.265 seconds to beat Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who faces a 10-place grid penalty, by 0.155sec in a closely fought qualifying session.

It is Perez's second career pole and second in Saudi Arabia, while Verstappen will start from 15th. "Good job, guys," said Perez. "Hopefully, Max will be able to fight through in the race, and we can enjoy a good result. We've got a good car, and it's a good circuit for me."

"Good job, guys";

https://www.news24.com/sport/motorsport/formulaone/its-all-to-play-for-in-saudi-as-sergio-perez-is-new-favourite-to-seal-the-win-20230318

[Fortitude]

Perez dominates as Verstappen converts P15 to P2.
Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – Sergio Perez dominated from the front to take the pole to victory that the Safety Car denied him last year.
19th March 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

As the lights went out to start the race Perez wasn’t able to enjoy his position at the front of the pack for long as Alonso got the better of the Red Bull driver at the first corner however the Spaniard has been noted by the stewards for incorrect starting location, a couple of laps into the race he was handed a five second penalty for the being too far left in his grid box.

Perez crossed the line over five seconds ahead of Verstappen, the Mexican had looked like he would be leading the world championship standings but Verstappen took the fastest lap point, with a 1:31.906, at the very end to ensure he remained ahead. Alonso took P3 ahead of the two Mercedes drivers while Sainz and Leclerc finished P6 and P7 the Ferraris not making up any ground on the hard tyres. The Alpines both took points with Esteban Ocon ahead of Gasly while Magnussen took the final point for Haas.

‘Perez dominates’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/perez-dominates-as-verstappen-converts-p15-to-p2-81671


Race Results – 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
19th March 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing – 50 laps
2. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +5.355
3. George Russell Mercedes +25.866
4. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +30.728 *
5. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +31.065
6. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +35.876
7. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +43.162
8. Esteban Ocon Alpine +52.832
9. Pierre Gasly Alpine +54.747
10. Kevin Magnussen Haas +64.826

‘Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – Here are the complete race results from today’s 2023 F1 World Championship race at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/race-results-2023-saudi-arabian-grand-prix-81668


AS IT HAPPENED: All the action from the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
19 March 2023
Becky Hart.
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-formula-1-stc-saudi-arabian-grand-prix-2023.tJNzmr7b9ghdICXhSpeR7.html


Alonso loses podium finish after team fails to serve penalty correctly
2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Posted on 19th March 2023, 18:5619th March 2023, 19:18
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Fernando Alonso has lost his podium finish in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after the stewards ruled he failed to serve a penalty correctly during the race.

The Aston Martin driver was originally penalised when the stewards deemed he did not line up in his starting position correctly. He was given a five-second time penalty which he served when he made his only pit stop of the race during a Safety Car period.

However after studying replays the stewards determined Aston Martin had not served that penalty correctly. Alonso was therefore given a further 10-second time penalty.

‘Alonso loses podium’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/19/alonso-loses-podium-finish-after-team-fails-to-serve-penalty-correctly/


Russell disobeys Hamilton team order and Leclerc fumes as Perez wins Saudi Grand Prix
Sergio Perez dominated the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix from start to finish, but that was far from the only talking point of the race.
18:35, Sun, Mar 19, 2023
By Stuart Ballard
Daily and Sunday Express

The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix finished with the same top three as the season-opening race in Bahrain, although Sergio Perez managed to hold off Max Verstappen to take the chequered flag in what proved to be an eventful race. Express Sport takes a look at four things learned from the Grand Prix.

Both George Russell and Lewis Hamilton have had a harmonious relationship in their short time together at Mercedes, but that might be tested following the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Hamilton was the faster car on medium tyres after the Safety Car period ended and Mercedes gave Russell orders to let his team-mate through.

But the 25-year-old was not willing to give up his place, insisting he wanted to "manage the tyres" and "fight later". There also appeared to be a bit of confusion as Russell believed Fernando Alonso still had a five-second penalty to serve before he was told the Spaniard had already taken the penalty. Shortly after the radio exchange, Hamilton dropped back from Russell possibly with the medium compound starting to wear off.

‘Sergio Perez dominated’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1748332/George-Russell-Lewis-Hamilton-Charles-Leclerc-Sergio-Perez-Max-Verstappen-F1


Perez holds Verstappen at bay for Saudi Arabian GP win
19th March 2023, 18:41
The Race

Sergio Perez claimed his fifth Formula 1 victory by keeping his Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen at bay in the second half of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Polesitter Perez briefly lost the lead to a fast-starting Fernando Alonso on the run down to Turn 1 on the opening lap, but he reclaimed the lead into the same corner on lap four.

Perez held a margin of just over six seconds at that stage and he was able to more or less maintain that with Verstappen never getting the gap below four seconds.

Both drivers complained of potential issues with their RB19s – Perez complained about his brake pedal while Verstappen was spooked by noises aboard his car – and the team effectively attempted to call off the fight by asking the drivers to stick to 1m33s lap times.

‘Perez holds Verstappen at bay’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/perez-holds-verstappen-at-bay-for-saudi-arabian-gp-win/


Perez shines in Saudi Arabian GP victory as Verstappen survives Red Bull gremlins
Sunday 19 March 2023 18:30
Ewan Gale
GPFans

Sergio Perez secured a comfortable Saudi Arabian Grand Prix victory as team-mate Max Verstappen recovered from 15th on the grid to secure a second consecutive one-two finish for Red Bull.

The Mexican beat Verstappen home by 5.3 seconds to secure his fourth F1 victory, though a fastest lap on the final lap for the Dutchman puts him top of the championship. Red Bull was given a fright in the final quarter as both drivers called in with suspicions of issues.

Verstappen worryingly suggested his driveshaft sounded 'rough', the sane component that quashed his qualifying hopes on Saturday. Leader Perez then complained of a long brake pedal, though the Mexican was assured this was only down to general wear.

‘Perez shines’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/103793/perez-shines-in-saudi-arabian-gp-victory-as-verstappen-survives-red-bull-gremlins/

[Fortitude]

Horner: Saudi Arabian GP best race of Sergio Perez career.
Christian Horner has claimed that Sergio Perez’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix victory was the Mexican’s best in his Formula 1 career.
March 19, 2023
By Joe Ellis
19:57 Sun, 19 Mar 2023.

The Mexican resisted pressure from his teammate to take victory on the streets of Jeddah. Perez had the advantage of starting from the front of the field after Max Verstappen suffered mechanical woes in qualifying but he still drove the wheels of his Red Bull to keep the Dutchman at arm’s length.

Red Bull team principal Horner could not praise Perez enough for his performance at the fastest street circuit in the world in which he claimed that both his drivers were indeed going as fast as they could. “The team, all credit to them, have built an incredible car,” Horner said to Sky Sports. “What we saw today was two drivers pushing each other.”

“Max we saw come from 15th and by half distance, he was already fourth and for Checo, I think that was probably his best-ever race. Managing the pace, the restart and those guys behind we were going absolutely flat out.”

‘The Mexican resisted pressure’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/horner-saudi-arabian-gp-best-race-perez-career/


'Street fighter' Sergio Perez leads Red Bull sweep in Saudi Arabia
Mar 20, 2023
The Japan Times

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – Red Bull's Sergio Perez flexed his street circuit muscles in dramatic fashion by storming to victory ahead of teammate Max Verstappen at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Sunday.

While there was no question about the top two finishers, the next two places remained unsettled long after the race had finished, with Fernando Alonso first stripped of third place and then reinstated in the early hours of Monday morning.

Perez, a 33-year-old Mexican, came home 5.355 seconds clear of the two-time defending world champion as Red Bull reeled off a masterful 1-2 triumph with the Dutchman storming through the field from 15th on the grid to finish second.

'Street fighter';

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2023/03/20/more-sports/auto-racing/perez-street-fighter/


Perez thought “Not again!” when Safety Car appeared while he led in Jeddah
2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Posted on 19th March 2023, 19:50
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Sergio Perez said the appearance of the Safety Car while he was leading the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix reminded him of how he lost a potential victory in last year’s race.

“Once I got past Fernando, I could do my own race,” Perez recalled. “But once again, when that Safety Car came out, it reminded me all over Jeddah last year again and I was like ‘not again’. But luckily, we hadn’t pitted at the time. So it was a new race after the Safety Car.”

“Very early on Max came back and we were basically towards the end just making sure we kept the gap between between myself and Max,” he said. “But that meant we were pushing quite hard and trying to maintain the gap. I was on [for] the victory last year, finally I got it and the team did a fantastic job. The job they’ve done, they’ve worked so hard during the weekend. We had a lot of mechanical issues and these guys have been on top of that. So I’m really happy for them and it’s time to celebrate.”

“Not again!”;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/19/perez-thought-not-again-when-safety-car-appeared-while-he-led-in-jeddah/


Verstappen: We decided to 'call it a day' in Perez Saudi chase
19 March 8:05PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Max Verstappen says he decided to "call it a day" in his Formula 1 pursuit of Sergio Perez in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - settling for second. Following his 15th place start, Verstappen was running inside the Top 5 when the Safety Car was deployed for Lance Stroll's retirement, allowing him a free pitstop for the change to Hard tyres.

Restarting fourth, Verstappen quickly cleared George Russell and Fernando Alonso to run second on Lap 25, by which time Perez had bolted out front. The gap remained around the five second mark until the flag, although Verstappen did nick fastest lap on the final tour to maintain his championship lead by one point.

'Call it a day';

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-decided-to-call-it-a-day-in-perez-saudi-chase


Max Verstappen angry at Red Bull after Sergio Perez win: "I'm not here to be second"
Verstappen appeared pleased with his result at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix when speaking to the TV cameras but, in the post-race press conference, was critical of his Red Bull team
21:42, 19 Mar 2023
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
The Mirror

Max Verstappen declared: "I'm not happy," as he criticised his Red Bull team after the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

He told reporters: "It's not only about the pace of the car, we need to make sure we are reliable without any issues. My first weekend was not very clean because of just the big balance shift from testing to the race weekend, some other things which were going on in the background.”

"Now again, after three positive practice sessions, I have an issue in qualifying. Of course, I recovered to second which is good. In general the whole feeling in the team, everyone is happy – but personally I'm not happy because I'm not here to be second.”

"I'm not happy";

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/verstappen-perez-red-bull-jeddah-29499620


‘Were you not told?’: Red Bull stars in frosty exchange after Mad Max’s defiant move
March 20th, 2023 11:31 am
Alex Conrad.
Fox Sports (Australia)

In the cooldown room, Perez was slightly baffled as to why his teammate was able to go for it. Perez asked: “Am I the fastest lap in the end? On the last lap? Perez takes a moment and runs his hand through his hair before serving a follow-up question that hinted at the anger bubbling away inside him: “Were you not told to keep the pace?”

Verstappen, not squirming at the direct line of questioning, said: “Ah, 33.0, yeah. But then I asked what as the fastest lap and I think it was a tenth faster than what we were doing.” According to Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko, the push on the final lap was just “typical” Max behaviour.

“That was uncontrollable,” Marko told Austrian television station ORF. “That’s just Max. Both were constantly asking who had the fastest lap and Max waited until the last lap so Perez couldn’t counter. It means the lead in the world championship for him. We are very satisfied with the race.”

‘Were you not told?’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/were-you-not-told-max-perez-in-frosty-postrace-exchange-after-champs-final-lap-flyer/news-story/d499519127b06b4424b3f23f0c554df2


'What a sore loser' - Fans bemused as Jos Verstappen blanks Perez
Sunday 19 March 2023 21:15
Ronan Murphy
GPFans

Max Verstappen had an amazing race in Saudi Arabia, coming from 15th on the grid to finish second behind Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez. Recording his first win of the season, Perez was warmly embraced by Red Bull personnel, family and friends after the chequered flag, but Verstappen senior looked on in stony-faced silence.

That was captured on camera, with many Formula 1 fans on social media saying the reaction was 'rude' and 'unsportsmanlike' while some even referred to the ex-Arrows and Minardi driver as a 'sore loser.' Here's a sample of how F1 Twitter reacted to Jos Verstappen's snubbing of Sergio Perez:
- Jos Verstappen getting caught up in the Sergio Perez celebrations ��
- Jos Verstappen blanking Checo while all around him celebrate - how rude and unsportsmanlike. I know they have differences but to not congratulate him is petulant and not what #F1 is about - a really poor example to set to younger generations.
- Oh wow, what a sore loser! Just because your golden boy didn't win.
- Jos Verstappen when his son doesn’t get P1
- HAHAHAHA JOS VERSTAPPEN WAS SEETHING AT CHECO
- jos verstappen when his son drives a near perfect race, gets p2 and driver of the day but just misses out on the win

‘Snubbing of Sergio Perez’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/103835/f1-twitter-jos-verstappen-sergio-perez/

[Fortitude]

Fernando Alonso chaos: F1 risks losing credibility and fans with another FIA mess.
That is not healthy for any sport, let alone one which has already seen its governance heavily scrutinised over the last 18 months.
22:58, 19 Mar 2023
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
The Mirror

Once again, the final result of a Formula 1 race was as clear as mud to absolutely everybody for several hours after it had actually ended. Even George Russell, who benefitted from that punishment, was surprised. Alonso was furious – not necessarily over the penalty itself, but that it had taken the last 35 laps of the race plus the podium ceremony for the stewards to decide that he was deserving of one.

But Aston Martin exercised their right to appeal, rejecting the assertion that there was a clear agreement that a jack touching the car would amount to "working" on it. And so, more than FIVE HOURS after the conclusion of the race, the penalty was reversed and Alonso had his 100th career podium after all.

Regardless of personal opinion about the decision, the issue here is the time delay and chaos between the end of the race and the final call being made public. For all that time, fans, journalists and even the teams and drivers themselves did not know what the final result of the race was.

‘Fernando Alonso chaos’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/fia-alonso-penalty-jeddah-chaos-29500038


Why the FIA stripped Fernando Alonso’s Jeddah podium…then gave it back three hours later
19 Mar 2023 10:40 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Fernando Alonso has been reinstated in third place at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, having been given a post-race time penalty that dropped him to fourth. The FIA have outlined how the stewards were shown video evidence of seven different instances where cars serving penalties were touched by a jack without being penalised.

The documentation details how Aston Martin say the “alleged representation of an agreement between the FIA and the teams that ‘touching the car in any way, including with a jack’ was ‘incorrect’ and, therefore, the basis of the stewards’ decision was ‘wrong'”. Under the Petition for Review, the stewards determined Aston Martin’s presented evidence, combined with the minutes of the most recent SAC meeting, showed the ‘substratum of the original decision’ could be ‘called into question’.


Reviewing the evidence presented by Aston Martin, the stewards have decided that there is no clear agreement that can be relied upon to determine whether all parties had agreed that a car being touched by a jack would be considered ‘working on the car’. As a result, the stewards opted to overturn the 10-second time penalty imposed on Alonso, re-instating him to third place.

‘Stripped…then gave it back’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/whyfia-stripped-fernando-alonsos-jeddah-podium-then-gave-it-back/


IN FULL: Stewards overturn Alonso penalty
Monday 20th March, 2023 - 9:44am
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Fernando Alonso officially finished third in the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after a post-race penalty was overturned.

Aston Martin lodged a Right of Review following the race, which prompted stewards to reverse their decision to penalised the Spaniard.

In doing so, they published their rationale in first applying the penalty before subsequently reserving that decision.

‘Below, both decisions have been reproduced in full’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/03/20/in-full-stewards-overturn-alonso-penalty/


How Alonso lost his 100th podium finish to a post-race time penalty — then got it back
Mar 19, 2023
By Madeline Coleman
19 Mar
The Athletic

Alonso was told he had failed to correctly serve a five-second penalty he had been given at the beginning of the race, for incorrectly lining up on the grid (he was a touch to the left of his starting box).

The bizarre bit is that the race stewards waited so long — more than half the race — to apply the penalty.

The really bizarre bit is that a few hours after that, they changed their minds again, putting Alonso back in third.

‘Here’s what happened — and why’

https://theathletic.com/4325481/2023/03/19/alonso-penalty-f1-saudi-arabian-gp-explained/


Alonso reinstated to P3 after a review of his penalty
20th March 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

As the drivers headed onto the podium at the end of the race the Stewards announced that they would be investigating Alonso for incorrectly serving a time penalty during the race. After celebrating his 100th podium alongside race winner Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen Alonso was handed a 10 second penalty for incorrectly serving his 5 second penalty which he had received for starting the race too far to the left of his grid box.

The Stewards granted the review and Aston Martin’s main arguments were that jacks hadn’t been cause for penalties previously, the team presenting “video evidence of 7 different instances where cars were touched by the jack while serving a similar penalty to the one imposed on Car 14 without being penalized”, and that there hadn’t been any agreement made that which stated that touching a car was counted as working on it.

Presented with the new facts the Stewards had no choice but to reverse their earlier decision as “there was no clear agreement, as was suggested to the Stewards previously, that could be relied upon to determine that parties had agreed that a jack touching a car would amount to working on the car.” That meant that Alonso and Aston Martin could once again celebrate his 100th F1 podium finish and it has definitely made it a memorable occasion for all.

‘P3 Alonso P3’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/alonso-reinstated-to-p3-after-a-review-of-his-penalty-81690

[Fortitude]

No bullsh*tting, demands Vasseur.
Ferrari boss, Frederic Vasseur has one demand of his team's engineers, he doesn't want any bullsh*tting.
20/03/2023
NEWS STORY
Pitpass13:45

As the team regroups ahead of the trip down under, the Frenchman was asked what his main priority will be when he sits down with his engineers. "To not bullshit ourselves," he replied. "The most important thing in this kind of situation is to know where we are going well and what we are doing wrong," he continued.

"We cannot bullshit ourselves. We have to change. We have to understand where we are wrong, and we have to push. It's not enough to speak, we will not be faster like this. For me the picture is quite clear," he added. "The potential of the car is good, but it's not enough compared to Red Bull, because we are not able to extract the maximum from the car every time.”

‘No bullsh*tting’;

https://www.pitpass.com/74758/No-bullshtting-demands-Vasseur


Vasseur slates ‘unacceptable’ Ferrari weakness but makes vow to Leclerc and Sainz
Monday 20 March 2023 13:20
Daniel Austin
GPFans

"We certainly didn't expect to be in this position," the Swiss said post-race, as reported by Correire dello Sport. "We need to analyse clearly. With the hard tyres, we had a huge lack of pace. Unacceptable! We need to understand and correct it as soon as possible.

"I can't comprehend a car finishing on the front row in qualifying (as Leclerc did before his 10-place grid penalty), and then in the race, it's nowhere."

‘Unacceptable’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/103894/ferrari-weakness-f1-vasseur-leclerc-sainz-saudi-arabia/


Saudi F1 struggles show Ferrari not second best, says Sainz
20:54 Sun, 19 Mar 2023.
By: Matt Kew
Motorsport.com

Ferrari's poor performance late in Formula 1's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix proves the team "lacks a bit of race pace" and is not second fastest, reckons Carlos Sainz.

The Spaniard finished some 36 seconds adrift of Red Bull victor Sergio Perez in Jeddah to clock sixth place, one spot ahead of team-mate Charles Leclerc, who was recovering from a 10-place gird drop.

Sainz said: "The last stint on the hard [tyres] proves that we are not where we want to be, that we still deg more than the Mercedes, that we still deg more than the Aston Martins. We lack a bit of race pace." Understanding Ferrari's early struggles compared to its rapid start in 2022, Sainz said the team could no longer consider its subdued showing in Bahrain to be track specific.

‘Not second best’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/saudi-f1-struggles-show-ferrari-not-second-best-says-sainz/10446180/


Charles Leclerc tears into Ferrari after Saudi Arabia struggles: 'Just not good enough'
20th March 2023, 11:28
Wheels24

Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz slammed the performance of their cars as "not good enough" after the Ferraris finished sixth and seventh in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Sunday, 19 March. Leclerc started 12th on the grid after a 10-second penalty for taking a new electronic control unit. He climbed to seventh but was dissatisfied that he was unable to compete for the podium.

His feelings came out during an exchange on team radio when he complained that race engineer Xavier Marcos Padros had failed to inform him that Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton had pitted ahead of him under the safety car. "You need to tell me that before... Come on!" he cried.

‘Tears into Ferrari’;

https://www.news24.com/sport/motorsport/formulaone/charles-leclerc-tears-into-ferrari-after-saudi-arabia-struggles-just-not-good-enough-20230320


‘There wasn’t much more in the car’ – Leclerc calls on Ferrari to improve ‘a lot’ after distant P7 finish in Jeddah
19 March 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Speaking to Sky Sports F1 after the race, Leclerc said: “Once I got within a second and a half to Carlos, it was very difficult to get closer than that. The pace difference wasn’t big enough. I did a small mistake when I was within DRS, and then when I lost it, that was it.”

“I just stayed there. It’s like this. Honestly, I don’t think there was much more anyway in the car today. We just need to work to find some pace.”

‘There wasn’t much more in the car’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.there-wasnt-much-more-in-the-car-leclerc-calls-on-ferrari-to-improve-a-lot.2nFZlLICRc2HxQ1wPmeZfX.html


Charles Leclerc fumes at engineer in Jeddah as his patience with Ferrari runs out
Charles Leclerc started the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix from 12th, as a result of a 10-place grid penalty.
19 March 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Leclerc was told to “push” at a section of the circuit whilst he’d already arrived there, something which resulted in the Monegasque falling behind Lewis Hamilton. Leclerc was absolutely furious with the error from his team, which effectively cost him fifth, given that is where Hamilton finished the race.

“Try to push from Safety Car Line One. Lewis Hamilton just pitted.” said Leclerc’s race engineer. “XAVI YOU NEED TO TELL ME THAT BEFORE! I MEAN COME ON!” Leclerc shouted. Leclerc ultimately crossed the line in seventh, whilst Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz claimed sixth.

‘Fumes at engineer’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/charles-leclerc-fumes-at-engineer-in-jeddah-as-his-patience-with-ferrari-runs-out/


Jeddah performance shows Ferrari have “a lot of work to do” – Sainz
2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Posted on 20th March 2023, 11:35
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

The second race of the season showed Ferrari are not as close to the pace as they thought they were, Carlos Sainz Jnr admitted. Ferrari arrived in Jeddah hoping to be the closest rivals to Red Bull. “I’m a bit surprised because after Friday and before the weekend, I thought that we had a chance of being the second force here in Jeddah,” said Sainz.

“But I think that last stint on the hard proves that we still have a lot of work to do. We have a weakness in the race and that we need to wait for the developments to come to see if we can improve that weakness.”

“A lot of work to do”;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/20/jeddah-performance-shows-ferrari-have-a-lot-of-work-to-do-sainz/


Sainz says it's 'difficult to take positives' from Ferrari's Saudi Arabian weekend
20 March 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Carlos Sainz: "It's difficult to take positives when you are P6 and P7, especially the last stint when you are all fair and square in pace… and they [the top three drivers] all pulled away. So it’s difficult to take a positive. Yeah, at least we got the reliability and the double points, but [this is] not where we want to be right now."

"Post-race, obviously it looks like we still have some work to do – especially race pace towards the second half of the stints, we just [wear our tyres] a bit too much, we cannot keep the pace of the front-runners. We need to keep the heads down: we know the car at the moment is not where we want it to be, and [we need to] start improving it as the season goes on," he concluded.

'Difficult to take positives';

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.sainz-says-its-difficult-to-take-positives-from-ferraris-saudi-arabian.489wRc29rCgsy2MyU934BS.html


Sainz in Ferrari demand after lacklustre Saudi Arabian GP
Monday 20 March 2023 09:40
Jack Walker
GPFans

Carlos Sainz : “…we were the fourth-fastest car on track. We need to know why and how we can improve. It’s already two different tracks where our race pace is not great, so we know we have work to do.”

“Even after quali when Charles did a brilliant lap and I struggled, we thought in race pace we were going to be okay. So [there is] work to do [and] developments to come. Unfortunately, we need time for these developments to come so this is what we have. It’s proved we need to bring some upgrades.”

‘Ferrari - fourth-fastest car on track!’

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/103832/saudi-arabian-grand-prix-carlos-sainz-ferrari/

[Fortitude]

Sergio Perez reflects on victory in Jeddah: “I had a wicked race”.
Red Bull Racing’s Sergio Perez took his fifth career victory at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, successfully converting his pole position and holding a gap to team-mate Max Verstappen, who crossed the line in second.
March 20, 2023
By Ashley Cline
The Checkered Flag

“I had a wicked race – which is a new word I learnt this week! I didn’t have a great start but after I got back around Fernando, I was able to create a good gap between the rest of the field and me… until the safety car came out and I was reminded of Jeddah 2022… It was a new race after the safety car though and I’m happy I was able to build a gap again and then keep it, even when Max was pushing at the end.”

Perez said that he was excited to have achieved another amazing result with the team, once again proving to be a dominant force on the 2023 grid. He thanked his team members on site in Jeddah and back at headquarters for delivering such a strong car and helping secure a “massive team result.”

“Everyone back in Milton Keynes and here at the track have built such a fantastic car for us this season. I love being a part of this Team because of the way we push and the way we deliver, I’m so proud of us. The Team is working at such a high level so it’s really great to be a part of. In the end, we must remember it’s a long season but tonight was a massive team result.”

‘Built such a fantastic car’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2023/03/sergio-perez-reflects-on-victory-in-jeddah-i-had-a-wicked-race/


Martin Brundle on Saudi Arabian GP: Sergio Perez lands 'significant' blow on team-mate Max Verstappen
Last Updated: 21/03/23 6:08am
Martin Brundle
Sky Sports

Perez out front matched whatever his team-mate Verstappen could muster speed-wise and duly won the race in fine style. His fifth victory, four of which have been on street circuits - but more significantly his first victory when Max was second.

Verstappen stole the fastest lap championship point on the final tour and that clearly annoyed Perez, who was surprised the team didn't call off the fight when they had a one-two easily in the bag and he was suffering with a longer brake pedal, and unbeknown to him, Max was feeling a vibration in his transmission.

Team Verstappen were perhaps surprised that Perez could match their pace, and they were no doubt annoyed that it was ultimately the qualifying car issue which prevented Max setting a new record of 16 victories in 21 races.

‘Sergio Perez lands 'significant' blow’;

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/24096/12839168/martin-brundle-on-saudi-arabian-gp-sergio-perez-lands-significant-blow-on-team-mate-max-verstappen


F1 needs Perez to keep performing at his best
21:13 Mon, 20 Mar 2023.
By Alan Baldwin
Reuters

LONDON, March 20 (Reuters) - Sergio Perez may have had his best race yet in Sunday's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix but Formula One desperately needs the Mexican to keep it up in a season turning into a tale of two Red Bull team mates. Perez, who started on pole position under the floodlights in Saudi Arabia, and his championship leading team mate are separated by just one point, a fastest lap, with everybody else fighting for the leftovers.

Neutrals will join Mexican fans in hoping the 33-year-old veteran, signed at the end of 2020 as solid support for the team's star talent, can at least give Verstappen some sort of a run for his money. Horner did his best to conjure up some suspense, even if it did not sound entirely convincing, by suggesting the situation could change once the first three races are out of the way and upgrades start coming through.

"Albert Park (in Melbourne) has never been a lucky circuit for us. We’ve won there once I think, back in 2011," he added of next week's Australian GP. "So we’re going to go there and try and do the best we can." Perez agreed: "I think we did a great job," he said of the race in Jeddah. "I don't know if it's my best weekend so far with the team, but I'm sure Melbourne will be even better."

‘Neutrals will join Mexican fans’;

https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/f1-needs-perez-keep-performing-his-best-2023-03-20/?rpc=401&


Perez has won his ‘greatest grand prix’, but he’ll have to start a civil war if he wants to win the title
March 21st, 2023 5:24 pm
Michael Lamonato
Fox Sports (Australia)

Sergio Perez isn’t at Red Bull Racing to be Max Verstappen’s number two. We know this because he says it often. He says it when he wins races. He says it when he’s asked to help his teammate win races. It’s just that over the last two seasons Perez has almost always finished second to Verstappen. He may not be formally cast at the Dutchman’s sidekick, but he’s yet to perform at a level that suggests he could become Red Bull Racing’s leading man.

But there’s a subtle difference to the way things are panning out this season. We’re only two races into the year, but few doubts remain that the 2023 championship is a two-driver fight between teammates Perez and Verstappen. No external rivals; just two sides of the same garage. An intrateam battle has the potential to completely change the rules of engagement, and with Perez winning comfortably in Jeddah, he’s stating his claim for promotion from supporting cast to leading role. But he’ll have to risk everything if he wants to go all the way.

So it was an undeniably great performance, but can Perez keep it up? But there’s some reason for optimism too. Last year’s fade-out was partly due to the RB18 being developed to better suit Verstappen after a troublesome start to life. This year the team believes it has a machine that can work for both drivers, so far Perez has sounded positive about the tools he has at his disposal with the RB19. And considering Red Bull Racing appears to have a massive advantage over the field, Perez might get more time to mould his car around him rather than being railroaded into a development program that makes the car faster but at the expense of his preferences.

‘He’ll have to start a civil war if he wants to win the title’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/perez-has-won-his-greatest-grand-prix-but-hell-have-to-start-a-civil-war-if-he-wants-to-win-the-title/news-story/bad4717ee1046614f0a03e8ad0b51e69


Sergio Perez takes aim at Red Bull after fastest lap fiasco
Sergio Perez has called for Red Bull to review its procedures after losing the race's fastest lap to Max Verstappen after the Dutchman was given the push-ahead
March 19, 2023
By Ed Spencer
The Checkered Flag

Sergio Perez has called on Red Bull to review its fastest lap procedures after losing the fastest lap of the race to Max Verstappen in the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. In the race’s closing salvo, Verstappen was told he could push for the fastest lap, whilst Perez was told to stick with his current pace.

It meant Verstappen could snatch the fastest lap of the race to hold onto the championship lead by one point and reignited tension inside Red Bull. “I asked two laps from the end, [and] while they were telling us, they told me to keep a certain pace,” explained Perez to the media. “They told me I had the fastest lap and to keep the pace.”

“So I thought the communication was the same to Max or something. We need to review because I certainly got different information, and I just couldn’t push it there.”

‘Fastest lap fiasco’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-sergio-perez-takes-aim-red-bull-fastest-lap-fiasco-saudi-arabia/


Red Bull’s Christian Horner: Jeddah performance represents “the epitome of a team performing at the top of their game”
March 20, 2023
By Ashley Cline
The Checkered Flag

Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner: “What a race! All credit to the Team today. They’ve built an incredible car. That coupled with some truly fantastic driving has made for the best start to a season in our history, consecutive 1-2 finishes. Max had a mountain to climb, overcoming a significant deficit, but with over half the race to go, was already in P4. Similarly, Checo turned in an equally outstanding performance, perhaps the best drive I have ever seen from him.”

The team came away with the maximum number of points possible in Jeddah, securing not only a one-two but also fastest lap. Horner said that the drivers put maximum effort into their battle for the victory, resulting in outstanding performances from the pair. They were both going flat out, hard at it. Both drivers were free to race and they went for it. Max secured the fastest lap and Checo came away with the victory. It was an exemplary performance from both drivers, the Team here at the track and everyone back at the factory.”

Though ecstatic about their performance in Saudi Arabia, Horner said that it will be important to keep on top of their game for the Australian Grand Prix, which has been a historically challenging event for the Red Bulls. “There is a tremendous amount of work that goes into a race such as this and it is the epitome of a team performing at the top of their game. We won’t rest on it though, Australia is just around the corner. It is a track that has not been kind to us in the past so we want to ensure we are prepared, just as we were here, to give us the best chance of success and another first class performance.”

‘Important to keep on top of their game’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2023/03/red-bulls-christian-horner-jeddah-performance-represents-the-epitome-of-a-team-performing-at-the-top-of-their-game/

[Fortitude]

Ferrari are in 'CRISIS' and Vasseur must 'work more, talk less', says ex-F1 race winner.
"He has to recognise that he's in a moment of crisis," Arnoux explained. "So work a lot and talk little. When things get better, he can do the interviews.”
Tuesday 21 March 2023 13:23
Daniel Austin
GPFans

Former Ferrari driver René Arnoux believes that the team is in "crisis" and that new team principal Frédéric Vasseur should "work a lot and talk little" in order to rectify their problems.

"Perhaps the car was built better last year, although it wasn't reliable," he said, as per Gazzetta dello Sport. "Now it's not competitive, it doesn't have a great chassis, it eats up the tyres. The results are worrying. There's a lot to work on.”

"Something must be done, because an extraordinary brand like Ferrari cannot afford to go like this." The Frenchman also believes that Vasseur, known for his laidback, affable personality in the paddock, must recognise the severity of the situation swiftly.

'CRISIS';

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/103962/ferrari-crisis-fred-vasseur-leclerc-sainz-saudi-arabia/


What’s Wrong with Scuderia Ferrari?
16:21 Mon, 20 Mar 2023.
Boardroom

Ferrari’s early-season struggles have driver Carlos Sainz wondering whether the Scuderia has fallen behind Mercedes and Aston Martin. Ferrari‘s performance thus far in the 2023 Formula 1 season over the first two Middle East races has Carlos Sainz concerned that the car is slipping behind its rivals.

Sainz finished sixth and teammate Charles Leclerc finished seventh in Sunday’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, the second consecutive race that the Scuderia hasn’t reached the podium. It was Red Bull finished in first and second again, with Sergio Perez taking home the checkered flag and Max Verstappen following. Fernando Alonso took home another third-place finish after a penalty was rescinded, and the Mercedes duo of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

It’s clear that Red Bull’s dominance is putting other top teams on edge, to say the least. Mercedes remains in disarray; Lance Stroll was forced to retire Sunday in a blow to Aston Martin, and Ferrari has yet to get on track leading into the April 2 race in Melbourne. After failing to podium in just six races last year, it’s already up to two in 2023 for Ferrari, and there’s plenty of panic that it’s slipping behind its rivals.

‘Plenty of panic’;

https://boardroom.tv/carlos-sainz-ferrari-struggles-concerns/


Leclerc delivers DAMNING Ferrari verdict
Tuesday 21 March 2023 07:00
Jack Walker
GPFans

Mercedes 'out of reach'. Bemoaning the lack of performance in the SF-23, Leclerc told Sky Sports F1: “They [Mercedes] were out of reach. Once I got one-and-a-half seconds to Carlos, it was very difficult to get any closer than that.”

"The pace difference wasn’t big enough. I did a small mistake when I was within DRS and then I lost it, then that was it and I just stayed there. There was not much more in the car today, we just need to work on some things.”

When asked what Ferrari need to improve, his answer was unerring. “A lot. Straight-line, they are quicker, corners they are quicker, so we need everything.”

'Out of reach';

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/103842/charles-leclerc-delivers-damning-ferrari-verdict/


Charles Leclerc "frustrated" with Ferrari as F1 champion says "he should be grateful"
Leclerc's title push derailed last year as Ferrari suffered from reliability issues and strategy mistakes, but the 2022 season has not started much better for the Italian team
18:54, 21 Mar 2023
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
The Mirror

Charles Leclerc is "frustrated" and becoming more demanding of Ferrari, believes one former Formula 1 champion. Ferrari's car performance is behind that of Red Bull and Aston Martin in these early stages of the year, while Mercedes were comfortable ahead of them in Jeddah last weekend. To make matters worse, engine reliability is still a problem.

Leclerc served a grid penalty in Jeddah after taking his third control electronics component of the season, following his power unit failure in Bahrain. Amid his team's difficulties, double world champion Emerson Fittipaldi thinks the 25-year-old might be losing his faith in the team.

"I think that Charles is demanding a lot from his team because of what has happened last year," the Brazilian told Kelbet. "He probably felt that the time wasn't completely there [at the Saudi GP] because of the issues recently.

"Frustrated";

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/charles-leclerc-ferrari-frustrated-fittipaldi-29517526


Carlos Sainz concerned cars becoming harder to follow again with 2023 challengers
21 Mar 2023 4:00 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz believes the 2023 cars are beginning to feel like their predecessors in that following other drivers is becoming a “limitation” on performance. The number of on-track overtakes increased in 2022 compared to the 2021 season, but the Ferrari driver is concerned the improvements in downforce on this year’s cars may be making the problem of ‘dirty air’ resurface again.

“I probably paid the price during the first stint with the tyres because I did want to pass him [Stroll], but in the end I paid the price,” Sainz explained to Sky Sports F1 after the race in Jeddah. “These cars in dirty air have got a bit worse compared to last year, probably adding downforce and the new regs.”

“They are starting to become a bit like the old cars where the dirty air is becoming a limitation, and today it wasn’t that easy to pass – but in general, I don’t think it would have changed much the end result.”

‘Like the old cars’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/carlos-sainz-2023-cars-following/

[Fortitude]

Toto Wolff opens up on Lewis Hamilton’s decision to stop working with Angela Cullen.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has revealed that it was Lewis Hamilton’s decision to part ways with long-term partner Angela Cullen, after the duo announced their split ahead of the opening session at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
20 March 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

“I think in every team, whether that’s his close circle or also in the wider group, it’s not a static situation that you can freeze. We all develop as people and as an organisation. And if things don’t work out anymore, we need to be honest about it and then bring change.”

“Angela will always be a mascot of the team. She’s the only one who has a louder voice than a starting car. But, you know, if this is what he decides, we will always absolutely support him, whatever direction he wants to take.”

Cullen will be at Hamilton’s side this weekend at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, with it yet to be confirmed by the duo whether this weekend will be their last together. Hamilton has won four world titles whilst being supported by the New Zealander, who has often been seen by the British driver’s side both on and off the circuit.

‘Lewis Hamilton’s decision to stop working with Angela Cullen’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/toto-wolff-claims-lewis-hamilton-decided-to-stop-working-with-angela-cullen/


Martin Brundle spots worrying Lewis Hamilton sign after Brit splits with Angela Cullen
Lewis Hamilton finished shy of the podium in Saudi Arabia for the second season in a row.
08:06, Tue, Mar 21, 2023
By Charlie Gordon
Daily and Sunday Express

Sky Sports pundit Martin Brundle has raised concerns over Lewis Hamilton's body language after the Mercedes star announced his split with long-time performance coach Angela Cullen. Hamilton crossed the line fifth in Saudi Arabia with Red Bull maintaining a commanding gap between themselves and the rest of the field.

The 38-year-old could only find enough in qualifying to start seventh on the grid, while Russell put himself on the second row. Mercedes were ultimately unable to mount a challenge for the win in Jeddah as Hamilton took fifth, behind Russell in fourth.

The gulf in class between Mercedes and Red Bull was evidenced by the lack of fight from Hamilton as bitter rival Max Verstappen tore past midway through the Grand Prix. The Dutchman fought through the pack to clinch second place as Sergio Perez took top spot.

‘Martin Brundle spots worrying Lewis Hamilton sign’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1748866/lewis-hamilton-martin-brundle-angela-cullen


Angela Cullen splitting with Lewis Hamilton raises concerns for Nico Rosberg
Nico Rosberg feels things will be "even worse" for Lewis Hamilton after it was announced Angela Cullen was ending her seven-year partnership with the seven-time world champion.
16:46, Sun, Mar 19, 2023
By Stuart Ballard
Daily and Sunday Express

Nico Rosberg believes Angela Cullen's split with Lewis Hamilton "makes things even worse" for the Mercedes driver as the Brit contends with the ongoing issues on his car. Cullen became a regular sight alongside Hamilton over the years with the physiotherapist playing a key role behind the scenes.

As well as taking care of Hamilton's training routine, Cullen was also responsible for his travel arrangements, diet, personal logistics and more. More than that, Cullen was a close friend of Hamilton on the grid and one of a few in the Brit's inner circle.

"I think that probably makes things even worse," Rosberg said on Sky Sports. "Even though the split apparently was amicable, Angela was a real friend. It's with your trainer that most of your time during the race weekend you end up also going to dinner with in a very small, tight group - maybe a family member and a trainer and that's it.”

"Even worse";

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1748309/Angela-Cullen-Lewis-Hamilton-Nico-Rosberg-F1-news


Nico Rosberg: Lewis Hamilton losing trainer Angela Cullen will ‘make things even worse’
22 Mar 2023 6:00 AM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Nico Rosberg predicts that former Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton splitting with long-time performance coach Angela Cullen could “make things even worse” for the seven-time World Champion, given how important the driver-trainer relationship is.

1996 World Champion, Damon Hill added: “I think most of us were very surprised by that because he did make quite a lot of emphasis on how useful she had been and how good she’d been for him to get his mind in the right place, so a bit of a surprise to see them splitting up.”

As Rosberg alluded to, the relationship a driver has with their performance coach, physio, trainer (often rolled into one person) is an extremely important one, so the next person he hires into the role is someone who will be spending plenty of time in his company moving forward.

‘Losing trainer Angela Cullen will “make things even worse” ’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/nico-rosberg-lewis-hamilton-angela-cullen-split/


Lewis Hamilton's Angela Cullen split: Everything we know as Brundle and Rosberg concerned
Lewis Hamilton announced last week he had parted ways with Angela Cullen ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
06:40, Wed, Mar 22, 2023
By Matthew Cooper
Daily and Sunday Express

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff then hinted Cullen's departure was down to Hamilton, stating: "If this is what he decides, we will always absolutely support him. Whatever direction he wants to take. Angela was part of the gang for a long time. "And I think in every team, whether that is his close circle, also in the wider group, this is not a static situation that you can freeze because we all developers. As people we develop as an organisation and if things don't work out anymore, then we need to be honest about it. And then bring change."

However, Hamilton's former teammate Nico Rosberg and Sky Sports pundit Martin Brundle have both expressed concerns about Cullen leaving. Rosberg believes Cullen's departure "makes things even worse" for Hamilton, telling Sky Sports: "For Lewis not to have her I'm sure is gonna be not ideal and not so nice. I think that's probably another challenge he has to deal with and get used to."

Brundle also raised concerns over the impact Cullen's departure could have on Hamilton, telling Sky Sports: "Lewis has parted company with his apparently (to me anyway) indispensable physio and confidante Angela Cullen, and also said he can't connect with this car. His chin was down for much of the weekend and he wasn't ultimately able to benefit from good timing with the Safety Car and switching to faster medium compound tyres when all around him were on hard tyres to the finish."

‘Brundle and Rosberg concerned’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1749314/Lewis-Hamilton-Angela-Cullen-Mercedes-Martin-Brundle-Nico-Rosberg-Formula-One-F1-news


Welcome Back To Formula 1.5
12:52 PM EDT on March 20, 2023
By Kathryn Xu
Defector

I took an afternoon walk through my local cemetery-turned-community garden, arboretum, etc., with a friend this Saturday, during which we conducted a debrief on the week's qualifying in Jeddah. The primary topic of interest was not championship favorite Max Verstappen starting P15 thanks to a draft shaft issue—rendered non-dramatic because of the storied truism, "fast car is fast"—but the clearly more important matter of Lewis Hamilton splitting with his long-time physio, Angela Cullen, which is now one more bit of drama llama to add to the pastiche of angst that has become Mercedes and their zero-pod concept.

My friend described Mercedes's overall public commentary as whinging at such a scale that it was becoming irritating, to which I was briefly very viscerally upset because I am a persistent doomer, and Mercedes seemed like they were having a reasonable emotional response, even if the team isn't a stunning embodiment of Positive Mental Attitude at the mo'. One year is an off year, but two years is when it becomes dysfunction, and if some nebulous sense of Everyone Else is making a lot of comments about how Mercedes is performing worse than a customer team, then surely Mercedes could be permitted a rotten mood. But also is not unreasonable for a broadly neutral viewer adhering to the the "this is an entertainment product, and I will treat it as such" line of thinking to want Mercedes and Toto Wolff and their rack of 20-ish-straight-championship-trophies to please just talk a little less.

‘Pastiche of angst’;

https://defector.com/welcome-back-to-formula-1-5

[Fortitude]

How Mercedes are escaping 'dead-end street' with W14.
Wolff added that Mercedes had come to realise that their current concept had no prospect of being successful, and that the team had decided to cut their losses on it.
22 March 11:15AM
Author Michael Butterworth
RacingNews365

"We headed into one direction last year and we wanted to make it work, and it worked and it got better and better," said Wolff. "But now, we really realised it's a dead-end street. These are the facts and everybody knows that now. So we turned around and we're running fast out of that dead-end street."

The Austrian also rejected the notion that Mercedes would look to take inspiration from Red Bull or Aston Martin, both of whose cars have proven quicker than Mercedes so far in 2023. "I don't know you can call it a Red Bull or Aston Martin concept," Wolff added.

"If it looked like an English double decker bus, we would do it if it was fast. Put a little Red Bull sticker, if they want to put it on. It's just about pure performance; we have no dogma on who invented it."

‘Escaping 'dead-end street' ’;

https://racingnews365.com/how-mercedes-are-escaping-dead-end-street-with-w14


Toto Wolff details how budget cap affects Mercedes’ recovery chances
22 Mar 2023 2:00 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Toto Wolff is still a proponent for the budget cap, but admitted it will hold Mercedes back from making a fast recovery. “But obviously, if you’re on the back foot, like we are at the moment, it doesn’t allow you to build a second chassis. But I think our fundamental problem is not building a second chassis or throwing stuff at the car.”

“It’s more about a direction that we’ve taken that’s wrong. And I think if we… When we change it now, that’s going to be limited by the budget cap, but not in the way that you would expect, like we’re not able to develop. We’re still able to develop but it will mean we need to spend time on a new concept, on new ideas, and we need to discontinue the old one,” he said.

“So, in the short term, it could mean you make a step back before making two forward, but these are the rules. They have been introduced exactly for the reason to put the field stronger together, which will eventually happen. I mean, Red Bull is showing us that if you do a good job you can outperform everybody else. But for us, these are the rules and we need to still do a better job.”

‘Fundamental problem is not building a second chassis’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-budget-cap-mercedes-recovery/


Mercedes working ‘flat-out’ on new F1 concept after reaching ‘dead-end’
22nd March 2023, 11:22
Hamilton Lyndon-Griffiths
Read Motorsport

Mercedes is working “flat-out” to develop a change of concept for its 2023 Formula 1 car in a bid to turn around its form, according to team boss Toto Wolff. Asked if there was a timeframe for when the updates would be completed, Wolff added:

“I think we’re making big elephant steps at the moment, going forward. It’s going to be a long time until they are adequate to challenge Red Bull, but it’s a super-fun journey to climb back.”

‘Mercedes working ‘flat-out’ ’;

https://readmotorsport.com/2023/03/22/mercedes-working-flat-out-on-new-f1-concept-after-reaching-dead-end/


Toto Wolff told to take criticism 'like a man' as Eddie Jordan lays into Hamilton's boss
Tensions rise at Mercedes as the squad continues to lack pace compared to Red Bull.
11:56, Wed, Mar 22, 2023
By Luke Chillingsworth
Daily and Sunday Express

Toto Wolff should face criticism of Mercedes' failures “like a man”, according to former team boss Eddie Jordan. Wolff has been told to “face up to the fact” Mercedes got it wrong over their new concept as the Silver Arrows are unable to challenge the frontrunners for the second successive season.

Jordan told OLBG: “We saw the Mercedes car was poor last year, porpoising up and down but they have eradicated some of that. Lewis Hamilton is a seven-time world champion who has a really impressive teammate in George Russell who was beaten his expectations so far.”

“I'm critical of Toto Wolff of how he criticised his engineers and how they took their eye off the ball, it's all been done under his watch so it's his responsibility. The book starts with him, Wolff should face the criticism like a man, like a team boss, like a chief executive and face up to the fact that Mercedes have got it wrong.”

“Face up to the fact”;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1749508/toto-wolff-eddie-jordan-lewis-hamilton-mercedes


Hamilton unease with W14 rear-end 'can't be cured quickly'
21/03/2023 at 14:49
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Toto Wolff says Mercedes is aware of a fundamental issue on its W14 car that is impairing Lewis Hamilton, but it's unfortunately one that "can't be cured quickly".

"We're a long way down on downforce," explained Hamilton last weekend. "So we've got to pick up the rear end downforce particularly. The more rear we gain, the more stable the rear becomes, and the more confident I'll be able to attack.”

"But I think in general, just this car, even if we do change that, there's a specific thing with something on the car that I have never had before. It's a position I've not had in previous years' cars. For me, it's the thing that is making me uncomfortable. I've just got to work hard to make sure it is changed."

‘W14 rear-end 'can't be cured quickly' ’;

https://f1i.com/news/469613-hamilton-unease-with-w14-rear-end-cant-be-cured-quickly.html


Wolff details how Mercedes are approaching W14 concept shift after going down ‘dead-end street’
20 March 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Mercedes hold third in the constructors’ standings heading to round three in Australia, level on 38 points with Aston Martin, while Red Bull sit 49 clear at the top of the table.

Toto Wolff has provided another update on Mercedes’s development plans for their 2023 challenger, with the team embarking on a concept change after a tough start to the new F1 season.

“If you look at the Red Bulls, they are just so quick. [But] I think we understand the car more [and] I’m looking optimistically [to] the future. We just need to put it in a different window,” the Mercedes team boss commented.

‘Different window’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.wolff-details-how-mercedes-are-approaching-w14-concept-shift-after-going.2LSgWWz1KamZZF7yGc5F35.html

[Fortitude]

Mercedes 'special delivery' to Aston Martin and Fernando Alonso at Silverstone.
In an funny 40 second video tweeted by the Silver Arrows, Russell is shown polishing Alonso's third placed trophy, telling a team member: "Just finished polishing this off. Can you drop it off for me?"
12:22, 23 MAR 2023
BY Fraser Watson & Tom Hitchenor
Northants Live

The trophy is then placed in the front passenger seat of a Mercedes car, with a seatbelt on it, as the driver types Aston Martin into the sat nav. The vehicle is then shown travelling through the gates of their rivals' base in Silverstone, before the driver walks through the main entrance and places it on a vacant trophy shelf.

F1 fans were left amused, with @TodkillLyric writing: "This is amazing. Lighthearted and sporting. Extra points for good form." @SoccerDad_K added: "Very cool play!"

'Special delivery';

https://www.northantslive.news/news/northamptonshire-news/mercedes-special-delivery-aston-martin-8280897


‘They said Fernando Alonso was too old, that he was not a team man… nonsense’
23 Mar 2023 10:45 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Kick starting his Aston Martin career with a pair of P3s, Flavio Briatore says it’s “nonsense” to claim his charge Fernando Alonso is “too old” and that he brings more “enthusiasm and ambition” to the team than his predecessor Sebastian Vettel.

His long-time manager Briatore, who was also his team boss when he won the 2005 and 2006 World titles, believes Alonso is as a fast as he ever was. “They said that he was too old, that he was not a team man… Nonsense,” he said in an interview with Corriere della Sera.

“Just give him a fast car and he will know how to squeeze it to get good results, he is exceptional. At 41 years old, he is faster than someone in his twenties.”

‘Kick starting his Aston Martin career with a pair of P3s’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernando-alonso-too-old-nonsense-flavio-briatore/


"I knew he was going to be fast" – Pedro de la Rosa on the real Fernando Alonso
23.03.2023
Aston Martin F1 - Official Site

Rivals. Team-mates. Friends. Pedro de la Rosa and Fernando Alonso's relationship spans decades. The pair have teamed up once again at AMF1 and after Fernando's landmark 100th podium at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Pedro reveals who the real Fernando Alonso is and what sets him apart.

"People don't know who the real Fernando is. They see that he's extremely committed and focused but what they don't see, what they don't realise, is how easy-going he is. He has a huge sense of humour and doesn't take himself too seriously. It's one of his strengths – he doesn't feel pressure.”

"When other drivers are nervous about what's to come, Fernando isn't. You'll be with him moments before he's about to race and he'll be smiling, laughing and joking. He's like a kid about to go to the park with his mates to play football – you wouldn't think he's about to drive an F1 car. He stays relaxed and that's partly why, after all these years, he's still able to compete at such a high level.”

‘Landmark 100th podium’;

https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/F1/Aston+Martin/Fernando+Alonso


Fernando Alonso made Martin Brundle and Damon Hill eat their words at Saudi Arabian GP
The Spaniard's switch from Alpine to Aston Martin has been a resounding success so far.
18:11, Wed, Mar 22, 2023
By Charlie Gordon
Daily and Sunday Express

Fernando Alonso has responded to those who questioned his move to Aston Martin in emphatic fashion, with his latest statement coming via a podium finish in Saudi Arabia on Sunday. Martin Brundle and Damon Hill were among those to challenge his switch from Alpine, although both former F1 stars have since been made to eat their words.

Brundle urged Aston to go for an emerging talent as his replacement. As a 41-year-old with two world titles under his belt, Alonso certainly does not fit into that category. "I think, personally, I would take a young gun and build towards someone," explained Brundle. "Someone who understands how to make Pirellis [tyres] work and build for a couple of years’ time."

Hill, who clinched the Drivers' Championship in 1996, was even more explicit about his concerns on Alonso at Aston Martin. "I was very surprised he’d gone," he said. "The kind of guy Fernando Alonso is and the kind of guy Lawrence Stroll is and the ambitions they have for the team, I just can’t see [it working]. Let’s be honest, Fernando is going to have to retire eventually so it’s possibly the last team he’ll be with. You don’t want to be with a team that’s struggling and having frustrations. It can’t be the money."

‘Eat their words’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1749707/fernando-alonso-martin-brundle-damon-hill


How the 'animal' Alonso can brilliantly manipulate the opponent
22 March 7:00PM
Author Marnik Kok
Co-author Dieter Rencken
RacingNews365

The first time Webber knew he was racing against a potential world champion was during the Formula 3000 race at Spa-Francorchamps. In an exclusive interview with RacingNews365, Webber remarked: "I saw him go through Eau Rouge and I thought 'Yeah, okay!' He was very fast and very good in Spa and also very fast in Budapest. He was immediately very competitive. I knew he would be unstoppable later."

Webber and Alonso met early on in F1. Alonso debuted at Minardi in 2001, after just one year of Formula 3000, and switched to the Renault family in 2002. In '03, he raced full-time for the French team where he would capture his two world championships. Webber recalls their crossed paths in F1: "Our careers overlapped to a considerable extent, and we always got along well.”

"I was testing at Renault when he was an Minardi driver, and then he went as a test driver [for Renault], and I went to Minardi. He always tries to be unpredictable, in the good sense of the word. In a fair way. Also, he tries to manipulate your racing lines and send the dirty air to your car," the former F1 driver continued.

‘Manipulate the opponent’;

https://racingnews365.com/how-the-beast-alonso-can-brilliantly-manipulate-the-opponent


Fernando Alonso ‘different’ to any other F1 driver
Wednesday 22 March 2023 14:35
Andrew McLean
GPFans

Fernando Alonso’s motivation makes him ‘different’ to any other Formula 1 driver according to former team-mate Pedro de la Rosa.

"The last 10 years he's been driving cars that are not competitive. That's the reality," he told RacingNews365.

"But his motivation is kept high with driving those cars, and this is what is different from any other driver."

‘Different to any other F1 driver’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/104039/fernando-alonso-aston-martin-f1-form/

[Fortitude]

Ocon: Alpine "not satisfied" with current F1 pace.
Ocon and team-mate Pierre Gasly were both left asking for more performance after they finished eighth and ninth in the Saudi Arabian GP.

23rd March 2023.15:37
By: Adam Cooper
Motorsport.com

The A523's pace clearly indicated that it is the fifth quickest car at the moment. Ocon made it clear that the current performance is not good enough, adding that the team is working hard to make progress. "No, we can't be satisfied with where we are at the moment," he said. "There are a couple of teams that have improved massively over the others.”

Ocon was relieved to at least score points after the nightmare of his multiple penalties in Bahrain. "Happy to finally start my season, let's call it that way," he said. "We maximised qualifying, we maximised the race as well. We couldn't hold the cars in front, really. We thought at some point it was going to be possible to hold the Ferraris, but they were too fast, and they pulled away in that middle phase of the second stint.”

Asked by Motorsport.com if he was expecting more from the Jeddah race, Gasly agreed that he had higher hopes. "I'd be lying if I said no," he said. "Personally I thought that we would have a bit more pace to join the fight ahead of us. And unfortunately, we just finished where we are at the moment, eighth and ninth, it's pretty much just where we are. I think we were 10 seconds behind the Ferraris. Mercedes was definitely faster than we thought. And that's just what we've got at the moment. And we need to analyse what we can do better."

"Not satisfied";

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/ocon-alpine-not-satisfied-with-current-f1-pace/10447423/


Formula 1: What must Alpine do to win the midfield battle?
20:35 Mon, 20 Mar 2023.
by Siddharth Bharani-Dharan
Beyond the Flag (Weblog)

Two races into the 2023 Formula 1 season, Alpine are out in front in the midfield battle. They sit at eight points and fifth in the constructor standings and are four points clear of sixth place Alfa Romeo. The battle could really heat up this season, and Alpine definitely have their hopes of coming out on top. So what must they do to win it?

Well, it is very clear that Alpine have some good pace in the A523. Pierre Gasly showed the extent of the car as he made his way from the back of the grid to the points in Bahrain. In Jeddah, Esteban Ocon was able to join his French teammate in the points, rounding out a good performance from the team.

‘Midfield battle’;

https://beyondtheflag.com/2023/03/20/formula-1-must-alpine-win-midfield-battle/


ALPINE DRIVERS EXPECTED MORE AT ‘LONELY’ SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX
While Esteban Ocon scored his first points of the 2023 season in Jeddah, Pierre Gasly has finished in the points on both occasions he has raced for Alpine. Both drivers outscored their teammates in 2022, who will end up on top at the end of the year?
March 22, 2023
Rhiannon Temporal
FormulaNerds

Both Alpine drivers feel “positive” about their Saudi Arabian Grand Prix results, but are left wanting “more”. With only one car finishing the Bahrain Grand Prix, the French team would have hoped to get their season back on track in Saudi Arabia. And that’s exactly what happened with both Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly finishing in the points in Jeddah. Ocon came home in P8 with his teammate just behind him in P9.

After finishing best of the rest at the end of the 2022 season, Alpine would have hoped to move closer to the top three teams this year. However, the Enstone-based team has been left puzzled since the start of the season, unsure of where their pace has gone. But the team promised to bounce back after a difficult time in Bahrain, both during pre-season testing and the race.

‘EXPECTED MORE’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/alpine-drivers-expected-more-at-lonely-saudi-arabian-grand-prix/?nowprocket=1


Gasly: Alpine in ‘no man’s land’ between Ferraris and Magnussen in ‘lonely’ Saudi GP
19 Mar 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Pierre Gasly was taking the positives after his second points finish in his second race for new team Alpine, but says the team need to find more pace to get closer to the front runners.

‘No man’s land’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.gasly-alpine-in-no-mans-land-between-ferraris-and-magnussen-in-lonely-saudi-gp.1760828181244112152.html


Otmar Szafnauer overruled by Alpine engineers in attempt to hunt down Ferrari
20 Mar 2023 7:00 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Otmar Szafnauer revealed he wanted to push the Ferraris during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix but was shot down by his engineers. Team boss Szafnauer has said that would have been his choice of strategy but, with tyres in mind, he was dissuaded by Alpine’s engineers.

“We were a bit in no man’s land for a while and then we turned the car down,” Szafnauer told Sky Sports F1. “We were conservative on the tyres just to make sure they lasted to the end and I was hoping we could push up a little bit more to the Ferraris, but was overruled by the engineers.”

‘Otmar Szafnauer overruled’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/otmar-szafnauer-overruled-alpine-ferrari/


Alpine team boss 'overruled by engineers' on Ferrari challenge
22 March 10:25AM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Alpine team boss Otmar Szafnauer says he was overruled by the team engineers during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on whether they should challenge Ferrari.

Alpine to investigate pace drop off. Alpine showed encouraging pace during Friday practice, with Ocon displaying good race pace during FP2. However this seemed to disappear on Saturday as they struggled to qualify higher than P7 and P10 on the grid.

"We've got to look at it. We don't run light [fuel] on Friday, so it's not the amount of fuel we have in," said Szafnauer. "We just we have to analyse it and see where we can do a little bit better on Sunday versus Friday."

‘Alpine to investigate pace drop off’;

https://racingnews365.com/alpine-team-boss-overruled-by-engineers-on-ferrari-challenge

[Fortitude]

McLaren wields axe in technical team shake-up after nightmare season start.
McLaren has sacked technical director James Key and restructured its design office after a disappointing start to 2023.
March 24th, 2023 8:22 am
Michael Lamonato from Fox Sports.
Fox Sports (Australia)

McLaren has sacked technical director James Key and restructured its design office after a disappointing start to 2023. The McLaren technical department under Key has struggled to adapt to life under the new regulations introduced last year. It slipped from fourth to fifth in the 2022 constructors championship, and the team admitted during the pre-season it had missed development crucial targets for this year’s car.

McLaren is last in the title standings after failing to score points at the two opening rounds of the season. Both drivers retired with technical problems at the first race in Bahrain, and the car was slow in the race in Saudi Arabia, notwithstanding both drivers sustaining first-lap damage. The team is pinning its 2023 hopes on a major upgrade due in April, but in recent days team principal Andrea Stella has moved to temper expectations of it bringing a significant step in performance.

“It has been clear to me for some time that our technical development has not moved at a quick enough pace to match our ambition of returning to the front of the grid,” CEO Zak Brown said in a statement. I’m pleased that, having completed a full review with Andrea, we are now able to implement the restructure required to set the wheels in motion to turn this around.” David Sanchez, who quit his job as Ferrari’s chief vehicle concept engineer earlier this year, has been confirmed as a new hire after a decade in Maranello. The Frenchman will start as technical director for car concept in January next year.

‘McLaren wields axe’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/mclaren-wields-axe-in-technical-team-shakeup-after-nightmare-season-start/news-story/f23a7f49958038256b481b7f1352666b


McLaren sack technical director in a bid to save their season
Plus: Why Zak Brown was right to wield the axe - McLaren had to do something
23 March 2023 • 5:40pm
By Tom Cary, SENIOR SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
The Telegraph

McLaren have announced a big restructure of their technical department in a bid to arrest their alarming decline in performance, with technical director James Key leaving the Woking team with immediate effect. Key's role has been split into three separate technical director positions under team principal Andrea Stella. Frenchman David Sanchez rejoins following a decade at Ferrari to lead car concept and performance. He will begin on January 1 next year after completing ‘gardening leave’ from Ferrari.

“It has been clear to me for some time that our technical development has not moved at a quick enough pace to match our ambition of returning to the front of the grid,” Brown said. "I’m pleased that, having completed a full review with Andrea, we are now able to implement the restructure required to set the wheels in motion to turn this around.”

“These strategic changes ensure the long-term success of the team and are necessary to see McLaren get back to winning ways. We have everything coming into place now with our people and infrastructure and alongside an exciting driver line-up, I’m determined to see McLaren get back to where we should be.”

‘Bid to save their season’;

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/formula-1/2023/03/23/mclaren-sack-technical-director-bid-save-season/


BREAKING: MCLAREN ANNOUNCES KEY ORGANISATIONAL CHANGES
James Key has departed McLaren and his role is getting split into three new roles
March 23, 2023
Morgan Holiday
FormulaNerds

McLaren F1 has announced that they’ll be switching their organisational structure to split up the Technical Director role. Following a rough start to the season for the team, McLaren has changed their approach to a key aspect of their team structure. Most Formula 1 teams utilise one single Executive Technical Director for their team. But McLaren, as of today, will be splitting that role between a Techincal Executive Team comprised of three key members.

McLaren’s former Techincal Director, James Key, has left the team. Replacing him is Peter Prodromou, whose title will be Technical Director – Aerodynamics, David Sanchez as Technical Director – Car Concept and Performance, and Neil Houldey as Technical Director – Engineering and Design.

Prodromou and Houldey are coming to these new roles from other roles within McLaren, whereas Sanchez is coming from Ferrari, and will join the team in January 2024.

‘Splitting up the Technical Director role into three new roles’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/breaking-mclaren-announces-key-organisational-changes/?nowprocket=1


Gary Anderson: McLaren shake-up risks repeat of past failure
14:51 Thu, 23 Mar 2023.
By Gary Anderson
The Race

McLaren has had a very poor start to the 2023 Formula 1 season. As normal, there are lots of reasons for this but it’s the technical director whose head is on the chopping block and James Key has suffered the consequences. I am by no means saying that James has not had a hand in McLaren’s poor start, but from my point of view it is always better to strengthen an organisation than completely revamp it, which is what McLaren appears to have done.

Look at how Red Bull operates. It has one clearly defined technical boss who everyone knows they work for and who, in the end, will carry the can for the end result good or bad. Yes, Adrian Newey has lots of highly-experienced individuals filling the ranks below him, but he calls the shots and sets the direction and then they find the best way of achieving it.

McLaren has now set up a flatter technical management structure. It didn’t work the last time it did this, when Newey moved to Red Bull, and it will struggle to make it work this time as well. The biggest problem is that the people who make these decisions are as responsible for the problem as anyone else, but they are never going to replace themselves.

‘Risking repeat of past failure’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/gary-anderson-mclaren-shake-up-risks-repeat-of-past-failure/


F1 podcast: Should you believe in McLaren’s big overhaul?
18:58 Thu, 23 Mar 2023.
The Race

McLaren’s announcement of technical director James Key’s exit and the creation of a new tech leadership structure is a drastic change for a Formula 1 team whose momentum en route back towards the front has withered lately. In a special extra edition of The Race F1 Podcast, Edd Straw, Scott Mitchell-Malm and Matt Beer convene to discuss the implications of McLaren’s course correction.

They talk about the disappointments that led to a change becoming inevitable, but also assess this revamp’s chances of success. Given that the type of structure McLaren is now turning to hasn’t worked for it in the past, and the process rivals such as Aston Martin are making, should we have much faith in its big 2025 project?

‘Should you believe?’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/f1-podcast-should-you-believe-in-mclarens-big-overhaul/


Formula 1: Could Lando Norris be on his way out at McLaren?
10:40 Tue, 21 Mar 2023.
by Siddharth Bharani-Dharan
Beyond the Flag (Weblog)

As talented as Lando Norris may be, the 23-year-old has been struggling with McLaren and may look to move elsewhere for the 2024 Formula 1 season. Two races into the 2023 Formula 1 season, McLaren’s Lando Norris has had a tough start. The young Brit has finished in 17th place in both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, making some start to question whether he is better off elsewhere.

Just weeks ago, Norris made some remarks regarding what his future could hold. “I’m not the most patient man,” he said. It is understandable, as he has high aspirations and would not be pleased to see the team taking a step back from last season.

Currently, the two genuine options for Norris are Mercedes and Alfa Romeo. Joining Mercedes is a big “if”, and it all depends on what Lewis Hamilton chooses to do with his future. If the seven-time world champion does choose to depart, then Norris could potentially be the frontrunner to replace him. It is a fully a possibility, but it is solely reliant on Hamilton.

‘Way out at McLaren’;

https://beyondtheflag.com/2023/03/21/formula-1-lando-norris-leave-mclaren/

[Fortitude]

Alfa Romeo identify “massive debris” which ruined Bottas’ race.
Alfa Romeo has confirmed Valtteri Bottas suffered a significant performance loss during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after striking debris soon after the start.
2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Posted on 23rd March 2023, 12:0523rd March 2023, 12:27
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Bottas reported handling problems throughout Sunday’s race, made an extra pit stop for soft tyres near the end and was the last runner to finish, a lap behind. At the end of the race Bottas told his team he “ran over some massive debris” at the start. “I felt that in my ass,” he added.

After the race he told reporters “there was something wrong,” with his car. “I suspect I ran over some debris on lap one. Since the beginning of the race, I just had no grip. So perhaps some damage in the diffuser or something.”

“Massive debris”;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/23/alfa-romeo-identify-massive-debris-which-ruined-bottas-race/


2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – Sunday
March 19th, 2023
Alfa Romeo Racing - Official Site

Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake had a challenging evening in Jeddah as Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas finished 13th and 18th respectively in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The team wasn’t able to convert its starting positions into a top-ten finish, despite the best efforts of drivers and crew: as we return to our headquarters, we will analyse the data from the race and come up with the answers to this unrepresentative performance, while also finalising the next upgrade package for the C43.

Alessandro Alunni Bravi, Team Representative: “Starting where we were on the grid, we were expecting to fight for the points, but, unfortunately, we weren’t able to finish in the top ten this time around. The team had a difficult weekend, and we weren’t able to be at the level for which we aimed: we’ll need to go back to base, analyse the data from this performance and understand where we’ve fallen short, and what steps we need to make to return to the level we were in Bahrain. We are confident we can make it there in Melbourne, where we will also bring some updates to further improve the performance of our C43. We need to keep working hard, of course: the season is long and the battle will be intense in each race.”

‘Difficult weekend’;

https://www.sauber-group.com/motorsport/f1-news/2023-saudi-arabian-grand-prix-sunday/


Bottas suspects car damage scuppered his efforts in Saudi Arabia as Zhou eyes Alfa Romeo updates
20 March 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Zhou had a cleaner run to P13 in the other C43, just over 10 seconds off the points-paying positions, with the Chinese racer setting his sights on upgrades that Alfa Romeo will bring to the next round in Australia.

“We looked strong in the first stint, our pace was good and it seemed the top 10 was within reach,” said Zhou, before pointing to a critical moment of his race. Of course, track position always makes the difference on street circuits like this one, and, unfortunately, I got stuck in a DRS train once the Safety Car came out.”

“My race was compromised from that moment onwards, and there wasn’t much more we could do. [It] just hasn’t been our day, but I think we can achieve much more as a team going forward. We get a new chance in a few weeks in Melbourne, where we will be bringing some upgrades to our car: hopefully they’ll allow us to make the step forward we need to continue fighting for points.”

‘Race was compromised’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.bottas-suspects-car-damage-scuppered-his-efforts-in-saudi-arabia-as-zhou.6f29MA2rqISNBHkQLoCsA4.html


Bottas suspects damage only explanation for 'off the pace' Saudi GP
22/03/2023 at 08:43
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Valtteri Bottas suspects damage floor damage likely picked up on the opening lap of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was responsible for his Ala Romeo's dismal pace in Jeddah. Bottas' display was so inconspicuous for the entire duration of the event that one would have been forgiven to believe that the Finn hadn't even been on the grid.

"So much off the pace," Bottas lamented. "I’m suspecting I ran over quite a large bit of debris on Lap 1 before Turn 4, and I could really feel it under the floor. Perhaps some damage, that’s my only explanation at the moment; obviously, we’ll have a look."

"So much off the pace";

https://f1i.com/news/469636-bottas-suspects-damage-only-explanation-for-off-the-pace-saudi-gp.html


Alfa Romeo admit they “struggled more than expected” in Jeddah race
RaceFans Round-up
Posted on 22nd March 2023, 0:0121st March 2023, 23:22
Written by Ida Wood
RaceFans

Alfa Romeo’s head of trackside engineering Xevi Pujolar says the team do not why they lacked pace in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. “In terms of performance in qualifying, we were same or even a step better than Bahrain,” said Pujolar. “On Friday we were struggling a bit, we were doing some tests, just trying to explore different areas on the car configuration to see if we could extract a bit more.”

“We saw some improvements in some areas, but we lost too much in some others, and then we revert back on Saturday. We were close to Q3, and everyone was very, very tight. In the race, I think we struggled a bit more with the grip more than what we expected,” Pujolar said. “Everyone is so close that as soon as you lose a bit of pace, you struggle to get back there fighting for the points.”

“With Valtteri, at the moment we’re still investigating. Now that we have the car, we will check what happened for him. For sure something wasn’t working as expected. We could see with the level of sliding and how everything was going on with all the tyres, that’s why we said ‘okay, initially, maybe something with a specific compound’, but we tried different compounds and do the same with all of them. So in that car we need to find the problem.”

“Struggled more than expected”;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/22/racefans-round-up-22-03-6/


Bottas more relaxed at Alfa Romeo
Tuesday 21st March, 2023 - 6:00pm
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

A more relaxed Valtteri Bottas is fast becoming a cult favourite in the Formula 1 paddock as he allows his personality to shine through. The Finn joined Alfa Romeo Sauber at the start of last season and quickly became a popular figure within the team.

His popularity has also shot up, notably in Australia, as he’s embraced social media and used it for some light-hearted fun. Bottas signed a ‘multi-year’ deal with Alfa Romeo Sauber from 2022, with that understood to take him through to at least the end of next season.

‘More relaxed’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/03/21/bottas-more-relaxed-at-alfa-romeo/


This F1 team-mate battle’s taking an unexpected twist
11:04 Sun, 19 Mar 2023.
By Valentin Khorounzhiy and Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

One Alfa Romeo Formula 1 driver is a 33-year-old veteran with 10 grand prix wins to his name. The other is a sophomore with just six career points, and somebody who – as good an impression as he’d made in his rookie F1 season – it can be hard not to view in the context of a more modest junior CV than that of many of his peers.

Saturday’s qualifying for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah further drove home the point. Something interesting is happening here. “Actually he was, I think, two tenths faster than me. And I felt [at the] end of my lap that I couldn’t find it,” said Bottas in Jeddah on Saturday when asked by The Race about the single-lap trend relative to his team-mate.

“So, he’s really on it, or there’s some difference, I don’t know,” he added, chuckling. “I really felt like I got the most out of it. He’s been super-consistent every session. Definitely made a step up from last year.” No, Zhou didn’t get to Q3 – both he and Bottas exited in the second segment – but he did beat his team-mate by 0.207s, in what team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi described as “an excellent job in the cockpit”. And it wasn’t out of the blue – it was coming.

‘Really on it’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/this-f1-team-mate-battles-taking-an-unexpected-twist/

[Fortitude]

LONG READ: Have Williams found a leader in James Vowles who can bring them back to their glory days?
What do you think of Williams Racing? Motorsport titan and sleeping giant of Formula 1; or simply a team tooling around at the back of the field to make up the numbers? Where you stand on that most likely has a lot to do with how long you’ve been following the sport.
15:10 Sat, 18 Mar 2023.
Matt Youson
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

Anybody who watched F1 in the 1980s and 1990s struggles to view Williams Racing as anything other than a colossus; those of a more recent vintage see a perennial backmarker struggling with the realities of competing against better-funded, better-resourced, perhaps better-motivated rivals.

It’s a shocking state of affairs for a team with 114 victories, 313 podiums and nine FIA Formula 1 World Constructors’ titles – second only to Ferrari in that particular all-time list – but that’s the situation inherited by freshly-minted Team Principal James Vowles, when he walked into his new job a little less than a month ago.

Vowles, formerly motorsport strategy director and chief strategist for the Mercedes team, was recruited after Jost Capito announced his departure in December. At a superficial level, Vowles looks like an odd choice for Team Principal because his route to the big chair is unconventional. Racing drivers and senior engineers become team principals, sometimes former mechanics, marketeers, the odd billionaire – but not strategists, even those that started out as engineers.

‘Shocking state of affairs’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.long-read-have-williams-found-a-leader-in-james-vowles-who-can-bring-them.6Kqb2ov13D8aUHynCxw0Of.html


Vowles: Williams 'spark' reveals light at the end of tunnel
Friday 24 March 2023 11:48
Ewan Gale
GPFans

Whilst the ultimate aim is to ensure Williams returns to the top of F1's ladder having gone over a decade without a victory, Vowles in enthused by the morale within the workforce.

"There's a spark and it's fascinating to see," said Vowles. "There are shoulders lifted, there are heads held high now, there is really direction that they can see where we're going and how we're moving forward.”

"It’s a team clearly that has had a tremendously difficult winter, and difficult few years even prior to that. But they can start to see the light at the end of the tunnel and direction we're going in."

‘Light at the end of tunnel’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/104182/james-vowles-williams-spark-reveals-light-at-the-end-of-tunnel/


James Vowles explains the key difference between Williams and Mercedes
23 Mar 2023 7:00 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

James Vowles has revealed the key difference between teams at the front and the back of the Formula 1 grid, explaining that the quality of the facilities separates the likes of Williams from title-winning outfits like Mercedes.

Appearing on the Vowles Verdict Q&A on Williams’ official website, he said: “First and foremost, Williams is a large site. “It actually mirrors that of Mercedes in many ways in terms of size, but very clearly some of the facilities are not necessarily at the same level as they were in Mercedes.”

“It hasn’t had the same joyous journey financially and as a result is lacking in certain parts, which shouldn’t be a surprise. It’s normal when you consider it from the outside, but when you really come into the depths of it you can see why the team has had the struggles it’s had across the years.”

‘The key difference’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/james-vowles-key-differences-williams-mercedes/


Williams 'reviewing' 2026 F1 engine deals but two options ruled out
24 March 2023

Inside Racing

Williams 'reviewing' 2026 F1 engine deals but two options ruled out. Williams chief James Vowles is "reviewing" possible engine suppliers for 2026, though two options appear to be ruled out.

Williams isn't short of choices when it comes to 2026 with Audi and Red Bull-Ford among the options available. Previous speculation of a tie-up with Porsche is now gone after it was reported the German manufacturer had dropped its interest in the 2026 regulations.

Asked about a possible reunion though, Vowles seems unconvinced. “It’d be hard for me to comment because I’m not sure what [Honda] have facilities-wise,” he said via The Race. “But I think they’re a little bit further away from where they would need to be to be a serious contender.”

‘Two options ruled out’;

https://www.insideracing.com/formula-1/16632-williams-reviewing-2026-f1-engine-deals-but-two-options-ruled-out


Albon hails Vowles’ early impact at Williams F1
24th March 2023, 10:09
by Fergal Walsh
Motorsport Week

Alexander Albon has commended the job that James Vowles has done in his first month as Williams’ Team Principal. “James has definitely got the knowledge from Mercedes,”he said. “He’s obviously a smart guy we need right now.”

“It’s something where of course I think we do a lot of things good and there’s obviously other areas we can do differently, long term, short term, medium term. There’s all aspects to look at so I would say he’s only been here for a short while but listening to what he has to say he’s bringing a lot to the table.”

“Hopefully that will keep on happening and I would say a lot of it is more long term than short term but I’m excited to see the progress.”

‘Early impact’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/03/24/albon-hails-vowles-early-impact-at-williams-f1/


Formula 1: Can Williams maintain their momentum?
10:34 Mon, 20 Mar 2023.
by Siddharth Bharani-Dharan
Beyond the Flag (Weblog)

It is quite clear that Williams are one of the most improved teams in Formula 1 this season, but the question is whether they can maintain that momentum. Judging from the early signs, it is a genuine possibility that Williams can make massive strides this season.

Their car has a good pace and reliability does not seem to be too much of an issue for them. They just have to maintain good awareness throughout the whole weekend and know who their battles are with on the grid.

Williams will definitely look to stay in that midfield battle this season, potentially being in the mix for finishing sixth in the constructor standings. Confidence will play a key role in their endeavors, as they have all the tools necessary in order to succeed.

‘Maintain their momentum?’;

https://beyondtheflag.com/2023/03/20/formula-1-williams-maintain-momentum/


‘Missed opportunity’ now something Williams can’t afford
Mar 22 2023
By Josh Suttill and Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Williams knows it “missed a good opportunity” in the second 2023 Formula 1 weekend even though the results on paper appear to show a downturn in form after the team’s bright start. But Williams and its drivers felt far more was possible and there wasn’t some downturn in pace between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

Williams appears to be at the back of that very tight midfield – bottom of the supertimes in both weekends so far – but it’s comfortably close enough to challenge the midfield pack when it executes a weekend well and the cards fall its way as it did in Bahrain.

‘Missed opportunity’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/missed-opportunity-now-something-williams-cant-afford/

[Fortitude]

Magnussen beaming after exciting battle with Tsunoda – and first points of the year – in Jeddah.
Kevin Magnussen was full of praise for Yuki Tsunoda after the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, after the Japanese racer managed to keep the Haas man behind for several laps, before eventually succumbing to an overtaking move that earned Magnussen P10.
20:49 Sun, 19 Mar 2023.
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Magnussen P10’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.magnussen-beaming-after-exciting-battle-with-tsunoda-and-first-points-of-the-year-in-jeddah.1760827203631663449.html


Hulkenberg encouraged by ‘strong’ Haas pace as he enjoys ‘fresh start’ to his comeback season in Jeddah
22 March 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Although he missed out on a points finish in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Nico Hulkenberg was still left feeling positive about his and Haas’s race – describing the team’s pace compared to their midfield rivals as “the best news of the day”.

“I think a couple of things didn’t quite go to plan, but all in all we’re happy. The pace seemed strong and alright for us in the midfield, and that is the best news of the day.” Hulkenberg was also keen to note that, after a compromised race at the Bahrain opener due to a first-lap collision, Sunday’s outing in Saudi Arabia marked his first in representative conditions this season.

“Bahrain was very difficult to understand with the damage that I had. I think we kind of had to forget about it and regroup – so here was kind of a fresh start, race one for us,” he said. “Like I said, [the] race circumstances didn’t all go our way, and made life a bit hard, but nevertheless I’m happy to come away with [P12], [and] very happy for the team that we got the first point, too, with Kevin.”

‘Fresh start’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.hulkenberg-encouraged-by-strong-haas-pace-as-he-enjoys-fresh-start-to-his.6GcvRX13wnIExQc8ZssUZs.html


How Haas' team policy has prevented early driver fireworks
22 March 6:20PM
Author Michael Butterworth
Co-author Dieter Rencken
RacingNews365

Kevin Magnussen has explained a Haas policy which has, so far, enabled a cooperative relationship between himself and new Formula 1 teammate Nico Hulkenberg.

"We have a policy at Haas that we don't block each other," Magnussen told media, including RacingNews365.com. "After the first lap, we don't really want to get in each other's way. We don't fight each other.”

"We push – I can push to try and keep him behind, but I can't close the door. It's just being nice to each other and making sure that we are working for the team and not for ourselves."

“We don't fight each other”;

https://racingnews365.com/haas-drivers-reveal-team-orders-policy


Haas has recaptured old driver dynamic – without the sparks
09:38 Tue, 21 Mar 2023.
By Josh Suttill
The Race

Magnussen and Hulkenberg have passed the first test of their new partnership with flying colours by proving they can “be nice to each other” on track even when running at a similar pace – something Grosjean and Magnussen were sometimes unable to do, much to Haas’s frustration.

Of course the question then becomes who will emerge on top when the drivers are so evenly matched – and will the pursuit of winning that battle change things? They perhaps have more reason than a young driver eager to prove themselves to bigger teams, to play the team game.

Considering Hulkenberg is 35 and Magnussen is 30, neither driver can realistically believe a shot in a top team is anything other than a remote possibility so it’s in their interest to help Haas move forward so they can be regularly fighting for points rather than scrapping at the back of the grid.

‘Old driver dynamic’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/haas-has-recaptured-old-driver-dynamic-without-the-sparks/


Steiner promises ‘multiple’ Haas upgrades this season
Wednesday 15th March, 2023 - 3:30am
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has promised this season’s F1 challenger will receive numerous upgrades throughout the season – in stark contrast to last year. The team’s financial concerns have since been considerably eased following the recruitment of a new title sponsor in MoneyGram alongside a number of other fresh commercial partners.

That means the team now has the resources to steadily develop this year’s VF-23, albeit with the first upgrade not due until a third of the way through the season. “Something is planned for Barcelona,” confirmed Steiner, referring to the Spanish Grand Prix on June 2-4.

“We are working on that but we need to see if we make the right progress, performance-wise, in the wind tunnel before we put it into production. But it’s on the way, and if it goes to plan and we hit the targets then the first upgrades will be coming.”

‘Multiple Haas upgrades’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/03/15/guenther-steiner-haas-multiple-upgrades-2023-f1-season/


Haas’ Günther Steiner hopes to “extract the full potential” of VF-23 in Saudi Arabia
March 14, 2023
By Ashley Cline
The Checkered Flag

Haas F1 Team Principal Günther Steiner reflected on the “challenging” back-to-back weekends of pre-season testing and the Bahrain Grand Prix, coming away pleased with their qualifying result and optimistic about improving upon their race day fortunes.

“It was quite challenging because we had pre-season testing and then there was very little time before the race. All in all, even if we had struggles in the race, qualifying was good. We got one car into Q3 and for Nico to come back after three years of not having a full-time drive, it was a very good result for the team. We could’ve done better than tenth, but we were happy with it.”

Steiner feels that the new pairing of Magnussen and Hülkenberg is working out well as of yet, with Hülkenberg bringing his own share of experience and knowledge to the team. “They’re working well together and there is respect between them. It’s very good for Kevin to have a teammate with experience and what Nico brings with him is experience. The race engineers clearly feel like they get a lot of information from him after each session, which will bring the race weekend forward, but also overall the race team forward, performance-wise.”

“Extract the full potential”;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2023/03/haas-gunther-steiner-hopes-to-extract-the-full-potential-of-vf-23-in-saudi-arabia/


Haas not worried about Ferrari engine reliability, ‘nothing to do with us’
17 Mar 2023 3:00 PM
Michelle Foster

Guenther Steiner says whatever led to Charles Leclerc’s Bahrain retirement is not a concern for Haas with Ferrari telling their customers they “should not worry”. This is a concern for Ferrari’s engine customers, Haas and Alfa Romeo, as the two teams had their share of Ferrari engine issues last season.

Steiner, though, says he’s been told by Ferrari not to worry as it has “nothing to do” with Haas. “They have a problem, but it has nothing to do with us,” he told Ekstra Bladet.

“I don’t know exactly what, because they don’t tell me, and I don’t ask them. But they have said that we should not worry so no, we won’t change anything.”

‘Nothing to do with us’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/haas-not-worried-about-ferrari-engine-reliability/

[Fortitude]

Tsunoda gave it 100% but couldn't retain final point.
Yuki Tsunoda cast a frustrated figure after the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, giving it his all to score a top-ten finish that alluded the AlphaTauri driver just four laps from the checkered flag.
21/03/2023 at 18:21
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Tsunoda started his race from P16 and made steady progress through the field to run as high as 6th before his switch from the medium to the hard tyre on lap 17. Thereafter, the Japanese charger could do little to fend off the two Alpines of Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly which set him back to 10th in the running order.

Tsunoda appeared solidly anchored to that position, but a late tussle with Haas' Kevin Magnussen concluded at the advantage of the Dane who thus snatched the final point from the AlphaTauri driver.

"I gave my 100% effort every lap, and still couldn’t [retain P10]," commented a disappointed Tsunoda after his race. Lost positions like that in the end in the last four laps, so I’m just really frustrated."

‘Gave it 100%’;

https://f1i.com/news/469629-tsunoda-gave-it-100-but-couldnt-retain-final-point.html


Tsunoda left ‘frustrated’ after being knocked out of the points late on in Saudi Arabia
20 March 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Yuki Tsunoda endured a race of two halves in Saudi Arabia. But after finishing 11th for a second straight race, the Japanese driver could only sum up his Grand Prix with one word: “frustration.” He was able to take advantage by stopping under the Safety Car, in a move that catapulted him up the order into eighth. Although he lost out to the quicker Alpine cars, Tsunoda was able to hold onto P10 for much of the race, defending time and time again from Kevin Magnussen’s Haas.

But it was to no avail, as the Dane managed to make his way past with the help of DRS with four laps to go, ending Tsunoda’s quest for a first point of the season, and leading to an anguished cry over team radio. “We’ll come back stronger with updates in Melbourne, so we are already fully focused on the next race, where we will do our best to maximise our performance,”

Tsunoda added. “We'll continue to work hard to be able to fight at the top of the midfield and start scoring points consistently." AlphaTauri are now just one of two teams yet to score in 2023 along with McLaren, and sit ninth in the constructors’ championship.

‘Anguished cry over team radio’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.tsunoda-left-frustrated-after-being-knocked-out-of-the-points-late-on-in.6YvNMTruH7FY7KNPSWtWfH.html


De Vries frustrated with his performance in Jeddah
Nyck De Vries has expressed his dissatisfaction at his and AlphaTauri's performance at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
March 23, 2023
By Ed Spencer
Total Motorsport

Following his second Q1 elimination of the season, De Vries struggled for pace in the race, finishing well behind teammate Yuki Tsunoda in 14th. “I’m personally not satisfied with my job at the start or the safety car restart,” said De Vries to the media. “I think I was not attacking enough and a bit too conservative.”

“It was hard to judge the balance between managing the tyres and pushing at this track. It appeared to be almost not part of the equation. You could almost push flat out. Then you lose one position, you’re a little bit on the back, and then you’re stuck in a DRS train and find yourself stuck in a DRS train in traffic before the train breaks up.”

‘Expressed his dissatisfaction’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-2023-nyck-de-vries-frustrated-performance-jeddah/


Helmut Marko tells AlphaTauri drivers to ‘prove themselves if they want to stay in Formula 1’
19 Mar 2023 7:00 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Helmut Marko has warned the AlphaTauri drivers they must prove themselves if they “want to stay in F1”, but it’s not all doom and gloom as a Red Bull opportunity could await the “better” of the team-mates.

With neither scoring a point at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, the pressure is already on. It, however, isn’t all doom and gloom for the team-mates, neither of whom has a firm contract for next season, with Marko saying the one that does “better” could be the next Red Bull driver.

“To be a candidate for Red Bull Racing, you have to have an extraordinary performance,” the motorsport advisor told Formula1.de. “They have to prove themselves if they want to stay in Formula 1. The better one will probably have a chance. That applies to Yuki and also to De Vries.”

‘Prove themselves if they want to stay in Formula 1’

https://www.planetf1.com/news/helmut-marko-alphatauri-drivers-warning-f1/


Tost declares he's 'lost trust' in AlphaTauri engineers!
17/03/2023 at 19:02
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost made the extraordinary admission that he had lost confidence in the squad's engineers after seeing the disappointing performance of the AT04 in the season opener in Bahrain. Neither car finished in the top ten meaning that AlphaTauri is one of three teams yet to score any points in 2023, along with Haas and McLaren.

"Yuki made a big step forward [over the winter]. Not only from the driving side. Also from the technical side. His technical feedback is really good, and I must say, also, his race was competitive. I think he got the most out of the car. Unfortunately, I think it's currently the performance level of the car [that is the problem], because we expected a much better car," he said at the official FIA Friday press conference in Jeddah.”

"We struggled in Bahrain," he acknowledged. "We have to do a lot of things to make the car faster, and especially on the aerodynamic side. There are different programmes going on, but the engineers tell me that we make some good progress. But I don't trust them anymore.”

'Lost trust';

https://f1i.com/news/468950-tost-declares-hes-lost-trust-in-alphatauri-engineers.html


Helmut Marko confirms AlphaTauri future despite finance and performance concerns
17 Mar 2023 7:30 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Helmut Marko has confirmed Red Bull won’t be selling AlphaTauri, but that doesn’t mean they’re all that happy with their junior team’s performances – both on the track and in its bank statements. Speaking ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix, he said: “The shareholders will not sell Scuderia AlphaTauri, and that Red Bull will continue supporting the team in the future.

“All these rumours have no foundation, and the team has to remain focused for the start of the season to perform better than last year.” Marko, having previously said the decision to sell or not would be up to the shareholders, has now also said the team is not for sale.

“It’s true that AlphaTauri’s ninth place in the Constructors’ Championship is not what we expect. That means there has to be an improvement. It is also true that the financial commitment at AlphaTauri is too high, this means that we also have to do something on the sponsor side, on the revenue side. In the course of this process we also discussed the possibilities, but it was always very clear that AlphaTauri would remain in-house. That is an important part of our junior work.”

‘Scuderia AlphaTauri Not For Sale’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/helmut-marko-confirms-alphatauri-not-for-sale/

[Fortitude]

Mercedes F1 Boss Says He’ll Copy Red Bull To Win, Even Put ‘Little Bull Stickers’ on Cars.
Mercedes sounds like they’ll do whatever it takes to win this year. Even if that means copying the car next to them.
PUBLISHED Mar 23, 2023 7:00 PM
byJerry Perez
The Drive23:00 Thu, 23 Mar 2023.

"If it's a Red Bull, we will put a little bull somewhere with a sticker, and I will have no shame if it's quick," Wolff said, according to Motorsport.com

"I think at this stage, we have no dogmatism of how the car should look like," added Wolff. "It just needs to be the quickest possible race car. And if that car looks like a Red Bull, or like SpaceX, I don't care, it just needs to be quick."

‘Little Bull Stickers’;

https://www.thedrive.com/news/mercedes-f1-boss-says-hell-copy-red-bull-to-win-even-put-little-bull-stickers-on-cars


Lewis Hamilton warned he may not be 'really loved' at Mercedes after Toto Wolff comments.
Lewis Hamilton is yet to agree to a new contract as tension rise at Mercedes.
09:06, Thu, Mar 23, 2023
By Luke Chillingsworth
Daily and Sunday Express

Lewis Hamilton may be thinking he is not really loved at Mercedes after remarks from Toto Wolff, according to Eddie Jordan. In Saudi Arabia, Wolff claimed Mercedes would be prepared to lose Hamilton if they were unable to give him a title-winning car. He told OLBG: “At the moment, there's no contract signed and Toto Wolff said if he was Hamilton he would consider leaving.

“What would I be thinking if I was Hamilton, am I really loved here? What is actually happening at Mercedes? I'm not in the thick of things like I used to be. I don't know Wolff's point of view on the situation but I believe when he says he wants Hamilton to stay. But the Mercedes is not good enough for Hamilton.”

‘Eddie Jordan thoughts’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1749874/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-toto-wolff-contract


Toto Wolff provides Lewis Hamilton contract update as he admits he could join rival team
Lewis Hamilton is yet to extend his contract with Mercedes, which runs out at the end of the season.
23 March 2023
by Jack Devonport
Formula1News

It has been rumoured that should Mercedes continue to fail to provide Hamilton with a title challenging car, the seven-time world champion could make a move elsewhere, something which Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has refused to rule out.

“As a driver, nevertheless, if he wants to win another championship, he needs to make sure that he has the car,” he said on Friday. “And if we cannot demonstrate that we’re able to give him a car in the next couple of years, then he needs to look everywhere. I don’t think he’s doing it at that stage, but I will have no grouch if that happens in a year or two.”

‘Make sure that he has the car’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/toto-wolff-provides-lewis-hamilton-contract-update-as-he-admits-he-could-join-rival-team/


Toto Wolff reveals if he will ‘make heads roll’ to appease Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton is yet to commit to Mercedes beyond the end of this year, amid the team's continued struggles with the W14.
24 March 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Wolff has stressed, though, that no engineers will be facing the exit door, with the side not prepared to suddenly “make heads roll”. “An organisation is constantly changing and you can’t stop that either,” Wolff said.
“Now it’s about how we develop further and discussions are taking place about what the organisation should look like in the future. But it is not as if we are going to make heads roll. It’s better to ask, ‘how can we function as well as possible in the future?’”

‘No engineers will be facing the exit door’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/toto-wolff-reveals-if-he-will-make-heads-roll-to-appease-lewis-hamilton/


Wolff admits to missing Niki Lauda during difficult times for Mercedes
24 March 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Asked about Lauda’s influence, and how much he is missing him as a source of counsel during Mercedes’s current tricky spell, Wolff said: “Niki’s missed all those years because Niki always simplified things to really what mattered.

“I’m having to think what would he have said, and how would he have positioned [things], and the two of us worked well together in that sense that sometimes oversimplification can lead you straight to the results.”

‘Niki always simplified things’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.wolff-admits-to-missing-niki-lauda-during-difficult-times-for-mercedes.4rBGI4g5eVjzW5RB3CbFNz.html


Wolff admits thinking 'what would Niki have done'?
24/03/2023 at 12:57
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Toto Wolff continues to miss the presence in the Mercedes garage of the late Niki Lauda whose forthright and direct approach to the team's affairs would have proven useful in these troubled times for the Brackley squad.

"This is a technical sport so maybe my role was to translate it in a way that we actually were able to execute it in the car design. But this is very simple: the stopwatch never lies, and we see on the data where we are missing and that needs to be corrected."

'What would Niki have done';

https://f1i.com/news/469762-wolff-admits-thinking-what-would-niki-have-done.html


Lewis Hamilton warns Mercedes could go even slower as Toto Wolff turns the screw
Mercedes have been unable to match Max Verstappen and Red Bull as they continue to lack performance.
11:32, Fri, Mar 24, 2023
By Luke Chillingsworth
Daily and Sunday Express
Daily and Sunday Express

Lewis Hamilton has warned Mercedes might be slower if they switched their current concept for Red Bull sidepods. The seven-time champion has stressed it was “not as simple” as adopting the Red Bull design and suggested it would “not change a thing” if they did.

"You put the Red Bull sidepods on our car and it won't change a thing, it literally won't change a thing, it might even go slower. It's about aero characteristics, it's how the car is balanced through the corners. There's so many different elements that people of course would not know because they're not aerodynamicists and you can't see it - there's a lot more to it." Mercedes lack pace for a second successive campaign despite getting on top of their porpoising issues.”

‘Mercedes could go even slower’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1750446/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-upgrades-toto-wolff


Toto Wolff says Mercedes need to ‘double development speed’ to catch Red Bull
Mercedes have claimed just one victory in the last 25 races, with the Germans already finding themselves 49 points behind Red Bull.
26 March 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Wolff openly admits that Mercedes are up to “12 months” behind in terms of understanding the new regs due to how long they spent fixing the W13, with the team principal recognising that “we need to be perfect” to catch Red Bull.

“I think the lag is probably between six and 12 months because that’s the time that it took for us to figure out what was actually happening with the car,” Wolff told The Race.

‘Double development speed’

https://formula1news.co.uk/toto-wolff-says-mercedes-need-to-double-the-development-speed-to-catch-red-bull/

[Fortitude]

Ferrari boss suggests Sergio Perez could take 100-point lead over Max Verstappen.
Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur believes Sergio Perez could open up a huge advantage over Max Verstappen, providing Red Bull struggle with reliability problems.
23:03, 26 Mar 2023
By Ben Parsons
The Mirror

Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur has suggested an unlikely sequence of events that would see Sergio Perez take a whopping lead of 100 points over Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen in the F1 title race.

“Imagine now that Perez wins two more races and Verstappen retires. A gearbox fails and he gets a penalty for the next one,” Vasseur said, as per Formula1news. "After Monaco, Perez is then 100 points ahead of Verstappen. These situations can happen.”

‘100-point lead over Max Verstappen’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/sergio-perez-f1-ferrari-news-29556164


Max Verstappen ‘surprised’ by Sergio Perez as serious threat emerges
Martin Brundle believes Sergio Perez has surprised Max Verstappen's side of the garage with his pace.
by Mitchell Wilks
25 March 2023
Formula1News

Sky Sports F1 commentator Martin Brundle has suggested that Sergio Perez could be much closer to Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen over the course of the 2023 season, following a landmark victory at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix which ‘surprised’ team Verstappen.

“His fifth victory, four of which have been on street circuits – but more significantly his first victory when Max was second.” He continued, discussing how Perez’s win has likely settled among the camp in Verstappen’s side of the Red Bull garage.

“Team Verstappen were perhaps surprised that Perez could match their pace,” he claimed, and drew on the fact that Perez had to defend his lead while suffering from a longer brake pedal, shocked that the team didn’t stop the pair from racing at the front in order to protect a one-two finish.

‘Serious threat emerges’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/max-verstappen-surprised-by-sergio-perez-as-serious-threat-emerges/


Ferrari boss claims Sergio Perez could ‘easily’ become 100 points ahead of Max Verstappen
Despite dominating the opening two races of the season, Red Bull has been plagued by reliability concerns that could halt its title charge.
by Edward Hardy
26 March 2023
Formula1News

Despite Red Bull’s strength, there appears to be unhappiness in the team’s garage over the car’s reliability, with mechanical challenges seemingly the only issue that could derail their title hopes.

“The whole feeling in the team, everyone is happy,” Verstappen said. “But personally, I’m not happy. “I’m not here to be second and when it looks like it’s going to just be between two cars, we have to make sure that the two cars are reliable,” he added.

‘Reliability concerns’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/ferrari-boss-claims-sergio-perez-could-easily-become-100-points-ahead-of-max-verstappen/


Fittipaldi: Saudi Arabia showed Sergio Perez has the speed to fight Max Verstappen
26 Mar 2023 10:00 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

He (Formula 1 legend Emerson Fittipaldi) told the Dutch edition of Motorsport.com: “I think Checo showed in Jeddah that he has the speed. “At a certain point in the race, when Max was second and Checo was leading, Max tried to close the gap.

“But he did not succeed, as Checo was able to set a good pace against it. He showed himself to be a fast and tough racer at that point. I do think he is a good driver. He is very mature and very experienced. For the fans, it would be great if we could see those two fighting for the Championship.”

‘Sergio Perez has the speed’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/emerson-fittipaldi-saudi-arabia-sergio-perez-max-verstappen/


Max Verstappen and Perez are no longer team-mates - Red Bull have a mess on their hands
COMMENT: Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez's rivalry could boil over in 2023.
08:01, Sun, Mar 26, 2023
By Luke Chillingsworth
Daily and Sunday Express

Max Verstappen's 2023 title bid may be handed a major dent by his own team-mate as tensions rise at Red Bull. The two stars have clashed before but a tetchy moment in only the second race of the season is an ominous sign for things to come. “This will lead to a fight between the two. We can expect that there will be friction. Red Bull is certainly already aware of this. Perez showed that he is strong and has very good pace in the race.”

“At the same time, Verstappen is someone who doesn’t allow himself to be told and does what he thinks is right. The team can say whatever they want.” The pair appeared to clash moments after the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix as it emerged Verstappen had ignored a team request to secure the fastest lap.

‘Mess on their hands’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1750345/f1-live-lewis-hamilton-mercedes-red-bull-max-verstappen-george-russell-charles-leclerc


‘Still lingers’: Why ‘churlish’ reaction proves Verstappen camp can’t support Perez at Red Bull
March 27th, 2023 3:17 pm
Michael Lamonato
Fox Sports (Australia)

Max Verstappen’s father’s “churlish” response to Sergio Perez’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix victory is evidence the Dutch family isn’t fully supportive of the Mexican’s place at Red Bull Racing, according to Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft.

“To be fair, he did say well done to Sergio,” he told Fox Sports. “But come on, Jos. Your son’s just finished second, he’s taken the fastest lap, he’s leading the world championship. I’m sure you can afford a smile from time to time.”

“I mentioned it on TV because I thought it was a bit churlish, to be honest, that he wasn’t smiling with the rest of the team, because it is a team sport and everyone works together, and I’m sure there will be times in the season where they might need Sergio’s help a little bit, just as there were times last year when Sergio needed Max’s help — and he might not have got it, to be fair.”

‘Still lingers’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/churlish-response-in-saudi-arabia-proves-verstappen-camp-cant-support-perez-at-red-bull/news-story/6a58fc062ec3c52980dbe1f535368c2f


Red Bull ‘certainly aware’ Sergio Perez won’t help Max Verstappen in any way
Seemingly against team orders, Max Verstappen grabbed the fastest lap point from his teammate Sergio Perez on the last lap of the Saudi Arabian GP.
by Edward Hardy
25 March 2023
Formula1News

Red Bull’s key adviser Helmut Marko has dismissed rumours of growing tension between Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez after the latter lost out on the fastest lap point when the Dutchman scooped it at the last minute.

Verstappen’s move appeared to be in violation of team orders, with Perez stating post-race “They told me I had the fastest lap and to keep the pace, a certain pace, so I thought the communication was the same to Max.”

“We need to review because I got certainly the different information and I just couldn’t push it there,” the Mexican added. Defending Verstappen’s actions, Marko explained that “both of them adhered to the instructions more or less.”

‘Sergio Perez won’t help Max Verstappen’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/red-bull-certainly-aware-sergio-perez-wont-help-max-verstappen-in-any-way/


Verstappen needs constant problems to give Perez title chance – Albers
Former Minardi, Midland and Spyker driver Formula 1 driver Christijan Albers is not convinced by Sergio Perez yet
March 26, 2023
By Joe Ellis
Total Motorsport

Christijan Albers has suggested that for Sergio Perez to have any chance of a Formula 1 world title, Max Verstappen needs constant problems.

“He can do it, but only if Max has problems five, six, seven or maybe eight times,” Albers said, as quoted by Formula Passion. “If instead, Perez has no problems, it could be a story like that of [Nico] Rosberg and [Lewis] Hamilton in 2016. At that point, it could be possible.”

‘Verstappen needs constant problems’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-2023-verstappen-constant-problems-perez-title-chance-albers/

[Fortitude]

Alonso claims Aston Martin leap eclipses Brawn GP.
With a non-regulation change, (Aston Martin’s jump) probably the biggest one.
Sunday 26 March 2023 16:56
Sam Hall
GPFans

Fernando Alonso believes Aston Martin's year-on-year leap is greater than that of Brawn GP in 2009. In its only year of competition, Brawn GP secured both the drivers' and constructors' world titles before Brawn sold up to Mercedes. As fantastical as this tale is, however, Alonso believes that Aston Martin's rise from seventh to podium regulars is more impressive.

“Ferrari when it was 2020, they were very bad, or 2021, then in the following year – last year – they were fighting for the championship," said Alonso. "(They) won the first two or three Grands Prix of the year, so Ferrari made a huge step last year. (There was also) Brawn GP – huge,” said Alonso.

“With a non-regulation change, (Aston Martin’s jump) probably the biggest one. All the others, they were with the regulation change, plus with the cost cap it’s very difficult to do something like that, but we have very talented people in the team – so far it’s been a good start and hopefully only the start.”

‘Leap eclipses Brawn GP’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/104290/fernando-alonso-aston-martin-brawn-gp/


Flavio Briatore reveals role in Fernando Alonso switch to Aston Martin
Flavio Briatore led the Renault team when Fernando Alonso won his two Formula 1 world titles in 2005 and 2006
March 27, 2023
By Joe Ellis
Total Motorsport

Briatore is still a major voice in Alonso‘s career and revealed that he and the Spaniard took the decision mutually to gamble on Aston Martin rather than re-sign with Alpine. “We shared the decision, we took a risk,” Briatore said to Corriere della Sera. “But it was worth it.”

“They were offering us two years of contract while others, with the excuse of age, only one. Then we knew that Lawrence Stroll was putting together a great team. In there we saw a desire for change that wasn’t there for, say, Alpine.”

‘Took a risk’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-2023-flavio-briatore-role-fernando-alonso-switch-aston-martin/


Aston Martin call for 'focus' after stellar start to season
27 March 2:30PM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Aston Martin boss Mike Krack says he is not "scared" that the success enjoyed in the 2023 Formula 1 season will not lead to the team getting carried away. "I think Team Silverstone have been in the business for a very, very long time, and the people know how racing is," Krack explained to media including RacingNews365 in Jeddah when asked about how he was keeping expectations in check.”

"So I am not scared that they will lose the ground from under their feet, we have to manage the situation properly. The main thing is you have to keep the focus, it is not automatic, you always have to be on top of your game. And as soon as you are not, someone is in front of you, so it is a mix and you have to manage it."

‘Call for focus';

https://racingnews365.com/krack-not-scared-of-aston-martin-getting-carried-away


Aston Martin boss delivers hope that Red Bull’s mighty advantage can be reduced
24 Mar 2023 9:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack says we should stayed tuned to F1 2023, as he does not expect Red Bull to stay so dominant. Aston Martin team boss Krack remains of the belief that the advantage can be whittled down.

“The season is long. I don’t think Red Bull will keep the gap,” he told DAZN. “We still have two big teams behind us [Mercedes and Ferrari] who will do everything they can to catch them. The spectator has to be patient and keep watching Formula 1.”

Asked if Aston Martin really are the second-fastest team, Krack said with a smile: “It sounds good, yes. We’ve always said we had to confirm it in three races. At the moment, I think we have to be cautious about saying we’re second because Melbourne is coming and then we have to check and confirm it, but clearly we’ve made a step forward in our objective.”

‘Aston Martin really are the second-fastest team’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/aston-martin-red-bull-dominance-stoppable/


'Quiet, unassuming' Alonso should be four-time F1 champion - former boss
Saturday 25 March 2023 09:57
Ewan Gale
GPFans

Former Minardi F1 boss Paul Stoddart believes Fernando Alonso should be a four-time world champion. Stoddart revealed in a conversation with the Beyond the Grid podcast that he knew Alonso was a future world champion after a "masterclass" performance at a wet Formula 3000 race in Belgium in 2000.

"Fernando, in those days and still even when he was with us, was very quiet, very unassuming, just got on and did the job," explained Stoddart. "It took, I suppose, a race like Spa to where I was actually genuinely watching the whole race, not just catching highlights, as you quite often did with Formula 3000 races.”

"I watched that race and what I saw in him that day was this is a guy that's destined to be world champion even before he had even got in an F1 car. I wasn't wrong, except he should have four, not two."

‘Destined to be world champion’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/104210/fernando-alonso-should-be-four-time-f1-champion-former-boss/


Jordan blames Alonso for failure to win more F1 titles
27th March 2023, 11:23
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Ex-Formula 1 team owner and current pundit Eddie Jordan has blamed Fernando Alonso for the Spaniard’s current failure to win more than two titles in his career.

“I remember seeing Fernando Alonso pass Michael Schumacher from the outside on a damp track on a really difficult corner in Suzuka, Japan, and I said, ‘oh my god, how can he get away with that!’,” Jordan told OLBG recently.

“Alonso pulled the move off and I thought from there that he was destined for greatness. I actually blame him for not winning four, six or maybe even eight-time World Champion, he should have picked his teams better. In his 30s, Alonso went for the money when he could have gone a different route.”

‘Four, six or maybe even [becoming] eight-time World Champion’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/03/27/jordan-blames-alonso-for-failure-to-win-more-f1-titles/


[B]Alonso 'content' despite criticism of 'special' career
Monday 27 March 2023 15:00
Oli Lawrie
GPFans
Fernando Alonso has said he's 'content' with his 'special' career, despite feeling that others take pity on him for what they see as his unwise career choices.

The two-time champion has rejected the idea he’s made poor decisions throughout his 20-year career, stating 'the facts say otherwise'. Speaking to Channel 4, the Spaniard reflected on the highs and lows of his time in F1.

"I would say that in the 20 years I've been in F1, I've only had four frustrating years in a McLaren-Honda that wasn't competitive,“ said Alonso. "But in [the other] 16 years, I've fought for podiums and wins, and that's pretty special."

'Content';

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/104319/alonso-aston-martin-career-criticism/

[Fortitude]

‘Max Verstappen concocted return of driveshaft issue to make himself look good’.
Former F1 team principal Eddie Jordan believes Max Verstappen was looking to save face by “concocting” a return of the driveshaft issue that ended his qualifying in Saudi Arabia, while trailing team-mate Sergio Perez.
27 Mar 2023 6:00 AM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

“I think that Max concocted something about a driveshaft so as to make himself look good,” Jordan stated on the Formula For Success podcast, “because I’m absolutely convinced he was told before he went out, if Checo was leading the race, and he’s been on pole position, you have not [got] ability and you have not got permission to pass him.

“That’s just my view. Because if I was running a team, that is exactly what I would have said before they went out. You don’t have to be Einstein to work it out. Max, in my opinion, found a decent excuse, which was the driveshaft.”

“Christian Horner comes out and tells us: ‘No matter what we did, we went back to the base, we went and looked at all of the data and we looked at everything, we couldn’t find anything.’

‘Max concocted something’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-verstappen-concoct-driveshaft-issue-eddie-jordan/


Max Verstappen accused of "concocting" problem at Red Bull in Sergio Perez fight
Eddie Jordan suggested that Verstappen may have "concocted" the drive shaft problem which hampered his race weekend in Jeddah, though David Coulthard is not so sure
09:25, 27 Mar 2023
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
The Mirror

Max Verstappen cut a bemused figure after his Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend was affected by a mechanical problem – but Eddie Jordan is not convinced that the issue was real. Unable to set a lap time in Q2, he was forced to start 15th on the grid. He still breezed through to second place in the race with his extremely fast Red Bull machine, but team-mate Sergio Perez was able to keep him at arm's length to take victory.

" Christian Horner comes out and tells us, 'No matter what we did, we went back to the base, we went and looked at all of the data and we looked at everything, we couldn't find anything'. Guys, come on... There's enough in this to realise that we don't want to be bulls****ed. This was a situation where Max managed the position to hold his face while still taking second place."

But former F1 racer David Coulthard is not convinced Jordan is correct. The Scot replied on the same podcast: "I think Max is so much heart on sleeve, that he doesn't concoct anything – what you see is what you get. A little bit like when he was on the radio saying, 'What's the fastest lap?' And they said, 'Don't think about that'. And he's like, 'Well, I am'.

‘David Coulthard is not convinced Jordan is correct’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/verstappen-problem-red-bull-jordan-29557388


Max Verstappen accused of lying about excuse to avoid Sergio Perez battle
Max Verstappen leads the Drivers' Championship by a point from Sergio Perez after setting the fastest lap in Saudi Arabia.
27 March 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Former Formula 1 team owner Eddie Jordan believes double World Champion Max Verstappen was not given permission to overtake team-mate Sergio Perez for the lead at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, with the Dutchman having used his driveshaft failure as a “decent excuse”.

Jordan is convinced that Verstappen was ordered to stay behind his team-mate, with the Irishman having revealed that he would’ve instructed the very same if he were in charge. Perez led virtually the entire race, after momentarily losing the lead to Fernando Alonso at the start, only to reclaim first as soon as DRS was activated.

‘Excuse to avoid Sergio Perez battle’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/max-verstappen-accused-of-lying-about-excuse-to-avoid-sergio-perez-battle/


Jeremy Clarkson criticises Red Bull over team orders decision broken by Max Verstappen
Tensions continue to rise at Red Bull as Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez battle for top honours.
12:01, Mon, Mar 27, 2023
By Luke Chillingsworth
Daily and Sunday Express

Jeremy Clarkson has hit out at Red Bull’s decision to use team orders to control Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez in Saudi Arabia. Red Bull engineers told the two stars to keep to a set pace in Jeddah as the race drew to its conclusion.

Writing in The Sun, Clarkson said: “We like to think that when the red lights go out at the beginning of a Formula One race, every single one of the drivers goes round every corner and down every straight as fast as is humanly and mechanically possible.

"That’s what racing is all about, surely? It seems not… “You had the Red Bulls. To stop them from doing any racing, each of the drivers was told to do the same speed as one another.

‘Jeremy Clarkson has hit out’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1751334/jeremy-clarkson-red-bull-max-verstappen-sergio-perez


Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez ‘not best friends’ but ‘not at war with each other’
27 Mar 2023 9:00 AM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Sky Sports commentator David Croft has said Red Bull drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez are “not at war with each other”, but equally that they are not the “best of friends” at the moment either.

“I don’t think it’s a driver dispute necessarily, but clearly Sergio was feeling a bit vulnerable whilst out in the lead in Jeddah on Sunday night and he kind of felt that his teammate was allowed to do lap times that were faster than him,” Croft explained on SEN Sportsday in Australia.

“Luckily for Sergio, he had built up quite a big gap by that stage and it didn’t affect the result. He was probably a little bit miffed that Max Verstappen took the fastest lap as well because that fastest lap point kept Max Verstappen in the lead of the championship, Sergio would have led the championship for the first time in his career had he got that fastest lap. So there’s seeds of suspicion. I don’t think that they’re best of friends.”

‘Seeds of suspicion’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-verstappen-sergio-perez-not-friends-not-warring/


Felipe Massa takes aim at Red Bull’s Sergio Perez
The former Ferrari driver sees Max Verstappen as the big drivers’ championship favourite in F1 2023
March 27, 2023
By John Smith
Total Motorsport

After coming tantalizingly close to the F1 championship in 2008, the former Ferrari and Williams driver doesn’t believe there is any chance of a repeat of his close title charge from any other driver on the grid.

Not least from Verstappen‘s Red Bull teammate, Perez. Although he at least acknowledged there was an outside chance for Lewis Hamilton or Charles Leclerc. “Like Max and Lewis, Charles is an exceptional driver, he is currently the biggest title contender against Red Bull,” Massa told Bild. “Their second driver, Sergio Perez, is too inconsistent.”

It’s unclear just why Massa feels so strongly about the Mexican, although their time in F1 did result in some rather ugly crashes, with the Brazilian seemingly blaming Perez for such incidents.

‘Too inconsistent’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-felipe-massa-aim-red-bull-sergio-perez/

[Fortitude]

MPH: Ferrari knows where its car is failing – but can't fix it.
Ferrari was clearly only the fourth-best car on race day in Jeddah last week. But in qualifying it was second only to the dominant Red Bull (disguised by Charles Leclerc’s grid penalty). The gap between second and fourth fastest car – between Aston Martin, Mercedes and Ferrari – is currently small.
March 24th 2023
Author Mark Hughes
Motor Sport Magazine

From an admittedly small sample of two races, the Aston looks the best of that group on race days, the Ferrari with the edge in qualifying. But perhaps that latter is just a function of the acrobatics conjured by Leclerc over a qualifying lap.

So, where is Ferrari really at? Obviously a long way behind Red Bull, but then so is everyone. There is a lack of front end grip in the car which can be minimised on new tyres over a single lap, but which imposes a heavy toll on race day. There are upgrades on the way, but they won’t be in time for Melbourne next weekend.

On race day in Jeddah, the front tyre usage was the dominant problem, as Carlos Sainz articulated, “We still ‘deg’ more than the Mercs, we still deg more than the Astons, we still lack a bit of race pace. It’s tyre deg, balance, dirty air when following, we just struggle a bit. If we already overheat the tyres in clean air, imagine following. We just eat them alive and we need clean air to produce some kind of decent lap time.

‘Can't fix it.’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/mph-ferrari-knows-where-its-car-is-failing-but-cant-fix-it/?nowprocket=1#


Ferrari drivers voice concern over dirty air return
14:49 Sat, 25 Mar 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have raised concerns that the increase in turbulent air emanating from the 2023 cars is contributing to less on-track overtaking. Sainz, who trundled home sixth in Jeddah, has been particularly outspoken in his concerns that an underlying problem from the old generation of cars has resurfaced.

“In dirty air, these cars have got a bit worse compared to last year, probably adding downforce and the new regulations,” the Spaniard said after the race. “They are starting to become a bit like the old cars where the dirty air is becoming a limitation and today it wasn’t easy to pass.”

Leclerc has agreed with the view of Sainz that the topic of dirty air is likely to became a prevalent discussion point again based on the early evidence of F1 races in 2023. “I could have gone a bit faster, but when I was closer than a second to Carlos [Sainz], you felt the turbulence of the car in front of you,” Leclerc added.

‘Voice concern’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/03/25/ferrari-drivers-concerned-about-increased-dirty-air-negatively-impacting-overtaking/


Ferrari drivers reveal FIA’s biggest concern after Saudi Arabian GP
Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz's comments will alarm the FIA, especially as other drivers have echoed their remarks.
23 March 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Following Sunday’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have both revealed that following another car was just as difficult as “in the old cars”, potentially causing panic amongst the FIA.

Whilst last weekend’s race at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit saw more overtakes than ever before at the venue, the number of completed overtakes was largely due to Max Verstappen having recovered from 15th on the grid to finish second.

Other than Verstappen and Leclerc making some ground in the early stages of the race, very few other drivers were able to make multiple overtakes, due to following having been difficult. This was largely the reason why the new aerodynamic regulations were introduced in 2022, with the previous era of the sport having involved very few overtakes.

‘Panic amongst the FIA!?’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/ferrari-drivers-reveal-fias-biggest-concern-after-saudi-arabian-gp/


'We're pushing like hell - Red Bull can be caught', says Ferrari F1 boss
March 22nd 2023
Author Adam Cooper
Motor Sport Magazine

Ferrari's dwindling pace during the Saudi Arabian GP saw it finish behind Aston Martin and Mercedes. But F1 team principal Fred Vasseur believes finding the car's sweet spot will bring a "decent step" towards the front

On paper it looks like a disaster, and indeed with the sole-surviving Aston Martin and the two Mercedes both outrunning the Ferraris in the race, it some respects it was. However, there were some positives to be drawn, and not just the better reliability the team demonstrated after the frustrations in Bahrain. Crucially the SF-23 has some speed, at least over one lap.

People were sceptical when new team boss Fred Vasseur suggested in Bahrain that Ferrari’s main issue was set-up rather than anything fundamental, but he has a point. You have to have a pretty good car to have outrun Aston and Mercedes and everyone else in qualifying at two very different venues.

‘Red Bull can be caught'’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/were-pushing-like-hell-red-bull-can-be-caught-says-ferrari-f1-boss-vasseur/?nowprocket=1#


Ferrari admits Leclerc miscommunication 'not a good call'
22/03/2023 at 11:06
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Frédéric Vasseur says Ferrari will address the miscommunication that took place in Jeddah between Charles Leclerc and his race engineer, the Scuderia boss admitting that "it wasn't a good call".

After the race, Vasseur admitted that it had not been a "good call" by Leclerc's strategist, although the Frenchman minimized the importance of the misstep. "Yes, it was not a good call," Vasseur told the media. "It is like it is.”

"It's not the main issue and I think it would be a mistake from our side to focus on [it]. I don't want to say it's details. It was a miscommunication, and we will have to speak, to fix it. It's not the main issue at all over the weekend."

‘Miscommunication not a good call';

https://f1i.com/news/469648-ferrari-admits-leclerc-miscommunication-not-a-good-call.html


'Can Ferrari keep Charles Leclerc long enough to win World Championship title?
'Leclerc will never win a World Championship title at Ferrari'
28th March 2023, 17:15
Sky Sports

Matt Gallagher, co-host of P1 with Matt and Tommy, believes Charles Leclerc will never win a World Championship title at Ferrari.

‘Never win’;

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/12844285/charles-leclerc-will-never-win-a-world-championship-title-at-ferrari-sky-sports-f1-podcast

[Fortitude]

Felipe Massa backs George Russell to emerge as main Mercedes title threat over Lewis Hamilton.
Felipe Massa has said that, while Lewis Hamilton can never be written off in fighting for a title, Mercedes team-mate George Russell has potential to carry the team’s hopes in future.
27 Mar 2023 4:00 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

“You should never make the mistake of writing Lewis off. Alongside Michael [Schumacher] and Ayrton Senna, he is the best driver who has ever raced in Formula 1,” Massa reasoned to Bild.

“In addition to his experience, he has a very good feel for driving. Lewis can become World Champion again – but for that he needs a competitive car. He doesn’t have that at the moment.”

“Charles [Leclerc], like Max and Lewis, is an exceptional driver. He is currently the biggest title challenger for Red Bull. Their second driver, Sergio Pérez, is too inconsistent. Just like Carlos Sainz from Ferrari. George Russell could become a title contender in the coming years.”

‘George Russell has potential’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/felipe-massa-george-russell-mercedes-title-contender-lewis-hamilton/


Rosberg: Russell is the ‘ultimate test’ for Hamilton
13:45 Mon, 27 Mar 2023.
by Fergal Walsh
Motorsport Week

“George is the ultimate test, he is a future World Champion,” Rosberg told Sky F1. “It is difficult for Lewis to stay in front. George had an awesome season last year and that is continuing. Let’s not forget, Lewis is the best of all time, so if someone can beat George it is him.”

“It is a little bit of a weakness that Lewis has that he will mentally go into this down a little bit and lose a little bit of the flow. But he comes back with a bang every single time so, dear George, don’t get too confident there.”

‘Ultimate test’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/03/27/rosberg-russell-is-the-ultimate-test-for-hamilton/


F1: Nico Rosberg sends Lewis Hamilton warning over George Russell
16:37 Tue, 28 Mar 2023.
By George Dagless
Give Me Sport

Russell has quickly established himself as one of the top drivers since his Mercedes move. 2016 F1 World Champion Nico Rosberg has warned Lewis Hamilton that George Russell is 'the ultimate test' at Mercedes.

Certainly, Russell has shown he is more than at home at the front of the pack, with him winning his first Grand Prix last season in Brazil and also outscoring his seven-time world champion team-mate in the standings.

"Testament to the weekend George has done. Interesting that there is different set-ups, but free choice for both of them," Rosberg said to Sky Sports after the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, which saw Russell eventually classified fourth and Hamilton in fifth.

‘More than at home at the front of the pack’;

https://www.givemesport.com/f1-nico-rosberg-sends-lewis-hamilton-warning-over-george-russell/


Where Hamilton’s currently losing out to Russell
Mar 28 2023
By Edd Straw
The Race

Lewis Hamilton is the better-placed of Mercedes’ Formula 1 drivers in the world championship going into this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix, by two points over George Russell. And the team is fresh from a better-than-expected result in the Saudi Arabian GP, where both cars came home in the top five and beat Ferrari.

So why are the problems with this car affecting Hamilton more than Russell? The qualifying gap was negligible at Sakhir, but it was far more substantial at the Jeddah circuit, where Hamilton was just over three-and-a-half tenths of a second slower. The difference was primarily in the first sector, in which Hamilton struggled with balance and grip.

Hamilton cut a dejected figure after qualifying. Speaking to media including The Race shortly after Q3, he complained of not feeling connected to the car and said that “no matter what I do, no matter what I change, I can’t get confidence back”. So why is this? Well, we know the Mercedes is lacking in downforce and that is particularly manifesting itself in rear-end instability.

‘I can’t get confidence back’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/mercedes-f1-where-hamilton-is-currently-losing-out-to-russell/


George Russell labelled ‘worst aspect’ of Lewis Hamilton’s weekend
Lewis Hamilton started the race on the hard compound tyres in an effort to have a long first stint but his race was hurt by an early safety car around lap 18.
27 March 2023
by Edward Hardy
Formula1News

Peter Windsor, former Williams team manager, blasted the choice of tyres by Mercedes as “asking for trouble” by going against the rest of the grid. “The medium was a really good race tyre in Saudi Arabia and to be on anything other than that at the start of the race was asking for trouble,” Windsor explained on his YouTube channel.

“Toto was on the radio afterwards telling Lewis that it was a good drive, and of course it was a good drive, but it wasn’t the sort of drive that Hamilton will want to be thinking about on his flight home,” he added.

“He doesn’t want to be passed by Max Verstappen as if he’s going backwards. He doesn’t want to be racing Haas and Alpha Tauri. In the end, he got beaten by George [Russell], which is probably the worst aspect of the weekend. Not a good one for Lewis,” Windsor continued.

‘Worst aspect’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/george-russell-labelled-worst-aspect-of-lewis-hamiltons-weekend/


George Russell teases first key destination for Mercedes W14 updates
25 Mar 2023 10:00 AM
Henry Valantine

George Russell has hinted that the first significant upgrade package on the Mercedes W14 will arrive at Imola in mid-May, as the so-called European season gets underway in earnest.

“Maybe they will come to Imola,” Russell told reporters in Saudi Arabia of where the first significant upgrade package for Mercedes will come, per the Italian edition of Motorsport.com. “Maybe it can be done a little earlier, but I think you are always a little cautious about taking things to a street track.”

“We just have to weigh up the options. With the mistakes we’ve made, we’re not going to rush things unless we’re absolutely 120 per cent sure it’s the right one. And obviously, the longer you wait, the greater the impact you can have because of the slope of development, so we have to weigh up the pros and cons.”

‘Mercedes W14 updates’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/george-russell-teases-imola-w14-upgrades/


Hamilton won’t be Mercedes’ lead driver until F1 car changes
Mar 22 2023
By Matt Beer and Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

With Mercedes so far away from race-winning, let alone title-contending, form and Lewis Hamilton not having a 2024 Formula 1 contract yet, ‘Hamilton mood watch’ would be a popular pastime even without him being as – relatively – outspoken about the team’s efforts as he has been lately.

He’s also not even been the team’s top performer. Yes, he led George Russell home in Bahrain, but it’s 2-0 to Russell in the qualifying battle (the Saturday gap nearly four tenths of a second in Saudi Arabia last weekend) and Russell finished ahead on race day in Jeddah too.

There was a degree to which Hamilton said the disparity between him and Russell was just down to set-up choices, and Hamilton certainly did seem to go awry on that front relative to his team-mate.

‘Until F1 car changes’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/hamilton-wont-be-mercedes-lead-driver-until-f1-car-changes/

[Fortitude]

Dominant Red Bull aim to break Australian GP drought.
Red Bull stand poised to shrug off their Australian Grand Prix hoodoo on Sunday and continue their domination of the Formula One world championship as rivals struggle for pace.
29 MARCH 2023 - 17:15
IAN RANSOM
Financial Mail

Red Bull have not won at Albert Park since former driver Sebastian Vettel claimed the 2011 race, but there may be no stopping the constructors champions this year at the lakeside circuit.

“It’s always nice to ... experience Melbourne a little, though from a racing point of view, it is not one that has been too kind to us over the years,” said double defending champion Verstappen, who was forced to retire during last year’s race due to a fuel problem.

Formula One will hope Perez can keep the pressure on Verstappen, with the other teams seemingly well behind the development curve. “The signs we are seeing back at the factory are promising,” said team boss Toto Wolff. “We are not where we want to be, but that won’t stop us from racing hard and giving it everything we’ve got.”

‘Formula One will hope Perez can keep the pressure on’;

https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/sport/other-sport/2023-03-29-dominant-red-bull-aim-to-break-australian-gp-drought/


Ferrari tipped to ‘surprise’ and ‘take a big step forward’ at Australian Grand Prix
28 Mar 2023 3:00 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Ferrari have been tipped to spring a surprise this weekend when Formula 1 returns to Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix. It has been a disappointing start to the season so far for the Scuderia with Charles Leclerc retiring from P3 in Bahrain before a poorly-timed Safety Car consigned them to P6 and P7 in Saudi Arabia.

Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, Tom Clarkson said Ferrari could spring a “surprise” at a track they have always done well at. “Yes, it’s hard to look beyond Red Bull,” he said. “But my surprise is actually Ferrari.

“I think they’ve always been pretty hooked up around Melbourne, whatever the regulations, since we first went there in 1996. They have a good setup there and Leclerc was dominant there last year. This year’s car is a continuation of the car that they were using last year, it’s an evolution, and while I’m not saying they’ve got the pace of Red Bull, I think we’re going to see Ferrari take a big step forward.”

‘Tipped to spring a surprise’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrari-surprise-australian-grand-prix/


Why four DRS zones will return for Australia GP
28 March 6:00PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

The fourth Drag Reduction System zone at Albert Park will return in 2023, after being removed last year on safety grounds. Situated between Turns 9 and 10 along the lake-side straight, the FIA elected to take action on safety grounds after a number of drivers complained of blocking and impeding.

This resulted in several moments where those on a fast lap encountered other drivers going slowly trying to generate a gap, along the narrow piece of track that places high aerodynamic demands on the cars.

Some drivers were more vocal than others about the change, given the aerodynamic benefits it would bring for cars that suffered the least from porpoising.

‘Four DRS zones will return’;

https://racingnews365.com/why-four-drs-zones-will-return-for-australia-gp


Croft expects Red Bull to dominate Australian GP
Wednesday 29th March, 2023 - 3:00pm
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

This weekend’s Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix looks set to be another Red Bull cakewalk according to David Croft. The Sky Sports F1 commentator predicts the Milton Keynes duo of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez will continue the dominance they’ve shown in the opening two rounds of 2023.

“I’ve got a theory this weekend,” Croft told Speedcafe. “It might be a bit far, but we’re going to get Verstappen, Perez, and [Fernando] Alonso in some form on the podium at the end. And I don’t know where I’m thinking that one from to be honest!”

‘Continue the dominance’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/03/29/croft-anticipates-red-bull-to-dominate-australian-gp/


The two potential headaches hanging over Red Bull in Australia
29 Mar 2023 9:00 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Beneath the superficiality of the results and the pretty picture of the points table, however, this is a team trying to contain a growing number of issues.

After dominating to convert pole position into victory in Bahrain, Max Verstappen’s Saudi Arabian GP weekend was going almost too well before his driveshaft went bang during qualifying and left him stranded in 15th on the grid.

With the World Champion airing further mechanical concerns during the race – and amid whispers that Red Bull’s commanding display in Bahrain was way more nervy than it looked on the car health front – the team’s reliability record is at risk of becoming front and centre again.

‘Headaches’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/australian-grand-prix-2023-preview-red-bull/


Adrian Newey contract 'up for renewal' as Damon Hill speculates on future
Wednesday 29 March 2023 07:57
Graham Shaw
GPFans

Damon Hill : "His success rate is unbelievable, every team he's been to virtually he's won a constructors' championship, drivers' titles, I've lost count how many. So he's a key man, and what he has to offer any team is invaluable."

It was at this point Hill pondered Newey's mindset, with a the focus on one high-profile moment which already caught his eye this season. "I can't help ignoring this thing he [Newey] did in Bahrain, where he stood in front of the Mercedes on the grid, with his clipboard, and stood there for a long time looking at their front wings.

"Anybody who knows Adrian will know 'wait a minute, he's already got the most dominant car in F1, why's he looking at the Mercedes front wings?' Was he really looking at the front wings? Or was he just standing in front of a Mercedes saying 'I'm interested'. Is that what he was really saying?"

‘Invaluable’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/104458/adrian-newey-contract-renewal-damon-hill-red-bull-mercedes-f1/

[Fortitude]

Russell expecting Aston Martin to be ‘really strong’ at Australian GP as he counters recent Hamilton set-up comments.
When asked about Hamilton’s comments in Melbourne, Russell was keen to note the work he put in ahead of and during the event, stressing that there was no luck in the outcome.
30 March 2023
Formula One - Official Site.

George Russell has tipped Aston Martin to be an even stronger force at the Australian Grand Prix, pointing to the impressive cornering ability the AMR23 has displayed over the first two rounds of the season. Asked about his and Mercedes’s potential at this weekend’s event in Melbourne, Russell commented: “If we manage to get another P4, or fight for the podium, that will probably be exceeding the potential of the car.”

Later on in Thursday’s driver press conference, the topic turned to the intra-team dynamic at Mercedes, with Russell asked for his thoughts on comments Lewis Hamilton made after the last race at Jeddah. “The strategy didn’t really work out for me,” Hamilton told Sky Sports F1 after following Russell home in Saudi Arabia. “The set-up was a bit off – I think if I had the set-up that George had, I would have been in a better position.”

‘Work he (George Russell) put in ahead of and during the event, stressing that there was no luck in the outcome’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.russell-expecting-aston-martin-to-be-really-strong-at-australian-gp-as-he.2paTpZUEpWN3KOaPedPdw9.html


Mercedes sees 'promising' signs ahead of Australia F1 GP
Thursday, 30 Mar 2023 9:17 AM MYT
Malay Mail

MELBOURNE, March 30 ― A cautiously optimistic Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said the team has made “promising” progress since the first two Grand Prix of the season, with another solid points haul on his wish list for Melbourne this weekend.

On the high-speed, power-friendly Jeddah track a fortnight ago, there were distinct signs of life as Mercedes left Ferrari floundering, with George Russell finishing fourth and Lewis Hamilton fifth.

It was a clear improvement from the season-opening race in Bahrain, where they offered little competition to the Ferrari, Aston Martin or victorious Red Bull teams. While they remain well adrift of the dominant Red Bull team, Wolff said their W14 car was improving.

'Promising signs’;

https://www.malaymail.com/news/sports/2023/03/30/mercedes-sees-promising-signs-ahead-of-australia-f1-gp/62243


Alonso says Aston Martin arrive in Australia ‘extremely happy’ as Stroll gives update on wrist fractures
30 March 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Fernando Alonso picked up his 100th Formula 1 podium finish last time out and as a result, he says he and Aston Martin are brimming with confidence heading into this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix.

“At the moment, we are extremely happy with the performance of the car obviously. We were better than expected, especially in Jeddah – I think it was a nice surprise, so we arrive here with a good level of confidence,” he said.

“But… after a few events, from now on, I think the cars will change a lot in a few areas, and a few developments, so let’s see if we can keep this pace.”

‘Extremely happy’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.alonso-says-aston-martin-arrive-in-australia-extremely-happy-as-stroll-gives.4TzE5cumpswv1kk4NT3eQq.html


Fernando Alonso hilariously mocks himself ahead of 2023 Australian GP
Ahead of the 2023 Australian Grand Prix, Fernando Alonso has shown that he is having fun on and off the track since switching to Aston Martin.
30 March 2023
by Edward Hardy
Formula1News

Ahead of the 2023 Australian Grand Prix, Alonso posted a hilarious upside-photo of himself as Formula 1 travels down-under. Even the Formula One social media team got in on the action with their own video of the two-time world champion.

“Alonso is single-handedly saving this F1 season,” one fan said, while another added “This man is a treasure. We don’t deserve him.” “He’s just overjoyed to actually be driving a decent car for the first time since the Bush Administration,” a Reddit user commented.

‘EL PLAN!’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/fernando-alonso-hilariously-mocks-himself-ahead-of-2023-australian-gp/


Verstappen admits he’s been ‘struggling’ to recover from illness as he seeks first win in Australia
30 March 2023
Formula One - Official Site

As he looks to take his first Grand Prix victory in Australia, Max Verstappen has revealed he's still feeling the effects of an illness that he contracted before the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Looking ahead to three-week break between Australia and Azerbaijan, Verstappen said: "I was not looking forward to [the break] but then I got really ill and have just been struggling a bit since that time, especially last race out, so I think for me now these three weeks are just about getting back to full fitness, getting a full programme in…

‘Struggling’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.verstappen-admits-hes-been-struggling-to-recover-from-illness-as-he-seeks.4qRVTJq7taGWroOQoswmRx.html


Race guide for the Australian Grand Prix
30th March 2023, 07:04
By Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical.

The Australian GP has a long, wealthy history in Formula One. The country joined the sport in 1985 when the race was held at the Adelaide Street Circuit, in South Australia. The Adelaide race used to be the last round of the championship and hosted numerous racing memorable race, including title-decider races. The Grand Prix moved to Melbourne in 1996 and became the opening race of the championships, although this spot has been taken by Bahrain on several times.

The Grand Prix is the oldest surviving motor racing competition in Australia which has been contested 79 times since it was first run at Philip Island in 1928. Prior to the inclusion in the F1 Championship, the grand prix was held at different venues like Bathurst, Lobethal, Southport, Longford, Narrogin, Lakeside, Sandown, etc.

The track has a length of 5.278km, resulting in a 58-lap-long Grand Prix. The circuit sports 14 corners, many of them are named after previous great drivers. The race course has a stop-and-go nature due to heavy acceleration and braking zones. The circuit uses everyday sections of road that circle Albert Park Lake, a small man-altered lake (originally a large lagoon formed as part of the ancient Yarra River course) just south of the Central Business District of Melbourne. The road sections that are used were rebuilt prior to the inaugural event in 1996 to ensure consistency and smoothness.

‘Race guide’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/23969

[Fortitude]

Red Bull tension watch as Alonso targets magic number three - what to expect at the Australian GP.
Red Bull trouble to ease? Aston Martin and Alonso aim for magic number three. Mercedes positive but results will have to wait. McLaren to bounce back. End to race start penalties.
Thursday 30 March 2023 14:05
Ewan Gale
GPFans

F1 returns to Australia with Red Bull in the ascendency following two dominant performances in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

Max Verstappen heads team-mate Sergio Perez by a single point after the Mexican took honours at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit two weeks ago.

With rivals racing to try and close the gap to the RB19, GPFans takes a look at what to expect from the Australian Grand Prix.

‘Tension watch’;

https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/F1/Grands+Prix/Australian+GP


Perez now feels like a title contender, not an afterthought
Mar 30 2023
By Mark Hughes
The Race

Sergio Perez made very clear in Melbourne on the eve of the 2023 Formula 1 season’s third grand prix that he considers himself to be in a world title fight with Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen and that he has full confidence in Red Bull to provide them with equal opportunities in that fight, now he has established his place in the team.

“I fully believe,” he said. “Certainly, when I first came to the team things were very different. Basically, they were just going racing with two cars because they had to, you know. I can say now that I really feel part of the team, really feel I have my place and am well respected.”

“That’s something good to have as a driver and I really believe I have the full support of the team as much as Max does and that I will have every single opportunity to win the championship as much as Max does.”

‘A title contender, not an afterthought’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/perez-now-feels-like-a-title-contender-not-an-afterthought/


Hamilton hoping the gap to Red Bull “isn’t a second” in Melbourne
2023 Australian Grand Prix
Posted on 30th March 2023, 7:4530th March 2023, 7:43
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Lewis Hamilton is hoping Mercedes can get within a second of Red Bull this weekend after the reigning world champions dominated the first two races of 2023. “If you look at the last race, I think it was a decent result given the distance and the pace disadvantage we had in qualifying,” he told Sky. “Obviously George did a fantastic job all weekend, put the car exactly where it needed to be. I struggled a little bit with the balance that I had.”

“We’ve got a great group of people that are working really hard back at the factory that are trying to fix the issues that we have. It’s not something that’s going to happen in one race, it’s going to take a few races, hopefully as short as possible to get there.”

“But this weekend, I think I’m just hoping for some rain, if I’m really honest, because I would make it a little bit more exciting for us from my point of view. I’m just hoping the gap isn’t a second and I hope that we can just hit the ground running with the set-up.”

‘Hoping’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/30/hamilton-hoping-the-gap-to-red-bull-isnt-a-second-in-melbourne/


Lewis Hamilton refusing to speak to Michael Masi as axed F1 race director returns
Michael Masi has not attended a Grand Prix since the controversial 2021 season finale
09:06, Thu, Mar 30, 2023
By Charlie Gordon
Daily and Sunday Express

Lewis Hamilton will pass up the opportunity to receive an explanation from Michael Masi for his role in the infamous 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The Aussie has been spotted in Melbourne ahead of attending his first race since being axed as FIA race director.

Eyebrows were therefore raised when Masi, 44, was spotted in Melbourne this week in the lead-up to the Australian Grand Prix. On his attendance, Hamilton was asked by reporters whether he would actively look to seek out an explanation for the 2021 controversy.

"I don’t [plan to]," he said. "I am just focussed on my future. I am focussed on trying to get back to winning. There is nothing to say."

‘Pass up the opportunity’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1752676/lewis-hamilton-michael-masi-f1-news


Verstappen says Alonso deserves his long-awaited 33rd win – and more
2023 Australian Grand Prix
Posted on 30th March 2023, 7:2030th March 2023, 7:07
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

“I think Fernando should have won anyway already a lot more races than what he has done,” said Verstappen. “I think he deserves a lot more. I would be quite happy to see him win number 33. But I also, in a way, also I would like to see him win more. So we’ll see in the coming races.”

Several Spanish sportspeople have shown their support for Alonso’s pursuit of his 33rd win on social media. “It’s crazy to see how Spain is now so enthusiastic again for Formula 1 and for everything that is happening,” said the Aston Martin driver. “So this is very nice to see and hopefully I think they did enjoy these first two podiums the whole country.”

“This 33, I don’t know, all these things that are happening now in social media, it was ‘El Plan’ three years ago and then the mission and now ’33’ so there are a lot of 33s,” he added. “All the football clubs or footballers or tennis or whatever they are always doing something with 33. So hopefully we can reach that number in terms of wins and then we go for 34.”

‘El Plan’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/30/verstappen-says-alonso-deserves-his-long-awaited-33rd-win-and-more/


'Different atmosphere, for sure!' – Stroll looks forward to Australian GP
30 Mar 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Aston Martin's Lance Stroll comments on the different and "exciting" prospect the team is facing ahead of the Australian Grand Prix in comparison to last year.

‘Exciting prospect’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.different-atmosphere-for-sure-stroll-looks-forward-to-australian-gp.1761764706381406307.html

[Fortitude]

Verstappen dominates amid GPS chaos in Australian GP first practice.
Max Verstappen has laid down an early marker at the Australian Grand Prix.
Friday 31 March 2023 04:32
Sam Hall
GPFans

The Dutchman set the fastest time in the opening session of the Albert Park weekend with an effort of one-minute 18.790secs. Despite his pace, the Red Bull driver was not faultless as he spun his RB19 with six minutes remaining in the session.

Much to the dissatisfaction of the teams, the opening hour of running was interrupted by a pair of red flags - the first for a GPS problem that caused a number of near-miss moments between drivers on hot laps and those on slower efforts.

The second instance came after Williams' rookie Logan Sargeant stopped at the side of the track as his car shut down on the run to turn 11. With four minutes remaining on the clock, the session did not resume after this interruption.

‘Verstappen quickest’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/104602/verstappen-dominates-amid-gps-chaos-in-australian-gp-first-practice/


(FP1) First Practice Results – 2023 Australian Grand Prix
31st March 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -1:18.790
2. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.433
3. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.503
4. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.527
5. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.588
6. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.715
7. Lando Norris McLaren +0.746
8. Pierre Gasly Alpine +0.856
9. George Russell Mercedes +0.909
10. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +0.976

‘Australian Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the first free practice ahead of this weekend’s 2023 F1 World Championship race in Melbourne’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp1-first-practice-results-2023-australian-grand-prix-81764


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from first practice for the Australian Grand Prix
31 March 2023
Becky Hart.
Special Contributor.

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-first-practice-in-australia-2023.KBBEzAnshwp7VgyoFhEvS.html


Everything that happened in Australian GP FP1
31st March 2023, 03:43
By Josh Suttill
The Race

Max Verstappen led Lewis Hamilton in a fraught opening practice session at Formula 1’s Australian Grand Prix.

Key moments:
> Verstappen fastest, spins late on
> Hamilton beats Perez to P2 with late soft run
> GPS issues red flag FP1 for 10 minutes
> Late Sargeant stoppage ends FP1 early

Championship leader Verstappen topped FP1 on the soft tyres with a 1m18.790s – just under a second adrift of Charles Leclerc’s 2022 pole position time at Albert Park. And he survived a big moment with six minutes of the session remaining when he spun his RB19 on the kerbs at the Turn 4 left-hander.

‘Everything that happened’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/everything-that-happened-in-australian-gp-fp1/


Verstappen spins but goes quickest as GPS fault causes red flag
2023 Australian Grand Prix first practice
Posted on 31st March 2023, 3:48
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Championship leader Max Verstappen was quickest in a frantic and incident filled first practice session for the Australian Grand Prix despite a late spin.

The Red Bull driver went quickest by four tenths of a second over Lewis Hamilton and the second Red Bull off Sergio Perez. Verstappen’s final flying lap saw him spin at the exit of turn four, briefly facing backwards off the track, but he was able to continue.

Sunny skies over Melbourne greeted drivers as they ventured out around Albert Park for the first time in the weekend, with relatively mild temperatures of 18C ambient and track temperature at 31C. With the threat of rain for the day’s second practice session, drivers were quick to head out and make the most of the opening hour.

‘Verstappen spins but goes quickest’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/31/verstappen-spins-but-goes-quickest-as-gps-fault-causes-red-flag/


FP1: The Melbourne weekend begins with a Red Bull P1, and an unusual red flag situation
31 Mar 2023 3:30 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen topped the timesheets in FP1 for the Australian Grand Prix, a session in which several drivers complained about the Albert Park circuit’s bumps.

Unlike in most practice sessions all 20 drivers did at least one lap within the first five minutes with Max Verstappen, on the soft tyres, up into second place behind his team-mate. This weekend Pirelli’s softs are the C4, one step harder than the softs that were brought to Melbourne last year.

Rookie driver Logan Sargeant wasn’t having the best of times, reporting that it’s so bumpy he “can’t see”. It was the natural bumps of the street circuit that were bothering him, not porpoising. Hamilton also reported “I’ve got bouncing.”

‘Unusual red flag situation’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/australian-grand-prix-2023-fp1-report/


Australian GP: Verstappen quickest in chaotic Practice 1
31 March 2023

Inside Racing

Max Verstappen set the pace in an action-packed Practice 1 at the Australian Grand Prix. The opening half an hour was somewhat serene at Albert Park, during which the Red Bull driver posted a 1m18.790s to lead by four-tenths of a second.

But as drivers headed out on their second set of tyres, mistakes and traffic galore ensued, the latter as a result of GPS problems that required a red flag to fix. Shortly beforehand, Yuki Tsunoda narrowly avoided the barriers though did catch some air with a high-speed spin through the gravel at Turn 1.

‘Chaotic Practice 1’;

https://www.insideracing.com/formula-1/16648-australian-gp-verstappen-quickest-in-chaotic-practice-1

[Fortitude]

Alonso on top as rain scuppers Australian GP second practice plans.
The Spaniard finished 0.445secs faster than Charles Leclerc's Ferrari with a best effort of a one minute, 18.887s set on medium tyres.
Friday 31 March 2023
Ewan Gale
GPFans

Fernando Alonso emerged on top in a rain-affected second practice for the Australian Grand Prix. Max Verstappen ended third, a further two-tenths down as drivers missed out on representative qualifying simulations with the rain coming down.

Drivers rushed to hit the track early with rain predicted, causing traffic issues despite a fix to the GPS problems that brought FP1 to a stop earlier in the day. The Red Bull drivers were at the heart of the traffic jams - Sergio Perez held up by Lance Stroll and then Zhou Guanyu with the Mexican labelling the issues as "horrendous".

Team-mate Verstappen found himself in the way of Ferrari's Carlos Sainz at turn 11, though the Dutchman was finding his way past two other cars. But with only Perez and Williams driver Alex Albon fitting soft tyres and each driver tackling long run plans before the rain fell 13 minutes into the session, ending any chance for representative running.

‘Rain scuppers Australian GP second practice plans’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/104616/australian-gp-second-practice-results-report/


(FP2) Second Practice Results – 2023 Australian Grand Prix
31st March 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin -1:18.887
2. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.445
3. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.615
4. George Russell Mercedes +0.785
5. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.808
6. Esteban Ocon Alpine +0.838
7. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +1.196
8. Lando Norris McLaren +1.289
9. Nico Hulkenberg Haas +1.307
10. Pierre Gasly Alpine +1.319

‘Australian Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the second free practice ahead of this weekend’s 2023 F1 World Championship race in Melbourne’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp2-second-practice-results-2023-australian-grand-prix-81773


LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from second practice for the Australian Grand Prix
31 March 2023
Becky Hart.
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

‘Follow all the action’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-second-practice-in-australia-2023.4pmiqWsEgoo0WI9Sobo8mq.html


All you need to know about Alonso-led F1 Australian GP FP2
Mar 31 2023
By Jack Cozens
The Race

Fernando Alonso headed the second Formula 1 practice session of the Australian Grand Prix weekend as rain meant limited running was completed beyond the 20-minute mark.

Key moments:
> Alonso fastest after early rush of laps
> Perez faster on softs before hitting traffic
> Intermediate tyres needed for second half of session
> No-show for Sargeant after FP1 electrical issue

The majority of the field headed straight out at the start of FP2 with the threat of rain looming over the Albert Park circuit, albeit on a variety of different compounds.

‘All you need to know’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/all-you-need-to-know-about-alonso-led-f1-australian-gp-fp2/


Alonso fastest in FP2 before rain hits Melbourne
31st March 2023, 07:08
by Phillip Horton
Motorsport Week

Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso led the way before rain influenced proceedings in second practice for Formula 1’s Australian Grand Prix. The second one-hour session began under gloomy skies and the threat of rain at Albert Park.

Alonso posted a time of 1:18.887 on Medium tyres to sit 0.445s clear of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc before rain started to fall just over 10 minutes into the session.

Runaway title leaders Red Bull wound up with Max Verstappen third and Sergio Perez seventh. Verstappen ran wide through the Turn 1 grass while Perez was on course to topple Alonso atop the timesheets before being baulked in the final sector.

‘Alonso fastest’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/03/31/alonso-fastest-in-fp2-before-rain-hits-melbourne/

[Fortitude]

5 key talking points from Friday's running at the Australian Grand Prix.
Conditions catch out drivers even before the rain. GPS issue causes havoc. Representative qualifying data limited. Long run data also limited. Drivers get first wet running in 2023 cars.
31st March 2023, 08:50
By George Dagless
Give Me Sport

An intriguing Friday at the Australian Grand Prix has added importance to Saturday's practice session with a GPS issue in FP1 and wet weather in FP2 impacting running.

Round three of the F1 world championship is taking place at the Albert Park circuit in Melbourne, Australia, and the forecast mixed weather conditions hit on Friday, with FP2 in particular affected.

Before that, though, dry running in FP1 was hampered by a GPS issue, causing a number of traffic jams out on circuit as drivers could not be warned who was coming up behind them on a fast lap.

‘5 key talking points’;

https://www.givemesport.com/5-key-talking-points-from-fridays-running-at-the-australian-grand-prix/


Perez concedes Red Bull could be left 'a bit blind' after 'mental' Australian GP practice
Friday 31 March 2023 10:40
Ewan Gale
GPFans

Sergio Perez believes Red Bull will enter the Australian Grand Prix "a bit blind" after a "mental" day of practice at Albert Park.

"It was a bit mental," said Perez. "Especially going into P2, it felt like a lot of people were still having issues with the GPS so it was just a mess. I couldn't get a lap in in the afternoon."

"We made some changes that seemed to be working well in sector one and sector two but not much to say really," added Perez. "Tomorrow, there is plenty to do, too much to do in FP3 so we will be going a bit blind into the race which should be interesting."

‘Bit mental’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/104632/sergio-perez-concedes-red-bull-could-be-left-a-bit-blind-after-mental-australian-gp-practice/


Australian GP is 'FUNDAMENTAL' for Ferrari, insists former Scuderia driver
Friday 31 March 2023 10:00
Stuart Hodge
GPFans

A top Italian TV pundit has claimed this weekend is "fundamental" in terms of Ferrari's season. According to Marc Gene, a former Ferrari test driver who also drove in F1 for Williams and Minardi, this weekend is pivotal for the Maranello-based outfit.

"The team in Maranello has been working very hard since Jeddah," said Gene. "There has been a lot of set-up work, and this weekend is going to be fundamental." The Ferrari finished fifth and sixth in the first free practice session before the second was effectively washed out by rain.

"Already from the first free practice session, we should understand if the changes are working," added Gene. "The car has so much potential, but we struggle to balance the power between qualifying and the race."

'FUNDAMENTAL';

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/104631/ferrari-australian-grand-prix-marc-gene-fundamental/


Button claims F1 drivers too reliant on technology after Australian GP practice 'close calls'
Friday 31 March 2023 12:03
Ewan Gale
GPFans

Former F1 world champion Jenson Button believes drivers have become too reliant on technology after a number of near-misses in Australian Grand Prix practice. "I think we rely too much on technology," Button told Sky Sports. "The mirrors are there for a reason – it is not hard to look in the mirrors.”

"I remember when I was racing when you were doing a slow lap, you would be pulling off line and checking your mirrors the whole time for what's coming. I don't think anything has really changed, the mirrors are actually bigger for this year.”

"I think just because we do have someone there the whole time telling us we have someone coming, he is five, four, three behind you, we just focus on that more. But I think the drivers should be paying attention to their mirrors a bit more because there are some real close calls out there with these high-speed corners. Some of them are blind as well."

‘Too reliant on technology’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/104638/jenson-button-claims-f1-drivers-too-reliant-on-technology-after-australian-gp-practice-close-calls/


Why Aston Martin’s abysmal F1 low is now a ‘highlight’
Mar 31 2023
By Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Fernando Alonso’s topping of the times in Friday practice at the Australian Grand Prix was rain-assisted but still serves as a powerful symbol of Aston Martin’s transformation since its abysmal nadir 12 months ago.

“It was a very difficult moment,” he says. “But I think also it was the best moment for us as a team. Because we sat together, all of us after these…events! And it could have been easy to fall apart completely as a team.”

“But we really stuck together well there and decided, ‘OK, we are going to work ourselves out of this’. So, for me, it’s actually the highlight of last year.”

‘Powerful symbol of Aston Martin’s transformation’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/why-aston-martins-abysmal-f1-low-is-now-a-highlight/


Mixed feelings at Mercedes after Australian GP practice
31 March 2023
Ben Issatt
Inside Racing

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell had opposite feelings after Friday's Practice at the Australian Grand Prix.

"This morning was good, this afternoon wasn't so good,” the seven-time world champion said. “The car is similar [to Bahrain and Saudi Arabia]. It felt a bit better this morning. We made some changes, didn't work, so we will revise them tonight. Then it rained so it wasn't the greatest of sessions."

As for Russell, he went the other way finishing ninth in the morning before managing the fourth best time in the brief dry spell in the second session. "FP2 was a little bit frustrating with the weather coming in but it was a reasonable session for us,” he explained.

‘Mixed feelings at Mercedes’;

https://www.insideracing.com/formula-1/16652-mixed-feelings-at-mercedes-after-australian-gp-practice


Sainz fears another Ferrari letdown in Australian GP
31 March 12:32PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Carlos Sainz thinks Ferrari are still "one step behind" their Formula 1 rivals after experimenting with car setups in the Australian Grand Prix practice.

"I think it's fair to assume that in qualifying we will play with them, but then in the race we should assume also that we should be one step behind like in Jeddah," said Sainz.

Ferrari spent most of interrupted Friday practice running focusing on car setup, which should help them find more performance according to Sainz.

‘Another Ferrari letdown fears’;

https://racingnews365.com/ferrari-still-one-step-behind-top-teams-says-sainz

[Fortitude]

Verstappen leads Alonso in final Australian Grand Prix practice.
Max Verstappen posted the fastest time in third and final Formula 1 practice for the Australian Grand Prix, edging out Fernando Alonso.
01 April 4:35AM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

The World Champion's late 1:17.565s effort was enough to take him to the top of the time sheets on the Soft tyres, having focused his running on the Mediums throughout the 60-minute session.

He pipped Alonso by 0.162s, with the Aston Martin fast but scrappy around the Albert Park circuit, with Esteban Ocon third for Alpine in a strong session for the team which had Pierre Gasly fifth. The session was brought to an effective early end by the arrival of rain in the closing stages.

‘Verstappen leads Alonso’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-leads-alonso-in-final-australian-grand-prix-practice


(FP3) Third Practice Results – 2023 Australian Grand Prix
1st April 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -1:17.565
2. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.162
3. Esteban Ocon Alpine +0.373
4. George Russell Mercedes +0.390
5. Pierre Gasly Alpine +0.529
6. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.558
7. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.562
8. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.573
9. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +0.633
10. Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo +0.765

‘Australian Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the final free practice ahead of this weekend’s 2023 F1 World Championship race in Melbourne’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp3-third-practice-results-2023-australian-grand-prix-81780


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from final practice for the Australian Grand Prix
01 April 2023
Becky Hart.
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-third-practice-in-australia-2023.4gVbB7jtvWmYm8PUdq7jW6.html


What happened in final F1 practice at the Australian GP
1st April 2023, 03:57
By Jack Cozens
The Race

Formula 1 championship leader Max Verstappen led Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin in final practice for the Australian Grand Prix, as the second Red Bull of Sergio Perez struggled to string together a lap in his RB19.

Key moments:
> Verstappen 0.162s clear on late performance runs
> Perez misses first 20 minutes, later struggles for laptime
> Red flag for debris in “very dangerous” place before Turn 9
> McLaren inspects clutch issue on Norris’s car

Verstappen was fourth early on and later bumped down onto the fringes of the top 10 having set his best initial time on medium compound tyres – which he also used for his long-run simulation midway through the session.

‘What happened’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/what-happened-in-final-f1-practice-at-the-australian-gp/


Verstappen quickest again as Perez runs off-track four times in final practice
2023 Australian Grand Prix third practice
Posted on 1st April 2023, 3:521st April 2023, 4:07
Written by Will Wood
RacingNews365

Max Verstappen heads into qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix as the fastest driver in final practice as his Red Bull team mate Sergio Perez suffered multiple offs in a frustrating session.

The world champion’s 1’17.565 was a tenth of a second faster than Fernando Alonso in the Aston Martin, while Esteban Ocon took third for Alpine. Perez was sixth quickest, but ran off the track on no fewer than four occasions while struggling with the handling of his Red Bull.

After rain affected the second practice session, teams were greeted with overcast skies and relatively cool temperatures as the third and final hour of practice began. Despite a 30% risk of rain hanging over the last session of running before qualifying, there was not an immediate rush of drivers heading out onto the circuit as the pit lane opened.

‘Verstappen quickest’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/04/01/verstappen-quickest-again-as-perez-runs-off-track-four-times-in-final-practice/


2023 Australian GP FP3: Russell and Perez blocked as traffic problems hit again at Albert Park.
01 Apr 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

The drivers were finding it tough to get a clear lap on Friday, with plenty of runs ruined by coming across a slow car on the racing line – and in FP3 it was George Russell and Sergio Perez who suffered from traffic in Melbourne.

‘Russell and Perez blocked’;

https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/F1/Grands+Prix/Australian+GP

[Fortitude]

Max Verstappen plays down Red Bull fears for Australian Grand Prix as Mercedes eye upset.
Max Verstappen and Red Bull continue to dominate in F1 after another success at the Australian Grand Prix.
07:24, Sat, Apr 1, 2023
By Luke Chillingsworth
Daily and Sunday Express

Max Verstappen has played down Red Bull’s reliability fears despite raising concerns over team radio during qualifying. It comes as the Dutchman faces a stern challenge from Mercedes for Sunday's Australian Grand Prix. The Silver Arrows bounced back to seal P2 and P3 for the start of the race.

When pushed on whether he was worried about the team’s reliability, Verstappen reassured his fans it was nothing to be worried about despite moaning over team radio during qualifying about his car. He added: “I think the last run was very good. The whole weekend has been very tough to get the tyres ready to push straightaway but it worked out in Q3 and am very happy to be on pole position.”

"I think we always try to fine-tune and we will continue to do that. I think we will have a good race car but it is tricky to keep the tyres alive so it will be an interesting race for sure. I have been on the podium once here but I want to be on a different step."

‘Continue to dominate’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1753579/max-verstappen-red-bull-australian-grand-prix


Qualifying Results – 2023 Australian Grand Prix
1st April 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
Q3
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -1:16.732
2. George Russell Mercedes +0.236
3. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.372
4. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.407
5. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.538
6. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +0.576
7. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.637
8. Alex Albon Williams Racing +0.877
9. Pierre Gasly Alpine +0.943
10. Nico Hulkenberg Haas +1.003

‘Australian Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from qualifying ahead of tomorrow’s 2023 F1 World Championship race from Albert Park’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/qualifying-results-2023-australian-grand-prix-81789


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix
01 April 2023
Formula One - Official Site

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-qualifying-in-australia-2023.5tyaqJ2EonxhevgiCPXW5X.html


Verstappen claims first ever Melbourne pole as Russell bags front row start
01 April 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Max Verstappen drew level with Fernando Alonso by taking his 22nd career pole position in qualifying for the 2023 Australian Grand Prix – while Mercedes’ George Russell qualified second and Sergio Perez ended up 20th after a Q1 crash.

Verstappen set a time of 1m 16.732s to take his first Australian Grand Prix pole position ahead of Russell, who was 0.236s off in Q3. Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton ended up third on the grid, 0.372s off the pace, while Fernando Alonso was 0.407s off the pace in P4.

Carlos Sainz qualified fifth for Ferrari in front of Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, while Charles Leclerc struggled on the way to P7. Alex Albon managed a stellar P8 for Williams to leave Alpine’s Pierre Gasly ninth and Nico Hulkenberg 10th for Haas.

‘First ever Melbourne pole’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.verstappen-claims-first-ever-melbourne-pole-as-russell-bags-front-row-start.3IxM1nwxybesiW95o5C1sE.html


2023 Australian GP Qualifying: Max Verstappen crosses the line to seal pole position in Melbourne
01 Apr 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Max Verstappen put in a superb lap at Albert Park to seal his second pole position of the year at the 2023 F1 Australian Grand Prix.

‘To seal pole position’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2023-australian-gp-qualifying-max-verstappen-crosses-the-line-to-seal-pole-position-in-melbourne.1761954282468221031.html


Perez crashes OUT of Australian GP qualifying
Saturday 1 April 2023 07:12
Sam Hall
GPFans

Sergio Perez has crashed out of Q1 at the Australian Grand Prix and will line up at the back of the grid for Sunday's race. The Mexican endured a horrifically bad final practice session on Saturday morning as the team was seen fixing what appeared to be a left-rear suspension problem before he ran off the track on four occasions.

But his pain has now been magnified after he again ran off the track at turn three on his first hot lap. But his pain has now been magnified after he again ran off the track at turn three on his first hot lap.

During the day's earlier session, Perez reported that he believed there was a problem with his car. Reiterating this, Perez said via team radio: "We need to sort that issue man. It was the same f*****g issue again!"

‘Perez crashes OUT’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/104699/perez-crashes-out-of-australian-gp-qualifying/


Lewis Hamilton puts target on Max Verstappen after Mercedes cause Australian GP surprise
Mercedes could challenge Red Bull after making a major step forward at the Australian Grand Prix.
07:40, Sat, Apr 1, 2023
By Luke Chillingsworth
Daily and Sunday Express

Lewis Hamilton has his sights set on beating Max Verstappen in the Australian Grand Prix after Mercedes stunned the field. The Silver Arrows had struggled for space throughout free practice but turned on the style in qualifying. Hamilton was quick enough for P3 while team-mate George Russell just pipped him to second place. However, Hamilton was not concerned about losing out to Russell as he sniffed a chance of victory on Sunday.

He said: "This is a totally unexpected. Really proud of the team. George did an amazing job there today so for us to be up on the front two rows in honestly a dream for us. We are all working as hard as we can to get right back up to the front so to be this close to Red Bull is incredible. Hopefully tomorrow we can give them a run for their money and we hope the weather is good.”

‘Target on Max’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1753583/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-max-verstappen-australian-grand-prix-qualifying

[Fortitude]

Sergio Perez fails to qualify for Australian GP as F1 stewards release statement.
His entry was agreed after officials determined he had set quick enough times during the weekend’s practice sessions.
12:42, Sat, Apr 1, 2023
By Luke Chillingsworth
Daily and Sunday Express

Sergio Perez had a Saturday afternoon to forget at the Australian Grand Prix.

A statement from the governing body read: "The Stewards have received a request from Oracle Red Bull Racing to allow car 11 to start the race despite failing to set a qualifying time within 107 per cent of the fastest time set in Q1.

"In accordance with Article 39.3 of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations, the Stewards grant permission for car 11, Sergio Perez, to start the race, as the driver has set satisfactory times in practice at this event."

‘Entry was agreed’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1753641/sergio-perez-red-bull-australian-grand-prix


Stewards confirm Perez will race in Australian Grand Prix after Q1 crash
Saturday 1 April 2023 12:05
Lauren Sneath
GPFans

Stewards had to manually approve Sergio Perez as a race contestant for the Australian Grand Prix after he failed to set a qualifying time – and they have now done so, as was expected.

The Red Bull driver lost control of his car in his first attempt at a flying lap, beaching it in the gravel and causing the session to be red-flagged. After his early elimination, Red Bull had to apply to the FIA for special dispensation to allow the Mexican driver to race, because he had broken the FIA’s '107 per cent rule'.

‘Manually approve Sergio Perez’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/104731/sergio-perez-stewards-dispensation-crash/


Christian Horner: ‘Nothing went right’ on ‘horrible day’ for Sergio Perez
01 Apr 2023 12:45 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Red Bull boss Christian Horner admits “nothing went right” on a “horrible day” for Sergio Perez at the Australian Grand Prix.

With Sky F1 pundit Karun Chandhok branding that showing from Perez “one of the worst days of his F1 career”, Horner replied: “He’s had a horrible day today. It started this morning, the car was late off the weighbridge and there were no major issues. And the plan in FP3 was always to run differently to Max [Verstappen], not do a long run, he’s just doing two short runs.”

“He never really recovered from FP3 and then this lap which was never going to be really a consequential lap, to unfortunately lock-up and go off. We’re just checking all the data to see if there’s something within the engine management that has maybe contributed to that. So, we’re just going through all that data as we speak.”

‘Nothing went right’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/christian-horner-sergio-perez-horrible-day-aus-gp/


Formula 1: Red Bull to investigate after Sergio Perez's 'terrible day' sees him start last for Australian GP
1st April 2023, 09:27
Sky Sports.

Sergio Perez lamented a "terrible day" as he prepares to start dead last at the Australian Grand Prix after crashing out in Q1, with Red Bull boss Christian Horner confirming reliability checks would be carried out.

Perez - the winner of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah two weeks ago - also went off the track three times in final practice earlier on Saturday at Albert Park.

‘Red Bull to investigate’;

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/12847043/formula-1-red-bull-to-investigate-after-sergio-perezs-terrible-day-sees-him-start-last-for-australian-gp


Sergio Perez laments ‘terrible’ day after qualifying shocker
April 1, 2023 13:54 IST
By: Reuters

The Mexican, one point shy of team mate Max Verstappen in the Formula One title race, locked up at turn three at Albert Park and beached himself in the gravel on his first out lap in the opening session of qualifying.

“It was really bad, it was a terrible day. Already in FP3 we had this issue,” Perez told reporters. “We thought we fixed it but obviously we didn’t so I really hope that come tomorrow (on) race day we are able to fix it because otherwise it will be really difficult to race like this.”

It was a huge come-down for Perez, who won from pole at the last race in Jeddah and came to Albert Park declaring he could challenge Verstappen for the championship.

‘Really bad’;

https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/motor-sport/sergio-perez-laments-terrible-day-after-qualifying-shocker-8532116/


Perez ‘a passenger’ as brake issues wreck AGP qualifying
Saturday 1st April, 2023 - 7:20pm
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Sergio Perez claims he became “a passenger” after brake issues on his Red Bull saw him end up in the gravel in qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix.

“I’m confident we will be able to fix it as a team, and hopefully minimise the damage tomorrow but it’s going to be difficult to overtake,” added Perez. “I totally trust my team that we will be able to overcome this problem and be able to have a strong race pace.”

Perez recognises Red Bull is vulnerable if it is unable to implement its planning. “The margin in quali shows how close everyone is,” added Perez. “If we’re not able to put it all together every single Saturday and Sunday, the competition is very strong.”

‘Confident we will be able to fix it as a team’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/04/01/sergio-perez-passenger-australian-gp-qualifying-brake-issues/


Sergio Perez just looking to ‘minimise the damage’ after ‘terrible’ qualy day
01 Apr 2023 8:50 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Red Bull’s Sergio Perez was understandably frustrated and downbeat after a nightmare Saturday at the Australian Grand Prix.

Perez fumed over the radio as he said a repeat of the FP3 issue had caused this qualifying-ending incident, and now predicts that a “really difficult” race awaits too if Red Bull cannot get on top of this problem.

‘Minimise the damage’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/sergio-perez-terrible-aus-gp-qualifying/


PEREZ AHEAD OF THE AUSTRALIAN GP: ‘IMPORTANT TO MINIMISE THE DAMAGE’
The Red Bull driver will start the race from the end of the grid due to a crash in Q1
April 1, 2023
Dalila Zanardo
FormulaNerds

The first surprise from the Australian weekend came during Q1 when Red Bull driver Sergio Perez ended up in the gravel causing a red flag. The 33-year-old will hence be forced to start from last on the grid tomorrow and follow in his teammate’s footsteps from the Saudi Arabian GP to score an important comeback.

Red Bull driver Sergio Perez will start the Australian GP from the end of the grid due to an accident in qualifying. The Mexican, looking to rival teammate Max Verstappen for the title, admitted it would be crucial to do damage control during the race.

‘Damage control’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/perez-ahead-of-the-australian-gp-important-to-minimise-the-damage/?nowprocket=1


Perez in damage limitation mode after 'terrible day' ends in qualifying crash
Saturday 1 April 2023 09:45
Ewan Gale
GPFans

Sergio Perez has conceded he is in damage limitation mode after a "terrible day" left him last on the grid for the Australian Grand Prix.

On his prospects for the race, Perez conceded: "Minimise the damage. It will be really important to minimise it."

‘Damage limitation’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/104715/australian-gp-qualifying-sergio-perez-in-damage-limitation-mode-after-terrible-day-ends-in-crash/

[Fortitude]

Alonso: Australian GP qualifying Aston Martin's best this season.
Fernando Alonso has labelled Australian Grand Prix qualifying as Aston Martin's best of the season so far despite falling behind Mercedes.
Saturday 1 April 2023 13:37
Ewan Gale
GPFans

But a resurgent display from Mercedes saw George Russell and Lewis Hamilton end Saturday second and third quickest, demoting Alonso from the front row he occupied in Saudi Arabia two weeks ago.

Yet the Spaniard has insisted that this was Aston Martin's best effort of the season when looking at the bigger picture. "It was very tight," said Alonso. "There were a lot of cars within one or two-tenths and we were in the upper part of that group in Q1 and Q2 – I think I was P2.”

"And then in Q3, with a couple of hundredths, we miss the first row of the grid. The Mercedes did a very good job in Q3, so still I think the best qualifying of the three for us. We were 0.6s [down] in Bahrain, 0.5s in Jeddah and 0.4s here from pole position, so we have to be happy."

‘Aston Martin's best of the season’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/104739/fernando-alonso-australian-gp-qualifying-aston-martins-best-this-season/


Verstappen dismisses Red Bull reliability concerns for Australian GP
Saturday 1 April 2023 10:31
Sam Hall
GPFans

Max Verstappen has denied feeling concerned over Red Bull's reliability after reporting various issues during qualifying at the Australian Grand Prix. Asked if reliability is a concern for Sunday's race, he said: "No, normally not. I think we just always try to fine-tune and we'll continue to do that."

"I think the last run was very good," added the Red Bull driver. "The whole weekend, it has been very tough to get the tyres in the right window to push straightaway but it all worked out in Q3.”

"I'm very happy with the lap and of course, very happy to be on pole position. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow really. I've been on the podium once but I want to be on a different step this time."

‘Try to fine-tune’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/104710/verstappen-dismisses-red-bull-australian-gp-reliability-concerns/


Hamilton eyes Verstappen fight, Alonso calls out Mercedes, Perez explains issue: Australian GP qualifying key quotes
By George Dagless
Give Me Sport

Max Verstappen will have to fend off two hard-charging Mercedes cars into turn one at tomorrow's Australian Grand Prix. The Red Bull ace earned his first pole position in Australia with a fine performance in what was an intriguing and, at times, dramatic qualifying session.

Indeed, his team-mate Sergio Perez provided one of the early talking points and not in a positive sense for the Mexican as he slid off of the circuit with an issue at turn three in Q1, with him beached and out of the session moments later - he'll start from the back of the grid.

‘Hamilton eyes Verstappen fight’;

https://www.givemesport.com/hamilton-eyes-verstappen-fight-alonso-calls-out-mercedes-perez-explains-issue-australian-gp-qualifying-key-quotes/


Sainz and Leclerc in INTENSE Ferrari exchange after Australian GP qualifying
Saturday 1 April 2023 15:25
Stuart Hodge
GPFans

"S**t lap, I had no prep this time," he said. "Big thanks to Carlos for the tow. Got a bit of speed there, always nice."

"It was a difficult qualifying," he told French broadcaster Canal+ afterwards. "I knew I had to line up everything in my last lap of Q3. Unfortunately we were waiting for the rain so we didn't do a warm-up lap, which made things more difficult.”

"Carlos gave me a nice tow as well in turn 3 and 4... we didn't manage the qualification well. It's a bit frustrating, but you can't deny it, I was still in trouble today. I think tomorrow will be a bit better."

‘INTENSE Ferrari exchange’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/104730/charles-leclerc-ferrari-australian-grand-prix-qualifying/


2023 Australian Grand Prix: The weekend so far
01 Apr 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)1

From the return of Daniel Ricciardo to the Formula 1 paddock to behind-the-scenes snippets of Ferrari drivers sporting some new spectacles for a brand new challenge, witness the action from 2023 Australian Grand Prix weekend so far.

‘The weekend so far’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2023-australian-grand-prix-the-weekend-so-far.1761979281566453307.html


Norris says he needs to drive the McLaren at “95%” after missing Q3 again
2023 Australian Grand Prix
Posted on 1st April 2023, 13:19
Written by Ed Hardy
RaceFans

Lando Norris is “a bit disappointed” with himself because he isn’t performing to the level he should be after another poor qualifying result for McLaren. The 22-year-old will start 13th in tomorrow’s Australian Grand Prix. He made it as far as Q3 but was unable to claim a place in the top 10 after making a few errors.

“I’m just pushing too hard,” he said. “I needed to put a pretty magical lap together to get into Q3, so I guess I was trying for that but just a bit too much over the limit. So it’s tough. I thought I’d do a little bit better than where we were today. I think a little bit better was possible. But I’m just not driving as well as I need to, or should, to be honest. So I’m a bit disappointed with myself.”

“95%”;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/04/01/norris-says-he-needs-to-drive-the-mclaren-at-95-after-missing-q3-again/


How Williams’s best F1 performance in two years was achieved
Apr 1 2023
By Edd Straw
The Race

Williams reached Q3 for the first time in the 2023 Formula 1 season in qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix, leading the midfield pack thanks to a performance founded on Alex Albon’s excellence and getting the best from the tricky Pirelli rubber.

Williams was already something of a surprise package in Bahrain, where Albon finished 10th, and Saudi Arabia, where the FW45 showed potential points-scoring pace. But Australia qualifying was comfortably its best performance of the year in terms of its deficit to the front, leaving it behind only Red Bull, Mercedes, Aston Martin and Ferrari.

Strategically, a one-stopper is expected, so if Albon can consolidate his place in the points at the start then he has every chance of staying there to the end even if Williams’s ‘natural’ pace will likely be shown to be lower down the order once everyone is circulating consistently on long stints.

‘Q3 for the first time in the 2023’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/how-williamss-best-f1-performance-in-two-years-was-achieved/

[Fortitude]

Australian GP ends in five-man crash carnage as team-mates take each other out.
Five different cars went off the track in the final few laps of the Australian Grand Prix as the race was restarted, prompting carnage as they all went into the first few corners.
08:09, 2 Apr 2023
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
The Mirror

Kevin Magnussen lost a wheel and left debris across the track, prompting a late red flag. That meant two racing laps to go with a standing restart on the grid, leaving all to play for in the race with Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton battling for victory. But the real action would come further back.

Verstappen held off the challenge of Hamilton into the first corner, but then carnage ensued. Fernando Alonso was on track for third place again, but was spun around by Carlos Sainz and left furious, worried that his podium had been snatched away. But that wasn't the end of it. There was also a disaster for Alpine as their two drivers took each other out.

With limited space on the track, Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly were unable to avoid hitting each other and they both smashed into the wall and out of the race. Further back, there was also contact between Logan Sargeant and Nyck de Vries which left the two of them stranded in the gravel. Sergio Perez had also gone off the track to avoid being caught up in the carnage, but that proved to be wise as he came through unscathed.

‘Five-man crash’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/breaking-australian-gp-huge-crash-29609476


Race Results – 2023 Australian Grand Prix
2nd April 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -58 laps
2. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.179
3. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.769
4. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +3.082
5. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +3.320
6. Lando Norris McLaren +3.701
7. Nico Hulkenberg Haas +4.939
8. Oscar Piastri McLaren +5.382
9. Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo +5.713
10. Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri +6.052

‘Australian Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from today’s 2023 F1 World Championship race from Albert Park’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/race-results-2023-australian-grand-prix-81800


LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from the 2023 Australian Grand Prix
02 April 2023
Becky Hart.
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

‘As it Happened’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-formula-1-rolex-australian-grand-prix-2023.4ibloZ71lP7ryNe0XK8Smk.html


Verstappen wins in a chaotic end to the Australian race
2nd April 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

After the overcast, rainy sessions of the past few days Albert Park was bathed in sunshine for the start of the Grand Prix. Max Verstappen will be starting on pole ahead of the two Mercedes of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton. It had been pretty close between them all in the final part of qualifying with the hold on provisional pole constantly swapping hands until the Red Bull racer’s last run which sealed the position and his first Australian pole start.

With the rolling restart despite the Safety Car ducking into the pits at the end of the out lap, cars aren’t permitted to overtake until they cross the start/finish line but the will be greeted at the line by the chequered flag so there won’t be any overtaking.

Verstappen, Hamilton and Alonso will share the podium while Stoll took P4 as, despite his best efforts, Sainz couldn’t pull enough gap and his penalty dropped him to P12 and last. Perez took P5 after starting the race from the pitlane and it was a double points finish for McLaren, also their first points of the season, with Norris in P6 and Oscar Piastri, in his first home race, in P8.

‘Chaotic end’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/verstappen-wins-in-a-chaotic-end-to-the-australian-race-81807


Verstappen wins messy F1 Australian GP with three red flags
2nd April 2023, 08:46
By Matt Beer
The Race

Max Verstappen took a third Red Bull victory of the 2023 Formula 1 season in bizarre circumstances as a third red flag created a confusing end to the Australian Grand Prix. After an early stoppage for Alex Albon heavily crashing his Williams from sixth place, the race ran relatively uneventfully with Verstappen overcoming Mercedes’ initial 1-2 formation to dominate.

But then the red flag was called for again when Kevin Magnussen crashed his Haas on the exit of Turn 2 near the end. Many drivers expressed surprise that the officials felt the level of debris merited a stoppage. The grid was reformed for what should’ve been a two-lap dash to the flag, but it immediately descended into destructive chaos.

The red flag instantly came out again, leaving uncertainty over whether the race would be declared over or another restart attempted, and whether the order used would be taken from prior to or after the crashes. The FIA announced that it would reset the order to what it had been prior to the disastrous restart, minus any cars now out, for a single lap behind the safety car and then a relatively redundant rolling restart at which the chequered flag would come out.

‘Destructive chaos’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/verstappen-wins-messy-f1-australian-gp-with-three-red-flags/


Piastri steals eighth in crazy Australian F1 debut
Sun, 2 April 2023 3:51PM
Oliver CaffreyAAP
The West Australian

Local youngster Oscar Piastri has marked his Australian Formula One Grand Prix debut by snatching eighth in one of the most chaotic conclusions at Albert Park.

In a race marred by crashes, fires and stoppages, Piastri survived the carnage to bank the first points, four, of his F1 career.

Piastri was 11th when the GP restarted with two laps remaining after a red flag was called following an incident with Haas' Kevin Magnussen.

‘Piastri steals eighth’;

https://thewest.com.au/sport/motorsport/piastri-steals-eighth-in-crazy-australian-f1-debut-c-10230694


Leclerc calls 2023 his ‘worst start ever’, and he’s right
2nd April 2023, 07:25
By Matt Beer and Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Charles Leclerc declared the start to his 2023 Formula 1 season the “worst ever” after a tangle with Lance Stroll ended his Australian Grand Prix on lap one.

Asked by The Race to sum up his feelings, Leclerc replied: “Frustrated, obviously. It’s the worst ever start of the season. Only six points or eight points, I don’t know what it is in total. Frustrating.”

‘He’s right’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/leclerc-calls-2023-his-worst-start-ever-and-hes-right/


George Russell in huge Australian Grand Prix fire as Mercedes car engulfed in flames
George Russell's Mercedes was ablaze during the Australian Grand Prix.
06:54, Sun, Apr 2, 2023
By Andrew McLean
Daily and Sunday Express

George Russell's Mercedes set alight in a big fire during the Australian Grand Prix after the British driver suffered an engine failure. The blaze forced the 25-year-old to retire from the race after a miserable afternoon which had also seen him badly lose out as a result of a red flag decision.

Russell took to Twitter to voice his disappointment shortly after returning to the garage, in a short message that summed up his situation. "When it’s not your day, it’s not your day," he wrote. Sky Sports reporter Ted Kravitz later confirmed that it had been a power unit issue that had ended Russell's race prematurely with Mercedes investigating what had gone wrong.

"When it’s not your day, it’s not your day";

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1753789/George-Russell-Mercedes-fire-Australian-Grand-Prix


MUST-SEE: Williams' Alex Albon crashes out of promising sixth place in the 2023 Australian Grand Prix and brings out red flags
02 April 2023
Formula One - Official Site

‘MUST-SEE’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.must-see-williams-alex-albon-crashes-out-of-promising-sixth-place-in-the.5pU9MTNZpMNFyvIm9m35Z1.html

[Fortitude]

Sainz ‘too angry to talk’ after ‘unfair’ penalty for clash with Alonso drops him out of the points from P4.
Asked for his thoughts post-race, Sainz commented: “Oh, sorry. Right now, I cannot talk. I’m too angry, too disappointed, too... I just cannot say anything.”
02 April 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Carlos Sainz was left in a frustrated mood after a penalty for clashing with Fernando Alonso during the Australian Grand Prix dropped him from fourth to 12th position when he took the chequered flag.

In a race full of Safety Cars and red flags, Sainz and Alonso went wheel-to-wheel into Turn 1 at what turned out to be the penultimate restart, with the Ferrari driver tipping his Aston Martin rival into a spin.

When informed about the penalty by his engineer ahead of the final restart and lap to the finish, Sainz was heard shouting over the radio and pleading with the stewards to hold back until he had visited them for a conversation.

‘Too angry to talk’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.sainz-too-angry-to-talk-after-unfair-penalty-for-clash-with-alonso-drops-him.RDNQR7NTq8zUKnXuZlYUj.html


Raging Sainz HITS OUT at stewards: 'Most unfair penalty I've seen in my life'
Sunday 2 April 2023 11:27
Ewan Gale
GPFans

Carlos Sainz has labelled the five-second penalty handed to him for colliding with Fernando Alonso at the Australian Grand Prix as "the most unfair penalty I have seen in my life".

Sainz was alerted to his five-second time penalty whilst in the cockpit waiting to resume, leading to a passioned plea over team radio.
"No, it cannot be, Ricky," he said to race engineer Riccardo Adami.
"Do I deserve to be out of the points? No, no, it is unacceptable.
"Tell them, it is unacceptable, they need to wait until the race is finished and discuss with me.
"Please, please, please, please, please wait and discuss with me.
"Clearly, the penalty is not deserved, it is too severe."

‘No, no, it is unacceptable’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/104804/carlos-sainz-restrained-over-most-unfair-australian-gp-penalty/


Brundle delivers BLUNT verdict on Sainz penalty
Sunday 2 April 2023 13:22
Ewan Gale
GPFans

Martin Brundle has claimed Carlos Sainz's five-second penalty for colliding with Fernando Alonso at the Australian Grand Prix is an "inconsistent" punishment.

In a Tweet, Brundle said: That’s an inconsistent penalty for Sainz from a standing start in the early corners." The stewards found Sainz "wholly to blame" for the collision, a fact which cannot be disputed.

‘BLUNT verdict’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/104819/martin-brundle-delivers-verdict-on-carlos-sainz-penalty/


Carlos Sainz couldn't hide his rage at late penalty in Australian Grand Prix
2nd April 2023, 11:32
By George Dagless
Give Me Sport

Carlos Sainz could not hide his fury and upset at being handed a five-second time penalty at the end of the Australian Grand Prix, which saw the Ferrari man drop out of the points.

The Spaniard had an eventful race in Melbourne and looked on course to seal a fourth-place finish before a chaotic chain of events led to him eventually being classified outside of the top 10.

Kevin Magnussen's clash with the wall at the exit of turn two sent a shower of debris across the track and caused a late red flag which, in turn, triggered a restart ahead of the last two racing laps.

‘Couldn't hide his rage’;

https://www.givemesport.com/carlos-sainz-couldnt-hide-his-rage-at-late-penalty-in-australian-grand-prix/


Carlos Sainz morphs into Jose Mourinho with 'prefer not to speak' post-race comments
Spanish ace Carlos Sainz had to hold his emotions back when he was collared after the race where he fell from fourth to 12th thanks to a penalty issued for clipping Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso
15:57, 2 APR 2023
BY Ben Haslam
Daily Star

Formula One fans are certain Carlos Sainz has morphed into Jose Mourinho after his limited comments after Sunday's Australian Grand Prix. Speaking after the race, Sainz had to bite his tongue when asked for his thoughts on the incident. Appearing on Sky Sports, he said: "I prefer not to talk right now.

"Honestly, Rachael, I'm disappointed. I'm going to say bad things. It's the most for a penalty I have seen in my life. I prefer to go to the stewards, have a conversation with them and come back to talk to you guys because now I cannot do it."

Following the raging Spaniard's chat, fans couldn't help but liken it to the famous Jose Mourinho interview where he similarly held his thoughts back from the TV cameras.

"Honestly, Rachael, I'm disappointed”;

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1/formula-one-carlos-sainz-australia-29611335

[Fortitude]

Ocon blasts 'suicidal' drivers on final restart.
Esteban Ocon called out the 'suicidal' behaviour of several drivers on the final restart of Sunday's Australian Grand Prix, but absolved Alpine teammate Pierre Gasly of any wrongdoing in the crash that eliminated both their cars.
02/04/2023 at 12:47
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

The two Frenchman immediately cleared the air, with Gasly apologizing to his teammate who admitted the incident could have happened to anyone. "Obviously a very chaotic restart then honestly, it could have been any cars that I collided with," commented Ocon.

"There were cars coming back on the track, obviously Pierre was one of them. But no hard feelings. He came and apologised and as I said, it could have been anyone."

However, Ocon wasn't inclined to let several other drivers off the hook for their frantic behavior on the restart, pointing the finger in particular at AlphaTauri's Nyck de Vries, but mistakenly as it was in reality Yuki Tsunoda who had crept up the inside of the Alpine at Turn 1.

'Suicidal' behaviour’;

https://f1i.com/news/470832-ocon-blasts-suicidal-drivers-on-final-restart.html


Gasly apologises to Ocon over crash which eliminated both Alpines
2023 Australian Grand Prix
Posted on 2nd April 2023, 13:15
Written by Keith Collantine


Pierre Gasly offered his apologies to his team mate after triggering the collision which eliminated the pair of them at the end of the Australian Grand Prix. Alpine came away from the Australian Grand Prix pointless despite having both their drivers in the top 10 with two laps to go. Gasly was running fifth, five places ahead of Esteban Ocon when the race was red-flagged for the second time.

Gasly, who is only two penalty points away from reaching the 12 which would trigger an automatic race ban, spoke only briefly after the race. “I don’t have anything to say,” he told the official Formula 1 channel. “I’m just extremely disappointed and just want to remember the positive. We didn’t expect to be fighting one Ferrari and to have Alonso in my sights for most of the race. So that’s what we will remember.”

“The rest I just have no comment and I’m way too disappointed to be standing here and looking at these guys doing one lap.” Ocon said his team mate apologised for the collision. He feels he could have easily tangled with any other driver at the “chaotic” restart.

‘Pierre Gasly offered his apologies’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/04/02/gasly-apologises-to-ocon-over-crash-which-eliminated-both-alpines/


Ocon reveals his Alpine team mate Gasly has already apologised for their late crash in Melbourne
02 Apr 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

There was chaos on the second restart at Albert Park with multiple crashes – including one involving the two Alpine team mates, but Ocon insisted there were no hard feelings towards his compatriot Gasly.

‘Already apologised’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.ocon-reveals-his-alpine-team-mate-gasly-has-already-apologised-for-their-late-crash-in-melbourne.1762053681905031545.html


Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly hold clear-the-air talks after Australian GP collision
02 Apr 2023 2:15 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Esteban Ocon says Alpine team-mate Pierre Gasly apologised to him after their heavy collision that took them both out of the Australian Grand Prix. A huge frustration for Ocon then who had started the race from P11, but felt as high as P4 had become possible.

“Tricky weekend, I think nothing really clicked on our direction the whole weekend, the things that were out of our control really,” Ocon continued.

“And it’s extremely frustrating because we are in a good place, I think we’re similar to the Aston [Martins] and the Ferrari in front, so we could have been much further up.”

‘Clear-the-air talks’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/esteban-ocon-pierre-gasly-apology-australian-gp/


Szafnauer: Not right to attribute blame in Ocon-Gasly incident
Sunday 2nd April, 2023
By Daniel Herrero
Speedcafe

Alpine boss Otmar Szafnauer is refusing to attribute blame over his drivers’ crash in a chaotic conclusion to the Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix. Ocon said he had “no hard feelings” over the crash, and nor did Szafnauer, apparently.

“It’s a shame that they came together,” said the Anglo-French outfit’s Team Principal. “As far as trying to blame one or the other, I don’t think that’s the right thing to do; I think the right thing to do is learn from it. There’s so much chaos there and you’ve got to make quick decisions.”

“If you look at the onboard and the replay, [Yuki] Tsunoda gets through, Esteban tries to follow him, [and] you don’t know where Pierre’s going to go, and Pierre doesn’t know who’s there. He’s just trying to get onto the racing line, so it’s not like he’s looking in the mirror, seeing somebody, and saying, ‘Well, I’m going to block him. He’s looking the other way, getting on the racing line, thinking no one’s there.”

‘So much chaos there’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/04/02/szafnauer-not-right-to-attribute-blame-in-ocon-gasly-incident/

[Fortitude]

F1 slammed as ‘animator of chaos’ in Australian GP.
Formula 1 is facing near-unanimous backlash after “the show” overtook the sport at the Australian GP.
07:33, 3rd March 2023.
Grandpx.news

Formula 1 is facing widespread negative feedback after multiple red-flag periods and grid restarts – one of which with just two laps to go – turned the excitement into a farce.

“This is going to degenerate into big discussions,” predicted Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg. “From a fan’s point of view, an entertainment point of view, you can completely understand it,” said the F1 veteran. “From the driver’s point of view or from the team’s point of view, this American entertainment style is sometimes frustrating.”

And not just frustrating, but also potentially very dangerous. “The rights holders were rubbing their hands,” observed Auto Motor und Sport correspondent Andreas Haupt. “But the show turned into carnage. The question inevitably arises now as to whether the show was deliberately placed above the sport.”

‘The show turned into carnage’;

https://grandpx.news/f1-slammed-as-animator-of-chaos-in-australian-gp/


Australian GP Podcast: Does F1’s restart procedure need a rethink?
Apr 3 2023
The Race

Formula 1’s third race of 2023 was dominated by the red flag and restart controversies that led to a late finish for the stewards.

Edd Straw, Mark Hughes and Scott Mitchell-Malm gather to explain the controversy and assess whether F1’s current system is fit for purpose.

There’s also talk of how Mercedes suddenly became Red Bull’s closest challenger, Alpine’s intra-team implosion, Aston Martin’s brief-standing implosion and McLaren’s brightest weekend of the year so far.

‘Rethink?’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/australian-gp-podcast-does-f1s-restart-procedure-need-a-rethink/


Verstappen critical, Alonso unsure of Australian GP restart procedure
03 April 8:00AM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

The World Champion couldn't understand why the Lap 57 restart was conducted how it was in Australia. Max Verstappen has blamed Formula 1 race control's decision to use a standing restart in the Australian Grand Prix for the multi-car incident on Lap 57.

Following Kevin Magnussen's wall strike and debris on the track, the race was suspended for a second time, with a two-lap shootout planned from a standing start on the grid, with Verstappen leading Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.

Verstappen and Hamilton escaped unscathed but Alonso was tagged out of third, while Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon, Logan Sargeant and Nyck de Vries all retired in incidents at Turns 1 and 2.

‘Verstappen critical’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-critical-alonso-unsure-of-australian-gp-restart-procedure


Spectator hit by debris at F1 Australian GP
Monday 3rd April, 2023 - 9:16am
By Daniel Herrero
Speedcafe

A race fan has recounted how he was hit by debris sent flying over the fences when Kevin Magnussen crashed out of the Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix.

“I don’t really know [what happened],” Sweet told Melbourne’s 3AW radio station of his incident. “I was just sort of standing in the crowd at Turn 2 and all of a sudden there was a commotion on-track so I looked to my right and Magnussen goes flying down the track.”

“Then, all of a sudden, something hits me in the arm and a bunch of people are sort of running around, scrambling around me. Suddenly, someone holds up half of his rim, which has just flown over the fence and managed to hit me in the arm, so it was a bit weird.”

‘Spectator hit’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/04/03/spectator-hit-by-debris-at-f1-australian-gp/


Record Melbourne crowds attend chaotic 2023 Formula One Australian Grand Prix
12:23, 03 April 2023
Alex Misoyannis
Drive

More than 440,000 fans attended the 2023 Formula One Australian Grand Prix weekend – a new record for the Melbourne running of the event – including a chaotic race on Sunday which saw Red Bull's Max Verstappen take victory, and Aussie rookie Oscar Piastri score his first F1 points.

Although the estimated attendance of 441,631 over four days is a record for Melbourne, the all-time Australian Grand Prix attendance record remains with the final running of the event in Adelaide, in 1995, when an estimated 520,000 fans attended.

‘New record for the Melbourne’;

https://www.drive.com.au/news/2023-formula-one-australian-grand-prix-report/


Australian GP admits security lapses after fan invasion
1:58pm, Apr 3, 2023
Shayne Hope
The New Daily

Australian Grand Prix organisers admit they don’t know how fans invaded the track during the Formula One race at Albert Park but are committed to investigating the potentially “disastrous” incident.

Spectators broke through security barriers and accessed the track towards the end of Sunday’s race, with some reaching the car driven by Haas’s Nico Hulkenberg as it was parked at the exit of turn two.

The Australian Grand Prix Corporation (AGPC) fronted stewards and admitted to the safety and security failures, agreeing it was an “unacceptable situation that could have had disastrous consequences”.

‘Security lapses’;

https://thenewdaily.com.au/sport/motorsport/2023/04/03/australian-gp-admits-security-lapses-fan-invasion/


Was Albon red flag the right call? Kravitz and Croft thrash it out on TV
Sunday 2 April 2023 08:13
Jack Walker
GPFans

It has been an action-packed start to the Australian Grand Prix, and not just on the race track! Ted Kravitz and David Croft had a tasty exchange after Alexander Albon lost the rear of his Williams into the wall of turn seven.

“Ted, I can give you some information on that. The red flag is because of the gravel that came back onto the track,” said Croft. “You can see actually that the gravel is coming onto the racing line, there was a lot of it with the Williams beached.”

“The red flag has basically so the track can be swept, the last thing you want at some of the high-speed, flat-out curved sections is someone picking up a puncture and going into the barrier.”

‘The right call?’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/104778/ted-kravitz-david-croft-alex-albon-australian-grand-prix-red-flag-debate/


The moments that shaped an unforgettable Australian Grand Prix
April 3, 2023 — 5.00am
By Scott Spits
The Sydney Morning Herald

The chequered flag was waved at 5.35pm local time - well past the expected finishing time. Formula 1 star Max Verstappen was forced to show plenty of patience for his first triumph in Australia – hey, why not push it out for another hour or so?

It was probably the most entertaining and compelling grand prix at Albert Park since the race was snatched from South Australia’s grasp in the mid-1990s. Let’s take a look at the five key moments of the race:

Red Flag – The dramatic third restart.
Lap 54 – Magnussen’s tyre (what caused it all).
Lap one, turn three – Goodbye, champ.
Lap 19 – George Russell makes his exit.

‘Unforgettable Australian Grand Prix’;

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/motorsport/the-moments-that-shaped-an-unforgettable-australian-grand-prix-20230402-p5cxeh.html?js-chunk-not-found-refresh=true


Norris: Australian GP carnage not driver 'stupidity'
Sunday 2 April 2023 15:26
Jack Walker
GPFans

Lando Norris kickstarted his and McLaren's season with a sixth-place finish at the Australian Grand Prix. “Even before the chaos, the performance in the race was pretty strong. I had a good start, stayed out of trouble, stayed away from damage,” said Norris.

“Half your job seems to be avoiding people who are out of control, mistaking a lot of mistakes and crashing into people." On the number of cars that found trouble during the chaotic restart, Norris explained: “It’s not out of stupidity, it’s tricky in such cold conditions.”

"You would think a hearted tyre to 60-70 degrees would give us some grip, but it doesn’t. You always want to break later than the guy next to you and sometimes you pay the price for that. It’s such a slow warm-up lap before the restarts so it’s hard to the get temperature."

‘Carnage not driver stupidity';

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/104810/lando-norris-mclaren-australian-grand-prix-reaction/

[Fortitude]

Max Verstappen blames F1 race control for ‘creating own problems’ in Australian GP restart chaos.
Max Verstappen believes race control only have themselves to blame for the chaos and confusion seen at the end of a messy F1 Australian Grand Prix.
3 Apr 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

The reigning world champion won Sunday’s triple red-flagged race which ended in bizarre fashion to increase his early championship lead over Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez.

Verstappen described the conclusion in Melbourne as a “mess” and accused race control of bringing the chaos on themselves. “I think it's quite clear, I just didn't understand why we needed a red flag,” the Red Bull driver said.

“I think if you would have had a Safety Car and then just had a normal rolling start we wouldn't have had all these shunts and then you have a normal finish. So they created the problems themselves at the end of the day.”

‘F1 race control’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1023744/1/verstappen-blames-race-control-creating-own-problems-restart-chaos


Horner pleased with Verstappen response: 'He made short work of Hamilton'
03 April 8:50AM
Author Luke Murphy
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Christian Horner praised Max Verstappen's response to the first lap battles with the Mercedes drivers, after the Dutchman fell to third on the opening lap. Christian Horner was pleased with Max Verstappen's reaction to falling behind in the opening corners of the Australian Grand Prix.

"The two Mercedes were fast starting, they were both very aggressive on the first lap. Max showed great patience to not really get embroiled," Horner told media, including RacingNews365.com.

"They [Mercedes] started having a go at each other, and then they pitted George, the red flag came out, and then it was just a straight fight between Max and Lewis, and he made very short work of that. Then it was a question of controlling the race from that point onwards."

‘Great patience to not really get embroiled’;

https://racingnews365.com/horner-pleased-with-verstappen-response-he-made-short-work-of-hamilton


Perez happy to 'limit the damage' after going from pit lane start to P5 in Melbourne
03 April 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Sergio Perez took the chequered flag in fifth position at this weekend's Australian Grand Prix, and the Red Bull driver was pleased with his work on Sunday, as he managed to “limit the damage” following his early exit from qualifying.

Perez came into the weekend one point off his team mate Max Verstappen in the championship, but after his qualifying ended with him in the gravel, the Mexican started the race from the pit lane – after Red Bull opted to fit his car with a raft of new PU components under parc ferme conditions.

“I had to back out of it, otherwise I wouldn’t finish. When we looked where we started and how difficult it was to pass with the DRS train that we ended up [in], we managed to limit a bit the damage from yesterday.”

'Limit the damage';

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.perez-happy-to-limit-the-damage-after-going-from-pit-lane-start-to-p5-in.1A5jQTJvq9sfXKWfUm4OHm.html


Horner reignites battle for Red Bull number one driver
Monday 3 April 2023 11:57
Ronan Murphy

Christian Horner has responded to questions around who is Red Bull's number one driver this season. “Max and Checo have the same car, it’s up to them, to what they do on the track," Horner told Sky Sports Italia.

However, Horner said that what other teams and drivers do will have an impact on what his own team and drivers do on the track this season. Let’s not underestimate the Ferrari that will react, Mercedes will arrive and Aston Martin that has a great car," he continued. "It’s not all about our drivers.”

‘It’s up to them’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/104887/horner-red-bull-number-one-driver-verstappen-perez/


Mark Hughes: Red flags hid Verstappen’s Melbourne margin
3rd April 2023, 07:30
By Mark Hughes
The Race

Safety car, rolling restart, Russell, Hamilton and Verstappen. Max had not been his usual no-compromise self on the opening lap, precisely because he knew he had no need to.

“I could have been a bit more aggressive,” he said. “I knew I had a quick car and knew losing a position at the start wasn’t end of the world.” Not only a quick car but a quick car in all the right places. Its advantage over Hamilton’s Mercedes – with both deploying DRS – was in the order of 9km/h and he was onto them.

‘Verstappen’s Melbourne margin’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/mark-hughes-red-flags-hid-verstappens-melbourne-margin/


The single lap when Verstappen revealed some of Red Bull’s true pace in Melbourne
2023 Australian Grand Prix interactive data
Posted on 3rd April 2023, 14:35
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

For lap after lap, the Red Bull pair produced lap times in the order of a second or more quicker than their rivals. Race leader Sergio Perez put 19 seconds on the team’s closest pursuer, Fernando Alonso, in 18 laps. Where was that performance advantage during yesterday’s Australian Grand Prix?

No doubt the scale of Red Bull’s superiority will vary to some degree from track to track. Nonetheless on outright one-lap pace in qualifying the story was little changed. Red Bull were quickest by 0.292s in Bahrain, 0.155s in Saudi Arabia (where Verstappen did not take part in Q3 due to a technical fault) and 0.236s in Australia.

‘Red Bull’s true pace’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/04/03/the-single-lap-when-verstappen-revealed-some-of-red-bulls-true-pace-in-melbourne/


Ferrari floundering, cracks appear at Red Bull: What we learned from the Australian Grand Prix
Monday 3 April 2023 12:57
Jim Kimberley
GPFans

As F1 leaves Melbourne under the cloud of questions about the FIA's handling of the restart process at the Australian Grand Prix, we still found answers that we didn't know before the weekend.

From Ferrari tensions to a closing up of the running order, here's what we learned from F1's time Down Under...

‘Leclerc is Low, Red Bull isn't impervious, This is Alonso's Aston Martin, FIA Feel Cautious, Bottas in Bahrain was a blip, Alpine's volatile lineup explodes’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/104852/f1-australian-grand-prix-2023-what-we-learned-analysis/

[Fortitude]

Toto Wolff: Mercedes needed ‘a little bit of happiness’ before Australian GP breakthrough.
Toto Wolff has admitted Mercedes were in need of “a little bit of happiness” before the team’s breakthrough performance in Australian Grand Prix qualifying.
02 Apr 2023 4:00 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Having targeted a return to regular race-winning contention in 2023, Mercedes were aghast to find themselves six tenths away from pole position – the same deficit with which their started last season – at the season opener in Bahrain.

With Wolff admitting the race the following day was one of the worst days of his career, the team boss ordered sweeping changes to the W14 car after acknowledging the team had pursued the wrong development path.

‘A little bit of happiness’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-mercedes-happiness-australian-gp/


Toto Wolff breaks silence on rumoured W14 upgrades
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has confirmed that the team are working on a W14 upgrade, but it will not be coming anytime in the immediate future.
1 April 2023
by Mitchell Wilks
Formula1News

While all the focus is on Mercedes’ desperate attempts to find a way up the pecking order once again, Wolff has maintained that he is satisfied with how the team are working to find solutions, claiming they are ‘going in a good direction’. “We shouldn’t expect like a miracle: suddenly we are on pole by half a second.”

Ahead of the Australian Grand Prix, though, the team principal insisted that the changes will not be immediate, when speaking to Sky F1: “We’re doing good steps, good developments, but you’ve got to run them, confirm them, produce them. So, I think we’re not looking for introduction before Imola. We want to do it right also.”

‘Rumoured W14 upgrades’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/toto-wolff-breaks-silence-on-rumoured-w14-upgrades/


Mercedes poke fun at ‘Darth Toto’ as Michael Masi returns
Lewis Hamilton recently said he has no intention of speaking to Michael Masi, following his return to the Formula 1 paddock.
1 April 2023
by Edward Hardy
Formula1News

The Mercedes F1 Team has embraced the return of Toto Wolff’s iconic hooded look, much to the delight of fans. Nicknamed ‘Darth Toto’ in reference to the Sith Lords in the Star Wars series, some have speculated that this personality could allow the Mercedes boss to use the force to secure an eighth world title for Lewis Hamilton.

“Lewis being told Masi is in the paddock. Darth Toto: Let the anger flow through you!” a poster on Reddit joked in reference to the former race director’s return after his controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi decision.

‘Darth Toto’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/mercedes-poke-fun-at-darth-toto-as-michael-masi-returns/


F1 'needs Lewis Hamilton to join Ferrari' as Toto Wolff ready to approve Brit's exit
Lewis Hamilton has been urged to join Ferrari, with Toto Wolff ready to sanction a move to shake up F1.
05:50, Tue, Apr 4, 2023
By Alex Turk
Daily and Sunday Express

F1 needs Lewis Hamilton to ditch Mercedes for Ferrari just as much as the Scuderia need the Brit, according to Eddie Jordan. Speculation about Hamilton's future refuses to go away as he nears the end of his Mercedes contract while driving a car incapable of winning him a record eighth world championship.

Jordan believes Hamilton leaving Mercedes to replace one of the drivers would be the best outcome for F1. He told OLBG: "Formula One needs Lewis Hamilton in a Ferrari, and Ferrari needs Lewis Hamilton. "Hamilton should look to go to another Championship-winning team, but the drama is who is going to move aside?”

“Formula One needs Lewis Hamilton in a Ferrari’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1754393/F1-news-Lewis-Hamilton-Ferrari-Toto-Wolff


WOLFF: F1 MUST BE MORE CLEAR WHEN TO USE RED FLAGS
Three red flags were needed during an incident-packed Australian Grand Prix, with the first being delayed after dong laps around the safety car, which cost drivers who pit under the safety car
April 3, 2023
Nathan Hartley

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff believes that Formula 1 must be more clear when using a red flag after losing out during the Australian Grand Prix with George Russell. The headlines from last weekend’s Australian Grand Prix came from the three red flags shown during the race. This caused many drivers to crash, causing a lot of controversy and disgust.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff believes that Formula 1 must better identify when to use a red flag, as the incidents during the Australian Grand Prix only required a safety car or virtual safety car in the opinion of many drivers.

“We just need to understand going forward when are red flags being put out, and what is a safety car or VSC? I think in those incidents you could have applied either. I’m fine whether you call a VSC or safety car, or you red flag it, as long as we understand in terms of us being able to plan a little bit. Let’s define all together what is a VSC, what is a safety car and what is a red flag.”

‘Formula 1 must better identify when to use a red flag’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/wolff-f1-must-be-more-clear-when-to-use-red-flags/?nowprocket=1


Mercedes boss dismisses Verstappen complaints about Hamilton
The Mercedes chief gave his take on Hamilton's first-lap pass on Verstappen
April 3, 2023
By Andrew Wright
Total Motorsport

Verstappen was quick on the team radio to complain, saying Hamilton forced him off track, but the stewards wasted little time in deciding no further action was necessary. Wolff was asked about the incident after the race, in which Verstappen recovered to win ahead of Hamilton, and absolved his star driver of any wrongdoing.

“We have lots of discussion around racing rules,” Wolff told the media after the 2023 Australian GP. “I don’t think that was a bad one. They [Red Bull] have a straight line speed advantage with the DRS open that is just mind-boggling,” Wolff added.

“But this is the meritocracy of the sport and if you have a car that’s that quick on the straight and you’re doing the right things, then it’s up to us to find the tools to improve the straight-line performance.

‘Mercedes boss dismisses Verstappen complaints’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-mercedes-wolff-dismisses-verstappen-complaints-hamilton/

[Fortitude]

15 seconds of despair – Aston Martin’s (reversed) implosion.
What was lost in 15 seconds took about 15 minutes to be regained as the FIA finally communicated that the very last restart, rolling round to the flag behind the safety car, would return to the order for the previous start.
By Scott Mitchell-Malm
Apr 3 2023
The Race

In less than 15 gut-wrenching seconds of Formula 1 chaos, Aston Martin’s Australian Grand Prix descended into despair. After Fernando Alonso lost third place being pitched into a spin at the first corner, his team-mate Lance Stroll picked up the baton by pouncing on Alonso’s aggressor Carlos Sainz to hold third himself on the run to Turn 3.

“We had a rollercoaster of emotions,” was Alonso’s summary. Team principal Mike Krack used the same word. If anything, it doesn’t quite do it justice. “We lived it the way you live it on TV as well,” said Krack. “You have the restart, and then there was all these incidents.” Alonso was no fan of the red flag in the first place – it was met with a sharp “What?!” at the time – so that would no doubt have fuelled the sense of injustice he felt at being nerfed out of another podium.

In the car, seconds after the red flag was thrown, Alonso recalled what happened last year at Silverstone, when a stoppage after the start necessitated a restart in the full original order: “Check it immediately,” he insisted after mentioning it. “That’s typical,” said Krack. “He remembers every race he’s done, and what happened where, and what we should look at! That’s pretty impressive. We were pretty confident it would be ordered like that, but you never know.”

‘Reversed implosion’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/15-seconds-of-despair-aston-martin-f1-reversed-implosion/


Alonso on a high after 'rollercoaster of emotions'
02/04/2023 at 13:49
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Fernando Alonso was back on the podium again after a chaotic finish to the Australian Grand Prix, with his third consecutive third-place finish from the first three races of the 2023 season. "I was pretty sure that I could be second, to be honest, in the last start, because we've been very good, very strong on the starts. It was good again, I was side-by-side into turn 1.

" you also sometimes have to realise there are a lot of risks as well. Every time there is this kind of restart, and maybe you end up with a DNF - which was very close for me this time. We had a rollercoaster of emotions today," he admitted, concurring with the suggestion that he'd rarely seen anything like Sunday's chaos in his 358-race career in Formula 1.

"It was probably my craziest race here in Melbourne, but it’s great to come away with another podium," he said. "We have to be pleased with this start to the season and three podiums in as many races Many things going on at the beginning [of today's race], but then also at the end now, you know - the last half an hour it was difficult to understand what's going on!”

'Rollercoaster of emotions';

https://f1i.com/news/470872-alonso-on-a-high-after-rollercoaster-of-emotions.html


[B]Fernando Alonso sends message to Lewis Hamilton as pair share Australian GP podium
12:33 Sun, 02 Apr 2023.
By George Dagless
Give Me Sport

The three world champions on the current F1 grid stood on the Australian GP podium on Sunday. Fernando Alonso has taken the opportunity to praise Lewis Hamilton for his performance at the Australian Grand Prix.

The two old rivals shared the Australian GP podium with Max Verstappen on Sunday, with the Dutchman coming home ahead of Hamilton and then Alonso.

Taking to social media after the race, Fernando praised Lewis for his performance as the Merc man took P2, in what was a nice gesture from the 2005 and 2006 world champion:
Mega drive @LewisHamilton ������ https://t.co/gi1xLgEveH& mdash; Fernando Alonso (@alo_oficial) April 2, 2023

‘Message to Lewis Hamilton’;

https://www.givemesport.com/fernando-alonso-sends-message-to-lewis-hamilton-as-pair-share-australian-gp-podium/


EXCLUSIVE: 'It would be nice to end our careers together. I'd love that': Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton once despised each other, but now Aston Martin's golden oldie says reuniting with the seven-time world champion would be perfect
• Fernando Alonso struggled to gel with Lewis Hamilton at McLaren back in 2007
• Now the Spaniard thinks the Mercedes star would make the perfect team-mate
• Aged 41, Alonso is looking the closest to rivalling Red Bull's pace this season
Published: 22:30, 31 March 2023
By Jonathan McEvoy for the Daily Mail
Mail Online

So would Fernando welcome his old sparring partner Lewis to the team? ‘It would be nice to end our careers together,’ says Alonso, despite currently partnering the owner’s son, Lance Stroll. ‘I’d love that.’

Really? They hardly gelled last time, in Hamilton’s rookie season at McLaren in 2007. The Hamilton retinue sat one side of the team hospitality area amid the hostilities, Alonso’s on the other, in a dispute flamed by the fuel of the Spygate scandal. In British eyes, Alonso was Dick Dastardly, plotting in Spanish against innocent young Lewis.

‘Alonso was Dick Dastardly’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-11925967/Fernando-Alonso-says-reuniting-Lewis-Hamilton-perfect.html


Fernando Alonso quips ‘no three Red Bulls on the podium’ as F1 pecking order assessed
02 Apr 2023 7:00 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Perez had joked in Bahrain about him, Max Verstappen, and Fernando Alonso ‘all being Red Bull drivers’ and that ‘it was nice to see three Red Bull cars on the podium!’

“No more three Red Bulls on the podium, if Checo was here,” Alonso remarked.

“But no, I think Mercedes were also strong in Jeddah, to be honest. I think all race on Sunday, I was within one-tenth of George [Russell], you know, fighting to get this extra five seconds or whatever at the end. So it was very, very close.”

‘No three Red Bulls on the podium’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernando-alonso-quips-no-three-red-bulls-podium/

[Fortitude]

Fred Vasseur blasts FIA inconsistency: ’30 laps for Alonso, five seconds for Sainz decision’.
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has hit out at the FIA after Carlos Sainz was slammed with a five-second penalty at the Australian Grand Prix, one that dropped him fourth to 12th.
03 Apr 2023 5:45 PM
Michelle Foster

Informed of the penalty, an anguished Sainz pleaded: “No, it cannot be, Ricky [Adami, race engineer], this will put me out of the points. No, it’s unacceptable. Tell them it is unacceptable, tell them they need to wait until the race is finished and discuss with me. Ask them please, please, please, please, please, to wait and discuss with me, clearly the penalty is not deserved, it’s too severe.”

“My job is to take the positive and the negative,” Vasseur told Channel 4, “but just like this, it’s more the negative because I think we did overall a good job. Carlos had a very good recovery after the unlucky pit stop just before the red flag, and to get penalised like this at the end is very harsh. For sure you are emotional in this kind of situation because you are not far away from the podium, you are P4, coming from nowhere when all the others got a pit stop for free. He did a mega good job.”

“I think we can discuss [for] hours about the penalty if it’s harsh or not. Depending on the position of your team, the analysis will be different, but I think what is a shame for me is that considering it was not impacting the podium, at least the stewards could’ve listened and had a look at the data.”

‘FIA inconsistency’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fred-vasseur-fia-inconsistency-carlos-sainz-penalty/


Sainz penalty harsh after F1 ‘changed rules twice in 10 minutes for Alonso’ – Vasseur
RaceFans Round-up
Posted on 4th April 2023, 0:013rd April 2023, 23:29
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur said the Australian Grand Prix stewards should have heard from Sainz before penalising his driver for his collision with Fernando Alonso on Sunday. Vasseur pointed out the stewards had reversed a decision which went against Alonso at the previous round.

Vasseur confirmed Ferrari would not appeal against the decision, but questioned why it had been taken so quickly. “They took 30 laps before to decide if Alonso was into the box or not and today took five seconds.”

‘Would not appeal’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/04/04/racefans-round-up-04-04-6/


Ferrari baffled by Sainz decision after Alonso rulings
Wednesday 5th April, 2023 - 12:19am
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has been left baffled by the decision-making of the Australian Grand Prix stewards after a penalty that knocked Carlos Sainz out of the points. Vasseur, speaking to UK television station Channel 4, then referenced what had unfolded with Alonso during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Alonso was punished for a grid box infraction at the start of the race in Jeddah, serving a five-second time penalty at his first pit stop. It was not until shortly before the end of the race, however, that the stewards dished out an additional 10-second penalty for what they perceived was a further misdemeanour during that stop.

A further three hours after the race had finished, they overturned their decision on the basis of mitigating circumstances coming to light. “(In Saudi) They took 30 laps to decide if Alonso was in the box or not, and this (the Sainz incident) took five seconds,” added Vasseur.

‘Ferrari baffled’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/04/05/carlos-sainz-fernando-alonso-collision-australian-gp/


Vasseur identifies key flaw in FIA handling of Sainz penalty
Tuesday 4 April 2023 17:38
Harry Smith
GPFans

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has criticised the FIA's handling of Carlos Sainz's time penalty at the Australian Grand Prix, insisting the governing body should take more time to think about their decisions. Now that the dust has settled, Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has weighed in on the penalty debacle.

"His pace was very strong and very consistent," Vasseur told Motorsport.com, "and he came back not far away from the podium. And then to lose it like this, not from nowhere but before the end. I can perfectly understand the emotion and the fact that he was in shock with that."

Vasseur went on to support the FIA's handling of red flags in the closing stages of the Grand Prix. "I'm not complaining because it's always difficult to take decisions when you have to do it live. But coming back to the decision about Carlos, they had time to take the decision. In this case, they have to take time."

‘Vasseur identifies key flaw’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/104977/frederic-vasseur-carlos-sainz-penalty-australian-grand-prix/


Rob Smedley: Ferrari progress under Fred Vasseur will take months
Thursday 30 March 2023 17:57
Andrew McLean
GPFans

Ferrari’s performances may not improve for months according to former engineer Rob Smedley, as Fred Vasseur takes time to get his revolution into full swing at Maranello.

Smedley is confident that the improvement Ferrari followers crave will come but it could take until the middle of the season as Vasseur takes time to work his magic. “I’ve got a rule that yo good people who are effective and can just get on will see changes within six months,” Smedley told the Sky Sports F1 podcast.

‘Six months’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/104483/rob-smedley-ferrari-fred-vasseur/


Ferrari make worst start to a season in 14 years while Hamilton breaks a record
2023 Australian Grand Prix stats and facts
Posted on 5th April 2023, 7:23
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Just three years ago, Ferrari produced their worst season in four decades, slumping to sixth in the championship. So it will be cause for alarm that, three races into the new season, they’re on course to do even worse.

Ferrari left Australia point-less after a race bookended by misery. Charles Leclerc went out in a racing incident on lap one while Carlos Sainz Jnr, having overcome an unfortunately-timed pit stop, copped a five-second time penalty on the penultimate lap. This might ordinarily cost a driver one place, if that, but as the race finished behind the Safety Car the luckless Sainz dropped from fourth to 12th.

Ferrari hasn’t started a season as badly as this since 2009. They scored no points over the opening three races that year, though only the top eight places scored at the time. Even so, with two retirements and finishes of ninth, 10th, 14th and 15th they would only have taken three points under today’s scoring system.

‘Worst start to a season in 14 years’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/04/05/ferrari-make-worst-start-to-a-season-in-14-years-while-hamilton-breaks-a-record/


"Blockbuster" F1 move would see Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc swap teams
Mercedes star Hamilton has been tipped by many to consider a Ferrari switch to give him the best chance of another title before retiring, in a move which could see Leclerc come the other way
17:14, 4 Apr 2023
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer

The long-term futures of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc with their current employers appear uncertain given the situations they find themselves in. With their individual scenarios in mind, it has been suggested that a possible swap could take place in the near future. Hamilton would be taking one final gamble in a bid to secure that eighth world title, while Leclerc would star afresh alongside George Russell in what would be a young and exciting driver line-up for Mercedes.

Matt Gallagher and Tom Bellingham, two of the most recognisable F1 content creators thanks to their success with WTF1, agree that such a move would be "blockbuster". But they also share the opinion that it is very unlikely to happen.

"No-one has any idea when [Hamilton] is going to go and where he is going to go," Gallagher, a long-suffering Ferrari fan, told Metro. "If he wants to win an eighth world title, does he want to move away from the team that's provided him with six of those championships? Probably not."

"Blockbuster";

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/lewis-hamilton-ferrari-leclerc-mercedes-29629672

[Fortitude]

McLaren’s Andrea Stella: “It was good to see that we were in condition to race well”.
Andrea Stella was able to oversee the McLaren F1 Team’s first points finishes of the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season in Sundays Australian Grand Prix.
April 5, 2023
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag

Stella says that even without the three red flags in Australia, the team were showing good pace, and they can return home for the four-week break before the Azerbaijan Grand Prix with confidence that they are heading the right way in the development of the MCL60. “An eventful race today in Melbourne,” said Stella. “We managed to stay out of trouble and were able to score our first points of the season.

“Even without the three red flags, it was good to see that we were in condition to race well and make good overtaking moves, so there’s plenty of positives. At the same time, we know we have to stay realistic and have a lot of hard work ahead.

“Both trackside and back at the factory, we’ll use the energy from this double points result to make us even more determined to deliver a quicker car. Thank you to everyone trackside, at the MTC and our colleagues at HPP for their hard work.”

“In condition to race well”;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2023/04/mclarens-andrea-stella-it-was-good-to-see-that-we-were-in-condition-to-race-well/


McLaren realistic after Australian adventure
Wednesday 5th April, 2023 - 10:03pm
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe13:06

Andrea Stella is refusing to get carried away with McLaren’s result in the Australian Grand Prix despite the importance attached to the crucial points that were scored. For the first time since 2019, McLaren emerged from the first two races of a season without a point, as a result of a number of factors, some unfortunate, others of its own making

Wary team boss Stella, however, said: “We don’t get carried away. We know it was a very eventful race. But it’s good to score points after having some difficult races at the start of the season in which we were in a condition to score points, but for various issues, we couldn’t. So it’s good now to come out of these first few races with some good points.”

‘Realistic’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/04/05/mclaren-realistic-australian-gp/


Lando Norris believes penultimate Aus GP stoppage was for entertainment purposes
03 Apr 2023 7:15 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Lando Norris is unsure the red flag caused late on in the Australian Grand Prix was fully necessary, with Kevin Magnussen’s crash having prompted a full stoppage of the race.

Serious questions for Australian GP officials after fan hit by debris in Magnussen’s crash “I don’t see everything obviously, I see what I see in the cockpit,” Norris told Channel 4 after the race.

“I don’t feel like the second to last red flag was needed. The last one, I’m sure it was because there was a lot of people in the gravel and things, but the one before, possibly not. Maybe to put on a bit of a show.”

‘Entertainment purposes’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lando-norris-australian-gp-red-flag-show/


Norris speaks out against late standing restarts 'for the show'
03 April 11:40AM
Author Luke Murphy
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

"It's tough. I feel like you can just be so unlucky. I kind of hate it. I feel like a rolling start is better in these situations," Norris told media, including RacingNews365.com.

"I don't like the restarts, I guess maybe [a standing restart] in the first quarter of the race I [would] understand it. But in the second half, and especially with four laps to go, I feel like you ruin a lot of things.”

"I don't feel like it's fair for a lot of people who have done a good job and get taken out and it's race over. I don't feel like the second to last red flag was needed. It just caused a bad end to the race. I think if we just finished behind the Safety Car then it would have been a bit more straightforward."

‘Against late standing restarts’;

https://racingnews365.com/norris-speaks-out-against-late-standing-restarts-for-the-show


Australian Grand Prix ‘our best weekend so far’ says Norris after double points finish for McLaren
02 Apr 2023
PlanetF1.com

Lando Norris said he didn’t have high hopes for the race in Melbourne but eventually finished P6, a result he party attributed to “staying out of trouble” in a chaotic Grand Prix at Albert Park.

‘Our best weekend so far’;

https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/F1/McLaren


McLaren go on massive hiring spree amid early season woes
McLaren announced the signing of former Ferrari head of vehicle concept David Sanchez last month.
4 April 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

McLaren’s dramatic push to return to the front of the field is certainly ramping up in pace, with the Woking-based side having announced the signing of Aston Martin’s head of aero performance Mariano Alperin.

McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown is certainly wasting no time at all, after announcing that a huge restructuring would be taking place at Woking. It’s understood by Motorsport.com that McLaren have agreed deals with 15 new employees, all of which will work under the team’s aero department.

Reports state that the British side have signed key figures from Aston Martin, Red Bull and Ferrari, demonstrating Brown’s intent on turning 2023 around.

‘15 new employees’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/mclaren-go-on-massive-hiring-spree-amid-early-season-woes/

[Fortitude]

Kannapolis-based Haas F1 team survives wild finish to score points in Australian Grand Prix.
The Kannapolis-based Haas F1 Team drivers Kevin Magnussen and Nick Hulkenberg finished p17 and p7, respectively. The Haas team is protesting that final result that saw Hulkenberg dropped form p4 to p7 prior the last restart. The order for the final restart was reverted to before the previous restart had begun, dropping Hulkenberg from p4 to p7 in the provisional classification.
Sun, 02 Apr 2023.
By David Whisenant
WBTV11:11

“It was wild and a bit messy at times,” said Hulkenberg. “We’ll have to look through everything that happened as there were a lot of things happening. I had a super start the third time around on softs and came through to P4, so it’s a shame there were a few incidents and then the race was red flagged.”

“There are a lot of positive learnings again and I feel there are a lot of good things happening. I’m refreshed, in a very positive mindset and really enjoy working with the team and experimenting with the car. We have very good momentum and that’s what we want to take into the next races.”

‘Positive learnings’;

https://www.wbtv.com/2023/04/02/kannapolis-based-haas-f1-team-survives-wild-finish-score-points-australian-grand-prix/


‘Unsafe’ Haas central to scathing F1 track invasion report
14:52 Sun, 02 Apr 2023.
By Valentin Khorounzhiy
The Race

The FIA stewards have published a ruling over the “unacceptable” Australian Grand Prix Formula 1 track invasion that posed “significant danger to the spectators, race officials and the drivers”. Of particular note in their ruling was the finding that Nico Hulkenberg’s stranded Haas car, which he had parked up post-race, proved reachable for spectators while it was in an “unsafe” state.

The security measures and the protocols, which were expected to be in place for the event, were not enforced, resulting in an unsafe environment for the spectators, drivers and race officials. “Furthermore, spectators were also able to reach Car #27 [Hulkenberg’s Haas], which was parked at exit of Turn 2 and which still had its light flashing red (i.e. the car was in an unsafe condition with possible electrical discharge).”

The Australian GP had issued guidelines for a post-race track invasion in the lead-up to the race, imploring attendees to “wait for the course car with the green flashing lights on and siren sounding” before entering the track.

‘F1 track invasion report’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/unsafe-haas-central-to-scathing-australian-gp-track-invasion-report/


Haas Files Protest in Wild Red Flag-Filled F1 Australian GP
Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg dropped from fourth to seventh place, due to red flag confusion in the final lap.
PUBLISHED Apr 2, 2023 11:20 AM EDT
By Nico DeMattia|
The Drive

The 2023 Formula 1 Australian grand prix was possibly the messiest F1 race I've ever seen, from beginning to end. Red Bull's Max Verstappen got off to an uncharacteristically bad start, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc crashed out of the race barely a kilometer into the first lap, and Williams' Alex Albon was shunted from behind and crashed out in the ninth lap. The latter of which drew a red flag, causing a standing restart. However, none of that compares to the absolute mess that occurred within the final laps, which caused the Haas F1 team to file a protest.

In lap 55, Haas driver Kevin Magnussen crashed out of the race, sending debris all over the track and forcing yet another red flag and another restart. Moments after the restart, chaos once again ensued, as several drivers immediately crashed. Both Alpines crashed out, Ferrari's Carlos Sainz shunted Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso off the track, and Williams' Logan Sargeant crashed into AlphaTauri's Nyck de Vries. All of which drew yet another red flag and another standing restart. However, that was actually good news for Haas F1, as those crashes moved Nico Hulkenberg to the number four spot for the final lap.

‘Possibly the messiest F1 race I've ever seen’;

https://www.thedrive.com/news/haas-files-protest-in-wild-red-flag-filled-f1-australian-gp


F1 stewards reject Haas protest over Australian GP result
14:32 Sun, 02 Apr 2023.
By: Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

Haas lodged a complaint in the aftermath of the Melbourne event after feeling that the regulations had not been correctly applied in determining the order for the final safety car restart that decided the finishing positions.

This was based on Article 57.3 of the Sporting Regulations that states the order for restarts: "will be taken at the last point at which it was possible to determine the position of all cars."

The FIA felt that this could not be established for all cars based on that restart as not everyone completed a timing sector. However, Haas argued that it should have been possible to do it from Safety Car line 2, which is at the exit of the pits before Turn One, as all cars had got through there on the run away from the line.

‘F1 stewards reject Haas protest’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-stewards-reject-haas-protest-over-australian-gp-result/10452333/


Australian GP protest result leaves F1 team boss furious as FIA refuse to change stance
The Australian GP was embroiled in chaos with DNFs, red flags and safety cars galore.
16:55, Sun, Apr 2, 2023
By Alex Turk
Daily and Sunday Express

Haas' protest about the result of the Australian Grand Prix has been unsuccessful, leaving team principal Guenther Steiner furious after a chaotic race in Melbourne. Nico Hulkenberg scored Haas six points Down Under, but Steiner felt aggrieved that it should've been more.

The basis of Haas' argument was that all cars had passed the Safety Car 2 line just before Turn 1 in Melbourne, so it should've been used to determine the order. If the FIA had agreed, Sergio Perez and Yuki Tsonoda would've joined Hulkenberg in profiting from that ruling.

However, the governing body determined that the SC2 line was an unreliable reference due to its location in the braking zone. It meant cars could move ahead of others by carrying in too much speed and exiting the track, which Perez did. For that reason, the stewards supported race director Niels Wittich's decision, leaving Haas unsuccessful in their efforts to maximise their points haul.

‘SC2 line was an unreliable reference’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1753918/Australian-GP-F1-news-FIA-Haas

[Fortitude]

F1: China's Zhou hits career-high 9th as Verstappen extends lead in Australia.
Chinese racer Zhou Guanyu hit a career-high ninth finish at the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday, earning two points in the drivers' standings, at Albert Park in Melbourne.
17:35, 02-Apr-2023
CGTN

Chinese racer Zhou Guanyu hit a career-high ninth finish at the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday, earning two points in the drivers' standings, at Albert Park in Melbourne.

Zhou was also ahead of his teammate Valtteri Bottas, who finished 11 and had no points.

Last year, Zhou finished 18th with six points in his rookie season with Alfa Romeo, with his best result being a 10th-placed finish during his debut Bahrain race.

‘Career-high 9th’;

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2023-04-02/F1-China-s-Zhou-hits-career-high-9th-as-Verstappen-wins-Australian-GP-1iFYJzNlJoQ/index.html


Finnish pundits believe Valtteri Bottas has every right to be ‘a little worried’
04 Apr 2023 4:00 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Failing to score a point in Australia despite only 12 cars reaching the chequered flag, Finnish pundits say Valtteri Bottas’ pace around the Albert Park circuit was “not acceptable”.

Finnish pundits Toni Vilander and Ossi Oikarinen agree with the driver that there is cause for concern after his lacklustre weekend in Melbourne. “That’s not acceptable,” Oikarinen told Viaplay. “As Valtteri himself said, at this point you have to be worried.”

“If you change the settings of the car well before the race and test the new one, and it still doesn’t work, then there is a fundamental fault somewhere. It is necessary to sit down with the team and think about what to do. Such a race is not acceptable for Valtteri or the team. You have to press the reset button.”

‘A little worried’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/finnish-pundits-valtteri-bottas-worried/


Zhou pleased to get first points of the year in Melbourne – but Bottas calls on Alfa Romeo to 'figure out' their lack of pace
05 April 2023
Formula One - Official Site

There were contrasting fortunes down at Alfa Romeo in Melbourne, after Zhou Guanyu finished in the top 10 for the first time this season, while team mate Valtteri Bottas endured a “lonely” race to the chequered flag in 11th.

With Bottas and Sergio Perez starting in the pit lane, Zhou started in what became the back row of the grid – alongside Logan Sargeant – in P17. But the Chinese racer then produced some strong overtakes, while benefitting from the red flags, to make his way through the field.

'Figure out';

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.zhou-pleased-to-get-first-points-of-the-year-in-melbourne-but-bottas-calls.7bjX2O5AJx6f1Ebj1t1GdJ.html


Bottas confused by pace-hit Australian weekend
Thursday 6th April, 2023 - 8:13pm
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Valtteri Bottas has conceded to feeling confused following an Australian Grand Prix weekend in which he was far off the pace in his Alfa Romeo. The Finn missed out on a place in Q2 by a quarter of a second, and was 0.157s behind Williams’ Logan Sargeant, who was next ahead of him on the grid.

After starting from the pit lane, Alfa Romeo gambled by pitting Bottas at the end of lap one and switching him onto the hard tyres in a bid to run to the chequered flag. The plan was scuppered, however, by the chaos that unfolded with the three red flags throughout the event, resulting in Bottas enduring what he has described as “a lonely race”, finishing 11th, whilst team-mate Zhou Guanyu was ninth.

‘Plan was scuppered’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/04/06/valtteri-bottas-alfa-romeo-confused-pace-australian-gp/


Bottas urges Alfa Romeo to 'find answers' over 'confusing' situation
06 April 6:20PM
Author Anna Francis
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Valtteri Bottas has called on Alfa Romeo to "find answers" after being left "confused" by his lack of pace in the Australian Grand Prix. "It was disappointing that after the [penultimate] restart I was P9, but then they put me back to P12, because the timing cut off before or something like this," Bottas told media, including RacingNews365.com.

"So it wasn't my lucky day. [The race] was quite lonely, to be honest. We obviously started from the pit lane, but then with the [first] red flag everyone was more or less on the same tyre. The pace felt a bit better than yesterday, but even with many things happening it just didn't quite [help me]."

'Find answers';

https://racingnews365.com/bottas-urges-alfa-romeo-to-find-answers-over-confusing-situation


How new front wing can make whole Alfa Romeo F1 car better
6th April 2023, 16:34
By: Matt Somerfield
Co-author: Giorgio Piola
Motorsport.com

The new nose and front wing have been aimed at both ramping up downforce and also helping give the team more options to better balance the car in future races. Alfa Romeo's head of trackside engineering Xevi Pujolar said the downforce gains from the updates had wider benefits for the whole car.

"We thought that front wing would bring a bit back the car balance," he explained. "I don't think we have particular weaknesses at the moment. With the front wing, for example, the whole car is working better together. So I would say it's just overall development."

‘Make whole Alfa Romeo F1 car better’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/how-new-front-wing-can-make-whole-alfa-romeo-f1-car-better/10453707/

[Fortitude]

Tsunoda left wanting more despite taking first point of 2023 in Australia.
Yuki Tsunoda has finished the last three races – including the 2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – in 11th place. At times in Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix, it looked like he was going to set a new record for consecutive finishes in the same position, until a late penalty for Carlos Sainz jumped him one place forward into P10 and ensured he picked up his first point of the season.
03 April 2023
Formula One - Official Site

The Melbourne race’s final standing restart saw Tsunoda – who’d spent the majority of his Sunday hovering around the points – pass a host of cars, including Pierre Gasly’s Alpine after it had run wide, before Gasly and Esteban Ocon came together and ensured another red flag was needed.

That overtaking prowess left Tsunoda in fifth place and on for a very decent haul of points – until the stewards ruled that a countback was required, which demoted Tsunoda back to 11th at the chequered flag, only for Sainz’s penalty to push him up to 10th.

‘Left wanting more’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.tsunoda-left-wanting-more-despite-taking-first-point-of-2023-in-australia.2Mi9zAq8F10s3YKzEBxKsz.html


Nico Hulkenberg swears in surprise at what Yuki Tsunoda did during F1 Australian GP.
In a radio message to his Haas team, Nico Hulkenberg could not hide how impressed he was with what AlphaTauri star Yuki Tsunoda had managed to achieve in one of the restarts in Melbourne
22:59, 3 Apr 2023
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer

Nico Hulkenberg was blown away by the way Yuki Tsunoda made up several places during the third and final standing start of the Australian Grand Prix. The Melbourne race was littered with incidents and several crashes – evidenced by the fact only 12 of the 20 drivers finished. Four of those eight who retired did so after that last standing start on the penultimate lap of the race, before the red flags were waved for the third time.

Amid all that chaos, the rest of the drivers had to be very quick to react to all the danger around them and pick the small gaps they needed to find to avoid being taken out themselves. Tsunoda did that expertly with a superb display of his skill. After getting an excellent launch off the line, the AlphaTauri ace roared past two other cars before he even reached the first corner and managed to get clear of Ocon moments before Gasly veered across the track and into the side of his team-mate.

The race was red flagged again and all the cars still running made their way back to the pit lane. While sat there in his Haas, Hulkenberg spotted that the AlphaTauri was behind him and couldn't believe that the Japanese racer had managed to make so much progress in the few seconds they had been racing. "Tsunoda is behind me for real?" the German asked his race engineer over the radio, with the note of surprise in his voice unmistakeable. After that was confirmed to him, he added: "S***, so he made up a lot of places too, didn't he?

‘Could not hide how impressed he was’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/yuki-tsunoda-australian-gp-hulkenberg-29622826


AlphaTauri’s Jody Egginton: “We leave Melbourne with a lot of data to go through”
April 6, 2023
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag

Jody Egginton says Scuderia AlphaTauri have a lot of data to go through ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after failing to extract as much performance from their AT04 as they had hoped they would during the Australian Grand Prix weekend.

He praised the drivers for doing everything they could to maximise their result, but Egginton says the team still have work to do to unlock the AT04’s potential and bring both Tsunoda and de Vries into regular top ten contention.

“It was a very difficult race for us,” said Egginton. “Both drivers pushed hard to extract all they could from the package, but we couldn’t manage to get the cars moving forward as required. The pace of the car was not there on all compounds, and we struggled for straight-line speed, as such, we weren’t able to attack nor hold position in some phases of the race.”

‘Leave Melbourne with a lot of data’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2023/04/alphatauris-jody-egginton-we-leave-melbourne-with-a-lot-of-data-to-go-through/


How AlphaTauri F1 floor updates helped address a core weakness
17:05 Wed, 05 Apr 2023.
By: Matt Somerfield
Co-author: Giorgio Piola
Motorsport.com

After a disappointing start to the campaign, with its AT04 not making the step forward hoped for, the squad has worked hard to address areas where it felt it was especially lacking.

The first fruits of that labour appeared in Melbourne, where the team brought some key developments that it hoped would start it on a journey back nearer the front of the midfield pack. These were focused on the floor body, the floor fences, the floor edge and the diffuser.

Some of these new features cannot be seen easily, as they are hidden away underneath the car. However, the team said the central section of the floor, upon which the plank is mounted, was made wider in two places along its length, while the transition around the rear crash structure has also been altered.

‘Floor updates’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/alphatauri-f1-floor-update-helped-address-core-weakness/10453266/


Red Bull co-operation with AlphaTauri has ‘intensified’ under FIA’s watchful eye
06 Apr 2023 6:00 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Blasting his engineers after the AT04’s lap times failed to live up to expectations, Franz Tost says he can’t follow Aston Martin’s path and “poach capable people” from Red Bull but that the co-operation with the senior team has “intensified”.

Tost has revealed they’ve already reorganised the aerodynamic department. “The aero department was reorganised,” he told Sport1.de. “We have separated from some employees and I am now expecting an increase in performance from the new people. I don’t want to name any names just yet, just this much – the responsibility is now divided between three people.”

‘Red Bull co-operation’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/red-bull-alphatauri-operation-intensifies/

[Fortitude]

Hill claims Albon 'lucky to be walking' after scary Australian GP crash.
he Williams driver spun out of the race on lap seven, hitting the barrier at turn six before his car fired back onto the tarmac.
Tuesday 4 April 2023 19:11
Joe Ellis
GPFans

Hill, the 1996 F1 world champion, was with many F1 fans in hoping that nobody would collect Albon's stricken Williams as their vision was limited by a cloud of dust.

Thankfully, all drivers involved avoided a potentially awful incident, and Hill said after the race that Albon was very fortunate to have walked out of the paddock that evening. “He’s lucky to be walking, because if he’s a little bit more into the track it would have been a side-on T-bone with Nico Hulkenberg,” Hill said on the F1 Nation podcast.

Hulkenberg himself described the incident as a "code brown" moment after the race, but he did manage to bring home points for Haas with a seventh place finish.

‘Very fortunate’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/104970/alex-albon-damon-hill-australian-grand-prix-crash-lucky/


Albon 'very angry with myself' as he explains Melbourne crash
05 April 2023
Inside Racing

Alex Albon was left "very angry with myself" after crashing out of the Australian Grand Prix. "It’s obviously disappointing," he said. "Firstly it’s my mistake and apologies to the team.”

"It’s one of those things that clearly looking at the results today and seeing where everyone is at, there was a good chance for points. We need to score points when we can, especially when there are opportunities to score points.”

"There are a few cars out of place, out of sequence. That’s when we need to do well. Everything was looking up until my mistake. So I’m very angry with myself."

'Very angry with myself'

https://insideracing.com/formula-1/16657-albon-very-angry-with-myself-as-he-explains-melbourne-crash


Albon pinpoints reason behind Turn 7 crash
Alex Albon crashed out of the 2023 Australian Grand Prix
April 3, 2023
By Ed Spencer
Total Motorsport

Alex Albon believes a sudden change in tyre pressure caused him to crash out of the 2023 Australian Grand Prix. Albon, who had out-qualified an impressive eighth on the grid, was running strongly until a spin at Turn 6 caused him to hit the wall putting him out of the race and bringing out the first of two red flags.

“I was going through there slower than a lap before,” said Albon to the media. “But went a little bit wider in turn five went on the exit curb didn’t think too much of it, if I am honest.”

“But looking at the data briefly, the tyre data spiked a bit, and with these tyres, you get punished, so we think that’s the cause. Everything was lining up until my mistake. [So] very angry with myself.”

‘Reason behind Turn 7 crash’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-aex-albon-pinpoints-reason-behind-williams-crash-australia/


Williams confirm Albon’s “tyre temperature spike” theory for crash
RaceFans Round-up
Posted on 3rd April 2023, 0:013rd April 2023, 7:28
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Alexander Albon claimed his crash at turn six during yesterday’s race came about because his tyre temperatures rose when he ran wide at the previous corner.

“When I lost the car, I was going through slower than the previous lap,” he explained after the race. “I went wide on the corner before and spiked the tyre temperatures, losing grip and [went] into the next corner a bit hot, so I think that’s what happened but we need to look at it.”

The team’s head of vehicle performance Dave Robson affirmed Albon’s explanation. “Unfortunately, touching the kerb at high speed in turn five led to a small snap and a spike in tyre temperature, which led him to lose the car at the next corner,” he said.

“Tyre temperature spike”;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/04/03/racefans-round-up-03-04-6/


Sargeant apologetic over unpenalised restart collision
06 April 12:50PM
Author Anna Francis
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

While Carlos Sainz was handed a penalty for a collision at the penultimate race restart of the Australian Grand Prix, Logan Sargeant also had an incident which resulted in retirements for himself and Nyck de Vries. The Williams driver has explained what happened.

"It just felt like when I hit the brake nothing was up to temp[erature] – tyres, brakes," Sargeant told media, including RacingNews365.com.

"I just touched the brakes and locked both fronts immediately. Apologies to Nyck, I hate to end the day like that, but I have to look and see what happened. It definitely felt strange because I felt like I had braked in a similar spot [at] the previous two starts."

‘Sargeant apologetic’;

https://racingnews365.com/sargeant-apologetic-over-unpenalised-restart-collision


Logan Sargeant apologises to Nyck de Vries: ‘There was nothing I could do’
05 Apr 2023 9:00 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Logan Sargeant has issued an apology to Nyck de Vries after the Williams driver speared into his fellow Formula 1 rookie during the controversial Australian Grand Prix restart.

Sargeant admitted to being surprised to find such little grip at the restart, telling F1 TV: “The last restart was pretty weird.

“I felt like I braked like I did on the previous two restarts but it seemed like nothing was up to temperature, brakes, tyres. [I] hit the pedal and it was immediate both fronts locked and there was nothing I could do from there.”

‘Nothing I could do’

https://www.planetf1.com/news/logan-sargeant-apologises-nyck-de-vries/

[Fortitude]

Alpine undertaking ‘huge effort’ to stockpile spare parts ahead of Baku.
Otmar Szafnauer says that Alpine plan to use the four-week break before the Azerbaijan Grand Prix to stock up on spare parts.
17:35, Thu, 06 Apr 2023.
by Sam Tomlinson
Motorsport Week

“The break wasn’t planned but it is a welcome break from both getting ample car parts, spares as well as when we do bring developments,” Szafnauer said, prior to last Sunday’s race in Melbourne.

“You know there’s a huge effort to make enough of those parts to ensure that you can really push hard – so that definitely helps.”

“And also the break allows you to plan further upgrades that you find through your simulation tools, and knowing that the break is there, you plan them a bit differently – but it definitely helps.”

‘Huge effort to stockpile spare parts’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/04/06/alpine-undertaking-huge-effort-to-stockpile-spare-parts-ahead-of-baku/


Alpine using spring break to stock up on spare parts for Baku
07/04/2023 at 14:07
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Alpine team boss Otmar Szafnauer says the French outfit squad is taking full advantage of the three-week break between Melbourne and Baku to stock up on spare parts for the next round in Azerbaijan.

Szafnauer confirmed the high-risk nature of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix Sprint weekend. "There is more jeopardy because it’s a street race and some of the walls are pretty close," he said.

"Like I said the nice thing is we’ve got this three-week break to make some spares in order to be prepared for both the sprint race and the race in Baku. Hopefully it’ll all be okay and we won’t suffer in Miami."

‘More jeopardy because it’s a street race’;

https://f1i.com/news/471174-alpine-using-break-to-stock-up-on-spare-parts-for-baku.html


‘It’s a shame’ – Szafnauer reveals how Ocon and Gasly reacted to their race-ending crash in Australia
05 April 2023
Formula One - Official Site

It was shaping up to be Alpine’s best race of the season so far, with Pierre Gasly running fifth and keeping within DRS range of a Ferrari ahead whilst Esteban Ocon had climbed into the points after qualifying just outside the top 10. But then it all went horribly wrong...

“Well, they each apologised, so they each thought they played a role in it,” said their Team Principal after the race. “It was just chaos out there; had Pierre not gone wide in Turn 1 – but a lot of people did – then I think he would have been further up the road. Esteban at the same time just followed Tsunoda through on the racing line and Pierre didn’t see him and came over to the racing line and just hit him. Which is… unfortunate.”
Szafnauer was keen not to apportion blame too quickly, the Team Principal having plenty of experience in overseeing team mate clashes – including with Ocon – in his time at Force India/Racing Point.

‘Each apologised’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.szafnauer-reveals-how-ocon-and-gasly-reacted-to-their-race-ending-crash-in.54EmIEe5Yu4KompwzU0GCc.html


Otmar Szafnauer not playing the blame game after Alpine’s double DNF in Australia
04 Apr 2023 9:00 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Otmar Szafnauer says there’s no point “trying to blame one or the other” of the Alpine drivers for Sunday’s race at the Australian Grand Prix, rather he sees it as something to “learn from”. While Ocon lost out on a point for 10th, Gasly lost out on ten as he had been running P5 at the second restart.

“I think Pierre deserved fifth place thanks to merit and good pace,” said his team boss. “When we told him to push, he tried to keep up with Sainz and he did it. He wasn’t as fast as Sainz, but not much.”

“And then at the end we told him to push to make sure he stayed ahead of Stroll and he did it. So the pace was really good.”

‘Not playing the blame game’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/otmar-szafnauer-not-playing-alpine-blame-game-aus-gp/


Alpine and Ferrari’s F1 success: The Australian Grand Prix we didn’t see
April 3rd 2023
Author Ekagra Gupta
PlanetF1.com

There was the race we all saw: Charles Leclerc in the gravel, three red flags, a late chaotic restart with two wrecked Alpines and a penalty for Carlos Sainz. But there was also the race that you can see in the data and it looks very different.

It’s why Alpine and Ferrari can walk away from Albert Park with a spring in their step, why McLaren will count itself lucky, and why Aston Martin will be anxiously looking over its shoulder and hoping that its upgrades deliver.

Bahrain saw Pierre Gasly start from the back and Esteban Ocon slide back there after a series of bizarre penalties. Gasly’s ninth-place finish hinted at the Alpine’s pace, but there was little chance to show it in Saudi Arabia when the team — like Ferrari — lost ground due to the safety car.

‘Australian Grand Prix we didn’t see’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/alpine-and-ferraris-f1-success-the-australian-grand-prix-we-didnt-see/?nowprocket=1#