2024 Formula 1 Preview & Review.

[Fortitude]

Car launch dates

Haas - February 2

Sauber - February 5

Williams - February 5

Alpine - February 7

Visa Cash App RB - February 8

Aston Martin - February 12

Ferrari - February 13

Mercedes - February 14

McLaren - February 14

Red Bull - February 15

F1 2024 car launches: When will F1 teams unveil their new cars?
01 Feb 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1042810/1/f1-2024-car-launches-when-will-f1-teams-unveil-their-new-cars


When is F1 testing in 2024? Full Schedule and times
From February 21-23 inclusive, the annual pre-season testing puts F1 cars properly through their paces, finally revealing the truth about those off-season whispers.
We have three days of testing, with two four-hour sessions running each day.
Here are the key dates and start times:
Wednesday February 21: 10am - 7pm local time (7am - 4pm UK, 8am - 5pm CET, 2am - 11am EST, Tue 11pm - Wed 8am PST)
Thursday February 22: 10am - 7pm local time (7am - 4pm UK, 8am - 5pm CET, 2am - 11am EST, Wed 11pm - Thu 8am PST)
Friday February 23: 10am - 7pm local time (7am - 4pm UK, 8am - 5pm CET, 2am - 11am EST, Thu 11pm - Fri 8am PST)


F1 testing 2024: Dates, times and how to watch live
Wednesday 31 January 2024 15:57
Yara Elshebiny
GPFans

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1010576/f1-testing-2024-dates-times-watch-tv-live-stream/


2024 F1 calendar

Date..........................Event............... .........Location

29 February–2 March.......Bahrain GP...............Sakhir

7–9 March......................Saudi Arabian GP......Jeddah

22-24 March...................Australian GP............Melbourne

5-7 April.........................Japanese GP.............Suzuka

19-21 April.....................Chinese GP...............Shanghai

3-5 May.........................Miami GP..................Miami

17-19 May......................Emilia Romagna GP....Imola

24-26 May......................Monaco GP................Monaco

7-9 June........................Canadian GP.............Montreal

21-23 June.....................Spanish GP...............Barcelona

28-30 June.....................Austrian GP..............Spielberg

5-7 July..........................British GP................Silverstone

19-21 July......................Hungarian GP...........Budapest

26-28 July......................Belgian GP...............Spa

23-25 August..................Dutch GP.................Zandvoort

30 August–1 September...Italian GP................Monza

13-15 September............Azerbaijan GP...........Baku

20-22 September............Singapore GP...........Singapore

18-20 October................United States GP.......Austin

25-27 October................Mexican GP..............Mexico City

1-3 November.................Brazilian GP.............São Paulo

21-23 November..............Las Vegas GP..........Las Vegas

29 November–1 Dec.........Qatar GP.................Losail

6-8 December.................Abu Dhabi GP..........Yas Marina


2024 F1 driver line-up

Team Drivers

Alfa Romeo Valtteri Bottas Zhou Guanyu

AlphaTauri Daniel Ricciardo Yuki Tsunoda

Alpine Pierre Gasly Esteban Ocon

Aston Martin Fernando Alonso Lance Stroll

Ferrari Charles Leclerc Carlos Sainz

Haas Nico Hulkenberg Kevin Magnussen

McLaren Lando Norris Oscar Piastri

Mercedes Lewis Hamilton George Russell

Red Bull Sergio Perez Max Verstappen

Williams Alex Albon Logan Sargeant



Who are the 2024 F1 reserve drivers

Team Drivers

Alfa Romeo Theo Pourchaire

AlphaTauri Liam Lawson

Alpine TBC

Aston Martin Felipe Drugovich

Ferrari TBC

Haas TBC

McLaren Ryo Hirakawa Pat O’Ward

Mercedes Mick Schumacher

Red Bull TBC

Williams TBC


2024 F1 season driver line-up and calendar: Everything you need to know
DEC 1, 2023, 5:54 PM
AUTHOR: Rebecca Braybrook
Motorsport.com

‘2024 F1 calendar, F1 driver line-up, F1 reserve drivers’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/2024-f1-season-driver-lineup-calendar/10553574/

[Fortitude]

Verstappen: 2024 F1 calendar unsustainable ‘for the human body’.
Max Verstappen has voiced a negative opinion towards Formula 1’s 2024 schedule by saying it’s “not very sustainable for emissions” or “for the human body.”
16:55 Thu, 23 Nov 2023
by Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

Next year, two more races will be added to the calendar and Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi will form a triple-header to end the season, shortly after an extensive period of races in the Americas, which is cause for concern for this year’s World Champion.

“It’s a bit tough to understand what time zone that you’re in,” Verstappen admitted. “I think what does help here is that it’s all a bit later, like you try to have a good night’s sleep and stuff.”

“I definitely think for the future – of course for next year it’s not possible – but it’s a little bit odd that we are on the other side of the world basically before getting here.”

‘Unsustainable for the human body’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/11/23/verstappen-2024-f1-calendar-unsustainable-for-the-human-body/


Everything we know about the three F1 teams changing their names for 2024 season
Three F1 teams will change their identities for the 2024 season after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
08:45, Sun, Nov 26, 2023
By Charlie Malam
Daily and Sunday Express

Perhaps the most significant change on the grid is with Red Bull's sister team. Previously known as Toro Rosso from 2006 and 2019, they have been Scuderia AlphaTauri since the 2020 season. They act as a first chance in F1 for young talents from the Red Bull Driver Academy such as Sebastian Vettel, Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo. But the team will undergo another change this offseason. AlphaTauri, which is a fashion brand that operates under the Red Bull umbrella, has not seen as much commercial success as they had hoped from the partnership.

Aston Martin: Currently known as Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team, the British team will drop Cognizant from their name for 2024. Cognizant had been a title sponsor ever since Aston Martin returned to the sport three years ago. The technology and consulting firm will still sponsor Aston Martin but as a strategic partner instead. A spokesperson for the F1 team confirmed recently: "This was always planned as phase two of that relationship (with Cognizant).

Alfa Romeo: Another complete name change will occur at Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake. Alfa Romeo have had a six-year partnership with Sauber Motorsport and are sporting a commemorative livery in Abu Dhabi. But the team will race under the Audi banner from 2026. For the next two seasons before then, Sauber are expected to go it on their own. Alessandro Alunni Bravi, the main face alongside Andreas Seidl, has confirmed Audi will have no part to play before 2026.

‘Three F1 teams changing their names’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1839108/F1-news-AlphaTauri-name-change-Alfa-Romeo


F1 REGULATORS MANDATE EXTRA COOLING MEASURES FOR 2024 SEASON
The FIA are determined to avoid the health risks experienced at this year's Qatar Grand Prix
November 28, 2023
James Fiorucci
FormulaNerds

All Formula 1 teams will be required to run extra weight for cooling equipment from next year when temperatures are deemed “extreme”. A scoop fitted underneath each driver’s race seat has already reached approval for the 2024 season, but there has been further developments to prevent overheating inside the cockpit.

The FIA have now revealed that they have the power to trigger an emergency declaration when conditions are considered too dangerous. This will increase the minimum legal weight of all cars, incentivising teams to provide ice vests and other cooling equipment to their drivers to withstand the heat.

FIA single-seater Director Nikolas Tombazis explained the new rules: “This will give an extra bit of weight for the cars, something like probably two kilos, which will be mandatorily put on and mandatorily used for the purpose of cooling the driver. So, that will enable solutions such as cooling vests.”

‘MANDATE EXTRA COOLING MEASURES’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/f1-regulators-mandate-extra-cooling-measures-for-2024-season/


Stefano Domenicali admits there will be changes to one key event during 2024 season
Mon 27 November 2023 19:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has admitted there will be changes made ahead of the 2024 season to the Sprint Race format. Domenicali was speaking to Sky Sports F1 after the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi.

Asked what changes he foresees in the Sprint Race format, the F1 CEO said: “We will do something. But I cannot spoil anything that we are discussing! I think that what we’re going to do is to consider all the lessons learned from this year.”

“I think that what we will see is something that you will appreciate and what is great is that all around the world the fans love this format. And we have the duty to consider also people and fans that are not really in love with the format and that will change because they’re getting smaller.”

‘There will be changes’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/stefano-domenicali-admits-there-will-be-changes-to-one-key-event-during-2024-season/


F1 announce sprint race format update for 2024 season
F1 sprint weekends will take a different form in 2024
November 24, 2023
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

The exact nature of the future sprint format remains unconfirmed, but it appears F1 is acting on teams’ complaints that parc ferme has applied at the start of the sprint shootout on Friday evening, blocking them from setup changes for grand prix qualifying.

“The Commission gave overall support for an update to the Sprint Format for 2024 to further rationalise the weekend by separating Sprint activities from those for the Grand Prix,” an F1 media statement said. “The final calendar for the 2024 Sprint events will be published in the coming weeks.

“The Sporting Advisory Committee will work through specific details, particularly regarding timing and the parc ferme regulations, for a final proposal to be presented to the F1 Commission for the first meeting of 2024.”

‘Different form in 2024’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-announce-sprint-race-format-update-2024-season/

[Fortitude]

Horner: 'Red Bull's year was insane… and we started early on our 2024 car'.
Christian Horner says… …he can't dwell on the past. There's a title to retain in 2024; an engine to build for 2026; but firstly, a pile of appraisals on his desk
November 29th 2023
Author: Chris Medland

“Christmas will be off, but between now and Christmas is flat out,” he (Chritian Horner) says. “There’s always a lot to do in the factory this time of year. You have a lot of appraisals and reviews and other commitments as well — sponsor commitments. But by the time everybody breaks up, I think I finish on the 21st or 22nd, I think everybody will be ready for a well-deserved shutdown, which will be official this year.”

“We’ve had so much going on behind the scenes, particularly in Red Bull Powertrains. And they’ve been achieving some milestones throughout this year. And let’s not forget 2026 is not that far away, and the size of the challenge that we have ahead of us is massive. So of course that consumes an awful lot of time when I’m back in the factory. Horner’s mind is already on 2026 and the challenges that will provide, and rightly so seeing as Mercedes hit the ground running so strongly when the last significant power unit changes were introduced in 2014.

But it’s not to the detriment of the shorter-term, with Red Bull able to take full advantage of its dominance this year to focus on the 2024 car at an early stage. It’s something that Horner believes was particularly important given the cost cap penalty it received a year ago that reduced how much time it could spend in the wind tunnel this year. Thankfully, we had a good base to start because if we’d have been consumed with the very limited amount of wind tunnel we had in terms of developing RB19, it would really compromise us very badly on to RB20. But because we had a great starting block with ’19 enabled us to apply the limited amount of resource that we had available to RB20 reasonably early for us, while spinning both plates. That’s why development has been very frugal on this car really since the middle of the year.”

‘We had available to RB20 reasonably early’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/horner-red-bulls-year-was-insane-and-we-started-early-on-our-2024-car/?nowprocket=1#


Christian Horner confirms Lewis Hamilton’s fears about 2024 Red Bull F1 car
29 Nov 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Christian Horner has seemingly confirmed Lewis Hamilton’s biggest fear about Red Bull’s 2024 F1 car development. "At this moment, I don't really know [about next year]. For Red Bull to win by 17 seconds and they haven't developed their car since August is definitely a concern," seven-time world champion Hamilton told Sky after finishing ninth in Abu Dhabi.

Red Bull team principal Horner has since revealed that his side were indeed able to start work on their 2024 challenger - the RB20 - early, backing up Hamilton’s big concern. “Thankfully, we had a good base to start because if we’d have been consumed with the very limited amount of wind tunnel we had in terms of developing RB19, it would really compromise us very badly on to RB20,” Horner told Motorsport Magazine.

‘Fears confirmed’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1042433/1/horner-confirms-hamilton-s-fears-about-2024-red-bull-f1-car


Christian Horner confirms Lewis Hamilton fear over Red Bull's 2024 car
15:55, Fri, Dec 1, 2023
By Matthew Abbott
Daily and Sunday Express

"Red Bull won by 17 seconds and have not touched the car since August. So, you can pretty much guess where they're going to be next year.” Hamilton added: “[Red Bull] haven't even developed their car since August. It’s definitely a concern."

Horner confirmed Hamilton's concerns. “Thankfully, we had a good base to start because if we’d have been consumed with the very limited amount of wind tunnel we had in terms of developing RB19, it would really compromise us very badly on to RB20. But because we had a great starting block with ’19 enabled us to apply the limited amount of resource that we had available to RB20 reasonably early for us, while spinning both plates. That’s why development has been very frugal on this car really since the middle of the year.”

'RB19: Very frugal’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1841188/hamilton-lewis-f1-verstappen-red-bull-car


Red Bull’s dominance isn’t guaranteed for 2024, says Horner.
November 30, 2023
Abby Bathurst
FormulaNerds

Horner has likened Red Bull’s dominance in 2023 to that of Mercedes in 2020. Three years ago, the Silver Arrows won all but four of the 17 Grands Prix. Lewis Hamilton, much like Verstappen this year, won the majority; the seven-time world champion took 11 victories in 2020.

The following year, however, Mercedes didn’t dominate as much. In 2021, Red Bull were able to battle at the front and Hamilton and Verstappen were level on points ahead of the season finale. As reported by Motorsport.com, Horner related this to Red Bull’s current dominance saying: “We saw that in 2020 with Mercedes. If you remember, that was their most dominant year ever and yet, we were able to beat them in ’21.”

“There is a subtle rule change but I think that nothing stands still. We’ve seen competitors coming closer at different venues and I’m sure concepts will converge. Stable regulations always concertina. I don’t think we’ll ever be able to repeat the season that we’ve had, but hopefully, we can take the lessons from RB19 and apply them to RB20 and come up with a car that we can defend these titles with.”

‘Dominance isn’t guaranteed’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/red-bulls-dominance-isnt-guaranteed-for-2024-says-horner/


Domenicali expects rivals to close Red Bull race pace gap in 2024
13:37 Wed, 29 Nov 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali expects Red Bull’s rivals to reduce the reigning champion’s consistent advantage in race trim next season. “I would say congratulations to Max,” Domenicali expressed to Sky F1. “He has set something impressive in terms of maturity – in terms of standards – to Red Bull.”

Despite Red Bull’s relentless supremacy in race conditions, the Austrian outfit was usurped for pole position on eight occasions – including at three of the last five rounds. “You see Saturday in qualifying, 20 cars [covered] in less than one second,” Domenicali acknowledged. “So in qualifying, we are very, very close. Of course, race pace is different and I think that this will be the major thing that we’re going to see different [about] next year.”

‘Race pace gap’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/11/29/domenicali-expects-rivals-to-close-red-bull-race-pace-gap-in-2024/


Verstappen shares weakness Red Bull must eradicate in 2024
03 December 12:00PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Despite near perfection in 2023, Max Verstappen is keen to see his Red Bull squad make improvements to fix weaknesses from the RB19 in 2024's RB20. "Of course there are," Verstappen replied when asked by media including RacingNews365 if the Red Bull package had any weaknesses. "Look at our race weekend in Singapore. In general, on street circuits, I think we struggle a bit more, like in Las Vegas also.”

"Low speed is definitely not our strongest point in the car; bumps, and kerbs as well, so that is an area we can improve. We are working on our car to try and make it better. I think we know our weaknesses, and that's what we'll try to work on plus trying to make our strengths even stronger."

‘Verstappen shares weakness’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-shares-weakness-red-bull-must-eradicate-in-2024


Red Bull chief shares Sergio Perez "failed" admission as 2024 F1 plan becomes clear
15:53 Fri, 01 Dec 2023.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Despite how dominant Red Bull were in 2023, technical director Pierre Wache thinks Sergio Perez's struggles meant the team still "failed". "A fast car is a car that allows the driver to perform to the maximum," he told the Dutch Formule1 magazine. "We failed in that respect because only one driver, Max, in this case, could handle it well.”

"That is Max's talent, that he managed to use the car well throughout the season and under different conditions. On the other hand, we in turn may not have properly understood Checo what he needs to get the potential out of the RB19."

Wache's frustration hints that it will be an area of focus for him and his design colleagues as they continue to work on their 2024 car. If there performance gap between Red Bull and their rivals is closer this team, they may need both of their drivers to be firing in order to mount a successful title defence.

‘An area of focus’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1008884/helmut-marko-red-bull-f1-future-max-verstappen-sergio-perez/


Marko reveals F1 plans amid 'changed' 2024 Red Bull role
Friday 1 December 2023 09:57
Anna Malyon
GPFans

Red Bull director Helmut Marko has insisted he has the strength to continue in his leadership position, noting a more positive demeanour than others during demanding race weekends. Marko also expressed his perspective on whether the team would pursue similar goals during the 2024 season.

“That we can do this is illusory,” Marko said. “But let's see if all 24 races can be driven at all. As you know, Imola failed this year because of the natural disaster. When I look at how things are going in the world, you have to be very optimistic that everything can be carried out as planned.”

‘Strength to continue’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1008884/helmut-marko-red-bull-f1-future-max-verstappen-sergio-perez/

[Fortitude]

Wolff warns F1 rivals that 2024 car will make MASSIVE step.
…asserting that the upcoming Mercedes W15, slated for the 2024 season, will wield a two-and-a-half-second advantage over its predecessor, the W14.
Saturday 2 December 2023 09:57
Jay Winter
GPFans

The Mercedes team principal outlined their ambitious plans for the W15, emphasizing a substantial two-and-a-half-second improvement. "So we're going to make a two-and-a-half second step," he concluded.

Mercedes' star drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell will be eagerly awaiting the W15 capabilities as F1 regroups over the winter period before heading to Bahrain on March 2nd for the first race of the 2024 season.

‘Wolff warns F1 rivals’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1008876/toto-wolff-f1-mercedes-2024-car-w15/


Toto Wolff makes Lewis Hamilton F1 title prediction - if one condition met by Mercedes
4 Dec 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Wolff has “no doubt” the 38-year-old Briton remains at the peak of his powers and just needs a car capable of challenging for the championship in order to deliver a record eighth world title.

"From Lewis's perspective, he had a bad weekend," Wolff said of the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where Hamilton finished ninth.”

"That doesn't do anything about him being the greatest driver in the world, and if we are able to give him a car, then he will be fighting for a World Championship. I have no doubt.”

‘If one condition met’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1042498/1/wolff-makes-hamilton-f1-title-prediction-if-one-condition-met-mercedes


'Is it me or the car?': Lewis Hamilton after a second straight year without a win.
Lewis Hamilton has gone two Formula 1 seasons without winning a race. It comes after dominating the sport for seven years
November 30, 2023 15:09:34 IST
FP Sports
Firstpost

Lewis Hamilton admitted to wondering if he ‘still has it’ after Mercedes had another disappointing Formula 1 season. For Hamilton, it was a second straight season without a Grand Prix victory to his name. “Ultimately,” Hamilton told BBC Sport, “when you have difficult seasons like this, there are always going to be moments when you’re like: ‘Is it me, or is it the car? Do you still have it? Has it gone?’

“Because you’re missing that, you know… when the magic happens, when everything comes together, the car and you, and that spark, it’s extraordinary. And that’s what you’re in the search for,” he added. “I’m only human,” says the 38-year-old. “If anyone in the world tells you they don’t have those things, they’re in denial. We’re all human beings.”

Hamilton admitted that it would be a tough season the moment he drove this year’s car back in February. “I remember it feeling exactly the same,” he says as he compares it to last year. “And that definitely was not a great feeling. I really had high hopes. In February, when we do a download of where the car is going, I was a little more apprehensive, because the previous year it was like: ‘The car is amazing, it’s unique, no-one’s going to have anything like it.’ And then we get to the first test…

'Is it me or the car?';

https://www.firstpost.com/sports/formula-1-2023-season-lewis-hamilton-mercedes-13449322.html


Lewis Hamilton explains why he publicly scolded Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton was disappointed to find that Mercedes' 2023 car felt identical to their woeful 2022 challenger in the pre-season test.
30 November 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

The seven-time World Champion recalls how his first thoughts of driving the W14 were that it felt “exactly the same” as the team’s 2022 car, which he failed to claim a single victory or pole position in. This frustrated Hamilton, as he became aware that changes to the car that he asked for following 2022 “weren’t done”.

Given that Hamilton’s feedback wasn’t listened to ahead of 2023, it would’ve been very easy for the 103-time race winner to become annoyed; however, he instead opted to work hard with the Brackley-based squad to solve their problems. Reflecting on 2023, the 38-year-old believes he’s remained a “lot more positive” and has helped push the Silver Arrows forwards.

“I’m sure there were frustrations, because I had asked for certain changes, and they weren’t done. No one knew exactly what the problem was, no one knew how to fix it. Having the experience of the previous year, I just applied myself, in terms of digging down, sitting with the guys. We were having much better meetings.”

‘Publicly scolded Mercedes’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/lewis-hamilton-explains-why-he-publicly-scolded-mercedes/


Toto Wolff makes major admission as Mercedes take big W15 gamble
01 Dec 2023 11:30 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Toto Wolff has admitted Mercedes “could get it wrong” as they plan a total overhaul of their car. Mercedes went back to the drawing board after the W14 proved to be just as problematic as its predecessor and the team will now spend the winter building an entirely new car for the 2024 season.

But Wolff has admitted that despite the success that has come out of their Brackley base, there is no guarantee they will get it right. “We are changing the concept,” he told media, including PlanetF1.com, in Abu Dhabi. “We are completely moving away from how we laid out the chassis, the weight distribution, the airflow.”

“I mean, literally, there’s almost every component that’s being changed because only by doing that, I think we have a chance. We could get it wrong also. So, between not gaining what we expect, catching up and making a big step and competing in the front, everything is possible.”

‘Big W15 gamble’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-major-admission-mercedes-w15-gamble


Wolff downplays Mercedes’ chances of beating Red Bull before 2026
07:05 Fri, 01 Dec 2023.
Hamilton Lyndon-Griffiths
RacingNews365

Toto Wolff has suggested that any hope of Mercedes being able to overhaul Formula 1 rivals Red Bull before 2026 is “against the odds”. Mercedes boss Wolff was full of praise for Red Bull’s efforts this year, but doesn’t see it being dethroned in the current era.

“Red Bull started these regulations in 2022 with a massive advantage and was able to maintain it,” Wolff said, as quoted by RacingNews365. “You got to have a lot of respect for their achievement from the engineering side and the driver. Beating them under the current regulations is against the odds, that’s clear.”

‘Wolff downplays Mercedes’ chances’;

https://readmotorsport.com/2023/12/01/wolff-downplays-mercedes-chances-of-beating-red-bull-before-2026/


Beating Red Bull before 2026 'against the odds' - Wolff
01 December 8:00AM
Author Fergal Walsh
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has claimed that beating Red Bull before the 2026 season is “against the odds”. The 2026 campaign will see fresh technical regulations introduced, including the debut of new Power Units.

'Against the odds';

https://racingnews365.com/russell-wants-clean-slate-from-mercedes-with-2024-car


Mercedes working on brake issue for 2024 F1 season
Friday 1st December, 2023 - 12:52pm
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Mercedes is looking to rectify a brake issue ahead of the 2024 F1 campaign that almost led to Lewis Hamilton retiring from the end-of-season Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. head of race strategy Rosie Wait said, “Lewis was managing brake issues throughout the race, which was a real reliability concern.”

“So, our number one priority was making sure that we got that car to the finish and didn’t have to retire it. That will have affected his performance to varying degrees throughout the race and is something that we are certainly working on to improve for next year’s car.”

‘Brake issue’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/12/01/mercedes-lewis-hamilton-abu-dhabi-gp-brake-issue/

[Fortitude]

F1 team bosses angry over Toto and Susie Wolff's 'conflict of interest' and make complaint.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff and his wife Susie have reportedly been accused of a conflict of interest, with Susie in her role as the managing director of the F1 Academy series.
20:32, Sat, Dec 2, 2023
By Jack McEachen
Daily and Sunday Express

Business F1 Magazine claim that several team chiefs around the paddock have been questioning whether Toto and Susie Wolff should be employed in both roles. Those bosses have insisted that Toto, via his wife, has access to information that other teams on the grid are unable to obtain.

Suspicions were initially raised when Toto allegedly had information in advance of a meeting, which led to several of his peers being surprised that he was aware of the topic. He was said to have realised that he overspoke as his rivals were able to work out that the information only could have come from someone at the Formula 1 Group (F1G).

This has led to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem holding informal discussions with team chiefs regarding the issue, though it remains to be seen whether any action will be taken. Ben Sulayem is said to be unsure over whether this is typical politics in the paddock or whether intervention needs to be taken. He has been keen to avoid adding another issue on the plate of the FIA and F1G, but there is increasing pressure to step in.

‘Accused of a conflict of interest’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1841492/F1-news-Toto-Wolff-wife-Susie-Mercedes-complain


F1 team bosses OUTRAGED over Wolff's alleged 'conflict of interest'
Saturday 2 December 2023 17:57
Matthew Hobkinson
Daily and Sunday Express

Formula 1 team principals are reportedly up in arms over what they believe to be a conflict of interest that enables Mercedes chief Toto Wolff to access confidential information.

According to the latest issues of the Business F1 Magazine, there is trouble brewing within the paddock. They report that a possible conflict of interests exists between Wolff and his wife, Suzie, who is managing director of the F1 Academy series.

'Conflict of interest';

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1008949/toto-wolff-f1-mercedes-fia-susie-wolff-confidential-information-conflict-of-interest/


Wolff’s risky connections: Wife’s F1 role triggers potential scandal
07:13 Mon, 04 Dec 2023.
Andrew Maitland
Grandpx.news

Mercedes team boss and co-owner Toto Wolff finds himself under the spotlight once again, as unnamed rival team bosses raise concerns over a new alleged conflict of interest. This accusation follows earlier claims of Wolff leveraging his connections with former lawyer Shaila-Ann Rao, who later held a prominent position as the interim secretary general of sport at the FIA.

This time, Business F1 magazine suggests that team bosses are uneasy about Wolff potentially gaining access to privileged information through his wife, Susie Wolff. Susie is now a prominent figure in Formula 1’s new female-only F1 Academy series, and according to the magazine, team principals fear that Wolff may have access to confidential information that they do not.

‘Wolff’s risky connections’;

https://grandpx.news/wolffs-risky-connections-wifes-f1-role-triggers-potential-scandal/


Wolff backs 'transparent F1' over Red Bull-AlphaTauri links
04 December 7:30AM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Toto Wolff has issued his backing for the "transparency" of Formula 1 after concerns from some teams over the increased closeness of Red Bull and AlphaTauri. Already the junior squad to Red Bull, AlphaTauri is set to undergo huge changes in 2024, including a new name, livery and title sponsor as long-time team boss Franz Tost departs with Laurent Mekies and Peter Bayer taking over.

Bayer has been clear that the team will take as many transferable components (formerly non-listed parts) as it can, with late-season upgrades propelling the team from the bottom of the Constructors' to just missing out at overhauling Williams for seventh.

"I have to be honest, I only saw that [Yuki] Tsunoda was sixth in [Abu Dhabi qualifying] and they've come on strong which makes me happy for the fans of AlphaTauri to go out on a high," Wolff told media including RacingNews365. "But this is a transparent world. I haven't looked at any components, and am sure that others will and then we will take it from there. But honestly, I haven't spent a lot of time thinking about it."

‘Toto Wolff has issued his backing for the "transparency" of Formula 1’;

https://racingnews365.com/wolff-backs-transparent-f1-over-red-bull-alphatauri-links


Brundle challenges Wolff over Andretti F1 opposition amid rookie complaint
15:05 Sun, 03 Dec 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Ex-Formula 1 driver Martin Brundle has challenged Toto Wolff over his continued opposition to Andretti’s entry amid the Mercedes Team Principal’s complaint that there is a “blockage” for upcoming drivers.

“You must be keen then to have Andretti on the grid and two more seats for these young drivers?” Brundle remarked to Wolff. “Yeah, that would be amazing,” Wolff immediately responded. “Then we could put the young drivers in there.”

‘Brundle challenges Wolff’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/12/03/brundles-challenges-wolff-over-andretti-f1-opposition-amid-rookie-complaint/


Wolff defends Mercedes' controversial Ferrari incident stance
Monday 4 December 2023 22:57
Shay Rogers
GPFans

Having been accused of vetoing a penalty waiver for Ferrari in Las Vegas, Toto Wolff believes every other team boss would have followed the same course.

"As a team principal for a rival team that is fighting for P2, I need to look at the regulations and at the full scope of possible actions of ourselves in order to finish P2 in the championship," Wolff told RacingNews365. "If the regulation says so, I need to act for the benefit of the team and 2,500 people.”

"If we lost the championship by five points because I have acted in sporting fairness, and the rules would have allowed me to actually penalise the car, I need to do this. Every other team principal will do it as much as it's unfair.”

‘Wolff defends Mercedes';

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1009087/toto-wolff-mercedes-ferrari-f1-las-vegas-carlos-sainz/


Toto Wolff reacts to ‘idiot’ Michael Masi returning
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has lashed out at ex-FIA race director Michael Masi returning.
4 December 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is against ex-Formula 1 race director Michael Masi making a remarkable return, and recently labelled him as an “idiot”.

Wolff’s strong feelings for Masi are as a result of his ‘human error’ in the 2021 season finale, where his failure to following the rule book resulted in Lewis Hamilton losing an unprecedented eighth Drivers’ Championship.

Masi letting only some cars un-lap themselves after initially stating that nobody would un-lap themselves, followed by ending a late Safety Car a lap early resulted in the FIA investigating his handling of the race.

‘Toto Wolff has lashed out’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/toto-wolff-reacts-to-idiot-michael-masi-returning/

[Fortitude]

Report offers juicy details on 2024 Ferrari amidst Red Bull copy speculation.
Ferrari’s 2024 F1 car – currently codenamed ‘676’ – will reportedly be a mix of Red Bull “solutions” and the Scuderia’s own “innovations and choices.”
10 Nov 2023 12:00 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

In year two of Formula 1’s ground-effect aerodynamic era, Ferrari found that instead of making inroads into Red Bull’s advantage, their deficit to the World Champions grew. Having realised in pre-season testing already that their SF-23’s concept was flawed, the Scuderia made a change mid-season that included dropping the baby bath sidepods for a more Red Bull-styled downwash concept.

According to Formu1a.uno, the ‘676’ project will “see solutions inspired by the Red Bull project, with innovations and its own choices, not limiting itself to copying what was introduced by Adrian Newey in these two years of new regulations.”

Going into more detail, the Italian publication reported that while the “aerodynamic appearance is not defined” with Ferrari continuing to update the ‘676’, the team’s goal is to maintain flexibility between “existing features and new technical innovations. The revised and enhanced concept is an interim version between the SF-23 and the Red Bull philosophy, incorporating unique solutions,” it added.

‘Juicy details’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/2024-ferrari-f1-red-bull-copy


Vasseur urges Ferrari to be ‘more efficient’ in 2024
10:31 Thu, 30 Nov 2023.
Hamilton Lyndon-Griffiths
Read Motorsport

Team boss Vasseur insists the Italian outfit must make more of its opportunities next year having made a lit of all the points it dropped over the year. “We started on the wrong foot in Bahrain when we had to stop, we were P3 and [got] the penalty for the second race. It meant for Charles it was almost 25 points of penalty,” Vasseur said, as quoted by Motorsport.com.

“Plus the points that we were giving to the others with the two Mercedes that were behind us. But again, it is not only this one – you can do the list. Trust me, I have done the list a couple of times and have it in my head the classification without the issues and overall, I think that you have ups and downs during the season.”

“For sure, we gave up more points than our competitors and that means it is another topic that we need to work on for next year, to be more opportunistic and more efficient.”

‘Must make more of its opportunities’;

https://readmotorsport.com/2023/11/30/vasseur-urges-ferrari-to-be-more-efficient-in-2024/


Vasseur: Maximising opportunities an imperative for Ferrari in 2024
30/11/2023 at 14:08
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur says the Scuderia suffered a significant points shortfall this year because it failed to exploit too many opportunities that came its way. In a season marked by its inconsistencies and performance fluctuations, Ferrari finished its campaign P3 in F1’s Constructor’s standings, but just three points short of runner-up Mercedes.

From the outset, Ferrari's campaign was marred by struggles. The car, which lacked the raw pace to challenge Red Bull, failed to deliver the expected results, leaving the team on the backfoot in its season-opening race in Bahrain.

Compounding Ferrari's woes was a litany of self-inflicted setbacks and unforced errors, including reliability issues and strategy mistakes. Vasseur admits that these missteps cost the team precious points throughout the season.

‘Maximising opportunities an imperative’;

https://f1i.com/news/495722-vasseur-maximising-opportunities-an-imperative-for-ferrari-in-2024.html


Ferrari needs to make more of its F1 opportunities in 2024 – Vasseur
13:00 Wed, 29 Nov 2023.
AUTHORFilip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

Ferrari Formula 1 chief Fred Vasseur has urged his team to make more of its opportunities in 2024 after having "made a list" of all the times it let valuable points slip. Things started off poorly for Charles Leclerc, who had to take an engine penalty in Saudi Arabia after retiring from the opening race in Bahrain.

Leclerc also retired in Australia and the Netherlands, was disqualified for excessive plank wear in Austin and failed to make the start in Brazil after crashing out with a hydraulic issue on the formation lap. Sainz also failed to start a race, due to a fuel system issue in Qatar, and retired following contact with McLaren's Oscar Piastri in Belgium.

Vasseur called on his team to stop giving so many points away to rivals in 2024, saying he has made a list in his head of all the points dropped through unforced errors.

"Made a list";

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/ferrari-f1-more-opportunities-in-2024/10553179/


Vasseur reveals mistake Ferrari can't repeat in 2024
03 December 5:00AM
Author Fergal Walsh
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Speaking to media including RacingNews365.com, Vasseur has admitted that Ferrari's expectations were too high ahead of the year. "For sure, I think the level of expectation was a bit too high at the beginning of the season," Vasseur said.

"We understood quickly the situation after a couple of laps in Bahrain and even a couple of laps into the simulator before Bahrain. But what I would keep in mind this season is the reaction of the team. We had a tough moment but remember after Jeddah, Miami, Spain or Zandvoort, Zandvoort is not so far away and we were almost lapped.”

"I think that we, compared to Zandvoort, collectively made a huge step forward and this is good for the future. It's on this progression that we can build for next year.

‘Expectations were too high ahead of the year’;

https://racingnews365.com/vasseur-reveals-mistake-ferrari-cant-repeat-in-2024


Juicy details emerge on 2024 Ferrari as ‘biggest problem’ identified – F1 news round-up
10 Nov 2023 10:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

2024 Ferrari will not just be Red Bull copy. But, while Mercedes and Ferrari have since abandoned their routes to gravitate towards the Red Bull concept, it has been reported that Ferrari’s F1 2024 challenger will feature some unique characteristics, alongside Red Bull-inspired “solutions”.

Christian Horner identifies “biggest problem” for Ferrari. The Scuderia will very much be hoping that their 2024 challenger can finally end their baron spell without title glory, ongoing since 2008.

And Horner, boss of F1’s dominant Red Bull outfit, believes Ferrari’s status as the Italian national team and associated scrutiny does them no favours. “I think the biggest problem for Ferrari is that it’s a national team,” said Horner on the Eff Won podcast. “It needs to get back to being a race team.”

‘Biggest problem identified’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/2024-ferrari-details-christian-horner-biggest-problem


VASSEUR: FERRARI MUST BE MORE REALISTIC FOR 2024
The Scuderia had a more difficult season than 2022, finishing third in the constructors' championship and achieving one race victory
December 3, 2023
Nathan Hartley
FormulaNerds

Managing expectations is essential. It was no secret how much it hurt the team with the SF-23, having high expectations after their 2022 season. Vasseur believes that the team can take courage from the improvements throughout the season. However the Frenchman has stressed not to set too high expectations after what happened this season:

“For sure, I think the level of expectation was a bit too high at the beginning of the season. We understood quickly the situation after a couple of laps in Bahrain and even a couple of laps into the simulator before Bahrain.”

However, Vasseur praised the reaction of his team after such a poor start, regarding the development of the car. “But what I would keep in mind this season is the reaction of the team. We had a tough moment but remember after Jeddah, Miami, Spain or Zandvoort, Zandvoort is not so far away and we were almost lapped. I think that we, compared to Zandvoort, collectively made a huge step forward and this is good for the future. It’s on this progression that we can build for next year.”

‘Team can take courage from the improvements throughout the season’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/vasseur-ferrari-must-be-more-realistic-for-2024/

[Fortitude]

McLaren F1 boss makes bullish title prediction ahead of 2024.
Zak Brown is confident in McLaren's ability to challenge in 2024 but admitted that Red Bull will still be the team to beat at the front of the Formula 1 field.
Tuesday 28 November 2023 15:57
Shay Rogers
GPFans

Aside from a floor update in Hungary, Red Bull brought forward very little and were still incredibly successful in 2023. McLaren, on the other hand, have been in constant pursuit of the stopwatch, having brought multiple upgrades to date. This may have affected how much time they have spent on their 2024 car, however.

Brown: We’re feeling really good. But team boss Brown is in positive spirits ahead of next year's challenge, though he did concede that Red Bull are the favourites to retain their crown. "Well it's probably going to be Red Bull but I would not want to rule anybody else out," he told Sky Sports F1.

"There’s a lot of great teams on the grid. We're feeling really good about our car for next year. [It's] hard to kind of know when Red Bull maybe stopped developing this year's car to get going on next year's. But we definitely feel like we will take a step forward but so will the entire grid and we’re just going to have to wait and see."

‘Bullish title prediction’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1008561/zak-brown-mclaren-red-bull-f1-2024/


Why Brown feels McLaren's full potential won't be seen in 2024
05 December 8:05PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Despite huge steps forward in 2023, the McLaren CEO feels his team needs another season before its maximum potential can be delivered. Brown: Still work to do: "We have everything we need, but we need a little bit more time," Brown told media including RacingNews365.

"The upgrades were not done with some of our latest technology, and we're now in our wind-tunnel, we have our new simulator, our new manufacturing unit so that is quite exciting for us because we haven't benefited from those. We've got great people back at McLaren but we do have a couple of big hires that start in early January but of course, our 2024 has already been started.”

"We will have everything in place come January but 2024 has already started, so I think it will be 2025 before we've fully maximised everything, but I feel good about the '24 season. It’s been an awesome effort by Andrea and the entire team. The upgrades have been fantastic. The drivers are doing a great job, we’ve got great power coming out of our Mercedes power unit, so it’s been a wild ride."

‘We need a little bit more time’;

https://racingnews365.com/why-brown-feels-mclarens-full-potential-wont-be-seen-in-2024


Can McLaren challenge Red Bull in 2024? | Zak Brown: We have two great drivers
21:49 Sun, 03 Dec 2023.
Sky Sports

McLaren boss Zak Brown is hoping for a strong start to the new season as they aim to narrow the gap on the Red Bulls in 2024.

‘We have two great drivers’;

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/f1/13022402/mclarens-zak-brown-looking-for-strong-start-in-2024


Lando Norris makes 'strongest in a decade' claim as McLaren look to 2024
After securing his highest single-season points tally in 2023 Lando Norris is confident that his McLaren team has what it takes to be a significant threat in 2024
16:10, Tue, Dec 5, 2023
By Liam Llewellyn
Daily and Sunday Express

F1 star Lando Norris believes McLaren is set to have a strong 2024 season. The team finished fourth in the 2023 Constructors standings with 302 points, 205 of which were earned by the 24-year-old.

McLaren was immediately put on the back foot after failing to score a single point in the first two races of the year. But Norris steadily improved and was world champion Max Verstappen's most consistent challenger during the second half of the campaign.

After ending the season in a far better position than in which he began, Norris thinks McLaren can take this momentum into the 2024 season. “I hate ever being confident or overconfident about things, I'm never that kind of guy," he told Sky Sports F1 when asked if McLaren is set for a big year. "But I think so, because of what we have.”

'Strongest in a decade';

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1842374/Lando-Norris-McLaren-f1-2024


Lando Norris says McLaren should be more confident than ever heading into the 2024 F1 season
Lando Norris led a remarkable McLaren turnaround in 2023 as the team recovered from a terrible start to the season to finish fourth in the constructors' standings; the Brit says he is "100 per cent" confident of claiming first F1 victory in 2024
Last Updated: 05/12/23 12:00pm
Sky Sports

Lando Norris says McLaren have more reason than ever to be confident going into the 2024 Formula 1 season and is "100 per cent" confident of claiming a maiden race victory.

‘Brit says he is "100 per cent" confident of claiming first F1 victory’;

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/13020445/lando-norris-says-mclaren-should-be-more-confident-than-ever-heading-into-the-2024-f1-season


F1 champion backs McLaren to challenge Red Bull in 2024
Wednesday 29 November 2023 15:57
Anna Malyon
GPFans

Former Formula 1 champion Damon Hill believes McLaren may be the top contender to challenge Red Bull next year. Despite (Red Bulls’) the record-breaking season, Hill has tipped McLaren to become a genuine contender at the front of the grid when the action resumes.

"I really do think [that]," Hill said. "The only thing that could be flattering that is that Red Bull has stopped developing their car and allowed people to catch up, so it looks like it might be closer than it really is.”

"But it's harder and harder to wring the last drops out of a set of regulations and I think McLaren are doing a fantastic job and I really do think that they can keep that going. They've already cracked most of the problems and brought out a competitive car this season anyway."

‘Damon Hill believes McLaren may be the top contender’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1008697/mclaren-f1-red-bull-damon-hill-max-verstappen-2024/

[Fortitude]

Alonso: F1 not a ‘charity event’ - Aston has to have pressure.
Aston Martin will approach 2024 with heightened expectations and therefore with intensified pressure lingering over the team, but it’s a state of affairs that Fernando Alonso hopes his team will embrace.
05/12/2023 at 11:24
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Aston Martin F1's 2023 campaign was a tale of two halves, with the Silverstone-based outfit enjoying a remarkable start to the season, Alonso securing six podium finishes in the opening eight races. The surge in performance positioned as Red Bull's closest challenger and raised hopes of an outright win.

However, the second half of the season proved less successful. Despite Alonso adding two more top-three finishes to his tally, upgrade-related issues hindered the team's progress. As a result, Aston was overtaken by Ferrari and Mercedes in the constructors' championship and ultimately finished the season in fifth place.

“This is Formula 1, not a charity event,” commented the Spaniard. “We have to have the pressure to deliver. The fifth in the constructors’ [standings] hurts a little bit because I think we were better than that. We were hoping for better than that at the beginning of the year.”

‘Alonso: F1 not a ‘charity event’;

https://f1i.com/news/495946-alonso-f1-not-a-charity-event-aston-has-to-have-pressure.html


Why Aston Martin’s resurgence is crucial for the 2024 F1 season
11 November 2:00PM
Author Paolo Filisetti
RacingNews365

Aston Martin enjoyed a strong weekend in Brazil with Fernando Alonso returning to the podium after a challenging run of races. Here's why it was a crucial event as it looks towards next year's car.

The biggest problem that the engineers, directed by Dan Fallows, encountered was not completely resolving and identifying the problems that had prevented the AMR23 from being competitive throughout the season. In essence, if there had not been a demonstration of improvement in the performance and behaviour of the car in the last races, this would have represented the worst-case scenario for the team with a view to 2024.

However, it is equally correct to consider that the limits of the car could have been hidden precisely by the type of Interlagos track which already on paper was favourable to the F1 cars with a high-medium downforce configuration, such as the AMR23. The positive fact that’s worth considering is that Aston Martin’s engineers have understood what mistakes not to make in identifying the basic concept of the next year’s car.

‘Aston Martin’s resurgence is crucial’;

https://racingnews365.com/why-aston-martins-resurgence-is-crucial-for-the-2024-f1-season


Fernando Alonso outlines Aston Martin weak points to iron out for 2024
Fernando Alonso finished fourth in the 2023 F1 drivers' championship, his best result since 2013
November 30, 2023
By Roman Brock
Total Motorsport

They lost out to McLaren by 22 points but it’s still a major step forward from Aston Martin‘s seventh places in the constructors’ championship from 2021 and 2022.

“I think we need to find some consistency,” said Alonso to the press. “One of the weak points is that the car has to operate in a very narrow window. It is the same for everybody but it seems that we struggle a little bit and it will be a nice if we can perform always at the stable level next year.”

“Also we can improve the straight line speed. Our weak point always is a little bit too slow on the straights and if we want to be as fast as the others, we need to drop too much the rear wing and then we ended up slowing in the corners as well. So that was probably the loop that we could not get out of this season.”

‘Weak points to iron out for 2024’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-fernando-alonso-aston-martin-weak-iron-2024/


Stroll's plan is to stay at Aston Martin in 2024
NOVEMBER 4, 2023
GrandPrix.com

The struggling Canadian driver is back in the Formula 1 headlines - but this time for the right reasons after a solid but in many ways lucky top-3 qualifying performance in Brazil.

Stroll, who has been accused of lacking the speed and motivation for F1 and only enjoying the support of his billionaire father Lawrence, admitted: "I still really felt like crap in the car. But I think we did a good job getting both cars, me and Fernando, at the front of the queue”, he added.

Stroll said in Brazil: "I mean, the plan is I'm staying next year. "You know, it's been a challenging season at times for sure. Some great highlights but also some really frustrating days recently. But the plan is to keep going next year for sure.”

‘Stay at Aston Martin in 2024’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/strolls-plan-is-to-stay-at-aston-martin-in-2024.html


Eddie Jordan admits he’s changed his mind about 25-year-old F1 driver he never used to rate
06:36 Tue, 05 Dec 2023.
F1 Oversteer

Tue 5 December 2023 06:30
Ben Evans
Former F1 team principal Eddie Jordan has admitted that he’s changed his mind on Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll this season. Jordan was chatting with David Coulthard on the Formula For Success Podcast. Lance Stroll struggled compared to his more experienced teammate but saw a late resurgence towards the end of the campaign. Eddie Jordan has admitted that he has changed his mind on Stroll after initially writing him off as a Formula 1 driver.

Speaking about Aston Martin’s fortunes this season and how they used to be Eddie Jordan’s team, he said: “It is a pity, it’s a very, very difficult job. I remember having one of the few rocks that I’ve had, I remember Lawrence Stroll coming to me to say, why did you say on Channel 4 I think I said would Lance Stroll get a drive without his father’s help or influence?”

“And he wasn’t happy about that. I’ll now come back to that and I’ll say that he does warrant and justify his position in Formula 1. But he’s never going to be a number one driver from what I can see at the moment.”

‘Changed his mind’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/eddie-jordan-admits-hes-changed-his-mind-about-25-year-old-f1-driver-he-never-used-to-rate/


Aston Martin eager to extend Alonso’s contract beyond 2024
Formula 1
Posted on 24th November 2023, 12:22
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Aston Martin are keen to extend Fernando Alonso’s contract to drive for the team beyond the end of next season. Team principal Mike Krack is therefore keen to extend his stay at the team into the 2025 season, when the two-times world champion will turn 44.

“I think I don’t have to answer that question,” said Krack when asked whether he wants to keep Alonso in the team. “Absolutely, yes.” Aston Martin caused a stir last year when they pounced on the opportunity to sign Alonso when his former team Alpine hesitated over extending his contract. Krack said he had “no concern” about offering a new deal to the oldest driver on the grid.

Krack said there’s been “only positives” from Alonso’s arrival at the team. “We were blown away from the first day until today actually,” he explained. “To be honest with you, I always thought it was a bit of a honeymoon, the months in the beginning. But I’m quite happy that we have managed to extend the honeymoon a bit longer. I think we have received a remarkable team player, constructive at all times, especially when it was difficult.”

‘Aston Martin eager to extend Alonso’s contract’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/11/24/aston-martin-eager-to-extend-alonsos-contract-beyond-2024/

[Matthew]

It will be another season where Max and Red Bull are gonna finish on top but we should see more competition from the teams like Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes in the upcoming season.

[Fortitude]

F1 rocked by bombshell investigation into Mercedes boss Wolff over alleged confidentiality breach.
Mercedes principal Toto Wolff and wife Susie are under investigation by the FIA for alleged conflict of interest and transfer of confidential information.
December 6th, 2023 10:56 am
Michael Lamonato from Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)

Mercedes has denied the allegations on behalf of its boss. Susie Wolff and Formula 1 have also rejected the claims. Susie Wolff is managing director of the Formula 1-owned F1 Academy series, an international Formula 4-level category open only to women and girls aged 25 or younger. She reports directly to F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali.

The FIA’s compliance department has opened its investigation following allegations made by unidentified team representatives published in the Business F1 magazine that Toto has access to confidential information on Formula 1 Management (FOM) activities via Susie’s high-level appointment.

According to the magazine, rival team principals were made suspicious by recent comments made by Toto that they believe could only have come from information from internal F1 channels to which he should not have been privy. The magazine further reports that rivals are concerned that information from their confidential team principals meetings could be made available to F1 executives via the Wolff couple.

‘Bombshell investigation’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/f1-rocked-by-bombshell-investigation-into-mercedes-boss-wolff-over-alleged-confidentiality-breach/news-story/cae9241a8085e95d2c566df54c41f4e6


What next in FIA/Wolff case and the wider F1 implications?
Dec 6, 2023
by Scott Mitchell-Malm, Edd Straw
The Race

The Formula 1 off-season has begun with a surprise early controversy, with the FIA looking into allegations about the conduct of Toto and Susie Wolff that have been emphatically rejected.

The FIA’s compliance department is looking into an allegation of “information of a confidential nature being passed to an F1 team principal from a member of FOM personnel”, which subsequently led to the Wolffs being named as the subjects, along with more specific allegations about them being detailed too.

F1, Mercedes (in lieu of a personal one from team principal Toto Wolff) and F1 Academy boss Susie Wolff herself issued stinging responses to not just the allegations but the FIA’s conduct, with Mercedes inviting "full, prompt, and transparent correspondence from the FIA compliance department regarding this investigation and its contents". So what happens next, and what's at stake?

‘What next?’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/fia-wolff-case-what-next-wider-f1-implications/


The Wolff scandal: F1’s power couple under spotlight
07:03 Wed, 06 Dec 2023.
Andrew Maitland
Grandpx.news

A brewing storm in the Formula 1 world has placed Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team principal and co-owner, under intense scrutiny. Allegations of a potential conflict of interest have emerged, centering around Wolff’s wife, Susie Wolff, who recently took the helm as managing director of the F1-run female series F1 Academy. Business F1 magazine’s December issue has been the catalyst for this controversy, suggesting the possibility of confidential information being shared not just between the Wolffs but leaking to other key stakeholders in the F1 community.

The situation took a turn for the worse following a recent meeting of team bosses where Toto Wolff allegedly let slip sensitive information, accompanied by what observers described as noticeably “uncomfortable” body language upon realizing his mistake. This incident has propelled the FIA to initiate a formal investigation, with their compliance department now actively delving into these serious claims.

‘Let slip sensitive information, accompanied by what observers described as noticeably “uncomfortable” body language upon realizing his mistake’;

https://grandpx.news/the-wolff-scandal-f1s-power-couple-under-spotlight/


FIA opens conflict investigation into Mercedes head Wolff and his wife
Published Dec 05, 2023 at 04:54 PM ET
TSN

On Tuesday, the FIA said it was investigating the Wolffs following allegations of a conflict of interest and whether they have shared confidential information. The FIA said it was “aware of media speculation” about whether confidential information was exchanged, and that its compliance department was “looking into the matter.”

The probe began after a report in BusinessF1 magazine that rival team executives raised concerns about whether Toto and Susie Wolff passed on information discussed in private meetings. Susie Wolff reports to F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali.

The BusinessF1 report said team officials were alarmed when Toto Wolff made comments in a recent meeting that included details they felt could only have come from F1. The report did not detail what was discussed.

‘FIA opens conflict investigation’;

https://www.tsn.ca/auto-racing/fia-opens-conflict-investigation-into-mercedes-head-toto-wolff-and-wife-susie-wolff-1.2044974


What exactly is going on with the FIA's investigation into Toto and Susie Wolff?
06 December 7:11PM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Jesse Janse
RacingNews365

To make sense of why the FIA's investigation into Toto and Susie Wolff for an alleged conflict of interest matters, first we must go back to basics. Under the so-called 'franchise model' that has become the buzzword in recent times, the 10 teams on the grid are suppliers, who provide their product to the Commercial Rights Holder (Liberty Media, and by extension, Formula One Management (FOM)).

This product is then packaged and spruced up and passed on to consumers, broadcasters and fans. By this, Toto Wolff provides his product to F1 which is then sold on, but he retains control of the product, with Mercedes a separate entity to F1. Susie Wolff is a senior executive within F1 who reports to President and CEO Stefano Domenicali through her work running the in-house F1 Academy series, which launched earlier this year.

The claim against Toto Wolff is that in a recent meeting of Team Principals, he spoke of matters that the other bosses had no knowledge of, and which could only have come from within FOM. Toto Wolff, in theory, could then use any information he has, that he should not, to his and Mercedes' advantage over rivals. It is also suggested that Susie Wolff is also privy to information from team bosses that is advantageous to FOM - again a separate entity from the suppliers, the teams.

‘What exactly is going on?’;

https://racingnews365.com/much-more-is-going-on-around-the-fia-investigation-into-the-wolff-family


Wolff ‘deeply insulted’ by ‘baseless allegations’
Wednesday 6th December, 2023 - 10:35am
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Susie Wolff has issued a statement angrily refuting claims of a conflict of interest over information allegedly shared with her husband, Toto. As managing director of F1 Academy, Wolff is privy to confidential information from Liberty Media, Formula 1’s commercial rights holder.

A magazine article has alleged Toto Wolff shared information at a recent meeting of the Formula 1 team principals that could have only come from someone with inside knowledge of Formula One Management. On Tuesday evening, the FIA issued a statement acknowledging the allegation and revealing the FIA Compliance Department was investigating.

That was followed by a statement from F1 itself, which rejected the suggestion that one of its staff had leaked confidential information. Given that Toto Wolff shared the information, attention has centred on Susie. “I am deeply insulted but sadly unsurprised by the public allegations that have been made this evening,” she declared.

‘Deeply insulted’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/12/06/wolff-deeply-insulted-by-baseless-allegations/


Susie Wolff labels allegations ‘intimidatory and misogynistic’ in fiery statement
05 Dec 2023 9:29 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Susie Wolff has issued her own statement to respond to the unsubstantiated allegations linking her and husband Toto Wolff to an FIA investigation.

“It is disheartening that my integrity is being called into question in such a manner,” she said. “Especially when it seems to be rooted in intimidatory and misogynistic behaviour, and focused on my marital status rather than my abilities.”

“Throughout my career in motorsport, I have encountered and overcome numerous obstacles and I refuse to let these baseless allegations overshadow my dedication and passion for F1 Academy.”

“As a woman in this sport, I have faced my fair share of challenges but my commitment to breaking down barriers and paving the way for future generations to succeed remains unwavering. In the strongest possible terms, I reject these allegations.”

‘Intimidatory and misogynistic’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/susie-wolff-statement-response-fia-allegations


Who Framed The Wolffs? F1 teams clamour on UNPRECEDENTED day of drama.
Thursday 7 December 2023 08:27
Cal Gaunt
GPFans

All Formula 1 teams have now refuted claims that they lodged official complaints with the FIA regarding the alleged exchange of confidential information between Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, and his wife Susie Wolff.

‘Who Framed The Wolffs?’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1009212/toto-susie-wolff-whistleblower-fia-f1-teams-respond-conflict-interest-allegations-framed/

[Fortitude]

Esteban Ocon vows to switch to “war mode” for 2024: “No life, flat out, only racing”.
Alpine driver Esteban Ocon has issued a warning to his F1 rivals as he looks to bounce back from an underwhelming 2023 campaign, vowing to switch to “war mode”.
7 Dec 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Looking ahead to 2024, Ocon plans to restart training a week before Christmas before fully focusing on racing in the new year.

"I think 17th of December, that's when I will restart training. So, that's until Christmas,” he added. “Almost a week. Then from 2nd of Jan until the first test, I will be back fully into training camp. I'm going to be doing it the way I was doing in 2022, which is no life, flat out, only racing.”

“We've been doing a lot of different things and activations outside the track this year. That's going to change next year. Back to war mode and fully focused on the racing side.”

“War mode”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1042636/1/ocon-vows-switch-war-mode-2024-no-life-flat-out-only-racing


Alpine compromised in Las Vegas by "experiments" for F1 2024
20:34 Fri, 17 Nov 2023.
AUTHORAdam Cooper
Motorsport.com

Pierre Gasly says that his Alpine Formula 1 team is compromised over the Las Vegas GP weekend by "experiments" that are being conducted with an eye on the 2024 car.

While not divulging any details, Alpine technical director Matt Harman indicated that the test items could have a significant impact on next year's design. "We got some experiments that we're going to be trying this weekend," he said. "And they're all around some work we've done recently that informed us on a certain direction that we'd like to take.”

"We've had some components made over the weekend by the factory, which was a great response by the factory, because I wanted to try something particularly different at this event. And I'm excited to see it.
"You're not going to see in lap times, but we're going to see in data.

‘Experiments for F1 2024’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-2024-alpine-las-vegas-experiments/10547802/


Gasly reveals Alpine 2024 F1 car ‘experiments’ in Las Vegas
11:05 Wed, 22 Nov 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Pierre Gasly has revealed that Alpine elected to conduct “experiments” related to its 2024 Formula 1 car throughout the recent Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend. Gasly admitted Alpine had compromised its Vegas prospects, but the Frenchman asserted that he was prepared to sacrifice his weekend for a longer-term improvement.

Alpine Technical Director Matt Harman confirmed Gasly’s disclosure, adding that the updated components were inspired by the marque’s potential direction for next year. “We [have] got some experiments that we’re going to be trying this weekend,” he told Autosport. “And they’re all around some work we’ve done recently that informed us on a certain direction that we’d like to take.”

“We’ve had some components made over the weekend by the factory, which was a great response by the factory, because I wanted to try something particularly different at this event. And I’m excited to see it. You’re not going to see in lap times, but we’re going to see in data.”

‘2024 F1 car experiments’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/11/22/gasly-reveals-alpine-2024-f1-car-experiments-in-las-vegas/


Ambitious Pierre Gasly outlines 'clear target’ for Alpine in F1 2024
2 Dec 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Pierre Gasly says winning another F1 race is the “clear target” he is working towards heading into the 2024 season. The Alpine driver scored his maiden grand prix win at the 2020 Italian Grand Prix when he was at AlphaTauri, but the Frenchman is yet to taste victory again since.

Gasly is determined to change that and hopes 2024 can be the year he returns to the top step of the podium. I want to say 2024 because this is the clear target and that's the goal I'm working towards,” Gasly told F1’s Beyond The Grid podcast.

"I just want it to happen very, very, very badly next season. I really hope we can hear the French anthem on the podium in Formula 1 next season in 2024.”

‘Ambitious Pierre Gasly’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1040780/1/ambitious-gasly-outlines-clear-target-alpine-f1-2024


Ocon driving 2024 Alpine F1 car model since September
15:02 Sun, 12 Nov 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Esteban Ocon reveals that he’s been driving a model of Alpine’s 2024 Formula 1 car in the simulator since September, the earliest he’s ever conducted the practice in his career. In a bid to reverse its flailing fortunes, Ocon, who maintains that Alpine can replicate McLaren’s progress this year, has disclosed that he’s driven a model of the team’s A524 in the simulator two months in advance.

“Obviously the team is very well aware of where they have to go, in terms of improving the current situation,” Ocon said ahead of last weekend’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

“I’ve been driving the car quite a bit in the simulator, the 2024 model. Quite early on, compared to usual. So that has been a very good thing, we’ve been able to tackle some issues and to have some early feedback, in comparison to really driving it end of November or December, we were able to do that early September.”

‘Driving 2024 Alpine F1 car model’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/11/12/ocon-driving-2024-alpine-f1-car-model-since-september/

[Fortitude]

The lingering questions that remain from the unnecessary FIA/Wolff saga.
There remains a bitter aftertaste to all that has happened because no parties have come out of the events of the week looking good.
09:41, 7th Dec. 2023.
AUTHORJonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

The FIA's decision to back away from its compliance probe into Mercedes boss Toto Wolff and wife Susie brought an end to an explosive 48 hours for Formula 1. But the shockwaves from the FIA's decision to declare that it was looking into a potential conflict of interest over the passing of confidential information between the Wolffs are going to stick around for a while.

The Wolffs, Mercedes and FOM have had their reputations sullied by the allegations, the media has been caught up in a misinformation fog of war, and the FIA's actions have led to it being on the receiving end of heavy criticism. The events of the week were entirely avoidable, as the whole thing could have been conducted in private and settled without the need for anyone in the outside world to even know about it.

But it's the fact that matters went so public, and the disparity between the FIA's view of there being team complaints and all of Mercedes' rivals insisting that is not the case, that has left some lingering questions about the whole affair.

‘The lingering questions’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/the-lingering-questions-that-remain-from-the-unnecessary-fia-wolff-saga/10556219/


FIA’s embarrassing retreat: The Wolff scandal that totally backfired
7th Dec. 2023,07:09
Andrew Maitland
Grandpx.news

The FIA, under the leadership of Mohammed Ben Sulayem, has executed a dramatic about-face following its short-lived Formula 1 probe into a scandal involving Toto Wolff and his wife Susie.

The investigation, sparked by a lone report in Business F1 magazine, essentially accused Mercedes chief Wolff and his wife, now the managing director of the F1 Academy, of conflict of interest and sharing confidential information. However, the evidence, or rather the lack of it, quickly turned the tables.

“There is not even any circumstantial evidence,” declared Michel Milewski, a Bild newspaper correspondent, pointing out the shaky foundation of the inquiry. “The trigger was a single report in Business F1 – a magazine that has been considered dubious in the paddock since its publication, with a questionable reputation,” he added.

‘FIA’s embarrassing retreat’;

https://grandpx.news/fias-embarrassing-retreat-the-wolff-scandal-that-totally-backfired/


FIA's swift, unsatisfactory end to controversial Wolff/F1 saga
Dec 7, 2023
by Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

It is unlikely that there will be a satisfactory public resolution given the FIA has not issued any detail about what sparked its initial action beyond "media speculation", or responded to what the teams communicated. To justify the surprise media announcement and the decision to make this a public issue, having blind-sided those involved, this merited a thorough process, not one completed in a day or two. The outcome confirms it was a nothing issue, and the resolution is vague.

There was no issue with the principle of the FIA looking into the matter as an act of due diligence, but it was clearly ill-handled, caught the parties involved needlessly off guard, and created a completely avoidable public spectacle when the original subject matter has proven to be unreliable anyway. Instead of that being acknowledged and the instigators accepting that this may have been an ill-judged overreaction, the FIA unsurprisingly states it was simply doing its job.

‘FIA's swift, unsatisfactory end’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/swift-unsatisfactory-end-fia-wolff-f1-saga/


FIA’s Wolff Investigation Barely Lasted 2 Days and Underscores F1’s Worsening Rift
Only the FIA could prompt a rare, fleeting moment of solidarity between F1 teams.
PUBLISHED Dec 7, 2023 5:20 PM EST
By Jerry Perez
The Drive

It hasn't been a great last few years for the relationship between Formula 1 and its governing body, the FIA. From passive-aggressive remarks to not being on the same page about key matters, diplomacy has suffered since Mohammed Ben Sulayem replaced Jean Todt in late 2021. The latest scandal surrounding a surprise FIA investigation involving Toto and Susie Wolff—and its sudden squashing of it—is amplifying this animosity to new levels.

It all started when the FIA was allegedly tipped off by a report in the Business F1 magazine, and issued a press release Tuesday announcing an investigation into a leak of confidential information. Specifically, the information in question was said to have been divulged "to an F1 team principal from a member of FOM personnel." More specifically, it accused Susie of sharing sensitive F1 (FOM) information with her husband Toto, an F1 team principal.

‘Investigation Barely Lasted 2 Days’;

https://www.thedrive.com/news/fias-wolff-investigation-barely-lasted-two-days-and-underscores-f1s-worsening-rift


‘Absolute bunch of clowns’: F1 Wolff probe binned as ‘ridiculous’ motor bosses grilled
December 8th, 2023 8:26 am
AFP from Afp
Fox Sports (Australia)

Motor sport’s governing body, the FIA, on Thursday announced that it had ended a short-lived investigation into a potential conflict of interest believed to centre on Susie Wolff and husband Toto, the Mercedes team boss.

The FIA, without naming any individuals or teams, had launched the investigation after allegations of information of a confidential nature being passed to an F1 team principal from a member of Formula One Management (FOM) personnel. The spotlight had fallen on Toto Wolff, the high-profile and outspoken boss of the Mercedes team, and his wife Susie.

‘Absolute bunch of clowns’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/f1-2023-news-fia-bin-toto-and-susie-wolff-confidentiality-breach-investigation/news-story/14c166dbb72d3aaa02b4fb8c3ddbf673

[Fortitude]

Susie Wolff slams FIA and tells of online abuse aimed at family: ‘Is that it?’
Susie Wolff has criticised Formula 1’s governing body, the FIA, and told of the online abuse aimed at her family after a week which saw a conflict of interest investigation against her and husband Toto dropped.
12:50, 8th Dec. 2023.
Kieran Jackson Formula 1 Correspondent.
1 Correspondent
The Independent

The FIA confirmed a compliance team looked into the matter but, on Thursday night, they dropped the probe… However, Susie insists this is not the end of the matter, detailing how nobody from the FIA has spoken to her this week in a statement on Twitter/X on Friday. Toto also confirmed he is in an “active legal exchange with the FIA” over the matter.

“When I saw the statement issued by the FIA yesterday evening, my first reaction was: ‘Is that it?’” she said. “For two days, insinuations have been made about my integrity in public and through background briefings, but nobody from the FIA has spoken to me directly.”

“I might have been collateral damage in an unsuccessful attack on somebody else, or the target of a failed attempt to discredit me personally, but I have worked too hard to have my reputation called into question by an unfounded press release.”

‘Is that it?’;

https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/f1-susie-toto-wolff-fia-academy-mercedes-b2460819.html


‘Insinuations have been made’ – Toto Wolff in ‘legal exchange with FIA’ over alleged conflict of interest row
8th Dec. 2023, 13:38
Philip Duncan
The Irish Independent

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said he is an “active legal exchange with the FIA” after the governing body launched an investigation into claims of an alleged conflict of interest with his wife, Susie.
The FIA has since dropped the controversial probe, which arose after a report in Business F1 magazine claimed that other team principals were concerned Wolff was benefiting from information shared by his…..

‘Insinuations have been made’;

https://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/motor-sport/insinuations-have-been-made-toto-wolff-in-legal-exchange-with-fia-over-alleged-conflict-of-interest-row/a188720616.html


Susie Wolff suffers online abuse after ‘not good enough’ FIA probe
Saturday 9th December, 2023 - 12:44am
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

“When I saw the statement issued by the FIA yesterday evening, my first reaction was: ‘Is that it?’” said Wolff in a social media post. “For two days, insinuations have been made about my integrity in public and through background briefings, but nobody from the FIA has spoken to me directly. I might have been collateral damage in an unsuccessful attack on somebody else, or the target of a failed attempt to discredit me personally, but I have worked too hard to have my reputation called into question by an unfounded press release.”

Whilst expressing her gratitude to the teams for their show of support, Wolff has stated the events of the past few days have taken a toll, and it is now time for those responsible for sparking the furore to be held accountable. “We have come a long way as a sport,” added Wolff. “I was extremely thankful for the unified support of the Formula 1 teams. I have worked with so many passionate women and men at F1 and the FIA, who have the very best interests of our sport at heart.”

“However, this episode has so far taken place without transparency or accountability. I have received online abuse about my work and my family. I will not allow myself to be intimidated and intend to follow up until I have found out who has instigated this campaign and misled the media. What happened this week is simply not good enough. As a sport, we must demand, and we deserve, better.”

‘Events of the past few days have taken a toll’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/12/09/susie-wolff-online-abuse/


Susie Wolff blasts FIA response – wants accountability
08/12/2023 at 13:14
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

The FIA has dropped its inquiry into a possible conflict of interest involving Toto and Susie Wolff, but the latter intends on holding the governing body accountable for its “misleading” and “unfounded” communication. On Tuesday evening, the FIA announced that its Compliance Department had launched an investigation into allegations of sensitive information being shared between an F1 team principal and a member of Formula One Management (FOM).

This inquiry stemmed from a questionable media report suggesting that Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff made a remark during a meeting of team principals that was based on confidential material only accessible to FOM personnel. The report further claimed that Wolff's wife Susie, who serves as the managing director of the all-female racing series F1 Academys, may have had greater access to this information due to her position.

Mercedes, Susie Wolff and Formula 1 – who had not been informed by the FIA of its investigation – immediately denounced the allegations as well as the governing body’s inquiry. On Wednesday, F1 teams presented a united front through a coordinated release of a statement in which they denied lodging a complaint with the FIA and offered their support to Susie Wolff.

‘Wants accountability’;

https://f1i.com/news/496094-susie-wolff-blasts-fia-response-wants-accountability.html


Susie Wolff hits out at FIA after investigation into F1 Academy chief and Mercedes boss Toto Wolff
The FIA announced on Thursday that it had dropped an investigation into Susie and Toto Wolff after finding F1's compliance rules to be sufficiently robust to prevent any breaches of confidentiality; Mercedes say they are in "active legal exchange with the FIA" regarding the situation
Last Updated: 08/12/23 12:36pm
Sky Sports

Susie Wolff has hit out at the FIA after Formula 1's governing body launched and then dropped an investigation into the F1 Academy managing director and her husband, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, over an alleged breach of confidentiality.

‘Susie Wolff hits out at FIA’;

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/13025527/susie-wolff-hits-out-at-fia-after-investigation-into-f1-academy-chief-and-mercedes-boss-toto-wolff


MPH: F1 power struggle behind Toto & Susie Wolff 'double agent' probe
December 8th 2023
Author: Mark Hughes
Motor Sport Magazine

So you may have been following the controversy about Toto and Susie Wolff and the FIA’s concern about their respective roles, with the former as an F1 team principal, the latter working directly for Formula One Management (FOM) boss Stefano Domenicali. The implication was that either Susie or Toto – or both – were potentially double agents. Susie could be leaking FOM information to the teams through Toto. Toto could be leaking team information to FOM through Susie.

It was a plot line seemingly hatched in an over-imaginative journalistic mind. For the function of a double agent to have any meaning, the two sides would need to be in conflict. The report in question alleged that the concern had been voiced by ‘an F1 team principal.’

The relevant point here is that it would be an odd thing for an F1 team principal to be concerned about. Because FOM and the teams are almost perfectly aligned; so close it’s almost impossible to see the joins. Together they are making way more money than F1 has ever made before and on virtually every matter of consequence they sing from the same hymn sheet.

‘F1 power struggle & 'double agent' probe’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/mph-the-f1-power-struggle-behind-toto-susie-wolff-double-agent-probe/?nowprocket=1#


Wolff savages FIA investigation as Mercedes confirm 'legal exchange'
Friday 8 December 2023 13:27
Sam Cook
GPFans

Mercedes also released a statement via X on behalf of team boss Toto Wolff, claiming that there are now 'legal exchanges' ongoing with the FIA. "We understand that there is significant media interest in the events of this week. We are currently in active legal exchange with the FIA," the statement revealed.

"We await full transparency about what took place and why, and have expressly reserved all legal rights. Therefore we ask for your understanding that we will not be commenting officially for now, but we will certainly address the matter in due course."

‘Wolff savages FIA investigation’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1009294/susie-wolff-f1-academy-toto-wolff-mercedes-conflict-interest-fia-misled-media/

[Fortitude]

Fry reveals why he traded unenthusiastic Alpine for Williams.
Recently appointed Williams Formula 1 Chief Technical Officer Pat Fry has revealed he departed Alpine because the team lacked the “enthusiasm” needed to progress.
12:08 Sat, 02 Dec 2023
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Having undertaken spells at both McLaren and Ferrari since leaving the Enstone squad – when it was known as Benetton – Fry returned to the Renault-owned group in 2020. The British engineer played a pivotal role in propelling Alpine up to fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship upon F1’s switch to ground effect machinery last year.

“I look back at the first three years I was there, and we improved Enstone, dramatically,” Fry said in Abu Dhabi. “Year-on-year, we built a better car. If you put the three cars next to each other, each one was a massive step. It’s a credit for everyone there, the various teams were collaborating a huge amount better. I think everyone there should be proud of what we achieved for those three years.”

“I guess I’d gone back there to go back to the place you started your career and try and rebuild it. And I think we did really well. From a distant fifth, we were a solid fourth. But I didn’t feel there was the enthusiasm or the drive to move forward beyond fourth. I decided at the start of March that I want to be pushing things forward, I don’t just want to sit there and not be able to do things. So for me, that was time to stop and move on, really,” he added.”

‘Pushing things forward’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/12/02/fry-reveals-why-he-traded-unenthusiastic-alpine-for-williams/


Why Williams’ decision on Sargeant lacks courage
07:13 Mon, 04 Dec 2023.
Andrew Maitland
Grandpx.news

After the conclusion of an intense 2023 season, Williams made a historic announcement that fell under the radar of many European F1 journalists desperate for a weekend off. The team confirmed that Logan Sargeant would be retained for the 2024 season, marking a milestone in Formula 1 history—there will be no driver changes at all from one season to the next.

However, not everyone is convinced that retaining Sargeant is the right move for Williams. Veteran F1 journalist Roger Benoit expressed skepticism, suggesting that the team may lack the courage to embrace change. In his opinion piece for the Swiss newspaper Blick, Benoit pointed out Sargeant’s challenging rookie season, where he secured only a single world championship point and went 0-22 in the qualifying duel against Alex Albon.

“The fact that Logan Sargeant has survived demonstrates nonsense or a lack of money,” he wrote. “The American is statistically the worst driver of the season, with a single world championship point and 0-22 in the qualifying duel against Alex Albon.”

‘Lacks courage’;

https://grandpx.news/why-williams-decision-on-sargeant-lacks-courage/


F1 star dished dirt on rivals to help seal return to the grid
Wednesday 6 December 2023 14:57
Cal Gaunt
GPFans

Alex Albon leveraged compelling data that compared his performances at Red Bull with those of Pierre Gasly and Sergio Perez to persuade Williams to bring him on board in 2022. Having been initially brought in as a mid-season replacement for the struggling Gasly at Red Bull, Albon faced similar difficulties to the Frenchman.

It wasn't until he meticulously compiled a spreadsheet comparing his statistical performances with those of his predecessor and successor, presenting it to team principals, that he successfully secured his return to F1 with Williams. "I kind of did something I think everyone would do in the same way as me," Albon told the High Performance podcast.

"I basically got statistics and research on Pierre Gasly, who I replaced myself in the team and then Sergio [Perez] at the time, who is currently in the seat. "It was very simple statistics, but most of it was relative to Max so speed, qualifying, race, on an Excel sheet."

‘To help seal return to the grid’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1009181/f1-alex-albon-red-bull-max-verstappen-sergio-perez-pierre-gasly-williams-return/


Albon interview: How face of Williams revival is keen to push even further
06 December 9:00PM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Alex Albon was thrown a Formula 1 lifeline by Williams for '22. He hit the ground running a strong point in Australia, but the package was still weak as the team scored eight points all-season as Albon tried to blow the cobwebs away, but still earned plaudits for his efforts.

Come 2023, with new team boss James Vowles in tow, Albon scored 27 points and led Williams to seventh in the Constructors' - a leap of millions of dollars in prize money from the last place it had earned in four of the previous five seasons, 2021 being the exception. Albon spearheaded Williams' return to midfield respectability as the FW45 proved a capable points-scorer, once a big mid-season upgrade was introduced in Canada, with the Thai scoring in seven races plus one Sprint.

His performances marked him out as one of the best-performers on the grid, well above the 13th he took in the Drivers'. Albon is now inextricably-linked as the face of Williams' revival under Vowles, and spoke at length to select media including RacingNews365 of his own performances in 2023, and how his performance and that of the car must meld together to extract results.

‘Keen to push even further’;

https://racingnews365.com/albon-exclusive-how-face-of-williams-revival-is-keen-to-push-even-further


Williams Have Concluded A Season To Be Proud Of
December 5, 2023
By: Nicole Powell
Last Word On Sports

Williams Racing F1 team are the second most successful team in Formula One history. But since 1998, they have been in a decline in terms of on-track performance. For over two decades now, the team have struggled to compete at the same level as the other top teams in Formula 1. Securing sponsorships and investments due to poor performance has also put a dent in their finance department.

The recovery process in F1 can be complex and often takes time. One notable development was the sale of the Williams team to Dorilton Capital in August 2020 by the Williams family. It’s been a slow and steady climb so far, but the 2023 season shows where the Williams team is headed, and it’s clear skies ahead.
In January this year, Williams announced that James Vowles was selected to be their new team principal. The Mercedes veteran has since proven why he was entrusted with the job, and why Mercedes had nothing but praise for him as he left for Williams. There is no denying the progress Williams have made this year, and a big part of that is thanks to James Vowles’ leadership. For one, after finishing the 2022 season, Williams have proudly concluded their 2023 season in P7!

‘A Season To Be Proud Of’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2023/12/05/williams-have-concluded-a-season-to-be-proud-of/

[Fortitude]

AlphaTauri set for 2024 identity change and new sponsors.
"We will change the company name, we will change identity, logo, everything, a complete relaunch, complete rebrand.
22/11/2023 at 09:38
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

“The identity will be generic,” CEO Peter Bayer explained, quoted by Motorsport.com. “The identity is what Toro Rosso would have been, and it’s moving closer to the Red Bull family again. But then it will appear with the naming rights partners.

"The name of the team, the identity, has been decided by the shareholders. And I need to carry it with me without being able to share, which is very difficult!”

‘Identity change’;

https://f1i.com/news/494540-alphatauri-set-for-2024-identity-change-and-new-sponsors.html


Exclusive: Why AlphaTauri is changing its branding ahead of the 2024 F1 season
22 November 7:00PM
Author Jesse Janse
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

While the clothing brandAlphaTauri will not cease to exist, the fact that an F1 team carries the marque's name no longer fits with the new direction, Bayer stressed. "AlphaTauri is going to do things differently,” he stated. “They're going a slightly different direction away from flagship stores to department stores, shop-in-shop concepts. Business is doing well, but they are not making enough money to sponsor an F1 team.

"So all of that opened up a new discussion, whether we will go for a rebranding, whether we will open the process for a new identity which we saw thought was extremely important. The sport is booming. “Fans need to understand who you are and which team you belong to. And we didn't think it's ideal that the team is named after a sponsor. There should be an identity like we had with Toro Rosso.”

This decision will also benefit the fight with rival teams off the track, claims Bayer.
“We're fighting on the commercial side. We're fighting against brands like Ferrari, Mercedes and Aston Martin. We need a good identity and all of that together really gave us food for thought and allowed us into to start the process. So we want to have an identity and then the naming rights type of sponsors can add themselves, like you see up and down the paddock.”

‘Changing its branding’;

https://racingnews365.com/why-alphatauri-will-finally-completely-change-course-shareholders-agree


AlphaTauri copies powerful Red Bull weapon with an eye on 2024
28 November 8:00PM
Author Paolo Filisetti
RacingNews365

Since the beginning of the season, the Faenza-based team's single-seater has long been characterized by poor competitiveness, the result of a fundamentally flawed aerodynamic concept, which the team was only able to partially correct in the final part of the year. This explained the introduction of the development, designed to improve balance but above all to increase the downforce generated by the floor and the stability of the centre of pressure under the car.

Deploying a change of this magnitude at this time indicates that the engineers at AlphaTauri considered an objective evaluation of the development essential in order to proceed along this path, with greater certainty in the phase of defining the details of the aerodynamic concept of next year's car.

It’s a crucial factor in order to not find themselves again with a car limited in terms of aerodynamic staff and tools, both of which gradually became available throughout the season, but which had effectively prevented the development of the AT04 throughout the season and its ability to fight in the midfield.

‘An eye on 2024’;

https://racingnews365.com/alphatauri-copies-powerful-red-bull-weapon-with-an-eye-on-2024


AlphaTauri to address side effects of low-speed F1 prowess with 2024 car
10:02 Thu, 30 Nov 2023.
AUTHORFilip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

AlphaTauri conceded turning its low-speed weakness into a head-turning strength has hurt its drag level, which has become a priority to address for the 2024 Formula 1 season.

"Some of the focus has been on the slow speed corners," said the team's head of trackside engineering Jonathan Eddolls. "It was a bit of a weakness. "I would say the area we still need to address for next year is the aerodynamic efficiency. Because yes, we are quite competitive in the slow speed corners.”

“But we've got the downside, we're one of the slowest cars on the straights. We make the time in the corners, but then we're losing on the straights. I think we need to reintegrate, redress the balance of load in the corners and aerodynamic efficiency. But that's being worked on for next year."

‘Priority’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/alphatauri-f1-low-speed-prowess-2024-car/10553663/


‘Motivated’ AlphaTauri no Longer feeling like a Red Bull Junior Team – Daniel Ricciardo
December 9, 2023
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag

“I feel like we’re going in the right direction,” Ricciardo is quoted as saying by Motorsport.com. “And honestly, everything I fed back to the team, I feel like they’ve actioned or done their best to make it happen or make it work. So honestly I can’t ask for too much more at the moment. It’s obviously now just how quickly can we get new parts on the car, and this and that.”

“I would say, I don’t want to be like patronising, but their heads are in the right place. I feel like we’re all kind of meeting in the right place and looking ahead. I think they value the experience I have, and I think that’s really important kind of moving forward, and they’re motivated.”

“I feel like this is not a junior team anymore. And I think with a lot of plans for next year hopefully we can prove that on track and get more points, like the last few races.”

‘Motivated’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2023/12/motivated-alphatauri-no-longer-feeling-like-a-red-bull-junior-team-daniel-ricciardo/


AlphaTauri CEO confirms transition AWAY from Red Bull.
Saturday 9 December 2023 16:57
Shay Rogers
GPFans

AlphaTauri CEO Peter Bayer has confirmed that the team will slightly adjust their strategy ahead of a new beginning for the team in 2024.

We certainly will not be a B-team," Bayer told RacingNews365. “But I think we'll still try to fulfil one of the other strategic directives, which is to fulfil the junior development program, but we'll do it slightly differently.”

“We will not race with two juniors; we will always have one experienced driver who will take one young driver under his wings and help him to develop.” The FIA are set to announce the entry list for 2024 – and thus AlphaTauri and Sauber’s new names – on December 10th.

‘Slightly adjust their strategy’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1009357/alpha-tauri-red-bull-peter-bayer-f1-b-team/

[Fortitude]

Bottas demands ‘big steps over the winter’ with new car.
Valtteri Bottas is hopeful of seeing “big steps over the winter” with what will be “a completely new car” ahead of the 2024 F1 season.
Sunday 10th December, 2023 - 5:00am
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

“We brought upgrades pretty consistently all through the year, like any team,” said Bottas, regarding the development of the C43. “Some were decent steps, some minor but we didn’t find anything big. It’s been steady progress but that’s not enough. Meanwhile, some other teams found big steps, new concepts, innovative things. Some might be copying other teams but we just made steady progress. In this sport, that’s not always enough.”

“Ultimately, the biggest thing was how the car was born. It was born better than last year’s car but not better enough. That’s just how it goes. There was not one thing that was lacking.” The team is under new technical director leadership following the arrival of James Key at the start of September. Key has been instrumental in leading an overhaul of the technical department and with it the implementation of a new car.

“I feel like with the new people that we have, including James, there seems to be stuff happening,” said Bottas. “He’s obviously got lots of knowledge from even this year’s McLaren, so there’s good information coming from different people, which is good to see, and that’s what we needed.”

‘Big steps over the winter’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/12/10/valtteri-bottas-alfa-romeo-big-steps-needed/


Zhou raises his game but Bottas still lays down the law at Alfa Romeo
2023 F1 team mates head-to-head
Posted on 6th December 2023, 7:15
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Zhou Guanyu ended his first season as a Formula 1 driver well behind team mate Valtteri Bottas in the points standings, but having shown a clear upward trajectory in performance over the course of the season. Alfa Romeo kept the faith in him for 2023, and he repeated his haul of six points from the year before. That might make it seem like no progress has been made but the reality is quite different.

Indeed, as the season went on, Zhou slipped slightly further away from his team mate, only out-qualifying him once in the last nine rounds. But they tended not to qualify as far apart as other sets of team mates, such as Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll. Zhou’s average grid position of 15.6 was only 1.8 lower than his team mate’s, and his best qualifying position of fifth was the team’s best of the season.

Zhou finished the last two races of the season in good shape, taking the chequered flag ahead of Bottas. However the team was finding it increasingly difficult to compete with rivals which had out-developed them by this stage and Zhou finished well outside the points on both occasions.

‘Zhou raises his game’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/12/06/zhou-raises-his-game-but-bottas-still-lays-down-the-law-at-alfa-romeo/


Sauber hints at ‘surprise’ new team name - set for UK 2024 launch
05/12/2023 at 17:23
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Sauber will unveil its 2024 contender in the UK rather than at its Hinwil base, while the Swiss outfit is also set for a “surprise” new team moniker ahead of its switch to its Audi identity in 2026. With Alfa Romeo's title sponsorship coming to an end, Sauber Motorsports is set to embark on a new chapter in Formula 1.

Speaking at last Sunday’s Autosport Awards, Bravi said: "On the 10th of December, as soon as the FIA will publish the entry list that we will of course announce the new team name. "I think it will be a surprise and we cannot wait to start the partnership with our new partners.”

In a significant symbolic gesture, Sauber will unveil its new car in the United Kingdom, a departure from its traditional launch locations in Switzerland and Germany. “We will have, I think, a really fresh approach in terms of communication marketing and we will do a launch of the car here in the UK,” added the Italian.

‘Sauber will unveil its 2024 contender in the UK’;

https://f1i.com/news/495962-sauber-hints-at-surprise-new-team-name-set-for-uk-2024-launch.html


Sauber chief gives date for ‘surprise’ new name after F1 team’s Alfa Romeo split
12:07 Wed, 06 Dec 2023.
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Sauber team principal Alessandro Alunni Bravi has declared that the Formula 1 team will announce their ‘surprise’ new name in December after splitting with Alfa Romeo. The Hinwil, Switzerland-based outfit were due to resume running under the Sauber name in 2024. But Bravi has now stated that the team will confirm their new name as soon as the FIA publishes the final confirmed entry list for the upcoming Formula 1 season later this month.

Alfa Romeo only increased its payment to Sauber by $5m (£4m) to become the title sponsor of the F1 team. But with Sauber selling a stake in the team to Audi to become a works outfit for 2026, Alfa Romeo and Sauber agreed to terminate their naming deal at the end of 2023.

But rather than returning solely to the Sauber name, which the team used from 1993 until 2018 – including four seasons as BMW Sauber as a works team from 2006 to 2009 – a new name awaits. Bravi has also declared that Sauber will announce the name on December 10.

‘A new name awaits’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/sauber-chief-gives-date-for-surprise-new-name-after-f1-teams-alfa-romeo-split/


Exclusive: Sauber tempers expectations around Audi: 'Staying realistic for 2026'
08 December 8:00PM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

A lot is about to change at Sauber. The team had a difficult year and are looking set to lose title sponsor Alfa Romeo. But all is not lost as Team Representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi explains, in an exclusive interview with RacingNews365, they are already looking fully into the future.

To boost that development and the transition to Audi, Andreas Seidl and James Key have been brought in as CEO and Technical Director. Both men came over from McLaren, one of the few teams able to get close to Red Bull this season. "We took a decision to appoint James [Key] as a Technical Director based on the fact that he has multiple experience in a technical department, having covered different roles in his career," explains Bravi.

Although teams are forbidden from working on their car designs for the 2026 season until the start of 2025, Bravi believes it will be important to get everything in place and ready for the major changes. "The technical department needs a person like James with an overview on all the areas, and someone that can help to transform the technical departments towards 2026," says Bravi. "We have already started taking some important decisions for next year in terms of car design, because next years car for most teams will be not just our contender for 2025, but will be the basis for the 2025 car there will be a big carry over of parts."

‘Sauber tempers expectations around Audi’;

https://racingnews365.com/sauber-tempers-expectations-around-audi-staying-realistic-for-2026


Sauber now eyeing three current F1 drivers ahead of Audi takeover in 2026
Wed 6 December 2023 18:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Sauber are slowing preparing to become the works Audi team in 2026 and will want the best drivers possible to lead them into the next era of their Formula 1 history. Speaking on The Race F1 Podcast, journalist Edd Straw was discussing the potential changes within the team and said: “They’ve got money coming in, they’ve got the Audi gear up.

“There’s lots of drivers they’re being linked with. People like Carlos Sainz, Alex Albon, Esteban Ocon, they want to upgrade their driver line-up. So, it’s very difficult again to see how [Theo] Pourchaire becomes a part of that landscape.” Alex Albon is deserving of a drive in a faster car than Williams and with Audi set to become a works team, it might be a gamble but an attractive option.

The three drivers Straw names that Sauber could consider when Audi take over are very interesting. There has already been talk that Ferrari are unsure about retaining Carlos Sainz past this season. He would be a real coup considering he was the only driver that managed to prevent a clean sweep of wins for Red Bull in 2023.

‘Eyeing three current F1 drivers’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/sauber-now-eyeing-three-current-f1-drivers-ahead-of-audi-takeover-in-2026/

[Fortitude]

Hulkenberg demands ‘better solutions’ from Haas for F1 2024.
Nico Hulkenberg feels it is incumbent upon Haas to deliver “better solutions” for the 2024 F1 season following a wretched year for the team.
Friday 8th December, 2023 - 6:22pm
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Haas finished 10th and last in the constructors’ championship for the second time in three years as a reasonable start to the campaign tailed off into a miserable season.

“We just need to pick ourselves up and do a better job. We need to work hard because we want to do better. I want us to do better ultimately, and I think everyone in the team wants to do better, so we just have to try and come up with better solutions.” Nico Hulkenberg

‘Better solutions’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/12/08/nico-hulkenberg-haas-better-solutions-f1-2024/


Hulkenberg: Haas were flattered by F1 rivals’ initial issues
12:07 Sat, 09 Dec 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Nico Hulkenberg believes the initial problems rival teams encountered throughout the early stages of the 2023 Formula 1 season flattered the performance of Haas’ VF-23 car. Haas opened the season relatively promisingly with a total of 11 points from the first five rounds, including a seventh-place finish for Hulkenberg in the Australian GP.

Reflecting on the 2023 season, Hulkenberg said: “Obviously, it was a process, and signs were there early in the season. But we got away with it early in the season because other people also were struggling more. “And then once they cleaned up and then brought some real developments, that’s when we really started to pay the penalty.”

‘Flattered by F1 rivals’ initial issues’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/12/09/hulkenberg-haas-were-flattered-by-f1-rivals-initial-issues/


The team which ‘went to hell quick’ after ‘no juice left’ in F1 2023 concept
03 Dec 2023 2:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Haas team boss Guenther Steiner admitted they “went to hell quick” in F1 2023 as a brick wall was hit in the wind tunnel, prompting their concept change. Haas started the ground effect era strong in 2022, but since then such heights have been hard to hit as the team slumped to last in the F1 2023 Constructors’ Championship standings.

The call had long since been made though to go down a different concept route, Haas introducing a B-Spec challenger for the United States Grand Prix to gather crucial data and learnings for this new direction heading into F1 2024.

Put to him that F1 2023 was the “season from hell” for Haas, Steiner told Channel 4: “Yeah, or close to hell. Beginning of the year was not too bad, but then we went to hell pretty quick. We started off and I was confident that we can keep on making improvements, but we didn’t find any performance in the car. We went to the wind tunnel and couldn’t find anything.”

“Went to hell quick”, “Couldn’t find anything”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/haas-went-hell-quick-f1-2023-flawed-concept


Why Alfa Romeo failed to agree F1 sponsorship deal with Haas
14:31 Thu, 07 Dec 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Alfa Romeo CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato has revealed that sponsorship talks with the Haas Formula 1 team broke down as it didn’t want to be another “sticker”.

“We weren’t interested in aiming to do a copy/paste operation in the style of the one done with Sauber,” Imparato told Autosport. “It would have led us to become one of those who put stickers on bodywork. It would no longer have been new and we wouldn’t have been part of a story.”

“We started looking at something else, quickly reaching a conclusion. Alfa Romeo has nothing to do with the world of rallying, the Stellantis group already has two brands involved in Formula E, and so the focus has shifted to the WEC, a world in which Alfa Romeo has lived in the past wonderful experiences.”

‘Didn’t want to be another “sticker”!’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/12/07/why-alfa-romeo-failed-to-agree-f1-sponsorship-deal-with-haas/


Steiner in the dark about CBS TV show
Sunday 3rd December, 2023 - 6:25pm
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

American broadcasting network CBS is reportedly developing a new television series with Guenther Steiner an executive producer. The news broke on Deadline, a Hollywood-centric outlet, which claimed the project is in its early stages.

“I spoke with CBS but there is nothing – I’m just the producer, if there is something,” Steiner said. “In the moment, I spoke with them months ago, what was done, but nothing in the moment. I think there is no writer, nothing. I think they try to do something, but nothing is happening in the moment right now.”

Along with being in the dark on where the project is up to, Steiner also has little knowledge of the show’s premise. “I don’t know. The writer makes the concept,” he explained. “You know [I’m] just a producer, you get the proposed concept and then you go from there. I don’t know,” he added when asked if the show would be based on him.

‘CBS TV show’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/12/03/steiner-in-the-dark-about-cbs-tv-show/

[Fortitude]

Christian Horner responds to what Max Verstappen can do better in 2024 after ‘incredible’ year.
“Well, very little. I mean certainly, there were three races where he could have been better but that was beyond his control.” Christian Horner.
Sun 10 December 2023 07:30
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner has responded to a question on what Max Verstappen can do better in 2024. Horner was appearing as a guest on the Sky Sports F1 Podcast after a record-breaking campaign for his team and number one driver. At the end of the pre-season test in Bahrain this year, the majority of the teams on the grid would have recognised that they suddenly had a problem. Asked what Verstappen could do better next year, Horner said:

“Well, very little. I mean certainly, there were three races where he could have been better but that was beyond his control. So, I mean what an unbelievable year he’s had, he’s just been absolutely incredible so he’s impossible to fault the season that he’s had. Keep doing what you’re doing!” Although Verstappen’s third world title will be remembered for how simply it looked from the outside, that wasn’t always the case. Verstappen admitted that his battle for pole position in Monaco left him ‘shaking’, and there were moments that left him annoyed.

As Horner suggests, the only thing Verstappen can do better in 2024 is win the three races that he missed out on this year. He’s very unlikely to do that given Red Bull have seemingly maximised the pace of their car under the current regulations and their nearest rivals should theoretically close the gap over the winter. But, if there’s any driver on the grid who looks capable of dominating the sport right now, it’s Verstappen.


VERSTAPPEN PREDICTS ‘CLOSER’ 2024 AND CALL FOR RED BULL TO BE ‘REALISTIC’
The Dutch driver won all but three races in 2023, the most dominant season in the sports history
December 9, 2023
Sam Jones
FormulaNerds

Max Verstappen has predicted a ‘closer’ 2024 season as he admits that Red Bull ‘can’t do much better’ than what they achieved in 2023. The Milton Keynes based teams had one of the most dominant seasons ever seen in Formula 1, winning all but one race as a team.

Verstappen was at the heart of that success, with his 19 race victories helping Red Bull dominate both the drivers and constructors championships. With the success of the RB19, the pressure is on in the team to make sure the RB20 delivers just as much success.

‘CLOSER 2024’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/verstappen-predicts-closer-2024-as-red-bull-have-to-be-realistic/


Verstappen: ‘If I only win 10 races in 2024 that’s fine’
Saturday 9th December, 2023 - 12:30pm
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Max Verstappen will have no qualms if he wins just 10 grands prix in 2024 providing he is in the thick of another F1 title fight. Notably, Verstappen set a new mark with the number of races won in a season (19); wins to races percentage (86.36%), beating Alberto Ascari’s 71-year mark; consecutive number of wins (10), and most laps led (1003).

“Realistically, it can’t be much better than what we have achieved,” said Verstappen, reflecting on a remarkable season at the FIA’s prize-giving gala in Baku. It’s not always about trying to win 20 races, it’s also about trying to find improvements within yourself, within the car. If that means next year we have improved the car, and we can fight for the championship again, but if you only win 10 races, that’s also fine.

‘If I only win 10 races…’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/12/09/max-verstappen-red-bull-2024-f1-seaosn/


Verstappen expecting closer title fight in 2024
09/12/2023 at 08:21
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Max Verstappen says that competition will inevitably be a lot tighter in 2024, and that Red Bull can't expect to dominate in anything like the same way they did this year. Verstappen won 19 of the 22 races the just-completed season including a record run of ten back-to-back wins, an 86 per cent win ratio, with two of the remaining victories going to his team mate Sergio Perez.

The only race not to be won by Red Bull all year was Singapore, where Ferrari's Carlos Sainz emerged triumphant ahead of Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton, when Verstappen was only fifth. Red Bull duly won the constructors championship in Japan, while Verstappen confirmed his third world championship in Qatar with six races (including the Qatar GP itself) still to go.

‘Closer title fight’;

https://f1i.com/news/496129-verstappen-expecting-closer-title-fight-in-2024.html


Verstappen gives Red Bull 'weakness' he wants improved for 2024
11 December 5:00AM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

The Dutchman pin-points the main area of weakness with the RB19 that he would like to see addressed for their 2024 challenger. When asked if he thinks there are any weaknesses in the RB19, which is now one of the most successful F1 cars of all time, Verstappen told media, including RacingNews365: "We know our weaknesses in the car. That's what we'll try to work on plus, of course, trying to make our strengths even stronger.”

Verstappen believes the low speed corners is not one of their strong suits in the RB19, with bumps exacerbating the issue when they visit street circuits. "Look at our race weekend in Singapore. In general, on street circuits, I think we are a bit struggling a bit more like in Vegas also," said Verstappen. "Low speed is definitely not our strongest point in the car; bumps, curbs as well. So that's definitely a big area where we can improve."

‘Make our strengths even stronger’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-gives-red-bull-weakness-he-wants-improved-for-2024


Ferrari: Verstappen will make more mistakes if put under pressure in 2024
10:54 Tue, 05 Dec 2023.
Hamilton Lyndon-Griffiths
Read Motorsport

Max Verstappen will be more prone to making on-track errors if he is put under pressure in the Formula 1 title battle next year, says Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur. “I’m not sure anyone has a doubt about this – he had a mega season,” Vasseur said, as quoted by RaceFans. “He was fighting with Checo [Perez] the first two or three events, but then he was on another planet.”

“Clearly, he didn’t make a mistake the whole season. I think even when he struggled in qualifying – I think in Jeddah – it was due to an issue. And then he was always there, always making good starts with no contact – the only one [when he did] was Vegas.”

“Other than the last two or three events – or Carlos in Singapore – is where he started to do some mistakes or that Red Bull made some mistakes in terms of set-up. We were just too far away to put this kind of pressure on him.”

‘Max Verstappen, was on another planet’;

https://readmotorsport.com/2023/12/05/ferrari-verstappen-will-make-more-mistakes-if-put-under-pressure-in-2024/


Max Verstappen snaps up rival’s performance coach ahead of F1 2024 season
28 Nov 2023 11:00 AM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen is reportedly due to begin working with Rupert Manwaring as his performance coach next season, after eight years alongside Carlos Sainz.

A report from Dutch media emerged on Monday claiming that Verstappen’s current performance coach, Bradley Scanes, will be leaving his role at the end of the season, and his replacement has now been reported by RACER’s Chris Medland from Abu Dhabi.

The reigning three-time World Champion has acted fast to find a replacement, with the role of performance coach critical in how a driver performs race by race. Manwaring has been by Sainz’s side for the vast majority of his Formula 1 career, having moved up to the top tier alongside Verstappen at Toro Rosso back in 2015.

‘Snaps up rival’s performance coach’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-verstappen-new-performance-coach-f1-2024-season

[Fortitude]

Red Bull admit misunderstanding Sergio Perez needs for 2023 F1 car.
Red Bull’s technical director said the team may have not got the best out of Perez in 2023.
December 2, 2023
By Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

Red Bull’s technical director, Pierre Wache, has said that in their pursuit of developing a faster car the team possibly misunderstood what Sergio Perez needed to be at his best in the 2023 Formula 1 season.

“A fast car is a car that allows the driver to perform at his best,” Wache said to Formule 1. “We failed in that sense because only one driver, Max Verstappen in this case, was able to handle it well.

“That’s Max’s talent, that he knew how to use the car well throughout the season and in different conditions. On the other hand, it is possible that we, in turn, have not understood well what Checo [Perez] needs to take advantage of the RB19‘s potential.”

‘Misunderstanding’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-red-bull-admit-misunderstanding-checo-perez-needs-2023-car/


Helmut Marko leaps to defence of ‘top driver’ Sergio Perez in ‘badmouthed’ claim
02 Dec 2023 5:00 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Helmut Marko believes Sergio Perez would be spoken about in different terms if it wasn’t for his teammate’s abilities. Marko said he believes it a shame that Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz, who died in late 2022, was not around to see the incredible performances of Red Bull and Verstappen.

“There were many wonderful victories and also world championship titles,” Marko said. “But it’s a shame that he can no longer experience this performance from the team and especially from Max. Something like this year is unique. Who knows if that will be possible again?”

“But the crucial point for this dominance, and more and more people are slowly realizing this, is the Max Verstappen factor. Sergio Perez has been talked down to, but he is a top driver. He just has the misfortune of having a once-in-a-century talent as a team-mate.”

‘Helmut Marko leaps to defence of ‘top driver’ Sergio Perez’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/helmut-marko-defence-sergio-perez-misfortune


Sergio Perez left certain "something's going on" as Red Bull F1 future under threat
Sergio Perez has a Red Bull F1 contract until the end of 2024 but the team will be assessing its options with Daniel Ricciardo, Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz tipped as replacements
20:49 Mon, 04 Dec 2023.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Sergio Perez admitted Formula 1 was "no longer fun" at the height of his struggles this season. "It was such a bad weekend that I really felt like, 'I cannot be this bad, there's something that's going on'. When you have these back-to-back races, I feel like sometimes there is not enough time to really go through it all. So, I felt like we really had to take a bit of time to make sure that we understood which way we were going.”

"Obviously, we had a deficit within the car set-up that we were playing around [with] weekend by weekend and we were just not able to progress through it. But once we managed to get on top of that, we understood a lot of things that we were trying to compensate for. And that just basically meant that we were not just not doing things right. I think that has been really, really good on our side.”

“I mean, it was bad that it happened but in a way, it was really good because it really strengthened our team quite a lot. I was having some weekends that were so difficult that they were not fun. I'm here because I still love what I'm doing and I'm here because I still have a lot of fun, a lot of enjoyment. And that was my main focus, that we really need things to turn them around. I had some really difficult times in a few months, let's put it that way."

“I cannot be this bad”;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/sergio-perez-red-bull-2024-31597327


‘I cannot be this bad’ – Sergio Perez’s rally cry in F1 2023 struggles
05 Dec 2023 12:00 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

At the end of a season marred with disappointment, Sergio Perez says Qatar was the low point of the campaign that had him questioning “I cannot be this bad” a driver. Despite being Max Verstappen’s nearest, and only, challenger in the early part of the 2023 championship, Perez’s campaign fell apart in the midst of a qualifying slump that destroyed his confidence in himself and the RB19.

But seeming to bounce back in Hungary, in part with the help of a sports psychologist, he hit a second slump in Japan when he retired after crashing into Lewis Hamilton and followed that up with a P10 in Qatar. That latter weekend he started the race from the pit lane following a crash in the Sprint and could only recover to 10th place despite being in an RB19 that in the hands of Max Verstappen won the race. That was an awakening if you will for Perez.

‘Sergio Perez’s rally cry’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/i-cannot-be-this-bad-sergio-perezs-rally-cry-2023


Perez pinpoints ‘really deep’ Qatar debrief as 2023 turning point
11th Dec 2023, 14:39
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Sergio Perez has pinpointed how a “really deep” analysis back at Red Bull’s factory after the Qatar Grand Prix provided the main turning point of his 2023 Formula 1 campaign. “I had a really deep one in Qatar where I went back to the factory for like a week and went through it very much indeed with all the engineers,” he divulged in Abu Dhabi.

“And we understood a lot of things that we were doing to compensate the weaknesses that we had and we were probably taking the wrong approach with the car and trying to compensate it too much with car set up and ultimately just getting lost weekend in weekend out.”

‘Really deep Qatar debrief’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/12/11/perez-pinpoints-really-deep-qatar-debrief-as-2023-turning-point/


‘He knows it’s a big year’ – Horner picks out what Perez needs to improve on for 2024
11 December 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has made clear that Sergio Perez’s main target for the 2024 season will be to “sort his Saturdays out” and avoid the comeback drives he was frequently forced to deliver this year. Perez started the campaign in fine form with two pole positions and two race wins across the opening five races, applying some early pressure to team mate Max Verstappen, but the Mexican’s challenge faded thereafter.

Speaking to Sky Sports at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Horner commented that while he has been pleased with Perez’s race-day efforts, his driver often made life more difficult for himself with sub-par qualifying performances. “I think the last few races he’s had a bit of a reset,” Horner said.

“His pace, when you look at the analysis through [the Abu Dhabi] weekend, again was very, very strong. He’s just got to sort his Saturdays out. His race pace is there, his race craft is fantastic, he’s probably overtaken more cars than anybody this year, but we just need him to be starting in the first four rather than ninth or 10th, whatever his average has been over the last few races.”

“He knows it’s a big year”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.he-knows-its-a-big-year-horner-picks-out-what-perez-needs-to-improve-on-for.4aXV17DEVo5cWlcFFH8bBX.html


Sergio Perez has "serious work" to save Red Bull career as four replacements lie in wait
Red Bull will not be short of options of the F1 champions decide to replace struggling star Sergio Perez when his contract expires at the end of the 2024 season
07:07 Tue, 05 Dec 2023.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Red Bull ambassador David Coulthard thinks Sergio Perez has a lot to prove if he is to save his career with the team. Coulthard, a 13-time F1 race winner, thinks improvements will be needed if Perez is to save his Red Bull career. "Checo wasn't as far away from this team-mate as some but, unfortunately for him of course, when Max was winning and he's not finishing second, it really puts a very difficult spotlight on him," the Scot said on his Formula For Success podcast.

"He's survived it, but he's definitely going to, in my opinion, have to do some serious work over the winter to fully understand or accept the differences between him and Max. At the beginning of the year, he was talking about the world championship battles and he was kind of getting his shoulders and his chest out.”

"I suspect part of that was his management team who are not only there to see him try and win Grand Prix but to sell him commercially. So, if the message is this guy's a world champion in waiting, then that helps the negotiations. I think now they probably need to take a slightly different view which is he is the best partner to a Max, a phenomenon and then you can knuckle down."

"Serious work";

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/sergio-perez-replacement-red-bull-31597998

[Fortitude]

Hamilton has 'full faith' in 2024 Mercedes after impressive tests.
The seven-time World Champion recently visited their factory in Brackley and Brixworth to check in on their progress for the 2024 season.
11 December 7:40AM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Lewis Hamilton has "full faith" that Mercedes can produce a competitive car for 2024, after seeing it in the wind tunnel in a recent factory visit. The seven-time World Champion visited the factory in the days prior to accepting the trophy for third place in the Drivers' Championship at the FIA Prize Giving Gala in Baku, Azerbaijan.

He used his visit to check on the progress of the W15, although he admitted that it would be tough to make any early judgements on where the team is at with the new car. "I'm not an engineer or a designer. So it's not easy. It's always an exciting time of the year because I have seen the current car in the wind tunnel," Hamilton told media, including RacingNews365.

"I always go by the wind tunnel when I go to the factory to see it evolving in whichever direction it ends up going." Team Principal Toto Wolff claimed that Mercedes will "leave no stone unturned" with their 2024 challenger, as they look to improve their fortunes following a winless year.

'Full faith';

https://racingnews365.com/hamilton-has-full-faith-in-2024-mercedes-after-seeing-it-in-wind-tunnel


Wolff: Mercedes must bring Hamilton ‘alive’ with title-contending F1 car
07:32 Sat, 09 Dec 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Mercedes Formula 1 boss Toto Wolff has ramped up the pressure on his team by insisting that it must deliver a title-contending car that can bring Lewis Hamilton “alive”. Wolff underlines that he’s certain Hamilton, who re-signed with Mercedes through 2025, can battle for the title again with the right machinery underneath him.

“Somebody told me a funny sentence about a long-term perspective: we have a board in our factory that shows all the Constructors’ World Championships since 1958 and the table goes until 2050 and we have the logos and badges of the different years,” Wolff added. “There is 27 open with empty badges, and I would like to look back in 20 years and say there are many more Mercedes stars.”

‘Must bring Hamilton ALIVE’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/12/09/wolff-mercedes-must-bring-hamilton-alive-with-title-contending-f1-car/


Hamilton gives positive first impressions of 2024 Mercedes car
2023 was Mercedes' first winless F1 season in over a decade, when Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg were at the team
December 10, 2023
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Lewis Hamilton insists he’s been in a positive mood after visiting Mercedes‘ factories and seeing the latest iteration of the W15, a car he hopes will propel the team back to race victories and a championship fight. “The mood is very positive,” Hamilton told the media. “I think all the members in the team are incredibly grateful to have got second constructors, given the challenges that we face this season.”

“It’s always quite emotional, I’ve been with the team for such a long time,” Hamilton added. “But every time you go back to the Brixworth, into Brackley you’re reminded of just how big a team is pushing you forward from behind.”

“And you see every individual, some people that are new to the team, that have joined whilst I’ve been here, and some that have been here, but way before and also some that I’ve worked on my engine since my first Grand Prix in Formula 1.”

‘Pushing you forward from behind’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-hamilton-positive-first-impressions-2024-mercedes-car/


From ‘concern’ to ‘excitement’, Lewis Hamilton talks Mercedes W15’s evolution
09 Dec 2023 1:30 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Having voiced his “concern” about Red Bull’s advantage as the curtain fell on 2023 in Abu Dhabi, Lewis Hamilton is sounding a great deal more positive about Mercedes’ chances after seeing the W15 in the wind tunnel.

The good news for Hill, and anyone else hoping for a proper title fight next season, is today Hamilton is feeling a lot more positive about Mercedes’ chances. Seeking to break his winless streak next season, Hamilton told Friday evening’s FIA gala that he’s “excited” about what he has seen in the Mercedes wind tunnel. He, however, didn’t reveal any details about the data.

‘Concern’ to ‘Excitement’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-hamilton-excited-mercedes-w15-evolution


Hamilton issues STARK Verstappen warning for 2024
Saturday 9 December 2023 22:57
Shay Rogers
GPFans

Lewis Hamilton has reminded Red Bull that Mercedes are out to beat them in 2024 following a tricky campaign.

Speaking at the FIA’s prize gala, Hamilton reserved plenty of praise for Verstappen before sending a reminder that the German manufacturer is working round the clock to close up to Red Bull. “For everyone, it has been a very, very long season and very much looking forward to the winter break,” he said.

“We’re working very, very hard on making sure we come back strong next year, I must say a big congratulations to Red Bull, Verstappen and Checo, they’ve done an incredible job this year. Max Verstappen was faultless. Max and all of his team really raised the bar and we have a lot of work to close that gap, but I truly do believe that we can close that gap.”

‘Big congratulations to Red Bull, Verstappen and Checo’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1009349/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-max-verstappen-f1-2024/


Hamilton sends F1 rivals 'nervous' Aston Martin warning
Saturday 9 December 2023 19:57
Sam Cook
GPFans

Lewis Hamilton has explained how Aston Martin's performance in the 2023 season will act as a guide for what Mercedes should be doing in order to catch Red Bull in 2024. Hamilton has explained how Mercedes are going to go about attempting to bridge the gap in 2024, suggesting that Aston Martin may find it hard to keep up their performance levels.

“The thing is, with the timeline you have, and the limited resources you have, you can’t just throw it away and start from scratch," he said in comments reported by Motorsport.com. "You can’t copy a car and start from that. Look at the Astons. They tried to copy a car and it wasn’t the same. It is not as easy as that. You have to try and take the good parts and through trial and error just try to add other parts.”

“But you can imagine they are also nervous of making too big a change and it being the wrong one. We need to be consistently week on week adding performance, and we have higher targets than ever before because we have a massive gap to catch. That makes it really tricky.”

‘2023 season will act as a guide for what Mercedes should be doing in order to catch Red Bull in 2024’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1009328/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-f1-aston-martin-nervous-catching-red-bull/


Lewis Hamilton comment towards Max Verstappen at F1 gala shows his true colours
Formula 1 fans have been commending Lewis Hamilton after the seven-time world champion lavish Max Verstappen with praise at the FIA Prize Giving gala, in spite of their heated rivalry
12:04 Sat, 09 Dec 2023.
BY HARRY BRENT SPORTS WRITER
Daily Star

Lewis Hamilton showed a touch of class by praising rival Max Verstappen during his speech at the FIA Prize Giving gala. The British driver finished a distant third behind Red Bull duo Verstappen and Sergio Perez, who claimed victory in all but one race across the 2023 season. Verstappen set a new record for Grand Prix wins to seal his third-successive F1 title, moving him closer to Hamilton's joint record of seven.

But the Mercedes star didn't let rivalry spoil his speech. As he took to the stage to collect his third-place trophy, Hamilton said Verstappen was "faultless" over the season and claimed the Dutchman had "raised the bar" with his performances.

Fans on social media branded the 38-year-old "a class act". One X user wrote: "Humble even in defeat. You can't hate Lewis man. This guy is such a class act." Another wrote: "Great speech and fair play to him for praise Max and Checo. That must not have been easy."

‘Big congratulations to Red Bull, Verstappen and Checo - they've done an incredible job this year’;

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1/lewis-hamilton-max-verstappen-speech-31635393

[Fortitude]

Wolff warns F1 rivals that 2024 car will make MASSIVE step.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff… …upcoming Mercedes W15… …will wield a two-and-a-half-second advantage over its predecessor, the W14.
Saturday 2 December 2023 09:57 - Updated: 13:56
Jay Winter
GPFans

Wolff's declaration comes on the heels of a season where Mercedes' customer team, Aston Martin, emerged as a formidable challenger to Red Bull in the early stages. For Wolff, this competitiveness was a silver lining, providing clarity regarding the performance aspects of their power unit and rear-end components.

Mercedes' star drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell will be eagerly awaiting the W15 capabilities as F1 regroups over the winter period before heading to Bahrain on March 2nd for the first race of the 2024 season.

‘Warning, MASSIVE step, Wield a two-and-a-half-second advantage’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1008876/toto-wolff-f1-mercedes-2024-car-w15/


WOLFF WANTS MERCEDES TO ‘DRIVE FOR THE STARS’ IN 2024
December 2, 2023
Sam Jones
FormulaNerds

Toto Wolff has said that he wants Mercedes to come out and ‘drive for the stars’ in 2024 as they look to close the gap to Red Bull. “You know, when you win P2, it reminds you that you lost P1,” said Wolff, speaking to Formual1.com. “I think we need to take it on the chin, be humble about it, and consider today as a good day.”

“As tough as it is to be reminded that it’s just P2, it’s also a great, great opportunity to come back and drive for the stars.” A new approach to the design will be needed for a successful 2024, with Wolff admitted Mercedes need to go ‘back to the drawing board’.

“Red Bull started into these regulations in 2022 with a massive advantage and was able to maintain it, and you have to have a lot of respect for their achievement on the engineering side and the driver,” continued the Austrian.

‘New approach to the design’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/wolff-wants-mercedes-to-drive-for-the-stars-in-2024/


Toto Wolff exclusive: Huge Mercedes W15 design insight with ‘all sails set’ for 2024
05 Dec 2023 6:00 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Toto Wolff has alluded to a possible alignment towards the successful Red Bull car design by suggesting the 2024 Mercedes will be “more conventional” than their current effort. Wolff then suggested Mercedes would follow a “conventional” approach with their 2024 design but did say they would have their own “interesting details.”

“I think we were bold and courageous to embark on the road with such a car,” he told PlanetF1.com at the Autosport Awards. “That was a different concept that nobody else had had before and it didn’t work. I think it’s as simple as that. It’s physics and not mystics. Next year’s car is going to be more conventional in what you would expect from a Formula 1 car, but there are a few interesting details that we have not seen on other cars yet.”

‘Next year’s car is going to be more conventional’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-mercedes-2024-car-design-insight


Toto Wolff expecting 2024 car to boost Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton became increasingly frustrated with how inconsistent Mercedes' 2023 car was during the season.
7 December 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff his expecting the team’s 2024 car to boost Lewis Hamilton’s spirit, after the seven-time World Champion was downbeat at the recent season finale. Wolff is hopeful that the work being put into the 2024 car will rejuvenate Hamilton, who clearly still believes that the Germans can turn it around.

“Next year’s car is going to be more conventional in what you would expect from a Formula 1 car,” Wolff told FormulaNerds. “But there are a few interesting details that we have not seen on other cars yet.” Hamilton wouldn’t have signed a two-year extension if he wasn’t confident in Mercedes giving him a good car, something they’ve failed to do the last two seasons.

‘Expecting 2024 car boost’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/toto-wolff-expecting-2024-car-to-boost-lewis-hamilton/


Toto Wolff makes major admission as Mercedes take big W15 gamble
01 Dec 2023 11:30 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Toto Wolff has admitted Mercedes “could get it wrong” as they plan a total overhaul of their car. Mercedes went back to the drawing board after the W14 proved to be just as problematic as its predecessor and the team will now spend the winter building an entirely new car for the 2024 season.

Wolff then says Mercedes will start over when it comes to the design but has warned they could get it wrong. “We are changing the concept,” he told media, including PlanetF1.com, in Abu Dhabi. “We are completely moving away from how we laid out the chassis, the weight distribution, the airflow.”

“I mean, literally, there’s almost every component that’s being changed because only by doing that, I think we have a chance. We could get it wrong also. So, between not gaining what we expect, catching up and making a big step and competing in the front, everything is possible.”

‘Big W15 gamble’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-major-admission-mercedes-w15-gamble


Toto Wolff teases 'interesting' Mercedes 2024 changes in Red Bull hint
Toto Wolff has opened up on the 'interesting' changes being made by Mercedes ahead of 2024.
17:33, Tue, Dec 5, 2023
By Sam Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Toto Wolff has teased some mysterious Mercedes changes ahead of the 2024 season. The Austrian believes the team have come up with some ‘interesting’ ideas that have not previously featured on their cars. Mercedes are desperate to catch Red Bull after another dominant year for Max Verstappen. Star driver Lewis Hamilton has already cast doubts over being able to defeat Red Bull in 2024.

But team principal Wolff is more upbeat about Mercedes’ chances. He promised that the car for next season will be more ‘conventional’ after admitting that the Silver Arrows got the design of this year’s W14 ‘wrong’. The 51-year-old has teased ‘interesting’ changes that will be made to develop the W15. “I think we were bold and courageous to embark on the road with such a car,” he told PlanetF1.com.

‘Mysterious Mercedes changes’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1842394/Toto-Wolff-Mercedes-Red-Bull


Toto Wolff’s huge Mercedes W15 insight as honest George Russell verdict cast – F1 news round-up
05 Dec 2023 10:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

As sights slowly switch towards what could loom for F1 2024, it is time to take a look at the key headlines from the world of Formula 1. Toto Wolff has hinted that the W15 will take Mercedes closer to the wildly-successful Red Bull concept, while George Russell will be hoping for a better season at the wheel of that challenger as he gave an honest assessment of his F1 2023 showing.

It has long since been clear that Mercedes got it wrong with their unique ‘zero pod’ concept as the migration away from it got underway, the W14 evolving into something of a hybrid between their take and the increasingly followed Red Bull solution. And now, as Mercedes target a return to title-contending ways in F1 2024, team boss Wolff has alluded to greater Red Bull influence to come on their W15.

‘Toto Wolff’s huge Mercedes W15 insight’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-mercedes-w15-insight-honest-george-russell-verdict

[Fortitude]

Alonso outlines Aston Martin's 2024 F1 goal.
Fernando Alonso has urged Aston Martin to “keep moving forward” following its run to fifth place in the Constructors' Championship this year.
08 December 11:00AM
Author Fergal Walsh
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Ahead of his second season with Aston Martin, Alonso has targeted further improvements and is aiming for a higher championship finish in 2024. “It's going to be important because obviously this is the first step of hopefully good progress in the team,” Alonso told media including RacingNews365.com.

“We always said that this was like year one of Aston Martin being competitive, a lot of changes in the team, the new factory all of these things that we've been saying for a long time. So if next year we do a step backwards that will be bad. We need to keep moving forward.”

“We finished fifth in the Constructors’, we need to improve that next year. Fourth, third, second or whatever, will be welcome. In my case after eight podiums this year, hopefully I can do something similar next year.”

“EL PLAN: Keep moving forward”;

https://racingnews365.com/alonso-outlines-aston-martins-2024-f1-goal


Alonso reveals critical racing element F1 'MUST' champion
Tuesday 12 December 2023 16:57
Cal Gaunt
GPFans

Fernando Alonso has stressed the importance for Formula 1 to champion the ethos of clean driving if upcoming generations are to flourish within the sport. During the dazzling evening at the FIA gala in Baku, Azerbaijan, where accolades were bestowed upon not only Max Verstappen and champions from various racing classes but also Alonso.

Prior to the ceremony, F1 enthusiasts had the opportunity to cast their votes for their favourite overtake of the year and Alonso's spectacular duel with Sergio Perez during the Brazilian Grand Prix ended up earning him the prestigious 'Action of the Year' award.

‘EL PLAN: Ethos of clean driving’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1009524/fernando-alonso-fia-gala-baku-f1-drivers-sergio-perez-brazilian-gp-2023/


Fernando Alonso reflects on ‘unthinkable’ 2023 F1 season
Fernando Alonso finished fourth in the 2023 F1 driver standings behind Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez and Lewis Hamilton
December 9, 2023
By Roman Brock
Total Motorsport

Fernando Alonso has given his thoughts on Aston Martin’s 2023 season in Formula 1, describing it as unthinkable as he had his best campaign for a decade. The double world champion has shown no signs of slowing down this year with a string of fine performances, including six podiums in the opening eight races.

“I see only positives here as well,” Alonso told the press. “Struggles, I think, are part of the job and part of the journey of this team. I think we started really strong with the car that was surprisingly competitive even to us [in terms of] the step from last year to this year.”

“We found ourselves maybe in a position that we were not ready for; fighting with Mercedes, Ferrari – top teams that are used to fighting at that level. So, we maybe [took] a step back a little bit in terms of development, also with the car during the season, but we are not at the top level yet and we found ourselves a little bit less competitive.”

‘EL PLAN: Unthinkable 2023 F1 season’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-fernando-alonso-unthinkable-2023-season/


Fernando Alonso reveals potential deciding factor over F1 future beyond 2024
12 Dec 2023 4:00 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Fernando Alonso has revealed that how he reacts to Formula 1’s expanded calendar next year could decide how much he wants to continue in the sport, as that is more likely to “drain my battery” than losing pace.

I have said many times, even before 2018, the day that I will stop racing is not because I feel not motivated for driving or I feel slow,” Alonso explained. “If I feel slow one day, I think it will be noticeable and I will be not happy with my performance and I will be the first one to raise my hand and say ‘okay, this is this is time’.”

“But I don’t think that time will arrive, honestly, in terms of feeling slow because I have extreme self-confidence on my performance. But it could be that with the calendar and with the mundane schedule that one day, I will feel that it’s time because, you know, there are other things in life.”

‘EL PLAN: Potential deciding factor’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernando-alonso-f1-2024-future-deciding-factor


Aston Martin: Alonso ‘honeymoon’ extended
08:07 Tue, 12 Dec 2023.
by Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Mike Krack has suggested Aston Martin is still on “honeymoon” with Fernando Alonso following a stellar first year with the team which has reinforced the idea of a further extension to his F1 career. At the age of 42, Alonso said this past season with Aston Martin was his best, alongside the 2012 campaign with Ferrari when he missed out on a third title by three points to Sebastian Vettel.

Continuing to extol Alonso’s virtues with the season now at an end, Krack said: “As a team, we were blown away from the first day. “To be honest with you, I always thought the first few months were a bit of a honeymoon, but I’m quite happy we have managed to extend that honeymoon. We received a remarkable team player, constructive at all times, especially when it was difficult. When the car was competitive – or, more competitive – it’s obviously easier to be constructive but the true qualities came out.”

‘EL PLAN: Honeymoon extended’;

https://speedcafe.com/fernando-alonso-aston-martin-honeymoon-period/


Enjoying the ride: Mike reflects on a positive season and the challenge ahead
12.12.2023
Aston Martin F1 - Official Site

Our best season to date as Aston Martin F1 Team. 280 points scored and a jump from seventh to fifth in the Constructors' Championship. Eight podium finishes. The arrival of double World Champion Fernando Alonso. The opening of the AMR Technology Campus. The announcement of a works partnership with Honda. And more green shirts and caps at every race and in every grandstand than ever before.

Are we on the right path with our 2024 car? We're up against formidable competitors, and the big question mark over the winter is always what kind of job other teams have done. There's a lot of nail-biting. You're always asking yourself: 'Have we done enough?'

Whatever happens, it always results in the same loop: if the cars roll out and we haven't done enough, then we have to work hard to improve. If we have done enough, then we have to work hard to improve further. That's the only recipe that works in Formula One.

‘EL PLAN: Challenge ahead’;

https://www.astonmartinf1.com/en-GB/news/feature/mike-reflects-on-a-positive-season-and-the-challenge-ahead


Very good physically’:Emerson Fittipaldi admits there’s one Formula 1 driver on the grid who’s ‘like a lion’
Wed 13 December 2023 07:30
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Formula 1 legend Emerson Fittipaldi has admitted that experienced driver Fernando Alonso is ‘like a lion’ on track. Fittipaldi was talking to Mundo Deportivo about the Spanish two-time world champion. There isn’t a single driver in Formula 1 history that can boast the longevity of Fernando Alonso.

The Spaniard currently sits on 380 entries in F1 and all being well, he’ll pass the 400 mark next year. To reach that number, not only do you have to be extremely talented, but in amazing physical shape to continue driving at the highest level. It’s even more impressive when you consider the F1 calendar seems to get even more demanding every year.

Fittipaldi has been raving about Alonso and has suggested that the Spaniard is ‘like a lion’ which is a fantastic compliment indeed. The 42-year-old can’t drive in Formula 1 forever – although Fittipaldi eventually retired from the sport aged 49 – but he will likely continue to race elsewhere.

‘EL PLAN: Like a lion’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/emerson-fittipaldi-admits-theres-one-formula-1-driver-on-the-grid-whos-like-a-lion/

[Fortitude]

Leclerc signs bumper five-year Ferrari F1 deal – report.
Charles Leclerc has committed his long-term future to Ferrari’s Formula 1 team by signing a bumper five-year contract extension, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.
10:35 Mon, 04 Dec 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Speaking earlier this week, Ferrari president John Elkann confirmed that both Leclerc and Carlos Sainz will receive extensions. “Sainz and Leclerc? They will stay, of course.” A report in Italy suggests that an announcement is “imminent” regarding Leclerc’s new contract, which would see him earn €25m, to double to €50m by the final year.

On the other side of the Ferrari garage, the future of Sainz, who also renewed until the end of 2024 midway through last season, is supposedly less clearcut than Leclerc. Sainz became the only non-Red Bull victor during the 2023 campaign when he converted pole position in Singapore, but Ferrari is less eager to retain him long-term. Despite Gazzetta dello Sport divulging that Sainz is set on remaining in the team, the report publicises that Ferrari is against offering him the two-year contract he desires.

‘Bumper five-year Ferrari F1 deal’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/12/04/leclerc-signs-bumper-five-year-ferrari-f1-deal-report/


Ex-Ferrari boss endorses Charles Leclerc mega deal as Hamilton/Max comparison made
07 Dec 2023 11:30 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

According to reports in Italy, Leclerc has agreed a new bumper five-year deal with Ferrari, one that comes with a €25m starting salary that will double over the course of the contract. But while that’s lucrative for the driver, Ferrari’s Tifosi will be hoping it also pays dividends for the team.

Fiorio, who led Ferrari between 1989 and 1991, believes it will. “I think it’s a good move, because he’s adding to his speed and skill the ability to limit the number of errors,” he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“Until recently he made too many of them. However, that was normal. Verstappen is his age, but he too made mistakes in the early years a lot. Now Leclerc is moving towards that maturity that Max already has and that Lewis Hamilton also has.”

‘Ex-Ferrari boss endorses Charles Leclerc mega deal’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ex-ferrari-boss-endorses-charles-leclerc-mega-deal


David Coulthard and Eddie Jordan agree as Charles Leclerc faces huge F1 dilemma
Charles Leclerc enters the fifth and final year of his current Ferrari contract next season but is said to already have another long-term extension offer on the table
07:14 Wed, 06 Dec 2023.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Former F1 racer Coulthard and ex-team owner Eddie Jordan discussed Leclerc's situation on their Formula For Success podcast. "I feel for Charles Leclerc, he's brilliantly fast, great guy, didn't manage to get a victory this year," said the Scot.

"He could have been in Vegas but, in the end, the safety car didn't work out and Max was brilliant in his comeback. I think Fred Vasseur has really established himself well as a racing principal and seems to be handling the pressure of Ferrari politics, so I really believe that they'll be stronger next year."

‘Huge F1 dilemma’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/charles-leclerc-contract-2024-ferrari-31606300


Martin Brundle crowns F1 title hopeful ‘very fastest driver’ of 2023 over one lap
10 Dec 2023 7:00 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Sky F1 pundit Martin Brundle has hailed Charles Leclerc as the fastest driver of the F1 2023 season, but believes the Ferrari star must “stop throwing it in the wall” if he is to realise his full potential. Leclerc remains stuck on five career wins despite claiming 23 poles since arriving at Ferrari in 2019, with his last victory occurring at the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix. Sainz, meanwhile, was the only non-Red Bull driver to win a race in 2023 in Singapore.

Speaking during Sky F1’s 2023 season review, Brundle is convinced Leclerc remains a faster driver than Sainz – and is hopeful that Ferrari will be among the teams capable of taking the fight to Red Bull next year. He said: “I’ve always been a fan of Carlos Sainz from a long time ago because I like his spirit and I know his dad well and I know his mentality, so you watch Carlos creeping up on things.”

“I think Charles is outright faster, if I’m honest, and you could argue that Charles is perhaps the very fastest driver on the grid in 2023 in terms of some of his pole position laps, but he hasn’t converted any of the last 12 poles into a victory. It’s not all his fault. I think Verstappen has played a big role in that and the car and reliability and a couple of dodgy strategy calls and that sort of thing.”

‘Very fastest driver’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/martin-brundle-charles-leclerc-fastest-driver-2023


Ferrari have made their Charles Leclerc decision - it's time for Carlos Sainz to get out
Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc are both out of contract in 2024 as it stands, but the Monegasque is set for a long-term new deal while his team-mate gets no such treatment
06:09 Tue, 05 Dec 2023.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

There has been little to split Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz as team-mates - but the treatment that they are getting from Ferrari seems to be far from equal. Leclerc has out-scored his partner in two of the three seasons they have been together. But that stat would most likely have gone the other way had Sainz not suffered a lot of wretched luck in the final weeks of the 2023 campaign.

The Monegasque also wins the head-to-head when it comes to F1 race wins with five to his name. Sainz has just two by contrast but was the only Ferrari driver to taste victory this year, and the only man not driving a Red Bull to reach the top step of a podium. Overall, they have both performed well in the absence of a championship-winning car. And Ferrari would of course, like all top teams, never publicly admit that one of their drivers is favoured over the other

Now, the logic behind the differing approaches is sound. The five-year deal gives the team long-term security for one of their seats, knowing that an extremely capable racer, Leclerc, fills it. And a short-term contract for their other driver gives them flexibility to act should an exciting talent - Lando Norris, it seems, in this case - become available. But, logical or not, it's a rather risky move from a team which seems to think its pulling power has been unaffected by the lack of a championship crown in the last 15 years. That's especially true if, indeed, Norris is the intended target, given the position of strength the Brit is currently in.

‘Time for Carlos Sainz to get out’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/ferrari-contract-leclerc-sainz-2024-31597591


The Charles Leclerc flaw that stops him reaching Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton heights
11 Dec 2023 6:00 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Johnny Herbert said Charles Leclerc’s continued mistakes mean he is not in the same bracket as Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton after a disappointing season. Having finished P2 last season, Leclerc had to settle for P5 in 2023 with Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and Sergio Perez all leapfrogging him in the standings.

“If I was to be critical, the only thing that I suppose we’ve all seen are those mistakes,” he exclusively told PlanetF1.com. “And those mistakes is something you don’t see from Max, you don’t really see that from Lewis. There have been a couple maybe in the last couple of years but I think overall, when he was winning the championships, they did not happen.” It is not just this current crop who Herbert said never make mistakes but that all great World Champions were near faultless in their consistency,

“That’s the strength of the guys who become World Champions, you go all the way back to Senna and Prost and Lauda and people like that, they just have that ability to do it every single time without making the errors that we do see other drivers make,” the former Lotus driver said. “And those drivers who make those errors generally can never quite turn it around to then put themselves in a position to win a World Championship.”

‘The Charles Leclerc flaw’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/charles-leclerc-flaw-max-verstappen-lewis-hamilton

[Fortitude]

Piastri ‘mortally wounded’ Norris with only McLaren win in F1 2023.
Oscar Piastri scored McLaren’s only win in 2023, mortally wounding Lando Norris, according to ex-F1 driver Martin Brundle.
18:02 Wed, 13 Dec 2023.
by Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Brundle feels it was another opportunity missed for Norris, to add to those in 2021 when he missed out on wins in the Italian and Russian Grands Prix. Confident McLaren will win a grand prix next season, speaking on Sky Sports F1’s season review show, 158 grand prix veteran Brundle said: “Let’s remember that Oscar Piastri won the sprint race in Qatar in great style, with Max trying to catch him.”

Brundle, though, claims Piastri’s arrival has “sharpened up Norris”, adding: “Lando had to get on with it a little bit. “Piastri has turned up, as a rookie, delivering the high speeds through the challenging corners, delivering some amazing results, made some rookie errors as well, but I think that’s driven both drivers on. It’s probably just what Lando needed because, in the second half of the season, he has been outstanding.”

It was a different story over the first nine races before the update as McLaren was last in the constructors’ championship after the first two after failing to score a point, and with only 17 to their team going into the race at Spielberg.

‘Norris Mortally Wounded’;

https://speedcafe.com/oscar-piastri-lando-norris-mclaren-martin-brundle-mortally-wounded/


Martin Brundle: Lando Norris must be “mortally wounded” Oscar Piastri won in F1 before him
13 Dec 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Ex-F1 driver Martin Brundle believes Lando Norris would have been “wounded” by the fact new teammate Oscar Piastri won a race before he did in 2023. Piastri sensationally took his first F1 win - albeit in the sprint - in Qatar, finishing ahead of Max Verstappen. On the other side of the garage at McLaren, it was a tough weekend for Norris, who threw away pole position twice in Qatar.

“Mortally wounded”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1042763/1/brundle-norris-must-be-mortally-wounded-piastri-won-f1-him


McLaren aiming to avoid Norris being ‘very harsh on himself’
10:35 Mon, 11 Dec 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

McLaren Formula 1 boss Andrea Stella says the team is aiming to identify methods to prevent Lando Norris from being “very harsh on himself” following any mistakes. Norris took advantage of McLaren’s mid-season resurgence to enjoy his most productive campaign in F1, recording seven podiums to amass a career-best 205 points.

‘Identify methods’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/12/11/mclaren-aiming-to-avoid-norris-being-very-harsh-on-himself/


McLaren chief makes Lando Norris future admission amid Ferrari and Red Bull links
Lando Norris got close to his first F1 win last season but the McLaren ace is "not comfortable", the team's principal has revealed.
20:56, Sat, Dec 9, 2023
By Joshua Mbu
Daily and Sunday Express

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has admitted winless Lando Norris is "not comfortable" with the team. The 24-year-old completed his fifth season at McLaren but although he achieved a career-high seven podiums and six second-placed finishes, a win managed to escape the Brit, despite testing runaway leaders Red Bull's resolve at Silverstone and Sau Paulo.

Singapore also presented an opportunity for McLaren to make their mark but they were beaten to the top spot by Carlos Sainz and Ferrari. "I’d rather accept the fact we haven’t put Lando in the conditions to do it yet," McLaren team principal Stella admitted to F1's website.

"This is not a comfortable place. We can try and cope. But it’s not comfortable for Lando and it’s not comfortable for us. I’d rather start from accepting this and work the best way to making this possible, rather than almost pretend that it doesn’t make any difference. We are here to win races. I don’t want a driver who doesn’t have this strong drive. If this makes him uncomfortable and makes us uncomfortable, we accept it. It’s going to be extra determination to create the conditions to win races.”

‘Lando Norris future admission’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1843884/McLaren-chief-Norris-Ferrari-Red-Bull-links


Dramatic Lando Norris change explained as McLaren secrets spilled by F1 chief
The 2023 campaign was a true season of two halves for Lando Norris and his McLaren team, saddled with a very slow MCL60 car in the beginning before making enormous strides
18:23 Fri, 08 Dec 2023.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has picked out the major mid-season move which thrust Lando Norris into regular podium contention. "The technical restructuring was a fundamental enabler," the Italian told Motorsport.com, explaining that there is still more to come in that regard. "The restructuring itself includes people that actually haven't started yet.

"If we talk about the new technical configuration, which includes three technical directors, two of them haven't started yet. It was Peter Prodromou in charge of aero, David Sanchez in charge of performance and concepts, Rob Marshall in charge of engineering and design.”

"Effectively, this structure has given clarity on the responsibilities and has allowed also - and it was essential in the short term - to restructure the aerodynamic department, putting Peter Prodromou in charge, supporting Giuseppe Pesce, these guys have been absolutely instrumental in setting the new direction for the design of the car from an aerodynamic point of view."

‘Technical restructuring was a fundamental enabler’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/mclaren-2024-car-lando-norris-31632470


Norris expecting 'bigger changes' in 2024 after McLaren turnaround
08 December 8:00AM
Author Fergal Walsh
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Speaking to media including RacingNews365.com, Norris admitted that he is anticipating even bigger changes next season. “I expect almost bigger changes than we've had over the last year,” he said. “I feel like we've been in a place now more than ever where we can tackle more things at once.”

“If you're still last, you kind of try to focus a little more on one thing - just making the car a little bit quicker. “Now I think we're in a much better position that we can focus on some of the finer details, details which we've not really been able to improve much at all over the last five years. And things that I would love to have more of as a driver and I think would suit me more as a driver is trying to work on those things.”

'Bigger changes';

https://racingnews365.com/norris-expecting-bigger-changes-in-2024-after-mclaren-turnaround


Norris in firm 2024 declaration: 'I will win with McLaren'
06 December 12:50PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Lando Norris is convinced he can end his long wait for a maiden Grand Prix win in 2024, pointing to McLaren's 2023 turnaround for his faith. Norris has finished on the podium 13 times in his career, with seven-second places to his name, six of which came in the 2023 season as McLaren transformed itself from midfield also-rans to second-fastest car behind Red Bull.

The team has undergone major infrastructure upgrades at Woking, including a new wind-tunnel and driver simulator, with high-profile hires from Red Bull and Ferrari in the form of Rob Marshall and David Sanchez to beef up the technical department. CEO Zak Brown feels it will take until 2025 before McLaren's ultimate potential is realised, but Norris believes he can end his personal win drought - with his last victory in a single-seater being the first race of the 2018 Formula 2 season.

Norris on win chances "100 per cent, because it's going to be next year, and I'm with McLaren next year, I feel like we're so close," Norris told Sky Sports F1 of his chances of securing a first Grand Prix win in 2024. "We have a lot more things in place, we've got a few new guys who are starting as well, coming from other teams. "Now we're in the strongest place we've been for probably the last 10 years, I feel like we've got more things to look forward to next year - we've finally got the wind tunnel properly going and so many things which are coming together more than ever.”

'I WILL WIN with McLaren';

https://racingnews365.com/norris-in-firm-2024-declaration-i-will-win-with-mclaren

[Fortitude]

SAINZ: SINGAPORE F1 VICTORY PROVES FERRARI HAVE A KEY QUALITY.
Sainz was the only non-Red Bull driver to win a race throughout the whole 2023 season, with the Austrian team dominating.
December 11, 2023
Nathan Hartley
FormulaNerds

Carlos Sainz believes his victory at the Marina Bay Circuit at the Singapore Grand Prix shows Ferrari can work well under pressure as he was the only driver to win a race other than the Red Bull drivers. It was a well executed race weekend from the Maranello team, maximising their chances. Sainz believes that the weekend in Singapore proves that the Scuderia has what it takes to deliver under pressure.

“One hundred percent. It has to affect the year because it’s not like we had many chances of winning a race this year,” Sainz responded to Motorsport.com when asked if the Singapore race influenced his assessment of the 2023 season for Ferrari.

“The fact that we took it and we didn’t waste one single opportunity there and we maximise FP1, FP2, FP3, quali, Q1, Q2, Q3 and the race was I think a huge accomplishment. Not only for me but also for the team, to prove that when the opportunity arrives next year we are able to win.” Sainz emphasised the point of Ferrari being under pressure to deliver whilst Red Bull aren’t as dominant:

‘Only driver to win a race other than the Red Bull drivers’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/sainz-singapore-f1-victory-proves-ferrari-have-a-key-quality/


Sainz: Singapore F1 win proves Ferrari can deliver under pressure
DEC 12, 2023, 7:18 PM
AUTHOR Filip Cleeren
CO-AUTHOR Matt Kew
Motorsport.com

Carlos Sainz believes his win in Formula 1's Singapore Grand Prix shows Ferrari can deliver under pressure as he took the only non-Red Bull victory of the 2023 season.

‘Deliver under pressure’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/sainz-singapore-f1-win-proves-ferrari-can-deliver-under-pressure/10556799/


Sainz reveals 'mentally challenging' Ferrari issues
Monday 11 December 2023 11:57
Chris Deeley
GPFans

Carlos Sainz has claimed that Ferrari are stronger operationally than they were when Fred Vasseur joined the team, after the Prancing Horse finished third in the constructors' championship this season - but admitted that their inconsistency is 'mentally challenging'.

When asked if he thought his team appear stronger in terms of their operations, he said: "It feels exactly that way also on the inside. I think we acknowledge the package we have and now we just put it on track and we try to maximise it every weekend. And I think we are doing a much better job of that.”

"It's not easy because it's mentally challenging to understand how in Las Vegas you can out-qualify the Red Bull by three tenths and fight for the win and then go to Brazil and be a second off the race pace. It's almost unbelievable that these swings in performance can happen.

'Mentally challenging';

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1009442/carlos-sainz-ferrari-issues-f1-mentally-challenging/


Sainz relieved to be ‘quicker’ and ‘more consistent’ in 2023
13:43 Tue, 12 Dec 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Reflecting on his personal season, which concluded on a sour note with him dropping from fourth to seventh in the standings, Sainz said ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: “I was coming from a tough 2022. My goal for ‘23 was to get back my speed.”

“I feel in ’22 I wasn’t as quick as I was in ’21 or with the older generation of cars. And my target for ’23 with was with these newer generation to understand them better and to be quicker, just have more speed both in qualifying and the race. And I think I’ve definitely achieved those two things, I definitely feel a lot more quick and a lot more on top of the car in qualifying and race trim.”

“And I’ve also been more consistent this year, so I’ve also had higher peaks. I have higher lows in a way, the lows of ’23 haven’t been as low as ’22, so overall for sure has been a better season. But unfortunately not exactly what I was looking for, so still more work to do for next year.”

‘Quicker’ and ‘More Consistent’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/12/12/sainz-relieved-to-be-quicker-and-more-consistent-in-2023/


Ferrari caution with F1 2024 car ‘behaving differently’ in simulation runs
14 Dec 2023 5:45 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Revealing Ferrari’s 2024 F1 car is “behaving differently” in the simulator, Carlos Sainz isn’t getting carried away as he concedes they won’t know if it genuinely is a better car until it’s on the track. Back in February, Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna declared the Scuderia’s 2023 F1 car, the SF-23, to be a “single-seater that will be unprecedented in terms of speed”. His words came back to bite him as the Italian stable was destroyed by Red Bull at the very first race of the season in Bahrain, where Sainz was 48s down on the race winner Max Verstappen.

Now, perhaps having learned a lesson from Vigna’s proclamation, Sainz is telling a cautious tale about Ferrari’s potential progress with the 2024 car. “I think we’re going to need to wait until testing. I think it’s incredibly difficult to know,” he told media, including PlanetF1.com, at the season finale in Abu Dhabi. The car in the simulator is behaving differently, for sure.”

“But I think until we put the car in 100 kilos [race fuel] and used tyres, it’s going to be impossible to see how the car is actually treating the tyres, treating the pace and how our race pace is going to be affected. That we will only know in Bahrain [testing] when we put it on track. In the meantime, we can just focus on adding performance to that car in the wind tunnel and trying to make it better.”

‘2024 car ‘behaving differently’ in simulation runs’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/carlos-sainz-cautious-2024-ferrari-car


Sainz: 2024 Ferrari F1 car “behaving differently” in the simulator
13:56 Wed, 13 Dec 2023.
AUTHOR Matt Kew
Motorsport.com

Sainz says Ferrari must be willing to sacrifice the strengths of the SF-23 - he picked out straight-line speed, braking, short-corner performance and an ability to ride the kerbs as it main assets - should it get the team closer to Red Bull.

As part of this, the Singapore Grand Prix victor reckoned Ferrari is now focusing heavily on unlocking consistency to iron out the fluctuating form that typified its 2023 campaign. He continued: “We understood it and now we just put it on track and we try to maximise it every weekend. I think we are doing a much better job of that.”

“It's almost unbelievable that these swings in performance can happen. But it is the Formula 1 of nowadays. Now we need to focus on making sure… we understand why the car there is strong and why so weak in other types of circuits and corners.”

‘Get the team closer to Red Bull’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/sainz-2024-ferrari-f1-car-behaving-differently-in-the-simulator/10557511/


Sainz unhappy with Ferrari's 2025 contract offer
DECEMBER 5, 2023
GrandPrix.com

Carlos Sainz is reportedly unhappy with the deal Ferrari is offering him for a new contract beyond 2024.

Talks with Sainz are reportedly much more troubled, as Ferrari wants to leave the door open beyond 2025 to kick off the new era of regulations from 2026 with a fresh new talent - like McLaren's Lando Norris.

‘Sainz unhappy’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/sainz-unhappy-with-ferraris-2025-contract-offer.html

[Fortitude]

Russell reveals heart rate changes amid extensive F1 travel plans.
Formula 1 has been experiencing an expanding calendar in recent years and George Russell has outlined that it is impacting his heart rate.
07 December 6:30AM
Author Fergal Walsh
Co-author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

George Russell has detailed that travelling to differing time zones has resulted in a change in his heart rate. Russell has insisted that he has seen data to suggest how the time spent in different time zones has impacted his heart rate. “So from the disruptions of the timezone, my heart rate, during the night's sleep is on average, about 25 per cent higher than it would be when I'm in a consistent location,” he told media including RacingNews365.com.

“I spent two weeks in one location this summer, which is the longest I've spent in three years and my heart rate was the lowest it's ever been. Winter, it’s always sort of stabilising in a low place. And then as soon as you travel, it increases. But definitely [I’m] sleeping less, recovering less, which is all natural when you're you're jumping all around. So it's not just it's not just a feeling - there’s definitely data to back that up.”

‘Russell reveals heart rate changes’;

https://racingnews365.com/russell-reveals-heart-rate-changes-amid-extensive-f1-travel-plans


Schumacher steps up at Mercedes as Russell sidelined with illness
07:42 Wed, 13 Dec 2023.
Andrew Maitland
Grandpx.news

Frederik Hackbarth of Auto Bild sheds light on Russell’s condition, “The Briton (Russell) has been sick for weeks and had to drag himself through the final races of the season. That’s why he’s taking a break from all obligations for now.” This left an opening for Schumacher to further integrate himself with the Mercedes team.

Schumacher’s visits to Brackley and Brixworth this week were more than just formalities. He views them as opportunities to deepen his ties with the team, saying, “I can continue to build relationships with the team here. It’s nice to spend so much time with everyone and get to know them, including people who were here when my father was. It is a very special team and a very special connection that we have.”

“The Briton (Russell) has been sick for weeks”;

https://grandpx.news/schumacher-steps-up-at-mercedes-as-russell-sidelined-with-illness/


'Never pushed harder': Russell seeks positives from miserable F1 season
December 6th 2023
Author: Chris Medland
Motor Sport Magazine

After a winless season with only two podium finishes, George Russell is seeking for a reset heading into 2024 – he expands on his frustrations and keeping a positive mindset. The thing with Russell is he’s always had great confidence, and when Motor Sport was part of a very select group of media to speak to him about his 2023 struggles, that confidence clearly hadn’t taken a knock.

“No doubt it’s been probably the toughest season I’ve ever had psychologically,” Russell said. “Bouncing back from missed opportunities, missed results, mistakes. I think this is when you push yourself. I could comfortably lift my foot off the gas pedal and drive a percent below the limit and I could sit here right now and tell you that I wouldn’t make a single mistake. And probably when I sit through my championship years, I probably wasn’t being pushed as much as I’m pushing myself now.”

“I’m purposely trying to push myself further and beyond, and I’m not satisfied with just being on par with my team-mate in qualifying or whatever it may be. Or last year [when] we were very even across the whole season. I want to be ahead. And that’s what I’m pushing myself for.”

'Never pushed harder';

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/ive-never-pushed-harder-russell-seeks-positives-from-miserable-f1-season/?nowprocket=1#


Jacques Villeneuve left surprised at how far off the pace ‘super quick’ driver was this season
Thu 14 December 2023 18:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Former Formula 1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve has admitted that he was left surprised by George Russell’s lack of pace this season. George Russell ended up with just two podiums to his name and finished 59 points behind Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton.

Speaking to PlanetF1, Villeneuve was reflecting on the British driver’s most recent Formula 1 campaign. After waiting in the wings at Williams for three seasons, George Russell finally got his chance with Mercedes when Valtteri Bottas moved on in 2022. His first year with the Silver Arrows was brilliant, leading to him winning his first – and so far only – race in Sao Paulo and outscoring Lewis Hamilton.

It wasn’t the strongest car and unfortunately, heading in 2023 the team had failed to make the improvements needed to challenge Red Bull. Hamilton pulled out all the stops in 2023 to get as close to Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez as possible and finished as the best of the rest. Russell, however, had some bad luck and made some poor decisions this season and Villeneuve knows he would have wanted to do so much better.

‘Surprised by George Russell’s lack of pace this season’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/jacques-villeneuve-left-surprised-at-how-far-off-the-pace-super-quick-driver-was-this-season/


Russell reveals 'motivation' behind Mercedes comeback
10 December 3:50PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Russell: We're not setting expectations too high. Russell feels its second place in the Constructors' Championship after beating Ferrari, who was the only non-Red Bull team to win a race this year, gives them motivation to work hard over the winter break.

"The fact that we're still second in the Constructors' Championship is pretty surprising," added Russell. "But it gives us a lot of motivation going into next year, because if you have a problem on your hands and you believe you can solve it, the rewards can be great. We're not going to set our expectations too high, because we know we were caught out this year. But we all will believe that we can solve a lot of the problems we have currently."

'Motivation behind Mercedes comeback’;

https://racingnews365.com/russell-reveals-motivation-behind-mercedes-comeback


Toto Wolff’s huge Mercedes W15 insight as honest George Russell verdict cast – F1 news round-up
05 Dec 2023 10:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Toto Wolff has hinted that the W15 will take Mercedes closer to the wildly-successful Red Bull concept, while George Russell will be hoping for a better season at the wheel of that challenger as he gave an honest assessment of his F1 2023 showing. It has long since been clear that Mercedes got it wrong with their unique ‘zero pod’ concept as the migration away from it got underway, the W14 evolving into something of a hybrid between their take and the increasingly followed Red Bull solution.

And now, as Mercedes target a return to title-contending ways in F1 2024, team boss Wolff has alluded to greater Red Bull influence to come on their W15. “Next year’s car is going to be more conventional in what you would expect from a Formula 1 car, but there are a few interesting details that we have not seen on other cars yet,” Wolff exclusively told PlanetF1.com.

With only two podium finishes achieved, Russell reflected on the season just gone as one of the worst of his career, and so regardless of whether the Mercedes W15 is a step forward or not, Russell will expect much better from himself. “I think you can put it down to bad luck once or twice but, when it happens nine or 10 times a season, you can’t blame it on luck,” he told Channel 4.

‘Huge Mercedes W15 insight’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-mercedes-w15-insight-honest-george-russell-verdict


Russell raises illness concern ahead of record-breaking 2024 F1 season
16:35 Wed, 06 Dec 2023.
Kieran Jackson Formula 1 Correspondent
The Independent

George Russell believes it’s not sustainable for team personnel to do every race next year in what is a record-breaking 24-race schedule. Russell, who admitted to regularly coughing during the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as he finished on the podium, revealed his concerns for team members given next year’s calendar and the questionable arrangement of races given time-zones and geography.

"Everybody up and down the paddock – I’ve got so many mechanics who are ill, people in the engineers’ office,” Russell said in Abu Dhabi. "They have really struggled with the constant timezone shifts, the body not knowing where you are, eating at different times, staying in different hotels, different environments, different climates. The body’s getting confused.”

"I think there are talks for next year about personnel being regulated, that they can’t do every single race. I think that would be a good thing. I don’t think it’s sustainable for 4,000 people, I think it is, to do 24 races a season, especially when you see how geographically it still doesn’t make a huge amount of sense."

‘George Russell raises illness concern’;

https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/f1-george-russell-mercedes-2024-season-b2459545.html

[Fortitude]

Oscar Piastri wins FIA Rookie of the Year for debut season with McLaren.
Australian Formula 1 driver Oscar Piastri has capped off a brilliant debut season by being awarded FIA Rookie of the Year.
22:57 Fri, 08 Dec 2023.
By Michael Doyle
ABC Online

Key points:
• Oscar Piastri's success in his debut F1 season has led to him being awarded FIA Rookie of the Year
• Piastri won the award in 2021 for his success in his maiden Formula 2 season
• The Melbourne-born driver became the first since Lewis Hamilton to achieve multiple grand prix podiums in their rookie season
The Melbourne-born McLaren driver was presented the award at the annual FIA Prize Giving Ceremony on Saturday morning, AEDT. Piastri, who won the award in 2021 for his debut season in Formula 2, was sensational as a rookie F1 driver in 2023.

He achieved multiple grand prix podiums, in Qatar and Japan, the first rookie to do so since Lewis Hamilton in 2007. He also was a star during the sprint races this season. He challenged Max Verstappen in Belgium, finishing second to the Dutchman, before going on to win the Qatar sprint.

‘Oscar Piastri wins FIA Rookie of the Year’;

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-12-09/oscar-piastri-wins-fia-rookie-of-the-year/103208658


Piastri claims prestigious FIA award after debut F1 campaign
09 December 12:15PM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Piastri scored two podiums during the season and even secured sprint pole position and victory in Qatar. His achievements helped him claim the FIA Rookie of the Year award for the second time in his career as he was also decorated after his title-winning Formula 2 campaign in 2021.

“If we can start next year like we finished this season, we should be in good shape,” Piastri said at the ceremony. “Enjoyed my rookie season in F1 a lot. Hopefully, it is the last rookie season of my career.”

‘Prestigious FIA award’;

https://racingnews365.com/piastri-claims-prestigious-fia-award-after-debut-f1-campaign


McLaren F1 boss Andrea Stella thinks 22-year-old driver has a ‘natural gift’
Wed 13 December 2023 12:00
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella thinks Oscar Piastri has a ‘natural gift’ to stay in the right mental state after having a ‘remarkable’ rookie season as a Formula 1 driver.

The 20-year-old became the first rookie since Lewis Hamilton with McLaren in 2007 to finish more than one Grand Prix on the podium. Piastri also accrued more points this year with 97 than any rookie has achieved since 2015. He even won the Sprint at the Qatar GP from pole.

McLaren starting this season on the back foot gave Piastri time to settle into Formula 1 after a year on the sidelines. The Woking outfit coaxed the Australian away from Alpine to replace Daniel Ricciardo having acted as the Enstone team’s reserve driver after winning the F2 title.

‘Natural gift’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/mclaren-f1-boss-andrea-stella-thinks-22-year-old-driver-has-a-natural-gift/


Piastri reveals biggest lesson from 2023 rookie F1 season
15/12/2023 at 13:19
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

McLaren apprentice Oscar Piastri has taken away a long list of learnings from his maiden F1 season, but the Aussie’s most fundamental lesson was that “you can’t rest on your laurels” as a Grand Prix driver. Throughout his rookie campaign, Piastri consistently impressed, and his performance truly soared with the introduction of an early summer upgrade on his MCL60.

Despite finishing a respectable ninth in the drivers' standings, 109 points behind his teammate Lando Norris, Piastri secured McLaren’s sole victory of the 2023 season with his triumph in the Qatar sprint. Reflecting on his debut year, Piastri acknowledged the numerous lessons he had absorbed, but the one that stood out was the need to maintain unwavering concentration and extreme focus.

In the unforgiving world of Formula 1, even a momentary lapse of attention can have dire consequences, and Piastri has learned that complacency is the enemy of success. “Making a mistake in Formula 1 costs you a lot more than it might do otherwise,” he explained, quoted by Speedcafe.

‘Biggest lesson’;

https://f1i.com/news/496516-piastri-reveals-biggest-lesson-from-2023-rookie-f1-season.html


Piastri: ‘You can’t rest’ biggest F1 lesson
19:02 Thu, 14 Dec 2023.
by Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

He added: “Making a mistake in Formula 1 costs you a lot more than it might do otherwise. “All the drivers are extremely competitive, all the teams are now extremely competitive, and if you take it a little bit easy you can suddenly lose a lot of time, a lot of positions.

“So that’s probably the biggest lesson. There have been specifics on driving and energy management as well. It’s been a busy year. But yeah, just how competitive everything’s been, that you can’t rest on your laurels.”

As to whether he meant his personal energy management, given the exhausting end to the F1 season, in particular, of that of the car, he added: “Both! It’s been a busy year.”

‘You can’t rest’;

https://speedcafe.com/oscar-piastri-mclaren-biggest-lesson-rookie-season/


How Silverstone setback set-up Piastri's late season surge
11 December 6:40PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Oscar Piastri has indicated how he took heart from the British Grand Prix, despite losing out on a podium and how it set him up for late season success. "I would say it was big… I was feeling the love that weekend definitely," Piastri explained to F1 of his third place start and fourth-place finish at Silverstone.

"I still think to be honest, it was probably my most complete weekend, or one of the two, for the year. I was very happy with it. Both me and Lando were performing well that weekend so I was certainly feeling the love from the crowd, from the media – not that I'd paid that much attention to the media side of things. But it's always nice to have people saying good things about you.”

"That was really the first weekend where it picked up and also the first weekend where I went, [afterwards]: 'That was a solid weekend that I feel like I got the most out of myself.' A lot of it [confidence] – for right or wrong – comes from results and I think all it takes sometimes is one good result and then you’ve got the belief that you can do it. I've always tried to not look at the results, and go on how I've felt things have gone and how well I think I’ve driven.”

‘Piastri's late season surge’;

https://racingnews365.com/how-silverstone-setback-set-up-piastris-late-season-surge


McLaren star makes startling 'girlfriend' admission
Thursday 7 December 2023 15:57
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans

Oscar Piastri has revealed that he spends more time with his Formula 1 physio than his girlfriend, such is the intensity of the racing calendar. If 22 races in 2023 was not enough, 2024 is set to take things to a whole new level. The calendar for next year features a whopping 24 races, beginning in Bahrain on March 2 and finishing in Abu Dhabi on December 8 – spanning more than nine months of the year.

"We keep [our relationship] private, not secretive like some relationships are but yeah we keep it to ourselves, we try to be out of the spotlight. She’s come to quite a few races this year which has been nice," he told the eff won with DRS podcast. "I’m not lonely, I’m all good," he added. "We all travel with a physio or a trainer. I think we often joke we see them more than our girlfriends or partners or whatever, which is true!

'Girlfriend admission’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1009227/oscar-piastri-f1-girlfriend-physio-lando-norris-mclaren-calendar/


Stella says rapid learning key to 'exceptional' Piastri season
03/12/2023 at 16:41
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella suggested that the secret to Piastri's outstanding success this year had been the speed with which he had been able to pick up new skills in the F1 car. "Our analysis is that Oscar's season has just been exceptional, and when I say exceptional I mean beyond our expectations," Stella explained in Abu Dhabi last week.

"It's the rapidity with which he learns that I think makes him exceptional," he continued. "This has been true in whatever scale you take: within the timeframe of a race, within the timeframe of an event, within the timeframe of the season. But the other good thing with Oscar is that he's such a grounded person, he's so committed," Stella noted. "If anything, working with him will be more about what we need to do to confirm this gradient.”

"He's so calm, he's so good at keeping himself in a status in which he can use the best of his talent," Stella said. "This seems to come quite naturally for him. Or maybe he worked throughout his young career on that. I don't know, but certainly it is remarkable," he said. "I don't have that quality: I have to think about my psychology to actively keep myself in the most productive state!”

‘Rapid learning’;

https://f1i.com/news/495869-stella-says-rapid-learning-key-to-exceptional-piastri-season.html

[Fortitude]

2023 Formula 1 driver rankings #19: Lance Stroll.
Some allowance must be made for the fact Stroll’s season started in the worst possible manner. As the season ended, Stroll was six places behind his team mate in the championship in tenth
12th December 2023, 12:00
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

It’s easy to overlook the fact the younger Stroll is a Formula 3 champion. One of the youngest drivers ever to line up on the F1 grid, he has multiple appearances on the podium and is already one of the more experienced drivers in the field at the age of just 25 – when many world champions of old were still finding their feet in the highest level of motorsport.

Some allowance must be made for the fact Stroll’s season started in the worst possible manner. As he trained ahead of the new campaign, he suffered a hand injury and a broken toe in a nasty cycling accident that caused him to miss the only pre-season test the week before the opening round of the season in Bahrain. While many assumed the time had come for Aston Martin’s reserve and junior driver Felipe Drugovich to get an opportunity to make his grand prix debut, Stroll knew the team had a fast car and was determined not to miss out. Despite a lack of track time in his car and being in a considerable degree of discomfort with his injuries, Stroll put in one of the gutsiest performances of his career to finish sixth – a very respectable result in the circumstances.

‘Lance Stroll: In Championship Tenth’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/12/12/2023-formula-1-driver-rankings-19-lance-stroll/


Alonso praises Stroll's 'commitment and motivation'
09/12/2023 at 09:29
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Fernando Alonso has been praising his Aston Martin team mate Lance Stroll's performance this season, despite a huge disparity in results between the pair in the same equipment. Alonso was keen to talk about his high opinion of the 25-year-old Canadian, and their productive relationship over their first season together since Alonso joined Aston from Alpine over the winter.

“It has been very good,” Alonso insisted. “I think we have a very unique relationship, I think, [compared to] any team that I was working for and any team that I know in the current paddock. We talk a lot, we are in contact every week on the telephone, at the factory, at the races," he explained. "We try to make sure that we are following the same direction, and we share many things."

“He’s been through some difficulties this year," Alonso said when asked to explain the difference between them. "The car was just changing the behaviour a little bit and he was just struggling a little bit more than me. Now we fixed few things in the car and he’s back to the top form," he pointed out. "It was impressive to see his dedication and his motivation in the highs and in the lows.”

'Commitment and Motivation';

https://f1i.com/news/496131-alonso-praises-strolls-commitment-and-motivation.html


Eddie Jordan admits he’s changed his mind about 25-year-old F1 driver he never used to rate
Tue 5 December 2023 06:30
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Former F1 team principal Eddie Jordan has admitted that he’s changed his mind on Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll this season. Jordan was chatting with David Coulthard on the Formula For Success Podcast.

Lance Stroll struggled compared to his more experienced teammate but saw a late resurgence towards the end of the campaign. Eddie Jordan has admitted that he has changed his mind on Stroll after initially writing him off as a Formula 1 driver. Speaking about Aston Martin’s fortunes this season and how they used to be Eddie Jordan’s team, he said: “It is a pity, it’s a very, very difficult job.

“I remember having one of the few rocks that I’ve had, I remember Lawrence Stroll coming to me to say, why did you say on Channel 4 I think I said would Lance Stroll get a drive without his father’s help or influence? And he wasn’t happy about that. I’ll now come back to that and I’ll say that he does warrant and justify his position in Formula 1. But he’s never going to be a number one driver from what I can see at the moment.”

‘Lance Stroll: Does warrant and justify his position in Formula 1’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/eddie-jordan-admits-hes-changed-his-mind-about-25-year-old-f1-driver-he-never-used-to-rate/


Pedro de la Rosa says ‘incredibly fast’ F1 driver has been ‘flying’ at the end of the season
Wed 29 November 2023, 20:30
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Pedro de la Rosa has admitted that he’s been really impressed with how Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll finished the 2023 Formula 1 season. De La Rosa was speaking on the F1 Nation Podcast after the final race of the year.

The emphasis is now on Stroll to close the gap on Alonso in 2024 and help Aston Martin move up the constructors’ standings. Speaking about the 25-year-old, De La Rosa said: “He has been flying the last few races. OK, there have been races where it has been difficult and we’ve been at the back, Mexico, Austin, starting from the pit lane.

“But, he’s been incredibly fast and definitely some races faster than Fernando [Alonso] and this has impressed me from Lance. His capacity to improve, to learn and to grow stronger and today [Abu Dhabi] was an example of that. He qualified P13, he finished P10 and he was catching the group in front so it was a strong finish definitely.”

‘Incredibly fast’ F1 driver has been ‘flying’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/pedro-de-la-rosa-says-incredibly-fast-f1-driver-has-been-flying-at-the-end-of-the-season/


Damon Hill really impressed with 25-year-old F1 driver, he’s seen an ‘uptick’ in his performances
Sat 25 November 2023 17:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Damon Hill has admitted that he’s been seriously impressed by the recent form of Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll. Hill joined the commentary team on Sky Sports F1 for the final practice session of the weekend.

Speaking about the fortunes of Mike Krack’s team, Hill said: “You did say Aston Martin and Fernando Alonso but I think Lance Stroll is on a little bit of a roll. I think his performances have gone on the uptick towards the end of the season so let’s not discount that.”

Stroll’s spot on the grid isn’t going to be in any danger any time soon considering his father’s position within the team. However, unless he can get closer to Alonso in the driver’s standings there will eventually be questions asked. As Hill has suggested, Stroll’s recent form has shown that when the car is performing well, he’s capable of challenging at the front.

‘Uptick in his performances’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/damon-hill-really-impressed-with-25-year-old-f1-driver-hes-seen-an-uptick-in-his-performances/


F1 team principal thanks Alonso for biting his tongue
Thursday 14 December 2023 12:57
Shay Rogers
GPFans

Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack has thanked Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll for their lack of complaints after a difficult race at the Mexican Grand Prix during the Formula 1 2023 season.

“I am full of admiration for the drivers this year. They've made us a better team,” he said. “I think you find out more about their character in the tough races, and Mexico was a good example. After that race, they were constructive in the briefings and stuck by us when talking to the media.”

“They could have been really negative in the press – and we would have deserved it for failing to give them a competitive car that weekend – but neither did. Instead, both expressed their faith in the long-term goals and journey we're on. For me, that stands out. It isn't the drivers and the team here; the drivers are part of the team. I think in this regard, we're perhaps a little bit different from our competitors.”

‘Lack of complaints after a difficult race at the Mexican Grand Prix’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1009588/fernando-alonso-f1-mike-krack-bite-tongue-aston-martin-complaints-lance-stroll/


Ricciardo contacted Lance Stroll about ‘karate chopped’ hand
07:19 Thu, 07 Dec 2024.
by Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Daniel Ricciardo has revealed that he reached out to Lance Stroll after his hand was “karate chopped” during a practice crash at the Dutch Grand Prix. With surgery recommended, Ricciardo and his team quickly reached out to others in the industry as they looked to decide on the next course of action. That included contacts at Alpine Stars, who had strong links into the MotoGP paddock, and Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, who’d broken his wrist earlier in the year.

“He knows all the MotoGP guys and he’s Spanish as well,” Ricciardo said of his contact at Alpine Stars. So he I think put us into touch with Xavier Mir, and then Lance was like go to him as well. All signs were just pointing to this guy’s done this too many times, just go see him.”

‘Ricciardo contacted Lance Stroll’;

https://speedcafe.com/ricciardo-contacted-lance-stroll-about-karate-chopped-hand/

[Fortitude]

Gasly pleased with Alpine F1 ‘evolution’ despite ‘challenging’ maiden campaign.
Pierre Gasly is expecting stronger performances from Alpine next year after a ‘challenging’ maiden season with the French outfit.
15:46 Fri, 08 Dec 2023.
by Sam Tomlinson
Motorsport Week

“New Year, my first season with Alpine, I came to Bahrain [pre-season testing] not really knowing how the team works, into a new car, and it takes a bit of time before you find your feet inside a new organization,” Gasly continued.
“When I look back, I’m feeling so much better now in the car, in the way we’re working, in the understanding with the guys. I’m really pleased with the evolution we have had throughout the whole season, and I’m definitely confident we’ll start with much better foundations from next year onwards.”

‘Evolution’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/12/08/gasly-pleased-with-alpine-f1-evolution-despite-challenging-maiden-campaign/


F1 star bemoans major team failure in 2023 season
Thursday 14 December 2023 14:57
Shay Rogers
GPFans

Pierre Gasly has bemoaned Alpine's failure to exploit their full potential in 2023 after a tricky season in which they lagged behind their rivals. The team finished sixth in the constructors’ championship in a midfield no man's land, 92 points ahead of Williams in seventh and 160 behind Aston Martin in fifth.

Held back by a poor engine, which is as much as 20hp down compared to its rivals, the French outfit struggled at high-speed circuits in particular. It didn’t prevent Gasly from securing a podium in his first season with the team – scoring an emphatic third place at the crazy Dutch Grand Prix in August.

‘Poor engine, 20hp down’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1009582/pierre-gasly-alpine-f1-potential-failure-2023/


Gasly assesses 'disappointing' maiden Alpine F1 season
07 December 4:05PM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Pierre Gasly has conceded his first season in Formula 1 with the Alpine team was “slightly disappointing”. His highlight of the year came at the Dutch Grand Prix where he scored his first podium with Alpine. But the A523 car had fluctuating pace during the year and mid-season senior management changes were made amid its disappointing opening half to the campaign.

Despite not having the competitive season he was wishing for, Gasly highlighted that he was pleased with his integration into the team. “I must say it's tough to say you're pleased with the season you've had when you haven't scored that many points,” Gasly told media including RacingNews365.com. “I think it's been, objectively, slightly disappointing in terms of the overall performance we've shown, but personally, I'm definitely happy with the step I've made.”

“I came into a new team, there was a lot to learn a lot to get used to. And yeah, I felt I managed to step in and just deliver, trying to get everything out of the car, weekend after weekend. I obviously wish we would be fighting for better positions. But all in all, I feel like we are working very well with the team. We just need a better package and more speed for next year.”

'Disappointing maiden Alpine F1 season’;

https://racingnews365.com/gasly-assesses-disappointing-maiden-alpine-f1-season


Gasly recalls ‘worst scenario possible’ crash with Ocon
01/12/2023 at 17:38
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

The 2023 Australian GP marked a tumultuous beginning for the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon, their partnership marred by a jarring collision that epitomized the "worst scenario possible," as Gasly aptly described it.

The contact sent both drivers into the outside wall and into a messy retirement. “Honestly, it was tough,” Gasly recounted in a recent episode of F1’s Beyond the Grid podcast. “On the flight back home, I was just sad because, to me, it was the third or fourth race of the season with the team, and I was fighting with the Ferrari, with the Mercedes.”

“I had the podium in sight, with Lewis [Hamilton] and Fernando a couple of seconds up the road, but it was a big result that would kick off your season on the right path. Flying out of Australia after all the work and the efforts, with zero points, was the worst scenario possible with both cars in the wall.”

“Honestly, it was tough”;

https://f1i.com/news/495783-gasly-recalls-worst-scenario-possible-crash-with-ocon.html


‘Honestly, it was tough’ – Gasly reflects on early-season coming together with team mate Ocon
30 November 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Gasly had been running in fifth position when he went off the track at Albert Park’s Turn 1 to avoid making contact with the rear of Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin, only to meet Ocon when he rejoined the circuit.

As for the aftermath, he continued: “I have my opinion and it was a racing incident. It was just very much a big shame that we both ended up that way. I lost much more than he lost on that day with fifth place, which was up for grabs, but if it would have been anyone else, it would have been pretty much the same.”

“We talked things out. We went to Paris and had a chat with [then Alpine CEO] Laurent Rossi. He had his opinion, I had mine, it felt like he could have backed out of it, but he didn’t and in the end we moved on, shook hands. We agreed between team mates we’ve got to take slightly more margin.”

‘Honestly, it was tough’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.honestly-it-was-tough-gasly-reflects-on-early-season-coming-together-with.1VdoPVLZHMuWeZtK56oF5M.html

[Fortitude]

Ocon 'hungry' for stronger 2024 performance after 'most interesting test ever'.
Esteban Ocon was in a buoyant mood following the post-season test in Abu Dhabi as he immediately set his sights on Alpine’s 2024 car.
14 December 2023
Formula One - Official Site

The Frenchman’s season certainly had its highs – his third-place in Monaco the pick of the bunch – but Alpine’s campaign was peppered with a lack of consistency that saw Ocon finish the campaign 12th in the drivers’ championship with seven DNFs along the way. His team mate Pierre Gasly was just a place and four points ahead in the standings, while Alpine had to settle for sixth in the constructors’.

“It was a very interesting day, being able to test things that we were not able to test in the race and throughout the year,” he said following the event. “You know, it’s been a very free test in a way so that was very interesting. It was probably the most interesting test that I’ve ever done and some good outcomes from it as well. It’s going to be useful for next year’s car in general and I’m happy with the outcome.”

'Most interesting test ever';

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.ocon-hungry-for-stronger-2024-performance-after-most-interesting-test-ever.7xBrYOhbVR0ErXgP7779Ms.html


Ocon quickest in Abu Dhabi test
28/11/2023
NEWS STORY
Pitpass

Esteban Ocon tops the timesheets as 25 drivers pull the curtain down on the 2023 F1 season. "We had a very busy day with an important and extensive programme to go through," said pace-setter Ocon. "We ended up doing over two race distances and got through our plan successfully, testing different compounds, fuel loads and set-ups. It's always nice to see your name next to P1 but on test days these things are irrelevant!”

"We say goodbye to the A523 today, a car that brought us some highs and lows this season but which has also served as a base to emphasise the areas we need to improve in order to be better in 2024. Now it is time for some rest before starting our preparations for next season."

‘Be better in 2024’;

https://www.pitpass.com/76827/Ocon-quickest-in-Abu-Dhabi-test


Ocon happy after 'squeaky clean, most interesting testing ever'
28 Nov 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Esteban Ocon is very satisfied to have "zero issues" and plenty of lap time during Tuesday's post-season testing with Alpine at Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi.

'Squeaky clean testing’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.ocon-satisfied-with-most-interesting-testing-ever-on-tuesday.1783822237830064573.html


Ocon rues missed opportunities in 2023 costing him 'top 10' spot
14:38 Wed, 29 Nov 2023.
by Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

Alpine’s Esteban Ocon admitted that the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix represented one of several races that cost him in the Drivers’ Championship, stating he “could have been in the top 10”

“What is more important is for us to be understanding what has been happening this season, quite a lot of up and down in terms of performance, in terms of pace,” he said.

“And the consistency, I think, is what we need to get better, clearly. So good opportunities that we took, as Monaco, as Las Vegas and stuff like that, but quite a lot we didn’t, like Singapore and Austin.”

‘Consistency’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/?p=139770


Singapore and Austin retirements cost me top 10 championship place – Ocon
14th December 2023, 8:39
Written by Ida Wood and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

Esteban Ocon rued the lack of consistency in his 2023 campaign, after his lowest-scoring season since 2018. Ocon qualified eighth for the Singapore Grand Prix and was running sixth when a fault with his gearbox sent him into retirement. He qualified eighth again at the United States Grand Prix but collided with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, leading to bodywork damage which forced him out a few laps later.

The Alpine driver failed to meet the chequered flag in eight races this season, more than anyone else, due to a combination of incidents and technical problems. The latter ended his participation in the Bahrain season opener. “I think it’s [eight] DNFs, probably the most of any drivers. If you remove the issue we have with the gearbox in Singapore and the contact with Oscar in Austin, we could have been in the top 10 in the championship. So that’s where it’s a little bit of a wasted opportunity.”

‘Eight DNFs’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/12/14/singapore-and-austin-retirements-cost-me-top-10-championship-place-ocon/


Alpine hungry for more after tough year says Ocon
DECEMBER 7, 2023
GrandPrix.com

Esteban Ocon says the underperforming Alpine team is "hungry for more" in Formula 1. “Everyone is hungry for more, to continue improving, and that is what we are looking for, Ocon was quoted by the Spanish broadcaster DAZN after the post-season finale test at the same Abu Dhabi circuit - having ended the test with the quickest overall time.”
We keep working and I'm pretty sure good things will come, he added. I trust that the team will do a good job during the winter. We keep working and I'm pretty sure good things will come, he added. I trust that the team will do a good job during the winter.”

‘Hungry for more’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/alpine-hungry-for-more-after-tough-year-says-ocon.html


F1 SEASON REVIEW: A QUIETLY UNDERWHELMING YEAR FOR ESTEBAN OCON
Esteban Ocon enjoyed some clear highs, which helped to gloss over some bad moments
December 16, 2023
Sam Jones
FormulaNerds

Overall, the 2023 season will leave a bitter taste in the mouth of Ocon, who is clearly capable of more. His ability is there to see at times — he just needs a platform to really display what he has under his belt. Ocon feels like a driver who could thrive in a bigger team, but he really needs to make a big step up in 2024.

Ocon showed us what the he can do behind the wheel, we just need to see it more often. He’s obviously not expected to get consistent podiums in the Alpine, but more top eight finishes and stronger qualifying sessions would really put him on the map for some of the bigger teams. The Frenchman might feel hard done by, but ultimately he’ll be disappointed not to have continued to progress in 2023, a year where instead he’s gone backwards.

‘Clear highs, which helped to gloss over some bad moments’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/features/f1-season-review-a-quietly-underwhelming-year-for-esteban-ocon/


Ocon vows to launch 'war mode' on back of disappointing Alpine season
10 December 9:30AM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Team Principal Bruno Famin insists they are focusing on having he right people in place for 2024, while Ocon will be making sure he is race ready over the offseason. "From January 2nd until the first test I will be back fully into training camp,” Ocon told media, including RacingNews365. “I'm going to be more doing the way I was doing it in 2022, which is no life, flat out, only racing. We've been doing a lot of different things and activations outside the track this year.”

“That's going to change next year. It's back to war mode and fully focused on the racing side. Before that there's going be the Christmas party of the team, there's going be some simulator work. I'm going be able to have a couple of days seeing my family that I haven't seen for a while. We're going to have some good times with friends, with Mick [Schumacher], with all my friends in December as well, and then it's fully focused on next year."

'War mode';

https://racingnews365.com/ocon-going-into-war-mode-over-f1-winter


Esteban Ocon fires huge warning at Pierre Gasly
Esteban Ocon finished one place and four points behind new Alpine team-mate Pierre Gasly in 2023.
12 December 2023
by Nick Golding

Esteban Ocon has insisted that he’s returning to how he worked in 2022 next season after finishing behind Pierre Gasly in the Drivers’ Championship, something he’s referred to as “war mode”.

Whilst they were childhood friends, Ocon and Gasly became rivals towards the end of their junior careers, raising concerns if Alpine signing Gasly was a smart decision. Gasly himself has admitted that he wasn’t sure how Ocon would work with him, something he admits he was a “little worried about”.

‘Fires huge warning’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/esteban-ocon-fires-huge-warning-at-pierre-gasly/


Drivers beware! ‘War mode’ activated as ‘wasted opportunity’ admission made
07 Dec 2023 6:30 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Esteban Ocon has said he’s going to go “back to war mode” in the off-season, making sure he is fully focused on racing when the 2024 season comes around.

‘Drivers beware!’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/esteban-ocon-2024-war-mode

[Fortitude]

Alex Albon admits his 2024 Formula 1 targets ‘don’t match’ with Williams.
Alex Albon often outperformed the FW15 during the 2023 F1 season.
Fri 15 December 2023 17:00
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Williams driver Alex Albon has now admitted that his targets for the 2024 Formula 1 season are not aligned with what team principal James Vowles senses for their year. The 27-year-old was among the stars of the F1 grid in 2023 as Albon often outperformed the car Williams delivered. He finished the year 13th in the drivers’ championship after a host of brilliant displays. His 27 points even accounted for 96.4% of the Grove squad’s 28 as a team.

Albon was also the only person to win their inner-team head-to-head qualifying battle 22-0. The London-born Thai dominated Logan Sargeant during the American’s rookie campaign to also win their Grand Prix results head-to-head 19-3. He won both Sprint head-to-heads 6-0. What Albon achieved with Williams over 2023 now convinces the two-time podium finisher that he is ready to fight for further rostrum results and, potentially, Grand Prix wins. But his targets for 2024 do not align with what team principal Vowles expects for them next year.

‘27 points even accounted for 96.4% of the Grove squad’s 28’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/alex-albon-admits-his-2024-formula-1-targets-dont-match-with-williams/


Williams star Albon makes DESERVED F1 podium claim
Friday 15 December 2023 14:57
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans

Williams driver Alex Albon has admitted that he feels as if he is in a position where he deserves to be fighting for podiums and race wins within Formula 1. “You have to take it two ways as a driver," he said (via RacingNews365). "Every driver has to be, in some ways, short-sighted. Our career spans, our competitiveness and our desires don't always match up to a team's long-term plan.”

“But you also understand that completely. We're not going to turn the car over in a year and just be fighting with the Red Bull. There's so much that has to be done. James [Vowles] out of everyone understands just how far behind we must be in certain areas.”

“It'd be silly for James to say 'Next year I'm going to be able to make a car that that's going to be fighting for wins'. That just doesn't happen. So the fact that he's realistic about it gives me confidence. But at the very same time, I feel like I'm driving well. I feel like I'm in a position where I deserve to be fighting podiums and hopefully race wins.”

‘DESERVED F1 podium claim’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1009674/alex-albon-f1-news-deserved-podium-williams-2024-season/


Williams's F1 scrapheap bargain was its most valuable investment
Dec 1, 2023
by Edd Straw
The Race

Whatever Williams is paying Alex Albon this year, likely just a few million dollars, is one of the best investments it has made given he’s single-handedly lifted it to seventh in the Formula 1 constructors’ championship. In F1, the best drivers are paid enormous sums but in Albon Williams has got premium performance for a bargain bin price.

With every position in the standings worth approximately $10million (a figure that won’t be finalised until F1’s ultimate 2023 revenues are totted up) to teams, Albon’s value is obvious. He scored 27 of Williams’s 28 points and was the strongest driver across the season of those in the four-team group at the back battling for seventh, eighth, ninth and 10th places. He was one of the standout performers of the season across the whole grid.

The difference between tenth and seventh in the championship is roughly $30m and most would have predicted Williams to finish last for a second consecutive year. And it might have done, but for Albon’s performances. The 27-year-old isn’t one to shout about his excellence from the rooftops, but he is justifiably very satisfied with his campaign. “I’m very proud of my performance,” said Albon when asked by The Race how big an achievement Williams taking seventh was for him personally.”

‘Difference between tenth and seventh in the championship is roughly $30m’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/alex-albon-williams-2023-f1-season-scrapheap-bargain/


Albon interview: How face of Williams revival is keen to push even further
06 December 9:00PM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Albon is now inextricably-linked as the face of Williams' revival under Vowles, and spoke at length to select media including RacingNews365 of his own performances in 2023, and how his performance and that of the car must meld together to extract results. "On a personal level, I don't think it has changed so much from last year," says Albon when asked if he felt a difference in performance level from 2022 to 2023.

"Most of it comes from a bit more confidence in myself, as last year was a bit of year back to prove myself, I felt like I did that and this year was more about: 'Okay, how do I bring this team up and get them moving to be where they need to be?' Experience is a big element, not just in Formula 1, but within the team, and I will give you an example. Let's say I go into Free Practice 2 [in Abu Dhabi], I already know what the car is going to feel like, I know what corners are going to be the limitations and which ones it works well.”

"There is always a reaction into a weekend where you're already one step ahead of where you were the year before, and that does make a really big difference, because you can go into a weekend, pre-empting issues and knowing your strengths and weaknesses as a driver, but also in the car itself. That has been very useful.”

‘Keen to push’;

https://racingnews365.com/albon-exclusive-how-face-of-williams-revival-is-keen-to-push-even-further


'Proud' Albon says 2023 was ‘strongest year’ yet in F1
06/12/2023 at 10:52
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

"I'm very proud of my performance," said Albon, quoted by Motorsport.com. "I'm not the most arrogant person I would say, but I will give myself credit, I feel like I've had a very strong season. I felt like most of my races haven't been simple, there have been races where we've been fighting, fighting, fighting the whole time. But I enjoy it. I feel that's the environment that I thrive in.”

“For me, it's been my strongest year in F1. That connection that I have with the team has really helped that. I feel like that's where we've been able to execute everything we've done so well. When we've had the car to do it, we've made sure we've scored the points. I think others have either had a blunder with strategy or whatever it may have been, just to miss out on points."

‘Strongest year’;

https://f1i.com/news/495984-proud-albon-says-2023-was-strongest-year-yet-in-f1.html


Were Albon's best 2023 drives really 'world champion' level?
Dec 13, 2023
by Jack Cozens
F1i.com

How good was Alex Albon's 2023 Formula 1 season in the Williams FW45? Good enough, certainly, to single-handedly earn Williams its best constructors' championship finish in six years. Good enough, too, for the 27-year-old to earn sixth place in The Race's end-of-year multi-contributor ranking of every 2023 F1 driver. But were aspects of it at a much higher level than 'good'?

So while Vowles's comments have to be taken with a pinch of 'team boss praises lead driver' salt, such claims as the one he made on Sky Sports F1's 2023 season review have a degree of authoritative weight to them. "His confidence has grown enormously and a lot about driving the car on the limits is belief in yourself, belief in the infrastructure around you and the team, and that's what's changed. He really does believe in where we are and what he is capable of doing.”

"I've had the pleasure of working with a number of world champions across my time and the drives that he did across three events this year, certainly Monza, Montreal and Silverstone, was just that [at a world champion's standard]. He didn't put a foot wrong for 40 laps while we put him in a position where he had half the field really stacking up behind him [in Canada]. And that is really when you start to see the true Alex coming out in that situation."

'World champion level’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/albon-williams-vowles-best-drives-champion-level-f1/


Albon on reshaping Williams’ destiny in F1’s 2023 season
The Thai-British driver helps Williams to success
December 7, 2023
Lena Ferle
FormulaNerds

Reflecting on the transition from 2022 to 2023, Albon remarked, according to racingnews365.com, “On a personal level, I don’t think it has changed so much from last year.” He attributed the improvements to increased self-confidence, emphasising that the previous year was about proving himself while the current focus was elevating the team’s performance.

Being given a quicker and more manageable car was another key factor. Albon noted, “When you have a car that is quicker and a bit easier to drive, you can exploit the downforce beyond the limit and the ceiling of the car.” He emphasised this wasn’t solely a driving skill but also a testament to the improved car design.

Albon acknowledged the collaboration between driver and car, drawing parallels with other successful teams like McLaren. He concluded, “That is no different to what it is like at Williams,” solidifying his role as a central figure in the team’s journey back to competitiveness in Formula 1.

‘Reshaping Williams’ destiny’;

https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/F1/Williams/Alexander+Albon

[Fortitude]

F1 Season Review: Is Yuki Tsunoda the most improved driver of 2023?
Ups, downs, and more teammates than average — the 2023 F1 season was a year of development for Yuki Tsunoda.
December 15, 2023
Jasmine Hughes
FormulaNerds

AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost once went on record as saying that rookie drivers need “three years minimum” in F1. Three years, argues Tost, gives a driver time to “understand what’s going on” at the pinnacle of motorsport. The 2023 season marked Yuki Tsunoda’s third year in the terrific yet trying world of F1… so how did it shape up?

Tsunoda established himself as something of a nearly-man in the early stages of the season. The first five races saw Yuki score points twice. Of those initial five rounds, when Yuki did not score points, he came tantalisingly close to it in P11. It was a mark of consistency from the 23-year-old, and saw him extract more from the AlphaTauri than might have been expected. It was a promising start to the season for Tsunoda, and one which earned him praise from critics.

On the basis of championship points alone, 2023 was Tsunoda’s second-strongest year. Of his three seasons in F1, numerically, his rookie year remains his strongest — although 2023 saw the AlphaTauri driver match his rookie year championship position of 14th. This season was the first year that Tsunoda outperformed his teammate(s). He had previously been significantly outperformed by Pierre Gasly in both 2021 and 2022. This is, however, a difficult metric to judge. De Vries, Ricciardo, and Lawson each had exceptionally short stints as Tsunoda’s teammate. Arguably, no driver had a chance to fully flourish and to truly stake their claim as better and/or worse than Tsunoda.

‘Ups, downs, and more teammates than average’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/features/f1-season-review-is-yuki-tsunoda-the-most-improved-driver-of-2023/


2023 Formula 1 driver rankings #14: Yuki Tsunoda
Formula 1
Posted on 15th December 2023, 7:15
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Ever since purchasing the Minardi team back in 2005 to transform them into what was then Toro Rosso, Red Bull have been fairly consistent in their philosophy when it comes to the young drivers they place in their second team.

Only drivers worthy of remaining for a full season are afforded that privilege. Only those who deserve a second year, get one. A select few may get the special honour of a third season. But typically, if you fail to prove yourself ready for a step up into Red Bull’s senior team at the end of your third season, that will be the end of the line for you.

So when Yuki Tsunoda was offered a third season at AlphaTauri in 2023, all signs pointed to this being a make-or-break year for the young Red Bull prospect. Although he was ultimately as unspectacular as he had been in previous seasons, he appears to have convinced Red Bull that he is still worth investing in beyond 2023.

‘#14: Yuki Tsunoda’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/12/15/2023-formula-1-driver-rankings-14-yuki-tsunoda/


‘Really, really good’: James Vowles very impressed with ‘really good’ driver who battled Williams yesterday
Mon 27 November 2023 14:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Williams team principal James Vowles has admitted that he was very impressed with AlphaTauri driver Yuki Tsunoda during yesterday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Vowles was being interviewed live from the pit wall during the final race of the 2023 season. The only car Williams boss James Vowles had to worry about was AlphaTauri star Yuki Tsunoda.

Williams team principal Vowles impressed with Tsunoda. Vowles was asked if he thought it was possible for the Japanese driver to finish sixth on his ageing hard tyres and he said: “We’ll wait until the chequered flag, I’m not going to relax. I think it’s a tall ask, he did a really, really good first stint. You saw he was in the lead of the race for a long time without really being challenged.”

‘Really, really good’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/james-vowles-very-impressed-with-really-good-driver-who-battled-williams-yesterday/


Tsunoda shows more signs of progress against trio of team mates in 2023
2023 F1 team mates head-to-head
Posted on 11th December 2023, 10:45
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Yuki Tsunoda’s progress at AlphaTauri hasn’t always been easy to pick out, partly because the team has produced successively less competitive cars since his 2021 debut, and then due to the parade of different team mates he had this year. Tsunoda might have been happy for de Vries to see the season out, such was the superiority he enjoyed. What he did not need was a hugely experienced race-winner turning up in the team’s other car and out-qualifying him at the first time of asking.

However, to Tsunoda’s credit, this was not entirely the shape of things to come. By the end of his seven-race spell as Ricciardo’s team mate, he had narrowly won the qualifying duel, the clincher coming at Yas Marina. Tsunoda has pulled off strong results there in the past and the same was true again this year as he battled to eighth place which was not quite enough to clinch seventh in the points for AlphaTauri, but might have been with a sharper strategy.

‘Signs of progress’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/12/11/tsunoda-shows-more-signs-of-progress-against-trio-of-team-mates-in-2023/


Tsunoda states he 'lost my mind' with team radio outbursts
05 December 9:20PM
Author Fergal Walsh
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Yuki Tsunoda has been known to be hot-headed over the team radio at times but wants to eradicate that from his driving going forward. While Tsunoda feels he has improved his team radio frustrations this season, the 23-year-old wants to see further progress.

“I would say the behaviour on the radio and those things, it got much better compared to the last few years,” Tsunoda told media including RacingNews365.com “But there are still some races where I kind of lost my mind, I could not get my things together and sometimes [I was] still shouting [on the] radio. I want to definitely improve.”

Speaking about other areas he wants to improve, Tsunoda said: “Some of the calmness and situation control like what happened in Mexico, I could have finished P8 easily. “As a driver I wanted to more, obviously. I had quite good pace and I think if I was able to overtake smoothly, probably there was potential to finish in P5. That was a pretty big mistake for me so I have to definitely reduce that kind of big mistake [that] I should not have never done.”

'Lost my mind';

https://racingnews365.com/tsunoda-states-he-lost-my-mind-with-team-radio-outbursts


23-year-old F1 driver’s ‘biggest issue’ right now is getting ‘too heated’ in the cockpit
Wed 6 December 2023 19:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

AlphaTauri driver Yuki Tsunoda certainly has plenty of potential, but he needs to find a way to stop getting so heated during races. Speaking on the Chequered Flag Podcast, Harry Benjamin was speaking about the talented Japanese driver. Yuki Tsunoda is now three seasons into his Formula 1 career and despite never being in one of the fastest cars, he’s always done a solid job.

He scored his highest points tally during his debut season in 2021, including an incredible fourth place that was overshadowed by other events during the final Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi. The AlphaTauri was very quick that year with Pierre Gasly scoring more than 100 points, but in the past two seasons the car hasn’t been anywhere near as competitive.

With Gasly moving on this year, Tsunoda was the more senior driver in the team alongside Nyck de Vries. The Dutchman only lasted 10 races, but even when Daniel Ricciardo and Liam Lawson were in the car, he was still on average the team’s fastest driver and impressed in the final races of the season.

‘Too heated in the cockpit’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/23-year-old-f1-drivers-biggest-issue-right-now-is-getting-too-heated-in-the-cockpit/

[Fortitude]

Ferrari become first team to announce launch date for 2024 challenger.
Ferrari will unveil the Formula 1 car they hope can help them take the fight to world champions Red Bull in 2024 on Tuesday, February 13.
18 December 2023
Lawrence Barretto
F1 Correspondent & Presenter

The Italian team are the first to publicly reveal their 2024 launch date but they have chosen not to release any specific details about their launch plans. The launch will take place just eight days before the start of pre-season testing, which runs across three days in Bahrain from February 21-23.

Team Principal Fred Vasseur says Ferrari are changing “95% of the components of the car” which finished third in the constructors’ championship behind Red Bull and Mercedes. The 2024 campaign will be Vasseur’s second season at the helm of the Prancing Horse, and the third car built in Maranello to sweeping new regulations introduced in 2022.

‘Changing “95% of the components’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.ferrari-become-first-team-to-announce-launch-date-for-2024-challenger.5QVgeLlUKuQDx2Ik0fXw72.html


Ferrari become first F1 team to reveal launch date of 2024 car
18 Dec 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Dubbed the Ferrari 676, their all-new car will be revealed to the world on February 13 at a media event in Maranello. “The launch will take place on the 13th of February, the day before the Valentine's Day,” Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur said. “You will see the rest [of the details] on that day.

“Why? Because we will have one day more before the test. No, it's quite tight, more seriously. We have the test a bit before and it's quite a challenge to put everything together. It means that we had no other option. I think also that some other teams are doing it on the 14th, but it's quite challenging to be all ready for Bahrain.”

Vasseur refused to “promise” anything heading into next year. “I don't have to promise something,” he added. “The best way is to be focused on what we are doing to deliver.”

‘Dubbed the Ferrari 676’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1042808/1/ferrari-become-first-f1-team-reveal-launch-date-2024-car


[B]Leclerc details how Ferrari issues 'disguised' in qualifying
18 December 10:10AM
Author Jake Nichol

Leclerc took five poles in 2023, the second most of any driver behind Max Verstappen, but the one-lap pace could not be transferred into races, with second place in Austria, Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi his best result. The failure also means Leclerc has not won from his last 12 starts from pole, stretching back to the 2022 Australian Grand Prix, as the Monegasque detailed how the SF-23 was particularly sensitive to its tyres.

"When we have new tyres in qualifying, the extra grip from the tyres compensates for the car's weaknesses," Leclerc told Auto Motor und Sport. "As soon as the tyres get older and lose grip and we have a lot of fuel on board, the problems start. "Then if we are driving in traffic, the wind picks up or the temperatures change, the weaknesses become even more obvious.”

“Then it becomes very difficult to drive the car. With us, new tyres disguise the weaker points, which would otherwise slow us down. With Red Bull this is less the case. As I said, it's a very thin line on which the car works. Take the Mexico City Grand Prix: We were really fast on medium tyres, but as soon as we got on hard tyres, nothing worked."

‘Ferrari issues 'disguised' in qualifying’;

https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-details-how-ferrari-issues-disguised-in-qualifying


Charles Leclerc makes pole position declaration after barren winning run
18 Dec 2023 4:45 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Charles Leclerc says pole positions are no longer a ‘real highlight’ as they are rarely converted into race victories. Reflecting on his 2023 season, in which he went without a win after scoring five pole positions, Leclerc was asked about his own personal highlights from the year.

“Normally it’s the victories,” he told Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport. “Of course, a pole position feels good, but I’ve already got 23 of them. And of course, the whole thing is clouded by the fact that I already know on Saturday that Sunday will be much more difficult.

“That’s why pole positions are no longer a real highlight. That’s why the best thing for me this year was that I helped to understand the car and transform it in a direction that is better and will lead us back to success in the medium term.”

‘Pole position declaration’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/charles-leclerc-pole-position-declaration-barren-winning-run


Unwavering dedication: Leclerc sweating out the off-season
18th Dec 2023, 11:42
F1i.com

While the Formula 1 world takes a breather during the off-season, many drivers are relishing a well-deserved holiday retreat.

However, amidst the leisure and relaxation, Charles Leclerc is still putting in the hard work at home in Monaco while already preparing for the challenges that lie ahead.

‘Unwavering dedication’;

https://f1i.com/news/496659-unwavering-dedication-leclerc-sweating-out-the-off-season.html


Ferrari’s future secured?: Sainz could stay in red through 2027
December 18, 2023
Andrew Maitland
Grandpx.news

Frederic Vasseur, the head of Ferrari’s F1 team… …also addressed the persistent notion of Leclerc being Ferrari’s favored driver. “We have two drivers and two cars and both scored more or less the same points during the year,” he clarified, highlighting the balanced performance between the two drivers.

Looking ahead, Vasseur expressed his desire for continuity in the team. “And if I have the two right drivers for Ferrari for 2024, then I want to have them for 2025, 2026 and 2027,” he added, suggesting a strong commitment to both Sainz and Leclerc.

‘Stay in red’;

https://grandpx.news/ferraris-future-secured-sainz-could-stay-in-red-through-2027/

[Fortitude]

Bottas: Sauber thinking ‘outside the box’ for 2024 car.
Valtteri Bottas says his soon-to-be rebranded Alfa Romeo F1 team will field an entirely new car in 2024, one that its designers have conceived by “thinking outside the box”.
02/12/2023 at 14:54
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Unfortunately, looking back on the past twelve months, Bottas has few highlights to reflect on. “Highlights? I think, sadly, I would say the very first race of the season,” Bottas commented, referencing his P8 finish in Bahrain. “We had a solid weekend, scored immediately, everything was looking quite good. But then it’s been a tough ride. There’s been a few occasions we have scored, but not enough times, so I’m definitely waiting for more highlights next year with a new car.”

The design of Sauber’s 2024 contender is being overseen by the team’s new technical director James Key, who joined the outfit from McLaren. And so far, Bottas likes what he’s seen from the outfit’s revamped engineering department. “In this sport, with the margins we have, it’s everything,” commented the Finn. “There’s nothing fundamental.”

“The good thing is we do have a completely new car with some new ideas, with new people in the team, and that’s exactly what we need now, so we need to make big steps over the winter – that’s the key.”

‘Thinking ‘outside the box’;

https://f1i.com/news/495821-bottas-sauber-thinking-outside-the-box-for-2024-car.html


Valtteri Bottas reveals ‘completely new’ Sauber direction is ‘exactly what we need’
15 Dec 2023 2:15 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Valtteri Bottas is hopeful the changes incoming at Sauber over winter are “exactly what we need now”, with plenty afoot at the Hinwil-based team. The FIA’s 2024 entry list was unveiled on Friday, confirming that the team would be known as Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber as a new naming rights deal was agreed before Audi’s takeover in 2026.

“In this sport, with the margins we have, it’s everything,” Bottas responded to media including PlanetF1.com when asked where Sauber need to place their focus on car development over winter.

“There’s nothing fundamental, but the good thing is we do have a completely new car with some new ideas, with new people in the team. That’s exactly what we need now, so we need to make big steps over the winter. That’s the key.”

‘Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/valtteri-bottas-completely-new-sauber-direction


Bottas to head down under to Adelaide for F1’s winter break
16/12/2023 at 16:07
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Valtteri Bottas will once again trade horsepower for pedal power during F1’s off-season when the Finn heads down under to Adelaide for a warm and sunny retreat. Over the years, the Finn has forged a strong connection with Australia and Adelaide in particular, the hometown of his partner, professional cyclist Tiffany Cromwell.

Bottas has embraced the Australian lifestyle and repeatedly mentioned his fondness for the country's laid-back atmosphere, friendly people, and stunning natural beauty. Cycling is always on Bottas and Cromwell’s agenda wherever they happen to be, and the couple have planned a couple of competitive outings this winter in Southern Australia.

‘Adelaide for F1’s winter break’;

https://f1i.com/news/496566-bottas-to-head-down-under-to-adelaide-for-f1s-winter-break.html


2023 Formula 1 driver rankings #12: Valtteri Bottas
Formula 1
Posted on 16th December 2023
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

If RaceFans did an end of year series ranking drivers who had enjoyed themselves the most during the 2023 season, Valtteri Bottas would be a lock for a top three spot. Since losing his seat at Mercedes at the end of the 2021 season, Bottas has found a loving new home in Alfa Romeo. As the senior driver in a team for the first time in 2022, Bottas seemed to flourish in the role of team leader at a modest midfield outfit.

He scored 49 points in his first season at Alfa Romeo – a large bulk of which over the first third of the year – to help his team to a brilliant sixth place in the championship. But while Bottas and team mate Zhou Guanyu were hopeful they could at least build on that in 2023, their car simply did not have the speed they were hoping for.

Instead, Bottas scored just 10 points over the entire season – only slightly more than he managed in his first race with the team in 2022. With one of the slowest cars in the field, Bottas was easy to overlook during 2023. But looking a little deeper at his season, his performance was better than it might appear at first glance.

‘Car simply did not have the speed’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/12/16/2023-formula-1-driver-rankings-12-valtteri-bottas/


F1i Team Report Card for 2023: Alfa Romeo
16/12/2023 at 10:51
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Perhaps inevitably, the air went out of the Alfa Romeo operation this season as the end of the Italian marque's involvement in F1 loomed. There wasn't much motivation for them to do anything more than merely tread water in the meantime. They managed to score points in four of the first eight races of the season but after that made the top ten only twice more in Italy, and finally in Qatar - which was ironically their best race of the season. As a result, Alfa Romeo fell from P6 with 55 points in 2022 to P9 and just 16 points this season.

It's hard not to conclude that Sauber will be battling hard again next season simply to avoid the ignominy of the wooden spoon, having finished just four points ahead of Haas this year and behind the likes of AlphaTauri and Williams. The whole story of Alfa Romeo's brief return to F1 seems to be one of low ambition and squandered opportunities.

‘F1i Team Report Card’;

https://f1i.com/magazine/496454-f1i-team-report-card-for-2023-alfa-romeo.html

[Fortitude]

Transfer market: Audi still aiming for Hulkenberg.
The Swiss-based team, which will be taken over by Audi in 2026, hopes to sign in Hulkenberg for the 2025 season.
16 December 4:00PM
Author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Haas's driver line-up of Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg is an experienced one, with the duo having strong resumés to their name. Nevertheless, it is still somewhat surprising to see both drivers back on the grid again next year - not because of their performance in 2023 but rather due to the fact that a couple of years ago, a return to a seat in Formula 1 seemed improbable.

Magnussen experienced a very strong 2022 season in which he had an advantage over Mick Schumacher. As a result, the Dane went into the 2023 season with confidence, although it soon became clear that Haas did not possess a competitive car this year. Even the update the team brought to Austin did not ultimately make a large difference, with Hulkenberg even switching back to the old-spec car. As always, the German was honest with the team and that feedback was put to good use at Haas.

The relatively small F1 team does not have the resources to make a major change throughout a season, so it will have to move in the right direction immediately with the 2024 car. In doing so, the team desperately needs feedback from Magnussen and Hulkenberg - a resource that is valuable to the squad and saw it go in the direction of employing experience rather than taking a chance on youth. But Steiner will worry whether he will still have Hulkenberg at his disposal after 2024 as the 36-year-old driver is being eyed by Sauber/Audi.

‘Audi still aiming for Hulkenberg’;

https://racingnews365.com/transfer-market-audi-is-still-aiming-for-hulkenberg


F1 SEASON REVIEW: A STRUGGLING HAAS HINDERED HULKENBERG’S SEASON
Hulkenberg has made an impressive return to F1 and shown everyone he deserves his spot in the top flight of motorsports
December 13, 2023
Caitlyn Gordon
FormulaNerds

The ‘Qualifying king’
The anticipation started to build for the return of Hulkenberg. His first weekend back made viewers start to think that Haas made the right decision by bringing the seasoned F1 veteran back. During Qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix, Hulkenberg put his car through to Q3. The German was on the way to achieving an eighth-place start, however, his track time got deleted seeing him start 10th in Bahrain.

In comparison to his teammate who couldn’t escape Q1 – which becomes more of a pattern throughout the season – the weekend was a great start for the driver. Hulkenberg continued his strong performance into the third round in Australia. This is where he secured his second-best performance of the season – finishing seventh overall. Although his finishing position doesn’t quite justify his performance in Albert Park where he was on his way to fourth. However, chaos ensued when the red flag was brought out for the third time.

Haas received harsh vitriol for even entertaining the idea of the German to come back and help the team more than Schumacher could’ve. However, Hulkenberg proved critics wrong on many occasions. Consistently outperforming his teammate in both the race and Qualifying aspect proved he was the right driver for the job. Both Alfa Romeo sporting director, Beat Zehder and Guenther Steiner have labelled Hulkenberg as the ‘best qualifier they have worked with.’

‘THE Qualifying king’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/features/f1-season-review-a-struggling-haas-hindered-hulkenbergs-season/


Hulkenberg demands ‘better solutions’ from Haas for F1 2024
07:28 Fri, 08 Dec 2023.
by Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Nico Hulkenberg feels it is incumbent upon Haas to deliver “better solutions” for the 2024 F1 season following a wretched year for the team. Haas finished 10th and last in the constructors’ championship for the second time in three years as a reasonable start to the campaign tailed off into a miserable season.

On his return to F1 after a three-year full-time hiatus from the sport, Hulkenberg scored points in only one of the 22 races, taking advantage of the carnage that unfolded during the Australian Grand Prix to finish seventh. Team-mate Kevin Magnussen managed three 10th-place finishes, with the duo combining for a total haul of 12 points, four adrift of Alfa Romeo.

Nico Hulkenberg: “We just need to pick ourselves up and do a better job. We need to work hard because we want to do better. I want us to do better ultimately, and I think everyone in the team wants to do better, so we just have to try and come up with better solutions.”

‘Better solutions’ from Haas for F1 2024’;

https://speedcafe.com/nico-hulkenberg-haas-better-solutions-f1-2024/


F1i Team Report Card for 2023: Haas
15/12/2023 at 10:30
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

A deserved wooden spoon for a team struggling for direction. The good news is that Haas avoided the fate that consumed them in 2021 when they were dead last having scored no points. This year they're back to dead last in the constructors standings, but at least they picked up 12 points along the way which will give them a small share of the prize money on offer. That's still only a third of points that accrued when they finished eighth last year, however. Given that the team released the crash-prone Mick Schumacher in favour of the vastly more experienced Nico Hulkenberg last winter, such retrograde movement is hard to justify.

The driver line-up
• Nico Hulkenberg: P16, 9 points
• Kevin Magnussen: P19, 3 points
Nico Hulkenberg showed little sign of 'race rust' when he was recalled to duty by Haas after two years on the sidelines. He contributed the best two results of the season for the team in Australia and the Austria sprint, although those were the only times he scored points all year.

Kevin Magnussen finished in tenth place on three occasions (Saudi Arabia, Miami and Singapore) but overall Hulkenberg beat Magnussen 13 times to nine on race day and out-qualified the Dane 15-7. Canada was a particular success where he claimed second on the grid before a red flag infringement earned him a costly grid drop for the race itself.

‘Nico Hulkenberg showed little sign of 'race rust'!’;

https://f1i.com/magazine/496448-f1i-team-report-card-for-2023-haas.html


Hulkenberg: Haas were flattered by F1 rivals' initial issues
12:07 Sat, 09 Dec 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Nico Hulkenberg believes the initial problems rival teams encountered throughout the early stages of the 2023 Formula 1 season flattered the performance of Haas’ VF-23 car.

Reflecting on the 2023 season, Hulkenberg said: “Obviously, it was a process, and signs were there early in the season. But we got away with it early in the season because other people also were struggling more.”

“And then once they cleaned up and then brought some real developments, that’s when we really started to pay the penalty. The last or the second half of the season has been really tough. I think there was only an opportunity to score a point or two for me in Singapore, which we missed by the wrong strategy call.”

‘Flattered by F1 rivals' initial issues’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/?p=141488

[Fortitude]

Daniel Ricciardo given Red Bull reality check as Martin Brundle questions his F1 plans.
Martin Brundle has been left underwhelmed by Daniel Ricciardo since his return to the Formula 1 grid.
19:29 Mon, 18 Dec2023.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Daniel Ricciardo is back on the grid with AlphaTauri but plans to earn a return to sister team Red Bull with his performances in 2024 - something Martin Brundle isn't sure will happen. Team-mate Yuki Tsunoda more than held his own against his much more experienced partner as the Japanese racer rose to the challenge to finish the year strongly.

Both stars will continue to race for the junior Red Bull outfit in 2024. Ricciardo has made it clear that he wants to use it as a springboard to return to the seat alongside Max Verstappen that he willingly vacated five years ago. Brundle, however, has not yet seen enough of the Aussie to know that he is worthy of that place with the top team.

Answering a fan's query in a question and answer session, the Sky Sports F1 pundit made clear he would have liked to have seen a little more from Ricciardo. "I don't think Daniel has perhaps outperformed Tsunoda as I would have expected him to," said Brundle. "I know he was thrown in at the deep end and he was really unlucky with that incident in Zandvoort. So the jury is out on that.”

‘Underwhelmed by Daniel Ricciardo’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/daniel-ricciardo-red-bull-2024-31702944


Daniel Ricciardo told he has ‘a lot more to do’ to secure dream Red Bull return
16 Dec 2023 3:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Sky F1 pundit Martin Brundle was left underwhelmed by Daniel Ricciardo after his F1 2023 return, feeling he is yet to do enough to justify a Red Bull recall. “Daniel’s got a lot more to do before I would think that he’s ready to go and take the fight to Max Verstappen.”

Ricciardo has made it clear that his ultimate goal is to return to the Red Bull team, as he looks to apply pressure on Sergio Perez for a 2025 seat, but Brundle had expected Ricciardo to post better performances versus Tsunoda than he did, so believes Ricciardo must do “a lot more” to prove he is worthy of a Red Bull return.

‘A lot more to do’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/martin-brundle-demands-more-daniel-ricciardo-red-bull-return


Ricciardo admits fears over FROSTY Red Bull return
Friday 15 December 2023 22:12
Cal Gaunt
GPFans

Daniel Ricciardo has admitted he was nervous about returning to Red Bull last season, questioning whether or not he would be welcomed back to the Formula 1 team with open arms. Having re-entered the Red Bull fold as their third driver earlier this year, Ricciardo's driving errors saw Red Bull engineers diligently seeking to rectify them.

“I think bad habits can just come in the form of a lack of confidence,” Ricciardo told the Beyond The Grid podcast. “It was the end of last year. Once the season was done, I jumped on the sim, I guess it was sometime in December before I went home for Christmas.”

‘Nervous about returning’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1009653/daniel-ricciardo-red-bull-f1-return-nerves-third-driver/


2023 Formula 1 driver rankings #17: Daniel Ricciardo
Formula 1
Posted on 13th December 2023, 12:00
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

As Daniel Ricciardo competed in only seven grands prix through the 2023 season, his ranking takes his reduced participation into account. In a Formula 1 career that had left him among the most successful drivers of the modern era not to have won a world championship title, Daniel Ricciardo had never endured a season like 2022.

As thrilled as fans and paddock dwellers alike were to see the ‘Honey Badger’ back on the grid, Ricciardo had a lot to prove following his poor performances at McLaren. However, over three days of his first grand prix weekend back in a Formula 1 car, he did much to banish the memories of the last two years. Driving an unfamiliar car with an experimental tyre allocation format which limited his ability to gather experience on all three compounds as usual, Ricciardo still got through to Q2, unlike team mate Yuki Tsunoda, securing 13th on the grid. Despite being hit from behind at the start, he brought the car to the finish 15 seconds ahead of Tsunoda to instantly prove Red Bull right for picking him over De Vries.

Suddenly, the season was over. Having raced in seven grands prix during the second half of the year, Ricciardo admitted he wasn’t ready for the season to end and had so much more energy still to burn. Now, he can spend that energy over the winter on preparing to hit the ground running for 2024 – a year many expect will serve as an audition to return to the Red Bull senior team once more.

‘So much more ‘Honey Badger’ energy still to burn’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/12/13/2023-formula-1-driver-rankings-17-daniel-ricciardo/


Daniel Ricciardo had two spins during Red Bull test that turned Helmut Marko’s head
07:00, Sun, Dec 17, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

The 34-year-old impressed Helmut Marko so much during his stints that the Austrian immediately made the call to axe Nyck de Vries and put the Aussie in the second AlphaTauri car for the Hungarian Grand Prix.

“So I did the test and, on the first run, I actually spun twice,” Ricciardo explained on the Beyond The Grid podcast. “In Turn 4, I had a spin. So a very low-speed spin, just a little bit eager on the throttle. Then I had a spin in Turn 7, I think, so another slow speed [corner] again, I did a tiny little loop and got it going. It wasn’t like I was in the gravel or anything.”

“So we put some new tyres on. We put FP2 fuel [levels] in the car. I’m not gonna sugarcoat it. The first timed lap I did was on the money. Take the fuel out to put it to quali fuel and it was a few hundredths off Max’s pole time.” AlphaTauri reaped the rewards of making the change and reintroducing Ricciardo into F1. He contributed six points as AlphaTauri scored in four of the final five Grands Prix of the season, climbing above Alfa Romeo and Haas in the Constructors’ Championship standings.

Honey Badger: “I’m not gonna sugarcoat it”;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1845618/Daniel-Ricciardo-Red-Bull-Helmut-Marko


Daniel Ricciardo admits huge AlphaTauri change for unprecedented 2024 F1 season
Sat 16 December 2023 12:30
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Daniel Ricciardo has revealed that the mentality has now shifted at AlphaTauri to no longer just be Red Bull’s driver academy for the first time before the 2024 F1 season. The Faenza squad have exclusively acted as the finishing school in Formula 1 for the Red Bull driver academy since 2006. But Ricciardo believes AlphaTauri have completely changed their stance on how the team should operate next season. It would be an unprecedented change.

Ricciardo expects 2024 to be an unprecedented season where AlphaTauri try to be more than Red Bull’s little sister. He already feels the team took steps towards that goal over 2023 since the Australian’s return. But they can now start a year with a more ambitious mentality. “I’m definitely excited for what’s ahead,” Ricciardo told Motorsport Week. “The second half of the season was much more promising than the first half. And a lot of changes are taking place for next year. I think it’s also just the approach that the team will be taking.

“It’s no longer a junior team approach. And I think it’s one where, probably with me coming into the season as a very experienced driver, they can also see what it can do for development. I think it’s given them a lot of confidence moving forward. We can look at Mexico and get on the second row and we can show we belong there. Yuki, too, I mean, he is far from a rookie now. So, I think it’s the wrong word to be like the team is going to take themselves more seriously.”

‘Mentality has now shifted at AlphaTauri’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/daniel-ricciardo-admits-huge-alphatauri-change-for-unprecedented-2024-f1-season/


Ricciardo exclusive: 'My self-confidence plummeted during troubled McLaren spell'
12 December 9:00PM
Author Fergal Walsh
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Daniel Ricciardo successfully returned to the Formula 1 grid this year with AlphaTauri, several months after his disappointing two seasons with McLaren came to an end. “With McLaren, we started to struggle and then we tried to understand it. But it never really got better, especially in 2022. Once I stopped I realised that not only were our results going down but also belief in myself and my confidence.”

“I think that probably compounded the time at McLaren. Coming into doing the simulator at Red Bull, I started building my confidence back, I saw my times were competitive. I did the test at Silverstone which was a really good test. So then I was like, ‘Okay, I just needed some time off, I needed to be back in a team that feels like the car is my car’.”

Having had several months away from the spotlight Ricciardo grew his confidence levels once more which enabled him to extract performance right out of the gates upon his return. “Going into Budapest, I hadn't driven the AlphaTauri but immediately I got a good feeling with it. And I think then my confidence was back where it needed to be,” he said. “I couldn't really exploit my strengths with that car. So then we started trying a lot of things, and I tried to change my style of driving. With that, my confidence started getting lower and lower.”

‘Self-confidence plummeted’;

https://racingnews365.com/ricciardo-exclusive-my-self-confidence-plummeted-during-troubled-mclaren-spell

[Fortitude]

24-year-old Formula 1 driver is now ‘very popular’ within the team garage.
Zhou very popular among Alfa Romeo team. “He’s very popular within the team, a hard worker, works very well with the guys in the garage.
Tue 5 December 2023 16:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Speaking about the future of the team’s line-up, Straw(The Race F1 Podcast, journalist Edd Straw) said: “You could make the argument that they’ve not taken [Theo] Pourchaire because they had [Valtteri] Bottas on a locked-in contract for 2024. Bottas had an option but it was on Bottas’s side. “He was always going to take that up because there wasn’t going to be any other better offers.”

“So, you could argue that the combination of the commercial appeal of Zhou [Guanyu] and the fact that he’s doing a solid job. He’s very popular within the team, a hard worker, works very well with the guys in the garage. I just think the only problem with Zhou is that edge of speed probably isn’t there.”

“He’s brisk enough, he’s not slow but he’s not super quick, let’s put it that way.” Zhou’s being popular at Alfa Romeo won’t guarantee his place on the grid, but if the team were convinced by Theo Pourchaire’s F2 championship win, then now would have been a good time to make the switch.

‘Very popular’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/24-year-old-formula-1-driver-is-now-very-popular-within-the-team-garage/


Zhou Guanyu receives ominous 2024 warning from Alfa Romeo
After a difficult season for both Alfa Romeo and Zhou Guanyu, the Chinese driver finished the season in P18 in the drivers' championship having scored six points in 2023
December 6, 2023
Rhiannon Temporal
FormulaNerds

Formula One’s first ever Chinese driver suffered from a lacklustre season in 2023. Zhou Guanyu finished inside the points on three occasions this season, which translated into only six points scored. This is the same amount that AlphaTauri’s Daniel Ricciardo scored, and the Aussie only took part in seven races this year. However, the team still displayed a significant amount of trust in the Chinese driver, as they gave him a contract extension for the 2024 season. “It was a tough race to end the season, but we aim to come back stronger in 2024. ��@ValtteriBottas and @ZhouGuanyu24 debrief the #AbuDhabiGP. ⬇️#F1 | @Stake pic.twitter.com/JrUmzpqhsS”
— Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake (@alfaromeostake) November 26, 2023

Following the conclusion of the 2023 season, Alfa Romeo’s Head of Trackside Engineering, Xevi Pujolar, opened up about Zhou’s difficulties in 2023. He highlighted that in specific situations, the Chinese driver seemed to struggle more than others. Pujolar said: “In some conditions, it’s been a struggle a bit more and we’re trying to understand what we can give him with the car and how we can work with the tyres, just to make sure he’s more consistent.”

He continued, “In some conditions, he is a bit more sensitive to what he is feeling. The differences are not big, but in terms of positions they are big, so we need to work on that for next year.” As Zhou goes into his all important third year of Formula One, he will want to iron out these mistakes. A sentiment reflected by Pujolar, who warns Zhou: “There is no room for any small drop or mistake [next season].”

‘Ominous 2024 warning’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/zhou-guanyu-receives-ominous-2024-warning-from-alfa-romeo/


2023 Formula 1 driver rankings #15: Zhou Guanyu
Formula 1
Posted on 14th December 2023, 12:00
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

As the only rookie in the field in 2022, Zhou Guanyu lacked direct competition to compare his performances with aside from a very experienced older team mate in Valtteri Bottas. But compared to some of those who had stepped up to Formula 1 the season before – Yuki Tsunoda, Mick Schumacher and his team mate – Zhou’s first season was defined by how relatively few mistakes he made.

For much of the season, Zhou was fairly average – not spectacular, but not making many egregious errors either. However, there were some underwhelming weekends. He struggled over the weekend in Montreal while Bottas took a point and when the rain came down during the Dutch Grand Prix, Zhou was the only driver in the field to crash out after aquaplaning off the road along the pit straight.

Compared to some of his rivals who are paid much more than he to drive much faster cars, the mistakes that Zhou committed during the season were not worthy of much concern. He received reward for his reliable driving in the form of a contract extension for 2024 and a third season in Formula 1. Over two seasons, he has shown how controlled and confident a driver he is. Now the question is, can he begin to show flashes of something greater?

‘Received reward for his reliable driving in the form of a contract extension for 2024’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/12/14/2023-formula-1-driver-rankings-15-zhou-guanyu/


Zhou admits it was 'impossible' not to hear criticism after he earned his F1 seat
18 December 2023
Formula One - Official Site

When Zhou originally signed for Alfa Romeo for his rookie season, he was understandably elated with his achievement after spending three seasons in F2. “To be the first ever Chinese driver in Formula 1 is a breakthrough for Chinese motorsport history,” he said at the time. “I know a lot of hopes will be resting on me and, as ever, I will take this as motivation to become better and achieve more.”

“To be the first Chinese driver in F1 history… it’s everything to me,” he said. “I’m so proud of where I’m from — the support I’ve received from everyone back home. I race for them. I want to show that, even though we aren’t known for motor sports, we can still be great. That we can be fast. That we are a racing nation.”

“That desire, that passion — that’s what made the first lap in Bahrain so tough. In the grand scheme of things, it’s just one lap of more than a thousand over the course of the year, but I wanted to prove to everyone, to myself, that I belonged there. So I just put my head down, and I followed my instincts. Our team had a great strategy and we battled all the way back. It was a crazy few last laps and when I came across the line in 10th, scoring a point… it felt like a win.”

'Impossible not to hear criticism’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.zhou-admits-it-was-impossible-not-to-hear-criticism-after-he-earned-his-f1.34BO1BSagGrq3OTZah4Qug.html


F1 season review: Zhou experienced transformative journey
Zhou's 2023: a trip through challenges, triumphs, and evolution, while navigating team dynamics and gearing up for 2024 battles
December 12, 2023
Lena Ferle
FormulaNerds

Zhou’s evolution as a driver manifested prominently in his race performances, where he outshone his seasoned teammate, Valtteri Bottas, on some occasions. In the races which both finished, the ratio was 7:10 against Bottas, compared to 3:10 in 2022. Noteworthy ninth-place finishes in Australia, Spain, and Qatar underscored Zhou’s growing prowess, contributing vital points to Alfa Romeo’s tally.

Despite short-term performance peaks, Zhou faced a considerable challenge in the qualifying domain. Losing the qualifying battle 6:16 to teammate Bottas indicated a need for consistency in this crucial aspect of Formula 1. The latter part of the season witnessed Alfa Romeo grappling to match the performance of superior rivals. Zhou’s finishes outside the points in the final races accentuated the team’s struggle against formidable adversaries.

Zhou’s point-scoring in three races significantly impacted Alfa Romeo’s standing in the constructor standings. These contributions highlighted his role as a valuable asset to the team’s overall performance. Alfa Romeo’s ninth-place finish in the constructor standings emphasised the team’s collective challenge. With only 16 points accrued, there is a collective need for improvement to ascend the ranks in the competitive Formula 1 landscape.

‘Transformative journey’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/features/f1-season-review-zhou-experienced-transformative-journey/

[Fortitude]

F1 News: Kevin Magnussen optimistic of Haas 2024 “comeback”.
Kevin Magnussen still believes Haas can be competitive in 2024, despite a consistently downward trend in recent months.
December 20, 2023
By: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Guenther Steiner’s personnel have stomached a difficult season, finishing 10th in the standings for the second time in three years. After a somewhat encouraging start to the year, Haas quickly fell away from their rivals.

Even with the budget cap and limitation to wind tunnel runs, the American team is lacking in resources. This was evidenced most painfully in Monza, where Nico Hulkenberg was critical of the team’s failure to bring a low-drag rear wing. They were the only team without this specification at the Italian GP.

Kevin Magnussen, continues to express a positive outlook ahead of 2024. The 31-year-old explains why a negative approach is unhelpful: “We have to stick together and make a comeback, like we have done in the past,” he explained after the season finale. This team has already shown great potential, and it’s time for us to consistently achieve our goals. Because I believe that the talent and potential are very big in this team.”

“Comeback”;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2023/12/20/f1-news-kevin-magnussen-optimistic-of-haas-2024-comeback/


Magnussen: ‘We haven’t developed at all’ as the Dane looks to bounce back next season
November 29, 2023
Oliver Brindle
FormulaNerds

Haas driver Kevin Magnussen has revealed the only positive taken away from the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was that “it was the last race” of the season. Meanwhile, teammate Hulkenberg admitted he was just happy “to be back in F1”.

Speaking to Formula 1, Magnussen said: “I think the only positive today is that it was the last race and that we can close this year and look forward to next year. It’s not been a good year for us. We’ve not developed at the rate we should have, or we haven’t developed at all.”

“I think we started the year in an okay position, but we lost out to the competition in the development race. It’s a big winter for us catching up, but I believe we can do it.”

‘We haven’t developed at all’ as the Dane looks to bounce back next season’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/magnussen-we-havent-developed-at-all-as-the-dane-looks-to-bounce-back-next-season/


Magnussen says 'no great highlights' from 2023 season but is hopeful Haas can take 'step forward' next year
12 December 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Kevin Magnussen says there was no great highlight from his and Haas’ 2023 campaign after the American squad finished at the bottom of the constructors’ championship. Asked if Haas know which direction they will be heading with the 2024 car, Magnussen replied: “Well, I think the upgraded car is more in line with the plan for next year, the concept looks like what we think of for next year.”

“So, it's not actually got more downforce on paper, it's not faster, but it is better to drive, it's easier, the balance is more consistent and that's why you don't see a step back when we run the new spec, although it's got less downforce. I think that's what we need to go into the winter, developing in that direction and hopefully we can take a step forward for next year because it's not been an easy year for sure.”

'No great highlights';

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.magnussen-says-no-great-highlights-from-2023-season-but-is-hopeful-haas-can.JvCrVQybWzFdogXP8dy6v.html


F1 season review: How a car concept hampered Magnussen during his 2023 season
The Dane had a difficult time during his second stint at Haas, seemingly constantly outperformed by teammate Nico Hülkenberg
December 11, 2023
Nathan Hartley
FormulaNerds

The start of Magnussen’s season did not go particularly well, the Dane clearly struggling with the car. However, after a change in concept with the VF-23, Magnussen was able to extract much more from the car. The Haas driver managed to accumulate three points throughout the entire season. The Dane managed to drive a strong race in Saudi Arabia – the second round – finishing in 10th, scoring his first point of the season.

The Dane’s problem was that the car could not execute his style effectively. The car simply did not have good enough handling — from braking on the entry of a corner and dealing with the corner turn in. The VF-23 struggled with Magnussen’s driving style as the car would lose stability through the demand of braking and rotational forces at the same time. Therefore, the V-style approach was better suited for the VF-23, consequently favouring Hülkenberg’s driving approach.

‘Car concept hampered Magnussen’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/features/f1-season-review-how-a-car-concept-hampered-magnussen-during-his-2023-season/


Magnussen wants Haas to 'break status quo' with next car
03 December 4:15PM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Kevin Magnussen believes Haas must "break the status quo" with its 2024 challenger, after it finished last in the Formula 1 Constructors' Championship. Magnussen scored the fewest amount of points this year at three, which puts him bottom on the salary to points ratio. The Dane wants to see the team make radical changes for next year, as it looks to improve its fortunes.

"This year, we haven't been able to find better performance even on the drawing board, so we need to break that [trend]," Magnussen told media, including RacingNews365. "Things are looking better back at the factory, and we kind of broke that status quo that we had for too big a part of the season.”

Magnussen hopes it will bring more consistency next season, after showing shades of good performance this year. "The thing is we will show flashes of very good performance, so it's not just a flatline of poor performance all the time. But it's way too much poor performance," said Magnussen. There's potential in there and that's the motivational thing. At same time it's frustrating because we can't seem to hit consistency with our top level performance.”

'Break status quo';

https://racingnews365.com/magnussen-wants-haas-to-break-status-quo-with-next-car


2023 Formula 1 driver rankings #18: Kevin Magnussen
Formula 1
Posted on 13th December 2023, 8:14
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

After returning to the grid, Magnussen effectively ended the F1 career of young Mick Schumacher by thoroughly and consistently out-performing the second-year driver despite having missed a full season. But in 2023, it was Magnussen’s turn to be upstaged by a team mate who had been off the grid for even longer than he had. Nico Hulkenberg won the battle between the two Haas team mates over the year convincingly – a fight that Magnussen surely would have expected to have come out on top in heading into the season.

The VF-23 suffered throughout the season with tyre degradation compared its rivals, leaving both Magnussen and Hulkenberg struggling to keep up with the pack over the course of a stint. But while both were having to drive around the problem, Hulkenberg seemed to manage it better than Magnussen. In Hungary, car number 20 just seemed slow. In Zandvoort, he not only wrecked his team’s new front wing heading out of the pits in practice, he caught the attention of the stewards multiple times in the rain-affected grand prix for his erratic driving and failed to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the wet weather.

‘Magnussen’s turn to be upstaged’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/12/13/2023-formula-1-driver-rankings-18-kevin-magnussen/


Kevin Magnussen ruthlessly makes feelings clear on Haas season with 'only positive'
Kevin Magnussen took to social media to vent his true feelings on the disappointing F1 season for Haas, who finished the 2023 season in last place
00:58, Mon, Nov 27, 2023
By Rory Robinson
Daily and Sunday Express

Magnussen tweeted: "So long, 2023. The only positive today is that it was the last race. We can close the book and look forward to next year. Thanks to the whole team for working so hard during the season. It's going to be a big winter for us to catch up, but I believe we can do it."

"It has been a tough season for us, which started well but did not get any better, as everyone else got better," said Steiner. "We ended up fighting all season, so now we need to work hard over the winter to get a better car out there, as there are a lot of things within this team that are good."

"We have got a race team that is always ready to race and a team who wants to do well. We just need to get better with the performance of the car. Then we will be okay," he continued. "It's not an easy task, but everyone is rolling their sleeves up and working hard to achieve it."

‘Ruthlessly makes feelings clear on Haas’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1839364/Kevin-Magnussen-f1-haas-racing

[Fortitude]

Behind the scenes with Logan Sargeant: Williams’ rookie on his new deal for next year and his goals for 2024.
Hey all, for my final column on F1.com I’m writing to you from the Williams Racing factory in Grove, where I’m spending my final day with the team in 2023 before heading to Florida for a much-needed winter break.
16 December 2023
Logan Sargeant
Williams Racing Driver
Formula One - Official Site

“I’m so excited to keep growing within the team. I’m just scratching the surface of what I’m capable of and now going into my first F1 off-season, I have a chance to reflect and see how I can be better. I didn’t find out what my future looked like until just before the announcement was made – a few days after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.”

“I had a long, very honest and open conversation with our Team Principal James Vowles after the post-season test at Yas Island on Tuesday. He congratulated me on the new deal and said he was excited to continue, as I am. We then just went over the main things he wants to see from me, about how I can be better, what I need to do to be better and what the team expect of me going forward.”

‘Behind the scenes with Logan Sargeant’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.behind-the-scenes-with-logan-sargeant-williams-rookie-on-his-new-deal-for.4TnLv04r1r4DeLrsjKX2S3.html


Logan Sargeant shares James Vowles conversation after last-minute 2024 contract offer
Sun 17 December 2023 20:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Williams driver Logan Sargeant has shared some of the details from the conversation he had with team principal James Vowles after finding out he was retaining his seat for the 2024 season. There was a big decision to make at Williams after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as they had to determine who would be Alex Albon’s teammate heading into next year.

When talking about his post-season conversation, Sargeant said: “I didn’t find out what my future looked like until just before the announcement was made – a few days after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. I had a long, very honest and open conversation with our Team Principal James Vowles after the post-season test at Yas Island on Tuesday. He congratulated me on the new deal and said he was excited to continue, as I am.”

“We then just went over the main things he wants to see from me, about how I can be better, what I need to do to be better and what the team expect of me going forward. It was just a good and honest conversation. It was one we needed to have, and it was great to get the news in what was just a normal chat that James and I are used to having. I won’t go too much into detail about what he said I need to do, but I understood where he wanted me to go, he understood the direction I wanted to go – and it’s all the same direction. Everything is clear.”

‘Last-minute 2024 contract offer’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/logan-sargeant-shares-james-vowles-conversation-after-last-minute-2024-contract-offer/


James Vowles proved right with new Logan Sargeant contract despite ‘other options’
Logan Sargeant was handed a contract extension after the season finale in Abu Dhabi, despite scoring just a single point.
08:15, Sat, Dec 16, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Vowles explained: “Without question, he struggled across the year. However, across the last four [or] five races, part of it was definitely being in the top ten in Las Vegas and doing some incredible laps, not just one, three or four throughout qualifying.”

“He’s absorbing the pressure far better than he did before. He’s fighting for the back end of the points. The car simply wasn’t quick enough across those last four rounds but he’s been where I needed him to be in order to demonstrate he’s made the step required and he can grow further next year, in other words, the journey is still growing.”

“There was optionality, there were other choices, but we’ve invested in him because we believe in him. He’s fiercely fast when he gets it all right and altogether. He needs the environment now where he can grow and do more of that next year. That’s why he deserves more of an opportunity.” Of the options available to Williams, three are likely to have been Mick Schumacher, Frederik Vesti and Felipe Drugovich.

‘Handed a contract extension after the season finale’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1845171/James-Vowles-Logan-Sargeant-Williams-F1


Logan Sargeant feels 27-year-old F1 rival shows where Williams driver must improve
Sat 16 December 2023 18:00
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Logan Sargeant believes it is ‘great’ to have Alex Albon as a teammate at Williams as he shows the American where he must improve after one year as a Formula 1 driver. It was a rookie season of ups and downs for Sargeant in 2023 as Albon dominated the head-to-head battle at Williams. But the 22-year-old showed enough towards the end of the year to get a second season. Now, he heads into the winter break ready to return a better driver.

Sargeant accepts that he has to improve in his second season as a Formula 1 driver with Williams in 2024. So, he will now use the winter break to study his and Albon’s data. He sees Albon as a great teammate to have given the London-born Thai presents a brilliant yardstick. “It’s great to have my teammate, Alex Albon, as such a good reference,” Sargeant told the F1 website. “It shows me the places I need to work on. That’s something that isn’t always the easiest to do in-season as you’re so caught up in the mix. That’s something I can improve on when reflecting on what has been a long season.”

‘Such a good reference’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/logan-sargeant-feels-27-year-old-f1-rival-shows-where-williams-driver-must-improve/


Albon stunned by F1 rival's 'outrageous' lack of Christmas knowledge
Thursday 21 December 2023 16:57
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans

Alex Albon has been left stunned after his Williams Formula 1 team-mate, Logan Sargeant, admitted that he had never seen a Christmas cracker before in his life. With less than a week to go until the big day, drivers and teams are putting racing to one side as they prepare to celebrate with family and friends.

The subject of Christmas crackers arose, as Albon was left dumbfounded over the fact that Sargeant had never seen one before. "Okay, Christmas crackers," Albon said. "Someone's told me that you don't actually know what these are."

"I've never seen these before," Sargeant replied, causing Albon to label the revelation as 'outrageous'. "What do you do then before you have Christmas dinner?" Albon asked, before Sargeant revealed that a household tradition of his is to 'blow off massive fireworks' instead.

'Outrageous lack of Christmas knowledge’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1009988/akex-albon-f1-williams-christmas-crackers-logan-sargeant-fireworks/

[Fortitude]

Toto Wolff optimistic ahead of 2024 F1 season after ‘proactive steps’ from Mercedes.
"There’s a team that is so successful and we have a big gap to close.”
13:58 Wed, 20 Dec 2023
Kieran Jackson
Formula 1 Correspondent
The Independent

Toto Wolff is optimistic about Mercedes’ chances of challenging Red Bull next year after some “proactive steps” from the team so far in the F1 off-season.

"At the same time, I believe we’ve taken some proactive steps to close that gap. Is it going to be good enough? I don’t know. But we’re going to see it in testing and then in the first race in Bahrain.”

"I’m super excited. I’d like to start going now. It’s the stopwatch that’s going to tell us what job we’ve done."

‘Toto Wolff optimistic’;

https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/f1-toto-wolff-mercedes-hamilton-russell-b2467259.html


Revealed: The three reasons why Toto Wolff isn’t on social media
20 Dec 2023 12:30 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Toto Wolff has explained why he is not on social media, giving three different reasons behind his lack of online presence. While he is often seen in posts on Mercedes’ official channels, he does not use social media himself…

“For me, having official Instagram channels or Twitter would be super distracting,” Wolff explained when asked whether or not he would join social media in future. “I’m also an emotional person, so that would not be beneficial if I were to post things!”

“I also believe that as a team principal, I’m running an F1 team, and I don’t believe that having an Instagram profile makes any sense. I’m not keen on taking selfies of myself or posing for the camera. Sports people or entertainment stars need to do that because it’s their profile. And therefore, no, these channels are nothing for me.”

‘The three reasons’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-social-media-presence


13 Questions with Toto Wolff: 2023 F1 Season Review
15:42 Tue, 19 Dec 2023.
Motorsport.com

‘13 Questions’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/video/13-questions-with-toto-wolff-2023-f1-season-review/644539/


Toto Wolff interview: The ‘headwind’ Mercedes currently face in Red Bull battle
17 Dec 2023 1:30 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Toto Wolff has hopes Red Bull’s ‘diminishing returns’ will allow Mercedes to close the gap for 2024, but fears how early their rivals will have switched focus.

After coming out of the blocks for 2023 with an incredibly competitive machine that went on to become the most dominant car in F1’s history, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner recently spoke about how ‘diminishing returns’ means his team is approaching the performance ceiling of the current regulations.

Formula 1 is entering the third year of the ground-effect regulations in 2024, with the now-mature ruleset meaning the teams are finding it more and more difficult to find time and performance – a fact Toto Wolff is hopeful his team will be able to use to spring forward for next season.

‘Headwind Mercedes currently face’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-exclusive-mercedes-facing-headwind-in-red-bull-battle


Interview: Wolff backs Mercedes' F1 line-up: 'With a good car, we'll be there'
19 December 6:00PM
Author Pepijn van der Hulst
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

When asked by select media if Hamilton and Russell are the best line-up in F1, Wolff told select media including RacingNews365: “If we give them the right car, yes. I think there's a few others, Max you cannot doubt him. He’s already one of the best drivers. If you give our [drivers] a great car, then we’ll be right there.

Wolff stated that Mercedes' “fragile” car resulted in performance swings between the pair during the year. “Everybody needs some feedback,” Wolff explained regarding Russell. “He's a very strong character and he came out of the summer very strong. He changed his approach a little bit and that was good. Then it swung the other way around.”

“Lewis performed in an extraordinary way but I think these swings they happen. They happen from track to track with this fragile cars you know you can come from a very good weekend to a very bad [one] suddenly. Everyone needs an arm around the shoulder. I have my wife who puts an arm around my shoulder.”

'With a good car, we'll be there';


[B]Toto Wolff interview: When Toto will leave Mercedes…and why he’s nowhere near ready yet
21 Dec 2023 12:00 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Toto Wolff has said he has no intentions of stepping aside from his role at the Mercedes F1 team any time soon but doesn’t plan on operating in his role once he feels he’s past his best.

Wolff revealed that he constantly questions his own contribution to the F1 team after successfully implementing a ‘no-blame’ culture that has proven fruitful at maintaining team harmony through difficult periods. Pushed on whether that questioning goes so far as to the point of thinking about stepping down from any of his leadership roles, Wolff said he hasn’t reached that point yet.

“No, I don’t, because I still think that I can contribute to the team in my area of expertise,” he said. “That is, I think, keeping it together, although I’m very emotional sometimes. But they know me so well, that I have these difficult moments on Sunday night.”

‘Constantly questions his own contribution’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-interview-no-thoughts-of-resignation-from-leading-mercedes-f1


Wolff makes Mercedes 'sporting advantage' F1 wind tunnel claim
Thursday 21 December 2023 19:57
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has admitted that any attempt to purposely finish behind Ferrari in the constructors' championship for more wind tunnel time would not have been a 'one-dimensional' decision.

Mercedes pipped Ferrari to P2 in the team standings by just three points during the curtain-closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Each team’s allowance of wind tunnel time is defined by on-track performance on a sliding scale.

"Obviously it's not one dimensional," Wolff told the team's official YouTube channel when asked if he ever considered ceding P2 to Ferrari for increased wind tunnel time. "I think from a mindset [perspective], whether you finish P2 or P3, if you would have asked me that at the beginning of the season I would have said it's not very relevant.”

'One-dimensional decision’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1009990/toto-wolff-mercedes-wind-tunnel-f1-2023-p2-finish-ferrari/

[Fortitude]

Fred Vasseur: Ferrari has ‘reopened’ case of who pays for Las Vegas.
Ferrari picked up severe damage to one of their cars in Las Vegas, due to the track not being ready for cars to run.
19 Dec 2023 1:45 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

With Ferrari incurring huge costs due to the damage – a particularly bad thing to happen in the era of strict budget caps that also account for the development of the 2024 car – Fred Vasseur confirmed Ferrari has put in a claim with the insurance company for the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

“No, no,” he told media at a Ferrari Christmas lunch when asked if he had answers over who was footing the bill for the damage to Sainz’s car. “You know that, when you open the discussion with the insurance, it’s ages! It’s true everywhere, including in F1. We will have the time to have the discussion, we reopened the case yesterday or the day before. But it would be fair!”

‘Ferrari picked up severe damage’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrari-reopen-case-carlos-sainz-las-vegas-crash


Vasseur addresses 'number one driver' claims at Ferrari F1 team
22 December 9:50AM
Author Fergal Walsh
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Despite Leclerc being at the team longer and having a better record in the head-to-head battle, Vasseur believes that Sainz's victory in Singapore earlier this year showcases the squad's focus on equal treatment.

“We showed this season that we have more than equal treatment between the drivers,” Vasseur told media including RacingNews365. “I remember perfectly that one year ago in the same room, I had tons of questions about Charles number one and Carlos number two and 'blah blah blah'.”

“We showed on some occasions, I think Singapore was the best example, when Charles agreed to start with Soft [tyres] to jump [George] Russell and block Russell. When we asked Charles to slow down Russell, he did it. It meant that they did a very good job together.”

'Number one driver claims’;

https://racingnews365.com/vasseur-addresses-number-one-driver-claims-at-ferrari-f1-team


'Will the real number one driver at Ferrari please stand up?'
22 December 8:00PM
Author Jesse Janse
RacingNews365

Former F1 driver Christian Klien looks back on the 2023 season with RacingNews365. How does he think Vasseur did during his first season at the helm in Maranello? "A good question," he laughs. "He has integrated himself well within the team. It takes time."

"Personally, I think highly of Fred. I like him as a person and he now has the chance to really change things at Ferrari. It takes time. Everything is running just a little smoother this year.

"A little less chaos in terms of strategy, except for maybe Abu Dhabi. Things are a little calmer inside Ferrari. The question now is how to take the next step and how to develop a faster car, so that they don't have problems with tire wear during the races and don't have to push the car too much anymore."

"A little less chaos”;

https://racingnews365.com/will-the-real-number-one-driver-at-ferrari-please-stand-up


End of year ‘big chaos’ disrupted Ferrari driver contract talks
22/12/2023 at 08:23
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Vasseur has now clarified that the intense and "very demanding" concluding stages of the 2023 F1 season forced the Scuderia to temporarily shelve discussions with its drivers.

“They are under contract with us until the end of 2024. It means that we have still 13 months in front of us,” Vasseur told the media last week in Maranello. It's quite comfortable. We have still a lot of weeks and months in front of us.”

“I told [the press] that I will try to take a decision before the end of the year. I have to admit that the last part of the season was a big chaos for everybody. I think that it was very demanding.”

‘End of year big chaos’;

https://f1i.com/news/496880-end-of-year-big-chaos-disrupted-ferrari-driver-contract-talks.html


Ferrari F1 contract talks delayed as Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz plans become clear
Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz both have just 12 months remaining on their respective Ferrari deals and the rumour mill suggests one of them is in line for a longer extension than the other
17:44 Wed, 20 Dec 2023.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

"We had meetings and we started the discussion, but we are late compared to the initial plan. But it's not an issue at all. We are much in advance compared to Mercedes [who announced a new contract for Lewis Hamilton in late August this year]. We are easy on this and will take the decision soon."

It remains to be seen for how long the team hopes to tie its drivers down for. A recent report from Italy claimed a new five-year deal is on the cards for Leclerc while Sainz may only be offered a one-year extension.

But there have been conflicting reports on that front. In all likelihood, though, it is Leclerc who is probably going to win a longer deal than his team-mate with the team keen to keep one of its seats relatively open in case it looks as though Lando Norris will become available when his current McLaren contract ends in 2025.

‘Meetings and we started the discussion’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/charles-leclerc-ferrari-contract-sainz-31720334


Vasseur defends Ferrari F1 strategy calls in 2023
19 December 1:25PM
Author Fergal Walsh
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Ferrari Team Principal Frederic Vasseur has defended his squad's strategy calls throughout the 2023 Formula 1 season. Vasseur highlighted that Ferrari is constantly vying to improve its pit wall operation as he pointed to the Austin race as an example of a mistake slipping through.

“We always have to improve and always try to do a better job,” he told media including RacingNews365. “I think honestly, this season, the strategy went very well. You can discuss Austin, for example, when Charles did one stop. But it was more [about] the choice on the tyres than something else.”

‘Ferrari F1 strategy calls’;

https://racingnews365.com/vasseur-defends-ferrari-f1-strategy-calls-in-2023

[Fortitude]

Christian Horner admits ‘biggest challenge’ he’ll ever face in F1 is now on the horizon.
Christian Horner has admitted that he faces his biggest challenge yet at Red Bull in 2026.
Tue 12 December 2023 08:30
Updated Tue 12 December 2023 09:30
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner has admitted he still hasn’t faced the biggest challenge in his Formula 1 career yet. Horner was speaking on the Sky Sports F1 Podcast and it’s clear the 50-year-old knows that despite his team’s domination this year, nothing lasts forever in F1.

Speaking about what his long-term ambitions are, Horner said: “Well a long time in Formula 1 is about two weeks and I’ve had offers come in the past to get involved in other sports, in other entities but at heart, I’m a racer and I love what I do and I have a commitment and responsibility for the team having been there since the beginning.”

The challenge of developing a Red Bull power train is going to have to be a huge focus for Horner over the next couple of years. “So, it still motivates me to get out of bed every day and I’m excited every day that I go to work. The challenge of developing a Red Bull power train is going to have to be a huge focus for Horner over the next couple of years.”

‘Biggest challenge on the horizon’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/christian-horner-admits-biggest-challenge-hell-ever-face-in-f1-is-now-on-the-horizon/


Christian Horner admits Red Bull's F1 2024 car problem after Max Verstappen warning
Max Verstappen and his Red Bull team romped to an unprecedented level of F1 success in 2023, but both he and team boss Christian Horner admit it's unlikely to happen again
12:46 Fri, 22 Dec 2023
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

The long-serving team principal says he has already seen signs of that happening. "I'm fully expecting - with stable regs and diminishing returns for us because I think we got to the top of the curve quicker than others - the field is going to converge," Horner said.

"There's always a reset as you go into the following year, and I'm convinced that you'll see a lot more cars that perhaps look like an RB19 philosophy. If you stand still in this business, you tend to be going backwards. And I think that we have got up that curve quicker than others. But we're into a law of diminishing returns."

His words support what Verstappen has already predicted about the 2024 campaign. While Red Bull were virtually untouchable for the vast majority of this year, the Dutchman has no doubt that his rivals will be putting him under more pressure next term.

‘Red Bull's F1 2024 car problem’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/red-bull-2024-verstappen-horner-31733973


Christian Horner now shares what ‘hasn’t helped’ development of 2024 Red Bull F1 car
Sun 17 December 2023 18:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner has shared what has made the development of their 2024 car really difficult this winter. Horner was speaking to PlanetF1 and reflecting on an incredible 2023 season and then turning his attention to next year.

Horner has previously suggested that the team now face dealing with diminishing returns when trying to improve their going forward. The genius of Adrian Newey means that Red Bull’s car is approaching perfection in terms of the current regulations.

It wouldn’t be a surprise if Red Bull are already thinking about the next set of major regulation changes in 2026, but there are still two titles to compete for before then. Max Verstappen won’t let Red Bull rest as he tries to add championship numbers four and five to his collection.

‘Development of their 2024 car really difficult this winter’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/christian-horner-now-shares-what-hasnt-helped-development-of-2024-red-bull-f1-car/


Red Bull reveal weight loss key to Verstappen 2023 F1 dominance
Red Bull boss Christian Horner has revealed the RB19 was so dominant due to weight saving
06:18 Wed, 20 Dec 2023.
by Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Explaining why the RB19 was so dominant, speaking to selected media, including Speedcafe, Horner said: “What you have to remember is that with 19, there were a large amount of components that came from the 18, so gearbox, a large percentage of the suspension, half of the chassis. It was effectively a cut-and-shut for this year.”

“The most significant thing that we were able to address was the weight because we were so late going on to the new regs in ’21, because of that championship battle, that the car in ’22 was a bit on the chunky side. So, we managed to get 20 kilos out of the car coming into this year and tidy up some of the imperfections.”

“But there were a great many carryover parts. Some of the components have won, in Max’s case, 19 races this year and 15 last year, so the combination of the two – 34 races.”

‘RB19 was so dominant due to weight saving’;

https://speedcafe.com/red-bull-reveal-weight-loss-key-to-verstappen-2023-f1-dominance/


Horner reveals secret to Red Bull success: We've hit a different level
23 December 5:40PM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner has praised the work done by the outfit behind the scenes, after a dominant year in Formula 1. While Adrian Newey thought they would have a tough season, Horner believes the work done behind the scenes enabled them to achieve an unprecedented run of victories and break records.

"The standard that we've been able to hit, to win 21 out of 22 races, to have led with Max over 1,000 laps out of 1,300, to broken so many records," Horner told media, including RacingNews365. "Max has hit yet another level. But I think the way that the team has operated across 22 different circuits, operationally, reliability wise, performance wise, everybody's done their part.”

"All the men and women behind the scenes, back in Milton Keynes, all the operational staff, everybody has done their bit and contributed to what we've seen in what will surely go down as one of the or certainly currently the most dominant season's ever seen in Formula 1."

‘We've hit a different level’;

https://racingnews365.com/horner-reveals-secret-to-red-bull-success-weve-hit-a-different-level


Start date for new Red Bull wind tunnel construction confirmed by Christian Horner
21 Dec 2023 12:30 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Red Bull currently use an old RAF site in Bedford, 20 miles away from their HQ, but with it being originally built shortly after World War II, it is significantly outdated and the team have been keen to build their own.

Horner’s team will again have the smallest wind tunnel allocation in 2024 but unlike this year, they are free from further penalties as a result of coming under the cost cap. But with minimal time compared to their rivals, Horner said they have to be smart with how they use their allocation.

“And particularly with the wind tunnel that we have, which is a Cold War relic, and not particularly efficient, particularly in cold weather – which you tend to get a bit of in the UK – we have to be very, very selective. That’s where the team have done brilliantly well of really being selective of where we channel our development.”

‘Red Bull wind tunnel construction’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/start-date-new-red-bull-wind-tunnel-construction

[Fortitude]

Red Bull being ganged up on as second F1 team calls for FIA to police 'strange' situation.
Ferrari have become the second team to raise concerns about Red Bull and AlphaTauri's partnership after Prancing Horses chief Fred Vasseur called for the FIA to "police" what the reigning F1 champions are doing with their sister team.
20:34, Fri, Dec 22, 2023
By George Glinski
Daily and Sunday Express

Vasseur remains confident that the FIA will manage the co-ownership appropriately but admits he finds the situation very "strange". “I think we have to police what the teams are doing with their junior teams, which maybe isn’t the right word,” Vasseur said last week. “For me, it is not the right way because, for me, Toro Rosso, AlphaTauri – or Minardi, I don’t know what is the next one! It’s true what they are doing together [with Red Bull] is a strange situation with two teams owned by the same company.

“But the FIA has been able to manage it so far – and I am sure they will be able to in future.” This comes after McLaren boss Zak Brown called for a ban on common ownership of F1 teams in an indirect attack on Red Bull. In an open letter, Brown wrote: "We should prioritise some of those rules that currently impact the impartiality between competitors. For example, most other major sports prohibit the ownership of two teams within the same league because of the obvious potential damage that it does to competition.

‘Red Bull being ganged up on’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1848500/Red-Bull-FIA-Ferrari-McLaren-F1


Horner: Red Bull-AlphaTauri F1 alliance won’t repeat ‘Pink Mercedes’ saga
09:08 Thu, 14 Dec 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Red Bull Formula 1 boss Christian Horner has denied that the team’s closer association with AlphaTauri will open up a case similar to the “Pink Mercedes” dispute in 2020.

AlphaTauri’s late development push that saw it almost snatch seventh in the championship has prompted concerns from rival sides, resulting in the FIA clarifying that it intends to provide updated guidance to ensure that collaboration between F1 teams doesn’t contravene the sport’s regulations.

The ties between the two Red Bull-owned teams have drawn some comparisons to the saga that involved Racing Point’s RP20 car resembling the title-winning Mercedes W10. Following protests, the Silverstone squad was hit with a 15-point deduction and a €400,000 fine after being found guilty of breaking IP rules with its rear brake ducts.

‘Won’t repeat ‘Pink Mercedes’ saga’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/?p=142122


Fred Vasseur backs Zak Brown’s Red Bull/AlphaTauri criticism – F1 news roundup
22 Dec 2023 10:00 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

If you thought F1 had settled down for the winter, think again after an open letter from Zak Brown caused a stir. The McLaren CEO highlighted the relationship between Red Bull and AlphaTauri and suggested the FIA should look at such a dynamic. Well Brown is not the only who seemingly has an issue with this…

‘F1 news roundup’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fred-vasseur-zak-brown-red-bull-alphatauri-criticism-f1


Christian Horner clarifies AlphaTauri role as second Red Bull team faces fresh overhaul
12 Dec 2023 6:30 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said AlphaTauri are considered their “customer team”, detailing what that means for their drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda.

“AlphaTauri is owned by the same shareholders as Red Bull Racing, but of course, the way that they operate is independent from Red Bull Racing, but they take benefit of the parts that are allowed to be transferred, like the gearbox and the suspension and so on, in the same way that Williams and Aston Martin have done so with with Mercedes or Haas with Ferrari.”

“They’re based in Italy, but they have a new management coming in, Peter Bayer as CEO and Laurent Mekies as team principal and they’re both competitive guys, they both want to compete to move the team forward. And so it has a new drive behind it and essentially, they’re a customer of Red Bull Racing.”

‘AlphaTauri are considered their “customer team”’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/christian-horner-clarifies-alphatauri-red-bull-role


FIA Plays Down Red Bull-Alpha Tauri Clone Rumours
12:17 Thu, 07 Dec 2023.
GrandPrix.com

After a decision was made to create more 'synergy' between Red Bull Racing and Alpha Tauri, Auto Motor und Sport believes the latter became the most prevalent team on the grid in terms of aggressive car development in the second half of the year.

But Nikolas Tombazis, the FIA's single seater director, insists the governing body is not overly concerned about the Alpha Tauri becoming a Red Bull clone. “We vet teams that are in close proximity to each other much more closely than completely independent teams to make sure something like this doesn't happen”, he told motorsport-total.com.

Tombazis admits that Alpha Tauri took a clear step forward in the latter stages of 2023, “but I don't think this is due to collaboration. It's not just a problem between these two teams, but also between other pairs of teams, he adds. We believe Alpha Tauri has very different aerodynamic solutions than the other team.”

‘Nikolas Tombazis, the FIA's single seater director, not overly concerned’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/fia-plays-down-red-bull-alpha-tauri-clone-rumours.html

[Fortitude]

McLaren give glimpse into F1 2024 progress after Lando Norris tease.
McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown has vowed to push Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari “even harder” in F1 2024, the team working “around the clock” to make that happen.
24 Dec 2023 11:30 AM
Mark Scott
PlanetF1.com

“As we work around the clock on our 2024 challenger, we intend to build on this year’s progress and push our rivals even harder next year,” Brown said. “We face a formidable challenge next season in continuing to close the gap to the front.”

“All teams are locked in a quest for car development and greater pace that is just as fierce off the track as it is on it, but our team will rise to the challenge with its usual determination and relentless dedication.”

“Mercedes, Ferrari and Aston Martin didn’t make it easy for us, but we pushed at every race on each and every lap, resulting in a thrilling finish where the final positions in the FIA Formula 1 Constructors’ World Championship were only decided at the 23rd — and last round — of the season. Never before have five different teams scored seven podiums in the same season, which just goes to underscore the competitive nature of the grid this year.”

‘Vowed to push Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari “even harder” in F1 2024’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mclaren-f1-2024-lando-norris-tease


Brown insists it will take McLaren until 2025 to 'maximise everything' after new hires and wind tunnel investment
22 December 2023
Formula One - Official Site

McLaren CEO Zak Brown believes the team won’t feel the full effects of their new hires and investment into their wind tunnel until 2025. “We have everything we need but we need a little bit more time,” he said. “The upgrades were not done with some of our latest technology.”

“We’re now in our wind tunnel, we have our new simulator, our new manufacturing unit, so that’s quite exciting for us because we haven’t yet benefitted from those. We’ve got great people back at McLaren but we do have a couple of big hires that start in early January that I think will be additive – but, of course, our 2024 car is already started.”

“So, I think we’ll have everything in place come January but not everything… ‘24’s already started, so I think it’ll be ’25 before we’ve fully maximised everything.”

‘2025 to maximise everything'

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.brown-insists-it-will-take-mclaren-until-2025-to-maximise-everything-after.3OaWKqrcIX51iT4LIqhyiV.html


McLaren plan revealed to ‘get ahead’ on Lando Norris-Oscar Piastri tension
23 Dec 2023 7:45 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Zak Brown is confident that between himself and Andrea Stella, they can navigate any potential issue between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in future. The two drivers came together for the first time in 2023 as Piastri switched over from Alpine and so far, everything seems rosy with both drivers supporting each other.

McLaren CEO Brown however was confident the team could keep it under control. “Not a concern, there’s an awareness that any time you have two drivers that one is going to have to beat the other at some weekends,” Brown said, as per Motorsport.com. “They’re super competitive right now, you feel a real energy around them driving for the team.”

“We know there will be a day, probably sooner rather than later, when they’re looking after their own interests. I feel Andrea’s and my strengths are around driver management, so I think we can get ahead of that and manage it to make sure it stays a healthy competitiveness.”

‘Feel a real energy around them’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/zak-brown-mclaren-lando-norris-oscar-piastri-tension


McLaren chief credits turnaround to one 'outstanding' figure
Sunday 24 December 2023 11:57
Cal Gaunt
GPFans

Reflecting on McLaren's 2023 Formula 1 season, CEO Zak Brown has credited team principal Andrea Stella with turning around the team's fortunes. “Going into 2023, our aim was to be a regular podium contender and finish no worse than fourth overall," Brown said.

"Although we managed to achieve that goal, the reality is we have been a blend of going from the ninth quickest team to arguably the second-fastest come the end of the year. A lot of credit for our upswing in performance must go to Andrea Stella’s team and their collective leadership in orchestrating such a phenomenal turnaround.”

“Andrea has done an outstanding job, not only in the culture he has created at McLaren, but in the way he has empowered people. He’s a very determined and inspirational leader.”

‘Credited team principal Andrea Stella’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1010074/mclaren-zak-brown-andrea-stella-praise-lando-norris-oscar-piastri-f1-2023/


'McLaren turnaround has prevented uncomfortable Norris questions'
23 December 5:00AM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Problems at the start of the season. That winning itch was not about to be scratched when the MCL60 was unveiled in February with the team openly admitting that targets had been missed and a floor upgrade in Azerbaijan would be key to turning the car around.

Technical director James Key fell on his sword as McLaren started the season slowly as a midfield also-ran with just 17 points after eight races between Norris and rookie Oscar Piastri. Hardly a way to try and convince your star driver that it might be worth sticking around beyond your contract in 2025 when the likes of Mercedes and Red Bull might have Hamilton and Verstappen-sized holes to fill.

But, in Austria and Singapore, two big upgrade packages were added to the MCL60 that transformed it into a competitive beast and vaulted the car to second fastest behind Red Bull's RB19. Much is often made of teams bringing upgrade packages that turn out to be over-hyped and don't bring the expected levels of performance - but what McLaren promised, it delivered.

‘Two big upgrade packages’;

https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-turnaround-has-prevented-uncomfortable-norris-questions

[Fortitude]

Lawrence Stroll issues vehement response to Aston Martin quit talk.
“You don’t go spending hundreds of millions of pounds, building the greatest new Formula 1 campus, if you’re about to leave the business, and you don’t go hiring another 400 of the greatest employees if you’re about to leave the business.” Lawrence Stroll.
06:48 Sat, 16 Dec 2023.
by Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Lawrence Stroll has issued a defiant response to recent speculation he could sell up and quit Aston Martin. “I don’t know where that speculation came from,” said Stroll, speaking in an interview with The New York Times. “I’ve read it in one or two publications recently.”

“I’ve proven through my commitment, and it could not be any further from the truth, that I have any interest in ever not being the majority shareholder of this team for a very, very, very, very long time, and it is the same with the road car company. I plan to run these businesses for many, many years. I’m at the beginning of the journey on both.”

‘Vehement response’;

https://speedcafe.com/lawrence-stroll-issues-vehement-response-to-aston-martin-quit-talk/


Stroll rubbishes speculation over Aston Martin future
09:13 Mon, 18 Dec 2023.
NEWS STORY
Pitpass

Lawrence Stroll has hit out at speculation that he is to 'part company' with Aston Martin. Despite the ongoing development of the team and its facilities, speculation over Stroll's future with Aston Martin came into doubt last month after it was announced that private investment firm Arctos Partners was investing in the Silverstone-based outfit.

Lawrence Stroll: "I'm not getting any younger. I feel younger, but I'm not getting any younger. But I'm not going anywhere. It made great sense to take them as a minority partner for what they bring to the business," he says of Arctos. "They add value, and particularly in America with all their investments with their other sports teams.”

"There has to be some financial synergies and commercial opportunities that we could do together through sponsorship, marketing, etcetera. So that was the motivation for letting them buy a minority stake. Great reputation, American-based, super people who are very aligned with my vision of a very long-term future."

‘Stroll rubbishes speculation’;

https://www.pitpass.com/76866/Stroll-rubbishes-speculation-over-Aston-Martin-future


Fernando Alonso’s intriguing F1 2024 claim could spark more Aston Martin success
24 Dec 2023 7:45 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

With Aston Martin’s 2023 car set to form the basis of the 2024 design, Alonso is excited about chasing more success next season – and he believes that his ever-growing experience with the team will allow them to get straight down to business in 2024. He said: “This being my second year with the team will help.”

“I don’t need to do many of the things I had to do at the start of this year: I don’t need to put names to all the faces; I don’t need to do seat fittings, learn the terminology and do all of the other accommodations that have to happen when you’re a new driver in a team. Everything will just be easier. We can focus more on performance and preparation for the first couple of races right from day one.”

“We also have a very strong baseline to work with from 2023. When we arrive at a race, the work we do will be an optimisation of what we did this year. The 2022 car was perhaps not good enough as a reference for us this year, and on many weekends, we were starting from zero. 2024, it should be easier in terms of preparation, and we can focus more on detail.”

'EL PLAN: Fernando Alonso’s intriguing F1 2024 claim’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernando-alonso-f1-2024-spark-aston-martin-success


Aston Martin issue update on Honda relationship ahead of 2026 partnership
24 December 10:15AM
Author Fergal Walsh
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Aston Martin and Honda will join forces for the 2026 Formula 1 season and work is already ongoing in the background to ensure a successful partnership. Aston Martin Team Principal Mike Krack has issued an update on the partnership between Honda ahead of their partnership in 2026.

Honda has opted to re-enter Formula 1 as an engine supplier and will join forces with Aston Martin. The Silverstone-based squad enjoyed a strong campaign this year as it scored eight podiums en route to claiming fifth in the Constructors' Championship. It also moved into a new factory as it upgraded its facilities, with team owner Lawrence Stroll continuing to invest in the squad.

Having raced under various guises during its history such as Force India and Racing Point, it has competed with Mercedes engines since the 2009 season. However, that will change in 2026 with Honda currently scheduled to solely supply Aston Martin with Power Unit.

‘Update on Honda relationship’;

https://racingnews365.com/aston-martin-issue-update-on-honda-relationship-ahead-of-2026-partnership


F1 News: Alonso reveals aims for next “2-3 years” at Aston Martin
December 23, 2023
By: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Fernando Alonso’s move to Aston Martin produced shockwaves in F1 news, but the Spaniard silenced any doubters with his 2023 results. With the 2024 season fast approaching, there are new objectives at Team Silverstone. After a sensational start with the AMR23 in Bahrain, the realities of competing at the front of F1 became clear. Rivals accelerated their development, whilst Aston Martin committed a major blunder.

After his first year with Aston Martin, Fernando Alonso explained the difficulties 2024 will present: “The starting point is a little better than I thought, but now the real difficulty begins… Now, here comes the difficult period for Aston Martin,” MARCA quotes him as saying. “I think in the next two or three years, finding that extra something no one has – being creative, innovative. I think that perhaps is the biggest question we must face.”

Alonso’s assessment seems reasonable, since next year will be a continuation of the development battle that was so costly for Aston in 2023. Dan Fallows and his technical are unlikely to repeat their magical development across 2022-23, but this will not be the aim. Instead, taking a sizable – though not unattainable – step forward can cement Aston at the front.

'EL PLAN: Alonso reveals aims for next “2-3 years” at Aston Martin’

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2023/12/23/f1-news-alonso-reveals-aims-for-next-2-3-years-at-aston-martin/

[Fortitude]

Alpine F1 looking “two years into the future” with 2024 development.
Alpine F1 is focused on developing its 2024 car, with a clear belief that taking an independent route is the best option.
December 23, 2023
By: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

When Alpine unveiled the A523 in February, they outlined P4 as their annual objective. In short, the French outfit wanted to solidify itself as the ‘best of the rest’ and close the gap to the front – without committing itself to an overly ambitious goal. However, even with these moderate expectations, Team Enstone found itself disappointed in Bahrain…

Alpine opt for innovation, not imitation: With just two years left before the regulations change, time is running out. Reflecting on the last twelve months, technical director Matt Harman explained Alpine’s approach for the winter break:

“It’s really important to be inspired. But if you keep imitaitng something, you’ll never move forward,” motorsport-total quoted him as saying. That means we can get inspiration – but we have to go our own way. Because if you arrive with a car that is current today, it will be out of date in 2025. So you have to think two years into the future.”

‘Looking two years into the future’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2023/12/23/alpine-f1-looking-two-years-into-the-future-with-2024-development/


Alpine accepts power unit deficit, focused on 2026 engine
19/12/2023 at 08:23
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Alpine Formula 1 technical director Matt Harman acknowledged that Renault's approach last year in developing its power unit was ambitious but ultimately fell short of bridging the performance gap to its rivals due to a lack of development time.

Renault's Viry-Châtillon powertrain department took a calculated risk with last year's RE22 split-turbo engine design engine when it opted to prioritize performance gains over reliability before the unit’s specification was frozen by the FIA’s technical regulations.

That strategy was based on the assumption that any subsequent reliability issues could be addressed with the authorization of F1’s governing body. However, as the 2023 season progressed, the RE23, essentially a carryover from the RE22, remained behind its Honda, Mercedes, and Ferrari rivals by around 20-30 bhp.

‘Alpine accepts power unit deficit’;

https://f1i.com/news/496683-alpine-accepts-power-unit-deficit-focuses-on-2026-engine.html


Alpine reveals ongoing 'modernisation' steps for F1 team
21 December 3:25PM
Author Fergal Walsh
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Alpine Interim Team Principal Bruno Famin has revealed a number of “modernisation” steps that are being undertaken by the squad at its factories. While Famin acknowledged that Alpine needs all personnel to maximise their efforts, he stated that improvements to infrastructure will boost its prospects.

“For me it's crucial, the culture and attitude are crucial,” Famin told select media including RacingNews365. “For sure, it's not enough of course. I think the modernisation of both sites is under process and quite well advanced, especially in Viry. In Viry I think we're finalising the modernisation of the site. Two years ago, we had a brand new building to assemble the Power Unit. We are finalizing the modernisation of the dynos.”

“In Enstone, a lot of work has been done also,” he said. “We were investing and the work has started for having a new simulator, which is really a weak point today. Thanks to the CapEx equalization decision from the FIA, we will be able to also develop some new dynos for the car itself, for the suspension for this kind of thing. Then I think in the two coming years we will have finished the modernisation of both sites which will be a plus of course. But it will be nothing if we don't have the right people with the right mindset to operate it.”

‘Alpine reveals ongoing modernisation’;

https://racingnews365.com/alpine-reveals-ongoing-modernisation-steps-for-f1-team


Famin: Alpine management shake-up has 'untapped potential'
17/12/2023 at 14:16
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Alpine F1 interim principal Bruno Famin says that the stormy changes to the team's management structure last summer has had the effect of freeing up some potential at Enstone, allowing staff to feel more able to contribute. "The changes we made mid-season we untapped some potential in the people," Famin said. "People are much freer to propose things, to improve.

"That’s especially true on the track side, where immediately I saw a change in the mindset," he continued. "[Rob and Jason] are doing a very good job in proposing improvements, in making sure that their guys also propose things. I think all this potential was a bit capped until the end of July," he added. "It’s true for the garage, it’s true also for the track engineering, it’s true for the strategy, and we are daring things we were not daring before.”

“I have no idea of how long it will take and I don’t want to fix a target,” Famin insisted. “The objective for this winter and for next year will be to develop that attitude, that mindset, changing the culture. It's not Viry against Enstone, it’s the whole thing altogether," he added. "To continue and to develop the momentum in order to make a better team, a better company and to be able to develop a better car.”

‘Alpine management shake-up’;

https://f1i.com/news/496589-famin-alpine-management-shake-up-has-untapped-potential.html


Otmar Szafnauer says ‘exceptional’ F1 driver is ‘quite a way ahead’ of 22-year-old teammate
Thu 21 December 2023 12:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Former Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer has admitted that McLaren driver Lando Norris is still much quicker than his rookie teammate Oscar Piastri. Szafnauer left Alpine after the Belgian Grand Prix this year but has been keeping a close eye on what’s going on despite his absence.

Speaking to Peter Windsor on his YouTube channel, Szafnauer was discussing the McLaren pair and has a reason to watch those two drivers closely in particular. There’s plenty of excitement around the paddock about how fast Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are. Some fans would even make an argument that they’re the strongest pairing on the grid at the moment, especially considering their ages and how much potential they have to get even quicker.

Szafnauer was in charge of Alpine when Piastri decided to leave the team and join up with Norris at McLaren ahead of last season. The young Australian was lined up to replace Fernando Alonso as he headed off to Aston Martin but he too jumped ship before being tied down to a contract. It looks like an inspired decision from McLaren to hire the 22-year-old who already has a Sprint Race win to his name.

‘Former Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/otmar-szafnauer-says-exceptional-f1-driver-is-quite-a-way-ahead-of-22-year-old-teammate/

[Fortitude]

James Vowles cites Ross Brawn, Toto Wolff influence for early success at Williams in 2023.
Williams team principal James Vowles has spoken about the positive influence legendary F1 figures such as Ross Brawn and Toto Wolff have had on his career.
23 Dec 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Vowles joined Williams as F1 team boss for the 2023 season, replacing Jost Capito. Under his leadership, Vowles - who is the youngest F1 team principal on the grid - guided Williams to their best constructors’ finish since 2017, securing seventh. Vowles spent the majority of his years with Mercedes (formerly BAR, Honda and Brawn GP), based at Brackley.

During his time in F1, Vowles worked under some impressive names such as Brawn, Wolff and Dave Richards. Speaking on the Sky Sports F1 review show, Vowles shared what he had learned from the aforementioned trio.

“All of them in their own unique ways,” he said. “All three of them are very unique in their management, in their leadership styles. There’s much I could learn from all three during the years. With Toto, incredible business knowledge, and a really strong leader. He knows how to get the most out of everyone.”

‘Positive influence legendary F1 figures had on his career’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1042740/1/vowles-cites-brawn-wolff-influence-early-success-williams-2023


Alex Albon feels it’s ‘unfortunate’ what Williams F1 team were known for in 2023
Tue 19 December 2023 18:00
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Williams driver Alex Albon feels it is ‘unfortunate’ what the Grove squad were known for in the 2023 Formula 1 season and ‘wishes’ the year panned out slightly differently. The British team developed a reputation throughout the year for having to favour defensive tactics to score points. Albon took his and Williams’ best results of the season when the 27-year-old qualified well before turning his FW45 into a moving chicane during the Grand Prix.

Albon frustrated several drivers to finish seventh at the Canadian GP when the London-born Thai led a train of rivals. The likes of Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, McLaren’s Lando Norris and Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas all failed to overtake the Williams driver, despite the long DRS zones. Alex Albon secured Williams’ best results of 2023 with defensive drives. Norris, again, spent his race stuck behind Albon at the Italian GP, too. The 24-year-old ended the race just 0.343 seconds behind the rear of his close friend’s Williams.

He could not find a way around the FW15 to steal P7 at Monza throughout Norris’ race-long contest with Albon. Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc similarly found himself stuck behind Albon as they fought over P8 at the British GP. The pair duelled over the last laps with Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso just 0.685 seconds ahead of the Williams star come the chequered flag at Silverstone in July.

‘Defensive tactics to score points’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/alex-albon-feels-its-unfortunate-what-williams-f1-team-were-known-for-in-2023/


Williams starlet highlights James Vowles impact after 'insane' F1 test - EXCLUSIVE
Williams Racing Driver Academy prospect Franco Colapinto made his first outing in F1 machinery during the post-season tyre test at the Yas Marina Circuit.
08:15, Sat, Dec 23, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Williams Racing Driver Academy prospect Franco Colapinto has praised “extremely professional” team principal James Vowles for his impact on both the team and his career. The 20-year-old completed his first-ever F1 outing driving for the Grove-based team in the Abu Dhabi post-season test.

Ahead of Vowles’ arrival from Mercedes over the winter of 2022, Williams Racing finished bottom of the Constructors’ Championship standings with a mere eight points. However, 12 months on, the mood within the team has been bolstered significantly off the back of a seventh-place finish in the standings. Speaking to Express Sport about his experience with Vowles, Colapinto explained:

“It’s incredible. I think he’s extremely professional. He has a lot of experience in Formula One and you can see that very clearly… all the knowledge and all the experience that he brings when you have only a few minutes to talk with him [or] you exchange a few words. It’s incredible what he did with Williams Racing already in only less than one year. And I think the future is bright for Williams Racing. I think it was one of the key things, that James joined the team. It’s amazing how he’s helping us as drivers in F3 and in F2 also in F1."

‘James Vowles impact’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1846811/Franco-Colapinto-Williams-James-Vowles-F1


F1 star branded ‘hot property’ reveals tantrums if Michael Schumacher did not win
22 Dec 2023 8:30 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Alex Albon, branded “hot property” again in F1 by his former Red Bull team boss Christian Horner, opened up on Michael Schumacher’s influence on his childhood, and inspiration for tantrums! When Albon was a young racing fan, Schumacher was dominating the F1 scene, winning five World titles in a row with Ferrari between 2000-04. So strong was this influence on a young Albon that ‘Ferrari’ was one of the first words he learned, or ‘Rari’ to more accurately reflect his version.

“I was an obsessed kid when I was growing up,” said Albon on the High Performance Podcast. “One of my first words was ‘Ferrari’, which I would call ‘Rari’. It was Ferrari and then exhausts – I loved seeing four tailpipes – which were ‘smokes’. So I always used to shout out ‘smokes’ or ‘Rari’.”

“I was a massive Michael Schumacher fan, used to throw the biggest tantrums as a kid if Michael didn’t win. My mum used to have a VHS of like 2001 Formula 1 highlights review and I knew all the races that he won that year, so as soon as I would have an off or a bad day or whatever, that was straight in, playing a Michael win.”

‘Smokes’ or ‘Rari’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/alex-albon-tantrums-no-michael-schumacher-win


Albon names biggest 'missed opportunity' from F1 season
20 December 2:20PM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

While the results went in Williams' favour at times this year, it was often due to its strong straight-line speed that made it difficult to be overtaken. “I'm very proud of what we've achieved at the team,” Albon told media including RacingNews365. “I think about the races that we've scored points in.”

“We haven't had a smooth race where we've just gone ‘Well, that was that was nice’. I wish we had more of them but unfortunately, a lot of them are holding up a bunch of cars behind us, which is what we've become renowned for.”

“The car has improved a lot from last year. We’re going into every weekend feeling like there's a chance to score points. “But even in that case our race pace is not always that great. And yet you still come away with points.”

'Missed opportunity';

https://racingnews365.com/albon-names-biggest-missed-opportunity-from-f1-season


Williams and Sauber opt for same day 2024 car launch
22/12/2023 at 18:12
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Williams and Sauber have announced that they will pull the covers off their 2024 F1 contenders at season launch events to be held on February 5. The two teams took to social media late on Friday to share with fans their “save the date” happenings.

Williams - whose line-up will consist once again of Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant - offered no details about its launch, whether it would showcase its genuine 2024 car or renders of its charger as has been the case in the past.

‘February 5, 2024’;

https://f1i.com/news/496921-williams-and-sauber-opt-for-same-day-2024-car-launch.html

[Fortitude]

Talking Points: Just what exactly is Haas doing in F1?
With teams lining up to get into F1, there's an inescapable vacuum on the current grid in the shape of Haas, this year's proud winners of the constructors' championship wooden spoon.
10:31, 27th Dec. 2023
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

When Haas originally entered Formula 1 in 2016, it had a plan. For many years the running joke in the sport was that the only way to make a small fortune in F1 was to start with a large one and watch it rapidly drain away. But Gene Haas felt that his experience in NASCAR would help him bring in some American "co-do" spirit by innovating the way that constructors operated.

He came up with a new strategy of working closely with partners in the sport such as Ferrari, which would allow Haas to cut the cost of developing their own car. The team could get up to speed quicker without paying a fortune for the design of every specialist nut and bolt required. And the plan got off to a good start, with Haas finishing their maiden season in eighth ahead of the likes of Renault, Sauber and Manor.

Does Haas have a plan for success - or an exit strategy? Let's be clear, there was definite sense in not wanting to throw good money after bad and opting instead to batten down the hatches for a year; but it's unusual for any sporting franchise in a major championship to simply give up altogether before the season even starts. Haas duly got what it deserved at the end of 2021: they finished dead last having not scored a single point. But at least their plans were now well set for the following year when the new rules came in. Right?

‘Haas F1: The only way to make a small fortune in F1 was to start with a large one’;

https://f1i.com/magazine/496858-talking-points-just-what-exactly-is-haas-doing-in-f1.html/2


F1 team has "little hope" for 2024 as Sky Sports pundit says they're "flying blind"
Haas finished bottom of the pile as they struggled throughout the season, scoring points on just four occasions, with a former driver pessimistic about their future prospectd
13:01, 26 Dec 2023
By Samuel Meade Sports Brand Writer
The Mirror

Haas finished bottom of the pile as they struggled throughout the season, scoring points on just four occasions, with a former driver pessimistic about their future prospects. Haas are on the "wrong path" after a season that saw them finish bottom of the constructors' championship.

The American outfit scored just 12 points in the recent campaign after finishing in the top ten just four times. Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen, who were axed as the team's line-up before returning in recent years, struggled to find any performance from the package provided.

The former F1 driver, Timo Glock, told Sky Germany : “The worst case scenario at Haas is that the new car with the upgrade is slower than the old car that Nico Hulkenberg had in this race. That shows that the entire team is on that is the wrong path. That gives little hope for next year and makes it difficult to understand why we saw such good data in the wind tunnel. As a team, you are flying blind. The question is what is Guenther Steiner’s idea to get out again. It will be a mammoth task in the first six months.”

‘Haas F1: "Flying blind"!;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/haas-season-struggles-magnussen-hulkenberg-31750416


Gene Haas risks wasting a billion-dollar chance for his F1 team
Dec 24, 2023
by Edd Straw
The Race

There’s never been a better time to own a Formula 1 team, but as the good times roll in Haas is in danger of missing out thanks to underinvestment that risks making it forever the poor relation on the grid. It’s time for owner Gene Haas either to put up, by maximising the allowed investment in the team, or get out by selling on to someone who will.

There is, of course, a middle way whereby a minority stake can be sold to raise funds for the necessary spending. Alpine, for example, sold 24% of its F1 team to an investment group but retains control. But the point is that Haas has a fantastic opportunity and risks squandering it. It’s easy to criticise Haas given its poor on-track performance in 2023, but that’s not the main symptom of the problem.

It’s not just F1’s popularity that’s driving the talk of multi-billion-dollar teams. The prevailing financial conditions, notably the cost cap, set at a baseline of $135m per season, and the more equitable distribution of the slice of F1’s revenue shared by the teams means the economic foundations are better than they have been for decades - perhaps ever given the potential rewards on offer. The conditions are therefore perfect for Haas.

‘Wasting a billion-dollar chance’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/gene-haas-risks-wasting-a-billion-dollar-chance-for-his-f1-team/


Haas reliant on Ferrari 2024 package to make progress
December 26, 2023
By: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Guenther Steiner is hopeful that Ferrari can challenge Red Bull next season, since it would help drag Haas up the field in 2024. In the last few teams, AlphaTauri and Red Bull’s relationship has been highly scrutinised. However, they aren’t the only teams with close ties. Over the last few years, Haas and Ferrari have worked relatively closely in terms of their development.

As a team with limited budgets and resources, Haas lacks the ability to match the expenditure of rivals. The last twelve months have, once again, exposed their inability to compete in the development war. Although Guenther Steiner claims that finances weren’t a limiting factor last season, it is difficult to overlook their mid-season form.

The Haas team principal’s recent comments to Sky F1 are still indicative of a clear ceiling:
“I think somebody will challenge Red Bull and Max next year… I hope [it is] Charles because it means they get a good package – and we then have a good package. We are a bit self-centered,” joked the Haas team principal.”

‘Haas reliant on Ferrari 2024 package’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2023/12/26/haas-reliant-on-ferrari-2024-package-to-make-progress/


Christmas lunch with Haas team principal Guenther Steiner!
09:02 Mon, 25 Dec 2023.
Sky Sports

Sky Sports' Craig Slater met with Haas team principal Guenther Steiner for Christmas lunch to chat all things Formula 1 next season.

‘Guenther Steiner for Christmas lunch’;

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/13037320/christmas-lunch-with-haas-team-principle-guenther-steiner


Guenther Steiner warns of 2024 driver market changes
December 22, 2023
By: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Guenther Steiner has seen numerous driver changes at Haas in recent years, and he predicts another volatile F1 driver market in 2024. The last twelve months have seen relatively minimal changes in the F1 grid – aside from a series of swaps AlphaTauri. However, next season will potentially see numerous changes across the field.

Formula 2 grid is being filled with highly talented youngsters. Among them is Oliver Bearman, who completed FP1 for Haas in Mexico and Abu Dhabi. In both these sessions, the 18-year-old was within a few tenths of Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen. If the British driver can produce a strong campaign in F2, it seems plausible Ferrari will push for his entry into F1. The most logical destination would be at Haas F1 Team.

Although Guenther Steiner doesn’t directly state Bearman is under consideration, his recent comments indicate changes are possible: “We all know what is happening in the market,” he told SpeedCafe. “At some stage, we will have new drivers coming into Formula 1 – because some are getting on in their careers. So you’re always thinking and seeing what is happening. You keep an eye [on it], but it’s too early to make decisions.”

‘2024 driver market changes’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2023/12/22/f1-news-guenther-steiner-warns-of-2024-driver-market-changes/


Steiner expecting early moves in 2024 with driver market wide open
Haas boss Guenther Steiner sees quick moves being made in the 2024 F1 driver transfer market
22 December 2023
by Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Haas team principal Guenther Steiner is fully expecting early moves to be made in what will be a wide-open F1 driver transfer market in 2024. For the first time in F1 history, with Williams recently retaining Logan Sargeant to complete next year’s line-up, the grid is unchanged from one season to the next.

From 2024 into 2025, however, there could be major changes as only five drivers have a guaranteed contract beyond next year – Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, and McLaren pair Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. It is widely expected Ferrari will retain Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, leaving 13 seats available, with the most high-profile being who will partner Verstappen in ’25.

Although advantageous to make an early move, Steiner knows that comes with a price tag, meaning it may be better to wait, albeit with the flip side being quality drivers will be in short supply. “We all know what is happening with the driver market,” said Steiner, whose drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen will be out of contract at the end of next season. “In 2025 it opens up. At some stage, we will have new drivers coming into Formula 1 because some are getting on in their careers.”

‘Guenther Steiner sees quick moves being made in 2024’;

https://speedcafe.com/guenther-steiner-haas-f1-driver-market-2024/

[Fortitude]

New AlphaTauri name still under wraps as FIA publishes 2024 F1 entry list.
The AlphaTauri Formula 1 team has kept its new name under wraps by appearing on the initial 2024 FIA entry list in its current guise.
UPDATEDDEC 15, 2023, 4:09 PM
AUTHORAdam Cooper
Motorsport.com

After four seasons as AlphaTauri, the Faenza team is moving on from its current name – with Racing Bulls widely tipped as the new choice – but it is not planning any further announcement until next year.
However, speaking to Motorsport.com last month, CEO Peter Bayer gave some insight into its plans.

"The identity will be generic," he said. "The identity is what Toro Rosso would have been, and it's moving closer to the Red Bull family again. But then it will appear with the naming rights partners.”

"We will change the company name, we will change identity, logo, everything, a complete relaunch, complete rebrand. The name of the team, the identity, has been decided by the shareholders. And I need to carry it with me without being able to share, which is very difficult!"

‘Name still under wraps’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/new-alphatauri-name-still-under-wraps-as-fia-publishes-2024-f1-entry/10558122/


AlphaTauri’s new F1 2024 name shrouded in mystery as FIA publish entry list
15 Dec 2023 9:43 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

AlphaTauri’s new identity for the F1 2024 season remains shrouded in mystery with only a slight change present on the FIA’s entry list on Friday. As it stands, the team will be known as Scuderia AlphaTauri RB next year – but that may be subject to change before the start of the F1 2024 campaign.

In an exclusive interview with PlanetF1.com’s Thomas Maher during the F1 2023 season, the AlphaTauri team’s chief executive Peter Bayer explained why Red Bull were considering a new look for next year. He said: “AlphaTauri is a clothing brand, which is owned by Red Bull. They’re currently re-evaluating where they want to take the clothing brand, and how they strategically want to position it, which is why that whole discussion came about.”

‘Shrouded in mystery’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/alphatauri-new-name-red-bull-f1-2024-entry-list


Why AlphaTauri is on the FIA entry list with its 'old' name
15 December 6:00PM
Author Pepijn van der Hulst
Co-author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

AlphaTauri experienced a tumultuous Formula 1 campaign this year, from Nyck de Vries being replaced by Daniel Ricciardo just before the summer break to team boss Franz Tost announcing his retirement. Another major change that was confirmed during the campaign was the decision to leave behind the AlphaTauri name and compete under a new moniker for the 2024 season.

As of yet, it is not 100 per cent known what the name will be and the FIA's entry list has not offered a definitive answer. Ricciardo and team-mate Yuki Tsunoda will drive for the team currently listed as Scuderia AlphaTauri RB in 2024, but it raises questions as to why the official new name is not yet known. In any case, the letters RB may well refer to its parent owner: Red Bull.

RacingNews365 reported in August that Hugo Boss was in the running for a possible title sponsorship, after which the Racing Bulls name also circulated through the paddock as a rumour. Confirmation of a new guise did not come, although several names were registered. Racing Bulls was one of them. The process of finding a new title sponsor has been quite arduous.

‘Tumultuous Formula 1 campaign’;

https://racingnews365.com/why-alphatauri-is-on-the-fia-entry-list-with-the-old-name


Talking Points: Were AlphaTauri right to eject de Vries?
26/12/2023 at 10:30
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

No time to waste on drivers who don't deliver. AlphaTauri has long been criticised for the way it throws drivers out the minute they're perceived to be struggling. They did it again this season with the early exit of Nyck de Vries. Were they justified in dropping the former Formula E champion, or was it a mistake to bring him on board in the first place?

Only one team on the 2023 grid fielded more than two drivers all season, and that was AlphaTauri. It's symptomatic of how the squad has treated its drivers right back to its days as Toro Rosso: as soon as Helmut Marko decides that someone isn't up to the standards required by Red Bull, it's time to usher them to the exit with all due haste and make way for someone who might be.

Was that too soon to make a ruling on whether de Vries should stay in the seat? At the time Williams' Logan Sargeant was also scoreless while McLaren's Oscar Piastri - the third of the three rookies - was on 17 points. Sargeant not only survived but was kept on for 2024, while Piastri blossomed into a sprint race winner. So why cull de Vries? In terms of how the season unfolded from there, AlphaTauri picked up eight points from de Vries' successors Daniel Ricciardo and Liam Lawson and finished the season P8 in the final constructors standings. But that would still have been case even if de Vries had been allowed to see out a full season without scoring.

‘Was that too soon to make a ruling?’;

https://f1i.com/magazine/496868-talking-points-were-alphatauri-right-to-eject-de-vries.html/2


Liam Lawson most likely F1 return date revealed
December 25, 2023
By: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Liam Lawson was a revelation this year, but several factors meant he wasn’t awarded a 2024 contract. However, his F1 hopes are very much alive. Few drivers have made their F1 debuts in more difficult circumstances than Liam Lawson. After Daniel Ricciardo sustained an injury during Zandvoort Practice, the 22-year-old was called upon as a last-minute replacement.

Not only was Lawson’s preparation virtually non-existent, but wet conditions affected qualifying and the race in The Netherlands. Under these circumstances, even the most experienced drivers would be susceptible to mistakes – let alone a debutant. Despite the rain, the Kiwi demonstrated immense composure – avoiding any mistakes and bringing the car home. In subsequent race weekends, Lawson went from strength to strength.

This expectation was partly created by Franz Tost, who made these comments earlier this year:
“Liam did a fantastic job with us because we must not forget the circumstances when he, for the first time, drove in Zandvoort for us. He wasn’t prepared for this. He just had to jump into the car. It was raining, he had to use full wet tyres… and he did everything without any mistake… He deserves a seat in Formula 1, and I expect him, at least in 2025, to be in F1.”

‘The Kiwi demonstrated immense composure’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2023/12/25/liam-lawson-most-likely-f1-return-date-is-revealed/


Christian Horner pinpoints vital Daniel Ricciardo trait which has boosted AlphaTauri
24 Dec 2023
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Christian Horner has detailed the key skill which Daniel Ricciardo brought to AlphaTauri to boost the team. “He put some engineering direction into the team with the experience he had and that really benefited the AlphaTauri team,” Red Bull team principal Horner told the Sky F1 podcast.

“It’s great to see Daniel back in F1. It’s something that I was very keen to bring him back into the fold over the winter. When he came to us, you could see he was pretty much done with F1, he wasn’t enjoying it, but slowly that smile came back, that energy came back, and certainly the test in Silverstone for us was truly impressive.”

‘Engineering direction into the team’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1042694/1/horner-pinpoints-vital-ricciardo-trait-which-has-boosted-alphatauri

[Fortitude]

Sauber to run under Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber in next two F1 seasons.
As FIA has published 2024 F1 entry, it has emerged that the Swiss -based outfit Sauber will run under the name 'Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber' for the 2024 and 2025 F1 seasons.
11:48 Fri, 15 Dec 2023
By Balazs Szabo on 15 Dec 2023, 14:46
F1 Technical

Alfa Romeo's partnership with Sauber Motorsport came to a close at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and the team has started its transition into Audi's factory team. However, the Audi name will only appear in 2026 when the German team fully takes over the Hinwil-based squad.

Sauber has confirmed that online gambling firm Stake will continue as title sponsor next season, while in addition streaming company Kick.com has stepped up its involvement and acquired the naming rights to the chassis. Kick.com’s branding has already appeared prominently on the bodywork of the F1 Team’s C43 at selected races this year, having been announced as a Major Partner at the start of the 2023 F1 season.

Sauber will race with an unchanged driver line-up next season as former Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas and the sport's first-ever Chinese racer Zhou Guanyu are set to drive for the team for the third consecutive time.

'Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber';

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24332


F1 News: Sauber expected to reveal shock livery in 2024
December 23, 2023
By: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Sauber is undergoing a significant rebrand for the 2024 season, and their next steps are set to make waves in F1 news headlines. Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu have described their first impressions of next season’s car as aggressive. Then again, these comments cannot looked at too heavily.

There is no guarantee that a radical design will reverse the team’s current trajectory. That aside, F1 drivers are almost universally possible during the off-season. After all, a pessimistic outlook during the winter break would negatively impact morale at the factory.

For the upcoming 2024 campaign, a different colour scheme is expected. This is fairly routine when a new title sponsor arrives. Some F1 news outlets hypothesise a green livery (consistent with Kick’s lime-green logo) to make its debut.

‘Shock livery in 2024’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2023/12/23/f1-news-sauber-expected-to-reveal-shock-livery-in-2024/


Key: “Immensely tight grid” a reason for optimism at Sauber.
PUBLISHEDDEC 27, 2023, 1:30 PM
AUTHORAdam Cooper
Motorsport.com

Sauber Formula 1 technical director James Key says that an “immensely tight grid” in 2023 gives him cause for optimism regarding the team’s prospects for next year.

In its final season under the Alfa Romeo name, the Swiss outfit slipped from sixth to ninth in the constructors' standings after a difficult season with the C43.

However, in the background the team has been building towards the arrival of Audi in 2026, with the hiring of former McLaren man Key one of the most visible signs of progress.

“Immensely tight grid”;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/key-immensely-tight-grid-a-reason-for-optimism-at-sauber/10560932/


Sauber F1 team teases another name change after fan backlash to FIA announcement
The Sauber F1 team previously branded as Alfa Romeo has already gone through one major name change in the last week, but it seems another is coming in the New Year
18:01 Tue, 19 Dec 2023.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Perhaps in response to that reaction, the team is planning another change of guise. In a surprise social media statement on Tuesday, Sauber - still using the Alfa Romeo branding on their accounts - hinted at another announcement on January 1st. The statement, which followed the kicker: "If you think you already know, think again..." read: "It seems our recently released team name has been getting a lot of attention...”

"While we're not ready to unveil the final results yet, we are aware of what's at stake. Rest assured, we're on a mission to unleash the most exciting team identity this team has ever seen. Gone are the days of the short and sweet. We're cooking up a feast. Whatever guise in which the team begins the 2024 season, it will only be a temporary identity. From the 2026 season, the Sauber outfit will transform fully into the Audi works team as the German carmaker makes its official entry into F1.”

Team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi has previously explained why Audi are waiting for another two years before making their grand entrance. He said: "It's not a limbo period - we build our future here and now, it's not that there is a separation between the Sauber period and the Audi period.”

‘Another announcement on January 1st’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/sauber-new-name-january-2024-31711363


Kick expands Sauber F1 deal, joins Stake.com in team name
December 15, 2023
Williams
Sport Business

The Sauber-owned Formula 1 team has expanded its association with streaming platform Kick to integrate the brand within its team name from the 2024 season.

‘Kick expands Sauber F1 deal’;

https://www.sportbusiness.com/news/kick-expands-sauber-f1-deal-joins-stake-com-in-team-name/


Sauber recruitment drive will continue ahead of Audi F1 entry
Sauber managing director and team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi says that the Hinwil outfit will continue to expand its headcount ahead of Audi's Formula 1 entry in 2026.
DEC 26, 2023, 7:50 AM
AUTHOR Adam Cooper
Motorsport.com

After a financial squeeze led to downsizing, the team employed just 220 people prior to the takeover by Finn Rausing in 2017. With new investment in place, the team grew in subsequent years under the Alfa Romeo name, and by this season the headcount had more than doubled on Rausing’s watch.

The expansion process received extra momentum when Audi’s takeover was confirmed in August 2022, although many of those who have been signed up remained tied to rivals via gardening leave. Alunni Bravi stressed that finding the right people was the priority ahead of building up the facilities for them to use.

"We have undertaken an important recruitment plan,” he said. “Of course, the result of the plan will be more visible in the next few years, because with every new appointment normally you have a gardening leave period to join a competitor. So we started with the recruitment. Of course, we will ramp up our structure, both in terms of head counts, in terms of technology, in the next few years because all the investment that needs to be made and put in place requires also a bit of time.

‘The right people was the priority’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/sauber-recruitment-drive-will-continue-ahead-of-audi-f1-entry/10560129/

[Fortitude]

Every F1 2024 launch date so far.
Formula 1's traditional launch season is again set to take place in February, when the teams will unveil their challengers ahead of the February 21-23 pre-season test and the March 2 season opener - both in Bahrain.
18:25 Fri, 22 Dec 2023.
The Race

It will be the each of the 10 teams' third car under the current regulations cycle, which runs until the end of 2025. This page will be updated as teams make their launch plans public.

‘Every F1 2024 launch date’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/every-f1-2024-launch-date-so-far/


Ferrari become first F1 team to reveal launch date of 2024 car
18 Dec 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Ferrari are the first F1 team to reveal the launch date of their 2024 challenger. Dubbed the Ferrari 676, their all-new car will be revealed to the world on February 13 at a media event in Maranello.

“The launch will take place on the 13th of February, the day before the Valentine's Day,” Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur said. “You will see the rest [of the details] on that day. Why? Because we will have one day more before the test.”

“No, it's quite tight, more seriously. We have the test a bit before and it's quite a challenge to put everything together. It means that we had no other option. I think also that some other teams are doing it on the 14th, but it's quite challenging to be all ready for Bahrain.”

‘Ferrari become first F1 team to reveal launch’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1042808/1/ferrari-become-first-f1-team-reveal-launch-date-2024-car


[B]First F1 2024 car launch revealed as FIA want unannounced visits – F1 news round-up
17 Dec 2023 10:00 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Sunday’s F1 news has the first F1 car launch date revealed, while the FIA is aiming to scare some F1 teams by showing up unannounced. Ferrari is the first team to announce their car launch date for 2024, with February 13th as the unveiling date for the unnamed machine.

Why did the team push a day earlier for next season? “We will have one day more before the test!” Vasseur explained. “It means we had no other option I think also, but some other teams are doing it also on the 14th. It’s quite challenging to be ready for Bahrain.”

‘First F1 2024 car launch’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-news-round-up-first-f1-2024-car-launch-date-fia-factory-surprise-visits


F1 team confirm bold early launch for new 2024 car
Saturday 23 December 2023 13:57 - Updated: 15:02
Sam Cook
GPFans

Williams have provided us with a release date for their new 2024 car, with a rather early launch date of February 5 causing some surprise. After Ferrari announced last week that they will be releasing their car to the world on February 13, they said that they believed their rivals will all be scrambling for that same week, with pre-season testing starting on February 21.

However, Williams have disproven that theory, going a full eight days earlier, with a car that James Vowles previously said they had sacrificed the end of the 2023 season for.

Off the back of a successful first season for Vowles as team principal of the Grove-based outfit, they have told fans to 'save the date' for the launch of a design that they hope can bring them closer to the top five in the constructors' championship.

‘Bold early launch for new 2024 car’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1010097/williams-f1-2024-car-reveal-early-launch-date/


Sauber becomes third team to unveil 2024 F1 launch plans
22 December 7:36PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Sauber has committed to a 2024 season launch on February 5th - the same day as Williams. The team has undergone a name change after the departure of Alfa Romeo with the name officially being 'Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber' after two sponsors, but the team has hinted further changes could be made on January 1st 2024.

In a post on social media, the team, which will become Audi in 2026 revealed its season launch plans will be on February 5th. Team Representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi previously indicated that this would be in the United Kingdom due to close links with a new sponsor, for the first time ever for the team, with the team confirming the C44 will be unveiled in London.

Drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu have been kept on for 2024 - with the unveiling set to take place on the same day as Williams' season launch, which was also announced on December 22nd.

‘Third team to unveil 2024 F1 launch’;

https://racingnews365.com/sauber-becomes-third-team-to-unveil-2024-f1-launch-plans


Mercedes chief addresses controversial F1 design ahead of 2024 car launch
Monday 18 December 2023 13:57
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans

Mercedes technical director James Allison has denied that the team's zeropod concept was solely to blame for their lack of competitiveness in 2023. A collective holding of breath was felt around the paddock when the Silver Arrows unveiled their new-look design in 2022.

Wheeling out a car that appeared to be without sidepods, playfully dubbed a 'zeropod' concept, was an all or nothing play for Mercedes. Unfortunately for Toto Wolff and the rest of the team, it proved to be the latter, with the concept eventually ditched in its entirety during the 2023 season.

‘Ditched in its entirety’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1009823/mercedes-2024-f1-car-launch-w15-design-zeropods-james-allison/

[Fortitude]

Mick Schumacher shown route back to F1 grid as team boss admits 'opportunity' to return.
Mick Schumacher has a "very good opportunity" to work his way back onto the Formula 1 grid, according to Toto Wolff.
11:45 Fri, 22 Dec2023.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Mick Schumacher spent 2023 as a Mercedes reserve having lost his Haas seat and hoped to use it to find a place on the grid next year, but no changes materialised for him. Facing a second year off the grid, young Schumacher decided he needed to get back to racing. So he has signed with Alpine for the French manufacturer's upcoming World Endurance Championship season. He'll also remain a reserve for Mercedes.

Wolff, who has been pleased with the 24-year-old's work in that role, has always spoken highly of the young driver. Referring to Schumacher's 2024 plans, he suggested the opportunity is there for him to prove he has what it takes to cut the mustard back in F1.

"I think him going into WEC, which is a world championship with a constructor, with Alpine, is a very good opportunity for him," he said in a Mercedes end-of-season video. "I believe he's going to do a perfect job and it keeps him sharp, racing, and maybe coming back into Formula 1."

‘Route back to F1 grid’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/mick-schumacher-2025-f1-mercedes-31733182


Learning how to collaborate a 'step forward' for Schumacher
23/12/2023 at 09:39
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Mick Schumacher says that his year serving as Mercedes' official reserve driver has taught him the importance of sharing information and collaboration within the team, resulting in a big step forward in his own career development.

“As a driver, I now know much more what I want from my team around me,” Schumacher told the media last month at Abu Dhabi. "What I feel I'm worth, and what I can bring to a team. “Obviously going into my first year in F1 [with Haas] it was kind of hard to know exactly what should be my position and how far can I go with my comments and everything," Formula1.com quoted him as saying.

"Having worked with Lewis and George for a year now, I kind of know how high the bar is set and how far I can go, and I have no problem sharing my information in the future. Lots of drivers in F1 are usually selfish,” Schumacher said. “I think in F1 there would be a lot of people that would benefit from it, if both drivers were working together.”

‘Learning how to collaborate’;

https://f1i.com/news/496939-learning-how-to-collaborate-a-step-forward-for-schumacher.html


Michael Schumacher’s brother issues update about F1 legend's health
11:08 Wed, 27 Dec 2023.
Marcus Chan
SPORTbible

Michael Schumacher’s brother, Ralf, has given an update on the Formula 1 legend’s health. Back in December 2013, Michael suffered life-changing injuries after being involved in a skiing accident.

The seven-time F1 world champion was placed into a medically induced coma but came around in 2014. Since then, details about the former Ferrari and Mercedes driver’s health have been kept secret.

‘Michael Schumacher’s brother issues update’;

https://www.sportbible.com/f1/michael-schumacher-health-update-f1-news-663271-20231227


Michael Schumacher: Damon Hill marks anniversary of accident with heartbreaking admission
December 29 will mark the 10-year anniversary of the skiing accident which left Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher seriously injured and requiring constant medical care
• 17:16, 28 Dec 2023
By Matthew Cooper Sports Writer
The Mirror

Michael Schumacher's former rival Damon Hill has paid tribute to the Formula 1 legend, who suffered a life-changing brain injury while skiing a decade ago. Speaking to the PA news agency, Hill said: "It is a terrible tragedy. This is not how you want anyone to end up. It makes you treasure every day and be thankful for your good fortune. I think about his family. It is so hard for them."

‘Heartbreaking admission’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/michael-schumacher-accident-damon-hill-31763534


Michael Schumacher's former Ferrari team-mate reveals how long-suffering wife Corinna polices who can visit the stricken Formula One legend, 10 years on from his tragic skiing accident
Published: 07:55, 28 December 2023
By Oli Gamp For Mailonline
Mail Online

Luca Badoer said, via the Sun: 'Only a few people are allowed to visit. Corinna decides who is allowed to see him. 'The family wants to maintain a sort of secrecy about this and I respect their will.

Badoer - who is one of the people permitted to visit - added: 'They do all this for the good of Michael.' Schumacher was withdrawn from the coma early the following year but hasn't been seen in public since with updates as to his well-being few and far between.

‘Corinna polices who can visit’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-12906225/Michael-Schumachers-former-Ferrari-team-mate-reveals-long-suffering-wife-Corinna-polices-visit-stricken-Formula-One-legend-10-years-tragic-skiing-accident.html


Footage shows moment Michael Schumacher is airlifted to hospital after life changing injury
15:19 Wed, 27 Dec 2023
LADbible

Footage captured the moment Michael Schumacher was airlifted to hospital after suffering life-changing injuries in a fall while skiing in 2013. The 54-year-old Formula One legend suffered severe injuries while skiing on December 2013, which led to him being placed in a medically induced coma.

His brother and fellow former F1 driver, Ralf, recently gave an update on Michael's condition, saying 'nothing is like it used to be' following the accident 10 years ago. Schumacher came out of the medically induced coma in 2014, but since then information about how well he is has been scarce, with a lawyer for the family saying details were not released to protect 'private things'.
Felix Damm said releasing a report into Schumacher's health wouldn't have been the end of things, while the F1 legend's wife Corinna said they 'try to carry on as a family as Michael liked it and still does' while accepting an award on his behalf.

‘Footage shows moment Michael Schumacher is airlifted to hospital’;

https://www.ladbible.com/news/sport/michael-schumacher-airlifted-hospital-injury-footage-598066-20231227


Michael Schumacher speaks into a microphone in previously unseen footage from documentary marking 10 years since his tragic skiing accident... but all is not as it seems
Published: 17:13, 28 December 2023
By James Cohen For Mailonline
Mail Online

Previously unseen footage of Michael Schumacher speaking has been revealed as part of a new documentary marking 10 years since his tragic skiing accident. The documentary 'Being Michael Schumacher' - released on ARD on December 28th - the ex-Ferrari driver appears in a blurred shot before he steps into the foreground to a microphone and says 'Now it starts'.

Fans were quick to question when the footage had been shot, with some hoping that it could indicate a marked improvement in the condition of the former F1 champion. However, filmmakers later revealed that the footage was in-fact filmed prior to his accident in 2013.

According to BILD, Andreas Troll, who is responsible for the film, said: 'With the documentary we paint an overall picture of the person and athlete Michael Schumacher. 'We therefore used recordings from the many years in which we reported on him and accompanied him. The two videos are from 2012, so they are not current.”

‘Previously unseen footage of Michael Schumacher speaking’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-12907399/Michael-Schumacher-speaks-microphone-previously-unseen-footage-documentary-marking-10-years-tragic-skiing-accident-not-seems.html


Michael Schumacher's 'Italian mum' says she doesn't speak to family despite hope he returns.
Michael Schumacher's 'Italian mum', who he developed a close relationship with during his time at Ferrari, still hopes he will walk through the door of his restaurant
18:54 Mon, 25 Dec 2023
BY WILL SCHOFIELD SPORTS REPORTER
Daily Star

Michael Schumacher's 'Italian mum' has revealed she doesn't talk to the family anymore - but she still hopes he will walk through her front door. "Every day I look at the front door and hope that he will walk through again and that I will make him tagliatelle al ragu [Schumacher's favourite dish at the restaurant].”

"I can hardly believe that the accident happened ten years ago. In the meantime, I was able to make peace with the situation. I no longer suffer, but remember the beautiful moments." Giannini revealed her "world collapsed" after hearing of Schumacher's accident when skiing the French Alps. The German was placed into a medically-induced coma, which he was later withdrawn from, but his condition has been kept away from the general public.

"World collapsed";

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1/michael-schumachers-italian-mum-says-31748318

[Fortitude]

Damon Hill tells Michael Schumacher's son Mick to 'block everything out and FORGET his father's name' if he is to be a success in Formula One, 10 years on from witnessing tragic skiing accident.
Damon Hill has urged Michael Schumacher's son Mick to 'forget' his father's name a decade on from the tragic skiing accident that changed his family's lives forever.
Published: 08:45, 29 December 2023
By Ben Willcocks For Mailonline
Mail Online

'My father Graham was also world champion. I lost him when I was 15 years old,' Hill told BILD. 'When I heard about Michael's accident and the consequences, I was shocked and horrified. I immediately felt for Mick because your father is the guidance person for you.’

'Mick has to block everything out now. He has to get to the point where he says: "Forget Michael! Forget everything around you! Forget everything that happened! Forget the name Schumacher!"

'During the learning phase, I didn’t have anyone who really had my back. Only fathers can do this in racing - I don't want it to sound discriminatory. They know, because they have been successful in their cars, what they need to teach their sons. And Mick certainly missed that in the crucial years of development as much as I did back then. You need that!'

'Block everything out and FORGET his father's name';

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-12909169/Damon-Hill-offers-advice-Michael-Schumachers-son-Mick.html


Michael Schumacher: Ten years of silence and a health enigma
29/12/2023 at 08:07
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

On December 29, 2013, the world of Formula 1 and beyond was plunged into shock and sorrow as news broke of a horrific skiing accident involving seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher. While enjoying a family ski trip at Meribel in the French Alps, Schumacher collided with a hidden rock, suffering severe head injuries that would forever alter his life. The impact of the accident was immense. Schumacher's helmet was split in two, and he was airlifted to a nearby hospital in critical condition.

Doctors immediately placed him in a medically induced coma to minimize brain swelling, and he underwent two surgeries to stabilize his condition. For the next six months, Schumacher remained in a coma, a period of intense anxiety and uncertainty for his family and fans. While the medical team kept a tight lid on details, reports of his condition were grim. There were fears of irreversible brain damage and the possibility that he might never regain consciousness.

In June 2014, Schumacher's family made the difficult decision to bring him home from the hospital, continuing his rehabilitation at their private residence in Switzerland. But since then, little is known about the German driver’s true condition and health. The Schumacher family has been fiercely protective of their privacy, offering only sporadic and limited updates on Michael’s well-being.

‘Formula 1 and beyond was plunged into shock and sorrow’;

https://f1i.com/news/497125-michael-schumacher-ten-years-of-silence-and-a-health-enigma.html


Michael Schumacher: 10 years on from skiing accident, F1 icon’s stardom still shines bright
A decade since he was last seen in public, the Ferrari legend’s blueprint on F1 and beyond is still plainly evident
07:45, 29th December 2023.
Kieran Jackson Formula One Correspondent
The Independent

In a five-part documentary series aired a fortnight ago exclusively in Germany, the finale to the second episode of Being Michael Schumacher encapsulated quite flawlessly the emotional hold the seven-time Formula One world champion had – and still has – on the sporting world. For we are not in Germany. Nor are we at Monza or Imola, home to Ferrari’s legendary tifosi fanbase. We are in Stavelot, Belgium, five miles away from the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit, deep in the Ardennes Forest.

The show speaks to Gregory Lucassen-Servaty, an F1 fan based in the small municipal town. Asked to reminisce about the German driver, he tells of how Schumacher fans were “more noisy in a good sense… now it’s not the same, it’s different”. Then he precedes to describe Schumacher as his “idol”, before a statement which would be impractical if the memories and records did not support it. “Michael Schumacher is a dream.”

‘F1 icon’s stardom still shines bright’;

https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/michael-schumacher-skiing-accident-crash-now-f1-b2469421.html


Sad update on Michael Schumacher’s recovery as today marks 10 years since life-changing accident
Published 7:26, 29 December 2023 GMT
LADbible

Schumacher was airlifted to hospital in Grenoble and placed in a medically induced coma, which he was later brought out of in 2014. Since then he's been recovering at his home with his family, who have kept details about his condition sparse.

A family lawyer had previously said that a health report about Schumacher's condition was not made public in order to protect 'private matters'. Felix Damm said a final report was considered, but not released to the public as that would not have been the end of interest in his recovery, and there would have been subsequent request for updates anyway. Friends and family have spoken about Schumacher's condition from time to time following his accident.

In Netflix documentary Schumacher his wife Corrina said: "I mean, everybody misses Michael, but Michael is here. "Different, but he's here and that gives us strength, I find. We try to carry on a family as Michael liked it and still does. And we are getting on with our lives. "'Private is private', as he always said. It is very important to me that he can continue to enjoy his private life as much as possible.”

‘10 years since life-changing accident’;

https://www.ladbible.com/news/sport/michael-schumacher-accident-latest-health-830103-20231229


Why Michael Schumacher’s wife Corinna is fighting to keep his condition a secret
December 29, 2023 7:00 am(Updated 8:20 am)
By Kevin Garside
Chief Sports Correspondent
i News

In the decade since a skiing accident in the French resort of Meribel changed the course of Michael Schumacher’s life, the story has become more about the remarkable fortitude and commitment of a loving wife and family. Corinna Schumacher insists on absolute privacy about the details of her husband’s condition, allowing only family members and a few close friends any kind of access. The 10th anniversary of Schumacher’s accident necessarily prompts reflections on the health of a remarkable sportsman, one of the greatest drivers in the history of Formula One.

Such is Corinna’s control, little is known about the quality of life experienced by Schumacher, who was placed in an induced coma after suffering a head trauma and spent weeks in hospital before returning to his home in Switzerland, where, according to German media organisation Bild, a team of up to 15 staff, including doctors and physiotherapists, provide 24-hour care.

It is clear from the testimony of experts, including ex-F1 medical delegate, Gary Hartstein, a clinical professor of anaesthesia and emergency medicine, that Schumacher’s injuries were so profound as to render any kind of meaningful recovery unlikely. Based on his long experience in the field, Hartstein argued that in the absence of significant improvement in the first six months after impact, Schumacher would exist only in a “minimally conscious state”.

‘Remarkable fortitude and commitment of a loving wife and famil’;

https://inews.co.uk/sport/formula-one/michael-schumacher-wife-corinna-condition-secret-2827804?ITO=newsnow


Wild Michael Schumacher partying story shared from classic F1 celebration
29 Dec 2023
F1 Desk
Crash.Net

Michael Schumacher’s “party trick” has been described by Johnny Herbert who reminisced over F1 drivers’ changing habits. Herbert drove in 12 F1 seasons, ending in 2000, and watched Schumacher arrive as a talented kid and grow his legend. Also legendary was how F1 drivers of that era would enjoy themselves.

“Yes, the social side was better in my day,” Herbert told Lucky Block. “The big one we had was in Adelaide after the last race. Everyone went to the same bar or club. Michael would get quite drunk early on. His party trick was to go up to someone and rip their shirt apart with buttons popping everywhere. You knew it was coming!”

“It was an easier thing to do back then. Adelaide was the main blow out. What has changed is the advent of social media. It has changed everything. You can’t go anywhere without being papped. They still have fun now but it has to be more controlled behind closed doors.”

‘Wild Michael Schumacher partying story’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1038386/1/wild-michael-schumacher-partying-story-shared-classic-f1-celebration

[Fortitude]

Michael Schumacher's F1 star son Mick would 'give up everything' to talk racing with Dad.
Mick Schumacher has been "unfairly" deprived of his father's guidance and support during his own racing career.
29th Dec. 2023.13:41
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

A decade has passed since Michael Schumacher crashed while skiing in the French Alps, suffering life-changing injuries from which the seven-time F1 world champion continues to recover.

Young Mick is son of seven-time world champion Michael who supported his son's karting career as a boy. However, he has been unable to do so since suffering life-changing injuries in a skiing accident 10 years ago, which left him needing round-the-clock care.

Clearly, it is a situation Mick has found hard to come to terms with. In 2021, he was emotional as he expressed his sorrow over the situation. "I think dad and me, we would understand each other in a different way now," he said. Michael's old Benetton team-mate Johnny Herbert also understands how difficult it must be for the younger Schumacher. "Mick has said he could always talk to Michael about racing before the accident and that is one of the saddest things for any sportsman," he told Grosvenor Casino.

'Give up everything to talk racing with Dad’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/michael-schumacher-son-mick-f1-31768298


Ralf Schumacher’s emotional comment about Michael Schumacher’s family
29 Dec 2023
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Ralf Schumacher has made an emotional comment about his brother Michael Schumacher. "Unfortunately, sometimes life isn't fair,” Ralf told German magazine Bunte when asked about contact with his brother’s family. We have to accept it.”

While ex-driver Ralf remains in the F1 paddock as a broadcaster for Sky in Germany, Michael’s son Mick Schumacher had two seasons as a full-time driver with Haas. "When I see his children Gina-Maria and Mick, my heart smiles,” Ralf said. “If someone in the family is looking for my advice, I'm there. They go their own way."

‘An emotional comment’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1039887/1/ralf-schumacher-s-emotional-comment-about-michael-schumacher-s-family


Vettel emotional over Schumacher: 'I just miss my friend'
29 December 3:00PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Following the tragic skiing accident in December 2013, Schumacher has not been seen in public life ever since. Vettel recalls the last conversation he had with his friend and former mentor. "The first thoughts were, of course, at the last joint conversation we had," recalls Vettel when speaking to German outlet RTL.

"I told him that I will be a father and what is in store for us." Vettel had a tough spell through his latter years at Ferrari and final two seasons at Aston Martin, believing advice from the seven-time World Champion would have been invaluable. "I just miss my friend. In recent years, he would have been so important. I would have had so many questions and he could certainly have given so many answers or inspirations," said Vettel.

'I just miss my friend';

https://racingnews365.com/vettel-emotional-over-schumacher-i-just-miss-my-friend


Former Schumacher team-mate reveals 'unfortunate' relationship situation
Tuesday 26 December 2023 10:57 - Updated: 11:01
Cal Gaunt
GPFans

Statements from individuals like former Ferrari chief Jean Todt and Schumacher's ex-manager Willi Weber have conveyed the challenges and changes the racing icon has faced since the accident.

'Unfortunate relationship situation’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1010142/michael-schumacher-corinna-willi-weber-f1-relationship-mick/


Inside Michael Schumacher's 10-year health mystery - 'surgeries, non-verbal and glimmer of hope'
Formula One icon Michael Schumacher suffered life-changing injuries in a catastrophic skiing crash 10 years ago today - and since then his family have been dedicated to his recovery
11:47, 29th Dec. 2023.
By Frances Kindon Features Editor
Saffron Otter Assistant Features Editor
The Mirror

When the crash happened, Schumacher's helmet absorbed much of the force, but the severity of the impact cracked the shell and fractured his skull, leading to a brain injury. He was quickly transported to hospital by air ambulance and medics carried out two life-saving surgeries to reduce pressure on the brain.

Late in 2014, fellow former racing driver Philippe Streiff said Michael was paralysed and used a wheelchair - although it's unclear if this is still the case. Philippe, a good friend of Michael's who also uses a wheelchair after a racing accident, said: "He is getting better but everything is relative. It's very difficult. He can't speak. Like me, he is in a wheelchair paralysed. He has memory problems and speech problems."

And ex-Ferrari boss Jean Todt said that his miraculous survival was the result of Corinna's steely determination - but that it had come at a price. He told Bild: 'I've spent a lot of time with Corinna since Michael had his serious skiing accident on December 29, 2013. She is a great woman and runs the family. She hadn't expected that. It happened suddenly and she had no choice. But she does it very well. I trust her, she trusts me. Thanks to the work of his doctors and the cooperation of Corinna, who wanted him to survive, he survived - but with consequences."

‘His family have been dedicated to his recovery’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/michael-schumacher-now-formula1-health-31766475


‘Friend' of Michael Schumacher tried to sell leaked picture of F1 legend for €1m.
Published 15:44, 29 December 2023 GMT
Ryan Smart
SPORTbible

German prosecutors were once forced to intervene after a 'friend' of Michael Schumacher attempted to sell a photo of the F1 legend following his skiing incident.

The Sun reported in 2016, that an unnamed 'friend' had been granted access to Schumacher's house, before taking a picture of the F1 legend. It was alleged that the photo was offered to European media groups, for a price of €1 million.

German prosecutors determined both the photograph and its attempted sale a 'violation of his personal range of life' and 'breach of privacy'. The image did not surface. It was claimed that an investigation was launched at the time, although there were later claims that it had been put on hold.

‘German prosecutors were once forced to intervene’;

https://www.sportbible.com/f1/michael-schumacher-f1-ski-accident-health-335883-20231229

[Fortitude]

Schumacher will prioritise F1 if Mercedes call-up clashes with Alpine WEC duties.
Mick Schumacher returns to racing next year as part of Alpine’s World Endurance Championship line-up, but he will continue as Mercedes’ reserve driver in Formula 1 and if he is needed there then that will take priority.
28th December 2023, 0:01
Written by Ida Wood
RaceFans

Bruno Famin, who is vice-president of Alpine Motorsport, said “the contract is clear, the agreement with Mick is clear, if he has the opportunity to drive in F1 to replace George [Russell] or Lewis [Hamilton], he will go to F1,” in an interview.

The 2024 F1 and WEC seasons start on the same date, and in neighbouring countries in the form of Bahrain and Qatar, then four of WEC’s remaining seven rounds also clash with F1 races. Should Schumacher therefore need to be called up to F1, Alpine will need to have a reserve driver ready to drive their A424 hypercar on five weekends.

“A reserve driver will be known in due time,” added Famin. “We will have one. From among the Alpine Endurance family if we have a problem, we will find easily a reserve driver.”

‘Schumacher will prioritise F1’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/12/28/racefans-round-up-28-12-6/


Alpine reveal Mick Schumacher plans: “He is underestimated”
December 24, 2023
By: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Having spent this year as a Mercedes reserve driver, the German driver will race competitively once again. He will race in the World Endurance Championship with Alpine.

Only recently, Toto Wolff described this as a chance for Schumacher to make himself a contender to return to F1. Whilst this is more an optimistic hope than a realistic assessment, it would be unfair to dismiss the 24-year-old’s chances.

Speaking with dailysportscar, Alpine’s Bruno Famin expressed his admiration for Mick Schumacher: “I’m convinced that in Formula 1, he is underestimated. Because I think he’s a very good driver, a very fast driver. Don’t forget he has been the Formula Two Champion and Formula Three champion. He has a lot of very good skills. Having the opportunity to have such a fast and good driver, I don’t see why we would have missed it.”

“He is underestimated”;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2023/12/24/alpine-reveal-mick-schumacher-plans-he-is-underestimated/


Michael Schumacher's F1 brother Ralf gives groundbreaking new insight on his condition as 'modern medicine has made it possible to do some things', 10 years to the day since skiing accident
Published: 08:34, 29 December 2023
By Adam Shergold for MailOnline
Mail Online

Michael's younger brother Ralf, 48, who was also an F1 driver, told German newspaper Bild this week that 'nothing is like before.' He added: 'I miss my Michael from back then. Life is sometimes unfair. Michael had been lucky many times in his life, but then the tragic accident happened. 'Fortunately, modern medicine has made it possible to do some things.'

Reflecting on how the Schumachers have dealt with Michael's devastating skiing crash, Ralf said: 'It has been a significant experience for me but, of course, even more so for his children.' Ralf concluded: 'Life is unfair at times. That day held a lot of bad luck. This fate has changed our family.'

‘Groundbreaking new insight’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-12909167/Michael-Schumachers-F1-brother-Ralf-gives-groundbreaking-new-insight-condition-modern-medicine-possible-things-10-years-day-skiing-accident.html


‘When I think of Michael now, I don’t have hope’ – How family and friends are coping, ten years on from Schumacher’s horror ski crash
30th Dec. 2023, 02:40
Oliver Brown of The Telegraph
The Irish Independent

It is a landmark of almost impossible bleakness. December 29, 2023: the date signals 10 years since Michael Schumacher, Formula One’s once-insuperable idol, struck his head on a rock descending the Combe de Saulire above Meribel in the French Alps. He has not been seen in public since.

All the waves of public sympathy have washed up against the wall of omerta demanded by his wife, Corinna. As such, the closing of this darkest of decades will go unacknowledged by his family, with their overwhelming silence negating the faintest hope for his recovery from brain injury.

‘When I think of Michael now, I don’t have hope’;

https://www.independent.ie/world-news/europe/when-i-think-of-michael-now-i-dont-have-hope-how-family-and-friends-are-coping-ten-years-on-from-schumachers-horror-ski-crash/a354069477.html


Ten years after Michael Schumacher's ski crash, silence only adds to ghoulish fascination
11:15, Dec 30 2023
Oliver Brown of The Telegraph
Stuff

The secrecy has served only to heighten the ghoulish fascination with his condition. Earlier this year, Die Aktuelle, a women’s weekly magazine in Germany, screamed on its cover: “Schumacher – the first interview!” It seemed, given Corinna’s scrupulous refusal since 2013 to shed any light on Michael’s health, an unlikely claim. Sure enough, the alleged interview turned out to have been generated by Artificial Intelligence. The family threatened legal action, and the editor was sacked.

But still the appetite for an update is insatiable. This week, a headline in Bild declares: “New Schumi documentary leaves fans guessing.” Attaching a blurry still of Schumacher beside a microphone, the story asks breathlessly: “When was the scene filmed? Is there reason for his supporters to hope?” Not on this evidence. Andreas Troll, director of the five-part ARD series released on Thursday night, reveals that the footage was shot in 2012, a year before the fateful skiing accident.

This preying on people’s morbid curiosity can be distasteful. But it raises an intriguing question: how do Schumacher’s disciples, counted in the millions at his peak, mourn someone who is still alive but who, in all probability, they will never see again? Willi Weber, his manager during all seven of his world title triumphs, has wrestled with this very dilemma. Once the driver’s ever-present sidekick, he discovered that the family’s insistence on privacy over medical details left him frozen out.

‘Ghoulish fascination’;

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/motorsport/301033676/ten-years-after-michael-schumachers-ski-crash-silence-only-adds-to-ghoulish-fascination

[Fortitude]

SAINZ PINS BLAME ON FIA VEGAS FARCE FOR LOSING P2 IN CONSTRUCTORS’: ‘STILL ANGRY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED’.
Scuderia Ferrari lost out to Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team for the runners-up spot in the 2023 Constructors' Championship.
December 27, 2023
James Fiorucci
FormulaNerds

Carlos Sainz Jr. admits that the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend left him more “frustrated as a racing driver” than any other moment in his career. Formula 1 racing along the famous Las Vegas strip brought unprecedented crowds and fanfare to the entertainment capital, but it wasn’t without controversy. Notwithstanding the criticism from drivers and teams regarding the spectacle, as well as the legal dispute that followed forceful fan removals, race organisers faced yet more backlash when Sainz Jr. was handed a ten-place grid penalty after exceeding his quota for energy store elements on his SF-23.

The complaints arose from the fact that the replacement parts were necessitated after a loose drain cover on the back straight tore through the underside of the Ferrari driver’s car during the first practice session. Many deemed it unfair that an issue with the circuit’s construction would directly result in a penalty for the Spanish driver.

Ferrari Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur launched a scathing attack towards organisers after the incident, calling the situation “unacceptable from F1”. And it seems as though Sainz Jr. hasn’t quite managed to forget the ordeal more than a month later.

‘FIA VEGAS FARCE’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/sainz-pins-blame-on-fia-vegas-farce-for-losing-p2-in-constructors-still-angry-about-what-happened/


Sainz still blaming F1 for Ferrari losing P2 in championship
Wednesday 27 December 2023 11:57
Cal Gaunt
GPFans

Carlos Sainz has expressed his dismay over the grid penalty he incurred at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, a situation that he attributed to circumstances beyond both his and Ferrari's control. While the damage suffered was in no way attributable to Sainz or Ferrari, their woes compounded when the subsequent reconstruction of the SF-23 led to a 10-place grid penalty.

Despite the stewards acknowledging the non-culpable nature of the incident, they asserted a lack of authority to waive the penalty. This turn of events left Sainz grappling with a level of frustration that eclipsed any he had experienced throughout his career.

“It was such a disastrous weekend for me and the team and we lost such a good opportunity there to score big points and fight for a win that I haven’t fought [for] since Singapore,” Sainz told PlanetF1. “It was an incredibly frustrating feeling. I’ve never been as frustrated as a racing driver, or never been more upset towards the sport than I was in Vegas.”

‘Blaming F1 for Ferrari losing P2 in championship’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1010235/carlos-sainz-ferrari-f1-blame-p2-2023-world-championship/


Vasseur and Sainz speak out as Ferrari reopen Las Vegas compensation case
Carlos Sainz picked up just eight points in the final two races of the season
December 26, 2023
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Fred Vasseur insists Ferrari are still pursuing financial compensation from the FIA, Formula 1 or the Las Vegas Grand Prix after a circuit failure meant Carlos Sainz‘s SF-23 was extensively damaged by a loose manhole cover just nine minutes into FP1 on The Strip Circuit.

The Ferrari team principal was furious in Las Vegas when it transpired Sainz would earn a ten-place grid penalty for replacing engine components broken in the incident as he went over his limit for the year, Ferrari appealed and the stewards even admitted it was harsh but said they had no mechanism in the rules to waive the penalty.

With the cost of repairing the incident also coming out of the budget cap, at the time Ferrari indicated they’d look to be compensated as the incident was due to a circuit malfunction, and after the end of the season Vasseur doubled down on that intent. “The discussions with the insurance company always take an eternity. We all know that,” Vasseur said at Ferrari‘s Christmas lunch. “It’s the same everywhere, even in Formula 1.”

‘Ferrari reopen Las Vegas compensation case’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-vasseur-sainz-ferrari-reopen-las-vegas-compensation-case/


Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz now in agreement with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen on needed F1 change
Fri 29 December 2023 18:00
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Ferrari star Carlos Sainz is now in agreement with Red Bull pair Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez about one change Formula 1 needs after the troublesome Las Vegas GP. F1 returned to Nevada for the first time in 41 years this November for its maiden race on the Strip. But Sainz now echoes Verstappen and Perez’s frustration about how F1 scheduled the Las Vegas GP. It acted as the first of a season-ending double-header with the Abu Dhabi GP.

The 2024 schedule does not make for much more enjoyable reading, either. F1 has planned a season-ending triple-header for it’s record-breaking 24-race calendar. The Las Vegas GP is the first of the streak before Formula 1 heads to Qatar and Abu Dhabi to round off the year. It is barely an improvement on 2023 with Qatar 11 hours ahead of Nevada compared to the 12 of Abu Dhabi. So, Ferrari driver Sainz has now urged Formula 1 to consider changes to its calendars in the future and prevent creating the same time zone issues for the Las Vegas GP.

“I don’t know if you can say, ‘You’re going to die because of your own success’. But I think Formula 1 has to adapt as we head towards 24 races,” Sainz shared, via Motorsport-Total. “Then we have to see how we manage the weekends, the travel and we can make calendars as compatible as possible.” He added: “We can’t then travel from Las Vegas to Abu Dhabi within four days and accept a time difference of 12 hours. Because we have to make sure that everyone involved reaches the end of the season safe and healthy.”

‘Carlos Sainz: “You’re going to die because of your own success”!’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ferraris-carlos-sainz-now-in-agreement-with-red-bulls-max-verstappen-on-needed-f1-change/


CARLOS SAINZ OPENS UP ON HIS FUTURE WITH FERRARI
After a fairly successful year with the Scuderia, Sainz is ready for more
December 30, 2023
Morgan Holiday
FormulaNerds

It was an up and down season for Sainz, who finished seventh in the standings (two places behind his teammate Charles Leclerc). By far his highlight of the season was the Singapore Grand Prix, which he won from pole. That win made him the driver to break Max Verstappen’s ten race-long win streak, and eventually the only driver other than Verstappen or Sergio Perez to win a Grand Prix in 2023.

“I’m so happy at Ferrari and so happy to be part of this team that, at the moment, I don’t see an expiry date,” commented Sainz, speaking to the DAZN network. “I hope I have many, many years ahead of me and I wouldn’t mind having all of them in red. My main motivation is to be a world champion. And if I can achieve that with Ferrari, even better. That’s what we have to try for in 2024 and I think we have the capacity.”

‘Ready for more’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/carlos-sainz-opens-up-on-his-future-with-ferrari/


Sainz: Three months to reach 2025 contract agreement at Ferrari or otherwise.
Carlos Sainz's Ferrari contract runs out in 2024, while Charles Leclerc has reportedly been offered a bumper extension
December 23, 2023
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Carlos Sainz has reiterated he wants to have his 2025 contract agreed before he starts the 2024 Formula 1 season, but also rubbished any rumours that he and Ferrari don’t see eye-to-eye on a new deal.

Ferrari are reportedly unwilling to offer Sainz the multi-year extension he’s seeking with a huge shake-up of the driver market potentially incoming to coincide with F1‘s new regulations for 2026, but the Spaniard stressed he does feel valued in Maranello.

s victory on the Marina Bay Circuit was the only non-Red Bull grand prix win of the 2023 season, and certainly wasn’t a cakewalk – Sainz was under serious pressure from both Mercedes in the closing stages but cannily kept second-placed Lando Norris in his DRS range to make it harder for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell to catch the leading pair.

‘Three months to reach 2025 contract’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-sainz-three-months-2025-contract-agreement-ferrari/

[Fortitude]

FORMULANERDS’ 2024 F1 SEASON PREDICTIONS.
After a dreadful performance in the FormulaNerds' 2023 F1 season predictions review, our team are back for more. Will they fare better than last time?
December 25, 2023
Samuel Coop
FormulaNerds

James M
• Drivers’ Champion: Max Verstappen
• Constructors’ Champion: Red Bull
• Driver of the Year: Outside of Formula Verstappen… Lando Norris
• Biggest surprise: Oscar Piastri will underwhelm
• Hot take: The artists formerly known as AlphaTauri will finish above Alpine

Samuel
• Drivers’ Champion: Max Verstappen
• Constructors’ Champion: Red Bull
• Driver of the Year: Oscar Piastri
• Biggest Surprise: Lando Norris will leave McLaren for Red Bull at the end of the season
• Hot take: Only Mercedes and Alpine will keep the same driver line-up for the 2025 F1 season

Abby
• Drivers’ Champion: Max Verstappen
• Constructors’ Champion: Mercedes
• Driver of the Year: Lando Norris
• Biggest surprise: Red Bull will win the drivers’ championship with Max Verstappen, but not the constructors’
• Hot take: Four different constructors will win a race

‘Dreadful performance in the FormulaNerds' 2023 F1 season predictions review continues…’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/features/formulanerds-2024-f1-season-predictions/


The five F1 drivers under the most pressure heading into 2024
31 Dec 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

With the 2024 F1 season fast approaching, here’s five drivers who are immediately under pressure going into the new campaign.
Sergio Perez: Unsurprisingly, the first driver under the most pressure heading into F1 2024 is Sergio Perez. Team boss Christian Horner says Perez’s future is in his own hands - and he’s right.

Logan Sargeant: For 2024, Logan Sargeant was the 20th and final driver to be confirmed as a driver for the upcoming season. With Williams seemingly on the rise in terms of pace, the team cannot afford to have another season where Sargeant struggles to score points.
Zhou Guanyu: Zhou’s lack of performance went under the radar in the latter part of the year, out-qualifying Bottas just once after the summer break. Sauber have already called on Zhou to be “more consistent” in 2024.

Kevin Magnussen: While Haas did finish bottom of the constructors’ championship, Kevin Magnussen endured a poor year in 2023. Magnussen was consistently the slower of the two Haas drivers, particularly over one lap.
Daniel Ricciardo: The whole point of Ricciardo’s F1 comeback is to return to Red Bull - that’s why he’s under immense pressure in 2024. It’s hard to read what level Ricciardo is at given that his comeback was disrupted by his wrist injury.

‘Under the most pressure’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/feature/1042708/1/five-f1-drivers-under-most-pressure-heading-2024


‘Wild’ F1 2024 prediction with struggling team tipped to surge to top three finish
28 Dec 2023 5:30 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Formula 1 broadcaster Harry Benjamin stuck his neck out by predicting Sauber will join Red Bull and Ferrari in F1 2024’s top three. The Sauber team is very much in a period of transition, returning to this identity following the conclusion of their alliance with Alfa Romeo.

Two seasons are now ahead before a further game-changing new chapter in this team’s story, as they morph into the Audi works team, using their newly-designed power unit, as of F1 2026.

‘Wild F1 2024 prediction’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/wild-f1-2024-prediction-sauber-top-three


Steiner: Haas 'could end up in the top F1 midfield' in 2024
28/12/2023 at 17:24
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Despite a disappointing 2023 campaign, Haas team boss Guenther Steiner is optimistic about the US outfit’s prospects for 2024, boldly cliaming that it could even end up "top of the midfield" next season.

“With the budget cap in place now, everything is possible,” Steiner told Sky Sports F1. “AlphaTauri end of the season, McLaren beginning of the season, they didn’t start strong then at some stage they were the second fastest car out there, more than once. Everything is possible.”

“For 2025, I think there’s a big opportunity for young drivers to come in,” commented the Italian. “Because some of them, the drivers who are [on the grid] now maybe will stop doing it at the end of 2024, some of them would have not performed, nobody will pick them up. I might see a better opportunity taking a risk on a young driver than keeping somebody who didn’t perform.”

‘Haas F1: Everything is possible’;

https://f1i.com/news/497120-steiner-haas-could-end-up-in-the-top-f1-midfield-in-2024.html


Guenther Steiner delivers intriguing Haas claim ahead of F1 2024 season
27 Dec 2023 8:00 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Haas boss Guenther Steiner is convinced the team could head F1’s midfield battle in 2024 despite a challenging 2023 season. Steiner is refusing to get downbeat after a largely miserable season for his team – and believes Haas could even emerge as the leading midfield car in 2024.

Asked to outline his hopes for next year, he added: “Success. Being back in the midfield.” Steiner’s optimism is in stark contrast to Hulkenberg, who struggled to hide his frustration with Haas’s lack of in-season progress as the campaign deepened.

“Success. Being back in the midfield”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/guenther-steiner-haas-f1-2024-season


Every 2024 F1 driver’s FIA superlicence cost as Max Verstappen pays record fee
Sun 31 December 2023 08:00
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Success comes at a cost for Max Verstappen as the Red Bull star faces a record fee for a superlicence, so here is how much every Formula 1 driver must pay the FIA in 2024.

Driver’s name (2023 F1 points) – 2024 Superlicence Cost
Max Verstappen (575) – €1,217,900 (£1,047,825)
Sergio Perez (285) – €608,900 (£524,003)
Lewis Hamilton (234) – €501,800 (£431,835)
Fernando Alonso (206) – €443,000 (£381,233)
Charles Leclerc (206) – €443,000 (£381,233)
Lando Norris (205) – €440,900 (£379,462)
Carlos Sainz (200) – €430,400 (£370,425)
George Russell (175) – €377,900 (£325,241)
Oscar Piastri (97) – €214,100 (£184,266)
Lance Stroll (74) – €165,800 (£142,696)
Pierre Gasly (62) – €140,600 (£121,008)
Esteban Ocon (58) – €132,200 (£113,815)
Alex Albon (27) – €67,100 (£57,768)
Yuki Tsunoda (17) – €46,100 (£39,689)
Valtteri Bottas (10) – €31,400 (£27,033)
Nico Hulkenberg (9) – €29,300 (£25,225)
Daniel Ricciardo (6) – €23,000 (£19,801)
Zhou Guanyu (6) – €23,000 (£19,801)
Kevin Magnussen (3) – €16,700 (£14,374)
Logan Sargeant (1) – €12,500 (£10,759)

‘FIA superlicence costs’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/every-2024-f1-drivers-fia-superlicence-cost-as-max-verstappen-pays-record-fee/

[Fortitude]

A 2024 New Year's Resolution for every F1 team.
RacingNews365 has come up with one thing each Formula 1 team must do to improve in 2024 yes, including even Red Bull.
01 January 6:00AM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Red Bull: Now, when you've just come off a season with 21 Grand Prix wins from 22 and got a record 860 championship points, it's hard to see where to go. But Red Bull's focus must be on ensuring the RB20 is more to Sergio Perez's liking and style so he can maximise it. There are no doubts about Max Verstappen's ability to drive and adapt to whatever is under him, but Perez cannot drive a car as sharp on the nose as the World Champion. Engineering the car to unlock more of Perez's potential must be key for Red Bull.

Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren, Aston Martin: The resolution for Mercedes is clear. It must develop its understanding of its new concept as fast as possible. The switch from zero to normal sidepods in Monaco was a bodge-job only designed to get the team heading in the right direction. It stumbled over the finish line at the end of the season and must hit the ground running and ensure whatever upgrades it brings eat into the gap to Red Bull or the wait until 2026 will be a long one.

As for Ferrari, it must work to continue the late momentum it had after a minor floor upgrade to the SF-23 in Japan. This transformed Charles Leclerc, who was the standout driver behind Verstappen from Suzuka onwards. As for Carlos Sainz, the team is in a similar boat to Red Bull with Perez - he needs to unlock more of his potential from the car more consistently.

‘McLaren, Aston Martin, Alpine, Williams, AlphaTauri, Sauber, Haas New Year Resolutions’;

https://racingnews365.com/a-2024-new-years-resolution-for-every-f1-team


F1 2024 season predictions: World champion, biggest underachiever, surprise star and more
Mon 1 January 2024 08:00
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Max Verstappen and Red Bull produced the most dominant Formula 1 season ever in 2023 but the year ahead delivers a new horizon, so here are our predictions for 2024. F1 is already set to make history when the lights go out at the Bahrain GP on March 2. All 10 of the teams have kept the same driver line-up from the final race of the previous season for the first time. So, there will also be no rookies entering the pinnacle of motorsport this year.

2024 Formula 1 world champion – Max Verstappen: Well, it is almost impossible to predict anyone but Verstappen to win the Formula 1 drivers’ championship again in 2024. He dominated the grid like no driver had in the series’ history in 2023. Red Bull even also turned their attention to developing their 2024 car back in July.

2024 Formula 1 constructors’ champion – Red Bull: Such was Verstappen’s dominance in F1 in 2023 that he alone would have won Red Bull the constructors’ championship. The Dutchman earned 575 of Red Bull’s 860 points, 166 more than Mercedes pair Hamilton and Russell earned together to hand the Silver Arrows second.

‘F1 2024 season predictions’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/f1-2024-season-predictions-world-champion-biggest-underachiever-surprise-star-and-more/


Five ridiculously early F1 2024 predictions: McLaren surge, Perez exit and more
01 Jan 2024 7:00 AM
Editor
PlanetF1.com

Perez/Ricciardo swap? McLaren to keep pushing on? Mark Scott: Just because we are going early doesn’t mean I am going to go particularly wild. I’m not falling for that trap just yet and will reserve my wilder picks for the eagerly-anticipated season predictions once pre-season is in the books. Call it boring, call it (relatively safe), or both, but I am going to predict McLaren finish P2 in the Constructors’ Championship behind Red Bull, leapfrogging both Mercedes and Ferrari.

Jamie Woodhouse: I reckon we are going to see a mid-season driver change at Red Bull, but not the one that perhaps most would expect. So, I can see Sergio Perez heading for the Red Bull exit before F1 2024 is done, with Ricciardo’s stand-in Liam Lawson instead given the opportunity to show what he can do alongside Verstappen.

Oliver Harden: Nico Hulkenberg will not see out the season with Haas. Hulkenberg enjoyed a fine return to F1 in 2023 from a personal perspective, but struggled to contain his frustration with the team as the season deepened. His public criticisms – “at this rate, you can’t compete in F1” – are accurate, but Hulk’s home truths will surely touch a nerve with the Haas hierarchy. Another season of struggle will see relations stretched beyond the point of no repair.

‘Five ridiculously early F1 2024 predictions’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/early-f1-2024-predictions


Which F1 team is best placed to challenge Red Bull in 2024?
2024 is here and with the first race of the season just 61 days away in Bahrain, Crash.net is taking a look at which team is best placed to rival Red Bull.
1 Jan 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Mercedes: Mercedes managed to secure second in the constructors’ championship, beating Ferrari by just four points in 2023.
That didn’t tell the full story, as on balance, Mercedes achieved that on consistency rather than having the second-fastest car.
Ferrari: Ferrari’s wait for championship success goes on after another disappointing season. Their decision to abandon their high downforce, high drag philosophy in favour of straight-line speed performance initially back-fired.

McLaren: The surprise package of 2023 was McLaren. It’s easy to forget that after the opening two races, McLaren had failed to score a single point, with many seriously questioning the Woking-outfit.
Aston Martin: Aston Martin surprised everyone by starting 2023 as the second-fastest team. It was short-lived as they fell back in the development race before a mini-resurgence at the end of the year.

‘Best placed to challenge Red Bull’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/feature/1042818/1/which-f1-team-best-placed-challenge-red-bull-2024


Lewis Hamilton faces 1,000-day wait as Max Verstappen gets new rival - F1 2024 predictions
Express Sport takes a look at what could happen when F1 returns for the 2024 season.
08:30, Mon, Jan 1, 2024
By Archie Griggs
Daily and Sunday Express

Hamilton's winless streak goes on… It has certainly been a turbulent couple of years for Hamilton, who has slipped down the F1 pecking order following the emergence of Verstappen as the sport's dominant force. He is without a single victory since winning the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in 2021 and there is little to suggest that his barren spell will come to an end any time soon.

Mercedes have continued to talk the talk but have struggled to walk the walk, with the Silver Arrows failing to restore their former glories despite promising to do so on multiple occasions. They will be up against the might of Red Bull and possibly McLaren once again in 2024, which could wreck their hopes of ending Hamilton's long and painful wait for another race win.

If the 38-year-old fails to break his duck in 2024, it will be 1,099 days since his last victory when the campaign draws to a close at the Abu Dhabi season finale.

‘Faces 1,000-day wait’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1850167/Lewis-Hamilton-Max-Verstappen-F1-2024-predictions

[Fortitude]

What’s new for 2024? Your guide to the F1 season ahead.
A return to China, new sprint race venues and multiple renamed teams. The 2024 Formula 1 season might not feature as many sweeping changes as many recent years, but there are some notable differences heading into the upcoming season.
1st January 2024, 12:00
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Drivers: It doesn’t take long to recap all of the driver market moves for 2024 – because there aren’t any. Teams: The last 12 months have seen the question of whether Andretti will get to join the grid as an 11th team in the upcoming years become one of the hottest talking points in the sport.

Team principals: Unlike the drivers on the grid, there are a couple of changes to the line-up of ten team principals who will be sitting on the pit wall this season. The most notable change being at the team formerly known as AlphaTauri who have bid farewell to Franz Tost, the man who led Red Bull’s junior team since they purchased the former Minardi squad in 2005. Instead, the team have swapped the oldest team principal on the grid to 46-year-old Laurent Mekies.

Races: A record 24 grands prix planned on the 2024 F1 calendar – the most in history. Rule changes: Much like last season, the technical regulations will remain largely static for 2024 compared to the previous year. As such, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner told RaceFans that he expects the world champions to face greater competition from their rivals this year as a result.

‘What’s new for 2024?’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/01/01/whats-new-for-2024-your-guide-to-the-f1-season-ahead/


Helmut Marko gives Sergio Perez future update ahead of key F1 2024 campaign
01 Jan 2024 12:00 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Helmut Marko has said Sergio Perez will fulfil his Red Bull contract until the end of 2024 “as things stand”, with a key year ahead for the Mexican driver. “As things stand he will fulfil his contract until the end of 2024, then we’ll see,” Marko told Austrian outlet OE24.

As for Perez himself, he admitted that his qualifying form let him down in 2023, often having to recover through the field to salvage what he could in the fastest car in the field. “I think the Sunday form has been very, very strong this year. That’s the only reason we finished P2 in the Championship,” Perez told media including PlanetF1.com in Abu Dhabi.

“I think that many Saturdays have been very difficult this season, and it’s something we’ve got to work on [and] make sure that we improve for next year. I think we also have to give credit to Max, he’s done an incredible year in the history of the sport. He’s been driving really, really well and it’s been very impressive to see.”

“Fulfil his contract until the end of 2024, then we’ll see”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/helmut-marko-sergio-perez-2024-future-update


F1 fans deliver surprising verdict over Red Bull rivals in 2024
02 January 8:30AM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Formula 1 fans have delivered their verdict on who they feel will be the closest challengers to Red Bull in 2024 - and it is not good news for Mercedes or Ferrari.

Who will be Red Bull's closest challengers in 2024?
Team Votes Percent
Mercedes 196 20.71%
Ferrari 229 24.20%
McLaren 480 50.73%
Aston Martin 41 4.33%
TOTAL 946

‘Red Bull rivals in 2024: McLaren’;

https://racingnews365.com/f1-fans-deliver-surprising-verdict-over-red-bull-rivals-in-2024


Christijan Albers names the one F1 driver who can challenge Max Verstappen in 2024
Tue 2 January 2024 08:30
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Former Formula 1 driver Christijan Albers has admitted that he thinks Lewis Hamilton is the only driver who can stop Max Verstappen from winning the championship in 2024. Mercedes haven’t produced a decent car in the past two years and if Lewis Hamilton stands any chance of catching the Dutchman, they’ll need to pull out all the stops this winter.

Speaking about next season, Albers said: “For the neutral observer, I hope that Mercedes will come with a better car in 2024. “Because if you look purely at the qualities of the current drivers, I think Lewis Hamilton is the only one who can come close to Verstappen.”

“I am mainly talking about the quality of being able to perform consistently and be very stable in lap times during a race. Just like Verstappen, Hamilton is someone who can manage his tires wonderfully. Assessing certain situations, feeling the rubber; in that respect they are alone.”

‘Being able to perform consistently and be very stable in lap times’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/christijan-albers-names-the-one-f1-driver-who-can-challenge-max-verstappen-in-2024/


Key F1 2024 signing reveals plans to drag new team into 21st Century
01 Jan 2024 5:00 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Pat Fry has unveiled his plans to bring Williams kicking and screaming into the 21st Century having identified areas of the team which are 20 years out of date.

Appearing on the F1 Nation podcast, he said: “You certainly have a lot of catching up to do. Some bits of the company are, if anything, better than where I’ve come from. There’s other bits that you could say are 15-20 years out of date.”

“We certainly have got a lot of work to do. It’s not just the machinery or the tools, as such: it’s also the methodologies we use to actually design a car. So we need to be thinking about all those and trying to move into the 21st Century of actually designing things.”

‘Drag new team into 21st Century’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/key-f1-2024-signing-new-team


Yuki Tsunoda: I will prove to be “top F1 driver” in 2024
January 1, 2024
By: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Yuki Tsunoda identifies the 2024 season as pivotal for his F1 career, setting a clear objective for the upcoming campaign. This will be a crucial season for Yuki Tsunoda. Speaking with jp.motorsport.com, he left no doubt about this year’s significance:

“Last year, I was able to take a step forward in terms of discovering my value as a driver. “Furthermore, I think the car will be better this year, and I think we will have more opportunities to compete in the top 10. I think this will be the year I prove that I have what it takes to be a top F1 driver.”

‘Have what it takes’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/01/01/yuki-tsunoda-i-will-prove-to-be-top-f1-driver-in-2024/

[Matthew]

Helmut Marko has said Sergio Perez will fulfil his Red Bull contract until the end of 2024 “as things stand”, with a key year ahead for the Mexican driver. “As things stand he will fulfil his contract until the end of 2024, then we’ll see,” Marko told Austrian outlet OE24.

As for Perez himself, he admitted that his qualifying form let him down in 2023, often having to recover through the field to salvage what he could in the fastest car in the field. “I think the Sunday form has been very, very strong this year. That’s the only reason we finished P2 in the Championship,” Perez told media including PlanetF1.com in Abu Dhabi.

“I think that many Saturdays have been very difficult this season, and it’s something we’ve got to work on [and] make sure that we improve for next year. I think we also have to give credit to Max, he’s done an incredible year in the history of the sport. He’s been driving really, really well and it’s been very impressive to see.”

“Fulfil his contract until the end of 2024, then we’ll see”;


2024 will surely be a really important season for Sergio Perez. No one is expecting him to beat Max for the drivers' champsionship but he should do a lot better in 2024 than he was able to do in 2023 if he wants to retain his Red Bull seat beyond 2024.

[Fortitude]

Russell: Mercedes' 2024 F1 car won't be as rushed as last year.
George Russell says he is confident Mercedes will not fall into car design “traps” with its 2024 Formula 1 challenger, as it did with the “little bit rushed” W14 design.
2nd January 2023, 08:58
AUTHORAlex Kalinauckas
Motorsport.com

Speaking to select media including Motorsport.com, Russell said he felt “more confident going into this [2023-2024 winter] break” because Mercedes has been “working on the new [W15] concept for a long time and there’s been so much due diligence gone into that concept”.

“Whereas I think last year it was all a little bit rushed,” he added. “We didn’t have all the information to hand, we may have jumped to a couple of conclusions without thoroughly going through the consequences.”


“And we learned when the car hit the ground this year that we made a step forward in some regards, but it came with a lot of baggage and we hadn’t taken that into consideration.”

‘Mercedes will not fall into car design “traps”!’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/russell-mercedes-2024-f1-car-wont-be-as-rushed-as-last-year/10561923/


What unexpected F1 2024 record says about current state of the sport
02 Jan 2024 9:15 AM
Elizabeth Blackstock
PlanetF1.com

F1 2024 to begin without a rookie driver. The current prioritisation of experienced drivers highlights F1’s current desire for stability and growth based on metrics it has already established.

While the sport intended for more teams to be able to compete for wins thanks to the introduction of its latest rule set in 2022, it is clear that Red Bull Racing is the only team to have comfortably mastered the changes in technology.

That being said, competition is still tight for everyone else. Mercedes and Ferrari battled for second place in the World Constructors’ Championship until the very final lap of the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, while there was a close four-way battle for fourth place in the World Drivers’ Championship.

‘Unexpected F1 2024 record’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-2024-record-state


Lewis Hamilton outlines “dream” for 2024 when explaining his F1 motivations
2 Jan 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has said his “dream of standing on the top step” is keeping him motivated to race in F1. Hamilton has failed to win in F1 since the end of 2021, going through the last two years winless.

Hamilton was asked what is keeping him motivated ahead of the new season, he replied: “It's the dream of standing on the top step, seeing your team. One of the most amazing things is being able to look back and having the flag of the nation rising behind you, and seeing the team.”

“I remember the first win I had with this team. I have a particular picture of 2015 in Australia with the [team] down there in tears – it was just amazing to be a part of that. The power of that is a huge part of the drive. Winning the world championship is a huge part of the drive.”

‘F1 motivations’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1042950/1/hamilton-outlines-dream-2024-when-explaining-his-f1-motivations


F1 pundit makes HUGE Williams prediction for 2024
Tuesday 2 January 2024 13:57
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans

Formula 1 pundit Lawrence Barretto has backed Williams to defy the odds and secure a podium during the upcoming 2024 season. The F1 pundit has backed the team to take part in the champagne celebrations next season thanks to the leadership of team principal, James Vowles, and star driver, Alex Albon.

"Williams entered the season fearing the worst, having lost their team principal and technical director in quick succession," he penned for the official F1 site. "But James Vowles steadied the ship, after an impressive stint at Mercedes, and Williams made the most of some sterling development work over the winter and their chunky upgrade introduced in Canada.”

"Alex Albon led the team like a lion, scoring 27 of their 28 points to essentially single-handedly guide them to P7 in the constructors’ championship and the chunky slice of prize money – that runs into the tens of millions – that comes with it.”

‘Champagne celebrations next season’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1010498/f1-williams-prediction-podium-2024-season-alex-albon-logan-sargeant-james-vowles-lawrence-barretto/


Carlos Sainz admits Ferrari face ‘difficult task’ daring to realise 2024 F1 goal
Tue 2 January 2024 13:00
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Carlos Sainz has admitted that Ferrari face a ‘difficult task’ to win Grand Prix in 2024 but if any Formula 1 team ‘dares’ to rival Red Bull for the titles, it will be the Scuderia. Carlos Sainz denied Red Bull a perfect Formula 1 season in 2023. It was Sainz and Ferrari who denied Red Bull a perfect season, though, when the 29-year-old won the Singapore GP. He held off the threats of Mercedes’ George Russell and McLaren’s Lando Norris to capitalise on Red Bull having their only bad weekend of the entire campaign.

Sainz expects Ferrari plus Mercedes, McLaren and Aston Martin, will again meet a ‘difficult task’ to beat Red Bull for wins in 2024. “We’ll see,” Sainz asserted, via Motorsport-Total. “I have the feeling that we, as a team, are definitely capable of improving. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that we will win races.”

The Spaniard added: “This requires a big step forward. Achieving this goal will be a difficult task, not only for Ferrari but also for Aston Martin, McLaren and Mercedes. It will not be easy to defeat Red Bull in the world championship fight, especially after this season. But if anyone dares to take on this task, it’s Ferrari. We improved significantly over the course of the season and ended the year on a high.”

‘Ferrari face difficult task’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/carlos-sainz-admits-ferrari-face-difficult-task-daring-to-realise-2024-f1-goal/


2024 F1 pre-season testing in Bahrain: dates, times and how to watch
January 2nd 2024
Author: Cambridge Kisby
Motor Sport Magazine

The 2024 F1 season is fast approaching, with all ten teams set to unveil their title contenders in the coming weeks. Pre-season testing in Bahrain will provide the first indication of which outfit could end up on top.

Dates and times for 2023 F1 pre-season testing
Results Date Session start (GMT) Session end (GMT)
February 21 TBC TBC
February 22 TBC TBC
February 23 TBC TBC

‘F1 pre-season testing in Bahrain: 21st Feb – 23rd Feb 2024’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/2024-f1-pre-season-testing-in-bahrain-dates-times-and-how-to-watch/?nowprocket=1#

[Fortitude]

Stay? Move? Leave F1? – Predicting the outcome of the 14 out-of-contract F1 drivers.
2024 could see one of the silliest silly seasons of all time with almost three quarters of the grid currently out of contract at the end of this year.
03 Jan 2024 7:00 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Sergio Perez – Red Bull: We will start with the reigning Constructors’ champions and one of the most-talked about seats on the grid, that of Sergio Perez. Prediction: Leaves F1.
Charles Leclerc – Ferrari: Charles Leclerc may well be a man who is not on this list for much longer with reports that he has already agreed an extension with Ferrari. Prediction: Stays.

Carlos Sainz – Ferrari: Leclerc’s team-mate Carlos Sainz’s future is less certain. Both parties indicated at the end of last year that they would be open to an extension but reports over the winter suggested they disagreed on the length of the deal. Prediction: Stays.
Fernando Alonso – Aston Martin: The idea of a 42-year-old extending would seem silly if that driver’s name was not Fernando Alonso. Prediction: Stays.

‘Stay? Move? Leave F1?’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/stay-move-leave-f1-predicting-outcome-14-out-contract-drivers


Regression or right path? Judging Ferrari's latest F1 reboot
Jan 3, 2024
by Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

By basic measures, Ferrari has regressed once again in Formula 1. It did not win as many races in 2023 as in 2022, scored nowhere near as many points, and fell to third in the constructors’ championship. These metrics would suggest that Ferrari has shot itself in the foot with its latest team overhaul. And would fit the prevailing narrative of last winter, given this disappointing season followed what many felt would just be the latest futile team boss switch in Maranello.

In Abu Dhabi last year, Charles Leclerc neatly summarised the duality of Ferrari’s season on paper and how its season played out in reality. “To be honest it's been a disappointing season,” Leclerc said. “We expected to come to try and fight for the championship, which after the first race we straight away understood how difficult it would be compared to the Red Bull that had done a huge step forward, especially in race pace.”

‘Regression or right path?’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/ferrari-f1-reboot-regression-or-progress/


This is how far F1 teams travel around the world to races
03 January 2:20PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

You might be wondering, which races features the largest distance between each?

Largest distances between races
From To Distance (km)
Belgium Netherlands 238
Qatar Abu Dhabi 337
Imola Monaco 349
Netherlands Monza 828
Hungary Belgium 1,018
Spain Austria 1,174
Texas Mexico 1,203
Austria Great Britain 1,256
Bahrain Saudi Arabia 1,259
Japan China 1,484
Silverstone Hungary 1,533
Monza Azerbaijan 3,316
Canada Spain 5,898
Monaco Canada 6,128
Azerbaijan Singapore 6,955
Mexico Brazil 7,439
Australia Japan 8,141
Miami Imola 8,818
Brazil Las Vegas 9,979
Jeddah Australia 12,831
Las Vegas Qatar 13,037
China Miami 13,263
Singapore Texas 15,860
TOTAL: 122,344

‘Which races features the largest distance’;

https://racingnews365.com/this-is-how-far-f1-teams-travel-around-the-world-to-races


Williams boss James Vowles frustrated with F1 rule that has put his team ‘on the back foot’
Wed 3 January 2024 12:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Speaking about the development of the team, Vowles said: “In terms of when I joined and still today for that matter, we’re still behind. I mean there’s no doubt about the infrastructure we have here it’s 20 years out of date, I’ve been pretty vocal and public about it for good reason because I wanted to make sure we start to invest in this site.”

“Now, there’s some good, lovely things in this sport and one of them is the cost cap. There’s an operational cost cap and a capital and expenditure cost cap and it’s awfully complicated. But the operational one is basically salaries and the building of the car and that’s a really good cost cap. That’s why the sport is getting better in my opinion and the teams are getting closer together.”

“The second cost cap is on capital and expenditure and what that means is any machines or large infrastructure you’re keeping for multiple years that also gets restrained fundamentally. Again it’s a good thing, but it does hurt organisations like ourselves that have infrastructure that my CEO described as from the Ming Dynasty.”

‘Ming Dynasty infrastructure’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/williams-boss-james-vowles-frustrated-with-f1-rule-that-has-put-his-team-on-the-back-foot/


FIA won't tweak F1 ride-heights despite bump-induced crashes
03/01/2024 at 13:52
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

The FIA has opted not to intervene in enforcing higher ride heights for Formula 1 cars, despite two high-profile accidents in 2023 that were triggered by bumps on the track.

FIA Head of Single-Seater Matters Nikolas Tombazis stated that while ideally cars should run higher, there are limits to the extent the governing body should interfere with performance-related matters. He emphasized the delicate balance between safety and preserving the competitive nature of Formula 1.

“Well, we do need to make sure circuits, generally speaking, avoid features which may cause that,” Tombazis told the media recently. “It's a thin line between if maybe there is the possibility for the circuit to sort out some features in detail, and where the teams may just need to raise the car a bit more.”

‘FIA won't tweak F1 ride-heights’;

https://f1i.com/news/497352-fia-wont-tweak-f1-ride-heights-despite-bump-induced-crashes.html


Toto Wolff's 'No 1 option' to replace Lewis Hamilton is not even in F1 anymore
Lewis Hamilton remains central to Mercedes' F1 plans, although the seven-time world champion's long-term future is still uncertain.
15:15, Wed, Jan 3, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Toto Wolff’s former Lewis Hamilton back-up plan Nyck de Vries will be racing in Formula E in 2024, despite once being branded as the Mercedes team principal’s ‘insurance policy’ by rally driver Tom Coronel. De Vries was once a hot property on the feeder series ladder, winning the Formula 2 title in 2019 at the third time of asking following a trophy-laden karting career that saw him added to the McLaren driver academy back in 2010.

However, De Vries never got the chance to succeed Hamilton at Mercedes. Instead, a memorable, points-scoring debut as a substitute for Williams’ Alex Albon at the Italian Grand Prix prompted Helmut Marko to sign him for AlphaTauri ahead of the 2023 season.

The celebrations were short-lived, though, as De Vries struggled to acclimatise to the difficult AT04, struggling against team-mate Yuki Tsunoda, who was entering his third year with the team. After ten underwhelming races, the 28-year-old found himself on the chopping block and Daniel Ricciardo replaced him for the Hungarian Grand Prix onwards.

‘Toto Wolff's No 1 option’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1851554/Toto-Wolff-Lewis-Hamilton-Mercedes-back-up-F1-news


Toto Wolff's leadership questioned as Sky Sports F1 pundits share Mercedes concern
Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft discussed Toto Wolff's leadership during the 2023 season with colleague Ted Kravitz as the Mercedes chief's methods came under question
3rd January 2023, 16:12
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

The team stuck with its unsuccessful 'zeropod' aerodynamic concept for the start of the campaign but, after just one race, team principal Wolff admitted they needed to change course. Sky Sports F1 pit lane reporter Ted Kravitz pointed to that as an example of questionable decision-making from the Austrian. "Maybe that's a hangover from the seven drivers' and eight world constructors' championships of the past. He keeps the drivers happy. He keeps the sponsors - some amazing sponsors on that Mercedes team...”

“The only thing I'd mark him down on was his keenness to throw the concept away so publicly after qualifying in Bahrain. We don't really know why he managed to sign off what he did sign off, the sister of the bad car. W14 was the sister of W13 and they were both not great cars. Toto must have signed it off - as a leader he could have said, 'I disagree, let's go with the Red Bull concept'. For whatever reason they didn't and he signed it off.”

"That very first interview, I remember him coming out so strongly and it kind of took me back when he said it, that this car is bad. This was after qualifying at the first race. To immediately throw the whole concept in the trash can then was the only way that I'm slightly thinking that it wasn't quite the calm, assured Toto leadership that we've seen."

‘Toto Wolff's leadership questioned’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/toto-wolff-mercedes-leadership-2024-31799351

[Fortitude]

Perez thanks Red Bull for support through 2023 'roller coaster'.
Red Bull driver Sergio Perez has thanked his team for sticking with him during what proved to be a wild up-and-down ride through 2023.
04/01/2024 at 08:21
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

“Obviously we started really strongly the year," Perez trold last month's FIA Prize Giving Gala. "Then we had a bit of a rollercoaster mid-season, but we didn’t give up, we stuck together as a team, and I want to thank my whole team for supporting me," he continued.

“We went through very tough times, but we managed to secure the best season in the history of our team," he added. "We’ve learned from those difficult moments, [and] we will come back next year stronger," he concluded.

‘Support through 2023 'roller coaster' ’;

https://f1i.com/news/497364-perez-thanks-red-bull-for-support-through-2023-roller-coaster.html


Horner: Perez's Miami defeat a "big psychological blow" in title race
4th January 2024, 09:06
AUTHORAlex Kalinauckas
Motorsport.com

“The first four or five races he was very, very strong,” Horner said of Perez in an exclusive interview with Motorsport.com. “And it was really after Miami that I think that was a big, psychological blow for him – losing that race. Then off the back of that, Monaco Q1, making a mistake.”

“You know, confidence is such a vital thing in this sport and I think that that momentum that he built up – because his races in Saudi and Azerbaijan were truly outstanding – [was hit]. I mean, in Azerbaijan he had the clean sweep with a sprint win and the grand prix itself.
“So, by the time we headed back into Europe, it started to disintegrate for him. And then there was sort of peaks and troughs.”

“I mean he drove, for example, a brilliant race in Monza, made a great call in Zandvoort in the wet, then unfortunately mistakes started to creep in as he put more pressure on himself. But what was good to see is him pick his form up again at the end of the season. And, of course, to achieve second place in the championship – something he's never done, something we've never done – to achieve a 1-2 finish.”

"Big psychological blow";

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/horner-perez-miami-defeat-big-psychological-blow-title-race/10562325/


Red Bull rumour suggests major setback during key pre-season test
Thursday 4 January 2024 08:27
Cal Gaunt
GPFans

In a dramatic twist ahead of the highly anticipated 2024 Formula 1 season, Red Bull's aspirations have apparently encountered an early hurdle, casting doubt on the prowess of their forthcoming car.
Reports from Motorsport Italia reveal that the team's new RB20 machine failed a critical frontal crash test related to the chassis in December, prompting concerns about safety and the crucial homologation approval by the FIA. This (is an) – albeit as yet unsubstantiated – test failure…

Beyond the weight considerations, the team's approach also aligns with the quest for a more responsive and sensitive front end. A lighter nose, while a potential risk in crash tests, aligns with the precision and preferences of their three-time world champion, Max Verstappen, who excels in creating oversteer and minimal steering inputs.

‘Red Bull rumour suggests major setback’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1010573/red-bull-f1-rb20-crash-test-rumour-2024-season-failure/


Ted Kravitz hails Christian Horner for leadership of ‘uncontrollable’ figure at Red Bull
Thu 4 January 2024 06:30
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Sky Sports reporter Ted Kravitz has admitted that he’s been really impressed by how Christian Horner has managed Red Bull in the past 12 months and in particular the way he dealt with Helmut Marko. Kravitz praised how he managed to deal with so many difficult characters while maintaining their lead over the rest of the grid.

One of the most exciting aspects of any Formula 1 season is what’s going on behind the scenes at Red Bull. There were only two driver changes during 2023 and it’s no surprise they both came at sister team AlphaTauri.

After 10 races, Nyck de Vries was replaced by Daniel Ricciardo as Christian Horner and Helmut Marko saw an opportunity to get the Australian back on the grid. He was then replaced by Liam Lawson after injuring his hand and while the Kiwi impressed, he couldn’t earn a permanent spot on the grid. Ted Kravitz has praised how Christian Horner led a team full of very big personalities including Helmut Marko.

‘Really impressed by how Christian Horner has managed Red Bull’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ted-kravitz-hails-christian-horner-for-leadership-of-uncontrollable-figure-at-red-bull/


Red Bull boosted by FIA rule change as F1 rivals' advantage taken away
Red Bull's RB19 was peerless in terms of race pace throughout the 2023 season and car design legend Adrian Newey thinks an FIA rule change ended up helping his team
4th January 2024, 06:05
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Speaking to The Race, Newey admitted there were some of his colleagues who were concerned that it would have a detrimental impact on their performance. However, he spotted a reason to advise the team against fighting the change.

"The interesting thing about that was, when the change was announced last year, we were discussing it internally," he said. "Some of our guys were saying, 'No, we've got to really fight this'.

"But I took the view that actually in the high-speed corners last year we were probably behind Ferrari. Our car was getting itself into problems in the very high speed so, actually, that reg change might suit us - so we didn't really push against it too much. It turned out it seems it has suited us."

‘Red Bull boosted by FIA rule change’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/red-bull-rule-change-newey-31801515


Sainz melancholic after losing key ally to Verstappen
04 January 6:00AM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Carlos Sainz and Rupert Manwaring have been inseparable for eight years in Formula 1, but now the personal trainer will switch to Max Verstappen for the 2024 season. "Eight years cannot be summed up in one video, but here is a hint of what it has meant to me," wrote Sainz on social media.

"2023 was Rupert's last year serving Team 55 and I wouldn't know how to thank you for all your work and support during those years. Not only did we train together and fight for the same goals, but we also had a lot of fun. I wish you all the best, Ruperto!" Manwaring in turn also shared a note of farewell, with similar words of thanks to Sainz: "Thank you for eight great years that were filled with fun, excitement and friendship."

"I didn't get to tell you this during our collaboration, but I certainly learned as much from you as you learned from me (if you would at least listen once). It has been a crazy ride and we have grown together. It is also because of you as my wingman that I met my wonderful wife and mother of my baby daughter, the real boss of Team 55."

‘Sainz melancholic’;

https://racingnews365.com/sainz-wistful-after-losing-mainstay-to-verstappen

[Fortitude]

Aston Martin become fourth team to confirm 2024 F1 launch date.
The AMR24 will be unveiled at the team’s headquarters in Silverstone on Monday, February 12.
4 January 2024, 11:18
by Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Aston Martin is the fourth team to confirm its launch plans, with Williams and Stake – formerly Alfa Romeo Sauber following the reveal of a new name on New Year’s Day – opting for February 5, and Ferrari on the 13th.

Technical director Dan Fallows sees no reason why the team cannot make a leap as significant as the one last winter. “It’s absolutely possible,” insisted Fallows. “We’ve seen with what we did (last year) that there are still opportunities to make a big step forward. But it’s a relative game. It depends on what other people are doing.”

“For us, the most important thing is that we’re making that big step forward. We have our internal targets. We have things that we want to achieve, and as long as we achieve that, then we’ll be happy. Where that sits us on the grid will play out according to what our competitors do.”

‘Fourth team to confirm 2024 F1 launch’;

https://speedcafe.com/aston-martin-2024-f1-launch-date/


Aston Martin announces date for AMR24 car launch
04/01/2024 at 11:59
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

The Aston Martin team has revealed on social media that it will be holding its 2024 team launch event on Monday, February 12. An enigmatic post had a close up shot of Fernando Alonso's face with a green glint to his eye, set against a moody black background overlaid with text declaring 'Hyper-focus 12.02.24".

The post itself stated: "Get ready to welcome the #AMR24", making it clear that this would be the public bow of this year's car. The team's website carried a message promising "An unshakeable belief. An unwavering energy. Every detail considered and optimised in the relentless pursuit of progress. This is hyper-focus."

A text message to the media confirmed that the new car would "break cover" at Silverstone, where the team has its new upgraded headquarters and factory facilities. This date was also announced in an email to members of the team's I/AM fan campaign, which invited people to enter a competition to attend the unveiling.

'Hyper-focus 12.02.24’;

https://f1i.com/news/497377-aston-martin-announces-date-for-amr24-car-launch.html


Ambitious Aston Martin eager to build on last year’s F1 promise
3 January 2024 at 8:00 am
Giles Richards
Yahoo! Sport

Alonso acclaimed 2023 as a success despite the lacklustre finish but was under no illusions that there is hard work to be done. “I see only positives,” he said of last season. “It was unthinkable 12 months ago, at this stage, to think about the campaign we did.

“Now comes the tricky period for Aston Martin, the next two or three years, to find that extra bit, to create something that no one has in that moment, to be creative, to be innovative.”

His opinion was echoed by team principal, Mike Krack. “We think about what is needed next, to make the next step,” he said. “The initial steps are always easy but they get more and more difficult.”

‘Eager to build’;

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/ambitious-aston-martin-eager-build-080016770.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9jLm5ld3Nub3cuY28udWsv&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAF631cZcntxcuNHUG5GJl-o1kT-OR-eM8UWu2uTspu-6FumOdlQzICF74W9Njczeb7iPAPws90bqHApyVXllHTX3pz8jX OYtS-y6mFN8ftsByKzU9bQ0M3Cicw49HM1-H6PTEz3A_y8S9T6YDYxYYvIGCPQZEJxWI-urqd9-jDxY


Alonso 'sees only positives' amid Aston's drop-off in form
04/01/2024 at 08:21
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

The decline in performance in later races led many to wonder just how sustainable the team's surge would be heading into 2024, but Alonso himself had few doubts that they were on the right path. “I see only positives,” he said when asked to look back at 2023. "Those struggles, I think, are part of the job and part of the journey of this team.”

“We started really strong with a car that was, surprisingly maybe, more competitive. Even to us, the step from last year to this year [was a surprise]. We found ourselves maybe in a position that we were not ready for it," he suggested. "Fighting with Mercedes, Ferrari, you know, top teams. They're used to fighting at that level.”

“We are not at the top level yet,” he admitted. "We maybe stepped back a little bit in terms of development and in the car during the season. We found ourselves a little bit less competitive [toward the end]," Alonso admitted. "But all in all I think it was unthinkable 12 months ago, at this stage, to think about the campaign we did.”

'Sees only positives';

https://f1i.com/news/497366-alonso-sees-only-positives-amid-astons-drop-off-in-form.html


Rob Smedley shares the ‘huge advantage’ Fernando Alonso has over the rest of the F1 grid
Wed 3 January 2024 20:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Former Formula 1 race engineer Rob Smedley has shared the advantage that he thinks Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso has over the rest of the grid. At 42 years old, Fernando Alonso is the most experienced driver in Formula 1 right now but easily still one of the quickest.

Rob Smedley has now shared the advantage he thinks Alonso has over his rivals that have helped him deliver so many impressive results. The Spaniard has admitted he’s ‘rather confident’ ahead of next season which suggests things are going well behind the scenes at the team. “Intelligence, I think, shows itself in many ways.”

“It shows on the track, he shows it on the track when he has this incredible ability to not only drive the car at 300 km/h, but also to analyse and process everything that is happening around him. And that is useful. That’s a huge advantage against your competitors, because not only can you drive as fast as them, but you’re also thinking better than the vast majority of them as well. And also intelligence is seen in his tenacity, in emotional intelligence, the tenacity of being solid as a rock mentally and never, or almost never, being destabilized by, for example, his teammate.”

‘Huge advantage’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/rob-smedley-shares-the-huge-advantage-fernando-alonso-has-over-the-rest-of-the-f1-grid/


BARRETTO: After their lightning start to 2023, can Aston Martin take the next step in 2024?
04 January 2024
Lawrence Barretto
F1 Correspondent & Presenter
Formula One - Official Site

When Fernando Alonso put pen to paper to sign a deal with Aston Martin, the double world champion – even with his remarkable self-confidence – didn’t believe he could kick off his latest era in F1 with a run of six podiums in eight races.

But the Spaniard pleasantly surprised himself with the kind of performances that suggested age is only a number – the 42-year-old driving just as well as at any point during his two-decade-long career in Formula 1 and delivering on the lofty expectation the team’s billionaire owner Lawrence Stroll bestowed upon him when he tempted him away from Alpine.

Aston Martin sat second in the constructors’ championship after six races in 2023, having finished the previous season seventh. They had grabbed the attention of their rival teams with such a big step in relative performance and at that point were Red Bull’s most potent threat for supremacy. But then came a mid-season slump, one that left the Silverstone-based team perplexed as to why they couldn’t get more out of the AMR23. Updates came – but they did not deliver as intended.

‘Can Aston Martin take the next step in 2024?’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.barretto-after-their-lightning-start-to-2023-can-aston-martin-take-the-next.2LOlLc6KAaTPNyV53U8wUq.html

[Fortitude]

Gary Anderson: What each F1 team is chasing with its 2024 concept.
There’s 10 Formula 1 teams all hoping that 2024 will bring them everything they wished for over the Christmas period.
Jan 5, 2024
by Gary Anderson
The Race

When your new car breaks cover, it’s a bit like Christmas Day. You really want something special and exciting and the last thing you need is another pair of socks. But unlike the mystery of Christmas presents, as a technical director you will have followed the progress of your car daily. Eddie Jordan always - well, mostly - used to say to me when the car sat on the ground for the first time that I must be pleased with how it looks. I would reply, ‘Eddie I have been looking at it growing up for the last six months’.

As the head aerodynamicist, chief designer, or head of vehicle dynamics, your challenge is to manage your group of people to achieve the objectives set out by the technical director when they create that performance specification. It should never be straightforward and you should always be chasing that last little bit. If it’s too easy, the specification was not demanding enough so it’s always a fine line between achievement and underachievement.

When you are talking about the car concept, it’s important to remember that it’s not about what the car looks like but how it behaves across the vast range of transient conditions. Deciding on what characteristics you want is one challenge and the other is delivering them, which is what makes this so difficult.

‘Must be pleased with how it looks’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/gary-anderson-f1-2024-car-concept-priorities/


Horner expecting grid of RB19 lookalikes
05/01/2024
NEWS STORY
Pitpass

Christian Horner admits that he expects to see a lot of familiar looking cars on the grid this season as rivals seek to emulate the success of the all-conquering RB19. A number of teams have already admitted that their latest contender will see a return to the drawing board, with many likely to use the concept of the RB19 as their starting point.

"It's been a very special period for the team and, hopefully, we can carry that momentum into next year," says Horner. "But I'm fully expecting, with stable regulations, there will be diminishing returns for us because I think we got to the top of the curve quicker than others.”

"The field is going to converge," he insists, "and for us, it's difficult to know who that will be. Will it be McLaren? Will it be Ferrari? Will it be Mercedes? It keeps moving around behind us. That's what we're fully expecting as we go into next year."

‘Grid of RB19 lookalikes’;

https://www.pitpass.com/76892/Horner-expecting-grid-of-RB19-lookalikes


Eddie Jordan’s worrying Red Bull F1 2024 prediction as ‘no chance’ verdict cast
05 Jan 2024 10:00 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Former F1 team owner Eddie Jordan told David Coulthard there is “no chance” the likes of Mercedes and Ferrari jump to Red Bull’s level, tipping them to “walk” F1 2024. “They should finish first and second next year and walk away with the Constructors’,” Jordan predicted of Red Bull on the Formula For Success podcast.

“Max, can he win 20 grands prix, can he improve on where he was this year? My view is no, because when you don’t have big rule changes, and this coming year there’s no big rule change, the cars concertina.” Jordan offered a clear “no chance” in response to that, (David Coulthard: “So surely, they should be closer, or maybe even able to beat where Red Bull are.”) revealing that his cycling pal and Red Bull design guru Adrian Newey has a real pep in his step, a clear sign that he is very confident over Red Bull’s situation.

“No. No chance, simple,” said Jordan in response to Coulthard. “When you’re building a car and you have somebody of the likes of Adrian Newey and his team, which full marks to them, phenomenal to achieve this kind of landmark, because this probably may never be beat, we may look back in 20, 30 years time and you’ll say, ‘You know that 2023, that was just off the charts brilliant for what was achieved’.”

‘Worrying Red Bull F1 2024 prediction’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/eddie-jordan-predicts-red-bull-walk-f1-2024


What Mercedes’ W14 errors tell us about its 2024 F1 car changes
When Mercedes reveals its new 2024 Formula 1 car next month, it is clearly going to be a very different beast to last year’s W14.
UPDATEDJAN 5, 2024, 9:15 AM
AUTHORJonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

Mercedes' issues can be traced back to the horrendous porpoising that its W13 suffered from in 2022, with a car that delivered its peak downforce in an area so close to the ground where bouncing became a problem. However, lifting the car did not help much as it found itself losing too much performance, backing itself away from low ride heights.

It eventually got on top of the issues at play and did stage a good recovery throughout that campaign to find downforce higher up, winning the 2022 Brazilian Grand Prix, and that gave it some confidence that the worst was behind it. Heading into last year, though, the enforced raising of the floor edges by 15mm meant that there was a critical decision to be made.

As Allison explained: “There was a big debate internally: should we cash in that 15mm and drop the car down, operate in a window that's 15mm smaller because the cars will be less bouncy inherently? Or should we do more of what has done us well over the course of the [previous] year, which is force ourselves to keep looking for downforce where it's difficult: high up?

‘W14 errors’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/mercedes-w14-errors-2024-f1-car-changes/10562679/


The storylines likely to dominate F1 in 2024
Jan 5, 2024, 03:48 AM ET
Nate Saunders, General Editor, F1
ESPN.com

VIDEO of Red Bull practicing pit stops in the dark!

F1's new season begins on March 2 with the Bahrain Grand Prix after three days of testing the week prior at the same venue. While Red Bull's RB19 instantly earned itself a place in F1's all-time great cars, Verstappen was consistently special in 2023. His 19 wins - 10 of which came consecutively between May's Miami Grand Prix and September's Italian Grand Prix - were unprecedented. Only Carlos Sainz's Singapore win denied Red Bull a perfect season.

For much of the year Verstappen was driving on another level and even if Red Bull's new car is less dominant, the Dutchman is as difficult to beat as it gets in racing, a perfect combination of supreme talent and unshakable confidence in a car he knows can win races and titles.

‘The storylines: Can Mercedes or Ferrari get it right? Perez's Red Bull seat. What will happen with Andretti's F1 bid? Will the F1-FIA relationship improve or deteriorate? Can Norris finally get win number one? Can Alonso and Aston Martin repeat its 2023 start? Can Aston seriously contend with Lance Stroll? The driver market.’;

https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/39241780/the-storylines-likely-dominate-f1-2024


Ranked: The best and worst F1 tracks on the F1 2024 calendar
05 Jan 2024 7:00 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

With a record number of races this season, we have ranked every venue set to host an F1 2024 race.
With 24 different venues across 21 countries and five continents, F1 is truly a global sport.
In 2024, changes have been made to ease emissions but the F1 circus is set to travel to almost every corner of the world. We have ranked every track ahead of us.
The best
Suzuka International Racing Course, Japan (April 7)
Circuit de Monaco, Monaco (May 26)
Silverstone Circuit, United Kingdom (July 7)
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium (July 28)
Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Italy (September 1)
Autódromo José Carlos Pace, Brazil (November 3)

Worst
Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Saudi Arabia (March 9)
Miami International Autodrome, United States (May 5)
Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Spain (June 23)
Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Mexico (October 27)

‘The best and worst F1 tracks’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/f1-tracks-2024-calendar

[Fortitude]

Controversial Mercedes upgrade set to bring 'absolute pandemonium'.
Mercedes have reportedly caused fury after announcing expansion plans that are set to cause major impacts.
Friday 5 January 2024 18:57
Dan Ripley
GPFans

Mercedes have reportedly caused fury after announcing expansion plans that are set to cause major impacts.

Simon Wheeler, managing director of a local business told the Chronicle: “Everyone is up in arms about the idea of this happening because at the moment we all have fairly unfettered access into this premises which means we have no issues getting staff or commercial vehicles in.

“If you’ve got several hundred cars first thing in the morning and last thing at night trying to enter and exit the site it’s going to cause absolute pandemonium. Our customers, our suppliers, or our employees all of a sudden could be having to leave home earlier to avoid getting caught up in everyone else’s traffic.”

'Absolute pandemonium';

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1010670/mercedes-upgrade-f1-2024-expansion-brackley/


Mercedes accused of ‘gross disrespect’ as they face HQ expansion headache
05 Jan 2024 11:42 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Mercedes could face some backlash to their plans to grow their Brackley base with local residents reportedly unhappy at the knock-on effect it will have on the area. According to local newspaper the Northampton Chronicle and Echo, residents are “up in arms” about the plans which they say will bring high levels of traffic in the area.

Mercedes are planning to build a three-storey marketing building, a health and well-being building and an extension to the main headquarters. The main issue appears to be the impact these plans will have on St James Road which is the next road down from Lauda Drive which leads to Mercedes’ factory.

‘Gross disrespect’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mercedes-accused-of-gross-disrespect-as-they-face-hq-expansion-headache


F1 tech review: Mercedes takes design U-turn to beat Ferrari
Mercedes initially plowed on with its radical zeropod concept, but then quickly decided to overhaul the W14 to establish a performance baseline for a new design direction in 2024.
UPDATEDJAN 5, 2024, 5:48 PM
AUTHORMatt Somerfield
CO-AUTHORGiorgio Piola
Motorsport.com

This resulted in a large-scale update arriving in Monaco with further adaptations being implemented throughout the remainder of the season.
Let’s take a detailed look at some of the car’s finer details in full, and how that big development programme was rolled out to overtake Ferrari for second place in the Constructors’ Championship.

A comparison of the W13 and W14, showing how the zeropod’s inlet had been pushed back for 2023.

‘Design U-turn’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-tech-review-mercedes-beats-ferrari/10562996/


Mercedes chief Toto Wolff admits F1 rival faced an ‘awful’ situation in 2023
Fri 5 January 2024 17:00
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Mercedes team principal and CEO Toto Wolff believes the grid penalty Carlos Sainz received at the Las Vegas GP was ‘absolutely unfair’ and ‘awful’ for the Ferrari star. The 29-year-old had to accept a 10-place grid penalty as Formula 1 returned to Sin City last November. Ferrari were helpless to prevent the penalty after a water valve cover destroyed Sainz’s car. It made the Scuderia replace the Spaniard’s battery, ICE and control electronics.

McLaren CEO Zak Brown also stated that it was ‘unfair’ for Sainz to get a grid penalty for an incident out of the Ferrari driver’s control. Now, Mercedes boss Wolff has also called Sainz’s grid penalty at the Las Vegas GP ‘absolutely unfair’ and has urged the FIA to tweak its rules. Wolff believes it would have been ‘awful’ for Sainz after putting himself in the Ferrari pilot’s shoes. So, it is only right that the FIA now looks at its rules and considers if Formula 1 needs a force majeure clause that allows the stewards to void certain penalties on key conditions.

‘Absolutely unfair’ and ‘Awful’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/mercedes-chief-toto-wolff-admits-f1-rival-faced-an-awful-situation-in-2023/


Major Mercedes W15 concept admission delivered by George Russell
05 Jan 2024 10:45 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

George Russell believes the added time Mercedes have had to focus on the W15 will bring them performance. “[I am] more confident going into this break,” he said before the 2023 season ended, according to Autosport. “[We have been] working on the new concept for a long time and there’s been so much due diligence gone into that concept.”

“Whereas I think last year it was all a little bit rushed. We didn’t have all the information to hand, we may have jumped to a couple of conclusions without thoroughly going through the consequences. And we learned when the car hit the ground this year that we made a step forward in some regards, but it came with a lot of baggage and we hadn’t taken that into consideration.”

‘W15 concept admission’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mercedes-w15-concept-george-russell


Hamilton and Wolff exchange over 'bad' Mercedes gains attention
Friday 5 January 2024 12:57
Dan Ripley
GPFans

Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff's public frustrations during the Austrian Grand Prix in 2023 has been voted as the 'best team team radio' exchange of the year. During the race Hamilton asked his race engineer Bono if rivals were also being considered for track penalties as well as complaining about the driveability of the W14 in general.

But following Bono's update, team boss Toto Wolff then dived into the conversation telling Hamilton, "Lewis, the car is bad we know - please drive it." The exchange proved memorable to GPFans readers who have voted it in our annual awards as their favourite radio exchange with 43 per cent of the vote.

‘Public frustrations’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1010659/lewis-hamilton-toto-wolff-team-radio-car-bad-please-drive-mercedes-f1/

[Fortitude]

How Kimi Raikkonen Nearly Bankrupted a Formula 1 Team…
It was reported that he would earn 50,000 Euros per point he scored. In two years at Lotus, Kimi Raikkonen scored a total of 390 points.
Published: Jan 5, 2024
By Alastair Smith
World In Sport

Kimi Raikkonen is most famous for his no-nonsense, blunt personality. As well as his personality he is also very famous for being an all round motorsport athlete. As well as F1 Kimi Raikkonen has raced in Nascar and the World Rally Championship.

By the end of the 2011 season, it was announced that Kimi Raikkonen would return to F1 with Lotus. This would be the first season that Lotus would be in F1 since its rebrand from Renault. When the 2012 season came about there was a lot of hype around him and the team. Come the first round in Australia, all eyes were on him. He would finish a 7th place after starting 18th.

By the end of the season, he would finish an unexpected yet incredible 3rd place in the driver’s standings. He would finish with 207 points. His junior teammate finished 8th with 96 points. It became clear that Kimi Raikkonen’s experience was vital to the team’s success. By the 2013 season, Kimi Raikkonen continued to prove it was not a first-season fluke by winning the opening race of the season in Australia by 12.4 seconds. Kimi Raikkonen would go on a 3 race podium streak from rounds 3 to 5.

‘Using that math, he would have brought in a total of 19.5m euros in bonuses’;

https://worldinsport.com/how-kimi-raikkonen-nearly-bankrupted-a-formula-1-team/?nowprocket=1


Silverstone among 10 F1 tracks with short contracts as possible axe looms for favourites
Many of F1's most iconic events, such as the races at Silverstone, Monza, Spa-Francorchamps and in Monaco, have only short-term contracts as newer venues threaten their places
Jan 5, 2024, 06:06
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

British GP, Silverstone – 2024 As it stands, Silverstone currently has just one more year left on its existing contract. But there is no reason for UK-based fans to worry - the Northamptonshire circuit is far too important and historic for the world championship for it to be at risk. A new contract is inevitable and the British Grand Prix will remain a key part of the schedule for years to come.

Japanese GP, Suzuka – 2024 A near ever-present on the F1 calendar since 1987, Suzuka also has an unclear future beyond this year. But, like Silverstone, it is a firm favourite among fans and drivers alike not to mention one of the more challenging circuits on the calendar. The value of the Japanese market along makes the Japanese Grand Prix safe, you would imagine.

Belgian GP, Spa-Francorchamps – 2025 Another very challenging circuit, but Spa-Francorchamps feels less secure than either of the above. Two more races in Belgium are guaranteed but, of all the historic European venues, Spa feels like one of the most at-risk. Facility upgrades are required and there are safety concerns, particularly after the death of 18-year-old Dilano van't Hoff last summer. There's work to be done to save Spa, you feel.

‘Chinese GP, Shanghai International Circuit – 2025, Dutch GP, Zandvoort – 2025, Emilia Romagna GP, Imola – 2025, Italian GP, Monza – 2025, Las Vegas GP, Las Vegas Strip – 2025, Mexican GP, Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez – 2025, Monaco GP, Monte Carlo – 2025’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/british-gp-contract-monza-monaco-31810470


Verstappen addresses widespread F1 rumour over Perez rivalry
Friday 5 January 2024 20:57
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans

Max Verstappen has categorically denied that Red Bull do not develop the team's car to suit his driving style more than that of Sergio Perez, as he admitted that it is down to the driver to 'adapt to the needs of the car'. And according to the three-time world champion, it all comes down to the fact that he knows how to change his approach to get the very best out of the car.

“I just try to get the best out of it. And I do that every time. I don't know how dominant this car is compared to previous cars. Nobody knows that. I tune the car the way I like it and the other driver tunes it to suit him," he added when asked whether the car is developed specifically towards his needs.

"The engineers develop the car to make it faster. And not how I would like it to be. It's the same with the driving style. What is your driving style? I don't know. I adapt to the needs of the car to make it the fastest. That's the key to being a really good Formula 1 driver. Adapting to what you get from the team."

‘Categorically denied’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1010647/max-verstappen-f1-rumour-sergio-perez-red-bull-same-car-rb19-rb20/


Six things Mercedes must stop getting wrong in F1
Jan 6, 2024
by Edd Straw
The Race

1 CAR ARCHITECTURE: The Mercedes W15 needs to have the fundamentals nailed from the start, eliminating the baked-in structural limitations that held it back last year.
2 PLATFORM CONTROL: This generation of F1 cars is all about nailing the interaction of the aerodynamic characteristics and the mechanical platform. This is what makes the aforementioned changes to the front and rear suspension so important.

3 CONCEPT: The word concept is bandied sound endlessly in F1, but poorly defined. Often it’s applied to the physical look of the car, but with F1 cars today it’s more about the performance windows you want to operate in.
4 RISK v REWARD RATIO: As Mercedes made a respectable recovery during 2022, emerging as a race winner late in the season, it chose to carry that car concept into 2023, but there was a curveball in the form of the rule changes introduced to tackle concerns about the physical toll porpoising took on drivers.

5 COLLABORATION: After returning to the front line as technical director in the middle of the 2023 season, Allison identified a weakness. As a result of the shock of the slump in competitiveness, he characterised the way the team was working as “fragmented” as everyone scrambled to recover.
6 EXPECTATIONS: The odds are against Mercedes being able to fight Red Bull for the championship in 2024. It’s not impossible, but realistically a good season will be one in which it closes the gap and can be a more regular threat for race wins.

‘Six’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/what-mercedes-must-stop-getting-wrong-in-formula-1/


Sainz wants 'easier' Ferrari after 2023 'headaches'
06 January 9:30AM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Carlos Sainz said he wants the 2024 Ferrari Formula 1 car to be "easier" to setup after issues with its predecessor. The SF-23 proved to be a difficult car to get into the right setup window for both Sainz and Charles Leclerc, with their qualifying pace often not translating in the race.

As a result they would suffer from high tyre degradation, leading to one of the worst starts to a season since 2009 having only scored 26 points after three races. By contrast the 2009 season saw them score just 12 points in the same period.

Their problems with tyre degradation hit its peak during the Miami Grand Prix, when they Sainz finished seventh place after starting inside the top three and Leclerc only fifth after starting from seventh. “There has been talk that [the 2023 car] is a car that suits me, that I like,” he told As “Honestly, it has given me headaches not only myself but also to my team mate and to Ferrari.”

‘Wants the 2024 Ferrari Formula 1 car to be "easier" to setup’;

https://racingnews365.com/sainz-wants-easier-ferrari-after-2023-headaches


F1 team confirm Schumacher as 'family' along with rival star
Friday 5 January 2024 22:57
Sam Cook
GPFans

Mick Schumacher has been welcomed with open arms to his new team, having recently started a new role. The young German has been confirmed as a driver for Alpine's endurance team in the World Endurance Championship (WEC), meaning a return to full-time racing after spending 2023 as Mercedes' test and reserve driver.

While Schumacher will retain his role with Mercedes alongside working with Alpine, the German isn't likely to be as present around the Formula 1 paddock as he was in 2023. The 24-year-old will be back in full-time racing for the first time since 2022, when he was dropped by Haas after some costly mistakes and inconsistent performances throughout his debut two years in F1.

'Family';

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1010680/mick-schumacher-alpine-f1-wec-esteban-ocon-family-besties/

[Fortitude]

Red Bull confirm incredible admission over RB21 plans.
…started to think about their 2025 car, likely to be named the RB21, and that their RB20 for next season is 'at least six months old'.
Saturday 6 January 2024 14:57
Sam Cook
GPFans

During the Milton Keynes-based outfit's remarkable, record-breaking 2023 season, team principal Christian Horner revealed that the team had already switched their attentions to 2024. Red Bull will be hopeful that this was the reason for their rivals starting to catch up with them at the end of 2023, with McLaren showing some impressive pace.

Red Bull's new challenger: Now, Waterhouse has revealed quite a startling admission about the team's 2024 car. “The RB20 is a car that is at least six months old," he said in quotes reported by Formula Passion. "And we are already starting to move our attention on the RB21, even if the season has not yet started."

‘Move our attention on the RB21’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1010679/ben-waterhouse-red-bull-f1-rb20-plans-incredible-admission/


F1 tech review: Red Bull finds new ways to pull further ahead
Red Bull’s RB19 was clearly the class of the field in 2023, with the team finding numerous ways to build on its earlier success under the new regulations.
UPDATEDJAN 6, 2024, 4:14 PM
AUTHORMatt Somerfield
CO-AUTHORGiorgio Piola
Motorsport.com

A comparison of the RB18 and RB19’s from beneath shows how the team developed its underfloor to deal with the changes in the regulations, which is more visually notable on the floor’s edge and with the change in approach when it came to their edge wing design.

Red Bull made changes to the layout of its sidepod inlet at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, widening the aperture but reducing its height, in order to improve flow through the undercut beneath. It’s a design process that continued to be exploited too, as an even more adventurous variant arrived at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Red Bull almost exclusively used an asymmetric layout for the engine cover cooling louvre panel in 2023 with more cooling used on the right-hand side of the car, as a five-louvre panel was used in Hungary. Red Bull introduced their open-ended rear wing tip section variant at the Singapore Grand Prix, having seen a number of rivals already extract performance from similar solutions.

‘Clearly the class of the field’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-tech-review-red-bull-design-secrets/10563204/


F1 News: Helmut Marko addresses failed Red Bull crash test
January 5, 2024
By: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Helmut Marko dismissed the importance of Red Bull’s failed crash test for 2024, which was reported some weeks ago. In the words of Toto Wolff, Red Bull has a clear target on its back in 2024. After taking last year’s Championship in such convincing fashion, several teams are working to hunt them down.

With the arrival of McLaren and Aston Martin as regular podium finishers, the reigning Champions will have more teams to worry about than in most of the hybrid era. The question on everyone’s lips is whether Red Bull is within striking distance this year.

Helmut Marko has a clear response to suggestions that failing the crash test is a concern: “Ridiculous. If we had passed the first test, there would be a problem,” he told f1-insider. “Then we would have done a bad job.” As outlined previously, there were many different reactions on social media to the news of the RB20 failing these pre-season tests.

‘Helmut Marko dismissed the importance of Red Bull’s failed crash test’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/01/05/f1-news-helmut-marko-addresses-failed-red-bull-crash-test/


Marko inks three-year extension with Red Bull
05/01/2024 at 10:52
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s long-standing motorsport advisor, has reportedly signed a new three-year contract with the energy drink company according to several media reports. The 80-year-old Austrian’s new deal puts an end to speculation that he might depart the team following the expiration of his previous contract at the end of 2024.

Speaking to Austrian outlet OE24 last month, Marko remarked on the changed dynamics within Red Bull since the passing of its co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz, expressing regret that his late friend could not witness the team's dominant performance in 2023, in which Red Bull won 21 out of 22 races.

“It’s now an extended group of people, including Mark Mateschitz, the Thais, and Oliver Mintzlaff,” he said. “The way we used to be able to decide things with Dietrich Mateschitz was unique. After this winning season, which put everything in the shade, I was incredibly sorry that he was no longer able to experience it.”

‘New three-year contract’;

https://f1i.com/news/497415-marko-inks-three-year-extension-with-red-bull.html


"It has to work," says Marko of Red Bull power unit
05/01/2024
NEWS STORY
Pitpass

2026 finally sees Red Bull go it alone in terms of its engine, and Helmut Marko admits that it is a gamble that "has to work". "Even though we are still a long way from competitive use, everything is going according to plan and the performance curve is right," he tells Austria's OE24.

Asked, should things not go to plan, if Honda might yet remain a potential 'Plan B', the Austrian replied: "No, it has to work," he insists, "from 2026, we will be racing with our own engine. Until then, we want the best possible performance potential from Honda, which has worked well so far," he adds. "Honda was my deal, so I will continue to look after it."

Max Verstappen is expected to continue his winning ways this season and next, but how does the Dutchman feel about his team's huge gamble. "A difficult question," he admitted to Blick. "But hundreds of people are working on this Red Bull Powertrains project in Milton Keynes. We don't want to be caught on the wrong foot in 2026," he added. "We all hope it will be a rocket. We will see."

‘We will be racing with our own engine’;

https://www.pitpass.com/76891/It-has-to-work-says-Marko-of-Red-Bull-power-unit

[Fortitude]

Business Owners Could Prevent F1 From Returning To Las Vegas In 2024.
If local business owners have anything to say about it, it could well be the last time the sport hits the strip.
JANUARY 6, 2024 11:27 AM
BY CLAY SAUERTIEG
BroBible

Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com reports that several small business owners believe they were misled by race organizers, who ensured that the event would be a huge boon for local companies.
“We don’t need the F1. The F1 needs us,” Jay’s Market owner Wade Bohn told Snel. “We want to be compensated for the losses that occurred due to everything F1, the county and the LVCVA did.”

Bohn claims that his business’ revenue was cut in half, from $8.5 million in 2022 to $4.2 million. He believes this is due to customers being unable to access his business because of work on and around the track. “We believe the county is responsible. They’re using taxpayer dollars to bring F1 into town. When F1 went before the county, they promised they would not be a hindrance, that they would be a part of the community,”

Bohn said. “What they did was they came in, tore everything up, ran the race and got the hell out of dodge. . . If this (the business loss) happens again next year I will be out of business one hundred percent.” And Bohn isn’t alone. Local restaurant owner Randy Markin says that he, and others, feel misled. “We as a community got bamboozled, we got fooled. This has not ever happened before. It just steamrolled out of control,” Markin said of the race.

“We as a community got bamboozled, we got fooled”;

https://brobible.com/sports/article/business-owners-prevent-f1-returning-to-las-vegas-2024/


Business Owner On Formula 1 Race Impact On Las Vegas: ‘We As A Community Got Bamboozled, We Got Fooled’; Businesses Ask Clark County, LVCVA, F1 For Compensation For Revenue Losses
January 3, 2024January 5, 2024
Alan Snel
LVSportsBiz.com

Businesses that lost millions of dollars in revenues because of the Formula 1 car race in the Strip corridor in November have banded together to ask Clark County government, the LVCVA public tourism agency and F1 for financial compensation for their losses.

“We believe the county is responsible. They’re using taxpayer dollars to bring F1 into town. When F1 went before the county, they promised they would not be a hinderance, that they would be a part of the community,” Bohn said. “What they did was they came in, tore everything up, ran the race and got the hell out of dodge. . . If this (the business loss) happens again next year I will be out of business one hundred percent.”

Jay’s Market, Battista’s, Stage Door and several other businesses that lost millions of dollars in revenue because of Formula 1’s race course have joined forces and enlisted a representative who appeared before the Clark County Commission at its meeting Tuesday. The businesses are located in the heart of the Strip corridor where Formula 1created a 3.8-mile course for the Nov. 18 race. The track and surrounding closed roads impeded customers from buying items at many local stores.

‘Revenue Losses’;

https://lvsportsbiz.com/2024/01/03/business-owner-on-formula-1-race-impact-on-las-vegas-we-as-a-community-got-bamboozled-we-got-fooled-businesses-ask-clark-county-lvcva-f1-for-compensation-for-revenue-losses/


Open letter calls for changes to F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix to help fans, businesses
06:54 Fri, 15 Dec 2023.
By Jaclyn Schultz
Fox 5 Vegas

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - The leader of several productions on the Las Vegas Strip wrote an open letter to push for logistical changes to the Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix to help fans and local businesses—most notably, moving the start time up earlier.

Ross Mollison, Impresario Extraordinaire of Spiegelworld, drafted a letter that has been seen by resort and casino leaders from the Strip to Downtown Las Vegas. He tells FOX5 his shows—Absinthe, Atomic Saloon and Opium—lost a total of $500,000 during the week of F1 when they went “dark” due to the race—but he wants it known that he’s a major F1 fan.

Numerous other shows canceled performances or had very little audience attendance. “It’s not just live entertainment that I think was really hit hard. A lot of restaurants were really hit hard,” he said. “Our sales have bounced back from the week that was F1, which was really, really tough for us. But I’m still in a post F1 glow, because I’m an enormous Formula One fan,” he said.

‘Open letter calls for changes’;

https://www.fox5vegas.com/2023/12/15/open-letter-calls-changes-f1-las-vegas-grand-prix-help-fans-businesses/


Upcoming traffic restrictions for Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix
Sat, January 6th 2024
by News 3 Staff
News3LV.com

Las Vegas Blvd, Sands Ave to Harmon Ave
• Work hours: Nightly, Tues 1/8 – Thurs 1/11, midnight-9am
• Intermittent single lane closures
Harmon Ave, Las Vegas Blvd to Koval Ln
• Work hours: Nightly, Tues 1/8 – Thurs 1/11, 9pm-6am
• Intermittent single lane closures
Koval Ln, Harmon Ave to Westchester Dr
• Work hours: Nightly, Tues 1/8 – Thurs 1/11, 9pm-6am
• Intermittent single lane closures
Sands Ave, Koval Ln to Las Vegas Blvd
• Work hours: Nightly, Tues 1/8 – Thurs 1/11, 9pm-6am
• Intermittent single lane closures

‘The new year means more construction’;

https://news3lv.com/news/local/upcoming-traffic-restrictions-for-formula-1-las-vegas-grand-prix-sands-ave-to-harmon-ave-construction-resort-corridor


Ferrari 'reopen' controversial Las Vegas F1 dispute
Wednesday 3 January 2024 09:57
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans

Ferrari F1 team principal Fred Vasseur has revealed that they have 'reopened' the case of who is responsible for covering the cost of repairing the damage sustained to Carlos Sainz's car at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

In the current era of strict budget caps, the money spent on repairing the car would have been hugely damaging for Ferrari. But Vasseur has now revealed that they have 'reopened' the incident and are in discussions with insurance companies to hopefully receive compensation.

“No, no,” he told the media when asked if Ferrari had received answers as to who was going to pay for the damage done to the car. “You know that, when you open the discussion with the insurance, it’s ages! It’s true everywhere, including in F1.

‘Controversial Las Vegas F1 dispute’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1010551/ferrari-f1-las-vegas-grand-prix-carlos-sainz-car-damage-cost-insurance-case-reopen-fred-vasseur/

[Fortitude]

Aston Martin to welcome ‘big change’ this year.
Aston Martin technical director Dan Fallows has revealed the team's R&D departments are "champing at the bit" to work with its new wind tunnel that is due to go online later this year.
7 January 2024
by Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Speaking to Speedcafe, he said: “Having been in an environment where you have that flexibility (with your own wind tunnel), and then having to share a wind tunnel with somebody else, even though it’s a very good facility, it gives you so much more ability to do research projects around your normal wind tunnel development programme.

“It’s particularly relevant for understanding the aerodynamics of new cars, so, for example, when we go into the 2026 regulations, with them being very new, it will play an enormous part in that. So it’s very exciting for us because there are a lot of projects that we’d like to be able to do, but we don’t have the time to do them in the (Mercedes) wind tunnel.”

“I’ve got R&D departments absolutely champing at the bit to get into this new tunnel. The thing is, are there going to be enough hours in the week to do all these projects? Even so, it’ll be a big step forward for us.”

‘R&D departments are "champing at the bit"!’;

https://speedcafe.com/aston-martin-new-wind-tunnel-big-change/


Aston Martin’s 2024 F1 car to be “very different” with radical changes mooted
5 Jan 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Aston Martin’s 2024 F1 car is reportedly set to be “very different” and feature radical changes from last season. The Silverstone-based outfit emerged from last winter as Red Bull’s nearest challengers and enjoyed having the second-fastest car during the early rounds of 2023, before tailing off as the season went on.

According to F1.com's Lawrence Barretto, the AMR24 “looks very different to its predecessor on the outside, with a plethora of changes under the skin and away from prying eyes”. We are not heading into 2024 with a hangover from 2023. Quite the opposite, in fact,” team principal Mike Krack commentated.

“[Last] season – and especially the races at the end of the season – have been very positive for us, with some really valuable learning that will carry over into the '24 car. We're not wrestling with any doubts.”

‘Radical changes’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1043049/1/aston-martin-s-2024-f1-car-be-very-different-radical-changes-mooted


Aston Martin confirms 2024 F1 car launch date
04 Jan 2024, 22:53
By Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Aston Martin have become the latest team to reveal 2024 F1 car launch plans with the Silverstone-based squad set to take the covers off their AM24 two weeks before the pre-season testing. Aston Martin have now joined the three teams, announcing that their new challenger - the AMR24 - will be unveiled at Silverstone on Monday February 12.

‘AM24 car launch’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24342


Aston Martin reveals 2024 F1 car launch date
Jan 4, 2024
The Race

Aston Martin will unveil its 2024 Formula 1 car on February 12 at Silverstone, becoming the fourth team to announce a launch event.

The team enjoyed a breakthrough start to the 2023 season in which it left F1's midfield behind and earned a string of podium finishes, all courtesy of new star driver Fernando Alonso. It wasn't able to maintain that form as rivals - particularly McLaren - made strides but Alonso still added podiums at Zandvoort and Interlagos.

Aston ultimately slipped to fifth in the constructors' championship behind McLaren but that still comfortably marked the strongest season for the Silverstone-based team since it was rebranded as Aston Martin in 2021.

‘Fourth team to announce a launch event’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/aston-martin-f1-2024-car-launch-date/


Fernando Alonso’s love affair with Aston Martin continues with rare car purchase
03 Jan 2024 9:15 AM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Fernando Alonso has bought himself an ex-DTM racing car from Aston Martin, after driving the machine in a sponsor outing in Spain. The Spaniard took part in a sponsor event at the Jarama circuit in early September 2023, driving an ex-Dani Juncadella Aston Martin Vantage AMR from the 2019 DTM season.

Alonso was clearly impressed by the Class 1 machine, with Alonso opting to buy one of the five chassis prepared by R-Motorsport from engine manufacturer HWA AG, with some minor modifications made to the car before the sale. Juncadella, who appeared at Jarama alongside Alonso, said Alonso had had no problems adjusting to the handling of the DTM machine.

“I was there to give him some support in case he needed help with the car basics,” Juncadella explained. “He has a lot of experience and knows racing cars well. But it was interesting to spend the day with him. It seems that everything is very natural for him. He understands everything very quickly and doesn’t ask many questions because he knows what he’s doing. He said he was impressed by the car. The performance was better than expected for him.”

‘Alonso’s love affair’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernando-alonso-buys-aston-martin-vantage-dtm

[Fortitude]

Zak Brown lays down 2024 target as McLaren send Max Verstappen warning shot.
“We hope to start the season kind of where we finished off. It’ll be interesting to see where everybody starts [next season] but we’re feeling good about our development. I think we learned a lot [from last year] so I anticipate a much stronger start to ’24 than we had in ’23.” Zak Brown.
10:00, Sun, Jan 7, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

McLaren were regularly Max Verstappen's closest challengers in 2023, and Zak Brown's team are setting their sights higher in 2024. Zak Brown has full confidence in the McLaren team ahead of the 2024 season. Zak Brown has revealed that McLaren are hoping to kickstart their 2024 season with a similar level of performance to the end of the 2023 campaign. The Woking-based team enjoyed a sensational second half of the year following an extremely testing start.

McLaren’s confidence will come as a concern to Max Verstappen and Red Bull. The Woking-based team were the most consistent challengers to the reigning world champions after the summer break and possess two drivers capable of fighting for race victories given the chance.

Piastri was also feeling positive heading into his sophomore year in F1. The young Aussie enjoyed the most eye-catching rookie season since Lewis Hamilton burst onto the scene back in 2007, and is hoping to to follow up his maiden race win with more successes in 2024.

‘Zak Brown lays down 2024 target’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1851913/Zak-Brown-McLaren-Max-Verstappen


Verstappen names McLaren duo as most promising F1 driver pairing
4th January 2024, 0:0
Written by Keith Collantine

Asked who he would pick to drive for a Formula 1 team – excluding himself – the reigning world champion named McLaren team mates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. “I would take Lando and Oscar,” he told Auto Motor und Sport. “So the McLaren pairing. Both are good. Lando is just a little older than Oscar. I think Oscar is a fast rookie. He still has things to learn, such as improving his racing pace. But from what I see, he’s a smart guy. He will win his races.”

‘McLaren duo’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/01/04/racefans-round-up-04-01-6/


McLaren warned they ‘won’t get the best of Lando Norris’ with Oscar Piastri pressure
06 Jan 2024 3:45 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

F1 analyst Peter Windsor stressed that Oscar Piastri as Lando Norris’ McLaren team-mate will not get the best out of Norris. Windsor warned that the pressure coming from an impressive Piastri is far from positive for Norris. “I’ve said all year long that having somebody as good as Oscar in that car, we’re going to see a lot more from him obviously as the McLaren gets better and better and it’s a good car now,” said Windsor on his YouTube channel.

“The better Oscar is getting, on any given weekend, the more it affects Lando Norris, as I’ve been saying ever since Oscar Piastri signed to drive for McLaren. It’s not going to get the best from Lando Norris, this isn’t what he needs in the other car.”

“And I’m sure McLaren don’t even think about that, because they think, ‘Wow, we’ve got two great racing drivers, Lando is our guy and Oscar is our guy’, but they’re not getting the best from Lando Norris with Oscar there for sure.”

‘Won’t get the best of Lando Norris’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/peter-windsor-oscar-piastri-negative-impact-lando-norris


PIASTRI MAINTAINS FAIR PLAY CHARACTERISTICS THROUGHOUT HIS STELLAR ROOKIE SEASON
What did the young driver take with him from the junior categories?
January 6, 2024
Lena Ferle
FormulaNerds

Oscar Piastri, who clinched victory in the sprint race in Qatar, garnered praise throughout his debut Formula 1 season. The Australian driver demonstrated his willingness to engage in intense battles with more seasoned competitors. According to Motorsport.com, the former FIA F2 and F3 champion emphasised the importance of proving himself as a formidable competitor despite lacking top-tier experience.

When asked if he felt underestimated by his peers, the rookie responded, “Not so much. Of course, there’s an element of respect and I guess racing people how you want to be raced in some ways. I guess I always try and race people hard, but fair. At the beginning of the season or beginning of your career, it’s always important to show it to people that you’re not a pushover because it’s not a nice thing to have.”

‘Garnered praise’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/piastri-maintains-fair-play-characteristics-throughout-his-stellar-rookie-season/


Four reasons why McLaren look best placed to bring fight to Red Bull
06 Jan 2024 7:45 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

The drivers: Let’s start with one of the most crucial ingredients to an F1 team’s success– the drivers.
The MTC: For the first time since 2009, McLaren’s chassis will be made and tested entirely within the McLaren Technology Centre.

The staff: Another new arrival to the MTC is that of Rob Marshall and David Sanchez. While they may not be household names, both have played a role in title-winning operations.
The car: The final point to mention is a rather crucial one, the car.

‘McLaren look best placed’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/reasons-mclaren-best-placed-bring-fight-red-bull


Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri given daunting McLaren target to hit in 2024 F1 season
McLaren's impressive improvement over the 2023 season gives chief executive Zak Brown the confidence to expect Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to set a strong pace early this year
07:06 Thu, 04 Jan 2024.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Zak Brown expects his McLaren team to start the 2024 Formula 1 season "much stronger" than they did last term. "It's great to have the driver line-up that we have. We look at what we need to be a world championship team again, you've got to have two great drivers and I think we're comfortable we can tick that box."

Not only do McLaren have two strong talents at their disposal, they are both still in the early stages of their F1 careers. Lando Norris is very experienced in the sport now but is still only 24, while Oscar Piastri is just 22 and looks to have the world at his feet after a stellar rookie season.

Both of them are ambitions and will be aiming for the title if provided with a car capable of competing with and beating the Red Bulls. And Brown is wary that such a scenario is likely to lead to tension between his starlets.

‘Daunting McLaren target’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/mclaren-piastri-norris-2024-brown-31802091


McLaren “feeling good” about F1 2024 progress
January 3, 2024
By: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

McLaren is optimistic about its chances in 2024, having concluded last season in increasingly strong form. Despite this recent success, the greatest challenge is yet to come. As demonstrated by the AMR23’s decline, staying at the front is a greater challenge than getting there.

After all, one-off results are achievable for most semi-competitive outfits. Only the best can compete at the sharp end for extended periods. This is why, amongst many other reasons, 2024 is so essential for McLaren. Aside from the obvious importance of winning races, the next twelve months could show how far the team has progressed.

Zak Brown has explained what the team’s objectives are: “We hope to start the season kind of where we finished off,” he told Sky F1. It will be interesting to see where everybody starts, but we’re feeling good about our development. I think we learned a lot, so I anticipate a much stronger start to 2024 than we had in 2023.”

“Feeling good”;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/01/03/mclaren-feeling-good-about-f1-2024-progress/

[Fortitude]

Legendary Ferrari designer playing intriguing part in 2024 concept – report.
Former Ferrari engineer Rory Byrne is reportedly offering his advice to his old team as they prepare their 2024 car.
07 Jan 2024 5:00 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Byrne was chief designer at Ferrari from 1996 to 2006 before taking up a consultant role he holds to this day and has reportedly been spotted at Maranello offering his experience to his successors. According to a report, Byrne has been helping with the design of the 2024 car, codenamed project 676, as the team approach their launch date of February 13.

This would follow what team principal Fred Vasseur recently said when he suggested the new car would be “95%” different from its predecessor. “Revolution – I don’t know if it is the right word because we have the same regulation now three years in a row that you can’t change massively the situation,” he told media at a Christmas dinner in Maranello.

“Again, it’s a matter of tenths of seconds. It means it’s all 0.1 or 0.2% performance that we are looking for. It’s not five [percent]. For sure, we have to do a step. I don’t underestimate the step. We are changing 95% of the components of the car. Perhaps you can consider that it’s a revolution.”

“Revolution”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrari-designer-2024-design-rory-byrne


Key Ferrari F1 figure LEAVES in major strategic overhaul
Sunday 7 January 2024 10:57
Sam Cook
GPFans

Ferrari race engineer Ignacio Rueda is set to depart the team ahead of the 2024 season, according to a report from Italian media. Having spent eight seasons as head of race strategy at the Maranello-based outfit, Rueda was replaced in that particular role at the start of 2023 by Ravin Jain, and adopted a more factory-based role with the team.

That came after a reshuffle within Ferrari following a 2022 season in which both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were hampered by poor strategic decisions during races. Team principal Mattia Binotto was replaced in his role by Fred Vasseur and, although fewer mistakes crept in during 2023, Leclerc was still, at times, left frustrated by his team's decisions.

‘Major strategic overhaul’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1010716/ignacio-rueda-ferrari-f1-strategist-leaves-ahead-of-2024/


Eye-opening Ferrari pace gains with another high-profile exit on cards – F1 rumour
06 Jan 2024 11:30 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Ferrari are reportedly making serious pace gains with their F1 2024 challenger, though look set to lose former strategy chief Iñaki Rueda from their ranks.

And as per Corriere dello Sport, Ferrari are doing their part in the bid to reach Red Bull’s level, with their new challenger said to be already roughly seven-tenths of a second up on what the SF-23 could achieve by the end of its service.

One-lap performance was not much of an issue for Ferrari, who claimed six pole positions during F1 2023, but transforming that into race pace against Red Bull was a common sticking point to address with their F1 2024 creation.

‘Eye-opening Ferrari pace gains’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-rumours-ferrari-2024-pace-gains-inaki-rueda-exit


Report: Key name to leave Ferrari's F1 strategy department
06 January 1:50PM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Ignacio Rueda is set to depart Ferrari's Formula 1 strategy set-up, according to a report from Italian media. Corriere dello Sport has stated that Rueda will no longer be part of Ferrari's strategy department when the new season gets underway in Bahrain.

The report added that Rueda remains on strong terms with Ferrari and will continue to be employed by the team, albeit in other departments that may include its sportscar operations.

Rueda has been part of Ferrari's F1 set-up for many years, joining as its Head of Race Strategy in 2015. However, Rueda returned to a factory-based role in Maranello last year after he was replaced by Ravin Jain.

‘Ferrari's F1 strategy department’;

https://racingnews365.com/report-key-name-to-leave-ferraris-f1-strategy-department


Crash test results: Rumoured details emerge on Ferrari and Aston Martin challengers
07 Jan 2024 1:00 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Ferrari and Aston Martin have reportedly both passed the FIA crash tests with their F1 2024 cars. According to Sky Italia, Ferrari’s 2024 car – codenamed Project 676 – passed at the first attempt just before Christmas, with the news of their success only arriving recently.

Ferrari, the only team other than Red Bull to win a race in 2023, will launch their new car on February 13, eight days before the start of pre-season testing in Bahrain.

‘Rumoured details emerge’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/crash-tests-f12024-ferrari-aston-martin


The story behind the huge missing piece in Ferrari’s trophy cabinet
07 Jan 2024 9:15 AM
Elizabeth Blackstock
PlanetF1.com

Enzo Ferrari oversaw countless successes in both Formula 1 and endurance racing, but there’s still one big race victory the Italian team has coveted: The Indianapolis 500.

Alongside the Monaco Grand Prix and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 500-mile race at the 2.5-mile banked oval track in Indiana represented one of the greatest races in the world as Enzo Ferrari began exploring the motorsport world.

‘Missing piece in Ferrari’s trophy cabinet’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/ferrari-indianapolis-500-missing-victory

[Fortitude]

Big Mercedes W15 question posed with engine power strength assessed.
A former F1 driver has questioned whether Mercedes’ car-making capabilities were masked by a superior engine during their dominance.
09 Jan 2024 5:00 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Former F1 and DTM racer Christijan Albers, now a part of Viaplay’s punditry team, said he wonders whether Mercedes’ performance levels during their years of dominance came about as a result of a vastly superior power unit and not thanks to superior car designs. “The question is whether Red Bull can challenged Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren, or maybe Aston Martin next year,” he said in his column for De Telegraaf.

With the W14 going without a race victory – the first winless Mercedes design since 2011 – the new path for the 2024 W15 means all eyes are on the car Brackley rolls out for this season. But Albers has big questions about what is currently being manufactured in their factory.

“I wonder if Mercedes can still build a really good car at all,” he said. “After all, why were they so good in all those championship years before 2021? Was it the engine, the car, or a combination? I think it was mainly the engine. And that supremacy is gone now. Then I doubt they can crawl out of it.”;

‘W15 question posed’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mercedes-w15-questioned-christijan-albers-engine-superiority-theory


[B]Did Mercedes make a mistake by beating Ferrari? 'Take what you can get'
09 January 2:00PM
Author Daan Daniels
Co-author Joris Mosterdijk
RacingNews365

Red Bull-affiliated simulator driver Rudy van Buren believes Mercedes was correct to take second place in the Constructors' standings after a showdown with Ferrari in the Abu Dhabi season finale, despite losing development time as a consequence.

The Silver Arrows had struggled to make a mark on the competition early on with its W14, though upgrades at the Monaco Grand Prix saw the team take a step forward.

With Lewis Hamilton and George Russell outperforming the joint effort of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz at Yas Marina, Mercedes ensured it would finish runner-up to Red Bull at the end of a campaign dominated by the Milton Keynes-based outfit, which won all but one race.

'Take what you can get';

https://racingnews365.com/did-mercedes-make-a-mistake-by-beating-ferrari-take-what-you-can-get


[B]Mercedes tease Russell with hilarious Golden Globes comparison
Tuesday 9 January 2024 22:57
Sam Cook
GPFans

Mercedes' social media team have brilliantly pointed out an uncanny resemblance between F1 driver George Russell and award-winning actor Cillian Murphy, while the latter claimed a Golden Globe in the 'best actor' category.

‘Golden Globes comparison’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1010843/george-russell-mercedes-f1-tease-golden-globes-cillian-murphy-lookalike/


Lewis Hamilton's pork scratchings? – F1 2024's craziest predictions
January 9th 2024
Author: James Elson
Motor Sport Magazine

In a long series of Instagram stories, which are added to a highlight reel labelled with emojis depicting a cow, a steak and a smiley face licking its lips respectively, Lewis ‘Still I Whine’ Hamilton tells the world he is finally returning to being the “real me” by renouncing veganism and diving head first back into the chicken nuggets.

“I’m no longer going to drink those frickin’ awful vegan protein shakes, or anything else green!” he says, adding “Have you smelt those beaker shake things if you don’t wash them up within 0.5sec?”

The seven-time world champ simultaneously announces a new multi-billion-pound pork scratchings endorsement deal with Black Country Snacks, whose logo includes a chequered flag pattern – how very convenient.

‘Lewis Hamilton's pork scratchings?’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/f1-2024s-craziest-predictions-lewis-hamiltons-pork-scratchings/?nowprocket=1#


Hamilton two-year failure will 'eat at him'
08 January 6:00PM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

Former F1 driver Christijan Albers believes Lewis Hamilton's failure to secure a race win in the past two seasons will "eat" at the Mercedes driver. Seven-time World Champion Hamilton picked up the last of his 103 race victories at the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - the penultimate race of his epic tussle with Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

“Hamilton looked quite frustrated at the end of the season,” Albers observed. “I can imagine that too. Sure, he’s had years where he beat everyone, but has now gone two full seasons without a win. That’s going to eat at you. He wants more and more, but struggles with the fact that the Mercedes is not going faster. Then at the end of the year, you are exhausted and tired. He hasn’t had that boost that you need for a while.”

'Eat at him';

https://racingnews365.com/hamilton-two-year-failure-will-eat-at-him

[Fortitude]

Guenther Steiner sacked by Haas in brutal results call as replacement boss named.
Guenther Steiner has been sacked as Haas team principal, with director of engineering Ayao Komatsu being promoted to replace him.
17:00, Wed, Jan 10, 2024
By Archie Griggs
Daily and Sunday Express

Steiner, a popular figure with F1 fans, was the team's first boss after convincing owner Gene Haas to branch out into the sport a decade ago. The 58-year-old helped to build the team from the ground up, with his own popularity being of great commercial benefit given their lack of funding compared to their rivals.

However, their consistently poor results have ultimately resulted in his dismissal, with Haas opting to make a change in a bid to improve their fortunes. In a statement, the team's owner said: "I'd like to start by extending my thanks to Guenther Steiner for all his hard work over the past decade and I wish him well for the future.”

‘Sacked’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1854252/Guenther-Steiner-sacked-Haas-replacement-F1-news


Haas F1 drops Guenther Steiner as team principal after another dismal season for the American team.
Guenther Steiner, the first employee hired by Haas F1 and one of the stars of the Netflix docuseries on Formula One, has not been retained as team principal after a decade with the series' only American team.
Published: 16:57, 10 January 2024
By Associated Press
Mail Online

Gene Haas made the announcement Wednesday and said director of engineering Ayo Komatsu, who started with Haas as chief race engineer in its 2016 debut season, will now oversee the competition elements as team principal.

Haas in a statement thanked Steiner "for all his hard work over the past decade" but was short of praise for the man who built the Haas F1 team. "Moving forward as an organization it was clear we need to improve our on-track performances. In appointing Ayao Komatsu as team principal we fundamentally have engineering at the heart of our management," Haas said.

‘After another dismal season’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-12947931/Haas-F1-drops-Guenther-Steiner-team-principal-dismal-season-American-team.html


Guenther Steiner sacked by Haas ending 10-year Formula 1 stint for Drive to Survive cult hero
10th January 2024, 5:13 pm
Connor Andrews
talkSPORT

Steiner has led Haas’ F1 operations for the last 10 years, including their arrival onto the grid in 2016. Haas completed the 2021 season with zero points as they focused on the 2022 regulation changes, and earned a jump up the grid to eight in the constructor’s standings as their reward.

However, last season they were back book-ending the grid, leading to the departure of one of the sport’s most famous executives.

‘Ending 10-year Formula 1 stint’;

https://talksport.com/sport/1707174/


Bombshell departure at Haas after argument with team owner – report
10 Jan 2024 12:04 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Haas senior staff member Simone Resta has left the team just a few weeks before the 2024 car will be unveiled. According to the Italian edition of Motorsport.com, technical director Resta has left due to disagreements with owner Gene Haas and a reported lack of “motivation.”

This leaves Haas without a key job filled just weeks before they were due to unveil their 2024 car, the Ferrari-powered VF-24. Resta reportedly discussed the plans of the team with owner Gene Haas but was left unsatisfied and as a result, has walked out on the newest addition to the F1 grid.

Gene Haas wanted the car to follow the design of Red Bull instead which is reported as being the main sticking point between the two parties. As to where Resta may go, a return to Ferrari could be on the cards after he first joined them in 2001 while a move to Audi could also be a possibility.

‘Bombshell departure’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/haas-senior-figure-departue-simone-resta


Blow for Haas as technical director Simone Resta reportedly quits after F1 2023 struggles
10 Jan 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Simone Resta has reportedly resigned from his role as technical director of the Haas team following a disappointing 2023 F1 season.

The 53-year-old Italian is likely to either return to Ferrari or take up an offer from Sauber, where he has “several admirers”, according to Motorsport, who also report that Resta disagreed with the development approach pushed by team owner Gene Haas.

‘Blow for Haas’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1043216/1/blow-haas-technical-director-quits-after-f1-2023-struggles


Haas technical director Simone Resta departs team
10/01/2024 at 16:41
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

In a significant development ahead of the 2024 Formula 1 season, Haas technical director Simone Resta has stepped down from his role.

Resta's departure comes as part of a restructuring within the Haas organization, with Ferrari – who loaned out the Italian engineer to the US

‘Simone Resta departs team’;

https://f1i.com/news/497656-haas-technical-director-simone-resta-departs-team.html

[Fortitude]

Kevin Magnussen sends message to Guenther Steiner after Haas team principal’s sacking.
Haas driver Kevin Magnussen has sent a message to Guenther Steiner after the 58-year-old was sacked as team principal on Wednesday.
Wed 10 January 2024 17:30
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Posting on social media, Magnussen said: “Thanks, Günther. Thanks for taking me on the journey in 2017 and thanks for bringing me on board again in 2022.

“It has been both fun and tremendously challenging – but never boring. So long and all the best.”

Steiner was always one of the biggest characters in the paddock and neutrals will miss him as a result. He rarely minced his words and made his feelings clear whenever either of his drivers made a mistake. However, the timing of Haas’s decision is strange with the team set to reveal their latest car in the next few weeks.

‘Never boring’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/kevin-magnussen-sends-message-to-guenther-steiner-after-haas-team-principals-sacking/


Martin Brundle hints at 'friction' between Guenther Steiner and Haas after brutal sacking
Martin Brundle has weighed in after Guenther Steiner was relieved of his duties by Haas.
17:58, Wed, Jan 10, 2024
By Archie Griggs
Daily and Sunday Express

Martin Brundle has suggested that Guenther Steiner may have left Haas on a sour note after the news of his sacking was confirmed on Wednesday. The 58-year-old was relieved of his duties after a decade-long spell as team principal, with director of engineering Ayao Komatsu stepping up to replace him.

Reacting to the news on X, formerly Twitter, Brundle pointed to the lack of a statement from Steiner in Haas' official press release as a sign that things may have turned ugly behind the scenes.

‘Hints at 'friction'!’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1854278/Martin-Brundle-Guenther-Steiner-Haas-F1-news


Revealed: The reasons for Guenther Steiner and Haas’ “disagreement” and split
10 Jan 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Guenther Steiner’s contract was always due to expire at the end of last season but it was reportedly Haas who decided not to give him a new deal. The team chose not to extend it, BBC and Sky report, meaning he was not technically fired.

The split was due to underlying disputes. “The Italian and the team had different visions on the future,” Sky reported. Those differences were reported elsewhere too. “I understand Steiner and owner Gene Haas had differing views on the team’s path forward and thus it was decided to go their separate ways,” F1.com’s Lawrence Barretto wrote.

Gene Haas hinted at the reasons for this split in his official statement: "Moving forward, it was clear we needed to improve our on-track performances.” Tellingly, the Haas statement announcing Steiner’s exit did not include a comment from the man himself.

‘Revealed’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1043239/1/revealed-reasons-guenther-steiner-and-haas-disagreement-and-split


ANALYSIS: The key reasons behind Guenther Steiner’s shock Haas departure
10 January 2024, 17:10
Lawrence Barretto
F1 Correspondent & Presenter
Formula One - Official Site

2024 was just days old when news broke that Guenther Steiner – the unlikely star of Netflix’s F1 docuseries Drive to Survive – had parted ways with the Haas team he helped build from scratch and entered into Formula 1 in 2016, with Ayao Komatsu promoted to the role.

In one way, it might come as a shock. After all, Steiner has fought tooth-and-nail to not just keep the team going but try and make it consistently competitive with the smallest budget on the grid. It’s become his baby.

That Haas have survived eight seasons – and are the only new team to enter F1 in the last two decades to have become a permanent fixture and stable outfit – is a remarkable achievement, and one for which Steiner is owed the lion’s share of the credit. For the relationship to end after everything Steiner has put into the team, and when they have the foundations to kick on with the right strategy, is a sad day for everyone involved.

‘Guenther Steiner’s shock Haas departure’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.haas-guenther-steiner-shock-departure-analysis.2UiysEtCOwCQ3hZxSJNGrc.html


'I don't swear much!' - Guenther Steiner's best bits from final season as Haas boss
10th January 2024, 17:14
Sky Sports

Watch back Guenther Steiner's best bits from his final season as Haas boss.

'I don't swear much!';

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/13045463/i-dont-swear-much-guenther-steiners-best-bits-from-final-season-as-hass-boss

[Matthew]

Things are getting crazy at Haas. First Simone Resta left the team and then Guenther Steiner sacked.

[Fortitude]

‘What the hell is going on?’ Shock over sudden dumping of popular F1 boss.
“It’s disappointing and sad not being a part of the team going forward, but I wish the team all the best for the future. If any team deserves success, it’s them. I will always root for Haas,” said Steiner on X.
January 11th, 2024 6:37 am
AFP from Afp
Fox Sports (Australia)

Formula One outfit Haas on Wednesday parted ways with colourful team principal Guenther Steiner with the struggling American stable appointing Ayao Komatsu in his place. Steiner, 58, had been in charge of the team since it entered F1 in 2016 and has attracted much attention for his lively outbursts on the successful Netflix show ‘Drive to Survive’.

The decision has come as a shock to the F1 world and raises questions about the future of Haas. F1 reporter Chris Medland wrote that “it feels a little more like Gene Haas might have just risked sinking the ship” in sacking Steiner. “What the hell is going on at Haas,” was the headline to Medland’s reaction on Racer.

“Despite slipping to a frustrating 10th place in the constructors’ championship last year and appearing to be lost when it came to car development – generally the domain of a technical team rather than a team principal – it didn’t feel like Steiner was nearing the end of the road. In fact, he was still one of the brighter spots for Haas.”

‘What the hell is going on?’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/f1-2024-haas-sack-guenther-steiner-reaction-news-drive-to-survive/news-story/a73f78ead071b46961f172d35c10c6cb


Guenther Steiner’s Sudden Haas F1 Departure Could Spell Money Trouble
Given Steiner’s clout on TV, social media, and even at the tracks, this may not sit well with sponsors.
PUBLISHED Jan 10, 2024 1:25 PM EST
By Jerry Perez
The Drive

Steiner's departure is hardly a shock given the tension between him and team owner Gene Haas over the 2023 season's performance. The squad's slide to 10th place in the constructors' championship meant it received even less award money than in previous years, so the rest would have to come either from Haas himself or team sponsors. These not-insignificant problems likely led to Steiner's contract not being renewed at the end of the year.

That said, there are several reasons why Steiner's ousting is a big surprise, and it all has to do with his newfound TV stardom. Without Steiner's popularity as the loudmouthed, F-Bomb-dropping team boss with the funny accent, no one would know who he is, and Haas would have even fewer fans. No silly posterboards, no funny t-shirts, no fans obsessing over a C-tier F1 team and its weird boss.

This odd obsession brought in eyeballs, and in F1, eyeballs can help pay the bills. Sponsors like MoneyGram, Palm Angels, Chipotle, and the team's other "trendy" sponsors enjoyed the spotlight Steiner commanded—especially in the team's home country, which now hosts three races. Unless Komatsu can replicate that kind of buzz on TV, social media, and at the track, Haas F1 will fall even further into irrelevance. And if the team's failure to score points continues, they will all stop making those vital sponsorship payments Haas needs to survive.

‘Could Spell Money Trouble’;

https://www.thedrive.com/news/guenther-steiners-sudden-haas-f1-departure-could-spell-money-trouble


Haas ditch charismatic team principal Guenther Steiner in blow to F1
10 January 2024 at 7:33 pm
Giles Richards
Yahoo! Sport

The Haas team principal, Guenther Steiner, has been replaced for the new Formula One season after 10 years in charge. Steiner’s removal is a blow for the sport. The Italian is one of the most colourful and charismatic characters in the paddock. He played a key role in F1’s recent surge in popularity, especially in the US. The US-based team – whose factory is located in Banbury, Oxfordshire – announced on Wednesday the 58-year-old will be replaced by their former director of engineering Ayao Komatsu. It is understood Steiner was not sacked but that his contract, which had concluded, was not renewed.

Steiner became one of the breakout stars of the Netflix series Drive to Survive, his blunt outspoken attitude towards his role and often his drivers, along with his inventive and explosive bouts of swearing, proved hugely popular with viewers. His public appearances often attracted more fans than those of his drivers and last year he published a bestselling book. He is the only team principal to do a roaring trade in T shirts bearing his image.

The team, however, have been underperforming, even given their limited budget, finishing bottom in the constructors’ championship last year and eighth in 2022. The owner, Gene Haas, indicated he was not satisfied with the results, despite Steiner having been with the team from the beginning. Steiner is also understood to have been instrumental in recruiting the team’s title sponsor, MoneyGram.

‘Blow to F1’;

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/guenther-steiner-haas-contract-not-193305421.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9jLm5ld3Nub3cuY28udWsv&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAGEQrQPPToTQImsTS5RjaVe7YUC8 r1uIt8XOYE-SWc8Yq1a3jFqs6LVxNufW_j3X01GzCEqCT58S2oBAkV4Blu-Jj91d6ooQ1_u08YxE3DEnKUt6NOzU88984bVbx-tU7wFSDAQ3leGfWZOXAx9R6bsSkmwDBKMuOZFlsa8unGvj


F1 podcast: Was Haas right to move on from Steiner?
Jan 10, 2024
The Race

Now the news is out, The Race F1 Podcast convenes to dissect the shock announcement that Guenther Steiner has left the Haas Formula 1 team.

Mark Hughes, Scott Mitchell and Edd Straw are all on hand to weigh in, looking at the disagreement which triggered the change and forced Steiner’s exit, how it will impact the 2024 season, and what it says about Gene Haas’s longer-term plans for the team.

‘Was Haas right?’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f1-podcast-dissecting-steiner-exit-haas-direction-and-komatsu-appointment/


Steiner’s exit: A void that will be difficult to fill at Haas.
Thanks, Guenther. For your trust, friendship and the opportunity to go racing in @F1 again! You're definitely a character.. all the best! pic.twitter.com/3eMRuA06qw — Nico Hülkenberg (@HulkHulkenberg) January 10, 2024
10/01/2024 at 20:12
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Guenther Steiner's departure from Haas F1 Team is a significant loss for the team, as he played a pivotal role in its inception, survival, and initial success. Without his vision, leadership, and financial acumen, Haas may not have even made it to the Formula 1 grid.

Steiner's expertise and experience in Formula 1 were instrumental in crafting the team's unique business model, which relied heavily on technical partnerships with Ferrari and manufacturer Dallara. This allowed Haas to leverage Ferrari's expertise and resources to produce a competitive car while keeping costs down.

His management style, characterized by its directness and no-nonsense approach, was well-suited to leading Haas through its early years. The Italian was able to motivate and inspire his team, fostering a culture of hard work and dedication. Steiner’s high profile in the sport – boosted by his exposure in the popular Netflix series ‘Drive to Survive’ that made him a fan favourite – made him a valuable asset in attracting sponsors and partners.

‘A void that will be difficult to fill’;

https://f1i.com/news/497663-steiners-exit-a-void-that-will-be-difficult-to-fill-at-haas.html

[Fortitude]

Andretti/GM is the logical answer to confused Haas existence.
Haas now risks becoming a team that does not stand out from the crowd at all, has no history, and will be less appealing to partners.
Jan 10, 2024
by Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

So it is fair to ask what that team brings to F1. Especially as the conversation around Andretti is constantly ‘what are they adding, rather than just taking away?’. And the answer for Haas is that it’s easy to see Haas becoming an anonymous, unambitious outfit that hoovers up prize money and offers little to nothing to F1 overall as the permanent 10th team.

While that’s not going to make Gene Haas himself any more likely to sell, this could change if the team keeps underachieving, he is genuinely unhappy about that, and still has no interest in investing further. And it might nudge F1 as an organisation away from ‘back the existing 10 teams’ to ‘actually it might be better if this one gets sold’.

Haas’s apathy is no good for the team’s prospects, no good for the people who work there, no good for F1. Selling means the entry has more momentum and commitment behind it and the people working there have the choice of working for the new team instead. Andretti is such a logical target. Haas’s position appears to be unchanged but there is a logic to such a move as he would rake in a huge sum of money, Andretti would get a starting point for his team and the standoff between the FIA and F1 over letting in an 11th team would be resolved.

‘The logical answer’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/andretti-gm-is-logical-answer-to-confused-haas-existence/


Andretti buy-out? Binotto arrival? What’s next for Haas after Guenther Steiner exit?
11 Jan 2024 7:00 AM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Haas has cut ties with Guenther Steiner after almost a decade together in F1, and it leads to the big question of what comes next for F1’s regular backmarkers. It’s un-focking-believable, isn’t it? After almost 10 swashbuckling years as the charismatic leader of the perennial underdog Haas F1 team, Guenther Steiner and the organisation with which he was synonymous parted ways on Wednesday evening UK time.

Despite his popularity as a media darling, made famous by his expletive-laden appearances on Netflix’s Drive to Survive, it’s perhaps unsurprising that Gene Haas has called time on Steiner’s time as team boss and decided to take a punt on a new and fresh face in charge. Considering how Steiner, since 2015, has been the very public face of Gene Haas’ eponymous team – the last to get into Formula 1 before the sport’s evolvement into the franchise-based model it has become – the wording of the confirmation of his departure was eye-opening.

Indeed, the primary subject of the Haas press release sent to the media was actually the appointment of Ayao Komatsu as team boss, with Steiner’s departure after nearly 10 years being the secondary topic. In fact, Steiner’s name was only mentioned twice in the entire release – a very clear indication if ever there was one that their separation hasn’t come under the best of terms.

‘It’s un-focking-believable, isn’t it?’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/haas-guenther-steiner-sacked-what-next


Guenther Steiner to speak out after Haas axe in chat with Sky Sports F1 star
Haas confirmed on Wednesday that Guenther Steiner has left as team principal after the F1 constructor finished bottom for the second time in three years
• 07:31, 11 Jan 2024
By Kieran King Sports Writer
The Mirror

Guenther Steiner will speak in an interview with Sky Sports' David Croft on Saturday morning - a matter of days after being axed as Haas' team principal.

Whether Steiner stays in F1 for the 2024 season remains to be seen, but he is set to open up on his departure from the team in an interview with Croft. The Sky Sports commenter confirmed the news on Twitter, as he revealed he is co-hosting the Autosport Show alongside F1 presenter Emma Walsh.

‘Interview with Sky Sports' David Croft on Saturday’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/guenther-steiner-f1-haas-sack-31854996


‘Not to be missed’ – Date set for explosive Guenther Steiner interview
11 Jan 2024 7:48 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Never one to mince his words, Guenther Steiner will be speaking live at the upcoming Autosport International Show, just days after his shocking and silent Haas exit. Haas certainly made headlines on January 10, with the news that technical director Simone Resta had left serving to be merely the warm-up for a greater shock to come.

Just a few hours later, it was revealed that Steiner, who built all the foundations needed for Haas to join the F1 grid and served as their team principal from day one, had also headed for the exit.

In light of this stunning news, it became unclear whether Steiner would still be speaking live at the Autosport International Show on Saturday, January 13 as scheduled, but this one has just become must-see as Steiner will be there, armed with a live microphone as he speaks to Sky F1 commentator David Croft.

‘Not to be missed’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/date-set-explosive-guenther-steiner-post-haas-interview


F1 pundits question 'real reason' for Steiner departure as Haas team principal
Thursday 11 January 2024 09:12
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans

Sky Sports F1 pundits Damon Hill and David Croft have questioned the 'real reason' behind Guenther Steiner's sudden departure from Haas as team principal, with the pair both admitting the sport have lost a 'massive character'.

The charismatic 58-year-old will be sorely missed by followers of F1, especially fans of Netflix's hit documentary series Drive to Survive – something that showcased the very best of Steiner both in and out of the paddock.

1996 F1 champion Hill wondered why exactly Haas made the decision to let Steiner go. “Guenther became a bit of a celebrity thanks to the the famous Netflix series [Drive to Survive] and the behind the scenes filming of him and he is absolutely a kind of huge character," he told Sky Sports.
Croft: F1 has lost a massive character: "Firstly, it’s Gene Haas' team, and Guenther Steiner was getting the lion's share of the attention and I'm sure that didn't go down hugely well with the team owner," he said.

‘F1 pundits question 'real reason' for Steiner departure’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1010955/f1-news-guenther-steiner-officially-sacked-haas-team-principal-real-reason-damon-hill-david-croft/


Leading F1 correspondent sheds light on apparent Steiner-Haas clash
11 Jan 2024 9:15 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Formula 1 presenter and correspondent Lawrence Barretto said Guenther Steiner and Haas team owner Gene Haas could not agree on how the future looked for the team, leading to their parting of ways.

Addressing the situation on X, Barretto said Steiner and Gene Haas “had differing views on the team’s path forward” and with Steiner’s contract up at the end of 2023, no renewal was signed and Steiner headed for the exit.

“I understand Steiner and owner Gene Haas had differing views on the team’s path forward and thus it was decided to go their separate ways. I believe Steiner’s contract expired at the end of last year. Following the disagreement on the future strategy, that contract wasn’t renewed.”

‘Sheds light on apparent Steiner-Haas clash’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lawrence-barretto-guenther-steiner-gene-haas-clash


‘Drive to Survive is finished’ – F1 fans react to wild Guenther Steiner departure at Haas
10 Jan 2024 6:30 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Guenther Steiner is out the door at Haas, with fans highlighting the severe impact they believe this will have on Netflix’s Drive to Survive series as a key personality departs. Fans believe Steiner’s exit will carry a more wide-reaching impact in the world of Formula 1, and certainly not in a positive sense.

The sixth season, to air in 2024, is now set to be the last featuring Steiner around the F1 paddock, with fans fearing this could be curtains for the series minus his presence. “Netflix series is finished,” one fan posted in response to Steiner leaving Haas, backed by another fan posting: “Well that’s Drive to Survive finished after the next season comes out.” “Nooooo, he was one of the best, funny and interesting person in the paddock. So sad,” read a further fan post.

With responses of “the only reason any of us cared about Haas” and “well this is another reason to watch less F1” also emerging, there will likely be concerns about the potential knock-on effects of this Haas announcement if these fan statements are a true foreshadowing. “Literally the ONLY Team Principal that EVERYONE liked is now gone,” read another response.

‘Drive to Survive is finished’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/netflix-series-finished-f1-fans-guenther-steiner-haas-departure

[Fortitude]

Guenther Steiner 'denied Haas goodbyes' as theory over blunt dismissal comes to light.
Guenther Steiner was reportedly denied the chance to say goodbye to his staff after his sacking on Wednesday, despite having known about the news since last month.
14:58, Thu, Jan 11, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

The 58-year-old had been at the helm of Haas since they entered the sport in 2016, but after another tenth-place finish in the Constructors’ Championship, owner Gene Haas opted to make a change. That decision will likely spell the end of Steiner’s time as an F1 team principal, meaning fans of the sport are bidding farewell to one of the most iconic figures in the paddock. The Merano-born boss became a cult hero due to his sweary rants, which were broadcast to hordes of new fans through Netflix’s Drive to Survive series.

While Steiner’s departure makes sense off the back of four bottom-two Constructors’ Championship finishes in the span of five years, new information revealed that the former Haas boss discovered his fate last month, and was unable to say his goodbyes to the team that he worked with for the better part of a decade.

'Denied Haas goodbyes';

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1854638/Guenther-Steiner-Haas


Brutal details emerge on savage Guenther Steiner dismissal at Haas
11 Jan 2024 11:01 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1

Sky F1’s Craig Slater said Guenther Steiner was not given the chance to say his goodbyes to the Haas personnel after his shock exit, with his growing popularity and subsequent projects flagged up as potential contributors.

Sky F1 correspondent Slater, who revealed that Steiner did not even get the chance to say goodbye to his Haas colleagues, suggested concerns were perhaps growing in the Haas camp regarding Steiner’s extra projects, such as his book ‘Surviving to Drive’, plus his CBS interactions over a potential comedy show role, while the team was floundering.

“People have been telling me, from sources inside the factory, that there’ll be a lot of disappointment that Guenther has gone,” said Slater. “He didn’t get a chance to say goodbye, by the way, which I think will disappoint him. And then there was a little bit of a coterie picking up on what Crofty said there, that were maybe feeding the line that why is Guenther releasing a book and getting involved in a US comedy series and doing all this Netflix stuff, when the team are flatlining and flatlining at the bottom as well?”

‘Savage Guenther Steiner dismissal’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/guenther-steiner-dismissal-haas-not-allowed-goodbye


Gene Haas says what he really thinks about Guenther Steiner after F1 "embarrassment"
Gene Haas has replaced long-serving F1 team principal Guenther Steiner with director of engineering Ayao Komatsu after the American team finished last in the 2023 season
9th January 2024, 15:45
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

"I like Guenther, he's a really nice person, a really good personality," he (Gene Haas ) said. "We had a tough end to the year. I don't understand that, I really don't. Those are good questions to ask Guenther - what went wrong? At the end of the day, it's about performance. I have no interest in being 10th anymore.”

"I'm not sitting here saying it's Guenther's fault or anything like that, but it just seems like this was an appropriate time to make a change and try a different direction, because it doesn't seem like continuing with what we had is really going to work."

One key contribution made by Steiner was the use of his relationship with Ferrari to form a close bond between the two teams which still exists today, and which Haas says he will continue to uphold. He added: "They have been with us since day one, they build incredible engines. Their suspension is extremely good.”

‘Says what he really thinks’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/gene-haas-interview-guenther-steiner-31860303


Gene Haas explains reasons for Steiner axe
11 January 2024
by Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

“It came down to performance,” said Haas, speaking to Formula1.com as he outlined why Steiner had to go. “Here we are in our eighth year, over 160 races, we have never had a podium. The last couple of years, we've been 10th or ninth.”

“I've been running Haas Automation for over 40 years now,” he said. “Bringing people in from the outside, it takes them time to learn, six months to a year, and a lot of time you don't even like them. It's better to take people you know, and even if they are not the perfect fit, at least you know what you're going to get.”

“Performance”;

https://speedcafe.com/gene-haas-explains-reasons-for-steiner-axe/


Eight things Gene Haas's first post-Steiner interview told us
Jan 11, 2024
by Jack Cozens
The Race

Gene Haas has spoken to the media for the first time since team principal Guenther Steiner's exit from the Haas Formula 1 team was announced on Wednesday. That's one of the elements addressed by team owner and CEO Haas in an interview conducted with Formula1.com. Here are our main takeaways from that:

Haas sees this as a performance matter... … Gene Haas underlined his feeling that results have not been up to standard.
...but there's a lot of emphasis on survival: Steiner felt more investment was needed to hit those improved performance targets, Haas is of the opinion that the team was underachieving with what it already had.

How far Haas is off the cost cap limit: “I just don’t think we’re doing a very good job of spending it in the most effective way."
Cashing out isn't in the team's plans: "I didn’t get into F1 to sell [the team]," said Haas. "I did it because I wanted to race. Guenther had the same perspective.”

‘Always intended to promote from within. Haas's plan to be more involved, The team has turned down outside investment, Firm hint of Haas's 2026 engine plan’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/what-gene-haas-said-after-guenther-steiner-left/


Haas avoid huge bill for sacking Guenther Steiner as F1 plan becomes clear
Guenther Steiner was sacked by Haas on Thursday following a miserable season in which the American side scored just 12 points, but the Italian will not receive a major pay-out
• 10:22, 11 Jan 2024
Jacob Leeks Sports Reporter
The Mirror

Haas have avoided forking out a huge pay-off to Guenther Steiner after opting to ditch the Italian… … with the Italian having been out of contract. That means he will leave the team for free, having led them during their first eight years in the sport. Despite his popularity though, owner Haas is adamant that it was clear a change in the team's leadership was needed after a miserable season.

“I’d like to start by extending my thanks to Guenther Steiner for all his hard work over the past decade and I wish him well for the future. Moving forward as an organization it was clear we need to improve our on-track performances," he said.

‘Avoid huge bill for sacking’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/guenther-steiner-haas-sacking-payoff-31856341


'Time to sell Haas: Andretti F1 deal is obvious option now Steiner is gone'
January 11th 2024
Author: Damien Smith
Motor Sport Magazine

Well, this should be good. This coming Saturday morning Guenther Steiner was scheduled to appear on stage at the Autosport International show at Birmingham’s NEC – and he still is, according to the organisers… Steiner would have drawn an audience anyway. F1-related people always do wherever they pitch up and this is (or rather was, for now) one of grand prix racing’s most popular personalities, thanks to the cultivated profile he’s built via Netflix’s Drive to Survive. Now his appearance takes on an added edge. Let’s see what he has to say.

The 58-year-old Italian’s relationship with his boss was always spiky – as seen on TV – and the statement announcing the change in team principal carried an underlying final barb. Ayao Komatsu, the team’s respected engineering director, has been promoted into the hot seat – and in appointing him, the team stated “we fundamentally have engineering at the heart of our management.”
But that was also the case with Steiner at the helm. He too, lest we forget, was an engineer who made the transition to leader, so it’s impossible to read that statement without a wince at its underlying implied criticism. Not a happy ending, then.

The 11th team thing is a mess, then. Meanwhile, Steiner’s departure from Haas looks like a defining moment for an operation has never kicked on from its promising start. The inflated price of an F1 entry today – either legitimately or otherwise – wouldn’t make such a deal the work of a moment, of course. But Haas doesn’t look like a man who lives to race in F1 – because he isn’t. He’s a world away from a Frank Williams, or even a Peter Sauber. The clock has always been ticking on his commitment anyway, so why go through the motions and prolong the stasis? It’s time. Hand the keys to Michael, Gene.

‘Gene Haas’s team: The clock has always been ticking on his commitment’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/time-to-sell-haas-andretti-f1-deal-is-obvious-option-now-steiner-is-gone/?nowprocket=1#

[Fortitude]

Bahrain ‘concern’ for Haas with race against time for VF-24 development.
Haas owner Gene Haas admits his “biggest concern” in the aftermath of Guenther Steiner’s exit is their F1 2024 challenger, which must be “ready to go” in Bahrain.
11 Jan 2024 1:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

The clock is ticking fast towards the start of the F1 2024 campaign, with the three-day pre-season test in Bahrain beginning on February 21; the season then gets underway on the following weekend.

With technical director Simone Resta also leaving Haas, that confirmed on the same day as Steiner’s exit, it is understandable that Gene Haas’ key concern is ensuring the VF-24 is good to go by then.

“My biggest concern is when we go to Bahrain, we need to show up with a car that is ready to go,” he said in an interview for the Formula 1 website.

‘Race against time’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/gene-haas-bahrain-concern-haas-vf-24


World Champion reacts to Steiner exit: 'A huge loss for F1'
11 January 3:00PM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

1996 Formula 1 World Champion Damon Hill has stated that Guenther Steiner's departure from the Haas squad is a “huge loss” for the sport. “Guenther became a bit of a celebrity thanks to the famous Netflix series and the behind-the-scenes filming of him,” Hill told Sky Sports.

“He’s a huge character, very decisive, very confident and sure of what he’s saying. Maybe that’s part of the mix. He wants to win, I don’t know the real reason behind the departure but it’s a big loss to the sport because fans liked him, he attracted people, he was outspoken but maybe didn’t get the results that Gene Haas [team owner] wanted.

'A huge loss for F1';

https://racingnews365.com/world-champion-reacts-to-steiner-exit-a-huge-loss-for-f1


Gene Haas is mistaken about his team’s place in modern F1
Jan 12, 2024
by Ben Anderson
The Race

A very successful Formula 2 team boss once told me there was no point in him trying to graduate to Formula 1 because of the insane investment required to match the infrastructure and sheer knowledge bank of F1’s existing teams. This was during the last period when F1 was actually keen on expansion. The Haas F1 team was founded amidst this existential crisis. While Gene Haas and Guenther Steiner were having regular meetings with short-lived Ferrari team principal Marco Mattiacci in 2014, F1 was crumbling from the inside.

Fast forward to 2018, when Haas achieved its peak of fifth in the constructors’ championship. Well, Force India had finally gone to the wall and had 59 points deleted that year owing to its mid-season takeover by Lawrence Stroll (who renamed the team Racing Point). Haas would have been sixth at best without that anomaly. But Haas regressing to the mean (or near enough) has gone on for five seasons now, which is why Gene Haas has decided to shake things up by jettisoning founding team principal Guenther Steiner and promoting engineering figurehead Ayao Komatsu in his place.

The reality for Haas is that 2023 was very much the culmination of a journey to it becoming F1’s worst team. Tenth is exactly where it should be finishing based on its size and the resources at its disposal. Haas remains an underfunded minnow, relying on Ferrari to supply most of the things it needs to go racing - including windtunnel access. F1’s new franchise model, existing under a spending cap, is encouraging major investment into F1 teams - making more of them increasingly fit for purpose. Can Haas honestly say it fits into that category? I’d say it increasingly looks like a fish out of water.

‘Gene Haas increasingly looks like he’s out on a limb’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/gene-haas-mistaken-modern-f1-steiner-firing/


Revealed: What Haas employees really thought of Guenther Steiner in tough spell
11 Jan 2024 5:00 PM
Elizabeth Blackstock
PlanetF1.com

Haas’ Guenther Steiner made waves thanks to his fiery personality and blunt approach to criticism, but the employees who worked on his Formula 1 team consider him the best boss they’ve ever had. “He is the best team boss I’ve ever worked with, and I’ve worked with a lot,” one former employee said during an interview. “With Guenther, there’s no question. You always know what’s going on. He’s not hiding, he’s always telling you the truth. If I was f***ing something up, he came to me: ‘What the f*** are you doing? Pull yourself together.'”

While that attitude might seem harsh to people outside the motorsport world, this employee reported that it was actually quite welcome: “People in this kind of industry or environment, we love this, because if I make a mistake, I know that. I don’t need someone trying to explain why I made a mistake in language that I don’t understand. I need someone to come here and tell me, ‘You made a mistake.’ But on the other hand, if you did good, [Steiner] was always there tapping your shoulder, saying, ‘Mate, that’s it. Good work.'”

A second employee repeated a similar sentiment. “Steiner is a great guy,” they said. “He didn’t micromanage, but he oversaw everything. He didn’t have to come and talk to all the different employees and departments, but he did, because he wanted to know what was going on. Some stuff, he’d just bat away: ‘Just go f***ing fix it.’ That’s how he was. Other stuff, he would say, ‘OK mate, let’s have a chat. What do we need to do to sort this out?'”

‘What Haas employees really thought’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/revealed-haas-employees-actual-opinion-guenther-steiner


F1 team EXODUS continues with major Ferrari link revealed
Friday 12 January 2024 08:27
Cal Gaunt
GPFans

Haas F1 technical director Simone Resta has left the team, following team principal Guenther Steiner out the door after 10 years at the helm. Resta's departure from Haas appears to mark a significant shift in the technical landscape for both Haas and Ferrari.

Despite a collaborative effort aimed at leveraging stronger ties between the American-owned team and the Italian manufacturer, Haas faced ongoing challenges in realising performance improvements during the ground effect era. The decision to move away from Ferrari's in-wash sidepod concept to embrace a new design philosophy, reminiscent of Red Bull's downwash idea, did not yield the anticipated on-track success.

‘EXODUS continues’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1010983/haas-f1-simone-resta-leaves-guenther-steiner-exodus/


What Guenther Steiner is expected to do next after departing as Haas team principal
Thu 11 January 2024 12:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

A report from The Athletic has now shared what Guenther Steiner is expected to do going forward.
It’s safe to say that the 2023 season did not go to plan for Haas. While they had some decent pace during qualifying, they simply couldn’t sustain it during races. Tyre degrading was a huge issue and Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen couldn’t even agree on which version of their car was quicker.

Steiner admitted that the Dane hated their launch car last year, while Hulkenberg outraced his teammate after finally joining the team after years of being chased by the 58-year-old. Unfortunately, Haas and Steiner had different ideas on what next steps to take to lift their car team off the bottom of the Constructors’ Championship.

The report from The Athletic states that they expect Steiner to take some time away from Formula 1 before considering his next move in racing. Steiner has other business ventures and he’s likely to be offered plenty of media opportunities due to his rise to fame thanks to the Drive to Survive series on Netflix. It would be no surprise if some of the biggest broadcasters approached Steiner to become a part of their team. He was loved among F1 fans for being brutally honest about his driver’s performances and his own.

‘Brutally honest’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/what-guenther-steiner-is-expected-to-do-next-after-departing-as-haas-team-principal/

[Fortitude]

Guenther Steiner and Haas Parting Ways, the Beginning of the End?
In my opinion, Guenther Steiner and Haas parting ways is the beginning of the end. He put his life and soul into the team, travelling across countries and continents for the team to run as well as it possibly could.
Jan 12, 2024
By Alastair Smith
World In Sport

As seen before, getting a team into Formula 1 is nearly impossible. The fact that Haas became a Formula 1 team is a miracle in itself. Was this down to Gene Haas, well partly but a huge thanks has to be to Guenther Steiner. The parting of ways of Guenther Steiner and Haas will not bring on a new dawn for the team, nor will it be a positive turning point for the team. Steiner was the backbone of that team and a major reason that they could even compete.

I don’t think the higher-ups in the team have necessarily thought about the position that the team is in and what the NEED for Guenther Steiner is for them to progress in the sport. While I see where Gene Hass is coming from, I don’t think Steiner is to blame.

Guenther Steiner brought the glue to a team that needed it. A new team on a low budget and a new business model were always going to be risky and it worked early on. But regulations changed and this business model just couldn’t keep up. Ultimately it is up to Gene Haas to provide adequate funding to put a car on the grid that performs in the way he expects.

‘Beginning of the End’;

https://worldinsport.com/guenther-steiner-and-haas-parting-ways-the-beginning-of-the-end/?nowprocket=1


F1 fans deliver verdict on Steiner's Haas departure
12 January 2:00PM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Formula 1 fans have delivered their verdict on Haas' decision to part ways with Guenther Steiner ahead of the 2024 Formula 1 season.

RacingNews365 asked fans to vote on the decision and it certainly seems to have divided opinion. Although more fans voted in favour of change, it wasn't by a strong majority. See the full results of the poll below.

Did Haas make the right decision with Guenther Steiner?
Option Votes Percent
Yes - It was time for change 845 58.43%
No - He should have stayed in his position 601 41.51%

‘Verdict’;

https://racingnews365.com/f1-fans-deliver-verdict-on-steiners-haas-departure


Heartbreaking details from shock Guenther Steiner departure revealed – F1 news round-up
11 Jan 2024 10:00 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

With Steiner and Haas going their separate ways, details on the nature of the split have started to emerge. According to Sky Sports News journalist Craig Slater, the decision to split may have been made during December and, as a consequence of Steiner living in the United States, he didn’t get the chance to say goodbye at the factory to the team he’s worked with for almost a decade.

“I learned about this at the weekend, but some people I’ve spoken to say they’ve known about it for a couple of weeks now,” said Slater. “As far as I can glean, a surprise to him that he would not be getting his contract renewed. We can’t say he’s been sacked, because his contract had come to an end and Gene has decided not to renew that.”

Gene Haas has admitted his main concern at this point of the season is ensuring the new VF-24 isn’t compromised by the time F1 lands in Bahrain ready for the season to begin. “My biggest concern is when we go to Bahrain, we need to show up with a car that is ready to go,” he said in an interview for the Formula 1 website.

‘Steiner will definitely still be appearing at the show on January 13th where he’ll field questions from Sky F1’s David Croft in a ‘not to be missed’ interview!’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-news-round-up-january-11th-haas-guenther-steiner-departure


Why Steiner exit could spell disaster for F1
12 January 12:30PM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

Guenther Steiner's shock split from Haas has led to an outpouring of support from fans across social media in recent days. The former Team Principal has gathered a cult following since the first season of Netflix docuseries Drive to Survive aired, with Steiner becoming one of the faces of the series because of his outspoken personality.

Steiner's departure will spark concerns for F1 and Netflix as he was the cult hero. Ever since he made his 'we look like a bunch of w******s' quip in Australia during season one of DTS, fans latched onto his infectious personality. His interactions with his drivers have gone down infamously and allowed a new generation of F1 fans to fall in love with a specific aspect of the sport, broadening gateways to increase viewership. The reaction across social media since the announcement that Steiner had departed has been highly negative.

It gives a new breed of viewer a reason to turn off from the sport, if their favourite personality is no longer available to view. During a time when there is a dispute over whether audience numbers are continuing to grow or not as Red Bull cleans up the competition, this is nothing short of a nightmare for F1. Steiner's popularity was such that he was guest commentating on NASCAR races - creating access for non-traditional American F1 fans - he has released a best-selling book based on the 2022 F1 season and he was appearing on American talk shows.

‘Outpouring of support from fans’;

https://racingnews365.com/why-steiner-exit-could-spell-disaster-for-f1


Simone Resta tipped for new role as abrupt Haas exit explained
12 Jan 2024 11:30 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Simone Resta, who departed the Haas technical director role on the same day as Guenther Steiner’s shock exit, will reportedly return to Ferrari, with speculation over a clash with Gene Haas addressed.

The official Formula 1 website is now reporting that rather the loan arrangement for Resta between Haas and their technical partner for Ferrari has expired, with Resta therefore returning to the Italian outfit. It is added that Resta’s currently unspecified role with Ferrari will not involve him working with their Formula 1 team.

The upheaval in their senior staff ranks comes at a crucial time for Haas, Gene admitting his “big concern” is now getting their VF-24 ready for the season ahead, though ultimately performance was just not good enough in his eyes, the team returning to the bottom of the Constructors’ Championship in 2023.

‘“Big concern” is now getting their VF-24’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/simone-resta-ferrari-non-f1-role-haas-exit-details

[Fortitude]

Exclusive: Guenther Steiner’s ‘no regrets’ mindset over leaving Haas and F1 future hint.
Scheduled and confirmed as being in attendance at the Autosport International Show in Birmingham on the weekend of January 13th and 14th…
12 Jan 2024 5:45 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Having achieved so much – getting Haas off the ground and onto the grid, scoring the team’s first points, weathering the COVID-19 pandemic and coming out the other side with a competitive car in a 2022 campaign that even netted them their first pole position, had Steiner set himself an end goal he wanted to achieve before leaving F1 behind?

“No, I never set… you know, some things – if they’re over, they’re over and it’s fine. I never set points in my life where I wanted to be the team principal of a team,” he said, when asked about whether he’d marked out a point at which he’d achieved what he wanted with the team.

“I never set this point. I got here in my own way, and I will go in my own way. When I don’t have the enthusiasm to do this anymore and the drive, I know when to stop. When I get up in the morning and I don’t have the drive that I want to get up to do this, then I stop, because… I’m fine to stop.

‘No regrets’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/guenther-steiner-no-regrets-leaving-haas-f1-team


New Haas boss warned he faces ‘huge challenge’
13 January 2024
by Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Speaking during an IndyCar media day ahead of the new season that will see him drive for Juncos Hollinger Racing after two years with Andretti Autosport, Grosjean initially conceded to being in the dark regarding Steiner's departure. “I don't know what happened,” said Grosjean. “I don't know more details than you do, but I wish Guenther all the best in his next chapter.”

“He's definitely a man that's got a lot of ideas and things to do, but for me, the main thing is [I'm] very happy for Ayao.” Komatsu, however, faces an uphill task in resurrecting the fortunes of a team that finished at the foot of last year's constructors' championship for the second time in three years.

Assessing the role ahead for Komatsu, Grosjean said: “First of all, he's a very good friend of mine. I competed in every one of my 181 Formula 1 (grands prix) with him working on my car. His kids are the same age as my kids, so we've been very good friends, and I'm excited for him. It's a huge challenge in front of him but I'm excited for him.”

‘Faces huge challenge’;

https://speedcafe.com/new-haas-boss-warned-he-faces-huge-challenge/


Guenther Steiner's replacement sent ominous warning by former Haas F1 star
Guenther Steiner was axed by Haas this week and replaced by Ayao Komatsu, with American owner Gene Haas favouring an engineering-led approach to their future efforts
20:23 Fri, 12 Jan 2024
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Former Haas driver Romain Grosjean gave the seal of approval to the team's new boss Ayao Komatsu. But the Frenchman has also warned his former Formula 1 colleague that leading the team will be a "huge challenge". Komatsu has been promoted to team principal following the surprise axing of popular chief Guenther Steiner.

The 58-year-old has led the Haas team since its inception, having first pitched the idea to Gene Haas who provided funding. But the American businessman put all sentiment aside as he decided a change at the top was required.

‘Guenther Steiner's replacement sent ominous warning’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/grosjean-haas-steiner-sacked-komatsu-31871605


Caption Competition 231: Steiner’s send-off
Caption Competition
Posted on 13th January 2024, 8:30
Written by Will Wood

Nico Hulkenberg will have a new team principal at Haas this season after Guenther Steiner was relieved of his duties earlier this week. But what departing words did Hulkenberg have for his former boss before Steiner was shown the door? Can you come up with the best caption for this picture? Post your funniest suggestion in the comments below.

Gilles Amon (@gillesamon)
Come on, we need upgrades, not new fancy glasses.
Or: Told you, we would have needed upgrades, not just new fancy glasses.

Nulla Pax (@nullapax)
“Guenther – please don’t sneeze like that.
It always does this to my hair and glasses”

Jeanrien (@jeanrien)
You could have used less colorful language when telling Hass what we need to improve!

‘Caption Competition 231: Steiner’s send-off’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/01/13/caption-competition-231-steiners-send-off/


Haas send message to Michael Andretti about selling F1 team after Guenther Steiner exit
Suggestions that Michael Andretti should buy the Haas F1 team have been made in recent days, since owner Gene Haas fired popular and long-serving team principal Guenther Steiner
17:40 Fri, 12 Jan 2024.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Gene Haas has made it clear he has no interest in selling his Formula 1 team to Michael Andretti. And he doesn't want to let it go to anyone, for that matter. The American businessman, 71, insists he is in F1 for the long haul despite sacking team principal Guenther Steiner, with whom he set up his racing outfit a decade ago, this week.

"I didn’t get into F1 to sell [the team], I did it because I wanted to race. Guenther had the same perspective," he told the F1 website. "We're not here to cash out, we want to race and be competitive. If you look at any team, historically, they have had a lot of good years and a lot of bad years.”

"Surviving is one of the characteristics of getting better. As long as you can survive, you always have another year to prove your worthiness. This is a big change. Losing Guenther is going to cause the team to have to focus on other aspects. We will hopefully come out better for it."

‘In F1 for the long haul’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/haas-andretti-sell-guenther-steiner-31870604


Andretti buy-out hope fades as Gene Haas reveals Hollywood approach – F1 news round-up
12 Jan 2024 10:00 PM
Oliver Harden

Gene Haas has made it clear he is not willing to sell his team, reaffirming his commitment and intention to stay in the sport for the next decade. The departures of team principal Guenther Steiner and Simone Resta have raised major questions over Haas’s trajectory in F1, with fellow American outfit Andretti – keen to secure an F1 entry – mentioned as potential suitors should Haas choose to walk away.

However, Mr Haas has issued a firm response to suggestions that he may seek a way out…

Long before he became a star of stage, screen and bookshelf as Haas F1 team boss, Steiner was involved in the early development of Red Bull’s Formula 1 project. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has revealed why Steiner was moved on, featuring a remarkable parallel to his departure from Haas. “Guenther was and is a character but it was obvious he was not a technical leader,” Horner said.

‘Andretti buy-out hope fades’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/andretti-buy-out-hope-haas-reveals-hollywood-approach-f1-news-round-up

[Fortitude]

Guenther Steiner axed in brutal Haas phone call as sacked F1 chief speaks for first time.
Gene Haas axed Guenther Steiner over the phone during the Christmas period, as fresh details about his exit have emerged.
12:16, 13 Jan 2024
By Tom Blow Sports Writer
The Mirror

Steiner confirmed that he received a phone call from Gene Haas, the team's owner, between Christmas Day and New Year's Day about his future. Steiner was told that his contract was not being renewed into 2024, ending his 10-year spell in charge.

"I don’t know Gene Haas's plans for the future. He didn’t share them with me, he doesn’t have to, by the way. I’m actually not really interested in it anymore."

‘Axed in brutal Haas phone call’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/guenther-steiner-haas-sack-explained-31873715


Steiner: I’m not interested in Gene Haas’ F1 plans
Guenther Steiner spent eight seasons in charge of the Haas F1 team
January 13, 2024
By John Smith
Total Motorsport

“I don’t know Gene Haas‘ plans for the future,” Steiner said at Autosport International. “He didn’t share them with me, and he doesn’t have to by the way, I want to make that clear as well.”

“I’m actually not really interested in it anymore. On the other side, I see where other people are going and the model we started the beginning, I think it was a very good model, but maybe it’s not time relevant anymore. But who am I to say that?”

‘Not really interested in it anymore’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-2024-steiner-interested-gene-haas-plans/


Guenther Steiner not ‘interested’ in Haas future as brutal departure details emerge
13 Jan 2024 10:23 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

“I don’t know Gene Haas’s plans for the future. He didn’t share them with me. He doesn’t have to, by the way. I’m actually not really interested in it anymore.”

As for his own plans for the future, Steiner said he would spend some time with the family but was insistent he has more to offer in F1. “I don’t know if Formula 1 wants me!” he joked. “Now at the moment, I’m very chilled out about the situation.”

“I’m not unhappy and I know a lot of people, I’ve got a lot of friends and for me just hanging around for a year doing the odd job, that does it for me. If something interesting comes along which challenges me, yes, but just staying in Formula 1 just to do a job, maybe is not what I want to do.”

“I don’t know if Formula 1 wants me!”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/guenther-steiner-haas-reaction-departure


Steiner: "Stung" not to say proper farewell to Haas F1 team
12:07, 13th Jan 2024.
AUTHORJake Boxall-Legge
Motorsport.com

Speaking at Autosport International 2024 at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, Steiner confirmed that he was given the news by Haas between Christmas and New Year, and his abrupt departure meant that he was not given a proper send-off by the team.

“Can I start with just something off for my side?” Steiner interjected while speaking to Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft on the main stage on Saturday morning. “I didn't have the chance to say thank you to a few people when I left Haas F1. I would just like to thank all the team members who I couldn't give a proper goodbye to when I left.”

“So I’ll do it this way. And I want to say also to all the fans who supported us while I was there, it’s fantastic - thank you to everybody for the support I got and I am getting, so I'm mega appreciative. Yeah, it stung [not to be able to say goodbye] but they all know me and they all know that I appreciate what they did. It's always best to say it to them, it would be nice to say, ‘hey guys, thanks for what you did for the team.’”

‘It stung’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/steiner-stung-not-to-say-proper-farewell-to-haas-f1-team/10565375/


Guenther Steiner responds to Gene Haas ’embarrassing’ results criticism
13 Jan 2024 1:15 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Guenther Steiner has responded to Gene Haas’s remarks that he was embarrassed by the team’s results, admitting “nobody in the team was proud” to finish bottom of the Championship in F1 2023. In his first public appearance since his exit at Autosport International, witnessed by PlanetF1.com’s Sam Cooper, Steiner was invited to respond to Haas’s comments.

“If he feels like this, that’s his feeling and he can say it,” he said. “Obviously, nobody in the team is proud to be 10th. We didn’t have a good season in ’23, we all know that. But in my opinion, when you’re down it’s not how you get down how you get up again. That’s just my life motto and that is what you have to think about: to not be embarrassed about anything, just keep on going and make it better.”

‘How you get up again’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/guenther-steiner-gene-haas-embarrassing-results


[B]Steiner hints costly reason behind Haas exit
Saturday 13 January 2024 13:57
Dan Ripley
GPFans

Steiner though defended his record running the team and admits he was surprised by his sudden departure, hinting that the negative results could have been from a lack of investment to compete with rival teams.

“It was a bit of a surprise,” Steiner said at Autosport International. “Gene felt that is the way he wants to take the team forward. It’s his decision, not my one. He owns the place and if you own something, you have got the right to do what you want.

Steiner admits pain at nature of Haas exit: “It stung to not say bye. But they all know me and know that I still appreciate what they did. It’s always best to say it to them vocally but it would be nice to say ‘hey guys, thanks for all what you did for the team’. It was a team that was very small and ran on adrenaline a lot of times. They did a good job and I want to say thank you to them. It doesn’t make you happy not saying thank you.”

‘Surprised by his sudden departure’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1011087/guenther-steiner-haas-exit-investment-gene-haas/


Steiner's response to Haas F1 exit has a telling undertone
Jan 13, 2024
by Jack Cozens
The Race

There was also an undertone to Steiner's most eloquent comments that only reinforces the consensus about where his and Gene Haas's views on the team's direction diverged to the point of no return. This centres around what it will take for Haas to keep up in the ever-escalating arms race F1 currently represents. Haas himself is adamant more can be achieved with the current means; he used his media address earlier this week to say explicitly that the decision to jettison Steiner, who's been replaced by the team's engineering figurehead Ayao Komatsu, "came down to performance".

Steiner was widely understood to have been pushing for greater investment, lest the team - already a minnow in F1 terms - be cut off, unable to keep up with the pace of change. His answer on whether the team's current model is fit for purpose only reinforced that understanding. "Since we had this model 10 years ago when we started, Formula 1 has changed a lot," he said. "You guys have seen how much Formula 1 changed after the COVID period, how much it grew, how much bigger it got, how much different it got; how we use the budget cap to get ideas on how to do things.”

Steiner, of course, has his fingerprints all over that part-sharing, outsourcing model as one of the founding members of Haas F1. It was one spotted by him and largely shaped in his vision. But the very nature of the F1 beast is that it's ever-evolving, and its the one who's reticent to acknowledge that, to lift a phrase from The Race's Ben Anderson, who's most likely to be left shuffling deckchairs on the Titanic.

‘A telling undertone’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/guenther-steiner-haas-f1-exit-response-telling-undertone/


Guenther Steiner hints at key issues surrounding Haas’ approach to F1
13 Jan 2024 11:47 AM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Guenther Steiner has questioned whether Haas’ F1 model of buying as many components as possible for racing is the right path forward. With Steiner now the ex-team boss of Haas, the Italian was much more vocal in pointing out where he feels his former team are falling short relative to their competition in Formula 1.

Haas are unique on the F1 grid in that they are not a chassis constructor in their own right. Since entering the sport in 2016, Haas have developed chassis in collaboration with Italian manufacturer Dallara and worked with Ferrari to purchase transferable components such as rear suspensions, crash structures and gearboxes – as well as buying the Scuderia’s power supply.

It’s a model that yielded instant reward in the team’s early years, with points finishes aplenty and rising as high as fifth in the Constructors’ Championship in 2018. But the fact none of the other teams employ that model has meant increased scrutiny when things stopped working quite as well and, following disagreement with team owner Gene Haas on the direction of the team, Steiner and the American squad have parted ways.

‘Hints at key issues’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/guenther-steiner-key-issues-surrounding-haas-approach-to-f1

[Fortitude]

'I didn't see it coming,' admits Steiner after Haas F1 axe.
Guenther Steiner admitted Saturday that his sacking as Haas F1 team principal came as a shock, claiming "I didn't see it coming".
Issued on: 13/01/2024 - 22:43
London (AFP)
France 24

The colourful 58-year-old was axed by owner Gene Haas following a 2023 season which saw the team finish 10th and last in the world championship.

"Obviously nobody was happy with the results in 2023 but I didn't see this coming," Steiner told Sky Sports News. "I knew that the renewal of my contract was coming up and then when a renewal is coming up it can be that it's not getting renewed."

Steiner said that he had no regrets over his unlikely starring role in the "Drive to Survive" series. "I didn't get up in the morning to be a celebrity," he said. "I get up in the morning to work. But I think it worked a lot in favour of the team because without that maybe it would have been closed before."

'I didn't see it coming';

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20240113-i-didn-t-see-it-coming-admits-steiner-after-haas-f1-axe


Guenther Steiner: I didn't see Haas F1 exit coming | 'I have to respect the decision'
17:47 Sat, 13 Jan 2024.
Sky Sports

In a Sky Sports exclusive, former team principal Guenther Steiner explains how his departure from Haas came about and admits he has to accept the decision.

'I have to respect the decision';

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/f1/13047580/guenther-steiner-i-didnt-see-haas-dismissal-coming-i-have-to-respect-the-decision


Guenther Steiner’s first verdict after his exit from Haas
13 Jan 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Guenther Steiner has addressed his departure from Haas for the first time. The popular team principal surprisingly left his role earlier this week, ahead of the 2024 F1 season. He reportedly did not see eye-to-eye with owner Gene Haas over the future strategy for the team, so his contract was not renewed for this year.

Steiner conceded he is “not interested” in the future direction of Haas, whose new team principal will be Ayao Komatsu, when speaking at the Autosport International event to Sky’s David Croft.

‘Guenther Steiner’s first verdict’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1043379/1/guenther-steiner-s-first-verdict-after-his-exit-haas


Steiner addresses Haas exit, the moment that ‘stung’ and his future F1 plans
13 January 2024
Mike Seymour
Staff Writer
Formula One - Official Site

Guenther Steiner has spoken publicly for the first time since it was announced that he and the Haas F1 Team had parted ways with immediate effect, revealing more of the background to the news, sharing his message for the squad’s employees and pondering his own future plans.

On Saturday, Steiner made an appearance at the Autosport International Show in Birmingham, UK and offered his initial thoughts on the reshuffle – the popular Italian and Drive To Survive star receiving a warm reception from the gathered crowd.

“It was a phone call,” Steiner stated. “Gene called me and said that he doesn’t want to extend the contract which was up at the end of the season, and that was it. I don’t know [if it was a surprise]. It’s always a little bit of a surprise, but then in the end, he owns the team, he can do what he wants and it’s his decision.”

‘Steiner addresses Haas exit’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.steiner-addresses-haas-exit-the-moment-that-stung-and-his-future-f1-plans.3qv1HzFX1ei2shnG7nlFyy.html


Guenther Steiner shows true colours after speaking out on Gene Haas' F1 plans
Guenther Steiner has spoken out after he was released by Haas during the Christmas break, having spent 10 years with the team.
17:07, Sat, Jan 13, 2024
By Charlie Parker-Turner
Daily and Sunday Express

Guenther Steiner has claimed that he has ‘no interest’ in Gene Haas’ Formula One plans after he was not given a new contract by the team for 2024, and he doesn't expect to be informed of them either. The former team principal was told of the decision via a phone call during the Christmas period, with Ayao Komatsu succeeding him in the role.

Steiner spent 10 years with Haas, building the team up with his business model to be able to compete on the biggest of stages. However, with his contract expiring, a decision was made by owner Gene to take the team in a different direction. The shake-up has left many questioning how Haas will operate going forward, and Steiner is not even aware of what to expect from the team. Speaking about his exit at Autosport International, the Italian explained:

“Since we have had this model, Formula 1 has changed a lot. We saw during COVID how much bigger it grew. How much different it got with the budget cap, how we used the budget cap. If you look at all the other teams, they were all gearing up. They are not gearing up now. They started to gear up, some three years ago, some years ago, some last year. I don’t know Gene Haas’s plans for the future. He didn’t share them with me. He doesn’t have to, by the way. I’m actually not really interested in it anymore.”

‘Not really interested in it anymore’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1855399/Guenther-Steiner-Gene-Haas-F1-plans

[Fortitude]

Red Bull driver tells rivals to pack bags after testing 2024 car.
Red Bull development driver Jake Dennis foresees another season of domination as he gives insight into what to expect from the defending Champions.
January 14, 2024
James Fiorucci
FormulaNerds

Not many people are better poised than sim driver Dennis to give us an idea of what to expect from the Red Bull RB20. Speaking to Mirror Sport ahead of Round 1 of the 2024 Mexico City E-Prix, which he finished in ninth position, Dennis was full of confidence that Red Bull would win the Constructors’ Championship again this year.

He said: “I would expect us to become champions again, unless someone like Ferrari or Mercedes somehow manages to find about a second overnight. We didn’t do any development on the 2023 car after Singapore.”

‘Pack bags’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/red-bull-driver-tells-rivals-to-pack-bags-after-testing-2024-car/


Lewis Hamilton blow as RB20 driver makes formidable F1 2024 prediction
14 Jan 2024 2:00 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Lewis Hamilton has been told to forget about challenging for the F1 2024 title, with Red Bull simulator Jake Dennis warning it could be another “dull season” dominated by Max Verstappen.

Allison also claimed that Mercedes have established a “pretty ambitious” program for the new W15 chassis, which is expected to be a significant departure from the team’s last two cars under F1’s ground effect rules.

He told the Mirror: “We’ve got an extremely fast race car again at the Red Bull team. I would expect us to become Champions again, unless someone like Ferrari or Mercedes somehow manages to find about a second [per lap] overnight. I think it’s going to be quite a dull season in Formula 1 with Max probably dominating.”

‘Lewis Hamilton blow’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-hamilton-rb20-f1-2024-prediction


Red Bull driver testing 2024 F1 car gives verdict on Lewis Hamilton's title chances
Formula E champion Jake Dennis is also a Red Bull development driver and has been on the simulator in recent months helping the team to create their 2024 RB20 car
14th January 2024, 11:02
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
GPFans

Red Bull simulator driver Jake Dennis has told Lewis Hamilton to forget about renewing his Formula 1 title rivalry with Max Verstappen this year. The Formula E champion has helped to develop Verstappen's machine for the new season and doesn't think Hamilton should get his hopes up for a title tilt in 2024.

Asked by Mirror Sport what F1 fans can expect from the RB20 having driven the developing car on the simulator, he said: "We've got an extremely fast race car again at the Red Bull team.”

It is an ominous situation for Red Bull's rivals who face another season of being unable to take the fight to the defending champions. Dennis, 28, has been a development driver for the team since 2018 and so would love to see his prediction come true.

‘Forget about renewing Formula 1 title rivalry’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/red-bull-2024-car-verstappen-31872246


Red Bull send clear warning to F1 2024 rivals taking RB19 copycat route
13 Jan 2024 4:00 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Red Bull’s technical director Pierre Wache has a word of warning for any rivals seeking to copy aspects of the RB19 for the F1 2024 season. While it may be tempting for other teams to simply try copying Red Bull’s design by poring over photos and recreating as much as possible, Wache believes that without a proper understanding of the philosophy behind the design those teams would be on a hiding to nothing.

“I think it’s possible to copy, but in every business in the world, when it’s technical, the ‘how’ is one aspect,” he told Autosport. “The most important aspect is ‘why’. If you don’t know ‘why’, you can copy whatever you want, but it’s better to stay with what you understand. We also copy some stuff,” he said. “We [might] copy the wrong thing, but you [also] inspire yourself based on what you see from others.”

“It’s like a Darwin effect, this business. You see something from others, you add another idea to it and you develop and you grow your concept, your strengths, and your capacity. But every time it has to be on the understanding aspect. If you just copy for copying’s sake, it doesn’t work. You [need to] have the knowledge and also what you want to achieve. If you don’t have the same golden aim of characteristics, it doesn’t bring anything.”

‘RB19 copycat route’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/red-bull-warning-over-rivals-copying-rb19-in-2024


Former F1 Team Principal doubts Verstappen can be matched in same team
13 January 2:30PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Former AlphaTauri Team Principal Franz Tost is doubtful that Max Verstappen can be matched in the same team. Before joining Red Bull, Verstappen was at sister team Toro Rosso for a season and a half under the wing of Tost. When asked if he thinks any driver could challenge Verstappen in the same car, the former Team Principal had his doubts.

“If Max continues to have a good car, he will win many more races and titles,” Tost told F1 Insider. “He’s still not at his limit and will get even better. No driver who is or will be his teammate will ever progress beyond the role of number two driver.” Tost believes Verstappen managed to exhibit natural talent the first time he got into the car, which helped him get up to speed while still a teenager.

‘Natural talent’;

https://racingnews365.com/former-f1-team-principal-doubts-verstappen-can-be-matched-in-same-team

[Fortitude]

Hamilton admits greater Mercedes role in bid to develop W15.
Lewis Hamilton and the Mercedes F1 team are intensifying efforts to ensure the W15 model delivers strong performances in the upcoming 2024 season.
Monday 1 January 2024 17:57
Cal Gaunt
GPFans

This pre-season is pivotal for Mercedes, as they strive to rebound from two lacklustre years and design a car capable of competing for championships. This must be done quickly, too, with the impending 2026 regulatory changes, necessitating meticulous preparation for the new car well in advance.

Toto Wolff's team faces a significant challenge of swift improvement with the existing cars to catch up with Red Bull this season, as a failure to do so would diminish their prospects for 2025. With Hamilton's contract expiring in 2025, the seven-time champion is banking on a rapid turnaround.

The lessons learned from last year's campaign are expected to inform the development of a largely new car for the 2024 season, signalling a departure from the 'zeropod' philosophy acknowledged by James Allison's return to the team.

‘Hamilton admits greater Mercedes role in bid to develop W15: Signalling a departure from the 'zeropod' philosophy’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1010474/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-f1-w15-factory-visits/


Big Mercedes W15 question posed with engine power strength assessed
09 Jan 2024 5:00 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

A former F1 driver has questioned whether Mercedes’ car-making capabilities were masked by a superior engine during their dominance. With eight consecutive Constructors’ Championships between 2014 and ’21, the might of Mercedes’ juggernaut was halted in 2022 as Red Bull’s RB18 eclipsed the rest of the field during the first year of the new technical regulations.

Former F1 and DTM racer Christijan Albers, now a part of Viaplay’s punditry team, said he wonders whether Mercedes’ performance levels during their years of dominance came about as a result of a vastly superior power unit and not thanks to superior car designs. “The question is whether Red Bull can challenged Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren, or maybe Aston Martin next year,” he said in his column for De Telegraaf.

With the W14 going without a race victory – the first winless Mercedes design since 2011 – the new path for the 2024 W15 means all eyes are on the car Brackley rolls out for this season. But Albers has big questions about what is currently being manufactured in their factory. “I wonder if Mercedes can still build a really good car at all,” he said.

‘Mercedes’ juggernaut was halted in 2022’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mercedes-w15-questioned-christijan-albers-engine-superiority-theory


[B]Hamilton given big Mercedes boost with crucial W15 change
Saturday 6 January 2024 17:57
Sam Cook
GPFans

New Mercedes technical director James Allison has ripped up his predecessor's concepts, providing the Brackley-based team with a car more suited to Lewis Hamilton's requests.
The seven-time world champion had asked for the cockpit position to be further back on the new W15 and, according to Motorsport.com Italia, that wish has been granted, while the new car will have no aerodynamic design link with the W14 from 2023.

Team principal Toto Wolff had previously said that the 2024 challenger would be 'completely different' to the 2023 car, after suffering yet another season with a car incapable of challenging for regular race victories. Now, those initial claims appear to be true, with the car's gearbox also reportedly set to be smaller and lighter, and the rear bodywork more compact.

‘James Allison has ripped up his predecessor's concepts’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1010710/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-f1-w15-change-cockpit-requested/


[B]How Mercedes W15 can vindicate James Allison’s sacrifices after critical role swap
06 Jan 2024 9:15 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Mercedes technical director James Allison said the team “moving in a better direction” will give him the reward for sacrificing his “self-indulgent time” by returning to the role.

One of the most successful F1 designers of all-time, Allison moved to the Mercedes chief technical officer role in 2021, this coinciding with a move away from full F1 focus by taking on the same position with Ineos Team UK Britannia’s America’s Cup team.

Allison had swaped roles with Mike Elliott, though this was reversed during 2023, Allison returning to the technical director position as Mercedes strive to escape an alarming slump in form, having gone winless in F1 2023 for the first time since 2011.

‘W15 can vindicate James Allison’s sacrifices’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mercedes-w15-can-vindicate-james-allison-technical-director


George Russell thinks Mercedes "rushed" F1 car development as Brit gives 2024 W15 update
George Russell, like team-mate Lewis Hamilton, hopes Mercedes will be able to provide him with an F1 car capable of winning races against Max Verstappen and Red Bull in 2024
06:09 Fri, 05 Jan 2024.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

George Russell said his Mercedes team "rushed" its 2023 car design as he expressed his confidence that the team will learn from its mistakes this winter. Team principal Toto Wolff has already made it clear his team is essentially starting from scratch on the W15 with a brand new concept and design from front to back.

And Russell is pleased with the "due diligence" he has seen from colleagues when it comes to designing his new racing machine. "I think last year it was all a little bit rushed," he told Autosport. "We didn't have all the information to hand, we may have jumped to a couple of conclusions without thoroughly going through the consequences.”

"And we learned when the car hit the ground this year that we made a step forward in some regards, but it came with a lot of baggage and we hadn't taken that into consideration. So, I think we've done a great job to truly understand what we need.”

‘Team is essentially starting with a brand new concept and design from front to back’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/mercedes-2024-car-george-russell-31809749


Major Mercedes W15 concept admission delivered by George Russell
05 Jan 2024 10:45 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

George Russell is hoping Mercedes will not fall into the same mistakes as they prepare to unveil their 2024 challenger. “[I am] more confident going into this break,” he said before the 2023 season ended, according to Autosport. “[We have been] working on the new concept for a long time and there’s been so much due diligence gone into that concept.”

“Whereas I think last year it was all a little bit rushed. We didn’t have all the information to hand, we may have jumped to a couple of conclusions without thoroughly going through the consequences.”

“And we learned when the car hit the ground this year that we made a step forward in some regards, but it came with a lot of baggage and we hadn’t taken that into consideration. So, I think we’ve done a great job to truly understand what we need.”

‘Mercedes W15 concept admission’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mercedes-w15-concept-george-russell


Bernie Ecclestone gives 10-word response to Lewis Hamilton 2024 F1 title question
Lewis Hamilton is without an F1 race win in more than two years as Mercedes have struggled in comparison to their Red Bull rivals, with Max Verstappen dominating the sport
16:34 Thu, 04 Jan 2024.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Despite recent public clashes between them, former Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone still wants Lewis Hamilton to win the title again. Not only does Ecclestone, 93, want Hamilton to add to his 103 career wins, but he would like to see him finally claim that elusive eighth title before retiring. "I hope he makes it. He would then make history," he said.

Regardless of what anyone hopes for Hamilton in 2024, the reality is Verstappen and Red Bull will be favourites again for the title. They were so dominant last year that the team got a significant head-start on its rivals in terms of developing its new car, sparking fears of another performance chasm.

After watching Verstappen at his very best, Ecclestone was remined of Michael Schumacher - but still thinks there is one thing that sets them apart. He added: "Max Verstappen has a bit of him in him. "Max isn't as merciless as Michael was, because Michael didn't even think about making compromises."

‘10-word response: "I hope he makes it. He would then make history"’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/lewis-hamilton-2024-title-ecclestone-31808162

[Fortitude]

Toto Wolff shows true colours as Lewis Hamilton told this could be his last Mercedes deal.
Asked by The Telegraph whether or not he believes that Hamilton can win his eighth World Championship in 2024, Wolff insisted the British star wouldn't need another contract to fulfil his dream and could do it in the next two years.
14:09, Mon, Jan 15, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express14:12

Toto Wolff has showcased his ambition and optimism ahead of the 2024 campaign, stating that he believes it is possible that Lewis Hamilton could win his record-breaking eighth World Championship, despite the considerable advantage held by Red Bull heading into the winter break. He said: “Always believe it’s possible. You cannot start the season with an attitude of ‘This is not going to be possible.’”

“We saw last year with McLaren, what a huge step they made with a single upgrade. We’ve signed a two-year deal with Lewis, and we owe it to him, to George and to all [of] the team to give it our full attention in 2024 and 2025. I think it’s possible.”

A title triumph in 2024 or 2025 would provide the perfect note on which Hamilton could bring his stellar F1 career to an end. Now 39 years of age, the legendary Brit is willing to stick it out until the opportunity presents itself for him to fight for the Drivers’ Championship crown.

‘A title triumph in 2024 or 2025’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1855885/Toto-Wolff-Lewis-Hamilton-Mercedes-F1


Co-owner Toto Wolff sure he remains the best person to lead Mercedes
Monday, 15 Jan 2024 11:57
RTE

Toto Wolff is to remain as Mercedes team principal and chief executive after signing a new contract covering the next three seasons.

The 52-year-old, who guided Mercedes to eight successive Constructors' Championships from 2014-21, told the Daily Telegraph: "At the end of the day, as a shareholder myself, I want the best return on investment. And the best return on investment is winning.”

"I’m not going to try to hang on to a position that I think somebody is going to do better than me. I make sure that I have people around who can tell me otherwise. In the end the three of us decided: 'Let’s do it again’.”

‘Best return on investment is winning’;

https://www.rte.ie/sport/motorsport/2024/0115/1426596-co-owner-wolff-sure-he-remains-the-man-to-lead-mercedes/


F1 team boss insists Hamilton STILL the greatest driver
17:44 Sat, 13 Jan 2024.
Tyler Rowlinson
GPFans

‘STILL the greatest driver’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1011092/f1-mercedes-toto-wolff-lewis-hamilton-greatest-driver/


Mercedes will change 'almost every component' on 2024 car to take fight to Red Bull, says Wolff
11 January 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Toto Wolff believes Mercedes could "have a chance" in their quest to challenge Red Bull with "almost every component" set to be changed on the 2024 car. “I have never in my life felt optimistic about anything!” he said. “Which makes me sound a little bit miserable, but it has protected me about managing my expectations and just pushing harder, because I think it's never good enough.”

“That's why, also today, I sit here with a bittersweet feeling: we've won P2 [in 2023 but] we've lost P1. We're changing the concept, we're completely moving away from how we laid out the chassis, the weight distribution, the air flow. Literally, there's almost every component being changed, because only by doing that, I think we have a chance.”

“We could get it wrong also. So, between not gaining what we expect, to catching up and making a big step and competing at the front, everything is possible. If you ask me today, as always, scepticism, but that's the mentality of the team that pushes us forward, to never give up.”

“I think we have a chance”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.mercedes-will-change-almost-every-component-on-2024-car-to-take-fight-to-red.4CCg33Lqkde0cQdodRRzIr.html


Mercedes given permission to grow Brackley HQ after "opposition" from locals
12 Jan 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

West Northamptonshire Council have granted Mercedes’ request and claimed the plan would bring "significant economic development benefits" to Brackley. Mercedes intend to increase the size of their workforce in Brackley from 1,400 to 1,900 people over the next five years, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Wolff will hope that investing in the facilities and the employees in Brackley will aid the on-track performance of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. Their 2024 F1 car, the W15, will soon be unveiled ahead of the new season.

‘Given permission’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1043347/1/mercedes-given-permission-grow-brackley-hq-after-opposition-locals


‘Bullet out of the gun’ – Toto Wolff’s defiant message to FIA after ‘damaging’ investigation
15 Jan 2024 12:00 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Toto Wolff has issued a warning to the FIA that the “bullet went out of the gun” after they opened an investigation into his and wife Susie’s relationship within F1. Speaking for the first time publicly since the affair, Wolff told Gazzetta dello Sport that “the bullet went out of the gun and cannot come back in.”

“We have millions of people watching us, we have to be examples for what we say and do,” he said. “The investigation – opened and closed in two days – has done a lot of damage, and it’s not what you expect from the F1 world in general. If we want to make the sport more and more professional, we have to try to bring transparency where there is none and set standards of the highest possible level. My position is this.”

“I can’t speak for Susie but she is a fighter, she has a steely determination. This is not the first time she has faced difficulties, and she will go all the way in every court of law. If someone types Susie Wolff on the web today, the investigation comes up as the first news item: the bullet went out of the gun and cannot come back in.”

‘Bullet out of the gun’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-susie-wolff-responds-fia-investigation

[Fortitude]

Vasseur reveals Ferrari talks: 'I am not happy'.
"Nobody can be happy with what we did at the beginning of the season," added Vasseur, who joined Ferrari from Sauber last winter.
06 January 6:00PM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

Ferrari finished third in last season's F1 Constructors' standings, just a year after CEO Benedetto Vigna suggested that second was the first of the losers. But Team Principal Fred Vasseur has insisted he does not need to be told to be upset over the team's shortcomings.

"We had too many issues with reliability and I was the first one upset with this - and performance. But I think, more than everything, that the reaction of group, the reaction of the team, the fact we were able to... I am not a big fan of statistics, but we had something like five pole positions out of the last eight events, the fact we were able to fight with Max on some occasions during the races also was a good step forward.”

"Even if we are not happy - and again, I am the first one, I do not need Mr Vigna or Mr Elkann telling me, I am not happy with P3, this is clear - but I am more than happy with the reaction of the team and I think this feeling is the same for everybody."

'I am not happy';

https://racingnews365.com/vasseur-reveals-ferrari-talks-i-am-not-happy


VASSEUR: 2024 FERRARI F1 CHALLENGER WILL BE ‘95%’ NEW
The Scuderia suffered a backwards step in 2023, only managing to achieve one race victory in Singapore through Carlos Sainz
January 3, 2024
Nathan Hartley
FormulaNerds

The French boss described the work going into the 2024 car as a “revolution” as the team tries to return to the top. “Revolution – I don’t know if it is the right word because we have the same regulation now three years in a row that you can’t change massively the situation. Again, it’s a matter of tenths of seconds. It means it’s all 0.1 or 0.2% performance that we are looking for. It’s not five [percent].”

‘95%’ NEW’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/vasseur-2024-ferrari-f1-challenger-will-be-95-new/


Ferrari worries rise as new F1 2024 ‘danger’ identified amid staff exodus rumours
07 Jan 2024 11:30 AM
Oliver Harden

New AlphaTauri team principal Laurent Mekies has been highlighted as “dangerous” to Ferrari in F1 2024 amid fears that he could persuade staff at Maranello to follow him to Red Bull’s sister team.

According to Italian publication Corriere dello Sport, Mekies has wasted little time in persuading former Ferrari colleagues to join him at AlphaTauri with Marco Matassa, the head of the Ferrari Driver Academy, agreeing to switch to Faenza. The signing of Matassa – whose responsibilities will be assumed by Jock Clear on an interim basis – has been described as particularly “disturbing” for Ferrari given Mekies’ intimate knowledge of the team and their workforce.

The report claims Mekies not only has “a detailed and precise picture of the crucial men” at Ferrari, but “all their phone numbers too” – sparking fears that he could yet persuade more Ferrari staff to follow him. Those fears are heightened given that Ferrari and AlphaTauri are the only Italian-based teams on the grid, potentially making it easier for Mekies to convince Ferrari staff and their families to make the move.

‘Ferrari worries rise’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrari-f1-2024-danger-rumours


Ferrari’s most ‘important investments’ revealed ahead of renewed F1 2024 push
31 Dec 2023 4:00 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

The former Alfa Romeo/Sauber team boss had to take over a team that had developed a reputation for a lack of clarity on the strategic side, and former F1 team founder Giancarlo Minardi has evaluated the progress Vasseur has made over the last 12 months.

Speaking in an interview with Italy’s Gazzetto dello Sport, Minardi was asked to assess Vasseur’s first year in charge of the Gestione Sportiva, with Minardi saying Vasseur’s hiring of more staff during 2023 was a necessary step. “He found everything done. The good stuff comes now,” he said. “Everyone tells me, and Fred himself has said, that major investments have been made in terms of men and manpower, so we’ll see what and how many grafts will come in.”

‘Important investments’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrari-fred-vasseur-investment-manpower


'Will the real number one driver at Ferrari please stand up?'
22 December 2023
Author Jesse Janse
RacingNews365

Who is the leader at Ferrari? Frederic Vasseur of course, but which of the two drivers is the number one? Former F1 driver Christian Klien answers that question in conversation with RacingNews365. Klien believes Ferrari has one of the strongest driver lineups on the grid in Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, especially considering it was looking like the latter was not delivering during the 2022 season.

"This year Carlos has shown what he has to offer. Ferrari has a good lineup. The two drivers get along well. They push each other because they have different strengths. Leclerc has a bit more natural speed, but Carlos is a very hard worker. That dynamic works pretty well," explains Klien. But who is the real leader within the team? Leclerc came through their junior driver programme, while Sainz behaves like a true leader on the track by engaging in discussions with his team and opposing them.

"I have exactly the same feeling. I don't think there is a number one driver at Ferrari," says KIien. "If it is about pure speed, then maybe Leclerc, because he is the Ferrari driver at the moment. Both drivers are very good in my opinion. If you ask the team, there is no number one driver, because they both have other strengths. Sainz also needs them. He gives very good input and is really a fighter, a smart guy. Also behind the scenes, with the help of his father, they have positioned Carlos 'politically' well within the team. So I don't think there is a number one driver at the moment," concludes Klien.

‘Don't think there is a number one driver’;

https://racingnews365.com/will-the-real-number-one-driver-at-ferrari-please-stand-up


Vasseur defends Ferrari F1 strategy calls in 2023
19 December 2023
Author Fergal Walsh
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Vasseur highlighted that Ferrari is constantly vying to improve its pit wall operation as he pointed to the Austin race as an example of a mistake slipping through. “We always have to improve and always try to do a better job,” he told media including RacingNews365.

“I think honestly, this season, the strategy went very well. You can discuss Austin, for example, when Charles did one stop. But it was more [about] the choice on the tyres than something else.”

Despite being unable to consistently challenge at the front of the grid, Vasseur stated that Ferrari was able to deliver on strategy when its car was fast at certain weekends. “Strategy is when you're making a mistake because sometimes a safety car happens two laps after [a pit stop] and you don't have the crystal ball. But I think I'm quite pleased with the operation, I'm quite pleased with the support from the factory and what we are doing on the pit wall.”

‘Vasseur defends Ferrari F1 strategy calls’;

https://racingnews365.com/vasseur-defends-ferrari-f1-strategy-calls-in-2023

[Fortitude]

McLaren confident of development trajectory and closing Red Bull gap in 2024.
Towards the end of the 2023 F1 season, McLaren looked to have the second or third quickest car on the grid.
January 16, 2024
By John Smith
Total Motorsport

Team principal Andrea Stella has overseen the turnaround, alongside McLaren CEO Zak Brown, with both men optimistic they can close the gap to F1’s dominant team – Red Bull – over the course of 2024, especially given their rate of car development which could well continue into the new season.

“We saw that last year we had a period of plateauing and we needed to change from a conceptual point of view the direction such that we could recover this momentum in terms of development,” Stella told the press.

“This year, we haven’t experienced this kind of plateauing in the development tracker and gradient, and at the same time from a conceptual point of view, we see the concepts we had establishing the CSR add quite a lot more to offer, just incremental gains that you can cache.”

‘McLaren confident’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-2024-mclaren-confident-closing-gap-red-bull/


Upbeat McLaren has seen no “diminishing returns” on F1 2024 car gains
UPDATEDJAN 16, 2024, 5:34 PM
AUTHORJonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

Asked by Motorsport.com for some feedback on the steps McLaren has been able to make this winter, Stella said: "So far, I have to say we don't see the diminishing returns. We saw that last year we had a period of plateauing and we needed to change, from a conceptual point of view, the direction such that we could recover this momentum in terms of development.”

"This year we haven't experienced this kind of plateauing in the development tracker and gradient, and we see the concepts we had established in last year's car had quite a lot more to offer, just in incremental gains that you can cash in. So a completely different scenario."

Beyond the launch spec, Stella also suggests that McLaren is already unlocking even more gains that will be realised in upgrades that should be on tap early in the campaign. "In the background, we are already starting to work on the further developments that we hope to bring relatively soon in season, and they also seem to be quite interesting," said Stella.

‘McLaren has seen no “diminishing returns” on F1 2024 car’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/mclaren-no-diminishing-returns-f1-2024-car-gains/10566285/


Mark Hughes on McLaren's worrying Red Bull theory
Jan 16, 2024
by Mark Hughes
The Race

In assessing McLaren’s 2024 season prospects at McLaren's surprise early 2024 launch, Andrea Stella sounded a note of caution regarding Red Bull. For one very specific reason: he fears that although Red Bull produced relatively few updates last year on its record-busting RB19, it may have been continuing to develop it in the virtual world.

The cost cap restrictions – infamously breached by Red Bull in 2021 – and the superiority of the car meant Red Bull saw no need to produce a constant stream of updates through the season. There were just two major bodywork changes, both around the radiator inlet area, through the season: these appeared in Azerbaijan in April and Hungary in July.

“When we think specifically about Red Bull,” said Stella at McLaren’s livery launch, “there's one element that obviously I think puts everyone in doubt as to what's going to happen in 2024 - and it's the fact they haven't developed their car very much. So the question is have they cashed in, accumulated development that they will capitalise onto next year's car? This is my theory. I can't think that Red Bull were not in condition to develop their car - but they might have decided not to deliver upgrades.”

‘McLaren's worrying Red Bull theory’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/mclarens-stark-red-bull-warning/


Six takeaways from McLaren's early F1 2024 launch
Jan 16, 2024
by Scott Mitchell-Malm, Ben Anderson
The Race

ITS PREPARATION IS VASTLY DIFFERENT: At last year’s launch, new team principal Andrea Stella wanted to front up to the problems McLaren had faced in its development of its 2023 car, and make it clear it had low expectations for the start of the year.
IT FINALLY HAS SOMETHING WORTH HIDING: The circumstances of 2022/2023 meant McLaren didn’t have a problem putting the real thing on display at its launch a year ago because it wasn’t very happy with what it had.

ITS OLD EXCUSES ARE GONE: One of the things this era of McLaren leadership had already moved away from last year was blaming the existing infrastructure for its shortcomings.
ITS NEW RECRUITS ARE ALREADY MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Having restructured the technical department in the fallout of the underwhelming start to 2023, McLaren hired Marshall from Red Bull, and Sanchez from Ferrari, as key recruits to fill leadership roles within that new structure.

IT’S NOW A PROFIT-MAKER: Before Christmas, McLaren confirmed its main shareholder - the sovereign bank of Bahrain - had taken back full control of the business and given it a fresh cash injection.
BUT IT DOES FEAR ‘UNPLEASANT’ SURPRISE: Stella has warned that Red Bull should make a “large step forward” for the start of 2024, which could just keep it out of everybody else’s reach for another year.

‘Six takeaways’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/mclaren-2023-livery-launch-six-takeaways/


ANALYSIS: As McLaren reveal their new livery, are they the team set to take the fight to Red Bull in 2024?
16 January 2024
Lawrence Barretto
F1 Correspondent & Presenter

McLaren won the race to kick off launch season with the unveiling of their 2024 livery, just two weeks into the new year and around a month before their real car (the MCL38) will break cover with a shakedown at Silverstone. They have a new wind tunnel (McLaren had previously done all off their wind tunnel running off-site at Toyota’s facility in Germany which led to logistical challenges and impacted the timeframe of developments) up and running, with the 2024 car the first project to benefit from this enhancement.

They have a new simulator on-site, too, bringing them in line with the very best technology run by their biggest rivals. And there was no late change in concept – as was the case last year that meant their launch car was something of a compromise.

“The preparations so far have been relatively smooth I would say, well smooth in the F1 sense, which means pushing everything to the last minute, to the limit,” says Team Principal Andrea Stella ahead of his second full season in the role. “So far we are on plan.

‘McLaren: The team set to take the fight to Red Bull in 2024…’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.analysis-as-mclaren-reveal-their-new-livery-are-they-the-team-set-to-take.2AI3XI0SyxGIIzowJtYUzm.html

[Fortitude]

Fallows: Another performance leap for Aston ‘absolutely possible’.
Aston Martin technical director Dan Fallows is confident that the Silverstone-based outfit can repeat its impressive winter development process from last year and take another significant step forward in performance in 2024.
12/01/2024 at 14:08
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

In a recent interview with the New York Times, Fallows believes that Aston can deliver the goods once again. “It's absolutely possible,” the British engineer told F1 reporter Ian Parkes.

“We've seen with what we did at the beginning of the season that there are still opportunities to make a big step forward. But it's a relative game. It depends on what other people are doing.”

“For us, the most important thing is that we're making that big step forward. We have our internal targets. We have things that we want to achieve, and as long as we achieve that, then we'll be happy. Where that sits us on the grid will play out according to what our competitors do.”

‘Performance leap for Aston ‘absolutely possible’’;

https://f1i.com/news/497737-fallows-another-performance-leap-for-aston-absolutely-possible.html


Aston Martin boss shares “nail-biting” nerves over rivals’ winter development
14 Jan 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Aston Martin have confessed to “nail-biting” over the potential progress of the likes of Mercedes. It has left Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack pondering what his fellow frontrunners might have in store for the 2024 season.

“We're up against formidable competitors, and the big question mark over the winter is always what kind of job other teams have done,” Krack said. “There's a lot of nail-biting. You're always asking yourself: 'Have we done enough?'”

“Whatever happens, it always results in the same loop: if the cars roll out and we haven't done enough, then we have to work hard to improve. If we have done enough, then we have to work hard to improve further. That's the only recipe that works in Formula One.”

‘Rivals’ winter development’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1043221/1/aston-martin-boss-shares-nailbiting-nerves-over-rivals-winter-development


Aston Martin: ‘Truth’ the best way to handle Alonso and Stroll
Alonso outscored Stroll significantly in the drivers' championship with the Spaniard constantly outperforming the Canadian throughout 2023
January 14, 2024
Nathan Hartley
FormulaNerds

Aston Martin believes speaking the “truth” was the best way to effectively handle the dynamics between Formula 1 teammates Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll in 2023. Team principal Mike Krack explained that the team went through many internal discussions, regarding the best way to deal with the new dynamic. The discussions were prior to the Spaniard’s arrival. However, the 51-year-old said that the approach required was pretty simple.

Whilst speaking to Motorsport.com, Krack revealed the team’s mindset of handling both drivers. “We have a particular situation, obviously, because one of the drivers is the son of the owner and the other is an experienced mature driver. So, you need to think: what are the dynamics and how are they going to be evolving?”

“When Fernando joined us, many people were warning us he can be difficult, so we tried to prepare ourselves. We had to think, what is our approach – and this was not only me, it was the sporting director, and performance director – and how are we going to manage the media? But we needed to be aware that both Fernando and Lance had known each other forever – already from the Ferrari times. So when it started, we took the approach that we have to be open, honest and transparent with both at all times.”

‘Truth’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/aston-martin-truth-the-best-way-to-handle-alonso-and-stroll/


F1 team boss makes 'nail-biting' confession over rival development
Monday 15 January 2024 14:57
Matthew Hobkinson

Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack has admitted that there is 'a lot of nail-biting' as the Silverstone-based outfit wait to see if their 2024 challenger will be good enough to compete against their Formula 1 rivals.

And although taking the fight to Red Bull may be out of Aston Martin's realistic achievements for next year, Krack has admitted that he is still nervous when it comes to taking on the rest of the competition next year.

“We're up against formidable competitors, and the big question mark over the winter is always what kind of job other teams have done,” Krack told the team's in-house media.

‘'Nail-biting' confession’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1011183/f1-2024-car-development-news-aston-martin-mike-krack-nailbiting-mclaren/


Formula 1 development race more 'cutthroat' than ever – Collins
12/01/2024 at 08:12
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Former Aston Martin strategist and current Sky F1 contributor Bernie Collins has observed that the development race seen during the 2023 F1 season was a “cutthroat” affair that kept the teams more than ever on their toes from beginning to end. “It's been a year where the development race has been more cutthroat than it has been in other years,” she observed.

“We see McLaren at the start of the year, really poor performance compared to what I certainly expected from them in the opening races, and there was really aggressive upgrades, really bringing the car forward, which is, at the end of the year, it's pretty much always on the podium,” Collins explained.

“Then, the opposite appearing to be true of, like, Aston Martin, where they started the year so strongly and then it appeared that the upgrades weren't working and through the middle of the year had this massive slump. So the development race in these regs seems to be really tight, and it seems to be really close between teams getting the car right, and in the right working window, or the car totally not working at all.”

‘Development race 'cutthroat'’;

https://f1i.com/news/497715-formula-1-development-race-more-cutthroat-than-ever-collins.html

[Fortitude]

Haas take first post-Guenther Steiner step as launch date revealed.
Haas will take their first step into the post-Guenther Steiner era on February 11 when they unveil their 2024 car, the VF-24.
17 Jan 2024 3:24 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Haas will launch their 2024 car, suspected to be the called the VF-24, at Silverstone in the second week of February ahead of the start of pre-season testing on February 21. Speaking about the car, freshly minted team principal Komatsu said: “The ’24 car is a clear step, but whether it’s good enough against the competition to start off with, I don’t think so, because we started so late,” he told F1.com

“We changed the concept so late as well, and then by actually doing the Austin upgrade, we diverted our resources a little bit. I’m realistic with the car we’re putting out in Bahrain, but not in a negative manner. It’s not the fault of our engineers, our guys. They’re good people.
“For me, then the key is whatever the car in Bahrain, whatever problem we see, we try to understand it and then move from that point as a team. We are a small team as you know. We’ve got to move as one, otherwise we don’t stand a chance.

‘2024 car, the VF-24’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/haas-guenther-steiner-2024-launch-date-revealed


“He’s a very different person” - New Haas boss Ayao Komatsu vows not to be ‘another Guenther Steiner’
17 Jan 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

New Haas F1 team principal Ayao Komatsu has insisted he’s not “trying to be Guenther Steiner” as he looks to fill the shoes of the charismatic Italian.

“Of course, I’m not trying to be Guenther Steiner!” he told the official F1 website. “He’s a very different person. We got on, honestly, really, really well. We respect each other, we respect each other’s positions and job roles during work and off work as well.”

“We used to go to dinner quite a lot as well over a race weekend – again, not to talk about work but because we got on pretty well. But I’m not here to replace Guenther Steiner as a character.”

“He’s a very different person”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1043593/1/he-s-very-different-person-new-haas-boss-vows-not-be-another-steiner


Haas confirm date 2024 car will break cover after management reshuffle
17 January 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Haas’s new car will break cover during a shakedown at Silverstone on February 11, before another run in Bahrain ahead of pre-season testing at the same Sakhir venue from February 21-23. Asked about Haas’ latest design whilst speaking to a small group of media, Komatsu said: “The ’24 car is a clear step, but whether it’s good enough against the competition to start off with, I don’t think so, because we started so late.

“We changed the concept so late as well, and then by actually doing the Austin upgrade, we diverted our resources a little bit. I’m realistic with the car we’re putting out in Bahrain, but not in a negative manner. It’s not the fault of our engineers, our guys. They’re good people. For me, then the key is whatever the car in Bahrain, whatever problem we see, we try to understand it and then move from that point as a team.”

‘Shakedown at Silverstone on February 11’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.haas-confirm-launch-date-for-2024-car-after-management-reshuffle.5R3KiI951sb5qGnfmlWTyF.html


Haas reveals double shakedown plans for 2024 F1 car
17th February 2024, 14:18
AUTHORJonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

Speaking to selected media including Motorsport.com about the 2024 car plans, Komatsu said: “On 11 February we have a Silverstone shakedown and then two days before the official test starts, we have another shakedown in Bahrain. Then we go into the official testing.”

While the car will not be seen in public before the Silverstone shakedown, the team has previously released images of its contenders early - so it is possible fans may get a sneak glimpse again of any design changes.

Komatsu believed that the team should be judged not on how things look in Bahrain, but how much progress it can make from that first race.

‘Double shakedown plans for 2024 F1 car’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/haas-reveals-double-shakedown-plans-for-2024-f1-car/10566774/


Haas reveals plan for new F1 car's track debut
Jan 17, 2024
by Scott Mitchell-Malm, Edd Straw
The Race

Haas will shake down its 2024 Formula 1 car just under two weeks before testing begins as it prepares for the first season in its history without Guenther Steiner in charge. New Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu has revealed the car will run at Silverstone on February 11 and again in another shakedown in Bahrain two days before pre-season testing begins on February 19.

The maximum mileage granted to teams in promotional events, often called filming days, must not exceed 200km per day - increased from 100km for this season. It means the new VF-24 should be ready to make the most of the three days of testing before the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

While this has not been confirmed for 2024, Haas has traditionally dropped a digital reveal early in launch season - so while the Silverstone shakedown should be the first opportunity to see images of the physical car, renders may be made available sooner. Komatsu is optimistic the team has made progress with the underlying limitations of the VF-23, which was capable of being quick in qualifying, then destroyed its tyres in races.

‘The car will run at Silverstone, shakedown in Bahrain’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/haas-f1-2024-car-shakedown-date/

[Fortitude]

‘Lewis Hamilton is a brand, Max Verstappen is an F1 driver’.
AlphaTauri team manager Graham Watson feels Max Verstappen “single-handedly saved” Formula 1, claiming Lewis Hamilton is a “brand” with a range of focuses, not a racing “nerd” like Verstappen.
18 Jan 2024 8:30 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Verstappen arrived on the Formula 1 scene already a record-breaker, joining the grid in 2015 aged 17 with Red Bull’s junior team, then known as Toro Rosso. At that point, Hamilton was set to embark on his and Mercedes’ second title-winning campaign together.

Come 2021, Verstappen, now a Red Bull driver, joined the title fight for the first time and emerged victorious over Hamilton come the end of one of F1’s greatest seasons, that marking the start of the Verstappen era with the Dutchman having since bulldozed his way to three-time World Champion status.

The series is now very much spearheaded by Verstappen, his ‘Orange Army’ fanbase following him around Europe and packing out the grandstands, with his home race, the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, resurrected as a celebration of the flying Dutchman. And Watson argues that Verstappen has “single-handedly saved” Formula 1 by bringing a new audience to the sport, claiming that differs from Hamilton’s influence who is a “brand” and not solely-recognised for his F1 endeavours like Verstappen.

“Brand”Lewis Hamilton vs. Racing “Nerd” Verstappen’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-hamilton-brand-max-verstappen-f1-driver-graham-watson


Verstappen 'single-handedly saved F1', claims ex-team manager
18 January 6:00AM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Max Verstappen has undoubtedly had a large impact on Formula 1 in the Netherlands, but ex-team manager Graham Watson believes the Dutchman has saved F1 as a whole. Watson, who worked with Verstappen during his rookie F1 season, stated that the Dutchman has had a similar impact during his years in the sport.

“Max is the best thing that has happened to Formula 1,” he said in an interview with Verstappen.nl. “When Max went from us to Red Bull, I compared it to Michael Schumacher going to Ferrari. He made Formula 1 immensely popular at the time. Just look at the old images of Hockenheim and Spa: full stands with Schumacher flags. I think Max single-handedly saved Formula 1.”

“Because he brings the same intensity and generates interest. People come en masse to Austria, Spa: actually everywhere for him. “I didn't see that even in Schumacher's time. My wife is 60 years old, but a big fan of Max. Because of his style, because he creates excitement on the court. Max brings a whole new audience to Formula 1.”

‘Verstappen 'single-handedly saved F1'’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-single-handedly-saved-f1-claims-ex-team-manager


Lewis Hamilton slammed by F1 veteran amid claim Max Verstappen 'saved' sport
Max Verstappen is the dominant force in Formula 1 right now with Red Bull on top, while Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes team have struggled to compete with their rivals
18th January 2024, 06:07
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

"Max is the best thing that has happened to Formula 1," he told Dutch magazine Formule1. "When Max went from us to Red Bull, I compared it to Michael Schumacher's move to Ferrari. He [Schumacher] made Formula 1 immensely popular at the time. Just look at the old images of Hockenheim and Spa: the stands were full with Schumacher flags.”

"I think Max single-handedly saved Formula 1. Because he brings the same intensity and generates interest. People come en masse to Austria, Spa, actually everywhere for him. I didn't even see that back in Schumacher's time. My wife is 60 years old, but a big fan of Max because of his style, because of the excitement he creates on track."

Hamilton has undoubtedly created his own army of loyal fans both in the UK and beyond thanks to his extraordinary achievements in the sport. But Watson went on to assert that Verstappen has done more in that regard and questioned the Brit's commitment to F1.

‘Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes team have struggled’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/lewis-hamilton-max-verstappen-watson-31907515


The Mercedes gamble as big questions surround all-new W15 challenger
18 Jan 2024 9:15 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

For anyone paying attention to Mercedes so far in 2024, they will have noticed a more muted way of doing things. A contract extension for Toto Wolff was announced via an exclusive interview rather than a press release and the W15 will be unveiled at Silverstone, with no interview slots allocated for the three main faces of the team.

It gives off the impression of a heads down, time to work approach and with the W15 set to be radically different, Mercedes are betting it all on the new design. If one season can be seen as a blip and a second explained as the aftermath of that, it is the third year when bad form becomes a pattern.

It is not just the design that is changing but rather how Mercedes go about their design, as explained by James Allison. “So, of course the last two years have required us to adjust our approach and our methodology, our concept, if you will, and as a result of that the hardware that pops out the far side of that, will necessarily be different hardware, because it’s defined by different decisions and different weightings of what’s important and what isn’t.”

‘Big questions surround all-new W15 challenger’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/mercedes-w15-2024-season-preview


Mercedes sign technical director Allison to “long-term” extension
Formula 1
Posted on 18th January 2024, 11:31
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Mercedes have announced technical director James Allison has signed a “long-term” extension to remain in his role at the team. Allison has been the team since 2017, joining from Ferrari after previous stints Renault, who now compete as Alpine.

After helping Mercedes to four consecutive constructors and drivers’ championship between 2017 and 2020, Allison moved from his technical director role to the new role of chief technical officer during the 2021 season, with Mike Elliott assuming the technical director position. Following Mercedes’ disappointing starts to both seasons in the ground effect era so far, the team moved Allison back into his previous technical director role. Elliott left the team late last year.

“F1 has brought me a lot of good fortune, but none greater than answering Toto’s call to join Mercedes in 2017,” he said. “It is a great privilege to continue this adventure, working alongside brilliant colleagues and fighting together for championship success.” Team principal Toto Wolff said he was “thrilled” Allison has committed to Mercedes for the coming years. “Put simply, he is the most impressive technical leader in our sport,” Wolff said. “His gladiator spirit, along with his knowledge, experience, and determination, make him second-to-none.”

‘Technical director Allison to “long-term” extension’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/01/18/mercedes-sign-technical-director-allison-to-long-term-extension/


Lewis Hamilton handed huge Max Verstappen boost as Toto Wolff 'thrilled' by announcement
Mercedes are hoping to challenge Red Bull and Max Verstappen when the new season gets underway, and they've just been handed a major boost.
10:12, Thu, Jan 18, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Mercedes have been handed a major boost in their long-term fight with Red Bull after technical director James Allison signed a new contract that will keep him with the team into the new regulation period in 2026.

Toto Wolff: "I am thrilled that James has committed his long-term future to the team. Put simply, he is the most impressive technical leader in our sport.”

"His gladiator spirit, along with his knowledge, experience, and determination, make him second-to-none. His influence and impact, however, goes so much further than that."

‘Gladiator spirit’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1857037/Lewis-Hamilton-Max-Verstappen-Toto-Wolff

[Fortitude]

Alpine Team Principal Bruno Famin’s Aim For 2024 Formula 1 Glory.
As the 2024 Formula 1 season draws near, the Alpine F1 Team stands at the precipice of a new era, one marked by innovation and heightened aspirations.
Jan 16, 2024
By Aaron Teasdale
World In Sport

Bruno Famin, stepping into the role of team principal, brings a wealth of experience and a fresh perspective. Known for his technical acumen and strategic thinking, Famin’s appointment is a clear signal of Alpine’s ambitions. His leadership style, blending meticulous planning with a passion for innovation, is expected to invigorate the team at every level, from the garage to the grid.

Central to Alpine’s strategy for 2024 is a dual focus on aerodynamic efficiency and power unit performance. In a sport where milliseconds matter, the quest for aerodynamic perfection is relentless. Alpine’s engineering team, backed by cutting-edge technology and wind tunnel testing, is poised to introduce a car that melds sleek design with functional aerodynamics.

Alpine’s Driver Factor: The drivers, too, play a crucial role in realizing Alpine’s ambitions. With a lineup that combines experience and youthful vigor, Alpine’s drivers are key to translating technical advancements into on-track success. Their feedback during testing and practice sessions will be invaluable in refining the car’s performance characteristics.

‘Aim For 2024 Formula 1 Glory’;

https://worldinsport.com/alpine-team-principal-bruno-famins-aim-for-2024-formula-1-glory/?nowprocket=1


Jordan sees little hope for Ocon and Gasly in 2024
17/01/2024 at 10:34
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Former F1 team owner Eddie Jordan has expressed his frustration over the lack of progress at Alpine, adding that it meant talented drivers such as Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly were being left with little chance of success on track.

French manufacturer Renault took back ownership of the squad in 2016 and has since rebranded it under its Alpine sports car marque, although they continue to develop and supply power units to the race team.

However their much-vaunted 100-race masterplan has faltered in recent seasons, leaving to a major overhaul of Alpine's senior management team last summer with the exits of Otmar Szafnauer, Alan Permane and ex-CEO Laurent Rossi.

‘100-race masterplan has faltered’;

https://f1i.com/news/497971-jordan-sees-little-hope-for-ocon-and-gasly-in-2024.html


Eddie Jordan feels sorry for two "great drivers" who are "stuck" in middle of F1 nightmare
Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon endured difficult seasons in 2023 with Alpine and there are concerns over the car's pace in 2024 which could hamper the French duo
07:36 Wed, 17 Jan 2024.
By Samuel Meade Sports Brand Writer
The Mirror

Both men though are at the mercy of their machinery and a solitary podium is the best they could manage last term. Jordan said on the Formula For Success podcast : “Alpine, two good drivers. I have a sweet spot for Gasly. I think he tries really hard and sometimes he’s a little bit unlucky.”

"Ocon, who we saw when he was at Force India, so you know, the Jordan, Force India, the Aston Martin [evolution], I’ve had a lot of good experiences with him. Nevertheless, do I see them making much improvement next year? Really, truthfully, no. I think the engine is not good enough. And two great drivers, but you know, they’re stuck in there and they just make the best of it.”

‘Stuck in middle of F1 nightmare’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/eddie-jordan-feels-sorry-two-31898890


Alpine fires-up the new A524
08:18 Sun, 14 Jan 2024.
Motorsport.com

Alpine carried out the fire-up of the new A524 Alpine was one of the first teams to run the 2024 F1 engine.


‘Fire-up of the new A524 Alpine’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/video/alpine-fires-up-the-new-a524/645111/


Sky Sports F1 pundit teases 'slow' team heading into 2024 after sharing chat with driver
Pre-season is typically a time for optimism and hope in F1 as the drivers prepare for the new campaign but this isn't the case for one team.
08:02, Mon, Jan 15, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft has revealed that Esteban Ocon told him that Alpine are looking ‘slow’ in their early estimations for race pace next season. The French team finished P6 in the Constructors’ Championship last season but were nowhere near McLaren and Aston Martin ahead of them.

I don’t know how it’s all going behind the scenes, you know, a wheel has not even turned yet at this point. [But] Esteban Ocon said he believes the Alpine is a little bit slow, he told me that before Christmas, but I don’t know who’s in really good shape.”

Despite his optimism regarding a Mercedes comeback, Croft did expect that Red Bull would convert their considerable pace advantage from 2023 into a lead over the rest of the field in 2024. The reigning constructor champions won 21 of the 22 Grands Prix last year.

‘Alpine are looking ‘slow’ in their early estimations’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1855701/Sky-Sports-F1-David-Croft-Alpine

[Fortitude]

IN DEPTH: ‘I want to build another winning team’ – Pat Fry on why he joined Williams, and his ambitious targets.
Fry can see the potential in Williams – and is relishing getting stuck into a new project that is ripe to be shaped. But as was the case with his boss Vowles, Fry is going to take some time to assess the operation before carving out a detailed plan of attack.
10:49 Sun, 14 Jan 2024.
Lawrence Barretto
F1 Correspondent & Presenter
Formula One - Official Site

Vowles began chasing Fry’s signature last January but initially he says “it was ‘no I don’t want to think about it because I want to finish what I started [at Alpine]’”. However, things changed as it became clear to Fry that there was little he could do to really move things on within the parameters he was given at Alpine.

“Things that were restricting us at Alpine are not a problem here. The board are behind us. They want to invest. They want to do all the right things. So the opportunity is there. We will make another step next year, but my eye is on the longer term things.”

“We need a three- or five-year vision. So for the right people, we are going wait a year or year and half or whatever, but it’s all about getting key people in the right places and changing the mindset we have as a company.” On that latter point, it’s clear that Williams as a whole are trying to instil a new culture at the team – and part of that will include, as Fry says, emboldening staff to push the envelope and take risks without fear of being criticised for doing so.

‘Pat Fry on why he joined Williams’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.in-depth-i-want-to-build-another-winning-team-pat-fry-on-why-he-joined.6LvJBv3Nc7BX9LTrpQ0GC5.html


James Vowles provides an insight into the Williams 2024 contender
The Williams team principal speaks out about the progress that is being made for the FW46...
January 14, 2024
Caitlyn Gordon
FormulaNerds

The Brit’s first order of business was to shift focus to their 2024 contender early on in the season. With this order, the hope was to improve the downforce and more pace to be created through vehicle dynamics. Vowles recently has given a speak peak into what the 2024 car has to offer, adding that different characteristics of the car have been worked on which is hoped to unleash some ‘untapped potential’:

“We’ve added downforce, but actually the main thing we’ve been working on is the behaviour and characteristics of the car. I think there’s quite an untapped potential in that, so we can move forward. How much is hard to say though.”

“I’m happy with the work we’re doing, but I bet you if you interview everyone up and down the grid they’ll go: ‘I’m happy with the work we’re doing.’ That normally tells you you’re going to maybe squeak forward a little bit, but that’s about it.” Vowles said to Autosport.

‘Insight into the Williams 2024 contender’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/james-vowles-provides-an-insight-into-the-williams-2024-contender/


Williams team boss James Vowles backs Alex Albon’s championship potential
Alex Albon has been one of the standout performers in the bottom half of the grid since reentering F1 with Williams
January 18, 2024
By Matt Neill
Total Motorsport

Williams team principal James Vowles has said that Alex Albon has the “skills to become an F1 World Champion,” after the 27-year-old driver has become an instrumental part of the team’s revival. Since Vowles assumed leadership early in 2023, Albon has been on an upward trajectory. His journey to Williams followed a hiatus year, serving as a test and reserve driver for Red Bull.

In an interview with AMuS, Vowles noted a significant evolution in Albon’s demeanor and performance since his challenging stint at Red Bull. “The Alex you see today is different from the Alex when he was at Red Bull or the Alex at the beginning of the season. He still lacked faith in himself. He has it now. He is happy, he is a leader, he has self-confidence, he works in a structured way and sets the direction. It all sounds easy,” Upward trajectory said.

“But the simplest is often the hardest. You never know how good a driver is compared to another until you put him in the same car as the other at the same time. If other drivers had to drive a Williams tomorrow, they would probably have a hard time.”

‘Upward trajectory’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/williams-team-boss-james-vowles-backs-alex-albons-championship-potential/


Changed Albon will get even better in F1, says Williams boss Vowles
Alex Albon became a changed driver last year and still has scope to get even better, says his Williams Formula 1 team boss James Vowles.
UPDATEDJAN 19, 2024, 11:40 AM
AUTHORJonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

Speaking to Motorsport.com about Albon, Vowles said: “I've known Alex for around eight years and I couldn't wait to come here [to Williams] and rekindle that relationship that we had before. He's really quick, he has the right mindset – and that's really important, not just for him but for any driver to get the most out of themselves.”

“I think if you look at him across the year, and even speak to him openly and candidly, he's not the same driver that I started with in Bahrain. He has really matured across the season and he got the most out of the car, there is no doubt about that.”

Vowles thinks F1 has not seen the best of Albon yet either, as he senses that the confidence he took from 2023, as well as the way he approaches his job, leaves him with plenty of room to keep improving. “What I like about him is he hasn't stopped growing yet,” added Vowles. “He hasn't stopped maturing yet, but also what I like about him is there's no politics.

‘Changed Albon will get even better in F1’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/changed-albon-will-get-even-better-f1-williams-boss-vowles/10566625/


Sargeant: People ‘expect less’ from an American driver
16/01/2024 at 15:23
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Williams charger Logan Sargeant believes the struggles endured by American drivers to establish themselves in F1 has led to an unfair underestimation of American talent. Sargeant's own journey to the pinnacle of motorsport has been marked by challenges and setbacks. After a promising karting career, he faced difficulties transitioning to single-seater racing.

“I think people think and expect less from an American driver,” Sargeant told Motorpsort.com. “But at the end of the day, it doesn't matter, because as long as the people who matter sort of know what's going on, and know what you're capable of, that's all that matters.”

“So the external noise is just realistically completely irrelevant. You just do your job, you keep working hard, and you work with the people who can make a difference to your career, and you do your best for them. They also try to help you move forward as well. And that's all you can really do. So as long as the people who need to know, know, then the rest is completely irrelevant.”

‘Unfair underestimation of American talent’;

https://f1i.com/news/497938-sargeant-people-expect-less-from-an-american-driver.html


Alex Albon's Williams exit stance after two F1 teams try to 'poach' him
Formula 1's Alex Albon has enjoyed some much-needed stability at Williams Racing but he now seems keen to head for pastures new
16:47, Sat, Jan 13, 2024
By Liam Llewellyn
Daily and Sunday Express

Albon’s current deal expires in 2025, but sources told the publication that two unnamed teams tried to get the London-born Thai driver out of his contract last year, but were unsuccessful. However, several teams, who also were not named, are monitoring his progress as they make plans moving forward. Albon’s points tally in 2023 helped Williams finish seventh in the Constructors’ Championship, their best result since 2017.

His best races came in Montreal and Mona, where he finished P7 on both occasions. He perhaps would have scored more points had he not crashed out at the Australian GP. During a conversation with Planet F1, Albon, who finished 13th in the Driver Standings, reflected on his season and wished he could have done more.

‘Two F1 teams try to 'poach' him’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1855368/Alex-Albon-Williams-exit-F1


Albon reportedly seeking release from Williams contract for 2025
14/01/2024 at 10:37
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Alex Albon has reportedly set his sights on working his way out of his Williams contract which allegedly runs until the end of 2025, after two rival teams supposedly approached the Anglo-Thai racer last year. As recently as 2021, Albon's F1 career appeared to be in jeopardy. After a promising debut season with Toro Rosso, he was promoted to Red Bull Racing in 2019, partnering the formidable Max Verstappen.

According to ESPN, at least two teams have already attempted to buy out his Williams contract, while the driver himself is reportedly eager to be able to leave at the of 2024. Ferrari is one of the teams reportedly interested in Albon's services, viewing him as a potential replacement for the talented but inconsistent Carlos Sainz.

‘Seeking release from Williams contract for 2025’;

https://f1i.com/news/497825-albon-reportedly-seeking-release-from-williams-contract-for-2025.html

[Fortitude]

'Worst team name ever' - Twitter reacts to BOLD AlphaTauri rebrand.
The Red Bull junior team were spotted changing their Instagram handle to 'VisaCashAppRB' - assumed to be shorthand for Visa Cash App (or CashApp) Racing Bulls - on Thursday evening.
Friday 19 January 2024 09:57
Chris Deeley
GPFans

A number of users labelled it the worst team name in F1 and, among the less generous, 'in any sport ever'.

imagine someone asking you what team do you like in formula one and you have to say with your full chest ‘visa cash app racing bulls’…. I WOULD NOT BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY pic.twitter.com/GhiA6Ne6dz
— vic jurídico carlos sainz corinthiano (@SCUDESAINZ) January 18, 2024

my condolences to their drivers bc imagine you have to say „i drive for the visa cash app racing bulls“ i would simply end my career pic.twitter.com/ok1ihqyTga
— helena (@JACKAlTKEN) January 18, 2024

'VisaCashAppRB';

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1011442/worst-team-name-in-sport-twitter-reacts-to-red-bull-rebranding/


‘This is horrendous’: Ricciardo stuck with ‘worst team name’ as F1 secret to be unveiled
00:06 Fri, 19 Jan 2024.

Fox Sports from Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)

We already know Daniel Ricciardo wants to leave his team and move back into a Red Bull seat - and this will surely only add to that. The energy drink corporation’s junior team, previously known as Toro Rosso and more recently AlphaTauri, is rebranding for the 2024 season and the secret is almost out.

Following in the footsteps of Alfa Romeo’s controversial rebranding to Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber - commonly to be known as Stake, after a crypto gambling site - the team’s Instagram has been renamed suggesting the rumoured new name is official. The Instagram handle is now visacashapprb - and if you can’t understand that at first glance, you’re not alone.

“Both Alfa and Alpha teams managed to come up with the two worst team names I have ever heard. This is horrendous,” the top comment for the news on Reddit read.

‘This is horrendous’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/this-is-horrendous-ricciardo-stuck-with-worst-team-name-as-f1-secret-to-be-unveiled/news-story/b97d1f56a6b013f7fd70ea88a7b6389f


New AlphaTauri F1 name leak suggests end of 'Racing Bulls' title
12:53 Fri, 19 Jan 2024.
AUTHORJonathan Noble
CO-AUTHORAdam Cooper
Motorsport.com

CashApp, which is a mobile payment service, is no stranger to F1 having originally joined Red Bull in 2021.

Speaking at the time of that deal, Red Bull boss Christian Horner said: "Since its inception Red Bull Racing has been a disruptor, challenging the status quo in Formula 1 and pushing technological boundaries to build the fastest possible F1 car.

"Cash App brings a similar ethos and drive to the world of personal finance, utilising technology to power quick, secure cash transfers, to buy and send Bitcoin, and to invest in stocks."

‘Disruptor’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/new-alphatauri-f1-name-leak-suggests-end-of-racing-bulls-title/10567416/


Mercedes confident F1 rules will limit Red Bull/AlphaTauri collaboration
19/01/2024 at 13:53
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Mercedes technical director James Allison has played down fears of the technical collaboration between Red Bull and sister outfit AlphaTauri getting out of hand, a concern expressed by McLaren boss Zak Brown.

Last year, Red Bull motorsport boss Helmut Marko confirmed that AlphaTauri would leverage to the max its partnership with Red Bull, meaning that the team would acquire every part that it is authorized to have from the Milton Keynes-based outfit’s factory.

‘Played down fears’;

https://f1i.com/news/498093-mercedes-f1-rules-will-limit-red-bull-alphatauri-collaboration.html


Mercedes: Red Bull/AlphaTauri F1 alliance won't bring major benefits
08:49 Fri, 19 Jan 2024.
AUTHORJonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

Mercedes sees no upside to forming an alliance with another Formula 1 team, amid the ongoing controversy over Red Bull and AlphaTauri’s closer ties.

Asked by Motorsport.com for his views on the Red Bull/AlphaTauri situation, Allison said: “I’m not entirely sure what the nature of the relationships between those two teams is, but I am clear on what the rules are.”

“And it is that other than the very limited part of the car where you are permitted to supply parts, and therefore a certain amount of technical data alongside those parts, in every other respect the rules are very tight about not passing on anything that could be regarded as intellectual property from one team to another.”

‘No upside’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/mercedes-red-bull-alphatauri-alliance-wont-bring-major-benefits/10567153/

[Fortitude]

Valtteri Bottas delivers reaction when asked about Sauber team’s new name in Formula 1.
Bottas simply said: “Can you remind me, what’s the name again?”
Sun 21 January 2024 10:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

One of the biggest talking points during the Formula 1 off-season has been Sauber’s new name and driver Valtteri Bottas has now shared his reaction. Alfa Romeo will no longer be on the grid in 2024, with Sauber signing a new sponsorship deal to tide them over for the next two years.

Due to the nature of Stake’s business, the team won’t be allowed to use that name in every territory that they race in. At some tracks, they’ll be known as Stake, while at other circuits they’ll be Kick.

Bottas’s reaction to Sauber’s new name reflects how many Formula 1 fans feel about the change. They’re not the only team who might be known as something else this year.

‘Kick Stake’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/valtteri-bottas-delivers-reaction-when-asked-about-sauber-teams-new-name-in-formula-1/


F1 2024 preview- Stake Sauber
As preparations ramp up for the 2024 season, Speedcafe Formula 1 Editor Mat Coch looked at every team and assessed their chances for the coming year.
21 January 2024
by Mat Coch
Speedcafe

2023 championship position: 9th, 16 points
Speedcafe's 2024 championship prediction: 9th

The team known as Alfa Romeo last year is in a building phase ahead of formally becoming the Audi factory team in 2026. With performance in that guise as the ultimate goal, the team is less focused on the immediate future.

That's not to say it has written off 2024 and 2025, far from it, but it means its measure of success is different. Results will matter to an extent, but they won't be the sole determinant for Andreas Seidl.

Instead, it will focus on processes, broader strategy, and acquiring and implementing new resources – both human and otherwise. That is a big task in Formula 1, especially in a field as competitive as it has become in recent years. Development in recent years has also not been trivial for the Swiss team.

‘Processes, strategy, resources’;

https://speedcafe.com/f1-2024-preview-stake-sauber/


Zhou confident Sauber F1 can return to 2022 level
15:17, Tue, 16 Jan 2024.
AUTHORFrankie Mao
Motorsport.com

Speaking to Motorsport.com's Chinese edition, Zhou said he is confident the team can get back to its 2022 performance levels, with his additional experience allowing him to now be much closer to his Finnish team-mate than he was two years ago.

"The trends in the development so far are still in line with what we have been expecting," Zhou said. "Hopefully the pre-season preparation, including the three days of testing, will allow us to set a better direction for the whole season.”

"As the personnel at the team's headquarters, especially in the technical department, are constantly being added and adjusted, we hope to create a better and more complete team. I have my trust in the team and feel that this year we can get back to the performance level we had in my first season."

‘Zhou confident’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/tueszhou-confident-sauber-f1-can-return-to-2022-level/10566112/


Revealed: Stake F1 Team to use two names in 2024 depending upon which race
14 Jan 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

The team confirmed to Crash: “There will be some races in which we will use Kick F1 Team, based on activations, marketing decisions and local regulations, among other reasons. As was the case last year.”

Stake and Kick are separate companies which have the same owners, making it easier for the F1 team to alternate which identity they use. But Stake F1 Team - or Kick F1 Team depending on where they are racing - will be a short-lived identity for just two seasons.

‘Kick Stake’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1043088/1/revealed-stake-f1-team-use-two-names-2024-depending-upon-which-race


Valtteri Bottas admits ‘one big thing’ Stake F1 Team must change from Alfa Romeo
Wed 10 January 2024 12:30
Kyle Archer
F1Oversteer

Valtteri Bottas has now admitted the one ‘big thing’ that Stake F1 Team must change from the Sauber-run outfit’s time called Alfa Romeo as they embark on a new dawn. Bottas admits that Stake must improve how the Sauber-run squad deliver upgrades to their car compared to the F1 team’s time as Alfa Romeo. The 10-time Grand Prix winner felt it took the team too long to identify areas to improve, build the parts and get them on a track.

“For us at the moment, the way we can turn around upgrades,” he told Motorsport.com. “At the moment, we find something in the wind tunnel, how long it takes to actually get it in the car [must improve]. That’s, I would say, one quite big thing compared to some other things.”

Sauber have already moved to address the time it took them to produce upgrades by hiring James Key from McLaren. He switched from the Woking squad to Hinwil back in September as their technical director. The engineer had the same role with McLaren until March 2023.

‘We find something in the wind tunnel, how long it takes to actually get it in the car’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/valtteri-bottas-admits-one-big-thing-stake-f1-team-must-change-from-alfa-romeo/

[Fortitude]

Ecclestone: Winless Hamilton ‘failed Mercedes a bit’.
"Hamilton failed a bit," Ecclestone told Germany’s BILD. “Russell wasn't as good as he thought he was either. Still, they shouldn’t have lost so dramatically.”
21/01/2024 at 15:04
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone believes that Lewis Hamilton “failed” Mercedes last season by not delivering a single win to the former championship winning outfit. Ecclestone also expressed his belief that the Brackley squad would have avoided its winless campaign if Max Verstappen had been driving for the team.

Ecclestone, who is no stranger to making bold statements, believes that Verstappen's driving prowess could have made a significant difference for Mercedes. “Max is currently the benchmark in every field. You could also put him in a McLaren, and probably a Ferrari or a Mercedes, and he would still win.”

Ecclestone also has heaped praise on Red Bull team principal Christian Horner for assembling a team that has been virtually unbeatable over the past two seasons. “They have patiently endured Mercedes dominance, replacing each weak link one by one, developing the best team, the best design, the best car and the best driver,” stated the 93-year-old. “Christian Horner has done an excellent job.”

‘Winless Hamilton ‘failed Mercedes a bit’’;

https://f1i.com/news/498167-ecclestone-winless-hamilton-failed-mercedes-a-bit.html


Verstappen forces Berger to reconsider Senna 'greatest of all-time' claim
21 January 1:00PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Gerhard Berger ranks Max Verstappen "slightly above" Ayrton Senna after claiming the Brazilian was the greatest Formula 1 driver of all time. Berger joined Senna at McLaren in 1990 for a three-year stint after the Alain Prost relationship broke down in 1989, and was team-mate for two of Senna's three World Championship wins.

The 10-time Grand Prix winner has previously talked about how he managed to make Senna relax with the two great friends away from the track, with Berger attending Senna's funeral in Brazil after his death in the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at Imola.

"I said previously that Senna is the best driver of all time, but I think Verstappen is slightly above that," Berger explained to Austrian newspaper Kronen Zeitung. "He has skills that I have never seen before, it is necessary for the fans to have more winners. It is also interesting to see a perfect season, as last year. On the one hand from the team, there were no retirements due to technical problems, no delays at pit-stops. And on the other hand from the driver who drives to the limit and makes no mistakes."

‘Verstappen forces Berger to reconsider’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-forces-berger-to-reconsider-senna-claim


[B]Max Verstappen confirms Red Bull contract clause which bans risky activities
21 Jan 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Max Verstappen has confirmed that his contract with Red Bull stipulates that he must not take part in any activities which might risk an injury. "Me too. No dangerous sports,” he told Formule1.nl.

“I haven't skied in five years because of the risk of breaking or twisting something with all the consequences that entails. And of course also in the knowledge that there are still years to come in which I have a great chance to become champion again and win races.”

“If you think about that, you automatically take fewer risks. Cycling is also dangerous. When I go cycling, I at least put on a helmet.” Verstappen cannot take part in certain events. His wish to drive at the Red Bull Formula Nurburgring last year, for example, was shut down by his employers.

‘Red Bull contract clause bans risky activities’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1043481/1/max-verstappen-confirms-red-bull-contract-clause-which-bans-risky-activities


Red Bull F1 car launch 2024: Date, time and how to watch live
Sunday 21 January 2024 09:12
Yara Elshebiny
GPFans

The Red Bull team has set their sights on another dominant season, revealing the launch date for their 2024 challenger. Last year, Red Bull put on an absolute masterclass performance. They stormed to 21 victories out of 22 races, shattering the record for most wins in a single season and amassing a colossal 860 points, another new benchmark.

At the centre of this hurricane was Max "Mad Max" Verstappen, who carved his name into the history books with his most dominant season in F1 yet. With a record 19 wins out of 22 races and a total of 575 points, Verstappen secured his third world championship at just 26 years old, leaving everyone wondering just how many more titles he can rack up with Red Bull under his wings.

Red Bull are set to unveil their 2024 challenger, the RB20, on February 15, officially kicking off their title defence campaign. The reigning champions will be streaming the event live on their social media platforms and YouTube, offering a glimpse into the car that Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez will pilot in their quest for a historic three-peat.

‘RB20, on February 15’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1011340/red-bull-f1-car-launch-2024-date-time-watch-live/


Todt cautions Red Bull, recalls Ferrari 2005 meltdown
21/01/2024 at 16:52
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Former Ferrari team boss Jean Todt has offered Red Bull a word of caution, urging the reigning world champions to remain vigilant amidst their unprecedented dominance in Formula 1. For Todt, Red Bull’s hegemony has drawn comparisons to Ferrari's six consecutive Constructors' Championships between 1999 and 2004, a period that marked Ferrari's zenith.

“I see similarities between both eras,” Todt told Italian newspaper Le Stampa. “Red Bull has created a winning team with a driver [Max Verstappen] who is extraordinary, very professional, intelligent and fantastic. Don’t you remember 2005? The same team, the same drivers after a season full of victories and although we had Schumacher, we stopped being competitive.”

“We were fast again the following year, but we ended up losing the title due to reliability problems and before, Michael had already announced his retirement from Formula 1, although he then returned in 2010. In that period, we became World Champions again with Kimi [Raikkonen] in 2007 and we lost [the championship] in 2008 in the last few meters with Felipe [Massa].”

‘A word of caution’;

https://f1i.com/news/498169-todt-cautions-red-bull-recalls-ferrari-2005-meltdown.html

[Fortitude]

Allison hopes ‘spiteful’ characteristics have been eliminated with Mercedes’ 2024 car after winter push.
“It’s impossible at this time of the year to be anything other than apprehensive, coupled with excited, coupled with frightened – those are always the emotions that you feel,” said Allison.
18 January 2024
Formula One - Official Site

“I would imagine that even in Red Bull, after a year of such good performance, they will not be sleeping easy in their beds either, because no one knows what everyone else will deliver. However, what we do have some hope for is that some of the more spiteful characteristics of the rear-end of our car will be a bit more friendly to us and the handling of the car a happier thing.”

“That’s all in simulation, but nevertheless we’ve got reasonable grounds to believe that we’ve made some gain there. Then, on top of that, you’ve got all the normal housekeeping type stuff of just making it lighter, making it more ‘downforcey’ and hopefully getting a bit of uplift from the power unit side with the calibration level tinkering that they’re still capable of doing under these current rules.”

“Whether it’s enough, time will tell, but it’s nevertheless going to be interesting because we saw some things we knew were problems, we’ve hypothesised what the reason for those problems were and we’ve fixed those reasons. It will be interesting to find out how accurate we’ve been with that diagnosis.”

‘Will not be sleeping easy in their beds either’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.allison-hopes-spiteful-characteristics-have-been-eliminated-with-mercedes.30JEd0LLF5w8IvKV8PNJZZ.html


Newey still enjoys 'Eureka' moments despite record F1 success
21 January 11:30AM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Despite designing his way to an incredible 25 Formula 1 titles over the years, Red Bull's Adrian Newey has described how he still enjoys 'eureka' moments. As Chief Technical Officer of Red Bull, a lot of the day-to-day design work is actually done by the team below Newey including Pierre Wache and Ben Waterhouse, but Newey still spends time at his famed drawing board - where he describes the rare moments of a 'eureka!' moment.

"They’re rare but they do happen, and they’re very satisfying," Newey told TopGear of these so-called 'eureka' moments. You might think it’s the best idea ever, but you have to be very disciplined about proving it out. It’s a long process, but if it results in something that goes on the car and the car then goes faster that’s very satisfying. Once you take reliability out we really only have one master and that’s the stopwatch. The drawing board is a way for me to get the ideas out of my head and onto a medium I can develop them with, but you still need that spark.’

"The subconscious is an amazing thing. I’ve had it many times when I’m stuck on something, give up and go and have a coffee or something. One day, one week, one month later, and a solution pops up. That comes from experience. It also taps into the managerial and developmental side of my job. Working with my colleagues is an aspect I really enjoy, and even if I feel an idea isn’t a good one it’s possible I could be wrong. I certainly don’t want to stifle anyone’s creativity, and it’s important to be encouraging. But we also have to be efficient, especially in the cost cap era."

'Eureka moments’;

https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/?search=newey+eureka&lang=en&searchheadlines=1


F1 2024 car launches: Dates, times and how to watch live
Monday 15 January 2024 14:32
Yara Elshebiny
GPFans

2024 F1 car launch schedule: Full dates and times
The F1 car launch kicks off on February 5, with both Williams and Stake F1 Team (or Sauber!) tearing the wraps off their machines simultaneously.
Then, all eyes turn to Alpine on February 7 as they unveil their new car, before Aston Martin takes centre stage on February 12.
Here are the 2024 livery reveal dates we know so far:
Williams - February 5
Stake F1 Team - February 5
Alpine - February 7
Aston Martin - February 12
Ferrari - February 13
Mercedes - February 14
McLaren - February 14
Red Bull Racing - February 15
Haas - TBC
AlphaTauri - TBC

‘F1 2024 car launches’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1010599/f1-2024-car-launch-dates-times-watch-tv-live-stream/


The most spectacular F1 team car launches
19 January 12:00PM
Author RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

Spice Girls unveil new McLaren: The McLaren team pulled out all the stops in 1997 for the presentation of the new car. The then immensely popular girl group Spice Girls performed at the unveiling of the British racing stable's new car. The girls sang their hit "Wannabe" and also conducted a fun interview with the two McLaren drivers of that year: David Coulthard and Mika Hakkinen. You can see it all in the footage below. Nowadays, such an appearance by the Spice Girls probably wouldn't happen. After all, Geri Halliwell, also known as Ginger Spice, is married to Red Bull team boss Christian Horner.

BAR unveils dual livery: Two years after McLaren's spectacular presentation, it was the new team British American Racing (BAR) that stole the show. The team unveiled not one, but two cars for the new season. BAR had attracted two main sponsors, one for one car and one for the other. One of the challengers featured "Lucky Strike" sponsorship and the other was named as the "555" car. The FIA was not happy, however, and the rules also clearly state that the two cars from the same team must have the same livery. BAR, however, came up with a very creative solution and decided to combine the two liveries through a huge zipper on the car.

Statue reveals Benetton F1 car: The Benetton team also deserves a mention on this list. In 2000, the team decided to make a big splash on Italian soil. The bright blue car stood out in a picturesque Italian town, but that was not enough. The flamboyant team boss Flavio Briatore had decided that the presentation should be spectacular. Through a tilting mechanism, a statue had to make way for the team's new F1 car.

‘Plane delivers new F1 car: The unveiling of the Jordan EJ12 cannot be missing from this list either’;

https://racingnews365.com/the-most-spectacular-formula-one-team-presentations-ever


Races, preseason and car launches: The key dates for F1's 2024 season
15:56 Fri, 12 Jan 2024.
ESPN.com

There's plenty of build-up to the first race, with teams designating time to unveil their new cars and colour schemes to the public, before three days of preseason testing, which often is the first indication of what the upcoming season might look like.

The key dates for F1's 2024 season

https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/39292917/races-preseason-car-launches-key-dates-f1-2024-season


F1 car launches 2024: When teams will reveal new challengers
21:47 Sat, 06 Jan 2024.
AUTHOREd Hardy
Motorsport.com

Excitement is building for the 2024 F1 season after McLaren became the first team to reveal its livery ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix on 2 March.

Over the coming weeks more F1 teams will reveal the look of its 2024 challenger, meaning last season will shortly become a distant memory providing the opportunity for all 10 constructors to start again.

That is much needed for some because 2023 proved disappointing for many teams as Red Bull dominated the campaign, winning 21 of 22 grands prix.

‘Excitement is building’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-car-launch-2024-teams-reveal-new-cars/10563326/

[Fortitude]

F1 will miss Steiner says Wolff.
Gunther Steiner's sacking is a "loss" for Formula 1, according to rival team boss Toto Wolff.
JANUARY 17, 2024
GrandPrix.com

Steiner has headed the small American team for its entire decade-long history, but he rose to particular popularity as his unique personality shone in the Netflix series Drive to Survive.

Team owner Gene Haas, however, ousted Steiner between Christmas and New Year, arguing that it had become embarrassing to have a team with a solid technical alliance with Ferrari that finishes dead last overall. Some also think Steiner's Netflix popularity irritated Haas.

“For Formula 1 this is a loss”, Mercedes boss Wolff told Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport. "Gunther is a personality who has become very popular and has brought a lot of benefit to the team and the brand, despite the results being disappointing. He is a great personality and we will miss him.”

‘Loss for Formula 1’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/f1-will-miss-steiner-says-wolff.html


Ayao Komatsu: I could never replicate Guenther Steiner
16:21 Wed, 17 Jan 2024
Sky Sports

New Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu says he has 'huge respect' for his predecessor Guenther Steiner, but insists he will bring his own qualities to the role.

‘Never replicate Guenther Steiner’;

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/13050384/ayao-komatsu-i-could-never-replicate-guenther-steiner


Huge rebuild job comes to light as ‘shut down’ F1 team saved
18 Jan 2024 10:45 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Guenther Steiner has spoken of Haas’ struggles to stay afloat after the COVID pandemic hit Formula 1 in 2020. The COVID pandemic had bigger impacts on the wider world than just F1 but in an expensive sport like F1, it left a huge hole in a lot of team’s budgets. While some were more comfortable than others in absorbing the cost, the likes of Haas were up against it with no races to fill their wallets.

“[When] 2020 came and the pandemic came, we… I mean, I was told to close the team down,” Steiner told Autosport. “What were you doing there: you let people go, everything was shutdown. In 2021 we came back, but I mean we made not one step backwards in 2020, we made two back.”

“Then coming back in 2021, people forget that you have to restart from new – because we had to find people again, we had to find new offices, we had to find all that stuff. Because everything that we built up with Dallara [which builds Haas’s F1 chassis] was lost – because we cancelled their contract in 2020. We didn’t do anything there, because we didn’t develop the car at all.”

‘Guenther Steiner has spoken of Haas’ struggles to stay afloat’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/huge-rebuild-haas-f1-team-saved


Steiner makes major Drive to Survive revelation over Haas F1 decision
Friday 19 January 2024 10:57
Chris Deeley
GPFans

Steiner was asked at the Autosport International Show whether Drive to Survive had anything to do with Gene Haas' decision not to renew his contract (per Speedweek), and the former Red Bull technical director didn't confirm or deny the idea.

“Perhaps that played a role, but the fact is - Haas benefited enormously from this popularity. This made contact with donors such as MoneyGram possible.

"It was never about becoming famous for me. The people who know me know that it's not that important to me. I didn't get up in the morning thinking about becoming famous. I got up to go to work."

‘Haas benefited enormously from this popularity’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1011450/guenther-steiner-f1-drive-to-survive-netflix-haas-sacking/


Guenther Steiner’s replacement facing uphill battle with ‘not good enough’ Haas car
Guenther Steiner's eight-year stay with the Haas F1 Team came to an end earlier this month with Gene Haas opting for a change in strategy.
08:15, Sat, Jan 20, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Ayao Komatsu has claimed that Haas’ 2024 challenger is ‘not good enough’ in its current status, despite being an upgrade on the VF-23. The 47-year-old has been selected by Gene Haas to replace Guenther Steiner after the iconic team principal was sacked in January off the back of a P10 Constructors’ Championship finish.

Speaking to F1.com about his team’s preparations for the upcoming season, Komatsu said: “The ’24 car is a clear step, but whether it’s good enough against the competition to start off with, I don’t think so, because we started so late. We changed the concept so late as well, and then by actually doing the Austin upgrade, we diverted our resources a little bit. I’m realistic with the car we’re putting out in Bahrain, but not in a negative manner.”

“It’s not the fault of our engineers, our guys. They’re good people. For me, then the key is whatever the car in Bahrain, whatever problem we see, we try to understand it and then move from that point as a team. We are a small team as you know. We’ve got to move as one, otherwise, we don’t stand a chance. To answer your question directly, it is a step forward. Is it good enough? No. But what we do from that point is how we can show that we can improve the team or not.”

‘Uphill battle’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1857157/Guenther-Steiner-Haas-Ayao-Komatsu

[Fortitude]

Jacques Villeneuve exclusive: The F1 personnel being left behind by ‘brutal’ race scheduling.
1997 F1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve believes some calendar scheduling choices are proving particularly tough for the mechanics and the media.
23 Jan 2024 7:30 AM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Jacques Villeneuve, speaking in an exclusive interview with PlanetF1.com, said he has sympathy for the crews behind the scenes that make everything happen. “That’s gonna be brutal,” he said when asked about the scheduling of the triple-header.

“Already, the double-header late in the [2023] season, flying back from Vegas – it’s not an easy airport to fly from so getting here… it’s OK for a big team because they can rent a big plane, put all the mechanics in it, and fly. It’s really brutal for the media – I think this is the group that is being left behind in all that is happening. The cost of everything is going up, hotels, travelling, these trips have become very, very complicated.”

“But, for teams, they find ways to travel. Staff rotations can work but it’s hard on the staff. The timezone is in the wrong direction because you lose time by coming in instead of gaining. It makes it very hectic to set everything up, set the teams up, catering, and all that. It takes time and that’s a little bit rough.”

‘Brutal race scheduling’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/jacques-villeneuve-exclusive-f1-mechanics-media-left-behind-by-brutal-f1-scheduling


New Madrid F1 race from 2026 - but what happens to Barcelona?
Jan 23, 2024
by Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Formula 1 will have a new race in Spain from 2026 after finally confirming a long-expected grand prix in Madrid initially running to 2035. F1 has never raced in the Spanish capital before although this will not be a conventional city street race but more of a hybrid akin to the Miami Grand Prix track, by using what F1 calls “street and non-street sections”.

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali called Madrid “an incredible city with amazing sporting and cultural heritage” and said “today’s announcement begins an exciting new chapter for F1 in Spain”. It also raises serious questions about the future of Spain’s existing F1 venue in the country’s second biggest city, Barcelona.

Madrid’s race starting in 2026 will coincide with the final race of Barcelona’s current contract, so unless something changes there will be at least one season with two races in Spain. F1 does not see the Madrid announcement as a guarantee that Barcelona’s current deal will be its last. "For the avoidance of doubt and to clarify here, the fact we are in Madrid is not excluding the fact we could stay in Barcelona for the future,” Domenicali was quoted as saying on F1's official website.

‘What happens to Barcelona?’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/what-is-new-spain-f1-race-madrid-barcelona-spanish-gp/


F1 announce massive change to race calendar with iconic circuit set to lose Grand Prix
Published 12:02, 23 January 2024 GMT
Alex Brotherton
SPORTbible

F1 have announced a huge change to the race calendar that will see an iconic Grand Prix change venue. There are a number of races that are part of the F1 furniture, and the Spanish Grand Prix is certainly one of them. First held in 1913, the Spanish Grand Prix is one of the oldest races on the calendar. It's been held in various locations across the country, but since 1991 the iconic Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has been home to the race.

That looks set to change though, following a huge announcement by F1 bosses. From 2026 until at least 2035, the Spanish Grand Prix will be held in Madrid. The race will take place on a new 5.47km (3.399-mile) circuit around the Ifema exhibition centre between the Spanish capital and Barajas airport.

The track will feature 20 corners and will incorporate both street-circuit and road-course sections. F1 bosses says the new venue will initially accommodate 110,000 fans a day, with plans to increase capacity to 140,000. In doing so, the Spanish Grand Prix would become one of the best attended events on the F1 calendar.

‘Massive change to race calendar’;

https://www.sportbible.com/f1/spanish-grand-prix-madrid-barcelona-carlos-sainz-188098-20240123


The nine F1 circuits under threat of calendar axe with contract statuses revealed
23 Jan 2024 4:00 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has spoken about the change in approach the sport has taken with its contracts for circuits – moving from a short/medium term approach to looking to tie down longer-term deals for its tracks.

F1 circuit contract expiry years in full
Silverstone, UK: 2024
Suzuka, Japan: 2024
Imola, Emilia Romagna, Italy: 2025
Las Vegas, USA: 2025
Mexico City, Mexico: 2025
Monte-Carlo, Monaco: 2025
Monza, Italy: 2025
Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium: 2025
Zandvoort, Netherlands: 2025
Baku, Azerbaijan: 2026
Barcelona, Spain: 2026
Marina Bay, Singapore: 2028
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: 2030
Sao Paulo, Brazil: 2030
Spielberg, Austria: 2030
Yas Marina, Abu Dhabi: 2030
Miami, USA: 2031
Montreal, Canada: 2031
Austin, USA: 2032
Budapest, Hungary: 2032
Lusail, Qatar: 2032
Madrid, Spain: 2035* (*joining the F1 calendar in 2026)
Sakhir, Bahrain: 2036
Melbourne, Australia: 2037

‘Under threat of calendar axe’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-circuit-contract-expiry-dates


Growing F1 calendar “can’t come at the price of human health” – Horner
RaceFans Round-up
Posted on 6th January 2024, 0:01
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans00:04 Sat, 06 Jan

The 24-round calendar for the upcoming season is “right on the limit” of what teams can cope with, says Red Bull team principal Christian Horner. “It’s a brutal year, and I think it’s something that I’m sure will be on the agenda with Formula 1and the FIA to talk about how can we make life more bearable for everybody involved,” Horner told RaceFans.

“Because it is a traveling circus, but it’s a global circus and we need to just make sure that we protect that and the people within it. Money is a big driver in any commercial sport. But it can’t come at the price of human health and wellbeing. I think we’re right on the limit.”

“Can’t come at the price of human health”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/01/06/racefans-round-up-06-01-6/

[Fortitude]

New arrival on F1 2026 calendar as Mercedes W15 drivers face nervy wait – F1 news round-up.
Mercedes technical director James Allison has said both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell are in a pattern of keeping in touch with the team where they can, but all they can do for now is keep ‘observing’ until the W15 is ready to drive.
23 Jan 2024 10:00 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

“Both drivers, their role over the winter is very largely to look after their physical condition,” he said, as quoted by Motorsport.com. “[To] make sure that they’re mentally prepared, and just stay in touch with us about our successes and failures as we are going through the hoops of getting the car specified, built, tested, and ready for them.”

“It isn’t really a part of the year where they can have other than an observing role with what we’re doing. Once the car is running and once the car is talking to us, the person that is the interpreter is the driver, and then their voices start to have much greater weight. So over the winter, it’s just getting themselves ready for the new challenge.”

‘New arrival on F1 2026 calendar’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-news-madrid-grand-prix-mercedes-drivers-w15


F1 expert says one team’s aero department aren’t putting their drivers’ best interests first
Tue 23 January 2024 16:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Speaking on The Race Podcast, F1 expert Gary Anderson is concerned with the team’s aerodynamics department and the progress they’re making. Anderson is now concerned that Alpine are producing results in the wind tunnel that might be pleasing the management team but not the drivers. Speaking about Alpine’s development, Anderson said: “These cars don’t just go in straight lines, they do go around corners and I’ve never heard of a driver complain of understeer and oversteer in a straight line, it’s usually around a corner. So, you need to get your aerodynamic package to cope with all of that stuff. And that’s where I think that I’m a bit cautious in saying that Alpine seem to not be able to take in the big picture so much.”

“I think they run under a little bit of a strange thing where it’s more important to find points of downforce in the wind tunnel to make their management happy than it is to find points of consistent downforce in the wind tunnel that will make the driver happy. There are teams that are like that, you’ve got to go back and show your big boss, look at how good we are in the wind tunnel and it’s wrong. Sometimes you have to go backwards to go forwards and it’s very important to do that.”

“The driver can only drive what is the confidence the car gives him and if it gives him confidence he will push harder. I question I suppose, Alpine’s aerodynamic ability to lay out an aero profile that they try and pursue in the wind tunnel. I think they go at it just week in, week out trying to improve the car but it’s very easy to dig a bigger hole for yourself than the one you’re in by just making your problems bigger.”

‘Producing results in the wind tunnel that might be pleasing the management team’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/f1-expert-says-one-teams-aero-department-arent-putting-their-drivers-best-interests-first/


Racing ID: Palmer dissects the driving styles of the 2024 F1 grid
23 Jan 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

In this new F1 TV show, former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer jumps in the sim to dissect the driving techniques and styles of the 2024 F1 drivers.

‘Racing ID: Palmer dissects the driving styles’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.racing-id-palmer-dissects-the-driving-styles-of-the-2024-f1-grid.1788877436826282386.html


The Drive to Excel: Top Five F1 Teams Facing a Crucial 2024
Posted: Jan 23, 2024 | Updated: Jan 23, 2024
By Aaron Teasdale
World In Sport

This season is crucial for several teams who are under the spotlight to demonstrate their capabilities. Let’s delve into five teams that are particularly under pressure to prove their worth this year.
Aston Martin: With substantial investment and a state-of-the-art facility in the making, Aston Martin is expected to break out of the midfield and challenge the top teams.

McLaren: The 2024 season is pivotal for McLaren to re-establish themselves as a top-tier competitor.
Alpine: h a strong driver lineup and a renewed focus on technological advancement, the team is under pressure to return to the forefront of the grid and live up to its name.

Williams F1 Team: The 2024 season is crucial for Williams to demonstrate that they can recapture some of their past glory.
Haas F1 Team: The 2024 season is a crucial year for Haas to prove that they can be more than just an occasional points scorer.

‘F1 Teams Facing a Crucial 2024’;

https://worldinsport.com/the-drive-to-excel-top-five-f1-teams-facing-a-crucial-2024/?nowprocket=1


F1 chiefs ‘green light’ sprint race changes: Will we see reverse grids?
January 23, 2024
By Joe Krishnan
Total Motorsport

Formula 1 chiefs are ready to make further changes to the current format of the F1 Sprint to ensure the divisive race format is accepted on a wider scale by fans, drivers and teams. Sprint races have changed the face of F1 to bring in more racing action for the new influx of fans, but not everyone is satisfied with the way the format has altered the fabric of motorsport’s most esteemed racing series.

According to German magazine Motorsport Aktuell, the idea of swapping the F1 Sprint to Saturday morning and scheduling Qualifying for Sunday’s race on Saturday afternoon has received the green light. Under this proposal, teams would be allowed to break parc ferme rules without receiving a sanction and offering spectators some variety in the main event.

This will please Max Verstappen, who has been one of the most vocal critics of the format, despite amassing the most points from the sprint since its inception in 2021. The Dutchman believes that practice is more important for teams to set up their cars and thinks sprint races should be abolished completely. “We should just get rid of the sprint weekend and then everyone can just set up their cars normally,” Verstappen told reporters in October.

‘F1 chiefs ‘green light’ sprint race changes’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-green-light-sprint-race-changes-reverse-grids-2024/


VIDEO: Whatever it Takes, the AlphaTauri F1 documentary
The world of motor racing is all about speed, adrenalin and incredible stories and our team is no exception.
24 January 2024
by Speedcafe.com
Speedcafe

Franz Tost, Pierre Gasly, Yuki Tsunoda, Jody Egginton and Peter Bayer talk you through the beating heart of the AlphaTauri F1 team in the ‘Whatever it Takes' F1 documentary. Going behind the scenes as never before in Formula 1, the film delves into the secrets of the Faenza factory in Italy and the Bicester wind tunnel in the UK.

It's a story that goes back to the Scuderia Toro Rosso days, which included its first-ever win at Monza in 2008 and the challenges it faced in the years that followed. It also features the team's drivers over the past 20 years, such as Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen, as well as covering the change to Scuderia AlphaTauri in 2020, with new facilities, more ambitious goals and another win.

‘Speed, adrenalin and incredible stories’;


https://speedcafe.com/video-whatever-it-takes-the-alphatauri-f1-documentary/

[Fortitude]

Haas new boss admits 2024 car likely to be slowest.
There's less than a month left until pre-season testing, so I think the car we'll take to Bahrain will still be at the bottom”, Ayao Komatsu said.
JANUARY 23, 2024
GrandPrix.com

The new team boss is an internal promotion, with engineering chief Ayao Komatsu stepping up to the top job. Komatsu says the goal for 2024 is moving up to eighth overall, which he admits may sound modest but is actually “a big deal” when it means beating teams like Sauber, Alpha Tauri or Williams.

“I think it will be difficult for us to overtake two teams on our own, rather than relying on others, he said. "Both Alfa Romeo (Sauber) and Williams have better budgets and systems than us.”

"And Alpha Tauri has also improved significantly and it is said that they will strengthen their partnership with Red Bull this year, so there is a possibility that we will not be able to compete.”

‘2024 car likely to be slowest’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/haas-new-boss-admits-2024-car-likely-to-be-slowest.html


Guenther Steiner points finger at Ferrari for sudden Haas pre-pandemic slump
20 Jan 2024 8:00 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Guenther Steiner has detailed the drop in performance of the Ferrari power unit as one of the reasons behind Haas not achieving as much in his tenure as he had hoped. Ferrari had arguably the most powerful engine on the grid in 2018 and 2019, though rivals questioned the potential legality of it at the time.

There were suspicions that the Scuderia had managed to circumvent fuel flow sensor restrictions to be able to extract more power from their engines, and eventually came to a private settlement with the FIA which did not clarify whether or not their power unit was legal.

“The FIA announces that, after thorough technical investigations, it has concluded its analysis of the operation of the Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 power unit and reached a settlement with the team,” the FIA’s statement at the time said. “The specifics of the agreement will remain between the parties.” What did change afterwards, however, was Ferrari’s power unit competitiveness – in that it noticeably worsened the following season, according to Steiner.

‘Drop in performance of the Ferrari power unit’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/guenther-steiner-ferrari-blame-haas-performance-dip


Gary Anderson: This is what will make or break Komatsu's Haas
Jan 20, 2024
by Gary Anderson
The Race

New Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu is right when he says "the key word is communication" as he tries to work out ways to make what the 2023 points table says is the worst team in Formula 1 work better. You need to get everyone to buy into the big plan. In Haas’s case, those in the team will have a good idea of what is possible and Guenther Steiner believed more investment was needed to have the chance to deliver on the owner's long-term objectives.

Komatsu will need to convince his subordinates there's a clear pathway forward - which is also simply part of that process of building Gene Haas’s confidence that the team is now capable of spending his money wisely to improve performance and not just spending it to exist. There’s also the risk posed by having the team boss role effectively split. Komatsu says he will focus on his area of expertise, with a chief operating officer due to join the team to oversee marketing and commercial matters and some of the other functions of the team.

As far as Haas is concerned, last year it had a reasonably quick car in qualifying but faded dramatically over a race stint. Often, a Haas started in the top 10 but before you knew it was running 15th or 16th and making an earlier pitstop than others. The solution to that isn’t simply adding downforce, it’s about how the car is treating the tyres. Those problems can be aerodynamic, mechanical, or a combination of both. Internal communication will have been critical to set the direction for recovery. And it seems that side of things wasn't perfect - as Komatsu has admitted, communication played a part in the lack of development last year.

‘What will make or break Komatsu's Haas’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/gary-anderson-what-ayao-komatsu-haas-f1-boss-cant-do/


New Haas boss believes driver will benefit from 'improved' car
Sunday 21 January 2024 17:57
Tyler Rowlinson
GPFans

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu believes that the team’s new car will better suit Kevin Magnussen and his driving style compared to its predecessor.

Komatsu: We have improved 2024 car: Speaking with f1i.com, the Japanese engineer said: “I wouldn’t say eliminated, that’s a big word,” the Japanese engineer said when asked about Magnussen’s driving woes. “But certainly, we have improved on it. He’s a driver who needs good entry stability and consistent [handling] through a corner.”

‘Driver will benefit from 'improved' car’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1011572/haas-f1-boss-ayao-komatsu-kevin-magnussen-improved-car-2024/


F1 boss tells owner his team should be embarrassed after viral comments
Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu has taken over from ousted chief Guenther Steiner, after which owner Gene Haas declared himself "embarrassed" by the team's results
07:10, Tue, 23 Jan 2024.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Ayao Komatsu insists the owner of the Haas Formula 1 team has every right to be embarrassed by their results in recent years. "We have been using a lot of their hardware. It works really well. They really do help us. I'm embarrassed that we haven't been able to do better with it but, going forward, I want to take advantage of good equipment that a lot of other teams don't have."

The word "embarrassed" was picked up on the most and prompted some people to question how the team's staff would take hearing that from their employer. But new chief Komatsu, who has worked for the team since 2016, insists the owner is justified in his strong comments.

"Gene at the moment, he wants to get off the back of the grid," said the Japanese engineer. "You saw and heard how unhappy Gene was. I mean, of course, who's going to be happy competing in last place? It is embarrassing. It really is embarrassing.”

‘Should be embarrassed after viral comments’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/gene-haas-ayao-komatsu-embarrassing-31943260

[Fortitude]

Lando Norris to Red Bull F1 transfer fee revealed by McLaren boss.
McLaren F1 CEO Zak Brown has told Red Bull that there is no amount of money that the team would accept to part ways with Lando Norris after questions of a £100million price-tag were put to him.
Monday 22 January 2024 08:27
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans

Brown: Forget about Norris F1 price-tag: Yet McLaren chief Brown has now issued somewhat of a hands-off warning to Christian Horner's outfit, stating that there is no figure that the team would consider parting ways with Norris.

“I don’t know enough about soccer to know what the economics are!" Brown joked to Sky Sports when asked if Norris would be worth £100million in the football transfer market. He’s quite a valuable racing driver, a great asset to the racing team. There is no number that we would be interested in trading him for.”

‘No amount of money’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1011610/lando-norris-f1-red-bull-transfer-fee-mclaren-zak-brown-christian-horner-max-verstappen/


McLaren issue firm 10-word response to Red Bull as Lando Norris rumours persist
17 Jan 2024 5:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Should Red Bull at any stage decide they were to turn interest in Lando Norris into an attempt to sign him, McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown has warned “there’s no number we’d be interested in trading him for.”

Brown stressed targeting Norris would be pointless as he is priceless to the team. “He’s a great asset to the racing team,” Brown said of Norris when speaking to Sky Sports F1. “There’s no number we’d be interested in trading him for.”

‘10-word response’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mclaren-firm-response-red-bull-lando-norris-rumours


McLaren determined to hold on to Norris whatever the cost
20/01/2024 at 10:13
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

McLaren CEO Zak Brown has stated his intention to hold on to the services of lead driver Lando Norris, even if rival teams come calling with big money offers. Norris is currently contracted to remain with the team until the end of 2025, but there have been recurring reports that other teams like Red Bull have made their interest in signing in the 24-year-old Briton known.

“He’s quite a valuable racing driver, a great asset to the racing team," Brown said. “There is no number that we would be interested in trading him for.” According to business magazine Forbes, Norris received $5m in salary from McLaren in 2023, plus an additional $10m in performance bonuses, making him the sixth-highest earner on the grid.

‘Determined to hold on to Norris’;

https://f1i.com/news/498118-mclaren-determined-to-hold-on-to-norris-whatever-the-cost.html


Is McLaren yet to unlock Norris's full F1 potential?
McLaren is confident Lando Norris's potential has not been maximised yet as its star driver keeps chasing an elusive maiden Formula 1 win.
UPDATED JAN 21, 2024, 10:42 PM
AUTHOR Ben Vinel
Motorsport.com

Off the back of his most successful season in F1, Norris has strengthened his status as the Woking-based squad's lead driver, having scored more than twice as many points as rookie team-mate Oscar Piastri and achieved seven podium finishes – more than in his first four campaigns combined.

Albeit scoring points consistently, Norris alternated podiums with lower-key results and made a few costly mistakes: clipping the wall in Q1 at the Saudi Arabian GP, colliding at the start at Barcelona and crashing out of the inaugural Las Vegas GP.

Asked where Norris's mistakes came from, Stella said: “I don’t think there is a single element that one should identify on the track. I think that when you deal with champions, when you deal with delivering at such a high level in professional sport, you need to look at opportunities very holistically.”

‘Clipping the wall, colliding at the start, crashing out’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/mclaren-unlock-norris-full-f1-potential/10567505/


McLaren certain Norris is “ready” to claim first F1 win in 2024
McLaren team boss Andrea Stella is confident Lando Norris is capable of taking his maiden F1 victory in 2024 should he be given the machinery to do so.
18 Jan 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Despite being one of F1’s top performers since the start of 2021, a first victory has eluded Norris. Norris famously went close at the 2021 Russian Grand Prix, but failure to stop at the right time for intermediates handed the victory to Lewis Hamilton.

Since then, McLaren’s competitiveness - combined with Max Verstappen’s utter dominance - has meant that winning a grand prix hasn’t been a realistic goal. With McLaren expected to reduce the deficit to Red Bull over the winter, it could be Norris’ time to finally win a race.

‘Capable of taking his maiden F1 victory in 2024’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1043607/1/mclaren-certain-norris-ready-claim-first-f1-win-2024


Lando Norris issues typical one-word verdict after McLaren reveals 2024 Formula 1 livery
Wed 17 January 2024 09:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

McLaren shocked the Formula 1 world by revealing their livery for the 2024 season ahead of their official car launch and star driver Lando Norris has now reacted to the car he’ll be driving this season. The start of the F1 season is fast approaching and McLaren jumped the gun on their rivals to reveal the car they’ll be showcasing around the world this season.

Norris was straight into the replies and when he saw the car, he said: “Lesgggoooo.”

“Lesgggoooo”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/lando-norris-issues-typical-one-word-verdict-after-mclaren-reveals-2024-formula-1-livery/

[Fortitude]

Ferrari F1 star signs BUMPER contract extension.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc has signed a new contract with his Ferrari team, easing fears about the Monegasque drivers' future.
Thursday 25 January 2024 15:06
Sam Cook
GPFans

Leclerc, like his team-mate Carlos Sainz, was only contracted until the end of 2024, and rumours had started to creep in that the Monegasque driver wasn't happy with his team's short-term chances of challenging Red Bull for championship titles. However, a recent statement on both drivers' futures eased concerns, and this new announcement comes as a big boost ahead of the upcoming 2024 season.

It was reported last month that Leclerc was close to signing a contract until the end of 2029, but that date has not been confirmed by the team. "I’m very pleased to know that I will be wearing the Scuderia Ferrari race suit for several more seasons to come," Leclerc delightedly told Ferrari's official website.

"To race for this team has been my dream since I was three years old: I used to watch the Monaco Grand Prix from the window of a friend’s apartment at Ste. Devote corner and I would always look out for the red cars. This team is my second family ever since I joined the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2016 and we have achieved a lot together, fighting through thick and thin over the past five years.”

‘BUMPER contract’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1011842/charles-leclerc-ferrari-f1-signs-contract-extension/


Charles Leclerc’s ‘likely’ length of new contract reported as he extends Ferrari deal
Thu 25 January 2024 15:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Charles Leclerc has become the first of 15 drivers whose contracts expire at the end of 2024 to sign a new deal as he extends his time with Ferrari. The Formula 1 driver market is expected to be incredibly active in 2024 after every single driver was retained for this season, but Ferrari have already set the ball rolling on retaining one of the fastest drivers on the grid.

The team released a statement on Thursday afternoon confirming the news about the Monegasque driver, who shared that the ‘dream continues’ on his personal social media accounts. Talking about his new deal, Charles Leclerc said: “I’m very pleased to know that I will be wearing the Scuderia Ferrari race suit for several more seasons to come.

Gazzetta’s report is backed up by journalist Diego Mejia who said on X: “Ferrari announces the long-awaited renewal of Charles Leclerc’s contract for several seasons before starting their sixth year together in #F1. “There is talk of an agreement until 2029, with an option to exit before the final two years. Will they achieve the desired title?”

‘Length of new contract reported’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/charles-leclercs-likely-length-of-new-contract-reported-as-he-extends-ferrari-deal/


Leclerc teases 'best is yet to come' as he commits to F1 title fight with Ferrari
25 January 3:15PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Leclerc himself was happy to continue his partnership with the team, despite the on-track troubles that plagued his 2023 season. "I’m very pleased to know that I will be wearing the Scuderia Ferrari race suit for several more seasons to come," said Leclerc.

“I believe the best is yet to come and I can’t wait for this season to start, to make further progress and be competitive at every race. My dream remains that of winning the World Championship with Ferrari and I’m sure that in the years ahead, we will enjoy great times together and make our fans happy."

'Best is yet to come';

https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-teases-best-is-yet-to-come-as-he-commits-to-f1-title-fight-with-ferrari


Charles Leclerc is gambling his F1 legacy with latest Ferrari contract
25 Jan 2024 4:00 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

It is sometimes easy to forget just how difficult it is to become the F1 World Champion. Of the 770 drivers to have started a championship race, only 111 of them have won a grand prix. Just 34 have won a championship.

Leclerc is heading into his seventh season of competition and, at 26, is entering what many would consider the prime of his career. And yet, what does he have to show for it so far? Five victories has him tied with the likes of Keke Rosberg and John Watson who, good drivers that they are, are not the level of driver Leclerc was being predicted to emulate.

To make matters worse, a man just 17 days younger than him is competing for what many suspect will be his fourth World Championship. Leclerc and Max Verstappen’s talent may not be poles apart – but their teams certainly are. Red Bull are a brutally efficient machine, Ferrari are never too far away from the wheels falling off.

‘Scuderia Ferrari: Never too far away from the wheels falling off’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/charles-leclerc-f1-legacy-ferrari-contract


Ferrari would be negligent to let Sainz slip despite Leclerc deal
Jan 25, 2024
by Edd Straw
The Race

It’s puzzling that Ferrari’s formal confirmation of Charles Leclerc’s long-touted new deal to drive for the team in Formula 1 hasn’t been accompanied by the announcement that Carlos Sainz is also staying on. Ferrari must prioritise getting a signature on that new contract, too, given it has a formidable driver line-up.

Ferrari will never say it, but Leclerc is regarded as the number one driver. That’s not because of being given better equipment or any nefarious activities, simply that he’s reckoned to be the faster of the two. However, Sainz is not far behind and is far from slow. While Leclerc offers that extreme speed, to the point where some regard him as the fastest driver in F1, Sainz offers a different skill set and makes a formidable technical contribution.

Plus, there are times when the car characteristics aren’t as hoped, such as if it has to be a little more understeery, where he can get more out of it than Leclerc. Sainz's desire for stability doesn't necessarily mean he needs a five-year mega contract - it seems probable that a traditional ‘2+1’ deal (two years and an option) would work for him and that should work for Ferrari, too. While there are tempting options elsewhere who might become available, it would be risky to lose a driver who offers so much for the team.

‘Carlos Sainz: Formidable technical contribution’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/ferrari-new-leclerc-deal-sainz-contract-priority/


Marko: Red Bull pulled Verstappen and Sainz apart over 'toxic' relationship
23 January 4:30PM
Author Jan van der Burgt
RacingNews365

Red Bull Motorsport Advisor Helmut Marko has revealed Carlos Sainz's time as part of the team's stable of drivers was ended due to a "toxic" relationship with Max Verstappen. Asked why his time as part of the Red Bull programme came to an end, Marko told Marca: "The atmosphere between those two was quite toxic at Toro Rosso.

"With the team composition as it was then, I saw no way we could keep Carlos for us. So that's how he ended up at Ferrari via Renault and McLaren. He is undeniably a great driver. He was almost on the same level as Max in that Toro Rosso, but his bad luck was that precisely - Verstappen was his teammate."

"For a long time, he lived in the shadow of his father. He was unfairly labelled a spoiled rich kid, that while he has had to constantly struggle to get where he is today. In the junior categories, he was already dead fast and in his first F1 test at Silverstone, from the start, he was just a bit faster than Sebastian Vettel in the fast corners at the time when Seb was the benchmark for us."

‘Carlos Sainz: He is undeniably a great driver’;

https://racingnews365.com/marko-red-bull-pulled-verstappen-and-sainz-apart-over-toxic-relationship


Max Verstappen dealt F1 rival Carlos Sainz brutal blow as Red Bull reunion considered
Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz have been F1 team-mates before when they raced for the Toro Rosso feeder team, and rumours suggest the Spaniard could be a target for Red Bull
17:51, Tue, 23 Jan 2024.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Max Verstappen ended Carlos Sainz's chances of earning a Red Bull promotion years ago - as rumours swirl that they could be reunited again. Gazzetta dello Sport reports Red Bull could also make a move. The 29-year-old is said to be on the champions' shortlist of potential replacements for Sergio Perez. The Mexican struggled last season and is fighting for his future with the team - his current contract expires at the end of this year.

Such an outcome would see Sainz paired once again with Verstappen. And Red Bull would hope that things between them go a lot better than they did last time, when things got out of hand as they competed to outshine each other at Toro Rosso early in their respective F1 careers. Verstappen clearly won that battle - he is now the Red Bull poster boy with three world titles and 54 race wins to his name, while Sainz's career has been akin to that of a journeyman.

He left Toro Rosso for Renault and later joined McLaren, working his way up the grid to the Ferrari seat he holds today. As has been the case for many years, Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko has been in charge of the development of the company's younger drivers. So he had a front-row seat to the internal battle between Verstappen and Sainz at Toro Rosso and, reflecting on that period, feels the Spaniard never stood a chance.

‘Red Bull reunion considered’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/verstappen-sainz-red-bull-2025-31950546

[Matthew]

After Leclerc's new long term contract with Ferrari, I wonder what would be the future of Carlos at Ferrari?

[Fortitude]

Wolff offers first feedback on Mercedes' W15 after simulator runs.
"He was driving Melbourne [in the sim] and he said: 'The car feels like a car for the first time in two years'," Wolff said of Davidson's development work to The Telegraph.
20 January 2:30PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Toto Wolff has offered an encouraging first update on the Mercedes W15 after simulation runs. As part of the development, former F1 racer, turned WEC champion turned Sky pundit Anthony Davidson has been completing simulator work at the squad's Brackley base, with Wolff revealing Davidson has been impressed by what he has felt.

Toto Wolff: "Obviously, I would love this to correlate to the track but we've seen in the last two years that this was not always the case. [I] always believe it's possible [to develop and catch Red Bull]. You cannot start the season with an attitude of: 'This is not going to be possible.'

"We saw last year with McLaren what a huge step they made with a single upgrade. We've signed a two-year deal with Lewis, and we owe it to him, to George and to all the team to give it our full attention in 2024 and 2025. I think it's possible."

‘Feedback on Mercedes' W15’;

https://racingnews365.com/wolff-offers-first-feedback-on-mercedes-w15-after-simulator-runs


Sky F1 pundit test hints strong Mercedes W15 title potential
Thursday 18 January 2024 09:57
Dan Ripley
GPFans

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff claims that early reports over the team's 2024 F1 car have been highly encouraging. After a mistake in a development path heading into 2022, the team have struggled since and are now trying to get back to winning ways.

Mercedes W15 showing good signs in simulator: Now Wolff has revealed that in simulation tests carried out virtually at the Albert Park street circuit by former F1 driver and current Sky pundit Anthony Davidson, the latest Mercedes, thought to be called the W15, is back to its swaggering ways that helped them towards world championships.

‘Strong Mercedes W15 title potential’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1011351/anthony-davidson-mercedes-w15-f1-car-toto-wolff/


Wolff reveals Mercedes improvement ahead of new F1 season
17 January 4:30PM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has revealed that his squad is looking to tighten up their pit stop procedures for the 2024 Formula 1 season. Mercedes was left languishing in the bottom half of the standings, indicating that its pit stops were not up to scratch during the campaign.

Speaking to the Telegraph, Wolff explained that Mercedes has focused on improving “areas such as wheel-locking mechanisms and axle materials” for its pit stops. “I think the regulations, how they were laid out a few years ago, we interpreted them in a very conservative way,” he stated. “And we’ve seen other teams doing it differently. So watch this space. I think it’s going to be very different.”

Although it is enduring a dip in form, Wolff is confident that Mercedes can deliver Hamilton a record-breaking eighth World Championship before he retires. “The answer is clearly yes in capital letters,” he said. “There is a reason Lewis is a seven-time world champion, and has broken all the records… his ability is on a different level. If we are able to give him a car that he actually feels, that drives in a way that he can trust, he will be on the level that’s needed to win the championship. 39 is no age.”

‘Mercedes improvement’;

https://racingnews365.com/wolff-reveals-mercedes-improvement-ahead-of-new-f1-season


Toto Wolff shares one aspect of Mercedes performance that will be ‘very different’ in 2024
Mon 22 January 2024 20:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff believes that the team’s pitstops in 2024 will be much sharper than in previous seasons. Fans of Formula 1 during the refuelling era would be shocked at the idea of McLaren completing a pitstop in Qatar in 1.80 seconds.

Speaking to the Telegraph, Toto Wolff shared more details about what to expect from the Silver Arrows this year. Mercedes may have finished runner-up to Red Bull last year, but Christian Horner’s team were in a different league. They finished more than 450 points behind the Austrian team and Max Verstappen would have quite easily beaten their tally on his own.

Lewis Hamilton went a second straight season without a win while George Russell struggled compared to his debut season in Mercedes back in 2022. Hamilton did well to challenge Sergio Perez for much of the year but in the end, the raw speed of the Mexican was too much for the seven-time champion. However, a small improvement Wolff hopes Mercedes can make this year is their pitstops.

‘Very different’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/toto-wolff-shares-one-aspect-of-mercedes-performance-that-will-be-very-different-in-2024/


Mercedes will drop ‘conservative’ approach
Mercedes have identified improving their pitstops as something which must happen to compete for wins.
24 January 2024
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

In order to take the fight to Red Bull and fight for victory, Mercedes must improve in all areas, with pitstops being one of them. To become faster, the Silver Arrows have put more resources into wheel-locking mechanisms and axle materials, with Wolff promising that the outfit won’t be as “conservative” in 2024.

He admits that the team didn’t take any risks when it came to pitstops when the new regulations were introduced, something which has to change to be truly competitive at each Grand Prix. If Mercedes are able to produce pitstops around the two-second mark on a regular basis in 2024, then this will work massively in their favour.

However, for it to be truly effective, they need to have a competitive car. Mercedes are very optimistic about their 2024 challenger – the W15 – which will be introduced on February 14. An entirely new concept based on what they’ve learnt from their mistakes has been developed by the German manufacturer, who are desperate to return to winning ways this year.

‘To be truly effective, they need to have a competitive car’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/mercedes-will-drop-conservative-approach/

[Fortitude]

Big Aston Martin breakthrough as AMR24 build plans come to light.
“I think now we can go to any track and we know what parts to put together to be the best on that track,” Tom McCullough.
25 Jan 2024 11:30 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Performance director Tom McCullough suggests they “know what parts” to bring to a circuit. “We want to build a car that doesn’t need to change the setup so much to always be strong.”

It has also been a period of immense change at their Silverstone HQ with their new factory being unveiled ahead of the British Grand Prix last season. But even if the doors have now been opened, the factory is still being renovated. “We are still in the process of every time I go back, the factory’s changing,” McCullough said.

‘Big Aston Martin breakth’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/aston-martin-breakthrough-amr24-build-plans


The Alonso factor powering Aston Martin into new F1 season
It cannot be understated the impact Fernando Alonso had on Aston Martin last year.
24 January 2024
by Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

“We had a driver where you would have thought it was his first season (in F1),” said team principal Mike Krack concerning a man who undoubtedly belied his 42 years of age. Outlining that Alonso did not simply join Aston Martin for the pay cheque, Krack said: “A lot of drivers go to smaller teams, and they try to take what they can through to the end of their career. This is not what we have seen with Fernando. Actually, it's completely the opposite.”

“We had a driver where you would have thought it was his first season. He was full of energy, not only driving us on but also driving himself on. He really led by example, being the first in the office. You arrive in the morning, and he is sitting there. He would (jokingly) say, ‘Good afternoon guys'. This leading by example has affected the team, pushed the team, and we have a much better team now than 12 months ago.”

“Obviously, this is also credit to others, not only to Fernando, but this has made us improve much, much more than we would have if he was not here.” Unfortunately for Aston Martin, it was unable to maintain the dizzying heights reached in those early grands prix.

‘The Alonso factor’;

https://speedcafe.com/the-alonso-factor-powering-aston-martin-into-new-f1-season/


Alonso: Unyielding in the pursuit of success
11:58 Wed, 24 Jan 2024.
F1i.com

On social media, Fernando Alonso entitled this close-up shot of himself in Aston Martin’s simulator, “Locked in. No distractions”. And that’s exactly what the picture conveys: a laser-focused F1 driver, ensconced in his team’s sim, his eyes fixed on the virtual track unfolding before him.

Aston and Alonso’s preparations for 2024 are in full flight. Team and driver face the big task of recapturing their early-season form from last year and re-establishing themselves as proper contenders for podiums and hopefully victories.

At 42, Alonso’s determination remains unwavering, his hunger for victory undimmed. But the road ahead is fraught with obstacles, and the path to success will require not only individual brilliance but also collective effort. Bring it on!

‘Bring it on!’;

https://f1i.com/images/498273-alonso-unyielding-in-the-pursuit-of-success.html


‘There’s always another question’ – Krack reveals how ‘prowling’ Alonso’s commitment is shining through at Aston Martin
24 January 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Aston Martin team boss Mike Krack has opened up about Fernando Alonso’s “outstanding” contribution to the squad during his first season onboard, describing his experience and commitment as “invaluable”. “What Fernando has brought us is just outstanding,” said Krack. “He drives us on and makes us better – it’s that simple really.”

“He is hugely ambitious and wants to be fighting for podiums every weekend. “The experience he brings is invaluable, but also the commitment. He isn’t one of these drivers who turn up on a race weekend, does their thing and then disappears. There’s always another question, another WhatsApp message pinging in, constantly looking for things we could improve.”

“Having him prowling around behind you provides all the motivation anyone could need. I’m looking forward to what he can do in 2024 now that he’s had a year to fully bed into Aston Martin.”

‘There’s always another question’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.theres-always-another-question-krack-reveals-how-prowling-alonsos-commitment.576OVSUui51tDAo04UShPC.html


Aston’s Krack: ‘Having too much on our plate doesn’t matter’
23/01/2024 at 15:21
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack dismissed any notion that the team's move into its new factory last season was the cause of its mid-season slump, insisting the Silverstone-based outfit never had “too much on its plate”. Aston Martin emerged at the outset of the 2023 Formula 1 season as a surprise contender, closely challenging Red Bull and securing six podiums in the first eight races, courtesy of Fernando Alonso's impressive performances.

Krack acknowledged that the team had anticipated a decline in competitiveness but admitted that it came sooner than expected. “At the beginning of the year, when we had these good results, I always had my finger up and said: ‘We will have more difficult times’. And they came, unfortunately, much quicker than we wanted them,” Krack told Autosport.

‘Sooner than expected’;

https://f1i.com/news/498241-astons-krack-having-too-much-on-our-plate-doesnt-matter.html

[Fortitude]

Final F1 2024 launch confirmed as Haas give short notice for VF-24 reveal.
Haas have announced that the VF-24, their 2024 challenger, will be launched on Friday 2 February – becoming the first F1 car to be launched ahead of the new season.
26 Jan 2024 2:19 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Haas are the final team to confirm their launch date but will be the first team to break cover on their car for 2024. A time of 9am EST [2pm GMT] has been confirmed for the Haas launch, which will be the team’s first of the post-Guenther Steiner era.

Haas finished bottom of the Constructors’ standings last season as their 2023 car struggled to maintain its tyre life during races, despite promising one-lap pace.

F1 2024 launch dates in full
Haas: February 2
Williams: February 5
Stake F1: February 5
Alpine: February 7
Visa Cash App RB: February 8
Aston Martin: February 12
Ferrari: February 13
McLaren: February 14 [car launch, livery revealed on January 16]
Mercedes: February 14
Red Bull: February 15

‘VF-24 reveal’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/haas-f1-2024-launch-confirmed


Haas to reveal F1 2024 livery next week
14:40 Fri, 26 Jan 2024.
AUTHORMatt Kew
Motorsport.com

Haas, which finished bottom of the constructors' championship last season, has revealed on social media that it will show off its colour scheme on 2 February. It will use computer renders to do so.

In previous seasons, Haas has tended to go earlier than its rivals by releasing digital images of its livery for the forthcoming campaign.

Haas had already revealed that its new car would run for the first time at Silverstone on 11 February as part of a double shakedown plan ahead of pre-season testing in Bahrain.

‘Computer rendered colour scheme reveal 2 February’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/haas-to-reveal-f1-2024-livery-next-week/10569428/


Haas announce launch date for 2024 F1 car
26 January 3:12PM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

The Haas Formula 1 squad has announced when it will launch its 2024 car the VF-24, pulling the wraps of its challenger on February 2. It will be the first team to unveil its new car ahead of the upcoming campaign.

Haas finished bottom of the Constructors' Championship for the second time in three years in 2023 as it endured a difficult campaign. The US-owned squad is entering a new era this year with Ayao Komatsu at the helm of the squad following the dismissal of Guenther Steiner.

“The 2024 car is a clear step,” Komatsu said prior to the launch of the car. “But whether it is good enough against the competition to start off with? I don’t believe so, because we started so late.”

‘Launch date’;

https://racingnews365.com/haas-reveals-presentation-date-for-new-f1-car


The thorny geographical issue hanging over new Haas boss
It was a problem identified by former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner, and now one that hangs over his successor, Ayao Komatsu.
26 January 2024
by Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

How to get the best out of a team operating out of three different countries has long been an issue for Haas, one which has become a geographical thorn in its side the longer time has gone on. Its primary base is in Kannapolis, North Carolina, where administrative matters are overseen, and whilst not directly involved in the function of the race team, still plays a vital role in the day-to-day running of the entire operation.

The UK base at Banbury houses logistics, electrical engineering, vehicle science, control systems, vehicle performance and programme management, as well as race team support and communications department. Its Maranello base in Italy, situated close to the factory of power unit supplier Ferrari, houses the design office and includes the aerodynamics, CFD and R&D departments.

Haas maintains there is “constant communication and collaboration” between sites, yet in an interview I conducted with Steiner before the summer break last year, he remarked at the time that the only issue was “conversation, communication”. Asked if there were delays in communication, he replied: “More than delay. Sometimes no communication. Things are forgotten.”

‘Thorny geographical issue’;

https://speedcafe.com/the-thorny-geographical-issue-hanging-over-new-haas-boss/


New Haas boss believes driver will benefit from 'improved' car
Sunday 21 January 2024 17:57
Tyler Rowlinson
GPFans

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu believes that the team’s new car will better suit Kevin Magnussen and his driving style compared to its predecessor.

Haas have worked extensively during the off-season to rectify the issues that hindered performance last season and Komatsu believes that the adjustments made to the VF-24 will benefit Magnussen’s driving experience and improve performance.

Komatsu: We have improved 2024 car: Speaking with f1i.com, the Japanese engineer said: “I wouldn’t say eliminated, that’s a big word,” the Japanese engineer said when asked about Magnussen’s driving woes. “But certainly, we have improved on it. He’s a driver who needs good entry stability and consistent [handling] through a corner.”

‘Benefit from 'improved' car’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1011572/haas-f1-boss-ayao-komatsu-kevin-magnussen-improved-car-2024/


Steiner’s encore: Former Haas team boss working on second book
24/01/2024 at 15:09
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

In the wake of his abrupt departure from Haas F1, former team principal Guenther Steiner has revealed that he has dived back into the world of motorsport literature with a second book about his life and times in Formula 1.

Steiner’s previous work, ‘Surviving to Drive’, chronicled Haas’ tumultuous 2022 season and provided an insider's look at the Italian's colorful personality and management style, leveraged to perfection by the producers of the popular Netflix docu-series 'Drive to Survive’.

Steiner and Hogg had already initiated their second volume when Haas announced the former's exit from the team earlier this month, so recent events will only enrich the works’ content. The upcoming book will inevitably delve into the aftermath of Steiner's dismissal from Haas, providing an unfiltered account of his experiences and reflections on the highs and lows of his Formula 1 career.

‘Steiner’s encore’;

https://f1i.com/news/498285-steiners-encore-former-haas-team-boss-working-on-second-book.html

[Fortitude]

Lando Norris commits to McLaren until 2026 and targets tilt at Formula One title.
Lando Norris has signed a new multi-year contract with McLaren under which the British driver will remain with the Formula One team at least until the end of the 2026 season.
26 January 2024 at 5:51 pm
Giles Richards
Yahoo! Sport

In staying with McLaren, Norris expressed his confidence that the team would offer the opportunity to compete for a world championship. “There are not many other things you can be guaranteed or assured of with any other teams,” he said. “It comes back to where will I be happiest and where will I be most confident I can achieve the world championship. Now I am more confident than ever in saying it’s going to be McLaren.”

The team’s resurgence was key in his decision to commit. “The turnaround was a big part of it,” he said. “Of course, over the last few years there have been a lot of tough ones. I have still enjoyed it, but every now and then you have that little question of: ‘Is this the place to be to achieve that next goal?’ But with how we and Andrea turned things around and how the whole environment is at McLaren currently, that’s a big thing which swings it in the direction at McLaren because it is also results-led.”

‘Commits to McLaren’;

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/lando-norris-commits-mclaren-until-175156483.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9jLm5ld3Nub3cuY28udWsv&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAABrtdUHHWKRue7y2uhPyPMIXZOGA NU07YrI-wGDQQIyu_5au28CnOmpi82-GUVkarfr1h6WzaDCUV0BM9eDlP5GL90I3ekhVjzttdpzmpWNtW 94I3sozW7fiiR9KNTiJJLC5IX1BycN-vB2jSQnIYnijUYdL5hn6hHq85DU6esL0


Lando Norris new contract: McLaren fire warning shot to F1 rivals with ‘best driver lineup’
26 Jan 2024 5:30 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Zak Brown believes McLaren have the best driver combination in F1 in Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri – and is hopeful the pair can “knock the winners off their perch” in the coming years. “I’m very excited. I think we have the best driver line-up,” Brown said at McLaren’s recent launch of the livery of the MCL38.

“I love their age and their experience and how well they work together, so I’m looking forward to watching them race McLarens for hopefully a long time and we’re working hard to give them the equipment to be able to win races, because no doubt both drivers are very capable of that.”

“So as we put together the building blocks, you need to have a great team principal, you need to have a great technical team, a great pit crew, a great finance department, a great marketing team, a great HR department. It all comes together and I think we have the people and now it’s just about bringing it all together and trying to knock the winners off their perch.”

‘McLaren fire warning shot to F1 rivals’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lando-norris-new-contract-mclaren-f1-best-drivers


Mark Hughes: Why Norris picked McLaren over Red Bull
Jan 27, 2024
by Mark Hughes
The Race

Lando Norris has made a brave call here. But when you talk with the senior people at McLaren, it’s easy to see why the team has inspired such confidence within him; it feels like a team going places, with a vision and a clear idea of how to achieve it. Also it has been his home for all these years, he feels great loyalty to the people and the idea of turning his back on all that probably didn’t give him a nice feeling.

But is that same nice guy persona the reason he has not ruthlessly gone for a seat alongside Verstappen in the team generally recognised as the best? Is that not what any hard-headed, psychologically airtight competitor would do if the opportunity was there? Would they not go in there, confident they can beat anyone and that the only reason they are not already a world champion is they’ve never had the equipment? Maybe, and maybe that’s where they would come undone.

For being measured against Verstappen in his own environment, regardless of how confident and how good you are, would be an extreme test. Maybe, just maybe, Norris’ decision reflects a shrewder intelligence unrelated to self-confidence. He perhaps feels his own potential can be more readily accessed in the McLaren environment.

‘Why?’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/mark-hughes-lando-norris-picked-mclaren-over-red-bull/


Why Norris didn’t “even have a proper look at another team” besides McLaren
Formula 1
Posted on 27th January 2024, 9:13
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Lando Norris says talks with rival teams did not reach a serious stage before he decided to commit to McLaren for the long term. Although Norris is yet to win a grand prix since making his debut for the team in 2019, he said he is “convinced” they are on course to compete for world championships. “As a team, we have everything we need in order to achieve that goal,” said Norris. “As far as the team’s goal and also just the personal goal that I’ve always had.”

However Norris said that was only part of the reason why he decided to extend his stay at the team. “I don’t think it’s just last year and how we turned things around,” he said. “I don’t think that’s the only thing that I would say has convinced me more. It’s just everything that goes on day-to-day, the people that are here, the work ethic, the mentality, the approach to everything.”

‘Didn’t “even have a proper look at another team”’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/01/27/why-norris-didnt-even-have-a-proper-look-at-another-team-besides-mclaren/


Norris: Race wins, not F1 title, the realistic goal before 2026
08:59, 27th January 20-24.
AUTHORJonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

The Briton has just signed a new contract extension at McLaren, keeping him at the Woking-based squad until 2027 at the earliest, which he hopes will put him on the path to achieve his world title dream. But while McLaren has made` rapid progress with its car to emerge as a challenger to Red Bull last year, Norris is cautious about expecting too much in the short term.

And he thinks that while McLaren has the potential to build on its multiple podium-finishing form in 2023, he is equally not getting carried away that it will be in a position soon to launch a full-on title challenge. "[There were] moments we were close to winning races last year, and a few races we were not miles away from a Red Bull," he said. "And, when you think of it, it was the most competitive car ever in F1.”

"So, with the knowledge of, if you want to win one race, we are the closest we've ever been since I've been here at McLaren and for many, many years. But fighting for a championship is a bigger step. If you asked me, 'Do you think you can win races this year?' I'd probably be more inclined to say yes.”

‘RB19: The most competitive car ever in F1’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/norris-race-wins-not-f1-title-the-realistic-goal-before-2026/10569511/

[Matthew]

Ferrari names 18-year-old Oliver Bearman as new reserve driver for 2024 F1 season. He will join Antonio Giovinazzi and Robert Shwartzman in the shared role.

[Fortitude]

Sergio Perez brutally honest about Max Verstappen challenge with F1 career on the line.
Sergio Perez heads into the 2024 F1 season with less than a year left on his Red Bull contract and fighting for his right to continue challenging Max Verstappen as his team-mate.
07:10 Thu, 25 Jan2024.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Sergio Perez has admitted he "regressed" during a challenging 2023 season and knows what he needs to do this year to keep his Red Bull seat. "I want to be able to achieve regularity, to build momentum," he said. "I think what we missed this year is progression. We started the year very high, tied with Max, but we were not able to progress throughout the season. We have sometimes even regressed.”

"So, I think that will be my main priority - to be able to progress throughout the season, whatever my starting point. It is important that, weekend after weekend, we continue to evolve and improve."

Perez ended the season in second place in the drivers' championship. It marked the first time Red Bull have ever had both their drivers finish in the top two places and, on the face of it, it was probably the best result he could have hoped for.

‘Sergio Perez brutally honest’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/perez-2024-red-bull-verstappen-31961643


The critical issues Perez must solve to secure Red Bull future
26 January 8:00PM
Author Pepijn van der Hulst
RacingNews365

Expectations: No one at Red Bull or otherwise will be expecting Perez to defeat Verstappen from weekend to weekend in order to keep his seat alongside the Dutchman past 2024, yet with the gap so large on a consistent basis, there must be a more comparable performance. Qualifying was an Achilles heel last season was seemingly qualifying, where he failed to reach Q3 on numerous occasions. Sometimes this was not his fault, but crash after crash and mistake after mistake meant some of the failures were inexcusable.

Pace in the race was often very competitive with those at the front of the grid, yet his lowly grid positions often left him fighting with one arm tied behind his back. It felt as though he was too eager to be faster than Verstappen at points and, as such, Perez just fell victim to overdriving. Red Bull Motorsport Advisor Helmut Marko often mutters 'three-tenths' when it comes to qualifying: If Perez is able to qualify within that margin to Verstappen, there is nothing to be concerned about.

The Mexican must quietly accept the position of second driver as well. That's incredibly difficult, though it would almost certainly depressurise his situation, taking a weight off his shoulders and allowing him to drive freely. Comparisons rarely line up perfectly but perhaps it would pay off for Perez to give Nico Rosberg a call. The German - Bottas' predecessor at Mercedes - struggled alongside Hamilton from 2013 to 2016 and still managed to grab a world title. Perez is not expected to play many mental games with Verstappen, but Rosberg's flexibility is a potential example to follow.

‘The critical issues’;

https://racingnews365.com/how-perez-can-secure-his-red-bull-seat-in-2024


Lando Norris may have saved Sergio Perez's Red Bull career with new McLaren contract
McLaren announced on Friday that Lando Norris has signed a contract extension with the team, effectively ending F1 champions Red Bull's chances of poaching the Brit this year
16:11 Fri, 26 Jan 2024
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

News of a new contract for Lando Norris is massive for two of the biggest Formula 1 teams. Firstly, it is massive for the future of McLaren. It is a team that has been on the up for several years now, but which has yet to break through as a bona fide title contender.

Secondly, it is just as significant for Red Bull, the team with which the Brit has been heavily linked for years. And with good reason - the F1 champions have been trying to sign him for years and Norris was at the top of the list for potential Sergio Perez replacements this year.

Horner and adviser Helmut Marko, a key decision-maker when it comes to drivers, must be sure that any driver with whom they replace Perez will fare better in his place. Norris was pretty much a guarantee of that - now that he's off the table for 2025, Perez's odds of winning a new deal himself have surely shortened.

‘May have saved Sergio Perez's Red Bull career’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/breaking-norris-red-bull-perez-31976275


Lando Norris explains why no top driver wants to be Max Verstappen's team-mate
Lando Norris ended speculation of a move to Red Bull by signing a multi-year McLaren contract extension.
22:43, Sat, Jan 27, 2024
By Sam Smith
Daily Express

Lando Norris has explained why driving alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull is a poisoned chalice for any top driver. Norris, who has been strongly linked with a move to join the reigning world champion, believes Red Bull are set up to allow Verstappen to succeed. The 24-year-old has explained why drivers might be persuaded against making that move, pointing out that they would be playing second-fiddle to the world’s best driver.

Asked by Sky Sports if he would be concerned about driving alongside the three-time world champion, Norris said: “It’s a longer discussion than saying that. Is Max Verstappen the best driver in Formula One history? Absolutely yes, I think he’s proved that well enough. He’s in a team that he’s very comfortable in. Everything is built up around him. For anyone - even for the Max of a few years ago - to go up against the Max of now, it’s extremely difficult.”

“I don’t think it’s a question of, ‘Are you scared [to drive alongside Verstappen]?’ I don’t think I’ll ever be scared of going against anyone. Even if you’re in a team, are you in a position to challenge someone straight away? Are you comfortable doing that? I think it’s a no for any driver. It takes time to adapt and it takes time to get things into place. If you want to go against the best driver in the world, it’s not the best thing to do. It’s not a smart move to do.”

‘Playing second-fiddle to the world’s best driver’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1860526/Lando-Norris-Max-Verstappen-F1


Perez in Red Bull F1 'break' tease
Friday 26 January 2024 12:57
Sam Cook
GPFans

A supposed new cap for Red Bull's Sergio Perez has been leaked on X, with the Mexican now sponsored by KitKat, perhaps suggesting he may need to 'have a break'. Perez's KitKat hat: However, the leaking of Perez's new cap may suggest a slightly different design to the team's now ever-present livery, with light blue stripes making up part of the Mexican's new outfit.

La gorra 2024 de Sergio Pérez...

Sin palabras! pic.twitter.com/bPJhosde4R
— ��【 Alerta F1 】�� (@AlertaF1) January 25, 2024

KitKat's main slogan for a number of years now has been 'Have a break, have a KitKat', with a large number of hilarious advertising campaigns being born from that. So, could Perez's proposed new cap mean anything? Only time will tell.

‘KitKat’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1011854/sergio-perez-red-bull-f1-break-tease-new-cap-leaked-2024/


Perez singles out top priority for 2024 F1 season
26/01/2024 at 08:23
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Sergio Perez has made it clear that consistency and progress “weekend after weekend’ are his top priorities for the 2024 Formula 1 season. Consistency and improvement throughout his campaign, and eradicating any lingering vulnerabilities are Perez’s prime objectives for 2024.

“I want to be able to achieve regularity, to build momentum,” he told French weekly AutoHebdo. “I think what we missed this year is progression. So I think that will be my main priority: to be able to progress throughout the season, whatever my starting point. It is important that, weekend after weekend, we continue to evolve and improve.”

‘Consistency and progress weekend after weekend’;

https://f1i.com/news/498360-perez-singles-out-top-priority-for-2024-f1-season.html

[Fortitude]

'I’m just trying to stay on top', insists wary Verstappen.
“When I won my first title, I said everything that comes next is a bonus," he pointed out. "Because realistically, in F1 I’ve achieved everything that I wanted to achieve.”
28/01/2024 at 08:33
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Max Verstappen might have won three Formula 1 world championships in a row, and be hot favourite to take at last two more in quick succession, but he's already downplaying talk that he could be set to break the all-time record.

With no more rules changes due until 2026, Verstappen could easily be within touching distance of the current record by then. But the 26-year-old told the Times newspaper that it all came down to luck.

“If it happens, it happens," he shrugged. “But you need to be lucky to be in a great car for a longer period of time. You’re very dependent on the material you have.”

‘Just trying to stay on top';

https://f1i.com/news/498451-im-just-trying-to-stay-on-top-insists-wary-verstappen.html


The many milestones Max Verstappen can reach in F1 2024 season
28 Jan 2024 8:30 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

You would be hard-pressed to find anyone who does not suspect Max Verstappen is in for more success this season but what milestones can he reach?200 Grand Prix starts: Let’s start with one that is almost guaranteed to happen: for the Dutchman to hit the 200 Grands Prix mark.

More wins than any other Red Bull driver: Verstappen is not there to make up the numbers either. In his 185 races so far, he has picked up 54 wins and is just six wins shy of having won more as a Red Bull driver than any other combined.
3,000 laps led: Not to sound too Drive to Survive but to win you must be at the front and Verstappen has spent plenty of time doing that. To date, he has led a Grand Prix for 2,858 laps which is the fifth most in F1 history but he could rise further up that table.
100 podiums: Another easy milestone for Verstappen to tick off should be 100 podiums with the Dutchman just two short as it stands.

Wins with same constructor: Hamilton and Mercedes top the list but the seven-time World Champion’s early career at McLaren means he is not out of reach for Verstappen. He is on 82 to Verstappen’s 54 but the latter could overtake the 72 Ferrari wins of Schumacher this season.
Consecutive victories: This is one already under Verstappen’s belt but given the performances of him and the team in 2023, there is every chance he betters even himself in 2024.
Four World Championships: But of course, the one metric Verstappen cares about is World titles. He is currently on three but another would put him amongst some very esteemed company.

‘Milestones’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/max-verstappen-possible-milestones-f1-2024-season


Is F1 too easy for Verstappen? - Pundit insists answer is ‘YES’
Sunday 28 January 2024 16:57
Tyler Rowlinson
GPFans

F1 journalist and former team manager Peter Windsor has argued that it is too easy for Max Verstappen due to corners at street circuits not being ‘challenging enough.’

Windsor discussed Verstappen’s comments on his official YouTube channel and believes that his views may have been taken the wrong way. "Has he actually said he doesn't like street circuits, or has he said he doesn't like the modern version of street circuits?," he said.

Windsor went on to say that he thinks many corners on such street circuits are not ‘challenging enough’. “Everybody's a late breaker these days,” he continued. “Everybody can basically get on the power quite early and hold a slide. And the standard of driving therefore, given all the telemetry and all the information you have before you can get in the car, is pretty high if you've got good balance, eyesight, rhythm and all the other things you need.”

‘Is F1 too easy for Verstappen?’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1012020/f1-journalist-peter-windsor-too-easy-max-verstappen-red-bull/


Ominous Red Bull warning given as team look to build on RB19 success
28 Jan 2024 7:45 AM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Former F1 driver Christijan Albers believes Red Bull have scope to build on the already “supreme” base of the RB19, and should be the team to beat in 2024. Because of Red Bull’s early performance in 2023, former F1 driver Albers believes the quality of the RB19 will act as the perfect springboard for the team’s new car. “Red Bull has a much better base and will build on that towards 2024,” Albers wrote in Dutch publication De Telegraaf.

“That car was supreme in the medium and fast corners, and on the straights. Really clearly the best race car rather than the best qualifying car, although Verstappen put it on pole often enough. “But many other cars, like the Ferrari, were often better on Saturday than on Sunday. While at Red Bull they were much more focused on the long runs and managing the tyres. Hence the supremacy on Sunday, especially when combined with Verstappen.”

‘Ominous Red Bull warning’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/christijan-albers-red-bull-f1-2024-declaration


Verstappen insider in EMBARRASSING admission about F1 champion
Saturday 27 January 2024 11:57
Sam Cook
GPFans

Max Verstappen's former trainer Bradley Scanes has revealed that he 'didn't really know anything' about Formula 1 before he started his job with the Dutchman, and didn't even know who Verstappen was. Scanes has recently departed his role alongside the three-time world champion due to the demanding travel schedule that is associated with being involved in the sport.

He had been Verstappen's trainer since 2019, overseeing all three of the dominant Dutchman's successes in F1. However, the Brit has now made an admission about how he first got the role with Verstappen, who went on to become a good friend during the pair's time together.

‘EMBARRASSING admission’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1011906/max-verstappen-red-bull-f1-bradley-scanes-trainer-embarrassing-admission/


Think Max Verstappen’s F1 quit threats aren’t serious? Think again
27 Jan 2024 9:15 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Think Max Verstappen isn’t serious when he threatens to quit F1 within the next few years? Think again. It became a recurring theme over the course of his third successive title-winning season in 2023, Verstappen frequently – at almost every possible opportunity, it seemed – insisted that he would retire much sooner than most might think.

A frustration over the sport’s direction under Liberty Media – the ever-expanding calendar, the growing number of Sprint races, the inclination to choose show over substance – has been cited as the reason behind Verstappen’s willingness to walk away.

Yet, until quite recently, it was difficult to take all these threats – no longer how much he kept repeating them before, during and after grand prix weekends – particularly seriously. Why? Because whatever else would he do with his time?

‘F1 quit threats’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/max-verstappen-f1-quit-threat

[Fortitude]

'Cost cap concerns could force Newey away from F1 with Red Bull'.
According to German media, Red Bull will have to step in due to the budget cap and the hugely expensive Adrian Newey will have to shift his focus from F1 to another project in the medium term.
27 January 11:45AM
Author Jesse Janse
Co-author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

In 2023, the FIA issued Technical Directive 45, aimed at combating the increasing use of senior technical figures in the applied divisions of teams, such as Red Bull Advanced Technologies or McLaren Applied Technologies. There were fears that teams were transferring personnel to the advanced technologies branches to gain further F1 knowledge, but outside of the cost cap, which would be a breach of the rules.

When it announced the cost cap findings for the 2022 season, the FIA noted that all teams had acted "in good faith" but nevertheless closed the loophole, meaning that any person who contributes to F1 operations is counted towards the cost cap. In the case of Newey in his role as Red Bull Chief Technical Officer, he is now spending much of his time focusing on the RB17 hypercar project with limited scope on F1.

However, as he still does contribute towards F1, his hefty salary is therefore included within the budget cap, causing a headache for Red Bull. AMUS has reported that the team are considering transferring Newey to the RB17 project full-time, thus getting his salary off the F1 books and freeing up space on the bottom line. However, should this happen, then Newey would be banned from working on the F1 machines.

‘Technical Directive 45’;

https://racingnews365.com/cost-cap-concerns-could-force-newey-away-from-f1-with-red-bull


Adrian Newey’s Red Bull future questioned in F1 budget cap analysis
27 Jan 2024 1:15 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Finding ways to balance the books in F1’s budget cap era, it is being reported Adrian Newey will “focus entirely” on Red Bull’s RB17 hypercar in order to “free up” one of the top-earner salary exemptions.

Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko hit back, saying: “Our opponents are saying that the underbody of the RB17 provides insights for the Formula 1 car, which is obviously complete nonsense.” The RB17 will be the first car fully produced by Red Bull, retailing at a cool $6.2 million for the hypercar.

Putting Newey on the hypercar project full-time means Red Bull can move another person onto the exception list. At a time when Red Bull are losing key personnel to other teams, Rob Marshall having joined McLaren, it would given them scope to hold onto the likes of Pierre Wache, said to be a Ferrari target.

‘F1 budget cap analysis’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/adrian-newey-red-bull-future-questioned-f1-budget-cap-analysis


Max Verstappen faces bitter blow as Red Bull weigh up 'banning Adrian Newey'
Red Bull could ban Adrian Newey, which could hamper Max Verstappen in the future.
13:30, Sat, Jan 27, 2024
By Tom Parsons
Daily and Sunday Express

F1 introduced a cost cap ahead of the 2021 season in an attempt to level the playing field, with teams permitted to spend £114million that year. In 2022, teams were given a spending limit of £110m and then had a maximum of £106m at their disposal last year.

According to Auto, Motor und Sport, Red Bull’s current plan is to transfer Newey to work entirely on the RB17 hypercar project in the medium term to get his salary off the F1 books and free up some space in their budget. That would allow one of the three high-earner jobs that sit outside of the budget cap to become available to someone else.

Newey is currently working partly in the Red Bull F1 team, but the rules say his salary must be fully accounted for if he plays any role at all in the sport. If he were to be transferred over to the RB17 project full-time, Newey would effectively be banned from working on the F1 machines.

‘Bitter blow’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1860421/Max-Verstappen-Red-Bull-Adrian-Newey-F1


Newey may assume non-F1 Red Bull role in medium term
JANUARY 26, 2024
GrandPrix.com

Adrian Newey might be shuffled into a non-Formula 1 role at Red Bull Racing, according to Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.

Correspondent Michael Schmidt explains that the reason is because of the budget cap, as the team seeks a way to make the most of the budget cap rules.

The large teams continue to operate with 800 to 1000 employees because they don't want to lose good people to the competition, he said. They would rather put their high earners into other projects and only let them work part-time in Formula 1.

‘Non-F1 Red Bull role’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/newey-may-assume-non-f1-red-bull-role-in-medium-term.html


‘Adrian Newey unleashed’ – £5million RB17 hypercar release date revealed
09 Jan 2024 12:00 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Red Bull’s first road car has been given a release date of 2024 as Christian Horner described it as “Adrian Newey unleashed.” The RB17 is a project that has been in the works for a number of years and has allowed legendary designer Newey to produce a car not constricted by F1 regulations. It will be the second road car designed by Newey, following the Aston Martin Valkyrie, but will be the first produced by Red Bull Advanced Technologies.

The RB17, given that name as Red Bull opted for the RB16B after regulation changes were delayed, has been confirmed as being released in 2024 by CEO Horner but is limited to a run of just 50 – with the majority of them already sold. Speaking to Autocar, Horner said that given the cost cap now in Formula 1, other areas of the business had to justify their existence, which is why the RB17 has been produced.

“[RBAT] has now existed for close to eight years and there’s an awful lot of knowledge that has been built up in that time. With the budget cap era [in F1], if you want to retain resources there have to be projects that can justify their existence. This is a perfect project utilising the skill sets that we have, so it will complement our Formula 1 activities rather than distract from them.”

‘Adrian Newey unleashed’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/adrian-newey-unleashed-red-bull-car-rb17-2024-release-date


Ford boss lifts lid on F1 meeting with Adrian Newey
Saturday 20 January 2024 10:57
Sam Cook
GPFans

Ford CEO Jim Farley has rather bullishly claimed that Red Bull will still be at the 'very top of the podium' in 2026 due to their 'top notch' powertrain team. Farley has provided an optimistic view on how their 2026 plans are shaping up, knowing how much pressure is on his company to deliver for the Milton Keynes-based outfit.

“I had a chance to spend a lot of time with the team in Milton Keynes and with Adrian Newey," he revealed in Ford's 2024 season launch. “Even though [2026] sounds like a long way away, we have a lot of work to do on the powertrain, but I’m really happy with the progress. I wish I could tell you more, but I would say we’re on track.”

“We’ve got the best drivers, we’ve got the best technical support. We have the best of Ford and around the globe to support them. But the team, the powertrain team that they’re building in Milton Keynes, is absolutely top notch. We are going first class to the very top of the podium.”

'Very top of the podium in 2026 due to their 'top notch' powertrain team’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1011480/red-bull-ford-f1-2026-jim-farley-adrian-newey-prediction-rivals-warning/

[Fortitude]

Incredible puns and widespread confusion – how the F1 world reacted to Visa Cash App RB.
“VCARB”, which sounds like some kind of supplement that keeps your poo solid.”
25 Jan 2024 12:00 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Visa Cash App RB was officially added to the F1 grid yesterday and received plenty of backlash online. From journalists wondering what to call the new team to others worrying about the future of the sport, the new name was widely condemned in F1 circles.

Giedo van der Garde was the first former F1 driver to give his verdict and he believed it was simply not an “appropriate name for a Formula One team.” “I know I’ve just retired so I don’t wanna sound like “everything in the past used to be so much better”,” he tweeted. “But to my opinion “Visa Cash App RB” isn’t an appropriate name for a Formula One team.”

“VCARB”: Supplement that keeps your poo solid’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/how-f1-world-reacted-visa-cash-app-rb


‘Not appropriate’: Ricciardo’s team becomes laughing stock of F1 world after ‘ridiculous’ switch
January 25th, 2024 7:20 am
Daniel Nuttall with AFP from Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)

Edd Straw of The Race said it is “the worst team name in F1 history”, adding: “(it) is an embarrassment to Red Bull and Formula 1 as a whole.”

“Not only does it sound fatuous, but it also showcases an avaricious lack of imagination that can only be spirit-sapping for those working for the team and signal to the hundreds of millions watching that this is not a competitor to be taken seriously,” Straw wrote.

“The disconnected way the name, which the team has now confirmed, has gradually dribbled out also raises big questions about the strategy. It’s hard to imagine Dietrich Mateschitz allowing this to happen were he still around, which is telling in itself given Red Bull was built on its astonishing capacity for imaginative marketing strategies.”

“VCARB”: Laughing stock of F1 world’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/formula-1-2024-alphatauri-changes-name-to-visa-cash-app-rb-reaction-social-media-daniel-ricciardo-red-bull-news/news-story/55bcb5f18f7519bff32b6dca40b6e483


Jenson Button’s hilarious reaction to Red Bull’s junior team rebranding
28 Jan 2024 10:45 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Red Bull’s rebranding of their junior team to ‘Visa Cash App RB’ continues to perplex the world of motorsport with Jenson Button asking “what?” when told the full name. While former F1 driver Giedo van der Garde rued it “isn’t an appropriate name for a Formula One team”, F1 presenter Jennie Gow felt it “doesn’t exactly trip off the tongue”.

Fans weren’t quite as kind in their assessment as they dubbed it one of the “top 10 worst F1 team names in history” while others joked about the contactless jokes that would do the rounds when either Daniel Ricciardo or Yuki Tsunoda crashed.

‘Red Bull’s junior team rebranding’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/jenson-button-red-bull-vcarb-reaction


Visa Cash App RB workers already not using new team name
The team previously known as AlphaTauri are calling themselves V-CARB behind-the-scenes.
26 January 2024
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

According to ESPN journalist Nate Saunders, those working for Visa Cash App are calling the team V-CARB. Whether this becomes a paddock and global trend remains to be seen. “Internally, the team is being referred to as V-CARB, which may well be a name which catches on for the season itself”

“VCARB”: Supplement that keeps your poo solid’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/visa-cash-app-rb-workers-already-not-using-new-team-name/


'Diabolical!' – Fans mock F1 team after they change name to Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team
Published Jan 24, 2024, 1:02pm
Callum McAvoy
Metro.co.uk

The unwieldly and, frankly, ugly title has been quickly derided by F1 fans, especially after Alfa Romeo also changed their name for 2024 to the ridiculous Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber.

‘This genuinely has to be the most diabolical name change in sporting history. Imagine having to say “I’m Yuki Tsunoda and I drive for Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team”,’ @BushiAntz posted.

“VCARB”: 'Diabolical!';

https://metro.co.uk/2024/01/24/f1-fans-mock-red-bulls-sister-team-visa-cash-app-rb-name-change-20165305/?ito=newsnow-feed


The Alpha Tauri F1 Team Appears To Have A Horrific New Name That Everybody Hates
JANUARY 19, 2024 1:35 PM
BY CLAY SAUERTIEG
BroBible

Me saying goodbye to Yuki Tsunoda fandom because I cannot support a team with such an abysmal name https://t.co/iogmWLHLoK pic.twitter.com/ubkivo66td
— srishti (@mvpbiid) January 18, 2024

Visa Cash app?
There is no finesse in the name whatsoever.
What happened to marketing and branding in this sport? This is what happens when you employ people who just read a textbook for 3 years and didn’t apply it anywhere before applying for the role – Nam https://t.co/zIwQX8NzUx
— #PitstopFracas (@pitstopfracas) January 18, 2024

Mad how the sport is apparently on such a wave of success yet Sauber & Toro Rosso have had to sell their identities like this #F1 https://t.co/G3XKY4NXEN
— Jake (@JakeThomasLong) January 18, 2024

‘Horrific New Name That Everybody Hates’;

https://brobible.com/sports/article/alpha-tauri-f1-team-horrific-new-name/


Media questions Alpha Tauri's new team name
JANUARY 25, 2024
GrandPrix.com

Michel Milewski, a correspondent for the major German newspaper Bild, commented: “I'm sorry - what?!.” Ilari Savonen, of the Finnish broadcaster MTV, agreed that the new name is “horrible”, and even DPA news agency in Germany admitted it is “rather unusual”.

El Mundo Deportivo described Visa Cash App RB as a “shocking name”, while fellow Spanish sports newspaper Marca thinks it's the “ugliest name in F1 history”. “Goodbye Alpha Tauri”, said Daniele Sparisci, F1 correspondent for Corriere della Sera - a newspaper in Italy, where the Red Bull-owned team is based. “The new name of the Faenza team is a credit card”, he quipped.

Sky Deutschland headlined: “Formula 1 team gets a strange new name”… According to Tobias Gruner, writing for Auto Motor und Sport, Red Bull even had to take quite some time convincing F1 owner Liberty Media that the new name should be permitted. The German magazine phoned Red Bull's top consultant Dr Helmut Marko for his comment, and the 80-year-old admits the name is a little tongue twister.

‘Red Bull even had to take quite some time convincing F1 owner Liberty Media that the new name should be permitted’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/media-questions-alpha-tauris-new-team-name.html

[Bagwan]

After Leclerc's new long term contract with Ferrari, I wonder what would be the future of Carlos at Ferrari?

Try starting a thread about it .
You won't likely get any response but a "like" from fortitude .

He runs a couple of pretty talkative FGP teams , but never gives up any opinions on the news he posts .

[Fortitude]

Is Carlos Sainz the most-wanted unwanted driver on F1 grid?
Sainz is not that support driver, at least he doesn’t want to be. His performances on the track, with his Singapore GP win billed by many a pundit as one of the most calculating and cutting wins in recent years, suggest he is more than just a support act.
30 Jan 2024 6:44 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

TORO ROSSO: “Sainz is, without a doubt, a great driver. He was almost on par with Max in Toro Rosso,” Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko explained to Marca. “The bad thing for him is that he was unlucky to have Verstappen as a team-mate.”

RENAULT: Scoring 53 to 69 points to Nico Hulkenberg in 2018, their one full season together, Sainz by no means embarrassed himself but once again when a team had to make a choice he found himself coming off second best with Renault opting to retain Hulkenberg and bring then seven-time Grand Prix winner Daniel Ricciardo in as his new team-mate.

McLAREN: Signing with McLaren, Sainz then spent two years with the Woking team but as momentum swung toward teenage star Lando Norris, who was being hailed as the team’s future World Champion, he left Woking for Ferrari.
FERRARI: Despite beating Leclerc in their first season together in the Drivers’ standings and running him close in both others, and being the only non-Red Bull driver to win a Grand Prix in 2023, it’s Sainz who still remarkably has a question mark hanging over his future.

‘Fourth team in less than a decade also suggests he’s not a number one that a team can build a title-tilt behind’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/carlos-sainz-most-wanted-unwanted-driver-f1


What is happening with Carlos Sainz?
Carlos Sainz is still yet to be offered a new contract at Ferrari, unlike Charles Leclerc.
27 January 2024
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Extending Leclerc’s contract before the 2024 season gets underway was an essential piece of work by Ferrari, although it now raises questions over what’s happening with Carlos Sainz. Sainz’s future looks much more uncertain currently, with him reportedly having disagreed with the Italians.

The Spanish driver is believed to want a two-year contract extension which would take him to the end of 2026, and would see him enter the new power unit regulations as a Ferrari driver. However, the Maranello-based side are supposedly not wanting to give him more than a one-year extension.

‘What is happening with Carlos Sainz?’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/what-is-happening-with-carlos-sainz/


Sainz talks with Ferrari have reportedly reached a stalemate
27/01/2024 at 10:42
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Contract talks between Ferrari and Carlos Sainz have reportedly come to a standstill according to rumors in Italy. The Scuderia announced this week a multi-year extension of its partnership with Charles Leclerc, a deal that should see the Monegasque carry the Italian outfit’s colors until at least the end of 2027.

Sainz has frequently expressed his desire to remain at Ferrari, stating that it is his "number one choice." However, he has also expressed his wish to sign a multi-year contract ahead of the start of the 2024, and this seems to be the sticking point in the negotiations.

Ferrari, on the other hand, appears to be more open to a shorter-term arrangement in a bit to keep their options open for the future. Despite the impasse, Formu1a.uno maintains that Sainz is still "the most likely scenario" to remain at Ferrari in the coming months.

‘Stalemate’;

https://f1i.com/news/498421-sainz-talks-with-ferrari-have-reportedly-reached-a-stalemate.html


More Carlos Sainz rumours swirl with two F1 plans under consideration – report
27 Jan 2024 12:00 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Although Carlos Sainz’s “plan A” is a multi-year extension with Ferrari, AS reports he has options for the future and they’re “not only Audi”. Spanish daily AS reports there is “no nervousness” in the Sainz camp.

That’s in part because he has several options for his Formula 1 future, “not” just Audi. The publication claims that “sources who know the Italian house well indicate that a one or two-year contract is being worked on, although important points still need to be resolved.

“Sainz, 29, will have driven four years for Ferrari from his arrival in 2021 until the end of his current contract. His priority, he himself has underlined, is to renew with the Italians for a long time. But there is plan A and also plan B.”

‘Carlos Sainz rumours’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/more-carlos-sainz-rumours-swirl-f1-plans


Why Leclerc deal leaves Sainz with tricky dilemma
27 January 6:30AM
Author Pepijn van der Hulst
RacingNews365

One of the main protagonists when the silly season rumour mill starts churning for good may be Leclerc's Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz, who has a contract that is expiring. Talks have been revealed to be ongoing yet nothing has yet come from those discussions and with the Spaniard likely to hold out for a long-term contract having been burned at Renault at the end of last decade, a sticking point may have been found.

With Leclerc a product of Ferrari's own development pathway, Sainz is unlikely to be the number one option anyway and whilst sides not be chosen early in the season, the Monégasque is most likely to be favoured. So will Sainz stay or go?

He said: "Audi is always a certainty. "In fact, I know how seriously they take every project. And I also know well what the famous German mentality means in practice, both the good sides and certain not-so-good sides. But we just have to have a lot of respect for the Volkswagen Group with Audi as part of it. And of course, it makes sense to talk about what Audi can manage, especially since I am a member of that Audi family."

‘Tricky dilemma’;

https://racingnews365.com/how-sainz-is-caught-in-a-split-by-leclerc

[Fortitude]

Ferrari confirm name of their 2024 F1 car.
Scuderia Ferrari's car for the coming season will be called SF-24, the team has announced as they ramp up their preparation for the 2024 F1 season with a three-day test session at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
30th January 2024, 11:34
F1 Technical

With the new name, the Maranello-based team is continuing the tradition of recent years which has covered almost the entire Formula 1 hybrid era. The SF naturally stands for Scuderia Ferrari, followed by the number of the current year.

This formula was first used on 2015's SF15-T, the second hybrid season and the only exception since then came in 2022, when the F1-75 name celebrated the company's 75th birthday.

This year's car is being launched on 13 February. The Maranello-based team is set to participate in this year's championship with an unchanged driver line-up with Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc due to race for the fabled Italian outfit for the fourth consecutive year.

‘SF-24’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24371


What’s behind Ferrari’s silence on Sainz’s F1 future
30th January 2024, 08:50
AUTHORRoberto Chinchero
CO-AUTHORJonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

Sainz has been pretty open that he did not want to go into the 2024 season without his F1 future beyond the end of the year sorted.

Speaking exclusively to Motorsport.com last June about the situation, Sainz said: “I'm not going to lie, I don’t like going into my last year of a contract without really knowing where I'm racing the next year.

“I went through that process both with Red Bull and Renault, and I know it’s not ideal as an athlete, and as a driver. It's just not the right thing. And that's why I have put this winter as a reference to try and figure out my future.”

‘Ferrari’s silence’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/ferrari-silence-sainz-f1-future/10570405/


Former F1 star claims Red Bull rivals are CLOSER in 2024 title bid
Tuesday 30 January 2024 09:12
Sam Cook
GPFans

Former Formula 1 driver Marc Gene has said that Ferrari will be 'able to fight more assiduously' with Red Bull in 2024. "All we can tell is what the simulator tells us and the feelings of the drivers in the simulator," Gene told Mundo Deportivo. "We still have to wait to see the car on the track, which will be on February 13 and then the pre-season test in Bahrain."

"The track is the only one that really rules and is the final judge. It's true that last year at this point we were no longer completely convinced with the car from what the simulator told us. Red Bull had a very important margin last year and they say that this year’s car is much better, so they are obviously the favourites. It’s difficult. Fighting with them for the world championship is a bit optimistic to say, but to take one more step forward and be able to fight more assiduously with them, then yes.”

‘CLOSER in 2024 title bid’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1012081/marc-gene-ferrari-f1-closer-to-red-bull-2024-title-challenge/


Rob Smedley shares ‘key difference’ between working with Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso
Mon 29 January 2024 20:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Former Ferrari engineer Rob Smedley has now shared the key difference between working with Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso. Smedley has worked in motorsport for more than 20 years including spells with Jordan, Williams and Ferrari.

Speaking about his relationship with the drivers, Smedley said: “Michael [Schumacher] was super analytical and very interested in the nuisances. “And Fernando [Alonso] was very much like that as well. The key difference between Fernando and Michael is that Fernando in the first lap in P1, he’s eleven-tenths, he’s flat out and he’s absolutely giving it 100% all the time. Michael probably had a slightly different approach to a race weekend.”

‘Key difference’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/rob-smedley-shares-key-difference-between-working-with-michael-schumacher-and-fernando-alonso/


What Massa's key F1 ally makes of his 2008 title court bid
Jan 30, 2024
by Edd Straw
The Race

A right to seek justice: Smedley supports Massa’s right to pursue action, but he sees what happened as ancient history. “I've always been a person that, whatever happened yesterday, whether it was good or bad, I get up and dust myself off and move on,” he tells The Race F1 Podcast. “More pots and pans, more medals whatever you want to call it, is fairly meaningless for me. I'm interested in what's happening today and tomorrow and the day after that. But that's my personal opinion.

“What I will say is this is something that Felipe feels strongly about. It's no secret that Felipe is a really good pal of mine, he's like a little brother to me. If this is something that he feels strongly and passionately about - and he when he talks about it he's very compelling and convincing in the fact that he's doing this for what he feels is justice - everybody should have their personal right to pursue whatever they feel is just. That’s the case with Felipe here.”

“There's a lot of different parties involved, we're starting to look back at the past. Where this will end I've got no idea. I keep a watching brief on it, that's all I can or want to do. It’s of interest but if it does get flipped, what does that open up at that point in terms of sporting decisions, not only in Formula 1, but in the past?”

‘A right to seek justice’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/what-smedley-makes-of-massas-2008-title-court-bid/

[Fortitude]

When is F1 2024 pre-season testing? All you need to know about testing in Bahrain.
Teams get 24 hours of track time in Bahrain a week before the start of the 2024 F1 world championship
January 30, 2024
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

F1 2024 pre-season testing will run for three days from February 21-23, before it’s lights out for the Bahrain GP on March 2. The action each day will begin at 10:00 local time and finish at 19:00, so teams will get well over an hour on track after the sun sets to simulate grand prix conditions too.

Teams will spend three days in Sakhir then have less than a week to make any last-minute changes before the season-opening 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix, won by Max Verstappen 12 months ago.

For UK viewers, that means watching 7-16:00 from Wednesday to Friday, with an hour’s shutdown for lunch each day too.

‘F1 2024 pre-season testing’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/when-f1-2024-pre-season-testing-all-you-need-know-bahrain/


What time does 2024 F1 pre-season testing in Bahrain start?
21 January 7:00PM
Author Jan van der Burgt
RacingNews365

Following the recent trend of reducing the amount of pre-season testing, in 2024, teams will have just three full days of action to put their new cars through their paces. For reasons of cost and practicability, testing now takes place in Bahrain at the Sakhir International Circuit the week before the season gets underway.

This year, testing takes place between February 21-23, with each race driver set for a minimum of a day-and-a-half in the car - although the time available to each driver does depend on red flags, mechanical gremlins or reliability concerns. Each day, the action is set to go green at 07:00am UK time - 10:00am in Bahrain and last until 16:00 UK time, or 19:00pm local time. There is also an hour shutdown in the middle of the day for lunch.

The first race weekend of the new season takes place between February 29th-March 3rd with the Bahrain Grand Prix set to be on Saturday March 3rd owing to the start of Ramadan and the Saudi Arabian GP needing to be moved forward to Saturday to accommodate the start of the Islamic Holy month on March 10th.

‘2024 F1 pre-season testing’;

https://racingnews365.com/what-time-do-the-formula-one-winter-test-days-in-bahrain-2024-start


F1 makes MAJOR pre-season testing announcement
Friday 19 January 2024 17:27
Dan Ripley
GPFans

F1 have revealed that the times on all of the three consecutive days starting from February 21 will see testing begin at 10am in the morning before ending 7pm at night local time. For those in the UK, this would translate to 7am in the morning before finishing at 4pm.

The move comes shortly after the FIA confirmed the race start times for all 24 grands prix to take place this season, a record amount for a Formula 1 campaign. Given the teams will have just three days to run and not a lot of time after to ensure their cars are in excellent condition to start the season, the time on track will be absolutely crucial.

This means that while headline laptimes will be interesting to glance at, an ideal scenario for teams will instead be on running with minimal reliability issues and being able to put in as many laps as possible. This will ensure they can collect data and understand their 2024 designs as they hit the track for the first time.

‘Three consecutive days starting from February 21, 2024’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1011478/f1-2024-preseason-test-start-times-confirmed/


F1 testing opportunities expanded as Haas grabs its chance
19 January 6:00PM
Author Pepijn van der Hulst
RacingNews365

Filming days for Formula 1 teams - officially referred to as 'Promotional Events' in the sporting regulations - were originally intended for marketing and promotional purposes. F1, however, is a sport in which people take advantage of every loophole. Often, a filming day is the first and last time an F1 team runs its car around a real track before the official test sessions take place.

As a result, it has become customary to use these days as a test day where teams can gather important data about their new F1 car. However, 'special' tyres will be used, allowing data to be gathered about the car only. Until 2023, a total of 200 kilometres was allowed to be covered during filming days, divided into two sessions of up to 100 kilometres each.

These sessions were allowed to take place on the same day. Under Article 10.4 of the sporting regulations for 2024, it now states that teams are allowed to drive 200 kilometres per session. This means that two sessions are now allowed for a total distance of 400 kilometres.

‘People take advantage of every loophole’;

https://racingnews365.com/testing-opportunities-expanded-in-new-regulations-haas-grabs-its-chance


Alonso hints Aston Martin problems after F1 testing session
Monday 29 January 2024 12:57
Cal Gaunt
GPFans

The experienced Spaniard, known for his demanding standards, recently provided some valuable feedback to the team as they prepare for the upcoming tests. In a YouTube video released by the team, Alonso's insights were captured as the stage was set for their newest F1 machine.

Alonso highlights potential issue: “The most noticeable shift, so you do [turn] six, then you upshift and then you turn right to do seven and the steering is quite heavy and it takes a little bit of time," Alonso said.

Alonso will likely place a premium on car responsiveness, especially with challenging circuits like Jeddah and Melbourne on the horizon in the early part of the season. Aston Martin relies heavily on Alonso's seasoned expertise in the simulator for crucial developmental insights.

‘Demanding standards’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1012075/fernando-alonso-aston-martin-f1-problems-testing-2024-season/

[Fortitude]

New Haas boss makes worrying admission as F1 2024 fast approaches.
Undone by tyre woes last season that left Haas with just 12 points on the board despite 11 Q3 appearances, new boss Ayao Komatsu has revealed the team still does not understand the problem.
31 Jan 2024 10:40 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Worryingly for Haas, Komatsu says they’ve yet to get on top of last year’s tyres troubles. “I don’t think we understand everything,” he said as per Motorsport.com. “I think we understand a significant part of it, but the only proof is if you can produce a car that can deal with the problem.”

“I don’t like to sit here and say that we understand it 100 per cent, We don’t. But we have a decent idea of why and where we need to focus on.” The new team boss believes better communication and cohesion is key. “From ’19 to ’23, the programme is very different,” he said. “It may look the same, but it is very different. But the working practice is the core.”

“If we are not working in a very integrated manner, communicating properly between the aero department in Italy to the tyre department in the UK, that is a problem. That working culture and practice is something I am going to focus on improving. We want to move as one.”

‘Worrying admission’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/haas-worrying-admission-f1-2024-approaches


Haas tyre woes potentially linked to communication gaps
31/01/2024 at 10:53
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Haas is still searching for answers on its tyre degradation issues, but team boss Ayao Komatsu has suggested that its woes could be rooted in an inter-department communication gap at the US outfit. Tyre degradation on race day was a persistent theme for Haas throughout the 2023 season, and one that seriously undermined the efforts of Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg on Sundays.

The Japanese engineer believes that Haas’ understanding has progressed although he acknowledged that the team has not yet achieved a complete solution. "I don't think we understand everything," admitted Komatsu. "I think we understand a significant part of it, but the only proof is if you can produce a car that can deal with the problem.”

‘Communication gaps’;

https://f1i.com/news/498562-haas-tyre-woes-potentially-linked-to-communication-gaps.html


Haas still chasing full answer over F1 car tyre woes
14:54 Tue, 30 Jan 2024.
AUTHORJonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

An upgrade introduced at the United States Grand Prix to help improve the aerodynamic characteristics did not deliver a clear answer either about what direction it needed to head in, and drivers Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg ended up going different routes.

As the team prepares for the launch of its 2024 car, new Haas boss Ayao Komatsu is clear that much of the focus of its winter efforts has been on addressing the tyre issue, which he says it has not yet been fully resolved.

"I don't think we understand everything," admitted Komatsu. "I think we understand a significant part of it, but the only proof is if you can produce a car that can deal with the problem. I don't like to sit here and say that we understand it 100%, We don't. But we have a decent idea of why and where we need to focus on."

“Working practices need to improve";

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/haas-still-chasing-full-answer-over-f1-car-tyre-woes/10570602/


Guenther Steiner reveals the factor that drained his Haas motivation
27 Jan 2024 6:15 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Guenther Steiner has pinpointed a lack of long-term investment as a reason that it was “difficult to stay motivated” at the top of Haas. “I’ve never been in a company this long as I was in Haas F1, think about that – at some stage [the long-term future gets considered],” Steiner told Autosport.

“You know, doing more of the same and seeing what other people do to move forwards. Like all the other teams – like AlphaTauri, Aston Martin – you see where they are going and you cannot go with them, it’s difficult to stay motivated.”

“You always try because you never give up. You try – but at some stage obviously it becomes clear that… it becomes more clear when you are gone, because you are not in the whirlwind anymore. You are outside and you look in and you say, ‘wow, I pushed for a long time, seeing where other people are going’ since [the budget cap in for 2021].”

‘Lack of long-term investment’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/guenther-steiner-haas-motivation-sapped


F1 star hampered by one negative trait claims pundit
Tuesday 30 January 2024 14:57
Cal Gaunt
GPFans

Former F1 team manager and seasoned journalist Peter Windsor has recently shared his admiration for Haas driver Kevin Magnussen - but feels there are weaknesses he ought to address.

Windsor: Magnussen should brush up: “I see K-Mag as a pretty short corner driver, lots of feel and touch, a bit undisciplined at the moment," Windsor said on his YouTube channel. "Sounds very condescending but I think he should do a couple of days with Rob Wilson just to brush up. But I think he’s definitely on that side of the fence.”

"Nico [Hulkenberg] stays on the slightly longer corner side of the fence. But K-Mag at his best is very, very good from watching him over the years and I hope that the new Haas regime will bring the best out of him again, I can see that.”

‘One negative trait claims pundit’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1012164/kevin-magnussen-haas-f1-peter-windsor-analysis/

[Fortitude]

F1 did not just reject Andretti’s bid…they tore it to absolute pieces.
It is one thing to be told ‘no’ to a dream project that you have poured hundreds of hours in and many, many more hundreds of dollars, but it is another thing to have that rejection be so brutal.
31 Jan 2024 4:12 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

In their conclusions, the commercially minded F1 said in their view the most realistic way of providing value would be by being competitive. They saw no evidence that made them believe Andretti would be competitive. They raised doubts about Andretti being supplied by another PU manufacturer in the interim period before GM arrived.

They recognised Andretti may bring some fan growth but argued it would be more beneficial in the other direction. They said an 11th team would place an “operational burden” on race promoters and incur those costs while impacting the room the 10 teams currently enjoy at any given circuit.

They even questioned whether Andretti were aware of the size of the task given Andretti’s desire to join in 2025 and essentially build two different cars in the same amount of years. One final nugget from the statement was the revelation that Andretti were informed of the findings in December and offered a meeting, yet declined to turn up. Given the brutal nature of the findings, it is understandable why.

‘Tore it to absolute pieces’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/andretti-f1-bid-rejected-reaction


The three key factors that led F1 to turn down Andretti
17:44 Wed, 31 Jan 2024.
AUTHORJonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

FOM’s document even went into quite some detail, explaining how there had been written correspondence between Andretti and FOM last October, and that there had been an offer made on December 12, 2023, for a face-to-face meeting at FOM’s London HQ.

“The Applicant did not take us up on this offer,” said F1. The full explanation outlines three key factors that it believes counted against the Andretti green light.
The double challenge forced by new 2026 rules: Against the backdrop of Andretti seeking to get on the grid for 2025 is the fact that F1 is heading for a major rules revolution the year after.

The engine issue: Long-term, the ambition is for GM to produce its own power unit – which would bring an important manufacturer on to the grid that even F1 admits would be a positive. However, such a move is likely only possible from 2028 at the earliest, meaning in the interim Andretti would need to find a customer partner.
Adding value: The demand for any new entrant to bring added value to the grid is repeatedly mentioned in the F1 statement. FOM said it concluded that the best way for Andretti to bring value would be by “being competitive” – something it says it does not think it would be.

‘The three key factors’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/the-three-key-factors-that-led-f1-to-turn-down-andretti/10571128/


The damning reasons why F1 turned down Andretti's entry bid - for now
31 January 5:40PM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Following several months of deliberations, Formula One Management (FOM) has opted to deny Andretti Global’s application to join the grid for either the 2025 or 2026 season. F1 noted that a hypothetical new team would carry the most value if it arrived on the grid in a competitive manner, “in particular by competing for podiums and race wins”.

While it is understandable that the sport wishes to avoid a repeat of having a team join and be consistently uncompetitive - such as HRT, Marussia and Caterham in the early 2010s - it sets an extremely high bar for any interested operation to reach from the get-go. F1 also pointed out that the 2025 season marks the last year of the current technical regulations, with fresh rules ready to come into play the following year.

Andretti proposed that it would build a car under the 2025 regulations and then construct an entirely new challenger for the rule reset, however F1 was unconvinced by the realistic ability for a new team to do so in a competitive way.

‘Damning reasons’;

https://racingnews365.com/the-damning-reasons-why-f1-turned-down-andrettis-entry-bid-for-now


'Who is really running this show?' Martin Brundle predicts FIA-F1 'head-to-head' after Andretti rejection
Legendary commentator Martin Brundle has given his view on F1 rejecting Andretti's bid to become the 11th team in 2025.
31 Jan 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Sky Sports F1 commentator Martin Brundle believes F1’s decision to reject Andretti’s bid to become the 11th team will likely result in even more tension with the FIA. Brundle gave his thoughts on the situation when speaking Sky Sports News.

“This does put the FIA, the regulator, head to head with F1 management and Liberty Media - the financial rights holders because the FIA said yes, F1 have said no to what they often refer to in that document that has just come out as an 11th team rather than Andretti,” Brundle said.

“This is a bigger picture of a head to head now between F1 and the FIA as to who is really running this show . I think the commercial rights holders have a big sway in that. Of course they can squeeze another team into the pit lane pretty much everywhere we go. There’s also some hospitality in the pit lane but teams don’t want to share their money out 11 ways instead of 10 and nor do F1. So as ever, money is a big part of this as well.”

'Who is really running this show?';

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1043941/1/who-really-running-show-martin-brundle-predicts-fia-f1-head-head-after-andretti


Steiner: F1 protecting Andretti from itself
19:52 Wed, 31 Jan 2024.
Nate Saunders, General Editor, F1
ESPN.com

Former Haas boss Guenther Steiner said F1's decision to block Andretti joining before 2028 shows the sport is in such good health it can no longer afford to have uncompetitive teams. Steiner, who left Haas at the start of January, was speaking to ESPN's Unlapped podcast shortly after the decision had been made public.

"I think they looked at it and thought it was too ambitious," Steiner said. He added: "I don't have all the information. Maybe they looked at it and they said we want them but we want to make sure they are successful when they come, protect them from themselves.

"I think F1 is protecting all the teams, everyone involved in the sport, they didn't close the door completely. They said '28 is a new day, a new year, it's quite a few years away, it's not tomorrow but the door is open. Show us you can get prepared and be competitive by then and I think we'd welcome them".

‘F1 protecting Andretti from itself’;

https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/39430398/f1-protecting-andretti-bid-rejection-says-ex-haas-boss-guenther-steiner


Andretti still working on F1 car, doesn't accept rejection
Jan 31, 2024
by Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

It is widely believed that F1’s decision will be challenged, although Andretti has not yet said if it will actually take legal action.

One factor to consider is that F1 did at least indicate that it “would look differently” should Andretti apply for an entry for 2028 with a General Motors engine – a reference to GM’s announcement last year it would build its own F1 power unit for this entry.

However, that seemed contingent on Andretti Cadillac joining the grid as requested for 2025, and a short-term customer engine deal being struck in the interim.

‘Doesn't accept rejection’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/andretti-f1-rejection-response-statement-cadillac-gm/

[Fortitude]

Eddie Jordan Correctly Called Lewis Hamilton's Bombshell Ferrari Move.
“I think he would like to win his eighth title but I have a passion in that I think he should go to Ferrari...but that’s just me talking nonsense.” Eddie Jordan.
Feb 01, 2024 12:48 PM
By Eoin Harrington
Balls.ie

Speaking to talkSPORT in April 2023, former F1 team boss Jordan said that he felt that "every great champion" should enjoy a spell with F1's most iconic team, and called on Hamilton to make the switch to avoid his career going "stale." “The reason why is I don’t want him to become stale, and I think when he was at McLaren he did well but he moved quickly to Mercedes.”

“I was one of the people with Niki Lauda who helped that happen, and then there was a refreshed, rejuvenated Lewis Hamilton. We know what he’s done since then, however, I think it’s time he moved on.”

“I think if there’s an opportunity to go somewhere he should go to Ferrari because every great champion should at least have a spell at Ferrari. It just oozes with style and grandeur.”

“That’s just me talking nonsense.” Eddie Jordan’;

https://www.balls.ie/motorsport/eddie-jordan-lewis-hamilton-ferrari-586308


Mercedes held internal meeting today to tell staff about Lewis Hamilton exit
Lewis Hamilton is set to confirm a move to Ferrari for 2025 F1 season
01 Feb 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Mercedes held an internal meeting at 2pm on Thursday to tell staff that Lewis Hamilton is set to confirm a move to Ferrari. Wolff joined the staff meeting remotely, Sky Sports' Rachel Brookes reported. She reported while at Mercedes’ Brackley HQ: “We can confirm that Hamilton is going to Ferrari for the 2025 season.”

“Staff at the Brackley base have been told that’s what is happening. The meeting lasted about 10 minutes or so. We saw the staff arriving and, within 10 to 14 minutes, they were leaving again.”

‘Internal meeting’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1043952/1/mercedes-held-internal-meeting-today-tell-staff-about-lewis-hamilton-exit


Mercedes staff briefed over impending Hamilton departure
01 February 3:58PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Mercedes staff have allegedly been briefed over Lewis Hamilton's impending departure to Ferrari, according to Sky Sports. Rumours have been rife in the last few hours over whether Hamilton will make the jump to Ferrari in 2025, with an announcement expected imminently on the outcome of talks between the pair.

Hamilton reportedly arrived at the factory today to brief the team alongside Team Principal Toto Wolff about the news of his departure. The 39-year-old has been with Mercedes since 2013 and won six of his seven world titles for the outfit.

‘Mercedes staff briefed’;

https://racingnews365.com/mercedes-staff-briefed-over-impending-hamilton-departure


Tell-tale sign Lewis Hamilton's shock Ferrari deal was hiding in plain sight with Peroni advert giving major hint at shock Formula One switch
Lewis Hamilton's switch to Ferrari was hiding in plain sight
A promotion from Peroni seemingly hinted at the move
Published: 14:33, 1 February 2024
By Ollie Lewis For Daily Mail Australia
Mail Online

Lewis Hamilton's bombshell switch to Ferrari was hiding in plain sight, with an advert released by the Formula One team's new sponsor giving away a key detail at the move that has shocked the sport.

As part of their promotion of the new partnership, Peroni released a graphic with a number of Ferrari items alongside its legendary bottle of alcohol-free beer. And hiding in plain sight was a miniature red racing car, with the number 44 plastered on the front. Forty four, of course, is Hamilton's racing number.

‘Hiding in plain sight’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13033477/Lewis-Hamilton-Ferrari-deal-tell-tale-sign-Formula-One.html


No, Ferrari's new sponsor didn't 'leak' Hamilton arrival
01 February 3:16PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Everyone loves an easter egg hidden away in plain sight, right? Peroni has joined the Scuderia, and in a marketing poster, an old Ferrari F1 car with the number #44 can be seen.

#44 is of course Hamilton's race number, and the discovery led some to believe that Peroni had dropped a massive hint about Hamilton's impending arrival.

Whilst it would be a fun story, the actual truth is that the car featured is Maurice Trintignant's 1955 Monaco GP-winning Ferrari 625, which carried the #44. But there's no such thing as a coincidence...

‘Easter egg hidden away in plain sight’;

https://racingnews365.com/no-ferraris-new-sponsor-didnt-leak-hamilton-arrival


Did Ferrari’s new F1 sponsor Peroni drop Lewis Hamilton clue two days ago?
F1 fans have been sent into a frenzy after Ferrari's new F1 sponsor appeared to hint at the Lewis Hamilton signing a couple of days ago.
01 Feb 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

A graphic emerged on social media with a variety of Ferrari merchandise appearing on it. Most notably, there was a Ferrari car with the number 44 on it.

With the news yet to be officially confirmed by Mercedes or Ferrari, social media was sent into a frenzy when the aforementioned graphic got more attention.

‘Sent into a frenzy’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1043963/1/did-ferraris-new-f1-sponsor-peroni-drop-lewis-hamilton-clue-two-days-ago


Winners and losers from Hamilton's Mercedes-to-Ferrari switch
Feb 1, 2024
The Race

Lewis Hamilton's impending move to Ferrari is without doubt the most astounding Formula 1 driver market news of the 21st century - and a change that has huge implications not just for all parties involved but the wider F1 driver market too.

Winners: Ferrari, George Russell, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, F1, Fred Vasseur, Audi.

Losers: Carlos Sainz, Charles Leclerc, Mercedes the team, Mercedes the brand.

‘Most astounding Formula 1 driver market news of the 21st century’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-to-ferrari-f1-switch-winners-losers/


Martin Brundle explains what George Russell is thinking about Lewis Hamilton transfer
15:16, Thu, Feb 1, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Martin Brundle believes that George Russell will be relishing the news that Lewis Hamilton is reportedly heading to rivals Ferrari for the 2025 season and that the 25-year-old is extremely well-placed to fill the seven-time world champion’s shoes as the team leader at Mercedes.

Speaking to Sky Sports News about what Russell’s view of Hamilton’s departure would be, Brundle said: “I think he’ll be thinking ‘that’s good, I am top man here, unquestionably now’. George is ready to pick up the mantle at Mercedes-Benz, there is no doubt about it at all. And he’s measured himself against, statistically and arguably, the greatest Formula One driver of all time.”

“That’s an argument we can have all afternoon and bring in all sorts of people back to [Juan Manuel] Fangio and [Stirling] Moss. But George has measured himself against Lewis and looked incredibly strong, very equal. If Mercedes have got a Championship-winning car this year, who would win? Would it be George or Lewis? I think it would be really close, so that’s the level that George is at now.”

‘Relishing the news’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1862146/Martin-Brundle-George-Russell-Lewis-Hamilton

[Fortitude]

Lewis Hamilton move causes Ferrari stock price to skyrocket by $7 billion.
New York Stock Exchange reveals huge Ferrari finances amid Lewis Hamilton swoop. Ferrari’s stock price has increased by a value of $7 billion due to Lewis Hamilton’s move.
01 Feb 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

The Formula 1 was rocked on Thursday by unexpected news that Hamilton will join Ferrari in 2025. It is the most seismic driver switch since Hamilton swapped McLaren for Mercedes in 2013. Ferrari stock increased in value by 7% pre-market, after hours of talk about Hamilton, sports-business expert Joe Pompliano reported. He added: “The Mercedes F1 team received about 25% of all TV time during its championship-winning seasons, and its valuation increased from $400 million to $2.7 billion.”

Karun Chandhok, ex-F1 driver and Sky Sports broadcaster, earlier wrote: “The power of the Lewis Hamilton brand… “Ferrari’s share price has jumped 6% today - on a market cap of 66 billion, his news is worth $4 billion!” But the opening of the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday revealed the numbers had grown even further.

‘Ferrari stock price to skyrocket by $7 billion’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1043962/1/lewis-hamilton-move-causes-ferrari-stock-price-skyrocket-7-billion


Ferrari confirm sensational Lewis Hamilton deal, uniting Formula 1’s most successful team and driver
1st February 2024, 7:06 pm
Connor Andrews
talkSPORT

Mercedes confirmed Hamilton’s departure in a statement which read: “Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team and Lewis Hamilton will part ways at the end of the 2024 season. “Lewis has activated a release option in the contract announced last year.”

Commenting on the departure, Hamilton said: “I have had an amazing 11 years with this team and I’m so proud of what we have achieved together. “Mercedes has been part of my life since I was 13 years old. It’s a place where I have grown up, so making the decision to leave was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make.”

The Stevenage-born star won a race in each of his first 15 seasons in F1, but hasn’t been on the top step of the podium since 2021. Much of that is down to Mercedes fumbling the 2022 aerodynamic rule changes, with Hamilton publicly complaining about their development path on multiple occasions.

‘Sensational Lewis Hamilton deal’;

https://talksport.com/sport/1733583/


How Lewis Hamilton’s sensational move from Mercedes to Ferrari played out
01 February 2024
Lawrence Barretto
F1 Correspondent & Presenter
Formula One - Official Site

Last spring, sources say Lewis Hamilton received a call. It was Ferrari chairman John Elkann. This wasn’t completely out of the blue. Ferrari had come calling before – and Hamilton knew Elkann well. They had become friends following several meetings. When winter came and Ferrari came calling again, Hamilton gave it the respect he always did and analysed the pros and cons. This time he was more interested – and the chats were more formal. They got serious quickly.

Ferrari laid out their short to medium-term plan to Hamilton. They believe they are on the right path with development. They believe 2026 – when new regulations are introduced – can be the turning point and set them in motion to end their title-less run. They believe their new 2026 power unit, which will run 100% sustainable fuel, can be the class-leader – and they have form in this area.

Hamilton absorbed the information and a decision was made. In his mind, now was the time to take that leap of faith and race for the team all F1 drivers ultimately want to drive for. He signed on the dotted line, with everything finalised early this week, and he subsequently informed Mercedes of his decision to leave on Wednesday. The dye had been cast.

‘Everything finalised early this week’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.lewis-hamilton-mercedes-ferrari-switch-played-out-2025.SNeOfNO20NqxBCezKBGZ7.html


Hamilton's given Mercedes a devastating vote of no confidence
Feb 1, 2024
by Edd Straw
The Race

Lewis Hamilton signing for Ferrari for 2025 without even having driven the Mercedes W15 in the real world or seen how the Formula 1 season starts in terms of performance is a devastating vote of no confidence in his current team.

Losing Hamilton to what would be a well-earned retirement is one thing, but to do so to a major rival that’s in broadly the same position as you in competitive terms is another. The inescapable conclusion is that what Hamilton has seen and experienced at Mercedes since committing to his current contract - perhaps both in terms of the continued erratic form in the closing stages of the season and preparations for 2024 - has given rise to some serious doubts. Perhaps something even more concrete than doubts.

We can’t rule out Hamilton having had a change of heart about this, but it seems more likely that he simply doesn’t believe Mercedes can give him the car he needs. If so, the worst that happens by moving to Ferrari is that he moves from one underachieving team to another - but with the bonus of living the Ferrari dream.

‘Devastating vote of no confidence’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-f1-exit-gut-punch/


Lewis Hamilton blindsided Toto Wolff with Ferrari move 24 hours before story broke
1 February 2024 • 11:54pm
Tom Cary
Senior Sports Correspondent
The Telegraph

Lewis Hamilton’s switch to Ferrari for 2025 came as a complete shock to Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff when the seven-time world champion broke the news at the Austrian’s home on Wednesday morning. Telegraph Sport understands Hamilton blindsided Wolff at a pre-arranged meeting at the latter’s Oxford home before Thursday’s official announcement sent Formula One into meltdown. It meant the Brackley outfit had to scramble to get their ducks in a row, calling a meeting of the team’s staff at 2pm when Wolff informed them of the driver’s intention to leave.

Wolff was understood to be completely taken by surprise when Hamilton told him on Wednesday that he intended to exercise it. The Austrian, who owns a third of Mercedes F1, only recently signed a new three-year contract extension himself, breaking the news in an interview with Telegraph Sport in which he said he was confident that Hamilton could win that eighth world title at Brackley.

‘Toto Wolff blindsided’;

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/formula-1/2024/02/01/lewis-hamilton-join-ferrari-live-mercedes-2025-f1-latest/


Will Hamilton’s second change of F1 teams prove as inspired as his first?
Formula 1
Posted on 1st February 2024, 19:09
Written by Keith Collantine

Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari at the end of this year will be only the second time in a 19-year career that he has made a change. By the standards of most drivers, he’s been remarkably faithful to his teams. Looking back beyond Hamilton’s 11-year stint at Mercedes, past all those wins and championships, it’s easy to forget how big a gamble he appeared to be taking when he committed to them in September 2012. Seldom in F1 history has scepticism over a driver’s choice of team been so comprehensively dispelled by the reality of the move. As the trophies piled up around him at Mercedes, Hamilton has delighted in occasionally reminding everyone how many people told his he’d made a mistake by joining them.

Now, 12 years on, there are parallels between the two moves. The most significant is that, once again, Hamilton has made his move a year ahead of a complete overhaul in the technical regulations – not just chassis but power unit as well. That gives him time to bed into a new environment and be prepared to seize on whatever opportunities arise in 2026.

It’s hard to imagine any change of team would result in the kind of unprecedented success Hamilton has enjoyed in his Mercedes career. But a single title, avenging his lost crown of 2021, delivered for the passionate tifosi, would rank as a unique achievement in a career already replete with success. It’s not hard to see why, when presented with the opportunity, Hamilton took another brave and exciting decision which has stunned the F1 world.

‘Made his move a year ahead of a complete overhaul in the technical regulations’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/02/01/will-hamiltons-second-change-of-f1-teams-prove-as-inspired-as-his-first/

[Fortitude]

Italy celebrates F1 'world coup' as Ferrari captures Hamilton.
“A bolt of lightning you don’t expect. A rare flower that seemed like it would never bloom again. The parable of Ferrari, the most prestigious and successful team in the three-quarters of a century of history of F1, and that of the baronet Lewis Hamilton, the driver with a cabinet full of trophies like no other, will truly intersect.” Il Messaggero.
February 2nd 2024
Author: Chris Medland
Motor Sport Magazine

Being a sport-specific publication, you’d expect La Gazzetta dello Sport to carry Hamilton prominently and that’s exactly the treatment he gets as Colpo Rosso (red coup) dominates its front page, with an image of Hamilton mocked up in Ferrari overalls and flags of the prancing horse waving in the background.

It’s that same feeling that drives Corriere della Sera – one of the earliest publications to first report that Hamilton was on the verge of making the move – to make the seven-time world champion the central picture on its front page and describe the switch as “A world coup” for Ferrari.

Corriere della Sera also states that Hamilton’s arrival is not the only significant development at Ferrari, describing it as “just the beginning of a revolution that started from the relationship with the boss [Fred] Vasseur” and adding that loyal technicians are also on their way.

'World coup';

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/italy-celebrates-f1-world-coup-as-ferrari-captures-hamilton/?nowprocket=1#


Lewis Hamilton 'will earn £85million per year at Ferrari' - almost DOUBLING what he earns at Mercedes - and 'was convinced by technical guarantees' that the Scuderia can help him win an eighth championship
Lewis Hamilton will reportedly earn £85million each year when he joins Ferrari
The Scuderia were willing to offer him £40m in May but couldn't land him
Assurances about the car's competitiveness are also a persuasive factor for him
Published: 16:44, 2 February 2024
By Luke Power For Mailonline
Mail Online

His financial package, swelled by salary, sponsors, image rights, bonuses and more, will reach £85m according to Italian website formu1a.uno. That is not far off double his £50m compensation at Mercedes.

According to formu1a.uno's report, Hamilton was swung not only by the money involved but by assurances of the car's competitiveness. That included technical guarantees, for example around the car's new engine, which is being designed at Maranello to it the track from the 2026 season.

Another factor which was reportedly persuasive for Hamilton is the presence of his former mentor Frederic Vasseur at Ferrari. The Ferrari team boss has a special bond with Hamilton, so it will come as no surprise that the Briton is keen to work with the Frenchman again. Hamilton won Formula Three and GP2 (now Formula Two) championships with Vasseur's ART team in 2005 and 2006 before making a spectacular Formula One debut with McLaren in 2007.

‘£85 Million per year’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13038815/Lewis-Hamilton-Ferrari-Mercedes-Scuderia-championship.html


Will Pete ‘Bono’ Bonnington and others follow Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari in 2025?
02 Feb 2024 1:07 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

In what is perhaps the biggest driver move in the history of Formula 1, Lewis Hamilton will cut ties with the Mercedes team with whom he’s won six of his seven titles, in order to join Ferrari from 2025.

Throughout the entirety of his Mercedes tenure, Hamilton has been ably supported by race engineer Pete Bonnington – the engineer becoming almost as famous as Hamilton as ‘Bono’ and his instruction ‘OK Lewis, it’s Hammertime’ would strike fear into the hearts of rivals.

Addressing the media, including PlanetF1.com, on Friday morning after the announcement of Hamilton at Ferrari, Wolff said discussions with Bonnington about his future will be held in due course. “I think this is a discussion that everyone needs to have in the months to come,” he said. “As much as I’ve spoken with Bono already, when I told him, he said ‘Is it April the first?’”

‘Bono’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/pete-bonnington-bono-follow-lewis-hamilton-ferrari-2025-question


Wolff admits Hamilton bombshell took him by surprise
13:11, 2nd February 2024.
The Straits Times

LONDON - Mercedes Formula One team boss Toto Wolff admitted on Friday that Lewis Hamilton's bombshell switch to Ferrari from 2025 had come as a shock when the seven times world champion dropped the news over breakfast.

"Formula One and my previous life have made me resilient to surprises. I've been confronted so many times in my life with black swans but it was a surprise," the Austrian told reporters in a video call on Friday.

"The surprise was that I've heard the rumours a couple of days earlier but wanted to wait for the breakfast we had planned and that was Wednesday morning. This was when he broke the news."

‘Bombshell took him by surprise’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/wolff-admits-hamilton-bombshell-took-him-by-surprise


Lewis Hamilton "rolling the dice" as Toto Wolff admits being blind sided by Ferrari move
Toto Wolff has spoken out in a Mercedes press conference organised the morning after Lewis Hamilton announced he would be leaving to join F1 rivals Ferrari in 2025
2nd February 2024, 13:01
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

"What happened is we got together for coffee at my place in Oxford [on Wednesday] and he said to me that he has decided to race for Ferrari in 2025. That was basically it. We had a good hour of conversation and this is where we are."

Wolff was quizzed on what might have changed for the Briton to U-turn on his future in the way that he has, but he could not answer. He replied: "I cannot tell you [what has changed]. I can only tell you that we were very aligned when we went into the Christmas period.”

"You need to ask Lewis why he changed his mind. How he framed it to me was perfectly understandable, that he needed a new challenge and that he was looking for a different environment and that it was maybe the last possibility to do something else.”

"Rolling the dice";

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/hamilton-ferrari-wolff-surprised-mercedes-32030978


George Russell sends Lewis Hamilton 13-word message after Mercedes announcement
Fri 2 February 2024 12:30
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

George Russell has now sent Lewis Hamilton a 13-word message after Mercedes and Ferrari announced the seven-time F1 champion is moving teams for the 2025 season. Now, 2024 will mark Hamilton’s final year racing for Mercedes ahead of joining Ferrari come the winter.

Russell has also now reacted to the news of Hamilton’s departure, noting that it has been ‘special’ to share the Mercedes garage and expressing his desire for a strong year. “It’s been special racing alongside you,” Russell told Hamilton in a message posted on his X account. “Let’s make this season one to remember.”

Hamilton beat Russell 15-7 in their Grand Prix results head-to-head battle at Mercedes over 2023. The 103-time Grand Prix winner also edged his one-time race-winning teammate with six podiums over two. Russell beat Hamilton 4-2 in Sprints and they tied 11-all in qualifying.

‘Hamilton’s final year racing for Mercedes’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/george-russell-sends-lewis-hamilton-13-word-message-after-mercedes-announcement/

[Fortitude]

Mark Hughes' theory for why Mercedes lost Hamilton.
It’s now clear that Ferrari was able to offer Hamilton a longer-term commitment than Mercedes, which agreed a two-year deal with the second year as an option (a 1 + 1).
Feb 2, 2024
by Mark Hughes
The Race

Let’s just suppose that when Wolff and Hamilton were discussing their contract that Wolff had revealed that the long-term plan was to place Antonelli at Williams for a year or two and then if all went well to bring him into the main team?

As a way of future-proofing. Hamilton’s 1+1 would dovetail in with this nicely. We don’t know if Wolff did discuss this scenario, of course. But he and Hamilton are close, have achieved so much together, that it would be quite in character for such an open discussion to have taken place between them.

Let’s then imagine what Hamilton’s thought processes may have been if he had indeed received that information from his boss and friend. It would have been totally logical if he had pondered: ‘I may as well leave after year one, as that’s my final chance of the Ferrari gig – and there may not be anything for me here in ’26.’ So in nudging Hamilton towards retirement, might Wolff have instead nudged him early into leaving for one of Mercedes' key rivals?

‘Theory for why Mercedes lost Hamilton’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/mark-hughes-why-mercedes-lost-lewis-hamilton-ferrari-theory/


An inspired decision or risky move? Our writers give their take on Hamilton's shock Ferrari switch
02 February 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Chris Medland, Special Contributor: Like everyone in the F1 world, this is a move that caught me completely by surprise. The way Hamilton had previously spoken about his future with Mercedes – even beyond racing in F1 – had just led me to believe it’s where he’d end his career. I’ll admit first whispers didn’t even have me taking it totally seriously at first…

Mark Hughes, Special Contributor: I think this move illustrates just how brilliantly ruthless the F1 mentality can be and how that injects a volatility which is part of F1 DNA. In a way it's a 'Hollywood' move, the bringing together of the two highest-profile entities in F1 with all the commercial implications that carries.

David Tremayne, Hall of Fame F1 Journalist: I’m one of the last people to mention the words ‘career suicide’ to Lewis Hamilton when he thinks of changing teams, as he is all too happy to remind those of us who suggested a switch from McLaren to Mercedes for 2013 was, at the very least, perhaps unwise…

‘James Hinchcliffe, IndyCar Race Winner and Analyst, Mike Seymour, Staff Writer’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.an-inspired-decision-or-risky-move-our-writers-give-their-take-on-hamiltons.7FbmjJZidCWFsk689FqpiK.html


What we learned from Wolff's debrief on Hamilton's Ferrari move.
The Race was present to get Wolff’s reaction, establish key details like the timeline that played out, ask what Hamilton’s rationale was, and find out what Mercedes does next.
Feb 2, 2024
by Scott Mitchell-Malm,
Valentin Khorounzhiy
The Race

TIMING A 'SURPRISE': “We got together for a coffee in my place in Oxford, and [ahead of] basically him returning to the factory, and he said to me he had decided to race for Ferrari in 2025,” said Wolff. “That was basically it. Then we had a good hour of conversation.”
HAMILTON NEEDED A CHANGE: Wolff hinted at a couple of firm reasons: the length of the contract on offer from Ferrari, for one, and the fact Hamilton simply needed a change.

WOLFF STOIC – MOSTLY: There were inevitably a couple of glimpses of how he really felt underneath - and he even said that "in the future we will discuss whether this could have been done in a different way".
MERCEDES DIDN'T WANT MORE THAN TWO YEARS: To reiterate, Mercedes had announced Hamilton as being retained on a 'two-year deal'. The quote marks there are because a two-year deal is for two years, and this one... is, in the end, not.

‘Wolff’s reaction’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/toto-wolff-lewis-hamilton-mercedes-ferrari-f1-switch-debrief-what-we-learned/


Four big reasons why Lewis Hamilton ditched Mercedes for Ferrari
01 Feb 2024 12:40 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Lewis Hamilton’s switch to Ferrari has ended the most successful driver/team partnership in F1 history, so why would he do it?
Has Lewis Hamilton lost faith in Mercedes? Hamilton is currently without a win in Formula 1 since the tail-end of that tumultuous 2021 season, with Mercedes having fallen off the boil at the start of the new ground-effect regulations.

Is it one last roll of the dice for Lewis Hamilton? At the end of the day, Hamilton is much, much closer to the end of his career than the start, having just turned 39. By 2026, Hamilton will have turned 41. While Fernando Alonso has proven age doesn’t necessarily mean anything anymore, history goes against Hamilton here.

A chance to team up again with Fred Vasseur: A move to Ferrari means partnering up with Fred Vasseur again, a boss with whom Hamilton has enjoyed great success in the past.
The allure of the Scuderia, and doing what Ayrton Senna couldn’t: Regardless of their competitive prowess in any given year, Ferrari continues to have a hold over drivers. As the only team to have been on the F1 grid since the very first year of the championship, nearly all the greatest drivers have come through their doors.

‘Four big reasons’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/why-lewis-hamilton-switch-ferrari-from-mercedes


How Exactly Is This Whole Lewis Hamilton And Ferrari Thing Going To Work?
17:51 Fri, 02 Feb 2024
By Kathryn Xu
Defector

All roads lead to Maranello. That's a suitably ominous statement to contextualize the rest of the news, which is that Lewis Hamilton, after exercising a release option in his contract, will be leaving Mercedes after the 2024 season to join Ferrari on a multi-year deal. As tampering is famously a North American invention, Hamilton continues the cycle of drivers signing with Ferrari before their previous contract fully expired—and Carlos Sainz Jr. will exit the team at the end of the 2024 season, similar to how Sebastian Vettel left in 2020.

The timing is just precise enough that it's easy to crack jokes about how Hamilton saw Mercedes' 2024 car and sprinted away as fast as he possibly could. It's also the most logical explanation for a decision that was genuinely unimaginable back in 2020, when Hamilton and Mercedes seemed inseparable: Two years of wasted development on the zero-pod concept were simply two years too many, especially with a strict spending cap. Mercedes managed to eke out a second-place finish in the constructor championship over Ferrari last year (three points!), but they got there out of consistency and not pace.

After 11 seasons with Mercedes Hamilton is hungry for an eighth championship. He's also 39 years old, and if the upcoming 2026 engine regulation changes will make picking a team a gamble, he may as well get himself one year at a non-Mercedes team before then, especially one who reportedly poached an engineer he trusted. And why not reunite with Fred Vasseur, who ran the ART Grand Prix team that Hamilton won GP2 with, way back in 2006?

‘How Exactly Is This Thing Going To Work?’

https://defector.com/how-exactly-is-this-whole-lewis-hamilton-and-ferrari-thing-going-to-work


Details of Lewis Hamilton's contract with Ferrari emerge online including 'special clause'
Published 15:34, 02 February 2024 GMT
Ryan Smart
SPORTbible

French outlet Sportune report that the deal with Ferrari is worth $80 million per year, with $20 million of that sum given in bonuses 'for the benefit of' Hamilton's foundation, which would put him in line with what Red Bull's Max Verstappen is earning. Italian outlet Formu1a.uno add that Hamilton's overall earnings will be made up from a combination of salary, sponsors, image rights, bonuses and more. They claim that the total figure will be around $100 million per year.

The same outlet claims that Hamilton was given technical guarantees as a clause during contract negotiations which convinced him to sign, mainly surrounding the engine that Ferrari are developing to meet the new technical regulations in 2026. Forbes reported in November that Hamilton had earned a salary of $55 million (around £43.4 million) at Mercedes in 2023, but with no bonus listed.

‘Details of contract with Ferrari emerge’;

https://www.sportbible.com/f1/lewis-hamilton-ferrari-contract-2025-mercedes-f1-791663-20240202

[Fortitude]

Formula One's invitation for in-person meeting with Andretti Cadillac went to a spam email folder.
Formula One's invitation to Andretti Cadillac for an in-person meeting about its application to join the motorsports series was sent via email and landed in a spam folder…
Published: 17:44, 2 February 2024
By Associated Press
Mail Online

The invitation was news to the Andretti camp. Its IT team later discovered the request in a search of the email system; the email was not from F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, but a staff member of the series.

"We were not aware that the offer of a meeting had been extended and would not decline a meeting with Formula One Management. An in-person meeting to discuss commercial matters would be and remains of paramount importance to Andretti Cadillac," the team said. "We welcome the opportunity to meet with Formula One Management and have written to them confirming our interest." Andretti Cadillac.

‘Spam folder’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-13039005/Formula-Ones-invitation-person-meeting-Andretti-Cadillac-went-spam-email-folder.html


F1's in-person meeting invite with Andretti Cadillac went to spam email folder
Published Feb 02, 2024 at 12:39 PM ET
TSN

Formula One's invitation to Andretti Cadillac for an in-person meeting about its application to join the motorsports series was sent via email and landed in a spam folder, which is why Michael Andretti and General Motors representatives never answered the request. The junk email revelation came Friday as Andretti Global sought to clarify two points in the sharply critical document F1 released earlier this week in rejecting the Andretti Cadillac application.

F1 said it had contacted the Andretti camp on Dec. 12 “extending an invitation to an in-person meeting at our offices in order for the applicant to present its application, but the applicant did not take us up on this offer.”

The invitation was news to the Andretti camp. Its IT team later discovered the request in a search of the email system; the email was not from F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, but a staff member of the series.

‘Spam email folder’;

https://www.tsn.ca/auto-racing/formula-one-s-invitation-for-in-person-meeting-with-andretti-cadillac-went-to-a-spam-email-folder-1.2070948


F1's invitation for in-person meeting with Andretti Cadillac went to a spam email folder
Feb 2nd 2024 at 2:45PM
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Autoblog

Formula One's invitation to Andretti Cadillac for an in-person meeting about its application to join the motorsports series was sent via email and landed in a spam folder, which is why Michael Andretti and General Motors representatives never answered the request.

The junk email revelation came Friday as Andretti Global sought to clarify two points in the sharply critical document F1 released earlier this week in rejecting the Andretti Cadillac application.

‘Spam email folder’;

https://www.autoblog.com/2024/02/02/f1s-invitation-for-in-person-meeting-with-andretti-cadillac-went-to-a-spam-email-folder/?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9jLm5ld3Nub3cuY28udWsv&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAJKEjHRKnQk07fKSrzqlQJ15CoFg fOog5RKazFZN-5X1_2PCwInQWo0krVt3AEdgmLm-4dfbk8iDdISyoMRn8CIp0n3WkjdGfy7paai7qxTa4ruh1N_KZM NpIn2netjexFsfWAn4eu9zkgbznDTLtnWphb7vX1Vv9PJ_1Eq_ 2-j2


F1 meeting invite landed in Andretti Cadillac's spam email folder
Michael Andretti and General Motors representatives say they were unaware of the request until Formula One claimed its invitation had been ignored.
21:20 Fri, 02 Feb 2024
By AP via Scripps News
Scripps News

Formula One's invitation to Andretti Cadillac for an in-person meeting about its application to join the motorsports series was sent via email and landed in a spam folder, which is why Michael Andretti and General Motors representatives never answered the request. The junk email revelation came Friday as Andretti Global sought to clarify two points in the sharply critical document F1 released earlier this week in rejecting the Andretti Cadillac application.

F1 said it had contacted the Andretti camp on Dec. 12 "extending an invitation to an in-person meeting at our offices in order for the applicant to present its application, but the applicant did not take us up on this offer."

The invitation was news to the Andretti camp. Its IT team later discovered the request in a search of the email system; the email was not from F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, but a staff member of the series.

‘Junk email revelation’;

https://scrippsnews.com/stories/f1-meeting-invite-landed-in-andretti-cadillac-s-spam-email-folder/


Guenther Steiner defends F1 over rejection of "too ambitious" Andretti-Cadillac plan
Former Haas boss Guenther Steiner was one of the first big names in the F1 world to give his reaction to news that Andretti-Cadillac's bid to create a new team had been rejected
21:34 Wed, 31 Jan 2024.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Guenther Steiner thinks Andretti-Cadillac were undone by a Formula 1 plan that was "too ambitious". Speaking to ESPN, Steiner agreed that the new team was unlikely to have any success if it joined the grid as early as planned. "I think they looked at it and thought it was too ambitious," said the former Haas team principal.

"I don't have all the information. Maybe they looked at it and they said, 'We want them but we want to make sure they are successful when they come' - to protect them from themselves.”

"I think F1 is protecting all the teams, everyone involved in the sport, they didn't close the door completely. They said '28 is a new day, a new year, it's quite a few years away, it's not tomorrow but the door is open. Show us you can get prepared and be competitive by then and I think we'd welcome them."

‘Make sure they are successful when they come - to protect them from themselves’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/andretti-f1-rejection-reaction-steiner-32015604

[typhoon]

This is a joke. If such high-profile personnel wants to get in touch, they would have Domenicali's mobile literally in 5 minutes. lol

[Fortitude]

Haas F1 Team Unveils All-New VF-24 Race Car for 2024 Formula 1 Season, Better Call Gene.
The American outfit will be looking to improve on their performance from last year, when they finished dead last in the Constructors standings with just 12 points (4 points shy of Alfa Romeo).
Published: 2 Feb 2024, 15:01 UTC
Sergiu Tudose
autoevolution

Right off the bat, we can tell you this isn’t the real car, but rather an official rendering. We won’t see the real thing until it hits the track for a shakedown at Silverstone on February 11.

Anyway, design-wise, we can’t tell much from the nose. It looks similar to last year’s front section, which means we’ll probably see the final design come February 11. What’s clearly new though is the shape of the sidepod inlets. A little reminiscent of what Ferrari did last year.

‘Better Call Gene’;

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/haas-f1-team-unveils-all-new-vf-24-race-car-for-2024-formula-1-season-better-call-gene-228659.html


Launch renders reveal design secrets of new Haas F1 car
08:46 Sat, 03 Feb 2024.
AUTHORMatt Somerfield
Motorsport.com

The team is looking to build on the development trajectory that it pursued during 2023 and the most obvious alteration is the design of the sidepods. This is a continuation of the development made by Haas at the United States Grand Prix last season.

A large blister on the surface of the floor on the VF-24 confirms it has now taken that approach, which has allowed designers to not only expand the size of the undercut but also refine the position and shape of the inlet.

Notably, this now echoes the Red Bull RB19’s design, with an elongated lower lip used to define the airflow’s passage either into or around the sidepod inlet.

‘Design secrets of new Haas F1 car’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/launch-renders-reveal-sidepod-secrets-of-new-haas-f1-car/10571898/


Haas's striking launch pessimism shows there's no quick fix
Feb 3, 2024
by Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

A brand new car – even one with a familiar look – is the first real kick-off for what Haas hopes will be a more successful era under new leadership, but Formula 1’s bottom team could find things get harder before they improve.

Honesty is great – Komatsu’s predecessor Guenther Steiner was famed for it – and there is no sense in Haas blowing smoke about its prospects if it truly expects to be in for a difficult start. But it is still worrying, given Haas finished last in the championship and had such clear car issues to overcome.

Komatsu says plainly that the launch-spec Haas is “not going to be quick enough in Bahrain” and his hopes are so low that he reckons Haas will probably be the worst team at the start of the season: “Out of the gates in Bahrain we’re going to be towards the back of the grid, if not last.”

‘There's no quick fix’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/haas-2024-f1-car-launch-pessimism/


New Haas boss criticises key Guenther Steiner decision as F1 minnows face massive issue
Haas became the first F1 team to launch their 2024 car livery on Friday - but it came with a warning from new boss Ayao Komatsu not to expect to see it anywhere near the front of the grid
15:34 Fri, 02 Feb 2024.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

New Haas chief Ayao Komatsu admitted he expects his team to start the new Formula 1 season dead last. "Out of the gates in Bahrain, I still think we're going to be towards the back of the grid, if not last," was his glum prediction. "Since I've become team principal, I've spent a lot of time talking to managers - both in the UK and Italy - and they're excited because it's an opportunity to improve and there are areas of improvement everywhere.”

"The reason our launch-spec car is not going to be quick enough in Bahrain is not because of the quality of the people we have here, but it's because we started late and then we stopped for two months to do the Austin upgrade. It really diverted resources, so we lost time there.”

"But the team is finding good gains in the wind tunnel, so that's positive and in terms of characteristics, it's going in the right direction. The focus is to have a good test program for Bahrain so that we come away from the test having quality data for the team to analyse and understand which direction to develop the car.”

"Out of the gates in Bahrain… … back of the grid, if not last";

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/haas-2024-livery-car-steiner-32032224


Needless Guenther Steiner ‘barriers’ removed in major Haas staff shake-up
03 Feb 2024 2:30 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

New Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu has outlined behind-the-scenes changes that are taking shape in the post-Guenther Steiner era. Having taken stock of where the team is over his first few weeks in the top job, Komatsu believes the first year in their new form is a chance to build upwards. He also sees this restructuring as a chance to improve efficiency from what came before.

“Obviously it’s been busy, but it’s been really positive,” he said when asked about his opening weeks as team principal. Everyone I speak to sees this as an opportunity to improve. I think many people were feeling the same thing – not knowing where this team was going, how it’s going to improve.”

‘Haas staff shake-up’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/haas-f1-2024-team-structure-guenther-steiner-barriers


Haas VF24: A New Chapter for the F1 Team?
18:42 Fri, 02 Feb 2024
Motorsport.com

Bryn Lucas talks to Alex Kalinauckas and Jake Boxall-Legge to discuss Haas' 2024 hopes, what Hulkenburg and Magnussen need to do this year, whether Haas replacing Guenther with Komatsu will help the team, and whether Andretti really should consider buying F1's current American team out.

COMMENTS: BOlafson
New chapter, same old book: off the shelf parts and copies of last years innovation by others. Destination: tenth again.

‘Haas' 2024 hopes discussed’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/video/haas-vf24-a-new-chapter-for-the-f1-team/646080/


Haas expecting to start the 2024 season among tail-enders
February 3, 2024 at 2:13 AM
The Straits Times

LONDON - Haas expect to start the Formula One season among the tail-enders, new boss Ayao Komatsu said on Friday as the U.S.-owned team became the first to present their 2024 challenger.

Komatsu said the immediate aim was to come away from testing in Bahrain with quality data to provide updates during the season. He added that while the Austin update delayed the new car's development, it provided more confidence in what was being presented now.

"We're all realistic that our launch car in Bahrain will not necessarily turn heads, but our concentration and focus is to work with the VF-24, understand the car and then define the correct pathway to upgrade the car," he explained.

‘Start among tail-enders’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/haas-expecting-to-start-the-2024-season-among-tail-enders


Haas name new Technical Director and performance chief after winter reshuffle
02 February 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Fresh from presenting the livery for their new F1 challenger, Haas have announced a series of changes to key design and engineering positions as they gear up for the 2024 season.

With the VF-24 colour scheme being revealed to the world on Friday afternoon, Haas also shared the news that Andrea De Zordo is taking on the primary technical position after several seasons serving as Chief Designer below Resta.

‘Winter reshuffle’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.haas-name-new-technical-director-and-performance-chief-after-winter.1sq0NlWhdpryepk0pA4FH6.html


Here is the new Haas
Posted on February 2, 2024 by Joe Saward
Joe Saward's Grand Prix Blog

LT says: Does it move forward?
Joe Saward says: No it only goes backwards…
Brent says: and yet the asset value climbs.
Joe Saward says: Yes.

Ash says: R Daltrey: “Meet the new Haas!”
P Townshend: [krang, kerrang]
R Daltrey: “Same as the old Haas!”
Etc., etc.

Silverstone Man says: Will look great in everyone’s rearview mirror.
Joe Saward says: You should change your name to Brackley man…

‘P Townshend: [krang, kerrang]’;

https://joesaward.wordpress.com/2024/02/02/here-is-the-new-haas/

[Fortitude]

Toto Wolff fuels speculation of a former world champion replacing Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes... with the star refusing to rule out a return to the sport last year.
A multi-time Formula One world champion could be set for a shock return to the sport, fans have speculated.
Published: 14:53, 4 February 2024
By Lewis Browning For Mailonline
Mail Online

Words from Mercedes boss Toto Wolff this week have fuelled speculation that a Formula One legend could be set for a shock return and step into the seat vacated by Hamilton. Sebastian Vettel retired from the sport at the end of the 2022 season, putting an end to a 15-year career that saw him win four world championships and 53 wins.

Wolf revealed he is in regular dialogue with Vettel, leading to fans suggesting the 36-year-old could be the one to replace Hamilton, but the man himself played down speculation. 'I think he made the decision to not race anymore,' Wolff told AMUS. 'We are talking on a regular basis. We've also talked yesterday, but it wasn't about driving for us in the future.'

‘Toto Wolff fuels speculation’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13043825/Toto-Wolff-fuels-speculation-former-world-champion.html


Wolff won’t rule out signing Alonso or Verstappen for 2025
With Lewis Hamilton heading to Ferrari for the 2025, Mercedes finds themselves with big shoes to fill
February 3, 2024
By Jasmine Hughes
Total Motorsport

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has not ruled out signing anyone to replace Lewis Hamilton for the 2025 Formula 1 season, including Fernando Alonso and Max Verstappen.

“48 hours ago, I wouldn’t have thought that Lewis would tell me that he would be driving for Ferrari next year,” Wolff told the media. “That’s why I wouldn’t rule anything out in Formula 1.”

“I’m looking forward to working with my colleagues to make the right decisions about who will be in the cockpit next year,” continued Wolff. “Maybe this is the chance to do something bold.”

“Chance to do something bold”;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-wolff-rule-out-signing-alonso-verstappen-2025/


Red Bull 'agree deal' for Sergio Perez's replacement as Toto Wolff loses Mercedes option
Red Bull driver Sergio Perez will be out of contract at the end of the 2024 season.
11:03, Sat, Feb 3, 2024
By Fraser Watson
Daily and Sunday Express

F1 pundit Peter Windsor has claimed that Albon, who drove for Christian Horner’s team in 2019 and 2020 before being demoted to the role of test driver, will make a surprise return to partner Max Verstappen: “As I understand it, Albon has been offered a 3-year contract by Red Bull to start in 2025,” he said on his YouTube channel.

“So I think you are going to see him alongside Max Verstappen in the Red Bull. I can't imagine he is going to say no to it. As I understand it's not a 100% but 90% correct."

As for Perez, the news is now likely to make him a candidate to replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes, with the seven-time world champion joining Ferrari at the end of the year. That’s despite finishing second behind teammate Verstappen last season, and helping Horner and co to a second successive constructors’ title.

‘Perez, a candidate to replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1862729/Red-Bull-Sergio-Perez-Toto-Wolff-Lewis-Hamilton-Mercedes


Why Lewis Hamilton replacement is ‘not an easy situation’ for Toto Wolff
04 Feb 2024 10:30 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

With Andrea Kimi Antonelli not yet ready for F1, finding a new team-mate for George Russell after Lewis Hamilton announced he’s off to Ferrari won’t be “an easy situation” for Mercedes. Hamilton shocked the motor racing world on Thursday when it was confirmed he’d be leaving Mercedes at the end of this season to head to rival team Ferrari.

Having only informed his team boss Toto Wolff about his decision some 36 hours before the official confirmation, Mercedes have been left reeling as they contemplate what comes next, and, more importantly, who comes next as Hamilton’s replacement. From reserve driver Mick Schumacher to former Mercedes junior Esteban Ocon, just about every driver’s name is on the list of potential candidates although it is thought Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso are leading the running.

The big question, though, is whether either would consider a one-year contract for 2025 as Mercedes have protégé Antonelli already pencilled in as Russell’s future team-mate. Sky Italia’s Roberto Chinchero believes Mercedes, if they want a star driver alongside Russell for 2025, would be best served putting a two-year deal on the table.

‘Not an easy situation for Toto Wolff’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-hamilton-replacement-not-an-easy-situation-mercedes


What Wolff's 'pragmatism' tells us about Mercedes post-Hamilton
04 February 7:00AM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

It is the morning of Wednesday 31st January and you are Toto Wolff. Later this morning, you have your traditional pre-season catch-up breakfast with Lewis Hamilton pencilled in as the work continues at Brackley to prepare for the launch of the 2024 challenger - the W15 on February 14th - and then getting everything shipped off to Bahrain for testing and the first race. Lewis has just had a seat fit in the new machine and on Friday, he is set for some time in the simulator to test if tangible progress has been made with the third attempt at a ground-effects car.

He arrives at your Oxford home and as the talks begin, Hamilton drops the news that he has decided to activate the break clause in his contract and wants to leave the team at the end of the 2024 season and join Ferrari for 2025. Immediately after the news was delivered by Hamilton, Wolff explained how he went into 'what is best for Mercedes mode' and began game-planning what was to come once the news went public. "When he first told me, my next thought was pragmatic," Wolff told media including RacingNews365.

"[I thought]: 'What does it mean? When are we communicating this? What are the pressure points? How are we managing the season going forward, and what are we going to do in terms of driver line-up?” As American author Erin Morgenstern wrote in The Night Circus: "All empires fall eventually; it is the way of things." But it is also important to note that Mercedes is bigger than Lewis Hamilton, the driver. Granted, he is the most famous driver on the planet, but sentimentality for past glories only gets you so far - take Ayrton Senna trying to leave McLaren in the 1990s for Williams or Ferrari forcing Michael Schumacher out in 2006 to make way for Kimi Raikkonen.

'Pragmatism';

https://racingnews365.com/wolff-unclear-over-mercedes-future-of-key-hamilton-ally

[Fortitude]

Spam Folder May Have Sunk Michael Andretti’s Formula One Bid.
The Associated Press reported on February 2 that the IT department at Andretti’s offices discovered the email after searching through its computer files.
Feb 2, 2024,08:23pm EST
Bruce Martin Contributor
Forbes

F1 had said it sent an email to the Andretti group on December 12, “extending an invitation to an in-person meeting at our offices in order for the applicant to present its application, but the applicant did not take us up on this offer.”

Such a revelation was a complete surprise to Andretti, and when its IT team scoured its email system, it discovered that the email came from an F1 staffer and not F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali. Because the email address was unfamiliar to Andretti’s IT system, it was rejected and put in a “Spam” folder.

Whether FOM would have approved Andretti if the group had attended the meeting in December is uncertain, but the optics of not communicating were taken as an insult by F1 officials, who did not realize the email never made it to Andretti or General Motors officials.

‘Email address was unfamiliar to Andretti’s IT system’;

https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucemartin/2024/02/02/spam-folder-may-have-sunk-michael-andrettis-formula-one-bid/


Why Andretti doesn’t accept F1’s rejection arguments
UPDATEDFEB 4, 2024, 5:05 PM
AUTHOR: Adam Cooper
Motorsport.com

One revelation in the F1 statement was the claim that “we subsequently wrote to the applicant on 12 December, 2023 extending an invitation to an in-person meeting at our offices in order for the applicant to present its application, but the applicant did not take us up on this offer". While not saying that Andretti had declined, the implication appeared to be that Andretti was reluctant to engage with F1, before the team’s Friday response made it clear that it didn’t know about the invitation.

“We were not aware that the offer of a meeting had been extended and would not decline a meeting with Formula One Management,” it said. “An in-person meeting to discuss commercial matters would be and remains of paramount importance to Andretti Cadillac. We welcome the opportunity to meet with Formula One Management and have written to them confirming our interest.” It emerged that the email, which came from an F1 employee rather than Domenicali, had been found in a spam folder. It sounds ridiculous, but such things can happen to any of us.

And if the sender doesn’t phone or follow up, how could you possibly know that such an important message was ever sent? As a result of the IT mishap, F1 issued its rejection statement without conducting any face-to-face enquiries with or hearing a presentation from Andretti, relying instead on the info given to the FIA and some supplementary questions submitted in October.

‘Andretti doesn’t accept F1’s rejection’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/why-f1-may-yet-regret-its-andretti-decision/10572307/


Andretti hits back at F1 rejection with DEFIANT response
Saturday 3 February 2024 21:59
Tyler Rowlinson
GPFans

Andretti Cadillac have responded defiantly to news that their bid to enter F1 for the 2025 and 2026 season has been rejected. In an official statement, Andretti hit back at the decision and thanked fans for their support as their work continues behind the scenes.

It said: “Andretti Cadillac has reviewed the information Formula One Management Limited has shared and strongly disagree with its contents. Andretti and Cadillac are two successful global motorsports organisations committed to placing a genuine American works team in F1, competing alongside the world’s best.”

“We are proud of the significant progress we have already made on developing a highly competitive car and power unit with an experienced team behind it, and our work continues at pace. Andretti Cadillac would also like to acknowledge and thank the fans who have expressed their support.”

‘DEFIANT response’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1012492/f1-andretti-cadillac-hits-back-rejected-bid-defiant-response/


Andretti’s spam folder might have intervened with its F1 bid
New information about Andretti’s failed Formula 1 bid has come to light, as disagreements between Andretti Formula Racing and F1 continue.
February 4, 2024
By Jasmine Hughes
Total Motorsport

In the full statement outlining the reason behind F1’s decision to reject Andretti’s bid, F1 stated that it had extended an invitation to an in-person meeting to Andretti in December 2023. It added, “the applicant did not take us up on this offer”. Staff at Andretti’s Indianapolis-based office have since found the invitation to this meeting. The email – sent by F1 back in December – had gone straight to Andretti’s spam folder.

Andretti, in a press release issued in response to F1’s decision, emphasised that it had been unaware of any invitation extended by the sport. “We were not aware that the offer of a meeting had been extended and would not decline a meeting with Formula One Management,” they said. “An in-person meeting to discuss commercial matters would be and remains of paramount importance to Andretti Cadillac.”

‘Andretti’s spam folder’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-andretti-spam-folder-intervened-bid/


F1’s Invitation to Meet Andretti Cadillac Was Lost in Spam
Formula One Management thought Andretti Cadillac blew them off.
PUBLISHED Feb 4, 2024 10:25 AM EST
By Nico DeMattia
The Drive

Formula 1 ruffled the feathers of most American motorsport fans earlier this week when it denied Andretti Cadillac's application to join the sport. According to F1, one of the reasons why Andretti was rejected was because he and his team failed to respond to an invitation to meet in person with Formula One Marketing, which they took as Andretti blowing them off. However, according to AP News, Andretti's tech department said the invitation email was never received because it went to the company's spam folder.

Andretti's team went scouring for the invitation email after F1's rejection document was revealed. The team discovered that the email was sent to spam because of who it came from. Rather than being sent from F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, the email was sent from a member of his staff.

Now that Andretti Cadillac claims that F1's invitation was sent to spam and still wants to meet in person, does F1 reopen the application and meet with the American team?

‘Lost in Spam’;

https://www.thedrive.com/news/f1s-invitation-to-meet-andretti-cadillac-was-lost-in-spam

[Fortitude]

Williams and Stake F1 kick off launch season with differing goals ahead.
Williams and Stake will today become the first teams to unveil their car ahead of the 2024 season.
05 Feb 2024 7:30 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

While both Haas and McLaren have already shown off their liveries, Williams and the newly-branded Stake F1 will kick start launch season proper today as both lift the covers off their 2024 runner.

Williams have chance to take another step forward as James Vowles’ project continues. The mood around the Grove camp feels a lot different than it did this time last year. This time last season, Vowles had not been long in the job after a surprise departure from Jost Capito off the back of a P10 finish in the 2022 championship.

Enter Stake. The Australian cryptocurrency has increased their sponsorship of the team for 2024, naming it the catchy Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber and wheeling out rapper Drake to promote it. The partnership started in 2023 with Stake reportedly paying close to AU$140 million (£72 million) to get their name on the car but the figure will most likely have risen for exclusive naming rights.

‘Kick off launch season’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/williams-stake-f1-launch-season


What F1 car launches take place this week?
05 February 9:15AM
Author RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

Four uncoverings take place this week across a number of locations as the first race in Bahrain draws nearer, so here RacingNews365 brings you all the information you need to enjoy each reveal.

Williams - February 5
Williams will hold a special launch event in New York City later today [February 5] to unveil the FW46.
Stake Sauber - February 5
The launch will almost certainly be one of the more stylish as well, with London's Guildhall hosting the event. The launch will be available to watch on Kick from 19:00 GMT [14:00 EST] tonight [February 5].

Alpine - February 7
The French manufacturer will launch the F1 car alongside it's World Endurance Championship Hypercar project, which will surely be a fascinating occasion.
Visa Cash App RB - February 8
F1 returns to Las Vegas for the launch of the Visa Cash App RB team.

‘F1 car launches’;

https://racingnews365.com/what-f1-car-launches-take-place-this-week


The design trends to look for as 2024 F1 cars are revealed
Feb 5, 2024
by Edd Straw
The Race

UNDERFLOOR HEIGHT: The powerful ground effect venturi tunnels in the underfloor are the primary downforce generator of an F1 car.
SIDEPODS: Given we’ll have to wait for a serendipitous car recovery to get a clear look at the floors, the sidepods are the next best thing in terms of something to spot as soon as 2024 cars are revealed.

CHASSIS SHAPE: Red Bull had a more V-shaped chassis than the rest last year. There’s every chance more will go in this direction.
COCKPIT POSITION: Lewis Hamilton’s complaints about the cockpit positioning early in the season grabbed the headlines. He felt he was sat too far forward…

PUSHROD vs PULLROD SUSPENSION: Whether cars have pushrod or pullrod suspension configurations is one of the most obvious design decisions to spot when you first see a new F1 car.
PLATFORM CONTROL: As the interaction of the aerodynamic and mechanical characteristics is crucial in getting the best out of the current ground effect F1 cars, platform control is therefore essential. And Red Bull has shown great mastery of this.

‘UNEXPECTED INNOVATION: F1’s regulations may be highly prescriptive, with expectations of even greater convergence of car designs this year. But that doesn’t mean someone won’t spring a surprise’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f1-2024-car-design-trends-to-expect/


Williams Racing strikes VAST Data deal
5 Feb 2024
By Matthew Ord
Insider Media

Pat Fry, chief technical officer at Williams Racing, said: "It is fantastic to welcome VAST Data as an official partner, enhancing our data-driven approach to performance as we strengthen on and off track.”

"At Williams Racing, we are always striving for excellence and seeking innovative solutions to gain a competitive edge in a sport with extremely fine margins.”

"F1 teams generate enormous amounts of data every day, so we're privileged to partner with VAST Data whose expertise in managing and processing large datasets will play a crucial role in optimising our performance."

‘Pat Fry: Seeking innovative solutions’;

https://www.insidermedia.com/news/south-east/williams-racing-strikes-vast-data-deal


Maloney Confirmed as Stake F1 Team Reserve Driver
15:51 Wed, 31 Jan 2024.
InsideF2

Former Red Bull Junior, Zane Maloney, has been announced as part of the Sauber Academy ahead of the 2024 FIA Formula 2 season starting in March. As part of his duties, he will become Reserve Driver for Stake F1 Team (formally Alfa Romeo) sharing his responsibilities with F2 2023 champion, Théo Pourchaire.

Maloney progressed into F2 following a stellar season in F3 where he challenged Victor Martins for the title. His fight went to the final race of 2022 in Monza, which was cut short due to a red flag, swinging the championship favours to Martins.

‘Stake F1 Team Reserve Driver’;

https://www.insidef2.com/maloney-confirmed-as-stake-f1-team-reserve-driver/

[Fortitude]

ANALYSIS: New sponsors, an exciting driver pairing and big plans to return to the front – why the future’s looking bright for Williams.
Williams headed across the pond to New York City to reveal a striking blue livery they hope will adorn a car that can help them take another step towards returning to the front of the grid in the coming years.
05 February 2024
Lawrence Barretto
Correspondent & Presenter
Formula One - Official Site

“The change that needs to take place isn’t going to be one of 12 months, or 24 months or even 36 months,” Vowles tells me when we chat exclusively. “Finding out where we are strong, where we are not strong, digging out the bits that aren’t strong – which for much of it, it’ll be infrastructure that is 20 years old – takes time.”

But he adds: “If I look back at where we were 12 months ago, it’s an enormous change in such a short space of time. Change exists in terms of people; we had Pat [Fry, Chief Technical Officer] join, but we have a number of great names coming from other teams. They see the vision of where we are and where we are going towards and are wanting to be part of it.”

Upgrading the car and the development process. So what have Williams got this year? Well we won’t see that until pre-season testing (unless they release some images from their shakedown that happens a few days before) as in New York, the team opted to keep the design under wraps and only reveal the livery.

‘ANALYSIS’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.analysis-new-investment-an-exciting-driver-pairing-and-big-plans-to-return.3AHAgMBWz4TUSuGLKgSFb0.html


In pictures: Williams launches FW46
05 February 3:50PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Williams has launched its new car ahead of the upcoming F1 season, revealing their livery for the FW46.

‘Williams FW46’;

https://racingnews365.com/in-pictures-williams-launches-fw46


Launch Gallery: Williams FW46 livery
05/02/2024 at 15:45
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Williams continues its efforts to strengthen itself on and off the track in a bid to revive its past glory, which is why it chose a livery for its 2024 contender that blends past glory with its future aspirations.

‘Check out our gallery of pictures from Monday's online presentation’;

https://f1i.com/news/498874-launch-gallery-williams-fw46-livery.html


Alex Albon confirms Williams FW46 philosophy change as F1 2024 goal revealed
05 Feb 2024 3:31 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Alex Albon is looking to keep the progress coming with Williams in F1 2024, confirming that the FW46 ushers in a philosophy change “for the better”. Full focus is on Williams though and ensuring that the goal of continuing their progress into F1 2024 is realised, Albon confirming the team will look to do that with a philosophy tweak to their FW46.

Williams unveiled the look of their FW46 with a February 5 livery launch, Albon’s team-mate Sargeant targeting an improved second season in Formula 1 after Williams put their faith in the American racer off the back of a tricky rookie year.

“Everyone at Grove has been working tirelessly to deliver the FW46 over the winter break. I can’t thank them enough for their hard work and the support they’ve given me. Hopefully we can achieve some great results together in 2024.” Logan Sargeant.

‘F1 2024 goal revealed’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/alex-albon-williams-philosophy-change-fw46


Williams Formula 1 Team unleash their 2024 car
5th Feb 2024, 15:40
Motorsport.com

A look at the 2024 car for the Williams Formula 1 team.

‘Unleash their 2024 car’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/video/williams-formula-1-team-unleash-their-2024-car/646237/


James Vowles on 12 month Williams journey to deliver the new FW46
05 Feb 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)1

James Vowles on 12 month Williams journey to deliver the new FW46 and looking ahead to the 2024 F1 season.

‘12 month Williams journey’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.james-vowles-on-12-month-williams-journey-to-deliver-the-new-fw46.1790074683549280421.html

[Fortitude]

Gary Anderson on 2024 Sauber + where it must convince Audi.
Sauber once again has a new name (Stake) and this season is now surely the start of ramping up to become Audi's Formula 1 factory effort from 2026.
Feb 5, 2024
by Gary Anderson
The Race

Let’s take a look at the launch car, with the proviso that we can only comment on what has been presented so far. After all, some say F1 is all smoke and mirrors and I think Sauber, with its new Stake deal, agrees. Let’s take a look at the launch car… This side view shows Sauber has, unsurprisingly, now incorporated the Red Bull-style radiator inlet (yellow ellipse) as opposed to the 2023 Ferrari version.

The leading edge of the underfloor (red line and arrow above) shows that this area is of similar height and the outer floor edge splitter (blue line) has a very similar profile. Front suspension-wise, Sauber has gone from a pushrod operation to a pullrod (red line). These images show a simple comparison between what could be called a Ferrari eyelet radiator inlet (left) and a 'duckbill' Red Bull radiator inlet (right).

To use that old saying, ‘what we have seen is only what they have shown us’ and I’m sure when the car runs for the first time on February 9 there will be many differences. The key is that the team needs to focus on improving in-season development to give Audi confidence that it has made the correct decision to partner with Sauber from 2026.

‘Launch car’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/gary-anderson-verdict-sauber-stake-2024-f1-car/


FIRST LOOK: Kick Sauber show off dazzling livery with a 'slew of changes' to new 2024 car
05 February 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Kick Sauber have unveiled their 2024 challenger the C44, which sports a dazzling new fluorescent green and black livery, at a glittering event at London’s Guildhall. The Swiss-operation say the C44 is “a marked departure from its predecessor” and a “slew of changes have been introduced”. One of the most significant tweaks is a move from push-rod to pull-rod suspension.

The C44 also features revised sidepods and engine cover plus a new floor – one of the most important areas for development when pursuing pure lap time. The team adds “some important updates” will be brought to the car “in the opening rounds”.

Technical Director James Key, who returned to the Hinwil team last September after stints at Toro Rosso and McLaren, added: “The C44 is virtually a completely new car, with a few carry-over areas at the rear of the car. The team had to take an ambitious direction well before I joined: there are many mechanical changes, some of which you can't see at all, but some are very visible.”

‘FIRST LOOK’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.first-look-kick-sauber-show-off-dazzling-livery-with-a-slew-of-changes-to.7tUcB0jd4VIdbGNbDmP1Pv.html


Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber reveals 2024 car in bright green and black livery
Here's what Valterri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu will be driving this year
Feb 5th 2024 at 3:50PM
ZAC PALMER
Autoblog

Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber just launched its car for the 2024 season named the C44. It’s a complete livery rethink for the Sauber team this year, as the previous title sponsor Alfa Romeo is officially out.

“The front suspension is completely new, a tough and ambitious project for a team of our size,” Key added. “There are many aerodynamic changes, too, as would be expected given that this remains the primary area of development – so, overall, the car will really look quite different to last year's car. We took a lot of new, exciting directions, all of which appear to hold quite a bit of potential, so we're looking forward to seeing them on track.”

This new Sauber car will hit the track for the first time this Friday when it completes a shakedown run in Barcelona, and following that, we’ll hope to get an idea about how competitive it might be during pre-season testing later this month in Bahrain.

‘Bright green and black livery’;

https://www.autoblog.com/2024/02/05/stake-f1-team-kick-sauber-2024-car-reveal/?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9jLm5ld3Nub3cuY28udWsv&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAABNlpmqAkHnp2DSpsBneqNFSYGAP nbJb9gpvNJBFLOxs07iQFv3rfH2OUVjIxlCK2Oq1SDDayg7c-LzXtunfXr_riE6VjaQkxZxu3QNhJHmVBllVDZ4_S5MQ-Xx-xlrvRnibSMZXxTh9ZKnnlPrIssgt3XVr7dRE2W0nQpPUvqVx


GALLERY: Every angle of Kick Sauber’s bold new look for the 2024 season
05 February 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Gone is the red and black design used under the team’s Alfa Romeo partnership and in its place is an all-new green and black combination.
Check out the striking livery Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu will race this year in the gallery.

‘Every angle of Kick Sauber’s bold new look’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.gallery-every-angle-of-kick-saubers-bold-new-look-for-the-2024-season.EGk2uWFgMmkqKutbGnDUi.html


Stake unveils the C44
05/02/2024
NEWS STORY
Pitpass

It's not the kind of Formula One car you've ever seen before. Aggressive, exciting, different - both on track and off it: the Stake F1 Team C44 is finally in the open. The 2024 challenger of Stake F1 Team was unveiled in the historic setting of London's Guildhall, but there was nothing conventional or staid about it.

There was an edginess to the event, the feeling of being at the start of a new era, to be witnessing the birth of a new way of doing racing: but, despite the stars in attendance and the glitz of the set-up, all eyes were on the new car. As Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, our 2024 race drivers, looked on, the team lifted the covers off an impressive piece of engineering, the latest work of art to come out of Hinwil.

Clad in an attractive black and Fluo Racing Green livery - the shiny, viridescent hue itself the result of impressive development work by team partners, BASF - the look and feel of the C44 redefines what to expect on track. It's an eye-catcher, a head-turner, the centre of attention on every TV screen, the point of focus in every photograph. It's not the usual F1 car: it's not a tribute to the past, but a nod to a new and exciting future, one that incorporates everything that is great about our sport, and elevates it to the next level.

‘The shiny, viridescent hue’;

https://www.pitpass.com/76970/Stake-unveils-the-C44


James Key 'pleased with the numbers' as the new Kick Sauber C44 is unleashed
05 Feb 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

James Key 'pleased with the numbers' as the new Kick Sauber C44 is launched in London.

'Pleased with the numbers';

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.james-key-pleased-with-the-numbers-as-the-new-kick-sauber-c44-is-unleashed.1790092750362765475.html


Sauber F1 team joins Red Bull and McLaren in suspension shift
19:44 Mon, 05 Feb 2024.
AUTHORAdam Cooper
Motorsport.com

The success of Red Bull’s RB18 and RB19 models and McLaren’s surge in form last year inevitably led other teams to examine the option, and Sauber has decided to take the pull-rod route in search of an aerodynamic benefit, in conjunction with a totally new bodywork package.

New Sauber technical director James Key conceded that it was a challenge to make a bold aerodynamic step while also introducing mechanical changes to the car. “It is quite an important project to try and get the balance right, but the team has done a fantastic job with a very difficult project to produce something that should function as planned,” he said.

“Of course, aerodynamics dominates, so a lot of the external things that you'll see are for the purposes of generating more efficient downforce. The bodywork is a massive battleground in these cars, much more so than in the previous generation. We can see trends developing there, and the direction we have taken is a lot more extreme than what we did last year.”

‘Suspension shift’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/sauber-f1-team-joins-red-bull-mclaren-suspension-shift/10572601/


Alessandro Alunni Bravi unleashes new brand identity for Kick Sauber
05 Feb 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Alessandro Alunni Bravi unleashes new brand identity for Kick Sauber as well as the new C44

‘New brand identity unleashed’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.alessandro-alunni-bravi-unleashes-new-brand-identity-for-kick-sauber.1790091435598281244.html

[Fortitude]

New Williams livery has tribute to Sir Frank – Vowles.
The revised livery for the 2024 Williams includes an arrow motif echoing that of the logo of Frank Williams Racing Cars – the precursor to Williams Grand Prix Engineering.
6th February 2024, 0:016th February 2024, 10:19
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Williams team principal James Vowles says the livery of the team’s new FW46 has a tribute to the team’s founder Sir Frank Williams. “I think it’s one of the biggest brands – certainly in motorsport and certainly in the UK,” Vowles told media including RaceFans. “I also have no desire whatsoever to change it – nor does Dorilton, for that matter – because it means a tremendous amount to me.

“Frank and his legacy remain in us. You’ll see in the livery now as well, if you look at the back you’ll see his arrow, subtly embedded in there. You’ll see a bit of Silverstone as well. I really wanted his mark on the car. I wanted to reflect that I’m not here to replace him, I’m here to carry on the legacy that is Williams.”

‘Tribute to Sir Frank’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/02/06/racefans-round-up-06-02-6/


Albon: Williams F1 progress key to long-term future
6th Feb 2024, 14:03
AUTHORFilip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

Alex Albon says Williams' rate of progress will be key to his long-term future with the Formula 1 team amid interest from rival teams. "My whole focus is on Williams and that's where I see myself. The rate of progression, to me, is also very important, so time will tell.”

"I feel like I'm very close to my peak. There's always improvements to be done and there's still areas to improve, but generally, with my experience now and where I am, I feel like I am deserving of a car that can score podiums and fight for wins. And that's just being totally honest with how I see myself.”

"More than anything, I want that team to be Williams. And that's where I put all my work and all my efforts into. And outside of that, that's just really: how does it fall into place? It's very clear to me, especially when you see the driver market, there's a huge interest in teams wanting the same driver for 25 and 26. That's how it looks like it's playing out. And let's see about that.”

‘The rate of progression’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/albon-williams-f1-progress-key-long-term-future/10572909/


Williams Racing FW46 Technical Specifications
February 6 2024
By Williams Racing

‘FW46’;

https://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s107/st205620.htm


Williams show off livery of their 2024 F1 car
6th Feb 2024, 08:53
By Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

The Grove-based outfit showed off the livery of their 2024 F1 car at a special launch ceremony in New York. The FW46 will sport a striking blue livery which, according to the team, “links Williams’ championship-winning heritage with its mission to return to the front of the grid”.

The team stated that "the livery seamlessly blends past glory with future aspirations to make history again, featuring a vibrant colour transition from Heritage Navy Blue to New Era Williams. A red and white pinstripe, reflecting Williams’ position as a British icon and inspired by historic cars from the 1985 FW10 driven by Nigel Mansell and Keke Rosberg to the 1997 Championship-winning FW19 piloted to glory by Jacques Villeneuve, is meticulously integrated for a classy yet powerful look."

‘2024 F1 car’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24381


Haas pokes fun at Williams following launch of 2024 F1 car
05 Feb 2024 4:28 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Komatsu were a close collaborator with Williams during the 1980s and ’90s, with Sir Frank Williams brought on board to design and manufacture gearbox components for the title-winning 1987 FW11. Komatsu also designed, manufactured, and supplied the gearboxes for the 1997 Williams FW19.

Komatsu’s logo and branding features prominently on Williams’ FW46 – as well as the team’s overalls and kit during the upcoming Formula 1 season – and the fact its logo is written on the side of the car didn’t escape Haas’ attention.

Following the departure of Haas’ team boss Guenther Steiner a few weeks ago, the team’s new boss is the promoted former director of engineering, Ayao Komatsu. Such a coincidence didn’t escape Haas, who took to social media to laugh at the situation. “Why is our team principal on your side pods?” the team posted, with a laugh.

‘Launch of 2024 F1 car’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/haas-poke-fun-williams-2024-f1-car-launch-komatsu

[Fortitude]

2024 Alpine F1 car launch: date, time and live stream details of reveal.
Alpine will launch its 2024 F1 title-contender on Wednesday 7 February.
February 5th 2024
Author: Motor Sport

It’s yet another fresh start for Alpine after a season of change in 2023. Midway through a disappointing campaign Philippe Krief replaced Laurent Rossi as CEO and quickly parted ways with three key figures within the Enstone camp: team principal Otmar Szafnauer, sporting director Alan Permane and chief technical officer Pat Fry.

Ahead of the winter break, director of racing expansion projects Davide Brivio also “mutually parted ways” with the French marque after three years of collaboration. Will any of the changes make a difference?

‘2024 Alpine F1 car launch’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/alpine-f1-car-launch/?nowprocket=1#


Alpine F1 Team Launch
09:48 Tue, 06 Feb 2024
Motorsport.com

Watch the livestream of the Alpine Motorsport 2024 Season Launch on Wednesday 7th of February with the unveiling of the A524 Formula 1 car and the A424 World Endurance Hypercar alongside its fleet of drivers.

‘Team Launch’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/video/alpine-f1-team-launch/646296/


Szafnauer takes aim at Alpine, opens up F1 team exit
01 February 2:10PM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Ex-Alpine Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer has provided details regarding his departure from the Enstone-based squad last year. During the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix weekend, Szafnauer's exit was confirmed alongside Sporting Director Alan Permane.

“This may sound egotistical but I believe I was doing a good job at Alpine and that I was making the right changes,” Szafnauer told MotorSport Magazine. “I have seen new team leaders make changes for the sake of change, they want to show the owners that they are doing something, making changes for the better.”

“The problem is they often don’t understand the changes they’re making. When you walk into a situation like Alpine you first have to get a deep understanding of what you have, what’s good, and what needs changing, but you cannot do that overnight.”

‘Alpine F1’;

https://racingnews365.com/szafnauer-takes-aim-at-alpine-opens-up-f1-team-exit


Alpine takes the long-term approach
30/01/2024
NEWS STORY
Pitpass

Alpine's technical director, Matt Harman reveals that the French team is focussing on future gains as opposed to an immediate improvement in form. Not helped by the fact that it has a woefully underperforming engine, the team is now looking to the 2026 rules overhaul and the revised regulations on Capital Expenditure as it seeks to return towards the front of the pack.

"We took a decision in the end to focus on the future, and we'll deal with this power unit for the next two years by trying to remove some of its losses and everything we can do within these regulations," says Matt Harman, according to Motorsport Week. Our focus is on the future and the 2026 regs as well as the cars we need to do between now and then," he adds. "We have got some big ideas for that.”

"We have also got a big programme at both sites to improve the capabilities and functions," he reveals, referring to the French team's facilities at Viry in France and Enstone. "You'll have seen there are some CapEx equalisation topics that have gone on with the FIA.

‘Long-term approach’;

https://www.pitpass.com/76942/Alpine-takes-the-long-term-approach


Alpine’s stark admission despite ‘understanding’ Red Bull design
17:54 Sat, 27 Jan 2024.
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Although Alpine think they understand the philosophy behind Red Bull’s championship-winning ground-effect aerodynamic cars, technical director Matt Harman says they won’t copy it. Despite showing signs of promise during the 2022 season, the first campaign under Formula 1’s latest batch of technical regulations, Alpine faltered last season.

The team managed just two Grand Prix podiums, one apiece for Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly, on their way to a disappointing P6 in the Constructors’ Championship. They, however, have ruled out following McLaren and others by heading down the Red Bull design philosophy. That is simply because tech director Harman doesn’t believe they can beat Red Bull by copying them.

“We think we understand what they’re doing,” he said but added: “You can’t click your fingers and just imagine it overnight. We understand our direction. But I think we’ve also understood some of the other cars on the grid as well.”

‘Stark admission’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/alpine-stark-admission-red-bull-design

[Fortitude]

‘Only the steering wheel survived’ - Alpine’s bold and aggressive A524 F1 car design explained.
Alpine’s brand new A524 F1 challenger underwent such a revamp over the winter that “only the steering wheel survived”.
07 Feb 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

The A524 was unveiled at Enstone on Wednesday, with Alpine technical director Matt Harman describing the radical changes as part of a “very bold approach. It’s a brand new car from front to back, I think only the steering wheel survived. So we’ve really tried to look at every single area of the car,” he said.

“We rigorously analysed the key aerodynamic concepts that we wanted to move towards on this car to explore more aerodynamic freedom and better unlock these concepts to their full potential.”

“We found with the A523 that it was operating within a very narrow window. This was a weakness as it meant we were limited on what we could exploit with the car and there were very specific characteristics on where it thrived and where it did not. Therefore, for the A524, we aim to broaden this window as much as we can to give ourselves a better opportunity of maximising its potential.”

‘Only the steering wheel survived’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1044091/1/only-steering-wheel-survived-alpines-bold-and-aggressive-a524-f1-car-design


Alpine roll out ‘aggressive’ changes for A524 as rivals warned of ‘huge potential’
07 Feb 2024 3:20 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Alpine will head to Bahrain with an A524 “completely new from front to back”, which carries an “awful lot of potential to extract”. Technical director Matt Harman, who confirmed that the A524 is “completely new from front to back” after Alpine hit the performance ceiling with its predecessor.

“We maxed out the potential on the A523 and so the A524 is completely new from front to back. We rigorously analysed the key aerodynamic concepts that we wanted to move towards on this car to explore more aerodynamic freedom and better unlock these concepts to their full potential.”

“We found with the A523 that it was operating within a very narrow window. This was a weakness as it meant we were limited on what we could exploit with the car and there were very specific characteristics on where it thrived and where it did not. Therefore, for the A524, we aim to broaden this window as much as we can to give ourselves a better opportunity of maximising its potential.”

“Awful lot of potential to extract”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/aggressive-alpine-a524-new-front-to-back


Alpine pulls the covers off ‘bold’ 2024 F1 car
07/02/2024 at 14:16
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Alpine rolled out its 2024 F1 contender on Wednesday at Enstone, a car that will be raced once again by Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly.

The team says its A524 is a "brand-new concept created for the next two seasons and is marked by innovative solutions as a result of learnings from previous iterations. "The bold approach will allow the team to apply a stronger development path across the next two campaigns."

‘Bold 2024 F1 car’;

https://f1i.com/news/499028-alpine-pulls-the-covers-off-bold-2024-f1-car.html


Alpine take bold approach with all-new 2024 F1 car
7th Feb 2024, 17:10
The Straits Times

ENSTONE, England - Renault-owned Alpine said they had changed almost everything bar the steering wheel as they became the first Formula One team to roll out their new 2024 car, rather than just presenting a livery or digital rendering, on Wednesday.

Team principal Bruno Famin, who took over last year, said everything had to improve. "We have an idea of where we think we are compared to last year but we have no clue about where are the competitors," he said.

‘Bold approach’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/alpine-take-bold-approach-with-all-new-2024-f1-car


Alpine launches the A524
7th February 2024, 15:58
Motorsport.com

A quick look at the 2024 Alpine F1 car.

‘Video’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/video/alpine-launches-the-a524/646351/


Alpine setting no targets for 2024 as ‘we must improve everywhere’ – Famin
7th February 2024, 16:44
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Alpine team principal Bruno Famin is not setting any targets for their 2024 F1 season after embracing a new car design philosophy. The team is also making extensive changes behind the scenes, said Famin, which may take time to pay off.

“There’s a lot of expectations, we are excited, for sure, it’s a brand new car, but to me there is no optimism,” he told media including RaceFans at today’s launch. “We know that the road is long. We know that we have a lot to do. We know where we want to go to fight in front. But we know that the road is long. We have a lot of things to improve everywhere across the company.”

‘We must improve everywhere’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/02/07/alpine-setting-no-targets-for-2024-as-we-must-improve-everywhere-famin/


Alpine: All new A524 all about ‘maximizing potential’
07/02/2024 at 16:11
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Alpine says it “maxed out” the potential of its 2023 car which justified conceiving an all-new contender for 2024, a “bold” design on which only the steering wheel was carried over from its predecessor. This ambitious move, spearheaded by technical director Matt Harman, reflects the team's dissatisfaction with their 2023 performance and their hunger to return to the top of the midfield.

"There are many big changes on the A524, our challenger for the 2024 season,” commented Harman. “We maxed out the potential on the A523 and so the A524 is completely new from front to back,"

"We rigorously analysed the key aerodynamic concepts that we wanted to move towards on this car to explore more aerodynamic freedom and better unlock these concepts to their full potential.”

‘Maximizing potential’;

https://f1i.com/news/499057-alpine-all-new-a524-all-about-maximizing-potential.html


Alpine boss makes Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly ‘relentless’ promise at launch of 2024 F1 car
Wed 7 February 2024 16:00
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Alpine technical director Matt Harman promised Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly that the F1 team will ‘relentlessly upgrade’ the A524 in 2024 at the launch of the new car.

“We have really focused on learning and reacting to what we have learned, rather than on results. The project has been bold where we have focused on realising concepts, which we aim to add to the car. We’ve built ourselves a strong platform to add performance when we can and we have set ourselves targets to deliver those.”

‘Relentless promise’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/alpine-boss-makes-esteban-ocon-and-pierre-gasly-relentless-promise-at-launch-of-2024-f1-car/


TECH ANALYSIS: Why there’s more to Alpine’s new A524 car than meets the eye
07 February 2024
Mark Hughes
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

While the Alpine A524 looks superficially similar to its predecessor of last year, it represents a nose-to-tail re-engineering job which the team hopes will significantly improve its competitiveness. The chassis redesign, while encompassing the targeted weight reduction, has allowed for both the new sidepod layout and new rear suspension.

The take-away points of visual difference are a re-arranged geometry for the pushrod rear suspension and a reconfigured sidepod-cooling layout which allows a deeper undercut along the length of the sidepod. There has also been a big push to reduce the chassis weight further and to get better thermal management of the brakes in order to optimise tyre performance.

‘TECH ANALYSIS’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.tech-analysis-why-theres-more-to-alpines-new-a524-car-than-meets-the-eye.42VSKfSV5w64oez4uZDA7B.html


Gary Anderson's verdict on the 2024 Alpine
Feb 7, 2024
by Gary Anderson
The Race

Overall this car is a step forward from last year but it’s still difficult to assess where Alpine might stand in the pecking order. I think it’s a case of what level the others have risen to as I’m not seeing anything too exciting here just yet.

‘Verdict’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/alpine-a524-2024-f1-car-launch-gary-anderson-verdict/

[Fortitude]

Visa Cash App RB further teases new 2024 F1 livery.
Visa Cash App RB has provided further hints at its new livery for the 2024 season, with the car set to be launched on Friday morning European time in Las Vegas.
08 February 8:40AM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Visa Cash App RB has provided further hints at its new livery for the 2024 season, with the car set to be launched on Friday morning European time in Las Vegas.

‘Teases new 2024 F1 livery’;

https://racingnews365.com/visa-cash-app-rb-further-teases-new-2024-f1-livery


Ricciardo race suit leak suggests HUGE Red Bull change
Wednesday 7 February 2024 22:57
Sam Cook
GPFans

A photo circling on social media apparently shows the new race suits that both Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda will wear during the 2024 season.

The race suit in question looks to be white, in a similar style to Ricciardo and Tsunoda's most recent AlphaTauri gear, but clearly features a lot more commercial sponsors compared to 2023, including Hugo Boss.

This influx of sponsors and a rebrand commercially brings them closer to the Red Bull name, and suggests a different direction is being taken with the team by the wider Red Bull brand having previously lacked in this area.

‘HUGE Red Bull change’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1012763/daniel-ricciardo-f1-visa-cash-app-rb-red-bull-change-sponsorship/


Visa RB strengthens its technical department with Alan Permane and Tim Goss
08:21 Tue, 30 Jan 2024.
By Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Following last week’s announcement of its brand-new identity, Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team has announced key changes to its technical department, signing three experienced senior technical and trackside personnel. After leaving the FIA, Tim Goss is set to join the Visa Cash App RB Team, taking on the new role of Chief Technical Officer. The British engineer will report to the Team Principal, Laurent Mekies, and will commence his work in Faenza in October.

He has gained a wealth of competitive experience shaped by 28 years with McLaren, where he rose from assistant race engineer to become Head of Vehicle Performance, Chief Engineer, Director of Engineering and Technical Director in 2013. During this time he helped to deliver five drivers titles with Senna, Hakkinen, and Hamilton. He joined the FIA’s Single-Seater Technical Group in 2021 and became the Federation’s Technical Director in 2023 and held the role until January of this year.

‘Technical department strengthened’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24370


“Not available” - Helmut Marko rules out Daniel Ricciardo as possible Lewis Hamilton replacement
One less driver is available to Mercedes with Helmut Marko ruling Daniel Ricciardo out of a potential switch.
06 Feb 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has poured cold water on Daniel Ricciardo as a potential replacement for Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes in 2025. “Ricciardo still has a long-term contract and is not available,” the Austrian told F1-insider.com

“Not available”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1044051/1/not-available-helmut-marko-rules-out-daniel-ricciardo-possible-lewis-hamilton


Visa Cash App RB pass major test ahead of 2024 launch
06 February 8:36AM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Visa Cash App RB has passed a major test in the birth of its first Formula 1 car, by powering up the Red Bull Powertrains-Honda power unit. The team, which has rebadged from AlphaTauri for the 2024 season, will once again be powered by the same engine as the senior Red Bull team which the in-house power unit manufacturer will provide, along with support from Honda once again.

The car is to be unveiled at a special launch event in Las Vegas on February 8th - three days before Super Bowl LVIII in the city where the new livery will be revealed with the team set to run drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda once again. There have been major changes to the leadership of the team throughout the winter with Laurent Mekies taking up team principal duties from the retired Franz Tost with Peter Bayer starting his first full season as CEO.

‘Pass major test’;

https://racingnews365.com/visa-cash-app-rb-pass-major-test-ahead-of-2024-launch

[Fortitude]

British Grand Prix to stay at Silverstone as huge £300m new F1 deal announced.
Silverstone have extended their deal to host the British Grand Prix for another 10 years. The legendary circuit's previous deal was due to expire at the end of the 2024 season but it will now remain in place until 2034.
14:12, Thu, Feb 8, 2024
By George Glinski
Daily and Sunday Express

The news was first announced in a social media video with British F1 drivers George Russell and Lando Norris. According to the Daily Mail, the deal is worth a staggering £300million.

F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali said: "I am delighted to announce that the British Grand Prix will remain on the calendar for 10 more years with this agreement.

"Silverstone is an iconic venue at the heart of F1 history and as it approaches its ninth decade hosting Grands Prix, the event continues to attract fans from around the world for fantastic racing on track and the amazing fan experience off it.”

‘British Grand Prix for another 10 years’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1864601/British-Grand-Prix-Silverstone-F1-news


Ten-year F1 deal keeps British Grand Prix at Silverstone until 2034
February 8th 2024
Author: Dominic Tobin
Motor Sport Magazine

The British Grand Prix will stay on the F1 calendar for at least another ten years, and Silverstone will remain its home after striking a ten-year extension to its current contract. A short message from Silverstone’s social media accounts expressed “delight” and the development which caps a turnaround project that has been going on for more than 15 years, since Bernie Ecclestone branded the circuit “an embarrassment” and awarded the race contract to Donington Park

Silverstone managing director Stuart Pringle outlined more of the changes in a conversation with Motor Sport last summer. Grand Prix weekend entertainment gives spectators more for the price of their ticket, and bosses regularly cite the circuit’s fan approval rating, which is consistently at the top of the scale, compared to other venues on the calendar.

“I would argue very strongly that we are leading the way for traditional circuits in showing what F1 is nowadays,” said Pringle last year. “I don’t think there is anybody from the established circuit brigade and certainly not from the cornerstone races who have embraced this way of operating with quite the same verve as we have.

‘Silverstone until 2034’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/ten-year-f1-deal-keeps-british-grand-prix-at-silverstone-until-2034/?nowprocket=1


Future of F1 British Grand Prix secure until 2034
8th February 2024, 15:33
by James Attwood
Autocar.co.uk

Peter Digby, chairman of the British Racing Drivers’ Club, which owns Silverstone, said the extension “will provide a solid base for the further development of the venue as we continue to improve and transform the circuit into a year-round international motorsport and leisure destination”.

F1 boss Stefano Domenicali added that he was “delighted” with the deal, calling Silverstone “an iconic venue at the heart of F1 history”.

‘A year-round international motorsport and leisure destination’;

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motorsport-f1/future-f1-british-grand-prix-secure-until-2034


British Grand Prix remains on F1 calendar until 2034
8th February 2024, 15:11
The Straits Times

The British Grand Prix will remain on the Formula One calendar until 2034, following a 10-year extension with Silverstone and the British Racing Drivers's Club (BRDC), F1 announced on Thursday.

The first ever Formula One Grand Prix was held at Silverstone in 1950 and the new deal will see the circuit involved for its ninth decade. "I am delighted to announce the British Grand Prix will remain on the calendar for 10 more years with this agreement," F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali said in a statement.

‘First ever Formula One Grand Prix, Silverstone in 1950’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/british-grand-prix-remains-on-f1-calendar-until-2034


Silverstone secures its F1 future: British GP to run until 2034!
08/02/2024 at 14:17
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

The roar and clamor of British F1 fans will continue to echo through Silverstone until at least 2034 following the venue’s confirmation on Thursday of a new ten-year deal sealed with Formula 1. Silverstone Circuit’s social media buzzed with the announcement, featuring a celebratory "TEN. MORE. YEARS." message and a video cameo from British F1 stars George Russell and Lando Norris.

The circuit’s 10-year pact provides Silverstone and the British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC) with much-needed security and clarity. Knowing their marquee event is guaranteed well into the future allows them to confidently invest in infrastructure upgrades and further enhance the fan experience. “The 2024 Formula 1 season will start with nine BRDC Full and Honorary members on the grid and the importance of our continued support of young drivers is particularly evidenced by the success of Lewis, Lando [Norris], George [Russell] and Alex [Albon].”

“This long-term commitment reflects the importance of the British Grand Prix to Formula 1 and their acknowledgement of our ability to deliver a world-class experience for the British fans who are among the most enthusiastic and knowledgeable in the world,” added Stuart Pringle, Chief Executive Officer, Silverstone.

‘Roar and clamor of British F1 fans will continue to echo through Silverstone’;

https://f1i.com/news/499103-silverstone-secures-its-f1-future-british-gp-to-run-until-2034.html

[Fortitude]

VCARB livery released in Las Vegas as Red Bull complete eye-catching rebrand.
Red Bull have rebranded their sister team to VCARB in 2024, and the Faenza-based outfit have an eye-catching new livery to match.
06:34, Fri, Feb 9, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Red Bull's rebrand of their sister team to VCARB - which stands for Visa Cash App RB - has been completed after the team unveiled a striking new livery at their launch event in Las Vegas. The design is an ode to the team's history as the Toro Rosso team, with whom the likes of Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen made their F1 debuts.

‘VCARB’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1864825/VCARB-2024-livery-car-pictures


Red Bull's rebranded second F1 team RB reveals 2024 car
Feb 9, 2024
by Josh Suttill
The Race

Red Bull's rebranded second Formula 1 team has revealed its 2024 challenger, the first under its new 'Visa Cash App RB' identity. The team previously known as AlphaTauri and Toro Rosso, issued images of its VCARB 01 2024 car in parallel with a private launch event in Las Vegas.

RB has adopted a blue and white livery, not so dissimilar from the fan-favourite liveries used in the final years of its Toro Rosso guise from 2017 to 2019. The 2024 RB marks a closer collaboration with Red Bull, something that will only add fuel to complaints from rivals that began increasing in volume in late 2023.

‘VCARB 01’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/red-bull-rb-2024-car-livery-launch/


Visa Cash App RB unveils striking Red Bull-inspired car
09 February 7:33AM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

VCARB-01 takes its front pull-rod and rear push-rod suspension from Red Bull, with this design becoming a common trend among the teams to launch their new machines thus far.

The power steering, brake system, gearbox and exhaust are also from Red Bull Technologies, with the team designing the monocoque and brake ducts itself as per the regulations. The car to be driven by Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda will be powered by the Red Bull Powertrains-Honda unit once again.

‘VCARB-01’;

https://racingnews365.com/visa-cash-app-rb-unveils-striking-red-bull-inspired-rb-01-car


RB reveals its new VCARB 01 Formula 1 car
9th February 2024, 06:47
AUTHORJonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

The rebranded RB team has revealed its 2024 Formula 1 car at a special event on the Las Vegas Boulevard. Following a winter of significant change for the Faenza-based squad, which has a new team principal and new identity, the VCARB 01 was shown for the first time at a launch party.

The blue, black and white challenger features significant branding from new title sponsors Visa and Cash App. On the technical front, the new car features some interesting changes that have brought it closer to sister team Red Bull's concept, having been open about there being closer collaboration for this season.

‘VCARB 01 Formula 1 car’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/rb-reveals-its-new-vcarb-01-formula-1-car/10573967/


In photos: Visa Cash App RB reveals new 2024 F1 challenger
09 February 7:36AM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

At a special launch event in Las Vegas, drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda unveiled the the livery for the new machine on a show car, with the team providing renders for the Red Bull Powertrains-powered car.

The previous four launches for 2024 had featured a distinct lack of paint and far more exposed carbon than normal owing to weight concerns, but the team has elected to buck the trend seen thus far with the car.

‘New 2024 F1 challenger’;

https://racingnews365.com/in-photos-visa-cash-app-rb-reveals-new-2024-f1-challenger


Visa Cash App RB Formula 1 Team unveils stunning VCARB 01 in Las Vegas for the 2024 Season
AlphaTauri have been rebranded Visa Cash App RB for the 2024 F1 season
February 9, 2024
By John Smith
Total Motorsport

Under the glittering neon glow of Las Vegas Boulevard, the Visa Cash App RB Formula 1 Team made a grand entrance into the 2024 season with a spectacular launch event. The night was charged with excitement as the team unveiled its new livery, the VCARB 01, and celebrated the beginning of a promising partnership with its sponsors.

The launch event was not just about the bright lights and high-energy entertainment; it marked a significant milestone for the Visa Cash App RB Formula 1 Team. With the unveiling of the VCARB 01, the team showcased a fresh identity, featuring a striking blue and white livery that symbolizes a new era of competition and ambition.

The launch was elevated by performances from two giants of the music industry, Kendrick Lamar and Baby Keem, whose electrifying sets matched the high-octane atmosphere of Formula 1. Their involvement underscored the blend of sports, culture, and entertainment that Formula 1 embodies, making the Visa Cash App RB team launch an unforgettable event.

‘Stunning VCARB 01 in Las Vegas’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-2024-visa-cash-app-rb-unveils-stunning-vcarb-01-las-vegas/


Toro Rosso vibes return as VCARB launch 2024 F1 car in Las Vegas
09 Feb 2024 6:41 AM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Taking the covers off the car to the cheer of the crowd, the team unveiled the car on stage in Las Vegas as artists performed to massive hype. It’s all revolution at the newly-renamed VCARB outfit where, along with the new identity, the team has had a significant change in leadership.

Partnered with Tsunoda is Daniel Ricciardo as he makes his full-time racing return – the Australian had a truncated 2023 season after being brought back as a replacement for the struggling Nyck de Vries as Ricciardo suffered a hand injury at the Dutch Grand Prix.

‘VCARB launch’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/vcarb01-2024-f1-car-launched-las-vegas


FIRST LOOK: RB pull the covers off their 2024 challenger at Las Vegas event
09 February 2024
Formula One - Official Site

The newly-rebranded RB team have unveiled their 2024 challenger – the VCARB 01 – at a glittering launch event in Las Vegas. The VCARB 01 was very much the star of the show at the dazzling launch event in Las Vegas, with the team's new CEO Peter Bayer present as well as new Team Principal Laurent Mekies.

There’s also been a host of changes to the operation ahead of this year’s campaign, with three experienced technical and trackside personnel signing on recently. One of those is Alan Permane – who departed Alpine as their Sporting Director midway through last season – as he takes up the role of Racing Director.

Tim Goss will also take on the role of Chief Technical Officer in October, while Guillaume Cattelani joined the team as Deputy Technical Director, reporting to Technical Director Jody Egginton.

‘2024 challenger – the VCARB 01’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.first-look-rb-pull-the-covers-off-their-2024-challenger-at-las-vegas-event.3hwiNOjL6QsP8jSkytN64J.html

[Fortitude]

Red Bull 2? Gary Anderson on RB's new VCARB 01 F1 car.
Red Bull's second Formula 1 team has undergone yet another identity refresh and is onto its third name since the company took over Minardi.
Feb 9, 2024
by Gary Anderson
The Race

The team will be even closer to Red Bull for 2024, and is being encouraged to use more of the transferrable parts available within the regulations. RB also has two experienced drivers in Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo, so results-wise will be chasing podiums and, if luck falls its way, maybe even snatching a win.

To achieve that, the drivers will need the equipment to show their real talent so let’s have a look at what has been revealed so far. As I always say, I can only comment on what we can see from what the teams provide at this point, so please take my analysis with a pinch of salt until we see exactly what turns up in Bahrain.

Overall, this is a neat and tidy package and a good starting point. I’m pretty sure there will be more detail to get stuck into when we see the Bahrain test version, so it will be interesting to see what has been hidden and what level of initial detail the team will come up with.

‘VCARB 01 F1 car’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/rb-vcarb-01-2024-f1-car-launch-gary-anderson-verdict/


How VCARB plans to turn an historical 'weakness' into a strength
09 February 9:55AM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

At present, VCARB's main base is in Faenza but an outpost is located in the UK in Bicester where aerodynamic testing is carried out, but the split in the two locations has been historically regarded as a weakness in F1, with only Alpine and Haas following a similar trend with their Enstone/Viry and North Carolina/Maranello operations, respectively. But Mekies, who left his role as Ferrari's sporting director to replace Tost is sure that the team can foster a winning environment across two locations.

"Historically in Formula 1, it's always been seen as a weakness to have two headquarters," Mekies exclusively told RacingNews365 at the launch of the VCARB. "What we want to achieve is that what was historically a weakness, we want to turn it into a strength, so we are very happy to have two headquarters with one in Bicester and we are building a new one in Milton Keynes to transfer the people from Bicester to a brand-new HQ, hopefully by the end of the year.”

"Obviously we have the historical headquarters of Faenza, and we are a technology company, nowadays, we are a competitive technology company and times have changed. We think there is a way to get people to work on both sides of the Channel, and that we can turn that into a strength. We can go on the job market and get the best people in the UK and in Europe and making our company a location-free company where communication flows and where we build the right environment with enough technology so we overtake the historical weaknesses."

‘VCARB plans’;

https://racingnews365.com/how-vcarb-plans-to-turn-an-historical-weakness-into-a-strength


Laurent Mekies: 'Let's build the best possible racing team and see where it takes us'
09 Feb 2024
Formula One - Official Site

RB's newly appointed Team Principal Laurent Mekies speaks to Lawrence Barretto about his 2024 targets.

‘Best possible racing team’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.laurent-mekies-lets-build-the-best-possible-racing-team-and-see-where-it-takes-us.1790417447871663741.html


VCARB 01 - Entering Our New Era
9th February 2024, 06:57
Motorsport.com

Introducing the VCARB 01, our 2024 challenger as we enter our new era and identity. Drivers Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo are ready to take on the season for an action packed year in their new look.

‘Entering Our New Era’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/video/vcarb-01-entering-our-new-era/646468/


Yuki Tsunoda on 2024 goals at RB
09 Feb 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Lawrence Barretto sits down with Yuki Tsunoda ahead of the 2024 season.

‘2024 goals at RB’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.yuki-tsunoda-on-2024-goals-at-rb.1790406921256168252.html


Daniel Ricciardo sets lofty “top-fives” target as RB embark on new era
Daniel Ricciardo has big hopes for the Visa Cash App RB F1 team in 2024.
09 Feb 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

"There are a lot of new personnel, some big partners coming onboard,” Ricciardo told F1’s official website. "The team has always taken itself seriously, but I feel like this is another step up. It’s no longer just a platform for Red Bull Racing, it’s a time for us to fight at the front of the midfield.”

"I like what’s happened, the changes that have taken place. There’s something about the team, the mindset is a bit different, kind of like a point to prove. It’s cool. It’s fun. You have to aim high, but being in this sport so long, you want to remain realistic as you don’t want to end up ultimately disappointed,” Ricciardo said when asked what is possible this season.

"Top-fives should be a target and if we get into that position, maybe some podiums present themselves. Of course we want to win but, you know, let’s…I think we made steps last year, let’s make a few more steps. Do I think top-five results are on the table – and could they be on the table in the first half of the season? I’d like to think so."

“Top-fives”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1044120/1/daniel-ricciardo-sets-lofty-top-fives-target-rb-embark-new-era

[Fortitude]

Williams Racing Needs More Cash to Return to the Top, Says F1 Team’s Principal.
“We’re not financially stable,” Vowles said in a Bloomberg TV interview as Williams launched its 2024 livery in New York City. “We’re going on the right pathway towards it, but it does require Dorilton to do an investment into the organization year-on-year to make sure we are still in a strong place.”
13:20 Wed, 07 Feb 2024.
Nataly Pak, Bloomberg News
BNN Bloomberg

The storied team with nine constructors’ championships under its belt has been struggling financially for some time. Williams posted a £17.9 million ($22.6 million) loss in 2022 and £11.9 million in 2021, according to financial statements. The results for 2023 are yet to be released.

“I want to change a lot of the infrastructure that really isn’t fit for purpose anymore into new age, modern technology,” Vowles said when asked about a £36 million capital injection from its parent company for 2023. “Again, that requires investment. Investment has to grow, not shrink, from those numbers.”

Dorilton is “absolutely” willing to support Williams along the way, according to Vowles. The New York-based private equity firm bought Williams for £152 million in 2020. “Within a five-year period, I’m confident that we can get this team into a strong position,” Vowles said.

“We’re not financially stable”;

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/williams-racing-needs-more-cash-to-return-to-the-top-says-f1-team-s-principal-1.2031965


Only a ‘fool’ would drop Williams name for ‘problem’ VCARB, Stake branding
07 Feb 2024 3:00 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

James Vowles will not sell Williams’ naming rights to the highest bidder, adamant only a “fool” would drop the legacy that is Williams. Although the team is in its fifth season of ownership under US investment company Dorilton Capital, Williams remains Williams, and if team boss Vowles has any say, it always will.

“I think it’s one of the biggest brands, certainly in motorsport and certainly in the UK. I also have no desire whatsoever to change it nor do Dorilton for that matter, because it means a tremendous amount,” he told the media, including PlanetF1.com. “Frank and his legacy remain in us. And you’ll see on the livery now as well, if you look you’ll see his arrow subtly embedded in there.”

“I still today don’t know AlphaTauri’s new name and I was in an F1 Commission earlier and they mentioned it but it doesn’t matter. Something is their new name. And that’s part of the problem, that doesn’t have legacy, that doesn’t hold weight in my mind. You create legacy through championships, through growth, through a tremendous amount of the world believing in you and following you. Williams means a tremendous amount to me. It’s the first team I really followed, and it’s what I want to retain because it’s a strength and a weakness.”

“Frank and his legacy remain in us”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/williams-naming-rights-sponsorship-vcarb-stake


Alex Albon issues bleak Williams verdict after ‘open’ James Vowles talks
Wed 7 February 2024 20:00
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Alex Albon has issued a bleak verdict on the chances of Williams fighting for regular podiums after ‘open’ talks with team boss James Vowles before the 2024 F1 season. The new campaign is now mere weeks away with pre-season testing from February 21 to 23 in Sakhir. Five red lights will then go out to start the Bahrain GP one week later at the circuit. It will mark the start of Albon’s third season with Williams and Vowles’ second at their helm.

Albon told RacingNews365: “James is extremely involved and he always keeps me up to date with the progress of the team, the areas we need to work on, the areas that I could help him improve. He’s very open in that sense – which is, obviously, a very nice thing to have.”

The London-born Thai continued: “I think that 2026/2027, that’s the period of time where I think we’re going to consistently fight for podiums and, obviously, that’s quite far away. I just have to be happy with the journey that we’re on and the progress that we’re making. That’s pretty clear of where I see the team and where I want the team to be. I’ll be assisting in pushing for that as long as I can.”

‘2026/2027: Consistently fight for podiums’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/alex-albon-issues-bleak-williams-verdict-after-open-james-vowles-talks/


SPECIAL REPORT: James Vowles' sleepless nights, Alex Albon's rising fame, and Logan Sargent 2.0... inside Williams' 2024 preparations - and how they've changed 'everything' ahead of the new Formula One season
Published: 20:15, 6 February 2024
By Ben Nagle For Dailymail.Com
Mail Online

Here, DailyMail.com goes behind the scenes to find out Williams' plans for the new year, how Vowles is already finding success... and what happened during a grueling winter back at the factory. 'There are nights that I really haven't slept because of the responsibility. I have the weight of the company on my shoulders.' Crouched over a table at the top of a New York skyscraper, the Manhattan skyline in full view behind him, Williams team principal James Vowles is in a reflective mood.

'I think we're probably the last team to get it all together and fire the car up, which happened today,' Vowles tells Mail Sport at the top of the Rockefeller Center. 'It's a momentous occasion for the team, and I love being here, don't get me wrong... but I also really miss the fact that I didn't get to hear the car for the first time.'

His determination to succeed seeps out of every pore, with Vowles keen to insist that he will do whatever it takes to get this team back where it belongs. 'I didn't care about last year, and I don't really care about this year,' he explains. 'Yeah, I'm confident we've done a really good job, but what I care about is us fighting at the front for championships again.’

‘James Vowles' sleepless nights’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13048951/Williams-2024-F1-launch-Alex-Albon-Logan-Sargeant-James-Vowles.html


Williams boss James Vowles makes ‘idiot’ claim after rival F1 team’s decision
Tue 6 February 2024 21:00
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

James Vowles says he would be ‘an idiot’ to throw away Williams’ legacy in Formula 1 after Red Bull rebranded AlphaTauri as Visa Cash App RB ahead of the 2024 campaign. Red Bull GmbH, the parent company of Red Bull Racing, initially rebranded Toro Rosso to be AlphaTauri in 2020. But four seasons with the name failed to deliver the marketing results it hoped for. AlphaTauri is a fashion brand that Red Bull launched in 2016 named after the star.

Vowles believes he would be ‘an idiot’ to let Dorilton Capital – which bought Williams from the Williams family in August 2020 – throw away their ‘vast legacy’ by changing the team’s name. He is adamant that the name remains ‘one of our strengths’ compared to their rivals. “It’s one of the biggest brands in motorsport and in Great Britain,” Vowles said, via quotes by Motorsport-Total. “I have no desire to change that, and neither does Dorilton, because it means a lot to me.”

‘James Vowles makes ‘idiot’ claim’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/williams-boss-james-vowles-makes-idiot-claim-after-rival-f1-teams-decision/

[Fortitude]

Steiner: Haas ‘won’t get anywhere’ with current approach.
Former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner believes the US outfit will continue to linger at the back of the F1 grid without fresh investment from its eponymous owner and a reassessment of its model.
06/02/2024 at 11:46
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

This stark contrast in philosophies - Steiner pushing for ambitious expansion, Haas prioritizing strategic resource allocation - created an irreconcilable situation that ultimately led to their dramatic split. “Something needed to change,” Steiner told Autocar.

“I’m not saying that Haas did it wrong. All the other ones did it right. F1 changed from when Haas started to where it went in the past five years. It’s a completely different ball game. They’re all strong teams.”

“You just need to open your eyes, if you understand F1, and look at what the other ones do – and Haas isn’t doing it. At some stage, you can’t get anywhere with [Haas’s] approach. It’s just not time-representative anymore.”

‘Haas won’t get anywhere’;

https://f1i.com/news/498983-steiner-haas-wont-get-anywhere-with-current-approach.html


Guenther Steiner expects Haas to struggle to “keep up” without new F1 structure
Ex-Haas boss Guenther Steiner is unsure his former team will be able to keep up with their midfield rivals in the coming seasons.
08 Feb 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net
Ex-Haas F1 team principal Guenther Steiner doubts his former team will be able to “keep up” with their midfield rivals unless they change how they operate. Steiner conceded that Haas did go down the wrong route with their design concept for 2023.

However, he feels that Haas’ smaller workforce only makes things more difficult for the American outfit. “It’s no secret that we were at an impasse with our concept and that it took us too long to react,” the Italian added. “That’s what happens when you only have half as many people as others. But our guys didn’t do such a bad job.”

‘Haas to struggle’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1044106/1/guenther-steiner-expects-haas-struggle-keep-without-new-f1-structure


Haas failure down to 'old structures' still in place – Steiner
06 February 9:00AM
Author Nick Golding
RacingNews365

Guenther Steiner has hit out at Haas team owner Gene Haas for failing to adapt to the current F1 regulations, which were introduced in 2022. The Drive to Survive sensation recently departed his role as the American side's boss, following the conclusion of his contract at the end of 2023. Gene opted not to offer Steiner an extension, with Ayao Komatsu having been promoted from being the team's Director of Engineering.

Prior to his departure, Steiner – who led Haas from when they joined the sport in 2016 until the end of 2023 – outlined to Gene how he wanted the team to change going forwards. The 58-year-old even wanted to invest in the North Carolina-based squad, something the team owner didn't want the Italian to do.

‘Failure down to old structures';

https://racingnews365.com/haas-failure-down-to-old-structures-still-in-place-steiner


Haas owner didn't want to spend more on F1 says Steiner
FEBRUARY 5, 2024
GrandPrix.com

Gunther Steiner admits he was fired by Gene Haas because he wanted the billionaire team owner to spend more money on Formula 1. Steiner said the team was established with its uniquely lean structure long before the budget cap era, leaving more powerful rivals able to adapt in a way that Haas could not.

This is not a criticism of the team, Steiner told Auto Motor und Sport, "but the reality. The budget cap has completely changed Formula 1. Old structures no longer work, he explained. "McLaren, Williams, Alpha Tauri have been investing for two years in infrastructure so that they have more budget for the operational business. If you don't follow suit, you can't expect to be able to keep up.

Every bit of new software, for example, reduces the expenses on the personnel side, Steiner added. Every new machine helps you produce more cheaply. Then you have money left over for developing the car. He said his plan was for a grand new team factory. If you want to attract new people, you have to offer them a pleasant environment. Otherwise no one will come anymore, said Steiner.

‘Didn't want to spend more on F1’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/haas-owner-didnt-want-to-spend-more-on-f1-says-steiner.html


Guenther Steiner details ‘very short call’ as he was axed by Gene Haas
06 Feb 2024 9:45 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Guenther Steiner has revealed the phone call from Gene Haas to inform him he was no longer Haas’ F1 team boss was “very short” as he didn’t feel a need to debate it with the team owner.

“He called me up,” Steiner said to Autocar. “It was out of the blue. I was like: ‘Okay, what do you want to tell me?’ “He said: ‘I don’t want to extend the contract.’ “I said: ‘In the end, it’s your decision. It’s your team and the contract is up. What can I do? Do I think it’s right or not? Whatever I say, you’ll disagree with it. So leave it at that.’ ”

“It was a very short call; it wasn’t a big discussion or anything. It was also very strange. You work with somebody for 10 years and you get a call [like that]… It’s weird. I was okay. I just move on. It’s fine. Anyway, I couldn’t believe anymore in what was happening there.”

‘Very short call’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/guenther-steiner-details-very-short-call-axed-gene-haas

[Fortitude]

Sauber under investigation as F1 team could be forced to change name again.
Sauber may be forced to change their team name again just days after announcing another revamp for the 2024 season as Swiss authorities investigate the Formula 1 team.
February 9, 2024
By Joe Krishnan
Total Motorsport

Sauber launched their 2024 car in early February but the team could face trouble before the new F1 season begins

In Sauber‘s home nation of Switzerland, strict laws apply to all types of gambling and, more specifically, advertising for online casinos or sports betting providers is prohibited. It is this detail which had an impact on Sauber‘s decision to hold their presentation of the new C44 car in London, rather than at their factory in Hinwil, as they normally would.

However, Swiss regulators are apparently not satisfied with that concession and have initiated official proceedings against the F1 team, according to Swiss broadcaster SRF.

‘Could face trouble before the new F1 season begins’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-2024-sauber-investigation-team-forced-change-name-again/


Sauber facing legal action in Switzerland over rebranding as ‘Stake’
RaceFans Round-up
Posted on 7th February 2024, 0:01
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Swiss-based team Sauber revealed its new branding as Stake F1 Team in a launch event in London on Monday. It acknowledged restrictions on gambling advertising in some territories mean it will use a different name at some rounds of the world championship.

However gambling advertising is also banned in Switzerland and its casino commission has initiated proceedings against the team, Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen reports. Advertising deemed inadmissible can be punished by a fine of up to 500,000 Swiss Francs (£456,000).

‘Legal action’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/02/07/racefans-round-up-07-02-6/


Sauber's identity crisis
07/02/2024
NEWS STORY
Pitpass

Formerly Alfa Romeo, Sauber's latest incarnation, Stake, is facing a legal challenge as the team seeks to change its name according to host nations gambling laws.

According to Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen, Switzerland's Federal Casino Commission is deeply unhappy with the move, and while there are no F1 races in Switzerland the team is based in the country and by incorporating Stake in its name is seen as a deliberate means of attempting to circumvent the law.

"In the present case, the brands Stake and Sauber are so linked together, or the term Stake is so strongly imprinted in the minds of viewers, that we have probably crossed the red line into unauthorised advertising," said Patrick Kraeuskopf, a professor of competition law at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences, according to the Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen report.

‘Identity crisis’;

https://www.pitpass.com/76977/Saubers-identity-crisis


Stake sponsorship triggers pre-season legal headache for Sauber F1 team
07 Feb 2024 11:24 AM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

At present, Stake advertising or branding on Sauber’s website is not viewable in Switzerland and other restricted countries – PlanetF1.com understands this is due to geoblocking measures taken by Sauber to ensure legal compliance in different regions.

A report by Swiss publication SRF, published on Tuesday, contains a statement from Zurich-based Patrick Krauskopf, Head of the Centre for Competition and Commercial Law: “Sponsorship would be permitted. In this case, however, the Stake and Sauber brands are so closely linked and the term Stake is so strongly imprinted in the minds of viewers that we have probably crossed the red line into unauthorised advertising.”

As a result of this, the Swiss Federal Gaming Board – the Eidgenossische Spielbankenkommission (ESBK) – is taking a closer look into Sauber’s arrangements with Stake – PlanetF1.com understands from team sources that this is a routine check to confirm compliance with advertising laws.

‘Pre-season legal headache’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/stake-sponsorship-investigation-swiss-authorities-sauber-f1-team


Stake issue statement after reported investigation into F1 team name
Sauber is already facing challenges with its lead title sponsor Stake
February 7, 2024
Caitlyn Gordon
FormulaNerds

The Swiss Federal Gaming Board will now look further into Stake and Sauber’s partnership and check to make sure all regulations are adhered to. The reported consequence if found guilty would be a fine of up to 500,000 Swiss francs.

Sauber and Stake aren’t worried about the inquiry. A Stake’s spokesperson spoke to Racingnews365 about the ordeal and expressed how they are following regulations and the investigation is a routine practice: “We are in close contact with the Swiss Commission, and we are following all the regulations,” said the spokesperson.”

“It is a completely routine situation. Everything is above board, above ground, and the rules are being applied. It is the same procedure as last year with the Swiss Commission when Stake joined us as a partner. And our situation is no different to that of Williams when it had to change its livery on occasion for certain grands prix.”

‘Facing challenges’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/stake-issue-statement-after-reported-investigation-into-f1-team-name/


Stake Sauber defends new name after Alfa Romeo rebrand
09 February 2:30PM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

It was announced on January 1st that the team would be known as Stake F1 Team for the next two seasons before Audi's '26 arrival. Further complicating matters is the fact that the chassis name is Kick Sauber in another naming rights deal, but the team cannot compete as 'Stake F1 Team' in four races throughout the year owing to gambling advertising restrictions.

For these events, the Kick Sauber name will be used but Alunni Bravi feels that the team needed to be bold for the two seasons pre-Audi and pointed to the impressions the name reveal and the launch of the striking C44 has brought.

‘Rebrand’;

https://racingnews365.com/stake-sauber-defends-new-name-after-alfa-romeo-rebrand


Sauber F1 team says it’s not concerned by reported investigation into its gambling sponsorship
Feb. 7, 2024 1:39 PM PT
ASSOCIATED PRESS
U-T San Diego

HINWIL, Switzerland — The Sauber Formula 1 team says it is not concerned by a report that it could potentially face a fine in Switzerland over its sponsorship deal with online gambling company Stake.

Swiss broadcaster SRF reported Tuesday that the national gambling regulator had opened proceedings against Sauber. The team is based in Switzerland, where gambling advertising by foreign companies is restricted. SRF reported a fine of up to 500,000 Swiss francs ($573,000) was possible.

In an e-mailed statement to The Associated Press, the regulator, known as the ESBK, said it would not comment on any proceedings. It said Stake’s online gambling website was not approved to operate in Switzerland and had been on a blocked list since 2021.

‘Not concerned by reported investigation’;

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/national/story/2024-02-07/sauber-f1-team-says-its-not-concerned-by-reported-investigation-into-its-gambling-sponsorship

[Fortitude]

FIRST LOOK: Haas’ 2024 F1 car breaks cover at Silverstone shakedown.
Haas' VF-24 F1 car has hit the track for the first time for a shakedown test at Silverstone.
11 Feb 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Haas have become the latest team to run their 2024 F1 car ahead of the new season during a shakedown test at Silverstone. The American outfit shared a clip of the VF-24 leaving the garage as it headed out to complete its first laps around the British Grand Prix venue on social media.

It marks the first time that Haas’ 2024 challenger has been seen in public after the team released digital renders of its latest F1 car earlier this month. Nico Hulkenberg was first to get behind the wheel of the VF-24. Oh how we’ve missed that sound

‘Haas’ 2024 F1 car breaks cover’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1044154/1/first-look-haas-2024-f1-car-breaks-cover-silverstone-shakedown


Haas complete shakedown of 2024 challenger
11 February 10:49AM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

The first laps of the VF-24 were completed by the team in a shakedown ahead of pre-season testing. The team completed the shakedown at the Silverstone Circuit this week, where it was sent out for its first laps on track at the hands of Nico Hulkenberg.

‘Shakedown of 2024 challenger’;

https://racingnews365.com/haas-complete-shakedown-of-2024-challenger


F1 2024 track action ramps up as Haas show off VF-24 in Silverstone shakedown
11 Feb 2024 10:17 AM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Haas have offered a closer look at the VF-24 in posting a video on social media of their new car emerging from the pit lane at Silverstone on Sunday. A short clip posted by Haas on social media saw the VF-24 leaving the pit lane for the first time, with team principal Ayao Komatsu having confirmed the team had planned their shakedown for this day in advance.

Oh how we’ve missed that sound ��
The #VF24 has completed its first lap at our Silverstone Shakedown. #HaasF1 pic.twitter.com/si0zxLDjxg
— MoneyGram Haas F1 Team (@HaasF1Team) February 11, 2024

‘F1 2024 track action ramps up’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/haas-f1-2024-silverstone-shakedown


Haas sponsor MoneyGram takes Steiner exit in its stride
17:46 Fri, 09 Feb 2024.
The Straits Times

Haas sponsor MoneyGram takes Steiner exit in its stride LONDON - Haas title sponsor MoneyGram is taking the departure of fan favourite team boss Guenther Steiner in its stride and planning to be in Formula One for the long haul, chief marketing officer Greg Hall said.

Hall told reporters at a pre-season event with new principal Ayao Komatsu and drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen that the sponsor did not get involved in racing or team decisions.

Italian-American Steiner, a star of the Netflix docu-series 'Drive to Survive' where he stood out for his blunt assessments and colourful language, was replaced by Japanese engineer Komatsu last month.

‘Planning to be in Formula One for the long haul’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/haas-sponsor-moneygram-takes-steiner-exit-in-its-stride


Magnussen claims Haas addressing ‘elephants in the room’ after Steiner F1 exit
Fri 9 February 2024 21:00
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Kevin Magnussen believes new Haas boss Ayao Komatsu is already addressing the ‘elephants in the room’ at the American F1 team since replacing Guenther Steiner. Team owner Gene Haas opted to let Steiner leave at the end of the 2023 F1 season when his contract expired. The Italian engineer had overseen the Haas entry ever since they arrived in the pinnacle of motorsport in 2016. But their troubles last year drew a change in leadership.

Haas registered their second-worst campaign in Formula 1 to date with Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg behind the wheel. Only in 2021 when the team finished the campaign without a single point had they ended a season bottom of the constructors’ standings before last year.

‘Elephants in the room’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/magnussen-claims-haas-addressing-elephants-in-the-room-after-steiner-f1-exit/

[Fortitude]

F1 2024 season officially up and running as first car hits the track at Barcelona.
A short clip posted to the team’s official social media accounts showed the C44 heading down the main straight in Barcelona, the current home of F1’s Spanish Grand Prix which has long been renowned as a prime testing venue.
10 Feb 2024 5:00 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

A trackside image of the car widely circulated on social media showed the car navigating Barcelona’s final corner with its alternative Kick branding present on the sidepods.

Sauber were not the only team present at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Saturday, with the McLaren team posting an image from the track at sunrise.

However, PlanetF1.com understands the team are testing their 2022 car at the Spanish track, with the new MCL38 scheduled to be officially launched on Wednesday.

‘F1 2024 season officially up and running’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-2024-season-first-car-track-stake


Zhou outlines main target in crucial F1 campaign
10 February 8:00PM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

It will be the Chinese driver's third season on the grid, after finishing 18th in the Drivers' Championship last year and four points off experienced teammate Valtteri Bottas. A number of drivers see their contracts expire at the end of the upcoming campaign, including Zhou, but speaking exclusively to RacingNews365, he stressed: "In my ideal world, the first priority is to stay with the team and to stay in a factory team, and also what happens next year will have a big impact to Audi coming.

"So it's definitely the priority to try to do well here, to see us growing, to our progression. Of course, there are plenty of opportunities out there but the main target is to finish this season in a very strong position. It's going to be probably one of the most important years... even more important than my first rookie season. Now you have to use the knowledge and experience to extract everything you have with the car," explained Zhou.

‘Main target in crucial F1 campaign’;

https://racingnews365.com/zhou-issues-main-target-in-important-year-for-f1-career


Zhou aiming to stake his place in F1 long-term with Audi
11/02/2024 at 09:32
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Zhou Guanyu has revealed that his main aim for the forthcoming season is to secure his place in Formula 1 moving forward. This will be Zhou's third season in F1 with Sauber, which operated the Alfa Romeo entry until the end of 2023 and now lines up under the Stake F1 brand for two seasons before its acquisition by Audi.

"Of course there are plenty of opportunities out there but the main target is to finish this season in a very strong position." Zhou's current contract with Sauber expires at the end of 2024 but he sees no reason why he shouldn't be able to stay at Hinwil in 2025.

"This season driver market is so open for half of the grid," he pointed out. "Everyone is in the same kind of boat, which is a nice thing. We all have to give everything and I think the good guys will come out on top."

‘Main aim for the forthcoming season is to secure his place in Formula 1 moving forward.’;

https://f1i.com/news/499244-zhou-aiming-to-stake-his-place-in-f1-long-term-with-audi.html


Valtteri Bottas shares ‘what I’ve heard’ about Audi ‘behind the scenes’ at Sauber
Fri 9 February 2024 09:30
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Valtteri Bottas has now revealed ‘what I’ve heard’ about Audi ‘behind the scenes’ at Sauber with Stake F1 Team due to be the automotive giant’s works entry from 2026. The German brand took a stake in Sauber last January with the intention of turning the team into its factory outfit. But rumours surfaced late in 2023 regarding Audi’s commitment to the Hinwil, Switzerland squad. It was feared the manufacturer could pull the plug on the project.

Audi originally reached an agreement to take over Sauber in late 2022 with Formula 1’s next set of technical regulations in 2026 the goal for its entry. But the Bavaria-based subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group has rarely made noise about its plans since sealing the arrangement.

“I think it’s just rumours from what I understand and what I’ve heard,” he said, via quotes by RacingNews365. “They’re still fully committed for the future. I think the cooperation will start sometime soon. I would imagine if Audi already wants to be competitive in their first year. Sauber and Audi will need to work together, but that’s all going on behind the scenes. As a driver, whatever meetings or stuff is happening behind the scenes, we are not always aware of those things. But things are starting to pick up now.”

‘What I’ve heard’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/valtteri-bottas-shares-what-ive-heard-about-audi-behind-the-scenes-at-sauber/


Audi F1 update issued with Sauber cooperation set to start ‘quite soon’
10 Feb 2024 12:30 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Valtteri Bottas expects the cooperation with Audi to move up a notch now that the team has transitioned from Alfa Romeo to Stake. The Audi project has been confirmed since August 2022 but the German car manufacturer will not arrive on the grid until 2026.

Bottas expects the two parties to be more closely aligned now that Sauber’s partnership with another car brand, Alfa Romeo, has ended. “A little bit more now that Alfa Romeo brand is out,” Bottas said of the work with Audi. “I think the cooperation will start quite soon, I would imagine because Audi already wants to be competitive in their first year. We’ve got Sauber and now they will need to work together.”

‘Audi F1 update’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/audi-f1-update-sauber-cooperation


Valtteri Bottas ‘motivated’ by ‘what I’ve seen throughout the winter’ at Stake Sauber
Wed 7 February 2024 18:00
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Valtteri Bottas says he is ‘motivated’ by what the Stake F1 Team driver has seen of the Sauber squad’s 2024 car throughout the winter at their factory in Hinwil, Switzerland. “You have to be [motivated],” Bottas told Speedcafe. “It’s my job, even in the harder times. Especially when it’s a new season and, based on what I’ve seen throughout the winter – in terms of progress and all the new things – I am motivated.”

“Mentally, I feel fresh,” Bottas said. “I feel like I’ve been able to process last year. Because, in the end for me, it was a disappointment. In the end, I was expecting more. But, now, I feel like I’m 100% over that. I’m motivated and fresh for the new season to try and make a really strong year and showcase what I can do.”

“I really want to have a strong season,” the Finn continued. “Also, when you are going into a contract year, let’s say, you also want to be able to show what you can do.” Bottas is out of contract with Sauber at the end of 2024 after joining under Alfa Romeo from Mercedes on a multi-year deal in 2022. Likewise, Zhou is also out of contract after 2024. But Sauber have a big decision ahead with the team becoming Audi’s works F1 entry from 2026.

‘Motivated’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/valtteri-bottas-motivated-by-what-ive-seen-throughout-the-winter-at-stake-sauber/

[Fortitude]

Could this be Red Bull's surprise rival this year?
Aston Martin is the next team to unveil its new F1 car when the covers come off the AMR24 but will it be the giant killer it threatened to be early last season?
11 February 7:00PM
Author Jan van der Burgt
RacingNews365

If the team can continue the upward trend, there is no reason why they cannot be mentioned in the same list with Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes as potential challengers for silverware. More to the point, Aston Martin already showed a year ago that it can make a big step up and, so apparently has the right brains in the right places.

The name of former Red Bull aerodynamics chief Dan Fallows is often mentioned and praised, which may explain why the 2023 chassis showed some Red Bull characteristics. If the premise is correct, the team could theoretically build upon the foundation provided by the AMR23 for a long time.

Now that we're a year on, all those people should be even more in tune with each other, and don't forget, too, that this is the first new year in which the new state-of-the-art factory is fully operative. If a Formula 1 team is a puzzle of which all the pieces must fall properly into place, then Aston Martin should be able to take another significant step in 2024.

‘Will it be the giant killer?’;

https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-could-this-be-surprise-rival-this-year


Aston Martin can't rely on open goals this time
Jan 31, 2024
by Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

When Aston Martin takes the wraps off its 2024 Formula 1 challenger, the AMR24… … while the 2022-to-2023 step was a surprise, there were clear reasons for it. And an exact repeat is certainly not expected for 2024.

The good thing is that Aston Martin does not need to suddenly leap into race-winning and title-challenging contention. That’s a little further down the road. And since owner Lawrence Stroll set out his broad five-year plan in 2021 to eventually turn Aston Martin into a championship challenge, the progress up to now clearly supports the rhetoric that it is a team on the rise.

Still, Aston Martin needs to walk further down that path in 2024. “You always need to be a little bit careful with such plans,” team principal Mike Krack said of the Aston Martin timeline. “It’s important to have something laid out. And just not go into the dark. But I think you need to be careful because it's not always linear. You need to zoom out and see are we on the right path? Are we on the right trajectory? Judged as objectively as possible.” This season is a mighty test of whether that is indeed the case.

‘Mighty test’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/aston-martin-cant-rely-on-open-goals-this-time/


Aston Martin Aramco announces partnership with the Financial Times
08.02.2024
Aston Martin F1 - Official Site

Aston Martin Formula One Team reveals new strategic partnership with leading news organisation, the Financial Times. The Aston Martin Formula One Team is proud to announce a new partnership with the Financial Times (FT), one of the world's leading business news organisations.

The strategic collaboration will deliver shared value for the two British brands, both of which boast a rich heritage and shared ambition for innovation. The rapidly expanding sports business sector provides the unparalleled backdrop for the FT to harness exclusive Aston Martin Aramco One Team opportunities, hosting key clients at Grands Prix across the globe.

The Financial Times logo will be proudly displayed on the AMR24, which will make its debut at Silverstone Circuit on February 12.

‘Financial Times logo will be proudly displayed on the AMR24’;

https://www.astonmartinf1.com/en-GB/news/announcement/aston-martin-aramco-formula-one-team-announces-partnership-with-the-financial-times


Aston Martin yet to reach Force India's level, claims Szafnauer
06/02/2024
NEWS STORY
Pitpass

Former Aston Martin team boss, Otmar Szafnauer believes that the Silverstone-based outfit has yet to achieve the level of performance of one of its predecessors. Speaking to the Inside Line podcast, the American claims that Aston Martin has yet to achieve the performance level of Force India.

"The significant differences are, Vijay was hands-off," he says, Vijay didn't have a son in the car either," he adds. "So there's less emotion and more objective decision-making. Both of them wanted the best on-track performance possible. They both had that drive... 'we want better, we want better, we want better'. So I experienced that from both parties.”

"Lawrence actually spent a lot more money in being able to get that performance. It's not that Vijay didn't spend, but Lawrence spent an order of magnitude more. Ironically, the performance at the end of Force India was better than they're performing today. After Aston Martin embarked on new factories and new management, I think they were seventh and fifth... we'll see what next year brings.”

‘Aston Martin yet to reach Force India's level’;

https://www.pitpass.com/76962/Aston-Martin-yet-to-reach-Force-Indias-level-claims-Szafnauer


Ageless Fernando Alonso underlines F1 ambitions with passion to 'drive faster'
Fernando Alonso enjoyed a stunning start to the 2023 Formula 1 season with Aston Martin, and the two-time world champion is looking to go even faster in 2024
18:00, Thu, Feb 1, 2024
By Andrew Gamble


Two-time Formula 1 world champion Fernando Alonso has vowed to utilise his ‘hyperfocus’ to help Aston Martin as he prepares for his second season with the iconic manufacturers. Alonso finished fourth in the 2023 Drivers’ Championship, enjoying a stunning start to the campaign before Aston Martin’s advantage dissipated.

Alonso explained what is needed if Aston Martin are to return to the top of the grid in 2024. In a video on the team’s YouTube channel, the 42-year-old said: “I'm constantly thinking about ways of getting faster behind the wheel and being a better driver.”

“You rewatch some of the races (from last year) that happened as well and maybe you see different lines, different strategies for all the teams, the drivers, so that curiosity, from the driver point of view, of getting better is always there. You never stop learning and you never stop getting better, so you have to be motivated to embrace those lessons.”

‘Ageless Fernando Alonso underlines F1 ambitions’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1862222/Fernando-Alonso-F1-Formula-1-Aston-Martin


Alonso still seeking to be a better driver
06/02/2024
NEWS STORY
Pitpass

The Spaniard was speaking having spent time at the Aston Martin HQ where he and the team continue their preparations for the upcoming season, the busiest in the sport's history. "To win in Formula 1 you have to be extremely focused... hyper-focused," he continues. "To make a difference, you need to give that extra commitment, that extra determination.

"Hyper-focus is definitely the word if we want to succeed in Formula 1. Hyper-focus means total dedication to what you do, to be united now, to also send a message to everyone that we are here to work 24 hours, seven days a week, and be ready for the new season. Everyone is 100 percent," he warns. "2023 was an incredible season, and 2024 is going to be even better."

“Hyper-focus”;

https://www.pitpass.com/76961/Alonso-still-seeking-to-be-a-better-driver

[Fortitude]

FIRST LOOK: Aston Martin’s 2024 F1 challenger makes track debut at Silverstone.
Aston Martin have hit the track with their all-new challenger at Silverstone.
12 Feb 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Lance Stroll has given Aston Martin’s 2024 F1 challenger - the AMR24 - its track debut at Silverstone. Aston Martin are the latest F1 team to pull the covers off their all-new car ahead of pre-season testing next week.

The launch took place at the team’s base at Silverstone on Monday morning. Stroll remains with the Silverstone-based outfit for a sixth consecutive season, partnering two-time world champion Fernando Alonso. The Canadian got the opportunity to drive the new car at Silverstone, conducting a shakedown on a set of wet tyres.

Speaking about his first opportunity in the AMR24, Stroll said: “First run in the AMR24. It’s great to be in the car. It felt good. The car looks good. I can’t wait to get back out there. There’s been a lot of hard work by everyone over the winter to build this car. Really proud of all the guys and it’s always an exciting day to get out there for the first time in the new car. It’s a good day.”

“First run in the AMR24”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1044168/1/first-look-aston-martins-2024-f1-challenger-makes-track-debut-silverstone


Fallows details ‘strong evolution’ of new Aston AMR24
12/02/2024 at 10:26
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Aston Martin technical director Dan Fallows describes the team’s new AMR24 as a "strong evolution" of its predecessor, but with key changes implemented to address past shortcomings. Aston Martin is aiming to write a more successful chapter in their Formula 1 story this season, building upon the promising foundation laid in 2023.

“We’ve made changes all over the car,” he told the media ahead of Monday’s launch. “It’s very different in many ways. The majority of the parts have changed on it, but it is still really essentially a strong evolution of last year’s car. We have kind of built on the end of AMR23.”

“The obvious things that you’ll see that are different, are things like the nose and front wing. Bodywork will be different. But there’s also quite a lot of stuff under the hood, which hopefully you won’t see! We will obviously try and keep some of that under wraps.”

‘Strong evolution’;

https://f1i.com/news/499313-fallows-details-strong-evolution-of-new-aston-amr24.html


Aston Martin's AMR24 Revealed - Their Most Important Car Yet?
12th Feb 2024, 12:53
Motorsport.com

Aston Martin has launched their new car for the 2024 F1 season, the AMR24. The team are hoping to make a step forward and challenge for wins while avoiding a mid-season slump like they experienced last year.

Their driver lineup for 2025 is uncertain, with Fernando Alonso's future potentially up in the air. The AMR24 could be Aston Martin's most important car yet. Bryn Lucas is joined by Jon Noble and Matt Kew as they discuss the AMR24 and what this season could look like for Aston Martin.

‘Aston Martin's AMR24 Revealed’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/video/aston-martins-amr24-revealed-their-most-important-car-yet/646591/


ANALYSIS: Building for the future and chasing Red Bull – What does 2024 hold for Aston Martin?
12 February 2024
Lawrence Barretto
F1 Correspondent & Presenter
Formula One - Official Site

Aston Martin’s shiny new factory is gargantuan. Strolling along the monstrous 160m ‘street’ that keeps the main building (one of three this size) connected, you can peak through giant windows that frame the incredible work going on to build a Formula 1 car, using state-of-the-art machinery and the very best tools money can buy.

If you were going to build a Formula 1 team facility from scratch with a near bottomless pit of money, this is how you would do it. But such extravagant spending comes with extravagant targets. Billionaire owner Lawrence Stroll wants a return on investment in the shape of a car capable of winning races and fighting for world championships.

“We've made changes all over the car,” says Technical Chief Dan Fallows. “It's very different in many ways. The majority of the parts have changed on it but it is really still essentially a strong evolution of last year's car. Certainly straight-line speed and making sure the car is as efficient as possible has been a big focus over the winter. And I think that is something that we've managed to achieve on this year’s car and made a step on that.”

“We've made changes all over the car”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.analysis-aston-martin-2024-amr24-red-bull-f1-season.1qcPyjjjrJ8ybro5oK0xyo.html


What new Aston Martin tells us about key 2024 Mercedes changes
Feb 12, 2024
by Edd Straw
The Race

The Mercedes W15 2024 Formula 1 car won’t be revealed for another two days, but the launch of the Aston Martin AMR24 has confirmed one eagerly-anticipated detail of the new Mercedes: it has switched to pushrod rear suspension. Aston Martin runs the latest-specification Mercedes gearbox and rear suspension as part of the supply deal that also includes the power unit, meaning it effectively runs a rear end provided by its technical partner.

The on-track images from Aston Martin's shakedown confirms there is increased anti-squat geometry in the rear suspension. This is all about increasing the control of vertical movement at the rear, which is part of what Mercedes pointed to as a disadvantage last year in terms of platform control.

On the Aston Martin, the forward leg of the upper wishbone is mounted lower than in 2023. As the vertical angle between the forward and rear leg of the upper wishbone is significant in creating anti-squat, this represents an increase compared to last year.

‘Key 2024 Mercedes changes’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/aston-martin-amr24-f1-car-mercedes-changes-2024/


TECH ANALYSIS: The stand-out visible changes on Aston Martin’s 2024 challenger
12 February 2024
Mark Hughes
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

The Nose: The tip of the nose is now joined to the bottom flap (as on the Red Bull of the last two years) rather than the main plane below it. The small gap between the main plane and nose creates a less obstructed airflow feed to the underfloor. But making the nose shorter in this way will paradoxically have increased the weight because it must pass the same crash test. Having the same resistance to deforming within a shorter structure will require it to be more dense.

Radiator inlet/sidepod: Aston Martin has taken the Red Bull concept of the extended lip beneath the radiator inlet and enhanced it greatly. The original idea of this feature was to give the airflow a more progressive entry to the radiator inlet, reducing the spillage which results when the inlet is overwhelmed by the volume of air at high speed. In this way there is less interference from this low-energy buffeted air to the floor edges below, which play a crucial part in enhancing the performance of the underfloor.

Rear suspension: Aston takes its gearbox and rear suspension from Mercedes and we can see that Mercedes has switched from pull-rod to push-rod operation of the internal suspension rockers (the front remains push-rod). This moves the bulkiest part of the suspension internals up, creating more space to better shape the diffusers and thereby boost underfloor performance.

‘TECH ANALYSIS’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.tech-analysis-the-three-key-stand-out-visible-changes-on-aston-martins-amr24.3k5vuToVYlpM6UsmnTda3Z.html

[Fortitude]

Fernando Alonso to Mercedes? Flavio Briatore spotted having coffee with Toto Wolff.
Could Fernando Alonso be on his way to Mercedes in 2025? His manager Flavio Briatore was spotted having coffee with Toto Wolff.
12 Feb 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Fernando Alonso’s manager - and former F1 team boss at Renault - Flavio Briatore has teased fans by posting a picture of him having coffee with Mercedes CEO Toto Wolff. Alonso has been mooted as a possible Lewis Hamilton replacement for 2025 following the seven-time world champion’s shock decision to move to Ferrari at the end of this season.

The Spaniard is currently with Aston Martin but is out of contract at the end of 2024. The 42-year-old is determined to add more success to his glittering CV before his F1 career comes to an end. Briatore and Wolff are known to be friends, pictured on holiday back in August 2022, so having an early morning brew isn’t unusual.

‘Early morning brew’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1044172/1/fernando-alonso-mercedes-flavio-briatore-spotted-having-coffee-toto-wolff


Fernando Alonso to Mercedes rumours in overdrive as manager meets with Toto Wolff
12 Feb 2024 12:53 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Rumours of a potential Mercedes move for Fernando Alonso have gone into overdrive after his manager Flavio Briatore posted a picture of himself with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff on Monday. Alonso, currently racing for Aston Martin, is managed by long-term friend Briatore, who oversaw his title triumphs as team principal of Renault in 2005/06.

With Alonso regarded mentioned as a prime contender to replace Hamilton, Briatore’s posting of an image to his Instagram account of he and Wolff having breakfast at Pasticceria Cova Montecarlo on Monday morning will only add fuel to the fire. A simple catch-up over breakfast – or Briatore pitching Alonso for a Mercedes 2025 seat?

That will remain private between the pair for now, though various fans commented on the post to make it clear they felt this get-together had implications on Alonso’s F1 future. One fan replied: “NO! Its happening!” “What are you doing, negotiating the champion car for Alonso in 2025?” another wrote.

‘Rumours in overdrive’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernando-alonso-mercedes-rumours-flavio-briatore-toto-wolff-meet


Alonso initially shrugged off Hamilton to Ferrari news
12/02/2024 at 15:14
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Fernando Alonso says his intense training schedule last week meant that the bombshell news of Lewis Hamilton’s transfer to Ferrari in 2025 initially passed him by. But even after learning about his former McLaren teammate’s signing with the Scuderia, the Aston Martin driver’s first reaction was to shrug off the sensational move.

While seemingly dismissive of Hamilton’s decision to leave Mercedes to join Ferrari, Alonso admitted to being puzzled by the reasons behind the choice. “I didn't spend too much time [thinking about it]. I was training actually that day,” he told the media on Sunday. “I missed all the stress from everybody. So, I was just one day late on the news.”

“[It] probably was a surprise, I will not lie. But not because the change itself. It was just because, from the outside, it seemed like he was very linked with Mercedes and very loyal to them and things like that. It was a little bit unexpected. I don't know the reasons behind; I don't know anything. I don't know the story. I didn't pay too much attention.”

‘First reaction was to shrug off the sensational move’;

https://f1i.com/news/499332-alonso-initially-shrugged-off-hamilton-to-ferrari-news.html


Fernando Alonso: Aston Martin detail contract offer plans as Mercedes rumours spin
12 Feb 2024 3:15 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack has revealed his intention to offer Fernando Alonso a new multi-year contract as rumours persist over a potential move to Mercedes as Lewis Hamilton’s replacement.

Alonso himself claimed that Aston Martin will be his “priority” when it comes to deciding his future – but teased that he is in a “very unique” negotiation position as the only World Champion available for 2025 with Hamilton and Max Verstappen committed to Ferrari and Red Bull respectively. Asked if he has had any dialogue with Mercedes, he said: “On the Mercedes theme, no, nothing at all.”

“I know the driver market has started earlier this year than probably June or July, which is the normal timing, but this will not affect me at all in terms of preparing for the season. We have very limited testing in Bahrain. I cannot think too much about the future right now. I will have to see and wait a few races. I’m aware of my situation, which is very unique.”

‘Aston Martin detail contract offer plans’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernando-alonso-aston-martin-contract-offer-mercedes-rumours


Fernando Alonso opens the door to replacing Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes
Fernando Alonso is out of contract in 2025 - the same time that Mercedes will be eyeing a replacement for Lewis Hamilton - with the Aston Martin driver backing his quality
• 12:13, 12 Feb 2024
By Samuel Meade Sports Brand Writer
The Mirror

Fernando Alonso admits he is an "attractive" candidate to replace Lewis Hamilton as Mercedes seek a replacement for the seven-time world champion. He said: “I am aware of my situation which is very unique. There are only three world champions on the grid and I am the only one available for 2025, so I am in a good position.

"On a move to Mercedes, there has been nothing at all. I know the driver market has started earlier this year, but this will not affect me in terms of preparing for the season. If I want to keep racing beyond this year, the first and only talk at the beginning will be Aston Martin.”

"I trust this project and that will be my first priority. But if we cannot reach an agreement I know that I am attractive to other teams. I will not stay in Formula One just to have fun. I am not that kind of person and not that kind of driver. Let’s see what the options are.”

‘Trust this project’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/fernando-alonso-mercedes-hamilton-replacement-32105907


Fernando Alonso quizzed on F1 future as he remains ‘attractive to other teams’
12 Feb 2024 12:00 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Fernando Alonso is keeping his options open as he heads into the F1 2024 season, maintaining that his “priority” if he wishes to continue beyond the end of the year would be to stay with Aston Martin. “First of all, I need to decide myself what I want to do for the future, if I want to commit my life, again, for a few more years to this sport, which I love,” Alonso told media including PlanetF1.com at the launch of the AMR24.

“But I love driving. I’ve been driving all over winter, different cars, DTM car, kart cross, rally car, go kart itself, you know. I love Formula 1, but generally I love driving. So if it’s not Formula 1, I will find myself happy in any other form of motorsport, and maybe having more time for my private life, which is also very important at this age.”

“But this is a decision that I need to do with myself. I need to think, and I need to commit to a team, eventually, and make sure that I understand that the next few years of my life, it will be that team and 100 per cent of my time. Once I do that decision I want to sit with Aston Martin and say, ‘OK, I make this decision, and I would love to continue with this project.”

‘Attractive to other teams’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernando-alonso-coy-f1-future

[Fortitude]

Ferrari’s bold new era begins with SF-24 but expectation remains high as ever.
This is a team that is etched into Formula 1 history, a team that has the whole of Italy behind it, and against it on occasion. A team about which a Hollywood blockbuster was made during the winter break.
13 Feb 2024 6:00 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Regardless of where Ferrari may have finished the year before, heading into a new season the expectation is always the same – glory.

So where does expectation lie for 2024? Wrestling the title away from a team that just won 22 of 23 races seems difficult but there were signs in the backend of 2023 that Ferrari could be the best bet to do that.

Early messages out of Maranello have also been encouraging. The new SF-24 is said to be a drastic improvement on its older brother and bold design may not be confined to just the team’s livery.

‘Expectation is always the same – glory’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/ferrari-sf-24-preview-2024-f1-season


Ferrari SF-24 Car Launch
13th Feb. 2024, 08:32
Motorsport.com

Watch the livestream of the Ferrari newest Formula 1 challenger, the SF-24 launch.

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/video/ferrari-sf-24-car-launch/646633/


2024 Ferrari F1 car reveal: live stream the launch at 11am
February 12th 2024
Author: Motor Sport

Live stream the launch of Ferrari's 2024 F1 car here: the SF-24 will be revealed at 11am GMT. See full details plus driver line-up and key personnel

The SF-24, due to be revealed at 11am GMT today represents the final opportunity for Carlos Sainz to win more races in red before making way for the team’s new recruit. The car will be the first to be built entirely under Vasseur’s management, and the scale of changes promised may result in some significant differences to the 2023 contender.

Tuesday 13 is considered an unlucky day in a number countries, including Spain, but Vasseur has said that superstition is the least of his concerns. ” I don’t care about this, he said at the end of 2023. “It’s a matter of downforce, it’s not a matter of the date of the month.”

‘Tuesday 13’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/ferrari-f1-car-launch/?nowprocket=1#


Ferrari F1 car launch 2024: Date, UK start time and design as Leclerc and Sainz unveil SF-24 ahead of Hamilton arrival
12th February 2024, 11:49 am
Joe Brophy
talkSPORT

The Scuderia were the first team to announce a launch date for their 2024 car but other details have been shrouded in mystery. The hype around the Italian team is always higher than any other, with Ferrari the oldest surviving and most successful F1 outfit.

The elaborate ceremony is set to get underway at 11am UK time. Ferrari have kept other details around the launch under wraps, but it is expected to be live-streamed across their social media channels. talkSPORT.com will then provide the best of the reaction.

‘Ferrari F1 car launch 2024’;

https://talksport.com/sport/1746515/


Ferrari tease with initial glance at 2024 F1 challenger
12 February 9:35AM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Ferrari has offered Formula 1 fans a first look at its 2024 Formula 1 car ahead of its official launch.

‘Initial glance’;

https://racingnews365.com/ferrari-offer-first-glance-at-2024-f1-challenger

[Fortitude]

Ferrari reveals overhauled 2024 F1 car.
Ferrari has unveiled its 2024 Formula 1 car, one it's claimed is "95% new" compared to its predecessor.
Feb 13, 2024
by Josh Suttill
The Race

Ferrari said the design group "aimed to give Charles and Carlos a car that is easy to drive and that reacts predictably, with as a starting point, the positive feeling the drivers had in the cockpit over the final few races of last season".

Team boss Fred Vasseur confirmed late last year that the 2024 car would feature "95% new components", such was the scale of change over the winter. It's the first Ferrari Vasseur has properly overseen the development of, having started in his role in January last year when work on the SF-23 was essentially complete.

‘Overhauled 2024 F1 car’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/ferrari-reveals-2024-f1-car-sf24/


Ferrari SF-24 Presentation
13th February 2023, 11:15
Motorsport.com

Formula 1 challenger, the SF-24!

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/video/ferrari-sf-24-presentation/646666/


Check out all the pictures of Ferrari’s 2024 F1 car after sensational launch
13 Feb 2024 11:14 AM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Ferrari is the latest team to reveal their 2024 F1 car, the SF-24, and isn’t she a beauty? Check out all the pictures of the 2024 Ferrari F1 car! Of course, with Ferrari eager to not give away too much about the technical sorcery of the car, the launch images released by the team concentrate on the aesthetics of the car.

Unlike many of the other teams who have launched so far, black/carbon isn’t in abundance – just the floor, bargeboards, some of the halo, and components of the rear wing and suspension remain without colour.

‘Sensational launch’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrari-sf24-f1-2024-car-pictures-launch


New Ferrari F1 car a 'complete redesign'
13 February 12:55PM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Ferrari Technical Director, Chassis and Aerodynamics Enrico Cardile has revealed the new SF-24 has undergone a radical redesign from its predecessor. Ferrari launched the SF-24 on Tuesday [February 13] as it looks to improve on a disappointing campaign last year.

“With the SF-24 we wanted to create a completely new platform and in fact, every area of the car has been redesigned, even if our starting point was the development direction we adopted last year and which saw us take a leap forward in terms of competitiveness in the final part of the season,” said Cardile.

“We have taken on board what the drivers told us and turned those ideas into engineering reality, with the aim of giving them a car that’s easier to drive and therefore easier to get the most out of and push it to its limits. We did not set ourselves any design constraints other than that of delivering a strong and honest racing car, which can reproduce on the race track what we have seen in the wind tunnel.”

'Complete redesign';

https://racingnews365.com/new-ferrari-f1-car-a-complete-redesign


New Ferrari SF-24 must be a "consistent front runner" says team boss Frederic Vasseur
The SF-24 is certainly a looker - but will it bring any silverware back to Maranello?
Published 13th Feb 2024, 14:12 GMT
By David George
National World

Ferrari's new F1 contender must be on the pace at the front of the grid immediately. That is the message from team principal Frederic Vasseur after the SF-24 broke cover at the launch reveal in Maranello. In three of the final five races last year, Charles Leclerc took pole - but only his teammate Carlos Sainz took one win away from the dominant Red Bull all season.

Now, Vasseur has called for the prancing horses to be "a consistent front runner", adding that he wanted to get the "best possible result" at every race. He said: "The longest ever Formula 1 season awaits us and Charles, Carlos and I all agree we must be more clinical and effective in how we manage the races, making bold choices."

Analysis: A beautiful car, but can it deliver? Amid the slurry of shocking liveries this season - with teams abandoning the paint and just leaving the cars as carbon fibre shells - you can always count on Ferrari to deliver a beautiful car.

‘Must be on the pace at the front of the grid immediately’;

https://www.nationalworld.com/sport/formula-1/ferrari-sf24-revealed-consistent-front-runner-frederic-vasseur-4516531


TECH ANALYSIS: What’s new on Ferrari’s SF-24 with the 2024 challenger ‘a big departure’ from its predecessor
13 February 2024
Mark Hughes
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

Although Technical Director Enrique Cardile classifies the new Ferrari SF-24 as ‘a big departure’ from the 2022 and ’23 cars, there is much that looks very familiar.

The aerodynamic concept change, which is at the heart of Cardile’s statement is a move away from the out-washing sidepod fronts towards what has become a more conventional undercut style. This is just the visual giveaway of a change in how the underfloor flow is distributed.

Cardile emphasises that a lot of the emphasis with the SF-24 has been to give the drivers confidence. “We have taken on board what the drivers have told us and turned those ideas into engineering reality with the aim of giving them a car which is easier to drive and therefore easier to get the most out of and push to its limits.”

‘TECH ANALYSIS’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.tech-analysis-whats-new-on-ferraris-sf-24-with-the-2024-challenger-a-big.5xRmOCcG6nZT70IxSXpPPR.html

[Fortitude]

Formula 1 boss has ‘had enough’ of finishing behind Max Verstappen and plans to knock him off his perch this season.
McLaren’s Zak Brown: “Second places were great last year but we’ve had enough of them to be ready for that top step.”
13th February 2024, 4:56 pm
Connor Andrews
talkSPORT

Asked by talkSPORT how distant race wins are, he said: “I don’t think they’re far away. We’ve had another good off season but you never know what the other nine teams have done.”

“We certainly have drivers capable of winning races and we certainly have a team capable of winning races and the second half of last year we had a race car that was pretty close to winning races.”

“We’ve built a faster race car in the off season so we’ll have to wait and see, we don’t know what the other teams have done but winning is certainly our ambition.”

‘Knock him off his perch’;

https://talksport.com/sport/1748518/


Mercedes W15 set to surface at Silverstone as Brackley springs for revolution
14 Feb 2024 5:00 AM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Mercedes’ eagerly-awaited W15 will be revealed to the world at Silverstone on Wednesday morning, the car with which Brackley hopes to restore pride. Mercedes’ 2024 F1 car, the W15, will be launched at Silverstone via a digital-only reveal on the team’s YouTube channel.

The car will be shaken down with a filming day on the circuit, with photography of the car – which will be driven by Lewis Hamilton and George Russell – released by the team over the course of the day.

‘Mercedes W15’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mercedes-2024-f1-car-launch-w15-preview-silverstone


McLaren gear up for a launch with a difference as real MCL38 set to be uncovered
14 Feb 2024 5:30 AM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

McLaren go into the launch of their 2024 challenger, the MCL38, in a unique position, in that they have already revealed what their car is going to look like this year. If that’s the case, then, why are McLaren holding a ‘proper’ launch of the MCL38 on Valentine’s Day then? Well, there’s a very good reason for that.

“We don’t have a car yet, because this car will be revealed on the 14th of February,” Stella said at the time. We have a livery now, which we love, and [it’s an] exciting time for everyone at McLaren. It’s the same for all Formula 1 teams at this time of the season really.”

The launch of the MCL38 will be the first chance for people to pore over the details of what the team’s actual car will look like ahead of the new season, and what approach McLaren have taken for the 2024 season.

‘McLaren gear up for a launch’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mclaren-mcl38-launch-preview


What Hamilton wants from his new Mercedes F1 car
13 February 8:00PM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Hamilton will undoubtedly be hoping to end his time at Mercedes on a high, so what needs to be addressed in order for the 39-year-old to succeed? Last year at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, Hamilton immediately voiced his frustrations, and a rare criticism toward the team.

"Last year (referring to 2022), there were things I told them," he said at the time. "I said the issues that are with the car, I’ve driven so many cars in my life, I know what a car needs, I know what a car doesn't need. I think it's really about accountability. It's about owning up and saying, 'Yeah, you know what? We didn't listen to you’.”

Hamilton added that the team had to address “the balance through the corners, look at all the weak points and just huddle up as a team”. He added: “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.”

‘Rare criticism toward the team’;

https://racingnews365.com/what-hamilton-wants-from-the-new-mercedes-f1-car


McLaren’s Championship Hopes in 2024
February 13, 2024
By: Kannon Key
Last Word On Sports

Maintain Consistency: In recent years, F1 spectators have watched a McLaren team that is lackluster one weekend become the fastest car on the grid the next. Unfortunately, they do not stay the fastest car on the grid. They ride a rollercoaster of performance during the entire length of the season, but cannot put together a win when it matters.

Conquer the Giant: Max Verstappen is the most dominant racer on the grid right now. It will take an entire team effort to overcome the Red Bull Racing team in 2024. The team led by Christian Horner dominated all season long and are projected to do it again. In F1, you have to beat the best to be the best. The most obvious path to a title in 2024 is to capitalize on the Red Bull teams’ rare mistakes.

‘Championship Hopes’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/02/13/mclarens-championship-hopes-in-2024/

[Fortitude]

Mercedes-AMG Unveils W15 Formula 1 Car Rocking Dual-Tone Silver and Black Like a Champ.
One visible difference between the W15 and its predecessor is the new livery, which helps mark the 90th anniversary of the Silver Arrows.
Published: 14 Feb 2024, 11:11 UTC
Sergiu Tudose
autoevolution

There are two types of No Man’s Land scenarios in Formula 1. The first is when you’re not quite the worst team on the grid, but you’re hardly good enough to keep with the midfield. The other is where Mercedes have been for these past few years – good enough to score podiums, but not to win races.

The German outfit’s weapon of choice for the 2024 F1 season is dubbed the W15 E Performance, and it features a new chassis, new gearbox casing, a more “predictable” rear axle design, and better DRS efficiency. The team worked hard to ensure that the rear axle in particular retains better control of the tires than on the W14.

Still, the magic happens underneath, as explained by technical director James Allison: “With this current generation of cars, so much of the performance comes from how the floor interacts with the road. Whether or not a car is effective is down to how well that floor is permitted to behave aerodynamically.”

‘Mercedes-AMG Unveils W15 Formula 1 Car’;

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/mercedes-amg-unveils-w15-formula-1-car-rocking-dual-tone-silver-and-black-like-a-champ-229238.html


Everything that's changed on Mercedes' revamped W15 F1 car
Explaining the changes Mercedes have made to their 2024 F1 car.
14 Feb 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Mercedes have made some sizeable alterations to their long-awaited 2024 F1 car which was presented to the world on Wednesday. Mercedes have redesigned the chassis and gearbox casing on the W15, something that was not possible during the 2023 season due to the constraints of the F1 cost cap.

“A new chassis and a gearbox were standard for every year, pre-cost cap. And there'll be several other teams who have done both things in a single year,” Allison explained. “But the cost cap does force you to pick and choose your battles, and there's no doubt that having a new outer casing as well as at the same time as having a new chassis are two big projects that are going to take a chunk of our available firepower.”

“That is what we have done this year. It does mean that in other parts of the car we have not tried to reinvent the wheel. But it has allowed us to undertake a couple of big projects without breaking the bank and we believe that this is a good and important use of our efforts.”

‘Sizeable alterations’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1044220/1/everything-thats-changed-mercedes-revamped-w15-f1-car


Mercedes unveils W15
The Mercedes Formula 1 team showed its 2024 challenger before testing in Bahrain next week.
FEBRUARY 14, 2024
GrandPrix.com

Team principal Toto Wolff said, “We know we have a mountain to climb to fight at the very front. There are no miracles in this sport. But our ambition and determination are strong. Since charting this new course, development has progressed well. We had several items on our priority list for this car. We will soon see if we've made the step we've aimed for.”

Technical Director James Allison said, “The design of any car is an iterative process. And a long one at that. It stretches back to last year. A new car enables the team to make bigger alterations that are not possible during the season. These are decisions that are taken during the preceding summer.”

We feel like we have had a good winter, but F1 is a relative game and only time will tell how big a step we've made. We're focused on getting the most from the car we launch, but we are excited by the development race that will follow as the regulations are still young and opportunities abound,”

‘Design of any car is an iterative process’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/mercedes-unveils-w15.html


Wolff: Mercedes has 'mountain to climb' to win again in F1
14 February 11:46AM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has stated that his squad has a “mountain to climb” in order to return to the front of the Formula 1 grid. Previewing his team's year ahead, Wolff said: “I am excited that we’re about to go racing again and, of course, curious and excited to see how the car will perform. I think we will get an early indication of whether we have solved some of the inherent problems that we had on the chassis side last year. We have a mountain to climb to get to the front of the field, but we are focused on doing so.”

While it hopes to maintain its position over its rivals, Wolff highlighted his desire to close the gap to Red Bull following its dominant campaign last season. “Formula 1 is a constant relative competition against the other teams,” he said. “You can have a great car, but if you're running around in circles alone, you will never know if it’s the best.”

“We were in a tough fight last season with Ferrari and McLaren, at times Aston Martin, with a big gap between Red Bull and the rest. I would hope we are in the chasing pack at the beginning of the season and hopefully a step closer to Red Bull.”

'Mountain to climb';

https://racingnews365.com/wolff-mercedes-has-mountain-to-climb-to-win-again-in-f1


Mercedes unveil eagerly-anticipated, overhauled W15 F1 car
Mercedes' eagerly-anticipated W15 challenger has been launched ahead of the new F1 season.
14 Feb 2024
Lewis Larkam

Mercedes have revealed their eagerly-anticipated 2024 F1 challenger, the W15. The W15 - which will be driven by Lewis Hamilton and George Russell - represents a drastic change to its predecessor, the W14, which was effectively an evolution of Mercedes’ troubled 2022 machine.

"The design of any car is an iterative process. And a long one at that," Mercedes technical director James Allison explained. "It stretches back to last year. A new car enables the team to make bigger alterations that are not possible during the season. These are decisions that are taken during the preceding summer.”

Hamilton and Russell will shakedown the new W15 today at Silverstone. Whether the changes will be enough to bring Mercedes on a level par with Red Bull, who have dominated the last two F1 campaigns, remains to be seen.

‘Eagerly-anticipated, overhauled W15 F1 car’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1044218/1/mercedes-unveil-eagerly-anticipated-overhauled-w15-f1-car

[Fortitude]

Gary Anderson's verdict on 2024 McLaren and its 'surprise' change.
For McLaren, the 2024 Formula 1 season is about keeping the momentum from 2023 - when it properly joined the battle to be best of the rest behind Red Bull.
Feb 14, 2024
by Gary Anderson
The Race

Front wing: It is a bolt-on unit, so it is an area which you might leave to develop once you see what the others have come up with.
Sidepod inlet: McLaren has gone off at a tangent to all the other cars we’ve seen so far this year by switching from a Red Bull ‘duckbill’-style inlet - also a McLaren development in 2023 - to a more forward-facing inlet

Floor edge: There are just small changes to the floor edge detail. The side view body profile is again very similar to last season.
Rear suspension: Rear suspension-wise, the layout is similar to last year. McLaren has retained the pushrod system.

Conclusion: No real pictures of the rear of the car for me to get my teeth into, but from what I can see aerodynamically, other than the radiator inlet change which I would question, it is all fairly similar to what McLaren finished with last season. McLaren will obviously focus on the aerodynamics with development updates as the team learns more about how the car responds on track to these changes, but that means starting the season on a steep learning and development curve and catching up as the season unfolds.

‘Gary Anderson's verdict’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/gary-anderson-mclaren-verdict-suspension-inlet-mcl38-2024-f1-car/


McLaren boss Zak Brown sets ambitious target as they launch their 2024 challenger... with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri hoping to build on a strong end to last season
McLaren took eight podium finishes last season but failed to win a race
They are hopeful of picking up their first win since 2021 in the upcoming season
Published: 13:38, 14 February 2024
By Press Association Sport Staff
Mail Online

McLaren's car for the 2024 season made its track debut at a soggy Silverstone on Wednesday with team chief executive Zak Brown setting out a target of wins as well as podiums. 'We feel good, it's been a good winter. We're happy with the development,' Brown told Sky Sports after they launched their car. 'It feels like we've continued on our development pace from where we were in the second half of last year.

'So as long as the data is accurate I think we should start pretty strong. Of course you never know what the competition is doing but we definitely feel we've taken a step forward. I think I'd say ambition versus expect because you ultimately don't know what the competition has done and no-one's standing still,' Brown said when asked what he expected from the team.

'Our hopes, our goals, our ambition is definitely to take a step forward. We finished fourth in the championship last year but in the second half of the year we were the second or third quickest team. So our ambition is to move forward from there. We see no reason why... we can't be winning races at some point over the year. So lots of podiums and some wins or certainly the ambition.'

‘Zak Brown sets ambitious target’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13082703/McLaren-boss-Zak-Brown-sets-ambitious-target-launch-2024-challenger-Lando-Norris-Oscar-Piastri-hoping-build-strong-end-season.html


The new directions McLaren has found with its evolutionary MCL38
14th February 2024, 12:42
AUTHORMatt Somerfield
Motorsport.com

McLaren surged up Formula 1's pecking order last year as multiple large-scale update packages helped rejuvenate a launch car that had proved to be a disappointment.

But, having placed so much emphasis on improvements last year, has McLaren reached the limit of its gains or is there still plenty of potential left in its package?

"There are a number of innovations on the car, but not all the areas we want to address have been completed for our launch-spec car," Andrea Stella said. "Those areas now become the focus of our in-season development, which is already in progress."

‘The new directions’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/the-new-directions-mclaren-has-found-with-its-evolutionary-mcl38/10575734/


McLaren targeting wins as well as podiums, says Brown
Updated: Feb 14, 2024, 06:32 PM
The Straits Times

McLaren's new MCL38 Formula One car made its track debut at a soggy Silverstone on Wednesday with team chief executive Zak Brown setting out a target of wins as well as podiums this season.

"We feel good, it's been a good winter. We're happy with the development," Brown told Sky Sports television. "It feels like we've continued on our development pace from where we were in the second half of last year.”

"We see no reason why... we can't be winning races at some point over the year. So lots of podiums and some wins or certainly the ambition."

‘McLaren targeting wins’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/mclaren-targeting-wins-as-well-as-podiums-says-brown


McLaren Debuts New MCL38 F1 Car, a Papaya Orange Red Bull Hunter Meant for Greatness
Published: 14 Feb 2024, 12:27 UTC
By: Sergiu Tudose
autoevolution

McLaren has just unveiled the MCL38, the team’s brand-new challenger for the upcoming 2024 FIA Formula 1 Championship. Much like its predecessor, the MCL38 is predominantly Papaya Orange, with heavy black (or anthracite) accents.

Back to the MCL38, the new car looks like an evolution of the MCL37, and we’re 100% certain that these launch images don’t represent the final specification. We do see some sidepod trickery going on, while the floor, as seen here, is most certainly generic. “Before we hit the track for competitive sessions, we have a lot of work to do, including putting the MCL38 through its paces during the Bahrain pre-season test,” said team principal Andrea Stella.

“The team has done a good job over the winter, and we are confident we can hit the ground running, but we know we have important tasks at hand before the season starts. There are a number of innovations on the car, but not all the areas we want to address have been completed for our launch-spec car. Those areas now become the focus of our in-season development, which is already in progress.”
It’s precisely those innovations that seem difficult to spot, but we should get a closer look once the MCL38 hits the track at Silverstone later today for a short run.

‘Some sidepod trickery going on’;

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/mclaren-debuts-new-mcl38-f1-car-a-papaya-orange-red-bull-hunter-meant-for-greatness-229243.html


McLaren offer first glimpse of MCL38 on track
14 February 4:31PM
RacingNews365

McLaren has offered the first glimpse of its MCL38 heading out to track ahead of the 2024 Formula 1 season. The team took part in a shakedown at Silverstone where Lando Norris drove the car around the National Loop section. Team Principal Andrea Stella insisted that there remains "a lot of work to do" ahead of the opening race of the season after the launch of the MCL38.

‘First glimpse of MCL38’;

https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-offer-first-glimpse-of-mcl38-on-track


Lando Norris sets bold McLaren target for F1 2024 after first MCL38 laps
14 Feb 2024 3:47 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

While battling Red Bull straight out of the blocks in F1 2024 may be a stretch, Lando Norris has targeted keeping pace with Mercedes and Ferrari after his first laps at the wheel of the McLaren MCL38. Following the launch of McLaren’s F1 2024 car, Norris got the opportunity to put it through its initial paces in a shakedown run at Silverstone, home of the British Grand Prix.

Speaking to the official Formula 1 website after the MCL38 shakedown, where a maximum of 200km of running was permitted, Norris said McLaren are coming into the F1 2024 campaign “prepared as we should be” for “the first time in a while” as he set out a bold yet realistic starting point.

“Compared to the last few years, I think we’re in a much better position,” said Norris. “So good for myself, good for the whole team, just for the confidence, the motivation for everyone. You never want to go into a season not expecting to kind of do well, and I think for the first time in a while we’re coming in here just prepared as we should be as a Formula 1 team.”

‘Bold McLaren target for F1 2024’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lando-norris-mclaren-target-f1-2024-mcl38-shakedown

[Fortitude]

Red Bull F1 2024 Season Launch.
Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 team unveils their 2024 Formula 1 World Championship challenger, the RB20.
20:30 Wed, 14 Feb 2024
Motorsport.com

Join defending triple World Champion, Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez from the Red Bull Technology Campus in Milton Keynes.

‘RB20’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/video/red-bull-f1-2024-season-launch/646762/


Max Verstappen's Red Bull claim appears correct as 'new car' spotted for first time.
Max Verstappen is building up to the new F1 season, in which the Dutchman looking to win his fourth successive championship, with the star being given the chance to drive his new car on Tuesday.
• 17:19, 13 Feb 2024
By Jacob Leeks Sports Reporter
The Mirror

Max Verstappen's tip about the livery of Red Bull 's car for the 2024 season appears to have been proven correct. The new car, named the RB20, has been pictured on track at Silverstone as the team gears up for its official launch on Thursday. Verstappen and team-mate Perez were able to give the new challenger a shakedown on Tuesday to get some lap-time before the launch.

Those pictures show the RB20 looks strikingly similar to the team's previous dominant car. That will come as little surprise to Verstappen, who had told fans during a live stream: “Oh yeah, it’s going to look exactly the same.” One of his friends responded: “Well no, everyone else who has already released their car doesn’t have any paint on their car, just carbon.” But Verstappen reiterated his claims, stating with a chuckle: “Yeah I tell you, it’s going to look exactly the same."

‘'New car' spotted’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/max-verstappen-red-bull-car-32117347


Can anyone in F1 catch Red Bull in 2024?
Feb 14, 2024, 09:14 AM ET
Laurence Edmondson, F1 Editor
ESPN.com

How do you beat a team like Red Bull? That's the question facing Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren and Aston Martin this season, and the one Formula One desperately hopes will be answered in order to inject some excitement back into its championship after two dominant championship victories for Max Verstappen.

Red Bull won 21 of 22 races in 2023, and in Verstappen's hands the all-conquering RB19 rarely looked under threat. Based on the results of the past two seasons, the current set of technical regulations, which were introduced in 2022 and will run until the end of 2025, appear to belong to Red Bull, just as the previous sets dating to 2014 belonged to Mercedes and the early 2000s belonged to Ferrari.

There is hope for Red Bull's rivals… It might sound like wishful thinking given that Red Bull shifted its focus from 2023 to 2024 relatively early in its campaign last season in order to focus on another big step this year, but some rival engineers believe the law of diminishing returns could apply to Red Bull's progress. If they're right, development of this year's RB20 could plateau while those behind are still making big gains.

‘Wishful thinking’;

https://www.espn.com/racing/story/_/id/39518302/can-anyone-f1-catch-red-bull-2024


Max Verstappen hits the track at Silverstone with RB20 ahead of Red Bull launch
13 Feb 2024 11:46
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Red Bull hit the track for a shakedown filming day at Silverstone on Tuesday, ahead of the launch of the new RB20. The eagerly awaited Red Bull RB20, the successor to RB19 – F1’s most dominant car ever – will be unveiled at a special launch ceremony at Milton Keynes on Thursday, February 15th, with PlanetF1.com in attendance.

Ahead of that launch, Red Bull has headed to Silverstone to carry out a filming day shakedown of the new car which, for this year, allows teams to carry out 200 kilometres of driving with the latest spec F1 cars in order to carry out filming and promotional work.

The cars must be fitted with special Pirelli tyres which prevent the teams from being able to exploit the filming day for any sort of performance learning, with the only advantage of running such shakedowns being able to ensure the car is firing up and all systems are communicating properly.

‘RB20 hits the track at Silverstone’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/red-bull-rb20-filming-day-1-silverstone


Max Verstappen’s Biggest Challengers for the 2024 F1 Season
10:23 Wed, 14 Feb 2024.
Toby Reynolds, Emile Nuh
Sports Gazette

On this podcast, Toby is joined by the Sports Gazette’s Motorsport Editor, Emile Nuh, to discuss the upcoming 2024 F1 season and who Max Verstappen’s biggest challengers could be.

Together they look at Mercedes’ chances at getting close to Red Bull in Lewis Hamilton’s last season, whether Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have what it takes to become World Champions and if McLaren can continue their upward trajectory from last season, as well as some predictions for the season ahead.

‘Max Verstappen’s Biggest Challengers’;

https://sportsgazette.co.uk/9-max-verstappens-biggest-challengers-for-the-2024-f1-season-emile-nuh/

[Fortitude]

Carlos Sainz to Audi? “They’re years away, I see him on the phone to Toto Wolff”.
“The reality is, I can see him going to Aston Martin. I can see him on the phone to Toto. He wants to be winning now, he’s in his 30s, he can’t wait for years for Audi to get there.” Karun Chandhok
11 Feb 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

“…this isn’t a sport about making friends.” Karun Chandhok. “Ultimately Carlos has been booted out of one of the top three cars on the grid. A car that gave him victory at the Singapore Grand Prix. That’s bad news.”

“Audi? They are not going to arrive and be at the front of the grid. It’s years away. Everyone is connecting him to Audi because of the connection with his dad.”

Martin Brundle added: “I’m a big fan of his, Carlos Jr. I think he’s got the tenacity of his dad. I don’t think he’s got the speed of Leclerc, but he’s always there at the end of a grand prix. He’s very smart. The way he won in Singapore was outstanding. He’d be a great catch for Aston Martin or for Mercedes. He’s got to be on their list.”

“On the phone to Toto Wolff”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1044142/1/carlos-sainz-audi-theyre-years-away-i-see-him-phone-toto-wolff


Sainz’s options for 2025 are open following Hamilton joining Ferrari.
But where does Sainz go moving forward? According to Formula 1 journalist, Lawrence Barretto, many teams have shown interest in Sainz.
21:03 Sat, 10 Feb 2024.
Alejandra Guajardo Lozano
FormulaNerds

Mercedes: First up, Mercedes. A straight swap between the two teams would probably be the best option for Sainz. A seat in a team that dominated between 2014 and 2020 is a clear top spot for the Spaniard.
Aston Martin: Aston Martin have been a team with a vision for the future. The Silverstone-based outfit gave us a demonstration of their determination in the 2023 season, where they finished fifth with 280 points. This is a significant improvement from 2022, where Aston Martin just managed to score 55 points and get seventh place.

Sauber: Currently undergoing a rename, the team has bigger plans ahead. The 2026 season will see Sauber transform into Audi. The Spanish driver has been a strong contender for a seat on this team. Many rumours sparked on this topic, with Carlos Sainz Sr., who recently won Dakar with Audi, even speaking on the matter.
Red Bull: Sergio Perez was voted as most likely to defeat Verstappen, his teammate, at the start of the season. This hope disappeared when Max went on to win the next 17/18 races, leaving Perez winless and struggling. With the Mexican’s contract ending in 2024, the team might look for options to replace him.

‘Sainz’s options’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/sainzs-options-for-2025-are-open-following-hamilton-joining-ferrari/


Carlos Sainz had time to ‘digest’ Lewis Hamilton news
February 13, 2024 12:21 PM
Field Level Media
The Wichita Eagle, Kansas City

Carlos Sainz acknowledged he was surprised to learn that Lewis Hamilton will be taking his seat in 2025, but the Spaniard said he was aware of the move ahead of Ferrari's announcement on Feb. 1.

"Everyone was surprised in a way with what happened and from my side, I got to know the news a bit earlier than everyone else," Sainz told reporters at Ferrari's launch of its SF-24 car on Tuesday. "It's true that I have had some weeks to reflect, to prepare and also get ready for the car launch and the first race of the season.”

"So it gives you a bit of time to digest it, to take your own conclusions and to focus on the 2024 season and the race ahead. But the fact it was a surprise to the whole F1 world is no news and it was obviously also for me. There's plenty of options out there and there is time to take an important decision in the next few months," he said.

‘Time to ‘digest’’;

https://www.kansas.com/sports/nascar-auto-racing/article285432722.html#storylink=mainstage_card


There are plenty of options, says Sainz
14/02/2024
NEWS STORY
Pitpass

Asked about the future, having been strongly linked with Audi, he said: "My next team I don't know yet, and I have a bit of time now to decide where that will happen. There's plenty of options out there and it's time to take an important decision in the next few months. As much as I said I wanted to get my future sorted before the first race, now the scenario has changed quite a bit as you can imagine," he admitted. "It is going to be probably a longer process ahead of me.”

"Probably my most important three or four years of my career," he continued, "where I want to make sure I'm in the right place at the right time. I want to make sure I pick the right next destination for me so I want to take my time to think about it, to listen to all the options, have a look at all the options. Then I can just feel calm that when I take the decision I have given myself enough time with enough information.”

"Having said that, it is impossible to separate one thing from the other. I have a good management team that also will take care of that so my focus always will be Bahrain this year and I'm going to start the year as strong as I can, putting all my effort into being quick straight from the go. The other thing will sort itself out as time goes by.”

“I want to make sure I'm in the right place at the right time”;

https://www.pitpass.com/76996/There-are-plenty-of-options-says-Sainz


Sainz says he has 'plenty of options' when he leaves Ferrari in 2025
Published: 16:12, 13 February 2024
By Associated Press
Mail Online

MARANELLO, Italy (AP) - Carlos Sainz Jr. believes he has "plenty of options" in Formula 1 next year when he leaves Ferrari to make way for Lewis Hamilton, the Spaniard said Tuesday.

"There's plenty of options out there" for 2025, Sainz said as Ferrari launched its 2024 car Tuesday, adding he had some advance notice that Hamilton was taking his Ferrari seat but was surprised all the same.” Sainz said he plans to take his time before signing for any other team.

'Plenty of options';

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-13079091/Sainz-says-plenty-options-leaves-Ferrari-2025.html


Does Sainz have anything left to prove in his final Ferrari year?
13 February 2:54PM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Sainz's value: Sainz’s performances over the last number of years have placed a solid reputation on his head. Last year, he ranked sixth on RacingNews365’s end-of-season driver rankings. Consistent point-scoring form and using his machinery to the best of his abilities kept his stock high and ultimately landed him a spot at F1's most lucrative team.

Sainz's strategic calls and interventions over the radio also showcase his maturity and understanding of a race situation, even amid the pressure to perform. That performance level should be enough to attract several teams to the possibility of adding him to their arsenal, and there will likely be no shortage of suitors chasing his signature. But where could he end up?

An obvious candidate is Mercedes, who is looking to resurge itself back to title contention following two years of disappointment. A direct swap between Hamilton and Sainz would be a solid landing spot for Sainz, but Mercedes may have other ideas over who it wishes to fit into the drive… Whatever fate befalls Sainz, there will be no shortage of interest for a driver that has long proven his worth in F1.

‘Solid reputation on his head’;

https://racingnews365.com/does-sainz-have-anything-left-to-prove-in-his-final-ferrari-year

[Fortitude]

EXCLUSIVE: Red Bull’s Pierre Wache on the team’s 2024 – ‘We didn't do an amazing job last year’.
In his role as Technical Director of Red Bull Racing, last year saw Pierre Wache oversee the most dominant season in the history of Formula 1. But the Frenchman believes there’s still more to come from his team in 2024…
Greg Stuart
Senior Editor
Formula One - Official Site

All of that success makes what Wache says, when asked about the success of Red Bull in 2023, all the more surprising. “We did a good job – but we didn't do an amazing job,” says the Frenchman, with no hint of irony.

“I think we identified multiple weaknesses in [RB]18” – Red Bull’s previously-dominant car in 2022 – “and we pushed for [the RB19] to solve them. We didn't solve all of them, but fortunately the team were able to reduce the weaknesses we had and be able to deliver on track.”

“The strength of our car is also the weakness of the competitors, because I'm not sure we expected to be alone there,” he chuckles. “What I mean is, when you look at the lap time and the behaviour compared to [2022], some people went backwards more than forwards.

‘He chuckles’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.exclusive-red-bulls-pierre-wache-on-the-teams-2024-we-didnt-do-an-amazing.7loDTLfruwAttKEufyUQr1.html


The big question mark hanging over Red Bull in 2024
15 February 1:00PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

There are three important factors when it comes to determining how successful a Formula 1 team will be in the coming season. One, and perhaps the most important, is the car itself. Have you been able to find improvements here and enhance performance there to keep yourself ahead of the competition, especially coming off the back of a season where you won 21 of 22 races, got 860 points and left the rest scatching their heads about what to do next?

For Red Bull heading into 2024, it has two of the three ticked off and will be of no concern. Given the pace advantage it held in 2023, Red Bull's rivals will not be able to make up all of it in one winter. Chunks can certainly be taken out of the advantage, but closing the chasm in one go would need a miracle from Mercedes, Ferrari or McLaren and an implosion of a scale rarely seen by Red Bull. As for the drivers, one of them has just come off the most dominant campaign by any driver in history with 19 wins, 575 points and 1,003 laps led.

Like Rubens Barrichello, Mark Webber and Valtteri Bottas before him, Perez is realising that in a straight fight, he is not going to beat the all-time great across the garage over the course of a season. That is not what Red Bull need him to do. Perez's job is to simply be the number two, finish on the podium and hoover up when the car or Verstappen fail. F1 is now in the Verstappen-era, and Perez will not be the driver to break the now three-time World Champion, and the vultures are circling to grab the most prized (and poisoned) seat in F1, alongside Verstappen. The seat at Red Bull is Perez's to lose, and to retain it, he must win the battle with himself by losing the war.

‘Big question mark’;

https://racingnews365.com/the-big-question-mark-hanging-over-red-bull-in-2024


Marko worried about F1 rival discovering special trick
FEBRUARY 15, 2024
GrandPrix.com

Dr Helmut Marko admits it's possible one of Red Bull's closest rivals could beat the dominant Formula 1 team this year with a "special trick".

Insiders believe Mercedes has discovered a loophole so that the uppermost flap of the front wing is technically connected to the nose - with a single, thin carbon wire. Wolff, however, doubts Red Bull can be caught and overtaken with just a single year-on-year introduction of a new car. “There are no miracles in sport”, he said.

However, Red Bull's Marko is wary. “What we can say now is that our new car is an evolution of last year's car, and we had the best package”, the energy drink brand's top F1 consultant told Osterreich newspaper. “If we eliminate the few weak points, not much should go wrong. But who knows - maybe a competitor has found a special trick during development”, Marko added.

‘Special trick’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/marko-worried-about-f1-rival-discovering-special-trick.html


Wolff: No ‘crystal ball’ for Mercedes timeline to beat Red Bull
15/02/2024 at 10:24
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

The launch of Mercedes’ 2024 contender has created a buzz within the Brackley squad, but team boss Toto Wolff admits he lacks a "crystal ball" to predict when they can dethrone reigning champions Red Bull. Mercedes unveiled its heavily revised W15 design on Wednesday at Silverstone, a static launch that was followed by shakedown runs at the track for George Russell and Lewis Hamilton.

"There are no miracles in the sport. On the other hand, our ambition is strong. It is Red Bull and a very successful car that are the benchmark we are aiming to beat. I do not know when that will happen, we do not have any crystal ball. But we will know soon enough how far ahead they are and the task in front of us."

‘Red Bull and a very successful car that are the benchmark we are aiming to beat’;

https://f1i.com/news/499566-no-crystal-ball-for-mercedes-timeline-to-beat-red-bull-unclear.html


Should Red Bull be worried yet? Our verdict on 2024 rivals
Feb 15, 2024
The Race

“Ferrari's lack of ambition won't worry Red Bull” Mark Hughes.
“Ferrari might be missing a trick” Scott Mitchell-Malm.
“Mercedes' aggressive changes have potential” Mark Hughes.
“... but Mercedes isn't getting ahead of itself” Matt Beer.

“McLaren gives rivals reasons to fear it” Scott Mitchell-Malm.
“McLaren has all the right ingredients” Matt Beer.
“No free pass will hurt Aston Martin” Ben Anderson.

“This time it might keep up” Josh Suttill.
“RB won't worry Red Bull - but might nip at rivals” Scott Mitchell-Malm.
“Red Bull isn't standing still...” Gary Anderson.

‘Our verdict on 2024 rivals’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/red-bull-2024-rivals-worry-ferrari-mercedes-aston-martin-mclaren-rb/


2024 Red Bull F1 car launch: live stream the RB20 reveal at 7.30pm
February 15th 2024
Motor Sport Magazine

Live stream Red Bull's 2024 F1 car launch this evening. Watch the reveal at 7.30pm here, plus driver line-up and key personnel

‘Red Bull 2024 F1 car live stream;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/red-bull-f1-car-launch/?nowprocket=1#

[Fortitude]

Video: The car that should scare Red Bull's F1 rivals.
Secrecy and innovation have been cornerstones of Red Bull's approach to the Formula 1 pre-season schedule since the start of the ground effect era in 2022.
Feb 15, 2024
The Race

That made a full-scale launch of the bona fide 2024 Red Bull, and the fact it emerged with ideas that look similar to the ones now abandoned by Mercedes, hugely surprising. Such a shift in concept caught even its drivers off-guard, so is this just the start of rival teams' realisations that their fears about RB20 were well founded?

Our video looks at what's new on the car for 2024 and why it was such a handy time for Red Bull to buck its trend of not showing a real car given the RB20's striking details helped prevent the launch from being overrun by the controversy surrounding team principal Christian Horner.

‘The car that should scare Red Bull's F1 rivals’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/surprising-rb20-should-scare-f1-rivals/


Red Bull launch 'brave' and 'innovative' RB20 for 2024 season
Feb 15, 2024, 08:00 PM
Laurence Edmondson, F1 Editor
ESPN.co.uk

Red Bull says it has "pushed the boundaries" with the design of its new Formula One car, the RB20, as it prepares to defend its position as the dominant force in Formula One for a third year running. Red Bull design chief Adrian Newey insisted the new car is an evolution of last year's RB19, but a number of visual design changes -- including a couple of features reminiscent of last year's Mercedes -- suggest the team is still finding significant gains in its wind tunnel.

"We can see rival cars have been influenced by RB19, and we're expecting other teams to converge," Horner said. "I think the team have done a wonderful job on RB20, they haven't sat on their laurels and you can see that they've pushed the boundaries with the car. We'll only see when we get on track what the relative pecking order is for the start of the season.”

"There's some great innovation on the car as well which will no doubt get scrutinized over the coming weeks. Creativity has been strong in the team and you can see that in some of the solutions that they've come up with. It's not a conservative evolution, there's some great innovation on this car."

'Brave and innovative RB20’;

https://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/39532354/red-bull-launch-brave-innovative-rb20-2024-formula-1-season


Red Bull's RB20 - F1's "Brave" New Benchmark?
22:06 Thu, 15 Feb 2024.
Motorsport.com

Red Bull has finally unveiled their 2024 challenger, the RB20, closing out F1's launch season. Given their 2023 domination, the RB20 is set to be F1's benchmarker, but has Red Bull developed their car enough to fight off fresh competition? Can Max Verstappen continue his crushing momentum? And does Sergio Perez need to prove himself in 2024? Steph Wentworth chats with Alex Kalinauckas live at Red Bull's factory, as well as Jake Boxall-Legge, to discuss whether the RB20 really can be F1's next top car.

‘F1's "Brave" New Benchmark’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/video/red-bulls-rb20-f1s-brave-new-benchmark/646832/


F1 Podcast: Our take on Red Bull launch and design surprise
Feb 15, 2024
The Race

The latest edition of The Race F1 Podcast is brought to you from the Red Bull RB20 2024 Formula 1 car launch in Milton Keynes.

In the first part of the podcast, Edd Straw is joined by special guest and Dutch TV commentator Nelson Valkenburg. He offers a view from the Netherlands about the launch of Max Verstappen's new car…

We then hear from Gary Anderson, a long time ago technical director of this team in its earlier guises as Stewart and Jaguar, who takes a close look at a car that has surprised him. Finally, Mark Hughes gives his take on the event and the direction Red Bull has gone in with the car.

‘Our take on Red Bull launch’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/red-bull-2024-f1-car-launch-rb20-podcast/


MAX: 'THE RB20 LOOKS GOOD, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY IT NEEDS TO BE QUICK'
Published on 15 February 2024
by Niels Hendrix
Verstappen.nl

Max: “The RB20 looks good, but at the end of the day it needs to be quick” Looking at his brand new car, the Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20, which Max Verstappen will race in 2024, the three-time Formula 1 world champion says: “It\'s always exciting to launch a new car and see the work everyone has put into it. It\'s a good day.”

Max continues: “I\'m excited to get back in the car to find out how competitive our car is this year. We of course had an incredible year last year. We won so many races and broke quite a few records along the way. It will be hard to achieve something similar, but that is not entirely the goal. Of course we want to win races and win the championship, but that doesn\'t necessarily mean breaking records.”

Max realizes that he is in a special environment: “I am entering my tenth year as a Red Bull driver and for me it is like a second family. I grew up here at Red Bull and I am excited for the future, what we can achieve together.” Verstappen is not yet making any predictions: “The RB20 looks good, but at the end of the day it needs to be quick. That’s what we have all been working on.”

'THE RB20 LOOKS GOOD’;

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5366/


Verstappen hails “aggressive” new RB20 as Red Bull mimics Mercedes
Formula 1
Posted on 15th February 2024, 20:10
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

“I’m happy with the direction they chose,” Verstappen told media including RaceFans at the launch. “I saw the drawings at Abu Dhabi, at the last race, and I was like, wow, that’s quite different in a way. They’ve not been conservative, let’s say like that.” Verstappen said Red Bull’s ambitious approach is “what I like about the team.”

“We had a great package, but they took the chance to be innovative and go all out, I would say, and try to make it better. Of course, time will tell if it’s really, really good. But from what I see within the team, everyone is just happy with what they have achieved in the wind tunnel. But then again, we don’t know. You can’t control what the other people do.”

He does not believe the team has taken a risk with its design changes. “I think it’s controlled aggressiveness,” said Verstappen. “Everyone is just happy, it doesn’t seem like it’s a question mark, like they’re not entirely sure.” The reshaped engine cover on the RB20, which resembles the design used by Mercedes last year, is one distinctive feature of the new car. “I would still call it a Red Bull style,” said Verstappen.

“I’m happy with the direction they chose”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/02/15/verstappen-hails-aggressive-new-rb20-red-bull-mimics-mercedes/


Red Bull round out launch season with the RB20
15th February 2024
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

While the livery continues in the usual Red Bull colour scheme, the RB20 design has changed from last year’s incredibly dominant RB19. Instead of continuing with what had brought a phenomenal amount of success – 21 of last year’s 22 rounds were won by Red Bull – Adrian Newey, the Chief Technical Officer, and his design team haven’t rested on their laurels.

“You have to keep pushing,” Newey said. “We’ve made some improvements to the car in all areas: mechanical, vehicle dynamics and aerodynamics. Is that enough? Who knows? We still have to see.” The team’s Technical Director, Pierre Waché, added: “We just try to identify where we can gain performance on the car. Try to also understand the weakness for the driver. And after that just an evolution of what we did in the previous year.”

Perez believes that the dramatic change in concept, moving from a known dominant car to an unknown, is a “brave” move from the team and shows their hunger to keep pushing boundaries. “You can see that the team has done an incredible job,” Perez said. “We’ve gone very aggressive with the concept, so I’m looking forward to it. I think it just shows the hunger in this team, we had such a dominant car last year you wouldn’t imagine us changing the concept so much. I think it’s really brave from Red Bull to do that.”

‘ “You have to keep pushing,” Newey said’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/red-bull-round-out-launch-season-with-the-rb20-83962

[Fortitude]

TECH ANALYSIS: Why Red Bull’s aggressive RB20 is likely to have alarmed their F1 rivals.
Anyone expecting Red Bull to have made relatively few changes to the car, which last year broke all records of success in F1 history, should have known better. The RB20 is a very aggressive looking upgrade, one which departs from the bodywork trends the team initiated back in 2022.
Mark Hughes
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

Just as everyone has converged towards what Red Bull came up with in the first year of these regulations, so Red Bull has taken what appears to be a big evolutionary step. The most distinctive part of all in a design which seems to have minimised surface area all round is the upright radiator inlet which sits tight inboard and running to the bottom of the chassis.

In addition to the changes to the cooling layout, the re-siting and miniaturisation of the radiators has also allowed the rear upper bodywork to be very short, ramping down at a sharp angle, creating lots of volume ahead of the rear wing. That short length is matched by the sidepod, creating more volume there to enhance airflow around the diffuser.

This radical reworking of the upper bodywork are all in service to maximising the performance of the component we cannot see – the underfloor. With a more powerful airflow around the sidepods and along the floor edges, the geometry of the venturi tunnels will have been re-optimised – something which will surely strike dread in the opposition ahead of the season.

‘RB20 is likely to have alarmed their F1 rivals’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.tech-analysis-why-red-bulls-aggressive-rb20-is-likely-to-have-alarmed-their.1xvmM3cRvmDr0IW1JkheZS.html


WATCH: Revealing the secrets of the upgraded Red Bull F1 car
16 February 11:30AM
Author RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

Red Bull launched a new-look Formula 1 car earlier this week as it goes in the hunt for another year of championship success. Max Verstappen expressed his surprise over the car's direction and praised Red Bull for not being conservative with its approach.

The car will no doubt be heavily scrutinised by rival teams when it hits the track at pre-season testing next week. Below, you can see our initial analysis of the RB20.

‘Revealing the secrets’;

https://racingnews365.com/watch-revealing-the-secrets-of-the-upgraded-red-bull-f1-car


MPH: New F1 cars resemble old Red Bull, but Newey's changed the game again
February 16th 2024
Author: Mark Hughes
Motor Sport Magazine

Just as the other teams were converging towards the sort of car which Red Bull produced two years ago and developed last year, the Milton Keynes outfit itself then appeared to move the game on, with an RB20 that redrew the lines. Ironically some of those lines bear a certain similarity to the original Mercedes reaction to these regulations but which Mercedes itself has now abandoned. However, the car around the similar vertical radiator inlet and high cooling shoulders is very different.

[Explanations of other team launches…] Then the RB20 happened. The suspension was much the same. But virtually nothing else was. A slim vertical radiator inlet, sited low and hugging the chassis sides, exposed a simply enormous undercut for the front of the sidepod. That sidepod itself was way smaller than before and the whole rear bodywork of the car stopped very short, revealing lots of volume for the airflows to the rear wing and diffuser to exploit. How had this been possible?

Where could the radiators be housed within such a small area? The coolers previously higher up around the centreline have been miniaturised and incredibly intricately shaped so as to be moved down – and that has seemingly opened up a whole new window of airflow-enhancing body design, enabling the underfloor to do even more powerful magic. That’s the theory anyhow. Testing in Bahrain begins next week and we’ll see if this storyline has a further twist in the tale.

‘Then the RB20 happened’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/mph-new-f1-cars-resemble-old-red-bull-but-neweys-changed-the-game-again/?nowprocket=1#


Red Bull Unveils Shocking New RB20 F1 Car With 2023 Mercedes-AMG Design Elements
Published: 16 Feb 2024, 08:44 UTC
By: Sergiu Tudose
autoevolution

Red Bull Racing just unveiled its all-new Formula 1 car for the 2024 season, and to everyone’s shock and amazement, the so-called RB20 appears to feature a couple of design ideas that ended up being discarded by Mercedes-AMG last year.

We’re just as shocked as you are, frankly. Look at those long cooling gulleys that run backwards from the halo over the entire lengths of the engine cover. It’s pretty much the same design used by Mercedes on the W14 last year – the German outfit kept this look even after abandoning their ‘zeropod’ sidepod design.

This isn’t the only similarity between the RB20 and one of the Mercedes cars, because the former also comes with a vertical sidepod radiator inlet, kind of like what we saw on the old W13 – back when Mercedes first introduced their ‘zeropod’ design. What on Earth should we make of this? This design philosophy clearly didn’t work for Mercedes, so will it work for Red Bull? Are they that confident? Perhaps.

‘We’re just as shocked as you are’;

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/red-bull-unveils-shocking-new-rb20-f1-car-with-2023-mercedes-amg-design-elements-229334.html


Unpicking the secrets of Red Bull’s brave new F1 sidepods
Red Bull is Formula 1’s trendsetter going into 2024 as rivals looked to emulate its design, but it’s moved the game on yet again.
UPDATEDFEB 16, 2024, 12:40 PM
AUTHOR: Matt Somerfield
Motorsport.com

Rival teams have been offering up their own renditions of the underbite inlet and undercut solution that Red Bull has developed over the last two seasons.

But Red Bull has ditched the underbite on the RB20 and has an overbite arrangement instead, with that high panel now forming an extension for the sidepod’s upper surface, while the inlet finds its home down below, married to a very generous undercut.

“What inlet?” you might ask, and you’d be right to do so, as the renders released by the team are devoid of one. But based on the images seen of the RB20 being shaken down at Silverstone it could just be made out that there was a vertical inlet beside the chassis.

‘Unpicking the secrets’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/red-bull-rb20-f1-best-team-reset-the-bar-again/10576379/


Verstappen: New RB20 designed with ‘controlled aggressiveness'
16/02/2024 at 08:12
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Reigning F1 world champion Max Verstappen commended Red Bull’s engineers for designing the team's 2024 RB20 with a measure of “controlled aggressiveness”. While claiming that its new contender is an evolution of last year’s RB19, Red Bull have opted for several bold design choices, the team even daring to move away from several significant trends it initiated under F1’s ground effect rules and which its rivals are only starting to embrace.

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner pointed to RB20 incorporating some “absolutely exquisite detail”. “There’s some great innovation in the car as well and it will no doubt get scrutinised over the coming weeks," Horner said. "Creativity has been strong in the team and you can see that in some of the solutions that they’ve come up with. It’s not a conservative evolution.”

‘Controlled aggressiveness';

https://f1i.com/news/499621-verstappen-new-rb20-designed-with-controlled-aggressiveness.html


Red Bull insists it isn't baiting with Mercedes-style RB20 solutions
Red Bull says its shift towards Mercedes-style solutions on its new RB20 Formula 1 car was not to stir the pot with its rival, but purely about chasing more performance.
UPDATEDFEB 16, 2024, 12:55 PM
AUTHORJonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

The Milton Keynes-based squad raised some eyebrows at the unveiling of its 2024 F1 challenger on Thursday night as it emerged with several concepts that Mercedes has previously used and abandoned.

This includes the full-length engine gulleys that are reminiscent of the 2023 Mercedes, plus an extreme version of sidepods that is not totally removed from the zero-pod concept that its German manufacturer competitor raced before abandoning.

Horner said that while the car did have some evolutionary aspects from its 2023 challenge, a lot of big changes had been made. "I think there's great innovation on the car as well that no doubt will be scrutinised over the coming couple of weeks," he said. "I think creativity has been strong in the team. You can see that in some of the solutions that they've come up with. So, it's not a conservative evolution. There's some great innovation."

‘RB20 Formula 1 car raised some eyebrows’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/red-bull-says-mercedes-style-rb20-solutions-not-tactical/10576271/

[Fortitude]

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell "confrontation" likely as two F1 champions agree.
Lewis Hamilton is set to leave Mercedes for Ferrari next year and both Jacques Villeneuve and Jenson Button believe his impending switch could cause problems this season.
• 09:37, 13 Feb 2024
By Matthew Cooper Sports Writer
The Mirror

Villeneuve, who won the world title in 1997, believes "there is something wrong" inside Mercedes and he is expecting to see some "confrontation" between Hamilton and Russell this year. When asked by Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport what will entertain F1 fans this season, he replied:

"See how Mercedes will handle the confrontation between Russell and Hamilton. Inside Mercedes, there is something wrong. Lewis no longer believes in the engineers, he no longer believes in Toto. The team, after all the space and freedom they gave him, didn't expect such a farewell. It was Mercedes that created Hamilton's image. They believed he would remain an ambassador for life."

Fellow former world champion Button has echoed Villeneuve's comments, suggesting the timing of Hamilton's announcement could cause some internal problems. "It's a big deal and I cannot wait to see how he goes in the Ferrari," he said. "The weird thing is that it is quite an early call, though, to mention it this early on. It's a year before he'll be stepping into the Ferrari, so how is that atmosphere going to be at Mercedes? It's not easy. What do they hold back from Lewis? I mean, he knows the ins and outs of this team very well anyway but, when they get down to the nitty-gritty, are there going to be certain things they hold back from Lewis? Possibly.”

‘Confrontation likely’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/lewis-hamilton-george-russell-mercedes-32112054


Wolff: Mercedes will treat Hamilton and Russell equally in 2024
Hamilton will leave the team at the end of the 2024 season, spending over a decade with the Brackley-based outfit
February 3, 2024
Nathan Hartley
FormulaNerds

Transparency is key: Wolff has already emphasised that there is no grudges against himself and Hamilon. The Austrian boss admitted that he already knew that Hamilton would leave for Ferrari eventaully. However, he was shocked at the timing of the announcement. Despite already knowing that the seven-time world champion is leaving, Wolff believes that transparency is the most important aspect for 2024:

“I think what I’ve always tried to do as a team principal, and all of us at Mercedes, is to be transparent, and fair. And nothing’s going to change in that respect in 2024. We owe it to our principles and our racing intent, how we go about, and we will respect that. And I will be sure that the drivers will respect it.”

“In terms of the development going forward, I think this is something which we need to look at. The regulations stay pretty much the same. And when it comes to 2025, we will evaluate later in the season what it means in terms of technical information, but that’s not something that bothers me at all.”

‘No grudges’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/wolff-mercedes-will-treat-hamilton-and-russell-equally-in-2024/


Wolff: Mercedes will be fair to Hamilton and Russell in F1 2024
Mercedes Formula 1 boss Toto Wolff says that the team will be fair to both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell as it enters the former’s final season in the camp.
UPDATEDFEB 3, 2024, 3:19 PM
Motorsport.com

Wolff says he has no concerns about potentially having to block the flow of information on future development to Hamilton, suggesting that it’s too early to make a call on how that process might work. Logic suggests that Hamilton will henceforth be frozen out of any discussions on 2026, when the new F1 regulations come in.

“In terms of the development going forward, I think this is something which we need to look at. The regulations stay pretty much the same. And when it comes to 2025, we will evaluate later in the season what it means in terms of technical information, but that's not something that bothers me at all.”

“We have engineers that leave us and go to other teams and the notice periods are sometimes as short as six months. So I don't have any doubt in Lewis' integrity, in terms of sharing information. And in that respect, we want to make sure that this is a successful season for both drivers, and a successful season for Mercedes, and all of us will give our utmost to achieve that.”

‘No concerns about potentially having to block the flow of information on future development to Hamilton’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/wolff-mercedes-will-be-fair-to-hamilton-and-russell-in-f1-2024/10571744/


F1: Toto Wolff backs 'leader' George Russell to succeed at Mercedes after Lewis Hamilton's exit to Ferrari
PUBLISHED 05/02/2024 AT 14:34 GMT
BYARAMIDE OLADIPO
TNT Sports

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has backed George Russell to become a "leader" and the main man for the team after Lewis Hamilton moves to Ferrari for the 2025 season. The announcement that Hamilton would join Ferrari next year sent shockwaves around the sport but Wolff is confident that fellow Englishman Russell can be the face of Mercedes in the near future.

"With all the Lewis discussion, something that has not been talked about enough is George," Wolff said, per Sky Sports. "George has the potential to be the next lead driver in the team. He is of the generation of Lando [Norris] and [Charles] Leclerc and some of the others. I couldn't wish for a new team leader when Lewis leaves, no doubt about that."

"We have such a solid foundation, such a quick, talented and intelligent guy in the car that we just need to take the right choice for the second driver, and that's not something I want to be rushed in," Wolff added. "I guess that a few contracts have been signed a few weeks ago that we would have looked at that could have been interesting but timing here beat us a bit."

‘Toto Wolff backs 'leader' George Russell’;

https://www.tntsports.co.uk/formula-1/f1-toto-wolff-backs-leader-george-russell-to-succeed-at-mercedes-after-lewis-hamilton-s-exit-to-ferr_sto10010095/story.shtml


Martin Brundle backs ‘brilliant’ George Russell to pick up Lewis Hamilton ‘mantle’ in 2025
10 Feb 2024 10:00 AM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Martin Brundle believes George Russell is “ready to pick up the mantle” Lewis Hamilton will leave behind at Mercedes in 2025 after he moves to Ferrari. Team principal Toto Wolff has also expressed his belief in Russell as a potential team leader at Mercedes once Hamilton departs, with the younger Briton having taken the team’s only victory of the ground effect era so far.

While former team boss Eddie Jordan was not quite sure whether or not Russell would be ready to lead Mercedes in 2025, Brundle does not feel the same way. “I don’t think so, because nothing’s forever, is it?” Brundle said on Sky Sports News when asked if Mercedes would feel ‘let down’ by Hamilton joining Ferrari. “You don’t sign a contract and one of the clauses is, ‘We will never leave you’, and the other side of it is, ‘We will never fire you or take somebody else.’
“It’s a moving thing in any sport, as you know, so I think it might just energise both sides. Mercedes have George Russell, what a brilliant young talent he is, and he’s really ready for the future. They can bring somebody else in now whether it’s a [Carlos] Sainz, an [Alex] Albon, they’ve got access to Esteban Ocon, for example. Let’s see who else they’re looking around at, but I think both Ferrari and Mercedes must see this like a reset and an opportunity.”

‘Martin Brundle backs ‘brilliant’ George Russell’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/martin-brundle-brilliant-george-russell-lewis-hamilton-mantle


George Russell’s F1 credentials questioned: “Lewis Hamilton had too much on him”
Is George Russell the right driver to deliver Mercedes world championship success? Eddie Jordan doesn't think so.
09 Feb 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Legendary F1 team boss Eddie Jordan has questioned George Russell’s credentials of being Mercedes’ team leader when Lewis Hamilton departs at the end of 2024. Russell will become the de facto number one driver when Hamilton joins Ferrari next year. The former Williams driver out-scored Hamilton during his first year with the team in 2022, becoming only the third driver to do so - alongside Jenson Button (2011) and Nico Rosberg (2016).

2023 was trickier for Russell, who slumped to a disappointing eighth in the championship standings. Speaking on the latest episode of the Formula for Success podcast, Jordan is unsure Russell is capable of winning a world championship in the next couple of seasons. "Let’s be honest, George Russell has won one Grand Prix," Jordan said. "Do I think he can be a world champion next year or the year after? I just think that Lewis had too much on him.”

"When Lewis didn’t quite have the car that he wanted at the beginning of the year, George was able to drive around that. Lewis didn’t bother because, not that he didn’t bother, but he just didn’t feel that the car was good enough to be able to do the job."

‘George Russell’s F1 credentials questioned’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1044131/1/george-russells-f1-credentials-questioned-lewis-hamilton-had-too-much-him

[Fortitude]

Leclerc and the Tifosi: Hope ignites at Fiorano.
And perhaps, just perhaps, this season, the dream will finally become reality.
11:51 Thu, 15 Feb 2024.
F1i.com

After Tuesday’s shakedown run at Fiorano, Charles Leclerc ventured out – as is the tradition – to meet a group of Tifosi that had assembled behind the fences to witness the track debut of Ferrari’s SF-24 charger. For the Monegasque, beyond the autographs and selfies, the encounter was another reminder of a shared dream.

Since Kimi Raikkonen's triumphant 2007 season, the Prancing Horse has been tantalisingly close yet agonizingly out of reach of the ultimate prize. Drivers like Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel shouldered the expectations, but the dream remained elusive.

As Leclerc steps onto the grid, the cheers of the tifosi will propel him forward, a constant reminder that he carries not just the weight of his own talent, but the collective hope of an entire nation yearning for a return to the pinnacle of motorsport.

‘Hope ignites at Fiorano’;

https://f1i.com/images/499569-leclerc-and-the-tifosi-hope-ignites-at-fiorano.html


Charles Leclerc encouraged by ‘healthier’ SF-24 after first shakedown run
14 Feb 2024 7:30 AM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

While too early to tell if it’s competitive, Charles Leclerc said the Ferrari SF-24 felt “healthier” on its opening shakedown laps compared to last year’s challenger, which was “very difficult to drive” early on.

“This year, the car feels healthier and in a better place. On the other hand, and I want to push on the point, that doesn’t mean anything on the competitiveness of the car because if other teams have done bigger steps forward in terms of lap time gains, then it can be an easier car to drive, but if it’s not fast enough, it won’t be fast enough on track.”

“So in terms of competitiveness, it’s very difficult [to say]. In terms of actual feeling of the very first laps, I will say I’ve had a better feeling this year than I did last year.”

‘Healthier SF-24’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/charles-leclerc-ferrari-sf-24-first-impression


Leclerc on SF24 track debut: ‘The car feels healthier’
14/02/2024 at 07:19
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Charles Leclerc says that Ferrari’s new SF-24 “feels healthier” and is already “in a better place” than its predecessor after sampling the Scuderia's new design on Tuesday at Fiorano. The Monegasque had noted “a significant step forward” when he first experienced the SF-24 in Maranello’s simulator.

Despite a run that lasted just a handful of laps, and with a car equipped with “cameras stuck all around it”, Leclerc provided an equally positive first impression, although assessing the car’s level of performance was impossible.

"Looking back at the previous year, I think you always need to wait two or three races to understand how strong of a package you have on different tracks, because sometimes you can have a very strong package on one track and then you get to another one and you are struggling much more," Leclerc explained.

‘The car feels healthier’;

https://f1i.com/news/499443-leclerc-on-sf24-track-debut-the-car-feels-healthier.html


Leclerc claims he has a ‘better feeling’ about the SF-24 ahead of its Bahrain debut
Leclerc spoke about the improvements made between last year's car and the new SF-24 after its first shakedown run in Fiorano
February 14, 2024
Oliver Brindle
FormulaNerds

Leclerc is hoping for improved drivability: At the start of the 2023 season, the SF-23 struggled with its race pace and increased tyre degradation. Alongside this, Leclerc has revealed how the car’s sensitivity to wind direction made it increasingly difficult to “extract the maximum out of the car.”

“There was obviously a clear input from us drivers, which was the drivability of the 2023 car, which was extremely sensitive to wind direction changes, to outside conditions changing and that was making it very, very difficult for us to extract the maximum out of the car,” added Leclerc. “Because as soon as one of these elements would change slightly, the behaviour of the car was completely different. There’s been a lot of work and, based on the simulator, we’ve done a significant step forward on that.”

“Based on the reality, it’s still very early days to tell. I’ve done three laps this morning, but three laps with cameras stuck all around the car and not really pushing to the limit, so too early to say.” We will be able to get the first look at if the Ferrari has solved some of its technical issues with the significant changes they have made towards their design at pre-season testing in Bahrain, which will get underway at 7 am GMT (10 am local time).

‘Better feeling about the SF-24’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/leclerc-claims-he-has-a-better-feeling-about-the-sf-24-ahead-of-its-bahrain-debut/


‘Leclerc to be more aggressive and Ferrari aiming to attract Mercedes personnel’
Total-Motorsport.com take a closer look at what to expect from Ferrari ahead of the 2024 Formula 1 season
February 14, 2024
By Joe Krishnan
Total Motorsport

Ferrari were the only team to defeat Red Bull in 2023 and they fell just three points short of beating Mercedes to second in the Constructors’ Championship. Frederic Vasseur will spend his second season in charge of Formula 1’s most famous team and all eyes will be on how Carlos Sainz handles the knowledge that Lewis Hamilton will replace him in 2025.

Joe Krishnan: Expect a more aggressive Leclerc. I think we’re going to see a less forgiving and more aggressive Leclerc this year. He’s fighting to prove he’s still Ferrari’s main man ahead of Hamilton’s arrival and, having failed to convert any of his five pole positions from last year, he has work to do.

Jasmine Hughes: Ferrari will look to attract Mercedes personnel: Ferrari appear to be coming at this season with a fresh mind and an almost-clean slate, with team principal Vasseur having described the 2024 challenger as “95% new”. Ferrari will want to avoid painting Hamilton’s audacious decision as a mistake, but equally, will seek to depict itself as a worthy destination for any Mercedes personnel it might hope to poach along with Hamilton.

‘Ferrari were the only team to defeat Red Bull in 2023’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/leclerc-to-be-more-aggressive-and-ferrari-aiming-to-attract-mercedes-personnel/


Leclerc provides reason for long-term Ferrari commitment
16 February 1:50PM
Author Nick Golding
Co-author Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

He was considerably more vocal on the radio and clearly disgruntled at some strategic calls, yet his love for the manufacturer remains seemingly untouched. Leclerc believes in not only what Ferrari is trying to do but also in their pursuit of having the fastest car. "Well, of course, it's part of my decision," Leclerc told select media including RacingNews365.

"I think not only because it feels like a family, but most of all, because they were the first people to believe in me straight from even before I got to Formula 1. They gave me the opportunity to get into Formula 1, they gave me the opportunity of being a Ferrari driver, and getting a car that was good enough to get my first pole position and my first win.”
"But more than anything, I think what made me sign for a longer contract is because I believe in the project. Otherwise, I wouldn't have done that. So I believe in the project fully. I love Ferrari, that's for sure, and I think that's clear to everybody. But most of all, I believe in the project, and I believe we have the best chance in order to become the best car on the grid in the next years. So this is why I renewed with Ferrari."

“I believe in the project”;

https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-provides-reason-for-long-term-ferrari-commitment


Leclerc: Two or three wins in 2024 ‘not my target’
15/02/2024 at 16:51
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Charles Leclerc admits his ambitions with Ferrari this season go beyond a few wins but concedes that the true potential of the Scuderia will only be revealed after the first race. when asked if he would be satisfied with two or three wins as part of his team’s progress, Leclerc's response was resolute.

“No, it’s not enough,” he quipped. “I want to win as many races as possible, and we will do the count at the end of the year, to also understand where we’ll be after the first race to understand how competitive are.”

“It’s very difficult to draw a picture of where we’ll stand after the first race, it will depend on that as well, but two or three is not my target, I want to win as many races as possible. 2023 for me was no victories, I cannot wait to be back on the top step of the podium and together with Ferrari, especially. So I’m fully motivated.”

‘Two or three wins in 2024 not my target’;

https://f1i.com/news/499583-leclerc-two-or-three-wins-in-2024-not-my-target.html

[Fortitude]

Max Verstappen speaks out on suggestions Red Bull have copied Mercedes.
Max Verstappen dominated the 2023 season in the RB19, but the RB20 appears to take some inspiration from rivals Mercedes' old design.
14:27, Fri, Feb 16, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Max Verstappen has batted away any claims that Red Bull have copied elements of Mercedes’ last two challengers with their design of the RB20. The reigning champions attracted some interest on Thursday when they unveiled a new car that had engine gulleys similar to those on show with the W14.

Dismissing any comments suggesting that Red Bull had copied their long-time rivals, Verstappen said: “I would still call it a Red Bull style. But I know what you mean. I'm quite happy with the direction that they chose.

“I saw the drawings I think in Abu Dhabi, the last race, and I was like, 'wow, that's quite different in a way'. They've not been conservative, let's say it like that. I think what I like about the team is that we had a great package, but they took the chance to really go all out, I would say, and try to make it better.”

'Wow, that's quite different in a way';

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1867539/Max-Verstappen-Red-Bull-Mercedes


Max Verstappen responds to comments on his RB20’s Mercedes looks
16 Feb 2024 12:30 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Unveiling the RB20 that features some elements that are reminiscent of the Mercedes F1 cars, Max Verstappen says it’s still a “Red Bull-style” car.

The car, though, does continue with last year’s RB19’s downwash sidepod solutions further toward the rear of the car with the front end similar to the championship winning car. “I would still call it a Red Bull-style. But I know what you mean,” Verstappen told the media, including PlanetF1.com’s Thomas Maher, when the Mercedes-style parts were pointed out.

His team-mate Sergio Perez agrees it does draw inspiration from the Mercedes, but that’s a positive sign from Red Bull’s designers. Asked if he was surprised by the W14 elements on his RB20, the Mexican driver replied: “Yes! A bit! “But at the same time it just shows how much this team is looking to move forwards and pushing all the boundaries. It’s really great to see.”

‘ “Red Bull-style” car’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-verstappen-red-bull-rb20-mercedes-looks


Max Verstappen responds to Lando Norris saying no top driver wants to be his team-mate
Max Verstappen has given his take on Lando Norris' comments
12:42, Fri, Feb 16, 2024
By Amos Murphy
Daily and Sunday Express

Verstappen is widely considered the best driver in the world right now and he is expected to make it four World Championships in a row this season. The 26-year-old appears untouchable in the world of F1, which has led to claims Verstappen wouldn’t be a good team-mate to race alongside.

“I think if I look back at myself four years ago compared to now, just a bit more calm, a bit more experienced,” Verstappen told Sky Sports. “In some scenarios that can definitely make a bit of a difference, probably winning a championship helps as well.

“But it would be quite exciting I think to have my four-year-old younger self team up against my current one. I’m not afraid of a challenge and I think it’s cool to race the best in the world. But again, also from his [Norris’] side, I don’t know what’s going on in the team there.”

‘What’s going on’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1867489/Max-Verstappen-Lando-Norris


Max Verstappen on why Lando Norris should remain at McLaren after Red Bull links
17 Feb 2024 12:15 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen has responded to Lando Norris’ shying away from joining Red Bull while the Dutch driver is embedded within the team.

Verstappen said he could see the reasoning behind Norris’ preference not to go up against him, but put it more at the feet of Norris being comfortable within the McLaren environment rather than the British driver being afraid of going up against him.

“But from his [Lando’s] side, I don’t know what’s going on in the team there,” he said. “And when you feel really happy and confident with the people you are with, and they’ve [McLaren] been on a positive trajectory, you also think to yourself: ‘Maybe I don’t need to leave and I can make this a success.'”

‘Lando Norris should remain at McLaren’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-verstappen-lando-norris-mclaren-stay-after-red-bull-link


Max Verstappen admits ‘never say never’ on leaving Red Bull for F1 rival
Sat 17 February 2024 08:00
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Max Verstappen admits ‘you should never say never’ about leaving Red Bull but he is not interested in joining Ferrari ‘at the moment’ after Lewis Hamilton quit Mercedes. The Scuderia stunned the paddock at the start of February by announcing that Hamilton will replace Carlos Sainz next year. Ferrari have awarded the 39-year-old a multi-year contract to race in red after he initiated his escape clause to leave Mercedes following the 2024 season.

“In my life, I know from my experiences so far that you should never say never,” Verstappen has admitted, via quotes by Motorsport-Total. “But, for me, it’s not even in my head now.” The Dutchman continued: “I get it, it’s a nice brand that has achieved a lot in this sport. But, at the moment, my head is only with this team. That’s what I spend my time on.

“Everything else is secondary… I don’t want to sound disrespectful or anything like that. I have a lot of respect for the Ferrari brand but I’m very happy where I am at the moment. I’m comfortable in my environment, so there’s nothing for me that I want to change.”

‘You should never say never’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/max-verstappen-admits-never-say-never-on-leaving-red-bull-for-f1-rival/


Max Verstappen predicts ‘awkward, weird’ F1 2024 season for Lewis Hamilton
17 Feb 2024 7:00 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen believes Lewis Hamilton is in for an “awkward” and “weird” last season with Mercedes in 2024 ahead of his big move to Ferrari. And Verstappen reckons his relationship with the team – and Mercedes boss Toto Wolff – will change as his exit nears. According to the Times, he said: “I think it must have been leaked because to announce something that big that early in the season.”

“I think for sure, for the rest of the year, I would say it’s a little bit awkward. Even though you have had a lot of success together, you can’t be included into everything anymore. For sure he has a great relationship with everyone, especially Toto, but at one point Toto for sure will tell him: ‘Look, I know we’ve had all this success, but you can’t be part of certain meetings any more.’”

“That is normal in F1. It’s probably a bit weird. But you are professional enough to deal with that. It’s not like they are suddenly enemies. He has achieved so many great things with them. They are still behind him. It’s just [that] you know at one point you can’t share certain stuff. But once he’s sitting in the car they will of course go flat out for him.”

‘Awkward, weird F1 2024 season’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-verstappen-predicts-f1-2024-season-lewis-hamilton

[Fortitude]

Perez: ‘Fourth season with Red Bull will be my best.’
“Max is a driver that really takes the maximum out of you so it’s a great challenge and one I’m looking forward to massively. It’s my fourth season with the team and I’m sure it will be the best one.”
16/02/2024 at 09:34
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Sergio Perez believes his fourth F1 campaign with Red Bull will be his best as he aims to bounce back from his crushing defeat in 2023 at the hands of his dominant teammate Max Verstappen.

“Obviously, people are aware of the challenge that I’m facing and it is right. I think it’s a massive challenge,” he said, quoted by Reuters. “If we are performing well on track, there will be plenty of opportunities out there,” he said.

“So that’s my main target and my main motivation for this year to really perform well. I still think that I’m at my best, I still have a lot to give, being part of the Red Bull family for four years. It’s a massive bonus. It’s a great opportunity. I’m still young, and still motivated. So there’s still a long way ahead,” he concluded.

‘Fourth season with Red Bull will be my best’;

https://f1i.com/news/499627-perez-fourth-season-with-red-bull-will-be-my-best.html


Perez aiming to “maximise every opportunity” in crucial season
Formula 1
Posted on 16th February 2024, 17:23
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Speaking to media including RaceFans at the launch of the team’s new RB20 on Thursday, Perez said he will learn from what happened in 2023 and improve for this season. “I feel fully fresh,” he said. “Obviously, with the learnings of last year, it’s very important that we learn what went wrong, learn from our mistakes. I think we understood a lot of things. It’s my fourth year with Red Bull and I will expect to be at my best for this year.”

Perez has an important year ahead of him as his contract at Red Bull is up for renewal at the end of the year. Having shown an improvement in form over the final rounds of last season, Perez says his goal for 2024 is to “maximise every single opportunity” he has. “I want to get a really strong base early on and just be able to carry that through the whole season, to be able to develop through the season,” he said.

Perez said he made his late season breakthrough by “understanding the difficult races, why they were so difficult. The directions we were taking with the car, how we were overcompensating things and not necessarily making the car better. I think from all of that, we managed to learn a bit.”

“Maximise every opportunity”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/02/16/perez-aiming-to-maximise-every-opportunity-in-crucial-season/


Sergio Perez makes Red Bull future wish ahead of make-or-break F1 2024 season
17 Feb 2024 7:45 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Speaking to media including PlanetF1.com’s Thomas Maher at the launch of the new Red Bull RB20 car, Perez confirmed his intention is to secure a new multi-year deal with Red Bull. He said: “I think I’m in a great team, obviously. Being part of the Red Bull family has been amazing. We’ll see what the future holds.”

“For now, I’m fully focused on the start of the year and ideally [it] will be to carry on for more years in this team.” Asked directly by PlanetF1.com if he has put a timeline on a decision over his future, Perez replied: “No.”

“The start of the season is going to be really busy, so I’m just focusing on the first few races and that’s my main objective. I don’t think I’m setting skipping any time limits or anything like that. For now, I’m just focusing on the first five races to get the most out of it because it’s going to be taking a lot of energy out of me.

‘Intention is to secure a new multi-year deal with Red Bull’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/sergio-perez-red-bull-future-f1-2024-season


Perez 'not bothered' by early driver market activity
17 February 10:50AM
Author Nick Golding
Co-author Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Sergio Perez isn't becoming distracted by his current situation looking ahead to 2025, despite Lewis Hamilton's move to Ferrari having resulted in an early start to 'silly season'. With 13 drivers – including Perez – being without a contract for next year, seats are slowly starting to fill up. Ferrari now have no seats available until at least 2027, whilst Williams Team Principal James Vowles has revealed that Alex Albon is contracted until the end of 2025. Perez does have possible options in top teams if Red Bull opt against retaining him for next year, given that Mercedes and Aston Martin both currently have one seat available.

However, following Hamilton announcing his Ferrari switch for next year, it's expected that drivers will try to seal their seat on the 2025 grid earlier than usual. Typically, driver transfers aren't usually announced until the traditional summer break, although it's a rarity for 65% of the grid being in need of a new deal. The amount of drivers requiring a new contract could result in many pushing beyond their limits in the opening rounds, to convince either their current side or a different team to offer them a contract.

Entering the final year of a contract isn't an unfamiliar position for Perez, who is set to embark on his 14th season at the pinnacle of motorsport. His experience and knowledge could play a huge role in him securing a spot on the 2025 grid, although he's not thinking about it too much. Perez is distancing himself from the driver market activity as he believes he should be focusing on his performances rather than his contract, with the Mexican knowing that things will fall into place naturally if he delivers for Red Bull in 2024.

‘Sergio Perez isn't becoming distracted’;

https://racingnews365.com/perez-not-bothered-by-early-driver-market-activity


Perez better equipped to adapt to Red Bull’s RB20
The Mexican driver is under a lot of pressure this season after struggling last year compared to teamate Max Verstappen
February 18, 2024
Nathan Hartley
FormulaNerds

Sergio Perez believes he and Red Bull have discovered new understandings of the car, making the Mexican more confident to adapt to the team’s RB20 after a disappointing season last year. The upgrades made the mexican feel less comfortable with the RB19, being way off the pace. Since Barcelona, Perez continued the trend and struggled for the rest of the season.

“We had some issues as the car was developing,” the Mexican explained. “And the way we were trying to improve those issues meant that we were just taking performance out of the car, and not necessarily going faster. Making it more comfortable is not necessarily faster.” Perez took to the simulator before the United States Grand Pri last year, helping him discover new findings of the car. The Mexican believes that it wil help him better cope with this year’s RB20:

“With the learning of last year, it’s very important that we learn what went wrong, learn from our mistakes. I think we understood a lot of things. It’s my fourth year with Red Bull, and I do expect to be at my best for this year. [We worked] on understanding the difficult races, why they were so difficult, the directions we were taking with the car, how we were overcompensating things and not necessarily making the car better. I think all of that we managed to learn.”

‘Better equipped to adapt to Red Bull’s RB20’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/perez-better-equipped-to-adapt-to-red-bulls-rb20/


Sergio Perez stresses importance of ‘sticking together’ with Christian Horner under investigation
18 Feb 2024 6:45 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Perez used to be the number one talking point at any given Red Bull press conference but he took a background role during the team’s car launch last week with everyone’s mind on the investigation. With Red Bull refusing to elaborate on what is going on behind closed doors, Perez has encouraged the team to “stick together” ahead of the start of the F1 2024 season.

“I think we just want to go racing,” he told media including PlanetF1.com. “We are a race team and we want the whole team to stick together because we’ve been successful. It will be ideal just to keep the whole team together and just focus on racing.”

“Obviously, there are some things out there but the most important is that we will stick together as a team, we will work well and the main goal is remembering that we are here for racing. We are racing and we all love it and we just want to go racing together. We know that Christian is a key player in our organisation.”

‘Sticking together’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/sergio-perez-importance-sticking-together-christian-horner-investigation


Sergio Perez makes feelings clear on Christian Horner probe as Red Bull boss 'faces sack'
Red Bull boss Christian Horner is set to find out next week if he's being sacked with the team looking to conclude their investigation
08:10, Sun, Feb 18, 2024
By Jordan Seward
Daily and Sunday Express

Red Bull star Sergio Perez has urged everyone at the outfit to 'stick together' and underlined Christian Horner's importance to the organisation amid the ongoing investigation into allegations against the team boss.

‘Sergio Perez makes feelings clear’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1867941/Sergio-Perez-Christian-Horner-investigation-Red-Bull-F1

[Fortitude]

F1 is back! Five big things to look out for in F1 2024 pre-season testing.
Pre-season testing takes place for three full days in Sakhir from Wednesday until Friday (21-23 February).
19 Feb 2024 6:00 AM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

That off-season flew, didn’t it? And it’s not like we’re short of things to talk about as the first proper F1 2024 track running takes place in Bahrain this week. on PlanetF1.com, we thought we’d look at the main things to look out for in pre-season testing – for anyone new to watching it or otherwise.
Every single pair of eyes will be looking at the Red Bull RB20: Every team will have their eyes on their own data as well as what they can gather from Red Bull to see how they’re getting on.

Get set for plenty of barriers around F1 team garages: A lot of eager photographers will look to take as many pictures as they can of the new cars on track, but once they are back in the garages, every possible secret will be kept by the teams.
The return of the word ‘sandbagging’: Essentially, sandbagging is the act of teams either deliberately running their cars in less powerful engine modes or drivers not pushing over the course of a full lap, to hide their true potential in pre-season testing.

Lap count, lap count, lap count: Absolutely critical for the teams this week will be how much they can run their cars around Bahrain. Don’t expect the drivers to give the game away… too much: Despite there not being too much to be able to take in terms of outright lap time from pre-season testing, more often than not we can find out who has hit the ground running and who is struggling heading into the new season.

‘Five big things to look out’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/f1-2024-pre-season-testing-talking-points


Charles Leclerc won’t rush to judgement after last year’s Bahrain pace dissipated
18 Feb 2024 2:00 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Fighting for the podium in Bahrain last season before his DNF, Charles Leclerc says this year he’s going to wait a few races before drawing any conclusions about Ferrari’s chances. After all, after Bahrain last year he had to wait until round four to secure his first of only six top-three results

“Looking back at the previous years, you always need to wait two or three races to feel how strong of a package you have on different tracks,” said the five-time Grand Prix winner. Sometimes you can have a very strong package on one track and you get to another track and you are struggling much more.”

“We will always have to wait two or three races to see our car in different conditions, different wind, different temperature, different track layout, before actually drawing conclusions of what can be achieved that season. But of course we will have a good picture of where we are at after the first race.”

‘Won’t rush to judgement’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/charles-leclerc-judgement-bahrain-pace-dissipated


Alonso takes aim at ‘unfair’ F1 pre-season testing format
18/02/2024 at 14:06
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

F1 veteran Fernando Alonso has criticized Formula 1’s pre-season testing, calling the odd three-day format “unfair” for drivers and highlighting what he perceives as a fundamental inconsistency with the sport's aspirations.

Alonso is on the eve of his 20th season in Formula 1, meaning the Aston Martin charger experienced the sport’s bygone era of extensive testing when teams could spend weeks fine-tuning their machines, without any restrictions on mileage. The period was a stark contrast to the current three-day window enjoyed by competitors before the season kicks off and imposed on teams for cost-cutting reasons.

Alonso argues that this limited timeframe simply isn't enough for drivers to properly prepare for the intense competition of a world championship. “I've been thinking all winter about this, how unfair is [it] that we have one day and a half to prepare a world championship,” commented the Spaniard. “There's no other sport in the world…”

‘Odd three-day format “unfair” for drivers’;

https://f1i.com/news/499724-alonso-takes-aim-at-unfair-f1-pre-season-testing-format.html


Why Williams will be ‘late’ to the 2024 F1 pre-season action
18 Feb 2024 8:15 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

The only team yet to do an on-track run in their 2024 F1 car, James Vowles says Williams may be “late” but that’s because they’re pushing the “limits” with the FW46. “What we were doing with this car is pushing everything to the limits,” he told the media, including PlanetF1.com.

“And to give you ideas about that, the chassis technology is different, some of the other technologies are quite different to what we’ve done before. Those changes are enormous for an organisation, absolutely enormous. Some of those have challenged us to push ourselves beyond where we wanted to be. But in the case of what’s happened overall, I’m very, very happy.”

“You simply can’t do everything at the same time, you can’t change what you’re doing and break technology cycles, and put yourself in a much better performance situation, without taking an enormous amount of risk. And we have, but there’s no doubt about it having the car where we have it now, and you’ll see it in Bahrain, is late.”

‘Pushing everything to the limits’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/why-williams-late-2024-f1-pre-season-action


Haas expect to be slowest team on the grid at season opener
Driver Kevin Magnussen has laid out his expectations for the year under new boss Ayao Komatsu
February 17, 2024
James Fiorucci
FormulaNerds

Magnussen’s 2024 predictions: As reported by motorsport.com, Magnussen is not surmising a sudden jump up in relative performance, and credits Komatsu with setting realistic goals for Haas as a whole. He said: “Expectations are being managed quite well this year. I think some years there has been some unrealistic optimism going into seasons, and I’ve been affected by it as well.”

While he supposes the start of the 2024 World Championship will be tough, the pace of the VF-24 will likely improve as the season progresses. He continued: “Expectations are low to begin with, but high for the season as a whole. Certainly, Ayao is very clear that he doesn’t think we’ve moved out of last year’s position yet, but he’s clear in that he sees the development trajectory looking a lot stronger, so he’s actually optimistic that we can move forward through this year.”

“Expectations are being managed quite well this year”;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/haas-expect-to-be-slowest-team-on-the-grid-at-season-opener/

[Fortitude]

Podcast: How to decipher F1 testing.
We discuss how the combination of lap time analysis, trackside observations, paddock chatter and more can be used to get an idea of the pecking order heading into the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Feb 19, 2024
RacingNews365

We look ahead to the pre-season Formula 1 testing in the latest episode of The Race F1 Podcast.

There’s also a discussion of which cars we are most looking forward to seeing in action and what the big off-track stories are set to be.

‘How to decipher F1 testing’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f1-testing-preview-podcast-2024/


Who had a good winter? Will we have a title fight? 10 crucial F1 testing topics
19th February 2024, 13:34
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Is Red Bull’s eye-catching RB20 another leap forward? The world champions have shown they are not afraid to revise the design which brought them so much success last year.
Will we see a surprise change in the pecking order? Pre-season testing often gives us the first exciting glimpse of a change in the pecking order.
No season-starting setback at McLaren? McLaren admitted at their launch last year they faced a compromised start to the season having hit a snag in the development of their latest car. Surely McLaren can avoid a poor start for a third season in a row…

Third time lucky for Mercedes? Under reinstated technical director James Allison the new car is a dramatic departure from its predecessor. But is it enough to stop the rot?
Are Ferrari still leading the charge? The only team besides Red Bull to win a race last year should expect to start the new season as their closest competition.
Does F1 now have four Red Bulls? Many are already expecting RB to make significant progress this year.

Is the midfield going to get even closer? Throughout launch season, many drivers commented on how close they expect the season to be, and testing will give us the first indication of whether they’re right.
Just how far off are Haas? New Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu made it clear when their VF-24 debuted that they do not expect to be competitive in the opening races of 2024 at least.
Can anyone run a stint like Red Bull? The key to Red Bull’s competitiveness last year wasn’t simply speed but their ability to eke out a set of tyres over a race stint. This is the area where their rivals most need to make gains.

‘10 crucial F1 testing topics’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/02/19/who-had-a-good-winter-will-we-have-a-title-fight-10-crucial-f1-testing-topics/


Verstappen not rushing into judgement on RB20
19 February 10:25AM
Author Nick Golding
Co-author Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Max Verstappen isn't getting ahead of himself prior to the start of the 2024 F1 season, with him still having more simulator work to do before the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix. The Dutchman heads into the new campaign having demolished the field in 2023 on his way to a third consecutive Drivers' Championship.

He won the title with ease and shattered countless records along the way, including the records for the most wins in a season, most points scored and most consecutive victories. For someone to take the fight to the 26-year-old and Red Bull, they have a mountain to climb, a challenge which could further increase depending on the strength of the side's 2024 car. Red Bull were the final team to launch their new car – the RB20 – before conducting a shakedown test at Silverstone.

Whilst this did offer Verstappen a chance to drive the car, his first opportunity to push it to its limit will come this week during pre-season testing. It's widely expected that Red Bull and Verstappen will be unstoppable once again given how untouchable the partnership was last year, although the Dutch driver admits topping his 2023 achievements might not be possible.

‘More simulator work to do before the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-not-rushing-into-judgement-on-rb20


F1 bahrain pre season testing schedule and times
19 February 3:30PM
Author Allard Gooshouwer
RacingNews365

This week, from February 21st to 23rd, the 2024 Formula 1 pre-season test is being held in Bahrain. Curious about the times when the teams will be in action? You can find that in the overview below.

F1 pre season testing schedule
Session Date Time (GMT)
Day 1 February 21st 7:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Day 2 February 22st 7:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Day 3 February 23st 7:00 AM - 4:00 PM

‘Pre season testing schedule’;

https://racingnews365.com/f1-bahrain-pre-season-testing-schedule-and-times


F1 Live: 2024 Bahrain Testing Day 1 Watchalong | Live Timings + Commentary
Scheduled for Feb 21, 2024 #f1testing #F12024 #F1
Racing Statistics

F1 Live 2024 Pre Season Testing at Sakhir, Bahrain | Day 1 - Morning Session F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary for the pre-season testing with Racing Statistics. Lets Watchalong!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8x07Bkic2M

[Fortitude]

How important is F1 2024 Testing in Bahrain?
The roar of engines and the smell of burning rubber are just around the corner as 2024 Formula 1 pre-season testing in Bahrain kicks off on February 21.
February 19, 2024
By John Smith
Total Motorsport

Testing provides several invaluable benefits.
1. Unveiling Car Potential: Testing allows teams to evaluate the overall performance and potential of their new cars. This includes assessing areas like:
• Aerodynamics: Testing helps teams validate their wind tunnel and CFD data by comparing it to real-world track performance.
• Reliability: Teams can identify and address potential reliability issues before the season begins,
• Driver Feedback: Drivers provide valuable insights on car handling, balance, and tire management

2. Fostering Team Coordination: Testing serves as a crucial platform for teams to refine their pit stop procedures, communication protocols, and operational efficiency. This ensures a smooth and coordinated effort during the actual race weekends.
3. Driver Acclimatization: For both experienced and rookie drivers, testing provides an opportunity to get accustomed to the new car and track conditions. This allows them to build confidence, refine their driving techniques, and prepare mentally for the intense competition ahead.

4. Generating Fan Excitement: Testing creates a buzz and anticipation among fans, offering a taste of what to expect from the upcoming season. Fans can observe the new car designs, witness driver dynamics, and start forming their predictions and allegiances.
Testing: A Stepping Stone, Not a Destination: It’s important to remember that testing is just a starting point.

‘Roar of engines and the smell of burning rubber’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/how-important-f1-2024-testing-bahrain/


Why 2024 is not the year to mess your car design up
19 Feb 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

There’s never a good time to get your car design wrong in F1, but this year it could be even more costly than usual. Here’s why…

‘Not the year to mess your car design up’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.why-2024-is-not-the-year-to-mess-your-car-design-up.1791134607220777140.html


Everything You Need to Know About F1 Ahead of the 2024 Season
The 2024 Formula 1 racing season is right around the corner. Here's what you need to know about the international motorsport.
Feb. 19, 2024 9:00 a.m. PT
Mary-Elisabeth Combs
CNET

One thing I noticed when I started watching F1 was that commentators would throw out all sorts of terms that I was unfamiliar with. To help build up your F1 vocabulary, I've rounded up some of the most common terms you'll hear during a race weekend and defined them:
• DRS: The drag reduction system is a mechanism on Formula 1 cars that reduces drag by opening a flap on the back wing of the car. DRS can only be applied at certain points of the race, called DRS zones, and when two cars are within a certain time distance (1 second).

• Understeer: This happens when the front of the car is harder to turn than expected, so the car will not turn into a corner as sharply as the driver intends to turn, for example.
• Oversteer: This happens when the back of the car turns too much and slips a bit when a car is turning. This means that the front of the car will turn too sharply into a corner.
• Undercut: An undercut occurs when a driver makes a pit stop -- or "pits" -- to put on brand new tires before an opponent does. If done correctly, these fresher tires will allow the driver who pitted to gain a little bit of time over a driver who did not pit and is running on older tires.

• Overcut: An overcut is the direct opposite of an undercut. A driver chooses to remain on the track on older tires while other drivers pit. If executed properly, a driver can get a few more laps out of their tires and pick up a few seconds on opponents on a less congested track.
• Degradation: Formula 1 tires are usually smooth (the ones used in wet conditions have a bit of tread for improved grip), and are under a great deal of strain during races. As a result of temperature and wear, the tires can degrade, and after a certain point actually make the cars slower and harder to control. Many drivers will complain about this (perhaps a bit unnecessarily). F1 tires are designed to wear and degrade, making tire management a critical piece of race strategy. Tire-makers are constantly evaluating and tweaking tire structures and compounds for optimal racing under different conditions.

‘What you need to know’;

https://www.cnet.com/culture/sports/everything-you-need-to-know-about-f1-ahead-of-the-2024-season/


F1 2024 spotters guide
This is your guide to the forthcoming F1 season with all the key details of every car on the grid.
20 February 2024
by Mat Coch
Speedcafe

While nothing has changed since the end of 2023 on the driver front, plenty's been going on behind the scenes. Since Abu Dhabi, the AlphaTauri name has disappeared from the grid and has been replaced by RB.

Alfa Romeo has also disappeared, with the Swiss operation reverting to its underlying Sauber brand and the controversial addition of its title sponsors to make for a mouthful for commentators. In terms of personnel, there have been some big changes too.

‘Plenty's been going on behind the scenes’;

https://speedcafe.com/f1-2024-spotters-guide/


Will the 2025 F1 driver silly season see “chaos”?
Will the Formula 1 driver market see silly season “chaos” in the coming weeks, as teams battle with each other to secure the optimum line-up for 2025 and beyond?
Feb 19, 2024, 3:13 PM
Adam Cooper
Motorsport.com

The question now is how soon things will start to move at other teams, and how quickly the remaining pieces fall into place thereafter. Thus far, only seven of the 20 seats are filled beyond this season, with McLaren and Ferrari having secured two drivers not just for 2025 but also into the era of the new regulations that begins the following year.

The only other drivers officially signed up are Max Verstappen at Red Bull until 2028 and George Russell at Mercedes until 2025. However, for obvious reasons, Lance Stroll is set to stay with Aston Martin for the foreseeable future, even if his status has not been made public.

That still leaves 13 vacancies for 2025, and the potential for much to happen. But when will the merry-go-round spring into action?

‘Will the 2025 F1 driver silly season see chaos’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/2025-f1-driver-silly-season-chaos/10577451/


McLaren sees development slowdown in third year of F1 rules
19/02/2024 at 15:05
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

McLaren technical director Andrea Stella believes F1 teams will be facing diminishing returns on their development this season as the field tightens in the third year of the sport’s ground effect regulations. "I think this year, we will see that adding lap time will start to have some diminishing return, I would say, for the first time with these new regulations," Stella said, quoted by Motorsport.com.

"For two years we have seen progress, especially aerodynamic development, being quite steep. But now, I would anticipate that towards the end of the season, it will become harder for designers to be able to keep a very steep development rate. This is why as I said before, we can be competitive if we are able to keep the development rate that we have experienced over the last 12 months."

‘Development slowdown’;

https://f1i.com/news/499787-mclaren-sees-development-slowdown-in-third-year-of-f1-rules.html

[Fortitude]

How can you tell who's really quickest in F1 testing?
The timesheets at the end of the day tell one story... but it's unlikely to be the full truth of F1 testing in Bahrain.
February 20th 2024
Author: Chris Medland
Motor Sport Magazine

Rumour rules at testing: Paddock gossip is one of the main ways journalists get a feel for the competitive picture, because individual teams might give away a little bit about how they are getting on, or drivers have feedback about other cars they have seen on track, and then it can be carefully pieced together. But even so, that’s far from a perfect science.

Tell-tale signs: That said, there are signs that can let you know if your team is in particularly good or bad shape. Mileage is often more telling than lap time, because cars that are running consistently and regularly are a sign of a team that is well-placed with a reliable car that is easy to set up. Those doing lots of shorter runs and making regular changes suggest it is hard to find the sweet spot of a car, or there are reliability concerns.

Then there are the tyres being used. Using Bahrain as an example, the C1, C2 and C3 tyre will be supplied to the teams for the race weekend, so comparing long runs on the same C1 or C2 provides some reflection of where teams stand in terms of race pace. And those racking up the laps on those tyres tend to be the more confident outfits when it comes to their machinery. And the final hints don’t come from the cars at all, but the drivers after they climb out of them. Their body language, the comments they make about how the test is going, and information provided by the teams in their press releases can all be telling.

‘Far from a perfect science’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/how-can-you-tell-whos-really-quickest-in-f1-testing/?nowprocket=1#


Three key storylines to keep an eye on in 2024 F1 pre-season testing
20 February 12:05PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews

Are Red Bull still as far ahead? With the laws of diminishing returns striking for Red Bull with its previous concept, it has gone radical with the RB20 - will this prove to be another Adrian Newey masterstroke or a disaster that will level the playing field and allow Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren or Aston Martin a sniff? Sergio Perez has also spoken during the launch season that the car feels improved in slow-speed corners on the simulator compared to 2023 - that is a good thing for the Mexican and should help him to be closer to Verstappen.

Have Mercedes and Ferrari finally got it right? As far as Red Bull is concerned, it has already aced one ground effects concept and is onto its second whilst Mercedes and Ferrari are still trying to figure out their first. All teams on the grid have moved towards the former Red Bull style of downwash sidepods, but one upside for Mercedes and Ferrari is that they still have giant gains to make in their performance - ones that Red Bull has already found.

Just how fast is the RB? Both McLaren and Aston Martin are hoping that they will be able to keep looking upwards and continue their form of 2023 of mingling with the so-called big three teams and establish themselves there. The one thing both do not want to do is be looking over their shoulders at an RB team which has undergone drastic change since last term.

‘Three key storylines’;

https://racingnews365.com/three-key-storylines-to-keep-an-eye-on-in-2024-f1-pre-season-testing


F1 teams choose peculiar tyre allocations for F1 pre-season testing
Five types of tyres will be used this year, from C1 (the hardest) to C5 (the softest). For pre-season testing, teams were asked to choose their selections for the first on-track sessions of the year.
20 February 2:30PM
Author Jesse Janse
RacingNews365

What stands out? There are a few things that stand out from the selection made by the teams. The C5 is vastly unpopular, with a majority of teams opting to arrive in Bahrain with no plan to run the softest compound. The C4 is not very popular for the same reason. Two teams, McLaren and Alpine, will not be seen at all with a red-walled tyre at the test, with Alpine arriving with a striking number of C1 tyres.
The most popular tyre is clearly the C3, the middle compound in Pirelli's range. During the first Grand Prix weekend, that will be the softest tyre available and will be used prominently during qualifying. By choosing so many of the C3 tyres, the teams can also look at the first race weekend with more confidence. Mercedes has by far the most medium tyres with 25 of the 35 sets in its arsenal being the yellow-walled compound.

Ferrari will take the most 'soft' tyres with six sets of C4s and two sets of C5s. Red Bull has opted for a balanced distribution, with the C3 tyres as the clear outlier. However, we will not see the softest C5 tyre attached to the RB20 of Max Verstappen or Sergio Perez in the coming days, which may mask its pace ahead of the first round of the year.

‘Peculiar tyre allocations: What stands out? ’;

https://racingnews365.com/f1-teams-choose-peculiar-tyre-allocations-for-f1-pre-season-testing


F1’s ‘late’ team hits track in Bahrain for last pre-testing shakedown
20 Feb 2024 9:45 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Late to the track having opted for additional virtual tests back at the factory, Williams’ FW46 completed its first laps in Bahrain on Tuesday with Logan Sargeant behind the wheel. James Vowles was quick to point out that wasn’t because something had gone wrong in their preparations, rather it was a conscious decision.

“A bit of it is,” he told the media including PlanetF1.com, “we’ve pushed ourselves to the absolute limits, a bit of it is actually I believe far more in doing other testing, if you’d like to call it that, and then use Bahrain as the opportunity to get started. We could easily have run down there, but there was a balance between doing the virtual track test and Silverstone.”

“I much rather wanted to spend the time dedicated to the virtual track test and we’ll shake it down in Bahrain.” And shake it down is what the team did on Tuesday morning with Williams posting a video on X of Sargeant driving out of the car in the FW46.

‘F1’s ‘late’ team hits track’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-late-team-williams-bahrain-shakedown


Red Bull’s bold design and secret ‘sandbagging’: what can we expect from F1 testing?
The 2024 Formula 1 season gets underway on Wednesday with 24 hours of running over three days in Bahrain
20th February 2024, 12:09
Kieran Jackson
Formula 1 Correspondent
The Independent

Pre-season testing is often peculiar: plenty of flow-vis paint and aero-rakes appear on cars to measure initial performance. Varied lap times, fuel load and set-ups mean the leaderboard at the end of each day should be taken with a pinch of salt.

But for the drivers and teams, it’s invaluable. With 24 hours of running over three days, each driver should receive 12 hours of time in the car or on the pit wall, with the focus fully on the performance and reliability of their 2024 challenger.

Red Bull’s design boldness
Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton: the last dance
McLaren change tack with low-key launch
Amid the chasing pack, will we get an Aston Martin surprise?
Not all will be as it seems

‘Secret sandbagging’;

https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/f1-testing-2024-red-bull-horner-times-b2499110.html

[Fortitude]

F1 2024 testing: What is each team’s testing driver line-up in Bahrain?
F1 2024 testing is upon us in Bahrain and each team is splitting its driving duties between their drivers, with each driver given a day and a half each to get used to their new machinery ahead of the new season.
21 Feb 2024 7:00 AM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

With teams only allowed to run one car during the three days of pre-season testing in Bahrain, each driver will have to share their cockpit as they look to clock as many laps as possible before the new campaign gets underway.

‘Here is a look at who will be on track and when during F1 2024 testing’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-2024-testing-driver-line-up


F1 Live: 2024 Bahrain Testing Day 1 Watchalong | Live Timings + Commentary
21st February 2024.
Racing Statistics

F1 Live 2024 Pre Season Testing at Sakhir, Bahrain | Day 1 - Morning Session F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary for the pre-season testing with Racing Statistics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8x07Bkic2M


[LIVE] FORMULA 1 Bahrain Pre-Season Testing 2024 - DAY 1 Watchalong | Live Timing
21st February 2024.
Les Voitures Ont La Parole

On this stream, you can see data about the current session (time/laps remaining, drivers classifying, drivers positions on the circuit), and also a lot of useful things about the current Grand Prix!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQPpjmANkAo


F1 DIRECTO | TEST PRETEMPORADA BAHREIN 2024 - DÍA 1 - Live Timing
21st February 2024.
ORTUÑO TV

➡ Síguenos en nuestras redes sociales ✅

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWK1lvNJbNY


2024 F1 Bahrain Testing (Day 1) - Commentary + Data
21st February 2024.
F1 Gamer

This live stream has full live commentary and live timing data alongside a track map it is about F1 (Formula 1) Pre-Season Testing in Bahrain, held at the Bahrain International Circuit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C739VDLkHqQ

[Fortitude]

IN PHOTOS: Every 2024 F1 car on track during pre-season testing in Bahrain.
Formula 1 returned to action at the Bahrain International Circuit on Wednesday as all 10 teams' cars hit the track for the start of 2024 pre-season testing.
21 February 2024
Formula One - Official Site

At 1000 local time, George Russell and Mercedes completed the first official lap of the year as drivers and teams headed out to gather valuable mileage ahead of next week’s season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

From the classic red of Ferrari to the striking green-and-black of Kick Sauber, there were a range of designs on display, along with plenty of testing aids such as flow-vis paint and aero rakes.

‘Every 2024 F1 car on track’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.in-photos-every-2024-f1-car-on-track-during-pre-season-testing-in-bahrain.54pdPcT7JiVOA86MHHRsrg.html


Ted Kravitz hails the ‘bit of magic’ that one Formula 1 team have come up with this season
Wed 21 February 2024 08:00
Ben Evans
Oversteer

Sky Sports F1 technical expert Ted Kravitz has admitted that he’s been seriously impressed with the work Mercedes have done on their front wing over the winter break. Speaking about the front wing, Kravitz said: “It is a genius move, so credit to John Owen the designer here who has come up with that bit of magic on the front wing.

“Hats off to their aero team. It’s such a lovely idea. Mercedes had they just stood still and developed what was an OK car, they got to the point where they could do some bits with it at the end of the year, then that would have been all right. But they had to find a second per lap, now that’s the big question for me, is this Mercedes a second per lap quicker than last year’s Mercedes?”

“Well John Owen the designer will certainly hope so, the ideas with this front wing and trying to recreate the Y250 vortex, that’s the middle section, to try and get the air inside, through those front wheels. It’s a nice idea, is it going to work, are the rest of the things going to work as well? We will find out.”

‘Bit of magic’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/teams/ted-kravitz-hails-the-bit-of-magic-that-one-formula-1-team-have-come-up-with-this-season/


Adrian Newey spots an ‘interesting’ innovation on Mercedes W15
21 Feb 2024 7:30 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Adrian Newey has reportedly stated there’s one innovation on the new-look Mercedes W15 that he finds “interesting”, but what exactly that is he didn’t say. According to the BBC’s Andrew Benson, “Newey said at his car’s launch that there was an innovation on the Mercedes that he found “interesting” although he would not reveal what it was. The suspicion is that he was referring to the front wing design.”

‘Adrian Newey will be taking a closer look at the W15’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/adrian-newey-interesting-innovation-mercedes-w15


Red Bull unsure they can make Mercedes-style sidepods work
21/02/2024 at 08:12
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Helmut Marko has revealed that Red Bull is committed to reducing the sidepod real estate on its new RB20, following a design previously exploited by Mercedes, but doubts linger about whether the concept can be successful.

Mercedes eventually abandoned it ‘zero sidepod’ concept after five races last season, but Red Bull is willing to give the approach – or something similar – another shot. “They [Mercedes] were also convinced by the data of their sidepod-less concept, but in practice, it didn't work at all,” Marko said, speaking to Servus TV earlier this week.

“We will now see in the tests whether we can successfully implement this solution, or let's say a similar solution. Adrian Newey always favoured cars without radiators. But of course, the engine people can't do that. That is logical.” Marko suggested that Red Bull’s take on the creative sidepod solution won’t be as extreme as Mercedes’ concept.

‘Reducing the sidepod real estate’;

https://f1i.com/news/499892-red-bull-unsure-they-can-make-mercedes-style-sidepods-work.html


Ted Kravitz raises yet more questions about Red Bull’s RB20 innovative solutions
21 Feb 2024 8:00 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Ted Kravitz says never mind the bodywork of the RB20, it’s the nose and front wing that he’d be surprised to see on the car come the race in Bahrain next week. It had Sky Sports analyst Bernie Collins wondering if that would be the car that took to the track in Bahrain on Wednesday morning.

“I think maybe years in F1 have made me suspicious,” she said in the latest Sky F1 podcast, “so let’s see the car that rolls out on Day One in Bahrain because I’m not sure it’s going to be that car. This could just be a little joke.”

‘Yet more questions’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ted-kravitz-more-questions-red-bull-rb20-innovative-solutions


Red Bull F1’s Adrian Newey is world car person of the year
Newey is the designer behind the RB19, the most dominant race car in the history of Formula One, winning 21 of 22 races in 2023
21 FEBRUARY 2024 - 09:33
by MOTOR NEWS REOPRTER
BusinesLive

Red Bull F1 designer Adrian Newey has been voted the 2024 World Car Person of the Year by a jury of more than 100 journalists from 29 countries.

As chief technical officer of Red Bull Racing, the aerodynamicist is the designer and driving force behind the RB19, the most dominant race car in the history of Formula One...

‘Red Bull F1’s Adrian Newey’;

https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/life/motoring/2024-02-21-red-bull-f1s-adrian-newey-is-world-car-person-of-the-year/


New cars analysed as F1 preseason testing begins in Bahrain
Feb 21, 2024, 02:58 AM ET
Nate Saunders, General Editor
ESPN.com

Formula One's preseason testing for the 2024 season has started at Bahrain's Sakhir International Circuit. The three-day test -- the only opportunity for teams to gather on-track data about their cars before the opening race at the same venue on March 2 -- allows teams unlimited running during a certain time window.

Red Bull's radical new car design will be a talking point, especially after it won 21 of the 22 races last year. The likes of McLaren, Aston Martin, Mercedes and Ferrari are all looking to cut the gap to the world champions this year.

‘New cars analysed’;

https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/39567340/new-cars-analysed-f1-preseason-testing-begins-bahrain


Verstappen fastest at two-hour mark of F1 pre-season testing
21 February 10:06AM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Max Verstappen sits atop the timing sheets two hours into the first session of 2024 Formula 1 pre-season testing.

Alonso posted 32 laps as the AMR24 looked a compliant machine for the two-time World Champion, whilst Bottas raised the Stake to P1 early on and settled into fourth at the half-way mark of the four-hour morning session.

Yuki Tsunoda was the equal busiest driver with 37 laps on the board with Verstappen for the new RB machine, as Oscar Piastri only completed 17 laps in a quiet start to testing for McLaren.

‘Verstappen fastest at two-hour mark’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-fastest-at-two-hour-mark-of-f1-pre-season-testing

[Fortitude]

Verstappen dominates proceedings on first morning of testing.
Reigning world champion Max Verstappen ended the first morning of the three-day Bahrain test on top of the timesheets with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc finishing the first official running in second spot seven tenths of a second behind his Dutch rival.
21 Feb 2024, 14:07
By Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

The early hours went on without any major trouble for anyone. Fernando Alonso soon emerged at the top of the timing sheet and looked quite comfortable with the behaviour of the new Aston Martin.

Max Vertappen seemed in even better shape and somewhat effortlessly brought it down to 1:32.548s even despite some non-ideal moments in Turn 5 and Turn 8. Charles Leclerc later also improved on Alonso's time to make for a solid second place on the morning's timesheet.

Oscar Piastri made it a solid fourth for McLaren followed by RB's Yuki Tsunoda. For Mercedes it wasn't the perfect session however. Although there we no reliability issues, Russell was seen bumping had on the bump at the end of the main straight. The team therefore decided to make car changes that held them in the pitlane for quite a while.

‘Verstappen dominates proceedings’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24404


Everything that happened on first morning of 2024 F1 testing
Feb 21, 2024
by Jack Cozens
The Race

KEY MOMENTS
• Verstappen seven tenths clear on first morning
• Albon brings Williams to a halt late on
• First chance to see 2024 tech in more detail

WEDNESDAY AM TIMES
1 Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 1m32.548s, C3 tyre, 66 laps
2 Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.699s, C3, 64 laps
3 Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) +0.837s, C3, 77 laps
4 Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +1.110s, C3, 57 laps
5 Yuki Tsunoda (RB) +1.588s, C3, 64 laps
6 George Russell (Mercedes) +1.682ss, C3, 48 laps
7 Valtteri Bottas (Sauber) +1.883s, C3, 68 laps
8 Alex Albon (Williams) +2.039s, C4, 40 laps
9 Esteban Ocon (Alpine) +2.129s, C1, 60 laps
10 Kevin Magnussen (Haas) +3.144s, C3, 66 laps

‘First morning of 2024 F1 testing’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/everything-that-happened-on-first-morning-of-2024-f1-testing/


Max Verstappen heads Charles Leclerc on first morning of 2024 F1 testing in Bahrain
Here's what happened on the first morning of F1 testing in Bahrain.
21 Feb 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Three-time F1 world champion Max Verstappen set the pace in the first four hours of running in 2024 F1 pre-season testing. After two hours of running, Verstappen rose to the top of the timesheets with a 1m33.065, 0.3s ahead of Fernando Alonso’s previous benchmark.

Soon after, Verstappen found a 0.5s improvement to set an overall best time of 1m32.548s. Of course, it’s still early days with Verstappen’s top time well over two seconds slower than his own pole time from 2023.

The Dutchman completed 66 laps in the all-new RB20 in a smooth first session for the team. Leclerc was just under 0.7s shy of Verstappen’s benchmark in the SF-24.

‘Here's what happened’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1044401/1/max-verstappen-heads-charles-leclerc-first-morning-2024-f1-testing-bahrain


Red Bull's sidepod intricacies begin to emerge in Bahrain F1 test
RED BULL HAS FINALLY BEGUN TO REVEAL SOME OF THE SECRETS OF THE AGGRESSIVE NEW SIDEPODS ON ITS RB20 FORMULA 1 CAR, AS TESTING BEGINS IN BAHRAIN.
Upd: Feb 21, 2024, 1:43 PM
Matt SomerfieldFeb 21, 2024, 9:55 AM
Motorsport.com

One of the big talking points of launch season was Red Bull's conceptual shift in sidepod design, with a lot of intrigue surrounding the minimalist inlets. And as the car appeared in public for the first time on the opening day of pre-season testing in Bahrain on Wednesday, greater clarity was offered as to exactly what Red Bull had done, with its launch-spec car clearly not the finished product.

Meanwhile, Red Bull is also taking advantage of the change in regulations for 2024 that allow for additional driver cooling apertures on the chassis, with two small snorkels seen pressed into the chassis' upper panel.

Beyond the focus on the sidepods, there’s another interesting set of inlets on the RB20 that also deserves our attention, this time housed around the halo and engine cover.

‘Red Bull's sidepod intricacies’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/red-bulls-sidepod-intricacies-begin-to-emerge-in-bahrain-f1-test/10578143/


Christian Horner sets out Red Bull 2024 targets after arriving for Bahrain F1 testingThe 2024 Formula 1 season is just a matter of days away, with Christian Horner's Red Bull making their preparations as they look to defend the drivers' and constructors' titles
• 11:31, 21 Feb 2024
By Tom Victor Sport Trends Writer
The Mirror

Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner has spoken about the 'special moment' of seeing the team's car in action ahead of the 2024 Formula 1 season.

Horner and members of the Red Bull team and staff have arrived in Bahrain, after last week's filming day at Silverstone. Speaking at the event at the home of the British Grand Prix, Horner was focused on his team's plans for the season ahead having insisted it was "business as usual" as far as he was concerned.

“It was great to be back on track at Silverstone, seeing the RB20 come to life is incredible, it is always a special moment seeing a car drive down the pitlane for the first time," Horner said. “Our goal and aim for 2024 has to be to defend both Championships.”

‘Red Bull 2024 targets’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/christian-horner-sets-out-red-32175360


Formula One 2024: All the biggest storylines, changes and dramas
21 Feb 2024, 15:50
Sports JOE

Can anyone knock Max Verstappen and Red Bull off their perch? The 2024 Formula 1 season roars into life at the Bahrain international Circuit, next week, with the first race taking place on March 2.

Ahead of the 2024 season, with Netflix helping to tee up the drama with the new Drive to Survive [clip below], Fiona Shields gives us a run-down on the F1 runners and riders.

‘2024 Formula 1 season roars into life’;

https://www.sportsjoe.ie/motorsports/formula-1-season-preview-2024-298179


F1 Testing results 2024 – Day 1 (Bahrain International Circuit)
21 Feb 2024 9:47 AM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

For the afternoon, there were plenty of driver changes with eight of the 10 teams swapping over to their other drivers – the only names left to take in their first laps of pre-season are Sergio Perez and Lewis Hamilton.

With just under 90 minutes to go on day one, Verstappen smashed the best time of the day as he logged a 1:31.662 to go eight-tenths clear of Norris.

1. 1 Max VERSTAPPEN Red Bull Racing 1:31.662 109 Laps
2. 2 Lando NORRIS McLaren +0.822 32
3. 3 Carlos SAINZ Ferrari +0.922
4. 4 Daniel RICCIARDO RB +1.284 26
5. 5 Lance STROLL Aston Martin +1.412 18
6. 6 Charles LECLERC Ferrari +1.585 64
7. 7 Fernando ALONSO Aston Martin +1.723 77
8. 8 Oscar PIASTRI McLaren +1.996 57
9. 9. Guanyu ZHOU Stake +2.209 28
10. 10 Logan SARGEANT Williams +2.220 21
11. 11 George RUSSELL Mercedes +2.447 84
12. 12 Yuki TSUNODA RB +2.474 64
13. 13 Valtteri BOTTAS Kick Sauber +2.769 68
14. 14 Alexander ALBON Williams +2.925 40
15. 15 Esteban OCON Alpine +3.015 60
16. 16 Kevin MAGNUSSEN Haas F1 Team +4.030 66
17. 17 Nico Hulkenberg Haas +4.244 46
18. 18. Pierre Gasly ALPINE +4.753 31

‘Afternoon, plenty of driver changes’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-testing-results-2024-day-1-bahrain

[Fortitude]

2024 Bahrain F1 test: Verstappen heads first day by 1.1s from Norris.
Verstappen used the much-improved conditions during the final half hour to knock another three tenths off and seal the top spot with a 1m31.344s lap, a second and a half faster than he was during the same session last winter.
Feb 21, 2024, 4:05 PM
Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

The three-time world champion set the pace in the morning session and stayed on board for the remainder of the day, reclaiming the lead from McLaren's Lando Norris around the halfway mark with a lap of 1m31.662s on Pirelli's yellow-marked C3 tyres.

Norris stayed second after a much-improved opening session of the new season compared to McLaren's backfoot start last year. After taking over from team-mate Oscar Piastri, the Briton clocked 72 laps to finish 1.1s behind Verstappen with a 1m32.484s that had briefly yielded the lead.

RB's Daniel Ricciardo produced just 48 laps, but his best effort was good enough for fourth, a mere 0.015s behind Sainz. Fellow afternoon runners Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) and Pierre Gasly (Alpine) were next up in fifth and sixth respectively, followed by the second Ferrari of Charles Leclerc, who was the fastest of the morning runners behind Verstappen.

‘Verstappen heads first day by 1.1s’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/2024-bahrain-f1-test-verstappen-heads-first-day-by-11s-second-from-norris/10578335/


Verstappen puts Red Bull over a second ahead of rivals on first day of testing
21st February 2024, 16:28
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Max Verstappen picked up where he left off last year by putting his Red Bull on top of the times by over a second on the first day of testing.

Pos. Car number Driver Team Model Best time Gap Laps

1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull RB20 1’31.344 143

2 4 Lando Norris McLaren MCL38 1’32.484 1.140 72

3 55 Carlos Sainz Jnr Ferrari SF-24 1’32.584 1.240 69

4 3 Daniel Ricciardo RB RB01 1’32.599 1.255 52

5 10 Pierre Gasly Alpine A524 1’32.805 1.461 60

6 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin AMR24 1’33.007 1.663 54

7 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari SF-24 1’33.247 1.903 64

8 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin AMR24 1’33.385 2.041 77

9 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren MCL38 1’33.658 2.314 57

10 24 Zhou Guanyu Sauber C44 1’33.871 2.527 62

'2024 Formula 1 Bahrain testing – Day One complete times';

https://www.racefans.net/2024/02/21/verstappen-puts-red-bull-over-a-second-ahead-of-rivals-on-first-day-of-testing/


Verstappen boasts immense gap after opening Bahrain F1 test
21 February 5:01PM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Max Verstappen has ended the first pre-season test day on top of the timesheets. The three-time World Champion set a 1:31.344 in the final half hour of the session equipped with the C3 compound. Verstappen also set the most number of laps by a single driver with 143 to his name, ensuring he got his 10th season in F1 off to a strong start as he chases a fourth title.

‘Top of the timesheets’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-boasts-immense-gap-after-opening-bahrain-f1-test


Verstappen dominates the timesheets on opening day of F1 testing
Red Bull Racing look the class of the field again heading into 2024
Published 21st Feb 2024, 16:02 GMT
By Toby Lock
Milton Keynes Citizen

The Dutchman put the first miles in the new RB20, designed and built in Tilbrook, in the Sakhir desert, completing more than 140 laps in the car as he took testing duties for the opening day. The only other driver in triple figures for laps was George Russell in the Mercedes, but all the other teams swapped drivers at the lunch break.

‘Verstappen dominates’;

https://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/sport/other-sport/verstappen-dominates-the-timesheets-on-opening-day-of-f1-testing-4528074


F1 2024 Pre-season testing day one results
A precious first taste of relative performances of all ten teams will be revealed on the first day of testing at the Bahrain International Circuit
February 21, 2024
James Fiorucci
FormulaNerds

After eight hours of intensive on-track testing by all teams, it was the Red Bull of Max Verstappen that set the fastest lap of the day.

Summary: Red Bull and Max Verstappen dominated the first day of pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit, ending the two combined sessions with a time over a second faster than the McLaren of Lando Norris.

The three-time World Champion also clocked the highest number of laps of all 18 drivers on track over the day, with a total of 143 laps. George Russell managed 122 laps in his Mercedes W15, while Nico Hulkenberg managed the third most laps with 82.

‘Day one results’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/f1-2024-pre-season-testing-day-one/


Max Verstappen commands first day of F1 2024 pre-season testing
Max Verstappen continued where he left off last year by dominating the first day of track action in F1 2024.
21 Feb 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Max Verstappen produced an ominous display of pace to take command of the opening day of F1 pre-season testing in Bahrain. While lap times in testing should always be treated with caution given the many variables and unknowns at play, Verstappen nevertheless laid down an impressive marker in his revamped Red Bull.

The RB20 attracted plenty of attention as it finally broke cover in Bahrain after Red Bull launched a drastic evolution of their dominant 2023 challenger. Verstappen didn’t look completely at one with his RB20 but appeared to dial out some early handling issues as the day progressed, setting his benchmark pace on the C3 compound in the final hour of running when conditions were at their best.

‘Ominous display of pace to take command’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1044442/1/max-verstappen-commands-first-day-f1-2024-pre-season-testing

[Matthew]

2024 Bahrain F1 test: Verstappen heads first day by 1.1s from Norris.
Verstappen used the much-improved conditions during the final half hour to knock another three tenths off and seal the top spot with a 1m31.344s lap, a second and a half faster than he was during the same session last winter.
Feb 21, 2024, 4:05 PM
Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

The three-time world champion set the pace in the morning session and stayed on board for the remainder of the day, reclaiming the lead from McLaren's Lando Norris around the halfway mark with a lap of 1m31.662s on Pirelli's yellow-marked C3 tyres.

Norris stayed second after a much-improved opening session of the new season compared to McLaren's backfoot start last year. After taking over from team-mate Oscar Piastri, the Briton clocked 72 laps to finish 1.1s behind Verstappen with a 1m32.484s that had briefly yielded the lead.

RB's Daniel Ricciardo produced just 48 laps, but his best effort was good enough for fourth, a mere 0.015s behind Sainz. Fellow afternoon runners Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) and Pierre Gasly (Alpine) were next up in fifth and sixth respectively, followed by the second Ferrari of Charles Leclerc, who was the fastest of the morning runners behind Verstappen.

‘Verstappen heads first day by 1.1s’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/2024-bahrain-f1-test-verstappen-heads-first-day-by-11s-second-from-norris/10578335/


Verstappen puts Red Bull over a second ahead of rivals on first day of testing
21st February 2024, 16:28
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Max Verstappen picked up where he left off last year by putting his Red Bull on top of the times by over a second on the first day of testing.

Pos. Car number Driver Team Model Best time Gap Laps

1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull RB20 1’31.344 143

2 4 Lando Norris McLaren MCL38 1’32.484 1.140 72

3 55 Carlos Sainz Jnr Ferrari SF-24 1’32.584 1.240 69

4 3 Daniel Ricciardo RB RB01 1’32.599 1.255 52

5 10 Pierre Gasly Alpine A524 1’32.805 1.461 60

6 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin AMR24 1’33.007 1.663 54

7 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari SF-24 1’33.247 1.903 64

8 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin AMR24 1’33.385 2.041 77

9 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren MCL38 1’33.658 2.314 57

10 24 Zhou Guanyu Sauber C44 1’33.871 2.527 62

'2024 Formula 1 Bahrain testing – Day One complete times';

https://www.racefans.net/2024/02/21/verstappen-puts-red-bull-over-a-second-ahead-of-rivals-on-first-day-of-testing/



No surprise to see Max at the top but good to see Ricciardo at number 4 spot which means that he has a good enough car to get consistent top 10 finishes.

[Fortitude]

Red Bull Runs Laps Around Other Teams During First Day of F1 Pre-Season Testing.
Verstappen’s top time cleared the rest of the field by 1.1 seconds and he ran a massive total of 143 laps.
PUBLISHED Feb 21, 2024 6:02 PM EST
By Jerry Perez
The Drive

Depending on who you ask, it's been a very long or a very short Formula 1 off-season. While many of the drivers travel around, party a bit, and get some much-needed time with their loved ones, most team personnel spend long days and nights at the factory dreading the first day of pre-season testing. Well, that day has come and gone, and here are some takeaways.

No surprises here. Pre-season testing isn't about lap times or even about going fast—it's about shaking down the car, making sure the old bits are still working, and the new bits are operating as expected. Things were working so well for Red Bull and Max Verstappen that they went long, racking up 143 laps in the new RB20. That's nearly two races worth of laps around the Bahrain International Circuit.

‘Top time cleared the rest of the field by 1.1 seconds’;

https://www.thedrive.com/news/red-bull-runs-laps-around-other-teams-during-first-day-of-f1-pre-season-testing


2024 F1 testing results: Verstappen sets scary early tone on Day 1 in Bahrain
Max Verstappen set the tone early at Bahrain pre-season testing with a scary lap time, leading rivals by over one second
18:44, Wed, Feb 21, 2024
By Joshua Mbu
Daily and Sunday Express

Defending F1 world champion Max Verstappen fired the first warning shot of the 2024 campaign, clearing his competitors by more than one second on Day 1 of preseason testing in Bahrain. The Dutchman, who sealed a three-peat of F1 world championships last season, completed 142 laps for Red Bull, clocking in a best time of 1:31.344s.

‘Verstappen sets scary early tone’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1869323/2024-F1-testing-Verstappen-scary-early-tone


Gary Anderson: What's really going on inside Red Bull's new sidepods
Feb 21, 2024
by Gary Anderson
The Race

Red Bull’s unusual treatment of the radiator intake and sidepod undercut on its 2024 Formula 1 car initially looked like a second vertical rad inlet beneath the conventional horizontal one - but it was difficult to be certain based on the car launch images. This apparent new direction caused quite a stir, and many people started to call it a copy of a Mercedes' ‘zero’ sidepod concept, but it is far from that.

Red Bull is one of F1’s most secretive teams, and is doing its best to hide what it can from prying eyes, but our eagle eyed photographers have still managed to capture a few more revealing shots. We often wonder why the bodywork has so many lumps and bumps on it - they are mainly to house all of this cooling and electronic gubbins.

‘Going on inside Red Bull's new sidepods’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/red-bull-f1-2024-car-sidepod-gary-anderson/


The trick Red Bull's 'vertical sidepods' were hiding
21 February 7:00PM
Author RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

Paolo Filisetti casts his eye over a surprise Red Bull RB20 invention that draws attention away from the sidepods. As the 2024 cars emerged on track in Sakhir, most of the focus was on the secrets of the Red Bull RB20.

Adrian Newey's latest design certainly caught the attention of those present in the Bahrain pit-lane, and an answer to the question of the sidepod inlets was finally discovered. Up close, it became clear that the actualy inlets are horizontal, located high up under the lip positioned at the upper edge.

The vertical slit is instead serving a similar function to the bypass duct on the Ferrari SF-24. The radiators are flat, with a reduced inclination as pictures of the car without bodywork proved. But what is interesting about the RB20 is not limited to the sidepod inlets. When Max Verstappen took the RB20 out, two large inlets in the long gulleys at the base of the halo were discovered, funneling air towards the rear of the car.

‘A surprise Red Bull RB20 invention’;

https://racingnews365.com/the-trick-red-bulls-vertical-sidepods-were-hiding


Red Bull chief's face speaks volumes as Max Verstappen smashes it at F1 testing
Gianpiero Lambiase struggled to hide his excitement as Red Bull dominated the first practice day of the F1 season.
17:53, Wed, Feb 21, 2024
By Amos Murphy
Daily and Sunday Express

Max Verstappen’s race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase failed to hide his excitement during F1 pre-season testing after an impressive performance from the Red Bull racer. The reigning world champion was the pick of the drivers on the first day of a three-day test event in Bahrain.

‘Red Bull chief's face speaks volumes’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1869251/Red-Bull-Max-Verstappen-F1-testing


GianPiero Lambiase: 'We have tested most of the fundamentals'
Published on 21 February 2024
by Johan Peeters
Verstappen.nl

GianPiero Lambiase, Head of Race Engineering of Oracle Red Bull Racing, reflects after the first day of testing: "The winter break was fairly short this year but, nonetheless, the amount of work which has gone into the car has been impressive as usual. We came to Bahrain with a few unknowns around a relatively new car, but we have tested most of the fundamentals on day one and got the answers we needed to. Now we have a solid base to take onto days two and three, when Checo takes over the car in the morning."

‘Tested most of the fundamentals’;

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5371/


Max Verstappen’s verdict on Red Bull’s ominous start with new RB20
Max Verstappen shares his first impressions of Red Bull's RB20 F1 car after making an ominous start to pre-season testing.
21 Feb 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

As was the case last year, Max Verstappen and Red Bull were in total control as F1 2024 track action kicked off with pre-season testing in Bahrain. Once Verstappen had ironed out some early handling gremlins, the Dutchman looked at one with his new challenger and appeared able to comfortably extract performance from it.

“It feels good to be back in an F1 car again and I had fun out on track today,” he summarised at the end of the day. We covered a lot of laps and tried quite a few things with the car, which was important, so happy overall with how it went.”

“After the winter break, the first few laps always surprise you a little but then you get back into the swing of things pretty quickly. Overall, the car was responding well and considering this was only testing we had a nice day. Looking to tomorrow, we are speaking to our engineers about what the plans will be, but I am looking forward to getting into the car in the afternoon.”

‘In total control’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1044447/1/max-verstappens-verdict-red-bulls-ominous-start-new-rb20


Red Bull chief Adrian Newey shows true colours after catching F1 rivals off guard
Max Verstappen dominated the first day of testing at the Bahrain International Circuit.
20:12, Wed, Feb 21, 2024
By Charlie Gordon
Daily and Sunday Express

Former F1 strategy engineer Bernie Collins was convinced that Red Bull had unveiled a 'dummy car' last week in an attempt to throw off their rivals. Nobody could lay a glove on them in 2023 as Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez won all bar one of the season's Grands Prix between them.

Even so, chief technical officer Newey took the bold decision to head in a different direction ahead of the upcoming campaign. The RB20 dons vertical sidepod inlets and a bulging cooling arrangement in major changes to last year's machine. The 65-year-old has a stellar reputation in the paddock, and his justification for the bold approach underlines exactly why Red Bull have got their hands on an indispensable asset.

‘Stellar reputation in the paddock’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1869356/red-bull-adrian-newey-rb20


Were Mercedes ‘sandbagging’ in F1 Testing? Almost 3 seconds off Max Verstappen and Red Bull
The Silver Arrows debut a completely new concept in Day 1 at 2024 F1 testing, and were way off the pace of frontrunner Max Verstappen in the Red Bull
February 21, 2024, 22:37
By Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

Mercedes didn’t focus on optimal performance set-up according to George Russell following a dismal debut of their 2024 car at the opening day of Formula 1 testing in Bahrain. After the team severed connections to its 2022 and 2023 cars, Toto Wolff’s team finished the day as 12th fastest out of 18 drivers, with Lewis Hamilton and Sergio Perez failing to test on Thursday. What’s even more concerning is they were 2.765 seconds slower than Max Verstappen’s Red Bull.

The team focused entirely on long runs according to Russell. “We know that it’s not about the feeling, but the speed,” Russell said after Day 1 of testing in Bahrain. “Nevertheless, today was about learning and not about chasing performance. We’re focused on ourselves at this test, and it will only be next week where we see where we stack up against the others. We will be focused on maximising mileage for learning rather than chasing an optimum sweet spot with the car.”

‘Were Mercedes ‘sandbagging?’

https://www.total-motorsport.com/george-russell-mercedes-sandbagging-f1-testing-almost-3-seconds-off-red-bull-verstappen/

[Fortitude]

Who’s driving on Day 2 of pre-season testing in Bahrain?
A new day means more pre-season testing as drivers and teams continue their preparations for the 2024 campaign at the Bahrain International Circuit.
22 February 2024
Formula One - Official Site

With eight teams splitting their running between the morning and afternoon on Wednesday, the theme continues for Thursday’s running, though Lewis Hamilton and Sergio Perez will both appear for the first time this year.

‘Day 2 of pre-season testing’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.whos-driving-on-day-2-of-2024-pre-season-testing-in-bahrain.1CNW0wvQ7pHoUClAktNSeA.html


F1 Live: 2024 Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 2 Watchalong | Live Timings + Commentary
22 February 2024
Racing Statistics

F1 Live 2024 Pre Season Testing at Bahrain | Day 2 - Morning Session F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary for the pre-season testing with Racing Statistics.

‘Pre-Season Testing Day 2 Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iUZutc7_xI


[LIVE] F1 Bahrain Testing 2024 - DAY 2 Watchalong
22 February 2024
Formula Watchalong

Hi everyone and welcome along to the FORMULA 1 ARAMCO PRE-SEASON TESTING 2024! On this stream, you can see data about the current session (time/laps remaining, drivers leaderboard, drivers positions on the circuit), and also a lot of useful things about the current Grand Prix!

‘Bahrain Testing 2024 - DAY 2’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIItrss7mqE


F1 TESTING DAY 2 LIVE | Formula 1 Bahrain Live Commentary + Watchalong
22 February 2024
Forever Motorsports

Welcome to 2024 Formula 1 Pre-Season Testing! Join us here at Forever Motorsports as we bring you live F1 commentary for the F1 Pre Season Testing at Sakhir in Bahrain. Featuring live F1 commentary and timings with a detailed minimap and F1 News.

‘Live Commentary + Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAUq1CZQ42M


[LIVE] FORMULA 1 Bahrain Pre-Season Testing 2024 - DAY 2 Watchalong | Live Timing
22 February 2024
Les Voitures Ont La Parole

Hello! Join us for the FORMULA 1 PRE-SEASON TESTING 2024! On this stream, you can see data about the current session (time/laps remaining, drivers classifying, drivers positions on the circuit), and also a lot of useful things about the current Grand Prix!

‘DAY 2 Watchalong | Live Timing’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUuf8gw2YY4


[LIVE] Timing Formula 1 pre-season test Bahrain International Circuit |DATA|
22 February 2024
racexpress

F1 2024 testing session at the Bahrain International Circuit. The teams were eager to see how their cars would perform on the challenging circuit, hoping to gather valuable data ahead of the upcoming season. The drivers pushed their machines to the limit, trying to find the perfect balance between speed and reliability. As the sun began to set over the desert track, the paddock buzzed with excitement and anticipation for the battles that lay ahead in the world of Formula 1.

‘Formula 1 pre-season test’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJliP6YVWxo

[Fortitude]

Morning test session abandoned after Hamilton and Leclerc strike loose drain | Formula 1.
The second morning of Formula 1 pre-season testing in Bahrain ended prematurely after an issue with the kerbs caused red flags to fly shortly after the two-hour mark.
22 February 2024, 10:15
Sam Hall
RaceFans

Charles Leclerc ended the Thursday morning session at the top of the pile with a 1m31.750s set on C3 tyres in the limited running on Thursday.

But as drivers began settling into their long runs, the red flags were shown as Leclerc's Ferrari dislodged a drain cover on the run to Turn 11, before the debris was stuck by both the Ferrari driver and Lewis Hamilton.

Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps Tyres
1 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:31.750 36 C3
2 Oscar Piastri Mclaren 1:32.328 +0.578s 35 C3
3 Logan Sargeant Williams 1:32.578 +0.828s 30 C3
4 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 1:32.879 +1.129s 20 C3
5 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 1:33.053 +1.303s 31 C3
6 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:33.225 +1.475s 39 C3
7 Zhou Guanyu Sauber 1:33.715 +1.965s 38 C3
8 Pierre Gasly Alpine 1:33.804 +2.054s 33 C3
9 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 1:37.509 +5.759s 31 C3
10Yuki Tsunoda RB 1:38.074 +6.324s 40 C3

‘Morning test session abandoned’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/2024-bahrain-f1-test-leclerc-quickest-as-red-flag-cuts-running-short/10578594/


Bahrain test halted as Hamilton and Leclerc strike loose drain.
The second day of running in the Bahrain pre-season test has been halted for a track inspection after a drain cover appeared to come loose and damage cars.
22nd February 2024, 9:49
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

A drain cover on the outside of the circuit along the back straight on the approach to turn 11 appears to have been dislodged after Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc ran over it while braking for the left-hand corner. Footage showed Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes then ran over the same area and appeared to hit the loose covering, before Leclerc struck the debris on his next lap by.

FIA race director Niels Wittich suspended the test with a red flag and immediately climbed into the Safety Car to be brought to the scene of the incident on the way into turn 11. The FIA have issued a message to all teams that running will be resumed following a track inspection. Mercedes mechanics have been seen investigating the underside of Hamilton’s W15 following the debris strike. Ferrari have put up shutters outside their garage, indicating they have removed the floor from Leclerc’s car.

It is the second time in just under 100 days that a Ferrari Formula 1 car appears to have struck and been damaged by a covering on a race track. Leclerc’s team mate Carlos Sainz Jnr suffered major damage to his Ferrari during opening practice for last year’s Las Vegas Grand Prix after hitting a drain covering along the Las Vegas Strip.

‘Ferrari have put up shutters outside their garage, indicating they have removed the floor from Leclerc’s car’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/02/22/bahrain-test-halted-as-hamilton-and-leclerc-strike-loose-drain/


F1 testing hit by red flag for broken drain cover
22 February 2024, 10:40AM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

It is the first red flag of pre-season testing mid-way through the morning session on Day 2. Day 2 of pre-season Formula 1 testing has been hit by a red flag after a drain cover broke at Turn 11.
Just after the two-hour mark of the session, a red flag was thrown for no apparent reason with no car stopped on track or obvious debris visible.

However, it quickly became clear that a drain on the outside of the entry to Turn 11 had broken - with a gap visible in the drain. Drivers had been running wide on the entrance into Turn 11 to swing into the left-hander, with Charles Leclerc's Ferrari dislodging the cover.

As next car through, Lewis Hamilton then broke the cover when his Mercedes ran over it, with Leclerc then collecting the debris on his next lap. The session was suspended to allow for a track inspection as Ferrari and Mercedes inspected their cars to check for damage. Leclerc sits atop the times under the suspension on a 1:31.750 effort, with Hamilton in sixth.

‘Red flag for broken drain cover’;

https://racingnews365.com/f1-testing-hit-by-red-flag-for-broken-drain-cover


Revealed: The Ferrari innovation that’s ‘something nobody’s done before’
22 Feb 2024 9:00 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

All eyes in testing may be on Red Bull and Mercedes’ innovations, but F1 technical analyst Sam Collins has revealed there are parts on the new Ferrari SF-24 that “nobody’s done before”.

Pointing to the sharp fin on the engine cover, and stating that “Ferrari have been experimenting with this design”, Collins told F1TV that’s just the beginning of the innovations around the engine cover area. “Ferrari have been playing with the mounts around the TV camera housings, they’re slightly kinked as they come out of the bodywork. Ferrari is the only team to do that.

“I just think that’s a little area of exploration to be exploited, and that’s something Ferrari has been doing quite a lot in this part of the car. The aero rakes they were running this morning were sculpted around the bodywork for a reason because they’ve got some really interesting new bodywork on the edge of the Halo. You can just see it sticking out on the side of the rear part of the Halo.”

‘The Ferrari innovation’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrari-sf24-innovation-f1-testing-analysis


Leclerc sets pace at two-hour mark of Day 2
22 February 10:00AM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Charles Leclerc set the pace at the beginning of day two for Formula 1 pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit. The Ferrari driver set a best time on the C3 tyres of a 1:31.750s, ahead of Oscar Piastri and Logan Sargeant. Leclerc clocked 29 laps in the SF-24 and settled in to long runs midway through the morning session.

Sergio Pérez suffered an early set back when he completed three laps, but had to dive into the pits due to a problem with his brakes. After a small fire on the front right the team managed to change them and send him back out, but the Red Bull driver has only completed 17 laps so far.

Lewis Hamilton is behind the wheel of the W15 for the first time, setting the seventh quickest time after 27 laps. The team were also seen working hard in the opening stages of the session on his car, while out on track the Mercedes looked like it was suffering a lot from understeer during his timed runs.

‘Leclerc sets pace’;

https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-sets-pace-at-two-hour-mark-of-day-2


Problems for Red Bull as Sergio Perez’s RB20 gets a ‘bit too hot’ in Bahrain
22 Feb 2024 7:39 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

After Max Verstappen’s 140-plus laps on Wednesday, Sergio Perez found himself sidelined early Thursday morning as his front left brake caught fire when he returned to the pits after his first run. Red Bull dominated Day One of pre-season testing with Verstappen topping both the timesheet and the lap count.

Alas, his team-mate Perez didn’t have that sort of fortune on Thursday as, yet to put in a proper flying lap and some six seconds down on Charles Leclerc, he pulled into the pits and his brakes caught fire. Perez’s team told PlanetF1.com’s Thomas Maher that the “front brakes got a bit too hot and we’re just making some corrections now before we head back out.”

Brake issues, and the potential for a small fire, are not unusual occurrences in Formula 1 as pit lane reporter Ted Kravitz explained. “It’s one thing being a second ahead of everybody else, but the car has to be reliable and it’s not,” he said. “For the moment the car of Checo Perez, the RB20, is in bits with a brake problem in the garage.”

‘Problems for Red Bull’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/problems-red-bull-sergio-perez-brake-fire

[Fortitude]

Sainz uses softer tyres to lead Perez by 0.7 seconds on day two of test.
Carlos Sainz Jnr posted the quickest time in the second day of pre-season testing in Bahrain, seven tenths of a second ahead of Sergio Perez.
22nd February 2024, 16:25
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Carlos Sainz Jnr posted the quickest time in the second day of pre-season testing in Bahrain, seven tenths of a second ahead of Sergio Perez.

Pos. Car number Driver Team Model Best time Gap Laps

1 55 Carlos Sainz Jnr Ferrari SF-24 1’29.921 84

2 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull RB20 1’30.679 0.758 129

3 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes W15 1’31.066 1.145 123

4 4 Lando Norris McLaren MCL38 1’31.256 1.335 52

5 3 Daniel Ricciardo RB RB01 1’31.361 1.440 88

6 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari SF-24 1’31.750 1.829 54

7 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin AMR24 1’32.029 2.108 96

8 31 Esteban Ocon Alpine A524 1’32.061 2.140 78

9 77 Valtteri Bottas Sauber C44 1’32.227 2.306 97

10 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren MCL38 1’32.328 2.407 35

‘2024 Formula 1 pre-season Bahrain test – Day two complete times’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/02/22/sainz-uses-softer-tyres-to-lead-perez-by-0-7-seconds-on-day-two-of-test/


F1 Testing 2024 Day 2: Highlights, fastest times, laps completed
February 22, 2024, 16:18
By Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

End of Day 2 testing: And with that, we conclude the second day of testing. Carlos Sainz took an hour to turn up in the afternoon but when he did, he really did, setting an excellent 1:29.921 fastest lap which was almost as quick as the 2023 Bahrain GP pole time. His long runs looked good too.

Sergio Perez had a tricky session after struggling for pace in the earlier stages but he found his groove right at the end after recording the most laps of any driver today. The Red Bull man did have to survive a scare, however, as his car lost drive although it seemed to be a quick fix for his engineers as he was quickly back out.

Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes seems planted, predictable and consistent whilst also seeming pretty competitive to their upper-midfield rivals showing an encouraging amount of progress for Mercedes after difficult 2022 and 2023 seasons.

‘Highlights’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-testing-2024-results-day-2-afternoon-session/


Gary Anderson's trackside verdict on every 2024 F1 car
Feb 22, 2024
by Gary Anderson
The Race

RED BULL: Even on the race runs, you can see how strong the Red Bull is in terms of the corner speed that can be carried.
MERCEDES: The Mercedes doesn’t look bad, but it does look a little unstable.
FERRARI: When the Ferrari wasn’t hitting drain covers - which it did while I was watching at Turn 11 this morning - it was looking like a good, consistent car.

McLAREN: The McLaren looks sharp on turn-in but generally seems to avoid picking up too much understeer mid-corner and looks fairly consistent.
ASTON MARTIN: Whether in the hands of Fernando Alonso or Lance Stroll, the Aston Martin looks like a good, sensible car.
ALPINE: Every time I’ve seen the Alpine arrive into Turn 11 it looks like a new experience for the driver - so, not very consistent.

WILLIAMS: The Williams doesn’t look like the most connected car and when watching Logan Sargeant on his race run through the long left-hander, he almost seemed to be taking it in stages.
RB: It turns in well, has reasonable grip through the corner and generally can carry the speed.
SAUBER: I spotted a couple of tiny lock-ups that led to Bottas running wide on Thursday afternoon but this looks like a perfectly decent place for Sauber to work from.
HAAS: So this looks like a good, solid car that’s not doing anything untoward. It just needs to be quicker.

‘Gary Anderson's trackside verdict’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f1-2024-trackside-verdict-every-car-gary-anderson/


F1 tech expert names the team at Bahrain test whose car looks ’10 years out of date’
Thu 22 February 2024 16:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Pre-season testing may have only just started in Bahrain, but already there’s a worry that the 2024 Williams looks 10 years out of date. However, speaking on The Race Podcast and reflecting on Wednesday’s action, F1 technical expert Gary Anderson brought the British team quickly back down to earth.

Anderson said: “The challenge of engineering is high in that regard. The Williams, I’m sorry, but it’s 10 years out of date. There’s nothing exotic about the engineering on it, it’s all relatively basic and that is the spread from the front to the back. As I say with the Williams, and they had a few problems today [Wednesday] so they didn’t actually strip it down a bit in the garage and again it’s the same old thing.”

“When Mercedes or Red Bull strip the cars down in the garage, normally they would get it covered up pretty quickly or have people standing in the way. But Williams, they didn’t really bother with that too much and that’s why you can sort of say, they’ve got a radiator duct for example and it’s got a radiator in it, that’s it. There’s no real sort of sophistication there, it’s pretty basic.”

‘Same old thing’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/teams/f1-tech-expert-names-the-team-at-bahrain-test-whose-car-looks-10-years-out-of-date/


Charles Leclerc warns ‘Red Bull quite a bit ahead’ despite headline Ferrari pace.
22 Feb 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Charles Leclerc believes Red Bull are still “quite a bit ahead” of Ferrari despite the Italian team showing outstanding pace on day two of F1 pre-season testing in Bahrain. Assessing the current competitiveness of the SF-24, Leclerc said: “It feels like every winter test which means that we don’t understand a thing because for now it’s too early to say.

“We have no idea what the fuel levels are of everybody else. In terms of driveability, the car is a lot better compared to last year. Last year after the test it was very, very difficult to push it into a direction because we just didn’t know the car was doing. We would get in a corner and we didn’t know if we would have extreme oversteer or extreme understeer.”

“This year the car is not like that which is a better starting point, however, my initial feeling is Red Bull remains quite a bit ahead. Yesterday they’ve done very impressive lap times but that is only my own times, not looking at data for now.”

‘Charles Leclerc is adamant Red Bull are still the team to beat’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1044545/1/charles-leclerc-warns-red-bull-quite-bit-ahead-despite-headline-ferrari-pace


Perez benefits from unexpected full-day stint in Bahrain
22/02/2024 at 17:22
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Sergio Perez had been expecting to get his first proper taste of the Red Bull RB20 on Thursday morning in pre-season testing in Bahrain, but he ended up getting twice as much as he bargained for. After Max verstappen had a full day behind the wheel on Wednesday, today's plan was for Perez to take over for the morning session before Verstappen resumed in the afternoon.

But a problem with a drain cover curtailed the morning session after just 80 minutes, with the afternoon session being extended to five hours instead - which would have left Perez significantly down on time in the cockpit. As a result, the team opted to keep Perez in the car. “It was unexpected to be in the car all day today but the delays meant my early runs were cut short so the team decided to extend my day. And I'm back in the car again tomorrow morning."

"The red flag this morning led us to changing the driver swap we had planned for post-lunch, as it would have otherwise unfairly limited Checo’s early impression of the RB20," reported Red Bull's head of race engineering GianPiero Lambiase.

‘Unexpected full-day stint’;

https://f1i.com/news/500305-perez-benefits-from-unexpected-full-day-stint-in-bahrain.html


Perez says field ‘a lot closer than people think’ as he reveals shock at Red Bull’s RB20 concept
22 February 2024
Formula One - Official Site

With Red Bull having given Perez an unexpected full day in the car after a red flag cut short his morning run, the Mexican was asked about his first impressions of the RB20 – which he’ll drive again tomorrow morning, before handing over to team mate Max Verstappen for the final afternoon’s running. “Generally speaking, it’s definitely a step forward in the right direction with the car,” he replied.

“It’s obviously a very tricky track, with the morning to the afternoon, dialling in some set-up, and getting to understand some set-up compound. It’s very tricky because the track is changing pretty much every outing, so you have to base everything pretty much on your feeling.” Asked about the growing sentiment from Red Bull’s rivals that they start the 2024 season as favourites – team mate Max Verstappen having gone comfortably quickest during his first outing in the car on Wednesday.

Perez countered: “I believe that things are a lot closer than we are thinking, definitely. I don’t really think that we’ve had much of a look [at our rivals] in that regard,” he added. “At the moment we’re basically focused on our job, we’ve been so busy with our programme. I think tomorrow, there will be a bit more of an idea, but I think we will find out next Sunday [following the Bahrain Grand Prix].”

‘A lot closer than people think’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.perez-says-field-a-lot-closer-than-people-think-as-he-reveals-shock-at-red.5wAx86HGgwNhXcwpKUPgDc.html

[Fortitude]

Red Bull's 2024 F1 step leaves rivals 'wowed' - and fearful.
Red Bull’s 2024 Formula 1 car has ‘wowed’ one team principal and left other rivals fearing the worst ahead of the new season during testing in Bahrain.
Feb 22, 2024
by Scott Mitchell-Malm

The ease of Verstappen’s laptime on day one has caught the eye of other teams and the mileage racked up over two days, even with a couple of setbacks, has been mighty. Verstappen and his colleagues barely even tried to hide how satisfied they were on day one, while on day two Perez said it was clear the car was a “step forward”.

“I have to say, when I saw the car, I was like, ‘wow’ - they certainly were brave in changing some of the shapes that made that car that was so successful last year,” said McLaren team principal Andrea Stella.

“They could enjoy such an advantage last year, that gave them the confidence from a timeline point of view to take some risks early on to actually see whether it works.” Stella was fearful of what Red Bull could unleash in 2024 after spending most of 2023 not bringing upgrades to the RB19 and instead just focusing its development time and budget cap allowance on the RB20.

‘McLaren team principal Andrea Stella was fearful’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/red-bull-rb20-step-worried-rivals-f1-testing/


Lewis Hamilton’s lukewarm verdict to Mercedes W15: ‘A good foundation to build on’
Lewis Hamilton has given his reaction to driving the Mercedes W15 for the first time in anger during pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit.
22 Feb 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Lewis Hamilton has labelled the Mercedes W15 F1 car as a “good foundation to build on” after a full day of running in Bahrain. Reflecting on his first day in the car, Hamilton described the W15 as “much nicer to drive” compared to its predecessor. "It was a productive day out there," Hamiton said. "We gathered lots of learnings about the W15, both in our long running and single lap work.”

"We've clearly made an improvement with this year's car and it's much nicer to drive. A big thank you to everyone at Brackley and Brixworth for the efforts they've put in to deliver that over the past year. I'm really grateful for all their hard work. We've still got progress to make of course. But this is a good foundation for us to build on,” he added.

"We'll keep our heads down and continue to work to find improvements, both over the rest of the test and into next week. I'm looking forward to being back in the car tomorrow morning and continuing that learning."

‘Lukewarm verdict’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1044546/1/lewis-hamiltons-lukewarm-verdict-mercedes-w15-good-foundation-build


McLaren hit by 'small issues' on second day of testing
22/02/2024 at 19:17
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

McLaren was able to keep up the pace in the second day of pre-season testing at Bahrain International Circuit, although the team admitted afterwards that it had encountered a number of small issues during the day.

Oscar Piastri was in charge of the MCL38 on Thursday morning, although the session was curtailed after just 80 minutes due to problems with the track. He finished his stint after 35 laps with a best time of 1:32.328s.

After an early lunch, Lando Norris got the benefit of a longer five hour afternoon and evening session, completing 52 laps with a best time of 1:31.256s which put him fourth fastest for the day.

'Small issues';

https://f1i.com/news/500326-mclaren-hit-by-small-issues-on-second-day-of-testing.html


Alex Albon makes record-breaking Max Verstappen prediction for Bahrain Grand Prix
Thu 22 February 2024 19:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Williams star Alex Albon has predicted what Red Bull driver Max Verstappen is going to do at the first Grand Prix of the 2024 season in Bahrain. After two days of testing the three-time world champion looks like the quickest racer on the grid in his new Red Bull car.

Verstappen gunning for another unprecedented season: As they watched testing continue on Thursday afternoon, reporter Rachel Brookes said: “So, is this race lap record going to go this weekend Alex? I mean qualifying, pole last year was a 1:29.7, I mean Carlos [Sainz] is not far off that already but the actual lap record during the race is a 1:31.447, do you think that’s going to go next weekend?”

Albon responded: “Yeah. I’m going to already hypothesise what’s going to happen. Max [Verstappen] is going to have a 25-second lead, he’s going to go for a pit stop at the end of the race and he’s going to go for it at the end and break the lap record!”

‘Record-breaking Max Verstappen prediction for Bahrain Grand Prix’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/drivers/alex-albon-makes-record-breaking-max-verstappen-prediction-for-bahrain-grand-prix/


The key takeaways from Day 2 of F1 testing in Bahrain
22 February 9:00PM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Red Bull not indestructible: Impressive testing mileage with limited days of running has been achieved in Formula 1's modern era through the improvement in reliability, with cars running into far fewer woes compared to previous decades. However, the cars are not unbreakable and neither, it seems, is Red Bull who enter the year as the heavy favourite to claim both titles once again.

Sergio Perez's morning session was disrupted by a brake issue that kept him in the garage for some time. Later in the session, the six-time race winner limped back to the pit lane with another problem - however his stay in the garage was much shorter and he emerged back to set the highest lap tally during the day from a single driver.

Such issues are not dramatic in testing but in a race scenario, they may see the curtains drawn. If Red Bull wishes to repeat or better its record-breaking campaign from last year, these small instances will need to be ironed out.

‘Mercedes' step forward, Ferrari comfortable but reserved, RB a threat?’

https://racingnews365.com/the-key-takeaways-from-day-2-of-f1-testing-in-bahrain


Everything that happened on day two of F1 testing
Feb 22, 2024
by Jack Cozens
The Race

Carlos Sainz put Ferrari on top on the second day of 2024 Formula 1 pre-season testing in Bahrain with a new fastest time of the week. Sainz's best lap, a 1m29.921s, ensured the Ferrari stayed on top after team-mate Charles Leclerc headed the truncated morning session in the SF-24.

Key moments
• Ferrari 0.7s up on Red Bull with tyre offset
• Norris's running restricted
• Perez, Hamilton and Sargeant all clear 100 laps

But his (Carlos Sainz) 0.758-second advantage over Sergio Perez's Red Bull was not quite as it appeared, as Perez's best time of 1m30.679s - set in the final five minutes of conventional running - was set on the mid-range C3 tyre, one step harder than the C4 used by Sainz.

‘Everything that happened’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f1-testing-2024-day-two-report/

[Fortitude]

Who’s driving on Day 3 of pre-season testing in Bahrain?
Time moves quickly in the world of F1, with the third and final day of pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit already upon us.
23 February 2024
Formula One - Official Site

It means this is the last opportunity for drivers and teams to gather data before the 2024 campaign gets under way at the same Sakhir venue next weekend.

‘Check out the full Friday testing driver line-up’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.whos-driving-on-day-3-of-2024-pre-season-testing-in-bahrain.7rnMML3dtFO3tQ4V94FCip.html


LIVE: 2024 F1 Pre-season testing - Day 3
23 February 7:15AM
Author Jake Nichol

Follow the final day of F1 pre-season testing live from Bahrain with the RacingNews365 live blog! And now, the end is near, and so we face the final day of F1 pre-season testing. Just three days of action are all the teams and drivers get ahead of the new season, with the next time they'll be on track after today being the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend between February 29th and March 2nd.

Eight hours - minus any red flags or any broken drain covers - are left, with Carlos Sainz being the stand-out driver on Day 2, becoming the first driver to break the 1:30 barrier of the test on the C4 tyres. His effort of 1:29.921 was only two-tenths slower than Max Verstappen's pole time from the 2023 race and bodes well as Charles Leclerc also showed a good turn of pace.

But Verstappen's pace on Day 1 was sinister, ending it over one second clear of the field. Who will end testing fastest and head into the Bahrain GP next weekend on a high and who will still have work to do?

‘LIVE: Day 3’;

https://racingnews365.com/live-2024-f1-pre-season-testing-day-3


[LIVE] FORMULA 1 Bahrain Pre-Season Testing 2024 - DAY 3 Watchalong | Live Timing
22nd February 2024.
Les Voitures Ont La Parole

On this stream, you can see data about the current session (time/laps remaining, drivers classifying, drivers positions on the circuit), and also a lot of useful things about the current Grand Prix!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4pMW1CbqzI


F1 Live: 2024 Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 3 Watchalong | Live Timings + Commentary
22nd February 2024.
Racing Statistics

F1 Live 2024 Pre Season Testing at Bahrain | Day 3 - Morning Session F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary for the pre-season testing with Racing Statistics. Lets Watchalong!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsuucWJSzfs


F1 DIRECTO | TEST PRETEMPORADA BAHREIN 2024 - DÍA 3 - Live Timing
22nd February 2024.
ORTUÑO TV

Imágenes y vídeos mostrados, no son de nuestra autoría. Créditos totales para los dueños de los mismos. Credits to the respective autors: Motorsport Images, Latam Images, Sutton Images, Getty Images, Ferrari, Scuderia Ferrari, Mercedes, Red Bull, FIA, Formula 1, FOM. This website is unofficial and is not associated in any way with the Formula 1 companies. F1, FORMULA ONE, FORMULA 1, FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, GRAND PRIX and related marks are trade marks of Formula One Licensing B.V.

‘TEST PRETEMPORADA BAHREIN 2024’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQLHPCtaR3E

[Fortitude]

Final day of 2024 F1 testing stopped by further track repairs.
Once again a drain cover came loose and the red flag was required. An inspection of the damage and repairs to the kerb were once again carried out before the decision to end the morning session was effectively made.
Feb 23, 2024
by Josh Suttill
The Race

Following a disrupted second day, when the morning session was prematurely ended while track repairs were carried out to the kerbs on the entry to the Turn 11 left-hander, day three lasted less than half an hour before it was halted.

It made the stoppage time a pseudo lunch break (originally scheduled for 2-3pm local time) and means when the session resumes, it will theoretically run until 7pm local time, the planned end of test time.

‘Final day of 2024 F1 testing stopped’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/final-day-f1-2024-testing-halted-again/


Bahrain morning session red flagged by repeat drain cover issue
23/02/2024 at 08:04
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Friday’s final day of pre-season testing in Bahrain was disrupted once again, as a repeat issue with a loose drain cover brought out the red flag just 27 minutes into the morning session. This marked the second such incident in as many days, raising concerns about track safety and preparation, and once again the drama unfolded at Turn 11, the scene of yesterday’s drain cover incident.

Located on the outside of the corner’s kerb, near the racing line, the cover apparently became dislodged after Red Bull's Sergio Perez ran over it during his early laps. Importantly, Perez stayed within track limits, highlighting the inherent weakness of the cover rather than driver error.

‘Red flagged’;

https://f1i.com/news/500351-bahrain-morning-session-red-flagged-by-repeat-drain-cover-issue.html


F1 to adopt new schedule for Day 3 of testing after drain incident
23 February 9:30AM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Formula 1 has tweaked the session timings for the final day of pre-season testing following more drain incidents in Bahrain. Early on Friday morning, the same drain that came loose on Thursday did so again when Sergio Perez ran over it at Turn 11.

A lengthy red flag followed with race director Niels Wittich overseeing operations to repair the broken drain. As a result of the delay, F1 has taken steps to reschedule the day.

The current plan is for a restart of the session at 11:45am local time - 08:45am UK - and for the session to then run through until 19:00pm local time - 16:00pm UK. In effect, once the session resumes, it will be a clear run through until the end of the day, minus any further red flag delays.

‘New schedule’;

https://racingnews365.com/f1-to-adopt-new-schedule-for-day-3-of-testing-after-drain-incident


F1 testing suspended again on day three due to same loose drain cover issue
The morning session on day three of pre-season testing in Bahrain was stopped after just 20 minutes
22nd February 2024, 08:16
Kieran Jackson
Formula 1 Correspondent
The Independent

Formula 1 testing was suspended again early on day three due to a loose drain cover - at the same part of the track which had a similar issue on Thursday.

Lewis Hamilton, driving in the W15 for the first time ahead of his final season with Mercedes, ran over the loose cover on the edge of the kerb at turn 11 on Thursday.

And just 20 minutes into the morning session on Friday, Sergio Perez in his Red Bull drove over the kerb at turn 11, triggering the loose drain cover.

‘Loose drain cover issue’;

https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/f1-testing-2024-cancelled-drain-cover-b2501156.html


Fresh Bahrain F1 2024 testing disruption as curse of the drain covers returns
23 Feb 2024 7:56 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

It did not take long for the red flags to reappear on the third and final day of Bahrain F1 2024 testing due to further drain cover troubles.

As the red flags came out to neutralise the morning running early on, it soon became clear that the Turn 11 drain cover which sparked Thursday’s shenanigans had once more come loose. This time, it was after Perez had taken his Red Bull RB20 over the kerbs.

‘Fresh Bahrain F1 2024 testing disruption’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fresh-bahrain-f1-2024-testing-disruption-drain-covers-day-3


Bahrain drain cover issues explained | 'This is a warning to every circuit'
Friday 23 February 2024 08:21, UK
Sky Sports

‘Warning to every circuit';

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/13078857/bahrain-drain-cover-issues-explained-this-is-a-warning-to-every-circuit

[Fortitude]

All you need to know about final pre-season F1 test day.
Ferrari ended 2024 Formula 1 pre-season testing on top as Charles Leclerc pipped Mercedes' George Russell to the fastest time on day three.
Feb 23, 2024
by Jack Cozens
The Race

KEY MOMENTS
• Leclerc's long-standing benchmark fastest by 0.046s
• Verstappen four tenths back but on harder tyre
• Day three sessions merged after red flag in morning

DAY THREE TIMES
1 Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 1m30.322s, C5, 74 laps
2 George Russell (Mercedes) +0.046s, C4, 67 laps
3 Zhou Guanyu (Sauber) +0.325s, C4, 85 laps
4 Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.433s, C3, 66 laps
5 Yuki Tsunoda (RB) +0.453s, C4, 53 laps
6 Alex Albon (Williams) +0.662s, C4, 121 laps
7 Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +0.708s, C3, 91 laps
8 Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) +0.837s, C3, 75 laps
9 Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) +0.925s, C3, 71 laps
10 Sergio Perez (Red Bull) +1.161s, C3, 53 laps

‘All you need to know’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f1-testing-2024-day-three-report/


Leclerc concludes F1 testing on top for Ferrari
23 February 5:09PM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Charles Leclerc has ended pre-season testing on top of the timesheets, laying down a 1:30.322 behind the wheel of the Ferrari. The Monegasque driver narrowly edged out Mercedes' George Russell who set a time late on to slot in 0.046s behind Leclerc.

While Russell's fastest time was set on the C4 compound, Leclerc used the C5 - the softest in Pireilli's range - to climb to the top of the standings. Zhou Guanyu also produced a late effort to take third place for the rebranded Stake F1 team.

The day's schedule was altered after a loose drain cover caused a delay for the second consecutive day, with the lunch break abandoned to allow non-stop running through to 19:00 local time. There were no major dramas for the teams during the day, although Pierre Gasly was forced back into the pits late on after his inside wheel arch came loose and fell onto the track.

‘Leclerc concludes F1 testing on top’;

https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-concludes-f1-testing-on-top-for-ferrari


F1 2024 PRE-SEASON TESTING DAY THREE RESULTS
Who will show their hand on F1's final day of pre-season testing before the first race?
February 23, 2024
James Phillips
FormulaNerds

Charles Leclerc topped the timesheets on the final day of testing in Bahrain, on a day of long runs and sandbagging by the teams. After a loose drain cover caused yesterday’s morning session to be curtailed, the pressure was on the teams to make up for lost time in the afternoon.

Although testing times are notoriously difficult to interpret, Ferrari clearly enjoyed a positive second day. McLaren and Mercedes continued their strong starts, while Aston Martin had an air of quiet confidence. After Max Verstappen’s dominant performance on the first day, debate raged over Red Bull’s advantage. Sergio Perez never topped the times in either session, but the drivability and solid balance of the RB20 continued to attract attention.

As the teams headed into the final day, all eyes were on Red Bull to see if Max Verstappen would reveal the team’s hand. Could its rivals pull a surprise as testing drew to a close? The team that needed to do the most work was Williams. The Grove outfit had a difficult second day, hampered by reliability issues. All drivers would take to the track today, barring Logan Sargeant in the Williams.

‘Drivability and solid balance of the RB20 continued to attract attention’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/f1-2024-pre-season-testing-day-three-results/


What we learned from Day 3 of F1 2024 pre-season testing in Bahrain
Ferrari once again led the way on the final day of 2024 F1 pre-season testing, with Red Bull and Mercedes also looking strong
February 23, 2024, 17:08
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Formula 1 testing is officially complete, and teams now have just five days to make any last changes before they hit the Bahrain International Circuit for the first free practice session of the season.

McLaren have work to do: The flying papaya have flattered to deceive a tad over the week, but we saw a bit more of their hand today.
Dark horses? Ferrari understandably grabbed the headlines on day two with Carlos Sainz topping the timesheets and also driving well on the longer runs, and they were impressive once again today with Leclerc taking P1.

Perez starts on the back foot: Verstappen indicated at lunchtime he already felt like he’d seen enough of the car before jumping in for the final afternoon of running, which should certainly shiver Sergio Perez‘s timbers.
Reliability is in: Apart from the drain pain, it’s been a remarkably smooth test all round. There were no red flags caused by stricken cars, which could well be a first in F1 testing history – it’s certainly a long way removed from 2014 which saw problem upon problem befall the grid (or 11 tenths of it at least).

‘What we learned from Day 3’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-2024-what-learned-day-3-pre-season-testing-bahrain/


Five things we learned from F1 2024 pre-season testing in Bahrain
February 23, 2024
Kieran Jackson
Formula 1 Correspondent
The Independent

It’s been three days of non-stop action in testing this week, as the 2024 F1 season started with hundreds of laps for each driver around the Bahrain International Circuit. Red Bull, with their bold approach for this year’s RB20, continued to set the pace from the off, with reigning world champion Max Verstappen quickest on day one.

Red Bull maintain huge advantage: They couldn’t get any better, could they? It seems as though they could. When the talk of the paddock is of Red Bull having an advantage which could be as much as 1.1 seconds, optimism will be sky-high among the peerless world champions right now.

How the RB20 performed with an altered approach different from last year’s all-conquering RB19 would be the main storyline. A backward step, opening a slight door to the chasing pack? Not a jolt of it. Though timings are not everything in testing, Verstappen was fastest on day one (by 1.14 seconds) and fourth-quickest on day three, but on a slower tyre than those above him. Perez concluded day two in P2. It’s no coincidence.

‘Red Bull remain the No 1 outfit’;

https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/f1-testing-2024-bahrain-results-times-leaderboard-b2501523.html


MORNING SESSION TIMES.

Sainz quickest in disrupted start to final test day
Posted on 23rd February 2024, 11:43
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Carlos Sainz Jnr topped the timing screens as the final day of testing reached its original scheduled stopping point. However the running continued, having been suspended for more than an hour earlier in the day due to another broken drain cover. Sainz, who also finished yesterday’s test on top, was two tenths of a second faster than Red Bull’s Sergio Perez after the first four hours.

2024 Formula 1 pre-season Bahrain test, Day three times after four hours:
Pos. Car number Driver Team Model Best time Gap Laps

1 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari SF-24 1’31.247 62

2 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull RB20 1’31.483 0.236 50

3 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes W15 1’31.999 0.752 49

4 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin AMR24 1’32.038 0.791 46

5 4 Lando Norris McLaren MCL38 1’32.108 0.861 20

6 23 Alexander Albon Williams FW46 1’32.583 1.336 34

7 20 Kevin Magnussen Haas VF-24 1’33.053 1.806 80

8 31 Esteban Ocon Alpine A524 1’33.079 1.832 55

9 77 Valtteri Bottas Sauber C44 1’33.528 2.281 28

10 3 Daniel Ricciardo RB RB01 1’37.015 5.768 70

‘Disrupted start to final test day’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/02/23/sainz-quickest-in-disrupted-start-to-final-test-day/

[Fortitude]

Mark Hughes: How Ferrari really stacks up vs Red Bull after testing.
Pre-season Formula 1 testing all shook out in a fairly understandable way in the end.
Feb 23, 2024
by Mark Hughes
The Race

Max Verstappen, who was only fourth on the headline numbers on the final day, set a 1m30.755s early on Friday afternoon on a set of mid-range C3 tyres which had already done an attack lap. Realistically, that’s the equivalent of a 1m30.5s lap on fresh C3s. The three cars ahead of the Red Bull on the final timing screens – the Ferrari, the Mercedes and a literally last lap flying Sauber – all did their times on the C4 tyre, which is around 0.6s quicker than the C3.

Theoretically correcting everyone to fresh C3s – and bearing in mind that Verstappen’s time came at around 4pm with the track at an unhelpfully hot 34-degrees C – the Red Bull appeared to have a real advantage of around 0.4 seconds over Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari and George Russell’s Mercedes over a single lap.

The Ferrari’s pace has been evident throughout the three days of testing whereas that of the Mercedes was only extracted late on the final day. Furthermore, Mercedes didn’t get to do a race simulation as it devoted its time to relatively short runs assessing test items. So we don’t have a full picture on just exactly where Mercedes stands…

‘Formula 1 testing all shook out in a fairly understandable way’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/ferrari-vs-red-bull-f1-test-pace-mark-hughes-analysis/


Ferrari encouraged by test, but wary of raised expectations
23/02/2024 at 18:32
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Ferrari principal Frederic Vasseur said be was pleased by the team's performance in the official pre-season test at Bahrain this week, but stressed it was still too early to tell how they compared to other teams. Carlos Sainz was set the best time of the week on Thursday and Charles Leclerc was quickest on Thursday, after Red Bull's Max Verstappen had initially dominated the timesheets on the opening day.

"We can be pleased with what we’ve achieved during this test, both in terms of the mileage covered and the raft of data it has provided," Vasseur declared after the chequered flag fell on the final day. "These were three productive days, with no technical problems, which is what you want most, especially when it’s the only session before the start of the season," he added.

"I feel I can say that looking just at our own performance, we have got off on the right foot," he said, admitting that it wouldn't be until next weekend's Bahrain GP that they will really be able to tell how they compare to their rivals. "I expect several top teams to all be at a very similar level and I can’t wait to see exactly how our package compares to that of our competitors."

‘Wary of raised expectations’;

https://f1i.com/news/500485-ferrari-encouraged-by-test-but-wary-of-raised-expectations.html


TESTING DEBRIEF: How the field stack up after the final day of pre-season running in 2024
23 February 2024
Lawrence Barretto
F1 Correspondent & Presenter
Formula One - Official Site

Red Bull’s RB20 looks menacing: Like most teams, Red Bull focused heavily on long running to get a better understanding of their RB20 – which is a dramatically different offering to its predecessor – and the results were positive, with Max Verstappen saying the “performance of the car was very strong”.

Mercedes continue solid start: Mercedes are not getting too excited about their 2024 challenger, the W15, but there is a noticeable bump in their mood relative to this time last year.
Ferrari make a clean sweep of decent days: Ferrari cut encouraged figures on Day 1 of testing – and that feeling remained through the second day and into Friday.

Aston Martin not quite as strong as last year: Last year’s pre-season test session was a delight for Aston Martin, the green cars emerging as a shock rival to class-leaders Red Bull.

‘TESTING DEBRIEF’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.testing-debrief-how-the-field-stack-up-after-the-final-day-of-pre-season.5z7vMemIZma0vmpG7x03NR.html


F1 Testing 2024: Which drivers and teams completed the most laps in Bahrain?
The F1 teams and drivers spend three days testing in Bahrain ahead of the 2024 season
February 23, 2024 - 18:47
By Joe Krishnan
Total Motorsport

After fitting in a gruelling 24 hours of Formula 1 Testing over three days in Bahrain desert, all 10 teams and 20 drivers will go away for a well-earned rest, knowing much more about their cars now than they did when they first rocked up at the circuit on Wednesday morning.

Most laps completed – Drivers
Pos Driver Total Laps
1 Kevin Magnussen 239
2 Carlos Sainz 224
3 Max Verstappen 209
4 Daniel Ricciardo 209
5 Nico Hulkenberg 202
6 Lance Stroll 195
7 Esteban Ocon 193
8 Valtteri Bottas 193
9 Charles Leclerc 192
10 George Russell 188

Most laps completed – Teams
Pos Team Total Laps
1 Haas 441
2 Ferrari 416
3 Red Bull 391
4 Aston Martin 378
5 Sauber 378
6 RB 366
7 Mercedes 360
8 Alpine 333
9 McLaren 327
10 Williams 308

‘Drivers and teams completing the most laps’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-testing-2024-drivers-teams-completed-most-laps-bahrain/


The Red Bull indicator that will worry its F1 rivals
23 February 7:30PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

On the final day of pre-season testing, Max Verstappen gave hints at Red Bull's true pace over their rivals after completing a long run on the C3 tyres. It was a statement of intent from Max Verstappen when he fitted a set of C3 medium tyres under what is expected to be race conditions in Bahrain and proceeded to power through 14 laps at a consistent pace.

The reality has slowly dawned on the teams that the RB20 is the step that Red Bull was hoping for in terms of performance, with only minor setbacks relating to their brakes throughout the three days. As the twilight conditions descended over the track and the air temperature dropped to 23 degrees centigrade, Verstappen turned switched his focus to race runs on the mediums.

Verstappen looked comfortable on track as he lapped in the low 1:37s before switching to the C1 hard and repeating the time feat throughout a 17-lap stint. His quickest time on the C3 came 10 laps into the run, showing that the RB20 handles its tyres well on one of the most abrasive surfaces on the calendar.

‘Worry its F1 rivals’;

https://racingnews365.com/the-red-bull-indicator-that-will-worry-its-f1-rivals


What we learned from F1 testing — and why you can never trust the lap times
February 24th, 2024 11:42 am
Michael Lamonato from Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)

With the F1 prologue is complete, team will spend the days leading up to next week’s Bahrain Grand Prix painstakingly analysing gigabytes of data in pursuit of every last millisecond of performance. That leaves us to consider what we learnt from what we could see from the outside during three days of testing.

But looking at the raw timing data after testing is bound to give you a misleading impression of the competitive order. Not all that data is publicly available, but F1 has attempted a corrected order. We’ve applied the F1-estimated data to our theoretical tyre-corrected times.

Times by team — F1 estimate
1. Red Bull Racing: 1m 30.595s
2. Ferrari: +0.226s
3. McLaren: +0.380s
4. Mercedes: +0.571s
5. RB: +0.734s
6. Aston Martin: +0.852s
7. Alpine: +1.042s
8. Sauber: +1.051s
9. Williams: +1.123s
10. Haas: +1.323s

‘Painstakingly analysing gigabytes of data’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/what-we-learned-from-f1-testing-and-why-you-can-never-trust-the-lap-times/news-story/01c6d1c1d72cf3e8c49df8ff726e2aef


Time for the Debrief - F1 2024 Pre Season Testing Day 3 Reaction
22:07 Fri, 23 Feb 2024.
Motorsport.com

Day three of 2024's F1 Pre-Season Testing is over, and as the teams go over the data, there is little time before Round One of the championship in just a week's time. But what have we learnt?

Is there a pecking order? And who's in the best place to challenge Red Bull? Steph Wentworth chats with Jon Noble and Sam Hall to answer all these questions and more.

‘Time for the Debrief’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/video/time-for-the-debrief-f1-2024-pre-season-testing-day-3-reaction/647303/

[Fortitude]

The title is already Verstappen's, says Alonso.
"19 drivers in the paddock will think that they will not win the championship," says Fernando Alonso as he tips Max Verstappen to continue title-winning streak.
24/02/2024
NEWS STORY
Pitpass

As far as veteran Alonso is concerned, it's over before it's even begun. "I don't have a crystal ball to know what the others are doing," he told reporters. "But Max is the world champion and Red Bull is dominating the sport, also, the concept that they presented this year, it's also a surprise.”

"At the moment, we just have to watch them and see how they perform," he added. "I think 19 drivers in the paddock now will think that they will not win the championship. It happens 99% of the time in your career. This is a brutal sport.”

"After seeing Max and the Red Bull car this year, there are less chances for everybody to win a race this year," the Spaniard continued. "But this is how it is."

“Brutal sport”;

https://www.pitpass.com/77033/The-title-is-already-Verstappens-says-Alonso


Russell says Mercedes have cured ‘diva’ characteristics of recent years – but Red Bull ‘100% favourites’ for 2024
24 February 2024
Formula One - Official Site

George Russell has expressed further optimism over the steps Mercedes appear to have made over the winter, but he still feels Red Bull will be the team to beat at the start of the 2024 season. Russell said: “It was great to be back in the car, driving the W15 for the first time, and it does feel a step in the right direction. But there’s no hiding that our competitors have also done a really great job.”

“We know we had a mountain to climb with the form that Red Bull showed last year. “For anybody to overcome that gap would be a huge test, but definitely the car is feeling nice to drive. Ultimately, it’s down to lap times. We still haven’t seen truly yet where everybody is falling out but Red Bull seem to have done a really great job again, and they are no doubt the favourites… 100%.”

He added: “It’s as you’d expect from Red Bull, they’re in such a great momentum at the moment. They started these new regulations on the front foot and they came here and have been solid ever since. So they are, as I said, they’re definitely favourites.”

“Red Bull 100% favourites”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.russell-says-mercedes-have-cured-diva-characteristics-of-recent-years-but.15eNbYTSvHvSsWPmzmYp0J.html


Red Bull “clearly out in the distance” – Hamilton
24th February 2024, 12:00
Keith Collantine
RaceFans.Net

Lewis Hamilton saw little chance Mercedes will catch Red Bull at the start of the upcoming season after his first test in the team’s new car. Hamilton covered 123 laps of the Bahrain International Circuit on Thursday and said his new car was clearly an improvement over its unpredictable predecessor. “It was a good day,” he said. “It felt much more enjoyable to drive.”

But he doesn’t expect an immediate change in the team’s fortunes. “We still have time to find,” he said. “I think Red Bull clearly are out in the distance. But I think it’s a good platform to work from this year.”

“In the distance”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/02/24/red-bull-clearly-out-in-the-distance-hamilton/


Ferrari cast ‘another planet’ verdict as crucial weakness cured on eve of F1 2024
24 Feb 2024 8:30 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

If Ferrari are to threaten Red Bull over a race distance, then they must keep the Pirelli rubber happy and team boss Fred Vasseur has seen an out of this world improvement on that front with the SF-24. “I think the first good thing is that there are no surprises,” Leclerc told media including PlanetF1.com.
“Everything that we expected from this car, we got it on the real track, so that is a good thing because that helps us to develop the car on the simulator and everything seems to make sense. Then how competitive we are, it’s very difficult to understand. My personal feeling is that Red Bull is still quite a bit ahead, but we have a much stronger base compared to last year.”

“I remember last year, I finished the test and it was very difficult to understand in which direction we developed because the car was just so inconsistent, it was very difficult to understand what were the main weaknesses. This year, it’s a very different story.”

“Much stronger base”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrari-another-planet-tyre-management-sf-24


Gary Anderson: Every F1 team's testing pace ranked
Feb 24, 2024
by Gary Anderson
The Race

It’s always difficult to know what Formula 1 teams are up to in testing as fuel loads, tyres, power modes, DRS use or even time of day and wind direction can have a major influence on the fastest laptimes. At the front I’m pretty sure we will see Red Bull followed closely by Ferrari, which will be joined occasionally by Mercedes and McLaren, with Aston Martin nipping at their heels, then a bit of a gap.

As for the others, under normal circumstances, it looks like it will be very tight. Alpine should be next but it needs to find out why the car looked so inconsistent and keep an eye on RB. Then Sauber, Williams and Haas should follow - but the back half will be nip-and-tuck and all down to who gets it right on the day.

Let’s see what next weekend brings. Qualifying will be the first time we know that the cars will be on a similar fuel load, new tyres, maximum power mode and the driver given the authority to wring its neck. One thing that’s for sure is that there will be someone on pole position and someone at the back and we really won’t know which is which until next Friday night. (Yes, you need to remember it’s a Saturday race, so everything starts on Thursday.)

‘Every F1 team's testing pace ranked’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/gary-anderson-2024-f1-testing-bahrain-analysis/


Verstappen drops the hammer: RB20 better than predecessor!
24/02/2024 at 16:08
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Max Verstappen sent shivers down the spines of his competitors with an ominous statement about Red Bull's newest weapon: the RB20. Following Red Bull and the Dutchman’s banner 2023 campaign, marked by the latter’s 19 wins and third world title, Verstappen is already the clear favorite for 2024.

Red Bull’s investigation of the zero-sidepod design approach unsuccessfully exploited by Mercedes has added a surprising twist to the RB20's concept. Verstappen is clearly unfazed by the comparison, emphasizing his faith in his team’s own vision of the bold sidepod conception.

“I fully trust what the people in our technical team are doing,” he said. “They are confident that this is better than everything else that they have tested in the wind tunnel over the winter. As long as it works, I don't even care what the car looks like.”

“Better than everything else that they have tested”;

https://f1i.com/news/500553-verstappen-drops-the-hammer-rb20-better-than-predecessor.html


David Coulthard delivers verdict on Max Verstappen’s F1 future
David Coulthard gave his thoughts on how long Max Verstappen will race in Formula 1 for
February 24, 2024 - 16:20
By Ed Spencer
Total Motorsport

David Coulthard predicts Max Verstappen will not continue to race in Formula 1 until his late 30s, unlike Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso. Verstappen‘s 2023 season was statistically one of the most dominant in F1 history as he won 19 races, including a run of 10 consecutive wins on his way to his third world title.

“He arrived in a blaze of potential, won his first Grand Prix for Red Bull, had a few learnings along the way, which is inevitable irrespective whether you are a Senna, Schumacher, Verstappen or a Hamilton he’s rounded off into the complete package,” Coulthard exclusively told Total-Motorsport.com. “So [at] 26 years old, arguably, he’s got at least another good five years in him, some people go off the boil a bit earlier.”

“Max, I think, will be a force in Formula 1 for as long as he wants to remain in Formula 1. Do I see him still being in Formula 1 at 39 or whatever age Lewis is now? Personally, I don’t. Then again, I’m not the fountain of all knowledge or the great predictor, but I think he’s just been so immersed in getting to Formula 1 and achieving in Formula 1 from such an early and intense phase of his life.”

‘Verdict on Max Verstappen’s F1 future’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/exclusive-david-coulthard-delivers-verdict-max-verstappen-f1-future/


[B]Verstappen warns new Red Bull has more to show
24 February 11:40AM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

Max Verstappen has revealed Red Bull believes there remains plenty of potential to find within the new RB20. Asked if there was more to come, Verstappen told media including RacingNews365: "Well, the team believes that with how the car is, there is more potential to find. So that is now up to us to unlock."

Wind sensitivity has been a topic of discussion with the latest generation of F1 cars, with Ferrari especially struggling with finding a balance in windy conditions last season. Red Bull is not immune to the problem and asked if there was a noticeable change in characteristics in windy conditions with the new machinery, Verstappen explained:

"I didn't feel a massive difference to last year but these cars are sensitive to wind, especially on a track like this where the wind can influence your balance quite a lot. Braking into one and out of one, that combination between two is always quite tricky. But it felt pretty similar to last year."

‘Plenty of potential to find within the new RB20’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-warns-new-red-bull-has-more-to-show

[Fortitude]

Trackside view: What makes the Ferrari look so formidable.
The Ferrari passes the eye test with flying colours. In the day, and in the final hour in cooler evening conditions, it has a poise about it that explains why drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have been so enthused about this test compared to 12 months ago.
Feb 23, 2024
by Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Watching trackside from the outside of Turn 10 lets you see the cars enter through Turn 9 as well, so you get a full view of the one-two punch of awkward left-handers – and how the cars deal with that. The Ferrari handled all of this with aplomb in different conditions, with different tyres and different drivers behind the wheel.

It rarely looked like it was anywhere its driver didn’t want it to be – a Sainz lock-up was the only notable issue, with a late Leclerc long run particularly impressive. One minor apex slip conveyed an impression the front might be weakening but this proved a mirage as next time by (and in subsequent laps) it was back kissing the apex kerb again.

The Ferrari impressed elsewhere, too. It caught the eye of Edd Straw and Gary Anderson when they were trackside at Turn 11 – a very different, long, medium-speed corner after a high-speed approach from the back straight. From day one it looked consistent, turned in nicely and didn’t pick up understeer through the corner.

‘Ferrari passes the eye test with flying colours’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/bahrain-testing-trackside-view-ferrari-looks-impressive/


The Ferrari race sim offering clues to its Red Bull-beating potential
11:30 Sat, 24 Feb 2024.
Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

Formula 1 teams and fans well know that it is not single-lap pace that counts when it comes to working out who has won the pre-season testing war. It is why Ferrari duo Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc coming out on top of the overall timing sheets over the course of this week’s Bahrain test has barely registered in conversations.

Sainz’s overall test-topping time of 1m29.921s, set on the second day, was around seven tenths faster than the Red Bull benchmark of 1m30.679s set by Sergio Perez on the same afternoon. However, no one is suggesting that it has any resemblance to the true picture of performance (even taking into account a 0.6s time difference in the tyre compounds they used). Indeed, the consensus among the paddock is that Red Bull is clearly going into next weekend’s F1 season-opener as the team to beat.

As teams crunched through the data, it was a race-sim run from Sainz on the second evening, running in similar but not identical conditions to Perez on the same programme, that offered some intrigue about just how good the new SF-24 may be… …one thing is not in doubt from the Sainz race sim – that the high tyre degradation which derailed much of Ferrari’s 2023 campaign appears to have been cured.

‘Ferrari race sim offering clues to its Red Bull-beating potential’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/ferrari-race-sim-clues-red-bull-beating-potential/10579409/


Ferrari ends F1 testing fastest amid shock bolter... but world champ to have ‘good head start’
February 24th, 2024 9:15 am
AFP from Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc set the fastest time as Formula One’s winter testing ended overnight on the same Sakhir circuit which will stage the season opener next week, but he admitted world champion Max Verstappen and Red Bull have “a good head start”. Leclerc was 0.046sec ahead of George Russell’s Mercedes while China’s Zhou Guanyu was a surprise third fastest in a Sauber.

Verstappen, the overwhelming favourite to make it four titles in a row in 2024, was only fourth fastest with Japan’s Yuki Tsunoda of Racing Bulls rounding out the top five. However, Verstappen opted to drive on softer tyres, therefore making him relatively slower on the day.

Over the three days of testing Sainz, who will lose his seat to seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton at the end of the season, was the only driver to dip below 1min 30sec. “I think I can say that we are off to a good start, if only by looking at our own performances,” said Ferrari team chief Frederic Vasseur.

‘Carlos Sainz was the only driver to dip below 1min 30sec’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/f1-2024-full-results-scores-ferraris-charles-leclerc-sets-fastest-time-max-verstappen-zhou-guanyu-daniel-ricciardo-latest-news/news-story/bf97a877ff9a4250be2788a31d30eccf


Podcast: Ferrari finishes test on top but can it usurp Red Bull?
Feb 23, 2024
The Race

Ferrari headed another day of Formula 1 pre-season testing in Bahrain as the test concluded, but does that mean it can really fight Red Bull when the season starts? That is just one of the topics The Race F1 Podcast delves into today, as Gary Anderson, Mark Hughes, Samarth Kanal, Scott Mitchell-Malm and Edd Straw are all onboard for a key episode.

There’s a detailed analysis of Ferrari versus Red Bull, why the gap could be closer than first thought, and as its testing, part of the equation is trying to ascertain whether pace is genuine and if fuel loads and engine modes are masking or heightening performance.

‘Why the gap could be closer than first thought’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/podcast-ferrari-finishes-test-on-top-but-can-it-usurp-red-bull/


Charles Leclerc has ‘more hope’ for Ferrari in F1 2024 season after Bahrain test
23 Feb 2024 6:11 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Charles Leclerc admitted his belief that Red Bull are “quite a bit ahead” than their rivals, but Ferrari are working off a “much stronger base” compared to 2023. Having put the SF-24 through its paces over the course of pre-season testing, Leclerc was pleased with what he has seen so far, but conceded that Red Bull are still the team to beat as it stands.

“I think the first good thing is that there are no surprises,” Leclerc told media including PlanetF1.com. “Honestly, from the first lap on the simulator, it felt like an easier car to drive,” Leclerc stated. “Whenever we drove with some wind, and similar on the track from the very first laps here. Once we get here, and the feeling was good, we managed to be consistent straightaway, and this will help the race runs.”

“However, as I’ve said these past few days, drivability and competitiveness are two very different things. So we still have to work a lot and then we’ll see how competitive we are next Friday, but I am confident that we definitely did a step forward in terms of tyre management, because whenever tyres are more used, the weaknesses of the car are more apparent, you can feel them more. And with the characteristics of this car, it should be quite a bit better.”

‘More hope for Ferrari’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/charles-leclerc-ferrari-hope-f1-2024-season


Carlos Sainz believes Ferrari ‘won’t count on me’ for 1 thing after signing Lewis Hamilton
Sat 24 February 2024 18:00
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Carlos Sainz believes Ferrari ‘will not count on me’ to develop the SF-24 after signing seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes to replace him in 2025. Having lost his seat on the Formula 1 grid for Ferrari, Sainz is now focusing on joining a new project that matches his ambitions. The Spaniard would also prefer to fix his future early to focus on the 2024 season. But Sainz knows Ferrari will not rely on him to develop the SF-24.

He has told AS: “I would like to first solve my future to be clear about where I am going to go and what comes next. Afterwards, I’m sure the focus changes a little because I already know that this season I only have to focus on the now. They won’t count on me much to develop the car, and that allows me to focus exclusively on getting the most out of the SF-24 and myself. Now, we talk to everyone, and see what position each team is in and what project fits more with my intentions.”

‘Focus exclusively on getting the most out of the SF-24 and myself’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/carlos-sainz-believes-ferrari-wont-count-on-me-for-1-thing-after-signing-lewis-hamilton/

[Fortitude]

Russell: W15 better suited to ‘attack’ corners than ‘challenging’ W14.
Mercedes driver George Russell has claimed that the new W15 is much better suited to ‘attack’ corners than the W14 which was ‘challenging to drive’.
February 25, 2024
Sam Jones
FormulaNerds

The only way is up: With a good foundation in place, Mercedes could be in for a stronger year. Testing went well for Mercedes, who looked good over long stints and managed to put in the second fastest time on the final day.

“We’ve now got a car mechanically where the aero guys can go and focus on just building downforce upon that, whereas in the past, whatever we did aerodynamically there were underlying issues with the race car that took a while to understand and solve,” continued Russell. “When the car feels nice but it’s not quite on the pace, you just need to find downforce in the right places.”

‘Good foundation in place’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/russell-w15-better-suited-to-attack-corners-than-challenging-w14/


Hamilton: Mercedes ‘got work to do’ after F1 testing
08:08 Sat, 24 Feb 2024.
Nathan Hartley
FormulaNerds

Lewis Hamilton believes that Mercedes it not yet “where we want to be”, admitting that they have “got work to do”, despite a positive Formula 1 test in Bahrain. Mercedes don’t have the pace yet. Despite being happier with the handling of the car, Hamilton believes that the W15 in not where the team wants it to be with its pace:

“We know we’ve got work to do and we’re not yet where we want to be. We knew that would be the case coming into the test though. We’ve got a great platform to build on. We’ll go away and work hard over the next couple of days to go through all the data from the test. I’m really excited for the start of the season next week and we’ll be heading into it in good shape.”

‘Got work to do’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/hamilton-mercedes-got-work-to-do-after-f1-testing/


Toto Wolff asked if he wishes Lewis Hamilton drove W15 before quitting Mercedes
Would Toto Wolff have preferred Lewis Hamilton to try out the W15 before deciding to leave Mercedes?
22 Feb 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

“I think he’s taken his decision over the winter to join Ferrari and there’s benefits of keeping it to yourself and then deciding maybe at a later stage,” Wolff said. "But then also if you have set your mind and you are sailing, that’s ok.”

When asked if the W15 is a potential race or championship winner, Wolff replied: “Can’t say. We know we have a big mountain to climb. When you have a car out of the blocks like Red Bull have with these new regulations, catching them up is very, very difficult. We can’t really see yet a picture of performance.”

“I think he’s taken his decision over the winter”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1044505/1/toto-wolff-asked-if-he-wishes-lewis-hamilton-drove-w15-quitting-mercedes


Wolff to decide Hamilton successor around May
Toto Wolff had to put a brave face on the fact that Red Bull appears to have pulled off making the scrapped Mercedes-like car concept of 2022-2023 work.
FEBRUARY 22, 2024
GrandPrix.com

Less controllable now for Wolff is the suddenly-altered dynamic of having a seven time world champion driver who will depart after the season. “It surprised me a lot”, Wolff admits. “We went on holiday thinking he would stay, even if the 1-plus-1 contract allowed him to free himself. I was surprised, but that's how it went.”

“There are many excellent drivers who are already on the grid and available so it won't be something we decide soon, Wolff added. It will be around May, after the first races.”

“It surprised me a lot”;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/wolff-to-decide-hamilton-successor-around-may.html


George Russell tells Toto Wolff what he 'wants' from Lewis Hamilton replacement
George Russell has offered his insight into the quest to find a Lewis Hamilton replacement for the 2025 season and beyond.
15:01, Thu, Feb 22, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

George Russell has claimed that he has ‘no concerns’ about who may be selected to become his next Mercedes team-mate, adding that he ‘wants to be tested against the best’ after sharing the past two years with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.

Offering his thoughts on the matter during pre-season testing in Bahrain, Russell noted: “I’ve got no concerns at all who lines up alongside me. I want to be tested against the very best and I feel that’s what I’ve had the last two years.”

“I want to be tested against the very best”;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1869687/George-Russell-Toto-Wolff-Lewis-Hamilton


Toto Wolff sidesteps question on whether Lewis Hamilton should’ve waited for W15
23 Feb 2024 9:00 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Toto Wolff wouldn’t say if he’d preferred Lewis Hamilton had trialled the W15 before deciding to join Ferrari, but “if you have set your mind and you are sailing, that’s okay”. Wolff was asked by F1 pit lane reporter Ted Kravitz if he wished the driver had waited to at least try the car first.

“I think he’s taken his decision over the winter to join Ferrari and there’s benefits of keeping it to yourself and then deciding maybe at a later stage,” Wolff replied according to Crash.net. “But then also if you have set your mind and you are sailing, that’s okay.”

‘Toto Wolff sidesteps question’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-sidesteps-lewis-hamilton-waited-w15-ferrari


George Russell saw F1 driver names pop up on Toto Wolff’s phone for 2025 seat
F1 drivers have been asking Toto Wolff about Mercedes' 2025 vacant seat, says George Russell
23 Feb 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

George Russell has seen the names of F1 drivers who have contracted Toto Wolff about coming to Mercedes next year. Russell said about his future teammate: “[Wolff and I] already had conversations. I’ve been with Toto a lot this winter. Seeing the drivers’ names pop up on the telephones was quite funny.”

“Even on my phone, as well, the phone calls and text messages… So yeah it’s been quite interesting. But, as a team, we’re in a really good opportunity and position to go into this next chapter. There’s been so much success with Lewis and Mercedes.”

Russell was asked what attributes he’s hoping for in his next teammate, and he said: “I think it’s important to have good harmony between the drivers. Because that trickles down into all of the engineers and the whole team. But, ultimately, the decision is with Toto and the board.”

‘F1 drivers have been asking Toto Wolff about Mercedes' 2025 vacant seat’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1044603/1/george-russell-saw-f1-driver-names-pop-toto-wolffs-phone-2025-seat


Wolff fully confident Mercedes’ aggressive front wing design is legal
25th February 2024, 0:01
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Wolff not concerned by wing legality: After eyebrows were raised by the front wing design of Mercedes’s new W15, team principal Toto Wolff says he has no concerns about its legality. “I think what’s been put on the car is always following an exchange with the FIA all through the process,” Wolff said.

“It’s no such thing that you have a clever idea and then you bolt it on a test and you think that could or couldn’t be challenged. So that is a long process of dialogue that happens over the winter. So I feel we are in an okay place.”

‘Been put on the car is always following an exchange with the FIA’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/02/25/racefans-round-up-25-02-7/

[Fortitude]

Lando Norris opens up on deep McLaren MCL38 worries ahead of F1 2024 opener.
Lando Norris gave a clear “no” to McLaren challenging Ferrari, never mind Red Bull at the Bahrain season-opener, as he senses a lack of progress in addressing their weak points.
24 Feb 2024 12:30 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

While Norris was in a rather buoyant mood ahead of pre-season testing, talking of McLaren going into an F1 season on the right foot for the first time in a long time, it is safe to say he was playing down expectations following the three days of running in Bahrain.

So, when asked by Sky F1’s Ted Kravitz as part of his ‘Ted’s Notebook’ programme whether McLaren can match the times Ferrari were delivering, Norris replied: “No.” How about a podium finish at least to get McLaren’s F1 2024 campaign underway in style? “No,” was once more the clear response from Norris.

The 24-year-old went on to explain that Bahrain “has never been our best track”, while he also made the worrying prediction that 2023’s dominant force Red Bull has “extended” their buffer over the rest of the field with their latest creation, the RB20.

‘Norris replied: “No.” “No,” was once more the clear response from Norris’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lando-norris-downbeat-mclaren-bahrain-gp-pace


Piastri declares McLaren has work to do.
Oscar Piastri believes McLaren has improved on some of the weaknesses of last year’s car but still has work to do.
26 February 2024
by Mat Coch
Speedcafe

The three days of track action in Bahrain offered a first glimpse of where the F1 field is, with Red Bull Racing the clear favourite. From that running, McLaren appears to have held steady at the top of the midfield, much as it had ended last season, though it is short of the absolute front of the pack with Red Bull Racing and Ferrari.

“I'd like to think that we're somewhere towards the front of the grid,” Piastri said when asked where he feels McLaren sits. “I certainly don't feel, at the moment, we're in a position to challenge Red Bull – I'm not sure anyone on the grid particularly feels that way at the moment – but I think we're somewhere towards the front.”

‘McLaren has work to do’;

https://speedcafe.com/piastri-declares-mclaren-has-work-to-do/


Norris airs McLaren concern as new season looms
23 February 5:48PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Lando Norris fears McLaren is still a "long way" behind Red Bull and Ferrari following pre-testing in Bahrain. The Briton finished 14th on the timesheet on the final day after driving the car in the morning session, with McLaren showing consistent times throughout the three days.

Norris at least expects the team's preparations this year to pay off in the opening grands prix of the campaign. "Definitely coming into this season, this test, and this year, [we're] on the right foot for once," he said. "I don't think we've done that at all in the last three, four years.”

"We've come in attacking a bit more with various things, rather than not being sure if this (the car) is going to be ready, or we don't think we've maximised this area and that area. I think we've come in with much more knowledge and expertise and just a much better car to start the season off with.”

‘Lando Norris fears McLaren is still a "long way" behind Red Bull and Ferrari’;

https://racingnews365.com/norris-airs-mclaren-concern-as-new-season-looms


McLaren drivers expect to be ‘a chunk behind’ two teams as they share pecking order predictions after testing
24 February 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri both namechecked Ferrari as well as Red Bull when pondering where McLaren might slot into the initial 2024 pecking order, believing that those two teams are a step ahead as things stand.

“I think it’s been a… not a perfect few days, we’ve definitely had our fair share of issues, which is not exactly what we would like, but better now than [at the Grand Prix] next week!” Norris smiled. Pushed further on where he thinks McLaren stand, he added: “We’re definitely quite a chunk behind Ferrari and quite a chunk behind Red Bull – I think they’re clearly a long way ahead.”

Piastri echoed Norris’ sentiments as he declared that McLaren “need to find a bit more” if they are to achieve their goal of consistently fighting for podiums and victories this year. “I think it’s not been the smoothest of tests overall for us, but I think this [Friday] afternoon we got a lot of good work done, which was good, a lot of laps,” said the Australian, who is entering his sophomore F1 campaign.”

‘A chunk behind’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.mclaren-drivers-expect-to-be-a-chunk-behind-two-teams-as-they-share-pecking.RqTIApfDay1ZFPnJMukau.html


Mixed messages from McLaren bosses
There are slightly different messages coming out of McLaren's Zak Brown and Andrea Stella following the second day of F1 testing.
23 February 2024
by Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Brown fronted the media midway through the day's action and proclaimed that he is targeting race wins this season as his squad builds on its strong recovery in 2023. However, team principal Stella doesn't appear to share the same level of enthusiasm and instead seemed to slightly temper expectations on Thursday night when he sat down with the media to digest the day's activity.

It wasn't an especially bad day for McLaren, but it wasn't a good day either. An issue with the fuel tank stopped Lando Norris while he was on a race simulation, and the squad only managed 87 laps. Next worst was Alpine, which managed 111 laps as Ferrari banked 138 on a day that saw Carlos Sainz fastest.

‘Slightly different messages’;

https://speedcafe.com/mclaren-targeting-race-wins-in-2024/


McLaren boss warns of ominous ‘big step’ from title favourites Red Bull
22 Feb 2024 5:17 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Any fears that 2024 could be another dominant year for Red Bull have not been eased by the words of McLaren boss Andrea Stella, who said the Milton Keynes side had made a “big step” after the second day of pre-season testing.

“I can see that many cars have made the step forward, which is normal,” he told media including PlanetF1.com. “Everyone finds performance in every week of development. There’s one car that seems to have found a big step. Unfortunately, [it is] the car that was already the quickest last year.”

“I would say the group was already quite competitive last year and to me it looks even more competitive compared to this year. So that’s what we’ve learned from our competitiveness point of view.”

‘Ominous big step’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mclaren-boss-big-step-title-favourites-red-bull


‘HEADS UP’ on getting your entries in for Fgp 2024, SUPERBLY ORGANISED by N. Jones. [Everyone has until the end of Wednesday, February 28th to enter a team.]

If you haven’t entered before or even if you are not a member, THEN consider joining and enter your own F1 team…

https://www.motorsportforums.com/showthread.php?43960-Fgp-2024

https://sites.google.com/view/fgp2021/welcome-to-fgp-2024

[Fortitude]

Fallows: Aston F1 team has made required step with AMR24.
Aston Martin Formula 1 technical director Dan Fallows says that the Silverstone-based team has made the hoped-for steps with its new AMR24 relative to last year’s car.
14:33 Sat, 24 Feb 2024.
Adam Cooper
Motorsport.com

The days of testing in Bahrain suggested that the team has made the progress it was seeking with the initial launch package, even if others set more eye-catching headline times.

“When we went into this season really looking for a step over the winter, we wanted to make sure we did get an improvement,” said Fallows. “Even though it's an evolution of last year's car, we wanted it to be a strong improvement as well as a strong evolution. And, we have seen that step, we've seen that benefit. So we’re very pleased about that.”

“I think the most important thing for us is where we go from here. We weren't 100% pleased with what we achieved in our in-season development last year. And we wanted to make sure we can compete at the top level in terms of in-season as well. I think we were mostly keen on making sure we made a step on last year, which we have done. So I think we can certainly tick that box.”

‘Made required step with AMR24’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/fallows-aston-f1-team-made-required-step-amr24/10579454/


Pedro De La Rosa admits Aston Martin were slower in one key area in testing
Mon 26 February 2024 10:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Aston Martin ambassador Pedro De La Rosa has admitted that the 2024 Aston Martin is slower in one area after pre-season testing ended in Bahrain. Every team on the grid arrived at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir with heavily updated cars from last season.

Speaking to MARCA, Pedro De La Rosa shared what developments his team has made and how they’ve taken one step back in one area to improve their overall performance. Speaking after pre-season testing, De La Rosa said: “It’s true that in the second sector (the slower corners at Sakhir) we are losing more, but we don’t have a clear picture at the moment either.

“There are people with the C4 (the Ferraris). Also, here the tyre preparation can play an important role and if you have a tyre that is more ready in the first sector and less ready in the second sector, then the tyre is not the same.” Aston Martin will hope they can iron out the issues that De La Rosa talked about and that even though they were slightly slower in testing in the second sector, they looked very good in other areas of the track.

‘Slower in one key area in testing’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/teams/pedro-de-la-rosa-admits-aston-martin-were-slower-in-one-key-area-in-testing/


Fallows: Step forward box ‘ticked’ by Aston Martin in Bahrain
25/02/2024 at 08:09
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Aston Martin F1 technical director Dan Fallows says pre-season testing showed that the team’s efforts to improve on its 2023 design have been fruitful. While several of its direct rivals opted for a radical overhaul of their design for 2024, Aston privileged an evolutionary approach, refining the car that secured eight podium finishes last year in the skillful hands of Fernando Alonso.

"We had some things that we focused on over the winter in terms of making the car good to drive, making the balance good,” said the British engineer. “And I think we're reasonably happy with where we are now. We know we've always got things to improve, which is why we go back into the wind tunnel and why we go back to the drawing board to do those things.”

“But so far, I think we've achieved a lot in three days in testing, done a lot of test items, and we're pretty pleased with the outcome."

‘Evolutionary approach’;

https://f1i.com/news/500568-fallows-step-forward-box-ticked-by-aston-martin-in-bahrain.html


Pedro De La Rosa raves about one F1 driver who’s so strong that he could ‘stop a train’
Sun 25 February 2024 18:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Pedro De La Rosa has suggested that Aston Martin star Fernando Alonso still possesses so much strength that he could ‘stop a train’. Fernando Alonso might be the oldest driver on the Formula 1 grid this season, but that is unlikely to slow him down as he chases his 33rd win in the sport.

Speaking in an interview with El Confidencial, De La Rosa was talking about the 42-year-old’s motivation heading into 2024. Asked about the 42-year-old, De La Rosa said: “There is little I can say here because it is up to him. “For me, the most important thing is that he wants to stay in Formula 1. I think he’s got the strength, physique and speed to stop a train.”

“He can go on as long as he wants. It’s more a question of motivation, with 24 races, triple races and a month away from home. If he wants to go on, great for everyone. The only thing that can depend on us is to give him a competitive car. From here, it’s a personal thing. It’s clear that a driver like Fernando will never lack options.”

‘Could stop a train’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/drivers/pedro-de-la-rosa-raves-about-one-f1-driver-whos-so-strong-that-he-could-stop-a-train/


Alonso focusing on upcoming season amidst driver market buzz
The Spaniard discussed the upcoming season with Aston Martin and the 'good neogtiating postion' he finds himself in
February 25, 2024
Theo Gayle
FormulaNerds

Season ready: On the conclusive day of pre-season testing in Bahrain, Alonso commented he felt he was in “a good position” referring to the buzz around him, despite this the Spaniard’s focus is solely on the season at hand. “In my case, it’s very interesting because I have, I think, a good position to negotiate,” he said.

“But I want to at least do the first couple of races without thinking too much. I want to see myself into a new season. It’s going to be the longest-ever season in Formula 1 [at 24 races].” Expressing a desire to optimise his travel schedule for greater efficiency, Alonso emphasised the importance of maintaining high energy levels throughout the extended 24-race season.

He remarked, “I want to change a little bit some of the travel schedule and things to be really efficient this year and arrive with high energy at the end of the year.” Alonso also highlighted that, at present, his primary focus is not on the following year, indicating a deliberate intention to concentrate on the immediate challenges of the upcoming races before delving into discussions about his future beyond the current season.

‘Focusing on upcoming season’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/alonso-focusing-on-upcoming-season-amidst-driver-market-buzz/

[Fortitude]

Why progress, not early form, is all that matters for Alpine F1 boss.
Alpine says the success of its Formula 1 season will be judged on the progress it can make from what is expected to be a difficult start to the new campaign.
16:24 Mon, 26 Feb 2024.
Motorsport.com

The French manufacturer has been bracing itself for some early struggles, with the performance of its new A524 in Bahrain testing last week suggesting it will be battling at the back of the field – and could even be last.

“Our objective this year will be to generate the dynamic in improving the car, and improving the team as well,” he said. “That is the team as a whole and not only trackside. It is much more than giving a target in terms of final result or position in the championship or podiums.”

“What I really need to see is this dynamic. The car is what it is right now. The important thing is to be able to develop it together with the team, with the factories at Viry and Enstone, and trackside. Everybody pushing for improvement.”

‘Will be judged on the progress’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/why-progress-not-early-form-is-all-that-matters-for-alpine-f1-boss/10579938/


The F1 team furthest behind where it should be
Feb 26, 2024
by Edd Straw
The Race

Alpine heads into the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend expecting to be struggling to escape Q1. That’s a long way off an acceptable level of performance for a works team, even one that was at pains to warn of a slow start to manage expectations at its 2024 Formula 1 car launch.

“It will take some weeks,” says Gasly. “It’s important to be objective about it when you start with a brand new car, [you] can't expect to figure things out in three days. It’s not going to be an easy first race, [we’re] not going to start from where we would have liked. But we’ve got to give ourselves some time to understand that new car concept.”

‘The F1 team furthest behind’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f1-2024-alpine-furthest-team-from-where-it-should-be/


Could Alpine really have the worst F1 car on the grid?
26 Feb 2024 8:30 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

For anyone who saw Ridley Scott’s Napoleon or indeed is familiar with the story of the French emperor, you will know it only ever ends one way. Napoleon’s demise came in the Belgian town of Waterloo with the dictator being vanquished by the British and ultimately exiled to a small island in the Atlantic ocean. Alpine’s demise is a little less bombastic but does share many of the same qualities.

The Alpine brand, and Renault before it, did once used to be a respected and feared member of the paddock. Fernando Alonso’s title-winning years were their proudest moment but even solely as an engine provider, Renault won 10 Constructors’ championships with Williams, Benetton and Red Bull. These days, the Renault engine is universally accepted as the poorest of the four suppliers and the Alpine car has already been predicted to be one of the slowest on the grid.

‘Alpine’s demise’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/alpine-poor-year-testing-gloomy-outcome


Gasly: Alpine 'doesn't look great' after Bahrain F1 test
18:45 Fri, 23 Feb 2024.
Adam Cooper
Motorsport.com

The Enstone team has made a major concept change since last season and knew that it might take some time to optimise. On overall times for the three days, Esteban Ocon and Gasly were 16th and 17th of the 20 drivers participating.

While on balance the A524 is not actually the slowest car in the field, the team is still far from where it wants to be. "To be fair I haven't really focussed on others because there's been so much going on our side," Gasly told Sky TV.

"I don't think we look great. But at the same time, we still have a couple of days to really understand everything we've done. We've put the car upside down, done a lot of tests. So hopefully, some analysis and answers will bring us some more performance. And then, we'll find out, no one will hide any more next Friday.”

'Doesn't look great';

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/gasly-alpine-doesnt-look-great-after-bahrain-f1-test/10579278/


28-year-old F1 driver not optimistic about 2024 season after pre-season testing
Sun 25 February 2024 14:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Alpine driver Pierre Gasly has admitted that testing ahead of the 2024 season in Bahrain didn’t go as well as he had hoped. After stalling last season and being overtaken by McLaren and Aston Martin in the Constructors’ Championship, Alpine knew they had to go in a different direction with their car this year.

Speaking after the final day of testing, via Motorsport.com, Gasly has shared that patience is going to be required to get things right this year. “I think we’ll have to be patient, even if it’s not what we like as drivers, but clearly it might take some time before we really unlock the performance we want from that car. It’s not going to be an easy first race,” he said.

“We’re not going to start from where we would have liked. But at the same time, we’ve got to give ourselves some time to understand that new car concept that we have. The good thing is we’ve identified very clearly what we’ve got to work on as a team. Now, whether we’re able to fix it with car setup or not, for the first few races of the season, time will tell, but for sure there’ll be an aggressive plan of upgrades which we will need to close the gap.”

‘Not optimistic about 2024 season’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/drivers/28-year-old-f1-driver-not-optimistic-about-2024-season-after-pre-season-testing/


Gasly in the hot seat: Will he jump ship as Alpine hits rock bottom?
08:41 Mon, 26 Feb 2024
Andrew Maitland
Grandpx.news

As the Formula 1 paddock prepares for the season opener in Bahrain, Pierre Gasly is candid about his position in the 2025 driver market amidst Alpine’s performance struggles. With Alpine potentially dropping to the bottom of the pack, even behind Haas, the team faces significant challenges.

Gasly, whose contract is up for renewal, remains optimistic but realistic about his future. Speaking to RTBF, he said, “For the future, I’m not worried. I have to try to find the project that will give me the maximum chance of achieving my objectives. I’m committed to this team and I see a lot of positive changes. But beyond that, we need to perform. I’m 28 years old. Like everyone around me at Enstone and Viry, I really hope it can work.”

Despite the team’s struggles, Gasly defended the significant changes made to the car, highlighting the exhaustive testing and the team’s acknowledgment of their starting point. “On the one hand, we tested a lot, which is positive. On the other hand, we don’t necessarily understand everything about this new car, which is normal,” he explained.

‘Gasly in the hot seat’;

https://grandpx.news/gasly-in-the-hot-seat-will-he-jump-ship-as-alpine-hits-rock-bottom/


Alpine “expecting a challenging start to the year” – Famin
24th February 2024, 0:01
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Famin was encouraged by Alpine’s reliability during the test but indicated it may take a few races for them to get the best out of their overhauled A524.

“It’s been a solid three-day test for the team where we’ve focused on ourselves and committed to a comprehensive and important test programme,” said Famin. “We have been operationally strong all week and demonstrated great teamwork between both factories and the trackside team, which has been good to see.”

“Our reliability has been good and that has enabled us to complete our test plan as expected. Now is the time to work through the data and concentrate on optimising the package we have in our hands ahead of next week’s first grand prix. We know where we stand. We are expecting a challenging start to the year as we continue to learn more and more about our A524 to develop it across the season.”

“Expecting a challenging start to the year”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/02/24/racefans-round-up-24-02-7/


‘HEADS UP’ on getting your entries in for Fgp 2024, SUPERBLY ORGANISED by N. Jones. [Everyone has until the end of Wednesday, February 28th to enter a team.]

If you haven’t entered before or even if you are not a member, THEN consider joining and enter your own F1 team…

https://www.motorsportforums.com/showthread.php?43960-Fgp-2024

https://sites.google.com/view/fgp2021/welcome-to-fgp-2024

[Fortitude]

Ricciardo: ‘So many questions’ raised by F1 testing.
Formula 1 pre-season testing has left Daniel Ricciardo with “so many questions” as he tries to understand where RB fits into the pecking order.
23 February 2024
by Mat Coch
Speedcafe

The car made a strong first impression on Wednesday though it was less of a standout on Thursday – it didn't go backward so much as didn't go forward as other teams did. That suggests a car that worked well out of the box, and that the Faenza operation did its homework well. It also serves to highlight the uncertainty that surrounds testing and the relative form guide of every team.

“If you see Sainz in first, there are so many questions: Is it fuel? Is it the engine? Is it disallowed and at what time of the day? So you just never know,” Ricciardo reasoned. “So I think regardless of where we are on the timesheets, I am just staying somewhere in the middle.”

“I am aware we're not going to be a pole position car next week,” said Ricciardo, continuing to play down his team's chances. I like to think we are still in that midfield hunt and for us to start the season. If we find ourselves in Q3 and points on a Sunday, that's a good start. I think that's the goal. Whether we get it or not, time will tell, but I think that's the start.”

‘Not going to be a pole position car next week’;

https://speedcafe.com/ricciardo-so-many-questions-raised-by-f1-testing/


Ricciardo sets lofty RB target
25 February 8:00PM
Author Fergal Walsh
Co-author Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Daniel Ricciardo has stated that RB is hoping to compete at the front of the midfield group during the upcoming Formula 1 season. Ricciardo has his eye on leading the midfield pack before the campaign is out. “Start of the season, we need to be a little bit cautious,” he said.

“The target as the season goes on is the front of the midfield. But I would say now where we are, it's probably more in the midfield. I'm not sure we’re yet at the front, but that is certainly our target.”

“I know some people are quite excited about us coming into the season, but I want to play it a little bit cautious. We have a decent car, but we still have a lot of work to do, and the numbers we brought for the test, we believe there's still some things to find.”

‘Lofty RB target’;

https://racingnews365.com/ricciardo-sets-lofty-rb-target


Cautious’ Ricciardo optimistic of big step after first-day splash at testing
February 23rd, 2024 8:46 am
Fox Sports (Australia)

Ricciardo’s best effort of the day came on the softer C4 compound near the end of the session and while testing results are pleasing for the team’s new VCARB 01 car, the Australian was not getting too far ahead of himself when aksed if he was happy with their progress.

“I’m in between. But this is just how I approach testing,” Ricciardo told reporters, per Autosport.com. “Even if you see Sainz first today or something, there’s so many questions. Is it fuel? Is it engine? What time of the day? So you just never know. I think regardless of where we are on the time sheets, I think I’m just staying somewhere in the middle.

“Obviously for us to start the season, if could find ourself in Q3 and points on a Sunday that’s a good start to the year. Whether we’ll get it or not next week, time will tell. But I think that’s the start and then as the season goes on, as we learn a bit more about the car and working together with a lot of new personnel, I think that’s where we can start to push the bar a little more.”

‘Cautious’ Ricciardo optimistic of big step’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/cautious-ricciardo-optimistic-of-big-step-after-firstday-splash-f1-testing-live/news-story/d8f31ed2775ed40997751c90ac46b21a


Yuki Tsunoda admits one rival’s F1 car now looks ‘very fun to drive’ after testing
Mon 26 February 2024 12:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Visa Cash App RB driver Yuki Tsunoda has admitted that the 2024 Ferrari Formula 1 car looks incredibly fun to drive. Ferrari could just be the closest rivals Red Bull have to deal with this season based on pre-season testing. Speaking after pre-season testing, via Formu1a.uno, Tsunoda admitted that Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz’s new car looked very good in Bahrain.

Asked about the other cars on the grid, Tsunoda said: “I saw the onboards, and they have made progress on the balance of the car; last year, they had an oversteer on entry. Now, they are more solid, and the car seems very fun to drive. They may not be as strong as Red Bull, but they have made a big step.”

Tsunoda has been speaking about his future and admitted he would love to drive for Red Bull one day, but he’s unlikely to turn down the chance to race for Ferrari in the future either. He also suggested that rivals Williams were likely hiding some performance in Bahrain and it’ll be fascinating to see where they end up after the first Grand Prix.

‘Very fun to drive’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/drivers/yuki-tsunoda-admits-one-rivals-f1-car-now-looks-very-fun-to-drive-after-testing/


2024 Bahrain Grand Prixview
27th Feb 2024, 12:22
Visa Cashapp RB - Official Site

Back racing! It’s the first race week of the 2024 Formula 1 campaign and we look forward to the season opener just as much as you do! Here are Daniel and Yuki’s thoughts ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Daniel Ricciardo #3: “I like Bahrain, it’s a nice track and a good place to start the season. It’s pretty challenging, especially on the rear tyres as the track is very rough. I’ve had some good moments there, never on the podium, but I’ve scored plenty of points. Of course, there’s something special about the first race of the season. When you haven’t raced for a few months, it feels a bit more intense. You can spend time in the simulator driving the track, but you can’t practice racing intensely, wheel to wheel with 19 of the best guys in the world, and that makes for a pretty exciting feeling at the first race of the year.”

Yuki Tsunoda #22: “After three days testing here, we have a good baseline for the start of Free Practice, and I’m happy with my lap times from testing. We focused a lot on the engineering side to understand how the car reacts and started to narrow down what test items we needed to look at and what areas to focus on for the actual race. We completed a lot of different tests, and this week it’s time to put it all together and focus more on qualifying. There are a lot of areas we can explore with this car and our main target from Thursday will be to extract as much performance from it as possible. The first race of the season is always a little bit different as you don’t know what to expect and which teams will be quick. There is definitely some mystery and excitement!”

‘Back racing!’;

https://www.visacashapprb.com/en/2024-bahrain-grand-prixview/


‘HEADS UP’ on getting your entries in for Fgp 2024, SUPERBLY ORGANISED by N. Jones. [Everyone has until the end of Wednesday, February 28th to enter a team.]

If you haven’t entered before or even if you are not a member, THEN consider joining and enter your own F1 team…

https://www.motorsportforums.com/showthread.php?43960-Fgp-2024

https://sites.google.com/view/fgp2021/welcome-to-fgp-2024

[Fortitude]

Haas buoyed by impressive lap tally in test.
Under new team principal Ayao Komatsu, the team appears to have made significant progress with the VF-24, which completed a total of 441 laps (2,386.70km, or 1483.03 miles) across the three days.
23/02/2024 at 17:44
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Haas might not have been capturing many headlines with their low-key performance in pre-season testing at Bahrain International Circuit, but their reliability so far is certainly something to celebrate.

Komatsu said the test hadn't been about single lap pace and that they hadn't even begun to look at qualifying run simulations until today. "Today we completed our first qualifying sim, looking at the low-fuel car balance, and then we completed two race simulations," he reported after the end of the say's track running.”

"We successfully achieved all of this despite the track issues today," he added, alluding to a lengthy early red flag stoppage for another drain cover issue. "It’s been a very, very good day basically. Our race simulations show that yes, we’ve got lots more work to do, but at the same time we’ve got a base car that we can actually race.”

‘Impressive lap tally’;

https://f1i.com/news/500468-haas-buoyed-up-by-impressive-lap-tally-in-testing.html


Komatsu targets eighth after taking charge at Haas
Posted on 28th February 2024, 7:16
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

New Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu has set his team the target of eight place in the championship for his first season in charge. “I guess it’s a very different dynamics compared to my predecessor,” Komatsu said. “Another thing is that I know the team, I know the people, the strengths and weaknesses, and we understand each other. So I think we’ve got a very good base to start off with.”

“In terms of the championship, we don’t want to be P10, of course,” he said. “We’d like to be in P8, to start off with. But of course that means we have to beat two teams, right? So who are we going to beat? So more than just the championship target, I think it’s very important we pull together as one, as a team, and move forward and make incremental improvements. So that’s what I’m looking for.”

‘Komatsu targets eighth’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/02/28/komatsu-targets-eighth-after-taking-charge-at-haas/


Komatsu: New Haas VF-24 free of ‘nasty characteristics’
27/02/2024 at 08:12
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

The Haas F1 team reported tangible progress last week in Bahrain in addressing the tyre degradation issues that plagued its car throughout the 2023 F1 season

“Last year's car was inconsistent, it was quite nasty,” said Komatsu. “Depending on the conditions – tyre condition, wind condition or track temperature – the car really wasn't behaving in a predictable manner.”

“Whereas this year's car is behaving in a predictable manner. It’s consistent. Yes, we are still lacking downforce, especially in high-speed and sort of balancing medium/low-speed characteristics, but I don't think it's got nasty characteristics.”

‘VF-24 free of nasty characteristics’;

https://f1i.com/news/500700-komatsu-new-haas-vf-24-free-of-nasty-characteristics.html


F1 strugglers pinpoint reason for hope after pre-season doom and gloom
24 Feb 2024 7:30 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Kevin Magnussen has declared it is easier for Haas to manage their tyres with the new VF-24 car following a desperate season in 2023.

After three days of pre-season testing in Bahrain, where Haas recorded more laps than any other team with 441 on the board, Magnussen declared himself satisfied that the team have made a good step forward in terms of tyre management.

He told media including PlanetF1.com’s Thomas Maher in Bahrain: “The feeling of the car [is that] you can push a bit more, it’s a bit easier to manage the tyres.”

‘Pinpoint reason for hope’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-reason-pre-season


Magnussen explains why he had a hammer in his Haas during testing
24 February 10:45AM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

Haas driver Kevin Magnussen has revealed why he was pictured with a hammer in the cockpit during the final day of F1 pre-season testing. The peculiar moment came during the Dane's final session in the new VF-24 before returning to the Bahrain International Circuit next week for the first race of the new season.

Explaining why he had a hammer, Magnussen said: "[I was] just adjusting the seat. We were doing a scan of the seat I was running last year and will also be running this year, so you bring out like a version of that seat but it is never 100 per cent correct. So there were a few adjustments to be made."

‘Hammer in his Haas’;

https://racingnews365.com/magnussen-explains-why-he-had-a-hammer-in-his-haas-during-testing


‘HEADS UP’ on getting your entries in for Fgp 2024, SUPERBLY ORGANISED by N. Jones. [Everyone has until the end of Wednesday, February 28th to enter a team.]

If you haven’t entered before or even if you are not a member, THEN consider joining and enter your own F1 team…

https://www.motorsportforums.com/showthread.php?43960-Fgp-2024

https://sites.google.com/view/fgp2021/welcome-to-fgp-2024

[Fortitude]

Sauber: Lap times irrelevant but performance ‘encouraging’.
A late run by Zhou Guanyu saw Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber finish third fastest ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen on the final day of official pre-season testing at Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir.
24/02/2024 at 08:11
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

The team was quick to play down the achievement and pointed out that it was far too early to make comparisons with their rivals. However, Sauber technical director James Key conceded that the Swiss outfit's performance was still an encouraging sign of the off-season progress achieved by the squad.

"There’s no point talking about lap times, as each team had its own priorities during testing," explained Key. "We will surely learn more about each other’s performance next week [in the Bahrain Grand Prix]. Still, the feeling at the end of testing is positive, and we’ll be aiming to move forward in this direction throughout the season.”

‘Far too early to make comparisons with their rivals’;

https://f1i.com/news/500497-sauber-finishes-bahrain-test-with-a-flourish-in-third.html


Valtteri Bottas ‘surprised’ by one big thing he saw from Sauber at F1 testing
Sat 24 February 2024 17:00
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Valtteri Bottas admits Sauber ‘surprised’ him during pre-season testing in Bahrain as the Formula 1 team seems to have fixed a long-standing issue with their car in 2024. “What surprised me most was the stability in the fast corners,” Bottas told Blick. “We’ve had problems in this relationship for two years now.”

“In addition, the air resistance has decreased. We’ve gotten better there, too… Everything immediately feels good in the cockpit. There is nothing fundamentally bad about the car.”

Lap times during pre-season testing seldom show much relevance. But Bottas will head into the Bahrain GP on March 2 with some optimism for Sauber’s start to the new season. Zhou also set their fastest time on day three of testing with his 1:30.647 using the C4 Pirelli tyres.

“Stability in the fast corners”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/valtteri-bottas-surprised-by-one-big-thing-he-saw-from-sauber-at-f1-testing/


Bottas praises Seidl for working to change any ‘old school mindset’ within Kick Sauber team
26 February 2024
RacingNews365

Valtteri Bottas believes the atmosphere within the Kick Sauber camp has changed for the better in recent times, describing team spirit as “the highest I have seen so far” under Andreas Seidl’s leadership. “We need to be starting the season strong but then maintaining good progress, which I believe is possible with the additional members we have in the team, including the big talent we have already in the team. With this new, fresh identity and ideas, I feel like there’s no limit.”

“I see good motivation all around,” he continued. “There’s been fresh ideas, lots of new stuff happening. There’s a lot of motivation and the spirit is good; I would say the spirit of the team and kind of the commitment for this year is, I would say, the highest I have seen so far.”

“I think also the leadership of Andreas, he’s been really good at dealing with people and trying to change some of the almost, let’s say, old school mindset in the team and making sure that we don’t accept a bad result, we need to do better.”

‘Team spirit as the highest I have seen so far’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.bottas-praises-seidl-for-working-to-change-any-old-school-mindset-within.6w79ewhg6KZHsv1tkAEiJz.html


Sauber surprised others did not switch to “quicker” F1 pull-rod suspension
13:05 Tue, 27 Feb 2024.
Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

Sauber is surprised that other Formula 1 teams did not make the switch to a Red Bull-style pull-rod front suspension this year, considering it is clearly “quicker”. The Hinwil-based squad has moved away from its previous push-rod arrangement at the front to follow a trend that had been started by Red Bull and McLaren.

Sauber technical director James Key had anticipated that, with those two teams having put the pull-rod front to such good use, it was an obvious design avenue to go down. However, RB proved to be the only other squad which went that way – with everyone else sticking to their 2023 layout.

Asked if he was surprised that more teams did not follow suit, Key said: “I was a bit, actually. I expected at least one other to pop out with a pull-rod. But it's got to kind of stack up. It's got to stack up aerodynamically because, despite all the pain of trying to do it, it's definitely a quicker car.”

‘The wind tunnel and CFD results, and they clearly showed that the benefit is big enough’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/sauber-surprised-others-did-not-switch-to-quicker-f1-pull-rod-suspension/10580328/


Bottas warns against 'forgetting' F1 success with future uncertain
Valtteri Bottas is out of contract at the end of the current season and has revealed where he would like to sign his next Formula 1 deal.
28 February 2024, 1:18PM
Fergal Walsh & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Valtteri Bottas has revealed that his priority for the 2025 Formula 1 season is to remain with Stake F1 ahead of Audi's arrival. With near half the grid out of contract at the end of the current season, the prospect of driver swaps is highly likely - however, Bottas is keen to stay put and commit to Audi's F1 project.

“It's going to be interesting,” Bottas told media including RacingNews365. “I would imagine that things will start to move relatively soon, because there are many contracts that are expiring, including myself. I want to have a good beginning of the year and then we'll see.”

“Of course, the people behind me are already working on it, finding what are the best options and what are the opportunities. I just need to do the driving now. My priority, as I've said before, would be getting involved in the Audi project. For me, that's really tempting and ideal.”

‘Priority to remain with Stake F1’;

https://racingnews365.com/bottas-reveals-f1-priority-with-future-uncertain


Bottas ‘definitely feels improvements compared to last year’ in new Sauber
22nd February 2024, 0:01
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Valtteri Bottas believes that Sauber have gained significant performance with their new C44. “What I’m positive about, I definitely feel improvements compared to last year. Actually the initial feeling was quite similar to what I had in the simulator, so at least that correlation is more or less as it should be. So in that sense, a good starting point.”

“[It’s] definitely a step forward, but I think everyone has made steps forward. Then it’s the question who made the biggest one.”

‘Definitely feels improvements compared to last year’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/02/22/racefans-round-up-22-02-7/


‘HEADS UP’ on getting your entries in for Fgp 2024, SUPERBLY ORGANISED by N. Jones. [Everyone has until the end of TODAY, Wednesday, February 28th to enter a team.]

If you haven’t entered before or even if you are not a member, THEN consider joining and enter your own F1 team…

https://www.motorsportforums.com/showthread.php?43960-Fgp-2024

https://sites.google.com/view/fgp2021/welcome-to-fgp-2024

[Fortitude]

Martin Brundle reacts after Christian Horner cleared of wrongdoing by Red Bull investigation.
On Wednesday, Red Bull GmbH issued a statement which confirmed that “the grievance has been dismissed” and that the complainant had a right to appeal. It added: “Red Bull is confident that the investigation has been fair, rigorous and impartial. The investigation report is confidential and contains the private information of the parties and third parties who assisted in the investigation, and therefore we will not be commenting further out of respect for all concerned.”
Wed, 28 February 2024 at 4:31 pm GMT
Lawrence Ostlere
Yahoo.com

“That statement from Red Bull is drawing a solid line underneath the whole thing,” Brundle said. “I’ve just read it, but that appears to be their position.”

He added: “Red Bull the parent company have drawn a very thick and firm line... they’re clear, they’ve done a deep investigation, they’ve talked for hours and many pages of documents have been generated. Case complete, over.

On the ramifications of the case on Red Bull going forwards, Brundle said: “I haven’t spoken to Christian at any point through this. Making no comment on what may or may not have happened, mud sticks. It’s been a damaging story for Red Bull, for Formula 1, for Christian.

‘Christian Horner cleared of wrongdoing’;

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/martin-brundle-reacts-christian-horner-160034328.html

[Fortitude]

‘Feels like I’ve changed team’: 27-year-old driver admits 2024 car’s DNA is completely…
Alex Albon has admitted that the 2024 Williams car is so different to last year that it feels like he’s driving for a different team.
Fri 23 February 2024 08:30
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Williams were the final team to share this year’s machinery with the world during a shakedown in Bahrain before pre-season testing began. The Thai driver joined the commentary team on Sky Sports F1 during the Thursday afternoon session to share his thoughts on the FW46.

Albon shares first thoughts on 2024 car: Talking about his first run in the FW46, Albon said: “So, most cars they carry a characteristic. Yes, regulations change and whatnot, but cars can have more downforce or other subtleties but they always carry a very strong DNA and you only really feel like changes when you change teams.

“That’s the way at least it felt for me. This feels like I’ve changed team but I’m obviously still at Williams.” While it may feel like he’s driving for a different team given the extent of the changes to the Williams, Albon and Sargeant will have to quickly get to grips with the new machinery with the start of the season just around the corner.

‘Feels like I’ve changed team’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/drivers/alex-albon-gives-verdict-on-2024-williams-fw46-after-pre-season-testing/


Albon: Williams has 'decent car to go racing with'
24/02/2024 at 17:14
Andrew Lewin

Alex Albon enjoyed a full day in the Williams on Friday, the final session of this year's pre-season testing at Bahrain International Circuit.

"We’ve got a decent car to go racing with!" he declared after his time on track finally came to an end. His best lap time of 1:30.984s was 0.662s slower than pace setter Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari and put him sixth on the timesheets.

"We did a bit of a radical set-up today and this worked out for the better," he reported. "We struggled a little bit with the car across day one and two with just how different it is, struggling to rebalance it.

'Decent car to go racing with';

https://f1i.com/news/500492-albon-williams-has-decent-car-to-go-racing-with.html


Alex Albon laughs at James Vowles’ bold Williams F1 claim in Drive to Survive
Fri 23 February 2024 11:00
Updated Fri 23 February 2024 12:32
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Williams driver Alex Albon could not stop himself from suppressing a laugh as team principal James Vowles made a bold claim in Netflix’s new ‘Drive to Survive’ season. Netflix has released season six of the hit F1 documentary series and offers a look behind the scenes at Grove. But where Vowles believes his tenure can take Williams in the future would leave Albon laughing. He replaced Jost Capito in charge of the fabled team in January 2023.

Episode four of Netflix’s ‘Drive to Survive’ series shows Vowles telling Albon that he fully believes Williams will fight for championships again. The London-born Thai driver could only suppress a laugh at the bold target his team principal laid before him as they debated goals. “I never asked you what in your mind success looks like?” Vowles pondered. To which, Albon replied: “Right now, in this team, it’s progress. It’s seeing progress.”

Vowles added: “The reason I joined here is because I really do believe we can be back at the front [and] competing for winning championships. You sort of joke and laugh about it. But it’s important that you realise that’s the sort of quality and calibre that you have available to you. You need to be turning up with a car that’s, at least, being updated several times a year. And it will keep getting better.”

‘Alex Albon laughs at James Vowles’ bold Williams F1 claim’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/alex-albon-laughs-at-james-vowles-bold-williams-f1-claim-in-drive-to-survive/


“No tenth team anymore” in close F1 field – Albon
Posted on 29th February 2024, 0:01
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Albon believes the midfield battle will be tighter than ever heading into the new season this weekend. Despite Red Bull’s dominance throughout the 2023 season, the field spread between the front and rear of the field was historically low. However, Albon expects it could be even tighter this season.

“To be honest, I don’t think the positions have changed so much,” he said. “I don’t think that the order is going to be so different, but the grouping has tightened up massively. There is not really a P10 team anymore.”

“Obviously Red Bull might have a little bit of an advantage and there’s still a top midfield section and a bottom midfield section – but that’s kind of our hunting ground. I think, depending on the circuit and what track suits us or not, we’ll be either in the midfield or a little bit further back. But that’s all to see. I don’t think anyone really knows where we are right now.”

“No tenth team anymore”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/02/29/racefans-round-up-29-02-2/


F1 ace Logan Sargeant's three point plan to move on from 2023 disappointments
EXCLUSIVE: F1 second-season driver Logan Sargeant exclusively spoke to the Daily Express Sport ahead of the 2024 season
06:00, Wed, Feb 28, 2024
By Joshua Mbu
Daily and Sunday Express

Williams F1 ace Logan Sargeant says his 2024 goal is to be more "consistent", deliver results for the team and take weight off impressive lead driver Alex Albon. The 23-year-old American struggled in his rookie campaign, suffering a number of crashes - but he showed signs of promise in the closing stages of the season earning a new contract.

"I think the big thing for me is this year I want to be more consistent, be able to deliver on a more consistent basis," Sargeant told the Daily Express Sport on his 2024 goals. "But yeah, I learned a lot about myself, a lot about what these cars are capable of, where the limit is. But at the same time, how I can better manage myself throughout a year in all ways, shapes, forms, whatever, physically, mentally, emotionally.”

“So there's plenty of stuff that I've worked on in the off-season. And yeah, I think I've learned what can bite in these cars and I just want to try and avoid those moments and keep it a bit more clean." He added: "I think the target is quite simple. I don't really put a number on things. But it's simply to deliver, as I said, more consistently, get everything out of the car and fewer mistakes, better results."

‘Three point plan’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1871000/exclusive-logan-sargeant-f1-2024-goals

[Fortitude]

Bahrain GP Preview: Are Ferrari primed to surprise Verstappen?
Everything you need to know about the F1 season-opening 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix
February 29, 2024 - 06:01
By John Smith
Total Motorsport

New season of Formula 1, new hope, new storylines but there’s a feeling we will end up with the same champions – Max Verstappen and Red Bull. The season has not even started and the paddock feeling is we are in for a long year, which is actually true because there are a record-breaking 24 races to come.

“Time will tell if the others are fast or not or if we are fast enough,” said Verstappen, who won the 2023 Bahrain GP. “Bahrain is one particular track and there are lots of different tracks on the calendar where we have to perform. In general, it’s better not to think about it. Wake up, get to the track, see the result – if it’s good or bad, it’s not going to change anything. That’s how I approach it.”

Ferrari cannot be ruled out: Ferrari have made big strides over the winter and tyre degradation is seemingly no longer a major issue for them. They have always been strong in slow-speed corners and are right up there with Red Bull in terms of straight line speed.

‘Everything you need to know’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-bahrain-gp-2024-preview-ferrari-leclerc-red-bull-verstappen/


Formula 1 2024: Everything you need to know ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix
Updated February 28, 2024 5:53 PM
By Ayrton Ostly, USA TODAY GANNETT Syndication Service
Star-Telegram, Texas

The wait is over. After three months off and three days of testing, the 2024 Formula 1 season is set to start in Bahrain for the fourth consecutive year. All 20 drivers from last year’s grid remain with their same teams this season, a first in Formula 1 history.

Three-time defending champion Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing enjoyed one of the most dominant seasons in the Formula 1 history in 2023. Testing results last week showed Red Bull is likely still the class of the field with others still closing the gap. Ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix, here’s what to know about the 2024 Formula 1 season…

Formula 1 2024: How to watch races in the U.S. ESPN holds the broadcasting rights to Formula 1 in the U.S. this season. Since 2018, the network has simulcast U.K.-based Sky Sports’ coverage of Formula 1 events. Most races air on ESPN live and on ESPN+ with select events moving to ABC under the ESPN on ABC banner.

‘Everything you need to know ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix’;

https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/nascar-auto-racing/article286052876.html#storylink=mainstage_lead


Drains which halted testing twice removed ahead of Bahrain Grand Prix
28th February 2024, 11:36
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Formula 1 has taken steps to avoid a repeat of the problem which brought testing to a halt twice in Bahrain last week. A drain on the drivers’ right-hand side as they approach turn 11 at the Bahrain International Circuit has been filled in and painted over after its covering came apart during the test last week.

Running stopped for over an hour on Thursday and Friday last week after the covers were damaged by passing cars and lifted onto the track. One cover punched a small hole in the floor of Charles Leclerc’s new Ferrari, leading the team to fit a replacement. The Ferrari driver said he was “lucky” his collision was not as serious as that of team mate Carlos Sainz Jnr when he hit a broken water valve cover during practice for the penultimate round of last season in Las Vegas.

Max Verstappen suspects the performance of modern Formula 1 cars, in particularly the downforce generated by their floors, may be causing more problems with coverings in track surfaces. “With the ground effect cars, probably it’s a little bit worse,” he said. “But also it seems like we’re driving in places that not a lot of other cars are going, in terms of opening up corners.”

‘Drains which halted testing twice removed’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/02/28/drains-which-halted-testing-twice-removed-ahead-of-bahrain-grand-prix/


F1 Live: Bahrain GP Free Practice 1 - Watchalong - Live Timings + Commentary
Scheduled for Feb 29, 2024, 11:00
Racing Statistics

F1 Live: Bahrain GP Free Practice 1 - Watchalong - Live Timings + Commentary F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary for the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix with Racing Statistics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQO2UZXjmXA


FORMULA 1 Bahrain Grand Prix 2024 - FP1 Watchalong | Live Timing
Scheduled for Feb 29, 2024
Les Voitures Ont La Parole

Hello! Join us for the first practice session of the FORMULA 1 GULF AIR BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX 2024! On this stream, you can see data about the current session (time/laps remaining, drivers classifying, drivers positions on the circuit), and also a lot of useful things about the current Grand Prix! You can also chat with each other about F1 or many topics!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgWYUeaIyNo

[Fortitude]

Daniel Ricciardo tops opening practice of F1 2024, Max Verstappen unhappy with car.
Daniel Ricciardo kicks off F1 2024 by topping opening practice at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.
29 Feb 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

RB’s Daniel Ricciardo was the surprise pacesetter as the 2024 F1 season kicked into action with first practice at the Bahrain Grand Prix. Ricciardo ended up just 0.032s clear of the McLaren pair of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, with all three using Pirelli’s softest tyre to complete their fastest laps. Ricciardo’s teammate Yuki Tsunoda, also on soft tyres, was fourth-quickest.

Verstappen was unhappy with his new Red Bull RB20, complaining several times throughout the session about a variety of issues, including “very bad” downshifts and upshifts and a “really weird” throttle application. After setting the pace in the early stages, the Dutchman bemoaned that “everything was miles off” in his new challenger.

‘Daniel Ricciardo tops opening practice’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1044786/1/daniel-ricciardo-tops-opening-practice-f1-2024-max-verstappen-unhappy-car


(FP1) First Practice Results – 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix
29th February 2024
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Daniel Ricciardo RB -1:32.869
2. Lando Norris McLaren +0.032
3. Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.0244
4. Yuki Tsunoda RB +0.314
5. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.324
6. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.369
7. George Russell Mercedes +0.382
8. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.399
9. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.433
10. Valtteri Bottas Kick Sauber +0.485

‘Bahrain Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the first practice session for this Saturday’s opening round of the 2024 F1 World Championship’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp1-first-practice-results-2024-bahrain-grand-prix-83982


Daniel Ricciardo makes PERFECT start to new Formula One season at Bahrain Grand Prix... leading to furious Max Verstappen foul-mouthed rant
• Daniel Ricciardo finished top after first practice in Bahrain
• The Australian surprisingly showed pace on Friday
• Max Verstappen was frustrated after the first running
Published: 13:27, 29 February 2024
By PA Media
MailOnline

Daniel Ricciardo was the surprise name at the top of the time sheet in Formula One's first practice session of the new season in Bahrain. The Australian - driving for the newly rebranded RB team - saw off Lando Norris by just 0.032 seconds, with Oscar Piastri third in the other McLaren. Ricciardo was dropped by McLaren at the end of 2022, but was handed a lifeline by Red Bull's junior team midway through last season.

Verstappen heads into the curtain raiser here in the Gulf kingdom as the favourite to claim a fourth consecutive world championship. But the Dutch driver appeared unsettled in the opening running at a gusty Sakhir circuit. 'Everything is s***,' he yelled over the radio. 'Like miles off.'

‘Daniel Ricciardo makes PERFECT start’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13141017/Daniel-Ricciardo-makes-PERFECT-start-new-Formula-One-season-Bahrain-Grand-Prix-Max-Verstappen.html


Explaining Bahrain GP's Ricciardo-led first practice session
Feb 29, 2024
by Ben Anderson
The Race

Daniel Ricciardo set the quickest time in first practice for the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix, with Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen only sixth fastest, as a mix of run plans and tyre usage skewed our first picture of race weekend performance.

The most accurate like-for-like comparison of all 10 teams came in the early part of the session, as all cars ran the medium compound (C2) Pirelli and attempted some kind of performance run. Naturally there are caveats over engine modes and fuel levels…

‘Explaining’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/bahrain-grand-prix-practice-one-report-2024-ricciardo-fastest-rb/


2024 Bahrain GP FP1: Russell, Sainz and Stroll struggle with tyre lock-ups in first practice
29 Feb 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

The drivers used first practice in Bahrain to start dialling in their cars, with George Russell, Carlos Sainz and Lance Stroll all struggling with tyre lock-ups during the first session of the year.

‘Tyre lock-ups in first practice’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2024-bahrain-gp-fp1-russell-sainz-and-stroll-struggle-with-tyre-lock-ups-in-first-practice.1792238595659953847.html


Bahrain GP: Ricciardo leads opening practice for RB!
29/02/2024 at 12:47
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Daniel Ricciardo has gone out of his way to play down RB’s form, but the Aussie nevertheless topped the opening practice session of 2024 in Bahrain at the wheel of the rebranded outfit's VCARB 01. The Aussie led the field by a margin of 0.032s from McLaren’s Lando Norris, with Oscar Piastri completing the top three.

In the McLaren camp, as the session hit the halfway mark, a run on the soft rubber was in order for both Piastri and Norris. The Aussie predictably went top with a 1m33.113s but was quickly outdone by his teammate who went 0.212s faster.

RB’s Yuki Tsunoda also opted to sample a set of softs, the Japanese driver’s efforts taking him up to third, 0.282s behind Norris. Ricciardo followed suit and confirmed RB’s early form, popping to the top with a 1m32.869s. The checkered flag thus fell with a job well done for RB and McLaren with Ricciardo leading the field from Norris, Piastri and Tsunoda.

‘Gone out of his way to play down RB’s form’;

https://f1i.com/news/500894-bahrain-gp-ricciardo-leads-opening-practice-for-rb.html

[Fortitude]

Lewis Hamilton leads Mercedes 1-2 in FP2 at F1 Bahrain Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton went fastest in the second practice session at the F1 Bahrain Grand Prix on Thursday to give Mercedes a much-needed boost.
29 Feb 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Hamilton’s pace - a best time of 1m30.374s - in FP2 will deliver some optimism at Mercedes who, at the opening round of the 2024 F1 season, hope their new W15 car will represent a turnaround after two terrible years.

Just six minutes in, Hamilton set a benchmark of 1:30.751s. He led Verstappen by half-a-second for the majority of FP2. The three-time F1 champion and Red Bull driver was left complaining "I have too much air coming through my helmet" in a frustrating session.

Verstappen may have taken some comfort from a race simulation which was fastest, ahead of Hamilton. After qualifying simulation times, with 20 minutes left on the clock, Hamilton led Russell, Alonso, Sainz, Piastri and Verstappen.

‘Mercedes 1-2 in FP2’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1044817/1/lewis-hamilton-leads-mercedes-1-2-fp2-f1-bahrain-grand-prix


Bahrain GP: Free Practice 2 Results
Full results from Free Practice 2 from the Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix at Bahrain International Circuit.
1 March 2024
by Speedcafe.com

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff
1 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 23 1:30.374
2 63 George Russell Mercedes 22 1:30.580 0.206
3 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 20 1:30.660 0.286
4 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 24 1:30.769 0.395
5 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 25 1:30.784 0.410
6 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 24 1:30.851 0.477
7 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 22 1:30.884 0.510
8 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 25 1:30.891 0.517
9 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 25 1:31.113 0.739
10 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 25 1:31.115 0.741

‘Full results’;

https://speedcafe.com/bahrain-gp-free-practice-2-results/


Bahrain Grand Prix: F1 free practice 2 results
After Daniel Ricciardo topped the timesheet in the first session at the Bahrain Grand Prix, who will be quickest at the end of free practice 2?
February 29, 2024
Rhiannon Temporal
FormulaNerds

More qualifying simulations to come: While many of the top teams opted to complete their qualifying simulations at the beginning of the session, there were a group of drivers that went out on the medium tyres originally. Included in this group was the two Williams and two Sauber drivers, who now have taken their first soft tyres of the session. On their first quick lap attempts, both Williams jumped up into the top 10. Alex Albon set a 1:31.715, which was good enough for P8. His teammate slotted in right behind him, only 0.012 adrift.

At the halfway mark: After the first 30 minutes of the session, Hamilton was still leading the way with a 1:30.374. Carlos Sainz, Oscar Piastri, Verstappen, Hulkenberg, Alonso, Perez, Leclerc, Stroll, and Albon rounded out the top 10. Surprisingly, at the bottom of the timesheet sat the McLaren of Lando Norris. The British driver had only set a 1:32.608, and appears to be having some kind of issue, asking his team to replace his steering wheel part way through the session. Another driver seemingly out of place is George Russell, who was down in P14 at the half way mark. However, after completing his second qualifying simulation, the Mercedes driver jumps up to P2 behind his teammate.

What happened to Norris? Speaking to McLaren’s CEO Zak Brown, the team boss informed Sky Sport F1’s commentary team that Norris had to abort his qualifying simulation attempt early on due to making a mistake. On the papaya team’s competition, Brown said: “I don’t think Red Bull and Ferrari have turned their engines up yet. Let’s see how it goes, we’ve got lots of data. We ultimately don’t know, we’ll look at the data when we’re done but Mercedes certainly look strong, looks like they have a good car.”

‘F1 free practice 2 results’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/bahrain-grand-prix-f1-free-practice-2-results/


2024 F1 Bahrain Grand Prix - Free Practice 2 results
Check out the full results from the second Free Practice session for the Bahrain Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit.
29 February 5:01PM
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

Lewis Hamilton has topped the second practice session at the Bahrain International Circuit, leading Mercedes teammate George Russell. The fastest Red Bull car driven by Max Verstappen was in sixth place, just under half a second down on Hamilton's lap.

Fernando Alonso was third fastest for Aston Martin while compatriot Carlos Sainz followed close behind in fourth. The session was relatively trouble-free, however Stake's Valtteri Bottas has been called to the stewards after crossing the pit lane while the red light was showing.

‘Free Practice 2 results’;

https://racingnews365.com/2024-f1-bahrain-grand-prix-free-practice-2-results


Bahrain Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton heads Mercedes FP2 1-2 as Max Verstappen down in P6
29 Feb 2024 4:04 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Lewis Hamilton headed an impressive Mercedes one-two in the second Bahrain Grand Prix practice session, as Max Verstappen’s P6 left plenty of intrigue surrounding Red Bull.

Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso completed the top three, as Verstappen in P6 left us with many questions heading into qualifying, as we wait to see whether Red Bull are still hiding the true performance of that RB20.

‘Impressive Mercedes one-two’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/bahrain-grand-prix-2024-fp2-report

[Fortitude]

“Sandbagging” speculation as Lewis Hamilton outpaces Max Verstappen in Bahrain.
Lewis Hamilton’s impressive pace compared to Max Verstappen on Thursday in Bahrain comes amid a warning about “sandbagging”.
29 Feb 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Verstappen was +0.477 off Hamilton’s top time of 1:30.374 - only slightly ahead of Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg. Damon Hill reacted on Sky Sports: “The Red Bull is not one tenth quicker than the Haas! Exciting, fantastic. I do think there is something in this.”

“I think you have to take a lot of fuel out for Max to be a lot quicker than the Mercedes. Everyone wants to show what they are capable of doing. They are all sandbagging a bit! I thought the Mercedes looked nice. It’s not jittering around. I think they’ve done some work on their set-up.”

‘ “Sandbagging” speculation’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1044821/1/sandbagging-speculation-lewis-hamilton-outpaces-max-verstappen-bahrain


(FP2) Second Practice Results – 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix
29th February 2024
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes -1:30.374
2. George Russell Mercedes +0.206
3. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.286
4. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.395
5. Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.410
6. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.477
7. Nico Hulkenberg Haas +0.510
8. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +0.517
9. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.739
10. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.741

‘Bahrain Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the second practice session for this Saturday’s opening round of the 2024 F1 World Championship’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp2-second-practice-results-2024-bahrain-grand-prix-83993


Max Verstappen “not too worried” by gap to Mercedes after ominous engine mode hint
Red Bull weren't on top in practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix, but Max Verstappen isn't too worried.
29 Feb 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Assessing Red Bull’s turn of pace in Bahrain, Verstappen hinted that their lack of performance relative to Mercedes was down to difference in engine modes. “I think it was not too bad,” he said. “It’s just that it’s very close. Maybe some people around us already turned up the engine a bit in terms of top speed.

“We just focus on ourselves and I think from today there were a few little balance issues from front to rear but nothing big. It’s just about trying to find that sweet spot. Especially around here with the right tarmac. Once you get into that sweet spot you just pick up time. That’s what we will try to focus on tomorrow.”

When pressed on the engine mode point, he explained: “I wouldn’t say everyone around us did that but a few did. I am not too worried about the gap to P1 for example but it’s going to be very close in qualifying so that’s going to be very nice. The long run - I was a bit happier about that but again there’s a few little things that we can do better.”

‘Ominous engine mode hint’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1044825/1/max-verstappen-not-too-worried-gap-mercedes-after-ominous-engine-mode-hint


Lewis Hamilton issues concerning Mercedes update on eve of Bahrain GP season-opener
Lewis Hamilton topped FP2 at the Bahrain Grand Prix, although Red Bull and Max Verstappen will still have their sights set on victory come race day.
20:02, Thu, Feb 29, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Mercedes’ true potential was on show during FP2 as Hamilton led team-mate George Russell on the timing screens, while Verstappen’s fastest time was only good enough to place him sixth in the order. However, while some in the paddock were getting carried away, Hamilton kept his feet steadily on the ground.

“FP1, we were surprised,” he told Sky Sports F1. “It was very very windy this morning, so it was a really difficult session I think for everyone. The track was so different compared to last week. It was feeling okay, but we didn’t really know where we stood on the C2 tyre and then in this session [FP2], yeah, the car, we made some improvements over the session.”

“It’s a shock to see us where we are, we’ll take it for now, but we can’t get ahead of ourselves. We need to keep our heads down, keep working on the setup to try and extract more. I think our long-run pace is nowhere near the Red Bulls for example and I think we were a lot closer, so we’ve got some work to do there.”

‘We can’t get ahead of ourselves’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1872414/Lewis-Hamilton-Mercedes-Bahrain-GP


25-year-old driver complains car is ‘super snappy’ during Bahrain Grand Prix practice
Thu 29 February 2024 19:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll wasn’t particularly happy with his car during the first practice session in Bahrain on Thursday afternoon. All 20 cars took to the track for the first time this weekend and had to deal with some very tricky conditions. Lance Stroll’s comments were picked up by Sky Sports F1 and former world champion Damon Hill explained what might have been going wrong for the Canadian.

Talking on the radio to his team, Stroll said: “The car is super snappy in turns one and two, oh my god, horrendous.” On commentary, Hill explained: “I don’t think he’s alone. It seems to me that this wind is upsetting everybody’s cars and I think they’re getting caught out with the change of aero as they go around the corner.”

“I’m sure the engineers will be saying that. The grandstands protect you and then suddenly you get exposed against the crosswind, it’s not consistent. It’s a sign that their aero is not robust, the way they manage the airflow across is not robust enough to protect the downforce and the vacuum under the car.”

“I don’t think he’s alone”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/races/25-year-old-driver-complains-car-is-super-snappy-during-bahrain-grand-prix-practice/


Daniel Ricciardo enjoys 'five minutes of fame', topping first F1 practice before crashing back to earth.
Daniel Ricciardo starts 2024 F1 season on top at Bahrain GP practice, as drivers raise concerns over marathon season
21:37 Thu, 29 Feb 2024.
ABC Online

In short: Daniel Ricciardo was fastest in the first practice at the season-opening Bahrain GP, but dropped back to 12th in the second session. Both Mercedes topped FP2, with many drivers raising concerns about a marathon season containing a record 24 races.

"It was a good day and good testing for us," Ricciardo said as he started his first full season since getting sacked by McLaren in 2022 and replaced by Piastri. "We had our five minutes of fame in the morning, but as much as it was nice to see your name at the top, we knew … we'd get a true picture of where we're at this evening.”

"During the day, it's sunny, so there's a lot to take into account for our strong FP1 result, but track conditions change so much at night. I think there's a little more we can do, so … I'm staying optimistic because we know some areas to find more time. Let's see if we can crack into the top 10."

"We had our five minutes of fame”;

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03-01/daniel-ricciardo-tops-first-f1-bahrain-gp-practice-record-season/103531654


2024 FIA Formula One World Championship Bahrain Grand Prix Thursday Press Conference Transcript
29.02.24
FIA (Press Release)

TEAM REPRESENTATIVES: Toto WOLFF (Mercedes), Zak BROWN (McLaren), Frédéric VASSEUR (Ferrari), Laurent MEKIES (RB)

Laurent MEKIES: Honestly, I don’t think we should take too much notice of page one after FP1, obviously we ran a very different program compared to most of the guys, so there is no illusion in the team about what you see on the screen. No, instead, I think it's a continuation of the work we have done at the test, and it's still a bit early to talk about relative competitiveness, but you know what, it's only 24 hours before we’ll all know, so...

Frédéric VASSEUR: From the first one to the first one? No, I think if you compare with last year, I think that… I don't know about competitiveness and we'll see it probably tomorrow because today for 10 kilos of fuel you were moving from P1 to P6 or 7, and let's wait for tomorrow to see exactly where we are, all of us. But at least we are in a much better place in terms of balance, feeling of the drivers and so on. This is a much better starting point to develop the car for the season, to know where we have to work and to develop the car, and this is a good feeling.

Zak BROWN: Well, they're in engineering right now, so I only heard a little bit over the radio and some first impressions. It was very windy, but it was a good first session. I think everyone's… You know, the track is rubbering in, very windy conditions, it will continue to improve. We were running through, as every team will, the different run plans and it was a good opening session but I think very early to kind of draw any real conclusions.

Toto WOLFF: Yeah, I would wish we're masking our performance, but why would we? I think it's important to understand where you are in the competitive order, where you're lacking performance and where the car is good and that's why we've approached it as every other pre-season test. So we will see where, as Zak said, the chips fall down.

‘Press Conference’;

https://www.fia.com/news/2024-fia-formula-one-world-championship-bahrain-grand-prix-thursday-press-conference-transcript

[Fortitude]

What time is the Bahrain Grand Prix? Qualifying and race start times.
This is the fourth consecutive year that Bahrain has hosted the season opener, but the first time the race has been on a Saturday.
Mar 1, 2024
The Race

The 2024 Formula 1 season kicks off with an unusual Saturday race at the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Qualifying takes place at 7pm local time (4pm UK) on Friday March 1.
The 57-lap race begins at 6pm local time (3pm UK) on Saturday March 2.
Sakhir is three hours ahead of GMT.

‘Qualifying and race start times’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/what-time-is-the-f1-bahrain-grand-prix-qualifying-and-race-start-times/


[LIVE] F1 Bahrain Grand Prix 2024 - FP3 Watchalong
Scheduled for Mar 1, 2024
Formula Watchalong

Hi everyone and welcome along to the FORMULA 1 GULF AIR BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX 2024! On this stream, you can see data about the current session (time/laps remaining, drivers leaderboard, drivers positions on the circuit), and also a lot of useful things about the current Grand Prix! You can also chat with each other about F1 or many topics! Please note: In this stream you won't see live footage of the session. For copyright reasons, I cannot show pictures. But as I said before, you will see a lot of data!

‘FP3 Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ44jdo5HPE


F1 Live: Bahrain GP Free Practice 3 - Watchalong - Live Timings + Commentary
Scheduled for Mar 1, 2024
Racing Statistics

F1 Live: Bahrain GP Free Practice 3 - Watchalong - Live Timings + Commentary F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary for the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix with Racing Statistics.

‘Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wbp9etUXCs


[LIVE] FORMULA 1 Bahrain Grand Prix 2024 - FP3 Watchalong | Live Timing
Scheduled for Mar 1, 2024
Les Voitures Ont La Parole

Hello! Join us for the third and final practice session of the FORMULA 1 GULF AIR BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX 2024! On this stream, you can see data about the current session (time/laps remaining, drivers classifying, drivers positions on the circuit), and also a lot of useful things about the current Grand Prix! You can also chat with each other about F1 or many topics!

‘Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2lQsFZzT_E


F1 BAHRAIN GP FREE PRACTICE 3 LIVE | Formula 1 Bahrain GP FP3 Live Commentary + Watchalong
Mar 1, 2024.
Forever Motorsports

Welcome to 2024 Formula 1 Season! In this stream we will be covering the F1 Bahrain Free Practice 3 session. Join us here at Forever Motorsports as we bring you live F1 commentary for FP3 at Sakhir in Bahrain. Featuring live F1 commentary and timings with a detailed minimap and F1 News.

‘Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hErcj6XqSXs

[Fortitude]

Bahrain Grand Prix: Carlos Sainz leads a Spanish 1-2 in FP3 ahead of Max Verstappen.
Carlos Sainz stole the show, and the top spot on the timesheet, from Fernando Alonso with a late lap in Friday’s final practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix.
01 Mar 2024 1:46 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Although it was clear from their very first lap on the soft Pirellis that Red Bull had ditched Thursday’s sandbags, Verstappen and Sergio Perez immediately going 1-2, it was a Spanish 1-2 as Sainz clocked a 1:30.824 to beat Alonso by a tenth of a second. Max Verstappen was third ahead of Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris and George Russell.

‘Sainz leads a Spanish 1-2 in FP3’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/bahrain-grand-prix-2024-fp3-report-2


(FP3) Third Practice Results – 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix
1st March 2024
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari -1:30.824
2. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.141
3. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.238
4. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.270
5. Lando Norris McLaren +0.294
6. George Russell Mercedes +0.366
7. Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.386
8. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.424
9. Nico Hulkenberg Haas +0.454
10. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +0.572

‘Bahrain Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the final practice session for this Saturday’s opening round of the 2024 F1 World Championship’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp3-third-practice-results-2024-bahrain-grand-prix-83996


Carlos Sainz heads Fernando Alonso in competitive final practice
Carlos Sainz made it three different drivers to top the three practice sessions at the F1 Bahrain Grand Prix.
01 Mar 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Carlos Sainz set the pace in a competitive third and final practice session at the F1 season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix. The outgoing Ferrari driver outpaced Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso by 0.141 seconds during their respective soft tyre runs, with reigning world champion Max Verstappen third, 0.238s down in his Red Bull.

Charles Leclerc was fourth, 0.270s slower than his Ferrari teammate, while Lando Norris took fifth in his McLaren. George Russell was sixth, while Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton, who topped FP2 on Thursday, was only 12th in the timesheet after a scrappy lap featuring a couple of wide moments.

‘Competitive final practice’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1044865/1/carlos-sainz-heads-fernando-alonso-competitive-final-practice


Sainz ahead of Alonso in final practice
1st March 2024
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Bahrain Grand Prix – Carlos Sainz topped the times ahead of Fernando Alonso in the final practice before qualifying later today.

The Ferrari driver’s time wasn’t beaten in the final few minutes so it remained as a Spanish 1-2 ahead of Verstappen in P3. Leclerc was 0.270 seconds off his teammate in P4 while Russell was in a McLaren sandwich in P6 with Lando Norris ahead and Oscar Piasti behind.

Perez ended practice in P8 while Nico Hulkenberg put in a good lap to see his Haas into P9, the last within half a second of Sainz’ effort while Lance Stroll rounded out the top ten.

‘Carlos Sainz topped the times’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/sainz-ahead-of-alonso-in-final-practice-83998


F1 Bahrain GP: Sainz tops FP3 from Alonso, Verstappen
1st March 2024, 13:47
Jake Boxall-Legge
Motorsport.com

Carlos Sainz completed the final Bahrain Grand Prix practice session of the weekend with the fastest time, shading Fernando Alonso and Max Verstappen in Formula 1's FP3 timesheets.

A flurry of final hot-laps interspersed among the final 10 minutes created a changing order after the Red Bulls moved to the top for a short spell, Verstappen capturing a 1m31.062s over team-mate Sergio Perez.

Alonso, who had been on top previously, reclaimed his advantage at the head of the field having become the first driver of the session to get below the 1m31s mark. However, his countryman Sainz managed to pull 0.141s out of Alonso's time, finishing the session atop the order for an all-Spanish 1-2.

‘Flurry of final hot-laps’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-bahrain-gp-sainz-tops-fp3-from-alonso-verstappen/10581755/

[Fortitude]

LIVE: 2024 F1 Bahrain Grand Prix – Qualifying.
Follow along with live coverage of qualifying ahead of the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix.
1 March 4:00PM
Nick Golding
RacingNews365

The first qualifying session of the year is upon us with the Bahrain International Circuit hosting the opening round of the year. Carlos Sainz enters the session having topped the final free practice session ahead of compatriot Fernando Alonso.

Qualifying is split into three segments, with the five slowest drivers eliminated at the end of the first two before the third decides the top 10 starting positions for the Grand Prix.

‘Follow along’;

https://racingnews365.com/live-2024-f1-bahrain-grand-prix-qualifying


F1 LIVE - Bahrain GP Qualifying Watchalong With Commentary!
1 March 4:00PM
Kireth

Welcome to this F1 Bahrain GP Qualifying live watchalong!

‘Watchalong With Commentary’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9v7NsMiFUg


F1 Live: Bahrain GP Qualifying - Watchalong - Live Timings + Commentary
1 March 4:00PM
Racing Statistics

F1 Live: Bahrain GP Qualifying - Watchalong - Live Timings + Commentary | Bahrain Quali Live F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary for the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix with Racing Statistics.

‘Lets Watchalong!’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usnMMpamX4c


Watchalong With Commentary
1 March 4:00PM
ORTUÑO TV

This website is unofficial and is not associated in any way with the Formula 1 companies. F1, FORMULA ONE, FORMULA 1, FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, GRAND PRIX and related marks are trade marks of Formula One Licensing B.V.

‘Watchalong With Commentary’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqGYloSh89U

[Fortitude]

Verstappen pulls lap out of the bag for stunning Bahrain GP pole.
Max Verstappen secured the first pole position of the new F1 season in qualifying at the Bahrain Grand Prix.
1 March 6:04PM
Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

The Dutchman set a benchmark time of a 1:29.179 to finish 0.228 secs faster than Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, with Mercedes driver George Russell third.

The first qualifying session of the season was given plenty of intrigue after three vastly different practice results across Thursday and the start of Friday, despite the belief that Red Bull would have everything its way. When it came to crunch time, Verstappen ended up a quarter of a second faster than anyone else, setting a blistering time with the help of a start-of-lap tow from Oscar Piastri's McLaren.

Carlos Sainz was fourth in the second Ferrari ahead of Verstappen's teammate Sergio Perez and Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso. McLaren duo Lando Norris and Piastri were seventh and eighth, whilst Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton could manage only ninth. Nico Hulkenberg far outperformed Haas' expectations to reach Q3 at the first time of asking.

‘Pulls lap out of the bag’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-pulls-lap-out-of-the-bag-for-stunning-bahrain-gp-pole


Qualifying Results – 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix
1st March 2024
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
Q3
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -1:29.179
2. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.228
3. George Russell Mercedes +0.306
4. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.328
5. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.358
6. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.363
7. Lando Norris McLaren +0.435
8. Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.504
9. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.531
10. Nico Hulkenberg Haas +1.323

‘Bahrain Grand Prix – Here are the provisional results from qualifying for tomorrow’s 2024 F1 World Championship season opening race in Bahrain’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/qualifying-results-2024-bahrain-grand-prix-84007


Verstappen seals Bahrain pole ahead of Leclerc
1st March 2024
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Bahrain Grand Prix – Max Verstappen took pole for the opening race of the season with a comfortable gap to the rest of the field.
Q1: As the first qualifying of the season kicked off under the lights in Bahrain, the Ferraris and Alpines took to the track as soon as the session started. Carlos Sainz opened the timesheets with a 1:31.208, Charles Leclerc slotting in half a tenth behind, all four cars on track were on medium tyres.

Q2: Nobody seemed overly eager to head out at the start of Q2, and the circuit remained deserted for the first couple of minutes before the Haas cars started the slow-moving train exiting the pits. All cars were on soft tyres again.

Q3: Verstappen improved to a 1:29.179 on his last effort, and ended just over a quarter of a second up on Leclerc in P2, Russell took P3 ahead of Sainz while Perez slotted into P5 ahead of Alonso. The McLaren’s took P7 and P8, Norris as the last driver within half a second of Verstappen. Hamilton will start P9 with Hulkenberg alongside him on row 5.

‘Verstappen seals Bahrain pole’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/verstappen-seals-bahrain-pole-ahead-of-leclerc-84006


Bahrain Grand Prix: F1 Qualifying Results
Who took the first pole position of 2024?
March 1, 2024
James Phillips
FormulaNerds

As the floodlights lit up a cold and windy Bahrain International Circuit, intrigue surrounded the first qualifying session of 2024. Fears of Red Bull conquering all before them seemed to be premature. Gear-upshift issues affected both Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez in final practice. The reigning champions were seemingly not having things their own way, but rumours of Red Bull yet to unleash full power persisted ahead of qualifying. The same was said of its rivals.

Q3: Ferrari’s sudden surge of pace set up a showdown between the Scuderia and Red Bull for the final part of qualifying. Both McLarens and Sergio Perez ventured out first, all on used soft tyres for their first attempt at pole position. Leclerc also opted for a used set, deciding to save a set of tyres for his final run. Russell set the first time, Max Verstappen replacing him almost immediately. Sainz took P4 from Norris, with Charles Leclerc moving into P2 on his used soft tyres.

Fernando Alonso opted for one flying lap towards the end of the session, His efforts were rewarded with P3, as the rest of the top ten ventured onto the track, all on new soft tyres. The McLarens improved on their second runs, moving into P6 and P7. Max Verstappen took advantage of a tow behind Piastri, picking up a tow to move three tenths clear of the field. Russell moved into P3, while Hamilton could only move into P8. Sergio Perez’s effort was only good enough for P5, Alonso P6, Norris P7, Piastri P8, Hamilton P9, and Nico Hulkenberg P10.

‘F1 Qualifying Results’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/bahrain-grand-prix-f1-qualifying-results/


2024 F1 Bahrain Grand Prix - Qualifying results
Check out the full results from qualifying for the 2024 F1 Bahrain Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit.
1 March 6:02PM
RacingNews365 Staff
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen has taken pole position for the Bahrain Grand Prix, out-pacing the competition to take the top spot on the timesheets. The Dutchman set the fastest lap ahead of Charles Leclerc and will lead the field for the start of Saturday's race.

Taking the spots on the second row of the grid was George Russell and Carlos Sainz, while the second Red Bull of Sergio Perez was fifth. It was a nightmare session for Alpine as Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly were the two slowest cars in the field.

‘Full results from qualifying’;

https://racingnews365.com/2024-f1-bahrain-grand-prix-qualifying-results


Verstappen fastest in first 2024 F1 qualifying at Bahrain GP
Mar 1, 2024
by Valentin Khorounzhiy
The Race

Reigning Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen took pole position for the 2024 season opener in Bahrain, with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc as his nearest rival.

Key moments:
• Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes in top three
• Hamilton only ninth after topping Friday
• Hulkenberg gets Haas into Q3
• Alpine locks out back row

Verstappen was already on provisional pole after his first run in Q3 despite not even improving on his Q2 time - meaning there would likely be laptime to find on his final push in qualifying. That was indeed the case as he lowered the benchmark to 1m29.179s - although this was still marginally slower than Leclerc's Q2-topping lap.

‘Verstappen fastest in first 2024 F1 qualifying’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/max-verstappen-red-bull-bahrain-grand-prix-qualifying-results/

[Fortitude]

Analysis: Verstappen’s still ahead but the chasing pack is closer than before.
With Max Verstappen winning 19 of the 22 grands prix held last season, neutral fans could easily be forgiven for hoping to see the world champion off the top spot on the grid for the first race of 2024.
1st March 2024, 22:29
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

But wasn’t how things played out in Bahrain. To the surprise of the Red Bull driver – but probably no-one else – he will start his title defence from pole for the second year in a row.

Verstappen is clearly confident the RB20, like its predecessor, is a better race car than a qualifying car. The data appears to back that up. In Thursday night’s long runs on a set of soft tyres, Verstappen’s average pace of 1’36.715 was quicker than any of the nine drivers who will start behind him on the grid.

Overtaking Verstappen may be even more of a challenge this year, though the data exaggerates this somewhat. Although Verstappen recorded by far the highest top speed through qualifying, hitting 327kph, this was thanks to a generous tow along the pit straight from Kevin Magnussen. Even so, the Red Bulls were both at the top of the speed trap rankings running solo.

‘Analysis: Verstappen’s still ahead’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/03/01/analysis-verstappens-still-ahead-but-the-chasing-pack-is-closer-than-before/


HEAD-TO-HEAD: See where Verstappen had the edge over Leclerc in qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix
01 Mar 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)


Watch to see how Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and pole-sitter Max Verstappen compared in qualifying at the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix.

‘HEAD-TO-HEAD’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.head-to-head-see-where-verstappen-had-the-edge-over-leclerc-in-qualifying-for-the-bahrain-grand-prix.1792356482443825448.html


Horner after pole in Bahrain: 'It was a great lap from Max'
Published on 01 March 2024
by Julien Lemmen
Verstappen.nl

Team principal Christian Horner reflects after qualifying: "It was a great lap from Max, the circuit was getting cooler, so it was getting a little trickier. He didn’t think it was enough to take pole but thankfully it was and he put it together very well. It was very tight behind him, I have been saying the regulations are going to concertina the field and the start of this year is starting to show that, which make things exciting for everyone.”

“It should be an interesting race tomorrow, this grid is so tight, there was only a tenth and a half between third and seventh so I am not concerned about Checo starting from P5. It’s a long lap to race around here and I am confident he will be in a good place to compete for the podium.”

‘It was a great lap from Max';

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5388/


RACE PREDICTOR: Who do you think will finish on the podium for the Bahrain Grand Prix?
01 March 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Max Verstappen secured his 33rd career pole for the Bahrain Grand Prix as he kicked off his 2024 in style. The Red Bull man edged out Ferrari rival Charles Leclerc for the top spot and will hope to convert that into victory in Saturday's race.

But, as we've so often seen, anything can happen on race day. Can Leclerc and Ferrari translate their performance improvement in the Grand Prix, or can the likes of Mercedes, McLaren and Aston Martin show what they're made of?

Don't count out Sergio Perez from getting involved in the battle for the podium either, with the RB20 at his disposal.

‘RACE PREDICTOR’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.race-predictor-who-do-you-think-will-finish-on-the-podium-for-the-bahrain.7wbEounksA23Ot7FqXfTKd.html


[LIVE] F1 Bahrain Grand Prix 2024 - RACE Watchalong
Scheduled for Mar 2, 2024
Formula Watchalong

Hi everyone and welcome along to the FORMULA 1 GULF AIR BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX 2024! On this stream, you can see data about the current session (time/laps remaining, drivers leaderboard, drivers positions on the circuit), and also a lot of useful things about the current Grand Prix!

‘RACE Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skpJiQ_4Tww


F1 Live: Bahrain GP Race - Watchalong - Live Timings + Commentary
Scheduled for Mar 2, 2024

F1 Live: Bahrain GP Race - Watchalong - Live Timings + Commentary F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary for the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix with Racing Statistics.

‘Lets Watchalong!’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1cgEdO-QLE

[Fortitude]

Verstappen wins Bahrain GP, Sainz claims podium for Ferrari.
Max Verstappen took a commanding victory in Bahrain, with Carlos Sainz finishing first of the chasing in third.
2nd March 2024, 17:32
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

There were question marks in the build-up to the Bahrain GP, and Verstappen’s controlled victory answered many of them. Carlos Sainz managed an impressive third place for Ferrari, but the SF-24 is still a few steps behind the reigning Champions. At least the Spaniard enjoyed a more quiet race than his teammate.

‘Commanding victory’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/03/02/verstappen-wins-bahrain-gp-sainz-claims-podium-for-ferrari/


Race Results – 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix
2nd March 2024
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -57 laps
2. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +22.457
3. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +25.110
4. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +39.669
5. George Russell Mercedes +46.788
6. Lando Norris McLaren +48.458
7. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +50.324
8. Oscar Piastri McLaren +56.082
9. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +74.887
10. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +93.216

‘Bahrain Grand Prix – Here are the provisional results from today’s 2024 F1 World Championship season opening race around the Bahrain International Circuit’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/race-results-2024-bahrain-grand-prix-84020


Verstappen dominates to open the 2024 season with a win
2nd March 2024
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Bahrain Grand Prix – Max Verstappen continued where he left off last year, winning from pole with a sizeable gap to Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz. As the lights went out to start the season, the top three held position, Leclerc tried for the lead as they went into T1 but Verstappen held him off. Russell remained in P3 while Sergio Perez got the best of Carlos Sainz to snatch P4 from the Ferrari racer.

Verstappen was the last to head to the pits, stopped at the end of lap 17 and rejoined with a five second gap to Perez. As that was happening, Sainz continued to push, setting the fastest lap as he closed up to and flew past Russell for the final podium spot.

A few laps later Mercedes told both their drivers to lift and coast as they were overheating in traffic, while on lap 25 Hamilton also reported that his seat was broken. At the halfway point of the race, all cars were still running. At the front, Verstappen was 14 seconds ahead of Perez in P2 while Sainz remained around two seconds further back in P3.

‘Verstappen dominates’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/verstappen-dominates-to-open-the-2024-season-with-a-win-84022


Horner after Bahrain GP: 'Huge achievement as a team'
Published on 02 March 2024
by Niels Hendrix
Verstappen.nl

Christian Horner, CEO and team principal of Oracle Red Bull Racing, says after the Grand Prix of Bahrain: “Today was a great performance by Max and Checo. To come out the race with a one-two finish was a huge achievement as a team and both drivers brought a really strong performance and gave it everything. They both had the perfect start to a very dominant race: Max drove a strong race from start to finish and Checo really came through the field, made a couple of good passes and drove a great race.”

Horner continues: “We have to thank everyone back in Milton Keynes this winter who have worked so hard and come up with another great car. This win is testimony to that hard work that goes on behind the scenes. So it was a great team performance once again and we are incredibly pleased to achieve maximum points today. The team have done a wonderful job with the car and they haven't rested on their laurels. They've pushed hard and it has paid off today with a fantastic result.”

'Huge achievement as a team';

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5390/


Our verdict on the scale of Verstappen's Bahrain GP domination
Mar 2, 2024
The Race

WORRYINGLY EASY, Scott Mitchell-Malm: The size of Verstappen’s winning margin isn’t as concerning to me as the ease with which he seemed to accrue it. And that’s saying something when he’s just cruised to a win by more than 20 seconds.
IT WON’T ALWAYS BE THIS EASY, Ben Anderson: Verstappen’s domination of this race was expected. He simply picked up where he left off last season and enjoyed a trouble-free run.\

RESPECT THE BRILLIANCE FROM RED BULL, Josh Suttill: At a certain point, you've just got to stand back and applaud the job Red Bull has once again done.
SHOULD WE HAVE EXPECTED ANYTHING ELSE?, Gary Anderson: I suppose the question really is: should we have expected anything different?

SO LITTLE HAS CHANGED, Valentin Khorounzhiy: I'm mindful of being too negative - it gets annoying really fast if that's all you're bringing to the table.
WE WERE TEASED, Matt Beer: OK, no one really went into 2024 expecting anything other than Verstappen winning the Bahrain GP. Not many people went into this morning expecting anything other than that.
JUST ENJOY THE GREATNESS, Jack Benyon: …F1 does that to a much lesser extent and as a result you get to witness absolute greatness. Make no mistake, that’s what we’re seeing from Red Bull - delivering another stonking car that is only going to get quicker - and to a greater extent, Verstappen.

‘Verdict’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/max-verstappen-bahrain-grand-prix-f1-domination-our-verdict/


Carlos Sainz sends Mercedes message as Max Verstappen cruises to Bahrain GP win
Max Verstappen extended his race-winning streak by dominating the Bahrain Grand Prix from start to finish.
16:53, Sat, Mar 2, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Carlos Sainz thrust his name into the conversation for Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes seat in 2025 with an impressive performance at the Bahrain Grand Prix. The Ferrari star picked up the 'Driver of the Day' award from the fans for his performance, climbing from fourth on the grid to seal the final podium place, finishing just behind second-placed Sergio Perez as Max Verstappen dominated.

Speaking after the race, Sainz said: "I felt really good out there today, the start wasn't great, from then on I just managed my tyres well and then I could do my race. "I overtook two or three cars on the way to the podium and keeping up with the Red Bull there was a pleasant surprise. It's still not enough and where we want to be. Good step forward and a solid start to the season."

‘Carlos Sainz sends Mercedes message’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1873038/Bahrain-GP-Max-Verstappen-Carlos-Sainz


2024 Bahrain Grand Prix: Sergio Perez grabs P2 from George Russell
02 Mar 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Sergio Perez started P5 on the grid in Bahrain but worked his way up the order and took a net second place from George Russell with a move at Turn 4.

‘Sergio Perez grabs P2’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2024-bahrain-grand-prix-sergio-perez-grabs-p2-from-george-russell.1792430326047279187.html

[Fortitude]

F1 2024 Bahrain GP Review – Red Bull is "In a Different Galaxy".
Max Verstappen starts F1's 2024 season the way he ended 2023 - with a straightforward light to flag victory.
23:39 Sat, 02 Mar 2024.
Motorsport.com

At the 20th edition of the Bahrain Grand Prix, it was also a Red Bull 1-2 as Sergio Perez battled his way up to 2nd place in an enthralling fight with Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and Mercedes' George Russell. Bryn Lucas is joined by Jon Noble and Matt Kew to break down the Bahrain Grand Prix and what they've learnt after the first round of the year.

‘Toto Wolff: "In a Different Galaxy" ’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/video/f1-2024-bahrain-gp-review-red-bull-is-in-a-different-galaxy/647638/


Max Verstappen Continues Doing Max Verstappen Things At F1 Bahrain GP
Another F1 season kicked off Saturday, and Max Verstappen showed no signs of slowing down with a weekend sweep in Bahrain.
MAR 2, 2024
BY PHILLIP HORTON PUBLISHED
AutoWeek

Victorious Verstappen, Again: Grab the script from F1 2023, and CTRL+C, CTRL+V it. This was relentless brutality from Verstappen as any feint hopes rivals may have harboured about a closer title fight were well and truly extinguished before the season opener had even reached its halfway mark. At times Verstappen lapped 0.8-1.0 seconds faster than the chasing pack, guiding the RB20 around the floodlit Sakhir Circuit with ease, as he opened the year with a Grand Chelem: pole position, fastest lap, all 57 laps led, and the race victory.

Teammate Sergio Perez rose from fifth to second to complete a Red Bull 1-2, giving the team a perfect start, but boss Christian Horner was quick to be caution. “I’ve been in this business too long to draw too many conclusions from a single race,” he said. “It’s a fantastic start, we’ll enjoy this moment, maximum points score. But it’s a long season, many different venues, different challenges, different conditions. And what we saw in the testing is that things are closer. Now we got it right this weekend, we took the right cars into the race, we executed a perfect race with both cars and we got a great finish. But I think that it will converge.”

But Mercedes boss Toto Wolff summed up the situation by declaring that “I think today Max is not in a different league but he’s in a different galaxy, the performance is extraordinary.”

‘Grab the script from F1 2023, and CTRL+C, CTRL+V it’;

https://www.autoweek.com/racing/formula-1/a60057887/max-verstappen-continues-doing-max-verstappen-things-at-f1-bahrain-gp/


Lewis Hamilton's Red Bull remark speaks volumes as Mercedes view shared after Bahrain GP
Lewis Hamilton endured a mixed weekend at the Bahrain Grand Prix as he kicked off his final season as a Mercedes driver.
20:04, Sat, Mar 2, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Lewis Hamilton admitted that Mercedes were ‘further back from Red Bull than they had thought’ after an underwhelming start to the season at the Bahrain Grand Prix. The Silver Arrows struggled for race pace at the Sakhir International Circuit, eventually crossing the line in P5 and P7.

Hamilton admitted after the Bahrain GP that Mercedes were wrong about the gap between themselves and Red Bull. Giving his lowdown on the race, he told Sky Sports F1: “I personally feel great, physically I feel great so winter training has worked. We probably feel a bit of disappointment within the team, I'm not sure about everyone else.”

“I was definitely hoping that we would be better this weekend than we were, but it was a tough race, it was very close with everybody and degradation is high with the car. There is plenty of areas we can improve. We were further back from the Red Bulls than we thought as well.”

‘Lewis Hamilton's Red Bull remark speaks volumes’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1873075/Lewis-Hamilton-Red-Bull-Mercedes-Bahrain-GP


Winners and losers from F1's 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix
Mar 2, 2024
The Race

Max Verstappen and Red Bull breezed into the 2024 Formula 1 season in the same crushingly dominant spirit they've been in since mid-2022. So dominant in the Bahrain Grand Prix, in fact, it was almost tempting to make him the only winner in our usual post-race rundown of the stars and flops.

WINNERS
MAX VERSTAPPEN: Even if you hadn’t taken the hints from testing, practice and qualifying of closer challenges to Red Bull too seriously, the ease with which Verstappen left the field standing was still striking.

CARLOS SAINZ: Given how close everything in Verstappen’s wake was, whoever emerged as best non-Red Bull in Bahrain was always going to have really earned it. And Carlos Sainz gets extra credit for the attacking style of his drive to third place and for keeping the second Red Bull of Sergio Perez just about in his sights.
Lance Stroll: For Stroll to still finish on the lead lap and with a point was a testament to the strength of his recovery. - Josh Suttill

‘LOSERS, MERCEDES, McLaren, Aston Martin, RB, ALPINE’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/bahrain-grand-prix-2024-f1-winners-losers/


Verstappen makes history as Alpine's dramas worsen | Bahrain GP recap
In this video, RacingNews365's Ian Parkes and Nick Golding dissect the biggest talking points from the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.
2 March 9:30PM
Ian Parkes & Nick Golding
RacingNews365

Max Verstappen cruised to victory in the 2024 season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix and achieved F1's first-ever Grand Chelem, in what was an emphatic start to his title defence. The reigning World Champion was joined on the podium by Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez and Ferrari's Carlos Sainz.

After the first of a record-breaking 24 races, all the biggest talking points – including an Alpine exclusive – were discussed by RacingNews365 F1 writer Nick Golding and lead editor Ian Parkes, who was present in the paddock.

‘Verstappen makes history’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-makes-history-as-alpines-dramas-worsen-bahrain-gp-recap


Perez left ‘very satisfied’ after strong race to P2 in season opener
02 Mar 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Sergio Perez started the Bahrain Grand Prix from fifth on the grid, but raced to second place behind Red Bull team mate Max Verstappen.

‘Sergio Perez started from fifth on the grid, but raced to second place’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.perez-left-very-satisfied-after-strong-race-to-p2-in-season-opener.1792439253174450704.html


Perez: Red Bull has 'a lot to learn' from Bahrain
02/03/2024 at 20:17
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

"I overtook Carlos at the start and from there we were able to chip away at things," he (Sergio Perez) said after eventually getting past both Russell and Leclerc to move up to P2 in the second half of the race.

“I think second was the maximum we could have achieved,” Perez said. "But overall I think it's a great way to start the season. It was a really strong race from the team, it’s a great start to the season - you can’t get better than a one-two to start a year which looks like it’ll be a really tight battle."

Perez also reported a number of issues with the RB20 in its first outing of the season. "There's plenty we will learn from tonight's race, which will be important for the championship. It was quite a tricky race with the management of the tyres," he told the media in parc ferme afterward, explaining that the problem he had experienced was in the form of excessive sliding.

'A lot to learn';

https://f1i.com/news/501465-perez-red-bull-has-a-lot-to-learn-from-bahrain.html

[Fortitude]

Sainz’s audition for Mercedes: The drive that caught Wolff’s eye.
Carlos Sainz Jr.’s performance at the Bahrain Grand Prix was nothing short of a statement, racing with the kind of fervor that says he’s not just here to compete; he’s here to win.
3rd March 2024, 07:43
Andrew Maitland
Grandpx.news

With Lewis Hamilton set to take his spot at Ferrari in the upcoming season, Sainz is eyeing a future possibly with Audi but also hasn’t ruled out the chance of landing a coveted seat at Mercedes or even Red Bull.

Toto Wolff, Mercedes’ master strategist, couldn’t help but praise Sainz’s Bahrain exploits. “Carlos put in a very strong performance,” Wolff acknowledged, hinting at the Spaniard’s driven state, “He’s probably still driving around with some anger.” Yet, Wolff maintains the team’s focus remains inward: “However, we focus on our team.”

Former Red Bull driver Robert Doornbos sees Sainz’s current season as a pivotal audition for his future, “This is his job interview,” remarked Doornbos, impressed by Sainz’s refusal to back down, “He drove like he was a fire engine.”

‘Pivotal audition for his future’;

https://grandpx.news/sainzs-audition-for-mercedes-the-drive-that-caught-wolffs-eye/


Carlos Sainz reveals reason for ‘relief’ behind Bahrain Grand Prix podium
02 Mar 2024 10:29 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Carlos Sainz revealed that the last time he felt comfortable attacking other cars without worrying about tyre life came in the middle of last season.

“Yeah, it’s actually a bit of a relief because I remember last year, the last race where I was attacking was Austria – and we’re talking about 13, 14 races ago,” Sainz explained to media including PlanetF1.com after the race.

“Then the rest of the races last year, you just had to manage, you just had to look in the mirrors, you just had to control your pace, and there were very little opportunities to go and overtake people.”

‘Relief’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/carlos-sainz-relief-bahrain-grand-prix-podium


Martin Brundle saw 29-y/o F1 driver do something ‘lovely’ at 2024 Bahrain GP
Sat 2 March 2024 21:00
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Martin Brundle hailed Carlos Sainz during the 2024 Bahrain GP after watching the Ferrari racer pull off a ‘lovely’ overtake on his Scuderia teammate Charles Leclerc. Sainz pulled out from Leclerc’s slipstream only 200 metres from the apex of Turn 1 to catch his teammate sleeping. The move left the Monegasque with no time to react and with zero room to defend as Leclerc followed the Mercedes of George Russell through the first bend.

Russell taking to the apex of Turn 1 almost cost Sainz and the Mercedes ace dearly, though. Sainz’s daring, late braking saw the nose of his Ferrari sail close to the gearbox of the Silver Arrows ahead. A point Brundle was quick to note before voicing praise for Sainz’s overtake. “That was very close up the back,” Brundle said on Sky Sports F1 (2/3, 15:30). “Lovely move there from Sainz.”

‘Martin Brundle hailed Carlos Sainz’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/martin-brundle-saw-29-y-o-f1-driver-do-something-lovely-at-2024-bahrain-gp/


Sainz thrilled to have a car that allows him ‘to attack’ after racing to podium in Bahrain
02 Mar 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Carlos Sainz was beaming after his “fun” run to P3 in the season opener – especially as he felt he was able to be aggressive with his car, rather than simply having to defend.

‘Sainz thrilled’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.sainz-thrilled-to-have-a-car-that-allows-him-to-attack-after-racing-to-podium-in-bahrain.1792439101169798554.html


Damon Hill hands Carlos Sainz huge backing above Charles Leclerc for Mercedes
“Charles Leclerc, maybe, relies on his speed quite a lot," Naomi Schiff added
02 Mar 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Carlos Sainz is a better fit for Mercedes’ 2025 vacancy than Charles Leclerc, believes Damon Hill. Ex-F1 champion Hill added: “If you remember Carlos, famously at Silverstone, countered the strategy that Ferrari suggested he did.

“He knows what he’s doing. He’d do very well in a team that is used to running at the front. When you come from Ferrari, you know how a big team works. You can deal with all that stuff. It’s a big feather in your cap. Apart from the fact that he is a feisty driver.”

Hill compared Ferrari’s duo: “It seems like Charles has awful bad luck and problems in races. “It could be a case of: does he manage it as well as Carlos? Or is Carlos a thinking driver who maybe doesn’t have the ultimate pace, but in a race it’s not about ultimate pace, it’s about management.”

“He knows what he’s doing”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1044984/1/damon-hill-hands-carlos-sainz-huge-backing-above-charles-leclerc-mercedes


Finishing near Perez shows Ferrari have taken “big steps forward” – Sainz
2nd March 2024, 18:00
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

“I’m very happy,” Sainz said. “When we were at the car launch, I remember saying ‘this year, I hope I had a car to overtake and not to defend’. Last year, I spent my whole year defending. We arrive to the first race and I am attacking and making overtakes, which makes me happy. It’s been a while since I’ve been on the move.”

While recognising there is still a big gap between Ferrari and Verstappen in particular, Sainz said the performance of his new car shows the team are heading in the right direction. “I’m happy with the overtakes, with the race pace,” he said. “Keeping up with Checo there at the end wasn’t easy, but we managed. Still a long way to go to beat Max, but it’s true that we’re also at the toughest circuit on rear tyres, which we know that for our car is never the best.”

“Big steps forward;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/03/02/finishing-near-perez-shows-ferrari-have-taken-big-steps-forward-sainz/


Fred Vasseur reacts to feisty Carlos Sainz display as Charles Leclerc dynamic changes
03 Mar 2024 11:00 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Racing wheel-to-wheel, and perhaps a bit too close for Ferrari’s liking, Ralf Schumacher says one “can tell” the relationship between the Ferrari team-mates has changed. Schumacher, though, says it feels to him like something has changed between the team-mates. “You can tell that the two of them are no longer so familiar with each other,” the German told Sky Deutschland.

“It was the first race, perhaps the team should have told Charles at that moment that he was having problems anyway with the tyres and should let his team-mate through. Today Carlos Sainz was faster, but I think Charles’ car wasn’t quite okay.” Sainz’s actions, though, were welcomed by his team boss Fred Vasseur.

Honestly,” he told the media including PlanetF1.com’s Thomas Maher. “I was convinced that he would have this kind of reaction. It’s also why we decided to get it out early, turn the page and focus on the season. “And the reaction of Carlos was not unprofessional. Today he did a very good job.”

‘Fred Vasseur reacts to feisty Carlos Sainz display’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/carlos-sainz-bahrain-grand-prix-fred-vasseur-reaction


Sainz sure Ferrari didn’t intend to ‘undercut’ Leclerc past him
3rd March 2024, 0:11
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

No favouritism at Ferrari – Sainz: Sainz passed the other Ferrari of Charles Leclerc early on, only for his team mate to pit soon afterwards. As Sainz delayed his pit stop, Leclerc jumped back in front of him. Sainz passed him again and went on to finish ahead. But Sainz, who will leave the team at the end of the year, does not believe there was any favouritism in the team’s strategy. “I don’t think it was an intended ‘undercut’,” he said.

“I think Charles degraded the tyres probably a bit earlier than me, and they decided to keep me out for three or four laps. Honestly, those three or four laps were very strong. I think I managed to go down to 37s, low 37s again. So it was worth it. Then luckily it didn’t compromise my race because I could pass Charles fairly quickly and go and attack George [Russell], which I passed also quite quickly. So I don’t think I lost too much race time on that situation.”

‘No favouritism at Ferrari’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/03/03/racefans-round-up-03-03-7/

[Fortitude]

Toto Wolff: “Trauma of Austin” still affects Mercedes set-up.
Toto Wolff admits that previous set-up mistakes are impacting Mercedes’ approach to start the F1 2024 season.
March 3, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang


Since Formula 1 ushered in new regulation in 2022, Mercedes have been a shadow of their former selves. One of their better showings was in COTA last year, but Toto Wolff explains that their post-race disqualification is still fresh in the memory.

George Russell and Lewis Hamilton crossed the line 5th and 8th in the first race of 2024. In isolation, this result is confirmation that Mercedes is still several steps behind Red Bull. The Mercedes team principal explains that past errors contributed to this incorrect choice:

“We were a little too low [in COTA 2023]. The trauma from Austin is still in our bones,” Wolff explained in Bahrain. So we wanted to stay a little on the conservative side with a new car.” Despite this confession, the 52-year-old is still optimistic about the season ahead: “We were caught on the wrong foot two years in a row, and now we have a car that suits us better.”

“Trauma of Austin”;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/03/03/toto-wolff-trauma-of-austin-still-affects-mercedes-set-up/


Toto Wolff reveals all on unexpected Mercedes issue in Bahrain Grand Prix
03 Mar 2024 12:00 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Toto Wolff has admitted there was an “unexpected” engine cooling issue for Mercedes and one of their customer teams during the Bahrain Grand Prix. George Russell and Lewis Hamilton were unable to get the maximum from their Mercedes cars in Bahrain on Saturday, with Wolff predicting they lost around half a second per lap as a result of the issue.

Wolff revealed that the cooling problem also affected Williams, Mercedes’ customer team, but it cost them significantly in race trim. With only a week until the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to find a fix for the problem, the Mercedes team principal and CEO was confident that the team would be able to do so, given there’s a trade-off the teams find between keeping the engine cool and optimising performance.

“I’m sure we can get on top of the cooling,” Wolff stated, “because it’s a specification of how much you open the car up, and it’s always a balancing act between do you want to lose half a tenth in performance by having less efficient aero and opening the slot gaps up against the cooling… But technically [in Bahrain], it was running over what we thought we should be.”

‘Engine cooling issues/ problems’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-mercedes-engine-issue-bahrain-grand-prix


Wolff reckons Mercedes engine woes cost 0.5s per lap in Bahrain
02/03/2024 at 18:17
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Mercedes endured a challenging Bahrain Grand Prix plagued by engine issues that affected both their own cars and those of their customer team Williams, according to team boss Toto Wolff. The team now faces the task of quickly addressing the engine problems to avoid hampering their campaign in the upcoming races.

"[Pre-season] testing was pretty good,” commented Wolff as he reviewed his team’s weekend. “Also, the performances on Thursday and on Friday were encouraging. The car was stable, was good. The drivers like it. When we started the race on the soft tyre, everything pretty much [was] to plan. And then, unfortunately, we had to start pulling the engine more than we expected. We can't understand yet where that came from.”

“We have one of our customer teams, Williams, who had the same issue. The other two [McLaren and Aston Martin] not. That was unexpected." According to Wolff, the combined effects of Mercedes’ engine woes and preventive measures resulted in a performance drop exceeding half a second per lap. "From then on, if you switch 0.3-4s of power unit performance off, then you have to lift-and-coast on top, so I think at times probably altogether it was 5 or 6 tenths of a second that we couldn't take from what the car had in it,” he said.

‘Engine woes cost 0.5s per lap’;

https://f1i.com/news/501426-wolff-reckons-mercedes-engine-woes-cost-0-5s-per-lap-in-bahrain.html


Helmut Marko explains Max Verstappen theory as Mercedes line up Lewis Hamilton replacement
Lewis Hamilton's eye-catching move to Ferrari has left Mercedes boss Toto Wolff in need of a capable replacement.
13:06, Sat, Mar 2, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Helmut Marko believes that Toto Wolff has already given Max Verstappen a call about potentially replacing Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes from 2025 onwards. The seven-time world champion exercised an exit clause in his contract, meaning the Silver Arrows are in need of a new star driver come the end of the season.

That said, the most compelling replacement from Wolff’s point of view would be Verstappen, and Marko believes that the Mercedes boss has likely already made contact. “I would be surprised if they hadn’t,” he told Krone Zeitung. “But Max is a very loyal driver.”

‘Helmut Marko explains Max Verstappen theory’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1872980/Helmut-Marko-Max-Verstappen-Lewis-Hamilton-Mercedes


Wolff: Verstappen, Red Bull can win every race
Verstappen secured a dominant victory in the F1 season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.
2 March 6:50PM
Ewan Gale & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has conceded Max Verstappen was on a "different galaxy" in the Bahrain Grand Prix. Wolff said: "I think Max was not in a different league but in a different galaxy. The performance was extraordinary. But everybody else, we saw the differences between the Ferraris and I believe that the group of Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes were probably in a similar ballpark. We just need to look at ourselves, get on top of our problems and if we are able to manage our race weekend better, we will be racing those guys."

Red Bull was only denied a perfect season by Carlos Sainz's Singapore Grand Prix victory last season, such was the dominance of the RB19. With the team securing a one-two finish on Saturday, Wolff was asked if a clean sweep for the Milton Keynes-based outfit was possible, given Verstappen's talent. "Unfortunately yes," replied Wolff. "You need to acknowledge his performance levels, they are very strong."

‘Red Bull can win every race’;

https://racingnews365.com/wolff-verstappen-on-a-different-galaxy


Mercedes think they've got their very own Max Verstappen who can topple Red Bull star
Mercedes are struggling to pose a threat to Max Verstappen and Red Bull, and that task will only get tougher after Lewis Hamilton departs.
08:30, Sun, Mar 3, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Toto Wolff has compared teenage starlet Kimi Antonelli to Max Verstappen after revealing that the young Italian’s presence impacted the decision not to give Lewis Hamilton a long-term contract with Mercedes.

Explaining the similarities between Verstappen’s rise to F1 and that of Antonelli, Wolff told ORF: “There was a situation many years ago where we had the opportunity to let Max drive and that wasn't possible back then because we simply didn't have a cockpit. [Nico] Rosberg and Hamilton were tied to us long-term, and Red Bull naturally seized the opportunity.”

“They gave him a contract with Toro Rosso, with the possibility of driving for Red Bull the following year. We then lost the young driver, and you can see how successful he has become. And precisely because we have a junior on the horizon who is really driving at a very high level, I simply wanted to keep this option open."

‘Toto Wolff has compared teenage starlet Kimi Antonelli to Max Verstappen’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1871894/Mercedes-Max-Verstappen-Kimi-Antonelli


Wolff not ruling out Vettel as Hamilton replacement
Toto Wolff has described Sebastian Vettel as a "giant" of Formula 1, as the quadruple world champion once again refuses to rule out the prospect of a sensational return.
MARCH 2, 2024
GrandPrix.com

Toto Wolff hasn't called me, the German driver told Neue Zurcher Zeitung newspaper, "but we've exchanged a few text messages. So far it's not an issue for me, also because at 36 I still have plenty of time.

‘Toto Wolff has described Sebastian Vettel as a "giant" of Formula 1’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/wolff-not-ruling-out-vettel-as-hamilton-replacement.html


Wolff’s texts to Vettel exposed: F1 comeback in the works?
08:20 Sat, 02 Mar 2024.
Andrew Maitland
Grandpx.news

Wolff, in his comments to Sky Deutschland, acknowledged Vettel’s enduring prowess and stature, “Sebastian is a great guy and a giant of this sport.” The Mercedes strategist is playing the long game, weighing the merits of experience versus the vigor of youth, as the team contemplates its future direction.

In this high-stakes chess game, Mick Schumacher also remains a piece on Wolff’s board, “Mick is also part of it,” Wolff admits, albeit with a touch of empathy for Schumacher’s position in the frenzied driver market.

‘Mercedes strategist is playing the long game’;

https://grandpx.news/wolffs-texts-to-vettel-exposed-f1-comeback-in-the-works/

[Fortitude]

‘Shocking’: Lando Norris says Reliant Robin would have been better than his McLaren in one key…
McLaren driver Lando Norris says his car felt ‘shocking’ around the final corner during Saturday’s Bahrain Grand Prix.
Sun 3 March 2024 18:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Norris scored eight points in the season-opening race after finishing sixth ahead of team-mate Oscar Piastri. But it wasn’t all plain sailing as the British driver revealed some serious balance issues heading into the start/finish straight. Norris qualified seventh in Sakhir but was able to pass Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso in the early stages. He mounted a late charge to reel in the Mercedes of George Russell but wasn’t able to get within DRS range before the chequered flag.
Lando Norris says McLaren felt worse than Reliant Robin one area. Speaking to F1TV directly after the race, Norris said he struggled to wrestle his car around turns 14 and 15 throughout the race. The British driver even joked that a three-wheel Reliant Robin would have negotiated the sequence faster.

“Reliant Robin would have been better than his McLaren in one key…”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/drivers/lando-norris-says-his-mclaren-was-worse-than-a-road-car-in-one-area-in-bahrain/


Norris hopeful McLaren can hit back against rivals after ‘not nice’ car feeling in Bahrain
04 March 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Lando Norris was left feeling happy with his sixth place in the Bahrain Grand Prix after what he called a “difficult day” in the McLaren, despite the team matching the pace of Mercedes.

“It didn’t feel great [on track], but then when you look at things, we were the same pace as Mercedes which is pretty much where we expected to be, and I think we should be happy with that,” said Norris. “A little bit off, I’d say quite a bit off the Ferraris and a long way off the Red Bull, but again that’s what we were expecting.”

“I think it was a difficult day, the car balance was not nice. I think the wind conditions, as much as they died down and changed to what we thought was going to be favourable, I don’t really think it ended up that way. Some things to look into, but I’m happy with today. It was tough and I wanted that little bit more, especially to George [Russell] who was not far ahead, but I feel like I got the most out of the car today so I was happy with that.”

‘Some things to look into’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.norris-hopeful-mclaren-can-hit-back-against-rivals-after-not-nice-car.3ZCw4MndgVUWf116NKF9Kg.html


Question marks raised against Lando Norris’ decision to pen new McLaren contract
Lando Norris is off the market at a time when Mercedes and Red Bull are considering new drivers
04 Mar 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Doubts have been raised about why Lando Norris chose to commit himself to McLaren long-term. Damon Hill wondered if Norris and McLaren agreed their new contract while knowing about the deal that Hamilton and Ferrari were thrashing out.

Hill asked: “They must have got wind of what was going on… Once you look around at the sharp end, it looks very difficult. Sticking with a team on the up was his logic. That was the way he explained it: ‘They are going places, I am comfortable in this team, I believe in this team…’ ”

“Sticking to it, in the absence of any obvious option, yes”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1045019/1/question-marks-raised-against-lando-norris-decision-pen-new-mclaren-contract


McLaren needs "two big steps" to catch F1 rivals Ferrari and Red Bull
4th March 2024, 10:36
Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

McLaren emerged from Bahrain's season opener as the fourth-fastest team, well behind Red Bull and Ferrari on race pace while nipping on the heels of Mercedes.

"There's a big step between us and Ferrari on a circuit like this and then another step from Ferrari to Red Bull," Norris said after finishing sixth at Sakhir. "We've got two big steps to make up but starting with one would be good."

When asked if making those steps feels achievable this year, he replied: "To Ferrari? Yes. Again, at certain tracks, we're going to do it and at certain tracks, we're not."

"Two big steps";

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/mclaren-needs-two-big-steps-to-catch-f1-rivals-ferrari-and-red-bull/10582828/


McLaren explains lengthy MCL38 development period
McLaren is aiming to develop three key areas with the MCL38 but the time to improve the car will take time, as explained by Team Principal Andrea Stella.
4 March 2024, 11:15AM
Fergal Walsh & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella has explained why his squad is having to wait to see significant improvements to the MCL38 challenger. It has commenced the new campaign in a much stronger position compared to 12 months ago when it was positioned towards the back of the field having missed development targets.

With developments expected in the coming races, Stella outlined that being efficient while operating under Formula 1's cost cap is behind McLaren's delay in fitting new parts. It’s just how long it takes to get some projects mature enough to actually say, ‘Okay, let's deliver to the race car’,” Stella told media including RacingNews365.

“Especially in a regime of cost cap, you can't afford to release expensive parts of the car [and say] 'OK let's take it trackside, let's see how it works'. You really need to deliver mature parts. If I take some of the areas that we wanted to address, this is taking just longer than the time required to release the parts and have them ready for the launch. So it's just the time it takes for development.”

‘McLaren is aiming to develop three key areas with the MCL38’;

https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-explains-lengthy-mcl38-development-period


McLaren admits Piastri strategy mistake
McLaren team boss Andrea Stella has admitted his team should have called Oscar Piastri into the pits a lap earlier to prevent Lewis Hamilton from undercutting the Australian.
3 March 2024
by Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Hamilton got ahead of Piastri through pit strategy, boxing for a second set of hard compound tyres on Lap 33. Before his stop, the seven-time champion sat eighth, one spot behind Piastri, who took his second stop on Lap 34. It was a small but telling difference. As the McLaren driver rejoined the track, Hamilton was able to pass him, moving into a seventh-place he would hold to the finish.

Piastri added: “I think there was a few things in the race that we needed to do a little bit better in terms of pit stops and strategy. I think it was a little bit closer than it needed to be and obviously, we lost out on that. I tried my best to stay in front, but just didn't have any grip on those hards coming out of the pits.”

‘Piastri strategy mistake’;

https://speedcafe.com/mclaren-admits-piastri-strategy-mistake/


Piastri ‘excited’ for next few races after P8 finish in season opener
02 Mar 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Bahrain hasn’t often been a happy hunting ground for McLaren, so Oscar Piastri is hoping his P8 there bodes well for the races coming up.

‘Happy hunting ground for McLaren’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.piastri-excited-for-next-few-races-after-p8-finish-in-season-opener.1792437307861454461.html


Norris happy with P6 after ‘difficult day’ at season-opener
02 Mar 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Lando Norris was looking at the positives after his sixth place in the Bahrain Grand Prix – especially as it’s not a track that usually suits McLaren.

‘Looking at the positives’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.norris-happy-with-p6-after-difficult-day-at-season-opener.1792436456789054258.html

[Fortitude]

‘He’s not bothering’: Martin Brundle says 106-podium driver looked ‘dispirited’ during Bahrain…
Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso seemed ‘dispirited’ at times during the Bahrain Grand Prix, Sky Sports F1 pundit Martin Brundle says.
Sun 3 March 2024 17:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Alonso impressively qualified in sixth place for the season-opener in Sakhir, beating McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri as well as Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton. However, the Spaniard had to settle for ninth in Saturday’s race, and Sky commentator Brundle says his lack of pace relative to the cars around him left him demotivated.

Brundle says Alonso left time on the table in Bahrain. Speaking live on Sky Sports F1, Brundle suggested that Alonso was driving somewhat within himself during the Grand Prix. He noticed that the 106-time podium-finisher wasn’t approaching turn four, at the end of the second DRS zone, with the same aggression as some of his rivals.

‘‘He’s not bothering’’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/drivers/martin-brundle-says-driver-with-eight-podiums-in-2023-looked-dispirited-in-bahrain/


Alonso: Aston back to ‘normal’ in Bahrain GP after qualifying high
04/03/2024 at 08:08
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Fernando Alonso says his ninth-place finish in the Bahrain Grand Prix was a proper reflection of Aston Martin’s current performance level relative to its rivals after qualifying flattered the potential of its AMR24 car.

"Today I think is exactly what we expected," the two-time world champion said. "Our simulations were saying that we were around P9 with not much fight in front of us, the top four teams a little bit with too much ahead, and with comfortable gap behind.”

"And it's exactly like that. I think I had [Oscar Piastri's] McLaren 18 seconds ahead and the Sauber [of Zhou Guanyu in 11th] 28 seconds behind. So, we were in the middle of no one's race."

‘Aston back to normal’;

https://f1i.com/news/501577-alonso-aston-back-to-normal-in-bahrain-gp-after-qualifying-high.html


Alonso: Aston Martin back to normal after exceptional Bahrain F1 qualifying
12:12 Sun, 03 Mar 2024.
Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

Fernando Alonso says Aston Martin's fifth place in Formula 1's Bahrain Grand Prix pecking order was exactly as projected after exceeding expectations in qualifying. In an extremely tight qualifying battle, Alonso's final Q3 lap was good for sixth, 0.363s off polesitter Max Verstappen and only half a tenth behind George Russell in third.

"Today I think is exactly what we expected," the two-time world champion said. "Our simulations were saying that we were around P9 with not much fight in front of us, the top four teams a little bit with too much ahead, and with comfortable gap behind.”

"And it's exactly like that. I think I had [Oscar Piastri's] McLaren 18 seconds ahead and the Sauber [of Zhou Guanyu in 11th] 28 seconds behind. So, we were in the middle of no one's race."

"Our simulations were saying that we were around P9”;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/alonso-aston-martin-back-normal-exceptional-bahrain-f1-qualifying/10582666/


Alonso pinpoints Aston Martin’s place in the pecking order after season opener
02 Mar 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Fernando Alonso qualified sixth for the Bahrain Grand Prix, but after racing to a P9 finish he said that grid slot did not represent Aston’a “real position”.

‘Place in the pecking order’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.alonso-pinpoints-aston-martins-place-in-the-pecking-order-after-season-opener.1792438290214651694.html


Lance Stroll satisfied after ‘good recovery’ drive to points in Bahrain
02 Mar 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

After a tangle with Nico Hulkenberg on Lap 1, Lance Stroll dropped to the back of the pack, but climbed back up the order to finish P10 at the flag.

‘Good recovery drive’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.lance-stroll-satisfied-after-good-recovery-drive-to-points-in-bahrain.1792437288303530803.html

[Fortitude]

24-year-old driver told he was ‘quietly impressive’ after Bahrain Grand Prix showing.
Zhou Guanyu was an overlooked ‘standout’ for Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber at the Bahrain Grand Prix, BBC F1 commentator Harry Benjamin says.
Mon 4 March 2024 17:30
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Zhou narrowly missed out on a points finish as he brought home his Sauber in 11th, one spot behind Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll.

Harry Benjamin praises Zhou Guanyu after Bahrain. Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Chequered Flag Podcast, Benjamin said Zhou’s ‘impressive’ display had gone under the radar.

He thinks it’s exactly the kind of drive the former F3 Asia champion will need to produce in 2024. “Really impressed, quietly impressive by him actually,” he said (30:00). “Standout for Zhou, what he needs for this season as well.”

‘Quietly impressive’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/24-year-old-driver-told-he-was-quietly-impressive-after-bahrain-grand-prix-showing/


Zhou Guanyu boosts contract hopes with strong Bahrain drive
March 5, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Zhou Guanyu was one of the stand-out drives from Bahrain, which will be critical to replicate ahead of contract talks this year. Perhaps it is premature to discuss Zhou Guanyu’s contract at this stage of 2024. After all, there are still twenty-three rounds of the F1 season to complete. With that said, every performance is critical in such a highly competitive field.

Zhou delivers a near-perfect race: The 24-year-old started from 17th place last Saturday, having qualified just 0.001 behind his teammate. However, the Chinese driver quickly put himself in contention for points.

After a strong start and producing very competitive laps on the hard tyres, Zhou was in a battle with Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll for P10. In most previous F1 seasons, a DNF from the front-runners would have pushed Zhou into the points.

‘Stand-out drives from Bahrain’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/03/05/zhou-guanyu-boosts-contract-hopes-with-strong-bahrain-drive/


‘We need to make sure it doesn’t happen again’ – Bottas reflects on 52-second pit stop in Bahrain
04 March 2024
Formula One - Official Site

A 52.4s pit stop was the nadir of a frustrating opening Grand Prix of the season for Kick Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas, with the Finn coming home a distant 19th at the Bahrain International Circuit.

Bottas’s race had already got off to a compromised start when, from P16 on the grid, he got caught up in contact between Lance Stroll and Nico Hulkenberg, Bottas nerfing the rear of Hulkenberg’s Haas and damaging his front wing.

“Obviously there was an issue with the wheel nut,” said Bottas post-race. “Something to investigate to make sure it doesn’t happen again, I think that’s the main take from me today. And also, unlucky with the Turn 1 incident – I had a bit of damage in the front wing.”

‘52-second pit stop’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.we-need-to-make-sure-it-doesnt-happen-again-bottas-reflects-on-52-second-pit.4hMNECVKLfPDeLZ0QhdhAE.html


Bottas: Disastrous Bahrain GP pit stop ‘can‘t happen again’
05/03/2024 at 09:23
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Valtteri Bottas' opening race of 2024 in Bahrain was a nightmare for the Sauber driver, culminating in a disastrous 52.4-second pit stop that effectively ended his challenge. “Obviously there was an issue with the wheel nut,” said the 34-year-old after the race. Something to investigate to make sure it doesn’t happen again, I think that’s the main take from me today.”

“And also, unlucky with the Turn 1 incident – I had a bit of damage in the front wing. It wasn’t actually a huge effect, just slight understeer maybe in certain corners, but nothing huge. So, not my day, but hopefully that’s my bad luck for the year done!”

Starting a lowly 17th, the Chinese driver clawed his way back to finish a commendable 11th, just behind the Aston Martins of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll. The performance suggests promise for the all-new Kick Sauber C44, leaving Zhou cautiously optimistic.

‘Can‘t happen again’;

https://f1i.com/news/501635-bottas-disastrous-bahrain-gp-pit-stop-cant-happen-again.html


Explained: Why Valtteri Bottas suffered a 52-second pit-stop at Bahrain Grand Prix
03 Mar 2024 6:30 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Speaking to media including PlanetF1.com’s Thomas Maher after the race, Pujolar revealed that a wheelnut problem was to blame for the delay, with Bottas’s stop officially clocked at 52.4 seconds. “We had an issue where we had to change the wheelnut,” Pujolar said. “It’s something that we are working on.”

Asked why Sauber missed the opportunity to change Bottas’s front wing during his long second stop, Pujolar said: “We had damage on the endplate, so we lost a bit of performance there, but it was OK to continue without changing. It was better to keep it on the car.”

‘52-second pit-stop’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/explained-valtteri-bottas-52-second-pit-stop-bahrain-grand-prix

[Fortitude]

What Red Bull's rivals have to prove at F1's Saudi Arabian GP.
Red Bull obliterated all the opposition at Formula 1 2024's season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix. Is there any reason to expect that to change in Saudi Arabia?
Mar 6, 2024
The Race

Our writers pick out what Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren and Aston Martin need to do better this weekend:
Ferrari: Validate race pace step: Ferrari was Red Bull’s closest challenger in Bahrain, delivering on most people’s expectations after pre-season testing.
Mercedes: Avoid basic set-up errors: How good is the 2024 Mercedes? After the Bahrain Grand Prix, we really have absolutely no idea.

McLaren: Show us winter talk wasn't cheap: There was fighting talk coming out of McLaren pre-season, about how the impressive development slope of 2023 shows no sign of flattening out and so the 2024 car should prove a significant step forward.

Aston Martin: Is there only long-term potential? Last year's second-best team in the season opener (albeit assisted by Leclerc's retirement from third) showed no hint of a repeat in 2024, even if Fernando Alonso's sixth-fastest time in qualifying briefly raised expectations.

‘Red Bull obliterated all the opposition’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/what-red-bull-f1-rivals-must-prove-saudi-arabian-gp/


Red Bull's advantage smaller than first feared
Oscar Piastri was happy with McLaren's performance last weekend in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, although Red Bull remain the side to beat.
6 March 6:30AM
Nick Golding & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Oscar Piastri believes the gap between Red Bull and the chasing pack is smaller than it was 12 months ago despite Max Verstappen's dominant Bahrain Grand Prix victory. The big talking point ahead of the 2024 season was whether Red Bull with the RB20 would be untouchable, a question which was partially answered in qualifying in Bahrain. Whilst it was Max Verstappen on pole, Ferrari were in genuine contention.

When asked whether he felt the advantage held by the Milton Keynes-based outfit had matched that of a year ago, Piastri told media including RacingNews365: "No, I think it was a bit more realistic to what we expected to be honest. I think they look in a pretty similar place to last year, similar kind of gap and so not a massive surprise, to be honest. And the races last year, they're always quicker than they were in qualifying. But maybe still not quite as far ahead as we first feared at the start of testing. But still, you know, a long way ahead."

‘Advantage smaller than first feared’;

https://racingnews365.com/red-bulls-advantage-smaller-than-first-feared-piastri


STELLA: MERCEDES AND FERRARI ARE ‘WITHIN REACH’ FOR MCLAREN
What a difference a year makes for McLaren in Bahrain. In 2023, the team finished the race with a P17 and a retirement. Whereas in 2024 they walked away with double points, finishing P6 and P8
March 6, 2024
Rhiannon Temporal
FormulaNerds.com

McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella says the team will complete a “proper assessment” following the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Following the season opener in Bahrain, McLaren walked away with double points and a P4 in the constructors’ championship. While the season opener may not have matched their seemingly high pre-season expectations, the Woking-based outfit is miles off the lows they suffered in Bahrain last year.

Up and running in 2024. It’s a double-points weekend in Bahrain! ����#BahrainGP ���� pic.twitter.com/sgrSlToVA8
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) March 2, 2024
In fact, seeing where the team started compared to where they ended in 2023, there is a lot to cheer about this season. This is an outlook shared by Lando Norris, who says the team has a “good starting position” this year.

‘What a difference a year makes for McLaren’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/stella-mercedes-and-ferrari-are-within-reach-for-mclaren/


Damon Hill delivers verdict on new proposed Qiddiya F1 circuit in Saudi Arabia
Wed 6 March 2024 08:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Former Formula 1 world champion Damon Hill has shared his reaction to the proposed new circuit in Qiddiya in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix takes place on Saturday with Sergio Perez hoping to repeat his race-winning performance from 2023. Posting on Instagram, Hill has given a short evaluation of one of the wildest tracks ever imagined that could join the calendar in the coming years.

Posting on Instagram, Hill reacted to the pictures of the Qiddiya venue in Saudi Arabia and simply said: “Next level. Literally!” Hill is referring to the incredible first corner which involves a 20-storey climb for the drivers on track. It looks like something out of a Mario Kart game given the structure the circuit appears to be built on.

The circuit is part of a much bigger construction project located about 30 miles from the capital Riyadh. The Qiddiya track has been designed by the famous Herman Tilke and former driver Alex Wurz.

‘Damon Hill delivers verdict’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/damon-hill-delivers-verdict-on-new-proposed-qiddiya-f1-circuit-in-saudi-arabia/


Saudi Grand Prix 2024: Schedule, weather forecast and how to watch
6th March 2024, 08:58
MARC MAYO
Evening Standard

Saudi Grand Prix session schedule
The full weekend schedule is as follows (all times GMT):
• First practice: Thursday, 1.30pm
• Second practice: Thursday, 5pm
• Third practice: Friday, 1.30pm
• Qualifying: Friday, 5pm
• Grand prix: Saturday, 5pm

‘Saudi Grand Prix 2024: Schedule’;

https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/b1143443.html

[Fortitude]

PALMER: Why I expect Red Bull’s rivals to put up a stronger fight this weekend in Jeddah.
Max Verstappen cruised to victory in the season opener in Bahrain – but his rivals will harbour hopes of a stronger challenge in this weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Here's why...
06 March 2024
Jolyon Palmer
Former F1 Driver
Formula One - Official Site

Red Bull meanwhile appeared to have a routine, trouble free run out front as Max serenely notched another win. Race pace has become much more important than qualifying pace in recent years, especially on circuits that are straightforward to overtake on like Bahrain.

High degradation levels and three DRS zones mean that if you have a good race car you can storm through the pack, as Alonso showed last year and Sergio Perez demonstrated from fifth on the grid on Saturday night. The Red Bull race pace is definitely a cut above the rest, but the picture is not as clear cut as it would seem.

The high degradation surface of the Bahrain track suits them though and while the gap from Max to the rest looks ominous, it has been cut from 38 seconds last year down to 25 this year – and should come down more once their competition can optimise their cars and performance. The season is long and while Max is the favourite coming into Jeddah as well, I expect Red Bull's rivals to close at least some of the gap.

‘Rivals will harbour hopes of a stronger challenge’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.palmer-why-i-expect-red-bulls-rivals-to-put-up-a-stronger-fight-this-weekend.1VN1RYahMclb9lPAJeNHqE.html


Red Bull say RB20 draws inspiration from rivals in less obvious areas
6th March 2024, 12:00
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans.net

Red Bull surprised many in Formula 1 when their new RB20 appeared for the first time at their launch. The team had been expected to reveal a car which was a clear evolution of its championship-dominating predecessor. But while the RB20 clearly comes from the same lineage, it also owes a debt to other, less successful designs.

Two striking aspects of the car’s design immediately drew comparison with Mercedes W15. Its sidepod inlets have been drastically narrowed, and now include vertical intakes much like those on Mercedes’ ‘zero sidepod’ design, plus additional thin horizontal intakes above.

“For greater efficiency, the inlet shape has been revised to better utilise the available pressure to feed the radiators or primary heat exchangers downstream,” said the team in its submission to the FIA. This has allowed the leading edge of the sidepod to be reshaped, improving the airflow around the nearby entrance to the floor.

‘RB20 draws inspiration’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/03/06/red-bull-say-rb20-draws-inspiration-from-rivals-in-less-obvious-areas/


2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – What the Teams are Saying ahead of the Weekend – Part 1
March 6, 2024
By Joe Briley
The Checkered Flag

#1 – Max Verstappen – Oracle Red Bull Racing: “The team had a great first race of the season and I am looking forward to Jeddah, which is a proper high speed semi street circuit, seeing less degradation on the tyres.”
#11 – Sergio Pérez – Oracle Red Bull Racing: “I am looking forward to heading to Jeddah this weekend after such a good team result in Bahrain. Things weren’t totally perfect in the first race and there is plenty of evolution to be done with the car but we have a good base to work from now.”

Team Principal – Fred Vasseur – Scuderia Ferrari: “In Jeddah we will face a completely different test and we want to check if the positive signs we have seen from the SF-24 in the past couple of weeks are repeated on this very different track.”
Team Principal & CEO – Toto Wolff – Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team: “We’ve got an opportunity to take a step forward immediately. Jeddah is a street track with a lot of high-speed content. It will be good to continue our learning with the new car on a very different circuit to Bahrain. We will be aiming for a more consistent weekend and to understand our true performance relative to the rest of the grid.”

#4 – Lando Norris – McLaren F1 Team: “Jeddah up next! We’ve started the 2024 season well, and we’ll hopefully take that momentum into the Saudi Arabian GP.”
#81 – Oscar Piastri – McLaren F1 Team: “I’m looking forward to returning to the Saudi Arabian GP. We’re in a better position this year and it feels good to have already secured some points in the first race. We noted some things to improve on over the week, which we’ll aim to address this weekend.”

‘What the Teams are Saying’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2024/03/2024-saudi-arabian-grand-prix-what-the-teams-are-saying-ahead-of-the-weekend-part-1/


What tyres will the teams and drivers have for the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix?
06 March 2024
Formula One - Official Site

While Pirelli opted for the hardest compounds in their range for the abrasive Bahrain international Circuit, they have gone one step softer for Jeddah, bringing the C2, C3 and C4 tyres for the drivers to use as they tackle this incredibly fast street track.

The Jeddah Corniche Circuit is second only to Monza in terms of speeds reached, and thus is a completely different challenge to Bahrain. It is also expected to be a one-stop race, which will also influence which tyres the drivers opt for throughout practice.

Drivers will get two sets of the hard tyre (marked white), three sets of the medium tyre (marked yellow), and eight sets of the soft tyre (marked red), as well as the green intermediate tyre and the blue full wets, should they be required.

‘Tyres’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.what-tyres-will-the-teams-and-drivers-have-for-the-2024-saudi-arabian-grand.KCEC0ZFv09wpvwNB6qIPI.html


Ferrari shed light with Carlos Sainz absent from Saudi Arabian Grand Prix media duties
06 Mar 2024 2:35 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz has been excused from Wednesday media duties ahead of the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Ferrari has confirmed that the Spaniard is feeling “unwell” and has therefore returned to his hotel. “Carlos is not feeling well and has gone back to the hotel,” his team confirmed.

Sainz then expects McLaren to be contending at the front of the grid in Saudi Arabia. “Let’s see the differences first,” Sainz said of the Saudi Arabian GP. “We go with this new 2024 car so it will be a bit of a surprise for everyone to see where we are.”

“I expect the cars like the McLaren, last year they were very good in high speed circuits, to be competitive there but you know our car has also improved in the high speed so hopefully we can be also stronger.”

“Carlos is not feeling well”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrari-explain-carlos-sainz-absent-saudi-arabian-grand-prix-media-duties


Leclerc bleak over Ferrari's Jeddah F1 chances
Ferrari opened the new Formula 1 season with a podium at the Bahrain Grand Prix but Charles Leclerc has hinted that Saudi Arabia will be a more tricky affair.
6 March 2024, 4:55PM
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Charles Leclerc has hinted that Ferrari will be further from the front-running pace in Saudi Arabia compared to the season-opening round in Bahrain. Leclerc missed out on pole position by two-tenths of a second last time out in Bahrain before his car was hit with brake issues during the Grand Prix.

However, teammate Carlos Sainz showed strong pace and climbed to third place in the final classification. The second round of the campaign takes place at a much different venue with Jeddah's F1 track offering the drivers a high-speed challenge around a street track configuration.

Speaking to media including RacingNews365, Leclerc conceded: “I don’t think this [track characteristic] is our main strength, I felt like it was more the medium-speed [corners] where we were strong. I think also we have historically always been strong in Bahrain. So I would prefer to wait a few more races to see what are our weaknesses and what are our strong points as it’s probably too early to say for now.”

‘Ferrari will be further from the front-running pace’;

https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-bleak-over-ferraris-jeddah-f1-chances

[Fortitude]

2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – What the Teams are Saying ahead of the Weekend – Part 2.
The FIA Formula 1 World Championship is back in Jeddah this weekend for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, for the second part of the season opening double header.
March 6, 2024
By Joe Briley
The Checkered Flag

Five teams are yet to score points, after missing out at Bahrain. With the likes of Oracle Red Bull Racing, Scuderia Ferrari and McLaren F1 Team competing at the front and in the top ten, it’s likely that only a handful of positions in the points will be available to teams in the midfield. Amongst others, Visa Cash App RB will be wanting to get their first points on the board after showing promise at the Bahrain Grand Prix – Daniel Ricciardo topped the first practice session on Thursday morning.

‘What the Teams are Saying ahead’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2024/03/2024-saudi-arabian-grand-prix-what-the-teams-are-saying-ahead-of-the-weekend-part-2/


Saudi Arabian Grand Prix: Ferrari wants to show their potential
March 6, 2024
Erika Di Guido
Last Word On Sports

After Bahrain, Ferrari expects to perform better at the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix. Fred Vasseur: “I expect to still be among the best”. Last week, after the race in Sakhir, Vasseur spoke about the second Grand Prix of the season: “In Jeddah we are expected from a completely different test bench. We want to check how the SF-24 will be on a track that is so different”.

He then added: “Charles and Carlos have always been at ease between the barriers of Jeddah Corniche. I expect to still be among the best”. The TP was ready to point out how close the other teams are, but he still aims to gain “important results with both drivers, both in qualifying and the race”.

At the press conference before the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc commented about his issue on the last GP and said that he doesn’t think it will happen in Jeddah too. About this Grand Prix, he said: “We are optimistic, in the first race we couldn’t express our true potential, and we hope we can get closer to Max compared to Bahrain”.

‘Ferrari wants to show their potential’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/03/06/saudi-arabian-grand-prix-ferrari-wants-to-show-their-potential/


2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix: Weekend Warm-Up
06 Mar 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Laura Winter and guests Julien Simon-Chautemps and Ariana Bravo take a look at the latest news and forecasts ahead of the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah.

‘Weekend Warm-Up’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2024-saudi-arabian-grand-prix-weekend-warm-up.1792807807783645673.html


First pictures from the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend
6th March 2024, 17:26
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Pictures from the build-up to the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at Jeddah Corniche Circuit.

‘First pictures’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/03/06/first-pictures-from-the-2024-saudi-arabian-grand-prix-weekend/


“No evidence” Hamilton’s seat was broken in Bahrain – Mercedes
7th March 2024, 0:01
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Hamilton was heard complaining his seat was “broken” during the Bahrain Grand Prix last weekend but Mercedes’ trackside engineering director, Andrew Shovlin, says there was “no evidence” of anything wrong with his seat after inspection. “We obviously got the car back, checked the seat straight away, and the seat was fine,” Shovlin said in a video published by the team.

“The seats are obviously designed to be able to be lifted out because in the event of an accident, the driver comes out in his seat. And ultimately, the thing that holds the seat in the car is the driver who’s strapped into his seat belts.”

“The only thing we can think is that if Lewis was ever so slightly loose, he moved a bit and maybe the seat came up, had a little bit of motion and dropped down again, because looking at it afterwards, there’s no evidence that anything’s broken, that it was in the wrong position.”

“No evidence”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/03/07/racefans-round-up-07-03-7/


F1 Live: Saudi Arabia GP Free Practice 1 - Watchalong - Live Timings + Commentary
Scheduled for Mar 7, 2024
Racing Statistics

F1 Live: Saudi Arabia GP Free Practice 1 - Watchalong - Live Timings + Commentary F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary for the 2024 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix with Racing Statistics. Lets Watchalong!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBSLC30K1zA

[Fortitude]

Saudi Arabian GP: Verstappen leads tight field in opening practice.
Max Verstappen took charge from the outset in Saudi Arabia, the Red Bull driver leading Thursday’s opening practice at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit from Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and teammate Sergio Perez.
07/03/2024 at 14:47
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

The Dutchman’s edge equated to just 0.186s while 0.371s separated the top five runners. Behind the leading trio, George Russell provided Mercedes with a decent start in fourth place while Charles Leclerc led Ferrari’s early efforts, the Monegasque followed in sixth place by teammate Carlos Sainz

With ten minutes left on the clock, Alonso opted to show his hand, the Spaniard carrying his Aston up to P2, 0.186s behind Verstappen. The session thus concluded with positions unchanged among the top five, with Verstappen leading Alonso, Perez, Russell and Leclerc, with Sainz, Norris, Hamilton , Stroll and Albon closing out the top ten.

Once again it was a tight field with just 0.371s separating the top five, and like n Bahrain it was a relatively slow start for Ferrari. So one would expect the Scuderia to creep up the order later today under the floodlights.

‘Verstappen leads tight field in opening practice’;

https://f1i.com/news/501831-saudi-arabian-gp-verstappen-leads-tight-field-in-opening-practice.html


Saudi Arabian GP: Free Practice 1 Results
8 March 2024
by Speedcafe.com

Full results from Free Practice 1 from the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at Jeddah Corniche.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 23 1:29.659

2 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 24 1:29.845 0.186

3 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 22 1:29.868 0.209

4 63 George Russell Mercedes 22 1:29.939 0.280

5 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 23 1:30.030 0.371

6 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 23 1:30.164 0.505

7 4 Lando Norris McLaren 25 1:30.231 0.572

8 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 20 1:30.236 0.577

9 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 17 1:30.580 0.921

10 23 Alex Albon Williams 25 1:30.747 1.088

‘Full results from Free Practice 1’;

https://speedcafe.com/saudi-arabian-gp-free-practice-1-results/


Saudi Arabian GP: Worry for Red Bull rivals as Max Verstappen tops first ’24 practice in FP1
07 Mar 2024 2:35 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen and Red Bull shrugged off their practice woes from Bahrain to get their set-up spot-on in Saudi Arabia as the reigning World Champion set the pace ahead of his team-mate Sergio Perez. But while F1 fans could note another P1 for Verstappen, fourth-placed George Russell was only 0.28s down.

Slapping on soft tyres for the second half of the session, Lando Norris laid down a 1:30.4 but that was pipped by Verstappen’s 1:30-flat. And then came Russell, pipping Verstappen by 0.003s, prompting a smile from his team boss Toto Wolff. The reigning World Champion upped his pace to a 1:29.6 to pull three-tenths clear of Russell.

At a time when Ferrari’s debris woes were in full force, Charles Leclerc picked up a bag but still went third. Fernando Alonso then jumped up into second place. As the drivers switched to race run, Verstappen’s 1:29.6 stood as the time to beat ahead of Alonso, Perez, Russell, and Leclerc in a traffic-jammed final 15 minutes.

‘Worry for Red Bull rivals’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/saudi-arabian-grand-prix-2024-fp1-report


Saudi Arabian Grand Prix: F1 Free Practice 1 results
F1 has landed in Saudi Arabia for round two of the F1 season as the drivers are set to face the winding streets of the Jeddah Corniche Circuit
March 7, 2024
Oliver Brindle
FormulaNerds

Formula 1 returned to Jeddah Corniche Circuit for the fourth time ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The first practice session saw Verstappen top the timesheets as Alonso and Perez followed to claim second and third, respectively.

Verstappen is aiming for his 100th podium: The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix is well known for its high-speed corners and length being only 800 metres shorter than Belgium’s Spa-Francorchamps; this results in drivers racing close to the limit, with Each of the last three races in Jeddah having featured a safety car.

Max Verstappen will be looking to continue his fast start to the season and his form around the streets of Jeddah. The Dutchman has appeared on the podium at every Saudi Arabian GP. However, if the Red Bull driver and current championship leader can make it onto the podium, it will be his 100th F1 career podium.

‘F1 Free Practice 1 results’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/saudi-arabian-grand-prix-f1-free-practice-1-results/


2024 F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Free Practice 1 results
Check out the full results from the first Free Practice session for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
7 March 3:31PM
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

Reigning world champion Max Verstappen has ended the opening practice session of this weekend's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the top of the timesheets, courtesy of setting a 1:29.659s. The second round of the 2024 season got underway on Thursday afternoon at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit with 60 minutes of running ahead of the important second practice session in the evening.

Behind Verstappen was Fernando Alonso, who was just under two-tenths of a second slower than the Dutchman. Last year's Saudi Arabian GP winner Sergio Perez set the third quickest time. Completing the top five was George Russell and Charles Leclerc, whilst seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton was down in eighth.

‘Free Practice 1 results’;

https://racingnews365.com/2024-f1-saudi-arabian-grand-prix-free-practice-2-results


‘I am sure’: Alain Prost now makes pole position prediction for Saudi Arabia Grand Prix
Thu 7 March 2024 06:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Former F1 world champion Alain Prost has now shared his prediction for who he thinks will start from pole position at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The first race of the season was a walk in the park for Max Verstappen as he completed another Grand Slam. Speaking to Racing News 365, Prost is struggling to look past the 26-year-old to start from the front in Jeddah on Saturday.

Prost thinks Red Bull are set to dominate F1 again: Speaking about the Dutchman matching his record in Bahrain, he said: “It was great that Verstappen took pole position and I am sure that now number 34 will soon follow.

“Probably already at the next Grand Prix [he will get his 34th pole]. “I think Red Bull is going to dominate this year. The rest might get a little closer, but in the end, Red Bull will still be too strong. Ferrari will also not be strong enough to win the world title.”

‘I am sure’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/alain-prost-now-makes-pole-position-prediction-for-saudi-arabia-grand-prix/

[Fortitude]

Saudi Arabian GP: Fernando Alonso tops FP2, Lewis Hamilton summoned to stewards.
Fernando Alonso topped FP2 for the Saudi Arabian GP, ahead of George Russell and Max Verstappen around the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
07 Mar 2024 6:10 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Over one lap, it was Alonso and Russell who came out on top on Thursday in second practice, Alonso two tenths ahead of the Mercedes driver and three tenths ahead of Verstappen in third. An alleged impeding incident has seen Lewis Hamilton summoned to the stewards, meanwhile, with Logan Sargeant forced to swerve to avoid hitting the Mercedes driver early in the session.

A big swerve for Logan Sargeant came when he had to take evasive action behind Lewis Hamilton in the fast first sector, with Carlos Sainz then complaining about the “super dangerous” speed of the seven-time World Champion while he was on a slow lap – which will be investigated by the stewards after the session for impeding, later confirmed that he has been summoned.

'Fernando Alonso tops FP2';

https://www.planetf1.com/news/saudi-arabian-grand-prix-2024-fp2-report


Saudi Arabian GP: Free Practice 2 Results
8 March 2024
by Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 2 from the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at Jeddah Corniche.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 27 1:28.827

2 63 George Russell Mercedes 23 1:29.057 0.230

3 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 26 1:29.158 0.331

4 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 23 1:29.180 0.353

5 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 25 1:29.300 0.473

6 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 26 1:29.336 0.509

7 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 25 1:29.455 0.628

8 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 21 1:29.504 0.677

9 10 Pierre Gasly Alpine 27 1:29.528 0.701

10 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 26 1:29.594 0.767

‘Full results from Free Practice 2’;

https://speedcafe.com/saudi-arabian-gp-free-practice-2-results/


Second practice for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix is DELAYED due to loose drain covers... just months after the same issue forced F1 to cancel a session in Las Vegas
• The second practice for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was delayed
• The delay was due to loose drain covers in front of the garages in Jeddah
• Formula One encountered the same issue for the Las Vegas Grand Prix last year
Published: 17:43, 7 March 2024
By Sam Brookes
MailOnline

The second practice session at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was delayed due to loose drain covers on Thursday evening. After last week's opening race of the 2024 season in Bahrain, Formula One has headed over to Saudi Arabia, but they have already encountered an early issue.

After coming through the first practice session with no concerns, the second practice was halted after loose drain covers were spotted. Haas confirmed the postponement with a post on X that read: 'Session Delay! And yes, you guessed it, it’s due to loose drain covers.

'After a damaged cover was found in front of the garages, they all need to be checked before the session can start. FP2 will still be 1 hour long.' Confirmation of the delay came at around 5pm (UK time), but the problem was quickly fixed, and the session was allowed to resume at 5.10pm.

‘DELAYED due to loose drain covers...’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13170093/Second-practice-Saudi-Arabian-Grand-Prix-DELAYED-loose-drain-covers-just-months-issue-forced-F1-cancel-session-Las-Vegas.html


Saudi Arabian Grand Prix: F1 free practice 2 results
Max Verstappen topped the timesheet at the end of the first practice session in Saudi Arabia, but who will be quickest at the end of free practice 2?
March 7, 2024
Rhiannon Temporal
FormulaNerds

The start of the second practice session was delayed by race control. Yet again, suspected loose drain covers were the reason behind the delayed start. This time, the drain covers in question were located in the pit lane, with the bolts that keep the covers in place under investigation.

Final classification of free practice 2: After 60 minutes, Alonso topped the timesheet at the end of free practice 2 in Jeddah. The two-time world champion was the only driver in the one minute 28’s, with a 1:28.827. Russell, Verstappen, Leclerc, Perez, Stroll, Sainz, Hamilton, Pierre Gasly, and Piastri round out the top 10. The other McLaren of Norris was down in P12, with Ricciardo and Bottas at the other end of the timesheet.

Hamilton’s power issues must have been a quick fix for the Mercedes team, as the Brit took to the track to complete a practice start. After feeling ill in the build up to the weekend, it was also an impressive display from Ferrari’s Sainz, who finished in the top 10.

‘Max Verstappen topped the timesheet’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/saudi-arabian-grand-prix-f1-free-practice-2-results/


Saudi Arabian GP: Alonso finishes on top in second practice
07/03/2024 at 18:16
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso was quickest in second practice for the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah, finishing more than two tenths clear of Mercedes' George Russell and Red Bull driver Max Verstappen.

First stint complete, the teams started switching to soft tyres for qualifying runs with Bottas among the first to do so, improving to P7 as a result. It allowed Alonso to jump back to the front by seven tenths. Verstappen also improved but not by nearly as much, allowing Leclerc to slip into second, Perez third and Stroll fourth. Norris meanwhile was only eighth at the halfway point of the session, complaining about too much bottoming in the McLaren.

Alonso remained at the top although Verstappen moved to the front of the chasing pack with his latest effort. Russell subsequently improved to second despite a near-miss incident when he was squeezed toward the barriers by a slow Tsunoda. Traffic in general was definitely a major headache, with Leclerc being obliged to cut a corner to dive out of the path of a flying Alonso.

‘Alonso finishes on top’;

https://f1i.com/news/501853-saudi-arabian-gp-alonso-finishes-on-top-in-second-practice.html

[Fortitude]

2024 Saudi Arabian GP FP2: Onboard for the fastest lap of the day with Fernando Alonso.
Ride onboard as Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso posts the fastest lap of second practice at the 2024 Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, with a time of 1:28.827.
07 Mar 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘2024 Saudi Arabian GP FP2’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2024-saudi-arabian-gp-fp2-onboard-for-the-fastest-lap-of-the-day-with-fernando-alonso.1792896970412382613.html


Verstappen’s poise shows his rivals face a hard Friday night fight for pole
Posted on
7th March 2024, 23:09
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

One week on from delivering a cold, hard dose of reality to Red Bull’s rivals in Bahrain, Max Verstappen generously decided to give someone else a turn at the top of the times during the opening day of running in Jeddah. But immediately after the session ended, Verstappen had the demeanour of a driver who knew he has every reason to feel confident about his chances over the rest of the weekend.

“I think it’s been pretty good overall,” he said. “There’s always things that you look at to do better over one lap performance, but also I think some teams already used a little bit more power like they did in Bahrain.”

‘Verstappen’s poise’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/03/07/verstappens-poise-shows-his-rivals-face-a-hard-friday-night-fight-for-pole/


FP2 Highlights: 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
07 Mar 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Watch highlights from second practice ahead of the 2024 Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

‘FP2 Highlights’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.fp2-highlights-2024-saudi-arabian-grand-prix.1792897073147707542.html


'So, so unstable': British driver complains that his car feels ‘so, so unstable’ at Saudi GP
Thu 7 March 2024 20:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Mercedes driver George Russell wasn’t happy with the handling of his car during practice ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Russell was the second-fastest driver under the lights in FP2, only trailing Fernando Alonso in the Aston Martin.

Mercedes may need to make tweaks to revised car: Ahead of the on-track action in Saudi Arabia, one journalist spotted a lower-downforce rear wing on the W15. The Brackley outfit may still need to optimise their updated challenger on a track that, in the words of Verstappen, is ‘completely different’ to Bahrain.

Russell will nonetheless be the happier of the two drivers after day one, having outpaced Hamilton in both FP1 and FP2. Former F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve expects to be a more ‘aggressive’ version of the Briton this term as he prepares to become the team ‘leader’. It’s Russell’s final season alongside Hamilton as the 39-year-old gets ready to pack his bags for a shock switch to Ferrari in 2025.

‘So, so unstable’

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/british-driver-complains-that-his-car-feels-so-so-unstable-at-saudi-gp/


Max third after opening day in Jeddah: 'It went well'
Published on 07 March 2024
by Stefan Meens
Verstappen.nl

After being quickest in the opening practice session of the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix, Max Verstappen finished Thursday’s FP2 in third place. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) was quickest with the Mercedes of George Russell splitting the Spaniard and the Dutch Oracle Red Bull Racing driver.

“In general, it went well”, said Max after free practice at the Jeddah Street Circuit. “They prepared the track well because it wasn’t that dirty. The pace was good, and we learned a lot.”

'It went well';

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5397/


Verstappen predicts ‘very, very tight’ qualifying in Saudi Arabia
07 March 2024
Formula One - Official Site

After finishing behind both an Aston Martin and a Mercedes in Thursday evening’s Free Practice 2 session for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, reigning champion Max Verstappen has predicted a hard-fought qualifying session to come at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.

“It will be again very, very tight,” said Verstappen, when asked for his prediction about where Red Bull sit in terms of qualifying pace this weekend. “I think that is probably where other people are probably a bit better than us, over one lap. Our car probably comes a bit more alive on the long run.”

“I think overall we learned a lot,” he added. “Of course there’s always things you look at to do better over one-lap performance, but I think also some teams already, they used a little bit more power, like they did in Bahrain, so we’ll take that also into consideration. But when we went into the long runs, it looks again quite nice, so quite happy with that.”

‘Very, very tight qualifying’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.verstappen-predicts-very-very-tight-qualifying-in-saudi-arabia.6vPm3jWc1TS9v3Vei8Wgc3.html


F1 Live- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024 FP3 Watchalong
Scheduled for Mar 8, 2024
Sports maniac 144

Live Watchalong of the F1 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix FP3. Hope You all will enjoy the Stream.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2JbIUDpGMo


F1 Live: Saudi Arabia GP Free Practice 3 - Watchalong - Live Timings + Commentary
Scheduled for Mar 8, 2024
Racing Statistics

F1 Live: Saudi Arabia GP Free Practice 3 - Watchalong - Live Timings + Commentary F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary for the 2024 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix with Racing Statistics. Lets Watchalong!

‘Watchalong - Live Timings + Commentary’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVTXpqT7ygw

[Fortitude]

Max Verstappen fastest in final practice as Oliver Bearman debuts for Ferrari.
Max Verstappen edges Charles Leclerc in final practice at the F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
08 Mar 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Reigning F1 world champion Max Verstappen topped the final practice session at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix as Oliver Bearman made his Ferrari debut. Verstappen, who cruised to victory at last weekend’s season-opener in Bahrain, was just 0.196s seconds faster than Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc around the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.

Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez was third-fastest, 0.494 secs slower than Verstappen. George Russell was fourth-quickest, over half a second adrift, while Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton was only ninth. Lando Norris finished fifth ahead of the Aston Martin duo of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, and McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri.

British teenager Bearman, who has been drafted in to replace the unwell Carlos Sainz, completed the top-10 with a solid performance in his first F1 outing for Ferrari. The 18-year-old claimed pole position for the Formula 2 championship feature race in Jeddah on Thursday and will take part in the rest of the weekend while Sainz undergoes surgery for appendicitis.

‘Max Verstappen fastest in final practice’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1045271/1/max-verstappen-fastest-final-practice-oliver-bearman-debuts-ferrari


Saudi Arabian GP: Free Practice 3 Results
9 March 2024
by Speedcafe.com
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 3 from the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at Jeddah Corniche.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 12 1:28.412

2 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 15 1:28.608 0.196

3 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 12 1:28.906 0.494

4 63 George Russell Mercedes 16 1:28.964 0.552

5 4 Lando Norris McLaren 10 1:28.971 0.559

6 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 13 1:29.038 0.626

7 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 13 1:29.127 0.715

8 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 10 1:29.213 0.801

9 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 18 1:29.268 0.856

10 38 Oliver Bearman Ferrari 21 1:29.306 0.894

‘Full results’;

https://speedcafe.com/saudi-arabian-gp-free-practice-3-results/


Saudi Arabian Grand Prix: F1 FP3 results
All eyes were cast on F2 PREMA driver Ollie Bearman, as he replaces ill Carlos Sainz at Ferrari for the rest of the F1 weekend in Saudi Arabia
March 8, 2024
Samuel Coop
FormulaNerds

The second half: As the clock ticked over into the second half of the session, Verstappen put his Red Bull on top of the timing board, clocking in a 1:28.893. Once emerged from the pit lane, Magnussen showed the pace in his Haas, setting the third-fastest lap time of the session.

Sargeant, however, didn’t enjoy the same fortune, clipping the wall and having to return to the pits without setting a lap time. He was, as confirmed by the AWS broadcast information, “too close to the wall” having actually hit it.

‘F1 FP3 results’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/saudi-arabian-grand-prix-f1-fp3-results/


Zhou crashes heavily as Verstappen tops red-flagged FP3.
Reigning world champion Max Verstappen started Friday at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on top, after setting the pace in the third practice session.
8 March 3:33PM
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

The three-time World Champion topped the session courtesy of setting a 1:28.412s, which was just under two-tenths of a second quicker than Charles Leclerc in second. Leclerc found himself in a Red Bull sandwich, as last season's winner at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit Sergio Perez finished FP3 in third.

Perez though, was almost five-tenths behind Verstappen and narrowly ahead of George Russell and Lando Norris who completed the top five.

‘Verstappen tops red-flagged FP3’;

https://racingnews365.com/zhou-crashes-heavily-as-verstappen-tops-red-flagged-fp3


Bearman’s F1 debut will surprise even him – but he always looked the real deal
8th March 2024, 12:53
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

The 18-year-old woke up on Friday morning looking forward to starting the F2 sprint race from tenth position after securing pole position in qualifying for Saturday’s feature race. However, those plans have now drastically changed.

With Carlos Sainz Jnr hospitalised due to appendicitis, Ferrari have summoned their junior driver to step in and make an unexpected grand prix debut at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. In doing so, Bearman will become the first driver to debut with the Scuderia since Arturo Merzario in the 1972 British Grand Prix.

Despite his youth, Bearman has amassed an impressive CV in single-seaters since moving into F4 in 2020. The then-15-year-old competed in the Italian and German F4 championship alongside current F2 rivals such as Jak Crawford – qualifying on the front row at his first attempt in single-seaters and winning once race in each series.

‘Bearman’s F1 debut’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/03/08/bearmans-f1-debut-will-surprise-even-him-but-he-always-looked-the-real-deal/


Meet Essex’s teen F1 star Oliver Bearman who loves Lionel Messi and will drive for Ferrari at Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Published: 12:51, 8 Mar 2024
Joe Brophy
talkSPORT

It took Britain's greatest-ever driver Lewis Hamilton almost two decades to realise his lifelong ambition of racing for Ferrari. Oliver Bearman is managing it in his Formula 1 debut. The 18-year-old is being thrust behind the wheel of the Scuderia to partner future Hamilton teammate Charles Leclerc this weekend.

The teen had claimed pole position for Prema Racing in F2 qualifying on Thursday, but will now jump to F1 for the rest of the weekend. It will mark Bearman's full F1 debut, having driven for Haas - whose power unit is provided by Ferrari - in first practice at the Mexican and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix last year. In Mexico in particular, Bearman was among the most impressive of the five rookies that competed.

Having won both the German and Italian Formula Four championships, Bearman then impressed at the FDA Scouting World Finals in Maranello enough to be signed in 2021. Despite upping sticks to Ferrari’s headquarters in northern Italy, the Essex star still retains roots back home, saying: “Chelmsford [where he considered home], that’s where I’ve grown up most of my life.”

‘Ferrari: It will mark Bearman's full F1 debut’;

https://talksport.com/sport/1779778/oliver-bearman-f1-essex-ferrari-saudi-arabian-grand-prix/

[Fortitude]

Saudi Arabia Grand Prix: F1 Qualifying Results.
Max Verstappen has taken pole position for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after a spectacular lap under the lights in Jeddah.
March 8, 2024
James Phillips
FormulaNerds

Q3: The final segment of qualifying got underway, with Charles Leclerc first out on track. The first flying laps came from Piastri, Hamilton, Russell, and Norris. Russell put half a second ahead of his teammate. Piastri then split the two Mercedes cars. Perez then pulled half a second clear at the top before Fernando Alonso moved into P2. But Max Verstappen looked metronomic on his first lap, pulling three-tenths clear on his teammate.

Leclerc’s first effort in the sole remaining Ferrari saw him end up P4. Stroll ended up P8 after his first rum, Hamilton P9, and Tsunoda P10. With a mix of used and soft tyres for the first runs, all drivers would be on brand-new softs for their final runs. The two Mercedes cars were first out as the session neared its conclusion. All cars were fast on their out lap, wanting to avoid the complications of a red flag. Hamilton and Russell struggled, and both were unable to improve. Hamilton moved to P7 but did gift Alonso a tow while Russell pitted.

‘F1 Qualifying Results’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/saudi-arabia-grand-prix-f1-qualifying-results/


Saudi Arabian GP: Qualifying Results
9 March 2024
by Speedcafe.com
Speedcafe

Full results from Qualifying from the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at Jeddah Corniche.

Pos Num Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Diff

1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1:28.171 1:28.033 1:27.472

2 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:28.318 1:28.112 1:27.791 0.319

3 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 1:28.638 1:28.467 1:27.807 0.335

4 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 1:28.706 1:28.122 1:27.846 0.374

5 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:28.755 1:28.343 1:28.089 0.617

6 4 Lando Norris McLaren 1:28.805 1:28.479 1:28.132 0.660

7 63 George Russell Mercedes 1:28.749 1:28.448 1:28.316 0.844

8 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:28.994 1:28.606 1:28.460 0.988

9 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 1:28.988 1:28.564 1:28.547 1.075

10 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 1:28.250 1:28.578 1:28.572 1.100

‘Qualifying Results’;

https://speedcafe.com/saudi-arabian-gp-qualifying-results/


Max Verstappen claims dominant Saudi Arabian GP pole from Charles Leclerc
Max Verstappen claims a dominant pole position at the F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
08 Mar 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Reigning F1 world champion Max Verstappen put in a dominant performance to claim pole position for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The Red Bull driver was 0.319 seconds quicker than Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who had to settle for second place on the grid for the second consecutive weekend.

But it was another crushing display from Verstappen, with the three-time world champion sealing his first pole at the Jeddah Cornice Circuit.

‘Max Verstappen claims a dominant pole position’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1045342/1/max-verstappen-claims-dominant-saudi-arabian-gp-pole-charles-leclerc


2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - qualifying results
8 March 7:08PM
Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

Max Verstappen clinched his second pole position out of two with a stunning performance in qualifying for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The Dutchman set a benchmark of a 1:27.472 to finish 0.319secs faster than Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, with Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez third.

Fernando Alonso was fourth fastest with just 0.050s between him and Leclerc, with McLaren duo following, led by Oscar Piastri.

George Russell was seventh ahead of Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton, with Yuki Tsunoda and Lance Stroll rounding out the top 10. Ferrari debutant Oliver Bearman agonisingly missed out on Q3 but will start a respectable 11th.

‘Qualifying results’;

https://racingnews365.com/2024-saudi-arabian-grand-prix-qualifying-results


Gasly hoping to use Saudi Arabian GP to ‘learn more about the car and how to improve it’
08 Mar 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Alpine are enduring a tough start to the season with Pierre Gasly qualifying down in P18 in Jeddah – and the Frenchman is simply hoping to use Saturday’s race to improve the team’s understanding of the A524.

‘Alpine are enduring a tough start to the season’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.gasly-hoping-to-use-saudi-arabian-gp-to-learn-more-about-the-car-and-how-to-improve-it.1792980189168115893.html

[Fortitude]

Verstappen set for straightforward win – but Jeddah can spring surprises.
In Max Verstappen’s three championship-winning seasons, he had never once started from pole position in Saudi Arabia.
8th March 2024, 23:06
Will Wood
RaceFans

Verstappen has never enjoyed a simple race in Jeddah. In 2021, he was embroiled in an ugly battle with Hamilton. While he won in 2022, he benefitted from pole-winning team mate Sergio Perez losing the lead to a badly-timed Safety Car. Last year, he likely would have won from pole position, but a driveshaft failure in qualifying left him down in 15th on the grid. He climbed back up to second by the finish.

After his never-headed, lights-to-flag victory in Bahrain last weekend, Verstappen was quick to point out that Jeddah’s much faster, flowing layout and smoother asphalt would “probably help other teams compared to us.” Given that his qualifying advantage was significantly larger than it was a week ago in a car which is stronger over a full stint rather than a single lap, that does not bode well for Red Bull’s rivals.

‘Straightforward win’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/03/08/verstappen-set-for-straightforward-win-but-jeddah-can-spring-surprises/


Winners and losers from the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix qualifying
08 Mar 2024 8:15 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Winners
Max Verstappen: Most of us could have guessed three of the top four in Bahrain before qualifying even got underway: Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and Fernando Alonso.
Oliver Bearman: My my, how juicy it would have been if Bearman had managed to deny Lewis Hamilton – Ferrari’s marquee signing for 2025, who was clinging on to 10th place late in Q2 – a spot in Q3. A star is born.

Fernando Alonso: Alonso described his own Q3 lap as “exceptional” back in Bahrain and more of it was required again in Jeddah. Fourth on the grid papers nicely over the slight cracks to have developed at Aston Martin in early 2024.
Yuki Tsunoda: With the anger out of his system, it was as if Tsunoda was out to hammer home his point in Jeddah, outqualifying Ricciardo for the second weekend in succession – by a crushing half-a-second margin – to secure a place in Q3.


George Russell: There was one name missing from the collection of great F1 daredevils at the top of the Q3 classification. The pace was very much there, the execution was sorely lacking.
Lewis Hamilton: Put simply, if Merc don’t deliver a car he can work with, Lewis isn’t prepared to drive it to the limit any more.

‘Daniel Ricciardo, Zhou Guanyu, Nico Hulkenberg’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/winners-losers-2024-saudi-arabian-grand-prix-qualifying


Leclerc: Ferrari qualifying experiment failed
The Ferrari driver banked second on the grid behind pole-sitter Max Verstappen in the Red Bull.
8 March 9:00PM
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Charles Leclerc has described how a Ferrari experiment did not work during Saudi Arabian Grand Prix qualifying. Leclerc qualified on the front-row for the grand prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit alongside pole-sitter Max Verstappen - the fifth straight race the duo have qualified first and second.

That came after a first Q3 lap in which the Monégasque was 0.800secs down on Verstappen's benchmark time, with the Ferrari managing to whittle that down to 0.319s on his second attempt. Leclerc put this down to Ferrari attempting a different strategy on its first out-lap in Q3, which ultimately did not prove successful.

"The first lap in Q3, we tried something different during the preparation lap, but that didn't work out and then on the second lap, I put everything together," Leclerc explained. "That was what was in the car today , so I am really happy with the lap, it is just a shame that we are a bit further away than we hoped in qualifying. But I hope we'll have a good surprise and be able to challenge the Red Bulls [in the race].”

‘Qualifying experiment failed’;

https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-ferrari-qualifying-experiment-failed-in-saudi-arabia


Leclerc praises substitute Bearman’s “incredible job” in qualifying
8th March 2024, 19:078th March 2024, 19:01
Will Wood
RaceFans

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc says Oliver Bearman did an “incredible job” to qualify 11th on the grid for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Bearman was three-hundredths of a second away from reaching Q3, beaten by the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton. Leclerc reached Q3 split the Red Bulls in Q3 to secure a front row start. Leclerc said he was impressed by the performance of the team’s reserve driver.

“First of all, I hope Carlos will recover quickly,” Leclerc said. “Then on Ollie’s side, I mean, he’s done an incredible job, obviously, with only one session in FP3. He was straight up to speed and comfortable with the car. So it’s good. I’m happy for him, obviously. It’s a very special day – the first race in Ferrari having done only one session, I guess is even more special. So I hope that tomorrow we can have a great race, both of us and score good points for the team.”

Leclerc tried an unconventional double warm-up lap on his first attempt in the final phase of qualifying, then improved by almost half a second with his final effort to qualify highest behind pole winner Max Verstappen. “The first lap in Q3, we tried something different doing a preparation lap, but that didn’t work out well for us,” Leclerc explained. “Then in the second lap I put everything together and that was what was in the car today. So I’m really happy with the lap. A shame that we are a bit further away than what we hoped in qualifying, but tomorrow’s the race and I hope we’ll have a good surprise and that we’ll be able to challenge the Red Bulls in front.”

“Incredible job”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/03/08/leclerc-praises-substitute-bearmans-incredible-job-in-qualifying/


HEAD-TO-HEAD: See where Verstappen had the edge over Leclerc in 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix qualifying
08 Mar 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Watch to see how Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Red Bull's Max Verstappen compared in qualifying at the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

‘HEAD-TO-HEAD’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.head-to-head-see-where-verstappen-had-the-edge-over-leclerc-in-2024-saudi-arabian-grand-prix-qualifying.1792991658687417974.html


‘Irrelevant’ 23-y/o F1 driver ‘not quick enough’ in Saudi Arabian GP qualifying
Fri 8 March 2024 18:30
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer Andrew Benson has branded Logan Sargeant of Williams as ‘irrelevant’ in masking Alpine’s ‘dark times’ in qualifying for the Saudi Arabian GP. The 23-year-old posted the slowest time of the day at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit on Friday evening with a 1:29.526. Only Zhou Guanyu finished Q1 behind Sargeant on the leaderboard after the Sauber ace failed to complete any laps as mechanical issues blighted his session.

Alpine would have feared ending another qualifying session as the slowest cars as Ocon and Gasly locked out the back of the grid at the Bahrain GP. Sargeant joined the French drivers at the wrong end of the order in Sakhir, too. The American had the 18th fastest time last week. The extent of their problems in Bahrain even saw Alpine reshuffle their technical leadership. Out went technical director Matt Harman and head of aerodynamics Dirk de Beer, who had already offered their resignations. Alpine were still to confirm their departures beforehand.

Joe Burnell has now taken over as Alpine’s technical director of engineering. David Wheater has also assumed the role of technical director of aerodynamics. While Ciaron Pilbeam has taken over as Alpine’s technical director of performance to try and turn their season around. “It isn’t all good for Alpine, let’s be honest,” he said on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra (8/3, 17:19). “Again for the second race in row they’re the slowest car on the grid. Albon’s ahead of them. Sargeant’s irrelevant, isn’t he? He’s not quick enough. So, this is dark times for Alpine.”

‘Alpine reshuffle their technical leadership’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/irrelevant-23-y-o-f1-driver-not-quick-enough-in-saudi-arabian-gp-qualifying/


Mark Hughes on where Hamilton's Saudi Arabian GP is going wrong
Mar 8, 2024
by Mark Hughes
The Race

Ferrari, having recently signed a Formula 1 driver who will be 40 years old by the time he arrives, has just watched its 18-year-old protege do a stunning late-notice stand-in job in the seat which Lewis Hamilton will occupy next year.

That Ollie Bearman’s performance in Carlos Sainz’s car happened simultaneously with a particularly difficult Saudi Arabian Grand Prix qualifying for Hamilton is just one of those awkward coincidences that motorsport throws up from time to time.

Hamilton made it into Q3 (10th fastest in Q2) and Bearman (11th fastest in Q2) did not. But the difference between them was just 0.036s – and had Bearman not gone just a little too deep into Turn 22 on his first lap, requiring him to try again on tyres past their best, their positions would have been reversed.

‘Awkward coincidences’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-saudi-arabian-grand-prix-struggle-mark-hughes/


F1 SAUDI ARABIA GRAND PRIX LIVE | Formula 1 Saudi Arabia GP Race Live Commentary + Watchalong
Scheduled for Mar 9, 2024
Forever Motorsports

Join us here at Forever Motorsports as we bring you live F1 commentary for Grand Prix at Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. Featuring live F1 commentary and timings with a detailed minimap and F1 News.

‘Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQANNknLWgc

[Fortitude]

Verstappen dominates historic Saudi Arabian GP as Bearman seventh.
Max Verstappen eased to a second maximum score of the season in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix as a penalised Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc rounded out the podium.
9 March 7:27PM
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Max Verstappen continued his perfect start to the 2024 Formula 1 season, as he cruised to a 56th career win with a dominant Saudi Arabian Grand Prix display. From pole position, Verstappen quickly gapped the field, headed by Charles Leclerc and then Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez until a Lap 6 Safety Car brought the majority of the field in to swap their Medium tyres for a set of Hard Pirellis.

This Safety Car was caused by Lance Stroll's big crash at Turn 23, but Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton were among the four drivers unable to pit to avoid double-stacking behind their team-mates. Norris would take the Lap 10 restart in the lead, and whilst Verstappen tried to fire up his Hard tyres, pulled away, but the World Champion scythed past using DRS at Turn 1 on Lap 13.

Both Perez and Leclerc would eventually clear Norris, who like Hamilton ran long on their Mediums, with the Mexican overcoming a five-second time penalty for an unsafe release on Fernando Alonso during the Safety Car pit-stops. However, he finished well ahead of Leclerc to make it a Red Bull one-two. Ferrari debutant Oliver Bearman scored points on his debut for the team, banking a seventh place finish after a smart drive.

‘Perfect start to the 2024 Formula 1 season’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-dominates-saudi-arabian-gp-as-bearman-xxx


Saudi Arabian GP: Race Results
10 March 2024
by Speedcafe.com
Speedcafe

Full results from the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at Jeddah Corniche.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps/Diff Pts

1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 50 laps 25

2 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 13.643 18

3 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 18.639 16

4 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 32.007 12

5 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 35.759 10

6 63 George Russell Mercedes 39.936 8

7 38 Oliver Bearman Ferrari 42.679 6

8 4 Lando Norris McLaren 45.708 4

9 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 47.391 2

10 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 76.996 1

‘Full results’;

https://speedcafe.com/saudi-arabian-gp-race-results/


Saudi Arabian Grand Prix: F1 Race Results
March 9, 2024
Darius Needham
FormulaNerds

Lights out and away we go: Verstappen got a great start off line as he kept the lead of the race into Turn 1. Leclerc and Perez battled for P2 in the opening stages of the race, with the Monegasque driver managing to stay ahead. Halfway through the first lap, Pierre Gasly was told to come into the pits and retire the car. At the start of the second lap, Oscar Piastri overtook Alonso to take P4. With DRS now open on lap three, Bearman and Yuki Tsunoda kept battling it out for P10. A lap later, Bearman’s team-mate lost P2 to Perez after the Mexican driver overtook the Ferrari driver on the main straight.

The closing stages: As we entered into the final ten laps of the race, Bearman was managing his hard tyres really well after pitting on lap 7 earlier in the race under the Safety car. It was going to get tougher for the debutant, who was currently sat in P7 as he was told by the team that he was going to come under some pressure from Norris and Hamilton behind in the final laps of the race.

With only a few laps to go, Verstappen was just starting to slow down and manage his engine but still bolstered more than a six second gap to Perez in second. On the penultimate lap, Daniel Ricciardo took a little bit of a spin but did not sustain any damage. A lap later, Verstappen would go on to win the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. His team-mate finished in second to make it a back-to-back Red Bull 1-2. Leclerc claimed the fastest lap and final spot on the podium for Ferrari.

‘Back-to-back Red Bull 1-2’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/saudi-arabian-grand-prix-f1-race-results/


Red Bull makes easy work of Saudi Arabian GP
Mar 9, 2024
by Ben Anderson
The Race

Red Bull dominated Formula 1’s 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, as reigning world champion Max Verstappen led home Sergio Perez by 13.6 seconds for a comfortable one-two finish. Given he’s generally the weaker of the two drivers in the team, Perez is probably the best barometer of the baseline pace of Red Bull’s 2024 F1 car. He DRS’d his way past Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes and Lando Norris’s McLaren to get himself up into second place, and made it look easy.

NORRIS AND HAMILTON’S GAMBLE: All but four cars made pitstops under an early safety car called after Lance Stroll clipped the inside barrier and crashed heavily at Turn 22 on lap six of 50. Norris’s McLaren and Hamilton’s Mercedes were the two ‘frontrunning’ cars that stayed out, their teams electing not to risk the so-called double-stack pitstop.

BEARMAN STARS: Ollie Bearman finished seventh on his Formula 1 debut for Ferrari. Once into clean air in the middle of the race, Bearman showed he could match the pace of the cars ahead (save for the Red Bulls) and also managed to comfortably hold off the charging Norris and Hamilton at the end.
HAAS SCORES BUT IRRITATES RIVALS: Stroll’s crash left the door open to one of the tier-three 2024 cars to score a point, and that point went to Hulkenberg’s Haas.

‘Easy work of Saudi Arabian GP’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/saudi-arabian-grand-prix-report-2024-red-bull-1-2/


Saudi Arabian GP: Another race, another Max Verstappen win, another Red Bull 1-2
09 Mar 2024 6:27 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

It was a fresh battleground, but same result as Max Verstappen led home a Red Bull 1-2 at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Sergio Perez was handed a five-second penalty due to an unsafe release which saw Fernando Alonso slam on the brakes, but his advantage over Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was enough to ensure that the Red Bull 1-2 was safe.

When the lights went out, Verstappen secured the lead, while Leclerc saw off the threat of Perez after they went side-by-side out of Turn 3. Bearman got through his first F1 start unscathed, but it was game over for Gasly who got the call to retire his Alpine after the first lap. Oscar Piastri meanwhile gave himself the task of masking McLaren’s straight-line pace disadvantage after snatching P4 from Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.

By Lap 4, Verstappen had ditched Leclerc from DRS range, allowing Perez to muscle his way trough into Turn 1 and establish a Red Bull 1-2 out front. Just as Bearman was catching the eye by turning up the pressure on Yuki Tsunoda, focus switched to Lance Stroll just ahead of that duo as he steamed into the barriers at Turn 22 after clipping the inside wall, triggering the Safety Car.

‘Another race… Max Verstappen win… Red Bull 1-2’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/saudi-arabian-grand-prix-2024-race-report


Saudi Arabian Grand Prix: Oliver Bearman impresses as Max Verstappen wins again
9 March 2024 at 6:38 pm
Marc Mayo

Oliver Bearman perfectly executed his Formula One debut as Max Verstappen won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. On his debut, Bearman enjoyed an early battle with Yuki Tsunoda before swooping past Zhou Guanyu and Nico Hulkenberg, both on older tyres, to settle into ninth place.

With Hamilton and Norris pitting for fresh soft tyres ahead of the final ten laps, they set about chasing the Ferrari teenager down. However, the 18-year-old held on to secure seventh place and six points on his F1 debut having held Norris off with a lead of over two seconds.

‘Oliver Bearman impresses’;

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/saudi-arabian-grand-prix-oliver-183808193.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9jLm5ld3Nub3cuY28udWsv&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAEtYQBg21jCOjRMJR7JlcQpCyI_9 T7NCwEb4d_9i0hUKjW85aMcSkri-6D6R7u-ZVJSOrsEFO0CUIzv0udKW0eMfbdd88Fw-7JanEADNPykoyxAQeTjw8OK5bjuDMVnsA9uGiZrHIhCzd_j5z3 R6BSxXJiXNGbLYistJD196txQr


‘Not having it’: BBC pundit hails F1 driver 31-y/o rival ‘tried to scare’ in Saudi Arabian GP
Sat 9 March 2024 18:30
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer18:36

BBC F1 pundit Jack Aitken has praised Oliver Bearman for how the Ferrari reserve handled Haas star Kevin Magnussen ‘trying to scare’ him in the Saudi Arabian GP.

Oliver Bearman impressed Jack Aitken in the Saudi Arabian GP: Bearman qualified in 11th place as the 18-year-old became the youngest Briton to race in F1 and also the youngest Ferrari driver of all time. The Chelmsford native posted a 1:28.642 lap in Q2 to miss out on the top 10 shootout by 0.036 seconds to Mercedes ace Lewis Hamilton.

Magnussen, meanwhile, qualified in 13th place with his 1:29.020. But the 31-year-old moved in front of Williams star Alex Albon in the early laps to chase down Bearman. Yet the Dane’s experienced hustling was not enough to put rookie Bearman off as he firmly held his own.
Jack Aitken: “Magnussen is trying to scare the young Brit out of that position but Bearman is not having it,” Aitken said on BBC Radio 5 Live. “He is doing a very good job of protecting his front wing, protecting his car well there.”

‘Not having it’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/bbc-pundit-hails-f1-driver-31-y-o-rival-tried-to-scare-in-saudi-arabian-gp/
saudi-arabian-grand-prix-bearman-seventh-on-debut/

[Fortitude]

Bearman's remarkable F1 debut amid usual Verstappen routine at 2024 Saudi Arabian GP.
Max Verstappen clinched a ninth successive victory in the 2024 Saudi Arabian GP. A race, writes Mark Hughes, that was more notable for its lack of drama — save for an assured stand-in drive by Ferrari's Oliver Bearman.
March 10th 2024
Mark Hughes
Motor Sport Magazine

Max Verstappen made it nine race victories in succession, comfortably clear of team mate Sergio Perez who in turn had enough of a margin over Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari that he could overcome the 5sec penalty applied for an unsafe release from his pitstop. There were two remarkable things about this race. The first was the remarkable debut of 18-year-old Oliver Bearman standing in for Carlos Sainz at Ferrari while the latter was having his appendix removed. The second was just how uneventful the race was, in contrast to previous grands prix here. Low tyre deg and a safety car which brought most of the field in on the same lap was responsible for that.

Lap 7, Lance Stroll has crashed his Aston Martin, taken just a smidgeon too much track width on the entry to Turn 22 and snapped his left-hand track-rod, giving him no way of steering as he headed straight for a 100mph impact with the tyre barrier. A decision was thus imposed on everyone: to stay out or come in.

So the pack didn’t get mixed up. Only Lando Norris, Lewis Hamilton, Nico Hulkenberg and Zhou Guanyu stayed out, so as not to be stacked behind their-team mates in the pits. They all then ran very long, hoping for a late safety car which never came. Norris and Hamilton had been running sixth and eighth respectively before the safety car. They finished eighth and ninth, chasing down Bearman on tyres 30-odd laps older but not catching him before the flag.

‘Bearman's remarkable F1 debut’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/bearmans-remarkable-f1-debut-amid-usual-verstappen-routine-at-2024-saudi-arabian-gp/?nowprocket=1#


Saudi Arabian Grand Prix conclusions: Bearman’s next move, Ricciardo’s decline, more
10 Mar 2024 6:00 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen secured his second successive victory at the start of the F1 2024 season at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Verstappen was joined on the podium by Sergio Perez, who completed another Red Bull one-two finish, and Charles Leclerc, whose teenage team-mate Oliver Bearman stole the show by finishing seventh on debut. To the list of humble, highly self-critical drivers to have arrived in this sport recently add the name of Oliver Bearman, who seemed to find a different area to work on at almost every turn of his F1 debut with Ferrari.

It is hard to think of a more daunting task than a driver making his debut with Ferrari, the sport’s most sacred team, at a circuit as unforgiving as Jeddah, the closest thing F1 has to a superspeedway oval in the US, where speeds get unnervingly high and peril lurks around every single corner. Yet despite the short-notice circumstances of his cameo appearance Bearman – like all of those outstanding talents to have come before him (and helped along the way by Ferrari, who managed a potentially unfavourable situation to perfection) – took to it as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Scoring points for seventh place and winning the Driver of the Day award was one thing, but the most instructive snapshot from his weekend came at the close of Q2, when he came within 0.036 seconds of pulling off the irresistible irony of knocking Lewis Hamilton – Ferrari’s big-money signing for 2025, if you haven’t heard – out of qualifying. After apologising to Ferrari, Bearman went on to tell all who would listen he was, if anything, “a bit disappointed with everything. “At the moment, not so proud [of myself],” he added. “The racer in me knows the car was quick enough to be in Q3.” That outlook – no doubt drilled into him by his father David, who lived every single lap from the Ferrari garage – will take him far.

‘Oliver Bearman stole the show by finishing seventh on debut’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/saudi-arabian-grand-prix-2024-conclusions


F1 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix: Driver ratings as British teen Oliver Bearman makes Ferrari debut
Oliver Bearman became the youngest Brit to make his F1 debut as the second race of the 2024 season kicked off in Jeddah.
Published 9th Mar 2024, 19:16 GMT
By David George
National World

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) - 9.5/10. Quickest in all three qualifying sessions and took the victory at a canter.
2. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) - 8/10. He was disappointed in his qualifying result, but once again Sergio Perez put his Red Bull into second place early in the grand prix.
3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - 8.5/10. He did everything that was required of him in what was a hectic weekend for the prancing horses.
4. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) - 7.5/10. Once again, Australian driver Oscar Piastri showcased his quality, despite finishing almost 15 seconds behind Leclerc.

5. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) - 8.5/10. Fernando Alonso is one of a select few drivers throughout F1 history who can extract the absolute maximum out of any machinery he's given. Today was no exception.
6. George Russell (Mercedes) - 8/10. Once again beating his teammate Lewis Hamilton…
7. Oliver Bearman (Ferrari) - 9.5/10. What a stellar drive from rookie Oliver Bearman this weekend. I would argue it's the perfect debut, and what really impressed me was his race awareness…

8. Lando Norris (McLaren) - 8/10. Benefitting from the early safety car to skyrocket into the lead, Lando Norris was effectively running a different race to everyone else…
9. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) - 7/10. The seven-time world champion is lagging quite a way behind his teammate George Russell so far this season... with his move to Ferrari locked in for 2025, is Hamilton fighting as fiercely as he has in previous years?
10. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas) - 7/10. Points on the board are great for Haas, though.

‘Driver ratings’;

https://www.nationalworld.com/sport/formula-1/f1-saudi-arabia-grand-prix-driver-ratings-4549285


‘A star is born!’ – Oliver Bearman seriously impresses in surprise Ferrari debut at Saudi Arabian GP
09 Mar 2024 7:20 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Oliver Bearman was hailed as a “star” by Damon Hill after the 18-year-old performed brilliantly in his F1 debut to finish seventh. The Briton had just one practice session before his F1 race weekend began in earnest and having just missed out on Q3, he impressed even more on race day.

Bearman became just the 68th driver to score points on their F1 debut as he held off late threats of Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton to cross the line seventh. Handed Driver of the Day by the fans, praise soon started flooding in for F1’s newest driver.

“Star is born now!” 1996 World Champion Hill tweeted. “Oliver Bearman, to jump in at such short notice, on a track as intimidating as Jeddah, in a Ferrari of all things, and hold up under immense pressure from Lando and Lewis and keep it together. Wow.”

‘A star is born!’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/oliver-bearman-impresses-surprise-ferrari-debut-saudi-arabian-gp


‘No doubt’: Brundle issues verdict on Bearman F1 future after Ferrari star’s Saudi GP debut
Sat 9 March 2024 19:20
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Martin Brundle has praised Ferrari reserve driver Oliver Bearman after a ‘brilliant’ F1 debut at the Saudi Arabian GP having stepped in for Carlos Sainz at very brief notice. Ferrari only told Bearman that he would be replacing Sainz in the pinnacle of motorsport at 13:30 local time in Jeddah (10:30 GMT) on Friday. Yet he qualified in 11th spot and took the VF-24 into the points this Saturday. Bearman closed out his F1 and Ferrari debut in seventh.

Martin Brundle has ‘no doubt’ Oliver Bearman has an F1 future: Now, Brundle has ‘no doubt’ that Ferrari reserve driver Bearman has a future on the F1 grid. He will return to F2 with Prema for the rest of 2024 with eyes on the title during his second season in the series. Sainz aims to return to his Ferrari at the Australian GP come March 24.

“Congratulations to Ollie Bearman,” Brundle posted on X. “[A] brilliant drive in Jeddah this evening. Kept it on the road, out of the wicked walls and stayed well in touch with – and ahead of – truly world-class drivers. Superb first F1 GP, of many I have no doubt.”

“Congratulations to Ollie Bearman”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/martin-brundle-issues-verdict-on-oliver-bearman-f1-future-after-saudi-arabian-gp-debut/


‘Really clever’: Chandhok saw Bearman do something unusual on F1 debut in Saudi GP
Sat 9 March 2024 19:00
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Sky Sports F1 pundit Karun Chandhok noticed Oliver Bearman do one ‘really clever’ thing during the Ferrari reserve driver’s debut at the Saudi Arabian GP on Saturday. Ferrari’s decision to stop Bearman early allowed him to run P7 by the time that Lando Norris and Hamilton stopped. But the Prema F2 sensation had already impressed Chandhok whilst Bearman showed his intelligence when chasing down Visa Cash App RB driver Yuki Tsunoda.

“Bearman is being really clever up at Turn 13,” Chandhok said on Sky Sports F1 (9/3, 17:13). “He’s using a different line to Yuki Tsunoda. He’s not following the normal trajectory through that corner just to get out of the dirty air. Get some more clean air onto his front wing [and] pick up some downforce.”

‘Really clever’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/chandhok-saw-bearman-do-something-really-clever-on-f1-debut-in-saudi-arabian-gp/

[Fortitude]

'We need to look at': Charles Leclerc tells Ferrari to investigate 'weird' Saudi Arabian GP.
Charles Leclerc wants Ferrari to investigate vibrations.
Sun 10 March 2024 18:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Charles Leclerc has told Ferrari they ‘need to look at’ a ‘weird’ issue he experienced at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Speaking to F1TV after the race, Leclerc said he broadly felt comfortable behind the wheel of the SF-24. The 26-year-old claimed the extra point for fastest lap, but says he experienced some odd vibrations that need to be checked.

“I don’t think there was anything to do better today,” he said. “On the medium, we struggled a bit more than expected. On the beginning on the hard we struggled a bit more than we expected.”

“Towards the end we were fast, because we obviously did the fastest lap on the last lap, which was nice. We got helped a little bit with the DRS, but all in all I felt good with the car. There are just a few things that we need to look at. Some weird vibrations, but apart from that all good.”

'We need to look at';

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/charles-leclerc-tells-ferrari-to-investigate-something-weird-at-saudi-gp/


Ferrari pick up the pace too late to stop Red Bull running away again
10th March 2024, 8:15
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Red Bull romped to another one-two in Jeddah as Charles Leclerc didn’t have the pace to keep up with them. But the Ferrari driver took some encouragement from the pace of his car towards the end of his stints. Leclerc found it difficult to get his tyres working to begin with, but his pace improved once they came up to temperature.

Leclerc dropped back significantly from Verstappen at this time, and took many more laps to pass Lando Norris in the McLaren. But by the end of the race he was lapping quicker than both Red Bulls. “We were struggling all the time at the beginning of the stints, whether it was at the beginning of the medium or beginning on the hards, we struggled to switch the tyres on,” he explained. “Then towards the end of the stint we were pretty good.”

Leclerc’s pace was strong enough that he was able to beat Verstappen to the fastest lap of the race. They both set their quickest times on the final lap of the race, but only Leclerc beat the time Lewis Hamilton set on a set of soft tyres a dozen laps earlier. “All in all, it’s been a positive race,” Leclerc summarised. “I think we are doing small steps in the right direction.”

‘Ferrari pick up the pace too late’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/03/10/ferrari-pick-up-the-pace-too-late-to-stop-red-bull-running-away-again/


Vasseur warns against Bearman conclusions after F1 debut
Oliver Bearman enjoyed a dream call up to Ferrari at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix last weekend, scoring a P7 result as he substituted for Carlos Sainz.
10 March 7:00PM
Fergal Walsh & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Ferrari Team Principal Frederic Vasseur has insisted that conclusions over Oliver Bearman's Formula 1 future can't be drawn in direct response to his Grand Prix debut.

When asked by RacingNews365 if a 2025 F1 seat is now more likely for Bearman following his debut, Vasseur said: “The best way to help him is not to draw a conclusion today. We have to take it easy, that he will have another opportunity during the season to do FP1, to test the car, we will do it properly.”

“The main focus is and will stay the F2 this season. He has a huge challenge. I will keep in mind also that he was on pole position, and we killed the weekend for him in F2! But he has a huge challenge in F2, and it's the first challenge of the season.”

‘Not to draw a conclusion today’;

https://racingnews365.com/vasseur-warns-against-bearman-conclusions-after-f1-debut


Ferrari “contact” three crucial Red Bull engineers who know secrets of RB20
Italian media is certain that Ferrari are trying to recruit key behind-the-scenes Red Bull staff
10 Mar 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Ferrari are reportedly trying to lure a trio of Red Bull engineers who have worked closely on the all-conquering RB20. Italian media insist that Ferrari are trying to take advantage of Red Bull’s off-track controversies by luring crucial behind-the-scenes staff.

The three engineers work closely with Red Bull technical director Pierre Wache, who is the right-hand man of Adrian Newey, Gazzetta report. And Ferrari “tried to approach Wache on several occasions, most recently last year”, Corriere report.

Ferrari have tried, and failed, to tempt Newey from Red Bull before. The ongoing drama at Red Bull means they could make a new approach, Corriere report. The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was named “the beginning of the hunt for Adrian Newey” by the Italian newspaper. Newey’s future is “not tied” to Max Verstappen’s, it is reported.

‘Ferrari “contact” three crucial Red Bull engineers’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1045511/1/ferrari-contact-three-crucial-red-bull-engineers-who-know-secrets-rb20


Leclerc says ‘it’s a matter of time’ before Bearman joins F1 grid after Saudi stand-in performance
10 March 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Charles Leclerc has heaped praise on his surprise stand-in Ferrari team mate for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Ollie Bearman, remarking that the Briton’s points-scoring debut was likely just the beginning of a longer career in Formula 1. Reflecting on Bearman’s race after finishing P3 himself behind the Red Bull pairing of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, Leclerc said that the teenager’s performance had been “extremely impressive".

He continued: “I think everybody has seen that, but obviously having him in the same garage, seeing how he worked and how he approached this whole situation with so much calm was very, very impressive – obviously with so much excitement as well. But it was really impressive. I think he has shown the whole paddock what he was capable of and I think after a performance like that, it's a matter of time before we see him permanently in the Formula 1 paddock.”

‘It’s a matter of time’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.leclerc-says-its-a-matter-of-time-before-bearman-joins-f1-grid-after-saudi.2AKJR26mdQUU1HGphDOAbt.html


'I understand': Simon Lazenby shares what he heard about Carlos Sainz paddock visit at Saudi GP
Sun 10 March 2024 17:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Carlos Sainz ignored doctors’ orders in visiting the paddock for Saturday’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Sky Sports F1 presenter Simon Lazenby says. Sainz underwent surgery after he was diagnosed with appendicitis, causing him to miss the race. And Lazenby has revealed that he was advised against attending the event so soon. Simon Lazenby says Carlos Sainz ignored doctors’ orders.

Speaking on Sky Sports F1’s post-race show, Lazenby shared what he’d heard about Sainz’s unexpected arrival. The 29-year-old was apparently determined to make it even though he was instructed to continue resting after his procedure. Lazenby said: “The fact that he got up, against doctors’ orders I understand, he wanted to come here, he really did, and go into the back of the garage.”

Will Sainz return for Australian Grand Prix? Sainz will now hope to demonstrate his fitness to return to the cockpit for the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne in two weeks’ time. Precedent suggests it’s possible, with Williams driver Alex Albon making a comeback at the 2022 Singapore Grand Prix within a couple of weeks of a similar procedure. Each case is different, however, and Ferrari won’t want to take undue risks so early in a 24-round championship.

‘Sainz paddock visit at Saudi GP’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/simon-lazenby-shares-what-he-heard-about-carlos-sainz-saudi-paddock-visit/

[Fortitude]

Piastri: P4 in Saudi Arabia ‘the most we could have done’.
Oscar Piastri finished just one place off the podium in Jeddah having got past Fernando Alonso to claim P4, which he said was the maximum he could have achieved on the day.
09 Mar 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Piastri: P4 in Saudi Arabia’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.piastri-p4-in-saudi-arabia-the-most-we-could-have-done.1793077489872859950.html


Piastri voices 'frustration' over Hamilton F1 battle
Oscar Piatri claimed a strong fourth place result at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix but spent much of the race tucked in behind the rear wing of Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes.
10 March 2024, 11:30AM
Fergal Walsh & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Oscar Piastri has admitted frustration after being unable to overtake Lewis Hamilton for position at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Much of the Australian driver's race in Jeddah was spent following the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton, who opted to extend his opening stint and not pit when a Safety Car was called following a crash for Lance Stroll on lap 7.

McLaren highlighted earlier in the race weekend that it was down on straight-line performance compared to its rivals, particularly in the DRS zones. Its disadvantage was evident when Piastri was unable to overtake Hamilton despite several attempts at Turn 1. The 22-year-old was eventually released when the seven-time World Champion pitted on lap 36, setting up an unchallenged run to the finish line.

“I'm not sure fun is the word I would use [to describe the battle],” Piastri told media including RacingNews365. “Frustrating, yes. I think it kind of just showed a couple of weaknesses of ours, definitely. I was very relieved when he boxed out of the way. I just didn't quite have enough on the straights to get past.”

'Frustration';

https://racingnews365.com/piastri-voices-frustration-over-hamilton-f1-battle


Frustrated Piastri says Hamilton battle showed McLaren weaknesses
Oscar Piastri was left frustrated after finding himself stuck behind the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton for 20 laps during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
10 March 2024
by Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Though running in the wheel tracks of the Mercedes ahead, Piastri struggled to find a way through as the pair scrapped over fifth place through the middle of the 50-lap encounter on the Jeddah Corniche street circuit. While competitive through the highspeed opening sector of the lap, McLaren's top speed was a weakness, and its DRS proved less efficient than others.

It meant Piastri only enjoyed a marginal benefit when he opened the rear flap, meaning drawing alongside early enough to make a move stick into Turn 1 was difficult. That saw the 22-year-old attempt to get it done under brakes and twice skate through the run-off at Turn 1, handing the position back to Hamilton on both occasions. Even when Hamilton began to struggle with tyre wear, the McLaren didn't have enough in hand for Piastri to capitalise.

“It's very, very even ,” he reasoned. “We have different strengths and weaknesses, for sure, and I think qualifying made the difference today. Lewis showed that if we qualified behind them, there was a good chance we were going to be stuck behind them for the whole night. So I think it's very, very tight between us and we need to do some work to try and jump them and catch the two teams ahead.”

‘McLaren weaknesses’;

https://speedcafe.com/frustrated-piastri-says-hamilton-battle-showed-mclaren-weaknesses/


[B]Piastri reveals secrets behind improved McLaren qualifying
McLaren enjoyed a strong qualifying result in Saudi Arabia as Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris ended the session in fifth and sixth respectively.
9 March 2024, 2:15PM
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

After McLaren locked out the third row of the grid in Saudi Arabia, Oscar Piastri has divulged the details behind the effort. It marked an improved effort from McLaren compared to the season-opening race in Bahrain, where the duo secured starting positions on the fourth row. McLaren was adamant that its Bahrain form would not be reflective of its true pace for the season ahead as it has traditionally struggled around the configuration.

Piastri stated that the track characteristics in Jeddah played into McLaren's hands during qualifying. “The car felt pretty good, it’s probably the happiest I’ve been with the car so far,” Piastri told media including RacingNews365. “With the track surface here and the circuit layout as well, it's just a little bit more friendly to us versus Bahrain.”

‘Strong qualifying result’;

https://racingnews365.com/piastri-reveals-secrets-behind-improved-mclaren-qualifying


REVIEW: Oscar Piastri: The Rookie
Oscar Piastri is one of the brightest and best-credentialled talents to hit Formula 1 since Max Verstappen or Lewis Hamilton.
9 March 2024
by Mat Coch
Speedcafe

The Australian made his debut at the sport's pinnacle last season with McLaren, following a hugely successful junior career that netted him three titles in as many years on the ladder to F1. It is that story that Andrew van Leeuwen, Speedcafe's editorial director, has captured in his latest book, Oscar Piastri: The Rookie.

Van Leeuwen has followed Piastri's rise through karting to the sport's peak, speaking to the key players along the way. That includes insight from karting champion David Sera, who recalls his reaction to the raw talent he saw in Piastri's earliest days on track.

Sera's insight is fascinating and offers a glimpse into the ingredients that helped the young Aussie achieve so much early success. He recounts how character traits that have become a hallmark of Piastri, even a trademark, were already beginning to reveal themselves.

‘Latest book, Oscar Piastri: The Rookie’;

https://speedcafe.com/review-oscar-piastri-the-rookie/


McLaren 'in a strong position to score good points'
21:15 Fri, 08 Mar 2024.
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris were feeling upbeat after qualifying for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Friday which will see Piastri lining up in fifth place alongside Norris in P6. "I think that was probably the most we could have got out of it," Piastri said of his grid position for tomorrow's race.

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella was also in a positive frame of mind after qualifying, feeling that it had set them up nicely for a successful race. “A good result for the team today in qualifying puts us in a strong position to score good points tomorrow," Stella said.

"Lando and Oscar made constant improvements today, session-by-session, and put together competitive laps in a field that was tight all the way through qualifying. With Lando, we decided to bias the tyre strategy slightly more towards the race, so it’s good that he’s up there in qualifying," he pointed out.

‘Strong position to score good points’;

https://f1i.com/news/502129-mclaren-in-a-strong-position-to-score-good-points.html


Piastri has more to prove after Bahrain promise
Oscar Piastri has more to prove despite showing improved race and tyre management during last weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix.
7 March 2024
by Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Piastri was eighth last Saturday night, two places behind team-mate Lando Norris – a result arguably a result of a strategy error that allowed Lewis Hamilton to undercut the Australian and steal seventh. The Bahrain circuit has not typically played to McLaren's strengths and saw pre-season expectations progressively walked back. The slower speed corners, coupled with an abrasive tarmac in Bahrain highlight the weaknesses that remain in the MCL38.

Though efforts and progress have been made to improve the car, some traits of the MCL60 have carried over. As a result, there were question marks about how Piastri and Norris would fare in the season opener. Even still, the Woking squad left the weekend fourth in the constructors' championship with 12 points – it took three races (and some fortuitous circumstances) to accrue the same number in 2023.

‘More to prove’;

https://speedcafe.com/piastri-has-more-to-prove-after-bahrain-promise/

[Fortitude]

Alonso hails ‘step in the right direction’ for Aston Martin after battling with rivals en route to P5 in Jeddah.
Fernando Alonso was left satisfied with his P5 result in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, with the Spaniard suggesting that his Aston Martin team have made progress from the season-opening round in Bahrain.
10 March 2024
Formula One - Official Site

After starting from fourth place on the grid, Alonso lost a place to the McLaren of Oscar Piastri in the opening laps but continued to pressure the Australian. He then benefitted from making a pit stop under the Safety Car – which was called on Lap 7 following a crash for his team mate Lance Stroll – given that two of the cars close to him on track, Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton, opted to stay out.

From there Alonso went on to finish in fifth, three seconds behind Piastri in fourth and four seconds clear of sixth-placed George Russell. “I feel great,” Alonso commented after the race, before joking as he tried to speak over the loud post-race fireworks: “I feel a little more uncomfortable now!”

‘Step in the right direction’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.alonso-hails-step-in-the-right-direction-for-aston-martin-after-battling.5hBGQNCyjJOklMsnfFchzf.html


Alonso keeps pressure on for constant car upgrades
MARCH 11, 2024
GrandPrix.com

Let's see how Australia turns out, Alonso said. "I think we made a small step from Bahrain to Jeddah. We are fast on one lap but in the race we can't beat the McLarens and the Mercedes. We were just lucky to be in front of them. We have to find solutions for the next race.”

De la Rosa concurs that the “pending issue” the Silverstone based team must solve is excessive tyre degradation over longer runs - on top of last year's problem which was a stalled car development program. “When you want and have to improve in F1, you can only achieve it with changes or improvements”, he said. "This is no secret.”

“The team's objective is not to race with the same car for two races in a row. There is no improvement plan for Australia, but they are in the oven.” And de la Rosa said Aston Martin now needs to show that its upgrade program is up to scratch with the top teams. “You improve, but others improve”, he said. “And compared to the others, sometimes your improvements are smaller, which seems like things are getting worse.”

‘Pressure on for constant car upgrades’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/alonso-keeps-pressure-on-for-constant-car-upgrades.html


Aston Martin facing 'nice challenge' in tight midfield - Alonso
Fernando Alonso banked fifth in Saudi Arabia beating some faster cars to the flag.
10 March 2024, 6:20PM
Jake Nichol & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Fernando Alonso expects Aston Martin to face a "nice challenge" in the Formula 1 midfield after a tight Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. "I'm definitely happy with the race result, in front of both Mercedes, one McLaren and one Ferrari - it is the maximum we can wish for at the moment," Alonso told media including RacingNews365.

"We saw in the race that we are still missing two or three-tenths compared to Mercedes and McLaren, maybe a little bit more compared to Red Bull and Ferrari in qualifying, but it is pretty close. We just need to keep working on the race pace. It was better as we did introduce new parts on [Thursday] and then worked really well, and we did make a step forward in terms of performance.”

"When George [Russell] overtook Nico [Hulkenberg], they were coming so fast and I thought: 'Okay this is going to be a difficult race' but we could hold George behind us for the whole race. But we are still missing two or three-tenths and we will keep chasing that performance - it is challenging but it is a nice challenge and an interesting season ahead."

‘Happy with the race result’;

https://racingnews365.com/aston-martin-facing-nice-challenge-in-tight-midfield-alonso


‘P5 tastes really good’ says beaming Alonso after strong race in Jeddah
Fernando Alonso says Aston Martin “still need to make another step – especially on race pace”, but was nonetheless very pleased to seal fifth place in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
09 Mar 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘P5 tastes really good’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.p5-tastes-really-good-says-beaming-alonso-after-strong-race-in-jeddah.1793078490474448977.html


Aston Martin make ‘no secret’ of Fernando Alonso status with F1 future in doubt
11 Mar 2024 8:15 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

It’s “no secret” Aston Martin want to re-sign Fernando Alonso for the 2025 season, if not longer, but Mike Krack admits first the Spaniard has to decide if he wants to continue in Formula 1.

Aston Martin team boss Krack says it’s “no secret” his driver is debating his future amidst rumours he could even take Lewis Hamilton’s soon-to-be-vacant seat at Mercedes. However, Krack is determined to hold onto his star driver. “It’s no secret that he first of all wants to decide for himself what he wants to do. And I think it’s also no secret that I keep saying that we want to continue working with Fernando.”

“I have also said the most important thing is that we give him a quick car, so that he believes in this project, and that he believes in this team, and everything else we will discuss over the weeks to come. Now, it is clear a driver of his calibre is attractive for everybody, that’s clear, but we will try to keep him.”

‘No secret’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernando-alonso-2025-f1-future-aston-martin


Alonso eyeing a move? Keeps Aston on toes for upgrades
March 11, 2024
Andrew Maitland
Grandpx.news

Amid ongoing rumours regarding his future contract negotiations set for 2025, Fernando Alonso continues to exert pressure on Aston Martin for perpetual car upgrades. At 42, the Spaniard is rumoured to be considering extraordinary moves to either Mercedes or Red Bull next year, after qualifying impressively in fourth place and securing fifth in the Saudi Arabian race.

Pedro de la Rosa, a longtime friend and now an ambassador for Aston Martin, emphasized, “The computers were not saying fifth, and that is because of the human factor. And thank goodness for that,” attributing the unexpected outcome to Alonso’s skill, indicating he’s exceeding the capabilities of the 2024 Aston Martin model.

Both Alonso and de la Rosa are adamant about the team’s need for genuine and ongoing development at each race of the season, suggesting that despite the car’s current pace, there’s an essential need for improvement to stay competitive.

‘Ongoing rumours’;

https://grandpx.news/alonso-eyeing-a-move-keeps-aston-on-toes-for-upgrades/


‘He is looking elsewhere’: £270k-a-week driver now becoming more and more unhappy – journalist
Mon 11 March 2024 13:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso is becoming more and more unhappy at the team despite a positive result in Saudi Arabia on Saturday. When Lance Stroll put his car in the wall in Jeddah, Mike Krack’s team were relying on the experienced Spaniard to deliver points. He put in another fantastic display but speaking on The Race Podcast, Samarth Kanal believes he’s now seeing if he can move on ahead of the 2025 season.

Speaking about the 42-year-old, Kanal said: “I think his unhappiness is growing bit by bit. He’s let out little hints that he is looking elsewhere now and especially Hamilton’s move to Ferrari next year might have opened up a bit door for Alonso to explore there.”

“Now, I can’t say for sure if he’ll move to Mercedes but what I can say is that he is looking elsewhere and with races where the Aston Martin isn’t quite keeping up to the pace with other teams, Alonso does seem to imply afterwards that it has had an effect on his mindset when it comes to contract discussions.”

‘He is looking elsewhere’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/270k-a-week-formula-1-driver-now-becoming-more-and-more-unhappy-at-current-team/

[Fortitude]

Russell sums up his ‘frustrating’ day spent behind Alonso in Saudi Arabia.
George Russell finished the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in P6 having spent some 40 laps right behind Fernando Alonso, but unable to pass the Spaniard.
09 Mar 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Frustrating day’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.russell-sums-up-his-frustrating-day-spent-behind-alonso-in-saudi-arabia.1793079685611911709.html


George Russell’s alarming “getting slower” admission about Mercedes
George Russell makes alarming Mercedes admission after finishing sixth in Saudi Arabia.
10 Mar 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

George Russell says Mercedes are “getting slower” as F1 weekends develop following another disappointing performance at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. After a similar showing in the opening two rounds, Russell believes Mercedes are “getting slower” across the sessions, rather than rival teams improving.

“We're still really trying to understand this car because we have shown true performance at points over the last two weekends,” Russell said. “FP1, straight out of the box, we were top of the timesheets and always in the top three. FP2, P2. Then, both weekends, the pace just falling away from us.”

“That hasn't been our competitors getting faster; that's been us getting slower. So, we need to understand why that is. But it's fine margins now. It’s so close with ourselves, McLaren, Aston. Charles [Leclerc, Ferrari] is just a smidge ahead. We just need to tap into it a bit more.”

“Getting slower”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1045503/1/george-russells-alarming-getting-slower-admission-about-mercedes


George Russell highlights concerning Mercedes W15 trend after Saudi Arabian GP
10 Mar 2024 6:30 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

George Russell says Mercedes must work to understand why the W15 is getting slower, not faster as a race weekend progresses.

Mercedes went into the F1 2024 campaign hopeful of a stronger season after going back to the drawing board for their W15, putting a challenger on the track that is more conventional appearance wise versus the Red Bull RB18/RB19 concept which dominated the first two seasons of Formula 1’s ground effect era.

But the opening rounds of the season in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia showed that Mercedes still has a lot of work ahead if they are to take the fight to Red Bull, who have started out with a pair of one-two finishes.

‘Concerning Mercedes W15 trend’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/george-russell-mercedes-w15-trend-lose-pace-over-race-weekend


Data shows only Haas were slower than Mercedes in one key area during Saudi Arabia Grand Prix
Mercedes were slower than Alpine and Williams in one area during Saudi Arabia GP
Mon 11 March 2024 12:30
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Mercedes lost out to two of the slowest cars on the Formula 1 grid in one area at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Alpine beat Mercedes in high-speed corners. Formu1a.uno journalist Piergiuseppe Donadoni has now shared the data from the event, and it paints a bleak picture for Mercedes.

In the ‘fast’ sections of the track, the W15 was a full 12 km/h slower than Red Bull’s RB20 on average. Worse still, bottom-of-the-table Alpine were ‘slightly’ quicker in those areas, as were Williams. Mercedes, who could only outpace Haas from turns four to 10, haemorrhaged time relative to Norris.

‘Mercedes, who could only outpace Haas…’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/mercedes-were-slower-than-alpine-and-williams-in-one-area-during-saudi-arabia-gp/


Mercedes’ Struggles Have Continued Into 2024
March 11, 2024
Nicole Powell
LastWordOnSports

Mercedes have been making headlines for all the wrong reasons since the introduction of the new regulations in the 2022 season. The W13 and W14 were disappointing cars, to say the least. Especially as per the usual standards that Mercedes had set in the recent past. This season, the W15 hasn’t proved to be much of an improvement as of yet.

No impressions in qualifying: Mercedes have rarely been a threat in qualifying since 2022. Just like in the previous two seasons, one-lap speed is not Mercedes’ greatest strength, or near it.

Watching Mercedes in Q2 is like being jump-scared, as they often look like they could not make it through to Q3. Mercedes are often seen around the danger zones in qualifying, and rarely ever challenge for a front-row start.

‘Struggles Have Continued’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/03/11/mercedes-struggles-have-continued-into-2024/

[Fortitude]

Bearman proved he’s ready for full-time seat says Ferrari Driver Academy head.
Oliver Bearman’s “intelligent” drive to seventh place on his debut proved he’s ready for a full-time Formula 1 seat, says the head of Ferrari’s young driver programme.
12th March 2024, 7:15
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Ferrari Driver Academy head Jock Clear said team principal Frederic Vasseur’s decision to put the 18-year-old in one of their cars last weekend showed the team had high expectations of him. “I was convinced before that and I think the fact that Fred was brave enough to put him in this car this weekend, under the circumstances, speaks volumes for what we’ve seen of him already,” Clear told the official F1 channel.

Bearman’s debut in place of the unwell Carlos Sainz Jnr went “better than we could have expected” said Clear, “but when the decision was made, I suppose this is what we expected. I don’t want to belittle or diminish the achievement, we really, really are over the moon with everything, but we sort of put him there thinking, ‘I think he can do this’. And he’s absolutely vindicated that choice.”

‘Ready for full-time seat’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/03/12/bearman-proved-hes-ready-for-full-time-seat-says-ferrari-driver-academy-head/


'That's when it shows': Jock Clear names one area where Oliver Bearman’s F1 debut ‘got a bit messy’
Tue 12 March 2024 19:30
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

It wasn’t entirely smooth sailing for Ferrari debutant Oliver Bearman at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Jock Clear says. Ferrari called up Formula 2 driver Bearman before final practice on Friday morning when Carlos Sainz had to go to hospital with appendicitis.

Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, Clear admits things got a ‘bit messy’ for Bearman in qualifying. He made a mistake on his first run in Q2 and then missed out on a spot in the top 10 shoot-out as he set the 11th fastest time. He was only a few hundredths of a second behind seven-time world champion Hamilton.

While he surpassed the team’s expectations with his performance, he did have to adapt to a ‘different level’. “The pressure on him in Q2 – you’ve locked up on your first set, you’ve now got a second set to try and get through to Q3, that’s when it shows that this is a different level. That was the point where it got a bit messy. He did a great job to put it P11 anyway, that was beyond our expectations.”

‘Mistake on his first run in Q2’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/jock-clear-names-one-area-where-oliver-bearmans-f1-debut-got-a-bit-messy/


Marko tells Ferrari to put Bearman at Haas in 2025
MARCH 12, 2024
GrandPrix.com

Dr Helmut Marko has urged Ferrari to place impressive rookie Oliver Bearman with the affiliated Haas team for 2025.

Marko, Red Bull's notorious F1 consultant, called Bearman's performance last weekend “sensational”. “To be on a track like Jeddah like that without much practice was really powerful”, the 80-year-old told Speed Week. "At times he drove almost at the same level as Charles Leclerc.”

"But what is Ferrari doing? They are buying the expensive (Lewis) Hamilton, Leclerc has a long-term contract, and now Bearman is showing off a super talent. If I were Fred Vasseur, I would immediately find Bearman a cockpit in another team - I don't know, at Haas for example”, Marko said.

‘Put Bearman at Haas in 2025’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/marko-tells-ferrari-to-put-bearman-at-haas-in-2025.html


‘Well done’: Haas send message to Oliver Bearman after making Saudi Arabia Grand Prix debut
Mon 11 March 2024 18:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Haas have now sent a message to Ferrari driver Oliver Bearman after he made his Formula 1 debut during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Posting on Instagram after the race, Haas said: “That was a fun battle between Nico and Ollie yesterday. Well done on an impressive points-scoring debut in F1 @olliebearman.”

While Bearman wasn’t too happy with Hulkenberg during the race, he did praise his use of his battery power once the Grand Prix had ended. Bearman is set to drive for Haas in free practice this season and the message they sent him after the race in Saudi Arabia highlights how keen they are to strengthen that relationship.

The 18-year-old has worked closely with Kevin Magnussen and the Dane might now be worried he could end up being his replacement. He’s also been working in the team’s simulator and that partnership might end up earning him a permanent spot on the grid.

‘Well done’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/haas-send-message-to-oliver-bearman-after-making-saudi-arabia-grand-prix-debut/


‘If I was Fred Vasseur’ – Helmut Marko’s bold plan for Oliver Bearman after incredible Saudi debut
12 Mar 2024 6:30 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Bearman’s calm and measured debut, qualifying 11th before racing to seventh and not collapsing under pressure as Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton hunted him towards the end of the race, gained Marko’s notoriously hard-to-earn praise.

“I thought Ollie Bearman’s debut in the Ferrari was sensational,” Marko wrote in his column for Speedweek after the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. “To be on the road like that on a track like Jeddah without much training was very strong. At times he was almost on a par with Charles Leclerc.”

But while he may not be able to help Bearman out, Marko has outlined what he’d be doing with the British driver if he was in a position to be able to make a call over where to put Bearman and get him on the F1 grid.

‘If I was Fred Vasseur’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/helmut-marko-outlines-plan-for-oliver-bearman-fred-vasseur

[Fortitude]

F1 pundits baffled by stewards ‘sympathy’ over clear Lando Norris jump start.
Such was his notable movement, Mercedes’ George Russell flagged it over the radio. “Jump start Norris!” he told Mercedes.
12 Mar 2024 1:15 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Cleared of a jump start by the Saudi Arabian GP stewards, Anthony Davidson was baffled by the decision as footage showed the McLaren driver “clearly” moved before the lights went out.

The stewards, though, ruled that he had done nothing wrong as the transponder on his MCL38 “did not indicate” that there’d been movement. “The stewards reviewed positioning/marshalling system data, video and determined that the video appeared to show that Car 4 moved before the start signal was given,” their report began.

“However, the FIA-approved and supplied transponder fitted on the car did not indicate a jump start. Article 48.1 a) of the Formula One Sporting Regulations states clearly that the judgment of whether or not there was a jump start is to be made in accordance with the transponder, which did not show a jump start. In the circumstances, we took no further action.”

“Jump start Norris!”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lando-norris-jump-start-f1-pundit-reaction


‘Computer said no’ - Why wasn’t Lando Norris penalised for jump start at F1 Saudi Arabian GP?
10:23 Sun, 10 Mar 2024.
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix F1 stewards have explained why Lando Norris escaped punishment for jumping the start. "The stewards reviewed positioning/marshalling system data, video and determined that the video appeared to show that car 4 moved before the start signal was given," the stewards said.

Norris admitted he “didn’t know what happened” because it “happened so quickly. I just went a little bit and then tried stopping again, and then went again. But overall, I lost. I didn't gain anything from it,” he told Sky.

“Didn’t know what happened”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1045501/1/why-wasnt-lando-norris-penalised-jump-start-f1-saudi-arabian-gp


'When this happens next time...' - F1 stewards questioned after Lando Norris 'jump start'
Two Sky Sports F1 pundits were surprised the stewards didn't punish Lando Norris at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
11 Mar 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Sky Sports F1 pundit Naomi Schiff was perplexed by the stewards’ decision not to penalise Lando Norris at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. While the transponder didn’t notify the stewards of a jump start, Schiff felt from the onboard video evidence, it was clear cut. “Honestly, I don’t understand. He has clearly moved before the lines have gone out,” he said.

“He has not only clearly moved before the lines have gone out, but he’s positioned outside of the box! Now, there’s already two out of three options for how you can do a false start. I don’t know. Apparently they taken sympathy? I don’t know how I feel about that! Clearly nobody else felt strongly enough about it to push it.”

“For us, or anyone else judging the sport, when this happens next time will they have sympathy? Or how do we judge it? That’s my question.” Ex-F1 driver Karun Chandhok added: “It looked to me, before the replay, like he had gone over the line. Because he got clear, I thought it was within tolerance. The slo-mo shows otherwise.”

'When this happens next time...'

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1045579/1/when-happens-next-time-f1-stewards-questioned-after-lando-norris-jump-start


Saudi Arabia Grand Prix: Points finish for Lando Norris at Jeddah
14:01 Mon, 11 Mar 2024.
Tom Leaman
Somerset County Gazette

LANDO Norris secured his second points finish of the Formula 1 season after a “reasonable” race in Saudi Arabia on Saturday (March 9). The Glastonbury racer started in sixth but briefly led the Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit after Lance Stroll put his Aston Martin in the barrier on lap seven. All of the frontrunners came in for fresh tyres under the safety car – except Norris and Lewis Hamilton.

Norris led for three laps before championship leader Max Verstappen swooped past. When Norris and Hamilton did pit, both out of strategy sync, they came out behind Ferrari's 18-year-old debutant Ollie Bearman, who stepped in for Carlos Sainz on Friday after the Spaniard was ruled out of the race because of surgery to remove his appendix.

When Norris pitted on lap 37 out of 50, Bearman was 6.1 seconds up the road and had Hamilton behind him.

‘Points finish for Lando Norris’;

https://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/sport/24175836.saudi-arabia-grand-prix-points-finish-lando-norris-jeddah/


Lando Norris reveals why Max Verstappen’s winning margin is actually ‘not concerning at all’
08 Mar 2024 10:00 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

22 seconds up the road from his nearest rival in Bahrain, Lando Norris says Max Verstappen’s winning margin is not “concerning at all” given the head start Red Bull had with their 2024 car. That head start paid off in Bahrain as the reigning World Champion stormed to the victory, 22s ahead of Sergio Perez, and a further three in front of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz.

“I don’t think it was concerning at all, honestly,” Norris told the media in Saudi Arabia of Verstappen’s dominance in Bahrain. “Considering that they spent a lot of time developing and making a new car for this year. I’m pretty happy with how close we were to Red Bull. Even in qualifying, it wasn’t like Max had an easy one and it was that convincing.”

‘22 seconds up the road: Not concerning at all’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lando-norris-max-verstappen-winning-margin-not-concerning


Norris demands changes to F1 cars
Amid question marks over the impact the current Formula 1 cars are having on drivers' health, Lando Norris has called on changes to be implemented going forward.
12 March 1:00PM
Fergal Walsh & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Lando Norris has called on improvements to be made to the current generation of Formula 1 cars over the “toll” they are having on drivers' bodies. The new technical regulations implemented in 2022 saw the return of ground effect, with an unintended consequence of severe bouncing along the straights impacting a number of teams.

Although the issue, caused by mechanical bouncing and aerodynamic porpoising, has largely been eradicated, the cars are still set up with stiff suspension settings as they run as close to the ground as possible in order to generate peak downforce.

Speaking to media including RacingNews365, Norris was hesitant to make such an assumption: “I have no idea. I don't know how you would correlate it. I don't know what the average [number] per person who has had it. Is it one in five? Is it one in 10? I have no idea. I'm not a doctor. could it be better and was it better a few years ago with the old cars? 100 per cent.”

‘Norris demands changes to F1 cars’;

https://racingnews365.com/norris-makes-demand-to-improve-f1-cars


[B]“He’s so fast”: How Hamilton saw his fruitless pursuit of Norris
13th March 2024, 12:2513th March 2024, 12:25
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Lewis Hamilton’s attempt to catch Lando Norris in the final laps of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix as the McLaren proved too quick for the Mercedes. The huge superiority of the MCL38 in the high-speed corners at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit proved too much for the Mercedes.

The team originally planned to switch Hamilton to the hard tyre compound, but he went far enough into the race on his medium rubber than they decided a switch to softs was possible. When he emerged from the pits he was concerned Bearman was too far ahead to catch. But when Norris lost time during his pit stop Mercedes spied an opportunity to attack.

While Hamilton enjoyed the quickest complete pit stop of the race, Norris lost over two seconds compared to him, and rejoined the track closer to Hamilton than McLaren intended. However through the first sector of the lap, which includes several high-speed corners, Hamilton was dismayed by how quickly the McLaren pulled away.

“He’s so fast;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/03/13/hes-so-fast-how-hamilton-saw-his-fruitless-pursuit-of-norris/

[Fortitude]

Lewis Hamilton calls for 'big changes' as F1 icon fears Mercedes are 'miles off'.
Lewis Hamilton has sent a message to Toto Wolff, his team boss at Mercedes, after finishing in ninth place at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. He said that 'big changes' are needed from the team.
21:40 Sat, 09 Mar 2024.
BY GRAEME YOUNG
DEPUTY LIVE SPORTS EDITOR HARRY SMITH
Daily Record

Hamilton had hoped for a better result in Jeddah after a disappointing start to the season in Bahrain. However, an early strategy decision left him struggling. When Lance Stroll crashed early in the race and the safety car was brought out, Mercedes chose not to pit Hamilton.

This left him in third place, behind Lando Norris and Max Verstappen. Unfortunately, no more safety cars were brought out, leaving Norris and Hamilton to run for a long time in an attempt to create a larger tyre offset during the final stages of the race.

This strategy didn't work, and Hamilton finished in ninth place. Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Hamilton said: "I mean the car is good, or relatively good in the low-speed [corners] and not so bad in the medium [speed corners], but in the high speed we are miles off.", reports the Express.

'Miles off';

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/lewis-hamilton-calls-big-changes-32315353


Frustrated Hamilton felt “like I was in a different category” in fast corners
9th March 2024, 20:59
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Mercedes went into the new season hoping to rebound from two disappointing years using an extensively revised car. But Hamilton said some of the problems he is experiencing feel familiar and he isn’t convinced the team has gone far enough with its latest design.

“It’s frustrating, for sure, to be three years in a row in almost the same position. It’s definitely tough. I know we’ll get our heads down and we’ll keep working away. I know everyone back at the factory is pushing as hard as they can. But we’ve definitely got to make some big changes.”

“We haven’t made big enough changes, perhaps. You look at the three teams ahead of us, they still have different concepts to where we are in some areas. So we’ve got some performance to add, that’s for sure.”

“Like I was in a different category”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/03/09/frustrated-hamilton-felt-like-i-was-in-a-different-category-in-fast-corners/


'I'm told': David Croft says ‘vulnerable’ driver wasn’t ‘happy’ with team at Saudi GP
Sun 10 March 2024 09:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Lewis Hamilton was annoyed with one decision by his Mercedes team during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft says. And Croft learned that he wasn’t pleased with a Silver Arrows strategy call during the race.

David Croft says Mercedes move left Lewis Hamilton vulnerable. Speaking on lap nine after the initial pit stops had shaken out, Croft said that Hamilton had expressed frustration. He apparently felt that he’d been left at the mercy of the cars around him on his older rubber.

Croft said: “I’m told Lewis Hamilton not overly happy with staying out there and not being called in. And you can understand that, because he’ll be feeling vulnerable, as I’m sure Lando Norris is, with where they’re sat currently.” A lap later, co-commentator Karun Chandhok added: “I can see why Hamilton’s annoyed by this, because he’s got the downside of the dirty air from the cars in front.”

‘Annoyed with one decision’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/david-croft-says-vulnerable-driver-wasnt-happy-with-team-at-saudi-gp/


Lewis Hamilton “knew” Mercedes were set for “tough year” before Ferrari decision
Did Lewis Hamilton foresee Mercedes' struggles before deciding to join Ferrari for 2025?
11 Mar 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Sky Sports F1 pundit Karun Chandhok is convinced Lewis Hamilton “knew” Mercedes were set for a “tough year” in 2024 before deciding to join Ferrari. During Sky Sports’ F1 coverage over the weekend, Chandhok and Naomi Schiff were asked if they thought if Hamilton’s decision to join Ferrari stemmed from murmurings that Mercedes would struggle.

Schiff said: “I don’t actually think so. It seems they came into the season with really high hopes.” Chandhok was more cynical: “I am going to disagree. I think he did know. What they put out there - the messages of positivity - are one thing. But I think he knew that it’s going to be a tough year.”

Hamilton’s complaints of an unstable rear-end was a recurring theme throughout the Saudi Arabia weekend. Former Aston Martin strategist Bernie Collins feels that’s one of the reasons he’s also decided to join Ferrari. “He was saying that for all of last year, as well,” she explained. “Possibly, that’s one of the reasons why he’s moving teams.”

“I think he knew that it’s going to be a tough year”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1045571/1/lewis-hamilton-knew-mercedes-were-set-tough-year-ferrari-decision


Lewis Hamilton proven right in joining Ferrari – dreadful Mercedes are even worse in 2024
Lewis Hamilton finished seventh and ninth at 2024 Bahrain and Saudi Arabian GP
March 12, 2024 - 08:05
By Joe Krishnan
Total Motorsport

Lewis Hamilton came away from the Formula 1 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix with a sinking feeling that Mercedes are not in a better position than they were last year after all. In fact, they might be worse.

No one could deny that Hamilton gave it everything to finish as high as possible after qualifying eighth. He held off Oscar Piastri on an old set of medium tyres in the first stint and, after pitting for a pair of softs, was all over the back of Lando Norris’ rear wing right up to the checkered flag.

Mercedes have no excuse for their poor form since the new regulations were brought in back in 2022. They had time to prepare and design the car like everyone else, but chose the wrong concept and have been playing catch-up ever since. Now into the third season, Toto Wolff is still speaking about fixing the car. From the perspective of a team that has won the constructors’ championship eight times, it is almost embarrassing to be in this position.

‘In fact, they might be worse’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-lewis-hamilton-right-joining-ferrari-mercedes-worse/


Mercedes urged to snub Lewis Hamilton after Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton is enjoying his final year as a Mercedes driver ahead of a fairytale switch to Ferrari in 2025.
10:00, Mon, Mar 11, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Mercedes should shift their focus away from Lewis Hamilton and towards George Russell during the 2024 season, according to Express Sport readers. The seven-time world champion is joining Ferrari at the end of the year but still has 22 Grands Prix remaining with the Silver Arrows.

This was something that Max Verstappen explained last month. He told media, including Express Sport: “I mean for sure he has a great relationship with everyone and especially also with Toto [Wolff]. “But he also knows at one point, and Toto for sure will tell him ‘I’m really sorry, we’ve had all this success, but you can’t be a part of certain meetings any more.’ And it’s normal in F1 and it’s probably a bit weird, but you’re professional enough to deal with that.”

Following a survey of 7,057 Express Sport readers, 64 per cent believed that the right move would be to prioritise Russell for the remainder of the 2024 campaign with only 36 per cent suggesting that Toto Wolff should give his long-serving star driver equal treatment or better during his final year with the Brackley-based team.

‘Prioritise Russell for the remainder of the 2024 campaign’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1874870/Lewis-Hamilton-Mercedes-Saudi-Arabian-GP


Lewis Hamilton "not having fun" as Mercedes handed "frustrating" F1 reality check
Lewis Hamilton finished the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix down in ninth place as Mercedes struggled against their main rivals on the fast, flowing Jeddah Corniche Circuit
11:56 Tue, 12 Mar 2024.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Lewis Hamilton said he was "not having fun" as he struggled and finished only ninth at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Though the seven-time world champion has praised his new W15 car, he struggled for pace in the fast corners of the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. That, plus a Mercedes strategy gamble which didn't pay off, meant he finished 47 seconds down the road from winner Max Verstappen.

As a result, Hamilton was left feeling like he was behind the wheel of a car from a "different category". Team principal Toto Wolff said there was a "fundamental" problem with the W15 which means that it is far too slow in those quicker turns.

And Hamilton is bracing for his tough start to the new season to continue with the issue likely to take some time to resolve. He said: "I think all the high-speed circuits we are going to be at a disadvantage with the package we currently have.”

"Not having fun";

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/hamilton-mercedes-2024-car-wolff-32333813

[Fortitude]

Hulkenberg: Points ‘quite tough’ for Haas without a top car Dnf.
Nico Hulkenberg delivered a championship point to Haas in Saudi Arabia last weekend, but the German driver admits that the US outfit's top-ten finish was only made possible by a DNF from one of F1’s top teams.
16:00 Wed, 13 Mar 2024.
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

In Jeddah, Hulkenberg's result was greatly facilitated by the handy and opportunistic team-work executed by Kevin Magnussen.

Ayao Komatsu was ecstatic over the outcome and his team’s valuable point. “It's incredibly important, it's like a gold dust," commented the Japanese engineer.

"We've got the top five teams and then we are effectively competing for P10, one point, with so many other people, so everything has to be perfect. I'm so happy for the team, everyone's done their bit," Komatsu added. "Operationally, as a race team it was close to perfection."

‘Points ‘quite tough’ for Haas’;

https://f1i.com/news/502609-hulkenberg-points-quite-tough-for-haas-without-a-top-car-dnf.html


Nico Hulkenberg: “Refreshing” Komatsu approach is working
March 7, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Haas benefiting from a new approach. During the Saudi Arabia GP Drivers’ Press Conference, Hulkenberg commented on Komatsu’s leadership:

“Yeah, obviously he didn’t have to settle or get to know the team. But I think he settled in well into his new position. He got thrown in the cold water, definitely. Obviously, a lot of new responsibilities and things he has to do are new to him.”

“But so far, I think he’s doing a very good job taking it all in, looking for the fastest way to performance. Also for the medium and long term. He’s got a lot of interesting and good ideas. So, yeah, it’s quite refreshing and feels positive so far.”

“Refreshing”;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/03/07/nico-hulkenberg-refreshing-komatsu-approach-is-working/


THE STRATEGIST: How Haas cleverly used Magnussen to allow Hulkenberg to snatch the final point in Jeddah
12 March 2024
Bernie Collins
Former Aston Martin Head of Race Strategy
Formula One - Official Site

So far in the 2024 season the top five teams (Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren and Aston Martin) have a relatively comfortable pace advantage over the bottom five. Therefore in a race without incident or retirement there are no points on the table for the lower teams (Kick Sauber, RB, Haas, Williams and Alpine).

But on Saturday night in Jeddah, the retirement of Lance Stroll on Lap 6 not only triggered a Safety Car but also left a valuable point-scoring position up for grabs. Former Aston Martin strategist Bernie Collins explains how Haas worked together as a team – and switched their plan mid-race – to ensure this single precious point would be theirs…

The Jeddah result for Haas was described by some as being like a win for the team – and with a single point enough to promote them to P6 in the constructors’ standings, in a season when points for the second half of the field are likely to be rare, it's easy to see why.

‘THE STRATEGIST’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.the-strategist-how-haas-cleverly-used-magnussen-to-allow-hulkenberg-to.4A8HbuZfOV4hWb5FRE2bXJ.html


Saudi Arabian Grand Prix: Race Recap
March 9, 2024
Haas F1 Team - Official Site

Nico Hulkenberg: “One point is worth a lot these days. It felt like a very clean race, and a really good race by the team strategy-wise. We split the cars during the Safety Car which was discussed before the race and that worked out well.”

Kevin Magnussen: “I showed good pace but unfortunately I got two penalties, so that’s not a great day for me of course, but I think I made up for it with the effort in keeping everyone behind to create a gap for Nico to pit. He scored a point so that’s super important…”

Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal: “Today was an amazing team effort and I’m so happy that it was from the great teamwork. We were fighting for P10 – one point – but against eight other drivers, so everything had to be perfect to take the opportunity.”

‘Race Recap’;

https://www.haasf1team.com/news/saudi-arabian-grand-prix-race-recap-2


Hulkenberg praises Magnussen for ‘playing the team game’ to help Haas get off the mark in Saudi Arabia
13 March 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Formula 1 is the pinnacle of motorsport, cars hurtling at breath-taking speeds with fearless drivers pushing the limit lap after lap. But not for Haas in Saudi Arabia, who managed to score what could be an incredibly crucial World Championship point thanks to a strategy that involved Kevin Magnussen driving as slowly as possible.

That doesn’t tell the full story of course. The team had opted to split their strategies when the very early Safety car came out, with Magnussen pitting and Nico Hulkenberg staying out. That jumped the German up the order, but he knew he’d pay for it later on when he did pit.

But then came Magnussen’s two separate 10-second time penalties, one earned for pushing Alex Albon’s Williams into the wall when they were fighting for position, the next for running off track when battling Yuki Tsunoda and gaining a lasting advantage. With his race ruined, the team quickly saw their opportunity.

‘Playing the team game’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.hulkenberg-praises-magnussen-for-playing-the-team-game-to-help-haas-get-off.6wbRDA7rcYWRhJOO80jAtn.html

[Fortitude]

Ricciardo: RB car not ‘functioning at 100%’ as team discovers ‘ a few flaws’ with design.
RB have had a difficult start to the season. The team enter the third round of the season, still pointless and suffering from 'efficiency' issues.
March 14, 2024
Caitlyn Gordon
FormulaNerds

It was announced that AlphaTauri would be having a complete makeover in 2024. The team would be receiving a new team name, pivotal personnel joining and a closer bond with Red Bull. The new car would have access to components from its sister team in Milton Keynes, including the RB19 front suspension. This suggested that 2024 could see the team step up slightly and fight more closely with the midfield.

However, two races into the season, this hasn’t quite been the case. The team so far have been unsuccessful in the pursuit of points, Saudi Arabia was a particularly tough weekend for the team. Ricciardo qualified in 14th with Tsunoda up the ladder and starting in ninth. But, when the race went green it all went downhill. Ricciardo was hindered significantly when he pitted during a safety car on Lap 7.

Issues started to arise when fitting his rear tyres, causing the Australian to sit in the pit for 41 seconds. This ultimately cost him the race as the driver struggled to climb up the pecking order and finished the race in 16th. Tsunoda wasn’t having a good race either. The driver was issued with a five second penalty because of an unsafe release which saw him dropped him down to 15th.

‘A few flaws’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/ricciardo-rb-car-not-functioning-at-100-as-team-discovers-a-few-flaws-with-design/


Daniel Ricciardo’s classic response to embarrassing mistake at Saudi Arabian GP
14 Mar 2024 2:30 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

After RB’s 40s pit stop, Daniel Ricciardo has joked his late-race spin in Saudi Arabia was because he “didn’t want the team to feel left out”. Qualifying 14th for round two of the championship where he was half a second down on his team-mate, Ricciardo’s chances of working his way into the points were undone by a 40-second pit stop that RB put down to a “problem with the tyres”.

He joked he spun to make the team feel better about their earlier mistake. “I didn’t want the team to feel left out,” he said with a smile. Asked if it was a case of losing concentration, he replied: “The spin? Yeah, maybe. I stayed… I don’t know. I did just take a bit too much kerb, which caused the spin. I’m not intending on taking that much kerb.”

“You could say just probably a little bit of frustration, maybe on my part. But of course, I’m not trying to spin. So yeah, I don’t know. No excuses. But doing some work. I’ll use that as an excuse.” But calling his Jeddah weekend a “painful three days”, Ricciardo revealed RB had found some limitations with their new RB01 over the course of the weekend.

‘ “I didn’t want the team to feel left out,” he said with a smile!’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/daniel-ricciardo-joke-embarrassing-saudi-arabian-gp


Podcast: Ricciardo's slow start and F1's driver logjam
Mar 14, 2024
The Race

Daniel Ricciardo's performances for RB are discussed on the latest episode of The Race F1 Podcast after he was given the hurry-up by Red Bull's Helmut Marko.

With Ricciardo so far outperformed by team-mate Yuki Tsunoda, we ask whether his bid to earn a Red Bull Racing seat is losing momentum, and even whether he might be at risk of being replaced mid-season given the company's history.

‘Ricciardo's slow start’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/the-race-f1-podcast-ricciardo-rb-young-drivers/


‘Question marks are there’ - Daniel Ricciardo issued another warning over F1 future
One legendary F1 team boss isn't convinced by Daniel Ricciardo since his final year with McLaren.
14 Mar 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Legendary F1 team boss Eddie Jordan isn’t convinced Daniel Ricciardo has recovered from his gruelling spell at McLaren following a difficult start to the 2024 season. Speaking on the latest episode of the Formula for Success podcast, Jordan questioned whether he’d want to sign Ricciardo if he was a current team owner.

“I don’t think there’s a more loved personality in F1,” Jordan said. “Certainly got the best smile I have ever seen in F1. He’s a magic guy to have in a team. But that doesn’t give you the right to be the driver in the team and I am just worried that the end of the McLaren era was really something that stood out and I couldn’t see where he’d lost it.”

“There’s been nothing since then that convinces me that I would want to invest my hard earned sponsorship cash to keep Daniel.” Jordan suggested that with talents like Oliver Bearman waiting in the wings, Ricciardo needs to up his game to avoid being replaced. “He needs a result more than anyone perhaps,” he added. “He needs to get it together because otherwise he’s going to be replaced. He can understand why he would be replaced because the performances are not just there.”

‘Question marks are there’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1045648/1/question-marks-are-there-daniel-ricciardo-issued-another-warning-over-f1-future


Formula 1 star Daniel Ricciardo takes advice from UFC legend Alex Volkanovski on how to tackle Australian Grand Prix
Published: 13:29, 14 Mar 2024
Updated: 13:29, 14 Mar 2024
Jake Lambourne
talkSPORT

Daniel Ricciardo will have Alex Volkanovski to thank should he win his first Australian Grand Prix later this month. The Formula 1 star is yet to even get on the podium in his home GP, but following some tips from the UFC legend, that could soon change. Taking to Instagram, the former featherweight champion spoke to a cardboard cutout of his Aussie compatriot.

Volkanovski offered some words of advice to the Visa Cash App RB driver, who has struggled in his opening two races of the 2024 season having finished 13th and 16th, respectively. The 35-year-old said: "So what you do is, when you’re coming around the corner, you want to brake as late as you can. Not too late, where you’re gonna slide out as you're turning, but just before.”

"You want to slow down as late as you can get to get them extra seconds. "And then you're going to curl around and get some speed, you’ll make some time on that. There’s a couple of tips from The Volk.”

‘Volkanovski offered some words of advice to a cardboard cutout of his Aussie compatriot, Daniel Ricciardo’;

https://talksport.com/sport/1788927/formula-1-daniel-ricciardo-alex-volkanovski-australian-gp/


Helmut Marko issues “has to come up with something soon” warning for Daniel Ricciardo
Daniel Ricciardo "has to come up with something soon", Red Bull's Helmut Marko has warned.
12 Mar 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko has ramped up the pressure on RB F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo to improve his performances. Writing in a column for Speedweek, Marko made it clear that he expects more from Ricciardo, who has started 2024 on the back foot compared to Tsunoda.

“There’s a lot at stake this season for both Yuki and Daniel,” Marko said. “Yuki’s qualifying was very good, and Ricciardo has to come up with something soon… At least Tsunoda is very good in qualifying. Then they are in the points in the first stint, only to fall further behind afterwards…”

“Whether they are putting too much strain on the tyres or there are other reasons is what you need to find out.”

“Has to come up with something soon”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1045597/1/helmut-marko-issues-has-come-something-soon-warning-daniel-ricciardo

[Fortitude]

‘That was a mistake’: Eddie Jordan says Alpine will regret how quickly they sacked ‘talented’ 59-year-old.
Laurent Rossi left his post as Alpine CEO last summer, and then the team sacked team principal Otmar Szafnauer and sporting director Alan Permane ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix.
Thu 14 March 2024 20:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Alpine made a mistake by sacking a ‘talented’ member of their hierarchy, former F1 team boss Eddie Jordan says. There has been a huge turnover in personnel behind-the-scenes at Alpine since last summer. But speaking on the Formula For Success podcast, Jordan pinpointed one departure that has been particularly impactful.

Chief technical officer Pat Fry then jumped ship to Williams, and there were further changes before the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix last week. Technical director Matt Harman and head of aerodynamics Dirk de Beer became the latest to bid farewell.

Alpine, who scored 120 points to finish sixth in last year’s championship, are rooted to the bottom of the current constructors’ standings. They are one of four teams yet to score, but the others have all posted better results.

‘Alpine will regret how quickly they sacked…’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/eddie-jordan-says-alpine-will-regret-how-quickly-they-sacked-talented-59-year-old/


Alpine alarm bells as Esteban Ocon reveals true moment of the troubles ahead
14 Mar 2024 4:00 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Esteban Ocon has revealed Alpine knew back in December already that there was “some issues” with the A524 that they needed to fix. Alpine’s start to 2024 has been blighted by an overweight and slow Renault-powered car with the team yet to score a single point.

In the simulator in December,” the Frenchman said as per RacingNews365. “I think that’s when we realised that there was some issues that we needed to fix. And you know, that’s probably when did realise it.” All Alpine can do now is take it step by step as they look to haul themselves off the bottom of the log.

“I think the whole year, you know, we need to improve, step by step,” Ocon added. “Obviously, it’s going to take time, it’s not going to be something overnight. There is a plan to bring updates throughout the year. So, hopefully, after every update, we’re going to make steps.”

‘Alpine alarm bells back in December’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/esteban-ocon-alpine-alarm-bells-a524-troubles


‘Internally exploding’: F1 team with two race-winning drivers is now ‘internally exploding’
Thu 14 March 2024 09:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Formula 1 expert Gary Anderson has offered a damning verdict on the current crisis at Alpine. The Enstone outfit are in a state of dysfunction on and off the race track at the moment. And Anderson, speaking on The Race F1 Tech Show, argued that the team was feeling the effects of the instability.

Gary Anderson says Alpine seem to be losing ‘everybody’: Anderson noted that many of the people who have left Alpine have come from ‘the top end of the company’. He gets the sense from the outside that they’re ‘internally exploding’ after they dropped to the back of the grid. They had finished sixth in last year’s championship with 120 points, having scored two podiums.

He said: “On the other end of the scale, you’ve got Alpine, who you could say are internally exploding. They could have shut the factory down and less people would have left than have done over the last little while! Everybody seems to be going out the door, especially at the top end of the company, all the technical people and such – one way or another, whether they’re being got rid of, or [they’ve] just walked out.”

‘Internally exploding’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/f1-team-with-two-race-winning-drivers-is-now-internally-exploding/


Alpine reveal thinking behind new three-pronged tech approach
Alpine has undergone a series of changes to its technical staff shortly after a difficult start to the current Formula 1 season.
14 March 6:30PM
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Alpine Team Principal Bruno Famin has explained why his squad has implemented a trio of technical directors shortly after the start of the 2024 Formula 1 season. RacingNews365 revealed earlier this month that Technical Director Matt Harman and Head of Aerodynamics Dirk de Beer had handed in their resignations.

Following the season-opening round in Bahrain, Alpine announced it had set up a new technical structure, with three individuals overseeing separate areas. They are Technical Director (Performance) Ciaron Pilbeam, Technical Director (Aerodynamics) David Wheater and Technical Director (Engineering) Joe Burnell. Explaining why it has opted to go down that route, Famin said: “We really want to bring to the factories what we have done on the track side by the end of the last season.”

“I mean changing the mindset, unleashing the creativity, and having three technical directors makes the organisation much more horizontal, much less vertical. More activity, more agility, and the motto is really to develop our people. We have very talented people and we want them to bring as much as they can to the project, to the team, to the company.”

‘New three-pronged tech approach’;

https://racingnews365.com/alpine-explain-technical-staff-overhaul


“Shock” of poor start to season showed need for change at Alpine – Famin
14th March 2024, 13:23
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Alpine team principal Bruno Famin says the team’s uncompetitive start to the year showed changes were needed in their technical division. “We really want to bring to the factories what we have done on the track-side by the end of the last season. I mean changing the mindset, unleashing the creativity.”

“Having three technical directors makes the organisation much more horizontal, much less vertical. More activity, more agility. The motto is really to develop our people. We have very talented people and we want them to bring as much as they can to the project, to the team, to the company.”

“Shock”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/03/14/shock-of-poor-start-to-season-showed-need-for-change-at-alpine-famin/


‘Disappointing for everyone’ – Gasly reflects on ‘very difficult time’ for Alpine after early exit in Jeddah.
Pierre Gasly was left to rue a lack of track time at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix following his retirement from the race just one lap in, with the Frenchman admitting that Alpine need to “find solutions” following a challenging start to the year.
13 March 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Pierre Gasly was left to rue a lack of track time at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix following his retirement from the race just one lap in, with the Frenchman admitting that Alpine need to “find solutions” following a challenging start to the year.

Ahead of the upcoming Australian Grand Prix – which takes place from March 22-24 – Gasly is clear on what the squad need to focus on as they await further upgrades during the season.

"We know we’ve got to find more performance, we’ve got to understand more about this new car,” he explained. “We need to find solutions, and for that we need to run and try to gather as much data as possible, so I think it’s quite clear.”

‘Disappointing for everyone’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.disappointing-for-everyone-gasly-reflects-on-very-difficult-time-for-alpine.5lQizPZpfUdXjNFYzQnFU2.html

[Fortitude]

Saudi Arabian GP: Frustrating race for Williams Racing.
In what was a frustrating race for a variety of reasons the Williams Racing Team would see Alex Albon finish in 11th and Logan Sargeant 15th.
March 10 2024
By Williams Racing
WilliamsF1 Supporters

Logan Sargeant: "It was a decent race with a good 35 laps; however, we didn’t quite have the pace needed for the last 15 laps. I was starting to explore the potential towards the end of the race, but it was a bit too late.

Alex Albon: "It’s frustrating to not be fighting for points today, finishing just outside in P11. Haas did a great job with strategy using Kevin to hold up the group, which was very smart.

Dave Robson, Head of Vehicle Performance: "Today was one those incredibly frustrating races. Alex had a superb start and was ahead of the Ferrari but got caught in traffic at T1 and, crucially, lost a place to Magnussen.

‘Frustrating race’;

https://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s107/st205706.htm


Sargeant ‘struggled to find the potential’ of his Williams in latter stages in Jeddah
09 Mar 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Logan Sargeant said he had “a good 35 laps” in Saudi Arabia, but reckoned he could have picked off a few more cars ahead if he’d had a better end to the race. The Williams driver eventually finished in P15.

‘Struggled to find the potential’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.sargeant-struggled-to-find-the-potential-of-his-williams-in-latter-stages-in-jeddah.1793075968342924091.html


Williams: Sargeant's seat not dependent on early season success
13/03/2024 at 09:53
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Williams team boss James Vowles highlighted the importance for Logan Sargeant to deliver good results this year, but the Briton denied the American is at risk of losing his seat in F1 if he fails to impress in the early part of the season.

“It's important to him to get good results,” Vowles told the media in Jeddah last weekend. “The only thing I would say is it's not the early-on bit.”

“What we have to see from him is progress as we continue on. Early on implies that there's a risk if he's not performing after three races that something will happen, and that's simply not the case.”

‘Deliver good results this year’;

https://f1i.com/news/502587-williams-sargeants-seat-not-dependent-on-early-season-success.html


‘Very, very possible’: Williams could now hand seat to F2 star who’s ‘destined to be in F1’
Thu 14 March 2024 12:30
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Williams could promote an F2 talent to an F1 seat for the 2025 season, ESPN’s Laurence Edmondson says. Alex Albon is under contract until the end of next year, but Logan Sargeant’s deal is up at the end of the current campaign.

Edmondson said: “Antonelli – there’s that Mercedes option. If not, there could be a Williams option. “Both of those are very, very possible. Antonelli hasn’t had the perfect start to F2, but we saw, even with Piastri, his first half of the year in F2, he was still finding his feet a bit, and it was the second half where he really accelerated.”

“If Antonelli can do something similar, I think he’s going to put forward a very, very strong case. He’s destined to be in F1 anyway, whether it’s a second year in F2 next year. I don’t think that’s really going to hold him back that much, he’ll still make it there eventually.”

‘Destined to be in F1’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/williams-could-now-hand-seat-to-f2-star-whos-destined-to-be-in-f1/


Single win for Williams while Red Bull rack up 114 in 20 seasons to overtake them
12th March 2024, 13:36
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Red Bull scored their 114th grand prix victory last weekend, giving them more wins than Williams. Since Red Bull entered Formula 1 20 years ago, Williams has only won a single grand prix.

Williams scored their penultimate victory in the 2004 Brazilian Grand Prix – the last race before Red Bull’s arrival at the beginning of the following year. Red Bull’s ascendancy over the following years coincided with Williams’ decline.

Sebastian Vettel gave Red Bull their first grand prix victory at Shanghai in 2009. Three years later, while the new kids on the block were piling up championship silverware, Williams took their most recent win courtesy of Pastor Maldonado at the Circuit de Catalunya.

‘Williams 114, Red Bull 115’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/03/12/single-win-for-williams-while-red-bull-rack-up-114-in-20-seasons-to-overtake-them/


Red Bull surpass Williams to become the F1 constructor with the fourth most race wins
After a record-breaking 2023 F1 season, Red Bull continue their winning streak and overtake Williams in the constructors’ all-time F1 race wins list
20:05 Mon, 11 Mar 2024
Hannah May
FormulaNerds

Following Max Verstappen’s victory at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Red Bull added a 115th win to their record, putting them ahead of Williams’ 114. Since the first Formula 1 race in 1950, there have been a total of 171 constructors who have competed. Red Bull are currently fourth in the constructors’ list of F1 grand prix winners.

‘Total wins: 5th Place, Williams’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/red-bull-surpass-williams-to-become-the-f1-constructor-with-the-fourth-most-race-wins/

[Fortitude]

Sauber to address F1 pit issues after second disastrous stop.
The Sauber Formula 1 team is working to resolve its pit stop issues after both of its drivers lost time in the first two races of the season.

16:48 Tue, 12 Mar 2024.
Adam Cooper
Oleg Karpov
Motorsport.com

Valtteri Bottas lost almost 50 seconds at his second stop in the Bahrain GP with a cross-threading issue at the front axle. In last weekend’s Saudi Arabian race Zhou Guanyu was delayed by a similar problem for around 25 seconds when he pitted.

Team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi confirmed that the team is working on addressing the problem. "First of all, for me, it's very important to say that was not the mistake of our mechanics or crew, they are doing a really good job,” the Italian told Motorsport.com.

“We know that we have a problem, we have an issue that has been the same in Bahrain on Valtteri's car, and this time on Zhou's car. So we have investigated, and we are working to fix this problem as soon as possible. And we are revising the parts in order to not have this problem again in the next races.”

‘Working to fix this problem’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/sauber-to-address-f1-pit-issues-after-second-disastrous-stop/10586729/


Bottas demands improvement after Stake F1 'wake-up call'
Zhou Guanyu experienced a similar pit-stop issue during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix that Valtteri Bottas suffered from in the Bahrain season-opener.
11 March 8:30PM
Nick Golding & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Valtteri Bottas has conceded Stake F1's disappointing race pace and pit-stop dramas are a "wake-up call".. Points-scoring opportunities will be coming at a premium this season with the F1 midfield as close as ever.

The pecking order will likely yo-yo in the same way as last year, where the in-season development race dictated the leaderboard at various stages of the campaign. "I think we've got some bits coming for Australia and at least now we have two weeks to try and solve the pitstop issue we have," explained Bottas.

"I think it was the same issue with Zhou with a cross threading, so that's something we need to fix because even if we make the car faster, if we have long pitstops, then it's not ideal."

'Wake-up call';

https://racingnews365.com/poor-race-pace-and-pit-stop-issues-a-wake-up-call-bottas


Bottas: Struggling Sauber F1 team needed Jeddah "wake-up call"
12:15 Wed, 13 Mar 2024.
Adam Cooper
Motorsport.com

The Swiss outfit has twice been hit by expensive pitstop issues, with Bottas delayed in Bahrain and his team-mate Zhou Guanyu affected in Saudi Arabia. "I think it needs to be a wake-up call,” said Bottas when asked by Motorsport.com about the team’s disappointing start to the season.

“Obviously, it's only race two out of 24 and we've got things coming in the pipeline. But we definitely need to improve, not just the pace, but also operationally, now we've had both drivers having big issue on pitstops in two races.”

“I think we've got some bits coming for Australia. Now we have two weeks to try and solve the pitstop issue. It was the same issue with Zhou with a cross threading. So that's something we need to fix, because even if we make the car faster, if we have long pitstops then it's not ideal.”

"Wake-up call";

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/bottas-struggling-sauber-f1-team-needed-jeddah-wake-up-call/10586877/


Bottas: Sauber must improve both pace and execution
13:23 Tue, 12 Mar 2024.
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Valtteri Bottas and the Sauber team are facing a harsh reality check after a disappointing start to the Swiss outfit’s 2024 F1 campaign. Shedding some light on Sauber’s troubles, Bottas revealed that the team is currently battling with severe tyre warm-up issues, which forced the Finn to make an additional pit stop compared to his rivals in last Saturday’s race.

This highlights a fundamental problem with the car's setup or design that needs urgent attention. “We thought for us going softs and hard would be the best, trying to be aggressive with the stop lap, but in the end, the issue was the hard compound,” he explained.”

“We couldn’t make it work, we couldn’t create enough temperature and it took like at least 15 laps to get some kind of temperature and by that time we’d lost too much. So, that was unexpected and, actually, that’s why I did two stops, we tried the softs at the end to see if it worked better, it did but it was too late.”

‘Currently battling with severe tyre warm-up issues’;

https://f1i.com/news/502551-bottas-sauber-must-improve-both-pace-and-execution.html


From Alfa to Audi: Sauber’s F1 transition hits the rocks
March 15, 2024
Andrew Maitland
Grandpx.news

The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix emerged as a significant alarm for the team, previously branded as Alfa Romeo, now owned by Audi, signaling urgent introspection and strategic revamps. “Sauber does not seem to be able to exploit its full potential yet,” observed Auto Motor und Sport magazine, highlighting the growing pains associated with technological shifts and strategic recalibrations.

Echoing a longstanding critique, Roger Benoit of Blick newspaper persistently underscores the necessity for foundational changes within Sauber. He provocatively queries, “What can be changed and improved as quickly as possible with a view to 2026?”

He further insists on the imperative leadership of CEO Andreas Seidl, emphasizing, “The CEO (Andreas) Seidl finally has to go to the front line and take responsibility.” Benoit’s critique doesn’t stop there, as he articulates the fans’ frustration with recurrent setbacks, concluding that the root issue lies either with the car or the drivers’ performance.

‘Hits the rocks’;

https://grandpx.news/from-alfa-to-audi-saubers-f1-transition-hits-the-rocks/


Valtteri Bottas ‘concerned’ by what Stake F1 Team Sauber driver saw in Saudi Arabian GP
Sat 16 March 2024 10:30
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Valtteri Bottas is ‘concerned’ by what the Stake F1 Team Sauber driver saw from Max Verstappen and Red Bull over the Bahrain GP and the Saudi Arabian GP to start 2024.

The new season is already looking worryingly similar to how 2023 developed for Bottas after seeing Verstappen and Red Bull enjoy a ‘clean sweep’ over the first two rounds. Sergio Perez has followed his teammate home with a one-two finish in Sakhir and Jeddah without a fight.

No driver has come close to threatening Verstappen, who can match his win-streak record at the Australian GP. His Saudi Arabian GP win moved the 26-year-old to nine in a row since the 2023 Japanese GP. He won a record 10 straight from the Miami GP to the Italian GP last year.

‘Valtteri Bottas concerned’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/valtteri-bottas-concerned-by-what-stake-f1-team-sauber-driver-saw-in-saudi-arabian-gp/

[Fortitude]

Leclerc predicts Ferrari on course to catch Red Bull.
Charles Leclerc insists that it's just "a matter of time" before Ferrari is able to catch the dominant Red Bull team at the front of the field.
16/03/2024 at 10:38
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Charles Leclerc insists that it's just "a matter of time" before Ferrari is able to catch the dominant Red Bull team at the front of the field. "The gap is still quite big, but if we keep working like that then I'm sure it's just a matter of time before we put the Red Bull under a bit more pressure," he told Formula1.com and other media in the Jeddah paddock.

Despite his confidence, Leclerc was careful to manage expectations and not get carried away with how things are going, suggesting there is unlikely to be any further immediate progress at the next race in Australia.

"I don't think we'll have many things new in Melbourne," he acknowledged. "So without new things in Melbourne, I think we are doing a good job by maximising our package at the moment.”

"A matter of time";

https://f1i.com/news/502715-leclerc-predicts-ferrari-on-course-to-catch-red-bull.html


Leclerc: Ferrari on right trajectory to catch and pressure Red Bull in 2024
Red Bull are still the dominant force in Formula 1, with reigning world champion Max Verstappen comfortably winning the opeining two races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia
March 15, 2024
Nathan Hartley
FormulaNerds

Despite finishing 18 seconds adrift of Verstappen in Jeddah, the Monegasque still sees positives. The Ferrari driver believes that his team has made progress from last season, leading to him believing that his team can put pressure on Red Bull as the season progresses.

“It’s been a positive race. I think we are doing small steps in the right direction,” Leclerc said, as quoted by Motorsport.com. “If I look back the last six, seven months, we are the team that has improved the most and we are slowly closing the gap.” The 26-year-old admits that the gap between themselves and Red Bull is still “quite big”. However, that has not killed his optimism for the rest of the 2024 season:

“The gap is still quite big, but if we keep working like that, I’m sure it’s a matter of time before we put the Red Bull under a bit more pressure.” Leclerc admitted that the team won’t be able to make inroads on Red Bull in Melbourne next week. The Scuderia are not bringing “many new parts” to the Australian Grand Prix. The Monegasque emphasised how “three or four tenths” is “a lot” in the world of motorsport.

‘Ferrari on right trajectory’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/leclerc-ferrari-on-right-trajectory-to-catch-and-pressure-red-bull-in-2024/


Leclerc: "A matter of time" before Ferrari puts Red Bull under pressure in F1
Charles Leclerc believes it's "a matter of time" before Ferrari can start putting Red Bull under pressure in Formula 1.
08:47 Fri, 15 Mar 2024.
Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

While Leclerc's 18-second deficit to Verstappen in Jeddah could still be seen as disheartening, the Monegasque says Ferrari's progress compared to last season is a sign that it can start putting some pressure on Red Bull if it continues that trajectory.

"It's been a positive race. I think we are doing small steps in the right direction," Leclerc said. "If I look back the last six, seven months, we are the team that has improved the most and we are slowly closing the gap. The gap is still quite big, but if we keep working like that, I'm sure it's a matter of time before we put the Red Bull under a bit more pressure."

"I don't think we'll have many things new in Melbourne, so without new things in Melbourne, I think we are doing a good job by maximising our package at the moment," Leclerc cautioned. "So, that's where we are. We'll probably have to wait and see whenever we have new parts to the car, what kind of step we do forward. And hopefully that will bring us closer to Red Bull."

"A matter of time";

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/leclerc-matter-time-ferrari-put-red-bull-under-pressure-f1/10587047/


Ferrari chairman Elkann pleased with team’s “better start”
15th March 2024, 0:01
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Elkann pleased with Ferrari’s “better start”: After two podiums over the opening two races of the 2024 F1 season behind the dominant Red Bulls, Ferrari chairman John Elkann says he is encouraged by the team’s performance so far. “Certainly if one looks at where we were a year ago this championship is off to a better start,” Elkann told Sky. “As always the important thing is to try to improve, to progress and this is the dynamic that is felt in Ferrari at the moment.”

Elkann also expressed his excitement about the team’s signing of Lewis Hamiltonfor 2025. “I have also said publicly over the years how much Lewis Hamilton is a great driver and how much he has done for Formula 1. That he will join Ferrari is an important sign of how much he believes he can do great things with Ferrari.”

“Better start”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/03/15/racefans-round-up-15-03-6/


Can Ferrari, Winningest Team in F1 History, Get Back on Track?
March 16, 2024 10:25am
By Viju Mathew
Sportico

James Allen, author of “Ferrari: From Inside and Outside,” talks about the Prancing Horse, Formula 1’s growth, and what it takes to be champion.

This year marks the 74th anniversary of Formula 1, the ne plus ultra of motorsport, and James Allen has been covering more than 30 of those seasons as a journalist, broadcaster, and industry insider. In doing so, he’s seen Maranello’s scuderia go through its share of heydays and humiliation, and witnessed the sport’s recent acceleration into the global consciousness.

In your opinion, does Ferrari’s current Formula 1 team have the ingredients to replicate past glory? That’s a tricky question to answer. They have the resources. They have, I believe, a very good, strong leader in Fred Vasseur, who knows what it takes to succeed in motorsport. And they’ve got the drivers in Leclerc and Sainz to take on the best in Formula 1. But they have a fair amount of politics they have to deal with. It’s really about keeping stability within the team and giving it protection from outside forces, which is always the key bit to get right.

‘Get Back on Track?’;

https://www.sportico.com/business/sports/2024/can-ferrari-winningest-team-in-f1-history-1234771142/

[Fortitude]

Toto Wolff has “changed mindset” amid Mercedes F1 recovery struggles.
Toto Wolff says he has a new "mindset" as Mercedes' F1 recovery effort continues.
13 Mar 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Toto Wolff says his mindset has changed amid Mercedes' ongoing F1 recovery struggles. Wolff remains “100%” convinced his team can - and will - turn things around. “I've changed my mindset,” Wolff explained. “I don't think that additional pressure on all of us makes it better.

“I think we have a problem with the physics. It is not by lack of trying or by the mindset or the motivation or energies. All of that is there, and I can see the buzz in the organisation. As racers, when we have such [disappointing] results, you're feeling down, but we're trying to change that with the right motivation for the week that comes.”

“That's why we are believing that we can turn this around. We believe that our organisation can dig ourselves out. I'm 100% sure we can.” Wolff revealed in Saudi Arabia that Mercedes are facing a “fundamental” issue with their new W15 car that is hampering its performance in high-speed corners.

“I think we have a problem with the physics”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1045601/1/toto-wolff-has-changed-mindset-amid-mercedes-f1-recovery-struggles


Wolff opens up on loss of key Mercedes ally
Jerome D’Ambrosio is set to leave Mercedes and link up with rivals Ferrari, marking another key exit from the Brackley-based squad.
14 March 7:20PM
Fergal Walsh & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has responded to the pending departure of another major ally at his squad. RacingNews365 revealed earlier this month that Jerome D’Ambrosio will leave Mercedes to join rivals Ferrari. Speaking to media regarding the D'Ambrosio situation, including RacingNews365, Wolff stated: “I think he’s with us at the moment. The situation is more for personal reasons, that he’s evaluating the options of what to do. I think it’s something he should speak about but all is good. We’ll see where that goes.”

Despite losing some key figures over the last year, including Strategy Director James Vowles and Chief Technical Officer Mike Elliot, Wolff reiterated his confidence that Mercedes will recover to the front of the field. “It’s a different confidence that I have in the group this time around because, at a certain stage, you’re basically ticking all the boxes of the unknown,” he said.

“Where we are today, it’s pretty clear where it points to. It’s just my feeling that we will come out on top. Is this good enough to beat Max in a Red Bull? No, it’s not. But at least bringing ourselves back in a position of fighting for podiums and being right there, (I am) 100 per cent sure we’re going to get there.”

“We’ll see where that goes”;

https://racingnews365.com/wolff-reacts-to-poaching-of-key-mercedes-f1-ally


Toto Wolff addresses speculation over losing key Mercedes ally to Ferrari
Toto Wolff has addressed speculation linking Jerome d'Ambrosio with Ferrari.
15 Mar 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Toto Wolff has addressed speculation that Jerome d'Ambrosio will leave Mercedes for Ferrari. The former Virgin and Lotus F1 driver has been heavily linked with a switch to Ferrari, following Lewis Hamilton.

D’Ambrosio has been part of Mercedes’ senior management since last year, acting as a stand-in for Wolff as team principal at the Japanese and Qatar races in 2023. His role has been centred around driver development, however, it looks like the Belgian could be off to Ferrari.

‘Speculation addressed’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1045655/1/toto-wolff-addresses-speculation-over-losing-key-mercedes-ally-ferrari


Toto Wolff’s latest W15 admission with ‘bigger factor’ emerging after Jeddah disappointment
14 Mar 2024 5:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff alarmingly claims the W15 struggling in high-speed goes beyond rear wing setup, with their downforce calculations not matching what happens on the track.

After engine overheating issued had hamstrung Mercedes in the Bahrain F1 2024 season opener, the hope was for much better at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, though that did not come to pass for the eight-time Constructors’ champions.

The W15 has been exposed as a challenger lacking downforce and therefore pace through high-speed corners, a weakness which cost them in Saudi Arabia as George Russell managed only P6 and Lewis Hamilton P9. And speaking to media after the race, Wolff knocked back the suggestion that Mercedes’ rear wing being too skinny was the source of their problems, stressing that there is a bigger issue at play here which, worryingly, they do not yet understand.

‘W15 struggling’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-bigger-factor-mercedes-w15-downforce-issues


Mercedes facing 'fundamental issue' with W15 - Wolff
The team struggled through high-speed corners in Saudi Arabia and could only manage sixth and ninth in the race.
11 March 8:10AM
Jake Nichol & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Toto Wolff has admitted that Mercedes is facing a "fundamental" problem with its W15 Formula 1 car. "There is only so much you can tune here, our simulations point us in a direction, to a set-up range that we can choose, you put the right rear-wing on and I think you gain a few tenths if you get it right or wrong," Wolff told media including RacingNews365.

"There's not a massive corridor of performance, it is a more fundamental thing [that we are struggling with] as we believe that the speed so should be, we can more the downforce, but we can't find it on the laptop. It's been two years that there is something which we ned to spot and that will be the thing to unlock.”

"It is not by a lack of trying, we push hard and we are going to give it a massive push in the next week or two with more data to understand to come back in Melbourne stronger. This is a mission we are on and I am 100% certain we are going to unlock that performance. The big factor is that we are lacking in the high-speed [corners] and we are just real weak. We are missing downforce beyond the steps that you would have with a bigger rear-wing.”

'Fundamental issue with W15’;

https://racingnews365.com/mercedes-facing-fundamental-issue-with-w15-wolff


Toto Wolff’s early Australian GP prediction as Mercedes chase ‘fundamental change’
11 Mar 2024 10:30 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Toto Wolff concedes Mercedes are missing “something” when it comes to unlocking the potential of their F1 car, and they’ve been looking for “two years” already. But the Mercedes boss is “100% sure” that the team can unlock performance as soon as the next race: the Australian Grand Prix on March 24.

He refuted suggestions Mercedes had been too confident that they had made the right steps with the 2024 car. “I think we had so many unknowns in the last year where we start ‘okay this could be a reason, and this could be a reason, and this could be a reason’ and we fix that,” he said. “I can see from the sensors that we have what we needed.”

“But there is still this behaviour of the car in a certain speed range that the sensors and simulation say this is where we should have the downforce and we are not having it. This team has not been overconfident. We were probably the other way around and see the glass half empty always. That is the attitude to fix it.”

‘W15: Unlocking the potential’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-mercedes-prediction-2024-australian-grand-prix


Toto Wolff 'enters negotiations' with Lewis Hamilton successor as Mercedes plan made clear
Toto Wolff has taken the next step on the road to naming Lewis Hamilton's successor with the seven-time world champion heading to Ferrari.
12:12, Wed, Mar 13, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Negotiations are reportedly underway between Mercedes and Carlos Sainz with the Spaniard seen as a strong option to replace Lewis Hamilton, who is succeeding him at Ferrari for the 2025 season and beyond.

Sainz has been an impressive contributor to Ferrari’s on-track success since joining from McLaren just over three years ago, but his time with the Scuderia is set to end when the 2024 season comes to a close in Abu Dhabi. While Sauber has been touted as a possible destination, the 29-year-old will hope to drive for a frontrunning team. Mercedes, meanwhile, are in need of a replacement for Hamilton, who is leaving the team after an iconic partnership spanning 12 years.

With the early signs suggesting that teenage starlet Kimi Antonelli will not be ready to make the jump in 2025, Sainz is a compelling option for the Silver Arrows. According to a report from the Italian news outlet Corriere Dello Sport, talks between Toto Wolff’s outfit and Sainz’s entourage have already begun. The Spaniard was struck down with appendicitis at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and couldn’t race, but that did leave his team able to meet with Mercedes officials in the paddock.

‘Toto Wolff enters negotiations';

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1877035/Toto-Wolff-Lewis-Hamilton-Mercedes-replacement

[Fortitude]

Why McLaren is being forced to 'protect' Piastri in Melbourne.
Oscar Piastri will take part in his second home race next weekend as F1 descends on Albert Park for the Australian Grand Prix.
14 March 4:10PM
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

McLaren Team Principal Andreas Stella has revealed he will “protect” Oscar Piastri during his home event in Australia next week. The Melbourne native is likely to be at the centre of attention during the upcoming event, at a time when driver schedules are already filled with media and sponsorships duties.

As a result, McLaren will dial back Piastri's commitments to ensure it does not detract from his performance on the track. “In general, this year, we are paying more attention to the driver schedule over a race weekend,” Stella told media, including RacingNews365, when asked as to the plan around Piastri given the focus of attention that will be on him in Melbourne.

“We want to make sure the drivers have the time to focus on performance, focus on downtime, relax, and so on. We're effectively using the same approach, but if anything even more carefully for Melbourne. There are many requests, some we will accept [and] some we’ll have to protect [to] deliver the performance and we will not accept.”

‘Forced to 'protect' Oscar Piastri’;

https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-reveal-measures-to-shield-piastri-in-melbourne


Oscar Piastri excited for Formula One Australian Grand Prix
The hometown hero is joined by Daniel Ricciardo to make it two Aussies on the grid for the first time in more than a decade.
07:3017 March 2024
Damion Smy
Drive

Melbourne’s own Oscar Piastri is pumped for his return to Albert Park for the 2024 Formula One Australian Grand Prix next weekend, 21-24 March. The 22-year-old McLaren driver comes off the back of one of the most impressive rookie seasons in Formula One, including a maiden pole position and win in the shorter Sprint races – and strong performances in the Grands Prix on Sundays.

“It was a pretty crazy race last year but to score my first-ever F1 points in front of a home crowd will stay with me for a long time,” Piastri said in a media statement. “It is such a special event for me. Not only is it my home country but to have grown up so close to the track and coming back to my hometown is awesome.”

This year’s Australian Grand Prix will be the 28th at Albert Park, with a record crowd of 443,631 across the four-day 2023 event. “Even on a Thursday, there are so many people in the grounds and getting involved that it has a festival feel,” Piastri said.

‘Two Aussies on the grid for the first time in more than a decade’;

https://www.drive.com.au/news/oscar-piastri-excited-for-australian-grand-prix/


Oscar Piastri admits F1 issue can ‘very easily’ be ‘demoralising’ for McLaren driver
Sat 16 March 2024 13:00
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Oscar Piastri admits that dreaming about standing on further podiums in Formula 1 can ‘very easily’ become ‘demoralising’ for the McLaren driver instead of beneficial. The 22-year-old enjoyed a brilliant rookie campaign last year after graduating to F1 after one season on the sidelines. Piastri became the first rookie to make multiple Grand Prix podiums since Lewis Hamilton in 2007. Both drivers also realised the feat after debuting for McLaren.

F1 will return to Suzuka for the Japanese GP much earlier in 2024 with the race in April after the Australian GP, which is up next on March 24. Piastri ended his home race in P8 last term for his debut points for McLaren. The Melbourne native has started 2024 with a P8 and a P4. But while Piastri finished the Saudi Arabian GP one spot off the podium, the McLaren driver seldom wants to envisage making another rostrum.

He accepts that if their car is not where it needs to be to make the top three on merit, dreaming about the podium can be problematic. “I rarely dare to dream about it,” Piastri told Speedcafe. “In Formula 1, this sport is still very dependent on both car and driver – a lot of car. If you’re in the slowest car on the grid, you’re not going to win a race or a championship. It’s as simple as that.”

‘Dreaming: ‘very easily’ be ‘demoralising’ ’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/oscar-piastri-admits-f1-issue-can-very-easily-be-demoralising-for-mclaren-driver/


McLaren targets "race six or seven" for first major 2024 F1 upgrade
16:05 Fri, 15 Mar 2024.
Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

According to team boss Stella, the first major upgrade kit to make further improvements to those characteristics is set to follow "around race six or race seven", meaning Miami or Imola.

"We have some minor things that will come for Australia and hopefully for Japan, but they will be [delivering] a few milliseconds," he explained. "And then hopefully, within the first third of the season, we will have a major upgrade. It's going to be for around race six or seven."

While Stella explained McLaren still had some "margin" to find in the MCL38, he ruled out any major gains until that upgrade package arrives. "I think there is margin to understand the car a little bit more," he explained. "In Jeddah we had a slightly different approach to set-up between the two cars. And I think we see some interesting positives and negatives.”

"Major upgrade kit: Race six or seven";

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/mclaren-targets-race-six-seven-first-major-2024-f1-upgrade/10587516/


McLaren reveal the targeted arrival date for first ‘major’ MCL38 upgrade
16 Mar 2024 2:00 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has revealed the team are targeting a Miami or Imola arrival date for their first “major upgrade” of the season.

The team were encouraged by the early-season performance of the MCL38 however, and team principal Stella confirmed that developments are coming to the car in the next few races, before a “major upgrade” slated for either Miami or Imola in May.

“We have some minor things that will come for Australia and hopefully for Japan, but they will be [delivering] a few milliseconds,” Stella told reporters in Jeddah, as quoted by Motorsport.com. “And then hopefully, within the first third of the season, we will have a major upgrade. It’s going to be for around race six or seven.”

‘Miami or Imola’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mclaren-mcl38-major-upgrade-timeline

[Fortitude]

Alonso reveals just how close Aston Martin are to their rivals.
Alonso admitted to autosport.com that the team made a step forward in Jeddah as the two-time world champion is up for the challenge of chasing down rivals McLaren and Mercedes, who he believes are around two-three tenths quicker than Aston Martin.
17:04 Thu, 14 Mar 2024.
Darius Needham
FormulaNerds

Despite having an improved performance in Jeddah, Fernando Alonso has revealed that Aston Martin are still around two or three tenths behind the likes of McLaren and Mercedes. “I think it was better,” said Alonso. “We did introduce a new part on Friday that it worked really well. And I think we made a step forward in terms of performance.”

“But we still miss maybe two or three tenths compared to McLaren and Mercedes, and we will keep chasing that kind of performance. It is challenging, but it’s a nice challenge and an interesting season ahead.”

He added: “Happy with the race result, in front of both Mercedes, one McLaren and one Ferrari. It’s the maximum I think we can wish at the moment. We saw again in the race that we still miss two or three tenths compared to Mercedes and McLaren, maybe a little bit more compared to Red Bull and Ferrari. While in qualifying we seem pretty close. So yeah, we need to keep working on the race pace.”

‘Aston Martin close are to their rivals’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/alonso-reveals-just-how-close-aston-martin-are-to-their-rivals/


Alonso: Aston Martin still "two or three tenths" off McLaren, Mercedes
15:01 Thu, 14 Mar 2024.
Adam Cooper
Motorsport.com

Fernando Alonso says that his Aston Martin Formula 1 team is still "two or three tenths" off McLaren and Mercedes on race pace despite a strong performance in Jeddah.

At the season-opener in Bahrain, Alonso qualified sixth but slipped to ninth behind the Mercedes and McLaren drivers in the race, finishing 74 seconds adrift of winner Max Verstappen. Alonso qualified fourth for the Saudi Arabian GP, but he soon lost a place to Oscar Piastri's McLaren. He then remained in fifth place for the duration of the race, successfully staying in front of the Mercedes of George Russell and finishing 35 seconds behind Verstappen.

After a disappointing race form in Bahrain, Alonso agreed that Jeddah represented a step forward. Alonso admitted that he hadn't expected to be able to stay ahead of Russell, believing that the W15 had better pace. "It was stressful because I was pushing and Oscar was just pulling away," he said. "And George was significantly faster behind, so I was thinking, okay, it's 43 laps to the end after the safety car.”

"Two or three tenths";

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/alonso-aston-martin-still-two-or-three-tenths-off-mclaren-mercedes/10587312/


Aston Martin’s great strides having focused on ‘Red Bull’ strength
15 Mar 2024 2:00 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Aston Martin have put Fernando Alonso’s qualifying gains at the Jeddah circuit down to an improved DRS, an area the team focused on with the AMR24. He posted a 1:28.730 in 2023 and upped that to a 1:27.846 this year.

Aston Martin’s performance director Tom McCullough put that down to the improved straight-line speed of the car when the DRS is open. “The efficiency of the car and the DRS effect is something we worked really hard on last year. We saw how strong the Red Bull was, even the year before. That was a big focus of ours,” he said.

“The difference in the DRS effect is quite strong compared to last year. We gain a lot of time as a result.” With three long DRS activation zones at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, the DRS was worth a chunk of time – almost a second in Alonso’s case. “If you compare Fernando’s lap from last year with Friday’s, it is 8.5-tenths faster,” McCullough said as per formu1a.uno.

‘Aston Martin’s great strides’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/aston-martin-focused-on-red-bull-strength


Aston Martin confident in catching Red Bull with robust development
15/03/2024 at 13:42
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Aston Martin remains confident in its ability to challenge Red Bull’s supremacy in Formula 1 with the help of a robust development programme. The team has started its 2024 campaign in the same position but has emphasized that its new AMR24 has been designed with a focus on long-term development, as Aston Martin performance director Tom McCullough explained.

“I think everyone can be caught up. If you look at the development we saw at McLaren last season, it was really impressive,” commented the British engineer. “That’s been the focus over the winter, to create a good platform for us to develop. We don’t want to stand still, nobody stands still.”

Compared to Red Bull, McCullough notes that Aston Martin is still in the early days of its build-up phase as a team, having moved just last year into its new headquarters at Silverstone, with more infrastructure set to come online.

‘Robust development’;

https://f1i.com/news/502691-aston-martin-confident-in-catching-red-bull-with-robust-development.html


Alonso on hold: Major Aston upgrades delayed until Imola
07:56 Fri, 15 Mar 2024.
Andrew Maitland
Grandpx.news

Fernando Alonso faces a prolonged period of impatient anticipation for a substantial improvement to his Aston Martin in 2024, with major improvements not now expected until the grand prix in Imola – two months away.

De la Rosa, serving as a team ambassador, conveyed to DAZN the team’s ambition to avoid stagnation with their car’s performance, stating, “The team’s objective is not to race with the same car for two races in a row. There is no improvement plan for Australia, but they are in the oven.”

Mike Krack, the team principal, expressed the team’s eagerness for ongoing development, as reported by Spanish media, “We really want to keep developing this car continuously, without waiting too long. So over the course of the next events there will be changes, starting in Imola.”

‘Impatient anticipation’;

https://grandpx.news/alonso-on-hold-major-aston-upgrades-delayed-until-imola/


‘Exemplary’ F1 driver now set to be offered new contract ‘in the coming weeks’
Thu 14 March 2024 19:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack is preparing to hold contracts talks with one driver ahead of the 2025 season. Both Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso are out of contract at the end of the 2024 campaign. Team owner Lawrence Stroll is dreaming of signing Max Verstappen from Red Bull. Stroll senior is willing to do ‘whatever it takes’ to recruit the three-time world champion if he becomes available. But while Verstappen isn’t thought to be entirely happy with the Bulls, Krack is also aware that he’s under a long-term contract.

Mike Krack lines up Fernando Alonso talks: Speaking to the media, including Formu1a.uno, Krack confirmed that he planned to hold talks with Alonso ‘in the coming weeks’. He says the team will make a swift offer to the ‘exemplary’ 42-year-old in the hope of tying him down.

“The extra that Fernando brings to the team is exemplary,” he said. “I think it’s no secret that we want to continue working with him. It is important to offer him a quick package, so that he believes in this project and this team. We will discuss all this in the coming weeks.”

‘Exemplary’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/exemplary-f1-driver-now-set-to-be-offered-new-contract-in-the-coming-weeks/

[Fortitude]

Red Bull to run 'special livery' to celebrate anniversary.
The team's partner Mobil 1 is celebrating 50 years of operation in 2024.
18 March 12:31PM
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Red Bull will run a special livery in at least one Formula 1 race in 2024, to help celebrate lubricant supplier Mobil 1. The brand is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2024, and has a long-standing involvement in global motorsport, with a presence in F1, NASCAR and sportscar racing, having joined Red Bull from McLaren ahead of the 2017 season.

To celebrate, it has created a series of "40 iconic, specially-designed liveries and paint schemes" for use by its partner teams, including Red Bull in F1, Stewart-Haas and 23XI Racing in NASCAR and the Porsche Formula E team. During the 2023 season, Red Bull ran special fan-designed liveries at each of the three races held in the United States.

'Special livery';

https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-to-run-special-livery-to-celebrate-anniversary


MPH: Why Perez is best bet as Red Bull's No2 – for now
Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda are among many drivers currently hoping to replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull for 2025. But in the eyes of Mark Hughes, the Mexican is currently doing everything he must to keep his seat
March 15th 2024
Author: Mark Hughes
Motor Sport Magazine

As things stand, Perez is making a much stronger case to be retained than either Tsunoda or Ricciardo are making to replace him. Helmut Marko has not been shy about expressing his observations in the two races to date, saying, “There’s a lot at stake this season for both Yuki and Daniel. Yuki’s qualifying was very good, and Ricciardo has to come up with something soon.

Perez by contrast has done everything required of the driver in this role, by slotting himself behind Verstappen but ahead of all the rest at both races so far. In Jeddah his qualifying deficit to Verstappen was smaller than Ricciardo’s to Tsunoda’s. He’s not putting the Red Bull on the front row alongside Verstappen, but he’s making maximum use of the car’s superior race pace and racing well.

He got off to a similarly good start last year but it all began going wrong in Australia when he came into the weekend announcing his candidature for the world title, something which did not go down well with Verstappen. If he can avoid making such internal waves this time, just keep delivering the strong support drives, he will be going a long way towards getting another extension to his contract. And if Verstappen leaves and Perez is the incumbent, he has a head-start on whoever arrives to replace Max. It’s all very much to play for at this late-blooming stage of Perez’s career.

‘Perez is best bet as Red Bull's No2’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/mark-hughes/mph-why-perez-is-best-bet-as-red-bulls-no2-for-now/?nowprocket=1#


Helmut Marko reveals key Sergio Perez F1 2024 change inspired by Max Verstappen
15 Mar 2024 6:45 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

After a strong start to the F1 2024 campaign for Sergio Perez, Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko revealed that he now starts with the same set-up as Max Verstappen, rather than “experimenting”.

Perez lost his way in dramatic fashion after a strong start to last season, but Marko said there is a key difference this time around, that being that Perez is no longer “experimenting” with his set-ups and rather following Verstappen’s lead, the three-time World Champion having established himself as the dominant force of F1 in Red Bull machinery.

“This year he is no longer experimenting, but is starting with more or less the same basic set-up as Max,” Marko wrote regarding Perez in his Speedweek column. “There are just more nuances in which they set up differently.”

‘Same set-up as Max Verstappen’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/helmut-marko-sergio-perez-using-max-verstappen-red-bull-rb20-setup


The secret behind Sergio Perez’s upturn in form? Key change credited
A change in Sergio Perez's approach has been pinpointed as boosting his F1 form.
14 Mar 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, Fox Sports Mexico journalist Diego Mejia pinpointed a crucial change Perez has made over the winter. “He’s happy with the feeling he’s getting at with the car. His benchmark [Max Verstappen] is the highest obviously and he’s done a perfect job. I think Checo is happy with how the season has started for him,” Mejia said.

“Talking to him before the start of the season, he seems to have switched a little bit his approach, in trying to enjoy more this year and look race-by-race, rather than putting himself in the spotlight and saying ‘I have to beat Max every weekend’. Sometimes he did last year and the year before when he was he was in the middle of the championship. He’s taking a different approach.”

“He knows it’s a decisive year for him but the way he’s performing and the way other guys who are supposed to be looking after his seat are performing, I think it’s a great start for him.” Mejia continued: “He’s told me he’s learned a lot of lessons from what happened last year and this sort of changed approach, also in the way he works with his side of the garage.”

‘Key change credited’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1045647/1/secret-behind-sergio-perezs-upturn-form-key-change-credited


Max Verstappen shows rare emotion as he ‘survives’ unscathed from outrageous iRacing crash days before Australian Grand Prix
Published: 16:38, 18 Mar 2024
Anton Stanley, Deputy Editor of talkSPORT.com
London

Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen is usually the coolest customer around - but on Sunday he was left rocked. Preparing for this weekend's Australian Grand Prix, the Dutchman, in classic style spent his time with his pals playing iRacing.

However, showcasing what makes him F1's best driver right now, the 26-year-old some how managed to weave through flipping and skidding cars and emerge unscathed on the other side. And Verstappen's face was an absolute picture as he went through a range of emotions as cars crashed around him.

As the crash unfolded, he exclaimed: "There's already bodywork!" He then let out another yelp as cars flew over his own before adding: "What? Oh my God. You should have seen me! We need a replay. This is insane.”

‘Outrageous iRacing crash’;

https://talksport.com/sport/1794122/max-verstappen-survives-unscathed-iracing-crash-australian-grand-prix/

[Fortitude]

Mercedes plan Australian GP "experiments" to fix issues making Lewis Hamilton miserable.
Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes team have spoken with more positivity about the W15 compared to previous cars, but still it is not capable of competing on track with the runaway Red Bulls.
14:10 Fri, 15 Mar 2024.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Mercedes will use the Australian Grand Prix weekend to "experiment" with its W15 car to figure out how they can help Lewis Hamilton fight closer to the front. So far, the seven-time world champion has been some way off doing that. He finished seventh in Bahrain, 50 seconds adrift of race-winner Max Verstappen. And a week later in Jeddah he was a similar distance away from the Red Bull - but scored even fewer points down in ninth.

"There's a lot of work going on within the aerodynamics department, vehicle dynamics department. We're trying to design some experiments there that will hopefully give us a direction that's good for performance." Team principal Toto Wolff has already admitted that the team does not know exactly why the high-speed corners are such a problem for the car. What he is sure of is that it goes beyond simply a lack of downforce from the rear wing.”

And Shovlin concurred that it seems to be a cocktail of problems rather than one single simple fix. He added: "It's a few things. One of them was the balance wasn't great. So those very fast corners, the walls aren't particularly far away - the ones where the driver wants a lot of confidence - and quite often we were snapping to oversteer if they really leant on the tyres.”

"Experiments";

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/mercedes-plan-australian-gp-experiments-32364061


F1 team boss warns 13-podium driver Australian GP upgrades will deliver ‘milliseconds’
Sat 16 March 2024 16:00
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Andrea Stella has warned Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to limit their hopes ahead of McLaren bringing the team’s first set of ‘minor’ upgrades in 2024 to the Australian GP. F1 heads down under for Piastri’s home race from March 22-24. The Melbourne native took his first points as a Grand Prix racer at the Australian GP in 2023 with P8. Norris finished the third race of last year in P6 for his first points, too, amid McLaren’s poor start to the season.

Stella confirms McLaren’s Australian GP upgrade plans: Norris has only managed P6 at the Bahrain GP and P8 the Saudi Arabian GP through the first two rounds of 2024. But Piastri built on his P8 in Sakhir with fourth place in Jeddah – albeit a distant 13.368 seconds from the podium. Norris fell back in Saudi Arabia due to his strategy.

McLaren may creep closer to the podium positions come the Australian GP as team principal Stella has confirmed that the Woking outfit will take ‘minor’ upgrades to Melbourne. But he also warns Norris and Piastri to limit their hopes as they will likely only deliver ‘milliseconds’.

‘GP upgrades will deliver ‘milliseconds’ ’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/f1-team-boss-warns-13-podium-driver-australian-gp-upgrades-will-deliver-milliseconds/


Before Drive to Survive, the Adelaide Grand Prix was one of the biggest shows in Formula One.
Adelaide Motorsport Festival brings back memories of Australian Grand Prix
Posted Sun 17 Mar 2024 at 2:22am
By Rory McClaren
ABC Online

Decades before the Netflix series Drive to Survive delivered Formula 1 legions of new supporters, tens of thousands of motorsport fans would descend on Adelaide for the Australian Grand Prix. Between 1985 and 1995, the race helped boost South Australia's global events credentials as it hosted the final round of the world championship. For world champion Damon Hill, the event proved to be the site of victory and defeat.

He's returned to Adelaide for the first time since winning the city's final grand prix in 1995 for the reborn Motorsport Festival and has fond memories of racing in the city's east parklands. "Either the championship was decided, and we came here to finish off the season, in which case afterwards we'd have a party," Hill said.

Hill was on the wrong end of it in 1994, when he was involved in one of the sport's most infamous title deciders with Michael Schumacher. "Me or Michael could have won the championship, all we had to do was beat each other," Hill said. Hill's Adelaide victory in 1995 came in front of more than 200,000 people, which remains a single day attendance record for an Australian Grand Prix, before he became world champion the following year.

‘Brings back memories’;

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03-17/adelaide-motorsport-festival-returns/103596782


Daniel Ricciardo reveals the moment he became so gutted by his poor form that he didn't care if his F1 career was over - as he prepares for the Australian Grand Prix
• Aussie F1 driver had strong start to his career
• Has endured tough stints at Renault and McLaren
• Admitted that he was falling out of love with the sport
Published: 06:20, 18 March 2024
By Josh Alston For Daily Mail Australia
MailOnline

Daniel Ricciardo has experienced the highest of highs in F1 racing, but he has also plummeted to the lowest of lows - admitting ahead of the Australian F1 Grand Prix that his struggles robbed him of his passion for the sport. Throughout his career, Ricciardo has achieved eight Grand Prix victories and 32 podium finishes, marking him as one of the sport's better competitors.

But those results have become hard to come by in recent years, with podium finishes drying up during stints at Renault from 2019-2020 and a troubled partnership with McLaren from 2021-2022. When Ricciardo split from McLaren, he had no team to go to and faced a major career crossroads.

‘So gutted by his poor form that he didn't care if his F1 career was over’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13208645/Daniel-Ricciardo-Australian-F1-Grand-Prix-Melbourne-low-point.html


Schedule for 2024 F1 Australian Grand Prix
The Australian Grand Prix is scheduled for Sunday, March 24th 2024. This is the third race weekend of the season. Check the schedule of the race in Melbourne below.
18 March 8:00AM
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

The Australian Grand Prix 2024 starts on Sunday, March 24 at 04:00 UK time.

Timetable Australian GP
Session
Date Time
Free practice 1 Friday 22 March 02:30 - 03:30
Free practice 2 Friday 22 March 06:00 - 07:00
Free practice 3 Saturday 23 March 02:30 - 03:30
Qualification Saturday 23 March 06:00 - 07:00
Race Sunday 24 March 05:00 - 07:00
What time does the F1 start in Australia?
The F1 Australian GP will start at 04:00 GMT. The race will start very early in the morning for Europeans.

‘The time schedule is automatically adjusted to your time zone’;

https://racingnews365.com/schedule-for-2024-f1-australian-grand-prix


2024 Australian Grand Prix: Circuit Info, Predictions and Timings
March 18, 2024
By Joe Briley
The Checkered Flag

Racing returns to Albert Park for the 2024 Australian Grand Prix, this weekend and it will be Verstappen that everyone is aiming to beat. The Dutchman has picked up where he left off in 2023, and has secured both pole positions and both race wins so far this season. Including 2023, he’s on a nine-race win streak.

Circuit Info: Albert Park is a street track, with most of it being used as public roads when F1 isn’t in town and the circuit is very popular amongst fans of the sport, and locals. Overtaking is usually not a common occurrence at Albert Park, but in recent times major layout changes have increased the quality of racing and allowed for more passes. The 2022 changes saw the chicane removed at turns nine and ten to allow for a fourth DRS zone. Changes were also made to several corners, making them wider.

Top Ten Predictions:
1. Max Verstappen
2. Sergio Perez
3. Charles Leclerc
4. Carlos Sainz
5. Lewis Hamilton
6. Lando Norris
7. Oscar Piastri
8. George Russell
9. Fernando Alonso
10. Daniel Ricciardo

‘Max Verstappen’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2024/03/2024-australian-grand-prix-circuit-info-predictions-and-timings/


Beloved Australian GP series declares ‘we deserve better’ after alarming F1 demotions
18 Mar 2024 6:30 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

The Supercars Championship is evaluating its future on the F1 Australian GP schedule after losing access to the pit lane and fans. It is a stacked support-race bill for the 2024 Australian Grand Prix with Formula 2 and Formula 3 in action, which has seen Supercars booted out of the second pit lane to make way for F2, leaving Supercars personnel in tents behind the facility with fans not given access to the area.

It also means there will be no pit stops at this SuperSprint round. And this has led chief executive Shane Howard to make it clear that the situation must be discussed with a new deal required to keep Supercars on the Australian Grand Prix schedule beyond 2024. “This year will be a big change for us and we are working through that with the Australian Grand Prix Corporation,” Howard told the Herald Sun.

‘We deserve better’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/supercars-australian-gp-f1

[Fortitude]

Sainz health update: Walking without pain in Melbourne.
Sainz was seen “with a calm, unforced walk, moving with ease through the airport.”
March 19, 2024
Andrew Maitland
Grandpx.news

A significant hurdle awaits Sainz on Thursday at Albert Park, where he is scheduled for the FIA’s compulsory medical evaluations. Among these tests, the extraction exercise is particularly crucial. Sanz elaborates, “The most important one will surely be the cockpit extrication test.”

This test demands that “The driver must be able to unbuckle the safety harness and remove the steering wheel in five seconds, then leave the car and return the wheel to its position in another five seconds.”

Passing these tests will be essential for Sainz as he aims to secure his spot on the grid for the Australian Grand Prix, with Bearman ready to step in if necessary.

‘Walking without pain in Melbourne’;

https://grandpx.news/sainz-health-update-walking-without-pain-in-melbourne/


48-year-old team principal concerned about tyre compounds ahead of Australian Grand Prix
Tue 19 March 2024 10:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu has admitted he’s concerned about the tyre compounds being used at the Australian Grand Prix this weekend. After a very difficult 2023 season, Haas are already off the mark this year thanks to Nico Hulkenberg’s brilliant point in Saudi Arabia. Speaking to Corriere dello Sport, Ayao Komatsu has explained the team’s expectations in Melbourne in the coming days.

Komatsu has now admitted that the tyre compounds chosen for the Australian Grand Prix might not benefit them. “In Melbourne, the load levels of Bahrain will return but it is a very different circuit, it is mixed compared to a Bahrain more focused on the effectiveness of traction. Tyre degradation will not be as low as in Jeddah nor as high as in Bahrain. Historically we have struggled with the softer compound, the C5, which will debut in Australia. It will be interesting.”

“Another factor to keep an eye on will be graining, in the past we have suffered from it as the main aspect of our tyre degradation. It will be after the first four races that we will be able to draw better conclusions about the strengths and weaknesses of the VF-24 and how we can manage them.”

‘Concerned about tyre compounds’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/48-year-old-team-principal-concerned-about-tyre-compounds-ahead-of-australian-grand-prix/


Verstappen's level of dominance not normal says Lobato
MARCH 19, 2024
GrandPrix.com

Long-time Spanish F1 commentator Antonio Lobato doubts Max Verstappen will win every single grand prix this season. Lobato said he fully expects to see other drivers win races soon.

“We have a problem”, Lobato told DAZN. “His name is Max and his last name is Verstappen”, he smiled. “But I'm sure I'm going to commentate on the victory of another driver other than Max. And if it's not this year, it will be next year”, Lobato laughed.

“The other day I saw a statistic”, he continued. "Of the last 20 races, he has won 19. Only Carlos Sainz was able to take one away from him. So a little bit of the morbidity of racing now is to see if someone is capable of beating Verstappen.”

‘Dominance not normal’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/verstappens-level-of-dominance-not-normal-says-lobato.html


Alonso ‘surprised’ to see Alpine falter, hopes team recovers
19/03/2024 at 12:24
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Fernando Alonso has had some harsh words for Alpine in the past, but the Spaniard admits that it’s difficult to watch his former outfit currently falter at the low end of the grid. “When I was there, obviously I had a great time,” Alonso said when asked about Alpine’s current situation.

“Most of the team when I was in Alpine were the same people as we had in Renault, and is the team that I will always love, and will have on my heart. So, it’s difficult to see when they are at the back. But hopefully they can find more performance.”

“When I was there obviously, the team maybe was different. It was a great atmosphere, it was a good performance as well, especially 2022. We were within the top five, top six in every race of the year. So, it is a bit surprising to see the current results. But hopefully they fix things quickly.”

‘Hopes team recovers’;

https://f1i.com/news/502891-alonso-surprised-to-see-alpine-falter-hopes-team-recovers.html


Stake F1 to change name for Australian Grand Prix
The Stake F1 name will change at a number of events this season.
19 March 12:10PM
Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

Stake F1 will change its entry name to Kick Sauber for the Australian Grand Prix this weekend.

Race location Sauber identity
Bahrain Stake F1
Saudi Arabia Stake F1
Australia Kick Sauber
Japan Stake F1
China Stake F1
Miami Stake F1
Emilia Romagna Stake F1
Monaco Stake F1
Canada Stake F1
Spain Kick Sauber
Austria Stake F1
Great Britain Stake F1
Hungary Stake F1
Belgium Kick Sauber
Netherlands Stake F1
Italy Stake F1
Azerbaijan Stake F1
Singapore Stake F1
United States Stake F1
Mexico Stake F1
Brazil Stake F1
Las Vegas Stake F1
Qatar Kick Sauber
Abu Dhabi Stake F1

"We will be fully compliant with all the local applicable laws and where Stake is permitted. So where gambling advertising is prohibited, we will use a different name”;

https://racingnews365.com/stake-f1-to-change-name-for-australian-grand-prix

[Fortitude]

Toto Wolff reveals “major focus” for Mercedes as they look to solve high-speed woes.
Toto Wolff looks ahead to this weekend's Australian Grand Prix with Mercedes looking to solve their high-speed weakness.
19 Mar 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Toto Wolff is hopeful Mercedes make “some initial progress” in understanding why they were so poor in high-speed corners at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Mercedes struggled considerably in the first part of the lap in Jeddah, with telemetry showing they were slower than Alpine in some of the high-speed corners.

Speaking ahead of the race, Wolff said... “We've been hard at work since Jeddah building on the learnings from the first two races,” he said. “It's encouraging to see the potential in the W15 but there are also clear areas of improvement. We have looked competitive in low and medium speed corners but high-speed has been a weakness so far.”

“We have been working hard to understand why our performance hasn't reflected our expectations. Improving that is a major focus. We hope to make some initial progress for Melbourne, and that work will guide our development in the weeks ahead. It's great to feel the energy and determination running through the factories as we work to unlock the potential of the car.”

“Major focus”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1045720/1/toto-wolff-reveals-major-focus-mercedes-they-look-solve-high-speed-woes


Wolff lays out simple instruction for Mercedes in Australia
Mercedes has started the season on the back-foot, not scoring a podium in the first two races, but returns to a track it impressed at last season.
19 March 2:35PM
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Toto Wolff... ...highlighted its biggest weakness. "We've been hard at work since Jeddah building on the learnings from the first two races," explained Wolff. It's encouraging to see the potential in the W15 but there are also clear areas of improvement, we have looked competitive in low and medium-speed corners but high-speed has been a weakness so far.”

"We have been working hard to understand why our performance hasn't reflected our expectations. Improving that is a major focus. We hope to make some initial progress for Melbourne, and that work will guide our development in the weeks ahead. It's great to feel the energy and determination running through the factories as we work to unlock the potential of the car.”

"We left points on the table in both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, we started off each weekend strongly, running our usual practice programmes, but couldn't deliver on that initial promise. With the chasing pack being so close, maximising the potential of the car each weekend is key. Albert Park gives us another chance to show what we can do."

‘Simple instruction’;

https://racingnews365.com/wolff-highlights-biggest-weakness-of-new-mercedes


Mercedes reveal ‘major focus’ on W15 with renewed ‘hope’ for Australian Grand Prix
19 Mar 2024 3:00 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Mercedes’ Toto Wolff has explained why his team is hopeful... “We’ve been hard at work since Jeddah building on the learnings from the first two races,” he said in his team’s preview of the Australian Grand Prix. “It’s encouraging to see the potential in the W15 but there are also clear areas of improvement.”

“We have looked competitive in low and medium-speed corners but high-speed has been a weakness so far. We have been working hard to understand why our performance hasn’t reflected our expectations. Improving that is a major focus. We hope to make some initial progress for Melbourne, and that work will guide our development in the weeks ahead. It’s great to feel the energy and determination running through the factories as we work to unlock the potential of the car.”

It was in Jeddah that Mercedes encountered the infamous ‘bouncing’ that has blighted previous campaigns, despite the radical departure from the previous design direction – something that’s led Wolff to concede correlation issues may be behind their struggles in low-downforce, high-speed scenarios.

‘Major focus’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mercedes-toto-wolff-focus-w15-australian-grand-prix


Sainz expected to make F1 return at Australian Grand Prix
20th March 2024, 5:06
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Carlos Sainz Jnr is expected to race in the Australian Grand Prix this weekend. Ferrari indicated the driver will resume his routine media duties from tomorrow at Albert Park, scene of this weekend’s race, alongside team mate Charles Leclerc. Sainz is the second driver in the last two years who was forced to miss a race due to appendicitis. Alexander Albon sat out the Italian Grand Prix in 2022 for the same reason.

He was able to return at the following race in Singapore following a three-week absence, while Sainz has had only two weeks to recover since the Saudi Arabian round. Prior to his illness, Sainz made a strong start to the season in the only other round held so far. He finished third in the Bahrain Grand Prix behind the two Red Bull drivers.

‘F1 return’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/03/20/sainz-expected-to-make-f1-return-at-australian-grand-prix/


Daniel Ricciardo admits he's treating this year's Australian Grand Prix like it's his last after struggles almost ended his career
• Ricciardo says he's treating Australian GP like it's his last
• Aussie has had an underwhelming start to the F1 season
• Says he is hoping for a top-10 finish on Sunday
23:42, 19 March 2024
James Cooney, Daily Mail Australia
MailOnline

Daniel Ricciardo is preparing for his 10th Australian Grand Prix when he returns to Melbourne this weekend and has admitted that he's treating it like it could be his last F1 race on home soil. 'You can't kind of look too far ahead and predict what is going to happen or what could happen,' he told News Corp. 'I'm obviously in different colours again but honestly really happy with where I'm at. I think just the mindset now of going racing, making every weekend count and putting everything I can into it - hopefully the fans appreciate that.'

Ricciardo is confident he can make his mark. 'I definitely thought about it in 2022 at that time when, let's say McLaren cut short the contract and I was left wondering 'is this next bunch of races going to me my last?' he said. 'At that time I was having a bad year competitively and I wasn't really sure.”

'I thought "maybe I don't love it as much as I used to. Maybe this is it. I definitely went through that but I think sitting here today I'm not of that mindset. I definitely know that there may not be whatever many more years in it. I do kind of treat it like it could be the last every year.'

‘Like it's his last’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13216261/Daniel-Ricciardo-Australian-Grand-Prix-RB-Formula-One-F1.html


‘Hate to say it’: The Ricciardo call splitting F1 — and why D-day is much sooner than expected
March 20th, 2024 9:50 am
Jacob Polychronis
Fox Sports (Australia)

It takes a lot to wipe the smile off Daniel Ricciardo’s face, but the question did it ever so slightly. As he prepared to board his flight from hometown Perth to Melbourne, a final question came about having “a point to prove” after Australian great Alan Jones said he’s “treading water” in F1. With his beaming smile dropped, and after a moment’s pause, the answer came: “Not at all. See ya.”

A hasty exit with a sour taste to kick off a week that was meant to signal a celebration of sorts for the second birth of his F1 career. Instead, there’s a feeling that Ricciardo is already one of the most under-pressure drivers on the grid with his fresh chance hanging in the balance. It’s an industry that moves at frightening speed — and he’d know that better than anyone.

F1 icon and former team owner Eddie Jordan said he wouldn’t hire Ricciardo on his current form, especially since his three-year McLaren contract was torn up after just two seasons. “I’m just worried that the end of McLaren era was really something that stood out and I couldn’t see where he’d lost it,” Jordan said on the Formula For Success podcast. “There has been nothing since then that convinces me that I would want to invest my hard-earned sponsorship cash to keep Daniel.”

‘Hate to say it’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/f1-2024-australian-grand-prix-daniel-ricciardo-future-under-threat-in-melbourne-as-red-bull-doubts-grow/news-story/68808e2c692d89cd5fcfc7ef51272bd2


Five big Australian Grand Prix questions: FIA, Red Bull and a resurgent Lewis Hamilton?
20 Mar 2024 6:00 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Formula 1 returns this weekend with the Australian Grand Prix and a few days out from the event, we have some questions that need answering. One of the most dominant topics between Saudi Arabia and this race has been the future of Verstappen and as PlanetF1.com understands it, the Dutchman has a contract clause which could cause further tension.

Can Lewis Hamilton shine at one of his best circuits? Lewis Hamilton’s 2024 has got off to a sluggish start with a P7 and P9 putting him ninth in the Drivers’ standings, so it will be welcome news for the seven-time World Champion that the next venue is one he has historically done well at.

How will Australia’s favourite sons perform? Sorry Valtteri, but it is the home race for just two F1 drivers this weekend as Daniel Ricciardo and Oscar Piastri return to their native land – but both drivers are heading in with remarkably different feelings around them.

‘Five big questions’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/five-big-australian-grand-prix-questions-christian-horner-fia-lewis-hamilton

[Fortitude]

Why F1 will leave Australia with more questions than answers.
The pecking order behind Red Bull has generated intrigue at the start of the 2024 Formula 1 season, but the upcoming Australian Grand Prix weekend may not provide any true answers.
20 March 7:25AM
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

The Australian Grand Prix hosts the third round of the 2024 Formula 1 season this weekend, with the event staged around Albert Park.

Whatever the form book may say in Melbourne, teams are not expecting it to present a true picture of the ultimate pecking order. “Australia we know is a very particular track and Tarmac," said McLaren team principal Andrea Stella. "It's a Tarmac on which, as soon as you have a drop of rain, it's very slippery."

“In all honesty, the way the calendar is this year, I think four races in, we’ll have a pretty good idea,” said senior Ferrari engineer Jock Clear. “You’ve got Japan in there, which is a hell of a circuit to measure a car. So that kind of circuit, you're going to find out a lot.”

‘More questions than answers’;

https://racingnews365.com/why-f1-will-leave-australia-with-more-questions-than-answers


Ferrari issues Red Bull warning ahead of Australian GP
Red Bull has dominated the opening two rounds of the 2024 Formula 1 season but Ferrari is eyeing up a closer fight in Australia this weekend.
20 March 3:35PM
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Ferrari has pledged to adopt an “aggressive” approach at the Australian Grand Prix this weekend in an attempt to beat Red Bull. Ferrari prevailed at the Australian Grand Prix two years ago when Charles Leclerc enjoyed a successful weekend, winning by over 20 seconds.

As it looks to repeat its success from 2022, Ferrari Team Principal Frederic Vasseur has asserted that his squad is deploying an “aggressive” strategy in Melbourne to best Red Bull. “After a busy start to the season with back-to-back races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, we’ve now made the longest trip of the year to Australia,” Vasseur said. “The Albert Park track is a favourite with the drivers and one where Ferrari has always enjoyed a lot of support.”

“We expect to be front runners on this track which could produce a similar pecking order to the one seen in Jeddah. We intend on adopting an aggressive approach with the aim of putting pressure on the team that’s won the first two races.”

‘Ferrari has pledged to adopt an “aggressive” approach’;

https://racingnews365.com/ferrari-issues-red-bull-warning-ahead-of-australian-gp


Ferrari provide update on Sainz ahead of Australian Grand Prix with reserve driver Bearman on call in Melbourne
20th March 2024, 12:25
Formula One - Official Site

Ferrari have provided an update on Carlos Sainz’s health ahead of the Australian Grand Prix, after the Spaniard was forced to miss the previous race in Jeddah.

“Carlos Sainz is expected to be back in the car, having had to miss Jeddah with appendicitis,” the team wrote in a pre-race statement. “He and team mate Charles Leclerc will most likely be fighting at the front of the field, as they have done in the first two rounds.”

‘Update on Sainz’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/ferrari-provide-update-on-sainz-ahead-of-australian-grand-prix-with-reserve.5KF1LNxx4DDBgDCzdBVFZu


What is the weather forecast for the 2024 Australian Grand Prix?
20th March 2024, 09:42
Formula One - Official Site

FRIDAY, MARCH 22 – FP1 AND FP2
Conditions: Partly to mostly cloudy with a slight chance of one or two light showers in the afternoon. Light wind increasing a bit and veering southerly in the afternoon with gusts up to 30 kph.
FP1: 17/18°C. FP2: 19/20°C.
Maximum temperature expected: 20 Celsius
Minimum temperature expected: 10 Celsius
Chance of rain: <20%

SATURDAY, MARCH 23 – FP3 AND QUALIFYING
Conditions: Partly cloudy in the morning before an improvement of cloudiness in the afternoon. Slight chance of light rain/drizzle in the morning. Light to moderate southeasterly wind increasing in the afternoon with gusts up to 40 kph.
FP3: 17°C. Q: 19°C.
Maximum temperature expected: 19 Celsius
Minimum temperature expected: 13 Celsius

SUNDAY, MARCH 24 – RACE WEATHER
Conditions: Partly cloudy in the morning with a very slight chance of a shower. Improvement in the afternoon with a dry and mostly sunny race expected. Light to moderate southerly wind during the race (gusts up to 25 kph).
RACE: 20/21°C.
Maximum temperature expected: 21 Celsius
Minimum temperature expected: 13 Celsius
Chance of rain: <20%

‘Weather Forecast’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/what-is-the-weather-forecast-for-the-2024-australian-grand-prix.5bUQlHPdwcssL9aX8rqE4c


What tyres will the teams and drivers have for the 2024 Australian Grand Prix?
20th March 2024, 10:03
Formula One - Official Site

F1’s official tyre supplier will bring the C3, C4 and C5 compounds to the Albert Park venue, the softest from their range, marking the first time the C5 has been seen this season. Drivers will get two sets of the hard tyre (marked white), three sets of the medium tyre (marked yellow), and eight sets of the soft tyre (marked red), as well as the green intermediate tyre and the blue full wets, should they be required (which they might).

The decision to go with a softer selection was taken after analysing last year’s race, which saw 10 drivers use the C2 compound for 47 of the 58 laps, and three drivers run it for more than 50 laps. While the C5 remains unaltered from 2023, it is the compound that has been used the least on the current generation of F1 cars – only 140 kilometres being completed on it during pre-season testing in February.

‘Tyre Options’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/what-tyres-will-the-teams-and-drivers-have-for-the-2024-australian-grand.6VUbZ0PCx0V9XHZxIcpC2d


What time is the Formula 1 2024 Australian Grand Prix and how can I watch it?
20th March 2024, 09:32
Formula One - Official Site

After a couple of rounds in the Middle East to kick off the 2024 season, the F1 paddock heads to Oceania for the Australian Grand Prix – and here are all the timings you need to watch the race wherever you are around the world.

This week’s action at Albert Park gets underway with FP1 and FP2 on Friday, March 22, in preparation for FP3 and qualifying on Saturday, March 23, and then the Grand Prix itself on Sunday, March 24.

Head to the RACE HUB or scroll down for more on how and when you can watch the action, along with the global start times for each session.

‘What time’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/what-time-is-the-formula-1-2024-australian-grand-prix-and-how-can-i-watch-it.2WohJ1gNBL8Bty0uWdHW6S

[Fortitude]

F1 - 2024 Australian Grand Prix - Thursday Press conference transcript.
DRIVERS – Daniel RICCIARDO (RB), Oscar PIASTRI (McLaren), Esteban OCON (Alpine), Kevin MAGNUSSEN (Haas), Sergio PÉREZ (Red Bull Racing).
21st March 2024, 05:05
FIA (Press Release)

Q: Why don't we start with the home heroes, in fact the hometown hero? Why don't we come to you first Oscar? Great to see you. You used to play footy and cricket just metres from where we're sitting now. Just how special is this race?
Oscar PIASTRI: Yeah, definitely a special race for me. I mean, for any driver, a home race is always good fun and a privilege. But like you said, for me, it's about 10, 15 minutes away from where I grew up. So, yeah, well and truly a home race and excited to be back.

Q: Well, good luck. And Daniel, you didn't line up on the grid here last year. Of all the races you missed in the first half of 2023, was this the one that hurt the most?
Daniel RICCIARDO: Yeah, it was. I mean, I remember being on pit wall here. It was my first race attending and I was watching the cars and there was that, yeah, certainly a bit of envy as I saw them all pull out of the garage. I kind of knew already that I wanted to do it again. But yeah, this was where, I felt it most. And then every race I went to after that, I was, ‘OK, I'm ready’.

Q: And Checo, you said at the start of this year that there were two things you wanted to work on, your consistency and your qualifying pace. How do you feel those two things have gone so far?
SP: I think we are heading in the right direction. I'm really pleased with the first two races, especially with the progress we made after the first one. I feel like as a team we are in a really good momentum. We are understanding a lot of what's going on on the weekends, the way we review the weekends, how we prepare them. I'm pretty happy with how the season has started and I think there is a lot more to come from our side.

‘Thursday Press conference transcript’;

https://www.fia.com/news/f1-2024-australian-grand-prix-thursday-press-conference-transcript


Sainz “won’t be 100%” in Australian GP return after “10 days in bed”
21st March 2024, 6:25
Written by Will Wood

Carlos Sainz Jnr has admitted he won’t be at “100%” as he returns to the cockpit this weekend for the Australian Grand Prix following surgery. Having spent the last fortnight recovering, Sainz will race this weekend at Albert Park. “I feel ready,” Sainz said. “I’ve done as much as possible to recover. You cannot imagine the effort and logistics and things that I’ve done to be fit for this race. I’m very happy with the progress I’ve made and now it’s time to jump in the car and see how I feel.”

However, Sainz acknowledged he will not be at full fitness or at full speed this weekend due to the recovery required for him over the last two weeks to be well enough to race. “It’s not like I’ll be 100% for it, because obviously I’ve been ten days in bed, not ten days training, going to the simulator and preparing for a normal weekend,” he said. “But if I’m fit to race and don’t have any pain or any bad symptoms, I can still put together a strong weekend and the target will be to challenge the Red Bulls.”

“Won’t be 100%”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/03/21/sainz-wont-be-100-in-australian-gp-return-after-10-days-in-bed/


'We're able to fight around P10' - Yuki Tsunoda on RB's midfield battles as Melbourne GP looms
21 Mar 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

With two rounds of fierce fighting under his belt, Yuki Tsunoda hopes to "maximise" RB's potential in this weekend's Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.

'We're able to fight around P10';

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.were-able-to-fight-around-p10-yuki-tsunoda-on-rbs-midfield-battles-as-melbourne-gp-looms.1794102440164719127.html


Why has the starting time of the Australian GP changed?
European fans are experiencing an earlier start than usual this year for the Australian Grand Prix.
20 March 2024, 7:30PM
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

The 2024 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix will mark an early start for European fans, with the race getting underway at 05:00 CET/04:00 GMT. This marks an earlier start from last year despite the race remaining in a 15:00 slot in Melbourne.

Drivers have complained in the past of the sunset in Australia hindering their vision towards the end of the Grand Prix. There was an extreme version of this last year when multiple red flags caused delays to the race.

However, this year's Australian Grand Prix is being held earlier than the 2023 edition, meaning the clock change to recognise Daylight Savings Time has not yet taken effect.

‘European fans are experiencing an earlier start’;

https://racingnews365.com/why-has-the-starting-time-of-the-australian-gp-changed


2023 absence sparked Ricciardo's desire for F1 return
Thu, 21 March 2024 1:56PM
Oliver CaffreyAAP
The West Australian

Being a spectator at last year's Australian Grand Prix lit the fire in Daniel Ricciardo to go about securing a return to a full-time Formula One seat. Ten years after being stripped of a podium at Albert Park, Ricciardo is intent on making the most of his second chance in F1.

The popular 34-year-old was sidelined for the first 10 races of last season, including his home GP, after being relegated to a back-up driver following his exit from McLaren at the end of 2022. "It was my first race attending and I was watching the cars come out and there was certainly a bit of envy," said Ricciardo, who is racing for Red Bull's secondary team, known as RB.

‘Lit the fire in Daniel Ricciardo’;

https://thewest.com.au/sport/motorsport/2023-absence-sparked-ricciardos-desire-for-f1-return-c-14033492

[Fortitude]

Oliver Bearman may get second F1 drive at Australian GP as driver 'not 100 percent'.
Oliver Bearman could race in Formula 1 again this weekend after Carlos Sainz admitted he may yet decide against competing.
21st March 2024, 13:12
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Speaking to reporters in the Melbourne paddock, he admitted he was "not back at 100 percent" said: "I put together a very strong recovery plan since I landed back home to be ready for this race. I will jump in the car tomorrow and see how I feel. I'm feeling positive about it.”

"But obviously, I'm not stupid. If I don't feel good tomorrow, I will be the first one to raise my hand and say that I need another two weeks to the next race. They are monitoring my progress. I'm the first one that doesn't want to be in pain or to suffer, to make it any worse. I'm not stupid, and I will be very clear with how I'm feeling and everything.”

"On top of that, I wouldn't have jumped in the car in Jeddah on Thursday if it wasn't possible. I did 26 laps because I could, not because I was in pain. Yes it wasn't an easy 26 laps per session but I could get them done."

‘Oliver Bearman could race’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/oliver-bearman-second-f1-drive-32408305


Oliver Bearman could race again for Ferrari at Australian GP after stunning F1 debut in Saudi Arabia as Carlos Sainz admits he won't take part if he 'doesn't feel good' in practice following surgery
• The Brit, 18, finished seventh at the Saudi Arabian GP after stepping in for Sainz
• Ferrari have confirmed Sainz will return but Spaniard still might not race
Published: 11:29, 21 March 2024
By Liam Morgan
MailOnline

British star Oliver Bearman could race again this weekend after Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz revealed he would not take part in the Australian Grand Prix if he feels unwell during Friday's practice.

Sainz has returned for this weekend's race in Melbourne following successful surgery but admitted he may be forced to pull out again if he 'doesn't feel good' when he takes to the track on Friday.

'First of all, just by seeing me move and the exercises that I'm doing in the gym, everything this tells me I'm fit to jump in the car tomorrow and try,' he said.

‘Oliver Bearman could race again’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13222931/Oliver-Bearman-carlos-sainz-ferrari-australian-grand-prix.html


Oliver Bearman on standby as Carlos Sainz admits Australian Grand Prix uncertainty
Oliver Bearman stunned his peers during his F1 debut two weeks ago and could be set for another Ferrari outing.
11:19, Thu, Mar 21, 2024
By Sam Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Oliver Bearman could be set for a late Ferrari call-up with Carlos Sainz admitting that he is unsure whether he will take part in the Australian Grand Prix this weekend. Teenage star Bearman stepped in for Sainz at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and stunned his colleagues with an impressive seventh-placed finish.

Asked how he expects his body to cope during the race, Sainz responded: “The problem is I don't know. Until you put yourself in an F1 car and feel the forces, it's impossible to know. What I know is that today I am a lot better than yesterday, and yesterday I was a lot better than two days ago.”

“So also with that progress, I'm quite encouraged and positive. And then see how I feel, as I said." Sainz insists he will be honest with Ferrari about his condition. If he feels unable to compete then he will stand aside for Bearman.

‘Oliver Bearman on standby’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1880053/Oliver-Bearman-Carlos-Sainz-Australian-Grand-Prix-Ferrari


First pictures from the 2024 Australian Grand Prix weekend
F1 Pictures
Posted on 21st March 2024, 10:19
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

‘Pictures from the build-up to the 2024 Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/03/21/first-pictures-from-the-2024-australian-grand-prix-weekend/


‘From what I’m told’: Red Bull rivals ‘bullish’ for Australian GP after ‘really good’ sim work…
Thu 21 March 2024 13:30
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

One of Red Bull’s F1 rivals are quietly confident about their chances at this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix. Red Bull have made an ominous start to the new season with back-to-back one-two finishes. But speaking on the Weekend Warm-Up show for F1TV, journalist Lawrence Barreto talked up one of their competitors.

Barreto says Red Bull challengers Ferrari are in confident mood. According to Barreto, Ferrari have arrived in the Albert Park paddock in a ‘bullish’ frame of mind. Barreto said: “I think they’re pretty bullish about their chances this weekend. And when I say that I don’t mean that they’re going to take the fight to Red Bull and push Max Verstappen and Checo all the way.”

“But I do think they’re in that area where if a mistake happens, if there’s a pit-stop issue, they can pounce. What Ferrari are seeing is that, from race to race, that car is getting better, their understanding of that car is getting better. They’re in a better spot to push on through the season rather than tail off as they’ve tended to in previous years.”

‘Ferrari are in confident mood’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/red-bull-rivals-bullish-for-australian-gp-after-what-theyve-seen-on-simulator/


Race guide for the Australian Grand Prix
21 March 2024, 11:44
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Round 3 of the 2024 F1 season sees the field head to Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix. F1Technical's senior writer Balázs Szabó delivers his race preview. 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 5.278km lap is a tricky one to tackle. Turn One is a tight right-hander but the apex speed is more than 150km/h. The apex is also blind and Turn Two follows immediately after, setting up the long, flat-out run to Turn Three. Located at the end of the first DRS zone, Turn Three is another tight right-hander that provides an opportunity for overtaking.

However, it's easy to lock the front-right tyre under braking into the corner which can put you at risk of running wide into the gravel trap on the exit. Turns Nine and 10 were spectacular corners before to the circuit alterations, but now they are more fearsome than ever. At the fastest point of the circuit, it's a small dab of brake on the entry to Turn Nine, before a second deft touch of the brake before Turn 10 and the high-speed run to Turn 11.

‘Race guide’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24444

[Fortitude]

Lando Norris tops first Australian GP F1 practice as Alex Albon crashes out.
Lando Norris was the man to beat in first practice for the Australian Grand Prix.
22 Mar 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Lando Norris topped the timesheets in the opening practice session for the Australian Grand Prix as Williams driver Alex Albon crashed out. Norris headed a tight session with just over three-tenths covering the top 10. The McLaren driver’s 1m18.564s put him top of the order, 0.018s ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

Verstappen would have beaten Norris’ lap had it not been for a wide moment at the high-speed Turn 9-10 chicane. The reigning world champion wasn’t the only one to find that chicane difficult with Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell all having moments of their own.

Sauber driver Valtteri Bottas had a dramatic 360-degree spin at the same corner, but managed to keep it out of the barrier, only damaging his new soft tyres. Albon was less fortunate as he shunted his Williams at Turn 8 after hitting the kerb awkwardly. His Williams was completely damaged, causing a red flag stoppage for approximately 10 minutes.

‘Lando Norris was the man to beat’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1045815/1/lando-norris-tops-first-australian-gp-f1-practice-alex-albon-crashes-out


Australian GP: Free Practice 1 Results
Full results from Free Practice 1 from the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park.
22 March 2024
by Speedcafe.com
Speedcafe

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff
1 4 Lando Norris McLaren 22 1:18.564
2 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 18 1:18.582 0.018
3 63 George Russell Mercedes 20 1:18.597 0.033
4 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 21 1:18.599 0.035
5 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 26 1:18.621 0.057
6 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 22 1:18.642 0.078
7 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 25 1:18.667 0.103
8 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 22 1:18.686 0.122
9 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 19 1:18.771 0.207
10 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 24 1:18.918 0.354

‘Full results from Free Practice 1’;

https://speedcafe.com/australian-gp-free-practice-1-results/


How Norris edged messy and red-flagged Australian GP FP1
Mar 22, 2024
by Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Alex Albon suffered a heavy crash in a surprisingly dramatic and tight opening Australian Grand Prix Formula 1 practice session that featured several near-misses and was topped by Lando Norris.

ONE TENTH COVERS EIGHT CARS: Following the Albon red flag, FP1 resumed with just under 10 minutes remaining, at which point Norris was fastest with barely a tenth of a second covering the top six. Norris didn’t go quicker, but remained on top as the mistakes persisted. Lewis Hamilton was straight over the grass and gravel at Turn 1 on a flying lap on used softs, picking up a bit of understeer on entry that turned into a quick slide at the apex.

Next to breathe a sigh of relief, back at Turn 10, was Max Verstappen. The world champion had a small bit of instability through Turn 9 but stuck with it then understeered slightly through the right hander, running across the exit kerb and dipping a wheel into grass and even slightly the gravel. His Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez’s efforts to improve late on were thwarted by a big lock-up that sent him deep into the penultimate corner.

‘Messy and red-flagged Australian GP FP1’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/how-norris-edged-messy-and-red-flagged-australian-gp-fp1/


Melbourne FP1: Norris tops eventful session as Albon crashes
22/03/2024 at 02:45
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Lando Norris topped an action packed first practice for the Australian GP in Melbourne, the McLaren driver leading an incredibly tight session marked by a red flag triggered by a big crash for Williams’ Alex Albon. Norris edged championship leader Max Verstappen, with Mercedes’ George Russell in third, but mistakes and drivers running wide were the norm in the 60-minute workout.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Rb’s Yuki Tsunoda rounded off the top five, but the spread among the top seven runners was just 0.103s, which boded well for FP2 later today. The F1 field was back to its regular contingent of drivers, with Carlos Sainz reporting for duty after his painful bout of appendicitis a fortnight ago that forced him to miss most of the Saudi Arabian GP weekend.

With less than a minute to go, RB’s Yuki Tsunoda popped up to third behind Norris and Leclerc, but just 0.057s off the McLaren driver’s best, confirming the extremely tight spread. However in the dying seconds, a final shift among the frontrunners saw Verstappen and Russell slot into second and third, pushing Leclerc and Tsunoda down to fourth and fifth.

‘Melbourne FP1’;

https://f1i.com/news/503073-melbourne-fp1-norris-tops-eventful-session-as-albon-crashes.html


Max on P2 after first free practice Down Under
22 March 2024
Florence Cobben
Verstappen.nl

Max Verstappen has finished the first free practice for the Australian Grand Prix in second. Lando Norris was the fastest man of the session, George Russell put his Mercedes on P3, with Charles Leclerc and Yuki Tsunoda rounding out the top five. It was a session on the more difficult side for the drivers, with several trips through the grass and gravel. The practice was also interrupted with a red flag, caused by Alexander Albon losing control of his Williams.

With just eight minutes left, the session is resumed, and the drivers can once again take to the track. Everyone is pushing to exit the pits. Hamilton shoots through the grass but manages to drive on. Max makes a mistake in turn eleven, cutting his lap short. His last attempt secures him second place. Norris is the fastest man of the session. Russell closes the practice in third, with Leclerc and Tsunoda rounding out the top five.

‘First free practice Down Under’;

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5410/


2024 Australian GP FP1: Alonso avoids the barriers after taking to the gravel in first practice
22 Mar 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Fernando Alonso was pushing hard in first practice for the Australian Grand Prix and even went over the limit midway through the session when he ran wide at Turn 10 and took a trip through the gravel trap, but managed to keep his car out of the wall.

‘2024 Australian GP FP1’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2024-australian-gp-fp1-alonso-avoids-the-barriers-after-taking-to-the-gravel-in-first-practice.1794193368544020262.html

[Fortitude]

Is Leclerc a real threat? What happened in Australian GP FP2.
Charles Leclerc was the star of a second practice session of the Australian Grand Prix Formula 1 weekend that again featured multiple drivers suffering off-track moments.
Mar 22, 2024
Jack Cozens
The Race

Ferrari driver Leclerc was a notable 0.381 seconds clear of championship leader Max Verstappen on single lap pace, with just over half a second covering the nine cars behind Leclerc in a congested top 10. The session-best time of 1m17.211s only featured a personal best from Leclerc in the final sector, though his previous benchmark time - a 1m17.423s, which would still have been good enough for top spot - included the fastest overall times in the other two sectors.

That was made more impressive considering Verstappen, who sat out the first 20 minutes of the session as Red Bull changed the floor on his RB20 following an off-track excursion exiting the Turn 9/10 Esses, set his best time of the session far later on. But perhaps most encouraging for Leclerc and Ferrari was his long-run pace on the medium tyres used en masse by the frontrunners.

Long run simulations
First five laps, all mediums
Leclerc: 1m23.016s; 1m22.832s; 1m22.990s; 1m23.006s; 1m23.047s*
Sainz: 1m23.210s; 1m23.171s; 1m22.667s; 1m24.992s; 1m23.849s**
Piastri: 1m23.517s; 1m22.810s; 1m22.319s; 1m22.405s; 1m22.751s
Verstappen: 1m23.503s; 1m23.947s; 1m23.068s
Perez: 1m23.122s; 1m22.731s; 1m22.596s; 1m23.200s; 1m24.234s***
Russell: 1m24.173s; 1m23.840s; 1m23.321s; 1m23.707s; 1m23.758s
Stroll: 1m23.431s; 1m23.210s; 1m22.842s; 1m23.133s; 1m23.006s

‘Is Leclerc a real threat?’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/australian-grand-prix-2024-f1-practice-2-report/


Australian GP: Free Practice 2 Results
Full results from Free Practice 2 from the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park.
22 March 2024
Speedcafe.com

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff
1 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 25 1:17.277
2 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 19 1:17.658 0.381
3 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 23 1:17.707 0.430
4 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 28 1:17.822 0.545
5 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 30 1:17.912 0.635
6 63 George Russell Mercedes 22 1:17.951 0.674
7 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 28 1:18.077 0.800
8 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 32 1:18.090 0.813
9 4 Lando Norris McLaren 22 1:18.155 0.878
10 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 26 1:18.188 0.911

‘Full results’;

https://speedcafe.com/australian-gp-free-practice-2-results/


Australian GP: Encouraging signs from Ferrari as Charles Leclerc blitzes competition in FP2
22 Mar 2024 6:04 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

After back-to-back Max Verstappen wins, there were encouraging signs from Charles Leclerc in Melbourne as he finished FP2 almost four tenths up on the Red Bull driver. On a day when Red Bull weren’t able to gain a stranglehold on their rivals, it was Leclerc who set the pace by 0.381s ahead of the World Champion with Carlos Sainz third fastest.

Ferrari made it a one-two with 20 minutes remaining as Sainz, putting aside any aches and pains he may be feeling, shot up to second place behind Leclerc. The team-mates were separated by 0.430s, both on the soft tyres. Swapping to the soft tyres, Verstappen moved up to second place but was still 0.381s down on Leclerc’s best time.

Sainz, recovering from an appendectomy, was third ahead of Stroll, Alonso and George Russell. As for Hamilton, who was woefully off the pace, he told Mercedes “something is wrong.” As for F1’s two Aussie drivers, Oscar Piastri was seventh with Daniel Ricciardo P12. Honorary Aussie Bottas was 14th.

‘Encouraging signs from Ferrari’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/australian-grand-prix-2024-fp2-report


Hamilton describes ‘one of my worst sessions’ in Australian GP practice as Mercedes admit set-up test ‘massively…
22 Mar 2024, 07:44
Formula One - Official Site

Lewis Hamilton offered a frank assessment after he placed only 18th on the timesheets during second practice for the Australian Grand Prix, admitting he is “the least confident” he has felt at the wheel of the W15 so far.

Hamilton entered the Melbourne weekend talking up the potential of Mercedes’ latest challenger as the Brackley outfit look to put two challenging seasons behind them and edge closer to world champions Red Bull.
However, after a solid run to ninth in FP1, a series of set-up experiments saw Hamilton tumble down the order in FP2, placing ahead of only Kevin Magnussen’s Haas and the sidelined Williams of Alex Albon.

Reflecting on his day, and particularly that second outing, Hamilton said: “I obviously don’t feel great. We had one of the worst sessions I’ve probably had for a long time. “P1 generally felt quite good; the car actually in P1, run one, felt the best it’s ever felt, then it just got worse and worse. I made some changes, big changes into… well, we made some big changes into P2, and it was tough.”

“The least confident”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/hamilton-describes-one-of-my-worst-sessions-in-australian-gp-practice-as.o0JXWerWvQjMEh3BTiCK7


Max Verstappen damages Red Bull as Dutchman finally beaten at Australian GP practice
Max Verstappen did not enjoy the smoothest of starts to his Australian Grand Prix weekend in the Melbourne sun.
06:40, Fri, Mar 22, 2024
Harry Smith

Max Verstappen endured a rocky start to the Australian Grand Prix weekend on Friday, damaging the floor of his Red Bull and failing to top either of the first two practice sessions. During the latter stages of FP1, Verstappen went off his line going through the high-speed turn nine-10 chicane, bottoming out on the kerb as he avoided the gravel trap.

The impact of the bottoming out was damage to the RB20's underbody, and Verstappen's journey off-track ultimately forced the Red Bull crew to change his floor between the end of FP1 and the start of FP2. When Verstappen did return to the race track, there were only 35 minutes left on the clock. This wasn't where the drama ended either as seven minutes later, the Dutchman was impeded by Zhou Guanyu at turn three while on a flying lap.

The green-flag running that Verstappen did get wasn't perfect. The reigning world champion was bested by McLaren star Lando Norris during the first practice session of the day, and he had no answer to Charles Leclerc's pace during FP2. Leclerc ended the session nearly four-tenths to the good on Verstappen on the same medium-compound tyre, sending a warning shot to the Dutchman ahead of qualifying in Melbourne.

‘Max Verstappen damages Red Bull as Dutchman finally beaten’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1880378/Max-Verstappen-Red-Bull-Australian-GP


2024 Australian GP FP2: Verstappen frustrated after hitting traffic in second practice
22 Mar 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Max Verstappen was hindered during FP2 by Zhou Guanyu and then Lance Stroll who were both slow on track while the Dutchman was trying to put together a quick lap.

‘Traffic in second practice’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2024-australian-gp-fp2-verstappen-frustrated-after-hitting-traffic-in-second-practice.1794208832413430371.html


Max Verstappen pinpoints Red Bull’s biggest threat after ‘messy’ Australian GP practice
22 Mar 2024 7:07 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen has conceded that Ferrari are looking “quick” at the Australian Grand Prix, but warned Red Bull still have more to come after a “messy” day of practice at Albert Park. He told Formula 1: “Unfortunately, a little bit messy because of what happened in FP1.”

“I went wide, damaged the floor and the chassis. It took a little bit longer to fix that unfortunately, I lost about 20 minutes. But I think the turnaround we did as a team was very quick so I more or less still completed the program. With the long run, maybe I would have liked a few more laps but we were missing 20 minutes. That’s how it goes.”

Asked to assess his pace, he said: “I think it was alright. I think Ferrari is quick, but from our side I think there are also a few more things we can fine tune. So nothing crazy, nothing worrying – I think we just need to fine tune the car a little bit.”

‘Fine tune’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-verstappen-red-bull-threat-australian-gp


Albon crash puts Williams at risk of losing car before Australian GP
March 22, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Williams F1 could lose a car in Australia: Due to Alex Albon crashing out in FP2, Williams F1 could have just one car for the remainder of this Australian GP weekend. With just one chassis left this weekend, the British team faces a difficult decision.

Only one chassis left: Considering the Formula 1 budget cap, such errors are extremely costly for teams. Aside from the repair costs that James Vowles and his team must address, there are other logistical issues. With only one chassis remaining, the British outfit faces a difficult decision. First, they will determine if what remains of Alex Albon’s machine can be salvaged. Should a repair prove possible, the team can hope to put together a relatively standard weekend.

Should Williams be forced to field just one driver, it seems logical that Logan Sargeant will be allowed to continue. Still, there have been suggestions that Alex Albon might be given his teammate’s chassis for the remainder of this weekend. This theory is based on the performances of the two drivers, which have been very one-sided over the past year.

‘Losing car’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/03/22/albon-crash-puts-williams-at-risk-of-losing-car-before-australian-gp/

[Fortitude]

Alex Albon takes Logan Sargeant’s Williams for remainder of Australian GP, Vowles blasts team.
“It’s unacceptable in modern day Formula 1 not to have a spare chassis,” Vowles said…
March 22, 2024 - 14:00
By John Smith
Total Motorsport

“Following Alex Albon’s accident during FP1 at the Australian Grand Prix, Williams Racing confirms that due to the extensive damage sustained, it is forced to withdraw the chassis for the remainder of the Grand Prix,” Williams said in a statement.

“This chassis will be returned to the team’s HQ at Grove for repair. Due to the fact that a third chassis is unavailable, the team can confirm it has taken the decision for Alex to compete for the remainder of the weekend in the chassis that Logan Sargeant drove in FP1 and FP2.”

“It’s unacceptable…”;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-alex-albon-logan-sargeant-williams-remainder-2024-australian-gp/


‘Public vote of no confidence’ – Logan Sargeant Australian GP axe ‘nothing to do with deserve’
22 Mar 2024 2:30 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Williams did not bring a spare chassis with them to the Australian Grand Prix, leading team boss James Vowles to take the brutal decision of giving Albon Sargeant’s Williams so that he could continue in the race weekend, leaving Sargeant on the sidelines.

“It’s brutal, it’s ruthless, it’s a public vote of no confidence for Logan Sargeant, who is a really nice young guy, 23 years of age, second year in Formula 1,” said Slater. “Does he deserve it? No. He didn’t wreck his car. Alex Albon wrecked his and gets given Sergeant’s car.”

“But deserve has nothing to do with it. This is James Vowles, the Williams team principal, thinking, ‘What do I need to do to give the team a chance of winning some points? Well, I’ll put the guy in the car who’s claimed 27 points compared to Sargeant’s one point last season, who has been consistently better than Logan Sargeant, that’s what I’ve got to do in terms of what’s best for the team’.”

‘Public vote of no confidence’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/craig-slater-williams-no-confidence-vote-logan-sargeant-australian-gp


Our verdict on savage Williams F1 driver swap for Australian GP
Mar 22, 2024
The Race

“A damning indictment of Williams’s limitations” Scott Mitchell-Malm.
“A public vote of no-confidence” Glenn Freeman.
“A trait Williams has always had - and will need again” Edd Straw.

“Brutal but Sargeant wasn't powerless” Josh Suttill.
“A logical business decision “ Ben Anderson.
“Why keep Sargeant if this is how things are?” Charley Williams.
“Logical but surprising “ Gary Anderson.

‘The Race: Our verdict’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/our-verdict-williams-driver-swap-australian-grand-prix-sargeant-albon/


Williams right to pick Alex Albon over Logan Sargeant - but Australian GP mess was avoidable
Logan Sargeant will not race in the Australian Grand Prix because team-mate Alex Albon has been given his chassis to drive, after breaking his own in a practice crash
Mar 22, 2024, 11:06
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

But this is not a situation that should have arisen in the first place. Sargeant isn't racing this weekend because of a failure of organisation on the team's behalf, not because Albon lost control of his car on-track.

Vowles has done a great job since he took over as Williams boss just over a year ago, but looks to have dropped a painfully avoidable clanger here. And, to his credit, he has already admitted as much after making the decision to prioritise car development over the creation of the spare chassis they should have had on standby.

‘Painfully avoidable clanger’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/albon-sargeant-williams-australian-gp-32415748


Albon: 'Not much can be salvaged' from Australian GP practice crash
Alex Albon crashed heavily in FP1 in Melbourne to put his weekend in doubt.
22 March 9:48AM
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

"I was exploring a little bit, went wide and had an aggressive kerb strike," Albon explained of the incident. "It lifted up the front, and I honestly didn't think anything of it at the time, I thought: 'Okay, it's fine, I'll probably just back out when the car lands', but when I did land, I bottomed out pretty badly.”

"When it bottomed out, it just kind of snapped me, so it is frustrating and I feel bad for everyone back at the factory and here at the track. It just did a lot of damage, so let's see if we can get it repaired. There is not that much that can be salvaged so we're going through and looking at where the damage is."

'Not much can be salvaged';

https://racingnews365.com/albon-not-much-can-be-salvaged-from-australian-gp-practice-crash


Hamilton slumps to 18th in Melbourne practice as changes backfire
22 March 2024 at 8:45 am
AFP
Yahoo! Sport

Despondent seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton bemoaned one of the "worst sessions for a long time" after changes made to his Mercedes backfired Friday in Melbourne.

The British star finished ninth in the first practice for the Australian Grand Prix, but slumped to 18th in the second session to be 1.5 seconds adrift of Ferrari pacesetter Charles Leclerc.

Mercedes changed his car's setup between FP1 and FP2 in a bid to improve the high-speed cornering problems and bouncing that dogged him in Saudi Arabia. But Hamilton said it made matters worse.

‘Changes backfire’;

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/hamilton-slumps-18th-melbourne-practice-084500564.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9jLm5ld3Nub3cuY28udWsv&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAGlHRwOhXPgMIalAE5W7CP4cMgF9 KajHxwpGR_wYeiof6zwO4WhG76IvvYEmlDY8liY4X8TfBwb_nP 085L_-HEtMyC8pHjQmdLb-HeEZUPlHuJMdGIthAv_rkuU-7-V9Fm5DDlLnHudYU95Qp0j-gIOjFnI5q9hF3-SEGoJLTTKP


Lewis Hamilton “despondent” as W15 woes worsen at F1 Australian GP
Lewis Hamilton's body language after Friday practice at the F1 Australian GP has been scrutinised.
22 Mar 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Karun Chandhok believes Lewis Hamilton “looked pretty despondent” following Friday practice at the F1 Australian Grand Prix. Speaking on the Sky F1 show, ex-racer-turned-pundit Chandhok felt Hamilton’s body language after FP2 was telling.

“He looked pretty despondent didn’t he?” Chandhok said. “It made me think of a comment George Russell made after Jeddah. Two weekends in a row, they seem to have started the weekend well and then progressively got less competitive, George felt at least, as the weekend unfolded.”

‘W15 woes worsen’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1045865/1/lewis-hamilton-despondent-w15-woes-worsen-f1-australian-gp


Lewis Hamilton insists he lost confidence in his Mercedes car after 'one of the WORST sessions in a long time'... with the Brit finishing 18th in second practice for the Australian Grand Prix
• Mercedes' struggles continued in practice for the Australian Grand Prix
• Hamilton was ninth in FP1 and suffered set-up issues during the second session
• The seven-time world champion said things 'got worse and worse' on Friday
Published: 09:39, 22 March 2024
By Kieran Lynch
MailOnline

Lewis Hamilton dejectedly admitted that the second practice for the Australian Grand Prix was one of the 'worst' he has had in a long time.

'P1 generally felt quite good, the car actually in P1, run one, felt the best it's ever felt, and it just got worse and worse. We made some big changes into P2 and it was tough. After that session, I feel the least confident I've ever felt with this car but there are positives from that P1 run that we did.'

After the session, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said: 'I think in the second session we went through a really dramatic set-up change with Lewis and that has massively backfired.
'But this is why we are having these sessions - and on the other side it was a little bit better. But we are lacking performance over a single lap. Overall, it wasn't a good day.

‘Lost confidence in his Mercedes car’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13226959/Lewis-Hamilton-lost-confidence-Mercedes-car-second-practice-Australian-Grand-Prix.html

[Fortitude]

Australian GP: Charles Leclerc quickest in FP3 as Carlos Sainz silences fitness questions.
Charles Leclerc set the pace in final practice for the Australian Grand Prix with Ferrari looking on course to fight Red Bull for pole position later today.
23 Mar 2024 2:39 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Only 19 drivers prepared to take to the track for the start of FP3 in Melbourne with Logan Sargeant ruled out of the action after Williams controversially handed his car to Alex Albon following the latter’s FP1 shunt. Leclerc made it a Ferrari 1-2 and complained about traffic – “There’s one thing that’s certain, you get an Aston Martin on the track” – while Russell improved to fifth place and Hamilton, sixth.

Oscar Piastri was the first to make notable gains on his qualy sim as he mixed it up between the Ferraris and Red Bulls. But with most of the drivers having similar tyre-life issue to Albon, when all was said and done it was Sainz’s medium tyre time of 1:16.791 that looked set to stand as the one to beat.

That’s until Leclerc and Verstappen, on their second flying laps, edged ahead. Leclerc was P1 with a a 1:16.714, 0.020s up on Verstappen with Sainz 0.077s down.

‘Leclerc quickest in FP3 as Carlos Sainz silences fitness questions’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/australian-grand-prix-2024-fp3-report


Australian GP: Free Practice 3 Results
Full results from Free Practice 3 from the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park.
23 March 2024
by Speedcafe.com

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff
1 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 22 1:16.714
2 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 28 1:16.734 0.020
3 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 20 1:16.791 0.077
4 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 20 1:16.806 0.092
5 63 George Russell Mercedes 23 1:16.886 0.172
6 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 20 1:16.997 0.283
7 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 28 1:17.014 0.300
8 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 19 1:17.087 0.373
9 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 22 1:17.341 0.627
10 4 Lando Norris McLaren 22 1:17.490 0.776

‘Full results from Free Practice 3’;

https://speedcafe.com/australian-gp-free-practice-3-results/


The fascinating qualifying fight Australian GP FP3 has teased
Mar 23, 2024
by Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Final practice at the Australian Grand Prix has teased a fascinating Formula 1 qualifying session with Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes separated by less than a tenth of a second. Charles Leclerc topped final practice for Ferrari as Red Bull’s closest challenger proved more than a match on both the medium and soft tyres.

Verstappen complained his brakes were not "biting" early on in FP3, then a less than convincing final multi-lap run on softs ended with a much more emphatic last-gasp lap that briefly put the three-time champion fastest.

But Leclerc then went even faster, shading Verstappen by just 0.020s - proving that even when the RB20 got into a sweeter spot with its brakes and tyres, Ferrari’s SF-24 was still extremely potent.

‘Australian GP FP3 has teased’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/ferrari-red-bull-mercedes-f1-fight-australian-gp-final-practice/


FP3 Highlights: 2024 Australian Grand Prix
23 Mar 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Watch highlights from final practice ahead of the 2024 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix.

‘FP3 Highlights’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.fp3-highlights-2024-australian-grand-prix.1794287045995104344.html


James Vowles grilled for Logan Sargeant decision in awkward interview
James Vowles has been criticised for his decision to stop Logan Sargeant from racing at this weekend's Australian Grand Prix.
23 Mar 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Williams F1 boss James Vowles has come under fire for his decision to stop Logan Sargeant from racing at this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix to favour Alex Albon. Sargeant will not be in action for Williams in Melbourne after the team decided to give his chassis to teammate Albon.

Vowles addressed the situation in a slightly awkward interview with Sky Sports F1’s Ted Kravitz ahead of FP3 on Saturday.
Ted Kravitz: "Why did you make the decision that you made?"

James Vowles: “So first of all let’s rewind. We don’t have a spare chassis here - that’s the failing as the result of things. It simply shouldn’t be in modern day Formula 1 without the ability to field two cars on the grid at the same time.”
TK: Hang on, that’s your responsibility, you’re team boss, that’s on you.

‘Awkward interview’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1045955/1/james-vowles-grilled-logan-sargeant-decision-awkward-interview


Helmut Marko issues hammer blow to Daniel Ricciardo's hope of returning to Red Bull's top team, saying the Aussie is 'too slow' ahead of Australian F1 Grand Prix at Albert Park
• Red Bull team advisor wants more from Daniel Ricciardo
• Follows poor results from Aussie in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia
• Australian F1 Grand Prix to be staged on March 24 at 3pm
Published: 04:03, 23 March 2024
By Andrew Prentice For Daily Mail Australia
MailOnline

Red Bull supremo Helmut Marko has bluntly stated fan favourite Daniel Ricciardo is 'too slow' ahead of the Australian F1 Grand Prix on Sunday.

'So yes, [I would say at this stage], Ricciardo is a bit behind [from where he should be]. Let's put it this way: Tsunoda's qualifying speed is okay. But in the race, both are too slow.' Marko added that Sergio Perez is keeping world champion teammate Max Verstappen honest with two second place finishes this season.

‘Hammer blow to Daniel Ricciardo's hope’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13230017/Helmut-Marko-hammer-blow-Daniel-Ricciardo-Red-Bull-Albert-Park-Melbourne-Australian-F1-Grand-Prix.html

[Fortitude]

Max Verstappen takes Australian GP pole as Lewis Hamilton suffers shock Q2 exit.
It was business as usual for Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who made it three poles from three races in F1 2024.
23 Mar 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Max Verstappen claimed his third successive pole position of the 2024 F1 season at the Australian Grand Prix. Red Bull’s reigning world champion did not top a session in Melbourne until it mattered most as he set a searing pace in Q3 as the only driver to get into the 1m15s.

Carlos Sainz impressed as Verstappen’s nearest challenger on his return to action following surgery to remove his appendix, with the Spaniard just 0.270s behind Verstappen as he put his Ferrari between the Red Bulls. Sergio Perez was third-quickest and will be joined on the second row by McLaren’s Lando Norris, who surprisingly out-qualified Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari.

Lewis Hamilton was the big casualty of Q2 as he suffered his worst qualifying around Albert Park since 2010 with a time only good for 11th on the grid. The seven-time world champion holds the record for most poles in Melbourne with eight but was unable to join Mercedes teammate Russell in the top-10.

‘Did not top a session in Melbourne until it mattered most’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1045988/1/max-verstappen-takes-australian-gp-pole-lewis-hamilton-suffers-shock-q2-exit


Australian GP: Qualifying Results
Full results from Qualifying from the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park.
23 March 2024
by Speedcafe.com
Speedcafe

Pos Num Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Diff
1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1:16.819 1:16.387 1:15.915
2 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:16.731 1:16.189 1:16.185 0.270
3 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 1:16.805 1:16.631 1:16.274 0.359
4 4 Lando Norris McLaren 1:17.430 1:16.750 1:16.315 0.400
5 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:16.984 1:16.304 1:16.435 0.520
6 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:17.369 1:16.601 1:16.572 0.657
7 63 George Russell Mercedes 1:17.062 1:16.901 1:16.724 0.809
8 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 1:17.356 1:16.791 1:16.788 0.873
9 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 1:17.376 1:16.780 1:17.072 1.157
10 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 1:16.991 1:16.710 1:17.552 1.637

‘Full results from Qualifying’;

https://speedcafe.com/australian-gp-qualifying-results/


F1 Live: Australia GP Qualifying - Watchalong - Live Timings + Commentary
23 Mar 2024
Racing Statistics

F1 Live: Australia GP Quali - Watchalong - Live Timings + Commentary F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary for the 2024 Australian Grand Prix with Racing Statistics.

‘Lets Watchalong!’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0DGgDfghyg


World champion Verstappen takes pole position for Australian Grand Prix
March 23, 2024 — 5.05pm
The Age

Formula 1 maestro and last year’s Australian Grand Prix winner Max Verstappen will start on pole for this year’s race at Albert Park. The reigning world champion Dutchman saved it until late to secure his spot at the top of the starting grid, racing out the street circuit in 1:15.915.

Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz joins Verstappen on the front row. Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez will start Sunday’s race from third. Australia’s Oscar Piastri, driving for McLaren, will start from sixth on the grid.

‘Formula 1 Maestro’;

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/motorsport/grand-prix-melbourne-2024-max-verstappen-takes-pole-position-again-20240323-p5fepg.html


Verstappen surges to pole position for the Australian Grand Prix ahead of Sainz and Perez
March 23, 2024, 06:27
Formula One - Official Site

Max Verstappen claimed an assured pole position in qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix, with the Dutchman setting the pace ahead of Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez. After setting a time of 1m 16.048s in the first runs of Q3, Verstappen improved on his effort in the final laps with a 1m 15.915s. This put him 0.270s clear of Sainz, who had looked impressive in his first qualifying since returning following surgery for appendicitis two weeks ago.

Perez will share the second row with the lead McLaren of Lando Norris, while Charles Leclerc wound up fifth after abandoning his final flying lap. Home favourite Oscar Piastri will start from sixth, ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell in seventh and RB’s Yuki Tsunoda in eighth after a strong performance.

The Aston Martin duo of Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso completed the top 10, with each having a moment during their laps in Q3. There was a shock in the final moments of Q2 as Lewis Hamilton was pushed out of the top 10 by Tsunoda, meaning that the seven-time world champion will start from P11 on the grid following a difficult session for Mercedes.

‘Assured pole position’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/verstappen-surges-to-pole-position-for-the-australian-grand-prix-ahead-of.mU5GfuLAWhU6JZcxTGsvc


Lewis Hamilton suffers Australian GP qualifying nightmare after Mercedes confidence blow
Lewis Hamilton could only go 11th fastest in qualifying in Melbourne, the day after admitting he had lost confidence in his Mercedes W15 after two tough practice sessions
March 23, 2024, 05:55
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Lewis Hamilton suffered embarrassment in Australian Grand Prix qualifying by failing to even reach the top 10. The Briton looked uncomfortable throughout the session but navigated his way through Q1 easily enough. However, in the second part of the session, he failed to put a strong lap together and left himself in danger.

After failing to improve with his final flying lap, Hamilton was ninth and on the cusp of the danger zone. And when Yuki Tsunoda and Lance Stroll found the pace to improve their times, he was condemned to 11th on the grid for Sunday's race in Melbourne.

"Are we safe or not?" asked the nervous seven-time F1 champion over the radio after his disappointing last lap. Mercedes race engineer Peter Bonnington replied: "Negative, we've just been bumped," after Tsunoda and Stroll saved themselves.

‘Qualifying nightmare’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/lewis-hamilton-australian-gp-qualifying-32423230


Disaster for Daniel Ricciardo with the Aussie driver ELIMINATED from qualifying at Australian F1 Grand Prix
• Ricciardo had never being eliminated in Q1 in Australia
• Delivered clutch lap to put himself in a strong position
• Stewards deleted the time, though, due to a technicality
Published: 05:56, 23 March 2024
By Josh Alston For Daily Mail Australia
MailOnline

Daniel Ricciardo has been eliminated from the first qualifying session at the Australian F1 Grand Prix at Albert Park for the first time in history after exceeding track limits. The Aussie had delivered what appeared to be a clutch final lap to advance to Q2 before stewards deleted that time because they deemed Ricciardo exceeded track limits at Turn 5.

The deleted lap time would have placed Ricciardo in 12th position and been good enough for him to advance to Q2. RB team principal Laurent Mekies said: 'It's very difficult to swallow but that's the way it is. Daniel was doing a very good job, probably his best lap so far and more than enough to get into Q2. 'He was a bit wide in Turn 5 and by a few centimetres we are off track.'

‘Aussie driver ELIMINATED’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13230291/Disaster-Daniel-Ricciardo-Aussie-driver-ELIMINATED-qualifying-Australian-F1-Grand-Prix.html

[Fortitude]

Daniel Ricciardo’s worrying ‘all I had’ admission after nightmare qualifying.
Daniel Ricciardo will start only 18th on grid for his home F1 race after losing his best lap time in qualifying.
23 Mar 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Ricciardo has suffered three consecutive qualifying defeats to Tsunoda amid a difficult start to 2024, leading Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko to pile pressure on the 34-year-old by telling him to raise his game.

Daniel Ricciardo has been left in disbelief and cut a dejected figure following a nightmare qualifying at the F1 Australian Grand Prix.

The RB driver had produced a lap good enough to get through to Q2 in Melbourne but was knocked out in Q1 when his time was deleted for a track limits violation, which dropped him down to 18th.

‘All I had’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1045995/1/daniel-ricciardos-worrying-all-i-had-admission-after-nightmare-qualifying


Aussie motor racing great urges Daniel Ricciardo to reel in his social commitments and 'shut the whole world out' to give himself a chance of success at Australian F1 Grand Prix
• Daniel Ricciardo needs to be focused on performing
• Aussie motor racing great David Brabham wants grid results
• Brabham fears Ricciardo is struggling to stay relevant in F1
• Australian F1 Grand Prix to be staged from 3pm on Sunday
Published: 01:09, 23 March 2024
By Andrew Prentice For Daily Mail Australia
MailOnline

Australian motor racing great David Brabham has urged Daniel Ricciardo to 'shut the whole world out' so he can give himself every opportunity to silence the doubters in Sunday's Australian F1 Grand Prix at Albert Park.

'[As it stands], he may not have enough mojo to perform at the level that Red Bull would be happy with,' Brabham, who famously won the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 2009, told Wide World of Sports.

'He's not there to play second fiddle to [teammate Yuki] Tsunoda, so the pressure already will undoubtedly be mounting on him. Tsunoda is outperforming him. 'He [Ricciardo] needs to dig deep, and perhaps even move away from the joker role he has.'

'Shut the whole world out';

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13229747/Aussie-motor-racing-great-David-Brabham-Daniel-Ricciardo-Australian-Grand-Prix-F1.html


‘There’s more to it’: Worrying Ricciardo admission as F1’s ‘painful’ mystery laid bare
March 23rd, 2024 6:33 pm
Jacob Polychronis from Fox Sport
Fox Sports (Australia)

Daniel Ricciardo’s first-ever Q1 exit at his home Grand Prix has intensified pressure on his position - and future in F1 – with the Australian at a loss to explain his lack of pace. Ricciardo was one of the first drivers eliminated in qualifying after his best time was deleted for exceeding track limits.

The Australian was in the drop zone in the dying stages of Q1, but appeared to pull out a clutch lap time for RB that had him safely going through to Q2. But replays showed Ricciardo left the track limits between Turns 4 and 5 by a big margin, resulting in his time being made invalid.

‘There’s more to it’;

https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/F1/VCARB/Daniel+Ricciardo


Ricciardo despair has first worrying echo of McLaren nightmare
Mar 23, 2024
by Edd Straw
The Race

Daniel Ricciardo cut a baffled figure after qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix - and not simply because of the disappointment of a track limits violation eliminating him in Q1. Instead because of the worrying echoes of his difficult years at McLaren after a lap he felt “was all I had” was over a tenth slower than what RB team-mate Yuki Tsunoda managed.

However, Ricciardo is adamant that he’s not in the same situation as McLaren because he feels confident in the car. “OK, the time got deleted, but the lap itself was definitely the best quali lap that I’ve done this year, and those ones are normally quite good,” said Ricciardo. “Going into Q2, I don’t know where there was much more time.”

‘Echo of McLaren nightmare’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/daniel-ricciardo-despair-worrying-echo-mclaren-formula-1-nightmare/


Dejected Ricciardo shows first flashes of McLaren depths
Daniel Ricciardo cut a broken figure in the Melbourne paddock after being dumped in Q1 for Australian Grand Prix qualifying - and it's a familiar tale.
23 March 10:45AM
Jake Nichol & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Realisation sets in… "I don't know if I've figured out... I don't think it has sunk in yet where I start, it is certainly painful," Ricciardo told media including RacingNews365. "The only thing I can think about is just that it is probably a two-stop race, so that opens up a few more opportunities, and maybe if I can be a bit nicer on the tyres, if some guys struggle with graining and maybe we can charge through the field.”

"I am very aware of track limits and know that if you go past, you are going to get your time deleted, it is not like I am arguing with the fact, but deep down part of me is frustrated that I have to push the car that hard and it has put me in a position where I am risking that situation. I knew at the time that at Turn 4 I was fighting it, and I remember taking more kerb than usual, so I knew I was wider than normal.”

"But it is funny, you do it, and after Turn 5, I'd forgotten about it and did the lap and then eventually [race engineer] Pierre [Hamelin], I'd honestly forgotten all about it. It took a while for it to sink in, but then I saw the lap itself, and I was happy from my side, I felt like I got everything out of it.”

‘Flashes of McLaren depths’;

https://racingnews365.com/dejected-ricciardo-shows-first-flashes-of-mclaren-nadir

[Fortitude]

Lewis Hamilton blames wind for Australian GP flop as Toto Wolff says 'there's no excuse'.
Lewis Hamilton bemoaned his inconsistent Mercedes car and the wind which unsettled it and led to an awful Australian Grand Prix qualifying result.
Mar 23, 2024, 06:56
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Lewis Hamilton will start the Australian Grand Prix in 11th place after a qualifying session to forget in Melbourne, leaving Mercedes boss Toto Wolff frustrated again. Hamilton failed to reach Q3 in Melbourne and will start Sunday's race 11th on the grid. And he was baffled by his own inability to extract performance from his car after faring well in practice earlier in the day.

He said: "It felt great in FP3 and it was strange because we were right there with those guys and we didn't really understand why. But then in qualifying... the inconsistency in the car really messes with the mind. "George [Russell] did a good job today. It is what it is - I have to try to do a better job tomorrow." Russell did manage to reach the final part of qualifying and put his own Mercedes seventh on the grid, outqualifying Hamilton for the fourth consecutive time.

‘Australian GP flop’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/hamilton-wolff-australian-gp-qualifying-32423249


Lewis Hamilton blames Mercedes car in rant as Toto Wolff fumes 'it's not good enough'
06:38, Sat, Mar 23, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Lewis Hamilton was left extremely frustrated with the W15 after qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix on Saturday, while team principal Toto Wolff blasted Mercedes' performance as 'not good enough'.

Wolff was also unimpressed with his team's offerings in Melbourne. "It's especially underwhelming because we were within a tenth in FP3," he told Ted Kravitz. "The conditions were a little bit different but there is no excuse.

"We have a car that is difficult and you can be narrowly in and out of the window, and as much as I am annoyed myself of saying this for a long time, we just need to continue working on it and trying to get better. It is not because of a lack of trying that we are where we are, but it's not good enough."

‘Wolff fumes 'it's not good enough';

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1880806/Lewis-Hamilton-Toto-Wolff-Mercedes


'Believes that it's cursed': Ted Kravitz says Lewis Hamilton disagrees with Toto Wolff over over Mercedes car
Sat 23 March 2024 14:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff have different opinions over Mercedes’ car, Sky Sports F1’s Ted Kravitz says. And speaking on Ted’s Notebook, Kravitz suggested that he doesn’t share the same attitude to the W15 to his team boss.

Kravitz said: “I thought it was optimistic for Toto Wolff to say that he still believes that this car is somehow going to get there. “Clearly, I don’t think Lewis Hamilton believes it. I think Lewis Hamilton believes that it’s cursed with the same bad handling characteristics, especially at the rear of the car, that last year’s car and the car before it had as well. Clearly this car is still not right.”

Commentator David Croft says Hamilton’s early exit left the crowd ‘shellshocked’. But Martin Brundle watched the veteran driver exert ‘a lot of effort’ for only ‘marginal’ improvements before RB driver Yuki Tsunoda knocked him out. Hamilton knows that he almost certainly won’t win an eighth title with Mercedes but will want to sign off on a high.

‘Shellshocked’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ted-kravitz-says-lewis-hamilton-disagrees-with-toto-wolff-over-mercedes-car/


Toto Wolff admits ‘illusion’ for Mercedes to get close to Red Bull after ‘underwhelming’ qualifying
23 Mar 2024 10:00 AM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Mercedes’ Toto Wolff has said he remains optimistic the W15 has more performance than it has shown, but admitted Red Bull is out of reach for now.

With Mercedes openly experimenting with alternative setups and trying different things in a bid to figure their car out as quickly as possible, Wolff said it’s not as simple as needing to dial in more balance.

“I think it’s more complex than that – it’s the whole interaction of aerodynamics and mechanical and the tyres,” he said. “It’s never a single topic, but we’ve got to just keep our heads down and push through this.”

‘Illusion’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-mercedes-illusion-red-bull-bull-underwhelming-qualifying


Annoyed Toto Wolff admits ‘there’s no excuse’ for Mercedes’ poor performance
Toto Wolff left frustrated by Mercedes' lack of performance in Australian Grand Prix qualifying.
23 Mar 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Mercedes had found encouraging performance gains in final practice on Saturday morning, with Hamilton getting within a tenth of the fastest time, only for the team’s competitiveness to dramatically drop away in qualifying.

"It's especially underwhelming because we were within a tenth in FP3,” Mercedes team principal Wolff told Sky. “The conditions were a little bit different but there is no excuse. We have a car that's difficult and you can be narrowly in or out of the window.”

"As much as I'm annoyed myself about saying this for a long time, we just need to continue working on it. It's not because of a lack of trying but we are where we are and it's not good enough.”

‘Toto Wolff left frustrated’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1045993/1/annoyed-toto-wolff-admits-theres-no-excuse-mercedes-poor-performance

[Fortitude]

‘Life is crazy sometimes’ – Sainz overjoyed after ‘rollercoaster’ ride from hospital bed to Australian GP victory.
Carlos Sainz could not hide his delight as he marked his return to action at the Australian Grand Prix with a commanding victory, making the most of an early-race retirement for Max Verstappen.
24 March 2024, 07:42
Formula One - Official Site

Just two weeks on from sitting out the Saudi Arabia race with appendicitis and undergoing surgery, Sainz challenged Verstappen for pole position at Albert Park and took the lead on the second lap of the race as the Red Bull driver battled brake issues. With Verstappen soon retiring, Sainz’s path to victory was clear and he added to a “rollercoaster” period – which also included the winter news that Lewis Hamilton will replace him next year – by leading a Ferrari one-two.

“It was a really good race; I felt really good out there,” said Sainz, who finished just under two-and-a-half seconds clear of team mate Charles Leclerc. “Of course, [I’m] a bit stiff, especially physically, it wasn’t the easiest, but I was lucky that I was more or less on my own. I could manage my pace, manage the tyres, manage everything.”

“It wasn’t the toughest race of all, but yeah, very happy, very proud of the team. I’m happy to be in a one-two with Charles here. It shows that hard work pays off. Life sometimes is crazy, what happened at the beginning of year, then the podium in Bahrain, then the appendix, the comeback, the win... it’s a rollercoaster but I loved it and I’m extremely happy.”

‘Life is crazy sometimes’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/life-is-crazy-sometimes-sainz-overjoyed-after-rollercoaster-ride-from.5V1BkINJayPberbc0aFvbl


Australian GP: Race Results
Full results from the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park.
24 March 2024
by Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Pos Num Driver Team Laps/Diff Pts
1 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 58 25
2 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 2.366 19
3 4 Lando Norris McLaren 5.904 15
4 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 35.77 12
5 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 56.309 10
6 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 63.894 8
7 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 84.818 6
8 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 92.922 4
9 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 106.684 2
10 20 Kevin Magnussen Haas 1L 1

‘Full results’;

https://speedcafe.com/australian-gp-race-results/


Championship standings after 2024 F1 Australian Grand Prix
Check out the full 2024 F1 championship standings after the Australian Grand Prix.
24 March 6:26AM
RacingNews365 Staff

Max Verstappen has retained his lead in the Formula 1 Drivers' Championship despite his non-finish at the Australian Grand Prix. Ferrari's Carlos Sainz scored his third career victory only two weeks after having surgery to remove his appendix, with teammate Charles Leclerc and McLaren's Lando Norris completing the podium.

# Driver Team Points

1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Red Bull Racing 51

2 Charles Leclerc Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari 47

3 Sergio Pérez Red Bull Red Bull Racing 46

4 Carlos Sainz Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari 40

5 Oscar Piastri McLaren McLaren Racing 28

6 Lando Norris McLaren McLaren Racing 27

7 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin Aston Martin F1 Team 20

8 George Russell Mercedes Mercedes AMG F1 18

9 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Mercedes AMG F1 8

10 Lance Stroll Aston Martin Aston Martin F1 Team 7

‘With the third round of the season in the books, take a look at the updated championship standings below!’;

https://racingnews365.com/championship-standings-after-2024-f1-australian-grand-prix


F1 Live: Australia GP Race - Watchalong - Live Timings + Commentary
24 March 2024
Racing Statistics

F1 Live: Australia GP Race - Watchalong - Live Timings + Commentary F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary for the 2024 Australian Grand Prix with Racing Statistics.

‘Lets Watchalong!’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyfMueT3Vg4


Carlos Sainz puts appendix surgery behind him to WIN the Australian Grand Prix in a race dominated by retirements for Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.
He started on pole, but was passed by Sainz, who used his DRS power to seize control of the afternoon 16 days after undergoing appendix surgery. What a star.
Published: 05:33, 24 March 2024
By Jonathan McEvoy
MailOnline

Nobody could have foretold Verstappen's misfortune of the brake failure that struck at the start of the 58-lap event. Ring the church bells! For Verstappen was reporting he had lost his car. Then smoke came out of the back rear of his usually impregnable machine.

He retired at the end of the fourth lap, flames now coming from his stricken machine as he pulled into his pit box. He got out disgruntled, obviously. But he can afford to write off his problem as a likely blip, even if the cheers of the record 132,105 crowd can hardly have warmed him. They were just delighted to see a period of domination like no other in the history of the sport interrupted.

He was furious to be held in the car while his mechanics attempted a pit stop despite him sitting in the midst of a fire. He remonstrated with performance director Tom Hart in the garage about this point, seemingly saying: 'F***ing stupid.'

‘Carlos Sainz puts appendix surgery behind him to WIN’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13232475/Carlos-Sainz-WIN-Australian-Grand-Prix-race-retirements-Max-Verstappen-Lewis-Hamilton-George-Russell.html


MAX VERSTAPPEN SEES AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX GO UP IN SMOKE: 'IT'S A SHAME'
24 March 2024
Misha van der Kroon
Verstappen.nl

Once changed out of his racing suit, Max addresses the media to talk about the retirement: “I think something went wrong from the start. We could see on the data that the right rear brake was stuck and the temperature kept increasing. We don’t know exactly yet, but something went wrong there. That’s also why I had that moment in turn three, where I braked and it looked like one of the brakes was stuck and I lost the car.”

The brake problem only came to light after the start of the race: “On the way to the grid the car still felt perfect and I felt confident in the car. During the first few laps, the brakes are still quite cold. Normally a brake cools down again, but the rear brake didn’t cool down anymore and the temperature kept rising. As a result, you have a huge difference between the brakes, so that’s far from ideal.”

Max continues: “You could see it when I was behind Sainz. I could overtake him again, but lost the car again in turn six and almost went off track there. The car was very difficult to drive, so you could tell that something was wrong.” Verstappen is calm but obviously disappointed to miss out on a tenth Grand Prix victory in a row: “It’s a mechanical sport, these things can happen. It’s of course a shame that it had to happen today, because we could have won here.”

‘The brake problem only came to light after the start of the race’;

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5415/


Lewis Hamilton bemoans ‘worst start to a season ever’ after Australian Grand Prix retirement
Mar 24, 2024, 7:17am
Callum McAvoy
Metro.co.uk

Sir Lewis Hamilton says he’s enduring ‘the worst start to a season I’ve ever had’ after retiring from the Australian Grand Prix. ‘I think the engine seized. It appeared out of nowhere, it was a split second thing,’ Hamilton told Sky Sports, explaining his retirement. The 39-year-old briefly diced with the Red Bull of Sergio Perez and once again he was left in awe of how quick his rival’s car was.

‘Massive gap [to Red Bull]. I think they have a second on us, the way he [Perez] pulled down the straight… same as last year!’ He later added: ‘I mean, this is the worst start to season I’ve ever had. Oh, yeah, for sure [even worse than the last two]. And it’s worse than 2009 I think.’

‘Worst start to a season ever’;

https://metro.co.uk/2024/03/24/lewis-hamilton-bemoans-worst-start-a-season-ever-australia-gp-20519308/?ito=newsnow-feed


George Russell flips car in massive crash on final lap of Australian Grand Prix
George Russell was involved in a massive shunt on the last lap in Melbourne.
05:29, Sun, Mar 24, 2024
By Archie Griggs
Daily and Sunday Express

George Russell was involved in a terrifying crash on the final lap of the Australian Grand Prix, with the Mercedes ace making a critical mistake while battling Fernando Alonso. Carlos Sainz took the chequered flag in Melbourne to complete a Ferrari one-two after Max Verstappen was forced to retire early on with smoke billowing from his Red Bull car.

Just moments before the end of the race, Russell crashed out after losing the rear end while chasing Alonso in the battle for sixth place. Replays showed the Mercedes driver coming up behind his Spanish rival before spinning out and smashing into the barriers at high speed.

Russell quickly confirmed that he was okay before he was taken back to the pit lane, with the race finishing under virtual safety car conditions. The incident was placed under investigation by the FIA after the chequered flag with both drivers set to meet the stewards later on.

‘Flips car in massive crash’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1881030/George-Russell-crash-Australian-Grand-Prix

[Fortitude]

F1 Australian GP Results: Sainz Storms from Surgery To Success.
Just over two weeks removed from missing a grand prix for surgery Carlos Sainz benefits from Max Verstappen’s woes to win in Melbourne.
Mar 24, 2024
Phillip Horton
AutoWeek

Carlos Sainz sat out the previous round in Saudi Arabia after a diagnosis of appendicitis prompted surgery on qualifying day. He conceded on Thursday in Australia that the first week post-surgery was tough, spending most of the days in bed, and that he prioritized his recovery over his usual training regime or simulator activities. He would not, he emphasized, be operating at 100 per cent of his typical ability.

Through practice Ferrari was strong, and Sainz put the car on the front row of the grid, with the race runs during practice indicating that Ferrari could place Red Bull under pressure at a front-limited circuit where the risk of tire graining is high. Ultimately such a race between the teams never came to fruition as Verstappen was stymied by a terminal brake problem from the start, removing him from the equation, but once up front Sainz professionally managed the race and was untroubled from behind as he claimed his third career victory.

Sainz headed Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc to ensure the Scuderia took its first 1-2 result in over two years, and Sainz again submitted an excellent advertisement of his talents to prospective employers.

‘Surgery To Success’;

https://www.autoweek.com/racing/formula-1/a60287483/f1-australian-gp-results-sainz-storms-from-surgery-to-success/


FROM HOSPITAL BED TO TOP STEP: SAINZ EXCLAIMS ‘LIFE SOMETIMES IS CRAZY’
The Spaniard claimed an unexpected victory at the Australian Grand Prix
March 24, 2024
James Fiorucci
FormulaNerds

Sainz was back behind the wheel of his SF-24 for the Australian Grand Prix weekend, despite still feeling significant discomfort after the removal of his inflamed appendix. He had stated that he would be the first to raise his hand if he felt like he couldn’t continue. However with adrenaline pushing him through he looked quick through all three practice sessions and lined up on the front row alongside the dominant Max Verstappen with a P2 in Qualifying.

Speaking to F1 media after the race, Sainz reflected on the unanticipated race win. He said: “It was a really good race; I felt really good out there. “Of course, a bit stiff, especially physically, it wasn’t the easiest, but I was lucky that I was more or less on my own. I could manage my pace, manage the tyres, manage everything. It wasn’t the toughest race of all, but yeah, very happy, very proud of the team. I’m happy to be in a one-two with Charles here. It shows that hard work pays off”, added the 29-year-old.

‘Unexpected victory’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/from-hospital-bed-to-top-step-sainz-exclaims-life-sometimes-is-crazy/


‘I guess this will help me get a job for next year’ jokes Sainz after victory in Melbourne
24 Mar 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Just two weeks ago Carlos Sainz was undergoing surgery – but stepped back in the car this weekend in Australia to win at the very first attempt since his operation.

‘I guess this will help me’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.i-guess-this-will-help-me-get-a-job-for-next-year-jokes-sainz-after-victory-in-melbourne.1794391387453370857.html


“Still jobless” Carlos Sainz’s “I proved it” verdict after F1 Australian GP glory
Carlos Sainz might have alerted potential suitors with a brilliant F1 Australian Grand Prix victory
24 Mar 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Carlos Sainz made an emphatic statement for the ongoing drivers market with his F1 Australian Grand Prix win. A delighted Sainz told Martin Brundle that he was proud: “Yes. You cannot imagine how proud I am.

“You know how tough the start of my year has been - the non-renewal, putting together a good preseason testing, podium at the first race, I was ready to fight this year. Then, appendix, another low. Then suddenly you come back and win.”

Brundle asked Sainz if this result could help him secure a contract for the 2025 F1 grid. He answered: “I am still jobless next year! I know that when I am given a good car, I can get it done. I’ve proved it in Singapore, and here. I am happy. Very happy with the car today.”

“Still jobless”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1046144/1/still-jobless-carlos-sainzs-i-proved-it-verdict-after-f1-australian-gp-glory


Our verdict on Red Bull's Australian GP misery + Sainz excellence
Mar 24, 2024
The Race

When Max Verstappen took pole position for the Australian Grand Prix in the face of his biggest challenge yet in 2024, the expectation was surely that the three-time Formula 1 world champion would romp clear on Sunday in similar fashion to the opening two rounds of the season.

“A race - and result - F1 desperately needed” Scott Mitchell-Malm.
“One frustrating unanswered question remains” Ben Anderson.
“Sainz is ready to be Verstappen's team-mate again” Josh Suttill.

“A hint of what Verstappen might be craving” Matt Beer.
“Ferrari's got its house in order” Jack Cozens.

‘The Race: Our verdict’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f1-australian-gp-red-bull-misery-carlos-sainz-excellence-our-verdict/


Sainz savours victory after 'rollercoaster' start to season
Melbourne (AFP) – Carlos Sainz said he was savouring the moment Sunday after a "rollercoaster" start to the season culminated in a fighting victory at the Australian Grand Prix.
24/03/2024 - 09:05
France 24

The 29-year-old Spaniard started the year being informed he had been dumped by Ferrari to make way for Lewis Hamilton next season, leaving him without a drive in 2025. He responded with a podium place in the opening race of the year in Bahrain before being struck down with appendicitis ahead of Saudi Arabia.

Surgery and a bed-ridden week later, he pulled off a remarkable win in Melbourne after many doubted he should even be in the car so soon. "It's not only the last two weeks. It's the whole start to the year in general, how the year started with the news of the non-renewal," said Sainz, reflecting on a whirlwind 2024.

"Then you get yourself fit. You get yourself ready for the start of the season, pushing flat out. And then you get to Bahrain. You do a good podium. You say, 'OK, now the season is starting well and I can keep the momentum going'. And suddenly, boom, you're missing a race in Jeddah and the operation."

‘Sainz savours victory’;

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20240324-sainz-savours-victory-after-rollercoaster-start-to-season


Red Bull ‘nemesis’ Carlos Sainz catches Christian Horner’s attention for F1 2025 seat
24 Mar 2024 12:00 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Christian Horner has said it’s impossible to rule out “any possibility” after Carlos Sainz’s controlled win in Australia. Sainz’s win is only the second non-Red Bull victory between the 2023 and ’24 seasons, with the Ferrari driver having also won last year’s Singapore Grand Prix as Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez were both unable to join in the fight at the front.

Perez’s contract is also up for renewal for 2025, and came into the season fully informed that he needs a much better season this year than he had in 2023 as he struggled for pace and consistency alongside Max Verstappen. So far, Perez has performed, but Sainz is a possibility if Red Bull do decide to look elsewhere.

Pressed on the topic of whether he’d (Christian Horner) be interested in hiring the “very fast unemployed driver that won today”. “We want to field the best pairing we can with Red Bull Racing so, sometimes, you got to look outside the pool as well,” Horner said. “The market is reasonably fluid in certain parts. I mean, based on a performance like that, you couldn’t rule any possibility out.”

‘Red Bull ‘nemesis’ Carlos Sainz’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/carlos-sainz-christian-horner-red-bull-possibility-2025-seat

[Fortitude]

‘Went down like a cold flat white’: Oscar told to step aside in tough Aus Grand Prix call.
“I have to tell you Crofty that went down like a cold flat white with the crowd, that position swap,” Pit expert Ted Kravitz summed up how the news was received by the huge crowd.
March 24th, 2024 6:49 pm
James Dampney from News.com.au
Fox Sports (Australia)

McLaren’s orders to Oscar Piastri “went down like a cold flat white” after the young Aussie star was told to move aside for teammate Lando Norris at Albert Park. Piastri, 22, was running third through 29 laps in the Australian F1 Grand Prix when he was ordered to let teammate Norris through.

“Piastri is now being told to swap positions and to move aside and let your teammate through and that’s exactly what he’s done,” commentator David Croft said. That must feel especially horrible in your home race. “But as we’ve often seen with Oscar Piastri, the team asks you to do something, he does it, he doesn’t complain, he’ll have a debrief later.”

Fellow commentator Martin Brundle, always the straight shooter, replied that that’s life sometimes in motorsport. “What goes around comes around and they probably need to release Norris a little bit,” Brundle said. “In a way he’s on a different strategy isn’t he, (Norris) pitted lap 14, Piastri lap 9, so they want to try to use the freshness of that tyre.”

‘Went down like a cold flat white’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/went-down-like-a-cold-flat-white-oscar-told-to-step-aside-in-tough-aus-grand-prix-call/news-story/9e28c97b88e781d28cf2790349c136ac


Brutal call robs Aussie Oscar Piastri of third place at his home grand prix - as Daniel Ricciardo has yet another shocking result
• Piastri came fourth in Melbourne
• Teammate Lando Norris finished third
• Ricciardo's struggles continued
Published: 07:10, 24 March 2024
By Shayne Bugden For Daily Mail Australia


Oscar Piastri was on course to become the first Australian to record a podium finish at his home grand prix before his McLaren team ordered him to let his teammate Lando Norris past on Sunday. Boos were heard from the patriotic crowd at Albert Park as Piastri obeyed the order - although the Aussie was diplomatic about the incident after the chequered flag, saying Norris had out-qualified him and was the quicker of the two during the race.

Piastri started fifth, with Norris fourth, but managed to get past his teammate during the first round of pit stops. 'I would have loved to have been one spot up but no, pretty happy with that,' he said after the race. 'Few little things that I could've done a bit better in that race. I think I just struggled a little bit in that middle stint on the hard [tyre].'

The Melburnian got a standing ovation when he crossed the line, but the fans were far from happy when he and Norris changed places. 'I have to tell you that went down like a cold flat white with the crowd,' commentator Ted Kravitz said.

‘Boos were heard from the patriotic crowd at Albert Park as Piastri obeyed the order’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13232523/Oscar-Piastri-Australian-Grand-Prix-F1-Formula-One-team-orders-Daniel-Ricciardo.html


These were calls that cost Piastri a podium in Melbourne
March 24, 2024 — 8.26pm
Matthew Clayton
The Sydney Morning Herald

Oscar Piastri was pragmatic after being asked by McLaren to move aside for teammate Lando Norris in Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix, the Australian driver calling the team order “completely fair” after finishing fourth in his second race at home at Albert Park.

Piastri, who started in fifth place and two spots behind his teammate, was pitted before Norris on lap nine to cover off the Mercedes of George Russell, who stopped earlier in a bid to undercut the Australian.

“For me, it’s been a strong weekend. A couple of mistakes when it mattered which was a bit frustrating, but today has been a solid result,” Piastri said. “I would have loved to have been one spot higher, but for the team I think it’s been an amazing weekend with gap to Ferrari being a lot smaller.”

‘Calls that cost Piastri a podium’;

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/motorsport/team-orders-and-a-mistake-the-calls-that-cost-pragmatic-piastri-a-podium-in-melbourne-20240324-p5fes5.html


Told to give way, Oscar refuses to grouch as podium curse continues
March 24, 2024 — 4.51pm
Chip Le Grand
WA Today

For nearly 20 glorious laps, Oscar Piastri could almost taste the champagne. Brilliantly blue skies. More than 130,000 people packed into the circuit. And only the gleaming red Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc standing between Piastri and lead of the Australian Grand Prix. In 2002, the year after Piastri was born, Mark Webber was invited onto the podium by race winner Michael Schumacher but only as a special guest, after he steered his Minardi through a demolition derby to somehow scrape into the points, Stephen Bradbury style.

In 2014, Daniel Ricciardo, his then Red Bull team and everyone else at the Albert Park circuit thought he had broken the hoodoo, when he crossed the line in second place and took part in the podium celebrations. After a sharp-eyed race steward noticed that Ricciardo’s car had breached an arcane rule governing fuel loads, the bubbles turned to vinegar.

This time, it was Piastri who felt the sting of coming oh so close. For nearly a third of the race, he doggedly trailed the twin Ferraris, each lap giving rise to the possibility of fabled finish for the home-town boy. Then, without warning, team radio crackled with an instruction from his McLaren bosses to move over for teammate Lando Norris…

‘Told to give way’;

https://www.watoday.com.au/sport/motorsport/told-to-give-way-oscar-refuses-to-grouch-as-podium-curse-continues-20240324-p5fetf.html


Lando Norris caught on camera SWEARING at a fan who mocked his failure to win a Formula One race... after Briton finished third in the Australian Grand Prix
• Lando Norris claimed the 14th podium of his career in Australia on Sunday
• One fan shouted to remind him that he is still yet to win a race in Formula One
• Norris responded by letting the man know what he thought of the comment
01:05, 25 March 2024
Spencer Morgan


Lando Norris had a quick and rather unsavory response for a fan who mocked him following the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday. McLaren driver Norris claimed the 14th podium of his career, finishing third behind the two Ferraris.

The 24-year-old is still waiting for the first Formula One race win of his career, something which a fan took the chance to remind him of. 'When are you gonna win a race Lando?', the man shouted as Norris made his way through the crowd.

The Brit responded by sticking his middle finger up in the direction of the man, who found it highly amusing.

‘Norris responded’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13234247/Lando-Norris-caught-camera-swearing-fan-mocked-failure-win-F1-race-finishing-Australian-Grand-Prix.html


Oscar Piastri laments missed podium: Is he bitter about team orders?
Oscar Piastri finished fourth at the 2024 Australian GP.
March 24, 2024 - 07:42
By Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

Oscar Piastri finished just one place shy of the podium at places at his home race in the 2024 Australian Grand Prix, with McLaren controversially issuing team orders but the youngster says he had no issues with them.

Andrea Stella‘s team made the call to switch Piastri with Lando Norris on Lap 29 as they chased after Charles Leclerc and possibly Carlos Sainz depending on their pace in the second half of the race around the Albert Park Circuit.

Yet they could not catch either Ferrari and as a result, Norris finished third whilst Piastri had to settle for fourth. Despite that, the 22-year-old feels they were more than fair due to the pace difference across the weekend.

‘Oscar Piastri laments missed podium’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-oscar-piastri-laments-missed-2024-australia-podium-mclaren-team-orders/