2024 Formula 1 Preview & Review.

[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/10...-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/wo...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-w...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-wolf...ewis-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-w...des-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-a...cedes-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-w...ussell-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-out...s-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/10...ilian-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-...e-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/fernan...eciding-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-alons...eymoon-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/...hallenge-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/eme...s-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/...1-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-fer...lerc-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/formu...rrari-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...st-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/formu...-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/charle...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-...tally-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/104276...tri-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/...sh-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-a...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/formu...orris-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-exp...ren-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-...n-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/sa...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/s...sure/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/10...y-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/...stent-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...24-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/s...ator/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...act-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-re...1-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-step...-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/a...?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/jac...s-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-re...cedes-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-w...ussell-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-...-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-...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-cl...ut-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/mcl...-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-...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-...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-silver...e-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/10...aren-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-s...ri-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/...-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-p...otivation.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/edd...-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/ped...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/dam...-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/10...-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-cont...-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/...iden-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/10...-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-asse...pine-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-re...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/a...ZtK56oF5M.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/a...XgP7779Ms.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-q...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/v...830064573.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/...ip-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/alpin...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/feature...-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...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-o...-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/esteba...-2024-war-mode