2024 Formula 1 Preview & Review.

[Fortitude]

Stroll sums up his P14 in Singapore: ‘Difficult day, difficult weekend’.
Lance Stroll came home in 14th place for Aston Martin and said he was struggling for balance and grip all weekend at the Marina Bay Circuit.
22 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Difficult day, difficult weekend’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/st...08322728887689


Stroll: Tricky qualifying ‘the story of my weekend’ in Singapore
21 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Lance Stroll qualified down in P17 for Sunday’s Grand Prix, and branded his Aston Martin AMR24 as “a very difficult car to drive”.

‘Tricky qualifying’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/st...14642585207899


'Difficult day' for Stroll with P14 in Friday practice
20 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Lance Stroll concedes there is a "a lot of work to do tonight" for Aston Martin after both cars finish outside the top ten in Friday's second practice session in Singapore.

'Difficult day';

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/di...28828981406586


INSIDE: How did sliders save Lance Stroll's life?
26 Sep 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Sliders: "The sliders! These actually saved my life in Bahrain that weekend [in 2023], man! I couldn't put my shoes on. I was in a lot of pain. At first, it was just like, 'How am I going to be comfortable walking up and down the paddock?' And then it was like, 'Boom, some big BOSS sliders!' Actually, then I thought it was kind of swaggy, the socks and the sliders. It had a good look to it.

"Recovering from the pre-season cycling accident is one of my biggest life achievements. It was, in my mind, not really a possibility when I was lying on the ground with my broken wrists, hand, toe… I was just kind of thinking, 'This isn't good, this is really not good,' but it was an incredible recovery. I had a great team around me, doctors, physios that helped me get to Bahrain, and to come away in sixth with some points was a great achievement.”

"I showed a lot to myself more than anything else. My tolerance for pain got much higher after Bahrain and some of my ideas of what I think is possible have changed. It was incredible adversity and a very challenging moment in my life that I overcame. It was a big life lesson for me. Courage is part of what we do. To drive these cars on the limit, to face adversity and go out there and compete every weekend takes a lot of courage and that's one of the reasons why the sport is so appealing."

"The sliders!”;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24724


Stroll cities confidence in the car as main factor to performance
28 Sep 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Stroll insists that the most vital thing is to build up confidence behind the wheel as it allows a driver to push the car to the limit. "I think it's always important to have confidence when you're in the car. When you're not confident in the car, that's when you just can't like really push it and lean on it, they're not comfortable to drive."

He added that confidence allows a driver "to lean on it, to come off the brake, carry speed, get back on the power as early as possible. I think that definitely is a factor for sure when you're driving and you're talking about that confidence thing," it's still crucial to find that confidence.” Stroll claims that Aston Martin clearly faces a big challenge to improve many aspects, but he is delighted that the team has been able to capitalize on some opportunities to score points in several races.

"I think I'm happy that we've been able to score points as a team, we capitalized throughout the year and we scored some points. A lot of racing to go and, always trying to just improve in every area. Improve setting up the car to be as good as it can be, improve qualifying, improve the race, it's a never-ending evolution."

‘Confidence in the car as main factor to performance’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25282


Guenther Steiner takes aim at ‘non-existent’ Lance Stroll with ‘weird’ trend identified
29 Sep 2024
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner says Lance Stroll is “just non-existent” with the Aston Martin driver passing “completely under the radar” in F1 2024. And he suggested that the youngster simply goes through the motions when he does not have a competitive car at his disposal, with Stroll waiting to see if F1 2025 brings an improvement for Aston Martin.

He said: “Lance passes completely under the radar. It’s weird. You never speak good or bad about him, he’s just non-existent.” Put to him that F1 fans have just accepted Stroll being around, he added: “Exactly. I don’t think he’s a bad race car driver. I don’t know what it is. Obviously, we all know that he doesn’t need to drive a race car. He alright [financially], so maybe that’s what it is.”

“If the car is not [good enough] to [reach] the podium or something, he’s just like: ‘Yeah, I just get by. Who cares? I wait until next year’s car comes and see if that is better.’ I don’t know. I don’t know the guy, never spoke with him, so I have no idea. But he’s one of these guys who is rarely spoken about when he’s in the points. It’s less spoken about when he’s not in the points. He’s just there.”

‘Non-existent’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/guenth...d-non-existent


Former Williams team boss admits missed opportunity with Stroll “drives me nuts”
25th September 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Williams admitted she regrets missing the opportunity to keep Stroll within the Williams fold when she ran the team. “It drives me nuts because Lawrence was with us,” she told Business of Sport. Lance Stroll made his Formula 1 debut at Williams in 2017, through the financial support of his father. However Williams struggled the following year and Lawrence Stroll took the opportunity to buy Force India, moving his son there in 2019.

He has since spent heavily on the team, funding a massive upgrade of its facilities and hiring a raft of senior staff from rivals including star designer Adrian Newey. Stroll rebranded his team as Aston Martin in 2021, the year after the Williams family sold its team. “There is not one day when I ever, ever have the emotion that I’m pleased that we sold Williams,” she admitted. “No, never. I never, ever think that.”

“Everyone will probably go ‘oh, she’s so dramatic’ and whatever, but I will live with the heartbreak of losing it every single day. Because it wasn’t a decision that we made as a family to sell because we’d had enough of Formula 1 or wanted to cash out. We all wanted to stay in it. It was our life for ever, that was the plan. I wanted to run the team for my son or my nephews.”

‘Missed opportunity with Stroll “drives me nuts”.’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/09/25/...rives-me-nuts/

[Fortitude]

No Formula 1 for Zhou and he can no longer enter this class either!
For weeks, Guanyu Zhou said the same story. In short, his entire focus was on finding an F1 seat for 2025, and he was not looking at options in other classes.
30 Sep 2024
Ludo van Denderen
GPblog.com

It is now fairly clear that there is no place for the Chinese driver in Formula 1, as almost certainly Valtteri Bottas will get the seat Zhou was aiming for at Sauber. Meanwhile, Zhou has realised that his F1 adventure is coming to an end for the time being and so he is now looking around. Formula E - long seen as the most logical next step, as China's electric car market is the largest in the world - is also no longer an option for Zhou, according to GPblog.

All seats for next season have been filled, apart from the two seats at ERT. However, this Chinese team plans to extend the contracts of Sergio Sette Camara and Dan Ticktum for another season. Time is slowly running out for Zhou anyway, as top seats are currently being filled in most classes. "Wherever I go, I need to make sure that the door in F1 doesn't close at that time because I think a lot of drivers still make their comeback," said Zhou, who realises a decision has to be made.

"I am not worried about my racing career. I'm thinking about my Formula 1 career more than that, which is really nice to have. As a kid growing up, to get other very top teams in other series poaching, I think was a good thing," Zhou added before saying living the dream changed that view. "I want to stay here many more years."

‘F1 adventure is coming to an end for the time being’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30415...formula-1.html


Zhou fielding 'several very good' offers outside F1
Zhou Guanyu has said he has "several very good" opportunities outside F1 if he cannot secure the seat at Stake alongside Nico Hulkenberg for 2025.
29 Sep 2024
Samuel Coop & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Regardless of what subsequently lies in store for Zhou, he claims to have a variety of options to draw upon if he cannot secure his desired contract renewal at Stake.

"At the moment, all I can say is that there's already several very good chances, teams in other series [that have] approached me for a drive for next year," the Chinese driver told media including RacingNews365.

"But, at the moment, of course, I want to still get the Sauber seat, and if by any chance, I don't have that, we have to think about the rest [of the options available]."

'Several very good';

https://racingnews365.com/zhou-expre...ultiple-offers


Sauber seat speculation: Which driver will secure the 2025 spot?
There is one spot open at Sauber for their final full season next year before becoming Audi for 2026
September 26, 2024
Hannah May
FormulaNerds

Current drivers, Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas have yet to secure contracts for 2025. The team and drivers have had a difficult season, yet to score any points and experiencing issues with pit stops at the beginning of 2024. According to F1 Oversteer, it is rumoured that Zhou may be offered the role of reserve driver.

Bottas joined Alfa Romeo for the 2022 season. He signed a multi-year deal and drove alongside Zhou, who was a rookie driver in 2022. Both drivers remained with the team when they rebranded to Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber. If the team choose to part ways with Zhou at the end of 2024, will they keep one of their drivers to partner with Hulkenberg for 2025?

‘Zhou may be offered the role of reserve driver’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/opinion.../?nowprocket=1


Sauber's reserve driver quits Formula 2 season early for new challenge
28 Sep 2024
Ludo van Denderen
GPblog.com

Zane Maloney will not finish the current Formula 2 season, after the Sauber reserve driver signed a contract with the new Lola Yamaha ABT team that will compete in Formula E. As the latter class will begin their new season in Mexico on 7 December, Maloney will be present there and therefore will not compete at the Abu Dhabi event in F2.

‘Sauber's reserve driver’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30383...formula-2.html


Mattia Binotto: Audi will have a ‘gap to recover’ with F1 engine
30 Sep 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Sauber Motorsport boss Mattia Binotto has admitted Audi is braced to have an initial “gap to recover” once it debuts as a Formula 1 power unit manufacturer in 2026. “I’ve been visiting Neuberg in the last days and weeks” Binotto said.

“The engine is progressing well, running on the dyno, some long distances so far already performed. I think here as well, it’s a learning process. We are competing with other organisations where manufacturers are settled down,” he accepted. “Certainly, all the experience is pretty important and valid.”

“So while I think the organisation there [at Audi] is great, the facilities are great, the programs are going ahead, still there is a learning curve, which needs to be done. So I’m expecting initially to have a gap to recover. How big it will be, I think that you can never know.”

‘Gap to recover’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...ith-f1-engine/

[Fortitude]

Sorting out his Sauber future ‘high on the priority list’ for Bottas after P16 finish in Singapore.
Sauber’s point-less run continued in Singapore, but Valtteri Bottas is now focussed on confirming his plans for next year with the team yet to decide who will partner new signing Nico Hulkenberg in 2025.
22 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site

‘Sorting out his Sauber future’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/so...06982251440405


Valtteri Bottas sends ‘high priority’ message to Audi with F1 future still unclear
Valtteri Bottas is keen for his F1 future to be sorted during the upcoming break.
25 Sep 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Speaking to F1TV after the race in Singapore, Bottas outlined his hopes for the upcoming break. “First of all, try to find performance, evaluating what exactly is going to be the upgrade for Austin, which is very much needed,” Bottas said.

“And sorting things out for the future, that’s obviously high on my priority list because it’s starting to feel almost like Christmas time, you know it’s getting close so better get it sorted.”

‘High priority’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/105646...-still-unclear


Bottas keen to get his future ‘sorted’ after ‘slightly better’ weekend for Sauber in Singapore
25 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

The second seat at Sauber, alongside Nico Hulkenberg for next season, is still unoccupied, but an announcement is thought to be made sooner rather than later with multiple candidates on the table. Whether Bottas or Zhou sign a contract extension, or new boss Mattia Binotto takes a chance on a younger driver like Franco Colapinto, still remains to be seen.

Reflecting on their P15 and P16 finish in Singapore, Bottas said it was “still not an easy day like expected, and also no help from safety cars”. “I just had an issue with my brakes at the beginning of the race,” he added. “They overheated and I started locking up, so lost some time there. If I look at the race, I don’t think we would actually do much different.”

“We could also work together as a team at the end of the race to keep Gasly behind and that was good, so I think we maximised today.” With an “important” three-week break ahead of the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Bottas outlined his aims as the sport heads into the final part of the season.

‘The second seat at Sauber’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...26CFL9ZBIAY0u0


‘My understanding’: When Sauber are expected to announce Valtteri Bottas as their second driver for 2025
25 Sep 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber to give them their full name, appear to have chosen Hulkenberg’s teammate and speaking on the Pit Talk Podcast, journalist Mat Coch gave more details about their decision. Bottas has been waiting for a long time to see if he would be handed another Formula 1 contract.

It appears as though Sauber are going to stick with the Finn and are expected to confirm that he’ll stay with the team before the United States Grand Prix. Providing an update on the Formula 1 driver’s market, Mat Coch said: “Yeah, Franco Colapinto, or as I’ve dubbed Ayrton Colapinto because he looks so much like Ayrton Senna, it’s frightening, kind of similar in pace too, the kid is rapid.”

“I think he’s going to miss out; it’s just too late in the day. It’s a little bit like Liam Lawson last year. He came in and shone, but it was just too late in the day to seal the deal for next year but watch for Colapinto I think he’ll certainly feature for 2026 conversations. My understanding is that Valtteri Bottas, if he has not signed the contract as we’re recording this, it’s pretty much done and the announcement will be made before COTA [Circuit of the Americas in Austin].”

‘Ayrton Colapinto’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/whe...iver-for-2025/


Bottas backs himself to remain in F1: 'Better than at Mercedes'
28 Sept 2024
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com

Valtteri Bottas is yet to sign a contract for the 2025 Formula One season, but the driver from Finland hopes to remain at Stake F1, the team that is owned by Audi. He has also declared that he is performing better than he did at his previous team.

The Finn believes based on performance, he is driving better than he did at his last employer as he hopes to secure a seat for 2025. "I feel like, yes, especially in qualifyings this year, I haven't felt any signs of being worse. If anything, you keep getting better with experience. You gain more consistency, more confidence”

“You can solve different issues in a different way. You can adapt to the car the more time you spend in the sport. I feel actually I'm driving better than what I did at Mercedes, but obviously it's not that visible," Bottas revealed.

'Better than at Mercedes';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30381...-mercedes.html


'Didn't want': Valtteri Bottas has now ‘given up’ on key Sauber contract demand ahead of re-signing for 2025
27 Sep 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Bottas is expected to be announced by Sauber sooner rather than later and journalist Julianne Cerasoli, speaking on her YouTube channel, explained more details about the Finn’s situation. Valtteri Bottas is the most experienced option available to Sauber but that hasn’t helped him in his quest to score a championship point this year. He’s no longer in a particularly strong bargaining position either, meaning he’s had to give up one of his key demands in order to stay on the grid in 2025.”

Talking about the driver predicament at Sauber, Cerasoli said: “With the information that we have, the Bottas contract is not signed, but it is written and is in the phase of going back to the lawyers. These Formula 1 contracts are quite complex, so, that’s one thing if something goes back now. There was also the thing where Bottas didn’t want to sign for just one year. He has now given up putting his foot down about it”

“From Sauber’s perspective, having Bottas for a year instead of Gabriel Bortoleto, it was really between the two, Franco Colapinto wasn’t talking to Sauber. In their optics, it makes more sense that. This will make more sense to McLaren, as they would not release him from the contract and what Bortoleto’s own management imagine is the best thing for him is to stay in the McLaren academy, perhaps become a McLaren reserve driver next year.”

“Bottas didn’t want to sign for just one year”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/val...ning-for-2025/


Valtteri Bottas wary of potential Ricciardo-style F1 exit
Valtteri Bottas has admitted that he’s had to learn to live with uncertainty surrounding the end of his F1 career.
1 October 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Bottas is out of contract at year end, though expected to remain with Sauber alongside Nico Hulkenberg for next season. The potential however remains that his contract isn’t extended, and the coming six races mark the end of his F1 career.

“I think that the ideal scenario would be that you decide when it’s time,” Bottas told Speedcafe when asked about not necessarily being able to end his career on his own terms. That’s ideal, but it’s not how the sport sometimes works.”

“There’s many elements. There’s a lot of politics, you name it. It’s a difficult sport on that, but I just hope that eventually I can pull the trigger, let’s say, not the other way around. But you never know.”

‘Learnt to live with uncertainty surrounding the end of his F1 career’;

https://speedcafe.com/bottas-ricciardo-style-f1-exit/

[Fortitude]

Dejected Gasly admits ‘fundamentally we’re just too slow’.
Pierre Gasly cut a downbeat figure after he finished 16th in Singapore – and said Alpine need to make “huge steps” to catch back up to the top 10 runners.
22 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Fundamentally we’re just too slow’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/de...07095707363606


‘We are not quick or competitive’ – Gasly offers grim assessment as Alpine fail to score for third straight race
25 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Alpine might have had a more straightforward race in Singapore than the one they managed in Azerbaijan, but both drivers come home outside the points for the third straight race weekend.

He started on the mediums like most of the field, but ran an exceptionally long first stint before bolting on the softs late on – too late to make much of an impression and climb back through the order. “A very difficult and frustrating race for us in the end,” Gasly said afterwards. “We are just not quick or competitive enough at the moment.”

“The lack of pace forced us to try some different strategies in the hope of improving our end result. We stayed out long on the Mediums on the first stint and lost a lot of time to cars we were racing at the start. The plan then was to disrupt some cars behind in the hope to benefit Esteban to get something from the race.” That plan didn’t work out, although Esteban Ocon managed to finish two places higher than he started, coming home in 13th.

‘Grim assessment’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...BNOYIiE9sac7ei


Gasly frustrated at being “sacrificed” to help Ocon
25 Sep 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

Pierre Gasly was left frustrated at the Singapore GP after being “sacrificed” to help the race of Alpine Formula 1 team mate Esteban Ocon. “Today, I got sacrificed, left out on track to block the others and try to help Esteban to catch up,” he said when asked by this writer about his race.

“Fundamentally, we are just too slow, and it forces us to try some interesting strategies. When you’re lapping five second off the pace the last 10 laps, not much point. But I understand we try to help one car in a way, because we are obviously not able to fight on pure pace for the top 10.”

Asked if he was surprised to be given soft tyres at his stop he said: “I was just surprised to be in the first place to be left out like that. I think, obviously I started out of position, made my way back, I think we were running three or four seconds behind Esteban.”

“Sacrificed”;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/09/25/...-to-help-ocon/


Gasly fires blow at Alpine’s recent woes
The French team have endured an underwhelming 2024 season
September 26, 2024
Freddie Cotton
FormulaNerds

Following last weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, Gasly cut a frustrated figure in the media pen. The French driver was on an alternate strategy at the Marina Bay Circuit, which failed to reap him any rewards as he sank to a 17th place finish in Sunday’s race. Since his P9 finish in Zandvoort, the 28-year-old has not only failed to score any points, but has also struggled to get anywhere near the top ten finishers.

“The lack of pace forced us to try some different strategies in the hope of improving our end result. We stayed out long on the Mediums on the first stint and lost a lot of time to cars we were racing at the start. The plan then was to disrupt some cars behind in the hope to benefit Esteban to get something from the race.”

“The reality is three races ago [in Zandvoort] we were ninth place and at the last three races we have been far away from the top 10. We have to find some performance and there is a lot of work ahead of us to improve our current level.”

‘Gasly fires blow’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/ga.../?nowprocket=1


Gasly jealous of Norris and Verstappen but delighted for F1: 'I'm enjoying’
30 Sep 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

Pierre Gasly has voiced his opinion on Formula 1's current status. Despite not being in the battle himself, he believes it is "great" that the sport has a four-team fight at most race weekends. The Frenchman also highlighted the gap to the midfield.

The French team had aspired to be at the top of Formula 1 but instead have to watch on from afar. Still, the Frenchman enjoys watching and is glad an intense battle can happen in Formula 1. "Well, first of all, I wish I'd be part of it," Gasly laughed. "But then, as a fan of the sport, I think it's great. I think F1 is in a very good spot at the minute," believes the Frenchman, who has only scored eight points this season.

His former team, Red Bull Racing, are fighting with McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes. "I'm really enjoying the four-team battle because that's how I think the sport should be. Having three, four-teams fighting for race wins every weekend, everybody enjoys that. As a sport, I think it's great," Gasly reiterated.

'I'm enjoying’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30414...f1-battle.html

[Fortitude]

Magnussen confirms puncture caused his late DNF in Singapore.
Kevin Magnussen failed to finish the race in Singapore with a puncture forcing him to retire his Haas four laps before the end.
22 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Puncture caused his late DNF’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/ma...07251164043243


'Fresh start' - Peter Windsor shares where he thinks Kevin Magnussen would have expected to finish in Baku
18 Sep 2024
Shay Rogers
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Kevin Magnussen would’ve expected to finish fourth in Baku according to Peter Windsor. Magnussen will return to his Haas cockpit for the Singapore Grand Prix, one of just seven races left before it appears he will wave goodbye to Formula 1 for good. His penalty point total has reset, so expect a nothing-to-lose approach from the Dane, who is well-known for sending it on his rivals.

He will need to combine with teammate Nico Hulkenberg to ensure that Haas receive their biggest payday since 2018, with a potential sixth-place finish up for grabs in the constructors’ championship. Renowned Formula 1 journalist Peter Windsor was impressed by Bearman, but believes that Magnussen would have expected to finish higher than the Brit if he was in the car.

“I’d say Ollie Bearman probably second in that [driver of the day vote],” he told The F1 Hour podcast. “I think that was outstanding as well. I wonder what Kevin Magnussen thought about that. For sure, knowing KMag, he was thinking ‘ah yeah, well I would’ve been fourth’ in that race.”

‘Expected to finish fourth’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/pet...inish-in-baku/


'Fresh start' - Magnussen glad to be back with 'stuff to look forward to' for Haas
After serving his one race ban, Haas driver Kevin Magnussen is looking forward to this weekend's Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Circuit, where he hopes the team can be fighting for points again.
19 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Glad to be back’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/fr...20976668176029


Kevin Magnussen’s first words after serving rare one-race ban from FIA
17 Sep 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Kevin Magnussen is looking forward to taking on “one of my favourite tracks” upon his return to Formula 1, after serving his one-race suspension by the FIA. “It’s one of my favourite tracks,” Magnussen said of Singapore. “Street circuits are my favourite category of tracks and Singapore is a special one, the original night race.”

“With the heat and the humidity and the length of the race, and just because you never really get a break throughout the lap, it’s a constant sequence of corners over the whole lap pretty much. I feel like we have a good car for Singapore, it’s a low-speed track and we should be in a decent position to be competitive.”

“There’s been some interesting races in the past, we scored in Singapore last year, so am hoping to do that again.”

“One of my favourite tracks”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/kevin-...ore-grand-prix


Kevin Magnussen makes foul-mouthed Singapore GP claim after serving F1 ban
Kevin Magnussen missed the Azerbaijan Grand Prix having picked up enough F1 penalty points to trigger a one-race ban, but is back for the Singapore race after Oliver Bearman filled in at Haas
19 Sep 2024
Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Kevin Magnussen has asked the FIA to stop "punishing ridiculous things" upon his return to the Formula 1 paddock. He told reporters in Singapore: "A little extra bonus weekend off with the family. So, in many ways, nice to have that little surprise holiday.”

"I let [Haas] know before the race that if there's anything, I'm here ready to help out with advice or input or whatever. I switched off completely. It was a nice weekend off for me. You get punished, and then you come back, and you're like all ready to... f**k s**t up now!" He insists he won't be changing the way he drives upon his return. Magnussen added: "It's funny how that works. In a way, it hasn't really affected me.”

"I think with those points, it was annoying to have the knowledge that the next time anything happens, there's a race ban. It's nice to know that's not a factor any more. But I actually don't think it has affected me in how I've driven. I've really tried to say look, I need to crack on here, and whatever happens happens."

“All ready to... f**k s**t up now!"

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...apore-33705409


Singapore Grand Prix: Race Recap
Sep 22, 2024
Haas F1 Team - Official Site

MoneyGram Haas F1 Team finished with Nico Hulkenberg ninth and Kevin Magnussen 19th, at the Singapore Grand Prix, Round 18 of the 2024 FIA Formula 1 World Championship, held Sunday at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.

Magnussen started from 14th on the grid on hard tires and maintained position through the opening stint, pitting on lap 28 to take on a set of medium rubber. Magnussen sustained a left-rear puncture after lightly brushing the wall at turn 5 on lap 50, and had to complete almost a full lap before pitting. The Dane re-emerged on Red soft tires but, two laps down, pulled into the pits on lap 58 to retire the car, officially classifying in 19th place.

Kevin Magnussen: “I got a puncture - sometimes you hit a rough spot and it cuts the tire. We weren’t quick on the hard tire, we tried to do the opposite strategy and go long and hope for a safety car in the middle window, which didn’t happen. We had to cut it short on the hard compound, and then I got the puncture at the end. We’ve had good pace at recent races and we’re in a good spot with the car. We have an upgrade coming in Austin and we have every race to look forward to for the rest of the season.”

‘Race Recap’;

https://www.haasf1team.com/news/sing...x-race-recap-5


‘Think about it’: Guenther Steiner tells Haas what they should say to Kevin Magnussen about his immediate F1 future
27 Sep 2024
Tyler Rowlinson
Oversteer

Guenther Steiner thinks taking Kevin Magnussen out of the car now is ‘worth considering’ In Baku, Bearman recovered from a crash in FP2 to finish the race in 10th, becoming the first driver in F1 history to score points for two different teams after two race starts. Fans were left in disbelief by Bearman’s Baku performance as he managed to beat his more experienced teammate Hulkenberg. Many have speculated since that the Brit could step into Haas early than anticipated and replace Magnussen for the rest of the season.

Speaking on the Champ1 YouTube channel, former Haas boss Guenther Steiner reckons taking Magnussen out of the car now is ‘worth considering.’ Asked whether Bearman could join Haas now, he said: “I honestly don’t know, I don’t even know the contract. I do not know whether you can get out it somehow, [but] you can get out of every contract, you know that. You can get out of every one, and otherwise you just get out of it with money. That is also possible. But there are also ethical reasons.”

“I would say Kevin was a big part of the team when the team wasn’t doing so well and that’s why you stay loyal. You also have to stay human. Maybe talk to Kevin and say: ‘hey Kevin, at the moment it looks like Ollie [Bearman] is stronger than you, what do you say to that?’ We don’t know that these conversations took place, or at least I don’t know, but it could be. But you have to think about it. What you said is certainly worth considering, it is worth considering even now.”

‘Guenther Steiner: “Hey Kevin, at the moment it looks like Ollie [Bearman] is stronger than you, what do you say to that?” ’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/gue...ate-f1-future/

[Fortitude]

Albon addresses 'paying the price' after Colapinto divebomb.
Alexander Albon has said there is "nothing really to criticise" about Franco Colapinto's lap 1 lunge at the Singapore Grand Prix, despite "paying the price" for the move.
23 Sep 2024
Samuel Coop & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Alexander Albon has said he "paid the price" for Franco Colapinto's dive-bomb up the inside of Turn 1 at the start of the Singapore Grand Prix. In the opening metres of the race, the young Argentine, who started P12, threw his Williams up the inside of the first corner, moving him up into ninth position.

It was a move that immediately caught the ire of his team-mate, who jumped onto his radio, exclaiming: "Franco just divebombed! What is he doing?!" Carlos Sainz called it "banzai" and in the melee Albon had to take to the run-off area, dropping down the order to P15, having started ahead of Colapinto in P11.

However, Albon insisted there was not anything to criticise in hindsight, as he walked back his lap 1 radio message. "Everyone kind of concertinaed, basically everyone had to go straight into Turn 1, and obviously I was on the outside, so I paid the price," he explained to media including RacingNews365 after retiring from the race with a power unit issue on lap 15 of 62. I mean, nothing really to criticise. I think in the end, it was unfortunate that I was the one on the other side of the corner."

'Paying the price';

https://racingnews365.com/albon-addr...pinto-divebomb


Albon on Colapinto’s Singapore Turn 1 move: ‘It’s something to review’
Alex Albon speaks on his teammate's risky move at the Singapore Grand Prix
Sep 24, 2024
Alejandra Guajardo Lozano
FormulaNerds

Alex Albon didn’t appreciate his teammate’s move on the opening lap in Singapore, a race that saw both Williams drivers leave empty-handed. While Albon was not happy with Colapinto’s move, the Argentinian driver was praised for such an amazing masterclass move. Colapinto himself was also pretty pleased by his move during the post-race interviews. He said:

“There was a pretty nice gap and I went for it and it worked out. Here, you know, the start is very important and to leave Turn 3 in front of some cars is always nice. You are in a match for a position later in the race. I was in a position to finish in the points.”

“Unfortunately it didn’t happen, but it’s still a decent three first races of my life and I’m close to the points again. We need to focus a little bit more, focus a bit more on quali. We should have been in Q3 and today we should have been able to finish P10, but just need to keep nailing it and we’ll be better for the next race.”

‘It’s something to review’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/al.../?nowprocket=1


Albon's facing his career-defining test six months early
Sep 24, 2024
Josh Suttill
The Race

Alex Albon knows as well as any other Formula 1 driver what having a tough team-mate in the same car is like. In fact doing so almost destroyed his F1 dream. He was sidelined by Red Bull for not measuring up well enough against Max Verstappen and almost couldn't find a way back onto the grid before Williams signed him up for 2022.

An unexpected challenge: Colapinto has put more pressure on Albon in three weekends than Sargeant did in 37. He was on Albon's pace at Monza but buckled under the pressure of his first qualifying session and was knocked out in Q1.

That decided the weekend but Colapinto didn't make the same mistake in Baku as he got through into Q3 and beat Albon, who was denied a final run by an airbox fan mishap. Given how close they were prior to Q3, it's debatable who'd have come out on top. He'd also recovered from the kind of FP1 crash that would have obliterated Sargeant's confidence all weekend.

‘Career-defining test six months early’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/a...nco-colapinto/


Why front-running F1 teams overlooked Alex Albon in this season’s driver market
25 Sep 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Williams team principal James Vowles is absolutely delighted with the business his team has done this season. Although Williams currently sit eighth in the Constructors’ Championship, hopes are high for next year and beyond. Carlos Sainz has been recruited from Ferrari to race alongside Alex Albon and the staff numbers behind the scenes are growing every week.

A report from The Race has shared more details about why Albon wasn’t considered a serious option by some front-running teams in the paddock. Red Bull were reportedly interested in Albon before the start of the season as a replacement for Sergio Perez next year.

Vowles made it clear that his driver wasn’t available, but it says a lot considering how concerning Perez’s form was at times last year – and how he has proceeded to perform this season – that Red Bull didn’t push harder to bring him back. Mercedes also tentatively held talks with Albon but have decided to replace Lewis Hamilton with rookie Kimi Antonelli instead.

‘Overlooked’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/why...driver-market/


Williams suspect cracked radiator duct to blame for Albon’s Singapore retirement
28th Sep 2024
Will Wood
RaceFans

Albon’s overheating blamed on duct: After Alexander Albon was forced to retire from the Singapore Grand Prix last weekend with an overheating car, Williams team principal James Vowles says his team believes they know the culprit but are not sure. “Alex’s car was running hot. We could see that from the beginning of the race, but then it started stepping up quite considerably,” Vowles explained in a video on Williams’ website.

“The actual reason is not fully known yet. What I can tell you is there’s a carbon duct that links to one of the radiators and that was cracked. Whether that was enough to be able to cause this issue is what we’re still going through the question of. What we will know though is once we have that, that there are effectively measures in place to make sure we both understand the fault and have systems in place to rectify not just that, but others that could occur as a result of the learning that we’ve had.”

‘Cracked radiator duct suspected’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/09/28/...nd-up-28-09-7/


Williams investigating cause behind Alex Albon F1 Singapore GP DNF
29 Sep 2024
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

“Alex’s car was running hot. We could see that from the beginning of the race, but then it started stepping up quite considerably,” Williams’ Team Principal explained in the latest edition of The Vowles Verdict.

“The actual reason is not fully known yet. What I can tell you is there’s a carbon duct that links to one of the radiators and that was cracked. Whether that was enough to be able to cause this issue is what we’re still going through the question of.”

“What we will know though is once we have that, that there are effectively measures in place to make sure we both understand the fault and have systems in place to rectify not just that, but others that could occur as a result of the learning that we’ve had.”

‘The Vowles Verdict’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...gapore-gp-dnf/


Williams still don’t know what caused Alex Albon’s Singapore GP retirement
30 Sep 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Mon 30 September 2024 13:00
Rory Mitchell
Williams team principal James Vowles has said the team is still investigating what caused Alex Albon’s retirement from the Singapore Grand Prix. Alex Albon had lost places at the start following a bold move by teammate Franco Colapinto at the first corner, before losing speed 15 laps into the race with a suspected power unit temperature issue.

He was told to pit by the team to avoid any further damage to the power unit, which quashed any hopes that he would score more points for Williams at what looked like another promising race for Albon. The exact reason for the retirement is currently unknown, but Vowles said the team is investigating a potential issue that could lead to answers when speaking on his Vowles Verdict debrief.

Alex Albon seat at risk for 2026 according to Guenther Steiner. Colapinto has matched Albon over single-lap pace and outscored Sargeant in just two races, having finished in eighth at Azerbaijan after a late pass on Nico Hulkenberg. Former F1 team principal Guenther Steiner believes if Albon can’t outperform Sainz next season, Vowles could be tempted to with another long-term prospect that could command a lower wage.

‘Still investigating’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/wil...gp-retirement/


Singapore GP: Zero points for Williams Racing
Sep 25 2024
Williams Racing
WilliamsF1 Supporters

‘Zero’;

https://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s107/st206404.htm

[Fortitude]

Horner highlights pressure on Red Bull updates: 'Need bang for the buck'.
Crucial weeks await Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing. Besides an improved floor, Red Bull is likely to modify the RB20's front wing in Austin. All in all, these updates should allow Verstappen and his teammate Sergio Perez to immediately get more performance out of their cars.
2 Oct 2024
Ludo van Denderen
GPblog.com

"We want to build on the understanding since Monza and take a car that is well balanced between both of its axels. That inspires the confidence of the driver," Horner stated in the F1 Nation podcast, who also pointed out that the track has been resurfaced and there is a sprint weekend. "We have to hit the ground running. But the team has been working incredibly hard on understanding the issues and hopefully getting remedies on the car for Austin."

Red Bull has a handicap: Another disadvantage for Red Bull is that the team won the world title in the constructors last season and remained on top when the latest wind tunnel hours were locked in. As a result, Red Bull have the least amount of development time. "There is a handicap system. And cost cap, you have to think very carefully about where you are going to apply your money. You need to have bang for buck. Gone are the days when you keep throwing different solutions at things. You cannot afford to do that. You have to be selective in what you hit the production button on," Horner said.

'Bang for the buck';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30440...-handicap.html


Why Red Bull is taking a huge gamble with its Austin update
1 Oct 2024
Roy Stroot & Ian Parkes

Red Bull, in particular, will be pulling out all the stops to get the RB20 back to the front and inject new life into the fight for this year's F1 championships. So Red Bull is going all out with a final big update in Austin. It has been suggested it could fix the dysfunctional balance problems of the car and decide the title fight in Red Bull's favour. Red Bull, though, is taking a huge gamble for several reasons.

Let’s start by stating the obvious - an update does not always mean progress. Just ask Ferrari. The Scuderia was in great shape at the start of the European part of the season following the introduction of a major update for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola. And at Red Bull, an update has not always worked. The new floor for the car at the British GP was meant to solve problems but only served to create more. Generally, an update generally needs time to bed itself in, and that is where the next hurdle comes in.

‘Huge gamble’;

https://racingnews365.com/why-red-bu...-austin-update


What Red Bull ‘must’ do in the final six races to keep Max Verstappen beyond 2025
1 Oct 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Red Bull is facing a development race in the final six races of the 2024 season. Red Bull must fix top speed issues on RB20: According to Bild, the team has largely got on top of their problems with the car balance but must work on extracting more straight-line speed from the RB20.

Austin is more likely to play to the strengths of their chassis, while Mexico could throw up some unwanted issues due to its stop-start nature. Red Bull is pinning a lot of its hopes of retaining the Constructors’ crown on its Austin upgrade, while Verstappen will be hoping it will make life easier to defend his Drivers’ crown from Norris.

‘Development race’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/wha...n-beyond-2025/


Hill predicts an 'anxious time' ahead for Max Verstappen
2 Oct 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

Damon Hill believes that Max Verstappen will start to feel "anxious" as his World Championship lead shrinks. Though the 1996 Formula 1 World Champion would prefer to be in the Dutchman's shoes rather than the chasing position Lando Norris finds himself in. "Max has got it all to lose. It was a similar thing in ‘96 for me because the gap closed up towards the end of the season, and that can be an anxious time.”

“In motorsport, there’s tension. You can't avoid it. So it's the ability to cope with tension, to cope with pressure, but I think I'd rather have the lead than be trying to get it," Hill said on the F1 explains podcast. "I think that it's better to have the advantage and protect it. You've got nothing to lose if you're chasing, but at the same time you're behind. So it's always a better position to be in, to have those points," he added.

'Anxious time';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30441...le-battle.html


Horner compares Verstappen to Schumacher: 'He drives around the problems'
2 Oct 2024
Ben Stevens
GPblog.com

Christian Horner sees in Max Verstappen certain qualities that seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher also showed. "I think because of his unprecedented ability to drive around problems, Max has been able to deal with them," Horner said in the F1 Nation podcast. "It's reminiscent of how Michael Schumacher drove in the 1990s, he could also handle that car better than anyone else, while others struggled with it."

"Max has that ability to just drive around those problems. So I think it was already more or less built in, but at Monza we only really saw the extent of it. There we saw to what extent the contact between the front and rear axles was broken. And the figures we expected to see on the track were miles away from our simulations," Horner said.

'Drives around the problems';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30448...chumacher.html


Christian Horner: Red Bull bolstered by 200 signings from F1 rivals Mercedes
02 Oct 2024
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

“We’ve recruited, I think, close to 250 people during the last 12 months, across the project, into powertrains, into the brand new engine shop that we’re building,” Horner told British broadcaster Channel 4.

“We don’t talk about the over 200 people we brought from Mercedes. There’s a lot of focus on the two people that are leaving, because they’re slightly more public facing.” The two key figures departing Red Bull are none other than Adrian Newey and Jonathan Wheatley.

Christian Horner: “Adrian has been on the brink of retiring for 10 years, and so we had to be prepared for that, and I believe we have got strength in depth. He’s chosen to continue and continue elsewhere. And of course, Jonathan likewise, a long-term team member. But they’re two higher profile names. The reality is that’s just two people out of 2000 people that we have within the group.”

“We’ve recruited”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...vals-mercedes/


Horner hands Perez rallying cry with Red Bull title under threat
Christian Horner has called on Sergio Perez to up his game as Red Bull's constructors' crown looks to be at threat.
28 Sep 2024
Jake Nichol & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

With the RB20's form fluctuating, Horner has urged Perez, whose long-term future is not secure despite his 2025 contract, to up his game. "We need to have two drivers firing on all cylinders," Horner told media including RacingNews365. "Checo had a good weekend [in Azerbaijan] and a tough weekend [in Singapore].”

"We need to put some weekends together where we're putting two drivers on the podiums. It is those big points that really make a difference. We need to make sure that Checo is as far up the field as we can get him."

With tracks on the horizon that should ordinarily suit Red Bull, Horner added: "Everybody is still massively motivated in the team, and we're still fighting for both championships. We took a hit in the constructors' (in Singapore with McLaren scoring 41 points to Red Bull's 19), but there are still a lot of races to go. There are some circuits where we've performed very well in the past."

"Massively motivated”;

https://racingnews365.com/horner-han...e-under-threat


Why Now is Not the Time for Sergio Pérez to Retire
Oct 2, 2024
Emma Fisher
Last Word On Sports

For Pérez, these challenges stem from what he has faced over the past 15 months due to “the car development, the direction, and the trajectory we’ve been taking,” according to F1 media. While Verstappen was able to manage, recent races have shown the Dutchman’s struggle also. “Some people don’t understand it, especially from the media side, that different driver styles can come to different conclusions.”

“The problem was… Well, not the problem – the good thing was that Max was less sensitive to it than I was. Ten, 12 races ago, I was complaining about these issues, but now they are so big that even Max is feeling them. I think the solution will benefit me even more with my style. It’s very clear in the data, the team is fully aware of it and hopefully we can fix the issues soon going forwards. Then we can unlock a lot of performance from the car.”

With Pérez’s car issues now understood – and similarly experienced by his teammate, who risks losing his fourth World Championship to McLaren’s Lando Norris – Red Bull is actively working to improve the RB20. While they do not seem to be an easy fix, this could buy Sergio Pérez further time to prove his abilities this season so that his desire to retire on his terms is fulfilled.

“Unlock a lot of performance”;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...rez-to-retire/

[Fortitude]

Lando Norris insists McLaren are doing ‘a better job’ than Red Bull in title fight.
Lando Norris is in the middle of a fight for the Formula 1 championship for the first time in his career with McLaren.
30 Sep 2024
Shay Rogers
F1 Oversteer

McLaren do have a faster car than Red Bull though, and that could prove to be a problem for Verstappen, which is something Norris praised while speaking to RacingNews365. “We are doing a better job as a team right now because my car, our car, is quicker than theirs [Red Bull],” he said.

“But that’s just credit to the team for doing an amazing job, for being smarter and doing cooler things, creating mini-DRS flaps and stuff. I’m working my heart out, I’m working my butt off, to try and make sure that happens [winning the drivers’ championship]. He’s [Verstappen] trying to make sure it doesn’t happen. So, we’ll have to wait and find out.”

‘Creating mini-DRS flaps and stuff’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/lan...n-title-fight/


‘I couldn’t ask for a better boss’ – Norris opens up on how ‘integral’ Stella dealt with McLaren team orders talks
02 Oct 2024
Formula One - Official Site

When asked during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend how Stella is at managing conversations around team orders, Norris responded: “Very, very good, and I probably wouldn’t ask for anyone else to have his job and make these kinds of decisions.”

“From all the people that I’ve known and worked with, I think Andrea is one of the most integral parts of keeping a team together, motivating the team, pushing the team, making the team what it is today, which is close to being the best team in Formula 1 at the minute.”

“I have a lot of confidence in him and we just work well. There’s always good points, constructive points, criticism points, but that all just makes us work better as a team. I think the most important thing that we have is just honesty between one another.”

““Very, very good”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...eazvnonnsZoEuS


Oscar Piastri sends ‘no blank cheque’ message to Lando Norris amid McLaren team orders debate
02 Oct 2024
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Piastri has reiterated his willingness to support Norris’s title charge, but insists his team-mate will not have “a blank cheque” across the final six races as McLaren aim to seal the Constructors’ crown. He told Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport: “The team wants to win both championships. If you have the opportunity to do so, you can’t let it pass you by.”

“If I’m only thinking about myself, I don’t like team orders against me. No driver likes that. For your own pride, you want to show that you are the fastest driver on the track. Nevertheless, I will help Lando in the final races if I am asked. He has the more realistic chance of winning the title. But that’s not a blank cheque. It has to make sense for me to let him by.”

“We also want to win the constructors’ championship and sacrificing my race to help Lando won’t help us achieve that goal. We will decide on a case-by-case basis. Baku showed how we do things at McLaren. If Lando hadn’t stopped Perez after the first pit stop, I might not have won. He has a share in my victory.”

‘No blank cheque’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/oscar-...o-blank-cheque


Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur should be ‘alarmed’ after what he’s seen at McLaren
2 Oct 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Ferrari should be concerned about McLaren development. The standout team this year has been McLaren, having produced a car that went from finishing second and 20 seconds off the pace to one that is now capable of winning by the same margin as Verstappen at the recent Singapore GP.

Ferrari has managed to produce a faster car this year and overtaken Red Bull in the development race but has not been able to replicate the gains made by McLaren. “Fundamentally there is something lacking at Ferrari this season. It’s hard to put your finger on exactly what it is, I’ve been impressed by the leadership of Vasseur, but they have been lost this year. The same with Mercedes,” said journalist Nate Saunders.

“Those two teams came into the year and you thought if either team is going to come close to Red Bull, it will be them. But McLaren has just leaped pass both of them. Ferrari has been left in the dust and you have to ask yourself why that is? Because Ferrari have the same if not better resources than McLaren, so that should be a bit alarming.”

‘Ferrari has been left in the dust’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fer...en-at-mclaren/


'That was taking the p***' – Horner shocked by Norris's pace in Singapore
26 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Christian Horner has admitted that he was taken aback by how much pace Lando Norris had in the Singapore Grand Prix, with the McLaren driver crossing the line to take victory 20 seconds clear of Max Verstappen despite a couple of brushes with the wall along the way.

Asked if he was surprised by just how much Norris had in hand at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, Horner responded: “Yeah, that was taking the p***! I shouldn’t say that in an official capacity. I mean, the pace he had in hand on that tyre, at that point in time…”

“At that point we’ve conceded the race on pace. He touched the wall for the first time and then touched it for the second time, but obviously got away with it.” Horner offered his congratulations to Norris and McLaren for their success in Singapore, adding: “They had a very strong car this weekend and particularly on the first stint they were very quick.”

‘Congratulations to Norris and McLaren’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...FTXvhvGc42e0xw


Steiner brands Norris 'lucky' after 'weird' blunder
Lando Norris brushed multiple walls on his way to victory in the Singapore Grand Prix.
1 Oct 2024
Nick Golding
RacingNews365

Lando Norris has been judged as "lucky" by former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner after surviving multiple "weird" wall brushes during the Singapore Grand Prix. Steiner highlighted how lucky the title contender was, by pointing out that Kevin Magnussen sustained a puncture after his first strike with the wall on the outside of Turn 5. "I could say that maybe he was managing the race," Steiner said on the Red Flags Podcast. "Did he lose concentration? Did he try to do something? I don't know, but it's weird.”

'Lucky';

https://racingnews365.com/steiner-br...-weird-blunder


Aston Martin set to investigate McLaren’s F1 upgrade blueprint
2 Oct 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Having since slipped into the midfield’s clutches, Aston Martin boss Mike Krack has conceded it would be “foolish” not to review the methods behind McLaren’s climb. “We are looking at this a lot,” Krack told Autosport.

“If you compare the pace, and you see when have they [McLaren] made a step, and you can correlate that with some upgrades that are declared as we never have the full picture, there is some correlation where you can say, ‘okay, this is what it has been changed, and what has it potentially done’.”

“When you see, for example, the Zandvoort upgrade, it’s a bit here, a bit there, a bit there. You see how fine and complex these cars have become, so I think it would be foolish not to look at it.”

‘Investigate McLaren’s F1 upgrade blueprint’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...ade-blueprint/


McLaren detail why 'red herring' scrutiny is ‘good news’
McLaren faced questions from rival teams after the Azerbaijan GP when the legality of its rear wing was called into question.
3 Oct 2024
Fergal Walsh & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has insisted it is “good news” that rival F1 teams have taken issue with its rear wing. “I find that so much attention on our rear wing is just good news because it means that opponents are not focusing on themselves,” Stella told media including RacingNews365.

'Red herring' scrutiny is ‘good news’;

https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-de...y-is-good-news

[Fortitude]

Gary Anderson: Ferrari's F1 upgrade risks cancelling itself out.
It's difficult to say if this has been a step forward or not, but to me the endplate treatment is a positive and the flap trailing edge treatment could very easily lead to a bit of head scratching at Maranello.
Sep 25, 2024
Gary Anderson
The Race

Ferrari's new Formula 1 front wing, introduced at the Singapore Grand Prix, is both a general front wing upgrade and one focused on the demands of the high-downforce Marina Bay circuit. You need to consider the effect of all of the components and the various interacting airflows. It all needs to work together for the best and most consistent flow going between the front wheels and the side and bottom of the chassis.

This new front wing has some positives and potentially some negatives. If we look at how competitive things are at the front of the grid, it shows that a small step in either direction can have major consequences for your performance in terms of grid position. And as qualifying in Singapore showed, the same can be said for whether the team and drivers get it right.

‘Head scratching’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/g...ng-itself-out/


Leclerc demands Ferrari realism over late F1 title push
30 Sep 2024
Jake Nichol & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Despite the upturn in form, the Monegasque believes this to simply be track-specific as he warned against getting too carried away. "There needs to be a little bit of luck involved on our side, because even if we do really well until the end of the season, it is going to be difficult to go and take the drivers' title," Leclerc told media including RacingNews365.

"But I am not really thinking about it now, I'm just trying to focus race-by-race and the worst thing we can do at this moment is to have wrong expectations going forward. We have gone through some very specific tracks since Monza, which has made us look particularly good, and I hope that picture remains [after Singapore].”

"However, I expect McLaren and Red Bull to get back to their normal level of performance, McLaren never left it, but it is still the car to beat and Red Bull will come back and it will make our life a bit more difficult. We need to be good at having the right expectations going into weekends because otherwise it can push you to try and find performance that is not in the car, but we are working well and the development is going well."

‘Warned against getting too carried away’;

https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-de...-f1-title-push


Ferrari got it wrong in Singapore. But its F1 gamble has worked before...
25 Sep 2024
Mark Hughes
Motor Sport Magazine

Ferrari was 'scratching' in Singapore as it gambled on a late qualifying run to beat the faster McLarens. But while it ended disastrously, there was nothing wrong with its approach, writes Mark Hughes — as Mercedes showed in 2019

Sometimes in a grand prix weekend it will become obvious to a team when it is competitive, but not quite the fastest. Quick enough that if everything goes in your favour and you really squeeze every last drop of performance from the car, you might set pole and you might thereafter have a chance of winning.

But not fast enough that you can control your own destiny. There is another car inherently faster than you and if they nail it they’re going to beat you. But they might not nail it, so you are looking for every tiny opportunity to make the difference. You are what is commonly referred to as ‘scratching’.

‘Got it wrong’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a...?nowprocket=1#


Vasseur defends Ferrari decision after Singapore woe
Ferrari did not enjoy the most successful weekend in Singapore but was able to move forward following a difficult qualifying session.
25 Sep 2024
Fergal Walsh & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

When asked if Ferrari considered being more aggressive with its strategy, Vasseur told media including RacingNews365: “To start soft, you can make one position perhaps. But at the end of the day, if you want to be aggressive, you will pit lap 12 or 15 like Lewis [Hamilton] did, but you don’t have another choice because you have to pit lap 12 because you are stuck.”

Despite the difficult weekend in Singapore, Vasseur at least commended the strategy call to bring home points following a difficult qualifying session. “At least to start with medium, we had the opportunity to extend, and the scenario of the race was a bit different. I think it was a good strategy,” he added. “The fact that we split the cars to do one early stop and another one we extended was also a good call. It went pretty well due to the track position at this stage.”

‘Ferrari decision defended’;

https://racingnews365.com/vasseur-de...-singapore-woe


Vasseur: Ferrari must do “a better job” over whole race weekend
25 Sep 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur admits that his team must do a “better job” and be consistent through a whole race weekend in the wake of a frustrating Singapore GP. “It’s always good to finish the weekend on a positive tone, and honestly today, it was a very good race,” said Vasseur.

“It’s true that on the other hand you increase a little bit the frustration after a poor Saturday, when you have this kind of race. But I prefer to have a frustration on Sunday evening, after Saturday, with a good race, than a poor race. And you say, ‘Okay it was like this.’ I think it’s good to finish and to attack the three or four weeks break with a positive tone.”

“On Friday we were in better shape, and it means that we missed something during the weekend, it’s clear,” he said. “When you start in Singapore ninth and 10th, you know that we made something wrong on Saturday. But it’s not the Sunday that we have to blame something or someone. It’s more to do a better job on Saturday.”

“Something wrong on Saturday”;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/09/25/...-race-weekend/


‘The goal’: Charles Leclerc gives one-word answer on whether Ferrari can win the 2025 championship
2 Oct 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Charles Leclerc confident Ferrari can challenge for 2025 title. Ferrari brought a floor upgrade to the Italian GP which is intended to be the key part that will make their car a better all-rounder and less ‘peaky’ like they experienced last season.

“We are seeing quite a lot of gains. We just need time to bring those upgrades on the car,” said Leclerc. When asked if he thinks it means Ferrari can challenge for titles, Leclerc said: “Yes. It is. Obviously it is a constant process that keeps evolving and the goal is to always make it better.”

‘The goal’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/cha...-championship/


Ex-Ferrari engineer gives Hamilton instructions: 'Then he'll walk on water'
26 Sep 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

"When a seven-times world champion chooses your team to come and work at your team. I don't think he needs to bring an entourage with him. And I always spoke about this, this publicly, both for Lewis himself and for people like Bono [Peter Bonnington]. I think that it's quite a dangerous game to play to follow the driver around because if the driver falls out of favour or the driver decides that after one year this is not for him, he can't take the entourage with him. So I think that Lewis has done the right thing," Smedley said on the Formula for Success podcast.

"They'll [Ferrari] just be able to raise their game by another 1%, 2%, because they'll feel that confidence. This is a seven-time world champion coming into your team, having chosen your team over effectively a team he's been at for, let's call it all of his life, if you take the engine part of it, suddenly he's walking away from all of that and all of that legacy, and he's choosing you guys. So that gives you a massive boost of confidence. If everybody works that half/one percent harder or smarter, then great things can happen," he concluded.

'Then he'll walk on water';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30359...o-ferrari.html


Rob Smedley lauds ‘really encouraging’ Ferrari steps in area they were ‘dreadful’ at before
26 Sep 2024
Rory Mitchell

Rob Smedley lauds ‘encouraging’ improvements to Ferrari’s strategy. Smedley worked with Ferrari for 10 years between 2004 and 2014 where he was race engineer to Felipe Massa and was known for his humorous exchanges over team radio. When discussing the areas where Ferrari has improved, Smedley said it was ‘encouraging’ to see the team improve their trackside operations compared to when he was at the Italian outfit.

‘Rookie mistakes’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/rob...ful-at-before/


Remarkable rumour: 'Lewis Hamilton is going to sponsor himself at Ferrari'
26 Sep 2024
Ludo van Denderen
GPblog.com

Hamilton's Tequila brand to sponsor Ferrari? In a roundabout way, Lewis Hamilton will sponsor himself in his new F1 adventure after he leaves Mercedes.

‘Remarkable rumour’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30359...i-in-2025.html

[Fortitude]

Mercedes admit to Lewis Hamilton strategy ‘mistake’ after Singapore issues.
Hamilton was the only driver in the top 13 to begin the Singapore Grand Prix on softs but stopped far earlier than he would have hoped, losing any advantage he may have gained from the tactical choice.
30 Sep 2024
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Mercedes have admitted they made a “mistake” in bringing Lewis Hamilton in earlier after the seven-time World Champion voiced his displeasure at the Singapore strategy call. Hamilton bemoaned the decision, suggesting that it made “no sense”, after he finished sixth and behind team-mate George Russell.

“We sat in our meeting in the morning of the race – actually the night before they already mentioned that they would like to split the cars – and for me, I was a bit perplexed by it,” Hamilton said at an event in Kuala Lumpur for Mercedes sponsor Petronas.

Mercedes technical director James Allison admitted that it was a “mistake” and that a different call would be made could if they turn back time. “Before I give the explanation, I’ll just start off by saying we shouldn’t have started on the softs. That was a mistake. If we could turn back time, we would do what those around us did and select the mediums.”

‘Perplexed’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/merced...ngapore-issues


Lewis Hamilton: Mercedes driver insists 'things are cool' with his team after Singapore GP strategy error
Lewis Hamilton dropped from third on the grid to finish sixth at the Singapore GP after a poor strategy call
1 Oct 2024
Sky Sports

"When that happens it's natural to be frustrated and easy for me to speak out in that frustration. We knew starting on soft tyres was a bold and risky move but one that could give us an advantage at the start and I ultimately agreed with that recommendation.”

He added: "Make no mistake though, things are cool with the team. As with all successful partnerships, you have to have some lows to have the highs. We're not afraid of those tricky conversations and challenging moments which is why we have achieved so much together. We will support each other to the very end. It's all love."

'Things are cool';

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12...strategy-error


James Allison says Mercedes issue they 'couldn't control' in Singapore affected them all year
30 Sep 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

James Allison says ‘weakness’ in W15 has impacted Mercedes throughout the year. Mercedes entered the summer break with three wins between Hamilton and Russell, but things began to take a downturn at Zandvoort. Russell blamed the car setup while Hamilton was limited due to a grid penalty, but at the following race in Monza they still struggled to break into the top three.

While Mercedes has produced a car that is fast over one lap, this pace is impacting them during the races according to Allison. “We found a very good setup for a lap, which did us no favours in the race,” said Allison. “A weakness became visible again, which has been impacting us all year round. We couldn’t control the temperatures of the rear tyres.”

‘Couldn’t control the temperatures of the rear tyres’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/mer...them-all-year/


'Dig deep': Rob Smedley shares how Toto Wolff’s media interviews show Mercedes downfall ‘hurts them’
30 Sep 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

A winless 2023 confirmed that Mercedes was entering a period of decline, all while several senior members associated with their title success also left for new opportunities on the grid. Toto Wolff visibly affected by Mercedes’ downfall according to Rob Smedley. Wolff is one of the few experienced heads still in the team alongside technical director James Allison, and the impact of their current frustrations is clear when he speaks to the media.

“They deserve to win and get those seven years of World Championships on the bounce because they were doing the best job. Then the car simply wasn’t good enough at the start of this new era of regulations and they really had to dig deep,” said Smedley. “You can see that and you can see how much it hurts them. You see it, even if you don’t know these guys, in their media interviews. You see it in Toto’s media interviews.”

“If you know these guys personally, you can see how much it hurts them. You know, they just want to win and they just want to do everything they can to get back. So they’ve really like knuckled down, doubled down on what they needed to do.”

‘Toto Wolff visibly affected by Mercedes’ downfall’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/rob...ll-hurts-them/


Lewis Hamilton drops girlfriend update and admits he was 'terrified' of Toto Wolff chat
Lewis Hamilton opened up about his personal life and family plans in an interview where the topic of Toto Wolff was also discussed.
Sep 29, 2024
Fasika Zelealem
Daily and Sunday Express

Lewis Hamilton has confessed his desire to start a family but insists he still has unfinished business in Formula One in a clear hint he's not ready to start dating yet. The racing superstar is notoriously private about his personal life, with his on-off relationship with former Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger being the only one widely known.

Hamilton is in his final year with Mercedes and is set to join Ferrari in 2025 after announcing the major move earlier this year. Despite being a seven-time champion and one of the greatest drivers in F1 history, Hamilton admitted it was "terrifying" to tell Mercedes boss Toto Wolff about his decision to leave the Silver Arrows, reports the Mirror. "It's been a rollercoaster of emotions from the moment I signed the contract - telling my boss, that was terrifying," remarked Hamilton.

‘Opened up’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...wolff-Mercedes


Peter Windsor questions Lewis Hamilton criticism of Mercedes after strategy mistake
30 Sep 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Peter Windsor questions Mercedes’ strategy for Lewis Hamilton. Mercedes was ‘in the woods’ for most of the weekend on tyres, having found they suffered from overheating on all compounds including the hard tyre. Russell said he knew as soon as he saw the tyres for Hamilton that his teammate would disprove of the strategy, which ultimately played into the Briton’s hands later in the race.

“It’s a moot point whether Lewis suggested it to the team or the team suggested it to Lewis and he endorsed it,” said Windsor. “The point is they did it and why? Only to get an advantage off the line in a relatively short run into Turn 1 at Singapore, and he’s trying to overtake one of the hardest guys in F1 in Max Verstappen. If he hasn’t got past him or Lando Norris, then the whole point of him running the soft goes out the window.”

‘Soft tyre strategy out the window’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/pet...ategy-mistake/


'Hamilton would have been an eight-time F1 champion had Whiting not died'
30 Sep 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

Charlie Whiting, who had been in the role for a long time, died suddenly just prior to the 2019 Australian Grand Prix weekend at the age of 66. Hamilton, the lead car, was on used tyres, with Verstappen on fresh tyres. The Dutchman made the move early in the lap and held on to win the World Championship for the first time. Steiner has expressed his thoughts on that moment.

"Wherever your loyalties lie with that one (and yes, I agree, it was amazing entertainment), from a regulations point of view it was a s**t show of biblical proportions, and regardless of what decision Charlie Whiting might have made in Michael Masi’s position there would have been far less controversy and embarrassment," Steiner said.

Still, the former team boss concludes: "Oh, f**k it. We all know what Charlie would have done. Had he been at the helm Lewis would now be an eight-time world champion."

‘A s**t show of biblical proportions’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30414...abu-dhabi.html


Mick Schumacher makes telling Mercedes comments and puts pressure on Toto Wolff
Sep 30, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Schumacher’s journey back to the F1 grid has been a sorry tale so far. Since being axed by Haas at the end of the 2022 campaign, the German racer has been linked with a host of vacancies… That isn’t to say that Schumacher hasn’t found success. He has made a strong impact as Mercedes’ test driver, and in a conversation with Motorsport-Total he sent a clear message to Toto Wolff as he hunts a new contract with the Silver Arrows.

“You don't really see what's going on there, but it's going well there too," he explained. "So we're all pretty optimistic that I'll keep doing it." Despite his desire to continue with Mercedes, a full-time F1 return is his primary goal. Asked about his ‘Plan B’, Schumacher added: “I think I will deal with it when the time comes and Plan A doesn't work.”

"So, as I said, we stand by the fact that Plan A works and we're trying our best to make it happen. But, as I said, yes, Plan B has to be in the back of our minds. I don't know where that will lead yet."

‘Journey back to the F1 grid, sorry tale so far’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...Wolff-Mercedes